I have been one of those women you hear at the grocery store or standing in line at the tattoo parlor, who is becoming Negative Nancy about this year’s winter slap in the face.  I can whine and complain about our arctic temperatures with the best of them –  Voted #1 Member of the Mommy Whine and Dine Club.

However, my negativity needs to stop!  I need to find the sunny side of the street.  Bad example.  I have little ears (my childrens, not mine) soaking up every complaint.  They are learning negativity at every turn. I can hear it now at preschool in the gym, “Mary, this cold weather is awful!  I just can’t get anything done.  It’s cutting into my learning:  my numbers are suffering, my alphabet has tanked, and I’m not even going to mention my shapes!”

I have Californian and Washington state friends in Facebook who are showing pictures of their cats curled up on their deck sunning themselves and speaking of the beautiful day.  Friends hiking up a mountain trail with gentle breezes caressing their cheeks.  The only gentle caressing of my cheeks is when I run back in the house frantically massaging parts of my body I want to regain circulation after being attacked by icy rain pellets.  Was that complaining again?  Sorry. Hard to break old habits.

Now that March is approaching, and here in the Midwest, that means we only have about a month before we might see 50 degrees, I am going to start celebrating spring early.  I am going to have my girls start making colorful art projects out of tissue paper and pipe cleaners.  Fill the house up with vases of paper flowers.  To thumb my nose at old man winter, I am going to turn on every light in the house, crank up the heat, put on our swimming suits, flip flops, and sunglasses and play pool party.  Umbrellas in everybody’s sippy cup!

When I go to the grocery store, instead of complaining in line about the cold and slush, and ice, AND snow…I am going to purchase a bouquet of flowers, set it on the front table, open up the curtains and share it with the neighbors.  Tulips for everyone!!

Happy early Spring fellow Mommies!!!

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