Anticipation

Last year I learned about Etsy. Have you heard of it, visited the site, and/or bought anything? If not, let me give you a quick rundown (those of you who already know, bear with me). Etsy is basically like an online craft store where people list things they have made. The items vary as well as the prices!

After my hearing about it and visiting the site I took the notion that I needed a new necklace. Well, I sort of did. One of mine had broken and unfixable (see? I was in 'need'!). So I perused the site and found several that would fill the need. I decided upon this one:



But I was sorely disappointed. It turned out to be a cheapy piece and I was very unsatisfied. So I turned to Ebay and found a lovely necklace that is now serving me well.

Recently I came into need again when I bought two t-shirts. The neckline, color and style does not lend themselves to any of the necklaces I have. So I turn once again to Etsy to fill my need. After searching and searching for just the right piece I found this one:



I bought it yesterday. What do you think? I am telling myself that it won't turn out to be another piece of junk. But I suppose I'll find out in about a week. I'm a little excited and a little nervous. But, I only paid two bucks for it, so I suppose I can't be too disappointed.

A Tisket ,A Tasket, A Handmade Easter Basket!

I've been busy this last week or so. A dear friend was scheduled to come with her 3 boys this week while they had their Spring Break and I was preparing for their visit. Aside from the typical cleaning blah blah blah, I added to my list a craft project (because I seem to thrive on insanity). I saw on a friends blog how to make baskets with yarn and glue (go check it out!) and I decided to make one for each of the kids (that's a total of SIX baskets! see? I'm crazy!! ). The baskets were intended to be used for the egg hunt we had yesterday. Turns out that my friend was unable to come, but my kids had the cutest baskets ever!!! (and hers will too when they get them!)



After seeing the idea on my friends blog, I imbellished a little. First I added a ribbon handle, then lined each basket with ribbon (for reinforcement), then added an initial for each child. I am so pleased with how they turned out!






I think the kids liked them too....what do you think?

**thanks Cat for the great idea!!!

Another Reason to Love Costco

This is my newest love, meet Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich!


I can get a whole box of 18 of them for about eight bucks. Not bad. But consider this as well....each sandwich is 97% fat free, 140 calories, and ZERO trans fat! Can't beat that. Besides, they're just so stinkin' good!!!

I'm sure that they can be purchased elsewhere (like Target.....I know this because one night I had a hankerin' and was going to Target anyway, sure enough, they carry them! Thank you Target, I love you!). But why go somewhere other than Costco, if you can help it, when you can get them for cheap?!

So I have one more reason to trek down to my Costco, with a toddler who hates sitting in the cart, and stand in line at the exit for the person to (unnecessarily) recheck my receipt, and wait even longer for them to draw a ridiculous happy face on the back for my kids who can care less. But I digress, they have Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches! So worth it. So worth it.

Out of Contention

A couple weeks ago I lost my shot at the Mother of the Year award. How'd that happen, you ask? I dislocated Isabel's elbow. *hanging head in shame* It happened one afternoon in Target.......

I had gotten all the items on my list and was ready to head for the checkout lines when Isabel came into true toddler form. I had let her walk instead of confining her to the cart (much to everyone's delight, believe me!) when she decided that she would walk no further and certainly not toward the exit when the toy isles were in sight. No mam. So as she began to lay upon the floor I foolishly grabbed her arm and tried to pull her up. This did not work but was helpful in getting Isabel to a somewhat standing and walking position. After a little more struggle and grumbling (mostly on my part) we finally made it to the checkout and then into the truck where we promptly drove home.

On the way, Isabel was not quite herself but not really fussing either. When we got home all she wanted to do was for me to hold her. Something inside me told me that something was not right. I started testing her to see what the problem was. I quickly noted that she was not using her right arm. Not at all. My thoughts went back to our struggle in Target and I thought I had dislocated her shoulder as it is a common and easy thing to do. I took off Isabel's shirt but did not see anything out of the ordinary. But she still wouldn't use her arm when I tried to put her shirt back on.

I called Ryan for his opinion on the matter, 'cause who wants to waste time at the ER when it's not necessary? However, that is exactly what he suggested (told me!) to do, go to the walk-in clinic. So I did and he met me there a few minutes later.

After waiting for about an hour, we were seen by a doctor who concluded that Isabel had a dislocated elbow, also known as 'nursemaid's elbow'. Once it was determined that that was the issue, he quickly set it right. After a few minutes of crying, Isabel was back to her happy, cute little self.

I was assured and reassured by the doctor and nurse that this sort of thing happens often and that I should not feel terrible about it. The weird thing is that I don't feel bad about it. I would have liked that it never have happened, that Isabel never be in that pain or discomfort, but it really is an easy thing to have happen (especially at this age when their little bodies are growing they way they do).

So, I don't feel guilty but I have certainly learned that I need to deal with my stubborn toddler a little differently, even if that means picking her up and carrying her like a sack of potatoes through a store. However, it also means that all the other moms in the world now have a better chance at wining that ever-elusive goal of Mother of the Year.

Total Recall

Amanda had this fun little movie-quote-quiz thing going on over at her place and I decided to take her lead and add some of the fun over here!

Everyone loves movies and one thing we love from them are the great one liners! Let’s have some fun with them.

Here are the rules:

1. Pick 10 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. No Googling or IMDb-ing. That’s cheating and that’s no fun.

So get your thinking caps on and think MOVIES!

1. "People always live forever when there is an annuity to be paid them."Sense and Sensibility - my good friend Teresa - she commented via email (Hi T!)

2. "Why can't a woman be more like a man? "My Fair Lady - my big bro -who 'doesn't read my blog'

3. "The one ring to rule them all. "Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - my big bro -who 'doesn't read my blog'

4. "As my grandpappy, Old Reliable, used to say... I don't recollect if I've ever mentioned Old Reliable before? " Lady and the Tramp - Bethany

5. "When your wondering what to say, or how you look... just remember... she is already out with you. That means, she said yes, when she could've said no. That means she made a plan... when she could've just blown you off. So that means it is no longer your job to make her like you... It’s is your job NOT TO MESS IT UP." Hitch - Bethany

6. "Give me a word, any word, and I show you that the root of that word is Greek."My Big Fat Greek Wedding - my big bro -who 'doesn't read my blog'

7. "Another thing I got is a sensk of humiligration. Now, maybe you swabs can pool your intelligensk and sees that I'm axking you for an apologeky. "Popeye - my big bro -who 'doesn't read my blog'

8. "You're U.S. Government property. You're a malfunctioning $30 million weapon." The Bourne Identity - Jenn

9. "I say staircases, for there are several." -OR- "She's not handsome enough to tempt me." Pride and Prejudice (the A&E version....the only real true version) - Rachel!!!

