Friday Five

I'm doing a little happy dance because today is Friday. I heart Fridays. I heart them even more when the kids have Friday off from school and we have a three-day weekend ahead of us. If you think my kids sure do have a lot of days off from school, it's true. It seems that way to me too, but I love it.

Thought I'd share five random things on this Friday morning.

1. It's supposed to snow today. I'm sure we need the moisture, but I'm kinda over snow and winter. It's March and I'm ready for spring! I took this picture after my morning walk. Did I mention how ready I am for warmer temps??? Looks like some good hiking weather next week though. That will keep me hanging in there until spring makes it's appearance. 

2. Yesterday morning I had some time at home (finally!) and spent the morning making soup and cleaning. I plugged my iPhone into my "poor man's sound dock" and had the best time just puttering around the house listening to playlist after playlist (Will figured out how to stop my songs from looping)(figured it out in about 5 seconds). I was feeling stressed yesterday about a couple of situations that were beyond my control but realized that cooking and cleaning are extremely therapeutic for me. Both are very calming and peaceful activities with huge dividends for my family!  

3. In order to plug my phone into my sound dock, I have to remove it from it's case. When I did that yesterday, I saw these two words inscribed on the back of my case: Have Courage. It was exactly what I needed to hear regarding those situations that were stressing me out. I spoke it out loud every time I felt anxious. Widsom from an iPhone case? Yep. I believe God uses any tool available to communicate with us!

4. I read an article this week on being too busy. Honestly, my life is busy and I don't see any other way around that. We're careful about what we allow our children to be involved in and believe it or not, I say no to many good things. By nature of being a wife and mom, having three kids at three schools, a part-time job, and a home to manage, my life is going to be full. BUT, I could NOT do all that I do without rest. That's why we're big believers in keeping weekend activity to a minimum. Our entire family needs unstructured time to rest and refuel. Last weekend, I was maxed out with commitments. I knew they were coming. I planned for them. And since I knew that my weekend would not involve much rest, I planned for Monday to be a down day--my "Sabbath" if you will. Thankfully this weekend is feeling pretty spacious and I am overjoyed. Seriously overjoyed. What about you? Do you make rest a priority?

5. Speaking of rest, it's after 9AM and all three of my kiddos are still sleeping! With a busy weekend last weekend, some early morning appointments this week, and a full week of track practice, all three of them needed the extra sleep. I hope they all wake up in a cheerful mood! Two of the three are teenagers though so I'm not crossing my fingers. Ha ha. Actually, most days they all wake up in a pretty decent mood and I'm thankful for that.

Happy weekend, everyone! 

Just some schtuff

I am fighting like mad to avoid getting a cold. Yuck. Been chugging Emergenc-C since I felt the symptoms coming on. Hopefully the Emergenc-C plus the good night's sleep I got last night (despite the howling wind) will give my immune system the jump start it needs. I do NOT have time to be sick.

Did I mention the wind? Oh my gosh, it's been horrible lately. It interferes with my outdoor exercise, not to mention my sleep. I'm not a fan of the wind, but I feel bad for complaining because some of you have much worse weather to deal with. I'm talking about all of my southern friends who have to worry about tornados. Tornados in February. 

So, my new bible study starts today. We're doing He Speaks To Me by Priscilla Shirer. I've never done one of her studies but I've heard she's great. I'm excited to get started!

Abbey finished Phase I of her orthodontic treatment and got her braces and her expander taken off yesterday. To celebrate, our orthodontist presented her with a big 'ol bag of sticky, chewy candy. I'm pretty sure she powered through most of it before bedtime, smiling every single time she unwrapped a piece of gum. That poor, deprived child.

Will started track this week. He loves it. He wants to try triple-jump this year in addition to some shorter relay events. I'm very pleased that he wanted to run track again this year, but feel like I'll need to remind myself of that when I'm freezing my tail off at his meets this spring. :)

Sarah had her last speech tournament on Saturday. She had a GREAT season and placed in the top three at every meet! Go Sarah! I can't believe my girl will be in high school next year. I think she's more than ready for it but not so sure I am.

Wednesdays are my busiest days and today is no exception so I should sign off and get movin'. Our Lenten soup suppers at church begin tonight so cooking dinner is one thing I get to cross off of my to-do list. I am super duper thankful for that! Happy hump day everyone.

Currents

Current Books: Here's the stack beside my bed.

Current Playlist: Well, today I listened to my "Incline" playlist while hiking up the Incline. I guess you can't really call it a playlist though if one song constantly repeats itself. I'm pretty techy but for the life of me I can't figure out how to get my iPod off of repeat. I suppose I really shouldn't try to figure it out while hiking a vertical mile. I also suppose I should just ask one of my children if I want it fixed.

Current Color: I'm kinda digging blue Colorado sky. That's a color, right?

Current Drink: H2O baby!

Current Food: Let's face it--I'm a carnivore. I pretty much always crave red meat. Turns out that I can and should eat it based on my blood type (hence that book in the photo above). A friend gave me that book at church yesterday. The small part I've read has been fascinating.

Current Favorite Favorite: My new dishwasher. It's so quiet! And my Yaktrax. Would you think me dramatic if I told you they've saved my life on more than one occasion lately? Maybe they haven't saved my life, but they've sure saved me from completely busting it.

Current Wish List: A monogrammed one of these!

Current Needs: Nothing comes to mind.

Current Triumph: I survived February! Well, almost. But the big stuff is behind me and I should be able to coast into March.

Current Annoyance: Hmmmm...I really don't like turning laundry right side out. Lately, I've been washing and drying it in the same shape I get it in. If one's dirty socks are wadded up in a ball, that's how they get washed, dried, folded and put away. If one's underwear or jeans or favorite shirt is inside out, same thing. No one has even seemed to notice. Sigh.

Current Indulgence: Power naps.

Current Mood: Thinky. (And for those of you who were worried about me after yesterday's post--please know I'm okay. I really am.)

Current Blessing(s): 1. My husband! He helped me sooooo much this weekend while I was consumed with other obligations. He cleaned, did laundry, helped with homework, and took me out to dinner! 2. Seeing God redeem loss with LIFE.

Current Outfit: jeans, boots, shirt, scarf. And a coat! It's c-c-c-cold today!

Current Excitement: For starters, it's a short week--no school on Friday! Also, a USAFA gymnastics meet this weekend with friends, the beginning of a new Bible study, and I'm totally counting down the days until Season 5 of Mad Men begins next month.

Current Link: I saw this link on a friends blog (thanks, Christy). It's a list of ways to be intentional about celebrating Lent with your family. There's some good stuff there.

What if?

What if...
instead of responding to the snarky email, I just deleted it (both mentally and literally) and asked God to help that person have a better day?

What if...
instead of reacting the the one who is always short-tempered and snippy with me, I responded with warmth, grace, and Christ-like words.

What if...
instead of trying to defend myself against the attacks on my character, I let the truth of who I am speak louder than their lies?

What if...
I quit holding grudges? What if I forgave quickly? And (gasp) what if I prayed for those who hurt me? Not just "God bless so and so, but with a serious, intentional prayer?


