Tip Toes

A big thing has happened! My girl and I wear the same shoe size!
Can you tell whose feet belong to who?

If you think green are mine, you're right! You can tell by the thicker ankles.

We traded socks, so now it's me in blue.

My boy has to get in on the action!!

It's About Time...

That's what many people tell us... we live 45 minutes from an amazing ski hill and we have never taken our kids. Well $5 Friday night happened, so for $60 we all rented skis, got our lift tickets and headed out for an evening of entertainment. The boy was totally pumped about going; the girl pouted all day before hand about going because she was terrified. After a quick 2 second instruction from Dad, they were pushed down the bunny hill. We lasted there 2 runs and then figured we'd hit the big chair (OK- the short green run), mostly because the "Magic Carpet" wasn't on and we had to walk up the hill. There was a bigger Magic carpet than in this video.



After 1 run on the big hill, the boy turned into a speed machine. He was ecstatic about the chair lift! The girl kept on at a much slower pace for fear of falling and learned all the ins and outs of the snow plow. She was less than ecstatic about the chair lift and only caused them to stop it once while unloading :) After the 2nd time though she admitted to having fun!! All one needs once in awhile is a little attitude adjustment and we were proud of her for making it, actually on the drive up. This is what character is about. Once in awhile I need an attitude adjustment too.

By the end of our 3 1/2 hours, we were tired and the kids were doing amazing!! Jacob skiing nearly as fast as me, a little out of control mind you, and Erin doing amazing turns and feeling pretty confident. I think I learned that sometimes doing something you're a little scared of is a good thing. Character building and you feel good after. Thanks to my daughter for that lesson.

Nothing

I never used to run out of things to say, but a lot of days I have not much to say. Today is one of those days. Maybe part of it is the fact that I worked til midnight last night and could barely get out of bed when I thought about the fact of having to pack lunches with nothing "good" in the fridge. I remember being a teenager and there being nothing "good" to eat in the fridge. We have that a lot because I try not to use a lot of quick to eat packaged things on hand. Sometimes when I'm at Costco though I break down.

Today I am extremely joyful over one of my dearest friends who waited too many years to adopt and then were blessed with 2 boys within a year. Now her sister has just adopted- in a matter of a few weeks it all happened! What a joy, so if you think to pray for that birth mom today. Her family are strong Christians and the birth Grandfather prayed an amazing blessing over the new parents that were receiving the gift of this baby with the darkest hair and eyes!!

I think today I might walk the dog, contemplate my weekend (no school tomorrow), and meet my friend for lunch. Try to squeeze in a little scrapbooking in our anniversary book after picking up the photos from Costco (oh no, self control) - no our anniversary is not til June but I am sorely behind in my pages!

Good Morning Monday

Wishing it were this warm here today... although we had a beautiful, almost feeling like spring weekend. We hauled out the basketball hoop and swept the driveway of gravel. There is always the feeling of hope that the cold is almost ending on a day like that. I love the hope of spring, it brings lots of warm, fuzzy feelings and dreams about my summer garden. If we didn't have winter, we wouldn't be able to feel like that. If we didn't have difficult days, we wouldn't more fully enjoy the wonderful ones. If we didn't have sin, we wouldn't feel the hope of new life and freedom in Jesus!

Happy Valentine's Day

So I surprised 2 people today with red and white helium balloons. One was my daughter ~ hiding them in her locker at school. She wondered, but not for long who knew her combination and snuck them in there. She left them in there after school because she was embarrassed to carry them through the halls, but went back and got them. The other was a friend who was having a bad day, except I was caught in the act. I got a hug out of it though, she was still surprised. I love the reaction of them both. I hope your day was just as fun! I also got a dozen red roses waiting for me this morning after I dropped the kids off at school. Thanks sweetheart. We might try a little voice alteration later tonight for some good fun with the helium- I don't think our kids have experienced that yet.

How Sweet it is.... to be Loved by you

Love these girls!!! Miss you R & T.

You know the feeling when you were younger and you went away to summer camp? .... you came home full of memories of an amazing week that seemed so much longer, like you had been in a whole 'nother life. All the sweetness of the friendships and the feelings of joy and excitement of all that went on in just a few short days. All that contrasted to coming home to the regular life. Well I have that feeling. The only difference being that the coming home is also so sweet because my husband and kids are so wonderful.

My 2 dear friends, who we decided since none of us have sisters, are sisters to each other. We celebrated 18 years of friendship- boy are we getting old? What an absolutely amazing weekend we had in Savannah. We spent hours talking and catching up, sharing old stories and new. Spent hours over leisurely meals without toddler hands to watch or "pre-teens" asking how much longer. We poked in and out of cute shops at leisure, ate good southern cuisine, walked the beach and I saw my first glimpse of the Atlantic. We enjoyed touring old Victorian style homes, ate crayfish, drove up into South Carolina, listened to old tunes, and enjoyed every minute together, except for the last (oh and the 2 hour delay in O'Hare).

I can't wait 'til next year, since we decided it should be an annual affair. Especially with each of us turning 40 in the next 3 consecutive years.

View from our hotel balcony

Tara playing at Hilton Head beach

My girls!!

My feet touch the Atlantic for the first time. brrr.......

Lighthouse at Tybee Island

It's fun to be free and goofy!

Seafood platter for 1!!! For $20!!

An old Southern Plantation

A sweet, but short visit with family on my way through Calgary.
Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks?!

Georgia on my Mind

36 hours 15 min... til I get on a plane and go fly away.