Snow much fun!

Plant carrots in January and you'll never have to eat carrots. ~Author Unknown


Bizard of 2010 here in Maryland


Gavin says 'Wow' to all the snow we woke up to on Saturday



The 25" is almost as tall as Carter






Our neighbor was a big help with Mike not being home. The boys loved the snow blower atchment to his tractor- too cool!


They were glued to the window- I'd put money on one of them working with trucks or tractors when they grow up!


Gavin helping to shovel a path


Carter enjoying the taste of the season









Little tracks up the driveway and then 'thud' He sat there a good 10 minutes enjoying the newness of the snow!

"A snowflake is one of God's most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!" -Anon

New life

I have been so let down by my socks here lately! I'm always finding holes in them and it's not like I'm doing hard labor, they just wear so quickly and I feel like I'm just throwing money down the drain. But I have found a way to re-use and give new life to all the holy or mis-matched socks that we have accumilated around here over the years and just wanted to share in case anyone else is experienceing this too.

Dust rags

Ice Pack
Use the socks with out holes of course! Pour uncooked rice in them, tie closed, freeze and you have a make shift ice pack.

Sock puppets
The kids enjoy helping but it's been a release for me to draw on the socks I'm most frustrated about too!

And my favorite one I utilized just today....

Freezie pop holders!
Just slip a freezie pop into a sock and no more cold little hands or sticky mess to clean up from the juice running down their arms!

Snow Cream

"A snowflake is one of God's most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!" -Anon

Snow Cream, Mmmmmm, need I say more!!!!

My mother would help my brother and I make this tasty treat every winter. She always told us that the top of the snow was the best to use, since the snow just finished cleaning the air, it was dirtier on the bottom, but the top layer of snow was perfect for snow cream!

Ingredients:
- Heaping bowl of "White" Snow
-Milk/Cream
-Sugar
-Vanilla extract

Stir ingredients together and add more snow if needed

Get as creative as you'd like by adding maple syrup, or smashed bananas, or Nestle's Quick mix for chocolate snow cream, or even add friut juice instead of milk for a fruity drink... let your creativity run wild and enjoy- quickly!


"When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old."
-Lady Bird Johnson

Christmas at home

Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. ~Mary Ellen Chase

This might rank as one of the best Christmas' we've had in a while considering the circumstances this year. We were able to keep the kids home instead of dragging them around town from house to house and working around nap schedule's, which made everyone happier in the long run! The simple and quiet times of fellowship with family are the best!



The boys helping Mommy with the decorations the night before




Lighting the advent candles on Christmas Eve

Even the day before, boxes are too much fun to play with!





Christmas morning Gavin ran to the fire house under the tree but Carter was more excited about the cookie pieces that Santa left on the plate!







Gavin's 1st time on a sit-and-spin, he did really well but...



Carter was the one to hop right on and start spinning full circle!!!
Mom-mom having to help an excited Gavin to learn to take turns!

The Geotrax train set was also a big hit the day after Christmas, and the day after that, and the day after that...!!! Mommy and Daddy can't wait for Gavin's birthday to add the airplanes onto this one too! We have had as much fun with the toys as they have!



But most of all-
"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." ~Burton Hillis

December snow

"Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle."

Here in Maryland we wound up recieving around 23" of God's glistenilng snowflakes. The calmness of the snow, playfulness of the kids and the warmth of the pellet stove has been good medicine here lately.

The boys and I ventured out today and I swore that if I put Carter down he would dissapear! They didn't last too terribly long, only because they're little legs couldn't move. I'll have to shovel them a pathway, I guess like you would a dog to go to the bathroom. Mike has been out doing his snow patrol with good friends since early this morning and probably into tomorrow, so we'll be here having fun, keeping warm and taking lots of pictures for him to see when he returns.








The only downfall is the aftermath that comes inside when you're done playing!

Movin' on up

Flowers are without hope. Because hope is tomorrow and flowers have no tomorrow. ~Antonio Porchia, Voces, 1943, translated from Spanish by W.S. Merwin


The past few weeks have been a trying time but amidst all the anguish last weekend we were finally able to move everything up and actually sleep in our new bedrooms! The kiddos adjusted great and Mike and I are thankful to be sleeping on actual mattresses again!


Putting Gavin's old crib together for Carter to use while Gavin gets a new toddler boat bed!

Holiday cookie time!!!!

Holiday cookie time!!!!

I would have loved to had time to make the homemade cookie dough for holiday giving the day after Thanksgiving but the Black Friday deals took over and I didn't have enough energy the rest of that day; but the deals I got were sooo worth it, or should I say when I see the kiddos faces on Christmas morning it'll be sooo worth it :)

But with all the rain we are getting here I'll be sure to get a rain day to prep for cookie making. My plan is that on Christmas Eve the kids and I will just have to cut or form the cookies, bake and then decorate (oh, and can't forget the oh-so important step of tasting the results!) I don't want to have to deal with the prep work it takes to make several different recipes and not to mention the clean-up that is always involved.

I love getting weekly newsletters from Better Homes and Gardens http://www.bhg.com/ and here lately they're all about decorating and holiday baking- right up my alley! Especially since I'm hosting Christmas this year; more so we don't have to lug the presents and kids around town all day this Christmas, we get to loosen our load a little and actually enjoy the house we're building now that it has room for more than just the four of us for a change!

This week it's all about my favorite... chocolate!!! Forget about the buttery oatmeal raisin, substitute chocolate, or how good jelly makes different cookies or cakes so yummy, fill it with fudge! I always go for the chocolate- donuts, cookies, candies, ice cream, you name it, if there's anything chocolate around it's on my plate or already in my mouth!

Here's some of my favorites so far!

*Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

*Chocolaty Caramel Thumbprints
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/chocolaty-caramel-thumbprints/?prsc=HolidaysCookies

*Fudge Ecstasies
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/fudge-ecstasies/?prsc=HolidaysCookies


I also came across another great gift idea today!!! Instead of baking all those yummy cookies, just make the cookie dough and give it as a gift!

http://chsugar.com/giftideas/index.html


Homemade Cookie Dough

This Holiday Season couldn't we all use a little more dough?
Give your family and friends the gift of time along with delicious homemade cookies with C&H® Sugar's Holiday Cookie Rolls. A sprightly wrapped roll of ready-to-bake cookie dough is a simple, low cost gift that is packed with lots of thought and flavor.

Perfect for the busy mom with no time to bake from scratch, or for families with children who would love cutting shapes out of cookie dough without the mess of measuring and mixing. You'll notice our cookie dough recipe is made with egg-substitute, making it perfectly safe to eat right after mixing. Your friends and family can enjoy it alone, or even add it to their favorite ice cream!

Important Note: Cookie dough must be kept refrigerated. This gift if best when you are going straight to the recipient's home where they can place in the refrigerator right away.