This is hard stuff y'all. Hard, hard stuff.

stream of consciousness...

i'm so glad it's friday.

even though this particular friday is ushering in one of the busiest weekends i've had in a long time.

i'm not a huge fan of busy.

but today is still relatively calm. thank goodness.

i have a hair appointment later.

a hair appointment that got bumped from morning to afternoon because of some crazy client who had to be accommodated. (there's more to that story that i'm choosing not to share here.)(it made me kinda mad though.)

i'm not mad anymore because it freed up my morning for a hike.

a hike in the snow.

we had a snow day yesterday. a very unexpected one at that. it was a nice day off and it shortened our already short school week even more. i am not complaining.

i am reading through this book for lent, and am enjoying it very much (all three days so far). i was conflicted about what i wanted to do for lent this year (to give something up? to incorporate something more?) after praying about it, god led me to something. something hard, but something good. and something tailor-fit for me. maybe i'll share more about that later. maybe.

lately i seem to have this strange hesitation about sharing personal things. it's surprising because typically i tend to over share. i guess i've realized that some stuff is meant to be held close. it's for me and me alone. it doesn't necessarily mean that i'm not transparent (i believe i am) but more along the lines of this is not for everyone. i also think i've learned the hard way that not everyone is trustworthy with my "stuff". i don't know if all of this makes as much sense written here as it does in my head. :)

well, my stream of consciousness was just interrupted by a text from my darling daughter who forgot some stuff she really needs for school this AM so i must sign off and figure out how to get to the middle school before second period begins. the things one does for love. 

I hope everyone has a fabulous friday! it's friday! hooray!

Loves of late...

This is some stuff I've been loving lately...

1. Dry-erase poster board! Did you know such a thing existed? I had to make a fundraising-thermometer poster for work so I went to buy a sheet of poster board and happened upon this product. So awesome! I think it would be GREAT for chore charts, menu plans, and lots of other things! I'm thinking of buying a sheet of it when I get ready to make our "summer list".

2. Lime-Chipotle-Tortilla Crusted Tilapia from Costco. YUM! I really try to avoid gluten but I've found it really hard to come up with gluten free meals for my entire family. They love bread and pasta a lot! I bought this fish to have on hand for me to eat when they're having a heavy gluten meal. It's soooooo good. The coating does have some gluten in it but it's not enough to bother me. Win-win. I'm thinking of making a pasta dish for dinner just so I can have that fish!

3. Tylenol PM. I have NOT been sleeping well at all lately. Last night (out of desperation) I took two Tylenol PM caplets and slept for TEN HOURS STRAIGHT! It was wonderful. And restorative. I feel like a new person today. I even slept through the hideous wind that had me up for three hours the night before. Tylenol PM-- I think I love you.

4. Coconut oil. I guess most people cook with coconut oil but I keep my jar in my bathroom medicine cabinet. It's a fabulous moisturizer! I put it on my face at night and coat my hands with it (rub it in until it's absorbed completely) and I put in on my legs and arms after I get out of the shower in the mornings. I've been using it for several weeks now and my skin is soooo soft. I also think that my wrinkles around my eyes are slightly diminished. My jar was around $5 at the health food store. That's way cheaper than the moisturizing cream I was using! Here's some more info about using coconut oil as a moisturizer.

5. Clean shower doors. A friend posted a link on Facebook to this homemade soap scum remover a while back and I finally got around to trying it yesterday on the door to my shower stall. AMAZING results, y'all. The soap scum is G-O-N-E.

6. The calm before the storm. I have some big things coming up this weekend that I've been working on for awhile but surprisingly my week is feeling pretty calm. I like it! I like it a lot!

Peace out, peeps. I'm feeling kinda ashy on this Wednesday. :)

There is not enough concealer in the world...

...to mask the dark, tired circles under my eyes. Seriously. It's been a week. It's been a week that has kicked my bee-hind. The good news is that today is my Friday and that my kiddos have tomorrow AND Monday (and Tuesday for the elementary girl) off from school. Hello, four-day weekend! 

I always forget that February is a busy month for me. I expect December and May to be crazy but for some reason February always catches me by surprise. Thankfully I'm seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

Alright. Here's my brain dump.

1. I'm a computer snob. John's brother converted us to Apple computers almost ten years ago and we haven't owned a PC since. I recently acquired one to use for work stuff because for some reason, many of my work apps are Windows based and not compatible with Apple's web browser (I know, that's so weird since it IS 2012 but that's the reality). I do NOT like PCs. The biggest learning curve has not been how to use the applications but how to use Windows and the stinkin' keyboard. I feel like I'm pretty techy until I open that laptop.

2. I had my yearly doctor visit today. Not my favorite thing in the world by any means but I do really like my doctor and she makes it as pleasant as possible. I laughed this morning when getting dressed because I realized my toenails were quite colorful. Abbey gave me a pedicure last weekend and I'm pretty sure I had the brightest toes in stirrups today. Here's the picture Abbey took of her artistry.

3. Does gray hair sprout overnight for you guys or is it just me?

4. The busier I am, the more I seem to get done. That seems so counter-intuitive but it really holds true for me. Go figure.

5. I'm really tired of homework. Hoping to goodness my kids get a homework free weekend. They did NOT in fact get the weekend off from homework. All THREE of them came home with assignments which they're working on at the moment. I've heard "this is so unfair" multiple times from multiple children. Yep. Meanest mom ever!

6. My aunt is coming this weekend! She has business in Denver so is coming to stay with us while she's here. I'm excited and so are my kids!

7. I had planned to be at the elementary school helping Abbey's teacher this afternoon. She emailed me earlier and gave me the afternoon off. WHAT A GIFT! I've been at school a LOT this week and even though I didn't mind going again today, her email gave me some time at home that I haven't had all week! Yay! It opened up a nice little window of time that I wasn't expecting. Hooray for GREAT and thoughtful teachers!

Alrighty. I need to get some laundry going and finish up some work stuff before my carpool rounds (to three schools!) begin. Such is my life. Peace out, peeps.

I'm learning...

I did something out of the ordinary today: I blew off my to-do list and all the things I really needed to accomplish. I have a dozen things I need to finish before Valentines Day parties tomorrow. My house is a wreck from a weekend of neglect. I have work stuff that I need to get done in the midst of a week full of appointments and commitments and getting ready for some weekend company. It's safe to say that I tend to let my to-do list rule my life most of the time.

Last night John and I were driving to a meeting and I told him that I really wished I could hike today but I had soooooo much to do. He knows me well and began to challenge me about why all those things had to get done today. I gave him a dozen reasons why I thought they did, but he kept challenging me and by the time we got to our meeting, I was warming to the idea of blowing off my Monday list. My friend, Lisa, was also at the meeting and I tentatively asked her what her Monday was looking like. She rattled off a couple of things and said, "Why? Do you want to hike the Incline?" To which I replied YES! Turns out she blew her list off today too and we got to enjoy our favorite hike and a beautiful morning outside together. Conversation is so easy between us and Lisa is one of THE most encouraging people I know. I always feel happy and blessed after I've spent time with her! Today was no exception.

