WIND, WIND GO AWAY!!!!

Well it's Sunday morning and the sun is out.  That would make for a beautiful day except for the fact that the wind is blowing...really, really hard.  In our house that means only one thing.  Keep all the windows and doors closed.  Three of us suffer from allergies and when they hit, it's a day that's unproductive and unenjoyable.  I felt it coming on yesterday.  I told Robert that I felt I was gonna have allergies today and it wasn't even windy yesterday.  The plans were made for today.  The girls were gonna give the dog a much needed bath first thing in the morning.  I was gonna finish my EBAY listings and get started with stuffing and taking pictures of the new purses we bought so I could post those on the business blog.  Robert was gonna do yardwork outside and Patrick was gonna help. 

First thing I woke up to was a loud bang.  I ran out only to find out that the wind was howling and knocked something over in the back neighbors house.  Once, I looked out I realized: 1.  The poor dog would have to go another week without a bath.  2.  Robert would be doing yardwork alone if at all and 3. My oh so productive day would be cut down to working in between laying down to settle the sneezing.  I hate allergies so much.  All you hear is sneezing and blowing.  Guess I better get ready and head out to the store for more Kleenex.

My Valentine Topiary

OK, so I was at Michael's last week, picking up some supplies that Alyssa needed for her softball team's project.  As I was looking for the supplies, I noticed all the Valentines decorations they had.  (Since taking down the Christmas decorations, my desk area looks really bare and I wanted to decorate for Valentines day but really don't have any decorations to speak of.)  Michael's has some really cute things and I noticed this topiary they had.  It was in a red glittered pot, and had red roses.  They were asking $10.00 and it was cute but small.  As I looked at it, knowing I really shouldn't be spending money on stuff right now, I decided to try to make my own.  I already had most of the stuff needed except the flowers. 

A couple of days later, I went to the Dollar Tree to see if they had red roses and while walking the asiles, I noticed a package of rosebuds.  They are paper but dipped in soap and are scented.  They had dark pink, light pink and white.  I picked up some light pink and white and then picked up a few bunches of red roses that had a hint of glitter.  Then I picked up a large styrofoam ball and headed home to make my topiary.

I had a pot that I painted red and sprinkled with red glitter.  I started glueing the rosebuds to the ball.  I painted a wooded dowel red and attached that to the ball and stuck it in the green floral foam in the pot.  I covered the green foam with moss and attached a ribbon that I had.  Not only is my topiary bigger but it smells great with the scented soap.

Next I will decorate a wood frame I also picked up at Michaels for a buck and my desk area should be ready to enjoy my Valentines decorations!

A Messy Start To A New Year!

Ugh!  The daunting task of taking down all those decorations is upon me....well us.  I don't do it alone thanks to my wonderful husband.  But, even with the help, it's still a job!  My house is a mess and I don't just mean with things, I mean with dust.  I can't believe the dust that accumulates on everything during the month.  I took down the decorations around my desk area and now I can't figure out what to put so it doesn't look so bare.  Funny,  I can't seem to remember what was there before I decorated:)


The tree came down last night because today is trash day.  We all took off the decorations but the task of putting them away is mine.  Every single one of our Christmas tree ornaments has a special meaning to me and my family so putting them away must be done with care.  We have been collecting ornaments for the last 20 years and each year we just add to the collection.  From first baby, to vacations, to favorite cartoons to family traditions.  Funny, but I can remember where we got just about every ornament we have and they all bring such good memories. 

Tonight we will finally take down all the inside decorations and store them back in the rafters for another year.  Tomorrow the outside decorations come down.  I will sure miss the beautiful  lights that greet me when I come home at night. 


Oh the mess that comes with getting the house back to normal but how wonderful it will be when it's all put away and the house is clean and sparkly......well maybe I'll just settle for clean:)

Love Is The Most Important Gift Of All

Now that the holidays are behind us, we are all looking forward to a new year.  It's funny how it seems like right around the beginning of November, folks get a little nicer and more patient.  There seems to be something in the air that says, "This is the season of love!"  As Christmas gets closer, that love among family, friends and strangers seems to grow.  We smile more, say hello to strangers, feel more giving and have more compassion for others.

After the new year rings in, we still feel some of that.  We make our resolutions, look forward to new beginnings and enjoy our time with family.  Slowly though, something happens.  Vacations end, Christmas decorations come down and bills from the holiday shopping start to roll in.  We tend to forget the warm fuzzy feelings of the months before and settle into our daily routines once again. 

February brings us Valentines Day and for a minute we rush around trying to figure out what to get for that/those speical people in our lives.  In reality, the most important gift we can give is our love and our time.  I know my kids enjoy going out and buying things but what I have found out is that what they enjoy more is ME.  Me just spending time with them, playing games, talking/listening, watching a movie, cooking.  Anything that allows us to connect with each other.  I also enjoy going out and being with my husband at dinner or movies but what makes me even more happy is just sitting and talking to him and knowing that him and I are connected and enjoying being together.  Somtimes when I'm in the kitchen, he'll come in and help (that's a big thing since he doesn't cook). 

Everyday, there are so many ways we can show our love.  A smile to a stranger may not seem like a big deal but maybe to that stranger it's a huge deal.  While driving, don't always be in such a hurry that you don't let people through.  It only takes a second to extend our love no matter how big or small.  LOVE is the greatest gift and God gives his love everyday whether we deserve it or not.