Are you wearing green?

Well, I am. In the unusual morning rush of getting the girls ready for school and myself ready for jury duty, I actually remembered to not only find myself a green shirt but to also remind the girls to find something green. I am proud to say there wasn't even a threat of a pinch for any of us. It was kind of unreal getting ready early today, I actually had to be disciplined, which is something that I've not been too good at lately. I mean why get up and work out at 6am when you can just do it after the girls get on the bus at 8:30 and get another hour of sleep? So, yeah, this morning it was up early to eat and workout, then shower and get ready to go, all before 7am, because its at 7am that the girls get up and I focus on feeding them and getting them all ready to go. I know I use to do this all the time, back when I had a real job, but I honestly don't know how I did it. I really much prefer my "leisurely" mornings.

So, about jury duty. I have been called for it probably four times in the past 3 years, I think. The first time the case settled before the date, the second time I actually served on the jury for a domestic abuse case, the third time I wasn't picked, and thankfully, today I wasn't picked either. Not that I don't want to do my civil duty, I just didn't want to be there til late tonight, as it was a very slow moving jury selection and I envisioned the trial being slow as well. I think jury duty is actually quite interesting. I never really enjoyed learning about American government in school, so maybe that's why its extra intriguing to me to actually be involved in part of it. The one trial I did serve as a jury member for, was very eye opening just in the whole judicial process itself. Seeing my luck with jury summones, I'm sure I'll get another chance to see it all in action again soon. Today I was very content to pick up my honey some lunch, eat with him at his work and then go hang out with my pregnant friend.

Are you doing anything for St. Patrick's Day? I'm not, really. It's a friends birthday--actually I know like 4 people with birthdays today and I think they are all Irish, which I think is like the most ironic thing ever--so I think a bunch of us women are going out for appetizers/desert after church tonight to celebrate. I would've really liked to cook corned beef and cabbage and all the fixin's tonight, but no one else in my family really enjoys eating it, so I will be making chicken instead. I might have to pick up some corned beef from the deli so I can indulge in a rueben or two though this week to make up for my corned beef deprivation.

Spring has officially sprung around here, even though the calender shows that it hasn't technically started yet. I have several reasons for this conclusion:

1. It has been reported to me that the ticks are out. I hate ticks and yet we have no shortage on them in the spring. Ewwwwwwwwwww.

2. The street cleaners have been working diligently in our neighborhood to clean up all the gravel put down on the snow and ice for traction. The streets are clean enough that I think I can overlook the fact that the street cleaners start work very early in the morning.

3. Erik is going to put his snowmobile away for the season. Let's face it, the snow this year has really stunk, it hasn't been a great year for sledding, but still, if he's putting it away, than winter is officially over, at least in our house. :-)

My Civic Duty: Fulfilled

I can safely say I've done my civic duty for the year. I got called last week to be informed that I was being called for jury duty today. Even though it was sort of a pain, I made arrangements for the girls in the morning (I had to be there by 8am!) and for the afternoon on the chance that I would be chosen and it would go that late. I figured it was the least I could do, you know, being a citizen and stuff. Part of me was excited for the change in routine while the rest of me was disappointed to have to spend my day doing it and miss out on other things. So I went this morning to find that 17 others had been called. They only needed six jury members so I hoped that I would be one of the eleven dismissed. I wasn't. :-) So I ended up spending all morning there and finally getting out at about 1 pm. I am grateful that I am done early and glad to be done with it--the actual act of being the jury and deciding the outcome of the case was kind of hard! I wouldn't want to be on one of those big ol' cases that lasts days and days, this half day one was enough for me!

So the other day Erik was home early and ended up picking up Lindz from the bus for me, here's a picture of their return.

Notice her funny face? Thats what she does when I try to get her to pose nicely for a picture. I tell ya, I can see her father in her...:-)