A Few of my Favorite Things

It is so frigid in this windy, winter tundra in which we live! I am curled up in bed with my sleeping babies cuddled next to me trying to stay warm. Longing for Summer in Winter! These pictures aren't really helping with the longing, but they do help with the warming :) Here are a few of our favorite things!

Camping! Smores! Sleeping in a tent, bundled tight in a sleeping bag! Getting dirty and washing in the lake! Playing in the Lake! Fishing in the Lake! Wakeboarding! Tubing! FUN! Do you feel the warmth yet??

Naked babies in the pool! Look at that face do you think she would feel so happy and free if she were confined in a swimsuit? I think not!

FAMILY! Aren't they the greatest?? This is Stinker #1 and her cousin of whom she loves, copies her every move, and wants to be when she grows up. It is disgustingly cute. :)

4 Wheelers are amazing and Stinker #2 is a WILD MAN! Helpful hint...never leave the keys in the ignition = crazy and scary times!

Oh I could post more... Horse back riding, tubing, floating, fishing. I love it. I love the warmth of it all. Maybe if the wind would just stop blowing we could sled down the hill in our backyard, warm up with hot cocoa when we are done, put in extra marshmallows, and build a family of snowmen like originally planned for the lone snowman in our front yard. Stinker #1 and #2 named him Bingo. Please wind and too cold go away. So we can find warm memories in the snow. Until then bikes in the basement will suffice!

I have never shopped Black Friday before.... until this year. All I can say is WOW! Personally, I have never got real kicks and giggles out of shopping. Perhaps this comes with the territory of being the little sister growing up and receiving all the hand me downs making no need to shop. Now I am all grown up the ads enticed me into the stores and wow people are crazy! I have never seen cars save parking spaces for other cars until Black Friday. There was a gentleman who parked a cart by one of the speedy registers with some items in it like q tips pretending to be in line (who buys q tips on black friday??) while his wife shopped, then when she was done she put her things in the cart and the husband quit letting people go ahead of him. THAT IS LINE CHEATING!! Then the most crazy was the gal who was peeling the price tag off the $35 bike and trying to make it stick to the bike that was on sale for $39. Seriously, it's $4!!! Last one I promise, one NICE lady that I started to talk to as we were both traffic jammed in behind everyone else.... she had her kids spread throughout the store in pre planned stations to ensure that they got everything that they want. That is how it is done I guess. She asked to see my list and let me know "Honey there ain't no way you are going to get all of this stuff on your own." Then, she called one her daughters and told the sizes of the PJs that I wanted. She then let me know that I could pick them up where she would camp out until 5 am!!! It was midnight at this time.... 5 hours just waiting for the electronics to go on sale. Craziness!! I thanked her for her help and kindness. Her last piece of advice "Honey, manners are not going to get you anywhere on Black Friday!" Maybe I am not cut out for the Black Friday business, but somehow the universe was aligned and I was able to get just what I needed minus How To Train Your Dragon....with good manners. Lessons learned on my first Black Friday #1 people are crazy and #2 plan ahead or get run over. Will I go again next year.... I am undecided. It was kind of fun and interesting watching the fellow Black Friday -ers :)

I'm Back and Blogging

So I started a new blog, deleted the old. I am not very savvy with blogging so this is my second go at it. Any of you who are pros, tips and/or advice is welcome! I am not sure what I looking to accomplish with the blog. I guess just random updates of kids, expression of thoughts, random silliness, pictures. So this is what I have been told blogging is for. Let the fun begin....

So I spent an hour going back and forth over a title for the new blog. Seriously. Then, I got annoyed with myself, did not go with either one and came up with "lost with a cause" in a mere 5 seconds, exasperated with my own indecisiveness.... so it is what it is. Yet, I can't help, but think it is quite fitting for my occasion of life right now. I have three of the best little stinkers I could ask for and in trade I have given my personal memory. In the moments of pressure, "Mom where are my dance shoes... Mom where is my backpack..... Mom have you given me my gummie today... Mommy how many bananas did stinker #3 have.... (yes I truly have to count the bananas eaten to avoid.... well you know)" Tis true I get lost in it all. I get lost in the day to day demands of being mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend and I love it. It can even be frustrating, annoying, and mind boggling at times. Yet, I love it for the cause of doing good, of being the best I can while losing myself in service, but not losing my identity.

So this is the beginning of what I ended when I closed the last blog. I will post some pictures soon. Happy blogging!