Rainbow Confetti Snowman
Introducing the kids snowman for 2015 – Rainbow Confetti! Shortly after this picture I was beamed with a snowball (can you guess from who?!) Look at the person in the picture holding a snowball waiting for me to snap the picture.
The last snow day we had the girls decided it was time to build a snowman. It was perfect packing snow so they got started. The only probably they had is the originally started the snowman ball at the bottom of the yard and rolled it uphill. It wasn’t until they reached the driveway did they realize that they were not going to make it into the front yard so they came inside requesting help. Between the three of us slip and sliding the big ball of snow across the driveway we managed to get it into the front yard.
It isn’t the most beautiful snowman with the leaves, sticks, and dirt sticking out of it, but for the most part it is one that was built primarily by the kids with only a little assistance getting it into the front yard. They did a great job and had a blast. They “painted” their snowman with a mix of water and food coloring in a spray bottle then named him “Rainbow Confetti”. Skipper was there to supervise the construction! I do have to say their snowman lasted for several days and was one of the last ones in our area to completely melt so they did a great job packing in the snow plus they built him under a tree so it was a little more shaded.
They would roll up more big snowballs and break them down next to the bottom of the snowman to build up a strong base. I think the “breaking” and jumping up and down on the balls of snow were the real fun, the snowman just had the benefit of all the extra snow around it.
Rainbow Confetti was a mix of random colors from red, yellow, green, and blue. They decided to use the fox hat. Rainbow Confetti’s face was made completely out of vegetables that the critters running through the yard could eat. Cherry tomato eyes, carrot nose, and an orange pepper mouth!
The kids colorful snowman. They did a great job!
Snow Days In South Carolina
Karlie could spend an entire day outside in the cold she loves it so much!
A couple weeks ago we had several days of snow in South Carolina. The girls loved it. They had a blast playing outside in the snow. It was great having a little extra time with them. Not sure they went a full week of school the last part of February or the first part of March with the snow days here and there. We’ll take the extra days together though and pack in as much fun as we can. Snow does not last long in SC so when it comes you have fun for the brief time you have with it. As you can see from the picture above the snow on the ground behind Karlie has already melted since that morning.
Back deck covered in snow.
She looks so sad now that the kids are back inside…. Skipper loves snow days because the kids come out and play more. This is the face I saw looking at us in the window shortly after the kids had come inside for lunch. Looks like she is giving them her sad puppy eyes in hopes that they will come back outside and play again soon. Don’t worry they were back out within 30 minutes or so.
Oh no she is not going to through that snowball at me….. Yes, I got beamed with snow balls quite a few times. Our storm door got it too a couple times as Karlie waiting for me to come out. Guess those were her practice throws!
Waiting patiently for me to finish getting ready so I can join her outside!
Brina pretending to plant in the snow or at least knock off the remaining snow from the planter.
Magnolia leaves loaded with snow!
You can still see our bulls eye target!
The evergreens branches were heavy with the snow!
Song: Give You My Heart by Hillsong
There are a lot of times during our life when we are thinking about what is best for us. When we give Jesus our heart and lives there is so much more for us to give. Our agenda and schedule may not be the same plans He has for us. If we truly give Him our heart how much more important is it that we follow His leading. He has great plans for us if we would only allow Him to lead.
This is my desire to honor You
Lord, with all my heart, I worship You
All I have within me, I give You praise
All that I adore is in YouLord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul, I live for You alone
Every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake
Lord, have Your way in meSweet Snow Day Treats
Hot Chocolate
Usually after the kids come back in from playing in the snow they want something hot to drink. Hot chocolate and apple cider are typically the most popular favorites in our house. The other day we had hot chocolate with heart marshmallows which was a hit with the kids. Snow days through us a little off schedule, but the extra time with the kids is so worth it. Sitting around the table sipping hot chocolate, talking, and laughing is one of the best parts of having a snow day.
Hot, delicious, and sweet! Perfect on a cold snowy day!
Chocolate Snow Cream. The girls have made snow cream with me so many times over the past years that they do it all on their own now. This is a batch they whip up during the last snow storm.
Here are a couple of snow cream recipes we like to use:
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Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
Last week was super busy, but truly amazing at the same time. The girls and I were able to join Jake at his work conference in Orlando, Florida. While he was in his conference the girls and I bounced around town, explored, swam, went to the Disney Parks, and so much more. We had a blast and met people literally from around the world.
The kids were up at the break of dawn every day and were going strong until about midnight every evening. After Jake’s conference ended we had a couple days together as a family to spend time exploring. Thankful for our time together, the fun, memories, and the opportunity to go on the trip. With the altered schedule and long days I was not as consistent in writing down my blessings, but as I reflect back there are many things for which I am grateful for last week.
I want to be accountable to you so the following are snip-its of some of the things I am thankful for this past week. Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday – Thankful that we woke up on time (3:00 am) and made it safely to Orlando, Florida. Grateful for an opportunity to stretch our legs at Downtown Disney before heading to our hotel to check in and Jake start his first conference meetings.
Tuesday – Thankful that the girls and I were able to spend the entire day at Animal Kingdom. They did fantastic and we had a blast seeing all the animals, going on rides, safaris, watching the shows, and so much more.
