Little Beauty

March 7

I am now rather obsessed by this flower! Same as yesterday but look, it is open today! This little beauty has been hiding in plain sight every Spring next to my garage. How many years have I passed by only glancing to see that there was a splash of purple down there?

Isn't this the message we hear so often: appreciate the small joys in life? The moment I spent studying this open blossom has fed my soul for hours and hours after.

We hit the park after preschool today and spent an hour climbing and sliding. My little one rarely naps these days and I have to say I love the freedom to be out in the world in the early afternoon. When we got home we decided to set up a table and chairs in the driveway for snack. When my first grader got off the bus she found a little table set with her snack. We've decided to leave a little sitting area out there. A nice rest spot during our now daily skating time.

Same Thought, New Day

March 6

After a night of high winds and pelting rain we woke up to a little bit of snow dusting the rooftops! After a day inside I did not want to go out into the cold and wind this afternoon. But I realized I had not been out of my house for almost 24 hours! Cabin fever was a good motivator.

So on went the coats and we moved the roller skating party outside to the driveway. And here is the thought: It is beautiful out here!!! As soon as I was out the door I realized that what looked cold and gloomy was brisk and beautiful. The sun peeked through the swirling clouds and it wasn't that cold. Getting over my inertia and taking the few steps out the door has been the hardest part of this project for me. And every single time I am outside I enjoy it. Why is this still a surprise? Not sure, but after two months it is. Maybe after a year it will sink in.

My girls are thrilled to be skating on the gentle grade of the driveway. I hold onto my little one and push her around after her sister. After a fall she decides running in tennis shoes is more fun. I am relieved.

We notice newly sprouted purple flowers that have appeared. These little jewel like beauties were not here two days ago. I marvel that they pushed them selves up during the rain and wind and cold.

Oh Dear!

March 5

There is a wind advisory today and they are not kidding! It feels like the house is going to blow away. Should we be getting ready to fly off to the land of OZ? I do my best to keep my girls distracted and calm, but I'm a little worried about the rain I see flying sideways outside. Then sun and strange warm wind and lots of it. I don't think we are going outside in this.

The trees writhe wildly outside and I decide it is time for some music and indoor skating. We turn the living room into a rink and away we roll. My job is to push my little one around and around as she chases her big sister. This is quite a taxing task I must say, but hysterically funny at the same time. Her little legs are pointed straight out in front of us and I hold her under the arms. I "run" to the best of my ability and I'm never quite sure how we navigate turns. My accomplished skater laps us and reminds us we are supposed to be chasing her. We stop for a rest break and set up an obstacle course. I leave my little one sitting by the fish tank while I check on dinner. When I turn around, she is skating! Slowly carefully, she is making her way across the room. Please don't fall, please don't fall I think. She makes it to the couch. Ah, success! Dinner is ready and they roll to the table. Outside the wind is blowing but we don't care. We've got more skating to do.

What a Goose

March 4

My little one is ready for some quality time at the park today. Finally the sun is out and we can hit the play structure. She slides and climbs and swings to her heart's content. I follow along, trying to stay in the sun. The shade is bitter cold but the sun is too hot for a coat. I'm trying to work my layers. We have an involved game of restaurant where the wood chips serve as both food and money. This ability to play and imagine astounds me sometimes. How does a three year old brain already know so clearly what is make believe and what is real? How do they understand so quickly what pretend means? It is not simple business. But yet we all love to pretend, to imagine we are somewhere else or what it would be like to be someone else. Isn't that why we watch movies and read novels as adults?

We head to the river to see the ducks and the Canadian Geese. They are in fine form today. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard who appear to have just stepped out of Make Way for Ducklings come over to greet us. The Canadian Geese size us up quickly. Realizing we have no bread or crackers to offer they go back to their business of searching in the mud. We hear some wonderfully loud honks answered by many little quacks from the ducks. One goose stands looking out at the river. He preens his feathers and then cranes his neck around once more to see if we have produced any snacks. He is beautiful. I quietly thank him for standing still long enough for me to snap his photo.

Ice Crushing

March 3

This morning we saw snow flakes floating outside our windows. This was all we needed to get on hats, coats, gloves, and boots and get outside. As much as they tried, my daughters couldn't seem to catch any flakes on their outstretched tongues. The flakes were small and floated by quickly in the wind. But they were there! Snow! Finally. It used to snow once or twice a year in our parts. But last year nothing. Our sleds and snow shovel sit gathering dust in the garage. I keep thinking I should get rock salt for the driveway, but I worry then it will never snow. I bought the sleds after the last really big snow we had.

This morning we take butter knives to the ice in the water table. There is a nice thick sheet and the knives push through the ice with a satisfying crunch. Soon the ice is fractured and splintered. Some falls to the deck and the stomping begins. There is something so satisfying about crunching ice.

Living Room Fort

March 2

Well after two months straight of being outside everyday we didn't make it today. Sometimes you just know something isn't right for your kids and today was not the day to go out in the very cold, very windy world. I have a husband and one child fighting colds and the other child and I are over tired. Today was the day for building a fort in the living room and for taking a long afternoon nap.

The fort came together quickly after pushing some furniture around and finding the extra sheets. Blankets and extra pillows on the ground made it especially comfy. We made a sliding door from the lid of a large plastic bin. We snuggled inside the fort reading and giggling. This is what we needed today. I looked out at the cold windy terrain and couldn't gather the strength to drag my little one outside. I didn't want her to come down with what her sister has and the fort was looking pretty inviting.

My husband cooked up a wonderful lunch and we sat at the table joking and telling stories for much longer than usual. After we cleared the table we headed for a long luxurious nap. The wind was howling outside and we burrowed deep under the covers.

Bean Bags

March 1

Today I relied on a new toy to get us outside. It is great to open the door and see a package waiting just for us. Today we got rainbow bean bags. Yes, I've been meaning to make bean bags, yes we have lots of things we could use to throw already in the house, but new is fun. And these are really bright and feel good in the hand. We each line up our own set of bags in rainbow order and start throwing them one by one at . . . yes, the empty box they came in. As we all know the box can be as much fun as the toy inside. We set the box on the front steps and my little one has great success tossing in her bean bags. I stand back about eight feet to give myself a little challenge. We call out the colors before we throw them and she is very excited to get to purple before me.

We stop to get the mail and run a bit. The wind has picked up and overcast day is turning bitter. Our noses turn red but we keep setting up our bean bags and tossing them in the box. I'm hoping we will last until my first grader gets off the bus but we finally give in to the cold and head inside. Oh, it feels so cozy now. I've been chilly in the house all day but this little outing has completely change my perspective. I put on my new fuzzy slippers (yes, they came in the same box). Ahhhh!