What happened to February? It's the last day of February? Really? Wow. I guess time flies when you're having fun.
Speaking of time flying, did anyone else think this weekend went by WAY too fast? I think I missed it somehow. I'm not really sure what happened to this weekend, but I feel like I was in some kind of weird time warp that propelled me straight from Friday to Monday. I need a do-over.
I have a great post churning around in my head, but I haven't had enough coffee to flush it out of my brain and into words yet...so, instead, I am sharing this video that my dad sent to me this morning. If you've been running in church circles very long, I'm sure you've heard this before...but, it's a good way to get you pumped up on a Monday morning. It gives me chills every time I listen to it. Enjoy:
"But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure." Psalm 71:14-15
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Right Now:
Right now, Ella is walking around the house holding a marble with her toes...one for each foot. She is saying, in a high pitched voice, "Oh, hello your majesty. Thank you for my marble shoes, I just love them. Let's have tea." It looks very uncomfortable. But, she finds it quite entertaining.
That's all.
That's all.
Baked Spaghetti
Today I am sharing one of my family's favorite meals. It's so much better than just plain spaghetti. The recipe makes a lot, it's inexpensive, but it tastes delicious. It is a great one to freeze, bring to potlucks, or when you need to take a meal to someone. We love it with thick pieces of garlic bread and a good salad.
Ingredients:
1 16. oz package of spaghetti
1 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion, finely chopped
1/2 of a large green pepper, finely chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. water
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
2 c. shredded mozzarella
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Break spaghetti in half and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch Oven, or large, deep skillet, cook beef, onion and pepper until meat is brown. Drain.
Stir in the soups, tomato sauce, water, brown sugar and seasoning. Mix well.
Drain the spaghetti and pour into meat sauce. Add 1 c. cheese.
Transfer to a greased, 9x13" pan. Cover at bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10-15 min. longer.
I hope everyone has a great weekend.
Jessica
Ingredients:
1 16. oz package of spaghetti
1 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion, finely chopped
1/2 of a large green pepper, finely chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. water
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
2 c. shredded mozzarella
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Break spaghetti in half and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch Oven, or large, deep skillet, cook beef, onion and pepper until meat is brown. Drain.
Stir in the soups, tomato sauce, water, brown sugar and seasoning. Mix well.
Drain the spaghetti and pour into meat sauce. Add 1 c. cheese.
Transfer to a greased, 9x13" pan. Cover at bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10-15 min. longer.
I hope everyone has a great weekend.
Jessica
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Botanical Gardens
I love Fort Worth. I love the stockyards, Sundance Square, all the museums, the zoo, and especially the Botanical Gardens. My mom and I took the kids there last Saturday. I have been there many times, but this was the first time I noticed the hollow pecan tree. It is over 200 years old and completely hollow. The kids could go all the way inside. We had a lot of fun walking through the garden. The weather was beautiful, over 70 degrees in February...another Fort Worth perk. We'll have to go back soon to see the roses blooming. Look at my sweet babies enjoying the gardens:
If you're looking for something fun to do on a pretty day with your kids, I recommend the gardens. Most of it is free, and there are lots of places for a picnic. We saw one tree with 6 or 7 squirrels running around. It was a great day. Hurry up...it won't be long before it will be too hot! (the downside of Fort Worth!)
If you're looking for something fun to do on a pretty day with your kids, I recommend the gardens. Most of it is free, and there are lots of places for a picnic. We saw one tree with 6 or 7 squirrels running around. It was a great day. Hurry up...it won't be long before it will be too hot! (the downside of Fort Worth!)
