the Fitzner Family: cold hands...not so warm heart

I haven't posted in forever! I think this is partly due to having a very severe case of the winter blues. You would think that I would blog more when we stay inside for days at a time, but I have lost almost all my motivation, and I'm pretty sure the only thing that will bring it back is spring (March 20th does not count, I want true spring weather with no snow). I can feel myself becoming grumpier and grumpier by the day (if you don't believe me, just ask Gibb).

One thing that definitely helped was taking a little week-end trip to Vancouver (blog post to come eventually). I knew I wasn't the only one craving warm weather when we got out of the car at our friend's house and Jayna ran to their lawn and yelled "GRASS!" It has been a few months since we've seen any here, and we drove to the airport in a blizzard and came to home to this:

insanely freezing temperatures (-30C without windchill) and tons of snow. If we get any more snow and/or any more -20C or below days here I'm pretty sure there will be some serious tears at our house.

So in my attempt to spread some Springtime Cheer I am giving a Formal Farewell to Winter (I don't care if I'm just jinxing myself or getting my hopes up).

Phrases Jayna has learned since we've moved to Edmonton that I hope to not hear again for the next 6 months:

"Brrrr, it's freezing/I'm frozen" (said with teeth chattering)
"Daddy warming up the car?" (while looking out the window)
"I need my mittens" (in a tearful voice)
"Is it snowing?" (also while looking out the window)
"I want a blanket" (while in the car, already wearing a winter coat, hat, mitts and trying to steal the blanket from Kepler's car seat)

Other things Jayna has learned that are necessary for survival when you live this close to the North Pole is putting on her own mittens and boots, although they are on the wrong hands/feet 90% of the time.