Blowing out the Cobwebs

This is Wednesday's post. So it isn't sixty out anymore. It is 8 degrees...52 degrees colder than it was 36 hours ago.

It is sixty degrees outside. Seriously. We had 7 inches of snow on the ground last night before we went to bed. Zip, zero, nada this morning when we got up. It is 80 degrees warmer than it was at certain points of last week.

I don't normally support the weather behaving abnormally, but today seemed a good exception to the rule. I have been in a grumpy mood lately. Not for a reason, just because I can. And I don't really like being out of sorts. Today, I took advantage of the warmness and the lack of snow, and hauled all the food I was saving for Tori's piglets down to the compost at the back of the yard. It shouldn't be so hard to bring food to the pigs, but somehow, I always forget in the midst of the jackets, boots, car seat, and diaper bag muddle that is our normal departure routine. And then, once it starts to mold, it is potentially dangerous to piggies. So Gilbert, Elsie, and I took a bucket down to the fence line and then stood, admired the wind, and breathed in spring-like air.

And listened to Gilbert saying "slide. slide." and after 10 round and rounds with that, "swing. swing." He says it with firm conviction. It is what must be done next. Elsie loved seeing him swing. Going away and then rushing towards us. Giggle, giggle! And then, there was the sound of the rain falling. It was warm enough that we could be outside in the falling rain and I didn't even think about pneumonia. But eventually, we came in to see what we could do about lunch. And I felt so much better.

Part of the cobwebs that needed blowing away were the frustration of doing taxes. I do online filing, which in the long run, makes it easier, but you have to enter the same information over and over. Nope, Justin did not earn any of this money while in jail. Or this money. Or this. Really, he just wasn't in jail at all. And yes, this kid is ours. No one else can claim her. No one else is financially supporting her. And she didn't pay her living expenses. And surprise! the exact same answers for the following three children. And we have nothing to do with anything overseas or foreign. At all. Really.

And do you know what drives me crazy? Self employment taxes cannot be offset by the standard and dependent deductions like w-2's can. Even if our deductions zero out our tax burden and then some, that extra can't be applied to self employment tax. This means that even though we made a bit less and had another child, the amount we owe is more. I don't understand the reasoning for that, so it drives me crazy. I am sure there is a reason somewhere, but until I know it, I am just going to be irritated. Ha! to the IRS.

And now, for some pictures.

Our sixty degree morning. Lily hollered to me that it was so warm we could go for a walk!

So we did. 

Rubber boots in puddles

Running to Martin's. Our local bulk goods store.

Lily was fascinated by how much the flag was blowing.

Trying to be first. This drives me crrrrrazy! The entire time we are walking, Lily is quietly trying to be ahead of Orianna. And if Orianna notices, she tries to be ahead of her. And then, if Lily walks faster, Orianna gets upset and says that Lily thinks she is the oldest. It is a pretty continuous cycle.

Orianna zooms to the lead

Lily had to take her hair down while we were at Martins so she could feel the wind. 

My windy girls

Finally compromising on who is first by holding hands.

....until one of them makes a break for it. Sigh. 

I love these kids, though!

My sweet baby! In a little jacket from Marilla. This is such a Rilla jacket. And you should notice the minuscule white thing on her gum. It is a tooth.