"Spring is in the Air?"

Having had two solid months of super wintry weather, (the average temperature here was 18 degrees for the months of December/January according to my Xcel bill, which was substantial) I'm never one to get too optimistic about Spring coming too soon. But who can argue with a five-year-old when while riding her bike to the post office exclaims, "Mom! I think spring is in the air!" And it was in the air, today. The sun was shining and we weren't freezing our butts off, which was so nice for a change! I think its in the 40's today and I can honestly say that I could count the days in 40's these past two months on one hand. "Geese!" Cecilia noticed a flock honking and flying overhead (in the North-easterly direction?) "What a nice day for geese to be flying." Yep - what a nice day.

If it seems like I'm trying too hard to be chipper, its because the girls have been sick for the past week and two days. So, for the past nine days, we've been cooped up inside, coughing up a lung and feeling feverish on and off. Julian even has a touch of a cough, but no fever. I guess we have a touch of whatever is going around, the only bummer being that I expect a cough like this to last about three weeks. I guess we're almost half-way there, to look at the bright side. I'm thankful that I didn't get it . . . phew!

I ordered a card reader so that I could load photos onto my blog and alas - it doesn't fit my mac. What bunk. I have so many fun times to share . . . such as:

-Francesca's fifth birthday, where she dressed up as Crystal Tinslefrost to ride her new Trek Mystic all over town (pointed fairy hat, wings and all.) Awesome.

-Cecilia holding Julian, all by herself. Wish I had gotten a picture of her being helpful by carrying him from the couch to the kitchen for me . . . aaaahh!

-Julian smiling huge.

-Pyramid snow guy, since most of the snow hasn't been good packing snow.

-Cecilia and Francesca skiing and hugging cousins.

-My awesome winter look: Bogg boots over any pants that I can fit into with Julian in the Moby wrap, under Andrew's winter parka and my grey, wool, fleece-lined, ear flap hat. I'm sure I look like a goon most days, but I'm warm, Julian's warm, and I'm not going to slip and bust my *ss with these Bogg boots. Best winter/chicken coop poop scooping/fashion statement boots ever!

-Francesca's birthday wish: which was contemplated lengthily, while the other kids waited for her blow the darn candles out and serve up some cake!

Who knows what else is on that camera . . . It will probably cost me a million dollars by the time I develop the pictures . . .

I finished the Jeannette Walls book, "Half-Broke Horses," and loved it. I want to read "The Glass Castle," again. It really makes me want to write. What a memoir. What a life! I'm pretty sure my memoir wouldn't be a fraction as exciting . . . unless I decided to be a cattle rancher or something. Or a pig farmer. Or a crazy chicken lady . . . wait.