Wrapping up the week...pictures and snow and the cutest song ever and the cutest restaurant ever

This week we experienced a thunderstorm, an ice storm, warm weather
{perspective-ly speaking...Ha!}, cold weather and snow..
....welcome to winter in northern Illinois.

Today it's supposed to be 49 degrees and sunny.
That's a call for iced coffee if you ask me!

I hardly capture my older kids in photos anymore..and I want to!
...so on our way to pick up bagels, I made number 4 come along.
I think I will do this more often with my dear children.
They grow up so fast.

Also..this same gorgeous, snowy morning my social media was blowing up with pictures!
My little brother and sister in law had the same idea using my other daughter.
They are both amazing photographers! You should check out their sites.
{Just click those pink words and you will end up there...for those that don't know...wink}


I have said this before..but I love when people post fun links to follow.
So here are a few for you, from me.

10 marriage tips and a fun little assessment you can take.

The CUTEST song!!! Love, Love, LOVE!

I have been DYING to try this adorable little place since summer!!!
{I believe my daughters and I will be having a date soon...wink}

No matter which side you stand on..this looks pretty interesting!

HaPpY Weekend!
XxOo

Nightstand Wars...as shown in Exhibits A, B and C.

Exhibit A.
While out shopping for "necessities" in the Target clearance aisle,
{where all necessities are found} the wife spotted a deal of the century.
Nightstands originally $130.00 a piece marked down to $26.99 each!
The husband had been wanting nightstands since they
were married 20 years and 9 months ago..but it was just one of those things the
couple had never gotten around to purchasing...
..or building as the husband had wanted to do.

The husband was away for the week working.
The wife was very excited to surprise her husband when he came back that weekend.
She excitedly set up the nightstands in the bedroom with all the nightstand essentials...
..like plants and old books and Milk Glass lamps and staged coffee cups.

Exhibit B.

After praising the wife for her discovery, he quickly said his nightstand would
not "work" with plants and books and a girly Milk Glass lamp.
I believe the exact words he used were...
"Ummm...No Way".

The husband quickly changed his nightstand to look like a
"Man's nightstand" and not a "frilly, girly, crafted up nightstand."

The wife felt a heavy annoyance within as she watched her husband load up the
pretty new nightstand with wires and chargers and Apple watch stands and
virtual reality glasses and other electronic things with wires. {not pictured}

The nightstand that you see right when you walk into
the couples bedroom, now looked "manly".
...manly like a college dorm room.
...manly like a clearance table at Best Buy!{..minus his Bible of course}

Who leans their leather briefcase against a nightstand anyway?
All men? ...asked the wife.


Exhibit C.
Each week after the husband leaves for work...the wife puts away
all the manly items until the weekend when the husband arrives back home.

It's the one and only perk to having him gone throughout the week...
the wife can walk into her bedroom and see a more pinterest-esque nightstand.

This is called compromise...sort of.
XxOo

{I love you Jeff...wink, wink}

Frozen lakes and ice and fish and cousins on a Saturday afternoon.

Have you ever walked on a frozen lake ?
It's quite beautiful. The air bubbles below the surface are so pretty..
...they almost looks like jelly fish.

Cutest thing ever! My little nephew Dominick shared his fishing pole with Frankie.
When Frankie wasn't looking, Dominick tied a fish he caught earlier to the
end of the line, and put it back into the water...when Frankie pulled the pole up,
he thought he caught a fish. He was so excited! .
...wasn't that sweet and thoughtful of my nephew?!

 

All the girls skated around the lake in their snow boots searching for dead fish.
Don't ask.

My niece found a big one. They had quite the collection when they were done.
It was disgusting...thankfully they were frozen because...yuck!

God's creation is amazing and winter holds so much beauty.
..I love this season just as much as I love summer, spring and fall.

XxOo

The snowy, snowy day...it was all because of the little guy....you're welcome. {or sorry}

He told me he didn't want to take the little Christmas tree down in his bedroom
because he didn't want Christmas to be over.

Why I asked him?
...because then it won't snow and I want it to snow.
Oh the innocence of little children. I love it so much.

I told him that we will still get more snow this winter...I told him when we pray,
{he was getting ready for bed}...we would ask God to make it snow. We did.

That was Friday.
These photos are all from today.

You're welcome for the snow...Love Frankie. {wink}
...or sorry to those who dislike the snow.

Jeff was home from work today...we took the kids sledding this afternoon.
Everyone was looking forward to taking Frankie..
...it was his first time going down the hill.

He could barely contain himself on the drive there.
He was so excited...until he actually saw the hill.

He cried the entire time..at the top of the hill. On the sled.
On the way down.Bottom of the hill.

The boys tried and tried...his brothers, my brother, his sisters...
...they tried so hard to get him to like it.

Frankie, Jeff {who hurt his back and is now laying on a heating pad} and I
ended up in the car watching the others who all had a blast. Ha!

We came home to a big pot of potato soup we made before we left and
spent this snowy evening playing games and eating popcorn.
It was a lovely day. {besides poor Jeff pulling out his back!}
XxOo

Back at it...School.Learning to be grateful {again and again} and working out.. so that means I can eat whatever I want, right?

After a looong break, we're back into our school schedule.
I enjoy time off...but there is something so comforting in having a routine.

We ..{well, let's be honest here..I } was excited to start up school again.
I will be so sad when my homeschool career comes to an end.
The kids will also be sad...they just don't know it yet. {wink}

It was my birthday this past weekend...we saw a movie and made lasagna and
the girls baked a chocolate cake. I wanted simple.

It seems like life has been so out of control for so many months...
....it was nice to not have anything to do. To have a weekend to just be. and do...Nothing.

It was refreshing...and relaxing and mind clearing and actually had me ready for a new week.
It's amazing how a little rest can go a long way.

It's actually not the rest...but it's time with Jeff that I needed.
He's been busy and gone a lot and with the holidays in the mix,
we haven't had much together time.

When life gets out of balance...my attitude gets out of balance as well.
I forget about all that I have in my life...ALL that I have been blessed with
and I find all sorts of negative.

...and let me tell you. When you are looking for negative...you WILL find it!
Everywhere and in everyone and in everything.
..and Why? Have I not learned my lesson over and over and over again?

Satan has a manipulative way of over-feeding our weary souls when we have the wrong focus.
Of course, then I, take it all out on my kids who don't... and my dear husband who doesn't...
..Deserve it!

I canNOT tell you the importance of GRATEFULNESS!!!

It is everything! When we are thankful...we become content.
...and our thinking is quickly put into proper perspective.

I was in need of a dose of proper perspective.
Thank you God for giving that to me! ...in a very kind way.

Have you guys tried this blend of coffee ....I am in love.
I add 4 Tablespoons of low fat half and half {because I work out now..you'll read below}
and a package or two of stevia and lots of whipped cream..
and maybe some cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top...but just this one time!

Winter perfection in a mug.

**********************
I gave myself until this week..then I would start working out again.
So this morning I did! ...pat, pat, pat on my back.
I burned 216 calories..which then made my evening cookie eating festival justified.

Especially since the cookies are not only organic..but also from Whole Foods!
Double the health right there!!!

My bratty kids made all sorts of comments...I ignored their chubby jokes and
enjoyed my organic cane sugar, whole wheat, super healthy, chocolate chip cookies.
They {with their super high metabolism} can just be quiet.

I'm the Queen around here! They need to take their peasant places.

Tyler's girlfriend Cyndie was up visiting from Florida...she gave me a bouquet of roses!
She is just the sweetest!

We really enjoyed having her with us over the holidays...
...my youngest three were so sad when she left.  They love her! ...we all do. :)

Hope your week is off to a great start.
Happy Monday to you.
XxOo