My Real Life

I think with the way weather is progressing over the past few years, we may need to adjust our idea of seasons.

Winter no longer means cold, snowy weather, and spring may no longer mean a gradual warming of temperatures as we move into summer.

I don’t want to complain, because I’ve enjoyed the warmth immensely.

I just worry about an April snow when my biological clock is longing for daffodils.

However, since one of my many mantra is “Wait to worry,” I’ve been following my own advice and have been taking advantage of the “unseasonable” warmth.

Today we reached 61 degrees, which in New Jersey in January is unheard of.

So, Monkey Girl, Tiny Monkey and I headed out for a walk.

I bundled Tiny up, even though it was warm because no matter what the thermometer says, it’s January, and I can’t let a baby go outside without being ensconced in so much jacket, he can’t move.

Monkey Girl and I, however, ran crazy and coatless and acted like we were on a beach in Hawaii, instead of a suburban sidewalk.

See us squinting in the sun?

So uncomfortable, yet so darn good.

We strolled around the neighborhood and Monkey Girl chatted about her week and Tiny and I just listened and nodded and made the appropriate sounds to let her know we were listening.

My sounds were a little different than his sounds.

Sometimes.

This is our favorite tree in the neighborhood.

I wish it was in our yard.

If there was a way to dig it up and move it across the neighborhood, I would, because I can imagine complete afternoons spent sitting in its branches with a good book or a good friend, or a good book that is like a good friend, and losing track of time.

It’s the neighborhood Giving Tree.

When we came home, we found Real Man and the boys tossing the football around the front yard.

Wearing shorts.

I love the legs on these little guys.

Baby Monkey’s, in particular.

They are these little tiny legs and yet they carry that body around with, what he thinks is, lightning speed.

These little legs jump and run and climb and I just love them and I get so excited each spring when the shorts go on for the first time so I can catch a glimpse of those little boy legs.

All six of their legs were busy today as they played ball in the yard.

Real Man makes the catch.

Monkey in the Middle bosses Baby Monkey around.

(Doesn’t have to be January spring for this shot.)

…and he makes the catch!

I love spring, particularly in January when it comes without allergies.