It does exist and other miscellaneous bits.

I had to take a photo.  I had missed the sun so.  It has been nearly non-existent in Ohio for the last several months.  Isn't she pretty?

Who me?  I'm not plotting to take all the seed or anything.  Gee, heck no.  I'm not waiting for you to leave.  What makes you think that? 

We don't have Chicago snow or anything, but since I said it had been months since I've seen my lawn, I figured that I'd post a photo of what we've looked at since November. 

After about 20 minutes worth of work to just free the windshield, I was unable to use my wipers because they were still encased in ice.  Doesn't look so bad here, but the blades are stuck to the windshield, the arms are packed in up to 2" of  ice and I was unable to used them at all this AM.  I drove K- to school and pointed the front of my truck towards the sun.  I did the same when I got home.  After experiencing a wiper bake, I was able to chip large hunks of ice away to break them free.  The sheet on the hood came off in all one section, which was good that it came off while in the drive rather than off and at another car or someone walking.  K-'s door was frozen completely shut, so she had to jump in the back by going over my seat and the console.  Hubs reports that his car was covered in 4" of ice.  We had a layer of ice, then snow, then ice and snow again.  It all compacted and since he didn't go anywhere on Tuesday and Wednesday, he had the whole storm stuck to his car.  Yikes!

They're done! 

Other things that made me happy today:
-  Listening to the Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner by Ben Folds Five.  Now, I realize that it is old, but it works for me.  It's even funnier now that I found out that the recorded voice on the message is his dad while partially asleep.  The things you find out on the internet!
-  Though K-'s school didn't have heat until right before the kids arrived, they were able to talk nicely to the boiler to make it happen.  A heater motor in her room blew, spewing smoke and stink, but they were able to temporarily move her class to an empty room while the motor was being replaced.  In all that craziness, Mrs. S- still managed to get lessons done.  Amazing.
-  Moose Tracks Frozen Yogurt. 
-  Leftovers for dinner.
-  I finally found a combination of items that work in resolving the soap scum problem in the bath.  Now, I know that all of you have been so concerned about my soap scum irritation and my quest to go to all cleaners natural.  :chuckling out loud and knowing full well that you didn't lose sleep:  What worked?  Bon Ami on a damp tub bottom with some Arm and Hammer Washing Soda sprinkled on top.  It made a lovely paste that took care of the problem lickety split.  Success! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Valentine crafting

Now, I know that you expect pictures with this. I'll see what I can do. Remember that I'm still learning how to use this new camera.  Hold please . . .

I cut out some hearts from the Cheerios box in the recycling. Cardboard hearts x 22 (plus extras for goofs) is a bit much to ask a child to cut out.  I knew that she'd never get it done without yelling.  She did the "to and from" on the back, glued the sequins to the front and I did some glitter glue for some flare. 

We started these yesterday when I came home early. We made 22 perling bead heart sun catchers. K- beaded some on her own and there were a bunch that we made together. (She did the top or the bottom. I did the opposite side.)

The glitter glue is drying. I'll get things assembled tomorrow. I feel good that we can cross that off the list.

Smiles in my day:
-  We were all home and off on snow day together.
-  The valentines.  They are done.  K- loves them and that is what is most important. 
-  We had TV dinner this evening while doing a Storm Chasers Marathon.  While crafting valentines, I cooked a meatloaf in the crock-pot.  I was able to finish up with some whole grain chicken herb rice and creamed peas.  It was lovely and quite a special special.  K- thought it was the neatest thing.
-  An old friend found me on a search on the internet.  We haven't talked in a very long time.

Have a wonderful day!

You know it's been winter too long when . . .

1.  You need to refer to the original purchasing documents to refresh your memory as to what color your car really is.  "Road salt gray" is not the original color.  In the back of your mind, you kind of remembered that.

