Awaiting spring

So, I started lettuce and peas inside last Sunday. My seeds are already approx an inch tall! The boys and I worked outside. The older boys power washed the back patio, the younger boys and I cleaned out the garden. Our next chore is to empty the compost and mix in the garden. I have to move my compost location. We keep getting rats.... I found tunnels as I was mixing the compost. I'm hoping they were old, the dogs were with me. I called them over, they smelled the area then left. Yoga ( dachshund/pug mix) has caught them before. He's been reliable in the past at alerting me when there has been activity. Max ( bull terrier) just came over all wiggles. He's a funny dog. He has one of the best temperaments I have seen. I look forward to expanding out our garden I will take and post pictures later today ( after I get off work)
I have the best co workers. Really. Everyone has different life experiences and stories. I makes life interesting.
I keep the ideas turning in my head how to arrange my garden this year and what to plant. I want to try to grow potatoes. I am going to plant chard, kale, lettuce, peas, and sweet peppers. Not sure what else though. Good thing I still have time to decide.
The one thing I want to try to do is track how much ( weight wise) I harvest. Jason and I really want to be as self sufficient as possible. He really wants to be able for us to grow and store as much of our own produce as possible. ( good thing I have a green thumb!)

As some of you know, we are in the process of adopting our foster son. Can I tell you the amount of paperwork is C-R-A-Z-Y. We were licensed as a foster to adopt home too. That's even crazier.. The social worker is great. She's thorough. I'm glad we didn't have to change ( usually when it goes to adoption, the social worker changes. She changed positions, and got to take his case with her). She's hoping we will be done in a couple months. I'll be glad when it's done, just to give our foster kid a sense of being done with the ordeal. I think he's feeling anxiety over it, I'm not sure he knows how to identify his emotions.
Later today, I plan on taking the troop to the salmon hatchery. I figured I can discuss the salmon life cycle with our F.K. and the other boys. My kids have been there several times while FK has not. The biologists there are really informative, and good with the kids.
We' ll see how the weather holds...