Be Thankful...



Friends, I'm pulling this one straight from the pages of my journal...if that isn't real, then I don't know what is.  Just don't expect me to let you look in my closet...'cause it's not gonna happen *wink*. 

Being thankful in difficult circumstances seems to be the lesson I am supposed to learn during this season of my life.  Oh, how it is so easy for me to give thanks when the road is smooth and life's bumps are at bay.  But, when life gets tough, praise and thanks to God doesn't roll off the tongue so easily. 

During the last six months, there have been times where I've found myself asking, "Lord, when will this end?  Have I done what you've asked of me?  Bring Your answer quickly!"  Most of my prayers have been asking for deliverance from this trial. While I do believe that will happen, out of frustration, my thoughts and my prayers have not always been focused on thanksgiving for God's blessings.

If I am not careful, discontentment creeps into my heart and I turn my eyes away for a moment and begin to forget all the ways the Lord has blessed and cared for us during this time.

I am often reminded of the children of Israel's exodus out of Egypt.  Their praise for the Lord's goodness, mercy and protection, soon turned to grumbling once they experienced a trial.  They cried, "We want food!"  So God gave them manna.  They whined, "We want meat!"  So God gave them quail.  He protected them from their enemies and personally led them through the wilderness in the form of a pillar of cloud and fire.  Yet, their continued complaining and lack of recognition of God's deliverance cost them the right to enter the promised land.  They failed to see they had the favor and protection of the God of the Universe!

How often have I forgotten during this trial that we have experienced miracles and blessings!  I look at the circumstance and say, "God give me what I want!" And fail to say, "Lord, thank you for the blessing of this time...the opportunity to experience your goodness.  Thank you for your daily provision and for using the kindness of others to bless us!"

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."

                                                                        Psalm 34:8

My desire is for others to see how He is caring for our family in a miraculous way and give praise to Him.  Lord, have your way.  The desire of my heart is to master a heart of thankfulness and give Him the praise He deserves in all areas of my life.  I Thessalonians 5:18 says:

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

I have yet to come across a verse that says, "Praise Him when your up and kick Him when your down."  It's just not anywhere in the Bible (well, except when Job's wife told him to curse God...but she was off her rocker).  But, time and again we are urged to be thankful in all things.  But, why?

He wants us (me) to turn our eyes from our circumstances and look to Him.  We're not to focus on the gift or lack of, but the giver...God. 

I guess I'm sharing this entry with one motive...to give a reason for the hope that I have.  To remind myself (and you, if any of this resonates with you) that my circumstance does not shake or nullify my faith.  In fact, this trial has reminded me that while I do not know what tomorrow holds, I am firmly in His had.  He has not forgotten us, nothing surprises Him, and He never finds Himself ill-prepared to care for those who love Him.

In all things, be thankful.

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."

                                                                  Colossians 3:17

Be Gracious...

*Disclaimer--I am in no way admonishing fellow bloggers or readers.  These thoughts are ones that I feel convicted by, and am trying to grow and learn in my daily walk.  Let's be honest friends.  I'm trying to effect change in my life, and I'm taking you, the reader, along for the ride.--Now we will resume your regularly scheduled programming.

Accepting praise, compliments and encouragement has always been difficult for me.  I readily give praise, but don't receive it well.  Most often I feel I am unworthy or undeserving of the giver's praise, or have difficulty believing that I could possibly possess that which they are expressing. 

My response to a person's kindness is usually a 'thank-you' followed by a big but... 

 "Thank you, but I made a mistake." 

"Thank you, but 'so-in-so' is so much better."

"Thank you, but it's really not that good."

"Thank you, but I really don't deserve it."

"Thank you, but..."

I responded in this way for years, lowering my head, and mumbling "Thank you, but..." believing that I should not accept praise, or that by doing so, I was not being humble.

Maybe it was my mom, or a well-meaning friend, or another wise woman, but, I finally heard someone say, "When a praise or compliment is given, receive it with graciousness.  Do not dismiss the compliment or the giver.  Receive it, own it, and be thankful for the kind words and the giver."

After hearing that, I realized that it's okay to graciously receive a compliment by thanking the giver and recognizing their heartfelt kindness.  In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reminds them of the importance of encouragement:

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

                                                                           1 Thessalonians 5:11

 I learned that excusing or begrudgingly accepting praise is not gracious.  Receiving praise with conceit or pride isn't gracious either.  It is important to receive praise with a tender heart, without letting conceit or pride corrupt it.  The Bible tells us to receive praise with caution:

"For I say through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."

                                                                           Romans 12:3

It is still difficult for me to receive praise.  But, I am working to receive the praise, believe it, and be thankful for it.  It is possible to take great joy in receiving praise while being gracious and remembering that, "Every good and perfect gift comes from above..." James 1:17

She's Got Issues...

It's true, I've got issues.  The quirks that come as a bonus to my otherwise crazy normal package were initially deemed 'cute' by my sweet B-man pre-marriage.  Now, they just drive him crazy.  I acknowledge it's a long (and growing) list of nonsense, and I'm laying it on the line to validate B's stance on how strange quirky I am...

1) I won't eat leftovers.  For some reason they gross me out...but, I'm working on it.

2)  I leave a trail everywhere I go.  You can fill in the blank here--clothes, purse, other random things.  My hubby claims he can accurately recount my day by looking at the trail of evidence.

3)  I'm abnormally protective of my pillow.  No one else may sleep on, touch, fluff or squish my pillow.  If I am being particularly testy, B threatens to steal my pillow and fart on it.  The thought nearly sends me over the edge and puts an end to my antics.  Gross.

4)  I sleep in the middle of the bed.  I love how B's side stays oh-so-warm...so I keep pushing the imaginary boundary until he shoves me back to my side.  So, I guess I'm a bed hog.

5)  I crunch chips...but he's almost got me broke of it.

6)  I have to have a bite of anything he's eating.  Thankfully he shares food...

7)  I take long, steaming, hot showers and B takes short cold ones...not by choice.  Sorry *sheepish grin*

8)  I tap my fingers and feet to every beat I hear...he prefers me to leave the beat-keeping to the experts.

9)  I'm always in la-la land.  I know he's caught me when my thoughts are suddenly interrupted by B exclaiming, "And then a hot pink turtle jumped in the car and ate my twinkie!" Huh?  Busted.

10)  I spill food, drinks or just about anything on my clothes on any given day.  There seems to be this invisible force that smacks my hand about four inches from my mouth.  Or there's a hole in my lip.  Or, I simply need to lean over my plate.  Either way I'm thankful for Oxi Clean.

Let's just be honest friends...I had to narrow the list down to 10...and I didn't even include the worst offenses (a girl has her dignity).  Despite my bad habits and shortcomings, B loves me anyway.  I am so not perfect.  Ugh...far from it.  Praise Jesus B's a pretty patient guy.  And he's super-cute.  *Sigh*  I love him.

Hopefully I'm not the only girl driving her oh-so-lucky hubby batty!

Happy Wednesday!!!

He's 5...

Every year on the eve of the little Mr.'s birthday I have the same routine.  B and I set out his gifts for him to find first thing in the morning, and I have a good ugly cry that the little guy is going to be another year older.  B consoles me and assures me that I'm not crazy for being so emotional (although deep down we both know the truth), then I sneak into little Mr.'s room to hold and rock him while he sleeps, while

images from each of his birthdays flash through my mind...

Today, he is five.  Five seems like such a big deal in my mind.  Five is more independence and more expression of his own little personality.  Five is NOT a baby.  Five. 
I am so thankful the Lord has given us another year with Ethan.  He is sweet, loving, funny, expressive, creative, animated, smart, and talented. 

Little Mr.,

You bring joy and laughter to our lives.  You are a blessing and we cherish you each day.

We continue to pray the same prayer for you:

That you will be good and kind towards others and bring joy to them.

That you will trust Jesus at an early age and follow Him all the days of your life.

That you will be a man of integrity.

That all that you do will be for His glory.

Lean on Him for understanding and seek Him for wisdom.

We have roughly 13 more years of caring for you and preparing you for manhood.  But, know that we will never stop offering you our love and support.  You can come to us for anything...we will listen and pray.  We love you and are so proud of the sweet little boy you have become!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Like Brother, Like Sister...

I used to think my wee ones were totally different.  They didn't look alike as newborns, and their temperaments are different.  But, I'm learning they are more alike than I used to think:

*Ethan 20-months                                   *Eva 22-months

They both have a killer sense of fashion.  After taking the above picture of the little miss hanging out with pants on her head, I realized this newly discovered fashion choice seemed oddly...familiar.

That's because the little Mr. rocked it first.  Big brothers always have the best ideas...

Happy Thursday!

What's In My Bag: Hair Edition...

This is not a profound, thought-provoking post today (when are they?).  Frankly, I am suffering from a huge case of writer's block.  I'm feeling a little uninspired, I have a growing sense of restlessness, and maybe my mood is just a bit off.  I'm just not feeling very...perky. 

So, I guess it's time to let you see what's in my bag.  The last time we took a look in my bag, I shared with you a few of my favorite make-up products, but, today I want to share with you some of my favorite hair products. 

I have really long hair, but it's super-fine.  I love having long hair, because it gives me lots of options from wearing it up, to down and straight, or down and wavy.  The problem?  Long, fine hair = long, limp hair without the right products.  So, I had to get to the root (sorry!) of the problem.

Thankfully, my hairstylist/friend/keeper-of-my-deepest-secrets, Mollie, turned me on to some really awesome products!  Here are a few of my favorites:

1.  Garnier Fructis Shampoo (wavy hair)--I don't believe this is 'Mollie Approved', but I really love this shampoo and conditioner.  It leaves my hair moisturized and whether the claim is true or not, it seems to prep my hair if I choose to wear it wavy.

2.  Tresemme Dry Shampoo--I don't wash my hair every day (*gasp*), but, I spray this at the roots and fluff my hair a bit, and you'd never know I skipped a day.  I love the citrus scent too!  In a pinch I've used a little baby powder and that works just as well (just make sure you rub it in really well, so it doesn't look like you are graying at the roots!).

3.  Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus--I don't know what I did before Mollie suggested I use this!  This gives me so much volume starting at my roots.  While hair is damp, you lift sections and spray just a bit at the root.  Fluff, then dry with a blow dryer working in sections.  I love this stuff.

4.  Redken Spray Starch--A little bit goes a long way.  I really love to spray a bit of this on the ends of my hair (once it's dry), and then run my flat iron over my hair for a sleek look.  If I want to wear my hair wavy, I group my hair in sections (while damp), spray a bit on each section, then twist each section while drying with a blow dryer.  When I'm finished I have nice soft waves.

5.  Osis Dust It--This is hands down my favorite product ever.  It's a powder that you sprinkle in your hair at the roots for a little added volume.  You can also use it to absorb oil if you are skipping a wash.  If you notice your hair losing volume by the end of the day, simply fluff a bit and you get volume again.  This is also great to use to give your hair a bit of grip to prepare it for an 'up-do'. 

6.  Short Sexy Hair 'Slept-In' Cream--I use this product if I notice my waves are frizzy, I have static (a common problem for those of us with fine hair), or fly-aways.  I rub a pea-size amount of cream in my hands, then run my fingers through the ends of my hair.  It's not at all greasy, and usually does the trick.

Well, there you have it!  Just a little peek at some of the products I use to give my locks some life! 

What are your favorite products?

Happy Wednesday!

Save. Save. Save...

Photo Courtesy: http://www.prevention.com/gopowershopping/

I've had a few friends ask me questions regarding my grocery shopping habits when they found out I'm crazy about shopping deals and coupons.  I do have a few tips, and I'm always happy to share how we save money and live frugally as a family of four (okay, five including Stella...but she's got her own food budget.).  I should add that even though we stick to a food budget, it doesn't mean that we are eating junk.  We actually eat whole foods, avoid convenience/frozen foods, stick to organic when possible and practice an overall healthy eating style.

First, I'll just throw out there what my food budget is for the month.  I have nothing to hide.  I try to spend less than $300 for the entire month.  This budget accounts for two big shopping trips, a couple of smaller trips to replenish fresh fruit/vegetables and milk, and maybe one or two take-out meals.

How do we do it? So glad you asked!

1)  We only use cash.  When you arrive at the store with cash in hand, you spend less.  I often find myself under budget when I shop this way.  It's so satisfying to walk out of a store with everything on my list and extra dollars in my hand.

2)  I always make a list of meals for two weeks at a time.  This keeps me from making impulse purchases and stick to only the ingredients/foods on my list.

3)  I spend a lot of time scoping out coupons.  This takes time, but if you plan for it, you can make it a habit.  I check the newspaper as well as these sites where you can print coupons:

                   http://www.coupons.com/Couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=13306&zid=iq37&nid=10

                   http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=RDIVIVWO5V5QK

                   http://coupons.redplum.com/offers/default.aspx?Id=Hip2Save&DefaultZipCode=

                   http://moneysavingmom.com/print-coupons

I save the sites in my favorites folder on my desktop, so I can visit them anytime.  When you see how much money you save by using coupons, you'll kick yourself for not doing it sooner.  Okay, maybe you won't, but I sure did!

4)  Only clip coupons for items and products your family truly uses.  Just buying something because you have a coupon won't save you any money.

5) I make note of the stores I plan on going to (i.e Target) and I type in a google search for that store.  I type something like:  'Target Coupons' in a search engine to see if there are any additional coupons special to that store.  I also check for manufacturer coupons if there is a specific product I'm looking for.

                                 

6) Shop around.  This is where people tune me out, but trust me it works!  I look at online grocery ads for several stores and plan my trip around the sales.  This may mean that I visit three stores one morning, because items on my list are on major sale at each store.  To save gas and time, I make sure the stores are in close proximity to each other.  For example, not far from my home I can hit Hy-vee, Fareway, Aldi, Target and Dahl's and save big bucks by shopping the sales.  Couple that with coupons, and you get the idea.

7)  I shop in the morning.  My kiddos are happier and the stores are emptier, so I can take my time to truly scan the aisles and get the best deals.  I hate feeling rushed, and I hate crowds.

8) We stay away from convenience and processed foods.  You will eat a lot healthier if you avoid the frozen food/snack aisles, and you'll shave dollars from your budget too.  As David Zinczenko, author of Eat This, Not That, puts it,  "...stick to the outside aisles where the fresh food is.  Only venture in the center aisles for beans, and whole grains."

9) We don't drink alcohol or pop (soda depending on where you're from).  This is not merely a 'religious' choice, but rather based on health and saving dollars.  It's crazy how much you save by nixing those items from your budget.

10)  Eat everything in the cupboard.  Sometimes I get creative by creating meals using those last remaining items in the cupboard.  We eat up the items on the shelves and in the freezer before going to the grocery store.  My sweet hubby is the one that started this.  Yes, that means I have to eat leftovers (yuck!) but, it's amazing how much you save by eating what you have, instead of making a trip to the store.  You will also have less go to waste.

So those are sort of the guidelines our family sticks by in order to be frugal.  I hope these tips have been helpful!  Feel free to share what you are doing to save money in your household in the comments section!

Happy Tuesday!

Kid Going Ape...

In seven days we will celebrate my sweet little Mr's birthday.  He's going to be five...that's kind of a big deal.  Every year around his birthday I go through old photos and videos, and I am reminded of one fact:  I think my sweet little Mr. is the funniest person ever (actually he's tied with the little Miss).  The little guy says the funniest things, comes up with the best get-ups, is constantly reenacting movies and stories, and is overall entertaining.  It began at an early age when he discovered the Johnny Jump Up:

Wow...those were some crazy walls.  We were in the middle of tearing up our house for the remodel, and the little Mr. was in the middle of tearing it up in the jumper.  Being new parents, we figured all kids went ape in those things...how naive.  We quickly realized that the little Mr. had talent.  So much so, that we submitted the video proof to 'AFV.'  We totally knew we would be one of the last five families competing for the grand prize.  We could totally see ourselves sitting in the studio with our kid on our lap, all of us beaming from ear to ear as Tom Bergeron announced our video, "Kid Going Ape in jumper!  Submitted by the Jackson famillllllyyyyy!"  Well, our video didn't get picked.  But, we know it's stinkin' hilarious.

Happy Monday!

What Day Is It...

I've been a bit dazed and confused.  Yesterday, I thought it was Wednesday all. day. long.  As a matter of fact I ever-so-cheerfully wished everyone a 'Happy Wednesday!' on my 'Embrace The Camera' post and neglected to do a 'Thrifted-Threads-Thursday' post.  Oops, I'll catch ya on the flip side.

I think my fogginess lies somewhere between the fact that it has been cold and dreary and I've been stuck inside potty training the little miss.  How's that going you ask?  Well, really good.  She clearly let's us know she has to go by screaming, "Ouchie, Ouchie, Ouchie!" as she runs to the potty.  Right now our vocabulary and intellectual discussions revolve around pee and poo.  Aren't you glad you're not hanging out at the Jackson casa right now? 

I think this post is starting to sound more like 'Debbie Downer's Lament,' so why don't I leave you with a yummy recipe? 

B, is hands down the best baker in our house.  I hate to admit it, but it's true.  So, here is the recipe for his famous Peanut Butter/Dark Chocolate cookies.  What I love about these cookies is that they are a bit better for you as there is no butter, it calls for whole wheat flour and the main sweetener is honey instead of processed white sugar.  Now, I've heard that our bodies react to honey the same way, in that our blood sugar spikes when it is digested, so maybe some of you know of a better alternative (do share!).  Know that since these are an 'alternative' cookie, they're not going to spread out like a cookie made with butter, but we really love these!  

Anyway, if you make these, let me know what you think in the comment section!

B's Peanut Butter/Dark Chocolate Cookies

Dry Ingredients:

3/4 C Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 C Quick Oats

1/4 C Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 C Dark Chocolate Chips

Wet Ingredients:

1 C Peanut Butter

1/2 C Honey

1 Egg

2 tsp Vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  Then combine wet ingredients in another large bowl.  Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine.  Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes.

For each cookie roll about one tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes (or a little less if your oven runs hot).  Midway through the baking process, slightly flatten out each cookie with a spatula.

Remove cookies to a cooling rack and let sit for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Happy Friday! 

(It is Friday isn't it?)

Operation Purge...

You see these sweet faces?  Pretty cute huh?

What's that you say?  That hat looks oddly like a bowl?  Hmmm...

 Well, hello Mick-Pirate!  And look!  She's clothed!

Oh, those sweet, sweet faces.  Well, don't tell them, but mommy is conducting a covert toy purging operation today.  I know, I sound like a mean, horrible, cruel, mommy.  But, toys are multiplying like crazy, and I am merely trying to control the population.  Humans are drastically out numbered in the Jackson household.  As I'm sure you are aware it is dangerous for parents when the ratio is out of balance...it usually means there are not enough habitats for toys and our feet are the casualties.

Not to worry...these two guys are safe.

 These guys, however, will be making their new home with children and families who will love them and give them a nice comfy place to stay.

How do I, mean mommy, get away with this?  Well, I took note of the toys that were being forgotten, and I slowly began pulling toys out of the toy box and stored them away.  The kiddos never noticed, or asked for the missing toys, so I decided the neglected toys needed a new home with little ones who would light up and be excited about them.

These lucky guys will go to homes of refugee children who have relocated to Iowa.  These toys have a big job to do...but they're up for the task!

Have you done any purging lately? 

Happy Wednesday!!!

Recuperating...

It's been....um...five days since my last confession post.  I have a good excuse.  I've been recuperating from a super-fun-caffeinated-sleep-deprived weekend. 

You see, I left for Kansas City on Friday afternoon with my good friend Julie and a 15 passenger van full of high school girls.  We stacked the back seat to the ceiling with sleeping bags and backpacks and converged on Kemper Arena for the Revolve Tour.  It was two days of ear blasting concerts, amazing praise and worship, impactful speakers, skits and faith challenges...

             Image Courtesy: http://www.revolvetour.com

Before the Revolve Tour, I had never heard of Hawk Nelson.  I know, I'm lame. Judging from the screams and near fainting episodes from the girls in the audience, they're pretty popular. 

                         Image Courtesy: http://www.revolvetour.com

We may or may not have slept, ate a lot of junk food, listened to one girl talk incessantly in her sleep, talked about boys (okay, the girls wanted to know how Julie and I met our husbands), one girl may or may not have asked the lead singer of Hawk Nelson to prom (he accepted), and we might have gotten lost in the Power and Light district after I made a wrong turn.  So, basically the weekend was amazing!

Here are a few things I've learned from being a chaperone:

1.  Driving a 15 passenger van is empowering.  Seriously, cars move out of your way when you turn on the blinker.

2.  Food.  There's lots of it and it never seems to end.  This is both good and bad.  Good if you have the metabolism of a 16-year-old...bad if you're me.

3.  Laughing at 2 am is contagious and spreads like wild fire. 

4.  Listening to an arena of 6000 girls sing Hosanna at the top of their lungs will bring you chills...and tears. ('Break my heart for what breaks yours' is perhaps the most powerful line from any praise song...in my humble opinion).

5.  You're not gonna sleep...'lights out' means it's dark...not that sleep is soon to follow.

6.  Pit stops mean go to the bathroom and buy lots of candy.

7.  Sleeping on the floor is way different than it used to be.

8.  Bring ear plugs.

9.  Drink lots and lots of caffeine.  Just trust me on this one.  Make sure it's not consumed on an empty stomach...the point is to get energized...not jittery.

10.  I would do this again in a heartbeat.

All kidding aside, I love my youth group girls.  They never complained one time, they were kind to each other and the girls sitting around them at the event.  They were intent on learning and growing during the speakers, and I am just so incredibly proud of each of them.  These girls are all beautiful both inside and out!  I know that God is going to use each of them in an amazing way.

On a side note...B rocked the home front!  He was on P.T. duty and still planned fun things with our wee ones!  Nothing can throw this guy for a loop!  *Sigh* I love him! 

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

T.T.T. Obsessed Much...

So, today's Thrifted-Threads-Thursday repurpose project (wow...say that ten times fast!) is going to seem a bit like deja vu.  It's another post on turning those old tees into a fabulous scarf.

Hello, my name is Nikki, and I'm obsessed with tees and scarves.  I simply can't part with my holey favorite tees, so I've given them a second life thus continuing the love affair. What I love about these scarves is that they will carry you through Spring and even Summer because they are so light weight.  So, without further ado, I give you...

T-Shirt leftovers rewarmed and served...

I turned this:

Into this...

And This...

What You'll Need:

Seam Ripper

Scissors

Sewing Machine

1.  (using the seam ripper) remove the stitching from both side seams of the tee in order to completely separate the front and back panels of the shirt so you have two pieces.  It's best to use the seam ripper instead of cutting them apart so you can salvage as much material as possible.  If there are sleeves, use the seam ripper to remove those as well.

for the Fringed Jersey Scarf:

2.  place the two pieces end to end, aligning the two bottom sections together.  Sew a straight stitch to create a seam.  Don't worry about the fact that it doesn't look perfect...it's going to get fringed...

3.  Begin cutting 1" strips down the (long) sides of the scarf...

4.  Gently pull each strip so it curls on itself...

5.  When you get to the center seam, simply cut it off if you'd like.  You can leave it, just know that it won't curl...

Once you have cut and curled strips down both long sides you are finished!  I tied the ends of my scarf together to achieve the above look.  You could sew the ends together to create one continuous loop and get an infinity scarf.  My fringe is a bit long, so I may trim it later.

For the Second scarf,

Repeat step 1 to separate the front and back panel of the tee.

2.  Fold each panel in half and cut down the crease (now you should have four pieces)

3.  Trim pieces a little with scissors if they are particularly misshapen (again, it doesn't have to be perfectly straight since it will get wrapped).

4.  Sew the four pieces together along the short side (end-to-end)

Now you should have one long strip that you can wrap around your neck.  I also tied the ends together on this scarf and then wrapped it around my neck, pulling one corner down a little further to get an off-set point. 

So, there you have it!  I'm not exactly a tutorial guru, so if you have questions or need further explanation shoot me an e-mail or write a comment in the comment section.

Happy Thursday!

Snow Day...

*The one lone soul willing to get out this morning...with his blade*

I'm pretty sure this probably makes post number one million in the blog world.  I'm joining the throngs of people stating the obvious today.  Everyone is talking about the massive amounts of snow hitting the Midwest...in my hometown of Kansas City, they're calling it 'Snowmageddon'.  In Iowa we're just calling it a typical winter and it's business as usual...we're hardcore like that.

Today, we're hunkering down.  The kiddos are building forts and crawling through tunnels, B is shoveling us out, and I'm on hot drink duty, keeping the refills of hot tea and hot chocolate flowing...

There's one person who could care less that it's cold, windy and snowy...

*Okay...make that two since they're both all smiles*



The little miss chose to wear brother's dinosaur jammie bottoms (two legs in one leg hole) and a blanket as a toga.  At least she's working towards modesty...

In other news, we are moderately working on potty training.  Yesterday was a set back as the little miss screamed "Ouchie!" every few minutes...I think she realizes that when you gotta go, it's painful to hold it.  It seemed like the novelty wore off and strong wills were abounding, so we figured we would throw in the towel and hang up our potty patrol hats.  But, today the little miss has been pushing the potty all over the house and sitting on it, so I guess it's still "Game On."

(name the movie that quote is from...)

This afternoon, I'm using the kiddos nap time to work on another repurposed project for Thrifted Threads Thursday! So, meet me back here tomorrow!

Happy Wednesday!