2.  People understand that you need to sweep the inside of your vehicle and get the excuse of "winter car."

3.  You have a developed pattern of how you scrape your car off.

4.  You have an alternate plan when ice is involved.

5.  You don't have enough time between snowstorms to properly launder your coat.

6.  That's okay, because you are rather used to the cold.  A little fleece coat in 14 F seems fine for wearing while shoveling snow from the apron of the driveway.

7.  The console is beginning to run low on storm food.

8.  Your spouse has become desperate and has now had to bum windshield wiper fluid from your 2 gallon emergency stash in your car.  The worst part?  You are now down to a half gallon in reserve and that concerns you.

9.  Your daughter has worn snow boots every week to church with her cute little dresses.  No need to change.  No one even notices.

10. Tennis shoes seem like appropriate enough winter footwear.  You've developed a plan of action for avoiding big puddles and large slicks of ice. 

11. The neighbor rescues your parcel off the porch for fear that something inside may freeze and that wouldn't be good.

12. Gloves seem optional. 

13. Your hands are so dry that they would make lovely sandpaper, if only you were a carpenter. 

14. School is already called off for the next day at 6:30 PM the day prior.

15. That additional day off officially puts you over your allotted number of snow (calamity) days and now you are going to have to make that time up.

16. You have alternate ways of going everywhere.

17. You were considering draping a shower curtain over your windshield to avoid ice build-up.

18. Your mud flaps clog with ice, but thankfully the friction of the tires carves a nice curve in the ice flaps that are now permanently affixed to the winter sled you drive.

19. You don't want to know what the gas bill is.

20. You hit the grocery days before the storm is supposed to hit, because you know if you wait, you'll be eating pork rinds and drinking V8 while wiping with low-end toilet paper.  (Uh, no pun intended on the low-end, but now that I re-read, it gives me a good chuckle!)

21. You forget what your lawn looks like green.  It's been under near constant full coverage of snow since the third week in November.  (Except for 2 days of melting the last week of December.  Still not all succeeded in melting before getting hit again.)

22. You wander if it is still green or if snow mold has taken hold. 

23. You wonder if your zone 5 perennials will be perennialing for you anymore.

24. You hope that the branches can withstand all the ice.

25. The sleet outside is audible over a humming computer.

26. Managers called to say that they were closing the store down 3 hours early and you ask them why.  You are already there and it seems perfectly fine, right? 

27. You get paid for those three hours that you didn't work.

28. You take those three hours, go home and start making valentines.  That is the February storm project that you do every. single. year.  No need to break tradition now!

29. Your husband's boss calls to say that there is no need to risk life or limb to come to work the next day.  If there is need to take a vacation or personal day because of weather, he fully supports it. 

30. You can tell how bad the weather is by the height of the sleeves of the weather man on Channel 11.  Buttoned and cuffed?  You are fine.  Unbuttoned and rolled up to his elbows?  You are in for it.

31. When there is something bright outside you wonder what is going on.  Is it a fire?  A transformer blew?  No!  It's just the sun.  You remember!  Ahhhh, it hasn't been around in a long time.

I'm sure that I've missed some.  Feel free to add to my list in the comments. 

A prayer request:
My dad has been suffering from some funk from the time Mom had her hysterectomy August 26.  He's been on perhaps 4 antibiotics with no help.  The doctor was going to prescribe a 5th antibiotic when Mom suggested a scan be done.  The scan showed that my father has an aneurysm in the main artery that runs in the middle of his chest.  It measures 3.6 and the measurement for main cause of concern starts at 4.  I'm not so good with my dad hauling around with that in his chest, particularly since given the information just learned today, it is most likely that this is what caused my Uncle Bobby's death 3 years ago.  He goes to visit the doctor in 2 weeks. 

Grandpa is still in the hospital and on the vent.  They had to tie him down because he was trying to pull the vent out.  I'm sure that makes him overly joyous.

Smiles in my day:
-  Getting 14 of the 22 perling bead heart sun catchers made with K- this evening.  We'll bust out the other 8 tomorrow. 
-  Crock-pot dinner.  No fuss and very little muss.
-  April finally having the sound of relief in her voice.  Her parent's house will be on the market as of Tuesday.  This has been a bit of a long and tough road for her, but she is now to a point that hopefully she feels relief.

