Larry's Jazz debut!

Color Me Mine, please!

I got to spend the day with my girl. She finally got to use the gift certificate for the Pottery Studio, Color Me Mine.

You cannot help but feel inspired and artsy when you walk through the doors. Before you, are the stark white, blank possibilities made out of clay, just waiting on your creative touch. Jul loves it here. And, I love watching her here, in her element. Today, the lucky recipient of her talent was a wee sock monkey. A beauty he became!

The sky outside was showing us all the colors it could muster up to continue with the inspiration. It was an awesomely blustery and windy day, but from that chaos, one of the most amazing Sunsets was produced. God was showing us some of His best artwork :)

Valentine's Day!

The Day of Love. Although I am not a fan of the 'Hallmark' Holidays, there is something to be said for setting aside a day to show those you love a little extra acknowledgment.

As a little girl, my hardworking father ALWAYS made sure to remember my Mother & I in some special way on this Day of Love. He had ordered a delivery to be made, which for some reason made it seem more spectacular. Waiting for that knock on the door and seeing something coming through the door with your name on it made a girl feel very special.

My Mother's would be an amazing bouquet of Pinks and Reds that just took your breath away. Mine would be a simple little collection of carnations (my fave) or daisies with Babies Breath, possibly a Rose added for good measure. And always an adorable stuffed animal attached. It made a little girl feel.....special and loved. Not because it was a 'purchased' gift, but because it was my Dad's thoughts/feelings all rolled up in the loveliness of it all. It said to us, "you are important to me to continue to honor this tradition." And, it was a tradition he continued up until my first year of Marriage, then he handed the 'job' over to my husband :) I Love seeing my little girl light up when her Daddy makes the fuss over her now. The light in her eyes tells the story, in that moment, I AM SPECIAL, I AM LOVED!

He is 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is hard for my to fathom, my Lil' Man is Fourteen years old. I am beyond Blessed to have this Child. Although the teen years bring their own challenges, I must say they are few and far between with him. He is the epitome of unconditional Love, and he inspires me to want to always be better.

I love you my Son!

Snow Day & Comfort Food

What is it about Snow Days that makes us want to consume as much comfort food as humanly possible? I love the (temporary) isolation from the outside world. It allows for the immediate appreciation of being (trapped) in the constant company of your little loving family.

This is when my cooking drive kicks into overdrive. Although it is only one day confined to the house, I must cook and EAT like we may never see civilization again. I shutter to think what I may weigh if I lived in Alaska!

So, it is the clambering of cold, excited children building forts in the frozen Tundra that drives this hibernation mode I enter in to. The NEED to fill their bellies and pull out clothes right from the dryer to warm those frozen bones becomes all consuming. Tomorrow School will return, plows will make a mess of streets, snow will even get 'dirty', but for today, I am content hibernating.

Christmas gift on Ice

We attended Larry's Flyer's Game which was his Christmas gift. Originally, my intention was to get two tickets, one for him, one for me....of course! Well, long story short, in my bleery eyed, 2 am sleep deprived state of mind, while shopping on line to get the tickets, I HAD to buy three. Yes, the deal that seemed too good to be true, WAS. I failed to check that the reason the price seemed PHENOMENAL for two tix that close to the ice, was because, AFTER I clicked PURCHASE (with no chance of ever changing your mind, fool) the UNBELIEVABLE price was for....wait for it....ONE TICKET! AAAGGHHH!!!!!!!!

So, with no chance of undoing this tragic mistake, I had to start searching all over again. Now more bleery eyed, and so sleepy I was praying for a Coma to kick in. To make it more fun, I now must find two tix close to the lone seat, so whoever (Me)sits in that amazing seat three rows off ice, directly behind our Fly Boys, will be near to the other two who wont be sitting in that amazing section. When the dust settled, I found two seats, a section over and three rows distance from the lone(amaaaazing) seat. The other two were very good also, and come to find out, the exact two seats I purchased a year earlier for my boys birthday. Kizmet? I don't know. But, those seats are right next to the opposing team, which that night was the Montreal Canadians, better known as the Habs.

I wake husband up after all tickets were safely tucked away in cyber world and now belonged to US (he now is included, which is news to him). I tell him while he is 3/4 asleep the whole ordeal in my best NJ fast paced, car salesman pitch, what went transpired, and that "Merry Christmas, you are going to the Flyers Game, HONEY!!!" From what I remember, he groaned and rolled over, which I took as his full approval of said situation. I fell into the deepest sleep I have ever known. Morning came earlier then usual. Now Hubs wants to rehash the sleep state conversation we had, not quit sure he dreamt it or not. I tell him how wonderful it worked out the way it did, and he can join his boy & I in the Sport we love intensely. I try a little reverse psychology and tell him I will sit with our dear first born, and he can have the seat ALONE near the Flyers bench. He mulls it over, and says,"YOU go sit by yourself and go screaming the way you do surrounded by total strangers." Inside, I'm jumping for joy. Outside, I say,"OK, that's only fair, you are right." Little does he know, I am among my people at these games, we ALL scream, and there is no such thing as a stranger in this environment. Maybe it was the "YOU ARE RIGHT"at the end of my sentence the cued him in to the farce. He decided he wanted to see exactly where the seats were located. UMPH! I begrudgingly show him. Now Mr. Neverwantedtogo Inthefirstplace, decides, HE will occupy the lone seat, since it's HIS Christmas gift! He trumped me. And you know what, I'm OK with it, no really! I have the best time at the Games when my son is by my side, screaming just like his Mama. We had a blast. Lesson learned, look for tickets prior to 2am, and ALWAYS check the quantity, or be ready to give up the good seat to you know who.

Planets, Clay & Tinfoil

Julia participated in the 3rd Grade Science Fair. She was very proud of the display and presentation she (with the help of Daddy) put together. When asked how she did after presenting her information to the class, she responded, "I ROCKED it!" That's my girl!!!