Spring Is Here!

Things I Like About Spring: (in no particular order, despite the numbers used)

1. Crushes. What is it about Spring that makes our thoughts turn to Romance? I don't know, and it doesn't really matter, I guess. I just enjoy having Spring crushes! My current crush developed this week: the new Fed Ex driver. He's cute, he's friendly, and he has a nice smile. I don't know his name. It doesn't matter - it's just a crush!

2. Flowers. I went for a walk earlier this week and noticed flowers beginning to sprout in my old roommate's yard. So exciting! Tulips, daisies, and daffodils are some of my favorite flowers (though I'm a sucker for just about any variety) and they are quintessentially SPRING. It's almost time for me to buy myself more flowers and I can't wait. I hope Albertson's has tulips when I lose two more pounds!

3. Green. This morning, sitting on my porch for a few moments before heading to work, I noticed that there are several trees in view that are beginning to get the slightest touches of green on their branches. Woohoo! I love my view year-round, but my favorite is when all the leaves are adorned with green leaves. I may be getting addicted to my porch.

4. Daylight. A lot of people complain when Daylight Savings starts. Yeah, I didn't love waking up an hour early on March 8th, especially since I had to wake up at 6:15 (which would have been 5:15 the day before). However, one morning of inconvenience (or a few mornings if you're one of those people who have to take a little time to adjust) is nothing compared to the extra daylight we get! I can now go for a good long walk after work - that is priceless in my book.

5. Warmth. Lately, heaven-on-earth = sitting on my porch basking in the warmth of the sun on a quiet weekend afternoon. There's just a hint of warmth on my face that managed to break through the chill. It's lovely. I love that my heating bill goes down this time of year because I'm being heated naturally by the sun. I've even cracked my bedroom windows open a couple times because my room gets so warm! Warmth and a slight breeze at the same time! Nice.

6. Spring Cleaning. There's a reason this phrase was coined and became so common - it just feels right to clean extensively this time of year. Maybe the increased sunlight sheds light on things that need cleaning. Or maybe we want our homes to smell as nice as the outdoors. Who knows. No matter the reason, that feeling of wanting to clean deeper is essential to my home staying in good form. That said, this year it may not be me that does the deep, deep cleaning. I'm thinking of hiring someone to do it. Yes, it's lazy, but I don't have kids that I can make clean the stuff I want cleaned but don't want to clean (i.e., the window sills, behind the kitchen appliances, the door frames, the floor boards, above the cupboards, inside the stove, etc.). I justify it by saying it's my little way of helping out the local economy. Teehee.

7. Softball. I'm not a huge fan of baseball on tv, but I love watching softball or baseball live. I'm lucky enough to live within walking distance of the local softball park, and I really enjoy walking over to watch a game or two a couple times a week once softball season starts. This year I actually know people who will be playing (my roommate Jeff and maybe one of my brothers) which will be neat, though it's still fun even when I don't.

8. Hope, Energy, Purpose. Maybe it's the new-ness of Spring, things coming back to life, that gives me a renewed sense of these three. I feel like I can throw off the things that are holding me back and become a newer, better me. Spring is a perfect time for me to make plans and goals. In fact, next month I'll be posting my 2nd quarter goals and I've been thinking of what they'll be.

Happy Spring!!