10. "Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple. " Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
- Bethany

Have fun guessing and thanks for playing! Oh, and if you have sooo much fun that you decide to host your own quote post, then please leave a comment with a link so we all can have a stab at guessing yours! Ok, now go forth and, well, um guess!

Merry Christmas!

I know, I know, Christmas was like 3 months ago (or only 9 months away...how many shopping days is that?). But really this post is long overdue. This just means that I'm lazy, that's all. You'll see what I mean.

When Ryan and got married the bed we had was a double size mattress set and a hand-me-down from my brother. The bed was only a metal frame with the box spring and mattress stacked on top. There was no fancy headboard or foot board to dress it up with. In fact, the mattress wasn't in the best of condition either. It sagged to one side. Not the best for starting a life together with, but it was what we could 'afford' being the young-married, college-age couple that we were. Affordable meant 'free'.

Here we are today married for over 11 years and I have yet to have a fancy, put together bed. Granted, we did buy a new mattress set seven years ago (queen size, thank you very much! Oh, and pillow top too....I love my bed, even seven years later!). So this past Christmas Ryan gave me a new bed! Well, essentially he gave me 'bed bucks' to buy a new frame. Whatever. I was thrilled!

It didn't take very long to find one that we both agreed on (amazing, actually, since we both had different ideas on what we wanted.....ahhh, isn't marriage exciting?). We bought a bed frame but the headboard was on backorder. While waiting for the headboard to complete my long-awaited finished bed, I got a new duvet cover and shams (great deals are awesome.....I love Ikea!) After a couple of weeks we finally had it all together and set up.

So, without further ado, here is my newly put together bed!




























Here's the lazy part - it's taken me almost 2 whole months to take these pictures....and they aren't even that great! And these pictures really don't do the bed or my fabulous new red duvet cover justice. *sigh* Oh well.

Maybe for our 25th annivesary we'll get some matching side tables (do you like how uneven it is?!) Oh, and the lights....another great purchase from Ikea (2 for $12!)

So there you have it, my new bed with a glorious headboard and fabulous red linens! I love red, can you tell? *wink*

She Made My Day

Recently, I was given this award from Wendy (my good ol' bloggin' buddy!). Now it's my turn to pass it along!

For my recipient I choose Kim! She was the one who so graciously made my new template. Isn't it pretty? It makes me smile, and consequently she has 'made my day' and many more to come! Thanks Kim, you rock!

**for those of you who are interested in a new template of your own, go check out Kim's new blog, Template Tweakings.....she has made some pretty cool templates, and if you're real nice she may even work with you to custom design one. See, I told you, she rocks!

Dear God.....Love Caleb

Ryan tucked Caleb into bed for the night and then came to tell me about Caleb's prayer. This was the prayer he said tonight:

Please God, help me not to say bad words and not to call people potty names like; toot, pee, poop, and potty. Please help me with all those sins. Jesus name, Amen.

Party Over Here!

If you're visiting from The Ultimate Blog Party then I welcome you to my little spot in blog-land! Or if you're a 'regular', then I thank you for coming back! (just don't forget to comment! wink wink!). Whichever you are, sit back and enjoy a little read from me, The Fragile Flower.

I have had my blog for almost a year and half and I got started when I was reconnected with my childhood friend Wendy. You see, Wendy had a blog and that is when I was introduced to this wonderful world that is blogging. I was drawn to the journal aspect of it, the preserving of memories. And because I am not a scrapbooker but feel guilty for not being so (but not guilty enough to break down and do it), I had to get my own blog and that is when Fragile Flower was born (or should I say bloomed?).

At first I thought it would be a way for me to write down silly or memorable things that my children have done. I had started a journal for each of my kids but I thought that blogging would be easier for me to actually sit down and document these times. And it has been. I also thought that having this blog would be a neat way to share these daily memories with our family since we do not live close to them. And, again, it has been. But I have found that blogging has grown into something much much more than I ever anticipated. I have actually 'met' new friends and been able to reestablish old ones. And it's been great!

As a side note I have to share this little story with you; one of my new (blog) friends, Becca, sent me a Christmas card this past year. Since meeting her through her blog (and because she is a friend of another friend of mine, Chris) I have felt that she really is a friend even though we have never actually met face to face, so I proudly put her photo Christmas card on our fridge. Then one day my husband sees the picture and asks me 'who are those people?'. I just had to laugh and say 'It's Becca and her family. She's one of my blog friends!'. He just sort of smiled and shook his head. What else could he say?

So there you have it! I blog for the preservation of my family moments, to stay connected with far away family and to meet and share encouragement with 'new' and old friends. Of course, too, there is always that small amount of gratification when one leaves comments!

