>

I think I mentioned before that we planted several tulip bulbs last
fall. Well, they have finally bloomed! It was a fun surprise to see
what color they would be. Most were yellow, then red, then
yellow/red, then pink. Maybe we will make an exact count later today!
And, we learned something new about tulips. The closed flowers are
first green, then the tips turn colors, then the whole closed flower
turns colors, then it finally blooms. I had no idea! Im sure Im not
using the right terminology. No bias here, but I think we have the
prettiest front yard! We must have close to 40 tulips! Next up this
year is going to be a lilac tree. Once the tulips are done, I would
love to see lilacs coming in. Anyhow, the girls did most of the
planting last fall, so they are quite proud of their efforts.

>

So Bee helped me make supper tonight and since scott and i were
splurging on sushi take out, we let the girls pick what they wanted
to eat. Bee wanted toast with jelly and asked if she could make it
herself. Since she usually helps me make breakfast I thought that
would be fine. We got out the jelly and the bread together, and then
I turned my attention to making some mac n cheese for frankie. Then
the next thing I knew I smelled a sweet burning smell. Bee had put
the jelly on her bread first, then put it all in the toaster to
toast! But she liked how it tasted!

>Bee named our car a couple of months ago: Friend S.B. No, SB does not stand for scott barton. it stands for stinky breath. our car does kind of smell, but she reasoned if she just used the initials then the car wouldnt feel bad!  TOday she gave car a last name "weeeeee" because its fun to ride with the windows down. I have to say that sunny and 63 is just beautifully amazing! Friend SB got a nice cleaning job, too, and is looking quite dapper. Poor thing got wacked in the parking lot last week while we were inside the girls’ school. We suspect it was the monster sized white SUV parked next to us but we dont know. Its just cosmetic, so its OK, but Bee was feeling bad for Friend SB.


We started cleaning up the yard after the winter. We still had quite a few leaves to rake up. the leaves fell of so late last fall and then the snow came early, and so they waited patiently on the ground for us to rake them. (do you like how i rationalize that one?). So we did that for a few hours while the girls played in the yard with the dogs. The girls were so excited with the warm weather they asked us to get out the hammock, which we did.

And we have more crocuses in bloom, which the dogs enjoyed!

>we were in nyc last week. i had a meeting so I took the girlies along to see family and friends! Let me tell you this, Bee can walk a good 5 miles now! With my parents she walked up to central park from Times Square and and all around and back down. Then after that we went to AMNH to visit our friend baby baluga. Its no wonder she needs a little rest by the dinos.

>

For those of you below the 45th parallel this might not seem like
much, but today our crocuses bloomed! even more exciting: last fall
we planted a ton of tulip bulbs and honestly I was afraid that the
squirrels ate all of them in the fall binge, as I am told that they
like to do. But today – a gorgeous 50F brilliantly sunny day – we
counted 25 tulip sprouts! Im not sure if sprout is the right word,
but you get my point. I am so ready for some warmer weather!

>

I walked into the kitchen and I guess frankie was getting ready to
feed the dogs…

>

Happy 5th Birthday Bee!!

So, here are a few funny Bee sayings from the last 12 hours or so….

So, each morning at school, Bee signs in her name. She can pick which
color marker she wants to use to do that. Today she picked black, and
I said to her "oh that matches my pants!" and She said, "Yah, except
for the Marky hair!" Honestly, I walk around with more Marky hair on
me than Marky does herself sometimes!

This morning when Bee got up she said, Mommy am I really 5 today? I
dont look five! I look just like I looked yesterday! So, anyhow, I
thought that was cute.

I guess Im out of bee sayings for the moment. I will think up some
more and edit this post.

>It may still be dark and cold, but we both LOVE LOVE LOVE the hayfields run (click here for the map)

Now mind you i would rather do this run in shorts, but I will take it layered in winter wear! Its a nice 9 mile loop that cuts through our neighborhood, across campus, and through the hayfields where the cows and sheep graze. If you do this run at the break of down, when you turn east onto the dirt road at mile 4, the sky is beautiful. This afternoon I took the girls for a walk to campus (about 1.25 miles) where we picked up the car and drove the rest of the route to get some pictures to share. Bee was the photographer. We decided to get the car washed after we looked at these pics because the few taken through the car windows make it seem we have snow falling = but no, that is just the salt encrusted windows.

Ok, so here is the view as you leave the house for this nice run.

then, here is mile marker 1. Its right at the red cedar river. If you turn your eyes west you get this beautiful view (well, minus Bee unless she is running with you!)

Then at mile marker 2, you head off the main part of campus and hit the agricultural side of campus, with the big pavilion where we have seen many a horse and cow show. The cool thing about the pavilion is that is has a 10kW photovoltaic cell — the first one on campus.

Then at mile 3 you turn onto college road and run between the dairy cattle and the beef cattle fields.

Then at mile 4, you turn onto the dirt road that cuts by the beef cattle (up close and personal) and the sheep. You continue to run by them at mile 5, and also a number of barns. This is both scott’s and my favorite part of this run. So lovely and peaceful… before you hit campus again and remember all that work that is not yet done!

Then at mile 6 you run by baby steer, and then the turf grass teaching and research and also a bunch of hay.

Then at mile 7 you are exiting the dirt road by the corn fields near the engineering annex and are turning back onto campus by the
children’s botanical garden and the railroad tracks.

At mile 8 you’ve crossed the red cedar river again and are heading toward grand river and back to our neighbood. We live among the students, and Bee took this pic of a house with sparty on the roof so
you get a feel for our ‘hood. (sorry about the dirty windows!).

Whew!! Im hungry!

>ahhhhhhhhhh…. starting tuesday we are forecasted to get 6 straight
days of 40+ degree weather. it may even it 50 on thursday. let the
thaw begin!!!!!!!!!!!!

>Honestly, its 6:40 am and the sun is just starting to come up. Its
just a little, little bit light out. And now, we are going to change
the clocks this weekend. That means on sunday the sun wont rise till
just a little before 8am. For you early risers out there, you know
what Im talking about! Im going to start a movement to put michigan
on the central time zone. Honestly, the kids head off to school in
the dark here year round. Oh yah, and i have to keep on running in
the dark in the mornings. ugh. I'm looking for the silver lining
here….but Im needing some help!