Am I going to become someone with seasonal depression if I keep living in Ammon, Idaho? Maybe.
My friend who lives in Georgia just posted her top ten reasons for getting excited about the fall. The list included football games, apples, getting to wear jeans (I cringed inside when I read that), moving on past the sweltering heat of the summer, and getting a low heating/no air conditioning bill. This is what I posted on her blog:
"I appreciate your autumn post. I think your post may point to the difference between living in a cold place vs. a warm place. I am in mourning for fall. I've just had the weather of my dreams, and now it's fading away for the next nine months. It just makes me sad!"
So am I heading for seasonal depression? I hope not, but all signs point to moving to a warm state, or praying for cheerfulness despite cold weather.
I love shorts. I love not even checking the weather channel because I know it will be hot and gorgeous outside. I love throwing Lucy and Brooklyn in shorts and a shirt (or a skirt for Lucy, because she prefers that) and having Isaac pick a shirt and shorts. I love flip flops. I love the relaxed t-shirt and black work-out/pajama shorts I wear all the time. I love daily stroller rides, running in shorts and a t-shirt in the morning (not to be confused with the shirt and shorts I wear during the day), heading over to the park behind our house when Brooklyn's sleeping, and going on walks at night after the kids are in bed.
I have appreciated every day of our pitifully short 3-month summer, and it makes me sad to know the high today will be something like 73 degrees. Because it marks the downward fall toward winter, 73 degrees today is tough to take. I am not ready. But I will search for the silver lining anyway. Here's what I look forward...sob...gasp...sniffle... to in the Fall:
1) being with family. We're going to Utah today for a spontaneous football trip. Doug gets to go to the Utah game for free (Thanks, Dad) and I get to play with family. Then we'll be back in Utah next weekend for another free football game (Thanks, Shauna's grandpa) to watch my dad get inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame. And then I'd like to go to Utah again in October to celebrate...
2) My kids' birthdays. Isaac and Lucy have birthdays a week apart, and I look forward to making their days special. I already covet a little Polly Pocket princess/prince set, including Snow White and her prince, Ariel and Eric, and Cinderella and her prince. I know it's pathetic to look forward to buying Polly pockets, but I also know how much Lucy will love them, as she plans their temple weddings and has me assist with costume changes.
3) I do like making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and brownies, and I love making hot chocolate with cream in it. All this making is immediately followed by consuming.
4) Ironically, I'd like to lose weight this fall. I'm sure #3 will really help me out there:). I hope that this fall is the fall of self-discipline for me with food. I've allowed myself to eat everything on earth and in my cupboards this summer and, amazingly, that hasn't helped me lose all my baby weight. So I'm actually watching what I eat now. I typically have a big breakfast, a big lunch , and a smaller dinner, with some snacking done in between, but not after dinner. Not eating after dinner was enough to help me lost my baby weight with Lucy. This time, the weight isn't coming off without limiting desserts. For the record, to echo those who are broken records on this topic, it is just bizarre that most guys want to gain weight and most girls want to lose weight. Look at what we do to achieve these goals and you'll see that women totally get the bad deal! I'd like to want to gain weight.
5) Brooklyn, Lucy and Isaac will have more milestones this Fall. Brooklyn will most likely learn how to roll and sit up, Isaac will get better at writing and reading, and Lucy will probably learn her letters. (Can you tell that I'm reaching for all possible good here? I'm trying!)
6) Date nights will be great this fall, as we get to know the young women around us, and convince them to babysit our children so we can hang out.
So the list is short, and an effort, but it just gave me the idea to list things I'm grateful for during the fall. I did a gratitude month in November last year and loved it (especially because I was pregnant at the time, and so sick). Oh! That's another thing I'm grateful for this fall:
7) I will not be pregnant and nauseated this fall.
8) And maybe I'll sign up for a half marathon this fall/winter?
So happy upcoming Fall everyone. Especially to everyone in my boat, looking ahead at cold weather for the duration of the year and beyond.
5 comments:
Oh I am so with you. While everyone else gets excited about fall, I resign myself to it. Its not that I hate fall. Its that fall leads to winter and I HATE winter. Maybe I'll try to make my own list to help me be happy about the changing weather. :) And our high today is only 64 :(
Just remember we have beautiful falls around here, it is the spring that is depressing. Steven likes IF, I always say I will never move there because it is always 2 degrees colder : )
Way to stay positive, my friend. Your post is EXACTLY why Decker refuses to move near my family. He doesn't want to deal with the forever winters. Oh well. You're always welcome here in the south. Our door is always open.
I just caught up on all of the posts and feel very full and content of knowing that you guys are doing well. I will echo Christine's offer of an open door down south. I think you're right about loving fall depending on where you live, although I always loved Fall and then remembered belatedly that it was always too short and then winter came. Here in SC the winter is just like one long fall and so I really like that.
I agree with you exactly. I hate seeing the first signs of the leaves changing. If Fall went directly into Spring, I would love this season, but I always start getting depressed thinking of cold weather. I am trying to come up with some stuff for Lewis and I to do this winter to make my Saturdays at home more bearable. We'll make it through and rejoice when it is March 1st again!
Post a Comment