Thank you for stopping by my humble little blog. I always enjoy 'meeting' a new friend!

~~~~~~~~~~

Part of the party fun is the prizes!!! The Ultimate Blog Party has a fabulous list of prizes to choose from for those who win. I've perused the list and came up with my top 3, which are:

• A fused glass pendant from Lucky Girl Trading Co.
• Neat personalized lunch box from Girl, That's Cute
• $50 gift certificate to Paperlicious from Paperlicious.com

And if my top three picks are already chosen, I’d love any of the following (in order of preference): 86, 61, 102, 135, 59, 60, 20, 129. I prefer things that are not related to babies since I am finished with that stage in my life (phew!). So, anything crafty, relaxing or just plain fun would be great! Of course anything for kids between the ages of 3 and 7 would be fun too!

Mae's Picture Puzzle

Mae loves to do puzzles and mazes and word searches. Whenever we get a kids meal, she does all the puzzles that she can that are printed on the bag or box. And she does all the puzzles in her activity books too. It's been fun to show her how to do a maze or puzzle and then sit back and watch her complete them. This is one of the fun parts of being a parent and watching your children grow and learn new things.

Since Mae is our resident crafty girl (she takes after her mother) she has made many a drawing and art to grace our fridge. Just the other week Mae showed me her latest creation. She made a picture puzzle, complete with objects hidden inside along with a list of what to find. Mae promptly set me to work on finding all the objects she hidden in the picture, and I did a pretty good job of finding them, save one. I have to admit that she stumped me and it took her pointing it out to me for me to see it. I tell ya, she's one creative girl!

Can you find all the objects in the picture?

February Movie Review

It's that time of the month again! Here's our list of movies that we watched last month. Enjoy, but don't forget to leave a movie suggestion before leaving. (hint hint!)

1. December Boys - One of those coming of age movies that takes place in the 60's. I liked it. it had the feel of a true life story, but it wasn't, but still good. I would recommend it.

2. Vitus - Foreign film (French?) about young prodigy boy who rebels against his talent and parents will. It was a bit slow in the beginning but it picked up and was an enjoyable movie. Again, I'd recommend,

3. Love's Unending Legacy - This is a low budget film based on the novels by Janette Oke. I read these books yeeeears ago and have watched the first few movies of this series. The acting isn't great but it is neat to see a movie from books I've read. This one was like the rest, just ok.

4. Rescue Dawn - Based on the true story of Dieter Dengler (played by Christian Bale) who was a fighter pilot that was shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War and taken as a POW. The movie tells of his attempts to break out and his rescue. It is unthinkable that men have endured and survived such experiences. The movie was hard to watch at times but it is hard to ignore the reality of what many men have had to face in similar situations. They are to be commended for their service and endurance.

5. War of the Worlds - We had seen this movie at the theater when it first came out (2005). Even though I had seen it before, it was still intense to sit through. We enjoyed it this second time around.

6. Music and Lyrics - This was a fun romantic comedy. Ryan and I enjoyed the 80's music video as well as the other humorous bits. Overall it was good, but still, why can't they have a fun movie like this without the couple sleeping together or end up living together?? It is totally possible to have a movie be funny and fun without these things. It really is.

People Watching -or- Just Plain Weirdness

We recently went to a local mall and saw some strange behavior. People were walking around with a banana held up to their ear as though talking on the phone with it. At first Ryan and I just looked at the person and the banana trying to determine if it really was a banana. And it was! Then we looked at each other with expressions that said 'what is going on?'. After sighting the first person with their banana phone we quickly saw another person talking on their fruit, then another and another. It was clear that these people were all unrelated to each other. The individuals were too diverse from one another so it was no way just a group of friends spread out throughout the mall just having fun.

But what the heck was going on??!

These people were pretty good at whatever it was that they were doing. I would say that 95% of those I saw with these funky (fake) phones were really talking and achieving the appearance of having a conversation on a phone. A few, however, will miss out on the Oscar. As I walked past one guy on his fruit phone, I heard him say 'Can you hear me, you're breaking up!'. But he wasn't believable as he was smiling as he said it. Clever though, I'll give him that.

After a while I gave up trying to figure it out and started watching people who were watching the banana talkers. That was much more enjoyable. I love to watch people watching people!

In conclusion, is has been decided that the whole thing was a marketing stunt, to be sure, but not an effective once since we are still at a loss as to what it was actually for. It did, however, have entertainment value.

Uh-oh!

I just opened the first box of girl scout cookies! The best ones (Samoas, of course!). I'm in trouble now!!!

What do you think is worse.....that I opened the box and that there is no doubt that it'll be empty within the hour? or that there are 3 more boxes of Samoas after this one? (and 2 boxes of Thin Mints!)

What's your favorite Girl Scout cookie? I've got connections with a super-cute girl scout, so who knows, I may just be able to get you box (or two or three!) if you feel so inclined!

Movie Selection and Other News

Thank you to all who gave suggestions for kid movies! I ended up getting James & The Giant Peach and Meet The Robinsons. I had wanted to get Spirit, as suggested by Carrie, but the video store was out of it. So I just perused the isles until I found my selections. Later, I had the kids tell me which video they wanted. Turns out half of them wanted 'James' and the other half wanted 'Robinsons'! Of course they would not agree. What else could I do but hide them behind my back and have them choose a hand. 'James' was the winner. Despite the fact that Caleb was crushed and went into a crying spell, my friend and I were able to sit in another room and make some cards as the kids were engrossed in the movie. Overall, it was a great evening of surviving without husbands!

In other news.....well, there really isn't any 'other news'. There just isn't much to report over here. The most exciting thing happened on Monday and that was only that I moved mountains. Mountains of laundry and dishes. Monday was a very productive day.

Yesterday was filled with my morning bible study and a trip to the park with a new(ish) friend for lunch. Isabel does not play too well with others. She likes to take other kids sand toys and not give them back. In fact she carried the shovels, rakes, and truck with her most of the time and cried and screamed when I had to take them from her to give them to the mother they belonged to. Must work on sharing.



So see? Not much going on. Oh, but I did get a little sun while at the park yesterday!

Need Your Help!

I'm feeling better today, praise the Lord!!! It looks like Ryan will be going on his trip after all, if he can get a last minute flight out. Earlier this week I invited a friend and her kids over Friday night to have pizza and watch a movie. I've pretty much exhausted my kid flick queue........so can anyone suggest a good movie for kids ages 5 to 9??? (for girls and boys) I'm up for golden oldies or something new. Can you help with a suggestion or two????

How to Get Your Husband to Cancel His 3-day Business Trip

.....get sick!

This has not quite gone the way I'd hoped it would go. *sigh* Oh well.

Enough said, now I'm going to go collapse on the couch and watch Dora. Oh the joy.

YouTube Tuesday - White and Nerdy