A Cowgirl Birthday Party
Ella is going to be 3 next month. I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about it. She's my baby (but don't tell her that...you will get the stink eye for sure!). We are having her party at Homestead Farms in Keller. If anyone else has a child that LOVES animals, you should check this place out. It is the most reasonably priced birthday party I have ever found. I could not do a party for her at home for less than this place charges! The kids get to feed the animals (they have goats and chicks) and take a hay ride. Then we'll have a picnic, cake and presents. Ella is very excited. The whole point of this post though is to share the invitation that I made for her cowgirl/farm birthday party:
This is the front of the invitation. I made this using Picnik. It is a great online photo editing site that is free! Just thought I'd share this cute idea, and the great website too. Have a great week!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Happy Birthday GW
I hope everyone is enjoying President's Day weekend. To celebrate, I thought I'd share a few facts about our first president. Studying his life is very interesting. If you've got some time on your hands, you should look him up. If you've got A LOT of time on your hands, read his farewell address. It has some really good stuff in it...great advice for all Americans and our leaders.
1. George Washington had no children of his own.
2. He personally witnessed both of his step children die...one of epilepsy and one of meningitis.
3. This one is for Mark...he LOVED ice cream. In fact, he loved it so much that he had ice cream coolers installed in his house.
4. When he was young he had red hair...see there's hope for all you feisty red-heads out there!
5. George Washington wore dentures, not made of wood as many believe...they were made from one of his real teeth, a cow's tooth, hippopotamus ivory, metal and springs!).
6. He had 6 white horses, and he had their teeth brushed every day.
7. He bred hound dogs and liked to give them strange names...see Mark, it's not so weird.
8. Of the 9 early presidents that owned slaves...Washington was the only one to free them. And, he made provisions in his will for them to be cared for by his estate for decades after his death.
9. When Washington was elected, there was NO popular vote...only electoral votes. He got 69 of them...which at that time was all of them...the only unanimously elected president!
10. The only foreign country Washington ever visited was Barbados when he was 19.
11. There is a vault under the US capitol that was meant to hold Washington's remains, but it is empty. In his will he stated that he wanted to be buried at Mt. Vernon, and his heirs honored that wish, in spite of the capitol building vault.
12. George Washington did not wear a wig as many people think. He did, however, powder his hair.
13. Washington was opposed to the idea of political parties (you think he knew something??)
14. He is the only president that did not live in the White House.
15. He was a very loud snorer.
16. He was the first person in history to have the title Lieutenant General
17. He was about 6'3" tall (very tall for his time)
18. As part of America's bicentennial celebration, Congress passed an act posthumously promoting him to "General of the Armies of the United States of America." The act also specified that no other army officer would ever outrank him.
19. He grew marijuana on his farm! (At the time, it was not used as a drug, but for hemp and soil stabilization)
20. He is credited with introducing the mule to America.
Happy President's Day!
1. George Washington had no children of his own.
2. He personally witnessed both of his step children die...one of epilepsy and one of meningitis.
3. This one is for Mark...he LOVED ice cream. In fact, he loved it so much that he had ice cream coolers installed in his house.
4. When he was young he had red hair...see there's hope for all you feisty red-heads out there!
5. George Washington wore dentures, not made of wood as many believe...they were made from one of his real teeth, a cow's tooth, hippopotamus ivory, metal and springs!).
6. He had 6 white horses, and he had their teeth brushed every day.
7. He bred hound dogs and liked to give them strange names...see Mark, it's not so weird.
8. Of the 9 early presidents that owned slaves...Washington was the only one to free them. And, he made provisions in his will for them to be cared for by his estate for decades after his death.
9. When Washington was elected, there was NO popular vote...only electoral votes. He got 69 of them...which at that time was all of them...the only unanimously elected president!
10. The only foreign country Washington ever visited was Barbados when he was 19.
11. There is a vault under the US capitol that was meant to hold Washington's remains, but it is empty. In his will he stated that he wanted to be buried at Mt. Vernon, and his heirs honored that wish, in spite of the capitol building vault.
12. George Washington did not wear a wig as many people think. He did, however, powder his hair.
13. Washington was opposed to the idea of political parties (you think he knew something??)
14. He is the only president that did not live in the White House.
15. He was a very loud snorer.
16. He was the first person in history to have the title Lieutenant General
17. He was about 6'3" tall (very tall for his time)
18. As part of America's bicentennial celebration, Congress passed an act posthumously promoting him to "General of the Armies of the United States of America." The act also specified that no other army officer would ever outrank him.
