Counting Days

Time always seems to slow waaay down around this time of year.  March is probably my least favorite month (despite it containing the birthday of one of my most favorite people, which happens to be today - Happy Birthday Tom!).  It's that in-between time, when we're all getting a little sick of strapping on the winter gear and standing out in the cold, but yet when true spring seems so.very.far.away.  Another foot or so of snow on Tuesday didn't help matters much, as the grass (or mud, really, let's be honest) that we were just beginning to see is now once again blanketed in white.  It hardly seems possible that we will be hunting for Easter eggs in just over a week.  So around this time, we all get a little stir crazy, ready for warmer weather, for the ease of going outside without boots and snowsuits, for open windows and fresh air.  My stir craziness manifests itself in spring cleaning and cleaning out, as evidenced by the multiple trips I've made to Goodwill this week.  The boys' stir craziness manifests itself as running in circles and bouncing off walls.  Literally.  But betwixt and between mandatory closet clean-outs and the umpteenth game of chase, we've been:

Building colorful snow forts

Growing beards

Practicing our snowboarding

Building snowmen

Celebrating the 100th day of kindergarten

Going on safaris, complete with a journal to note the animals we see 

Plowing through our Valentine's Day candy stash to make room for an anticipated replenishment at the end of the month (as an aside, this picture was taken for Daddy's benefit - whenever something cool happens while Daddy is at work, Adam wants me to take a picture to show him later - it's our compromise as Adam would much prefer to run up and tell Daddy himself)

Having a tea party to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday

Reading and reading and reading some more (Cute story - Last night the boys lost their story time [due to the aforementioned bouncing off walls].  After we had tucked them in and left the room, I heard Ethan quietly reading Adam stories from the top bunk.)  

Thinking of warmer days as we begin garden planning

Doing lots and lots of puzzles (and photographing the finished products)

And counting down.  Every morning, we've been counting down the days to: spring (check, allegedly), Easter, and our trip to Florida.  This weekend, we'll enjoy one more wintry getaway to Bridgton, where we'll strap on our skis and our skates for a final goodbye to winter.  Once properly ushered out, I expect it to stay there, at least for the next 8 months or so.

Happy first full day of spring!