Snow Days

As the ice began to fall here Monday night we got in the mood by creating our own indoor snowstorm. We used fishing line to tape our homemade snowflakes to the ceiling, and the effect is fun, helping to brighten these gloomy days of winter.

Public school has been canceled here the last three days. A "snow day" for homeschoolers simply means we get much more school done since we're stuck indoors! We'll have "spring days" to distract us later. We did have a snowball fight in the backyard, then went sledding with friends yesterday. Today the snow stuck enough for Micah to make a snowman, which met its end tragically through decapitation. Micah explained he was a sad snowman anyway because he was an archeologist who discovered that snow does not fossilize, but only melts.

My Loser Husband

I think my husband has been afraid of visiting here one day and seeing that title, so I thought it'd be fun to make his heart skip a beat today--he's young, he can take it.

And here are some of the reasons why my husband is a loser:

He lost a week of vacation to take our son to the San Antonio Film Festival
He loses his Thursday evenings coaching our son's basketball team
He loses every Monday evening taking our sons to Scouts
He loses one weekend a month going on a Scout outing
He loses his evenings to care for us or our home
He loses some of his expendable income to pay for my whims (to which he never complains)
He loses his own time running errands for me
He has lost many arguments because his wife is always right
He's lost owning a truck because we can't afford it on one income
He's lost countless weekends carrying to completion my brilliant home improvement
ideas
He has lost potentially hours of his life listening to my insecurities and complaints
He sometimes loses a wife too absorbed in being a mother--but he loves me anyway

He IS a real Loser!

Make $5 buying Frito-Lay

I love these kind of deals, and figured you would too, but you only have 'til Saturday to cash in on this one. Walgreens is currently offering a $10 Register Reward (to be used on your next purchase at Walgreens) for buying $20 worth of Frit0-Lay products. They have the Pepsi soda products 5/$15 and Doritos 2/$5. See their online ad here for more specifics.

Then you can print and fill out this form to receive $15 for purchasing the same Frito-Lay products. Read the fine print to determine your best purchase options.

So, $20 purchase at Walgreens - $10 Register Reward - $15 rebate = earning $5 to stock up for the SuperBowl!

I'll Be Honest

No, I'm not getting ready to pour my heart out, but rather tell you about a plugin you need if you or anyone in your home use Firefox and spend any time on Facebook, MySpace, or YouTube. It's called I'll Be Honest and it will block all objectionable ads on those sites and replace them with scripture! I just installed it, and it works. (We do have an internet filter, but because of the way these three sites work, it does not filter out clickable ads.) With a 14yo son on the internet, this Works for Me!

To My Future Daughters

Ever try getting two boys into aprons? It ain't easy. So--my future daughter-in-laws--I hope you appreciate it because they did it for you. Here's the story:

I have had this stained tablecloth that was my Grandma Fritz's for many years. Each Christmas I see it in our decorations box, but never know quite what to do with it. I look at it, feel a bit guilty for not using it, then put it away. This year as we were packing up the decorations I was culling such items and nearly decided to throw it away when the thought hit me: make aprons out of it.

Initially I was going to make an apron for myself, but as I was making them the thought occurred to me that although I have no daughters to pass these down to, I will have daughter-in-laws. So, I made these with those two ladies in mind. And I then convinced my (fairly unimpressed) sons that their future wives will love to see what they looked like when their momma made these aprons. So, here we are. I hope you appreciate it, girls.

I REALLY should be in bed, but had to visit one of my favorite blogs before closing my laptop and came across this that I thought was fun. Copy, bold the items you HAVE done, post and compare!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (I’m throwing this question out because I don’t like it) One Thing didn't like it, and I agree with her sentiment, but our financial dude actually said this to us, so I thought I'd bold it anyway. :-)
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (you should all be grateful for this one)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41 Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45 Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (does it count if the artist was 8?)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (visited, but didn’t ride)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (do home movies count?)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia (does Kazahkstan count?)
60 Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67 Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (ew!)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (not to my knowledge)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person (my husband and son did just this week!)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Microscopic Art

This is quite incredible.

(Did Charlie Gibbons say "dickens of a time?" Haven't heard that expression in a while.)