A Girls Best Friend

I've taken lots of pictures of Hayden loving on Harry, but Harry usually doesn't stick around when Allie tries to love on him.  I had to take advantage of this photo op :)  If I haven't mentioned (this week), Harry is the most patient cat EVER!  Allie had just woken up from her nap and Harry was sleeping on the couch.  I set her next to him and she put her "ni-night" on him and loved on him!

Baking Away

I have had the baking bug lately.  The last 4 days, I've made: homemade bread, homemade cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip pecan cookies, rice krispie treats, gooey cake, a pecan pie, & cinnamon muffins!  The gooey cake and pecan pie were for a family get together so I didn't eat them all by myself.... the rice krispie treats were a different story...

cinnamon rolls, rice krispie treats, homemade sour dough bread

cinnamon muffins, pecan pie, and gooey cake in the covered pan

The cinnamon rolls deserved a close up picture.  They were some of the best I've made! 

To-Day Lists

Well this is a first! I'm blogging from my iPhone. Please excuse any typos!

In the mornings, one thing I always do right after I wake up is check my email (sometimes while I'm still in bed thanks to my new iPhone)!  I get a daily email from Proverbs 31 Ministries and I was out of the habit of reading them until recently.  The email today was talking about how when we make "to do lists," a lot of the items roll over to "tomorrow's list".  I am so guilty of this.  I usually do 1/2 to 3/4 of my list but when I see what is left, (clean the bathrooms or Windex my windows), I make excuses for myself.  I tell myself I've already accomplished enough for one day and I will do it tomorrow.  I'm feeling really lazy admitting that, but it's true! The email this morning challenged us to make "to day lists" instead.  That way we will commit to doing it today! This was a revelation for me people!

Ive also signed up for a 15 day clutter free challenge online. The woman doing the challenge also writes for Proverbs 31 Ministries and she has written a book on organization.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what difference it makes in my home. If u want to sign up for the challenge too, it's not too late. Go here and read today's post (Day 1) then subscribe to her blog.  Easy peasy.

If you are interested in the Proverbs 31 daily email (which is fantastic), you can click here.

Cookies in a Jar

I love the idea of giving a "cookie in a jar" gift!  I wanted to do it the past few Christmases, but haven't gotten around to it!  Since the upcoming holiday is my all time favorite, I'm challenging myself to do a cookie in a jar gift for some friends for Valentines Day!  Sometimes my great intentions get swallowed up by my role as wife/mom.  I feel like if I post my intentions to my blog, I have a better success rate of following through.

When we went to Bass Pro I saw these cookies in a jar:

I hope mine turn out just as pretty!  Give me a month or so to get my act together before I blog about them :)

Aldi Eggs

I love Aldi for many many reasons, and finding scripture in my egg carton just makes me like that store even more!  "This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it"! Psalms 118:24

Painted Sunset

I love a pretty sunset!  Who doesn't?!  When we were driving home from Bass Pro last night, I was really anxious for the sun to go down since we were driving west!  I got my camera out to take a few pictures of the sun as it was setting.  Every time I put my camera away vowing I was done taking pictures, the sunset kept getting more and more beautiful and I couldn't stop taking pictures!  Take a look at what God painted for us on our way home :)

Bass Pro Trip

Today was Kevin's last day of holiday break.  He woke up before me this morning, and when I got up, we were trying to figure out plans for the day.  I suggested we go to Bass Pro over by Louisville and do some returning/shopping/looking.  It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day so we quickly got ready, packed a few snacks and sippy cups, then hit the road!

This was our first "road trip" since we purchased our GPS and our DVD players (that fit over the seats in your car).  We were anxious to give all our new gadgets a try!  The GPS got us exactly where we wanted and we were also impressed our estimated arrival time was set an hour ahead to be in sync with Louisville time!  As for the DVD players, that may go down in history as one of my best ever Black Friday purchases!  I was never a fan on them, but since we're planning a little Florida vacation this year, Kevin convinced me we needed them for the kids.  The car ride was about an hour and a half both ways and we didn't hear a peep out of either kid!  They LOVED watching the movies!  (I think it helps my kids barely watch tv.  I will occasionally turn it on - but I think that's the biggest reason these were such a success!)

If you have never been to the Bass Pro Shop, you should go just to see all the displays and animals!  Even if you don't buy anything, it's worth a trip over!  Here are some lots of pictures from our little day trip :)

Hayden & Allie watching Cars.

Had to stop for a potty break on the way there!  Kevin kept trying to shield him from passing cars.

