Yippee ya yay!  Teeth are out, braces on.  We made it through with very little drama and lots of ice cream.  Grace had some too.

There is a little girl at the school, a kindergartener, who I have fallen in love with.  I don't think she's human.  Possibly elfin.  She speaks her own language, all the time, to herself.  Mom is American and Dad is Italian so I know it's not a language issue.  She looks like a cuter version of the trolls we used to play with as kids.  She is all exaggerated features, mischievous grin and fly-away hair.  Her teacher calls her magical and there is something so other-worldly about her.  Her two older brothers are nice kids but just kids, with dark eyes and hair.  She is blond and light-eyed but not at all ethereal or fairy-like.  She's solid and there.  She loves to come stand beside me while I'm checking books in and out for her class.  She just smiles at me and mutters unintelligible things, (I guess they're amusing because she laughs to herself too).  I want to bring her home but I think I'd get in trouble.

We finally got up to the mountains for our first snowshoe outing.  There simply hasn't been the snow.  It was freaking cold!  Maine cold.  Nose hair crinkling cold.  We headed up very early so watched the sun rise over the mountains.  We had a 3 hour hike then made it back in time to meet friends in the city for lunch.  It was a good 30 degrees warmer down here.  xxoo me

purty