I. Am. So. Cold.As I was leaving the gym today, I was still really hot from exercising. The frigid wind blew my hat off my head. Then a film of ICE formed on my hair. No joke.
Right about now, I'm sure many of you are reading this and thinking, "I'm glad I don't live there!"
But, my intention is not to put down the Midwest. This is actually an awesome place to live. If you've never lived here, I'm going to help you realize why this is a great area of the United States. Once you finish reading this post, I'll have you thinking, "I wish I lived there!"
1. When I pour myself a glass of ice water, it stays cold. All day long. Seriously, the ice never melts.
2. I can leave my groceries in the car for an unlimited amount of time while running other errands. My perishables stay nice and frozen. I mean fresh.
3. I am rarely bloated due to hot weather.
4. We only have to do yard work three months out of the year!
5. I burn loads of extra calories with the effort it takes to bundle and un-bundle my kids in their boots, hats, gloves, snow pants, coats, and scarves multiple times a day. Not to mention the energy it takes to put it all away every night.
6. I burn even more calories every night trying to locate one or two stray gloves, the hat that disappeared between the garage and the house, the missing boot ... and where did that scarf go again?
7. Plenty of time for blogging when the windchill reaches a -38 degrees.
8. If you don't like your neighbors, it is completely possible to go the entire winter without seeing them, and no one would even think twice about it.
9. If Moon Boots ever come back in style, they'd totally be put to good use around these parts!
10. Hot chocolate is now a major staple of my diet.
All joking aside, here are the real reasons why I love living here:
1. I've met people here who have become very dear friends.
2. My kids are thriving because of the school system.
3. Friendly people. No road rage. And have you heard that accent?
4. No sales tax on clothes or food!
5. Very fun to go downtown to check out the cool restaurants.6. Target is headquartered here. Moment of silence.
7. Mall of America is here. 'Nuff said.
8. This is an ideal place to raise a family. It is common to see families with three or four children. It's nice to fit in :)
9. The YMCA by my house is awesome and has become a major part of my life. Seriously, why doesn't every state get with the program on this one?
10. Hot chocolate is now a major staple of my diet.
26 comments:
Wow, i think I need to look into moving there, My kids would love it. They love the snow and I am all about the great school sysyem and the nice people. I see too much road rage on the west and people seem to stay to themselves. I am not in a family kind of ward at all and it makes me sad. I would love to live by a cute town too. I live my our YMCA and I dido what you said about ours too. THere is nothing like swimming in the winter and excersising in style.
Ahhhh....do I miss it? Do you know, sometimes I do? I mean, I hated all the bundling and the STUFF that just exists around your house, but there is that new found appreciation of SPRING and that feeling like the whole world is coming out of a deep hybernation. Truth is, I miss living in the Midwest so much more than I ever thought I could, and what a great list you made of things to love about it. It's all true. And, most of all, I wish we were still 4 hours from you!
i've actually found the EXACT opposite of road rage: people driving so laid back and slow it GIVES me road rage!
It's good to like where you live. We love Virginia.
I tried to like the Mid-west. Really - I did. But it sucked. Big time. When we lived in Iowa, there were only two seasons: summer (when it was too hot to go outside), and winter (when it was too cold to go outside). During the summer, it smelled like pig doodoo (hog farm country), and there were bugs everywhere. They would stick to sweaty skin. Ick.
During the winter, ice crystals would freeze on my nose hairs and eyelashes. Then my eyes would water and my tears would freeze. And this was as I walked from my front door to my car.
Mark would say "I don't know what you're complaining about, it's 72 degrees for me year round" (yeah, in the hospital buddy!)
Sorry for the long post. I guess I'm still recovering from Iowa :)
You do have some good benfits, way to look on the bright side...but those negative "benefits" outweigh the good ones. TOO STINKIN COLD FOR ME!
Hang in there...you seem to be managing well :)
Landon served his mission there and knows how cold it is and thus, thank goodness, has no desire to ever go back! I do love your optimism though. Thanks!
I adore the Midwest too. Never want to move from here. Visiting other places is nice though.
Hopefully, I'll be able to experience your neck of the woods soon and you can show me all it has to offer. Heck, maybe we'll move there too!
Amen to all of above! There is loads o' calcium in that hot cocoa. Today I will have it twice. The best part of the YMCA is Merilee's class on MW morning at 9:15- have you tried it? Love love love her!