19. He grew marijuana on his farm! (At the time, it was not used as a drug, but for hemp and soil stabilization)
20. He is credited with introducing the mule to America.
Happy President's Day!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Chicken Turnovers
I found this recipe online a couple of weeks ago and thought, "hmmm, cream cheese and crescent rolls? How could you go wrong?" Well, except for the tons of fat and calories, but other than that, how could you go wrong? This is really good. I reduced the amount of chicken from the regular recipe and added some frozen veggies to make me feel a little better about it...but this is a great comfort food, or cold weather dish. I did not take a picture...mostly because my husband gives me funny looks when I take pictures of food, but close your eyes with me for a moment and envision a turnover. Now imagine that it is filled with a chicken-cream cheese filling. Next, imagine that is covered with cream of chicken soup. If you'd like, pretend it is on beautiful dish, surrounded with delicious looking vegetables, and a vase of flowers in the background. That should just about do it.
Ingredients:
3 c. cooked chicken, finely chopped
1 c. frozen peas and carrots
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. milk
1 T. onion, minced
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 8 oz tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
1 T. margarine, melted
3/4 c. grated Parmesan
2 cans cream of chicken
2/3 c. milk
Blend chicken, vegetables, cream cheese, milk, onion, salt and pepper with mixer.
Separate each tube of crescent rolls into 4 rectangles, press to seal perforations.
Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 c. chicken mixture onto each rectangle. Pull up the corners to form a rectangle and press to seal. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Combine soup and milk in a saucepan until bubbly. Spoon over the turnovers.
Makes 8 servings.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 c. cooked chicken, finely chopped
1 c. frozen peas and carrots
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. milk
1 T. onion, minced
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 8 oz tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
1 T. margarine, melted
3/4 c. grated Parmesan
2 cans cream of chicken
2/3 c. milk
Blend chicken, vegetables, cream cheese, milk, onion, salt and pepper with mixer.
Separate each tube of crescent rolls into 4 rectangles, press to seal perforations.
Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 c. chicken mixture onto each rectangle. Pull up the corners to form a rectangle and press to seal. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Combine soup and milk in a saucepan until bubbly. Spoon over the turnovers.
Makes 8 servings.
Enjoy!
Meet the Family
Have you met my family? This is Aidan:
also known as: Doodlebop, Punkin'-Doodle, Sweety-Cheeks, Honey-bunch, and Punkin' Head (he's going to kill me when he's older!)
This is Ella:
also known as: Missy Lou-Who, Ella-girl, Ella Claire-Bear, Ella-Bella-Boo and Ella-Bella-Boo-Bear
This is Sam:
also known as Sammy-boy, Sammer-Bammer and Samsonite
This is Moses:
also known as Mosey-Bosey and Mosey-Boy
This is Polly (who Mark named because he didn't want to have a pet with a dumb name! Ha!)
also known as Polly-Wolly Doodle, and Polly girl
I would like you to note that Mark does not have a nickname, and that is because he makes fun of my nicknames...shame on him. So he's stuck with just Mark.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Another List:
1. I've been really into lists lately. I don't know why. That's just how I'm keeping a handle on everything right now...short, sweet and to the point...the beauty of a list.
2. I've been in a tizzy lately about my house. I feel like a hamster on a wheel. I clean and clean and clean...go to bed and then clean the same things all over again, and it NEVER feels clean. It's really been stressing me out, to the point that it is affecting my mood and over all disposition. Can anyone relate? Today, when I was cleaning up bird seed and feathers for the umpteenth millionth time this week, God spoke to my heart and said, "relax. 2 small children, a bird, 2 cats and a new puppy live in your small house. It's going to be messy, and it's not a reflection on you." I needed that. I love how God knows when I need a word from him...even about something as insignificant as bird seed.
3. This weather is straight from heaven. Ella and I have been to 2 parks and the zoo this week. I am feeling like a more sane and balanced person. There truly is a season for everything. I loved the snow and being all snuggled up with my family at home. But, the fresh air and sunshine awakens a whole new joy in my spirit. I love playing outside with my kids. (and they don't make nearly as many messes that way...see #2!)