The reality is that my house is still a wreck. My list is still looming. I have work deadlines that still need my attention despite a very full day tomorrow BUT honestly, it's a good thing to let myself be less structured every once in awhile. To not be ruled by a schedule or measure myself by my productivity but to let the things that bring life to my heart play the trump card every once in awhile. I'm learning that I need that more often than I allow it. Today, it felt good. Really, really good. And I'm one hundred percent sure all of those "things" will still get done. I may be up until midnight but they'll get done with a full and cheerful heart!

A Fabulous Friday

I was driving my older two kids to school this morning and the temperature on the bank sign read 10 degrees. Sarah saw it and blurted out, "It's 10 on the 10th!" And believe me, I felt every bit of that 10 degrees on my walk this morning. It was c-c-cold!

I haven't done a 10 on the 10th post in a really long time so I thought I'd share my list of reasons why today is shaping up to be a terrific day. I tried hard to think of ten...but I only made it to six! I think that's why I stopped doing 10 on the 10th. I grew tired of thinking too hard. :)

1. It's FRIDAY! Whew. I need a weekend.

2. It's Will's birthday! He is 15 years old! I am so thankful that God chose me to be his mom. He is such a great kid and we're really proud of who he is and who he is becoming. We pulled out the scrapbook of his first year of life and looked at it for awhile this morning. Seems just like yesterday I was reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear and trying like mad to get that boy to sleep through the night. We have some fun things planned this weekend to celebrate Will, because you know, one day just isn't enough when it comes to birthdays!

3. John took today off! I was so happy when he told me he'd be home with me today.

4. We're going to buy a dishwasher later. Okay, spending money on appliances isn't really fun at all, but our current one is dying a slow, painful death. I'm excited to choose one out that's a little larger and hopefully a lot more quiet!

5. Lunch date! After the dishwasher purchase is complete, John and I are going to lunch together. He told me I could choose the place. Hmmmmm...

6. Did I mention it's Friday? And the beginning of Will's birthday weekend? It's shaping up to be a fabulous day! Hope yours is on track to being great too!

Popping In

Popping in for just a minute or two to say hello. I'd love to keep the blogging rhythm that I had going last week, but man, some weeks it's hard to find extra time. It's been a good week so far. Busy, but good.

Ever have one of those days where you just ROCK the to-do list? I had one on Monday. I ran errands, cleaned, got some appointments/meetings scheduled, organized some of my February projects, and felt like I got most of my "mental sticky notes" transferred from my head to paper! Such a great feeling--I wish every day felt that productive!

Tonight I'm taking Sarah to register for HIGH SCHOOL! My oldest two are only one grade apart in school so it really does seem like yesterday that I was doing this with Will. Here's the kicker--they're going to different high schools. Our town has two. Will goes to the one we're zoned for but none of Sarah's really close friends are going there. After a year of thinking and talking and praying about this, we made the decision to keep her with her core group of friends and choice her into the high school we're not zoned for. [Side note: this is the decision I was referring to last week that is the best one for Sarah and is also the decision that makes my crazy life even crazier!] She's very excited about it, and I know with absolute certainty it was the right thing to do. That being said, I still break out in a cold sweat when I begin to think about all the details and scheduling this will involve.

Two kids in high school makes me feel old. So does the fact that our oldest turns FIFTEEN this week. That is so hard for me to wrap my mind around. Where does the time go???

More later, peeps. Hope you're having a happy hump day! :)

Got Snow?

Well, I got that snow day and three-day weekend I was hoping for. We probably have about 20 inches of snow outside and I think the flakes have finally stopped flying. The sun is trying to come out now and Toboggan Hill is calling our name for some afternoon sledding! Woohoo! 

Yesterday was a nice day. It's amazing what you can get done when you're not running kids back and forth to school and activities. I got caught up on some projects I'm managing, I got my closet cleaned out, and I got to enjoy some down time too! And last night was Bunco. The good thing about neighborhood Bunco is that not even a blizzard can stop us from getting together! We just put our snow boots and parkas over our pajamas and walked to Bunco--or in my case, walked next door! I love my neighborhood peeps so much. We are soooooo blessed to be surrounded by great friends.

I'm getting out in a bit for a grocery run--gotta get fueled up for the big game tomorrow. I'm still conflicted about who to cheer for. I think I'll be okay with whoever wins. So....Go Patriots! Go Giants! 

I'll post some snow pics after we get out and play in it! Happy Saturday, peeps!

Five minutes

I've got about five minutes to blog and thought I'd try to continue my streak of daily posting. Not sure how long I can keep it up so I'm just gonna roll with it while I have the urge.

My friend came over this morning so we could pow-wow about a big project we're coordinating this month and she came bearing Paula Deen's French Toast. Oh my word. YUM! Totally have a gluten headache right now but I'm thinking it might have been worth it. :)

It's supposed to snow tonight and it sounds like we could get a good bit. I'm so convinced that tomorrow is going to be a snow day that I keep thinking and saying today is Friday. I could reallllly use a snow day. Here's hoping we get one! Here's hoping I get all my necessary stuff checked off of my list today.

I love wearing hats.

I hate going to the post office. And by the way, when did the price of stamps go up?

I love planning Super Bowl junk food fests.

I don't love watching my friends suffer. Too many friends going through some really tough stuff right now. Makes my heart ache.

I love the feeling in the air when snow is on the way.

I think I'll end on that note!

Much to do, folks. Happy Thursday! (Or Friday if you're banking on that snow day/3-day weekend like I am!)

100 Mile Challenge--DONE!

When I hung my 2012 calendar it looked so blank and boring (Ha ha, that didn't last long!) so I started writing down the mileage from my daily walks. I get up and walk almost every morning with five of my neighbors--in the dark, in the frigid temps (never thought I'd think of 30 degrees as warm!), in the snow, in the wind, in the fog, etc. You name it, we've braved it. I also think I've mentioned a time or twelve that January has brought many beautiful spring-like days that have necessitated some terrific hiking! Anyway, I decided I'd try to track my walking/hiking mileage for one whole year. And that's why that Pedometer GPS app I mentioned yesterday is one of my must-haves.

About three weeks into January, I came home after a morning walk and tallied my mileage up to that point. I was at 66 miles with 9 days remaining in the month when John said, "Why don't you go for 100?" 

I quickly offered every reason in the world why I could never accomplish that while he just sat there and grinned at me. So I finally shrugged and said, "Okay, I'll do it." AND Y'ALL, I DID IT! I logged 103.8 miles in January. All outdoors. All trail. And all 103.8 miles with some of my favorite friends! 

I'm feeling really good about pushing myself beyond what I thought I could do! I don't expect (or desire) to repeat that in February but come summer, oh yeah, I'm aiming for a few more 100+ mile months! 

Happy hump day, peeps! Hope you're enjoying your week.

 

Tell About It Tuesday: My Favorite iPhone Apps

I got an iPhone for my birthday last May and have discovered several apps that I can't live without so I thought I'd share them with you.