This is a video that makes us laugh! I was amazed to find that Weird Al was still around, and even more so to realize how talented he really is. Anyway, here's a glimpse into our world of silliness.....enjoy! **extra credit for those who can name the back up dancer!

Too Much Love!

Last year for Valentines Day I made heart shaped rice crispy treats for the kids to give out for Valentines. I also had them stamp their own v-day cards (of course this meant that I did all the cutting and gluing of the paper....see, I told you I was cheap!). This year I decided to make heart shaped sugar cookies.

What was I thinking??!

This means for Caleb's class I had to make 12, but Mae's class is what almost put me over the edge. You see, Mae is in a 1st-2nd grade combination class. She basically has two teachers, which means two classes. Translated in valentines is 40 cookies!!!! I think this should certify me as insane, don't you? Why else would I, on my very own, decide to make a total of 52 cookies, put icing on each and every single one, put each and every single one in their very own valentine baggie, then attach a valentine card on each and every one??? See, insanity I tell ya!

(too many Valentines!)

This must mean that I really really really love my children, right? Well, ok, I do, but maybe I'm just compensating for myshort comings as a mother? Or maybe I just want to look good to the other moms who sent their children to school with store bought valentines and nothing else? At this point I'm thinking those moms are actually more balanced than I. I bet they didn't work on cookies and valentines for hours and hours over the past couple days! I bet their feet didn't ache at the end of the day for being in the kitchen too long! And I bet their children are just as pleased with their valentines and mine were for their own.

Next year I'm going to have to find another way to spread the love without spreading myself too thin!

Happy Valentines Day!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(this is just a silly little thing that found its way into my inbox.......enjoy!)

Romance Mathematics

Smart man + smart woman = romance

Smart man + dumb woman = affair

Dumb man + smart woman = marriage

Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy

______________________________

Office Arithmetic

Smart boss + smart employee = profit

Smart boss + dumb employee = production

Dumb boss + smart employee = promotion

Dumb boss + dumb employee = overtime

_____________________________

Shopping Math

A man will pay $20 for a $10 item he needs.

A woman will pay $10 for a $20 item she doesn't need.

_____________________________

General Equations & Statistics

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.

A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.

A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

_____________________________

Happiness

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.

To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

______________________________

Longevity

Married men live longer than single men do, but married men are a lot more willing to die.

______________________________

Propensity To Change

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.

A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does.

_____________________________

Discussion Technique

A woman has the last word in any argument.

Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

_____________________________

How To Stop People From Bugging You About Getting Married

Old aunts used to come up to me at wedding, poking me in the ribs and cackling, telling me, "You're next." They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.

Holding Me Accountable

Here's a quick update on the last day or so. Yesterday was the big day for the baby shower I hosted. My house looked grrrreat! All counters were cleaned off, candles lit, oh and the flowers were beautiful (thanks to my generous yard!). In fact the ladies ooo'ed and ahhh'ed over the flowers and asked where I got them. Ah-ha, I only bought the tulips! The rest were compliments of my yard and flower arranging classes from junior college! My friend Caterina asked to see a pic of the flowers, so here it is:


In other news, I called my new friend and invited her over for next week. She just had a new baby, so depending on how she's feeling and doing next week it just may work out. As Isabel would say....I did it! Thanks for holding me accountable, I needed that extra bit of encouragement to push me through the door! :)

Garden Revelation

Tomorrow I am hosting a baby shower for a new friend. I met her at my Tuesday morning bible study, and our table group is throwing her a party! It was meant to be a surprise but I had to reveal the intent of our 'lunch date' because she was going to back out. It couldn't be helped, besides what fun is a baby shower without the mom-to-be?! So, today I've been running around doing errands and getting the house ready.

But wait.....I'm getting ahead of myself, let me back up to last week.

Last week I was able to spend some time with a friend from Michigan. And I enjoyed every minute of it! But with such a grand visit comes its struggles. As I am visiting with my friend, in the back of my mind, I remembering all the times when we used to go to the park with our kids back in Michigan. Then one thought leads to another and I find myself being sad about not being there anymore and then becoming complacent about where I am now. This should not be. Number one, there I was sitting with my friend and enjoying her company while I was thinking about just the opposite. And number two, which really is more important than number one, is that I know without a doubt that this is where the Lord wants me, so I was not content with where He has me. I'm thinking all this while our visit was going on (shame on me!) and I tried to snap myself out of it and just enjoy the time I had with my dear friend, and I did. But I had one more thought.....and that was that I should think not so much about what I didn't have but rather what I could have and what was yet to come - new good times with new friends.

Now, let's go back to my preparation for tomorrow. Bear with me, I'm getting to my point. I promise.

I bought some lovely yellow tulips that I planned to use in a even more lovely arrangement for the food table. To save on money, I planned to cut some greenery from my yard to complete the arrangement, even though I did not know what was planted around the house. To my surprise I found two very nice pieces of fern and foliage! Plus I had some thyme that was in bloom! (at least I think that's what it is....I worked in a flower shop, I should know this!) The flower arrangement turned out better than I thought it would. Who knew all these wonderful things were in my backyard, I had no idea!

In relation to my desire for closer friendships and what is growing in my backyard, my point is this......I won't know what wonderful friends are waiting for me to discover unless I get out there! I can't waste my time lamenting over what once was and what I no longer have. That is not honoring to the Lord. This is where He has me and this is where I need to grow. Have you ever heard the term 'grow where you're planted'? Well, I need to start applying that to my life right now. In fact I'm gonna call a new friend tonight and invite her and her children over for lunch next week. I have you to hold me accountable! :) Now....what shall I serve for lunch??

Please Don't Hate Me (too much)

Today is a great day! A friend and her family is in town for a few days, so as her husband was at his conference (the reason they are here) we were able to play!!!!! Caleb and Isabel and I drove to my friends hotel and let the kids play at a near by park. Then we walked over to the beach and had lunch, then played in the sand.

It was glorious!

I was wearing sandles again and now I'm sitting in the family room, with the window open, and I'm wearing a short sleeved shirt. Ahhhh....I feel great!

Come on Spring and warm days! Give me some shorts-wearing weather and fun days with the kids at the pool and beach! Bring it on!

**Oh, and Ryan will not be home for dinner tonight......so I'm not cookin'!

January Movie Log

