March Madness

March Madness has hit the house. I'm not talking basketball, either! I'm talking about this mama going MAD with cabin fever! February was far too kind to us weather-wise. We were ABOVE zero most of February....ABOVE. ZERO. That's huge. We hit 40 degrees. In FEBRUARY. I had my kitchen window open. Sheer craziness for Fairbanks, Alaska. Tempting us, messing with our minds...that winter was just about over....and of course it worked. We must be crazy anyhow to live this far north, right?

And then Spring Break this week. Once again, that spring word. We were hoping to be out and about....doing some fun things. Going to the World Ice Art Championships, sledding, skiing. But no....we were waking up to -17, -20, -8. And to top it off.... a doozy of a migraine (my meds didn't even come close to touching it! grrr...) on Tuesday then add to that a head cold that has just become worse as the week as worn on. Jeff's truck needs a new battery, so we are down to one vehicle until he can get that fixed. So...all of that combined....means stuck. at. home. All week.

And I thought I would lose my mind today. Now...yesterday, the boys did get to go cross country skiing with a friend--for which I am VERY grateful. But today, they were literally bouncing off the walls, the couch, the floor and each other. I woke up in a somewhat irritable mood and it just wasn't a good mix. And if the kids weren't bouncing off of something or each other, they wanted to be all over me. It was just one of those crazy days. Just off. Not right. So, I sent the boys out for a hike. It was around 0 degrees...so they bundled up and off they went. The girls went in their room and played and I breathed in the silence. :)

March Madness is pretty typical for most Alaskans. It's the month that everyone everywhere else is talking and heralding spring. We may have up to a month of snow on the ground yet. However, we've been indoors for so long. In and out of a warm house to a warm car to another warm place. We DO get out and enjoy the winters here as much as possible...but there is a point where it's too cold and too dangerous to be out too long. February this year was great. We were able to get outside a lot...which is why many of us are having a hard time right now. This year, March has been colder than the previous month. February faked us out and we fell for it.

I feel like I've rambled on somewhat disjointed...thoughts scatttered...but it is so how I'm feeling right now. Really things are good....I'm just ready for some warmth and the ability for my kids to go outside when ever they need to go...that even means the middle of the night here in the summer time! haha! Which...all that light we have in the summer....we're gaining about 7 minutes a day....so close to an hour a week. It's coming. I just need to hang on.