1. Camera+ ($1.99)
I use this app instead of my phone's built in camera 90% of the time, but especially when I want great photos. It's worth every penny.

2. Pedometer Pro (Free version or $2.99 for the upgraded version)
I discovered this app last fall when I was in St Louis for a few days. I wanted to get out and walk but I had NO idea how to navigate my aunt's neighborhood or how to estimate mileage. Pedometer Pro to the rescue! It has a GPS feature that literally guided me through her neighborhood and the mileage is surprisingly accurate. I walk almost daily so I upgraded to the $2.99 version because it keeps track of my mileage history and will generate and send a report to my computer of all my monthly stats in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. The only downside is the GPS feature which, if accidentally left on, will drain your battery lickety split! Otherwise I give it two thumbs up.

3. Fandango (Free)

4. Pandora (Free)

5. Arkansas Razorback Football Bytes ($.99)
Between ESPN, ESPN3, and CBS I was able to watch almost every Arkansas Razorback football game last fall. There were a couple of weekends that I was traveling and this app was a lifesaver because it allowed me to stream audio coverage of the games. The audio streaming is my favorite feature but it also refreshed periodically and updates the score on game day and keeps track of stats, the season schedule, the team roster, SEC standings, and has links to news stories about the Hogs. It's an AWESOME app for Razorback football fans!

6. Around Me (Free)
Love this app when I'm in an unfamiliar place and want to find a coffee shop or restaurant or retail store.

7. Cash Cow ($.99)(Or the free lite version)
A game I'm hopelessly addicted to.

8. Words With Friends (Free or $.99 for the ad-free version)
My user name is Lifeat7000Feet. And I'm not very good (right Angie? right Betsy?) so the rest of you can probably beat me too!

9. Fruit Ninja ($.99)(Or the free lite version)
Just a fun, mindless game.

10. This one just makes me laugh. It's hilarious. And free.

I'm sorry but I'm not a fan of Angry Birds, Cute the Rope, My Fitness Pal, or Kindle but I'd love to know what YOUR favorite apps are!!!

Goodbye, Weekend

Ugh. The Sunday night blues are starting to hit me and I'm already dreading sending everyone off to school and work tomorrow. I like it best when we're all together at home. Sigh.

We've had a good weekend. Today was a really restful day for which I was thankful! Here's some listy stuff on my mind right now.

1. Sarah had a speech meet yesterday in Woodland Park and was gone for FOURTEEN HOURS. She had to leave the house at 5:30AM (yuck!) and she didn't get home until after 8PM. However, she won FIRST PLACE in her event and we are so, so proud of her! She got a trophy and everything!

2. I'm feeling good about the upcoming week. It's not too full (at this point) and that is such a nice feeling going into Monday. Can you believe that we're only a few days from February? January flew by entirely too fast.

3. We tried a new burger place tonight and it was pretty good! The french fries were really thin (and really good!) but oh my gosh, they were super salty. I am sooooooo thirsty right now.

4. John and I helped one of our kids make a big decision last week. I'm not quite ready to talk about it on the blog but it was absolutely THE best decision for this particular child. That being said, it was also a decision that puts me squarely in the driver's seat of the crazy train for the foreseeable future. I'm okay with it, I'm just trying to wrap my mind around all that it's going to involve. :) More details soon, I promise.

5. I can't decide who I want to cheer for in the Super Bowl next weekend. I LOVE the Giants and had half of their offensive line on my fantasy football roster this year. But I LOVE the Patriots (and I really love Tom Brady) too. I think it would be awesome if Brady could get another Super Bowl ring! And it would be equally awesome for the Giants to win. I almost wish one of those two teams had lost their championship game so that I wouldn't be so conflicted! Which team are YOU rooting for?

6. Speaking of football, I really didn't know what to do with myself this afternoon without any games to watch. To pacify myself I went hiking with two friends from church. Hiking with those two is quickly becoming a Sunday afternoon tradition...and one of my favorite parts of Sundays!

7. The rainbow cupcakes that Abbey and her friends made on Friday turned out REALLY great! They had a blast making, decorating, and eating them! Here's a (not-so-great) picture of ours before the frostingpalooza began. There is a recipe link in the post below this one.

Alrighty. It's almost time for Downton Abbey--our current favorite show--so I must say goodnight and sign off. Have a great week, everyone!

Life::: the random and rambling edition

I am so glad it's Friday! I have big plans for today that include laundry, cleaning, and preparing for a little after-school soiree for some cute fourth grade girls. Yesterday I bought the stuff for them to make these cute cupcakes and we have some fun crafts planned as well. I'm looking forward to a fun afternoon with giggly girls.

It's been a very full week but it's been full of some fun things! We had a couple of fabulous weather days so of course I managed to squeeze in a couple of hikes, including one of my favorites--the Manitou Incline! I didn't take any pictures this time, but I wore my trax and didn't even need them. All the ice that was there earlier this month had completely melted and I was thankful! [Local friends, that link is to a YouTube video I found about the Incline and it's super interesting. It's long, but worth it. And Part II is worth watching as well.]

It's also been full of necessary things. I've had some appointments and some meetings and some work stuff and some volunteer obligations. And of course there's always carpool and laundry and dinner and those kinds of "daily" things.

I would LOVE a slow weekend. But I'm not too hopeful about that at this point. Sigh.

Here's a few random phone pics from the week that I took for one reason or another, along with my rambling commentary. Random and rambling. That's how I roll.

Abbey is almost finished with Phase I of her orthodontic treatment. She gets her expander taken out next month and her brackets taken off as well. Not sure how long before Phase II begins. She chose purple and black bands this time and you'll learn why a few pics down.

SCORE! I found this cake mix in the deep recesses of my pantry a couple of weeks ago and finally made it last night. Trader Joe's vanilla cake is something I stock up on whenever I'm in  St Louis or Santa Fe (or anywhere else we travel that has TJs!)  Can't remember where this one came from but who cares? Because rumor has it that Trader Joe's is FINALLY coming to Colorado. Yay. No more mailing my loot home because there's no room in my carry-on luggage!

 I think these TOMS are so cute. Abbey got them for Christmas but the size/style was goofed up, so one month and two trips to Denver later we finally ended up with the right pair. She loves them. I bought a pair for myself in October but didn't love them and ended up returning them (for boots) because I was afraid my feet would freeze all winter long (and they would have). Abbey's are wool so I think she's okay. And NOW do you see why she chose black/purple bands for her braces? Evidently she wanted her teeth to match her toes. That girl.

This was my dinner plate one night this week. Spaghetti and meatballs is a go-to dinner around here. It's quick, easy, and delicious especially when paired with greek salad. I found this gluten-free pasta that I really like so now I'm able to enjoy pasta dishes again. Oh, and my best tip for making meatballs is to wear gloves!

I just thought this picture was funny. Jack-the-Beagle sleeping on the floor BESIDE his bed. Why? Why? Why? I will never understand that dog.

That's all, folks. Happy Weekend everyone!

iHike

Hiking is absolutely one of my favorite things to do. I love love LOVE it. It feeds my soul.

