Why I love Phoenix

You know those cute kid's books that talk about the seasons with pictures to go with each season. Well, after reading one of those recently I have decided that Phoenix has 2 seasons, summer and "not summer".

Let me explain. So the book shows each season and in the summer it shows: swimming, GOT THAT, t-shirts, shorts & flip flops, GOT THAT, and sun, DEFINITELY GOT THAT. But for fall it has fall leaves, NOPE, apples, NOT UNLESS YOU COUNT THE KIND FROM THE GROCERY STORE, and jackets, AT 90 DEGREES, I DON'T THINK SO. For winter there's snow, NO WAY, hot chocolate, NOT USUALLY, and hats and mittens, NOT HERE. Spring boasts tulips and daffodils, ONLY FROM THE FLORIST, rain showers, MAYBE, BUT ONLY ONCE A MONTH, and umbrellas OK, SO I THINK WE MAY HAVE ONE OF THOSE. So from that book I learned that we only have summer. But after living here 7 years I know that there is more to Phoenix than just HOT, HOT, & SUN. OK, there is lots of sun but when everyone else is pulling on sweaters and dragging around umbrellas we are at the park and having barbeques.

I love Phoenix during our "NOT SUMMER" season. I love giving my kids bikes for Christmas only to watch them ride them THAT DAY and not have to wait 4 months for the snow to thaw. I love playing with the kids at the park on valentines day in a short sleeve shirt. I love eating outside on the patio from October thru April. I love taking my kids trick-or-treating and having the people actually see their costume and not just their coat on top of their costume.

Don't get me wrong, I grew up in Michigan and we had all 4 seasons just like the book. There are some things I really miss like the nip in the air just before fall really starts. I miss the huge maple tree in my front yard that had leaves bigger than my hand and when it turned red it looked like it was on fire it was so bright. I miss bundling up to play outside in the snow, making snowmen, snow forts and sledding. I miss snow days, that surprise of a holiday that only kids love. I love the feel of spring, like a present being opened slowly. I love splashing in the puddles and feeling it sprinkle on my face. I love watching the birds come back and listening to their chatter as they catch up with each other. And ... I love Phoenix.

When we were first married we lived in northern Utah and I told Brady, there was no way I was going to live in Phoenix. The only time I had ever been here was July or August. And I just could not understand why ANYONE would ever live here. It was just too BLAZIN' HOT! And it was! But, like many things in my life the second I say, NO WAY... It happens anyway. After living here and experiencing more than just the heat of the summer I have come to love Phoenix and all its wonders. We are a little backwards in our seasons. When everyone else is outside, playing at the park and enjoying the sun we are shut in our homes, curtains closed with the A/C as high as it will go, only venturing out to jump in a pool or other body of water. We hibernate in the summer while the rest of the world hibernates in the winter. So for us, right now is a bit like spring. We are finally able to let our kids go on the slides at the park without worrying they will burn their legs. The temperatures are finally in the range that if we plant some flowers they won't burn. So in that respect we have a bit of "spring" and since we hibernate in the summer and get our own kind of cabin fever we have a bit of "winter" too. And I guess if we forget our sweatshirt and bring some apple cider to the football game on Friday night we might get a little chilly, I think we could count that as "fall-ish". So, when I am feeling a little left out for only having summer and "not summer" I just have to remind myself that sure, everyone else is breakin' out their sweaters and cute boots I can relish in the knowledge that come January when they are sick of having to push their grocery cart thru 5 inches of black slush and taking 30 minutes to find that matching mitten EVERY time they leave their house I will be pushing Briella on a swing at the park or going for a hike or watching Allana play softball and remembering why I love Phoenix!