Wordless Wednesday* {Cat Nap}

{*a few words - Emily covered herself with pillows the other day on the couch... I asked her what she was doing and she said she just wanted to take a rest and she didn't want me to take a picture of her!  Ha!  Smart Cookie, that girl!  I guess I do take lots of pictures of them when I catch them asleep!  I love it...it's too cute...I can't help it... so don't get caught with your eyelids down!} 

I Spy...

...a tiger, a leopard, a green tree frog, and a little pink pig...

...a kitty that is gray, two dogs with spots, and a pink puppy on a little white puppy on top of one that is big...

...a red scarf on Snoopy, a green collar on Pluto, and a stuffed Cubs baseball without a bat...

...a fluffy tan dog, and one that is black, and a colorful calico Whiskers the cat!

{Alex and Emily set up all their stuffed animals on one of their snow days and they were so proud so Alex took pictures!  And later that night when I was going to clean up, I found Whiskers hanging out with all of them!  Ha!} 

"You're Gonna Miss This...Moment" Snow Days

Time to join Pam and share the moments we're going to miss one day...because life is so short! Sometimes it's hard to find those moments among our busy schedules, but that's what I love about participating in this...it makes me stop and think about it and appreciate them so much more!

I'm always a little sad when we don't get a white Christmas...and them I'm so excited when we get our first big snow...and then by now...I'm so over the snow and ready for the warm weather and sunshine!
The kids have had three Snow Days so far...and plenty of delays...and I'm beginning to wonder if Emily remembers how to get dressed and comb her hair in the mornings!  Even though we may be getting a little bit of cabin fever with all this snow...I know I will miss these Snow Days some day!

Alex and Emily have enjoyed getting outside every day and playing in the snow...me...not as much, but I do love getting their pictures with all this beautiful white stuff!

Even though these Snow Days really interfere with our schedules and routine...it's nice to have a good excuse to stop and slow down ... I'm really going to miss sleeping in, staying in our pj's all day, playing games, drinking hot chocolate and eating cinnamon rolls for breakfast after 10am, and just hanging out and being cozy together and having extra snuggle time...

...and watching the kids using the steps as a slide!

Pretty soon they will be too old to enjoy these fun Snow Days...especially with me!  I'm going to cherish it while I can...and leave the laundry and dusting for another day! 

{I'm also really going to miss these little cold, pink cheeks with crooked snowy hats too!}

{There's my shadow again...I think she'll miss it too...she really wants to join us in the snow...I told you she follows me everywhere!}

What will you miss someday?  Be sure to join Pam and share your Moments with us too!

And stay warm!

"Not Me!" Monday

I did not lose a few pounds courtesy of my gum graft...and I did not gain them back once the stitches finally came out...by eating sprinkle sugar cookies {not while in the car on my way home that I just bought from the Walmart bakery} and washing them down with a hot chocolate from McDonald's. 
{Mmmm!...I mean..."Who does that?  Not me!"}

Nor would I gain even a few extra pounds after all that by eating a peanut-butter and marshmallow creme sandwhich for lunch and a large Diet Coke with chocolate, cherry and vanilla syrups.  {Delicious!  Wait...that was not me...I wouldn't go out of my way to Steak n Shake to request such a complicated soda...what weird person orders that?  I don't know...not me, that's for sure!}

And...since I did not eat such delicious unhealthy treats...I would certainly exercise and stay in shape...not stay inside all weekend in my pajamas with no make-up or shower!  Especially since it did not look like this outside...

...but don't worry...the family room , meanwhile, did not get a fresh coat of Irish Cream paint {Mmm...sounds like coffee!}...

...to show off Dan's our new baby toy electronic necessity...{ahem...}

{oh...I'm not a big electronics person...in fact...I'm probably the only person who does not have an ipod or iphone or even know how to text...really...but, I have to admit she sure is pretty as a picture...and she has won me over!}  Therefore...for her...I did not tape {and untape}, spackle, paint, and even snap the roller pole in two {on accident, of course!} and groan everytime I reached up and bent down to reveal this...

