Not a Fire Starter After All

After successfully having a fire all afternoon the other day.......I give up........my inner pyromaniac is not cooperating today. I put shoes and jackets on the girls over their footie PJ's to help collect pine cones (they do anything for a promise of hot chocolate) I gather the best twigs my back yard has to offer. I gingerly lay pinecones with extreme care amongst the labyrinth of kindling. I place the perfect piece of firewood on top..not to small not too big. I light.... I MADE FIRE... I get so excited...it lasts all of 5 minutes.... I can get 10 minutes if I stand there and fan it. GGRRR