looking forward to spring

i haven't really lived in four season weather. ever. hawaii has maybe two seasons. i say "maybe" because really, only people who grew up there can detect it. it gets like 4 degrees cooler and warmer. (yes, i know it's been a freakish year over there in aloha land and really cold. we get those every 20 years or so. but in general, i mean.) so when i read blogs written by people living in chicago or michigan, i'd wonder why the posts took on a tone of desperation for the cold to stop already. and now i kinda know.

it hasn't been really cold here. i'm disappointed because really, with being a mom and not EVER being out and about after 8pm, i've only worn my pretty pretty pea coat once. sigh. it hangs there and mocks me at the life i could be having in it.

at the same time though, i've been wearing my two pairs of jeans and three long sleeve shirt for days on end now. i keep resisting the urge to increase my warm wardrobe because it's march now and doesn't that meant we will be back to t shirts and shorts soon? i have lots and lots of those.

yesterday i was alone with the two munchkins for most of the day. for some reason, this mad disgust at the thought of staying inside all day again took me over. but when i stepped outside, it was cold and gray and everything was just a bit damp. the only place to go around here on such a day would be the bookstore or chuck e cheese (hate). i guess we could have gone to a park but natty is at the age now where she was DOWN! NOW! EVEN IF I CAN'T WALK MUCH, SO I CAN CRAWL AROUND AND PICK UP OLD CIGARETTE BUTTS AND EAT THEM! while Noah is constantly calling "Ummah! watch me! come and help me get down! i can't get up there unless you lift me!" which is fine sometimes, but for some reason, not yesterday.

so i loaded the kids in the car, because it was just something to do at that moment. and i drove, trying to figure out a place to go.

we ended up at Lowes. yes, a hardware store. mostly because they had a bunch of flowers and plants displayed out front. i loaded both into a cart and we wandered around the nursery talking about plants and flowers. then, inspiration! oh my gosh. we have a YARD now. we actually can do stuff in it besides kick a ball around or water the grass.

i asked noah if he wanted to plant a garden. we picked out a few things he'd want to grow (tomatoes, strawberries) and then wandered over to the seeds rack. he decided that watermelons might be fun to grow. i wondered if they would ever really grow into watermelons, but thought we'd give it a go. then, i noticed some hummingbird feeders and got excited about those. i held one up and explained what it was for. noah has been really into birds and eggs, and the whole nest making and hatching (his one wish right now is to find a nest with eggs and take one and hatch it himself). on mys, you should have seen the look of excitement on his face when he realized there was a way to make the birds come to him.

and then we happened on a birdhouse kit. and he jumped up and down clapping like i would if i ever hit the jackpot on the wheel of fortune machine at ceasar's palace.

the birdhouse is hanging up right now, and being checked hourly for a nest with eggs. the plants have been planted and is being checked every half hour for tomatoes and strawberries and watermelons. so, even though we aren't coming out from a cold hard winter or anything, i know now what it's like to look expectantly ahead to warmer days.

come on spring. we're all ready for you.

Day 64