LET IT SNOW...

Let It Snow - Let It Snow... oh the weather outside is frightful, but the FIRE is so delightful, since I have no car to goooooooooooooo...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

THE SNOW HAS ARRIVED! I have such a love/hate relationship with winter. I hate the HOT HEAT of summer and it makes me literally sick, so you'd THINK I would love winter and the cool days. However, I don't like to be too cold either! Tsk tsk fickle aren't I? Well, snow is grand, and pretty and oh so season inspiring, but it is also a pain in the rumpus to SHOVEL and keep from freezing to the steps! MORE than once I have fallen victim to our not foot friendly front steps, even in the summer! LOL Winter is bad on Darla's back :O(

I am in the beginning planning stages of our Christmas lists and gifts and things. Nothing like waiting till' the last minute egh? Well, it should get me in the spirit quick so I guess there is some good that comes from procrastinating? Right?

Well, I guess I can non prematurely say HAPPY HOLIDAYS now to you my friends! May you have many wonderful memories and happy times to remember and share! Darla

Giving Thanks = Thanks Giving

I love this time of year, I love being so lucky as to have so much. We are truly blessed. Thanksgiving is a grand Holiday, one of the few throughout the year where we really stop and think about all the GOOD THINGS (ohhh I sound a bit like Martha there?!) in our lives. I know how easy it is to stop and drop all the rotten, no good, horrible, really bad stuff on the ear of a neighbor or friend. Why do we do this? We have so much and are so blessed, we really SHOULD focus on the good. In my own words : FORCED OPTIMISM! So, in the spirit of the Holiday, here are just a few things I am ever grateful for....

My family who is healthy, strong and love me ! (I love them too!!!)
My nice, big, cozy home with more furnishings and electronics than a Best Buy store!
My dh who works hard, plays hard and loves me despite my many many flaws!
Our close friends who are near for the good times and the bad, always kind and loving!
This wonderful land we live in, I can honestly pray God Bless the USA!!!
and the little things...
alllllllllllllll my 1001's of scrapbook goodies!!
cheesecake anytime - anywhere!!
diet mt dew that get's me through my mornings!!
my big hot pink fuzzy slippers, although falling apart, they keep my tootsies toasty warm!!
our 1 out of 4 vehicles that IS running...thank you Lord!!
dh's great job with greater benifits so that I can be a SAHM!!
the many many many tv programs I am hooked on... sanity!!

If I don't make it back before Thursday....HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!! Darla

Christmas! Ready or Not...

Well, I don't know how to say it, but Christmas IS coming! I have to say, for being one of my favorite times of the year, this one is looking a tad bleak. I know that the spirit of the season is SO not about gifts and treats and money and retail...but it sure does make it more fun :O( I fear that this Holiday is going to be a sparse one for us and I don't know how my kids are going to feel about that. I pray that they have enough grace and understanding that they will not be dissapointed or hurt or even worse, greedy and nasty to us. We totally went above and beyond last year for Christmas, so I have a hunch they are expecting Santa to be the party dude he was last year too! LOL So, I am starting to make lists (because THAT is what I do...) and I am starting to think of homemade/made with love things I can do to keep the costs down for us, but when it comes to the kids... somehow a paperbag album or altered notebook just isn't going to do it :O( I wish that I could think of a good way to really treat each of them. Guess we'll see the true blessings of Christmas and hopefully, my kids will be filled with love and peace and enjoy the celebration no matter what is (or is not) under the tree...

Happy Fall ya'All !

My house is very festivus looking for FALL now! I am so happy! My dearest husband has his fun with Halloween and goes a bit 'overboard' on the decor' outside and scares the kiddies all through the neighborhood with our witches, fog machines, howling noises and creeping spiders. (Oh, did I mention the creepy skeletons peeking from the windows with strobe lights?)
Well, now the SPOOKS are all gone and I have some nice autumn peices set out and I am loving it! I have my cute broom with ribbons and leaves upon the door, I have candles set out and a cornacopia of fall foliage on the dinette. We have a nice pumpkin spice candle burning and sending scents of wonder through the house! AND my most exciting part?? A GORGEOUS new table cloth on the dinette as well! Brown, cinnamon and orange plaid colors perfect for the season upon us! Makes the whole house feel festive!!!! I just love it!

Misery Loves Company...so come help me clean house!

Today is going to be a rather dreary, dull, icky day. I can't play the optimism card this time, things just SUCK! I could list them all but that would be wollowing in my own pity so I wont' but I will say that I am having a very bad, no good, downright horrible, rotten day! :O<
So, to stick with the 'mood' I will join my own misery with the most miserable thing I can think of : HOUSEWORK! It needs done anyway, so why not join the two SOB's in a battle till' the end!? LOL Off I go, if I don't come back in 24 hours or less....send in reinforcements!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darla :O) aka: "Miss Optimistic" ?? LOL

The GOOD The BAD and The STRESSFULL.. another day in my life!

Well, I can honestly say I "KNOW" the true meaning of stress now. After all that has been going on in my 'personal' life with friends and family and then today the new minivan goes ca-poot! Is STRESS a 4 letter word? If not, it SHOULD be! LOL Honestly though, I really don't have much to complain about and I am trying desperatly to be very optimistic and joyful! I have a wonderful family who supports and loves me and takes such good care of me. I have a nice home and multiple cars to drive (thank GOD!) and a hunky chunky room full of scrapping supplies! What more could a girl want? :O) Things really are not all that bad. I just need to look for the roses amongst the thorns a little more sometimes. I am very thankful for all the 'bounty' I have and I can honestly say I am happy and content with my SAHM job. I love taking care of the house and the kids and dh, each time I can do a little 'extra' around here truly gives me a bit of joy. I am what I always said I wanted to be ... a wife and a mom! Dream come true baby!!!!!!!!!