Way to look at the bright side, Nat! :) No, we loved the Midwest, too. Seriously, there were so many good people with good values. I'm glad you like it so much there.
Okay, so this is completely random and I am a total stranger to you, but I stumbled across your blog and had to comment on this post. I grew up in North Dakota, then left the midwest for school, etc. I married a California boy, so I never expected to be back in the midwest. We are however, now living in good old Minnesota and have loved every minute of it (well almost). And we have only been here since the beginning of January, so we have definitely had our share of the cold. I guess what I really wanted to say was that I am pleased to have stumbled upon someone else who loves this area.
Hmm, you make a compelling argument but I think I will stick with 72° year round, disneyland, beaches, mountains, and some serious traffic problems.
Mmmm...good reasons to come visit you :)
I've been waiting for a post like this!! I wanted to email you and see how you are doing right about now, but I was kind of nervous to find out!! Actually I can't wait to get there!!
I want snow, but I don't want my hair to turn to ice. I had enough of that growing up...You're on your own!
Cute, Natalie! I guess I don't have room to complain, reading about your winters. They sound pretty harsh. But I do agree, that the cold helps you to feel good about relaxing at home with your kids and taking it a little bit easy. Love that target headquarters are right there- I didn't know that!
I now understand what you are talking about on #5. We had a snow day today, and well we dont have all the snow atire which means changing clothes, shoes and socks way too ofter. My kids have been out 4 different times today so that means I have to put new clothes on them everytime they go out and come in. My house has clothes drying all over. I even went out and help the boys build a snowman. i think that is even extra calories. But, I have to say... It is All So Worth IT. Have fun in the snow.
Love it Natalie. I think I'm going to have to link to you. I hope that's OK? If not, let me know!
I know that Chad and I will most likely end up in the midwest with his job at least for awhile. Mabey you'll get to see him on the local news! Sounds like we could definetly enjoy ourselves there!
Hey Nats,
If you can find it, I recommend Dagoba Organic Chocolate for drinking. It's amazing. And no, it has nothing to do with Star Wars (it's spelled differently :))
This is the best! I love the accent- no better in the world. I love that your drinks and groceries stay cold. When I am freezing here I just think about how much colder you are!
I visited there once over a HOT summer where people were dying and living in hotels for air conditioning! Can you believe that? Have you been up the Gunflint Trail up past Duluth and Grand Marais (is that a town? anyway- near Canada)? Also, when you next go to Duluth- and you should- cross over to WI and canoe the Brule River. Gorgeous area!
So funny about the never seeing your neighbors all winter! I love your positive outlook on the cold! Thank you for sharing. And the whole target and great mall thing is so awesome, I would love it there with no tax on clothes!!!
Very positive attitude! Did you ever imagine six years ago that you would be settled there? It's crazy where life takes us. But that area is definitely known for being a bit chilly. It's not nearly as cold here, but cold is so hard because it hurts. It hurts to be outside. Lately, too, for some crazy reason I always imagine my children being trapped outside with no warm clothes. I don't know why, but I'm paranoid that cold weather is dangerous.
As I watched HomeTime this morning- it made me wonder... are you getting an accent? Do your kids have an accent? Ryan's dad is from there and his slips out sometimes! :) Sometimes I watch Fargo just to hear it!
Jennie: Yes, I am developing an accent! I can't help it. It's especially bad when I talk to the locals here. I mirror their tones and pronunciation :)
Thank you for giving Target a moment of silence.
It sounds like the Midwest is great. Yea its cold, but it sounds like there are so many fun things to do indoors around there that its not a problem.
And I think moon boots are actually in style, thanks to Napoleon Dynamite !
P.S. I just have to say, you are by far the most popular blogger I know. 23 comments! Wow. Totally understandable since your blog is so fun to read!
Awesome. You remind me why you are my favorite blogger every time I read your entries. Seriously, I get bored reading someone's blogs without pictures... but NOT YOURS. You could put NO pictures on them and I would still read them, and ENJOY them 100%. You have a gift of gab or a wit of writ. You are amazing. And YES, the midwest is AWESOME. And YES, hot chocolate is my staple too... I think I am up to 4 cups a day... we have snow here in Tokyo too... very similar to Indiana weather. I don't think I would ever appreciate the -38 wind chill... yikes! But leaving the groceries in the car while you run errands... oh yeah baby. Yesterday I had an emergency "buy sour cream" during sunday school break.... long story. So I left it in a bag in the front of the church and by the time I got home, it was still nice and chilly cold! No problem.
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