Spring is Coming

We're slowly edging closer to spring in Maryland.

The crocuses are blooming.

The daffodils are THINKING about blooming.

And our temple is closing.  This Saturday will be the last day it's open before it undergoes a two-year renovation.  While Todd was at preschool today, I made one last trip to the Washington DC Temple before it starts "hibernating," just as everything else around here is starting to wake up.  Sleep well, Friend.

A Stroll (Partway) Around Wilde Lake

The weather was sunny and surprisingly warm today . . .

. . . so Todd and I spent the afternoon exploring Wilde Lake Park. 

We were joined by Joy, who was sent home from school yesterday with a fever.  She feels fine today, but technically can't go back to school yet, so she came on a field trip with us instead.

At this scenic spot, Joy dipped her toes in the lake to see if it was chilly.  Given that we got a couple inches of snow here over the weekend, you won't be surprised to hear that the water was, well, freezing.

Partway around the lake, we stopped to have a snack and watch the geese.  They didn't pay much attention to us, but when a jogger came around the bend with a dog the whole flock made a beeline for the water.

We planned to walk all the way around the lake, but this little sign put a wrench in our plans.  Time to figure out a Plan B. :-/

Cinnamon Roll Valentines

I bake bread about once a week these days.  Sometimes I make wheat bread in loaf pans . . . 

. . . and sometimes I make challah braided bread because it looks fun (and tastes good).  I usually make two loaves at a time . . .

. . . but since this is Valentine's Week, I rolled out half the dough, brushed it with some butter, sprinkled on plenty of sugar and cinnamon, and rolled them into cinnamon roll hearts to share with my family.  Any holiday is more fun when you have some festive food to go with it. :)

A Hike in the Urban Woods

The temperature got up into the sixties today, so Todd and I decided to go for a little hike on one of the many paths that crisscross our fair city.

Our path looked like a secluded woodland trail . . . 

. . . until you glanced fifty yards to the right or left and saw businesses and houses.  That's Columbia for you.

Todd had fun counting the wooden beams of each bridge we crossed.

We enjoyed seeing natural wonders like these mushrooms that looked like dragon scales on a fallen log . . .

. . . this tree whose light-colored leaves provide pretty contrast to the dreary greys and browns of winter . . .

. . . a couple of elegant Canadian geese (no matter how many of them I spot in this area, I still think they're a treat to see) . . .

. . . and a MINI.  When your dear Daddy drives one, you notice every single one that you pass.

Keepin' It Real on Sunday

Joy decided to spend her Sunday evening reading stories from the lives of some modern prophets.

It's an idyllic Sabbath scene . . .

. . . until I pan out and you see all the messes waiting to be cleaned up . . .

. . . and the mountain of dishes waiting to be washed in the kitchen.

We'll clean it all up at some point before bedtime, but for now, as the saying goes, "Our house is clean enough to be healthy, but dirty enough to be happy."

Pikmin Cake and Dogpiles

We celebrated Daniel's ninth birthday today.  When I asked what he wanted for his birthday dessert, he requested a chocolate sheet cake decorated with a yellow pikmin (his current favorite video game character).  I baked the cake . . .

. . . and his big sister used her art skills to draw the pikmin with yellow frosting.

Daniel was very happy with his custom cake. :)

After dessert and presents, the after-party party consisted of a wild dogpiling session (a fitting party game, given the birthday boy's rambunctious personality).  The three big kids took Daddy on together . . .

. . . but bantamweight Todd competed in a separate division so he wouldn't get hurt in the flailing chaos.  Snugglepiling looks like more fun to me, anyway.

Daniel the Happy Wolf

At pack meeting this evening . . .

. . .  the cub scout dens performed some entertaining magic tricks . . .

. . . then Daniel received his Wolf badge (while his purple-shirted younger sister crawled along under the stage behind him).

Just like when Daniel earned his Bobcat badge a few months ago, the Wolf badge presentation included some symbolic face painting: Red stripes on his forehead stand for bravery, blue stripes on his chin stand for happiness, and a yellow line across his cheeks stands for the bright spirit of cub scouting.

Then Daniel got to choose a color and paint my face any way he wanted.

He adorned me with a few orange smiley faces. :) :)

Then the den leader told him to give himself a pat on the back for all his hard work.  Well done, my son!

The Model Train Convention

Phillip heard about a model train convention in a nearby town this weekend, so we decided to go check it out after we finished our Saturday chores.

One of the large rooms was devoted to models set up by local model train clubs.  I thought the national monuments on this model were a nice touch, given that we're so close to D.C.

Some of the model trains were very tiny . . .

. . . and some were not tiny at all (these train cars are built 1/8th scale).

This setup had a fun circus theme, complete with a miniature carnival.  It was fun to see all these models, but in retrospect I wonder what these clubs do with their models when it isn't train convention season.  Do they box everything up for months?  Do they leave it all set up at somebody's house?  Seems like that would be a royal pain to dust.