Have a very wonderful and safe day!

Tales from the Trenches: Ice, ice baby.

You can thank me later now that you have that song stuck in your head.  It'll be humming there all day.  You are welcome.

Ohio is involved in a giant storm that has closed 600+ schools, my truck is covered in a skin of ice and I need to slip-slide my way to work.  Right now, we're in a lull.  It is supposed to fire back up at 3:45 PM-- exactly.  ;)

I'll be quick to say I'm alive, got involved in counting Box Tops last night for a contest, so I fell asleep before posting. 

It's always good to know that friends are thinking of you when you get an e-mail that says "You Okay?" 

Internet friend love.  It's a good thing. 

Be safe.

Smiles in my day:
-  My child being overly animated and excited about Curious George and Clifford coming up at the local library.  She just saw an ad on TV.  We love Curious George and Clifford.
-  Crock-pot dinner.  It may take me 10 hours to make a 10 minute commute, but darnit, I'll have a hot dinner when I get home.
-  That Hubs is home today with K- and that I didn't have to call off or haul her the 25 minute commute to my in-law's house in the ice.

Have a great day!

Dishin' Dinners Day, incredible deals and I blame Pippi

Sunday:  Tacos and rice
Monday:  Macaroni Monday and Kielbasa
Tues/Wed:  Crock-pot turkey tenderloin
Thurs/Fri:  Crock-pot meatloaf, veg and bread sticks (didn't happen last week)
Sat:  Homemade pizza

Since I seem to be fairly well-stocked with food, I decided that I would go to Giant Eagle to take advantage of their double coupons.  I had a bunch of coupons for toothpaste and whatnot.  Between flying past Giant Eagle and a local discounter, I got some pretty good things to restock the linen closet with.

I ended up with three free tubes of Crest toothpaste, one for 50 cents and two Colgate Cinnamon's for $1.25.  I stocked up on deodorant for Hubs and soap for both of us.  I found non-stick foil for our new convection/toaster oven.  It was really expensive, but it was on sale and with a coupon, I paid $1.00. 

At one store, I saved 48%.  (Between sales and coupons.)  In total, I used $19.60 in coupons.  That doesn't include the doubling or the sale prices.  I will say right now, they are all things that we use.  I bought things because I had coupons, but not weird things like lime infused beef jerky with sun dried tomato casing just because I had a coupon.  (I don't think that exists, but it sounded just weird enough.) 

I will also say that we won't need toothpaste for a really long time. 

Now on to Pippi.  We were talking to K- this AM about her lack of loss in the dental area.  She's bummed.  That's when I shared a story. 

When I was a kid, we watched Pippi Longstocking.  One day, Pippi belted someone in the mouth to get their tooth to fall out or something like that.  I decided that it was a grand idea.  I needed money, I still had teeth to lose, so I talked my sister into belting me one.

She belted me.

Nothing happened other than extreme pain and my crying drew my mother's attention.

LeAnne got in trouble for letting me have it.

Hubs' response, "What kind of dysfunctional family did you grow up in?"

"Hey!  We were poor!  It was a way to make money!" 

Smiles in my weekend:
-  We got to spend some time with Hubs' family.  Doesn't happen too often. 
-  My SIL and her husband bought a new house.  They'll be able to move outside of the city, which is a good thing for them.  It is gorgeous and we're very happy for them!
-  Going to Hubs' beaver puppet show yesterday.  K- had a lot of fun!
-  Getting lovely deals!

Grandpa update:
Grandpa was put on a vent the other day and they took him to surgery to put a drain in his lungs.  (Ewww.)  The doctor anticipates him to make a full recovery, but it will be a bit of time for him to get there.  In the meantime, I'm in no race to get to the hospital to be kicked out.  Nothankyou.  I'll pray from here.