The Great Backyard Bird Count started today and so far it's a bust. We did this last year and had a ton of fun. The kids loved it, even the (at the time) 3 year old sat at the window counting birds. This year the backyard is covered in frozen icy snow and it's frigid out there. I don't think I saw a bird all day. We have a feeder out there, with a fresh suet cake in it, but nobody came to eat. I couldn't find the regular seed though so tomorrow I'll buy some at the store so I can toss some on the ground. Some birds are ground feeders so maybe it will help. But I'm worried it's just too cold for much activity this year. Bummer.

Meanwhile, we have a pet pill bug. I was cleaning up in the backroom and a pill bug went crawling across the floor. Weird! In googling it seems they are scavengers so I guess it was living on things it found in my immaculately pristine house (cough cough). It's too cold to toss outside so we have it living in a jar in the kitchen. After the aforementioned googling we put dirt, a dead leaf from a houseplant and some leaves of lettuce and celery in there. Also a wet paper towel, replenished daily. I hope it warms up soon so we can release the thing. I'm not confident in us being able to keep it alive for long. Oh yes and "her" name is Addah (named by Bridget who read from the baby book until the pillbug wiggled her antennae - I'm told this means the pillbug approved of the name).

Owen apparently wants Valentine's Day to be a week long occasion. He spent much of this morning making valentines for me :-) His dad had given him a valentine card with a maze on the back so Owen is making his own games on his. They are incredibly cute, usually involving tracing your finger in a straight line and are all signed by him. I'm also getting lots of kisses :-D

Right now Owen is asleep and Bridget is watching The Court Jester. The girl has great taste in movies :-D

Is it spring yet? Please wake me when the temperature gets to at least 40. I think I'm hibernating til then.