Let The Sun Shine...

Monday, February 7th-I {HEART} THE SUN

"Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." Ecclesiastes 11:7

Ahhh...the sun! It was actually peeking through the clouds today and it felt so good to have the chance to soak up and rejoice in the sun! While Averi was at piano lessons, Cali and I took Teddy for a walk out in the warmth of the glorious sun. It was such a lovely gift in the middle of a long, cold, snowy winter.

I'm not a big fan of winter. I believe each of the seasons has it's own beauty and special things about it. I love aspects of winter, but I don't like being cold. Also, I don't like the missing sun. I become all gloomy and blah in the winter, and for the past week or so when it has been so cold and yuck outside, all I have wanted to do was hole up and sleep and lay around and do absolutely nothing! However, when it was sunny on Saturday, it was like a whole new person emerged. And then it was sunny today and my whole mood and attitude improved.

So, I did a little research on my long lost friend and found out some pretty interesting facts:

*The UV rays in sunlight act as a natural antiseptic; it kills bacterias, molds, fungus and such on different surfaces including your skin.

*Sunlight stimulates your appetite and improves your digestion, elimination and metabolism.

*Getting your daily dose of sunlight improves your immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells in your body.

*Sunlight increases the production of endorphins and serotonin in your brain.

*Getting enough sunlight during the day can help you sleep better at night. It will increase your melatonin output at night if you are exposed to natural light during the day.

*Sunlight helps to balance out your hormones.

*Sunlight improves the function of your liver.

*Sunlight helps your body convert a form of cholesterol that is present in your skin into vitamin D-this results in lower blood cholesterol levels.

*All the above information was found at www.natural-health-restored.com

No wonder I have felt so crappy this winter. The sun has been pretty non existent. I can definitely tell a change in my being when I have been out in the sun. I have hope in that after this next winter storm blows through it looks like a pretty sunny forecast for awhile. Oh happy day! Here's to the lovely sun...I hope to see more of you soon!

What are you loving today?

Super Bowl Party 2011

Sunday, February 6-I {HEART} My Small Group

At our church we have what we call "small groups". It is a group of 5-7 families who gather together weekly to spend time in fellowship, study God's Word, and eat (that's what we do best). We don't have church on Sunday nights so our small group usually meets then.

Tonight we met at our friends, Todd and Staci's, who just built a beautiful new home...Staci's kitchen is to die for, check out that beautiful brick work over her stove (LOVE IT!) The guys all gathered in the living room around the TV, and us lady folk hung out at a table in the kitchen and talked and laughed and had a good 'ol time. The kids all hung out in the "kids suite"...I'm so not kidding, their kids have their own suite (bedrooms & a bathroom with a connecting 2 story playroom-it is AWESOME!)

I love our small group. We take vacations together. We love hanging out together. All of the kids get along. It is just an all out great group to belong to. I feel incredibly blessed to call each of these people not just my friends, but my family!

This last week while we were stuck at home one of the four days we were snowed in, Averi, Cali and I were watching Wife Swap (high quality TV, I tell ya). One of the families featured lived in a commune in Colorado. It showed that the families in the commune shared dinners together, they did chores together, grew food together, and so on. Averi piped up and said, "Ya know, it would be really cool if our small group could live like that." I LOVE it. It would be kind of cool.

So, today I am loving my small group. If any of you guys read my blog, I love you: Lyndsi, Dustin, Tori, Dylan, Nolan, Chris, Christa, Alex, Mikey, Ken, Kristy, Kenzie, Todd, Staci, Evan and Jordan. And you too, Chris, Averi and Cali. What are you loving today?

Snowy Saturday Fun

Saturday, February 5th-I {HEART} Saturdays!!!!!

Saturdays ROCK!!!!! They are the best day of the week because:

*They're all about fun

*You get to spend them with family

*You get to sleep in (most of the time)

*Everybody is happy and in a good mood

This Saturday was exceptionally fun. We took Teddy for a walk because we were sick of being in the house. And the sun was shining and it wasn't too cold out. We walked to the park and saw some friends who were sledding. Another friend came by, whose house is right across the street from the park, and he offered to let us borrow his toboggans that he ACTUALLY made...like in, he made them from wood with his own hands. They were so cool and so much fun. Even Chris and I made a couple of runs down the hill. And Teddy made it down the hill a couple of times too. We had an absolute blast!

And to make the day even better, we ate lunch at Olive Garden. Then we went to Borders and I got a new book! Plus I got a nap! Can a day get any better? I don't think so!

I love, love, love Saturdays! What are you loving today?

Smoothies!!!

Friday, February 4th-I {HEART} Smoothies

They are my new favorite thing. In fact, this is what I had for dinner tonight...blueberry, pomegranate, banana smoothie. Yum-O!

Now, the secret to a good smoothie is a good smoothie maker. I have gone through a many of blenders in the last year or so. My Aunt Kay bought me a blender/smoothie maker for Christmas and it works fantastic. It blends the ingredients perfectly and it cleans up easily-2 very important features.

Pretty much all you need for a good smoothie is some yogurt, frozen fruit, and some juice. Mix it all together and VOILA! A tasty, low calorie treat good enough for breakfast, dinner, or anytime in between.

I'm loving me some smoothies today. What about you?

The Big Bluemobile

Thursday, February 3rd-I {HEART} My Car

It's not new and it has many dings and dents and lots of miles on it. But I still love it. My big bluemobile.

