Lions, lambs and flying time...

March!  So soon!

We can't decide if the month has come in like a lion or a lamb.  So far in these 11 days we've seen snow and seventy degrees, gone skiing and played outside in sundresses.  Life is rich and full and racing past... So many delicious days to remember, punctuated by long hours and so many meetings at work.  I'm rather tired all the time in March, I've found.  Even a mild winter wears one down.  Yet!  Spring is coming! The ides of March are almost upon us, the light is longer every day-- and spring break is one week away.

We've got this.

Last weekend, starting with Saturday of All The Things.

I got up early to hit the first of the spring resale events (success!  Two huge bags of new spring wardrobes for the every-growing little ones!) then my mom and I went to Crocker Park for lunch and some more shopping, in honor of her birthday.  Pretty amazing day already, right?

Nat and the kids went to Free Day at MOCA.  Self- portraits and emotive polaroids and all the delightful weirdness that comes with a visit to a contemporary art museum...

Oh, the concentration!

 We all met up at gram's house for a surprise cake-and-coffee party, and then topped the day by running off to ski with my sister.

We had a blast.

 I love to ski!  Why do I always forget that??  And even more so when the winter air is warm and soft, the ski area is bustling with happy, slightly drunk people, crazy youth are hurtling themselves down Tiger into a pool of water, and we get to drink hard cider and listen to live music between sets of fast, fast runs.

The snow was pretty amazing for March, and the company-- even better. We closed the ski area and exhausted ourselves and had the best time...

Sunday.

I slept in!

Then, we went to see baby animals, because it is March.

We wandered in springy sunshine...

...sampled maple syrup, and shared a Maple Stir, of course...

...rode on ponies.... (well, Ivy anyways....)

 ... and generally enjoyed ourselves.  The FarmPark is invariably a great time...

This week has been your classic "March showers bring April flowers" sort of week
(wait, that isn't how the rhyme goes? hmmm.)

Rain and grey and drear.

Except for Tuesday, when it was like this.

Spring is intoxicating.  I can't even describe how crowded Lakewood Park was.  We could hardly walk down the paths for all the dogs and bikes and other spring-drunk people wandering, blinking, in the light...

The sun glowed on the lake (Ivy said, Look mom!  It's like Farley's at sunset!) and we shook off long days and traffic grumpiness for a few moment in the sunshine..

In other, non-weather-related new this week:

Ivy lost a second tooth!  Here is Jack investigating her mouth.

Also, she got her ears pierced.

Before...

 And after!

Ivy would like you to know that it "really really stings" to get your ears peirced, but she didn't cry.  She's a tough cookie, my girl.  And so, so happy to have her pretty ears.

Me?  I'm ok with it... I think the earrings look great, like she's had them forever.  But I don't know how it happened so fast, how we are here so soon.  This sweet girl, so grown up, so amazing.

As I snuggle in on my couch with my dog and my computer and my husband, a movie on TV and piles of laundry on the floor, tired but content-- I am struck once again by the goodness of life, and how much I just want to slow it all down....