updates

So, first and foremost. I got my ding letter for my grant. We will not be going to Alaska. But don't feel bad for me. Even a little bit. I wasn't upset at all; I really just wanted to know one way or the other. We are also re-thinking our Yellowstone trip for this summer. Something about trying to be responsible with our money. Anyway, things have been a little stressful around here for the last week, so we will make summer decisions at a later date. We just know that it won't be Alaska. I've even been thinking of the upper peninsula of Michigan if we're trying to stay a little closer to home. For having grown up in Michigan, I think I've only been as far as St. Ignace in terms of the u.p..

Last Saturday we were up early (thank you so much, kids, for getting up at 6:30 on a Saturday and then screaming at each other) and I was feeling desperate to get outdoors. So, we packed up and headed to the state park for a little hiking. It's amazing how relative temperature and weather is. In November we never would have gone hiking at 8:30 a.m. in 30 degrees with a fresh blanket of snow. But in February we totally would. We were thinking 30 seemed like a pretty warm temperature, relatively speaking. It was nice to be the only ones there--we were actually were the only tire tracks on the road.