How to survive (another) snowday...

While the kids are busy playing, do the laundry...
with a little help from Gabe.






Spend twenty minutes getting bundled up (like the kid from "The Christmas Story"...'I can't put my arms down!'), then go outside and play for five minutes before getting too cold. Come back in and take off all your wet clothes so Mom can have more laundry to do.

When you're done playing in the snow, get Sissy to eat some "snow sundaes" with you, complete with marshmallows on top. Then beg Mommy to get down the glow sticks leftover from summertime and make glow swords with Lijah. Attack the Valentine flowers with a vengeance!

Get your ears pierced on a date with Mommy at Claire's, then celebrate your bravery with a cookie from Panera. Enjoy these moments, because before you know it, spring will be here and no more snow days for you.

Tennessee Bliss!

These are pics of the cabin we will be staying in on our vacay to Tennessee in April. Joe and I have been to Gatlinburg so many times, and it never gets old (for me, anyway). There is so much to see and do, and the kids absolutely love it! I can't wait to get Gabe onto those mountain hikes and wear him out! We are going with Joe's parents, which is always a good thing...I love spending time with Kay, and she is such a huge help with the kids, and they LOVE spending a whole weekend with their Mamaw and Papaw. We picked a new place to stay this time, a cabin by Hearthside Cabin Rentals in Pigeon Forge. A little closer to the park, and something different. It's been a couple of years since we went to Tennessee, so we are pretty excited. April can't get here soon enough!

Hope the weekend was good for everyone, despite the weather. I had a great weekend at work, with plenty of sleep at home and a husband who took good care of the house and kids while I was gone. I am so blessed to have a career that I love, and such a great hospital to work in. My co-workers are awesome and lots of fun...I can't say enough good things. Obviously, my endorphins are still kicked in from my workout this morning :)

Still thinking of that tattoo...and darn you, Becky, if you get a boob job, I will be so jealous. I will love you anyway, but I will still be jealous! Can't wait to have that baby of yours tomorrow!

More snow!

This may not be Lebanon, but it sure feels like it. More snow, ice and freezing rain for us...yuck! Have I mentioned that I am tired of winter? Of course, the kids and Joe are loving it; they only had two days of school this week between snow days and President's Day. For me, that means more laundry, more cooking and more cleaning up. But really, it's great...

Getting ready to go to work; can't wait to drive in this mess :) Wish me luck.

Here's to Old Man Winter leaving us alone until Christmas-time. Do I hear an Amen?

New Haircut

Just had to share Joe's new haircut...isn't it great? He is such a comedian!

Hope you know I am kidding! I got this in an email from my sister, and just had to share it! Some people are so creative (and daring). I am thinking of getting a tattoo with my friend, Becky, but we haven't quite decided yet. We are going to go tattoo-shopping tomorrow (if the weather behaves), and then we'll have more of an idea. If this is the way to deal with my "mid-life crisis", then it's sure a lot cheaper than a red convertible, and more sane than a "Thelma and Louise" vacation!

Isabel is thinking of getting a tattoo, too...NOT! She is wanting to get her ears pierced, though, especially since Becky's baby got hers done this week. Since we have a snow day today, she is wanting to go to Claire's and just do it while she has the guts :) I'll let you know if she really goes through with it!

Dreaming...

I'm dreaming of a beach vacation...

Wouldn't you love to be here, instead of cold, dreary, snowy Ohio? What I wouldn't give to hop on a plane bound for Bora Bora and just thaw out on a beach with a hot guy and a good book! (Not necessarily in that order...) Just looking at these pictures makes me yearn for summer. I love soaking up the sun, listening to good music and reading a great book...last summer I read the Outlander series by Diane Gabaldon, and it was so awesome to relax on my back deck and disappear into the Highlands with Claire and Jamie. Now when I re-read those books, I will think of that summer...I love that!

Hope you're all having a great day off for President's Day. We have gone to the YMCA, played with friends, done a bunch of laundry, read some good books, played Pokemon cards and colored Thomas books. Just love spending time with my kids...now it's time to go put some of that laundry away :)

Some old faves...

Yeah, yeah, I know, this is an old pic from Christmas, but I love the sweet look on Elijah's face, so I had to post it. I'm starting to go through my pictures to pick the ones I want to scrapbook on my weekend retreat. I know it's a month away, but you know me, I am a planner :)

Some of my other favorites of the kids, as well.

I am so incredibly blessed by these babies of mine. I wanted to be a mom ever since I can remember, and although every day isn't perfect, most of the time I wouldn't change a thing. Elijah and Isabel are so easy to get along with, responsible, loving, and funny, and they love me like crazy. Gabriel is just plain crazy! Kidding! He is so sweet and enthusiastic about life, with more energy than I know what to do with. There is nothing better than hearing "I love you, Mommy", said for no reason other than they truly mean it. No ulterior motive, no hidden meaning, just love, pure and simple. What did I ever do to deserve that? (Other than carry them for 9 1/2 months, give birth, nourish them with my own body...but who's keeping track?) Seriously, though, my kids know that I love them more than anything, and that my love is completely unconditional. I had that love from my parents growing up, and what a gift...it totally made me the person I am today. I try to make sure that I tell them every day how much I love them (in between yelling at them to please not fight with each other!) Isn't it funny how you start the day with such good intentions (I will not raise my voice today, I will be patient, I will be kind, I will be fun), and then you walk into the kitchen and step into a pile of sugar spilled by your adorable daughter before you have even had a cup of coffee, and you already want to scream?! Who knew being a (good) parent would be so hard...other than our own parents?

Wow, I'm being sappy tonight. I must be tired...I'm going to try to take some more fun pictures this week to post later. Have a great night, and a great day tomorrow!

The Joy of a Box...

We have about three gajillion toys in our house...Legos, trains, blocks, puzzles, books, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles, Hot Wheels...the list is endless. On this day last week, Gabe would not play with a single one of them. All he wanted to do was play in this box, watching one of his favortie movies, "Zathura". The box alternated between being his bed, his spaceship and his boat. I love this baby's imagination! Now, if he would have really fallen asleep in there, my afternoon would have been perfect. Gabe thinks he is getting too big for naps, but I disagree. Not that he even gets very crabby without one...I do! I NEED that two hours to myself in the afternoon; to read, scrapbook, clean, take a shower...whatever, as long as I am doing something by myself. So, until preschool next year, naptime is a must, whether he likes it or not! Poor Gabe, he has such a mean mommy :(

I am in such a winter funk...I can't wait for spring. This is the time every year where I just get so antsy for some warm weather. I HATE being cold, hate having to bundle up just to take the puppy out or get the mail, hate driving in the snow...God knew what He was doing putting me in Cincinnati, where at least we don't get a horrible amount of snow. I can't wait to plant some flowers in my pots on the front porch and on my deck, and watch the tulips and daffodils poke up and brave the elements. Come on, March! At least the hope of warm weather is on the horizon. Maybe I need to go to the tanning bed and get some UV rays...skin cancer be damned! I need some sunlight!

Now it's off to the YMCA to burn off the pizza I ate last night! Becky is pushing to do forty minutes on the elliptical, and it's great! I love having a workout partner who is as committed as I am to get in shape! Have a great weekend!