A Bit of Warmth

The snow is gone, and there's a break in the cold! We've had a few days with highs in the forties that feel warm after the cold we've had. Today it hit fifty, and it is HOT! Not really, but warm enough for a trip to the park. It was even warm enough to play for a bit without a coat. Nice!

There was proof at the park that it has been pretty darn cold though. While we were soaking up the warmth and playing on the swings...
the teeter-totter...

and the slides...The geese were walking on water. It was funny watching them fly in for a landing. They skidded on the ice and slid across the pond. It cracked us up. But not the ice. Hee hee. :)

THE CLAW

You know those silly arcade games with the menacing claws that look perfectly capable of snagging a fluffy stuffed animal yet never seem to actually catch one? The lightweight, stuffed animals in the machines are always in intriguing positions that trick the naive into thinking that they could surely maneuver the scary claw well enough to win a stuffed prize. Coin after coin goes into the machine, but nothing comes out. The claw mocks those that foolishly insert all their pocket change. Just one more quarter...I must have the pink polka-dotted bunny...this quarter will be the one...I caught the bunny! It's mine! Oh, wait. The claw dropped it. I must be getting closer though! One more quarter... Before one knows it, a person is broke and living in a cardboard box all because of the cursed claw! It's a conspiracy.

The Claw Machine

I, of course, have enough self-control that I would never succumb to the lure of the dreaded claw. I'm much too wise to believe that there is actually a chance to win one of the cute plush toys. Those machines always have the same toys inside because no one ever wins! It's a scam! Right?

Wrong! Look what I won! Really! The claw does relinquish it's prisoners every once in a while (probably, like once ever century).

Yeah, I know I said I was much too wise to play those silly machines, but when a girl as cute as this one...begs change from me, I can't resist. Little Miss Riley has life all figured out. She knew she probably would have better luck getting money for the stuffed animal machine out of me than her mommy (because her mommy is too smart!), so she asked me if we could play. Of course, I couldn't say no. I gave Riley some change and she tried to get the elephant out of the machine. She didn't win, so then it was Colter's turn. I played for him, and low and behold, I won an elephant! Really, really! What made it even better was that when Colter saw Riley was sad that we won the elephant she wanted, he gave it too her. Such chivalry from my two-year-old! I was so proud of him for being so darn sweet, and Riley was pretty happy to have her elephant. I'm not sure she got to play with it much though because I'm pretty sure another sweet girl took it over. :) See. I told you.

Heat Wave!

Break out the bathing suits! After several days of two degree weather and bitter wind chills, the temps topped out at eleven today with no wind. Such a warm day warrants some outside time. You think I'm kidding, but eleven degrees really did feel warm today. Colter and I played outside for at least 45 minutes and were not cold at all; however, our cheeks did get rosy!

Part of the reason we were toasty warm was because of the beautiful sunshine today. After several days of it being too cold to get out, it was nice to feel the sunshine and see some blue sky. My little angel

Mommy and Me Angels

It is so weird to have a winter that seems like winter. Before this year I could count the number of times there has been a good snow (not ice) since John and I got married on one hand. In fact, I bought him a sled five years ago that was never used until this winter. We've had enough snow to play in this winter though that I've lost track. It's been nice for a change, but I'm okay with skipping the two-degree-weather days. Snow is great, but let's keep the temperatures in at least the twenties, shall we? Here that weatherman? Twenties, please. Thank you.

Future Architect

My two-year-old is a genius! Look what he can do! He builds extraordinary architectural wonders out of his Duplo blocks: houses, trains, ginormous towers, etc. His imagination has no limits! Look at this! Isn't it impressive? Did I mention he's only two? Amazing!

Oh, wait....Daddy built this? Daddy hogs the Duplos and plays with them more than you? Daddy's the one that leaves Duplos in the middle of the living room floor? Hmm...I wonder what magnificent things Colter would build if he got the chance to play with his Duplos too. ;)