Dear Mother Nature,

I thought you might want to know...it's April. It's ok...I completely understand. What, with you running the universe and all, you do kind of have a lot on your plate. Sometimes I even write June on the date line of my checks in the middle of September. Trust me...being a mother myself, I totally get it. It's tough keeping everything straight.

Sometimes though, when I seem a little lost, someone is kind enough to give me a little nudge and bring something to my attention. I just thought maybe you could use a little help too.

I'm not mad or anything. We did enjoy what you gave us.

But could you just focus a little, and bring us some warmer weather please? And, ummmm....could you maybe stop with the snow??

It's the weather lady here...

I'm starting to feel like I'm a walking weather report. Every conversation, newsletter, post, thread, etc., begins with a report on the weather. As if people want to hear that. As if it's any different than the last time you heard from me. It's cold today. It was cold yesterday. It will be cold tomorrow. Let's face it though...when you live in a place like this in the winter, there's not much to talk about BUT the weather. I long to step out and enjoy the sun, and I DO enjoy the sun...we have GREAT sun. It's just that the -5 wind chill temperature IS a bit nippy....despite our great sun. So...as much as I'd love to give a photo presentation of my lovely walk in the park this morning, showing you pictures of squirrels climbing trees, children playing on the merry-go-round, leaves blowing around in the breeze (a.k.a. 40 mph gusts)...it didn't happen. Instead, I'll grace you with a list of things that have made me happy this week.

- A good book
- Starbucks Vanilla Lattes (I've lost count)
- Friends who make me laugh
- Listening to my daughter sing in the tub when she didn't know I was listening
- An unexpected day off (due to a power outage)
- Bubble Baths
- Snow
- The smell of my new candles
- A Rice Krispy treat with caramel in the middle (for breakfast)
- A HUGE compliment from a favorite friend
- Music that makes me want to dance
- Customers who are wonderful
- A tax return with a positive amount in the refund box
- A dog who snores
- Watching my girls use their talents
- A husband who tells me I'm beautiful