Hang-ups

We're finally starting to hang things on the walls! I don't know why this is such a hard thing for me. I guess it just seems so permanent. I mean, what if I change my mind? Then there would be a (gasp!) hole in the wall! Tragic, right? But we've done it. We've put holes in the walls and I'm happy about it. 

This hangs in the kitchen. The print is from Hatch Show Print – we picked it up on our road trip to Nashville two years ago. The little cork strip is something I picked up while shopping on the chocolate walk last weekend. I think it will be a nice home for weekly menus and recipes. (If we ever manage to be that organized!)

Glorious mud

On days when the temperature creeps above freezing, the ground outside turns into a soft, sloppy mess. It doesn't help that we still have mounds of dirt in the yard, left from the construction of the outbuilding. Molly constantly tracks dirt into the house, no matter how well we clean her paws. And Walter's new boots are getting quite a workout. He walks through the woods in hopes of finding a good pile of "glorious mud." He's never disappointed. But that soft ground is giving way to all sorts of spring flowers – nice little surprises to make up for the brown, muddy mess.


Moments after this picture was taken, one boot was stuck in the mud and one socked foot was wet and dirty. Oops!

Chocoholic

What a perfect afternoon I had! I spent a few hours with my mom and sister at the Monroe Street Chocolate Walk, a benefit for the Henry Vilas Zoo. It's a really fun event – sort of like trick-or-treating for grown-ups. You buy a ticket and are given a bag and a list of participating stores. Then you're off to shop and gather chocolate treats all afternoon. Every girl's dream! I came home with this bag of goodies... and several other bags. My mom and sister are very good at helping me shop. I could use more afternoons like this!

Pictures of Mama

I rarely post photos of myself here, and there are several reasons for that. 
1. I'm usually the one behind the camera.
2. I'm not very experienced at setting up shots with the self-timer.
3. Probably the biggest reason, I'm super critical of how I look in photos. 
(4. I barely have time to post at all these days! I'm trying to be better, I swear!)
After reading Ashley's post today, and the other posts she linked to, I've decided I need to get into photos more often. Because it really is fun to see photos of your parents when they were younger. When we look back at those old photos, we tend not to notice the flaws, but we see family resemblances. And while we don't change as quickly as our kids do, we do change. So I started today. I tried some shots with the timer and I handed the camera to Nate. These photos are for you, Walter. And I'm really going to make an effort to get in the shot more often. 

Finally!

Sorry for the long break between posts, but the recent time change (and our stubborn child) has put us back into bedtime battle mode. By the time Walter finally falls asleep, I'm all out of energy and I'm ready to fall into bed myself. It's a good thing he's so charming the other 23 hours of the day.

And now, for the REALLY big news of the day: WE HAVE A SINK!!! Three months after moving in, and four months after the originally scheduled delivery date. It's here. It's installed. And I will be brushing my teeth in my very own bathroom tonight. Can I get a Hallelujah?

A clean, close shave

The beard is gone! Just this morning, Nate looked like this:

This evening, he decided it was time to lose the lumberjack look. In the process, he tried out several styles of facial hair before going for a clean shave. Watch Nate transform before your very eyes!

I liked the beard, but it was getting a little unruly. It's nice to see his handsome face again.

Evening hike

The boys were out for a walk in the woods when I got home from work today, so I tagged along with my camera. The melting snow is uncovering a whole lot of mess in our little piece of forest. Branches and trees are down everywhere. Dead trees need to be cut down. Paths need to be cleared. We have our work cut out for us, but we have a very willing little helper. Stick by stick, he's cleaning up the place. And that melting snow is uncovering bits of green here and there, too! Spring is on it's way!

Duck, duck, goose!

Duck, duck, goose is Walter's game of choice these days. It's the most fun when we all play together, Molly included, but Walter will settle for any number of players he can get. I must admit, the two player version lacks suspense.

Ready for spring

Happy first day of March! I, for one, am ready for this winter to be over. I'm ready for sunshine and grass and flowers. I'm ready to be able to leave the house without having to wrestle Walter into his boots, coat and hat. I'm ready to see what our new surroundings will bring us as things start to grow and bloom. I can not wait to go outdoors.