Still January.

Here is the official photo of January:Thank you, Raising Arizona. That image is a masterpiece. I especially enjoy the slipper on one foot and her hairdo. In an effort to break up the month and get a little happy, here's what we have been up to:

The first week back to school had the happy ending of the girls and I going to Hale Center Theatre to see The Wizard of Oz with Kathleen and Lucy. You know, Hale just really is a great place to see musicals. I love how steep the seating is, because there is never ever anyone blocking your line of sight. They absolutely go all out to make the show breathtaking. I mean, the lights, the effects, the houses and witches and tornados dropping out of the rafters - it's just breathtaking. And the talent of the actors is so solid. Kathleen and I both confessed that hearing Dorothy sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow live made us get weepy. All the feels. This is a great way to spend an evening, and I can't wait to go again. 

We have been blessed to get a few storms come through this month, keeping the nasty inversion away  for more of the month than usual. Don't get me wrong, we've had some bad days, but it's never lasted for the eternity that it has other years. Of course I'm pretty sure the month will end with some solid inversion, but I'm grateful for the storms we had. Troy and Romney made it a priority to get out into the mountains for some snowshoeing one Saturday after we got snow. I love that Romney enjoys doing this with her dad so much. They got up early and headed for Milcreek Canyon, largely beating the huge crowds who had all arrived by the time they were down from their snow walk. Isn't she so cute?

Here's another little burst of joy I came upon this month, though it's not quite as epic, healthy, bonding or athletic as snowshoeing:

I found this in the computer lab where I work as the computer teacher at an elementary school.  I absolutely love finding the treasures that unsuspecting kids leave behind there. I find little plastic rings, I find erasers and origami and headbands. But of course my favorites are the notes and the artwork. This particular gem just made me smile. No idea who left it, which is probably best. I'd be worried to hang out with that particular child from now on. 

Also a happy January moment - finding my boots! I realized that I really wanted a pair of low boots with no heel. (This is a really dumb thing to blog about but it made me happy so...I'm going to continue.) So I was hunting and hunting for the right boots, and I just could not find them! They were all too fashionista, which is great, but not when I wanted to wear them around the snowy playground. Oh gosh and they were all so expensive too. But then...I decided to check the kids section. I found the perfect pair. I found them in the largest size the kids area had to offer, and they totally fit and are totally perfect. I love them. And they were $25. Thank you.

Okay last of all....I did some organizing. Of course I did. It's January 2019, which means that "Tidying with Marie Kondo" just got released on Netflix and the whole of the United States is bingeing on it. I have owned her book for several years but never read it because I knew that the minute I did I wouldn't be able to stop myself from reorganizing every possession I own. Then the show got released, and of course I just watched a little and then I watched all of it, and then I realized that seeing her in action is way more influential than reading a book. I spent a whole Saturday dumping out every single item of clothing I own onto my bed and carefully choosing the things that make me the most happy and learning how to fold them into tidy little packages. Poor Troy. I think I must make him a little nuts. I'm not insisting on organizing a single thing of his, but honey, the offer is there.

Okay, so those are a few things that have helped us make our way through the month, slowly advancing towards our favorite week...Bleak Week!