Utah, it's been fun!

For those who haven't heard yet, I'm moving back to New York! I must be crazy for leaving the snow-less winters where it only gets fairly cold (still with a chance of getting to be in the 50's some days) and triple digit, not as humid as New York summers of Utah. However, it's time I went back.

I haven't seen either of my parents or my younger brother in almost three years. And any of my family that live in New York in almost five. Which is sorta really a hard thing to do. Especially when it's the holiday season and everyone around you is celebrating with their families and doing things that they've done together for years. It still amazes me that I managed to do it for three sets of holidays in a row. I spent a good part of it being somewhat miserable. However, I managed to find a copy of the movie that my mom and I watch every holiday season early in 2014 and was able to make the 2014 holiday season a little more bearable. That and making fudge using my grandmother's recipe.

There are plenty of other reasons that I'm excited about going back to New York as well. Just in this season alone: The ice skating rink is open and since I'm pretty sure my mom still has my skates, I can go pretty much whenever. And since the backyard of my parents' house is pretty much all hill, I get to go tubing! And going to the hill at Thompson park to tube and sled. Hot chocolate to go with breakfast, just like when my brother and I were younger.

Oh! And when it finally starts warming up at home! Even more exciting things. Being able to go on the tours in the Thousand Islands out of Alexandria Bay (which is my absolute favorite). Swimming in Lake Ontario on the 4th of July. Picking strawberries in the strawberry patches when they're in season. Apples when those are in season. And eating along the way since that was always breakfast the days we went picking. Home made applesauce with the apples we picked. Fresh squeezed apple cider from the cider mill.

There are some downsides to moving, though. I've met some really amazing people here that I'm grateful to have met. I've always hated moving and leaving friends behind. Even though I've lived in New York before this, there are only two people I still really talk to from when we were kids and even then, it isn't very often we do talk. I hope that the ward in town has some people that are close to my age. Otherwise I'm gonna go crazy being home all the time.

The other downside is that I have to leave my job. My store is full of great people who I'm gonna miss quite a bit. I've learned a lot from them. I'm gonna have more time on my hands than I'm gonna know what to do with when I get home until I start working again. And I'm gonna drive myself crazy. You can only do certain things so many times in the winter before some of it becomes redundant. Work the last three years has given me things to do and a productive way to spend my time. What am I gonna do with myself?

***Note, I realize I mentioned quite a few things to do. However, without money and people outside of my family to do those things with, I'm not going to know what to do with myself most days.