Happy Love Day

Happy Valentine's Day sweeties! 

This holiday is kind of a hokey one in my opinion. Another Hallmark Holiday where more flowers and jewelery are purchased than any other time of the year. A marketing scheme, if you will.  

It shouldn't take a specified day for us to make an effort to tell someone that we love them or to do something special. We should be doing that all year long. That is part of loving someone, right? Making them feel special and loved, all the time?  Besides, if you want to surprise a loved one, why do it on the same day everybody else is? Make it a surprise. A real one that is totally unexpected. Those are the ones that generate the bestest and warmest fuzzies! :)

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate this day. I love to see all the fun things that come out and it's the only time of year I can get my conversation heart fix. Which this year some imposter came along and made some really gross ones and I couldn't find any by Brachs so I didn't get my fix this year. *sigh*. Anyone have any extras they wanna send my way? **crosses fingers**

Also, please do not think by any means that I am telling you to ignore this holiday, because I am definitely NOT telling you that. Even if it's hokey, it's still nice when you remember.... ;)

 

Love is the same, in any language! 

Much Love!!!

Too Much Cute!

"Don't underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering." ~~Winnie The Pooh

For some reason, this week went unbelievably fast. In some ways, that is a good thing, and in others, not so much. I always want the work week (or rather, just the work part) to go fast, but I wish the rest of the time didn't fly by so quickly. Of course, time doesn't go by faster or slower one day over the next, but it's odd how it seems that it does. 

This week ended on a very good note. For the second time this school year my daughter received this letter. I am so proud that in her first year of junior high she has made straight A's both quarters so far and also made the high honor roll, twice. Total proud momma moment! {{insert giant cheesy grin}}

Then....remember Niko? My silly puppy that makes me laugh? Well, she makes my daughter laugh too. She also thinks she is a lap dog. Ummm.....think again Niko! 

She is saying, "See, I am TOO a lap dog!!"

This is the look I got after I told her to get down because she is NOT a lap dog! Pathetic, huh? LOL

She still didn't want to get down. Apparently she was tired and thought she'd try and take a nap on Zee's lap. I like the black spots on her tongue. They started out as one little black spot and they keep growing, just like her daddys. :)

Last but not least, I have the sweetest picture of my other buddy. Although, I'm beginning to wonder if he only likes me for my Mac ;)

Hopefully you got a smile out of these just as I did. :)

Much Love!!

The Journey

When I came home today, the first thing I noticed were the fresh tracks in the snow in the front yard.  They were the footprints that my children left on their way to school this morning. They each chose their own way, making their own mark, yet getting to the same destination.  It reminded me how similar it was to life. We all may take different paths in life and make our own impression, encounter different obstacles and hopefully we will all end up at the same destination: a life that was happy, fun, passionate, loving and full of memories and few regrets. These are only some of the things that I wish for my children, but the sight of these footprints made me smile. I can only hope, that no matter how old my children get, they will always leave footprints nearby.

I wouldn't even mind if they left a few fingerprints on my windows....just so long as they are always near....

Much Love!!

For The Love Of Snow

Back in December I said that staring January 1st, I was going to be doing a photo a day for the next year. It seemed easy enough. Just take a photo and post it. Hm. I have realized that its not so easy for me because I am not happy with just posting any ole picture. It's gotta be just right. A wee bit anal maybe? Perhaps. I see it as a good thing now. It really makes me stop and think about the photo I want to take and the story I want to capture. I peruse Flickr and admire all the amazing photographs and hope that someday I will capture a smidgen of that talent.

Today's story features my absolutely wonderful baby girl, Niko. She is 9 months old and the sweetest thing ever! She makes me laugh every day because her personality is so quirky. You scratch her anywhere and her back leg thumps. She loooooooves to be scratched..lol. She also licks the air when you scratch her. Yes, she licks the air...hahaha! You have to see it but it is comical to watch. Something else she loves is the snow. Well we have plenty of it so she is in heaven!  The only thing she doesn't like is that she gets snowballs stuck in the hair between her toes. Then she has to nibble them all out, and that interferes with her play time...lol.  Today she was out back playing, rolling in the snow, digging in it and then throwing it up in the air with her nose! She stopped wiggling for a split second for me to snap this shot. Isn't she cute with a snowy nose? :)

Now, if I could just get her to mop up her wet foot prints when she comes in the door ;)

Much Love!!!

Lookie Lookie!

I have two things to share with you today. Two things that make me very happy! In no particular order....

First is a recipe that I must share. It would be a crime if I knew of this recipe and didn't spread the word. It really is *THAT* good. If you don't cook, have someone make it for you. They will be glad you did once they taste it. 

Ok, ready? It's called "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever". Now, I didn't name it, but it IS the best ever. How do I know? Because The Pioneer Woman said so and because I've tasted it!! It is so full of chocolaty goodness that my mouth is watering right now. Your arteries may scream at you because it has nearly a pound of butter in it (Oh, Julia Child would be so proud), but just ignore them. Your taste buds will thank me later! :) Just click the title of the recipe and she will take you step by step in how to make this cake. Once you're there, you may as well check out the rest of her blog. That woman cracks me up till I'm laughing so hard that I'm in tears! Yes, she's that funny! :)

Yum!!

The second thing I want to share is that my daughters quilt is finished! I love that word. Finished. This quilt was definitely easy to put together, but I love it because I drew out the design and she was smitten with it. Then I took her shopping and let her choose all the fabrics, whatever she wanted. We made this together and it just makes me smile. Even more so, because she absolutely LOVES it!! :D

**Began on January 20th, 2010 and completed on February 7th, 2010!

Hook, Line, & Sinker!

Over the last year and a half, maybe two years, I've really gotten into reading again. I've always loved to read, but somewhere along the way I didn't have much time to do it. Until now. Now, I always have a book going, sometimes two. 

I'm supposed to be reading The Lightning Thief per my daughters suggestion (and I WILL read it) but when I was out and about today, I saw a book I've been wanting to read.  I hadn't purchased it yet because I have other books waiting in line to be read. 

It was the last one on the shelf. It was lonely. I couldn't resist. So I bought this....

Then I saw this book. I shouldn't have read the back, but I did. Hook, line, and sinker.  I bought it too. 

I know both of these books will have me blubbering. I'm ok with that. Anyone have an extra box of Kleenex? :D

Much Love!!!

Art Appreciation

I hadn't realized that today would have been Norman Rockwell's birthday. Thank you, Google, for bringing that to my attention with the sweet piece of art on your page today.

I've admired Norman Rockwell's work ever since I was just a little girl. I had spent a lot of time with my grandparents growing up, and they had pieces all over the house. I love them because they are of every day images with, sometimes, a bit of humor portrayed in them. They are real, and true, and full of emotion. That is what I love most about them.

There are so many that I adore, but here are some of my favourites:

This one because it makes me wonder.


This one because it makes me giggle.


So does this one.


This one makes me think of mom....


This one makes me go "awwwwww" :)


Thank you for all the smiles, Mr. Rockwell!

Much Love!!