How do you save $500?

Clean out your dryer. Or have a very talented husband who can.
You will be amazed how well it works after (and all the lint you will find)!

These were mine and David's favorite Christmas gifts to each other.

For me: David got the kids ready one day (teeth AND hair brushed with matching outfits!) while I was gone and snapped some great pictures. Besides the fact I love my children, I loved it because I had never seen these before, so it was a complete surprise. (FYI: I LOVE surprises, I mean, REAL surprises where not even a hint is given. And my birthday is January 23rd...I am just saying.)

For David: I interviewed the kids, individually, about David. I asked questions like: 'What does Daddy look like?', 'What does Daddy do for work?', 'What is something Daddy says to you?' and others. Then, they drew pictures according to what they had said. I laminated the pages and made it a book. It was awesome.

Baby, it is flippin' COLD outside

To celebrate...I am making a variety of soups this week. I am not a fan of soup normally, but these are abnormal temps.

So, here is the plan:

Sunday: Chicken and Dumplings with seasoned veggies on the side

Monday: Broccoli Cheese Soup with homemade bread bowls - for an added bonus, warm cornbread with the best honey butter EVER

Tuesday: Creamy White Chicken Chili and homemade cinnamon rolls - why not?

Wednesday: Zucchini Soup

Thursday: Taco Soup

Friday: depends on how well we have stood up to this change (maybe homemade pizza - trying a new recipe with ricotta cheese)....

All the recipes have come from my favorite cooking blogs (with some variations of my own): http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/
http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/

I am thinking this will do us until next year (or next week when it is supposed to be equally cold?)....

New Journal

My sister-in-law, Lydia, has motivated me to keep a journal on my children. She has kept one religiously and, with the passing of my 4-year-old niece, was able to find comfort reading these precious memories. They were simple ones like when she threw a Fig Newton behind her in the car and exclaimed, "I am finished with this." to her hanging onto the garage door as it was being raised, screaming as she hung onto the door 8-feet in the air. Stuff like this you wouldn't be able to remember when things seem to get so mundane while raising kids.

Journaling was one of the reasons for the blog among other things. But, I can't jump on the computer (and bore you) every time they do something that I find 'journal-worthy' and I forget it all by nighttime anyway. Thus, I have a notebook that I take everywhere with me. I have been amazed with how much more observant and in to my children I have been as a result. Even David gets into it and tells me, "I have one you can write down". (For this (also), I have slacked on my blogging duties.)

Writing in a journal has been a hit-and-miss thing for me, I keep it good for a few years then back off, begin again, on and on. My hope is that this new journal is here to stay. And, besides, it does help to have someone (like Lydia) to ask you once in awhile how the journal is going. So, if you see me...ask...put the pressure on:)!

The Blossoming Photographer

Just recently, Ashlyn marched into the office and, without hesitation, took the camera right off the desk.
I questioned, "What are doing with that?"

She replied, matter-of-factly, "Taking pi-tures. They need pi-tures."

"Who?" as I took the camera

"They do", pointing her fingers at this:


She had lined up all her toys she was playing with for a photo shoot.

I giggled and went along with it snapping pictures for her. She was very specific about how she wanted the toys lined up and what position they were to be in (that is why Barbie is on her side). This girl is very imaginative and creative. I have learned to go with it. She is so different one-on-one and I am amazed at what she comes up with.

In fact, one of my goals for this year is to spend more time with just her when Kylie is at school and Spencer naps.

I am excited!

There are certain things in my house that I wonder why I even have them, like this:



Why have a shower curtain when you always have to have it draped over the pole so a certain little man doesn't go ripping it or pulling it down?

What things do you have that you wonder, 'why'?