Another month means more movies watched. This was our movie watching experience last month:

1. Beat the Drum - This was a story about a village boy in Africa who takes a journey to the large city to make money for his poor family. The movie starts out with the death of his father and it turns out that the village is riddled with aids and many people are dying. Overall the movie was more about aids awareness than the life journey of this young boy. It was ok. The message was clear but in turn made the story a little less interesting by the way it was brought out.

2. The Iron Giant - Our latest family movie night movie. I had overheard a mom telling another mom about this movie and how good it was, and in my quest to find more movies to watch I added it to our list. It really was a great movie. I loved it! I totally recommend it for any young kid (or, in my case, 'older' kid - and what 'older' kid doesn't enjoy the voice of Harry Conick Jr.??)

3. Stardust - While Ryan was in London last month I took the opportunity to watch something that he may otherwise have not wanted to watch. Kim had recommended it last month and I'm glad she did. It was an enjoyable and fanciful story of a young man that lives next door to a hidden magical town. I enjoyed the humorous and whimsical story. Great suggestion Kim, thank you!

4. We Are Marshall - This movie was finally released on dvd! If I know that we will not make it to the theaters to see a particular film then I will add it to our queue (which happens 99.9% of the time). So, we were able to view it this past month. I always enjoy the types of movies that deal with real-life stories (of course there is always a higher tendency to shed some tears but I guess I can live with that). This movie was no exception, we enjoyed it and I think I was able to get through it without letting the tears fall (welling up in the eyes is one thing but letting them fall is quite another).

5. 3:10 to Yuma - We don't typically watch rated R movies and I can't really give an explanation as to why we did this time. Maybe because it was the pairing of Russel Crowe and Christian Bale? (they were good by the way) Whatever the reason, we watched it. No, my life is not the richer for it, but it was an entertaining flick none the less. I didn't care for the strong language and I always turn my head during bloody violence and the ending still baffles me. I'll just chalk this one up to another some-what entertaining movie night at home.

Our queue is still on the low side.......the suggestion box is open!

Giveaway Winner!

Today's the day for my random draw for a winner of the 5 fabulous card giveaway! I asked Ryan to choose a number between 1 and 135 (seriously, 135 comments??!). He chose #116. So the winner is Romie!!!

Congratulations Romie, I hope you enjoy your 5 fabulous cards!

My Beef With Beef

I know nothing about buying meat. I'm pretty clueless, to say the least. Although, I can say that I know what ground beef is, but that's pretty much the extent of my meat knowledge. Pretty sad, isn't it?

This week I planned to cook a meal that called for 'kc steaks', so I asked my mom what that was. She's pretty knowledgeable but in this case was unable to shed any light. The recipe was for the crock pot and called for the kc steaks, a can of sliced mushrooms and a package of onion soup mix. That's it. I bought a round top round roast thinking it would suffice, and it did. But still, what the heck is a kc steak???

Can anyone educate me on meat? What is a kc steak? And any info on other meat basics (aside from ground beef) would be helpful too. I'm looking for information as to how different meats cook and what's best for certain dishes. Can you help me out friend?

Bloggy Giveaway Carnival!!!

Here it is, yet another fun and exciting bloggy giveaway!! I enjoyed participating in the giveaway carnival this past fall, and I look forward to visiting new blogs this time too (and maybe this time I'll actually win something?!).

Here's what I got goin' on......I am offering five of these handmade cards (yes, made by moi!):


Of the cards I have made, this is my current favorite and I want to share it with you! All you gotta do is leave a pretty little comment!

This giveaway is open to anyone and no blog is necessary, but I will need a way to contact the winner or I'll have to choose another winner. So leave me that pretty little comment and a way to contact you if you win! I will draw a completely random winner on Saturday morning and post the winner that morning.

Have fun, and if you're interested in joining the giveaway madness, click here! Enjoy!

Telephone Talk

When we lived in Michigan we bought a cordless phone that had an extra handset. We needed the extra handset and base for our bedroom that was upstairs that did not have a phone jack. It was the perfect solution to keep us from racing downstairs before the answering machine clicked on or the caller gave up. But that was a few years ago, and now the batteries in both phones are dying and its not worth it to replace them. So instead of buying a new phone set we are going totally cellular.

I'm not completely sold on this idea, but we will be saving money by going wireless. That's the theory anyway, and we all know what a money-saving fiend I can be! My concern is that I won't hear my phone ring if I'm at the other side of the house. And if that happens, then will I even know I missed a call without having the typical ansewering machine to notify me instantly? But at least I won't miss a call if I'm out and about.

Yesterday we went to the ATT&T store to look at phones. I picked out two that I liked, but to be honest I wasn't exactly sure what to look for as far as features went. I may have made a mistake when I was soley looking at its appearence (that, and making sure it fit in the cell phone spot in my fabulous purse....I've got my priorities you know). Well, I did look at the layout of the keypad and such, but I guess that falls into the 'appearence' category, doesn't it? Anyway, the kids were going crazy and making it difficult for Ryan and I to look like responsible parents, so we left. After we got home Ryan went online and ordered my new phone. He tells me it will arrive in a few days.

Ryan is already set with his phone. He has an i-phone! Since Ryan is a designer, his work paid for the phone (so he can experience new technology and such and stay fresh and up to date). To say that Ryan loves his phone may be an understatement. We joke and say that its changed his life. In reality it really has! It's no secret that Ryan travels a lot, and the i-phone gives him access to the web while waiting for his flights. It keeps him up to date on his stocks and trading as well as enabling him to watch movies and listen to music while in flight. For all these reasons, I refer to his phone as his i-candy. Then of course the Apple Store has aptly been renamed the Candy Store. It just seems appropriate. Don't you think? *big grin*

I suppose my impending cell phone delivery makes the decision to go totally cellualr a sure thing. I'm still not sure how I feel about this, but it's kinda too late now! If you need my new phone number then email me and I'll make sure you get the new info when we finalize our switch.

*end transmission*

One Tired Mama

I'm not sure what to write about today. Should I write about my sick children or the trip to the doctor's office? Or, how about how Ryan has not been sleeping well this week therefore I haven't slept well and am quite tired? Maybe I should tell you how Ryan has now been to the ER twice this month and has yet another strange ailment? Or, how I got my hair cut last night and now it's too short and how bummed I am that I ruined my fabulous new look? Oh, I know! I'll tell you how now I have a silly cold and with the combination of all the above-mentioned stuff I'm just beat tired. Yeah. That'll make for a riveting post, no doubt.

Better yet, I think I'll just take a nap.

It Simply Makes Me Smile

I went to Target the other day to spend a little Christmas money I received. I'm all for the clearance racks and bargain prices. I'm cheap, what can I say? But every once in a while I will actually pay full price for something. *gasp!* Shocker, isn't it?!

