It's beginning to look a lot like Spring...

Living in Southern California makes it hard to distinguish the seasons. We don't really have seasons as such. We don't have the obvious signs like leaves falling off the trees, we rarely get snow, it's typically sunny year-round, and there are always flowers blooming--assuming you water them! So we have to look for other indicators to tell us the seasons are changing. Some of the indicators of Springtime for the Zany family include:

1. Blooming flowers! I usually get the itch to plant flowers in the Spring especially when I see so many pretty ones in the stores. I always vow this will be the year I have beautiful blooming flowers on my porch, only to have them die a month later from lack of water! I then have several pots of dried up brown plants that match the terrain of the foothills all around us.


2. The kick-off to the T-ball Season. This is a new Spring indicator for us. Wacky Zacky just started T-ball where he plays for the mighty A's. There's nothing like peanuts, crackerjack, and a jolly rendition of "Take me out to the Ball game" to let you know Spring is here!


3. Feeding the ducks. Even though these fat and sassy ducks don't fly South for the winter, we usually don't go feed them until the Spring.

4. Busting out the play-doh. The kids are not allowed to play with play-doh in the house-I know, I'm the meanest mommy in the world, but have you ever tried to remove play-doh from shag carpet? Yeah, it doesn't come out! The kids and I are acclimated to warmer temperatures so if it's below 60 degrees it's a bit cold for us to be outside, hence no play-doh until Springtime!

5. Sidewalk chalk! Nothing says Spring time like bringing out the sidewalk chalk and coloring every inch of space including yourself! Zany Janie is just now realizing that chalk is not for eating!


6. Finally, you know it's Spring when you can actually wear t-shirts, skirts, or shorts without teeth chattering and goosebumps covering your body! You can even go barefoot if you want!

Zany thought of the day: I always dreaded this time of the year when I was in school! It never failed when the calendar flipped to March, the teachers started chanting "In like a lion, out like a lamb" which ALWAYS led to the dreaded gluing cotton balls onto a picture of a lamb. For those of you that don't know, I REALLY dislike touching cotton balls! And I REALLY REALLY dislike touching cotton balls that are stuck on my hands from using too much Elmer's Glue!