It's Sunny 300 Days A Year

Where, you might ask? In Arizona. Arizona is sunny almost all year long. Except, of course, when the guy in Arizona invites the girl in Delaware out to visit. To get away from the never-ending snow storms, the crazy kids, the job - all of it - and join him in the sunny desert for a few days, with plans to tour the Grand Canyon together.

Then, of course, the sun disappears and in its place comes precipitation. Mostly in the form of cold rain, but, for good measure (in case she was homesick, perhaps), also in the form of snow. Just enough to make her feel at home and completely screw up their plans to see the Grand Canyon.

We could get mad, or annoyed or sad that our plans were foiled. Or, we could enjoy the fact that not everyone gets to see snow-covered cactus or get their picture taken in front of the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the middle of a snow squall.

Lucky us.

So this is love

After every bath, I take off my rings and lather Ryan up with lotion. Then, every time, he asks to put my rings back on for me. It's become our thing. I'll ask, "Who got me those rings?" He'll say, "Daddy." I'll ask, "Why did Daddy get me those rings?" He'll say, "Because he's going to love you forever. And then I came! And then Lindsey came!" I love that he's always most excited about him and Lindsey.

Back in the day, Valentine's Day was about Nate and I. We'd either go out to eat somewhere or get really adventurous and cook up the food ourselves. We'd pop some bubbly and toast to "us."

Things have changed. We still find time to celebrate "us," but there is so much more to us now than there was back then. And that "so much more" deserves a little toast of its own.

So this year, adventurous food was switched from whole lobsters and grilled asparagus to heart-shaped quesadillas and halved grapes. Our bubbly was modified from champagne to sparkling cider. And chocolate covered strawberries were replaced with chocolate covered pretzels with pink sprinkles and whipped cream.

This, my friends, is love.

Under Quarantine

I love winter, really. I love cold weather, warm sweaters, fluffy white snow and the smell of wood burning in a fireplace. But anything in excess can be too much. When it's so cold it hurts to breathe - that's no good. When the fluffy white snow becomes wet, heavy and two feet deep - no good. And when your winter includes an evil dose of the flu - no. good.

It started out as a scratchy cough with Nate and I. Then Nate got a fever and the chills. Then I got the chesty cough and low grade fever. Then daycare called - Lindsey had a fever. And just when we thought maybe Ryan was in the clear - he got hit too. Flu in excess. We're four days in and it doesn't seem to be letting up. So I'm keeping this short to go get some much-needed rest.

But to give you an idea of what the flu in excess looks like, check out the mini pharmacy that has popped up in our kitchen.