And where is spring???? Daffodil "watch" 2013

More like- Daffodil- PLEASE snow please go away, PLEASE!!!! watch.  2013.  The year winter would not quit.

Daffodils?

Ok kids, I just realized something over the weekend- spring is truly behind this year.  Now, many of you are going to say, oh DUH!!! ~ put down the paint brushes, you've been sniffing too many fumes these days~ but in my defense, I was trying to be positive with myself.  I recently emerged from a cocoon of "busy" and I got a chance to actually look around and see what has been going on.  This may seem like an exaggerated over-dramatization of things, but it really is true.

Any sign of spring?

This past weekend, it became April, thankfully, and I have one big thing change in April (aside from the imminent arrival of Baby Girl) - and that is that tax season gets FINISHED- and you-know-who is going to be hanging about the house again.  This is usually not an issue at all, as he will ordinarily come home, doff his work clothes, don his "play clothes" and go "frolic in the woods" as so many of us know is the MO of the said M-A. He does not allow a lot of grass growing under the proverbial feet- he gets outside and puts tax season out of his mind, quickly!!  WELL- holy crap.  I realized as I was reassuring him that April is indeed almost upon us, that he will most likely NOT be able to go outside and rake the crud off the lawn in the late afternoon of April 15, as I am pretty sure the snow will NOT be gone!  THIS is a problem!!!  THIS has only happened a few times in the years we have been up here- like only 2 or 3 and the last time has not been for at LEAST 10 years.  So hence and therefore, spring is ACTUALLY slow to arrive this year, it is not me just assuming that we are not having a scary warm spring like last year- but it is SERIOUSLY COLDER!!!  UGH.  And now I am seeing that there is a forecast of 3 plus inches of more snow this Saturday.  REAL CUTE MOTHER NATURE, REAL CUTE!!!  and there are not super warm temps forecast for the next 10 days either.  Sigh.  **sob**

I'm not sensing imminent yellow flowers anytime soon

He will find plenty to do out there, regardless of the snow, so that isn't a real big deal, but what is to me is the fact that I am going to be waiting a long freaking time for my flowers and for me to be able to garden..... which is such a bummer.

There might still be ice on the lakes here for the opening of fishing season, too, in just 4 weeks!  That hasn't happened for a long time either!  All I want to do is go for a walk without my long underwear on and my hood up- is this too much to ask for in April????  Hmmmm????

I guess I will have to keep doing cardio at the gym, hit the weights, attend classes and then come home to sit like a slug, er, um, a Princess in my new livingroom instead of walking outside until the precipitation decides to turn to rain. Which will be totally fine with me!  And heaven knows I still have a lot of cleaning and putting away to do in the rest of the house- as it is in a bit of disarray from that reno project.  I can't find ANYTHING!!!  Who ever knows where I put it.

Speaking of weird- I had the strangest dream last night, it involved me going swimming, my uncle Bob was letting me ride his BMW motorcycle, my dad was there in some fashion and then someone stole my purse!  WHAT is going on in my brain??  I woke up a billion times with a seriously dry mouth and stuffy nose, so it probably had something to do with that.  Oy.

So I better get on with my day, I do enjoy a Wednesday, so this shall be a nice thing to look forward to.  I am obviously still feeling a little out of sorts for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to all the things listed above, plus the fact that I feel like I need to do something challenging in terms of my exercise or diet and I am not finding success in pinpointing it.  But I am working on it, so stay tuned.  It does involve dropping a bit more weight, but that is also unclear at this point.

On a REALLY FANTASTIC POSITIVE NOTE:
*I have maintained my weight now since January at 147- with few fluctuations.  AND I don't feel the need to weigh myself obsessively a million times a day.  WIN!

Pretty, but....

*I have made good strides forward in my strength, as measured by a 135# bench press a few weeks ago!  YAY!

*I have a canoe in my garden shed!!!

*I have plans to organize and set up my garden shed and to finish up a few mosaic/concrete projects as SOON as it bothers to warm up.

*I have had quite a few people mentioning how they are trying that banana chocolate ice cream thing!  It is seriously good!!  And it is a hoot to have people want to try it!

Favorite tree waiting stoically for yet another season of growth

*AND I am feeling way better as far as the sickness I acquired a week ago, so that is the best thing of all.

So daffodil watch has turned into yet another random post of odd ball things, but that is how I roll!

And it is part of how I find my joy

Have I mentioned that it's cold??

I am sure there are those of you tired of hearing about the weather and all, esp. if you are on facebook, or heaven forbid one of my texting buddies. But I am thrilled to say that it is SO cold that there is no school today!

A very wise friend of mine said that I should make sure to enjoy it because the day will go fast.  And wow there is truth to that!!  So, there will be no laundry done, no vacuuming, no closet cleaning or things like that.  A book will be read, the blog will be written, and I will go later this day to the gym, because those are things that will give me some enjoyment on this little gift of a day.  MAYBE I will do a tiny bit of online shopping??  Whatever I do, this found time is sort of like found money, you just need to sometimes do what you want, not what  you need.

Unfortunately, I never get to stay in my robe all day, as I have this cute horse out there who needs feeding.  So, not moving out of the house is not a possibility.  I can delay that until about 8 am, but after that, I just have to be dressed up and outside.

I have not posted pix from the last few weeks, so that is going to be rectified right now!  :)

Lazy Saturday morning.....

winter scene

I have a series of 4 pix of a few of my favorite people!  

Jon and my mom

My brother and his granddaughter

Mad-seester Rose and Emily

Eddie and Bella

The ice shacks are back!

Dramatic lighting in late afternoon

Life is a journey

Milkweed pods

Stone house

Frosty morning a few weeks ago at school.

Someone needs to NOT leave her camera laying around for the students to find!  :)
I'm sure I had something cute on underneath this tragic art shirt!!

No matter what, love this tree and this sky

So, here is my cold weather, enjoy the day, use it like I want, I need to read sort of a day post.....  I discovered a lot of joy already!

Find your joy today and stay WARM!!!!

Moving south! uh, well, I should

Just a thought here, I am cold ALL the freaking time now.  I'm freezing right now, I am cold at night,  I am cold constantly.  I guess underneath that 70 lbs that I lost is a southern girl that needs to move somewhere warmer.  Heck it isn't even cold here yet!!!  What am I going to do when the weather turns nasty??  

Anyway, if I disappear, children, Mommy has moved to warmer climes.....  even southern WI might be better......but I'm thinking even more south.  Any suggestions???  There can't be a lot of snakes, though.  Ew.

Oh, someone tell the MA, too.  hahaha  In the meantime, I need to get some way warmer clothes..... and more wool socks........ and a winter coat!