I got this car in May of 2002. We went to the Ford dealership in OKC and chose the color and options we wanted. They didn't have one there, but they located one in Grapevine, Texas and drove it up for me to pick up just a few days later.

I picked it up on a Thursday. I loaded my two leopard printed car seats holding my two babies and we were off. Two days later we drove it to Dallas for our annual summer girls trip to my friends, Jodi, Kelli, and Aimee's. That was the scariest drive of my life. I wasn't used to driving a vehicle so big so I wasn't acquainted with the feel of it. I remember every time I came along side a semi-truck I would grip the steering wheel as tight as I could and take shallow, labored breaths until I got by it. I felt like I was too wide for the road or something. It was so scary and I was a nervous wreck the whole trip. Luckily, my girls were awesome travelers.

I just had my first major repair done on this car. I got it back from the auto shop last night and they have had it since last Thursday. It is really hard being without a car for almost a week. Luckily, my dad let me borrow his Suburban for a few days, and with all this snow...I haven't needed a car anyways. My heater core went out and it cost me a whopping $1100.00 to get it and my windshield wiper reserve tank fixed. Yikes! But if I look at it in the terms of how long I've had the car and what I've spent for repairs, it's not so bad.

I am determined to keep this car for 10 years. This is the longest I have ever kept a car. We have had so many good times in this car. Let's see...

We have:

-Driven to Texas too many times to count in this car.

-Took Averi to her first day of kindergarten in this car.

-Sat on the roof of this car and watched fireworks (which put a dent in the roof).

-Had a hit and run at CiCi's pizza in this car.

-Taken trips to: Tennessee, Florida, Hot Springs, South Dakota, Branson, Colorado, Santa Fe, and Louisiana in this car.

-Carried lots of friends and cousins in this car.

-Listened to all sorts of music (Barney, Kids Bop, 80's Rock, Christian, Multiplication Rap, Soft Rock, Pop, Rap, Hannah Montana, etc) in this car.

-Hauled lots of groceries in this car.

-Gone to lots of soccer games in this car.

-Hit a bird and it got stuck in the grill of this car.

-Driven through: Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming in this car.

-Brought home our sweet Teddy in this car.

This car holds lots and lots of wonderful memories. It may not be so much the car I love, but the special memories associated with it.

What are you loving today?

Decorations!!!!

Wednesday, February 2nd-I {Heart} Decorations

I love to decorate my house for each holiday. Over the years I have accumulated decorations for: Valentines Day, St. Patty's Day, Easter, Independence Day, Fall/Halloween, and (of course) Christmas. I love fall through spring because I have decorations in the house at all times. Then I have a gap between Easter and Independence Day. And another between Independence Day and Fall.

Decorations make me happy. They make my home look and feel festive. They are a reminder each day of the season in our life that we are currently enjoying. One reminder my Valentine's decorations give me is that Spring is right around the corner...just another month and hopefully I will be enjoying warmer weather and sunnier days-that REALLY makes me happy!

I also have some cute Valentine's Day decorations on my front porch, but it is currently 10 degrees out there, and it is still covered in snow because we haven't been anywhere in 2 days, so you won't get to see those...sorry :(

I put my Valentine's decoration up a few weeks ago. It was really looking lonely and blah around here after all of the Christmas decorations came down. They went up one day while the girls were at school. Both girls commented about the decorations being up when they got home from school. It pleased me that they notice these things. I think they {heart} decorations, too!

What are you loving today?

Happy Heart Month

Is it February already?????

I guess so...because I'm thinking about all the things I love. And in doing so I have decided to dedicate my blog this month to all the people, places, and things that I love. Each day I will do a post highlighting what I love that day. Plus it will give me incentive to blog each day...I'm still getting the hang of this old bloggity-blog! Anyways, here we go....

Tuesday, February 1st-I {Heart} Snow Days!!!!!

We got a whole lot of snow dumped on us last night and today, 10 plus inches, I believe. They are calling it "Snowmageddon 2011". Well that's what all the smarty pants on facebook are calling it. I'm calling it a nice day off!

A day off from getting everyone up and ready and off to school.

A day off from packing lunches.

A day off from Teddy wanting me to play with her all day long because I'm the only one here.

A day off from making the rounds picking girls up from school.

A day off from taking Cali to gymnastics and piano lessons.

A day off from helping with homework.

A day off from trying to get Averi and Cali off to bed at a decent hour so they won't be tired the next day.

A day off from battling Cali over what she's wearing for school.

A day off from caring about what time it is at any given moment.

I absolutely love snow days. I know they are cumbersome for most. I remember the days when I worked in OKC and had to drive on the snowy/icy roads...I didn't much like snow days then. But now, when my girls are out of school and Chris is working from home, I LOVE them.

I feel that snow days are a special gift from God. They allow us a break from the daily grind. An opportunity to stay in, be together with our families, a day to take it easy and relax. They are also days to catch up with friends and family. I got to talk to my friend Aimee today because she was out of school for a snow day, too. And I got to talk to my mom, my dad, another friend, and my nephew. Plus I got texts from two different friends and my sister. Snow days nurture relationships. Everyone is calling around or texting to find out how their friends and families are doing in spite of the weather situation. Snow days just bring us all together and slow down the craziness of life for a moment.

So that's what I'm loving today, snow days! How about you? What are you loving today?