4. God loves me. That's huge. (and He loves you too...he is an equal opportunity lover of humans)
5. I've discovered the power of praying over my kids recently. I've always prayed with them. But, our new bedtime is routine, is first they pray, and then I pray. I pray scripture over them and protection over them. It is truly amazing the changes I am seeing in them. If you don't know how to do this, here is an example of what I pray for Aidan, "Father, thank you so much for this child. He is such a blessing to our family. I am so humbled that you have chosen me to be his mother. Please help me and guide me as I raise him. God, be with Aidan at school. Give him discernment when choosing friends. Give him courage to always choose right. Help him to love you with all his heart, all his soul, all his mind and all his strength. Teach him to love others as he loves himself. Guide him in the paths you would have him walk." and so on...basically, I just pour out my hopes and dreams for him to God, right there in front of him. I notice a difference in his behavior, in his response to me and in his own prayers. As Ella says, "try it, you'll like it!" Maybe I'm the last one to figure this out...I've always prayed for them this way privately...now I just do it out loud right in front of them.
6. I have a new habit...well, I just started it today, so I guess it's not a habit yet...The computer has been such a time drain for me lately...I get sucked in...so, my new habit is to check my email/facebook/a few of my favorite blogs when I get up in the morning and have coffee. Then, I turn it off...until Ella is down for a nap...then I check email/facebook/update my blog and then turn it off again. Not just walk away, but turn it all the way off...so I don't just sit down for a second to check my email and get drawn in and lose an hour. Today has been great...I don't feel nearly as tired or foggy headed.
7. I have a touch of OCD in a few areas, one of them being, it will cause me physical pain to stop this list before I reach 10. So, I'm really trying to think of a few more things to say.
8. Oh! This one is important. God has laid it on my heart to do a little project on obedience. I'm not giving out very many details right now (at least not here)...but, if you have a personal story of either a time you were obedient to something God asked you to do or a time you were not obedient to something God asked you to do...could you leave it in a comment or send it to me in a message? It would help me...and I will give you more details about what I'm doing. Just let me know what it was and what the result was. Also, if you've read any great books or done any great Bible studies that dealt with obedience could you leave a comment with the name and author?
9. In case you didn't know...the 3 day weekend officially begins at 3:00 when the kids get out of school! I am very, very happy about this. Mark is going to Canton tomorrow, and I'm a little excited to get to spend the day alone with both of my munchkins. I'm planning some super fun stuff. (Not that it wouldn't be fun with Mark too...but I love my mommy time!)
10. And since it's still Valentine's week...and I need a #10 to round this post out...some thoughts on love...
2. I've been in a tizzy lately about my house. I feel like a hamster on a wheel. I clean and clean and clean...go to bed and then clean the same things all over again, and it NEVER feels clean. It's really been stressing me out, to the point that it is affecting my mood and over all disposition. Can anyone relate? Today, when I was cleaning up bird seed and feathers for the umpteenth millionth time this week, God spoke to my heart and said, "relax. 2 small children, a bird, 2 cats and a new puppy live in your small house. It's going to be messy, and it's not a reflection on you." I needed that. I love how God knows when I need a word from him...even about something as insignificant as bird seed.
3. This weather is straight from heaven. Ella and I have been to 2 parks and the zoo this week. I am feeling like a more sane and balanced person. There truly is a season for everything. I loved the snow and being all snuggled up with my family at home. But, the fresh air and sunshine awakens a whole new joy in my spirit. I love playing outside with my kids. (and they don't make nearly as many messes that way...see #2!)
4. God loves me. That's huge. (and He loves you too...he is an equal opportunity lover of humans)
5. I've discovered the power of praying over my kids recently. I've always prayed with them. But, our new bedtime is routine, is first they pray, and then I pray. I pray scripture over them and protection over them. It is truly amazing the changes I am seeing in them. If you don't know how to do this, here is an example of what I pray for Aidan, "Father, thank you so much for this child. He is such a blessing to our family. I am so humbled that you have chosen me to be his mother. Please help me and guide me as I raise him. God, be with Aidan at school. Give him discernment when choosing friends. Give him courage to always choose right. Help him to love you with all his heart, all his soul, all his mind and all his strength. Teach him to love others as he loves himself. Guide him in the paths you would have him walk." and so on...basically, I just pour out my hopes and dreams for him to God, right there in front of him. I notice a difference in his behavior, in his response to me and in his own prayers. As Ella says, "try it, you'll like it!" Maybe I'm the last one to figure this out...I've always prayed for them this way privately...now I just do it out loud right in front of them.
