Thank You Snow Plows

Another reason to love snow.

Don't Compare Your Children

Pearls of wisdom... don't compare your children. I know I shouldn't but how can I help myself? It is mind boggling that two little darlings can be raised in the same home with the same parents and be so different. One is a messy marvin and the other is neat and orderly.

Just look at their beds. Gigi has half her life's possessions scattered on her bed. I don't even want to know what is under the lumps and bumps at the end. In fact, does pulling up the covers classify as the bed being made? Greta took great care to set up the scenario on her bed. Baby Doll is petting her puppy Lilly. This is their personalities in a nutshell. Love it!

Cooking More

We have been really paying attention to what we are eating. It started during the deployment. I was saving our pennies to pay off my car loan and going out to eat was costing too much. Now, we are trying to eat healthier. Gene and I aren't getting any younger and the girls need their veggies.

It is so easy to go out to eat so I have to really plan well. Every Sunday we get together, all four of us, and plan out our meals for the week. I keep a list of favorites to refer to when we draw a blank on what to cook. Then we go grocery shopping for the week.

Despite the planning I still come up with excuses and more excuses. My favorite one is that I don't have time to chop up everything to make a healthy meal. Not anymore. Thanks to the food processor and Sam's Club, I always have vegetables on hand and ready to go. Tonight I processed carrots, celery, and red, yellow, and orange peppers. Each snack bag holds one cup. Now my freezer is stocked and I am ready to cook.

What do you do to plan for the week?

It's Cold Season

Has anyone else had a cold that won't go away? Mine loves me. I was just starting to get better when Vicki, my MIL, came to visit this week. She brought a gift... a cold just for me. I honestly can't blame her for the resurgence of my winter cold. It could be my same friend who came back because I am staying up late and doing too much. Or, it could be a brand new strain of congestion, pounding headaches, and tiredness. Who really knows. All I know is that my head is going to split open after my eyeballs pop out from all the sinus pressure. How's that for a mental image - my apologies.

Gene took his Mom out to lunch today. The plan was for them to have some fun while I nap. Gene had sweetly tucked my back into bed and kissed me goodbye for the afternoon.

Am I napping? Nope. I am on the couch with three blankets piled on me, and a bowl of popcorn. Instead of getting the much needed nap, I have decided to watch MTV True Life, read blogs, and read my book all at the same time.

I wonder why I can't get well.

I like snow!

Greta has to block the snow to see.

Here is our mini skating rink.

We have lived in so many different places with so many different climates. Alaska was the coldest and snowiest. Georgia was the steamiest. Oklahoma had the dry heat. Kansas was the windiest. Kentucky was slightly steamy and barely snowy.

Iowa has them all beat. It is almost the snowiest in the winter, almost the rainiest in the spring, almost the steamiest in the summer, and almost the best weather in the fall. I love it!

Right now we are enjoying all the snow. This year hasn't been as icy as the past two years with is a plus. However, my backyard has a mini ice skating rink in it. It seems to be popular with my girls. They dig through the snow like they are going to find a treasure in the ice. I wish I could come up with a way to freeze gemstones in the ice. Wouldn't that be fun!?! I'll have to think about that one.

The Game of Love

Okay, this seems a bit corny, but I really "loved" the idea of this post... make a list of the things that you love about yourself. I guess it is my own personal valentine. So, in the spirit of the season and the fact that I am always my worst critic... here goes

*I love my smile.
*I love it that I am creative and always wanting to try to make new things.
*I love that I have loved being a military wife despite the challenges.
*I love my heart - I want everything in the world to be good and fair and it pains me that it isn't.
*I love that my life focus is my family and their happiness.
*I love that I enjoy serving in so many ways - church, family, and friends.

Okay, not so bad. I hope other friends try this. I would be thrilled to read theirs.

L.O.V.E.

Just sharin' the love! Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day Shirts

The girls and I traditionally make Valentine's Day shirts. This year's shirts look FABULOUS and were the easiest to make!

We used shimmer paint and sponge daubbers from Stampin-up, mailing tape, self-adhesive stencils from Hobby Lobby, left over rhinestones from last year's shirts, and two red pre-washed shirts.

This ink is a new favorite! All I had to do was heat set it with an iron when we were finished. I think we will decorate a pair of jeans next.

The sponge daubbers from Stampin-Up worked great. I did put clear mailing tape around the stencil in case a daubber got away from us. You know, those daubbers have a mind of their own.

It is mistake proof. All you do is dab, dab, and dab some more.

Gigi likes things simple.

Greta is all about the bling.

They are ready for their Valentine's Day parties at school.

Time for Bed

How can this sweet little girl make me dread bedtime so much? Since day one she has resisted going to sleep. We have tried so many different approaches, read books, googled the topic, and NO LUCK.

We have little ice cubes for imaginary boo-boos; scary spray (air freshener) to keep monsters away; the closet door is always closed; cool wash clothes for sore eyeballs; special sleepy-time lavender lotions for dry skin; more special lotion for itchy skin; a cat to sleep with; night-night music; and a perfectly executed bedtime routine.

Tonight she was crying hysterically in her bed because she was mad at me. She didn't know what I had done but she knew it was something mean.

Why does that make me smile? Maybe she knows something I don't know yet.