Lately I've noticed that my beloved store, Target, has holiday shirts for around five bucks! I consider that a good price for something that would typically be worn only a few weeks a year. But still, the price still doesn't scream 'grab me and run' (to the nearest cashier. I don't want you thinking I have sticky fingers!). However, the other day I came across some Valentine shirts for seven dollars. I thought some were cute and another actually pretty, but still not fabulous. But then I saw this shirt! I liked it and it was only seven dollars! The thing I liked, aside from the price, is that it doesn't necessarily say 'hello, I'm a Valentine shirt', so I can wear this long after the day has passed.

So I nabbed it, and ran (ok, I casually walked to the checkout lines). And yes, I know, it'll most likely be seen on the clearance racks on February 15th for 2 bucks, but I'm still pleased with my shirt and the price I paid. It's the simple things in life that make me smile.

January's Goals

I've always disliked New Year's resolutions. They just seem silly to me. I hear people make them then never achieve their goal. So I've never really officially made any. Oh, wait, I take that back....once, when I was a kid, I did. I said I'd never step on ants again. Well, that didn't last too long since I don't like bugs. Then, last year I thought I'd try to get the house more organized. It wasn't so much a resolution as a well-intentioned goal. Well, that one didn't really kick in until August, then Ryan and I jump started it again a couple weeks ago.

This year I'd like to take a different approach. Maybe setting monthly goals would be easier than putting things off for a year then adding them to the next new year? I think I'd like to continue the organizing trend we've got going on. I dislike clutter anyway. Since this month is almost over I'll only put a few things on the list. I don't want to overwhelm myself and become so discouraged that I never even start! That, too, would just be silly.

So, here is my list for the remainder of January 2008:

* put away fish tank that has been sitting on the kitchen counter for months!
* sell my china place settings to e-dish (then buy new ones, but that can be for another month!)
* list more items on Craigslist (and get this crap junk stuff outta here!

TTLIF - (Thank the Lord It's Friday!)

Wow, is it the end of the week already??? I was looking at my previous post and it seemed like more than just 4 days have past. Really? Is it truly Friday already?

This should say something of the week I've had. Although, considering the circumstances, it has not been that bad - it's just been a full week, or 4 days as of yet. Ryan has been gone. Need I say more? I have another day or so until his return, and I can not wait.

The kids have been pretty good (and so have I, I must say). Thanks be to the grace of God (and many prayers) that I am not a frazzled, tired, insane mama- yet! I do have another day until this ride comes to a full and complete stop so I shouldn't take my seat belt off at this point. Who knows, there could be another free fall or hidden loop!

Whoa, look at the time! I gotta wrap this post up so I can be fresh for the too-early morning bus stop. All I gotta say is that these times make me grateful for two things. 1) the Lord is so good in his provision of grace and safety during these times. 2) I love my husband!

That's all I have to say 'bout that. Ni-night.

Purse Love

This past summer we were at Rei shopping for a backpack for Ryan to use as a computer bag since he was getting into the groove of riding his bike to work. While we were there I was purusing the purses and bags and came across this little number. I looked it over and tried it on. Then I asked Ryan what he thought of it. He said it looked 'cute'.

Hmmm. This got me to thinking more seriously about it. Come on, who doesn't want their husband thinking they are cute?! So I got it. And you know what? I. Love. It!!!

I was hesitant about getting it since, for me, it was more than I had ever spent on a purse in all my life. Truth be told, I don't care for purses. They bug me. I don't like having to haul one around, and frankly I don't have that much stuff anyway. Men have it so easy, all they do it stuff their pockets with their wallet, keys and coins and they're off! I've often been jealous of that. For that reason, I've been known to have the smallest purse I could possibly get away with. Until this one.

My new purse is a backpack of sorts. I guess it's more of a sling bag (if you want to get technical about it). I love that it is worn like a backpack and that it does not slip off my shoulder as I haul kids and things around. It makes me totally hands-free! And I love that feature the most. It also has a neat little spot for my cell phone on the shoulder strap. But I admit that I also put my most used credit card, Costco card and grocery store coupon card in their too for easier access.

So, why, you ask, am I sharing my purse love with you? Well, last month I was showing it to a friend and she loved it and wanted to get one of her own. Later, when I was looking online to see if she could order one, I saw that it is on sale! So if this post is tantalizing at all to you then good news.....you can get one for a super-great deal! Plus, as my husband says...it's cute!

My Favorite New Thing

Caleb's latest thing to say to me is 'I love you more than a 'noserous!' And you know what? Me too buddy, me too!

I Love Technology!

Yesterday Mae had a dental appointment, and as the rest of the kids and I waited for her Caleb made a new little friend. They were watching a movie, Over the Hedge. Here is a snipet of their conversation:

Caleb: Have you seen this movie before?

Boy: yes

Caleb: Did you see it at a movie night? (we have 'movie nights' at our house on occasion)

Boy: No, I saw it in my car!

Technology, gotta love it! Now, we have a portable dvd player that we use when we do any road trip, but that is pretty much the only time we use it. I see vehicles around town using them and it makes me wonder if they are on a road trip too. I love this new use of technology and entertaining children while on the road for long stretches. And the beauty of it is that it works! How do I know that it works? Because I can unwrap and eat anything that comes in a wrapper without being asked to hand any over. Oh yes, I love technology!

This of course reminds me of another movie, Napolean Dynamite (not seen in our vehicle), and I just can't pass up the opportunity to slip in this movie clip!

Purging and Organization....Hallelujah!

Since we've been home from our Christmas trek up north, we have been going through boxes, throwing stuff away and reorganizing. And as tiring and loathsome as it is, it also feels great! Today the recycling bin was picked up and emptied and now we have the huge container to fill yet again. Ahhhh, bliss!

Since I took down our new artificial tree it has been sitting in its ginormous box in our entry way. Frankly I'm tired of looking at it and keeping the kids from climbing all over it. There were two reasons as to why it has been sitting in the entry way for about a week. Number one; I needed to buy packing tape to close up the box (I don't like icky spiders climbing inside and nesting for a year while the box sits in the garage...ewe!). Number two; it takes two people to haul that big 0' box to the garage and manipulate it into its new home in the garage. Well, today I bought that tape and sealed it good! Now, Ryan is out of town and can't help me. Too bad. I did it by myself anyway. It scooted pretty good down the hall and across the garage floor just fine.

While I was rearranging things in the garage to make room for the Christmas tree I went ahead and broke down more empty boxes that were waiting for the recycling bin to be emptied. Then I hung Ryan's bike on the wall (he's too busy with work, and the weather is cold(er), and it gets dark too early for him to ride it to/from work right now - so up on the wall it goes!). I also made a trip to a recycling center and dropped off a bunch of boxes that were too big for our bin. After that I was able to rearrange the other miscellaneous crap stuff in the garage too. Now there is much more space around the truck for the kids and I to get in, out and around without skirting junk. Whoo-hoo!!!

