What did you do???

So this morning I did something totally crazy (Okay, at least pretend to be a little bit shocked, please?).  I was cleaning off the computer desk and noticed an advertisement for columnists for our local paper's Parent magazine.  It gave a few ground rules and had an email address to send in your columns. 

Before I knew it, I was typing away on a column.  Really, I blame it on my true desire to not finish cleaning off the desk, but there I sat typing.  I read through it a couple of times, spell checked and then, the most crazy thing of all, I sent it in to the editor.  That voice inside me that typically stops me from doing such crazy things must have either started Spring Break early or is currently on mute. 

So I was thinking that maybe it might be lost in cyberworld somewhere, you know wherever those really important emails go when they don't actually make it to the intended recipient.  Then, about an hour ago, I got a confirmation that the editor received my column.

Friends, I didn't even tell you the worst part yet.  Oh yes, you are not going to believe this.  The article I felt so compelled for everyone in my town to read is about.... sex.  Yep.  S-E-X.  Well, actually it's about talking to your kids about sex, but still.  My grandmother reads the paper; she can't see that I'm actually being open and honest with my 10 year old about that!

And then it hits me.  How does that verse go?  You know, that one about being timid.  So, I google it and this is what that verse says:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:17.

OK God.  You win.  I won't hack into that editor's computer and "steal back" my story (or, in actuality, I won't hire a 2nd grader to teach me how to hack into his computer and "steal back" my story).  I wasn't made to be timid; I was made for much more.

{MAIN} Holidays & the curse of Pinterest

(I'm in a bit of an odd mood today. I hope you can hang with me in my rambling state)

Today is Dr. Seuss' birthday.   What?  You didn't know that?  Aren't all mommies supposed to know these things?  So I got on Pinterest this morning for some extra servings of green eggs and inspiration when suddenly I started to feel so...... inferior. 

Sure, we celebrated Groundhog's Day this year with groundhog cupcakes

... and shadow tag...

and a footprint craft (because seriously, I can not get enough hand/ footprint crafts!).

And Super Bowl Sunday was filled with healthier, homemade snacks...

along with some commercial viewing...

And Valentine's Day began with a candlelight breakfast full of all things red and heart-shaped...

... and lunch continued much the same way.

What special day would be complete without the customary photo shoot...

even if the kiddos have to be done in two groups because the youngest was wwwwaaaaaayyyy too grumpy that morning to be photographed?

There were games after dinner which included Chubby Puppy-- the Valentine's Edition and Heart Bingo (even though Eli had a basketball game that night).

And even Lead Day, the once every four years holiday that lead us to play leap frog....

and eat frog cupcakes.

Still, after all that manufactured fun, I still feel inferior?  Why????  I'm blaming Pinterest!

So, tonight, we will be eating "boring" old green eggs and ham, Dr. Seuss hat pancakes, and 1 fish, 2 fish, goldfish crackers.  We will be reading the same old Dr. Seuss books and we will play Seuss bingo just like we did last year.  And, at the end of the night, my three kiddos will love me just as much as they would if I spent hundreds of dollars and metric tons of energy to give them a Pintrest-style Dr. Seuss Day.

I Heart Faces: Hugs and Kisses

In watching Ruby and Jason, I have truely learned and daughters and daddies have a very special relationship.  In this photo (taken before the father/ daughter dance) I captured a special "kiss" these two have: they each make the sign for "I love you", they put their I love you signs together (like a kiss), and then say Ka-Boom (as if they're blowing them up).  I hope they always have these special moments!

Head over to I Heart Faces for more hugs and kisses!

I Heart Faces: Hearts

This photo reminds me of the three days Ruby spent in jammies last August while she had Chicken Pox. (To answer your questions, yes, kids do still get chicken pox, but not very often. Yes, she had the vaccine-- twice.)

Heavenly      

Eppervescent

Adventurous  

Ruby             

Timeless     

     Head on over to I Heart Faces to view more photos with heart!

Hanging Purse Rack

*Note: This review is all my opinion and nothing but my opinion. No one is sending me free products (and seriously, why would they?) for bragging about their items on my blog.


So, now that that's out of the way, I have to tell you about these purse racks.  OK, let me back up a bit.  I love Vera Bradley.  There, I said it.  It's washable, it's girly, seriously, what's not to love?  So, for the past 12ish years, people have been buying me Vera Bradley purses, wallets, diaper bags, etc.  Which is awesome, until one day you wake up and realize that half of the floor of your closet is being taken up by a large tote containing all your aforementioned purses (and that's after you parted with all the ones you never used!).

So I browsed Amazon and found these Jokari Hanging Purse Racks (2 in a package).  I used a little Christmas money and bought these bad boys... and I'm SO glad I did.

Let me start by saying these were a breeze to install (about as difficult as stretching a rubber band around a stack of papers).  Secondly, the hooks that hold each purse are movable, so I could space them out however I needed/ wanted to.  The only downfall I see to these is that the hooks are just "L-shaped" hooks (I had wrongly assumed they were clamps of some sort).  So, if the bag does not have straps (like, for instance, a wallet), it can not go on this rack.  I thought that it would also mean that bags would fly out of the closet at me every time I open the door; luckily, that has not happened-- not even once!

So there you have it, my suggestion for a 5 minute organizational tool.  Now, if I could just find a similar tool for all my Gladware containers! 

The {Super} Village

Way back in early December, I bought Jason a Christmas present. We had SO much fun on the zipline in Gatlinburg (yea, I was going to link you to my post about Gatlinburg, but apparently I didn't write one-- seriously???), I decided to give him tickets to zipline in Super Bowl Village....

We dropped the kids off at my mom's enthusiastically with heavy hearts, and then headed down town.  We actually went the weekend before the Super Bowl, so some things were still in progress, like, say the transformation of the Marriott. 

We saw a huge line at the zipline and prayed that we wouldn't have to wait in it.  Luckily, we found out those were people trying to buy tickets that day.  So we go in (a much shorter) line and found the wind speeds were causing some problems.  As it turned out, despite having purchased tickets ahead of time, we waited in line two hours.  Luckily, there was entertainment, like the hung-over people behind us and this man securing the tarp.  It gives you a really good sense of how high up we were about to go, though!  Yikes!

I caught this shot of Lucas Oil Stadium from the top of the zipline platform.

Here's a shot of Jason and me at the top.  I'm telling you, CRAZY wind that day.  Typically my hair doesn't quite look that bad!

This is the area where I was hooked up and given some very laid back instructions.  There were people down below playing games, eating and drinking, and waiting in long lines.  As we zipped across, most stopped what they were doing, looked at you and waved.  It was the closest I will ever feel to being a celebrity!

By the time we got to the top, the Marriott "stickering" was complete!

OK, so we had just finished our magnificent zip, this lady gets on the same line as I was on, and gets stuck in the middle for quite some time.  It was hilarious (since it was her!), but I was also quite thankful it wasn't me! 

Ice sculpture

Super Bowl numbers

Despite the crowds, and the long waits, and the ridiculous prices for most things (our zipline tickets were only $10 each, go figure), we had a marvelous date at the Super Bowl village.  It has been quite an experience to have the big game so close to home this year!

As for the game, if we can't be watching Peyton... Go Eli!!!