Its that time of year....

...When the holiday season is over, and there's nothing to look forward to for awhile (other than Jadon's birthday), and I start getting really sick of the gray, wet Oregon weather. I'm sick of hearing about the rest of the U.S. getting dumped on with snow, while we sit in 50-60 degree weather getting poured down rain on. It seems impossible for us to get snow around here... when the weather finally gets cold enough, the precipitation is not there... then it warms up, and the rain pours on us. Frustrating! Very Very frustrating!

Anyways, its that time of year when I start dreaming about the spring and summer months, longing for warmer and longer days, and being able to take the kids outside. Today while Avery was napping, and Derek was working on the budget, Jadon and I took a nice little walk around the neighborhood in the rain and our rainboots, stomping in puddles, and just enjoying being together and outside. The other day, we were in the car and it was of course raining, and Jadon says "its never going to be sunny again." I know how he feels....both my kids LOVE the outdoors, and its apparent that Jadon loves the sunshine just as much as his parents do.

So, this time of year, I always start brainstorming how I want our spring/summer to be... and getting ideas of what kinds of things I would like to do as a family- for example, go to the zoo, have picnics, etc. I also start to get antsy with the house, and want to start doing home improvement inside and out. I've already got a list going in my head of the things that I would like to get done with regards to home improvement in the warmer months. Of course, the indoor stuff can happen at any time. :)

To switch the topic, Avery is feeling much better, and its totally obvious!!! Thank goodness for Amoxocylin (sp?) She is a much happier kid, and doesnt spend all day wanting me to hold her and crying when i cant hold her. In fact, she spends most of her day NOT hanging on me again. Its nice to see her back to her happy self (mostly happy....) ;) She has been sleeping HORRIBLY though. I think I may have mentioned it in a recent previous post. For most of this week, she was waking up at 11:30pm (just about the time when my head hits my pillow...and before I have time to fall asleep.) Then, she wont go back to sleep until 2am. Then, we're up again for the day between 6:15am and 7:30am. Thankfully last night she slept for most of the night though...woke up at 9pm-ish, and again at 1:30am, but luckily after going in to comfort her and help her find her binky again, she went back to sleep. It was the best nights sleep i've had in a few weeks! Although i'm so behind on sleep now that it will take a little time to catch up again.

She goes back in a week to have her ear looked at again. The doctor mentioned that she could hardly see inside Avery's ear because it was really waxy, and suggested we try dewaxing her ears with Debrox so she would be able to see in there better. She apparently inherited her daddy's waxy ears. ew.

Jadon's back in preschool again after the break, and he is SO happy to be back! He asks me every morning if he gets to go to preschool. He talks about his little friend Elijah all the time, and said that he likes him because "he laughs at me all the time." Jadon must think he's just little mr. funny pants... he just LOVES for people to laugh at him, and it just eggs him on. (he gets that from his daddy also.) This is the reason I quit laughing at Derek when he cracks a joke... it just eggs him on. Now I just roll my eyes at him. ;)

In the world of horticulture, I'm having a heck of a time with my house plants this winter! I'm not sure what the deal is.... I'm not sure if I am over watering them, or underwatering them... I feel like I water them alot, and when I start to think that i am overwatering them, and feel the soil, its bone dry. Derek says i'm just overthinking it too much now. I used to have the greenest thumb, and everything would grow beautifully for me. I'm getting frustrated now and i'm not sure what to do. Any tips??????

Yet, on the other hand, I noticed today that my outdoor hydrangea's are already starting to get new leaves on them....??? what in the world is going on???

I'll leave you with this picture- We had a cold snap a couple weeks ago (of course, no snow), and I noticed the cats water dish. Very very strange.... i'm not sure how in the world it froze like this, there was nothing dripping down on it, to my knowledge. I dont know if you can enlarge the picture or not, but its really neat looking inside.