Hi all, well, waking up to some fluffy snow this morning, I realized it's time for me to start wearing winter boots

I pulled out the Timberlands I bought last year, which look great, and realized, alas, I made a mistake with these. They are very heavy for walking, and the clunky stiff soles are awkward for driving (Am I the only one with very picky shoe needs for driving??)

Trying to carefully think through my requirements, and these are really 'out and about' boots, as I no longer have little ones looking for me to play in the snow with them. We're not outdoorsy winter people with the exception of walking on paths and relatively clear trails. I think what I need are boots that are:

• lightweight with a relatively bendy sole so they are comfortable for both walking and driving
• high top enough so that they cover the gap between my leggings and my socks if there is one, but not super high
• Good for uber-casual/gear outfits up to regular casual - if I was dressier than that I could wear my Blondos with low heels
• warm and waterproof enough to deal with winter walks (not trekking through deep snow though), scraping the car, etc., and decent grips
• They don't have to be beautiful as long as they are not hideous - these are about function primarily
• Not a kagillion dollars (i.e. Uggs are probably out as they are too pricey for me ... under $200 is a must unless they are truly spectacular for some reason)

Has anyone found such a beast? Any thoughts of style - thought of winterized high top sneakers but not sure if they would withstand January ... going to pop by the Ecco outlet and Mark's (workwear store in Canada) today but appreciate any thoughts or ideas so I can avoid another costly mistake!

Thanks xoxo

(Photo: the pond near our house when it's a winter wonderland ... memories to try to make myself less miserable about the snow hah! It does like rather pretty ... )