...to relax at the end of a holiday weekend

...I have just officially spent one hour doing nothing but linking blog to blog

This is probably relaxing at its best for me.  If relaxing is defined as: un-interupted, solitary time in one comfortable spot, drinking a cup of hot tea....

However doing so:

• creates even longer 'to-do' lists for me
• makes me want to learn to sew, knit, and buy more crafty products that I won't use
• makes me feel guilty for not spending more quality time with my kids
• makes me want to order, make, or find new treasures to decorate with
• makes me want to improve my photography skills, take a class, and even learn how to use photoshop
• guilts me into organizing that drawer, closet, pantry that I keep putting off
• makes me want to plan a remarkable, clever 2nd birthday party for our little Queen in a few months
• makes me realize I only have two months to plan for Princess number 1's first communion
• which make me realize I have to organize the 'dumping ground room' for our guests in May

Oh dear.  I am just getting started....

Maybe I should have picked up one of those four books sitting on my nightstand instead.

...to tell all my Valentine's that I love them

....but Valentine's Day crept up on me and I guess I did my way

And I did by

1) Writing a love note to the kids for their lunch boxes...although I do this at least once a week so I am not sure it was any more special today than any other day~even though I wrote them in pink marker today

2) Bringing Mark a coffee to work and eating my lunch with him~even though I do this every now and then as well

3) Sending our parents cute pictures of the kids in their Valentine PJ's oops this is still on my 'to do' list

4) Sending out Valentine packages to our niece and nephew; I actually did this well over a week ago.  I don't know what got into me!

5) Bought our nanny a pretty little plant for Valentine's Day to let her know we appreciate her

I had wanted to:

1) make my little ones crafty little love notes
2) buy Mark something clever
3) have pretty packages ready for the kids after school

Instead I was treated with:

1)  Will made me a cute little card the other day that I put next to my bed that simply says "Mom, I love you."
2) Isabella made Mark and I both these very sweet Hershey roses and gave them to us 'secretly'!
3) Mark surprised me with a bunch of beautiful tulips AND he had our babysitter arrive at our house unexpectedly after work today and we got to out out to dinner.  What a charming little restaurant it was!

Happy Valentine's Day!

...to be better prepared

...A+ for morning event C- for afternoon event if I were to grade this AAR that I am preparing

In case you haven't realized it by now, I tend to cram a bunch into my days.  And this day was no different.

I was so lucky to be included in a trip to the city to see a live taping of Martha Stewart (more on this experience another day).  What a great trip it was!  The caveat: we had to leave West Point by 6:00 a.m.!  I was really proud of myself because:

• I had set all of my clothes and toiletries out last night and didn't ONCE have to go back into my bedroom (thus I never woke Mark up).
• I had set up the coffee the night before so all I had to do was turn it on this morning!
• The kids lunches were set
• A note to the family was written
• AND the dog was walked all by the time that I walked out my door at 535 this morning into a warm car that I had even remembered to start (ten minutes before).

This afternoon I had planned our bi-monthly Brownie meeting and we had a few several too many things to accomplish.

• I had to review cookie selling rules with them
• I wanted them to make shadow tins for the Me and My Shadow Try-It
• I wanted them to practice their computer/Power Point skills in order to create slides for World Thinking Day
• We decorated cookies to look like the flag of Egypt
• We made a snack like the Egyptians like to eat called Palace Toast
• We looked at many different artifacts from Egypt that Mark had brought back for us 

I suppose that we did finish these tasks.  But I am not sure they they really enjoyed the quality of the activity that I wanted them to.  I want to help them experience so many things and I felt as if today was so rushed.  As evidenced by this statement from my daughter: "Mom, that coin is ghanaian money.  Not Egyptian."  

Should I be:

a) surprised I got it wrong

b) impressed she caught my err

c) recognized I did not know the difference

d) all of the above

I guess tomorrow I can do better.

...to show off my mantle

...Lisa did such an amazing job!

When my sister-in-law asked a while back if I had some ideas for the kids for their birthdays I had told her that I would love gift certificates for them to have their silhouettes done.  I had seen several different styles on Etsy that I was interested in and they were only about $20.

She mentioned wanting to do them herself and when I received them last week I was amazed at what an incredible job she had done.  So much better than I could have even anticipated if I had picked them out myself!

They are so special to me.  I especially love the details she added from the ribbon to beautiful painted names and the dates on the back.  Incredible!  My children are so lucky to have such a treasure from their Aunt.

Don't their profiles all look identical!

My mantle...before

My mantle...after.  I wish the lighting had been better.

And I am so grateful for these.  Thank you Lisa!

...to hear what the kids are saying

...these are the things that will be fun to remember some day

A few things the kids said today:

"I thought I told you I wanted you to pick up Auddy's boots and put them away already four times!"--Number 3 to me   :)

"No bite"--Number 4  (she does know better!)

"Wai pis" (wait please)--Number 4  (i love that she added the please)

"I have to talk to you when you get off of the phone mom.  (very politely)  I didn't mean too but I left my new gloves you bought me on the shuttle bus.  I am sorry.  I know they cost five dollars so here is five dollars (money in hand)."--Number 1  (wow)

(In the potty from the other room) "Mom did you know I love Daddy?...all the way to the moon."  Number 3  (melts my heart)

"I didn't mean to (hold the baby just out of her reach)!" Number 2 to Number 3  (aagh)

The stuff that sweet dreams are made of....

...to make cake pops

...they are made (Step 1 anyhow) and I didn't even have to do it!

We have been stuck inside for days because of the weather here.  Miserable.  (The weather and being stuck inside.)  And I have been busy working on my 'to do' lists in my head.

One of which was to start the cake pops that we are handing out as favors at a baby shower that a few friends and I are hosting next Saturday.

My inspiration...

Only, because of the weather, and the fact that the commissary doesn't open when the weather is poor, I was stuck without supplies.  And cranky because of it!  On a whim, I asked the girl who usually babysits for us if they happened to have the ingredients...

Not only did they have them but she even baked the cake, crumbled it, AND mixed up the frosting into them.  All of the first steps have been done for me!  Woo Hoo!

They are ready to roll, set, and frost!  I need to get better at delegating...Thank you Kayla!

...to put the finishing touches on the dresser

...I love how it looks as our new changing table!

I have really this useable and in Audrey's room since I first painted it about two weeks ago.

But I was working on had not gotten around to, touching up some of the paint spots, gluing some  of the wood on the mirror, and attaching the hardware.

Before

After