Dreaming.....

While the weather has been FRIGID outside, I have been dreaming of summer. I love summer! Flip flops, sundresses, picnics on the beach, hearing giggles on the back porch are just a few of my favorites. The cool and crisp colors of summer makes me smile. So while I am sipping my hot cocoa, I am dreaming of sand between my toes.

Sweet Dreams!

OOPS!

I spent the morning at the car dealership having my service done. My project while I waited was to try to figure out how to post my pictures larger on the blog. Thanks to Google and instructions, I was able to figure it out. However, I messed up my header! Another project for another day.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Our family enjoyed the first day of the New Year in our pj's. I will have to say that I have never been a big New Year's person. I am not sure why. I don't like to make resolutions because I usually don't keep them. So you will not find a list of resolutions on this blog. Don't get me wrong, I do have goals, desires, wants, etc. So instead of making a list that I will loose weight, read a certain number of books, exercise more, , etc. (you know the list), I played around with my new photo editing program Aperture 2!!!! Yes, the big guy surprised me. Let me say, it wasn't the photo editing program that made my heart beat faster. It was the fact that I did not even mention to him that I would like the software. It was just because he knew! That is what makes a girl's heart beat faster. You know girls, we want our guys to read our minds and know exactly what would make us happy. They don't have a chance do they?

Did I mention that we stayed in our pj's for the ENTIRE day? Well, this is because we were exhausted from all the holiday fun. Here is a little recap of the past week.

We traveled to GA to visit my mom. Full house!!! 4 kids and 2 adults in a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house. Sleeping arrangements were comical!

Lollipops and Laughs.

Loved seeing my nieces.

Uncle Bernard and my little guy.

My kids with Aunt Tyree and Uncle Bernard

My family loves their cameras. Robin playing with her camera during lunch.

All of us minus 1 who is in Texas with a new baby.

Our dad, who by the way loves his camera too!

We drove back from GA and went straight to Maw Maw and Paw Paw's to see more family.

All I want for Christmas is a pink guitar. I will save the guitar story for another post.

They have decided to form a band and hit the road.

"Thank you God for Emma and Truman."

Now everyone has a hockey shirt! They really stay little boys in their hearts.

We had a great Christmas and so thankful we were able to see lots of family. I am really thankful for my pj day today!!!! Now I think I can start the New Year. Happy New Year!

Luv More Jesus

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind." Matthew 22:37

Little man was a cow in his preschool Christmas program. His teacher painted all the kids shirts with black spots. They were so cute.

What a sweet reminder to LUV MORE JESUS. This was painted on the back of the shirts. You know...EAT MORE CHICKEN...chick-fil-a.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Gingerbread House Tutorial

I am sure everyone is busy doing their Christmas baking! I wanted to provide you an easy tutorial on how to make the PERFECT gingerbread house with your kids. Grab your paper and pen and take good notes. Really, it is easy and fun. If you are thinking to yourself that you already know how to make a gingerbread house, you may not know how to make this one. You know...the Perfect One.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Invite a friend who has a good sense of humor and who is NOT a perfectionist. Also, make sure she has NEVER done a gingerbread house as well.

2. Buy a gingerbread kit. It is much easier and everything is provided. Do NOT read the instructions until the kids are gathered around and ready to decorate the gingerbread house.

3. Cut a big hole in the icing bag. This way the icing comes out in clumps instead of nice neat lines. Smear the icing on with your fingers. (Make sure you lick your fingers before and after your smear the icing.)

4. The kit instructions will suggest you put the icing on and hold the pieces together for 1 minute. No need to do this. The kids are ready to decorate!

5. Gather the cute kids around the table and build up the anticipation of making a gingerbread house.

6. Make sure you have a very active 2 year little boy. This way most of the decorations get eaten.

There you have it. A "Perfect" gingerbread house! Oh, wait until you see the next picture. It shows how "Perfect" it is.

That is why you DON'T want to hold the pieces together for 1 minute. It just would not turn out like this!

Final step: Make sure you have lots of fun and laugh alot.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Birthday Idea for Your Man

So the other day was the Big Guy's birthday. I never know what to get my man. It is so hard to surprise him. He always says he just wants to be with his family on his birthday. However, I wanted to do something for him. For those who know my guy, you know he LOVES his Tarheels and Carolina Hurricanes. Unfortunately for me, hockey season and basketball season are at the same time. I fought it for years! Well, I have learned to "try" to embrace it. I will have to say I love to go to hockey games. They are fast pace and to be honest, I love a good fight among the players.

Back to the birthday....I came up with an idea of dressing the kids in his favorite team attire. The little guy wore a hockey shirt and the first born wore a cheerleader outfit. The kids had so much fun. So one afternoon when the Big Guy was working hard, we had some fun in the backyard. It took several shots.

Could not use this one. Bailey's eyes were closed.

Ok, help mommy out. What about a smile!

I have to say I did not get that perfect picture I was wanting. With a little editing, I made it much more desirable.

Uploaded the picture, picked it up the next day, tossed it into a frame and wha la (however you spell it), there is a gift for the man.

We all went out to eat. The kids wore their outfits to dinner. He loved the picture and being with his family. But we are not finished yet. Birthday Cake!!! I wish I could say that I decorated or even baked this cake. My dear friend, Kimberly made it in the middle of trying to show her house to sale. I did not have any specific request and this is what she put on the cake. Perfect! It went along with our theme. She knows he loves the Tarheels. Thanks Kimberly! He loved it.

My guy had fun (except at the table when Bailey WOULD NOT eat her dinner but that is another story) and a great birthday.