6. I have a new habit...well, I just started it today, so I guess it's not a habit yet...The computer has been such a time drain for me lately...I get sucked in...so, my new habit is to check my email/facebook/a few of my favorite blogs when I get up in the morning and have coffee. Then, I turn it off...until Ella is down for a nap...then I check email/facebook/update my blog and then turn it off again. Not just walk away, but turn it all the way off...so I don't just sit down for a second to check my email and get drawn in and lose an hour. Today has been great...I don't feel nearly as tired or foggy headed.
7. I have a touch of OCD in a few areas, one of them being, it will cause me physical pain to stop this list before I reach 10. So, I'm really trying to think of a few more things to say.
8. Oh! This one is important. God has laid it on my heart to do a little project on obedience. I'm not giving out very many details right now (at least not here)...but, if you have a personal story of either a time you were obedient to something God asked you to do or a time you were not obedient to something God asked you to do...could you leave it in a comment or send it to me in a message? It would help me...and I will give you more details about what I'm doing. Just let me know what it was and what the result was. Also, if you've read any great books or done any great Bible studies that dealt with obedience could you leave a comment with the name and author?
9. In case you didn't know...the 3 day weekend officially begins at 3:00 when the kids get out of school! I am very, very happy about this. Mark is going to Canton tomorrow, and I'm a little excited to get to spend the day alone with both of my munchkins. I'm planning some super fun stuff. (Not that it wouldn't be fun with Mark too...but I love my mommy time!)
10. And since it's still Valentine's week...and I need a #10 to round this post out...some thoughts on love...
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
I really like to think about God rejoicing over me with singing! Be blessed and have a great LONG weekend!!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Ten Things You May Not Know About Valentine's Day:
Love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is here. Mark and I don't really make a fuss over Valentine's Day...mostly because, since I've been at home with the kids, we'd rather spend our money on other things. But, I do have a great Valentine's Day story from our first one together...
Our first date had only been a couple of weeks before Valentine's Day, so we didn't have much time to prepare. Mark found out that my favorite flowers were irises and tulips, so he had a beautiful bouquet of those sent to me at work. A little boy in my class that had a little teacher crush on me, was insanely jealous and could not stop asking about those flowers. That was pretty cute. In classic Mark style, he told me about all the places he thought about taking me for Valentine's Day, but that we were not going to for one reason or another...I guess I should be impressed that he thought about it?? Instead, we had Taco Bueno. I can't remember exactly why, but I think it had something to do with the fact that there was a ton of snow on the ground and all the nice restaurants were booked. Anyway, we did get each other a couple of gifts. In fact, we got each other the exact same gift. We got each other the DVD Lost in Translation (the first movie we saw together) and a Starbuck's gift card (where we also went on our first date). The funny thing was, we also got each other the exact same card. Interestingly, it wasn't even a Valentine's card...it was a card from a totally different card section...with a picture of a shooting star on the front, and blank inside. Anyway...we were totally amused by that, and hopefully you are too, or I just wasted a good 3 minutes of your time. Count this little story as number one on the list of things you may not know about Valentine's Day. Here are some more:
2. Cupid is associated with Valentine's day because according to Roman mythology, he was the son of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Cupid was not really all cute and cuddly. He was kind of a punk and liked to make mismatched people fall in love and enjoyed the chaos that ensued. Shame on you cupid.
3. During the Middle Ages men and women drew names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They pinned this name on their sleeve for one week...and this became known as "wearing your heart on your sleeve."
