February 10

Do you remember two days ago, when the kids were catching snowflakes on their tongues?

Yeah. It was 68 degrees today.

We celebrated by spending almost all day outside. The kids' favorite place to be is the narrow strip of woods that aren't even really woods behind our house. They call it their "Secret Hideout" and Caleb and Daisy routinely disappear back there whenever they can. Eli and Lily are starting to get in on the action, too. I only trust Eli back there right now because the lack of anything green means that I can see him at all times.

He is quite pleased with this situation. I'm not sure what Lily is saying, but that looks like her "grownup" face, so she is probably being in charge.

Doesn't she look like a wild adventurer in this picture?

Please disregard our crumbling retaining wall. It's not getting fixed anytime soon. It must have once been a planter, but we use it is a place to store all of the leaves we rake up, and the deer like to sleep on the "leaf bed", and then the leaves decompose nicely to make a great amendment to my garden. So it stays as-is.

Also, the kids like to climb it.

Caleb found a big stick in the woods. (See how close the house behind us is? I'm actually in the woods, so it seems closer, but still. Luckily, the strip of trees provides a lot of privacy!)

Behind our property sits more homes (see above) and a steep hill up to a man-made pond. But this pole with barbed wire reminds us that when the house was built nearly 50 years ago, the land behind us was a cow pasture. Somehow, the fence got to stay even after they developed the land into a subdivision. I like the little remnant!

Speaking of remnants, Daisy found this remnant of the snow and cold two days ago. The chunk of ice was sitting in their wagon. Winters around here are so strange!

Remember the birdseed heart ornaments we made for my mom's patients? We kept one for ourselves and hung it up on the fencing around my barren garden. A mama and papa cardinal have discovered it, and like to perch on the fence while they nibble. It's actually a perfect spot, because the squirrels can't get to it!

They were supposed to be picking up sticks and loading them into the wagon.

He was supposed to be helping with those sticks.

Still, it was a lovely day and all of the sunshine was a balm to our winter-weary souls.