We stopped for lunch at Cheddars!  We knew we were going to spend a couple hours at Bass Pro and thought we'd all be happier shopping with a full belly!  Hayden showing me his antlers.

Appetizer - salsa/chips/cheese with seasoned beef

Allie was ready to eat, but not wanting to get her pic taken!  She does this now when she sees the camera b/c she doesn't like the flash! Ha!

Allie got grilled cheese

Kevin and I split the shrimp/rib meal!

Hayden got corn dogs

I had no idea how HUGE this store was!

Bear footprints on the sidewalk

Loved the words in the back... "Welcome fisherman, hunters, and other liars"

Cute otter display when you walk in

These 2 bucks were above the doors you walked in.

 

Allie loved all the "puppy dogs!" (Every animal is a puppy dog!)

The big aquarium

The doe standing above the aquarium getting a drink

Sitting in front of the aquarium

A big catfish!

Riding the elevator up!

Allie finally found herself a puppy dog!

Kevin & Hayden found a fishing game for a Wii.  Too bad we don't have a Wii!

Allie modeling some hats

I thought this display of full body mounted deer was so neat!  Then I saw all the HUGE deer under them and was just as impressed!  I told Kevin if he ever got a deer that big, we would hang that in our house!  (I've always told him they will be hanging in his "man cave!")

Allie walking around the store

She found some cute tackle boxes!

Our best attempt at a self-timed family picture!

New Year

Yesterday I was thinking that 1 year from now, I will have a semester and a summer break with Hayden before he starts kindergarden!  I about passed out.  I know how fast a year can fly by!  I am so not ready for my baby boy to leave his mommy and go to school!

With that being said, I have a lot I want to do this next full year of Hayden being at home.  I feel like 2011 my mothering started to evolve into something deeper.  Instead of  being "just a stay at home mom", I felt like it was a calling, and one of the most important jobs I will have in my life.  A couple days ago I posted about the blog, Mothering From the Heart, and Audrey writes about mothering being a full time job.  She talks about how many mothers today make mothering a hobby or a part time job, when it really requires more then that.  I also listened to one of her messages that talked about the seasons of your life.  Raising children, which may take 20 some years, is a quick season in your life.  I feel like I will have many years after my kids are out of the house for a career, if that's what God has planned for my life.  I want to give God, my husband and my kids 100% of me. 

Here are some of my goals for this year:

• Get in the habit of reading my bible daily - no excuses!
• Read my kids the bible daily (they l-o-v-e their children's bible!)
• Read the 8 books I got for my birthday/Christmas (Which include: Bringing up Boys, Bringing Up Girls, Dare to Discipline, The Strong Willed Child, Self Talk Soul Talk, Made to Crave, Radical, & Silver Boxes.)
• Take a family vacation to celebrate 5 years of marriage.
• Be a better wife, mom, & friend.

2011 had many ups and downs, but overall, it was a great year!  I'm looking forward to this next year, and I'm so thankful I'm able to be at home, where I want to be, doing what I'm called to do!

Immacu~10

Earlier this year, Hayden spilled an entire bottle of red gatorade in the middle of his bedroom floor (which is carpeted).  I googled all kinds of ideas on how to get remove the stain.  I actually did see some results with a process called "ironing out the stain".  The red gatorade spot was still very visible in Hayden's room after the ironing, but it was more of a pink shade instead of red.  A month or two later, my parents went to the Louisville Flea Market and came home with a bottle of Immacu~10.  My mom was raving about the cleaner and told me I must try it on the gatorade stain.  I had accepted the fact Hayden's carpet would be permanently stained, but silly me!  I did 2 treatements of Immacu~10 and to this day I can't tell you exactly where the stain is because it's 100% gone!

I bought Kevin a shirt this week that I didn't see was stained untill I got it home.  I am kicking myself now for not taking a before picture, but after a quick Immacu~10 treatement, the stain was gone!  I just can't get over how well this product works!!! 

I knew I couldn't blog about it and not have pictures, so this evening I went back to Hayden's room to clean up some stains.  I have no idea what these stains are... but I'm going to guess it's from a drink?  Anyways, here's the before and after picture!

Before and After! 

Here's the link to Immacu~10.  I know they sell it at flea markets and I've been told they sell it at the one in Evansville, but I've never checked.  Definitely worth having if you have kids though!!!

Catching Up

I have been trying to catch up on blogs I read the last day or so.  One of my favorites is called Mothering From the Heart.  It's on my "Blog List" there to the right.  I love her writing and opinions and views.  I have spent several nights reading older posts she's written or listening to messages she's posted on her blog.  You should check her out sometime too!