Snow

Winter has been long and cold here in Ohio. Usually it snows and melts within days but this year is different. It melts a bit but then a few more inches fall and we're back to square one. I don't mind the snow so much, but I'm tired of the negative temps and the gray sky. Today the sun came out and the world feels different, it's just happier. It's warmed up to 10 degrees too. :) After I scraped a stubborn layer of ice off my windshield and took Naiya to school, I pulled out my mp3 player and got to work shoveling the driveway. It was so peaceful to shovel and sing in my head and watch the cars go by and admire the beauty of the snow in the sunshine. I love that feeling and love to get lost in my thoughts or in the music and feel like my heart is just smiling inside me.
It's hard to describe. I think that must be how Darin feels when he's snowboarding. He has 2 different music mixes he plays while he's boarding, one is a laidback mix for a relaxed ride and the other is more upbeat, he's dubbed it "the bleeding eyes board mix" and listens to it when he's really trying to tear it up. How sad for this mountain boy to be stuck here in Ohio with our pathetic over-priced ski hills. I really feel for him, it must suck to be so far removed from something so important to you. But anyway, I digress. The mix I listened to today was upbeat and fun and complimented my mood and the sunshine perfectly. Then I came inside and got the chores done with a smile on my face and before I knew it it was time to pick up Naiya. That hour and a half goes way too quickly.
Sunshine has a wonderful effect on me. On days I don't get out or the sun doesn't come out, I'm down and lazy and sad. But when it's out and I'm out I'm completely at ease with the world, motivated to work, and best of all, I'm a better mom on those days. I wouldn't mind winter half as much if the sun would come out more than once or twice a month.
Anyway, here are a few pictures taken from my kitchen window this afternoon. I know I've posted a few random shots of my front yard, so here's the back for you to see.

If you can see those trucks back there, they belong to the yard behind us. And that shed is the landlords, so is the boat hiding back there.

If the snow keeps up this poor playhouse will be buried.
The swing will be buried too.