John and I were out hiking a few days after Christmas and he looked over at me and said, "Mer, when I married you twenty-some-odd years ago, I never really pictured the two of us out hiking together". It's true. I have come a long way. Living in this beautiful, temperate place without too many snakes or mosquitos or humidity has certainly helped grow my appreciation of the outdoors!

We've had some really gorgeous days this month and I'm trying to milk them for all they're worth so I've been hiking every time I get a chance. If I'm honest it's partly because I got new hiking shoes for Christmas and I love wearing them! I came home from a hike with friends in early January that involved some rock climbing and when I saw a gash in the smooth leather of my new shoes it made me smile with pride. I don't want my hiking shoes to look perfect. I want them to bear evidence of every single mile of rugged terrain they've traversed.

Here are a few pics that I've taken with my phone while out...

 There is no blue quite like the blue sky in Colorado!

LOVED finding this tree still decorated in early January! LOVE that someone thought to brighten the trail with festive decorations too! So fun. And I also LOVE these two girls 

Most of the trails around here are still pretty snowpacked and icy requiring me to wear trax (those things are AWESOME!)

Don't those scenery photos just make your heart sing? I LOVE WHERE WE LIVE! I don't ever take for granted the fact that we live in a place of stunning beauty. I feel happy and deeply thankful when I'm driving along the front range and see the mountains on my west and know that I've explored so much of that terrain. If God ever moves us away from Colorado, I will leave knowing that I made the most of my time here and got to experience as much of the beauty of the land as I possibly could. It's so much a part of ME!

Currently

Current Books: I'm feeling some shame that month after month I have to admit I'm not reading much of anything. I'm definitely experiencing a dry spell. Two books on my to-read list are Beautiful Outlaw and Odd Girl Out. Maybe next month I will have finished one of them. Cross your fingers. 

Current Playlist: A worship mix.

Current Color: Red.

Current Drink: I have seven caffeine-free months under my belt so that really limits my choices. I mostly drink Good Earth tea, water, and occasionally Zevia caffeine-free cola. 

Current Food: I've been enjoying some amazing blackberries from Costco lately. I'm also hooked on goat cheese--on (gluten-free) crackers, on salads, and just by itself. 

Current Favorite Favorite: Downton Abbey! It's sooooooo good, y'all. Also, I rediscovered my dutch oven. It was actually my grandmother's and my mom gave it to me a few years ago. I've been using it a LOT lately and I love it!

Current Wishlist: A black and white chevron scarf. I have a very clear picture in my mind of what I want and of what I don't. Sadly, I can't find one like the one in my mind's eye. Oh, and I also really like these touch screen gloves.

Current Needs: New dishwasher. Joy.

Current Triumph: I'm caught up on laundry! That's a biggie! 

Current Annoyances: The crazy wind we've had this week. Lying. Passive-agressiveness.

Current Indulgence: A 10-15 minute nap in the afternoons. I get up super early most days and lately I've needed that little power nap to get me through the evenings!

Current Mood: Quiet.

Current Blessing: Getting to spend time with one of my best friends from high school. She was in Denver last weekend visiting her in-laws and we met for a day of shopping (hello, IKEA!) and got to catch up a little since our (short) visit last summer. I wish she lived closer so we could do that more. Love you, Jennifer. :)

Current Outfit: Jeans, UGGS, long-sleeved tee, down vest, and scarf. 

Current Excitement: It's supposed to be nice outside today so I'm hiking with some friends. Plus, it's Thursday--one day closer to the weekend...and football! Hooray!

Current Link: A few actually...
25 Ways to Wear a Scarf (really cool YouTube video)(it's worth the 4.5 minutes!)
A Letter from my 90-Year-Old Self (A post on my husband's blog)
A movie that I watched this week and LOVED!

Newsy schtuff

Today is the kids last day of break. School resumes tomorrow and my guess is that this week is gonna be long and hard. We have a fun outing planned for later today--our  way of saying good-bye to a fabulous winter break.

Can you believe we're almost one-third of the way through January? I'm super thankful for some pretty mild weather so far this year. We were in the 60s for a couple of day last week and it was glorious! I was able to get out and hike and I had to keep reminding myself it was January and not April. Of course, it snowed a couple of days later, but thankfully just an inch or so. I am very anxious for spring to arrive and to stay!

We had some friends over on Saturday night for appetizers and soup. It's always risky to try a new recipe when you're having guests but I took the risk on a pot of soup and was not disappointed! Of course I wasn't too worried since it was Paula Deen's recipe for Poblano Chicken Chowder and Paula doesn't usually steer me wrong. Y'all, it was REALLY, REALLY good and probably my new favorite winter soup! It makes a ton though. I was feeding a crowd so I did not adjust the recipe but when I make it for my family, I will probably halve the recipe.
Side note: the group of friends we had over was the same group that we had over last January when Jack-the-beagle had his unfortunate incident. We try not to let (bad) history repeat itself so Jack saw the vet on Saturday morning for his "massage therapy" and I'm happy to report the party was incident free!

Moving on...to football!

I was SUPER DUPER HAPPY that the Razorbacks won the Cotton Bowl! Bunco happened to fall on the same night as the game so I got a sub for Bunco (because I'm a football fanatic) in order to stay home and watch the game without distractions. We only have one television hooked up to cable and one of our nameless children was throwing a holy fit about having to miss the series finale of Wizards of Waverly Place because of the Cotton Bowl so we watched the first half at home, then kept the peace and moved our viewing vigil to a sports bar down the road and watched the second half over hot wings and brats. About half of my Bunco group came and joined us for the last quarter--it was really FUN! Poor John was at a table surrounded by six women. Not sure if he loved it or was overwhelmed by us all!

The Broncos WON their playoff game last night too! I hate to admit that I had my doubts about their ability to pull it off but even more than that I hate to admit that I DIDN'T EVEN WATCH THE GAME! That wasn't necessarily by choice. John and I listened to the first half on the radio while driving to Divide, CO yesterday afternoon. Our friends, Steve and Gwen, have a beautiful retreat center there called Potter's Inn and on the first Sunday of each month they host a Sunday Evening Dinner at the Inn. The speaker last night was John Eldredge. He shared from his new book, Beautiful Outlaw, about the personality of Jesus and reading scripture with an understanding of that personality. It was very, very good. And dinner (prime rib!) was a-mazing. If you're local, check out the happenings at Potter's Inn. 


Alrighty. I must get up and get movin' and get this day-o-fun started! Happy Monday everyone!

Listy

I almost titled this post "First List of the New Year" but caught myself because this is January 4 and I've already made half a dozen lists since the year began. If you're listy like me you just can't help yourself!

1. On Monday I took Abbey to the orthodontist. On Tuesday I took all three of my children to the dentist. And today I'm taking Abbey back to the dentist to have a small procedure. She keeps letting me know in no small voice that having three dental appointments in three days is torture and deserves some kind of reward. I sort of agree with her but trust me, her reward will NOT be something sugary that might necessitate a fourth dental visit!

