Monday, March 10, 2014

What Warm Weather Can Do

It's happening. It has begun. Signs of life are emerging. The deep thaw has begun. 

The temperatures rose to 54 degrees today. Heatwave!!!! People were taking walks and smiling at passing cars and driving around with their windows open. Picnics were being had in the snowbanks and kids played on the swings in slushy parks. Birds sang, kids rode bikes, and people waved. Who would ever think that 54 degrees would make people so darn happy? It was adorable.

Molly and I ventured outside for a run even though I haven't run in weeks because of a heel injury.  The weather was so beautiful I didn't care about the possibility of further injury. We ran anyway. And it was awesome.

Okay, so the temperatures drop again tomorrow and by Wednesday we are back to a high of 12. But, we saw the light at the end of the tunnel. This long, dark, dreary, cold, miserable tunnel that was winter. And the light was beautiful. 

This past weekend wasn't quite as warm as today but it wasn't that bad. We did manage to go skiing for one last time this season. We couldn't get over how much snow there was up north. At least four feet. I had to take a picture of the kiddos standing in front of the snow just to show exactly how much it was. The boys could stand on top of the bank and touch the roof of the house. Crazy. But it did make for good skiing.

Once again Todd and the boys ventured off on the hill for the afternoon while Grace and I tackled the bunny hill. By the last hour of skiing Grace really got the hang of it. I tell ya, she can ski!
(please note the ginormous snowman we saw on the way home from up north-bottom right. Those little dots next to it are people. Those are truck tires for eyes, too. That is a big snowman!)

The weather really held up and was pretty perfect for skiing. Sunny and 28 degrees. Grace and I even had our lunch on the decks outside. That's how we do it in Wisconsin, people! Picnics at 28 degrees!

By the time we got back to the cabin Todd and I were exhausted. The kids, not surprisingly, were still ready to play in the snow. It is safe to say that we all slept well that night. Unfortunately for us daylight savings time had to come knocking the next day and kick the crap out of us. Boo.

But who can complain after such a gloriously warm day as today? Not I! I am too high on vitamin D and running endorphins to worry about the loss of one hour.

(Hehe! See? I'm giddy!)

Tomorrow Joey has to dress up and give a speech to his class on his book report subject, Thomas Jefferson. I had him try on his outfit and I really CAN'T STAND how cute he looks. But don't tell him that. He thinks he looks super cool.

I am just so proud of this kid. He has had such an amazing year of growth. He is really becoming so incredibly responsible. He is always on top of his homework, his projects (the speech he wrote was great!), his assignments, and I hardly ever have to ask. I check his work and he has become so diligent and wants to do well. It is such a switch from the struggles we used to go through with him over schoolwork and working hard. He is just really blowing me away this year. Really coming into his own. It is amazing to watch.

The last of the snowmen decorations came down today. I felt it was time. Har-har. Taking place of the snowmen were the spring and Easter decorations. I suppose I should venture outside and try to take the Christmas decorations down. I was afraid that with all this cold and snow the Nativity would be up until Easter. With the thaw today I may be able to yank it out of the frozen ground and snow bank. I guess that is my project for tomorrow. That and I can continue the poop reconnaissance. You know, search through the melting snow for piles of emerging dog poo that has lain dormant all winter. I try and do it in stages so that when all the snow is gone I'm not left with 30,000 piles of dog poo to pick up. Sometimes I feel like it would just be easier to move.

Let's hope the weather is nice enough tomorrow that even dozens of piles of dog poo won't get me down.

9 comments:

Bijoux said...

I took down the snowman decor, too! That is a HUGE snowman! Really cool!

I love the Thomas Jefferson costume. It's hard to come up with those outfits! My daughter was Amelia Earhart once for a report. Thank goodness I had a leather bomber jacket and swimming goggles!

Charmaine said...

Hey Kat :) glad things r warming up for u :)

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

I remember a couple of weeks ago, after our freezes the first day of warmth...everybody was outside.

That snowman is absolutely crazy! I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.

Come on Spring, bring on the thaw!!

Barb said...

The last day of skiing - no way! Your little Jefferson is really looking like a statesman. Glad you're thawing there in Wisconsin - spring can't be too far off.

betty said...

How cute with your son and his costume. I hope his speech went well! Glad to hear there is light at the end of the tunnel (and warmth) and you had a few good days attesting to it!

betty

Unknown said...

That is an awesome Thomas Jefferson right there! And I feel the same way about my Ben, we don't have to help that much with homework, etc., it's nice!

Glad you all got some time outside but I did crack up at the picnic in 28 degrees. NO WAY would us Southerners do that! ha!

Anonymous said...

Your young Jefferson looks fantastic, Kat!
Happy ALMOST spring!

Riahli said...

I just recently took down my outdoor Christmas deco, but I didn't really have a good excuse like lots of snow and ice… just the vortex of homeschooling. ;)

Hilary said...

Joey Jefferson.. how incredibly adorable is he! Best not tell him I said that either.. oh but he is. That's just too cute. He's going to rock that report!

What a lovely family yours is. The love and the pride is apparent in every one of your posts.

Happy glimpse of spring!

Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson