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  • Can it really be?

    Thursday already?

    You know those weeks where you wonder where the time went?
    This is one of those weeks. and I’m wondering.

    It’s been a week of…
    snow days (two of them)
    cousins coming over to play
    lollipops
    shamrock shakes
    (it’s been many years since I’ve had one…they tasted much better as a teenager! bleh!)
     
    {my little dolly of a niece}

    tons of laundry
    spinach salads with strawberries
    cleaning house
    lots of piano playing
    cookie baking
    school

    flowers from my love

    and the best part of the week?

    My brand spanking new nephew…
    Hudson James

    Aaaaaand all I have is a bad iphone pic!
    (He asked if I could take him home, his mom said No, such a mean sister I have….
    that’s why he looks a little fussy in the picture ;)

    He’s so tiny and so cute and smells so good.

    Jeff is taking me out on a date tomorrow.
    I have NO idea what we are doing, where we are going and he’s giving me no clues except…
    My mom has the kids, I have to leave with him to go to work in the morning and I need to dress casual. 

    I’m not a person who can handle surprises…I’ve been trying to snoop, but it’s not working.
    I’m going crazy. I’m getting excited. I can’t wait! 

    Happy Thursday.

  • Get outside and run you crazy kids.

    My friend posted a link to THIS article a couple of weeks ago on facebook.
    I found it fascinating and completely agree.  

    We homeschool, so my kids don’t have a morning commute besides
    bedroom to dining room to school room.  

    However, no matter the weather or time of year, they run and play outside each and everyday.
    I think it is so important for them to get fresh air and exercise.

    Just a little bit of outside time makes the world of a difference!
    Even for adults, a walk in the cold air can make you feel more awake and focused.

    {my son’s attempt at taking our picture…my daughter looks like she’s in pain!
    Me and my big mouth are yelling to someone..at least my little neighbor boy is smiling. Ha!}

    We’ve been having a day of rain, snow the next, then rain, then freezing rain,
    which leads to front lawn ice rinks. Hockey’s been going on all afternoon.

    Hope your week is going well. 
    It’s almost, almost the weekend! (sort of =)

  • A real live slipper stretcher.

    My toes are all tingly when I take them off, they are very tight snug.
    But you see…they were purchased from the man who handcrafted them,
    (and very well could have handcrafted yours!)
    brought back all the way from Australia by my dear sister and given to me for my birthday.

    What was I to do? I can’t exchange them. They’re from half way around the world.
    Do I give my brand new, straight from Australia Uggs to someone with smaller feet?

    Ha! No way….I am keeping these.
    The sheep wool is so, so warm and not fake like all my other slippers.

    The man told my sister they stretch, so I found a way to stretch my slippers.

    Yep..he loves me. I know for sure now.
    Happy new week to you.

  • Friday Love #3

    {Joining Amber for Friday love posts} 

    We keep things simple around here for Valentines Day.
    The girls and I baked a cake together. They colored 20,000 Valentine pictures for me.
    and we baked cookies to give away.

    Jeff had to work late, so we waited until past bedtime to eat our cake, so he could join us.
    Some of us were in jammies by then. 

    The cake doesn’t look like anything special, it’s baked in my use-for-everything-old-old-pan,
    but let me tell you it is one of our new favorite desserts.

    You see, I’m not really a huge fan of cake, but this one….It was SO good!  
    So good that the boys asked if I could make it for their birthdays.
    So good that I had a piece before breakfast. So good that I want to make another.

    So good I’m going to share the recipe with you.

    Golden Butter Cake
    1 3/4 C. sugar
    2/3 C. butter, softened
    2 eggs
    1  1/2 tsp. vanilla
    3 C. flour
    2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
    1 tsp. salt
    1 1/4 milk ~ {I used buttermilk….it works so much better}

    {We added fresh strawberries cut into pieces to our batter…about 2 cups worth}

    Beat the first 4 ingredients together until smooth. Mix dry ingredients together, add alternately with milk. Pour into a 9×13 pan, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

    Cream Cheese Frosting
    1/2 pound powdered sugar
    1/2 stick butter
    1 -3 oz package of cream cheese
    1 tsp. vanilla

    {I also added a dash of milk…about a half of a teaspoon}

    Mix ingredients. Beat until smooth.

    *We ate the cake while it was still a little warm, try it that way too if you can.

     
    So what I love on this Friday…..celebrating whether big or small with my family.
    Hope you enjoy the cake! Happy Weekend.

  • Grams that are instant.

        


    {aka..instagram photos}

    1. Valentine cookies made by a friend.
    2. crazy hair.
    3. build a bear.
    4. sunshine on a below zero day.
    5. because we couldn’t stop with just the walls.
    6. warm, cozy wood stove.
    7. spelling our names at Anthro.
    8. coffee with friends and family.

    Happy Valentines Day.

  • Let’s Go Shopping.

    “We can’t all be Supermom”….heard this a thousand times! You too, right?
    At some point I believe I have even written those same words here on my little blog. 

    While yes, it’s true, we can’t all be Supermom…
    I’m getting tired of hearing about it.

    Scrolling through Facebook this morning,
    a couple of people shared a link to an article about the book cover below….”Let’s Go Shopping”.

    The article was poking fun at the peaceful looking mom and her children,
    saying this is not a real scenario, and shopping with children doesn’t look like that.

    The article was meant to be funny and lighthearted.  
    No offense to the mom who wrote it, I’m not writing to cut her down…or anyone else for that matter. 
    That’s not what this is about.

    Today, I want to encourage you.
    You see, this picture CAN be your own little family at the grocery store.

    Since my first baby was born I have taken my kids shopping with me.
    At one point I had only little ones. Five of them eight years old and under.

    Were they always perfect in stores? No. However, most of the time we looked like that picture.
    Not because I am supermom, not because I am lucky, not because I just happen to have good kids,
    but because my husband and I actually took the time to teach our children how to behave!

    If you want your kids to be pleasant….Train them. 
    It is your God given duty as a parent!  It’s what you’re supposed to be doing.

    If your kids are holy terrors…it’s mostly your own fault. Sorry, but it’s true.

    Now don’t get me wrong, you will never have “perfect” children. and you shouldn’t expect them to be.
    Kids are going to run and play and yell because that’s what they do. and that is okay.

    I’m talking about disrespect, whining and complaining,
    crying and pouting in stores, standing up on chairs in restaurants….etc.

    Children don’t learn good character on their own, they need to be pointed in the right direction.
    That is where you come in.

    If you’re waiting for some magic to happen that is going to make them turn into little angels…
    You’re going to be waiting an awfully long while!

    At certain times you will feel…
    …exhausted.
    …like a Failure.
    …angry.
    …you’re going to choke someone. 
    …like running away.

    However, when you walk through the store and your children are sitting nice,
    looking like the book cover above, you’ll feel so blessed, so rewarded!

    Come on Moms! You can do this. 
    Don’t get caught up in today’s low parenting standards. Help your kids to be better than that.
    Give them the gift of having manners, showing respect and being polite.

    God gives us many examples in the bible of what a parent is supposed to be like. 
    Those are guidelines to strive for, to make us better.
    And guess what? THEY WORK when applied!

    Aspire not to be supermom, but a happy mom. a content mom.
    Who wants to wear a satin cape all day anyway? Not me. My hair would get so much static.  

    Don’t take your motherhood for granted.  Maximize it, enjoy it to it’s fullest potential.  
    Your kids are going to grow up fast, this is the best time of your life,
    don’t waste it being eager for their bedtime.

    Happy Tuesday.

  • When life gives you lemons….

    make lemonade….or lemon chicken!
    Which just happens to be what we ate for dinner last night.

    It was so good…I thought I’d share.

    Recipe can be found ~ HERE.
    This isn’t EXACTLY how I made mine, but it’s where my inspiration came from.
    Tweak as you wish. 
    (I breaded my chicken with homemade bread crumbs and also used boneless skinless chicken breasts)

    Enjoy!

  • Friday Love Post #2.

    Joining my friend Amber  for a Friday love post.

    Something I love…
    Having little girls. Oh, they are soooo much fun. 
    (and I love that I have sisters to braid my little girl’s hair since their mother is terrible at it. ;)
    Somewhere along the day we managed to lose the pretty ribbons

    and….A Very Happy Birthday to my Mom today.
    Love ya!

    This weekend we will be laying around eating toast
    as we recover from this icky stomach flu going around. 
    How about you? anything exciting?

    Have a cozy, winter weekend.

  • We Broke a Record.

    Should you need to give a bath at 2am… 
    Know that the Blow Dryer sounds much louder in the middle of the night.

    I didn’t want to have a friend I haven’t seen in 15 years over tomorrow anyway. (Not true!)
    I am so thankful for bleach and good smelling cleaners like Mrs. Meyers.

    Real flu. check. colds. check. sore throats. check. and now stomach flu. check, check. 
    Yep…I think our household has every sickness the media has spoken of this season covered.
    We also broke the record in our house for the number of times one can throw up in a single morning.
    18. That’s a lot in my book.

    I’m thinking she deserves a small surprise from the store when I run out for 7-up and crackers.
    Maybe a pack of pink gum? That’s always a big hit around here.

    Do you know that you can purchase sounds for your Build-a-Bear?
    Yep. and if your dad doesn’t see the sign with the price,
    he may think they are only a dollar each and let you get TWO sounds in your Build-a-Bear.

    and your mother may pass out when they give her the total for two little stuffed animals at the register.
    (AFTER deducting your gift cards ;)

    To justify the purchase..
    the girls will have their little voices recorded in the puppy and bear’s foot forever.

    and they were ever so thankful.
    we heard thank you about a thousand times. 
    and then we had thank you cards on our pillows when we went to bed that night.

    Hope your week is going well. 
    Happy Wednesday.
  • {In Lieu of} Fashion Tip Friday ~

    For the month of February, I will be joining my friend Amber,
    posting something I Love each Friday for the next four weeks.

    No worries, Friday Fashion Tips will resume once again in March. ;)
    If you’d like to join in the February fun, feel free.

    Thought I’d start out the month with an old picture including someONE I love. (Lots!)
    My sister took this picture of Jeff and I one summer night while we were attending a wedding.

     

    Have a lovely weekend.