Makes Me Anxious For Spring

Yesterday was beautiful - sunny and crisp, perfectly clear.  And the sky was my favorite blue.  As a veteran Oregonian, I knew I should bundle the kids, get outside, and seize and savor the January sunshine.  But I was feeling yawn-ful and leaden and inclined to convince myself that the best way to enjoy the glow would be to curl up in a spot of it and nap while the kids did whatever they pleased.

I had to do a little gumption-gathering.  And a little reminding myself about the kind of family culture we're trying to foster (we've been talking about this a lot lately).

And then, while the kids were dunking after-school grahams in milk, I leaned across the bar and suggested an adventure in the woods.

C'mon, it's such a pretty day, let's bundle up and explore the trails in the west hills.    

They were surprisingly agreeable.

We parked behind the library, crossed the hi-way, and disappeared into the trees.  It was fantastic.  Swishing creeks and icy puddles.  Mysterious caverns and mossy stumps.  Sticks aplenty and trail markers to track our progress (Lily loved those trail markers!)

And their own curiosity coaxed the kids along - I didn't have to bargain or cajole once.  (This is not always the case!)

When our fingers started to ache with cold, we turned back and headed to the car.  By the time we crossed the hi-way again, we were uncomfortably chilled.   

Let's go into the library to get warm, I suggested, and maybe we can choose a few books.
But it was closed.



So we walked a block to the toy store.  (All the while I marveled at how charming our little town is, how pedestrian friendly and quaint.  And how lucky we are to live here.)  We spent a half hour in the toy store, thawing our bones and ogling the exciting Playmobil sets and the sprawling stuffed animal display.  (Can I just say that I love a toy store that doesn't have a single battery-powered offering?)  Henry asked me to write down the prices of several things he loved so he could come home and see if he had enough money for a purchase.

And then we zipped back to the car, blasted the hot air, and drove through Pony Espresso for a tall hot chocolate before we headed home.

Today it is foggy and everything is encased in ice and frost.  

So glad I didn't nap away the sunshine and a chance for adventure yesterday.