Spring Has Sprung

The weather here has gone from 62 on Monday to 89 today. It was HOT! We have our air conditioner humming, the birds are tweeting again in the morning, and every child I come into contact with during the day (which on average is about 45) is full to the brim with effervescent energy.

The bird family that have tried for the last four summers to build a nest on the underside of our deck are back. Every spring, they valiantly try to create their home, despite the fact that we have knocked it down for the last three years. I wish I had that kind of persistence. I actually thought it was great the first time they showed up. I had visions of showing the boys cute baby birds and watching the eggs hatch. Instead, we ended up with copious amounts of bird poop all over the hot tub and patio, which my talented toddler then proceeded to get all over him every time we went outside. Which has meant an eviction notice for the birds ever since.

There is always a great congregation of wasps who try to be the bird's neighbors under the deck. They move in every spring, terrorizing my kiddos as they try to play in the back yard. After dinner, I tried to shoo all three boys outside to swing while I did the dishes (and make 20 pb&j sandwiches for Charlie and Sam's preschool group to take to the zoo tomorrow). They were all overflowing with spring time giddiness, and I desperately needed them out from underfoot. I knew spring was here in earnest when they all ran back in the door not five minutes later shouting about the "bees" chasing them. My valiant husband headed out at dusk with a can of wasp killer to chase them away, thus beginning the weekly spring and summer ritual of extermination.

The countdown is up on the calendar in my classroom, proclaiming that as of tomorrow we only have 19 days of school left. I have cocoons germinating away in the corner, with tadpoles next to them on the science shelf.

But the best part of spring? For me it is that the promise of summer is right around the corner. Long, warm, lazy days to spend with my kids with nothing better to do than be together and take the day as it comes.