4. Remember those sweet and loving Romans? In a way, we have them to thank for Valentine's Day. Good ole' Claudius the Cruel was a little peeved that men did not want to leave their families to come fight for him, so he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. But dear, sweet Valentine, a priest in Rome, secretly married couples. For his super secret marriages, he was beaten to death with clubs and beheaded on February 14. (nothing says romance like a beheading.) Later, the church, not wanting to celebrate the pagan holiday that began on the 15th, came up with their own love holiday and named it after good Saint Valentine...which is why you now have to cough up tons of cash every February to prove your love.
5. According to legend, while imprisoned, Valentine fell in love with the jailer's daughter and sent her a love note signed, "your Valentine." So, really, when you ask someone to be your Valentine, you're asking them to be your imprisoned priest/martyr.
6. According to the above story, Valentine witnessed to the jailer and converted his entire family to Christianity before he was killed. The jailer's daughter, whom Valentine fell in love with, was named Julia, and was blind.
7. In the Middle Ages it was believed that birds chose their mate on February 14. So, it became the official mating day. I bet you didn't know there was an official mating day, did you? You're welcome.
8. I've been reading about Valentine's day all morning, and while all of the above are supposed reason why we celebrate this holiday, it appears that no one really knows for sure...and no one can really prove any of the stories about St. Valentine. So, basically, we're all being scammed. But, I guess "Happy Official Mating Day" doesn't sound as poetic.
9. According to the French, the word "Valentine" comes from the french word galantine which means lover or gallant. See, no one really knows what's going on here.
10. Doves mate for life, and are therefore the official bird of Valentine's day...really? Did they sign a contract? Do they get money for this? I doubt it, but I found it on the internet, so it must be true.
And one more thing that I did not know until today (and it has nothing to do with Valentine's day!) Ella is the happiest girl, and I am the meanest girl. I know this because she told me when I put her down for a nap. Happy Valentine's Day to me!!
I hope you have a great day filled with lots of quality time with those you hold dear! Happyofficial mating Valentine's day! Now, go put your bird houses out...nesting will soon begin!
Our first date had only been a couple of weeks before Valentine's Day, so we didn't have much time to prepare. Mark found out that my favorite flowers were irises and tulips, so he had a beautiful bouquet of those sent to me at work. A little boy in my class that had a little teacher crush on me, was insanely jealous and could not stop asking about those flowers. That was pretty cute. In classic Mark style, he told me about all the places he thought about taking me for Valentine's Day, but that we were not going to for one reason or another...I guess I should be impressed that he thought about it?? Instead, we had Taco Bueno. I can't remember exactly why, but I think it had something to do with the fact that there was a ton of snow on the ground and all the nice restaurants were booked. Anyway, we did get each other a couple of gifts. In fact, we got each other the exact same gift. We got each other the DVD Lost in Translation (the first movie we saw together) and a Starbuck's gift card (where we also went on our first date). The funny thing was, we also got each other the exact same card. Interestingly, it wasn't even a Valentine's card...it was a card from a totally different card section...with a picture of a shooting star on the front, and blank inside. Anyway...we were totally amused by that, and hopefully you are too, or I just wasted a good 3 minutes of your time. Count this little story as number one on the list of things you may not know about Valentine's Day. Here are some more:
2. Cupid is associated with Valentine's day because according to Roman mythology, he was the son of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Cupid was not really all cute and cuddly. He was kind of a punk and liked to make mismatched people fall in love and enjoyed the chaos that ensued. Shame on you cupid.
3. During the Middle Ages men and women drew names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They pinned this name on their sleeve for one week...and this became known as "wearing your heart on your sleeve."
4. Remember those sweet and loving Romans? In a way, we have them to thank for Valentine's Day. Good ole' Claudius the Cruel was a little peeved that men did not want to leave their families to come fight for him, so he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. But dear, sweet Valentine, a priest in Rome, secretly married couples. For his super secret marriages, he was beaten to death with clubs and beheaded on February 14. (nothing says romance like a beheading.) Later, the church, not wanting to celebrate the pagan holiday that began on the 15th, came up with their own love holiday and named it after good Saint Valentine...which is why you now have to cough up tons of cash every February to prove your love.
