What a difference a year makes...

We have had the mildest of winters! For a brand-spanking-new homeowner, this is a very welcome surprise. Our new (old) house has oil heat, and in this decade that is the most expensive form of energy. It is always changing between oil and gas. And maybe electric. Anyway.

I love cold, cold winters and snow, but I am all too thankful for this warm winter. This time last year we were buried! In the '10-'11 winter, New England experienced RECORD snow fall. Like OF. ALL. TIME!!!! B.daddy could probably tell you exact measurements. He is full of amazing knowledge I never know he has. Especially in sports.

I cannot imagine what our oil bill would be to heat this house if we had 22 inches of snow insulating us. Ouch.

This was our neighbor's front yard last year. {Oh, Walter. He's a sweet man.} And, yeah, that's a four foot fence. Our entire, albeit small, yards did not come near to containing the mass of snow. I felt exceeding guilty knowing I would soon escape the Five Month Thaw by moving to Arkansas temporarily.

The kids were enjoying one last sledding trip before we left in Feb. 2011. Oh, what a difference a year makes. I was actually vehemently angry when B.daddy asked me to take this picture. I was inside either packing or doing dishes and laundry, and he was outside having fun with the kids. (Which, in the snow, is something I would not have been doing.) So, it's not like he wasn't sacrificing for me and the kids. But he had the gall to interrupt my ever important cycle of whatever to record a precious, last moment at our old place. The same, old place where all three of our children were conceived, carried, and brought home. The same, old place where we truly began our life together. And I was ticked to have to stop whatever to take this picture. That's the difference this year has made.

I lived for 8 months in other women's homes. I could care less about the fuzz on the toilet or the dishes in the sink. It wasn't my failure I was seeing. And it wasn't theirs. It was just housework. Not self-worth or aptitude or discipline. It was just housework. Who cares if it's perfect? Not. Me. My stress level...my anxiety: plummeted! And I decided: I want to live like this. No, not always in my in-law's basement. ;) But with the same flexibility, that relaxed Devil May Care view. With the same sense of, I Can't Do Everything. Because I can't.

It has not been easy to hang on to that feeling since we've been back. But I must say it is far improved from this time last year. I may be concerned about the gunk in our bathroom, but I'm not as concerned. Life's a journey, not a destination. Right?

So, yeah, I'm still a bit uptight, but not as crazy-uptight. Just ask B.daddy. He knows. All too well.

This pic was taken right after we returned to New England. We were staying with friends in New Hampshire while closing on our house. These kids are rascals. We went to Walmart today. Li'l Bit was laying--LAYING--in the cart reading James Herriot, Ladybug was sitting up front hugging me every three minutes, and Gizmo was perched on the front of the cart being my gargoyle. Literally-->he leans out giving gargoyle faces to all who pass our way. 'Argh!!!' So I'm pushing a cart full of groceries and the weight of three skinny but healthy kids. And this is why we went to Walmart instead of Market Basket. At Market Basket Gizmo would have gotten his nose clipped by some sturdy old gal, while I'm questioned about having school-aged children out before 3 o'clock. Yeah, Walmart has my vote if I have kids in tow.

And this is a picture of Ladybug because I'm always amazed at how beautiful she is. I guess after Li'l Bit I thought it'd be downhill. Shameful, but real. But who'd have known we could see two girls of such exquisite beauty.