Creativity Outlet

Years ago, a friend of mine (Janelle) got me interested in card-making. When you figure that typically spend over $2 for a card at the store (typically Wally World), it can get expensive. Be sure to also figure in that you have to weed through trashy ones while constantly averting the eyes of the kids that you have in tow (since sometimes those cards are right at eye-level) OR read through ones with cheesy jokes that aren't in any way, shape or form funny. It's just not worth it any more. (Okay, with the exception of a few Hoops and Yoyo ones. But those can be pricey!)

Making cards simply takes the right tools, supplies and time. Since doing something creative is fun for me, I enjoy this type of craft, especially since it also saves my husband money...and I'm ALL about that. It's also the type of craft that you can drop at a moment's notice and then pick right up where you left off. This is perfect for me! My life is full of interruptions.

Over the years, I've accumulated some of the necessary tools & supplies (many thanks to people to feed my habit with crafty gifts, gift cards and birthday/Christmas money) so that I can sit down at any "free" moment and whip out some cards. Lately, I've not been doing a card, but sets of cards. The kind you would get in a box at the store. I make them in a type of assembly line. I do the base of the card and then tailor-make them to wish someone a happy birthday, congratulations, I love you, etc. What fun! It's a great outlet for me. Let me know if you ever need anything made. I would love to help.

Snow, Snow, Snow!

I love the snow. I love piles and piles of it. I love watching it come down. I love catching it on my tongue. I love getting snowed in. (You're probably saying I love it so much because I don't have to shovel it...Taigen does that.) Living in New England affords me plenty of opportunities to see the glorious white stuff. We hadn't had much snow late in 2010, but January has certainly made up for the lack thereof. We've gotten storm after storm and the snow is piling up. Here are some pics from our recent storms. It is just beautiful outside.

My Mini-Man

When going through our hand-me-down bins, we realized that Marshall was now big enough to fit into two suitcoats. We typically don't make Marshall wear suits to church on Sunday. That time will come. By then, the thrill of wearing suitcoats and ties will most likely have worn off. When Marshall saw the two sportcoats, he was SO excited to look "just like Daddy." Saturday night when we were laying out our Sunday clothes, Taigen and Marshall picked out slacks, a dress shirt and a tie to match the coat so that he would be all ready for getting dressed in the morning.

The door to Marshall's room was closed as he got dressed Sunday morning, but when he was done, he came out beaming! He said, "I look so grown up!" And he did. He is my handsome little man.

Thank you Rob & Dana for handing down the clothes and making my son's day!

Snow Much Fun!

Our winter so far has been relatively mild. There was a "blizzard" that blew through here at the tail end of December (which we watched from a very green and rainy Seattle). That still didn't leave us with the piles and piles of snow on the lawn and sides of the road that we are used to this time of year.

Finally this past Wednesday we got our snow. It started early in the morning at about 3am and continued on through the night. The snow totals varied, of course, from where you were, but Taigen guesses we got about ten inches! It was beautiful.

Now, some of you might be asking, "Do homeschoolers get snow days?" Well, since our commute is relatively short (out of the main part of the house, out into the garage and up fourteen stairs into the guest room) and never ices over or has drifting or accumulation issues (unless of course you count the accumulation of JUNK), we do school. I know, I know, I'm a "meanie" or a "slave-driver," but Marshall and Shaylen are not deprived nor dying. They still got plenty of time this last week for them to play to their hearts' content in the white stuff. They'll thank me come mid-May when Spring Fever has set on in full force and they're itching to play outside from sun up to sun down.

Thursday we had a blast in the snow! I piled the snow up high in the front yard. The kids patted it down. Then, I dug a wonderful little snow cave for them to climb in and out of. There's enough room in there for both of them to lay down. After we got done with the cave, the kids slid down some of the hills in the backyard. And when they got done sledding, we went tromping through the woods behind the house. We then went back to sledding, then back to the cave, and finally decided we were frozen enough to go inside and defrost. It was a glorious day full of great memories with my two favorite little people!

The Twins Have Their Ups and Downs...Literally

Since we came home the twins have throughly enjoyed their free time because it means that they can play with their new toys. They've never really had a chance to be bored before, but now they REALLY have no excuse.  

One of the things that I was thrilled that they got were some bouncy balls. This is something that will allow them to be physically active on days when the weather is frightful. The pictures that I got of them bouncing were hilarious! They can get so high. In fact, the goal is to get as high as you can. Many times they've gotten done playing with their bouncy balls and they are sweating both from the bouncing and the laughing.