26 down...2 more to go...

...Till this month is over that is.  February in Nebraska is always hard.  It's the same.old.same.old year in and year out.  After many blustery, dark & snowy months, February comes along and seems to last forever.  Thank goodness someone decided to make February last only 28 days (sometimes 29).  Now if only that "someone" could pull a few strings and just cancel February all together.  We just don't need it.  Or perhaps we could do as the bears and just hibernate all month long.  Sure, February has a few highlights - it brings Valentines Day and Girl Scout Cookies, but on top of that, not much else.  I'm sure there are some stats out there that indicate suicide rates spike in February or perhaps the diagnosis' of depression is heightened.  I don't know, just a thought.  Thank goodness Nielsen Media Research has isolated February to be one of it's four months to measure television ratings (Sweeps months are Feb, May, July & Nov).  At least there is something good on the tube!
To add salt to the wound Mother Nature decides to tease us and sprinkle in a few random mild days.  Everyone celebrates and gets a hint of vitamin D, only to be slapped in the face the very next day with yet another winter-weather advisory of sorts. Mother Nature can be very cruel at times, ESPECIALLY in February.  I'm a big girl, I get it.  This is and always has been reality in Nebraska, but I am finding these cruel mother-nature temperature swings especially difficult to explain to my 3-year old.  She doesn't understand why we can't go outside and ride her scooter and make hop-scotch sidewalk chalk boards all over the driveway all day today just like yesterday.  ugggghh.  This is when cabin fever starts to set in for the little ones - so we just need to get a little creative and find reasons to get out of the house.  No big deal.

Okay, enough of my wining rant...I'm sure many of you "warm-climate" readers are thinking to your self.  "Stop your bitchin' and just move if you hate the dreary Nebraska weather so much".  But you see that's the thing.  Contrary to popular belief people who live in the midwest (the majority of us anyway) actually LOVE the wide-ranging, often unpredictable weather patterns.  We thrive on it.
I LOVE the changing of the seasons.  Every few months mother nature gives us something NEW to look forward to.  I love changing out the decor, wardrobes and moods to reflect the upcoming season.  Once one season starts to get old, a new one comes along and lifts our spirits.  My absolute favorite changing of seasons is of course Winter to Spring.  well...actually...I'm not really too sure about that...Summer to Fall is pretty amazing as well...and now that I think about it...Winter's not all that bad...I think it perhaps lasts one month too long that's all.  So, back to my original point.   Let's all just CANCEL February.  Grab some good books, the remote control, your iPhone, Great-Grandmother made quilts and cuddle with your loved ones.  Close your eyes, rest your weary souls, lay low, hibernate and allow February to simply go through it's motions and be over with already.
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But no worries - All is good in the Harnisch House - we have enough to keep us busy  :-)
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 here are a few pics taken throughout the month of "soon-to-be over" February that have not yet made the blog.

 McKenzie digging in the snow cave near our front porch.

It was taller than her at one point...but it had melted down by the time we got out to get this photo.

 Kenzie and the Cooke kids (Brook and Ally) hibernating inside on a cold winter day...watching Veggietales  :-)

THIS is how you have a lazy day!
The Cooke's tend to come over and crash our lazy days a lot...which works out quite well for me I must say!  Keeps McKenzie occupied and entertained  :-)
The Lisa and I can just chill while the kids play.

so you know how Macy's been rockin' a new look.  2 piggies instead of the regular 1.

Well, I must say that when she pulls them out, her hair is wilder and crazier than EVER!  haha

 So instead of the usual "mohawk" bed-head look, she's got the "horned look" going on instead  :-)
impossible to tame.

here's a side profile from up above.  nice!

 haha

she seems to like it just fine...

 

nice!

 The other day Grandpa and his longtime buddy Bill stopped over.  The girls LOVED him!  Mostly they were fascinated by his beard.  McKenzie was really watching him...Grandpa kept telling her that he was Santa Clause, and I really think she was "thinking" about believing him.  ha

 I've known Bill my whole life...he moved away, so it has been 10+ years since I last saw him.  It was really nice to catch up the other day while he was back in town.

The other day two friends had babies, so the girls and I ventured out to go meet them.  McKenzie was super excited and kept telling me how "little they were".  Colby Patrick Bluvas was born Monday.  And, pictured above, Ronan Patrick Schlueter was born the next day.  Both baby boys are adorable and are doing well  :-)  

quick side note:  just as we were leaving the hospital to go home...my sister Lisa called and asked us to quickly meet her at the Emergency Room of another hospital in town.  Little Ally fell on the bleachers at gymnastics, (we picked up Brook so he didn't have to hang out in the ER) three stapes in the head later and she's back to her spunky little self!