There are more boxes and things to go through, but for now, today, I think I'm done. I think this year is going to be a great one for purging and getting our home organized! Then....we can go out and buy more stuff!!! just kidding (sort of!)

A-Ok!

Thank you to all who prayed for my sick man last week! Ryan is recovered from his ailment (although the jury is still out on what exactly he had, but at this point it matters not). I appreciate your kind words and many prayers.

I am grateful.

Sick-o Weirdness

The saga continues.......

So Ryan was down with the yucky fever/flu yesterday but then it made an odd turn. After his fever broke his forehead got all red and puffy. We both thought this was too weird to leave alone so he took himself to the walk-in clinic.

Turns out, after doing many tests and hours of waiting and sitting, he has strep in his skin. How weird is that?? Ryan says that the medical staff were baffled by his symptoms and conditions. They gave him the diagnosis but were still unsure if that is what it really was. So they gave him a shot of antibiotics last night and told him to come back this morning for another round. If his symptoms and condition did not improve then they'd have to refer him to an infectious disease specialist. Doesn't all that sound like Ryan's case could be an episode on House?

When Ryan got home (over six hours at the clinic!) he googled the information and came across pictures and information that were the same as what he was experiencing. It was comforting to find information that was conclusive to his diagnosis.

Ryan feels better today but still has a slight on/off fever. He will stay home one more day from work and will most likely return tomorrow. I am thankful for quickly answered prayers (as we prayed many yesterday). God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!

Sick-o-

My man is home sick today. Ryan has the flu. The kind that makes you hot and chilly with a temp of 103. Poor guy, he's too busy at work to be home sick. But right now I don't think he's thinking of work, I think he's just wishing I'd turn on the a/c or crank up the heater.

I had heard that if you put onion slices in your socks then it draws out the fever. Does anyone know if this is true??? Also, is it starve a cold and feed a fever or is the other way around? I don't remember!!!

He's got his jug of water by the bed and I'm making sure he's taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen. My mother suggested chicken broth too. I think that's what the lunch menu will be for today.

Any other thoughts or suggestions???

Decembers Movie Review

Happy New Year ! ! !

Here's what we watched last month:

1. Lost (season 2 and 3) - we finished up season 2 and blew through season 3 when we got our hands on it! Whew, season 3 was probably the most captivating and intriguing yet! There were a few fluff episodes I could have done without however. A friend who recently finished watching season 3 as well told me that she thinks the title (Lost) refers more about the viewer than the survivors of Oceanic filght 815. I totally agree. What is going on????!!! Oh man, only one more month before season 4 begins....can't wait!

2. The Namesake - great family drama that takes place over a period of time. It deals with an Indian couple who move to America and raises their family. Although I didn't like how it ended, mostly because it wasn't neatly wrapped up, it was true to life. The characters are well developed and I enjoyed a glimpse into the Indian culture. I would recommend this one.

3. The Polar Express - our latest family movie night flick. I had heard this was a good movie and I must agree. I'm not a big fan of Santa but the movie was enjoyable for the kids as well as us adults.

Our queue is getting quite low with Blockbuster, does anyone have any suggestions???

Oh Fuuudge!

I was having a hard time figuring out what to get Ryan for Christmas. He gave me a few not-so-great ideas, one of which was a router table (whatever that is!). I could get him a shirt or two for work but other than that I couldn't think of anything on my own or anything that was exciting. So I went out and got him the router table. He needs it to put in a sliding shelf in my armoire so he'd be buying one sooner or later regardless. Besides, I'm cheap. I'm saving us money in the long run by buying it as a Christmas gift. I wasn't excited about it but I got it anyway.

When I got it home I stashed it in the garage after taking a picture of it. I printed out the picture so I could wrap it up and give it to him for the present (there's no way I'm hauling the big ol' box to and from Modesto!). As soon as I printed out the picture I quickly forgot about it and left it sitting on the desk. When Ryan came home we were sitting around talking and I spotted it! I had a knee-jerk reaction and quickly swiped it away. By doing this I got Ryan's attention and he saw the picture.

Yep, that's right, he now knows what I got for him. Had I quietly taken the picture and not drawn attention to what I was doing then I could have gotten away with the deed. Alas, I did not. And I am not returning it either (remember, I'm saving money here!). So I got him a i-tunes gift card to go with it.

As I am not excited about his gift in the least, at least the task has been accomplished! Now all I gotta do is wrap it.

Did You Hear That?

I couldn't find Isabel's shoes today. I looked all over the house. Well, just about everywhere. Who knows where they are, they could be anywhere! So we went to Target after picking Caleb up from school.

Isabel it two. Remember? She shouldn't care what shoes she gets, right? I tried to put two different pairs of shoes on her and she SCREAMED and writhed in the cart until I either stopped trying or she got them off as soon as I put them on. I don't think there was a soul in the store who didn't hear her. Part of me was laughing and the other, well, was not. (oh, and another part was saying 'I'm so blogging this!')

I finally started showing her the shoes and she'd say 'no', 'no'. Then she finally said 'yes' to a pair I held up, and she let me try them on her. No screaming or writhing in agony. Huh. Well how 'bout that, she's got a mind of her own (phooey!). At this point I didn't care too much how they fit, they were close enough, so we got them. Sheesh! It shouldn't have to be this hard! She's two, remember?

Dental Appointment - DONE!!!

I survived yet another visit to The Chair and all went well. I thought I was going to have a deep cleaning, I was wrong. I had a medicated cleaning, which is a much easier procedure (no whole-mouth numbing required) Whew! I felt better right then when the dentist corrected me! Praise the Lord!!!!

Speaking of The Lord.....we had some good quality time together this morning. It would have been nice to spend that time praying for other people, but to be honest I was selfish and prayed mostly for myself. Also, I took my new pocket bible with me (I read a little while in the waiting room....Philippians 4:4-7 was a good one for me this morning!). I didn't intend to hold onto it the whole time, but I did. It's the perfect size to clutch in situations like these. I love my new bible!

Of course no dental visit is complete without leaving with another appointment to return. The service was good, but not that good as to go back again! But return I must (or so they say). I go back in four months for a check up to see if my 'pockets' are better. If so, then I can go to a regular six month schedule (and empty my pockets only twice a year).

A great big Thank you to those who prayed for me this morning! I appreciate it more than I can say. And I know that the Lord honored those prayers, for I didn't make a spectacle of myself and was in a relative peaceful state of being while in the chair.

Dental Woes

I am not looking forward to tomorrow. I'm just not. Why, you ask? I have a dental appointment, that's why! It's no secret that I am not thrilled to go to the dentist. And when I am there I am not a model client. It's just not pretty when I am sitting in the chair. I've had my share of dental work, more than I care to ever experience again and I do not desire to return. Ever! But return I must.

