We’re at that tail end of Christmas weekend, a weekend in which we’re slowly digesting our eggnog and sorting overstuffed recycle bins of wrapping paper, a remaining evidence bit that yes, the most wonderful time of year just happened.

It wasn’t a white one– somehow Mainers often end up with White Easters rather than White Christmases, though I doubt anyone’s dreaming of that.

Regardless of weather, it’s also important to note that we’ve just bypassed the shortest, darkest day of the year. So onto brighter and better days, right?

Christmas is behind us, so onto a new year, blue skies looking at me. That’s how it’s supposed to go, right?

That’s sure easier said than done for those of us seasoned enough to know the winter season is, in fact, only just beginning.

Remember how mild last December was? Then January, February, and March happened.

When I think of 2015’s first quarter, I can’t help but recall constant visions of my husband outside, doing one of three things: Snowblowing, repairing our snowblower, or snowblowing a second round. Clad in heavy Carhartts, face mask and an LED headlamp, blanketed in blizzardous snow, he looked like a 24/7 Abominable Snowman. But it was the weather I abominated.

What I really ought to do right now is count my blessings in appreciation of a husband who dares brave nasty meteorological conditions when our driveway looks like a labyrinth scene from ‘The Shining’.

But I’d be remiss if I said the daily whiteouts didn’t become mind-numbing after some time.

Our family isn’t huge on winter sports to begin with, but we’d hoped to take advantage of our sledding hills and build snowmen too. Even that was a bust last winter, as most weekend days were far too cold, too icy, too windy to attempt even the simplest of snowball fights. And it’s too bad, because I certainly have my share of childhood memories of hours spent rocking a snow tube decked in bright snow pants all in the name of adrenaline, frozen hair and the promise of hot cocoa. Don’t we all?

Let’s hope for a milder winter season as we brace for January.

Though I’m not snowbanking on it.

Auld acquaintance just can’t be forgot– I’m still traumatized by last winter’s ice, ice, baby. But I’m hoping for powdery snow and more reasonable temps this time around so that the love of sledding can be enthusiastically enjoyed once again.

But what’s a family to do when the foreseeable forecast looks like a cold and bleak midwinter?

A whole lotta effort goes into bundling kiddos when the weather outside is frightful.

Our answer to fixing winter blues: Swimming lessons.

Last summer, we enrolled our older kiddo in two back-toback sessions at a local indoor sports facility so he could start getting his feet wet. It seemed a great idea at the time– learning to swim’s not only fun and good for one’s health, but an important life skill.

We signed him up with the notion that the teamwork and instruction would help prepare him for school that fall.

What we hadn’t considered was that swim lessons took up just about every summer Saturday morning last summer; summer being the season where outdoor events, get-togethers, and beach days are wedged together tightly, consecutively, with cookouts and birthday celebrations abound before we all run into hibernation again.

We were spending time indoors poolside during the only brief season where we should have been outdoors, poolside.

Swimming lessons were a fantastic experience, and our son definitely developed a stronger sense of confidence in the water.

But now that the holidays are wrapped up and we lay patiently in wait for spring, now seems the perfect time for swim lessons to pass the frigid temp times away. There’s no time like January to grab a pool noodle and jump in where the water’s warm.

So Happy New Year to all!

For all you lovers of winter sports, I wish you all the joys the frosty season surely will bring.

We’ll sure try to get in a little ice skating, sledding, snowmanbuilding if we can grab some non-harsh winter moments.

For the rest of you who, like my family, aren’t completely in love with the cold, I wish you many creative indoor fun opportunities– because there are many.

For me, that’s the bright side of winter.

And there really is no better time than this to dive into swim lessons.

Because I’m fairly certain our winter weekend calendar is relatively clear of cookouts.

— Michelle Cote is the art director of the Journal Tribune. She enjoys cooking, baking, and living room dance-offs with her husband, two boys and a dog. She can be contacted at mcote@journaltribune.com.

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