The Winter Slump

The Winter Slump happens every year for me.  I am ready for longer days, I am ready for warmer weather and bright sun, I am ready to putter outside without it being soggy, and mostly I just need an adventure.  I need to get away, I need to hike, I need to see something new, I need some excitement.  

I wouldn't say this year is particularly bad, the wide open spaces of country living give me so much to look at and moving and remodeling has been its own sort of adventure.  The weather has been mild and not as wet as usual.  The frogs have begun their chorus and the Redwing Blackbirds and chirping birds are beginning to fill the air with song...it feels like the cusp of Spring.  But, still, I long to get away from the every day and see something new and do something different.  

It has been a hard year.  Not a bad year but a hard one.  So many life changes are hard to get used to.  And so very busy.  I miss Phil.  His position as a TOSA gave us a lot of flexibility.  His position as an assistant principal does not.  Add working every weekend and often during the week on a remodel, and we just don't have the time with each other or the family time that we once did.  I miss his help with running the household and parenting.  Adding an hour commute and 12-15 hours a week to his work schedule has been an adjustment for us all.  I am just thankful that this wasn't our schedule when we had babies and toddlers!  It is good!  He loves his job, he is growing professionally, and I think the new building and staff is an excellent fit for him.  And in a couple of years, we may have a little more flexibility in our budget.  

Snow in the distant hills.

Gray days

Pale moons

 I took these girls to Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's to spend their Christmas gift certificate.  They had a blast.

I also took them shopping for new clothes.  Gone are the days I can just pick out something cute and cheap for them!  Now they want to choose their own styles.  This one was so excited to find unicorn slippers to go with her new unicorn toy and new umbrella.

She came in ready for church wearing the flower girl dress from Cousin Poppy's wedding that Jubilee wore.

Informal (just with the cell phone and I didn't really clean up the kitchen first) pictures of the kitchen floor.  I love the floor.  I am still not happy about the light gray countertops.  The yellow and red make it look like a diner or McDonalds so the yellow has to go (a backsplash will probably solve that).  I think I still like the red.  The yellow and the light gray throw everything off for me.






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