It seems like forever since we've been outside for any other reason than to start the car and run back inside.  It's been cold!  As a kid I loved it, loved the freedom of being outside where you found so few adults, well, at least at the parks or the sledding hills.  I now know why so many adults stay out of the cold.... 'cause it's cold!

     I'm not really sure when the excitement of winter went away for me.  I remember thinking about all the possibilities when school was cancelled and how much time I had to do things I enjoyed.  I guess I didn't realize I was losing that excitement at the time, because more important things started happening, like getting my first car or graduating from high school. I see that excitement in my kids, but it's usually followed by a moan or groan about scheduling adjustments that happen when there is a snow day.  As a kid, I use to have snow ball fights or roll snow around to make sad little people with stick arms and crooked smiles.  Now I make nice "shovel-shaped" paths in my driveway.  The enjoyment of shoveling is ocassionally offset by the pleasure of to throw snow at my kids or better yet watching THEM shovel the snow.  It's the little things...

     I'm looking forward to the warmer weather, the colors, just being outside.  Hibernation is over and it's time to get out there and start doing those things you put off in the fall. That's always one good thing about winter:  it allows you to put off the yard work. But that time has passed, spring is here, and there are no excuses now.