Tomorrow I will be going in for a deep cleaning, a fix on an existing filling, and a bonding on one tooth. This will require my entire mouth to be numb (which I am thankful, but really why can't they just knock me out completely? I would be more thankful for that!). The good thing (really, there is a good part to this....at least this is what I keep telling myself) is that I am told that my appointment will only take an hour. Oh please let this be true!!!

I will be doing a lot of praying tomorrow. A lot. Feel free to join me.

In the mean time, here's a fun video of Bill Cosby and his take on dentists.

November Movie Review

Whoops, forgive my tardiness! I usually write my reviews and post them at the first of the month, but I forgot. Let me do that now.

Here is what we watched last month:

1. Lost (season 1) - We had started watching this back in October and were able to finish it. Of course, I've seen it already but Ryan has not. I can't tell you how much I enjoy watching it a second time. It's fun to watch it with someone who is is new to it and doesn't know what is going on! I love it when Ryan says "What?! What was that?" or "What is he DOING?!" hee hee Well, I know, but I'm not gonna tell! nee-ner nee-ner nee-ner!

2. Lost (season 2, well part of it) - Again, we only got about half way through. It's good man and I can't wait for Ryan to see how this season ends! Can't wait!

3. Amazing Grace - This was a recounting of the life of William Wilberforce during his time in Parliment and his actions that resulted in the end of the slave trade in England. I enjoyed it very much and thought it was well done. I like watching these kinds of movies, the kind that recount factual events. I highly recommend this one!

4. Spiderman 3 - Well, can't get much different from Amazing Grace now can we? What can I say about Spidey other than he was a big blockbuster film, was the third in the series, and I needed closure. The movie was fine. It was dark, as I had heard, but not bad. It still feels open ended, leaving room for yet another sequel. Phooey!

My favorite, by far, was Amazing Grace (not that didn't enjoy Lost, I did, but hey I can only have one favorite!). I would like to see more films like this. Anyone have any suggestions?

Photo Meme

I saw this meme on Amanda's blog and thought I'd give it a whirl! Here's how it works; just type in the answers to the questions on google images. Then paste the first picture that comes up. (ok, so I cheated on that part, but hey....my pics look great!)

1. Age at my next birthday



2. Place I’d like to travel



3. Favorite place



4. Favorite objects



5. Favorite food



6. Favorite color



7. Nickname



8. Place I was born



Consider yourself tagged, if you wanna play, and let me know in the comments so I can see your pics! (by the way....I think I love Googe Images!! That was fun!)

Toddlered Out!

I just spent a couple hours shopping.

With Isabel.

Now I'm mentally and emotionally exhausted! Isabel's new thing is that she insists on not sitting in the shopping cart seat and very much wants to be in the basket part of the cart.

This is a problem.

If I were to allow her to sit in the basket then she is constantly grabbing things off the shelves or anything her little arms will allow her to reach, touch and grab. When she is not reaching, touching or grabbing she is trying to climb out of the cart. This is why I prefer her to sit (as tightly bucked as possible) in the front of the cart. This she does not like. And getting her to physically sit in the seat is nigh impossible these days anyway. In fact I think we make quite a spectacle! If you can imagine trying to get a cat in a toilet then you can pretty much understand what it is like for me to get Isabel to sit and get buckled into a shopping cart!

Today I had two stores to go to. That's all. Just two. Costco and Target. Now, Costco's basket is shallow compared to your typical grocery store carts, so having Isabel in the basket is not an option at this store for I fear she would fall out while reaching, touching and grabbing. The only thing that pacified her (after being forced into the seat and buckled) was to hold the boxes that were Caleb's birthday and Christmas presents. Good thing she has a limited understanding and vocabulary.....I think the presents will remain a secret this year, but next year I will have to do my shopping alone (gee, what a bummer). Once we reached the cashier and the boxes were on the conveyor belt, Isabel was twisting and climbing out of her seat. I had no choice but to hold her (this too is no joy, for either of us).

Next stop, Target. This time I allowed her to be in the basket part of the cart. Once down in the bowels of the toy isles I let her grab a toy to keep her entertained (it was removed/returned before leaving that section). Again, I'm not surprised, by the time we reached the cashier she was ready to be out. It is difficult to keep her in the cart, not to grab anything off the conveyor belt AND pay. While in the midst of this juggling act I missed that one of the items I purchased had a higher price than I thought (by about thirty bucks!). I can't concentrate with Isabel and the whole cart issue thing going on! Now I have to return the high-priced item. I think I'll go at night, by myself! I'll brave the crowded stores with horrendous lines for the chance to be 'alone' while shopping.

But for now, I'm toddlered out and ready for an empty nest. *sighs and walks toward the bedroom to take a long, much deserved, nap*

My Favorite One

Oh Amanda is doing a photo-tag about our favorite ornaments and the winner get a gift certificate for Hallmark! Our tree is sparse this year due to the fact that we have not really ever bought ornaments because we've only had a Christmas tree twice in our 11 years of marriage. So the ornaments we do have come from when I was a kid, the ones my mom let me take that is, and they also come from a small box of decorations that was given to us as a wedding present (great gift idea, by the way, for those starting out!).

As I look around the tree to pick out my favorite ornament I came across this one:



I got this when I was in sixth grade, when I played the violin for a year. It may look like a guitar but it's not, it's a violin! My brother also got an instrument ornament that year in the same style and color, but I can't remember what it was! Was it a trumpet? I don't remember!!! Anyway, as much as I like this ornament (I'm a sucker for most things red), it is not my favorite. Close, but not my fav.

Then I saw this one:

This is a little stocking made of angora, my grandmother crocheted it and gave it to me when I was in junior high (I think? there's that memory thing again!). It is incredibly soft, I could hold it and stroke it all day! So I think this one is my favorite. It makes me think of my sweet grandmother and of long ago days when I was younger (much much younger) and I'd spend the day with just her. We would do all kinds of things, like make sweet, sweet ice tea, and sew, and play in their trailer (well, I played as she prepared it for their next trip). My Grandmother taught me many things and was always such a joy to be with. Yep! This ornament is my favorite!

Deckin' the Halls

This past weekend we bought ourselves a fake Christmas tree. It just made sense for our family since we tend to travel for the holiday and do not want a fire hazard left behind while we're gone. The great thing is that these artificial trees nowadays are being sold pre-lit! Score! The downside is that we now have an enormous box to store all year. I should also mention that it is quite heavy too, Ryan and I made quite a spectacle of ourselves trying to manuver the big-o-box into the cart at Costco. Thankfully a friendly employee helped out (**note to self: I really need to start working on my upper body strength next time I go to the gym).

So, Saturday night I pulled down the few boxes of decorations and let the kids decorate the tree. I have since pulled out a few other decorations and placed them around the house. I feel a song coming on........It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas.......

Mae putting the angel on the top

whoops, it's a little crooked

ornament hanging duo!

tree-decorating bliss!