5. According to legend, while imprisoned, Valentine fell in love with the jailer's daughter and sent her a love note signed, "your Valentine." So, really, when you ask someone to be your Valentine, you're asking them to be your imprisoned priest/martyr.
6. According to the above story, Valentine witnessed to the jailer and converted his entire family to Christianity before he was killed. The jailer's daughter, whom Valentine fell in love with, was named Julia, and was blind.
7. In the Middle Ages it was believed that birds chose their mate on February 14. So, it became the official mating day. I bet you didn't know there was an official mating day, did you? You're welcome.
8. I've been reading about Valentine's day all morning, and while all of the above are supposed reason why we celebrate this holiday, it appears that no one really knows for sure...and no one can really prove any of the stories about St. Valentine. So, basically, we're all being scammed. But, I guess "Happy Official Mating Day" doesn't sound as poetic.
9. According to the French, the word "Valentine" comes from the french word galantine which means lover or gallant. See, no one really knows what's going on here.
10. Doves mate for life, and are therefore the official bird of Valentine's day...really? Did they sign a contract? Do they get money for this? I doubt it, but I found it on the internet, so it must be true.
And one more thing that I did not know until today (and it has nothing to do with Valentine's day!) Ella is the happiest girl, and I am the meanest girl. I know this because she told me when I put her down for a nap. Happy Valentine's Day to me!!
I hope you have a great day filled with lots of quality time with those you hold dear! Happy
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Mark
Mark got up first this morning...to let the dog out. And then, he got up again...to let the dog out. (I'm glad the age old question of "who let the dog out?" has finally been answered...it was Mark.) Then, he got up again, to turn on cartoons for Ella. And, another time to make me pancakes and coffee. It was almost like being in a spa resort...except for the 2 year old screaming at me with snot running down her face and needing help in the bathroom...and the 8 year old, also needing a little bathroom help (don't ask)...and the dog, chewing on my foot...except for all that, it was JUST like a spa.
And now, Mark is vacuuming...on a Saturday morning...and using vacuum cleaner attachments.
I love him.
And now, Mark is vacuuming...on a Saturday morning...and using vacuum cleaner attachments.
I love him.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Snowflake Hearts
Valentine's Day is coming up and I love this project idea from Party Starters. I plan on making some with the kids this weekend and hanging them all over the kitchen on Monday...the perfect decoration for our Valentine dinner. There are lots of other amazing ideas on this site too...so, hop on over and check it out. Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Asleep
I was putting away laundry yesterday and peeked in Ella's room to see this:
I love this picture because she is all pink and perfect. I love her colorful pillows and her quilt. She is snug and safe and warm. Her Raffy is nearby and so are 2 small plastic giraffes that she loves to play with. I love that she fell asleep with a book on her chest...how many times have I done that? But, what I love most about this picture is she is asleep. Can I get an amen from all the moms out there? I am thankful for Ella, and her warm bed, and the toys she loves, and books, and colorful quilts, and stuffed, well-loved giraffes that played music many washings ago, and naptime--glorious, wonderful, beautiful, sweet naptime!
I hope everyone gets to enjoy a little time to themselves today!!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Ten Things
1. Going back to school after an unplanned week off for ice and snow is really difficult for an 8 year old boy. He kept looking out the window...like everything would spontaneously freeze and school would be called off at the last minute. One can always hope, right?
2. The dog is driving me nuts today. I guess since we actually got up and started moving around this morning, he is worried I am going to leave him. Because he is constantly under my feet...I can't even walk in my own house. I had to take him with me when we took Aidan to school, because he just about had a heart attack when he saw us headed to the car.
3. I am happy that the Steelers lost...but it was hard to be too happy because they're my sweet hubby's team. Even Aidan was pretty low key about the Packers winning. He felt bad for his daddy...isn't that sweet?
4. Mostly, I'm just glad football is over for a few months. The week leading up to the Super Bowl was especially hard...seriously, how much can you talk about a game that had not even happened yet? Apparently, you can talk about it A LOT. Enough to fill a whole week's worth of TV watching.
