ice, forced hiatus and zip lines

Freezing rain covered parts of Maryland

today and that included us.

I snapped these pictures of our trees and bushes.

It really was beautiful.

And, yes,

our Christmas lights are still up.

We do not leave them up all year round.

We just aren’t in a hurry to pack everything away just yet.

***

Tuesday morning I actually felt like myself and not a couch cushion . I got some stuff done around the house and was able to get some groceries. It actually feels good to do normal things after a forced hiatus.

***

Last night, I was checking out some of my favorite websites and stumbled across this blog,

Made by Joel, by artist Joel Henriques.

I love it!

He has a great (green) ideas, free templates and cute videos.

They are simple yet very creative. I also love it because it comes from a father’s perspective of making things and interacting with his kids….

like the pirate ship in a walnut shell.

I like the twist.

I really like the woodpecker, the paper dollhouses in a mint box

(Great for those unexpected long waits with children!)

and my favorite, the zip line!

Great stuff to keep little hands busy!

white fluffy mountains...white fluffy mountians...

I am sick.

It was trailing me on Sunday,
catching up to me Tuesday night and by
Thursday it snuggled in to stay.

Friday night it faked an exit
and slammed me again Saturday night!

Yup, I was on the couch all Thursday and today too!

As a mother, I cannot afford to take time off.

Things accumulate and piles multiply at an insane pace.

Laundry doesn’t get done and lists……

“What lists? I’m just blindly feeling for a Kleenex!”

I really, really dislike being sick.

My thoughts/dreams dance wildly about

with the random sounds that pull me out of my half-sleep.

I glance at the growing mountain of Kleenexes.

My burning eyes close

and I start visualizing things

I could make out of that white fluffy mountain.

So for now, I am consuming chicken soup, a ton of orange juice and rest, lots of it! Also, a bunch of TLC from my very patient and kind husband and my boys!

My youngest keeps tucking Elizabeth gently in my arms.

Too cute!

I’m off to grab another Kleenex!

I hope you are well!

Dream Big!

We had a little New Year’s Eve get together.

I hung up a blank 2011 New Year’s Resolution poster for guests to fill in.

People wrote some things they wanted to do over the next year and some wrote some things they wanted other people to do.

My favorite resolution is my nephew’s.

He is five.

He has bright blue eyes and golden,

blond hair that frames

his sweet, little face.

He is a bundle of energy

and can keep up with the fastest cousins.

I bundled him up before he raced out the door to see the fireworks at midnight.

Before he zoomed out, I leaned down and asked him what he wanted to do this next year.

Without skipping a beat,

he smiled real big and said,

“I Want To Fly!”

Let’s not forget to Dream Big this year!