Letters to my loved ones ♥

Camden,
You have grown and matured so much into a wonderful person! You changed my life girl. Saved it really. I was headed down a not so good path when you came along! Thank you!
You are struggling in math at school right now and that bums me out to see. I never was good in math either. I think you'll find a lot of people really aren't that fond of it though. You are doing fabulous on everything else at school.
You've definitely did some growing into your own person recently. I know because your attitude reminds me every day! It makes me glad to see that even though I don't agree with everything you sometimes choose to do or say,you are expressing YOURSELF.  I know that this is just the beginning and my only hope is that I can guide you to be as bright and successful that I know you are capable of being. I am already proud of you and sure that no matter what I will continue to be proud of you! Keep up the good work babe! Just remember, if you need to talk to someone or cry on someones shoulder, I am ALWAYS here for you. ALWAYS! Don't ever be afraid to come to me for anything!

Kainan,
My how you've turned into an intelligent little man! Three years have passed by so quickly! You are talking so well! And saying so much...and repeating everything that you say if I don't reply to you as quickly as you want. You have such a large imagination! I am so glad to see that! Many kids don't show much of an imagination like you do. You are very protective of your older sister! Already practicing! I just wish I could get you to stop pulling the cats tail! He doesn't like it anymore today than he did when you first got in trouble for it. :) You got so excited today when I told you we would be visiting Jasper in just a couple of weeks. You remembered almost everyone's names today! I am impressed! Keep it up!

Jim,
You have given me so much confidence to be the person that I really am. To stand up for myself. And to be true to myself. You have shown me that it is okay if I do something for ME sometimes. I wish we could have more nights together, spend more time with each other. I know that things haven't always been easy but we are finally making a comeback and getting out from under all of those things that we were once stuck under. Thank you for making it possible for me to stay at home with our kids while they grow and learn. I love it.
I know I sometimes allow for you to see more stress than I would like for you to see. That's only because you are my confidant and I let it all go with you.

Weekend Wordle

www.wordle.net to participate

Just like every week, clicking on the photo will enlarge it for you!

What is love?

love

/lʌv/ Show Spelled [luhv] noun, verb, loved, lov·ing.

–noun

1. tender, passionate affection for another person.

2. of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a child, or friend.

3.sexual passion or desire.

Definition compliments of dictionary.com

I did a Valentine's Dayish activity with the kids last night. I printed a heart template off the internet and asked them each this question. What does love mean to you? I was curious what their answers were going to be. It's always fun to hear what kids think about certain things and what it means to them. I had two extra kids here so we have four different answers. I sat them down individually, in separate rooms so they couldn't "steal" answers. And asked them in the order of youngest to oldest. These are the responses I got.

What does love mean to YOU?

F.F.F. Dis. (pointing to template)-boy 2 1/2 years old.

In my heart. In your heart mommy. Kiss. Cute. Bunny. Kainan. Mommy. Camden. Daddy-boy 3 years old.

Love means Valentines. Forgiving. I love you too.-girl 4 1/2 years old.

Caring. Love comes from the heart. Love is forgiving. Love is being thankful. Gifts from the heart.-girl, nearly 10 years old.

I loved that each of them had very different answers. So tell me...what does love mean to you?

If I could do things the way I wanted...

If I could do things any way I wanted, my house would look like this...

It would have this A.M.A.Z.I.N.G, funky crate staircase!

Donna at funky junk interiors certainly has a way of putting things together that most wouldn't dream of. And she certainly makes it all work wonderfully!
My house would also have this creation of Marian's at Miss Mustard Seed:

Would you believe THAT sofa started out looking like

THIS?!?!
And that she transformed it by using....drop cloths?!?! AWESOME!
I would have to have chairs too right? Well, those can also be found at Mustard Seed Creations.

You'll have to go to her page to see the before pictures! They didn't look so fabulous before! But aren't they amazing now??
I'm going to need a stool to go with my new lovely sofa and chairs. I can swing by The Virginia House to pick up this little darling!
I would like this dandy little window made by Brown Paper Package's Kierste.

I have a thing for revamped windows. I have one now that has the American flag painted onto it. I love it. Didn't she do a fantastic job on this? She stole my heart by starting with a red frame! :)

I don't have photo's for the following things but only because I wasn't about to post them without permission to use them. But you have, have, have to visit and see these outstanding productions!

