secret

I love games of all kinds. . .

And I've been quite bored lately as the snow still seems to be everywhere, so we don't get out of the house much. . .

This is my 100th blog post so I wanted to do something different. . .

And I have a secret. . .

So, the other afternoon I wrote up a little game, it's completely lame and all about me (cause it's what I know best), and if you're willing to play you can find out my secret. :)

Here's how it goes.

You answer the questions, take the highlighted letter of each answer and put it in the puzzle below to find out a hidden message. (I know I'm lame)

Go ahead and good luck. Let me know if you get it but don't give away my secret!

1. In what city do I live? _ _ _ _
2. What is my middle name? _ _ _
3. What was my high school mascot? _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4. I am one of how many children?   _ _ _ _ _
5. In which city did I meet my husband?                              _ _ _ _ _ _ _
6. What music lessons am I currently taking?                           _ _ _ _ _
7. What is my oldest daughter’s full first name?                                 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8. Where is my husband from? _ _ _ _ _ _
9. How many children do I have? _ _ _
10. What’s my hubby’s name? _ _ _ _
11. What color is my hair naturally? _ _ _ _ _ _
12. What color is the car I drive? _ _ _ _
13. What is my husband’s favorite hobby? _ _ _ _ _
14. What’s my mom’s name? _ _ _ _ _
15. What college did I graduate from?                                           _ _ _- _ _ _ _ _
16. What color is my house? _ _ _ _ _ _
17. Who am I teacher over at church?                                    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
18. Which temple was I married in?                                                  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _
19. What is my maiden name? _ _ _ _ _
20. What was my major in college? _ _ _ _ _ _ _
21. What month was I born? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
22. As of today, how many years have my husband and I been married? _ _ _ _
23. What year did I graduate high school? _ _ _ _
24. What instrument do I play? _ _ _ _ _ _
25. What city did I grow up in? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
26. How do you spell my second child’s name?                                       _ _ _ _ _ _
27. What’s my dad’s name? _ _ _ _ _ _ _
28. What sport did I consistently do in high school?                             _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
29. What color are my eyes? _ _ _ _
30. Which state do my in-laws live? _ _ _ _ _ _
31. Which holiday was I engaged on?                                   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _’_    _ _ _
32. What was the date of my wedding?  _ _ _   _ _,  _ _ _ _
33. What year did I have my first child? _ _ _ _

 

 

  1     2 3      4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12    

 13 14 15 16     17 18 19 20 21 22    

 23    24 25    26 27 28 29 30 31  

 32 33!

 

Sure. . .

Sure my kids look absolutely hilarious (I mean, adorable) in their snow clothes. . .

but I really really really really really cannot wait for spring. I mean really!

cheezer smile

snow is worth taking out her soother, impressive

 

the snow still covering our back porch

this pic makes me laugh, we left this little toy car in the yard

kiddo footprints. Carina's are the extreme pigeon-toed prints (on the bottom) Danna's are the boots that are on the wrong feet. :)

from the playhouse window

love my girls (not the snow)

valentine

To my new vacuum. . .

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

I love you. . .

 

So a little over a week ago our old vacuum broke down--AGAIN. I didn't have the heart to try and fix it so after picking up the most obvious things on the floor for about a week I gave in and set out to buy a vacuum. 

I didn't search long.

Mostly we stopped at one store (where we could pick up lunch at the same time) and I grabbed the first vacuum I thought looked good in the price range I could handle. Ta-Da! 

Then I brought it home and set it aside cause there was no way our house was clean enough to vacuum right away.

This morning my special and magical sister cleaned up for me while watching my kids so Mike and I could have a bit of time together.

And. . .

I'm amazed how I ever got along without this gorgeous machine. (which was filled to the max with only one run-through of the house)--Seriously look at the picture. Gross or what?!!!

Either it's really amazing or my house was hideously disgusting. . .  or both.

I love it. . . . Almost as much as I love my husband (but he gave me a long stemmed rose this year without me even hinting so he gets a few extra points for that one :)

Maybe I can have two valentines this year. . .

Once there was a. . .

 "No-ney, No-ney, No-ney, Daah, Daah, Daah!" 

translated to: a "Snowman, Snowman, Snowman,  tall, tall, Tall!

This would be Carina's new all-time favorite song. If ever she sees a real or picture of a snowman she'll belt it out. Too cute and pretty funny!

Mike took Danna out in the snow Saturday for some much needed fresh air and vitamin D. Carina and I joined when I decided to finally change out of my pj's. 

Here's the adorable/hilarious little snowman they made. 

Now we sing about "No-ney's" anytime we look out the window to the backyard. Don't melt away yet little man. . . I'm willing winter to stay around a little longer just to see your cute face around a bit more.

The perfect parent

After being holed up in my house for weeks on end with sick kids I feel as though I, my children and my house are complete disasters. 

So, I was in need of a laugh and I found this small excerpt stashed away on my computer somewhere. This was something I found online awhile ago and sort of modified to apply it more to my life. Random. . . I know.

I hope all you moms out there can find it somewhat entertaining.

To all you “mommys” our there

The Perfect Parent 



I used to be a perfect parent. I had strong opinions about the best ways to raise a healthy happy, well-mannered child. I vowed that my children would appear well-groomed and clean at all times, they would be disciplined by firm, fair, and consistent parenting techniques, and they would always, always be well-behaved in public.

I used to think that any mother, whose child was inappropriately dressed and had Kool Aid stains around his lips before eleven o'clock in the morning, was obviously an unfit parent who spends her days talking on the phone -- and who serves fruit loops and popsicles for breakfast.

I also used to think that parents who let their children watch cartoons, instead of doing enriching activities together like reading, lacked self discipline and motivation. And those wild children who colored on walls or got into makeup were not being watched closely enough by their neglectful, lazy moms.  Before I had children I was going to be a good, health-conscious parent. Sugar would rarely, if ever, touch their lips.

My ideas were so straightforward and simple that I couldn't understand why other parents couldn't be as perfect as I was.

Then I had two children.

As it is, my children are allowed to eat anything they are willing to put in their mouths, including candy, cookies and junk food just so long as it quenches their appetites long enough for me to make a one course dinner (cause why make vegetables just to have them thrown on the floor?) 

Being immaculately dressed now consists of my children wearing pants OR a shirt (usually only one or the other at a time) that is either on backward, inside-out, or doesn't belong to that child in the first place; as long as it acts as at least a partial covering. It is a miraculous day if there are no obvious additions sticking in one or the other's hair. And laundry gets cleaned if, and only if there are obvious stains on both the outsides and insides of the clothing article, or if they've been completely soaked through with urine. 

Now I sometimes wonder how it would feel to appear in public with two orderly, quiet children with immaculate faces and clean clothes. I could shop without anyone repeating "I want that, Mommy" every three seconds like some sort of hypnotic mantra. Maybe I could even stop to look at something. Or enter a store, get only what I actually need, then leave!

But I have a feeling my life wouldn't be nearly as exciting. Besides, my children have taught me that being a good parent has a lot more to do with patience, commitment, and understanding, than looking like we’ve got it together.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t try though J

Happy mommyhood! Wish me luck on getting a handle on these guys and this place this week!