March

It's March in New Hampshire.

Yes, yes - I know. They rock.

In case you are unaware, March does not equal "spring" in our neck of the woods. Sure the temperature is generally above freezing around noon, but it's still cold, icy, muddy, and nearly everyone I know is complaining about getting water in the basement again.

But a month of dreary, rainy, muddy, cold days won't stop a certain boy:

He cares not about the water in the basement.

And what doesn't stop him, must therefore, not stop me, despite my strong feeling that the month of March should be spent indoors, sipping tea, ordering seeds, and giving the crock pot a thorough work-out before it gets put away until next fall.

Not only is it cold and wet out here, but check
out my attractive and flattering outerwear!

His brother, on the other hand? He's still holding out for spring.

Dude, it's totally cold and wet outside.

The only good thing happening in March (other than the aforementioned wet/cold weather clothing options) is my mother's birthday.

My mother told me in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to blog about her birthday. Alas, I am as much a bad daughter as I am a bad mama. So here we go!

Things I learned from my mother:

1. No matter how large or small your purse, no matter how many organizing pockets it does or does not contain - you will always end up standing next to your car digging around inside it and swearing - unable to find the keys. This is a simple fact of life, like gravity. Don't try to fight it.

2.  Leave a treat in the mailbox on Valentine's day for your children signed "Your Secret Admirer." They'll never forget it.

3. If you cook a raw egg (shell intact) in the microwave - it will explode. No matter how many different cooking settings you try.

4.  When your child wants to walk to the bus stop "all by myself" - let 'em - just sneakily watch from behind the trees.

5.  Snakes are scary and if you see one while you are mowing the lawn you should chase it down and run it over.

6.  There's always more than one way to get something accomplished. Finesse rather than brute force can work wonders.

7. When someone gets struck by lightning - throw water at them.

8.  Laugh with your children. The huge mess from the garden-hoses-in-the-house water fight is long gone, but the memories remain.

9. It doesn't have to be square in order to be defined as a brownie, it just has to be chocolate.

10. Life is for living. Spend your money on memories, not things.

Happy Belated Birthday, Mom. Love you big as the sky.