Life Goes On In the Frozen Tundra!

I have been living here in northwest Iowa for a year now, and I have learned that a little snowstorm and below freezing temps does not stop people here. I even went out in it yesterday. It was nuts, we got about 4 or 5 inches of snow, and everyone was still out. School wasn't delayed or cancelled, everyone just went on with their lives as if the snow was just sooo normal. Well, if they delayed or cancelled for the temps or snow, they probably would never go to school!! Unlike, Indiana that closes school for 2 or 3 inches of snow. I have learned too from last year to keep your vehicle running when you run in the grocery store or if you have to run any errands. I actually kept the van running while we were at the doctor's office. It was great to get into a nice warm vehicle. Since the high yesterday was about zero. I am looking forward to our next snowstorm tomorrow night. I think we are to get about 6 inches or more of snow. I am getting used to the fact that it snows here about every other day. It snowed on Sunday (that was the blizzard and high winds), we got about 3 inches, it snowed yesterday about 4 inches, and lets see it already snowed about 4 inches last week so that is a total of 11 inches so far folks! And it isn't even January yet! Oh, what a great winter we are in for!!!

Starry Nights

Every night before bed, Drew wants to see the stars and the moon. Well, unfortunately in the winter here we have snow like every other day (seriously), so it is always cloudy. Every night we look out the window and Drew says, "Mommy, see the stars." I always tell him that we can't see the stars since it is cloudy. It is so sad to see his little face so disappointed. He always says anyway, "Goodnight stars." Even if he can't see them. It is so sweet!! On Saturday I was finishing up my Christmas shopping and I saw a pack of the stars you stick on the ceiling and glow and I just had to get them for him. Last night Bill and I put them up for him as a surprise. It was so much fun to see his reaction. We both laid down on his bed and Bill turned off the light and Drew saw them and goes, "Wow, mommy look stars!!", and he started to giggle. It was priceless and Tyler chimed in too by saying, "Ooooh!!" Then we all laid on Drew's bed and looked at the stars. It was so much fun!

Winter Wonderland

It has finally come, our first storm of the winter season, first of many to come!! We got about 4 or 5 inches. I love watching it snow and how pretty it is when you wake up the next morning with all the nice fresh snow. Drew can't wait to go out and play in it. We will be heading out tomorrow once the winds die down and it warms up to the twenties. It should be fun to play in the snow and get them out in it. It will probably take me about an hour to get them ready and then we will only be out for a few minutes, but it will be worth it! Then we will come in and have some hot chocolate, my new love for this winter season! I bought some at the store the other day and I must say it has become my nap time delight! Once I put the boys down I go right to the kitchen and make some. I must say next time I will get the one with extra marshmallows, I really like the marshmallows. I even think I might add some whip cream to my new love. The extra calories probably aren't that good for me, but hey, it is winter, you are supposed to add 5 pounds so you stay warmer, besides you hide it with the big winter coats and sweatshirts! This is going to be a great winter!

The Vicks Vapor Rub Happening!

If you ever want a rub down with Vicks, come to my house and Drew will help you out! Yesterday was a wonderful day of playing with the boys and just relaxing and having fun. Bill is away on his hunting trip to Eldon with his dad, so I am alone with the boys all weekend. It has been nice, but I also miss having that second hand around, I could have used it yesterday!! All was well, the boys were napping and I was enjoying my girl movie I rented and it got over about 4:30, so I thought I would get Drew up. Well, as I approached the stairs I smelt this overwhelming odor of Vicks. I then started to run up the stairs. I opened the door quickly and found him rubbing his hands on his cheeks saying, "Mommy, I shaving, like daddy." He always says that when he rubs anything on his cheeks. He wants to be just like daddy. I then looked on the bed, he had wiped it all over his bed, the pillow, the rocking chair, the wall, the door, all over his toys! I said, "OH MY!!!" Then I asked him if he ate it, he said no. And I asked him over and over again and he kept saying no. I quickly threw him in the tub and washed him and I called my sister, Teri and my mom to see what I should do. I thought for sure Noah or one of us did this when we were little. But no one did, so I called Poison Control to see what I needed to do just in case he did ingest it. Praise the Lord it was the Baby Vicks Vapor Rub. The lady at Poison Control said it will just cause irritation in the mouth it is non-toxic. She said if it was the regular vapor rub it would cause seizures. So now, I don't have anything on the changing table, except wipes and diapers. I have learned something from this experience, don't trust little boys with anything they can smear all over themselves or the wall, because they will actually do it! What an adventure it is having two boys.

We are Blessed!

I am thankful to the Lord that we are really Blessed! Yes, I may not have that new couch I have been wanting since we got married, I may not have all the new clothes I want or the new decorations, but I have a roof over my head, my children have clothes to wear and we are fed. I was watching the news yesterday morning and this mother didn't have much money, she was on welfare and she said the foodstamps would go only so far, so she watered down her son's formula to make it last longer. I guess in doing that the baby almost died. I guess babies aren't supposed to have any added water in their diet until about 10 months of age. She said she was just trying to stretch the formula out as much as she could since she couldn't afford to buy what they baby needed. She said her husband had been out of work for six months or so and they were tight on cash. That really hit home for me, I thought what am I doing to help those in need. NOTHING! I told Bill that I wanted to go the store and buy some formula and donate it to the food bank here. I know that many people are starting to feel the affect of this economy and I want to be able to bless those that are less fortunate and help those in need. This verse in Proverbs 22:9 sums it all up,

"The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor."