I had this really great post going yesterday about how I have gotten the crafting bug lately, and I spent time looking through my craft idea folder, and putting links with pictures, ugh it was going to be so great. Then Beau comes along and TURNS OFF THE COMPUTER! I thought that it would have been saved as a draft, because it is suppose to do that?!?!?! No, it didn't.
This has totally taken the wind out of my blogging/ crafting sails. poop
Today is my dad's birthday. My dad is great, I really like him.
I know that everyone has to say this, at least on a genetic level, but I wouldn't be the person that I am and have the life that I do without him. In more ways than he or I even know, he has been the most influential person in my life. Not growing up with him around everyday, or even every month made me cherish the time that I had with him even more.
He is honest and expects the absolute truth from everyone. He has forced me to learn how to communicate well, no matter how stubborn I am or painful the situation may be. He loves Jesus and has passed that love onto his children, even though it took some of us longer than others to replicate. ;) He LOVES his kids and his grandkids and they love, love, LOVE DaddyO. Even though he made mistakes... he has taught me through his relationship with Taryn, what a great Christ-centered marriage looks like. And he is hilarious! What more could a girl want from a dad? Maybe a giant trust fund, that would be good. Maybe you could work on that, dad.
This weekend we had a very wonderful blanket of white stuff cover Durham and surrounding areas. We have played and enjoyed our winter thoroughly. I don't know how long it will last, I am hoping that it will be here through today, but with Durham, you never know.
Here are some pictures that I took Saturday morning while it was still snowing:
Yes, that is 7 inches of snow! I love it!
Saturday we went out trying to find something to stave off our cabin fever, and we ended up helping three people get their vehicles back on the road. When we turned onto our road, headed home, Halleigh said, "I don't want to go home, I want to keep driving around looking for people off the road to help." So sweet that she realized what was happening and so sweet that she enjoys "helping" others.
One of my goals for raising my children is that I raise children with hearts for service who honor and place the focus on Jesus with their servant's hearts. I hope that the tiny, seemingly insignificant act of pushing people back on the road helped to develop that in Halleigh. And I really hope that we continue to be good examples of this, actions speak louder than words after all!
***Note: I actually stayed in the car with the kids while Miles pushed people out. I was just the driver who pulled over. he he he
Here we are at the end of January, I thought I should give an update as to how my resolutions are going...
Here again is the list, in no particular order:
1. Make Christmas stockings, the $1 ones from Old Navy just aren't going to cut it anymore.
2. Buy new tree stand, ours is terrible and I heard that LL Bean has one that is great.
3. Make a tree skirt, ours is hideous... I hate it
4. Buy wise men for my nativity set DONE
5. Be more active and health conscience (isn't that on everyone's list?) I can't cross this off, because this is an on going goal, but I have been taking advantage of the treadmill, so this is happening!
6. Run a 5k
7. Read more than 19 books (for the last three years I have read 19 books each year)
8. Get out of debt (TMI, I know, but it had to be there) DONE (for the most part, we aren't counting student loans)
9. Research and participate in a CSA (community supported agriculture not the Confederate States of America) DONE (this one I had to do much sooner than I thought that I would... I am glad that I looked online when I did, I almost missed the deadline!)
10. Enroll Halleigh in pre-school DONE
At church a couple weeks ago I found out that New Years Resolutions most often fail by the middle of February... we'll see! Miles and I say that 2010 is our year; so far so good!
Halleigh started Kindermusik today. It should not have come as a surprise that she would love it, but I was so happy as we drove home and later as we ate lunch that she was still singing and dancing in memory of what we learned in class today. She was sad that we had to wait a whole week before coming back.
Halleigh LOVES music and dancing. She has moved to a beat since before she was able to walk. As we make dinner at night we usually have music going and it has become a time of family dancing. We have a lot of fun! I really hope that Kindermusik has/ will enrich this love of music and movement that Halleigh has.
Another great part of Kindermusik is that I take Halleigh and leave Beau, so it is girl bonding time. She really liked that I was there with her and she had my full attention. It was fun to be there with her and I think that as all the kids get more comfortable and willing to participate it will become even more fun for parents and kids alike.
Who knew I could be so excited about music class?
... but Miles loves it.
I just think that a giant hunk of ground beef that you cook in a clump and then smother in ketchup to eat is gross. (As many of you know hamburgers are my favorite meal... they don't count, even though they are clumps of ground beef that I smother in ketchup and eat. They are different due to the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, mayonnaise and a bun that accompany the meat.) Not to mention that the way it is usually served reminds me of a loaf of bread, meat bread... mmmm! sick
So in order to placate Miles' need and near constant nagging about my unwillingness to make meatloaf, I have decided to try some meatloaf recipes. One has pesto in it and the other has spinach and mozzarella cheese. I'll let you know how it goes.
Note: This picture makes me laugh because they tried to dress the meatloaf up with a sprig of parsley... oh yeah, that totally makes it look more appetizing.
Note #2: I am being totally melodramatic; I know that there are a lot of people that really like meatloaf. If you are one of those people, I am so glad! As my mom says, "If you don't like it... good, more for the rest!"
Today was epiphany... at least at the Travis household. Today the Wise men arrived, never mind that they came from Hallmark, not the far east and never mind that epiphany was really last week, better late than never. Their arrival also marked the completion of my nativity scene. YAY!