2. John went back to work today. Bah-humbug. I like it best when we're all home but I am very grateful for the time he was able to spend with us. Also thankful for his job and the dental insurance it provides! 

3. I'm having trouble remembering what day it actually is because they're all running together in my head. Ahhh...the uncomplicated days of holiday break! I'm going to be in for a rude awakening next week! We all are.

4. Only two more days until the Cotton Bowl. I've only watched one other bowl game this year. I really lose interest in post season college football unless I have a vested interest in a specific team. NFL football is another story though. I like it much better as a whole. By the way, I won THIRD place in my fantasy league this year and was pretty pleased with that finish.

5. I'm outrageously late to the Words With Friends party but I've been playing for the past week and I'm officially hooked. And officially mediocre. I'm just gonna throw it out there that one goal I have for 2012 is to beat my friend, Jen, at least once. She's won every game we've played and it's bringing out the ugly competitor in me.

6. Another lofty goal I have for 2012 is to teach my children to appreciate the non-chain restaurant. We went to Denver on Monday afternoon and when it came time to choose a place for dinner our family was divided against itself. John and I eventually used our veto power to override the kids' unoriginal chain choices and we ended up finding a fabulous Mexican dive that has the potential to become our new favorite. Score one for live! live! live!

7. Just ripped this photo from Moriah's blog! She was in town last week and we met for lunch. We've been blog friends for a LONG time and it's always fun to get to see her when she comes to Colorado to see her family. I think her kids loved the snow!

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Twenty Twelve.

I love love love turning my calendar page to a new month but there is something even more exciting about hanging a brand new calendar with twelve months of blank space ahead. I am genuinely excited about what 2012 might hold for us!

I actually do make goals for each year and while I didn't openly share mine last year, I'm proud to say made significant progress towards each one. The only one that I totally flaked on was "learn to make really good buffalo wings". Shoot! That one will get bumped to 2012 along with some others that I'm not going to jinx by sharing.

We had a great time on New Year's Eve. We got together with friends and ate decadent food and played hysterical games! I LOVE to laugh with friends! I made both of these recipes over the weekend and both were a hit and too yummy not to share. Blue Cheese Bacon Dip and Stuffed Mushrooms. You're welcome!

John and I started the new year off with a climb up the Manitou Incline.

We've never done this hike together so that was kinda fun. Climbing up was the easy part. Going down was HORRIBLE because most of Barr Trail looked like this--that's icepack not fluffy snow. I took my trax but left them in the car because I didn't want to carry them on the hike up. That was a stupid, stupid mistake. I fell once on the way down and it wasn't pretty! It usually takes me about 35-40 minutes to walk/jog back down but it took us 1.5 hours yesterday. Anyway, it was a fun albeit treacherous start to the new year!

Other than that, we've been eating, watching football, eating, playing games (we love Just Dance for the Wii!), eating, and I think today we're going to get out for one last hurrah before John goes back to work. We've LOVED having him home with us. It's going to be sad to send him off to work on Wednesday after twelve days of family togetherness.

I mentioned in my last post that I'd share my word from 2011.
My word was: SHIFT
It means a slight change in position, direction, or tendency.
I definitely saw a shift in priorities, relationships, finances, and parenting this year. On top of that, I picked up a part-time job that shifted the structure of my days a bit.

I also mentioned that we came up with a family slogan for the year of twenty-twelve. It's live! live! live!
John blogged about it here (and he says things much more poetically than I do) but basically, we want to live life and enjoy it to it's fullest this year. I think we're already off to a good start. Happy New Year!!!

Well hello there!

I seem to have forgotten that I have a blog.

Actually, my hiatus from blogging wasn't planned but it was nice. Our family of five has been enjoying a lot of family time and it's been wonderful. Because I try to keep a chronological record of things here on my blog, I'm going to fill you in on some of what we've been up to.

We enjoyed a visit with John's parents the week before Christmas. One night we opened gifts with them and one afternoon we drove up to Denver to see White Christmas, which by the way, was superb! They also helped us get our Christmas cards and letter stuffed, sealed, and stamped in record time and they kept the kids while we went to a Christmas party. It was a short visit but it was a really nice one.

The kids got out of school SO late this year. Their last day was December 21st. Abbey's winter break began a couple of days early because of fever and a stomach bug. Yuck. I felt so sorry for her having to miss her Christmas party at school. She seems to have a knack for missing school parties, but thankfully she didn't share that bug with the rest of us!

We got a really big snow last week. I never heard the final snow totals but it was at least a foot (on top of the 3-4 inches that fell earlier in the week). I love snow in December but it definitely gets in the way of my morning walk with friends! We keep plowing through it anyway...and it's always worth it.

On Christmas Eve Eve (I love saying that) we drove up to the 16th Street Mall in Denver. We'd hoped to take John's parents when they were here but we ran out of time. We walked around and looked at the lights, shopped a little, and enjoyed a delicious dinner. It was a nice family day!

Our Christmas Eve was very low key. The kids played outside in the snow, we cleaned and cooked, watched holiday movies, and stayed in our pjs until church that evening. Abbey kept saying all day that it just didn't feel like Christmas Eve. John and I agreed that it really sort of didn't and we just figured it was because school got out so late this year and no one really had time to relax and let the anticipation build. Abbey leaned over to John in the middle of Christmas Eve worship and said, "Now it feels like Christmas, Dad." I'd be lying if I told you that our eyes stayed dry.

Christmas day was perfect! The kids got up SUPER EARLY to open gifts and I must say that Santa was VERY good to all of us this year. We made the choice to stay home this year--and it was the right choice--but it was sad for us not to be with our families. On Christmas afternoon, we played around with a pocket camcorder and made this video for our family in Arkansas. The people who live in my house may disown me for embarrassing them sharing it with you but I'm going to anyway because I think it's fun...and yet slightly embarrassing. If you watch "The Middle" on television then you'll get the ending...if not, then you need to watch that show because it is seriously funny!


John has been on vacation this week and we've been out and about almost every day since Christmas doing something fun--the movies, the mall, and a DATE!

I'm so thankful that after twenty-one years of marriage, we still love spending time together. The kids and I have another week of him at home with us and we couldn't be happier! School  doesn't start back until JANUARY 10. You know I'm loving that, right? I really truly am!

John asked each of us at dinner the other night to think of one word that would describe 2011. I've been thinking about my word and I hope to be back to share it with you all soon. He also came up with a fun family slogan for 2012 and I'll probably share that too!

Things I learned over the weekend...

1. Your keyless remote will NOT work if you're pointing it at the wrong car. Yep. A true senior moment. Go ahead, laugh. I did too.

2. I don't need to watch the entire Broncos game. I can tune in for the fourth quarter and catch all the excitement. Side note: I haven't really been much of a Tebow fan...until now. I'm a believer!

3. Lunar eclipses are worth getting up for. In the past I've just kinda been "eh" when I've heard one was happening. I got up early to walk with my neighbors on Saturday and to our surprise and delight we got to see the eclipse from start to finish while we were walking. It was AMAZING! Did you see it?

4. If you accidentally rip an entire toenail off it will hurt. It will hurt a LOT.

5. These enchiladas are fantastic. I usually prefer to eat enchiladas at a mexican joint because I can't ever get the taste quite right at home. Not anymore. This recipe is a game changer.

Holiday Currents. Not to be confused with Holiday Currants!

My December currents...

Current Books: How pathetic is it that I haven't read a book in ages!?! Even if I had time to sit and read, I don't think I have the attention span to finish a book. L-A-M-E.

Current Playlist: Anything Christmas! I'm especially loving Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Point of Grace, Jim Brickman, and Glee Christmas!

Current Color: Black, red, gray, and lime green. Though not necessarily together!

Current Drink: Same 'ole, same 'ole--Good Earth tea, water, and occasionally Zevia soda.

Current Food: I really, really love red meat and seem to crave it all the time. And this time of year those clementine "Cuties" are soooooo yummy.

Current Favorite Favorite: THIS CANDLE from Bath and Body Works. It makes my house smell so good and Christmasy!

Current Wishlist: Yaktrax and Cotton Bowl tickets. Santa has been informed.

Current Needs: More hours in my days! And someone to do my laundry.

Current Triumph: Well, I've got several. 1. I survived an insane week. 2. John and I got our basement cleaned and organized last weekend! 3. I found a unique gift for my very-hard-to-buy-for husband and have successfully hidden it from him. 4. I've blogged more in one week than I have in a very long time. TRIUMPH!

Current Bane of my Existence: The snow plows that bank snow in front of our driveway AFTER we have cleared it all away make me want to say really bad words. Huge piles of heavy, wet, snow got pushed up against the curb two days ago and now we have this frozen hump of snow that we have to drive over when we pull into our driveway. It's gonna be there awhile because it's so packed that it won't be melting anytime soon. Such a pain. Grrrrrr.

Current Indulgence: Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses! I love those things.

Current Mood: Most of the time I think I'm pretty merry and jolly--just like the season. But every once in awhile Grinchy Mer pops in for a visit. 

Current #1 Blessing: It's hard to list only one so here are a few: a warm house, vehicles that start faithfully every morning, children that love each other, a fulfilling marriage, and good health!

Current Outfit: Well, my favorite part of any outfit these days is a scarf because it instantly adds color and interest to an otherwise plain outfit. My favorite place to buy scarves is Forever 21 because they're cute and they're cheap! I bought this one the other day and I'm loving it.

Current Excitement: John got tickets to the stage production of Irving Berlin's White Christmas in Denver next weekend. SOOOOOOOO stinkin' excited! His parents will be here and they're going with us. YAY!

Current Link: I posted a bunch of links yesterday but came across this one last night for some great teacher gift ideas, and these peppermint cookies look pretty yummy too! 

Happy weekend, y'all! 

Inspired.

Got a few links to share with you guys today. Links to things that inspire me or are too good not to share!

My real-life friend, Angie, made these ADORABLE and (very inexpensive!) leg warmers to wear with boots. Sarah and I want to try making some this weekend! If you only click on one link in this post make it THIS one!

We also hope to make some of these rice-heat bags. I bought one a few weeks ago and I use it daily because it's been so stinkin' cold here! The one I have is wonderful.

This feta dip is sooooo good and sooooo easy. Make it! Seriously! I made a small bowl of it for lunch yesterday. I ate it with some leftover pita chips we had because I didn't that kind of bread on hand. Pita chips aren't gluten-free but I've found I can tolerate small amounts of wheat once or twice a week. It's just the everyday consumption that really affects me.

Another friend directed me to this blog last week and I LOVE it. She has some really great gluten-free recipes and I made these steak tacos with cilantro lime rice one night this week and they were delicious! My family gave them two thumbs up.

These chewy gingerbread bars are not gluten-free but they look wonderful! Maybe I'll find some time to bake soon because these are definitely on my list!

Raise your hand if you're glad it's FRIDAY!!!! Yep, me too! Have a great weekend, people!

thirteen minutes...

I have thirteen minutes before I have to leave for my afternoon carpool round so I thought I'd sit here and spill the random contents of my brain.

1. This is so superficial. I got my hair cut and colored yesterday. The last time I had my hair highlighted, my stylist went really light. I liked it but I didn't like my dark roots when my hair started growing out. I told her yesterday that I didn't want to go that light again so she suggested I go a little more natural. I thought that sounded like a good idea but wowza, I didn't realize how dark my natural color was. It's dark, y'all. I'm not sure I like it. At least I don't have to worry about dark roots when my hair grows. I don't go very often for color so I'm guessing maybe around Easter I can lighten it up again. I'll probably be counting the days...

2. John took the day off yesterday and we went to Denver to do some Christmas shopping. I did a little bit prior to yesterday (on Black Friday) but we bought everything on yesterday's list and only have a few more things left to buy before Christmas. YAY!!! It was a fun day!

3. The "check engine" light came on in my van at the end of last week. We took it to our wonderful mechanic yesterday before we left for Denver and we stopped back by there on our way into town to pick it up. Something was clogging the air filter and guess what? They didn't charge me a dime to clean it! I heart our mechanic. Especially when he saves me money in December!

4. I'm excited about our Advent service at church tonight. Our entire church staff is at a conference in California and so they asked John to teach tonight. I can't wait. He's my favorite speaker EVER. I'm also excited that I don't have to cook tonight because we have a soup supper before the service. I signed up to bring two pies but between our trip to Denver yesterday and volunteering all morning at the elementary school I ran out of time to bake. Thank goodness for the Village Inn. I picked up a cherry and a chocolate pie to bring tonight. They'll probably be better than any pie I could have made from scratch!

Okay...my time is up. Minnie-the-van is calling. Happy Wednesday, peeps.

Tell About It Tuesday: 3 Things

It's been awhile since I've done a Tell About It Tuesday post so today you're getting three in one. My blog readers are sooooo lucky.

1. New-Skin Liquid Bandage. Y'all. This stuff is amazing! It's exactly what it says--a liquid bandage. Over Thanksgiving break I got a small cut on my index finger that would not heal. Between cooking all week and the constant washing of hands (I'm an admitted germaphobe and wash my hands obsessively) and the need to do normal things that require the use of your index finger (like buttoning jeans) my cut kept splitting open. And it was painful. I remembered that I'd bought this liquid bandage for John when his knuckles kept splitting open from our cold, dry air and would not/could not heal either and so I tried it. You simply brush it on with the applicator and let it dry. It burned like crazy for a few minutes because it has an antiseptic in it, but then the New-Skin dried and formed a waterproof seal for my cut. You can reapply if you need to, but one application did the trick and lasted for four to five days--long enough for my cut to completely heal despite the all the cooking and hand-washing and jean-buttoning. I LOVE this stuff. It retails for around $4. Two other things to note. One, it stinks. It works great, but it smells bad. Two, it comes in a glass bottle which isn't shatterproof when dropped on a tile bathroom floor. Not that I'd know anything about that. 

2. Emergen-C. I swear by this stuff. Last week I started coming down with a cold. Stuffy head, headache, congestion, runny nose and one night I even felt achy all over. I immediately started chugging Emergen-C. And you know what? I kicked that cold to the curb! It didn't happen instantly (or even overnight) but by drinking Emergen-C a few times a day my symptoms never worsened and were completely gone within three days, which is great because who has time to be sick during the holidays?

Basically, it's a packet of flavored powder that you dissolve in water that turns into a fizzy, vitamin-packed drink. Each packet has 1000mg of Vitamin C (plus other vitamins and minerals) and I've found that the B vitamins give me a little burst of energy (bonus)! You can buy it at Walmart, most drugstores, and health food stores. My health food store sells individual packets which is nice if you're trying to find a flavor you like, but it's much cheaper to buy a box. It'd be terrible though to be stuck with a box in a flavor you can't tolerate. Personally, I like the Tropical flavor best, though the Orange and Tangerine aren't too bad. The packets are usually around .50 each and the box retails for around $8. When I feel myself starting to get sick, I usually mix and drink three packets a day--morning, noon, and evening.

3. Microfiber cleaning cloths. I'm a clean freak. I wish I could deny it but I can't. My friend, Molly, told me about these cloths last summer and I am crazy addicted to them. They are amazing. I use them for so many things--cleaning my computer screen and electronics, cleaning stainless steel, polishing faucet fixtures, windows, countertops, and any dusting any surface imaginable. They pick up dust and trap it so you're not spreading it all around and the fibers leave glass and stainless steel shiny and perfectly streak free. Seriously. STREAK-FREE! They're super absorbent too which makes them perfect for cleaning up spills. I bought several of the ones I linked to above (because they were cheap!) but they're so big that I ended up cutting each large square into four smaller ones making them the perfect size for dusting or cleaning. Note: If you cut your microfiber down to a smaller size, you'll need to "seal" the edges so they won't fray. I just ran a lighted match around the edges to kinda melt/seal the edges and have had zero problems. 

Yes, I really just blogged about liquid bandages, vitamin drinks, and CLEANING cloths. I'm a dork. A liquid-bandaged, cold-free, and cleaning obsessed DORK.

A snow day and a mystery solved!

If I had to choose a word to describe December (so far) it would be SNOWY! We're only five days into this merry month but we've had snow almost every one of those five days. Since December began, the kids haven't had a full day of school thanks to weather delays or closures and today is ANOTHER snow day--let the celebrating begin! I'm actually glad that it worked out this way. Sarah was at a Wyldlife Winter Camp all weekend and came home very tired and Will isn't feeling super great. They could both use a down day and I was thinking yesterday how nice a three day weekend would be!

Yesterday, Abbey helped solve a perplexing mystery. I picked her up from a birthday party yesterday afternoon and as we were getting in the car, she said, "Mom, I kept feeling some kind of metal thing in my snow boots and when I pulled it out it was an iPhone." HUH? An iPhone? In your snow boots? Hooray! I knew immediately that it belonged to my niece. When we were leaving Winter Park last New Years, Mikenzie could not find her iPhone. All eleven of us searched every inch of our condo, our cars, our luggage, etc and could NOT find that phone. I guess I never thought to look in Abbey's boots, though I did look in every other nook and cranny for most of January. Abbey was so proud of herself for solving the mystery some forty-eight weeks later. Thankfully the iPhone still works despite Abbey walking all over Walmart and ArtSports with it in her boot because she thought having something metal inside snow boots was perfectly normal. Sorry about that Mikenzie! Case closed.

It's DECEMBER!

I flipped my calendar to December yesterday--a happy thing for me. I'm determined to have a stellar attitude about this wonderful, fun, activity-filled month! The kids get out of school for Christmas much later than they ever have and so our weekends are packed with activity, and if you've read this blog for any length of time you probably know how I feel about weekends that leave no room for rest. I'm going to stay positive though...I think I can I think I can I think I can. Smile.

I've got some scattered thoughts in my head this morning. Lucky you.

I think I have a sensitivity to gluten. I eliminated a whole bunch of things from my diet back in May, including gluten. I've added everything back at this point with no problem except for gluten. It just makes me feel YUCK! Things flared up for me over Thanksgiving break so I eliminated it again and felt 100% better until yesterday when I ate something with regular flour in it. I guess I'm going to join the ranks of gluten-free friends. Will you please leave me a comment if you're gluten-free? I'd like to have some people to dialogue with and share recipes!

You know yesterday when I mentioned that we had to have our heater repaired this week? Yeah. We found a leaky pipe in our basement yesterday afternoon and had to have that repaired as well. It's been a costly week for home repairs. Sigh. Seems like something big either breaks or needs to be replaced at our house every year in December. Last year it was our refrigerator. Again though, I'm thankful we had the money to take care of things, thankful things are working now, and thankful things weren't worse!

The only reason I have time to blog this morning is because our schools are on a two-hour delay. We had snow and icy roads yesterday and things are still slick this morning. My kids are still sleeping--hallelujah!!! They are so wiped by the time Friday rolls around. This extra sleeping time is a gift for them. (And it would have been for me too if the text message relaying the delay hadn't woken me up at 4:24AM! Drat!)

Oh oh oh! Remember that earring I thought I lost at Kohl's last month? I was sitting in the pick up line at school one day this week and decided it was time to clean all the trash out of my van. I reached down in the door pocket to grab some trash and something caught my eye. I might have squealed when I realized it was my earring! I'm sure the lady in customer service at Kohl's will be relieved to know I found it. I've checked the lost and found there um, several times lately. It's always the same employee and she always looks at me with a sad and slightly annoyed face and says, "Sorry, no earring has been turned in." 

I thought of several other things earlier that I wanted to mention but now I'm drawing a blank. I should probably get up and get moving though. Two-hour delays are great but that means fewer hours in my day to get all my Friday things finished up! Happy weekend, peeps!

Twenty-Eight. Twenty-Nine. Thirty!

I guess technically I should have finished this series yesterday.

#28 I am thankful for a heater that works. We woke up Monday to no heat in the house. Honestly, it wasn't that cold outside so it wasn't too big of a deal. The repairman came and replaced a part...a teeny-tiny part that cost a small fortune...and voila! we had heat again. I'm thankful we had money for the repair in our checking account, thankful for jobs that keep money in our checking account, and I'm SUPER thankful we have heat today because it's snowy and frrrrreeeeeeeezing cold outside. 

#29 I am thankful for small things that bring BIG joy! A sweet text message from a friend, a friend bringing me my favorite candy (Bit-O-Honey--thank you, T!), a phone call from a friend I haven't talked to in awhile, a FOUND earring, a "thanks, mom" from one of my kiddos.

#30 I am thankful for our church's soup suppers and Advent services. We went to our first Advent service at church last night and it was beautiful. There's something about sitting in a quiet, candle-lit sanctuary that really stirs me. The music we sing and and the scriptures we read are very centering and I love the opportunity to quiet my heart and mind and REALLY focus on what's important this season. It's sooooo good. And I'm sooooo thankful for that time.

Gratitude is something I believe we can (and should) express every single day of our lives!