Wednesday – Thankful for a chance to play miniature golf with the kids, even though we lost 3 balls and had crazy high scores, we had grand time. Grateful that the resort had several pools so we spent a good part of the day bouncing around from pool to pool, swimming, and splashing around with other kids at the resort.
Thursday – Thankful that I was able to spend the day at Magic Kingdom with the girls. Even more thankful that Jake was able to join us after lunch once his conference ended. It was great spending time together as a family and having fun!
Friday – Thankful for a day with the entire family at Epcot. The girls loved the rides, shows, and learning about the different countries around the world. Thankful for my brother’s family who watched the house and pets while we were awhile on our trip.
What are you thankful for today? I encourage you to take the time to write down a few blessings that you have in your life today. It will help cheer you up and turn your focus on the amazing blessings you encounter each day!
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Our family spent last week in Orlando, Florida. My husband had a work conference the first part of the week, the girls and I went along with him. We had a blast exploring the area while Jake attended his work meetings. The girls and I went to one of the Disney parks, Animal Kingdom as well the Boardwalk, Downtown Disney, Miniature Golf, swimming, and roaming around while Jake was in his conference. We got pretty good at figuring out how to get around with the various transportation systems from the buses, boats, and monorails. We only saw Jake in the mornings while we were getting ready and at the end of the day as the girls were getting ready for bed. He had long days at the conference, but it was nice to spend a little time with him each day.
After Jake’s conference was out we spent the next 2 1/2 days exploring parks together as a family before heading home. I am very thankful for a great opportunity to spend time together. We were up by 6 am every morning and went strong until about midnight each day. The girls were at the perfect age to carry their own backpacks and explore for a whole day.
We ate breakfast at the hotel, packed sandwiches and snacks for our lunches out and about, and we made supper at the hotel once we arrived back later that night. The girls would take their showers while we prepped dinner, prepped for the next day, and crashed in bed. It was a great week and we saved a lot by bringing our own meals to make and eat. We only purchased one meal the entire week and that was at Epcot. Jake did have some of his meals covered while in the conference, but otherwise everything we ate was from the food we brought to eat. We stuck mostly to our menu plan from last week, but we switched around the order based on how tired we were at the end of the day and the amount of prep required. We are now back to our regular school and work schedule this week. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Crockpot Roast Beef, Mash Potatoes & Gravy
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Chili Dogs, Green Beans
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Orange Chicken, Jasmine Rice
- Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree): Pasta Casserole, Steamed Vegetables
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week our family had the privilege to go to Orlando, Florida with Jake. He had a work conference and the girls and I got to spend some time exploring the area. We found a lot of great activities to keep us busy while Jake was working. Once Jake’s conference was over he was able to spend the rest of the week with us. We had a blast going to the Disney parks and doing other fun activities while in Orlando. The week went by really quickly and we packed a lot into the week. We created a lot of great memories during our stay. Now that we are back into the normal work and school schedule we have a lot to get done around home. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading Rascal by Sterling North to the kids – last week we didn’t read much with all the other activities going on in Florida
Plan one special activity with the family– we went to Orlando and explored some of the Disney parks, the kids loved it!Play a Game with the KidsPrepare for Upcoming Winter & Spring Events (Spring is just around the corner)- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure – our Orlando adventure went really well, was a hit, and we created some family memories
Spend Extra Time with the Family– spent time together in Orlando and Jake joined us after his conference ended
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each day– drink a lot as it was up to 90 plus degrees a couple days we were in FL- Continue my YouVersion plan(s) – my phone was burning through the battery so I didn’t listen during last week, but was already caught up before leaving on the trip thankfully
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week– the kids and I made and ate our dinners at the hotel while Jake was at the conference and he joined after the conference had ended. The hotpot worked really well for easy prep items.Clean House (Focus – Basic House Clean Up)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts – some ideas were bouncing around, but for the most part I enjoyed my time with the kids
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention – some items got pushed back but hoping to get back up to speed this week
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
Pay Bills & File Paperwork
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading Rascal by Sterling North to the kids
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Prepare for Upcoming Spring Events
- Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
- Attend After School Activities
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure
- Get the kids caught back up with Homework from missing school last week while in Florida
- Prep for upcoming State STEM Competition
- Prep for upcoming Spring Break
- Take kids to Eye Dr and Dentist for regular Cleaning
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Use up food items in our pantry and freezer
- Clean House (Focus – Extra Laundry Done from Traveling)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Unpack All Suitcases and Put Items Away from Florida Trip)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Clean Out the Van from the Florida Trip)
- Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up Hay for the Goats)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Medical Bills
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, and other debt)
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
Live For The Moments…
Furry Critters Who are Not Fans of the Snow
Snowball and Oreo peeking out at us!
We have two furry family members who are not big fans of the snow. They don’t like coming out and getting their feet wet. It is more appealing for them to just stay inside for the most part nibbling on hay, grain, drinking water, and sleeping. They did brave it a couple times and came out for treats sometimes, but not very often. Most of the time they would look at us like we were crazy for being out hiking around in the snow.
They would rather be hanging out inside eating hay! Such a tough life for the goats!
Leaning out the door to watch us. Oreo came out more often than Snowball.
Oreo came out to say “hi” and snag a fresh vegetable. Snowball decided to stay inside.
