Scrap Bin

This morning was an rough morning.

The girls were bickering.

Everyone's cereal was 'too soggy'

The Boychild locked himself in the bathroom.

I was on my knees removing a doorknob at 7:40 this morning.

I cried, very quietly, the entire car ride from school to work.

It was one of those mornings that makes me question if I'm doing the right thing here.

You know?

Yep. you know.

You have those mornings too. I know you do.

It's what keeps me moving.

 this weekend I let The Munchkins play in the scrap bin and this is what we came up with

 These little guys are just filled with beans & polyfil (beans help them sit up a bit better).
They're cotton flannel bodes + felt faces & accessories. All three came together in about an hour and the kids got a kick out of stuffing their own dolls, picking out body & hair & eye color, picking faces and expressions...

speaking of expressions - this kid lost her first front tooth this past weekend. She lisps now. I make her say difficult words just to hear the soft shushing sound of her tongue sliding between her teeth.

Snowcreme

What's to do when the snow outside is accumulating faster than you can shovel it?

Make Snowpocalypse Treats of course!

Snowcreme How To:
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 4 excited children (or two VERY excited adults!)

Ingredients: 1 cup half and half or milk
1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 6 cups clean, freshly fallen snow

Directions: In a large bowl combine milk, vanilla extract and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.Stir in snow, a cup at a time, until the ice cream magically forms! Freeze for several minutes if desired before serving.

Resolutionists

2014

Instead of striving for happiness I will try to be grateful. I will make time to make art. I will walk slowly. I will stride I will read. I will try to learn what my fear is so desperately trying to teach me. I will make stress my friend, instead of just the crazy friend that has been living on my couch the past few years. I will travel, even if it is just outside the boundaries I have made for myself. I will endeavor to appreciate all that I have without adding the "but wouldn't it be great if..." caveat to everything I do. I will strive to remember that I am enough. I will be great. I will wake up early and breathe deeply. I will run...far and fast and for the pure joy of it. I will play more. I will make less rules, but follow those that I have put in place. I will take fewer pictures, but make the ones I do take, count. I will be open to the possibility of love.

And...because I can...here's 2013 in (picture) review