5. If my daughter doesn't stop waking up in the middle of the night...only to walk in my bedroom and say, "mommy, can you take me back to bed?" I am moving out. Not really.
6. Dogs + tubes of yellow gel food coloring + carpet= tears of frustration and 1 partially yellow dog
7. I made cupcakes with the Steelers emblem on them last night for Mark. Because he asked me to. He did not even eat them after I made them.
8. I made an Aaron Rodgers cupcake for Aidan last night. Because he asked me to. He promptly ate and enjoyed it.
9. I think my cupcakes had an influence on the outcome of the game. Maybe the next time I make special cupcakes for Mark, he will take enough time away from the football game to actually eat them.
10. My husband did not make me any coffee this morning. I don't want to make it myself. If he had made it for me, I would be drinking it right now. But I'm not.
2. The dog is driving me nuts today. I guess since we actually got up and started moving around this morning, he is worried I am going to leave him. Because he is constantly under my feet...I can't even walk in my own house. I had to take him with me when we took Aidan to school, because he just about had a heart attack when he saw us headed to the car.
3. I am happy that the Steelers lost...but it was hard to be too happy because they're my sweet hubby's team. Even Aidan was pretty low key about the Packers winning. He felt bad for his daddy...isn't that sweet?
4. Mostly, I'm just glad football is over for a few months. The week leading up to the Super Bowl was especially hard...seriously, how much can you talk about a game that had not even happened yet? Apparently, you can talk about it A LOT. Enough to fill a whole week's worth of TV watching.
5. If my daughter doesn't stop waking up in the middle of the night...only to walk in my bedroom and say, "mommy, can you take me back to bed?" I am moving out. Not really.
6. Dogs + tubes of yellow gel food coloring + carpet= tears of frustration and 1 partially yellow dog
7. I made cupcakes with the Steelers emblem on them last night for Mark. Because he asked me to. He did not even eat them after I made them.
8. I made an Aaron Rodgers cupcake for Aidan last night. Because he asked me to. He promptly ate and enjoyed it.
9. I think my cupcakes had an influence on the outcome of the game. Maybe the next time I make special cupcakes for Mark, he will take enough time away from the football game to actually eat them.
10. My husband did not make me any coffee this morning. I don't want to make it myself. If he had made it for me, I would be drinking it right now. But I'm not.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Texas Snow
"Come now, let us argue this out," says the LORD. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool. Isaiah 1:18 (NLT)
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7 (NLT)
Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding... Psalm 148:7-8 NIV
Happy Snow Days!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Snow Fun
It is our 3rd snow day in a row! I don't know if we've ever had this many in a row. We have had so much fun with everyone home. I love that since Mark is a teacher, if school is closed he gets to stay home too. I hate when it's icy and you have to make that decision about going into work or not. I'm sorry for those that this ice has caused such an inconvenience for...frozen pipes, electricity outages, etc. Fortunately, this time has been a huge blessing for our family. There is no where to go, and we've just been hanging out having a good time together.
If you're pulling your hair out wondering how to entertain your kids on the THIRD snow day, and the thought of your kids flying across the ice in a flimsy laundry basket doesn't scare you half to death, AND you can tolerate single digit temperatures, you should try this today:
These may be the cutest little snow babies I've ever seen...I mean, ice babies. (ice, ice baby...sorry, I had to).
If you're pulling your hair out wondering how to entertain your kids on the THIRD snow day, and the thought of your kids flying across the ice in a flimsy laundry basket doesn't scare you half to death, AND you can tolerate single digit temperatures, you should try this today:
Can you tell by their faces how much fun they're having? One word of caution, if you do this, 8 year old little boys will NOT under any circumstances want to come in the house. Even if his mother's fingers and toes turn black and fall into the icy street. He will just laugh and say, "more! more!" Then, you will have to use your mean momma voice and tell him to get inside before he freezes to death. When that doesn't work, you will have to bribe him with hot chocolate.
Happy snow days! And don't forget to let those faucets drip...and stay home...and eat...at least that's what we're doing, and it seems to be working so far.
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