Wow...look at the difference! Can you see it? I know...it does not look like exactly the same color...but all the smudges, fingerprints and holes are sort of completely gone!  {Now...which room is next?  ...sigh...}

{I did not have to take these pictures at night when everyone was in bed...or you would have seen a picture of Dan lounging in the recliner...Alex's electronic snap circuit board pieces all over the floor...and the vacuum shoved in the corner neatly tucked away...}

{Whiskers is not so beyond thrilled!}

But I was not a little sad to paint over this...

Alex did not draw this behind the chair in the corner when he was little! 

{Aw...I kind of miss it...it makes me smile to see it now!  Oh...don't worry...there's another one in the entryway...and in our bedroom...and in the office...}

What did you not do this week?  Be sure to head over to MckMama's to read what she and so many others have not been doing this week, too! Because I know it does not make me feel maybe a teeny tiny bit better knowing that it was not just my child who wore her pajamas three days in a row...{the same pajamas} and let her hair become quite a nest...while the weather outside was frightful!  Um...not me, no way, none of it's true ...ahem...

...well...maybe we did not finally make it outside one day...especially since the sun was shining and the snow was sparkly...

{Okay...is that not enough pictures for ya'...I really cannot help myself!} 

Happy {blue}  Monday...I am so not bummed that the Colts lost...but what a great season!

Wordless Wednesday - {Thirsty} for Bird Watching

**Reminder...Giveaway...{here}...Enter...Now!**

{Minor} Manor Makeover

If there is one thing you can count on at Martin Manor...it's that I cannot leave things alone!  While the laundry is piling up...I can spend hours moving furniture, rugs, pillows and pictures from one room to the next...and then back again...I know my priorities are not where they need to be...!  {It drives Dan a little crazy...but he used to make it a game when he came home from work to see if he could find what was different!}  I just like to know how something will look somewhere else...and I won't rest until I see for myself!

Can you spot the {differences} in these rooms?

The Family Room

{New rug from Target on sale and lamps from TJ Maxx}

{A few of my favorite books...

The Friday Night Knitting Club, although I haven't finished reading it...it reminds me of my love of knitting and the nights I used to get together with some good friends!

HEP Remembered...a great  memory of Coach Terry Hoeppner, who was a close member of Dan's family, but whom we lost to brain cancer over two years ago...such an inspiration to so many!

Breathe...something I need to be reminded to stop and do more often and remember to keep God as my focus...something I need lots of work on!}

The Sun Room

{Minor rearrangement of furniture and a new storage trunk...for the extra junk toys Santa brought}

The Living Room

{New pillows on sale at Target and some accessories I rescued from the basement}

The Entry

{New entry table...from Hobby Lobby on sale...I love distressed furniture that looks as though it's already had a good life!  And picture frame and lamp, both on sale from Hobby Lobby...don't you love that place!  Little bird from Target...love that place too...no better place to grab a Starbucks, shop and run into good friends..guaranteed!}

The Dining Room

{Hung new pictures on the wall from frames I rescued from the basement..."A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words Nails!"  I change the arrangement of pictures so often...do not look at all the holes I've created behind the frames...ahem...

Moved rug that used to be in the family room at one point...to dining room...the rug that was in the dining room is now in our bedroom...see where I'm going with this!}

{Little kitty we rescued from the garden nursery this past summer...my new sidekick...along with Skipper!}

I usually add or rearrange things this time of year because we're stuck inside through the cold months...and after the holidays!  Just a few minor changes...until next time!  It's definitely not important to me to have lots of things or keep my house neat and tidy {especially since it usually isn't!}...but I find joy in decorating in a way that brings me comfort and good thoughts and memories.  That is why I have so many photos on the walls and any place I can find a spot for them...I love taking pictures and I love the feeling each photo brings me whether it's where we went on vacation, or to see how much the kids have changed from season to season, or just to get a smile from seeing their smiling faces!   You can't tell from these photos...but the picture frame/hooks above the entry table is of Alex when we first moved into our house sitting on the brick wall by our basement walkout...he was about 15 months old with the cubbiest cheeks around...I love seeing it every day!

{Do you move things around at your home often...or is that just me?}