Just reading about this and seeing those two photos completely freaks me out. You couldn’t get me in there.

The scene: George and I are sitting here on the couch watching Law & Order: SVU. They’re currently dealing with a Nigerian man who came to the US and has three wives, as is legal in his own country. Elliot and Olivia are questioning two of the wives and Olivia asks if they’re really okay with more than one wife.

Sherry: You know, I think we should practice polygamy too.
George: *sputter*
Sherry: Because then we can have some other wife clean all the crap up around here while I relax.
George: Then get a maid. I want someone who comes in to clean up and then leaves. I don’t want someone who hangs around.
Sherry: Because she’ll make her own mess?
George: No, because I already live with three females and you’re all killing me. When you all get your period at the same time I’m out of here.

Alas, no additional wife to wash my dishes and clean my tub.

We always leave milk and cookies for Santa – the Easter Bunny gets carrots, a dyed egg, and some water. This year, Hayley also made the bunny a card. She wrote it all out herself, without any help. It amazes me to see her continuing to learn how to put words together to read or write on her own.

This afternoon we dyed eggs. I’d only ever done it once before, many years ago. I have no idea why we didn’t do it, it’s so much fun. Even Breanna did a great job of scribbling designs on the eggs with the wax crayon, then dropping them into the cups of dye.

Now it’s just past midnight, the chocolates and candies are hidden, and all that’s left to be done is to get up in the morning, hand the kids their baskets, and let them hunt for their treasure!

Happy Easter to those of you who are celebrating!

Maclean’s columnist Scott Feschuk asks Mother Nature what’s going on with this Winter crap.

You know it’s going to be great when it’s starts off with “Dear Bitch, Are you for real?” and include “We’ve tried to have patience. Some of us have also tried patience’s little helper, Xanax. But look what you’ve done to us. We’re a quivering mass of shattered nerves, deadened eyes and extended middle fingers.”

Or one of my favorites: “But you need to lighten up. Winters like this — they’re not something that humans are built to endure. In that way they’re like all Robin Williams movies since 1987. We can’t take the physical strain of trudging through this much snow. We can’t take the mental strain of driving on impassable streets. And we can’t outrun the yetis who’ve come down from the hills to feast.”

Go read it and understand a little bit what Winter has been like for those of us in the Eastern part of the country this year. Because seriously. Isn’t this enough snow already?

It’s the first day of Spring. Bring it on, baby.

On Friday, my sister posted this picture:

It’s her cat Milo. She wrote:

Milo has a need to “conquer” any box that’s lying around, even if he can’t fit his entire body!

Several weeks ago I used a few Amazon gift certificates that I had to order some books. They were expected for deliver on the 19th of March. On the 10th, the doorbell rang but I didn’t hear it and missed a delivery. I finally got around to going to the post office today and yes indeed, it was my package from Amazon, early (and all these days of trying desperately to find something to read – I had books* waiting for me!).

I brought them home, opened everything up, and carried on with my business. And then I had to grab my camera so that I could say, Amanda?

Apparently it’s not just cats.

(* I got The Boleyn Inheritance since I loved The Other Boleyn Girl so much, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and a photography book.)

I just wanted you to know that I fully intended to post something witty, hilarious, yet provoking with a full photo essay.

Alas, I am currently being totally distracted by yet another season of Dancing With the Stars. Sorry about that. It’s sad but so very true.

There’s something very endearing about starting your day with a toddler who slaps their arms against their hips and says, “Look Mommy! I a seal! I a SEAL! Arp! Arp!”

You have to hang on to those endearing moments when your five-year-old is still burning up with a fever that hasn’t gone down much since last night. Poor Hayley. If it doesn’t start going down soon I’m going to call and see if they want me to take her in to check her out. I hate when she’s sick. George looked at her last night, after she came out at almost midnight and curled up on the couch and he said, “she shrinks when she’s sick”. It’s true, she just looks so tiny and vulnerable.

Here’s hoping the fever breaks and she’s fine soon. Maybe I can send Breanna the seal into the other room to cheer her up. Arp!

Hayley is sick (again) and has a fever. She can’t sleep so we pulled out the hide-a-bed and she’s sitting there, wrapped up and waiting for meds to kick in. The Daily Show is on, and she’s laughing at Jon Stewart. It must be genetic. At least she has good taste – I should ask her if she thinks he’s hot, just to make sure.

Just so you know, I’m a big fan of the Baby Einstein, er, empire. I always enjoyed them and so did Hayley. Breanna did too but didn’t get to see as many since Hayley got her interested in somewhat “older” kid shows. However, I got to review a new Baby Einstein DVD on a blog tour, and my review is over here.

Always avoid the ditch and take the U-turn home instead. An entry that strikes a chord.