I would certainly have to have a bed like this one by Shanty 2 Chic! And while I'm there I'd pick up this craft table.
I need these pillows from The Wannabe Cottage! I haven't decided if I'm going to put them on the bed or the sofa though...hmmm.

I can see the kids and I reading books under a shade tree sitting on this bench.

(photo courtesy of google images)

All of these designers have so, so many astonishing things to show off! Please stop by and have a look-see! You won't be disappointed. :)

Fill in the blank Friday

I've never hopped along to this one but thought it sounded like a goodie. :) The little things we do is hosting...be nice and play along too!

1. If my house was on fire and I could only grab 3 things I would grab my scrapbooks, photos, files

2. A smell I really like is Vampire by Body Fantasies

3. Something you might not know about me is that I moved from Indiana to Tacoma, Washington to live with my husband (then boyfriend) after only 3 months.

4. Some of my favorite websites to putter about on are facebook & blogger

5. This weekend I will be doing exactly this. After of course watching some tv with the chicklings.

6. Nothing makes me happier than my family. Generic answer? You haven't met my family then! ♥

7. A bad habit I have is cracking my knuckles, neck, back....sleeping

Ten on Tuesday

This is the first time I've played along for this one...you can too by visiting {roots & rings}.

1. Do you decorate for Valentine’s day?
Nope...maybe a blanket with hearts on it. Does that count?
2. Does your desktop have a picture or computer graphic? Is it organized?
Since I've got the new computer, I actually like the wallpapers that are already installed. I use one of those.
3. Do you use a paper planner, electric planner or no planner at all?
I use google calendar. I used to carry a paper one but this year I'm going to hit print if I need a hard copy. :)
4. Do you change purses or bags often or stick with a good thing?
I usually stick with one for about 6 months and then I get tired of it and get a new one.
5. What’s your favorite YouTube Video?

6. Do you use Turbo Tax or a real person to pay your taxes?
My husband uses the H&R block software.
7. How many states have you set foot (or tire) in? Which ones? The colored ones.

8. How many countries have you been in? Which ones?Just this one. United States. :)
9. How many pillows are in your house? (Sleeping or decorative)
At least 15. But I'm not going to go count them.
10. How cold is too cold for flip flops?
40's.

Random Tuesdayness

Yes, I do realize my post title doesn't make a tid bit of sense. Don't judge, I like it that way! :)

If you want to make your own stickies, you can do so by clicking

----> here.<----

I'm linking up to:

&

Remember that post about everything in it's place?

Remember this post? I wish I could say everything was in it's place...Well, today I have to get through a whole lot of folding before I can get on to my decluttering! A whole lot...............

And after I get that all folded and the living room vacuumed and the dishes done...I go on to this...

And this...

Yep, that would be the infamous catch all drawer or junk drawer. Things that we will never maybe someday but probably not use one day. But we simply can't throw it out either. Please tell me I'm not the only one with a drawer for this purpose. I'm sure it won't look this bad if you do, however. :)

((sigh)) I'm thinking I'll skip the dishes and play on my blog a little longer. Good procrastination! (that's my specialty...procrastination. I'm not lazy, really! Okay...maybe a little)


Now....if I could only find the cat...

Monday's Life in Him

Who wants to join in “Monday's Life In Him”? It’s easy… Just grab this button below & post it somewhere either on your blog post or on your main page. Then… Write a post about HIM (Jesus) You could post a verse, You could share a short story. Either way… Let’s spread His Word and His Love!

Matthew 7:7-8 (New International Version, ©2010)

Ask, Seek, Knock

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
When I was pregnant with my son I was warned that I probably wouldn't carry him to full term. I was prepared then by one of the obstetricians that he didn't believe I would deliver a live baby. The baby just wasn't growing the way they wanted him to. I was being prepared to miscarry or for a stillbirth. You can't prepare for either. Not an expecting mother. I was having a very difficult time with the news. At this point in time I had never attended church as an adult. I hadn't picked up the bible. Didn't pray much. And my husband hadn't been in years but used to be very devoted and faithful. Although he used to be he wasn't anymore.
Well, this day came and my husband had to go back to work. He called from work to reassure me that the doctors were wrong and he didn't believe a word they said. I asked him "What are we going to do? I can't go through that!" He said, read the bible. Pray. And that's exactly what I did. I didn't know where to open to, what to read...so I decided that whatever page I opened is what I would read. And Matthew 7 it was. And just like He has every time since then, God spoke so strongly to me! In that very moment, I was calm. I knew that I could handle whatever it was that God intended for my family.
His plans for us?

We serve an awesome God!

Meet me-it's Monday

Questions:

1.  What is your favorite kind of fudge? Eh, I'm not big on fudge. I am big on chocolate though, fudge just doesn't do it for me. I like it all, just don't eat much of it.

2.  Is there snow outside your window? Yes, there certainly is! Quite a bit of it actually. Although, I will say that I believe this is the mildest winter as far as snow goes that I've seen since I've been in Ohio. Temperature wise....BBBRRRRR! Way colder!
3.  What is your favorite meal of the day? Dinner.
4.  Do you text on your cell phone? Absolutely! It seems both of my kids have a disorder that make them come ask me every question under the sun and want to carry on a conversation ONLY when I'm talking on the phone. Texting seems to make this go away! :) And even if it doesn't, I can talk to my kids and text at the same time. I could actually talk on the phone and my kids at the same time, but that's not really respectful to the person on the other line now is it?
5.  Waffles or pancakes? Pancakes, without a doubt. Although, I've never made my own waffles. That might change my answer if I had. I like strawberry waffles with nothing on them. And love my pancakes with peanut butter on them and syrup. Yum!

Participating in

Weekend Wordle

Visit www.wordle.net to make one for your blog.

Here's mine.

You will definitely have to click to enlarge this one if you want to actually read this puppy!

Way to jump start the weekend

So, I've had a somewhat eventful day. Kainan has been potty trained a couple of months now. Last night, he peed on the bathroom floor. Right in front of the toilet. AFTER he took his underwear off! This morning however, he decided to pee on the kitchen floor. AFTER he took his underwear off. But tonight, oooooh tonight...he pooped, yes pooped on the bathroom floor, in front of the toilet. AFTER he took his underwear off. I would feel a little better about it if I thought he was going into the bathroom but just couldn't make it. But that's not it! He told me this morning that he had to pee, after last nights flooding peeing on the floor I decided I was going to take him in and SIT him on the toilet myself. That way I knew he would make it...but no, he apparently decided to stand up and pee on the floor. Normally I don't sit him on the toilet because he has just started going standing up. He was so happy and proud that he could do it standing up. Now this.....((sigh)) I am going to take a deep breath and hope for a more successful tomorrow! Wish us luck here!

On the plus side, Camden has raised her grade in math!! Her other grades fell in the process but I can deal with that while we work on math. :)

Friday blog hop

1. Where did you meet your spouse and did you instantly know it was love? Ha...online, well...sort of. I had been in a relationship where my boyfriend had left me in a financial mess. So I was staying with a friend. She had a friend on her IM list that she talked to often. And we got introduced online. Romantic right? LOL Well, eventually, he and I got to know one another better and eventually he came to visit. We hit it off and I made the move from Indiana to the state of Washington a few months later. We met online in March, met in person in September and I moved in November. 2006

2. What is your favorite room in your house? I don't have a favorite room, really. I'm not in love with the house we are renting. Although, I was when we first moved in. Now, not so much. My answer here by default would have to be the living room. It holds the tv and my computer. This is where we play games together. And where my kids play.

3. Can you wiggle your ears? Yes, can you?

4. What is your evening ritual? I don't have an evening ritual. I am so far from having a routine that it's not funny. I would love more than anything to just one day be in a great, working routine. But, I admit, I am the most un routined person ever. Ritual falls into the category of routine for me.

5. How many hours of sleep do you need to function? I love to sleep, probably why there will never be a functioning routine in my house. I don't wake the kids (except for school) at a specific time, I let them sleep. And I am the same. I usually sleep about 6 hours or so but my body wants to sleep double that amount. And I love to let my body get that much except that it actually makes me grouchy and my day doesn't go as smoothly as it does if I get up after 6 hours. 

 

 

 

Beautiful snow

Even though I am so tired of the snow and cold and wet....it certainly is beautiful! When I looked out my side window this morning I loved the look of the snow on the steps. No one had walked upon it yet and it just had a soft, innocent, wonderful look about it. So I grabbed my camera and faced the cold white stuff and snapped a few pictures. Here is the best shot.

 This next picture was taken last night and I just wanted to capture the sparkle in the snow. It was beautiful! Even with the old footprints that the snow was just beginning to cover.

 

 This shot didn't turn out AT ALL how I wanted it to. I was trying to get a picture of the snow falling and how heavy it was. But my husband was in a hurry so I never stopped walking to take the picture and only got one shot. You can see very few of the flakes that were actually surrounding me. But I like how this picture turned out, even if it didn't hit the target I was aiming for. 

Desk do over

Per my purpose to de clutter post, I promised to capture some of the de cluttering and share here. (Actually, the pictures are just posted as proof that I DID follow through with it and got something accomplished! hehehe)

I desperately want a new desk and can't wait for the day that I can mark that off of our "someday" list. I love the dark color of this one but it has been through the wringer (ringer??) and it isn't big enough for all of my clutter things.

You'll have to ignore the dust in some of the photo's as my vacuum decided to come one teeny, tiny, itty, bitty step from an explosion today! And not because my floors needed swept so bad, I actually just vacuumed yesterday. But a vacuum is also on our "someday" list. It's just managed to make it's way closer to the top now, however.

So here's my desk before...(It's actually a very clean before pic. I swear my desk is a magnet for all things in this house!)

And here's my desk after...

Even after I dusted, it still needed dusting! It's done now, but I'm not going to retake the pictures. :)

I'm thinking junk and miscellaneous kitchen drawers next...but I'll save that post for another day.

Hoo are you?

Night owl crafting had the idea to start this blog hop. It's kind of like the Meet me on Monday questions. Cute idea, goes right along with the name, dont'cha think?

So, anyway, here are the questions.

1. Do you use an alarm clock or some device to wake you up, or do you wake up on your own? I rely on an alarm clock to wake me up. His name is Kainan and he's 3. Just kidding, although sometimes I think I could rely on him to wake me in time! I use the alarm on my phone. However, Jim has recently had his hours at work change. He now goes in an hour later which is good news for me. I no longer have to get up, take him to work, come home, take kiddo to school stop and then re do it all over again come pick up times. He gets up takes kiddo to school stop and then goes right to work. Works out much nicer for me! Now if I could only work on getting that short, loud 3 year old alarm to hush! :p

2. If you could go on any game show, which one would you choose? Only one? It would have to be wheel of fortune. I've always liked that show and am actually quite good at solving the puzzles. 

 

3. Do you prefer the weather to be hot or cold? I prefer warm. Not too hot, not too cold. Late spring weather or early fall weather is wonderful to my liking. Mid 70's would be right up my comfort zone.

 

4.What color of clothing do you wear the most? Red probably. Or black. But mostly, if it's clean, I'll wear it. I wear a lot of the hubby's clothes...they're big and comfy! Nothing beats a big, comfortable tee shirt!

 

5. What is your favorite color? Red. Red makes me happy. It is after all, the color that symbolizes love. :) Who doesn't love love?? I look good in red also, that helps!

Where in the world are you Wednesday

Everyone is invited to join a blog hop and to share where you are from, it will be fun to meet bloggers from all over the world! Where in the World are you?

You can join Hosts Simply Stacie who lives in Nova Scotia, Canada and Just Married with Coupons who lives in Rhode Island, US on a fun blog hop adventure around the world. Tell anything you would like, what country, state, city or region you are from, lets have fun

**This Weeks Theme is:

"Traditional Foods Where You Live"

I live in Coshocton Ohio, a teeny tiny town of (at the 2000 census) just over 11,600 people. We don't have a lot of food options here. But just up the road is a little company called Smuckers. Perhaps you've heard of it?

Back in 1897, in the Midwestern farming community of Orrville, Ohio, Jerome Monroe Smucker pressed locally grown apples into cider and apple butter. True to his upbringing, Jerome took great pride in a job well done and signed the lid of every crock of apple butter as his personal guarantee of quality.

Visit the website for recipes and info.

Random Tuesday Post it Notes

Welcome to the next edition, (whatever number volume it is) of Random Tuesday Thoughts and Post it Note Tuesday. Click the buttons below for more info on how to partake in this wonderful adventure. :) I like to merge my RTT & PINT all together and put my random thoughts on the stickies.