Spring

Well, the calendar says spring, but looking outside, you'd never know it.  The first day of spring we woke up to -8!  Granted, it did warm up to an above 0 temperature, but still not the ideal way to say good-bye to winter.

At school, my students have started a poll to see who can guess which day the huge snow bank outside my office window will be melted.  I have to say, the kids are much more optimistic than I am.  Unless someone gets out a hair dryer for April Fools and really goes to town, I think it will be out there a while.

At home, we've been making the best of it as well.  Pinky's been waiting for it to get warm enough to build a snow man for quite a while.  Lately she decided that she should build a "snow duck" instead.  So, after 2 days of work, primarily from her daddy, she officially has her "snow duck" in the front yard. 

Clearly, being very helpful as the "snow duck" was under construction!

Duck profile!

Ta Da!

Taking a little time to ride her bike through some puddles between snowbanks!

Hot chocolate mustache!



Easter Egg hunt at church

"Stay"-Cation

I had February 25-March 1 off from work . . . an entire week.  Many of the families I work with (both students and teachers) had wonderful, warm, sunny vacations planned with their families.  I can't blame them.  Winter in ND . . . We all deserve a little time to "defrost" and catch some Vitamin D!

Our family, on the other hand, had no plans to travel.  In the last couple of months, we have spent a week visiting grandparents over the holidays.  We've spent 4 days in Colorado.  And we've spent 5 days in Florida.  What a blessing to have those times with family and to get the opportunity to travel.  But I am not going to lie:  A week at home sounded wonderful.  A little "stay"-cation. 

We scheduled a couple of play-dates and had a short, but manageable, "to-do" list.  But most of all, I was looking forward to spending a little 1:1 time with my Pinky-Pie . . . knowing the time I have to spend with just her is dwindling.  As much as I am looking forward to welcoming another little girl into the family, I will miss having days for just Pinky.

I didn't plan any wild adventures for the 2 of us.  We watched Mickey Mouse.  Read lots of books.  Painted fingernails, toenails, and a few pictures.  Made some yummy treats.  And worked on our "moves"!  Pinky also learned how to play Candyland, a game I think we will be playing a lot in the upcoming months! 

This morning when the alarm went off, I was not exactly ready to bounce out of bed and speed off to work.  But I have to say that for the most part, I felt rested, like I had crossed a few things off my to-do list, and most of all had made some fun memories with Pinky.  Can't think of a better way to spend a "stay"-cation!

Playing in the snow

1 of many games of Candyland

A little lesson in counting.  (She made it to 15!!!)

Mom's little helper!

Maybe just 1 more M&M before they go in the oven . . .

Playing in the snow with Daddy!

Did I mention we helped Auntie Carman pick out her wedding dress?
No pictures of the dress 'til August . . . but we got to ring the bell when she found "the one!"