A Little Bit of Summer

On Monday my husband had off of work, and it is free day at our local indoor gardens if you are a county resident. So that is where we went. In a winter where our December snowfall was second highest EVER, it is so nice to get to a place and remember what GREEN STUFF looks like (I have made no secret my feelings about winter!!). There are three glass domes, one is tropical, one is arrid, and one is a special area that always changes. Currently it is Christmas themed, and the huge tree is pictured below. The sun was shining through the glass ceiling and walls, the plants were giving us plentiful oxygen, and seeing the greenery was a feast for our eyes which have become accustomed to the nothingness of white white white. It was a good time to visit these gardens because despite the crowds (we are not the only ones that love getting in free!!), it reminded us of the life that awaits underneath the frozen ice, the beauty that will come in a few months, and the warmth and rebirth that will follow winter. The gardeners in this indoor park always do an amazing job.

An extra treat was that we ran into my cousin and her family! They popped into our picture behind us, unknown to me; isn't that hilarious?! I hope she doesn't mind me including the picture--it turned out so cute (tho' her youngest must be behind us, and we can't see her in this shot!), and I got such a kick out of it! A special thanks for her for taking the time to check out my etsy shop and read my blog!


Tonight, being New Year's Eve, we have a date with Kung Fu Panda, and will have a party supper of little pieces of pizza, eggrolls and other snacky items! I do plan to be in bed before the new year arrives... it is just one of those years where some quiet is appealing, and I will enjoy my rest! :-)


Thanks for reading, and a VERY Happy New Year to you all!! I hope your 2009 is filled with health, happiness, and dreams accomplished.

I'll see you next year (har har dee har!)!!!

Today Was a Very Nice Day

Sometimes I wonder how I can still live where I do when 9" of snow is predicted and I CAN'T STAND being cold!! I guess I am blessed with a family I love being around more than I hate the snow. I hope everyone realizes how much that is!! :-)

My kids and two of their cousins whom they adore:

Yesterday's Party

Yesterday we attended a family party for my neice's 14th birthday! I can't believe how old all of the kids are getting. I am so proud of her, though. She is a person of quality, someone I would like and admire even if she wasn't a member of my family! Fun was had by all at the party. Of course my kids did not want to leave. It is just so heart-warming to see how all of the cousins love each other--from almost 17 down to 4--they all get along and play together. It is sweet!

Bonus--she likes to make jewelry, too! For her birthday I got her a kit from a great etsy seller: SunAndMoonCraftKits (http://sunandmooncraftkits.etsy.com/). It is a kit where she can make several different pendants, from glass to scrabble tile, and includes everything you need! I hope she has a lot of fun with it, truly I was tempted with it myself! The items pictured were not the exact kit I got for her, but pretty close!! It all came in a really cute tin, and very nice, clear instructions were sent to me in a PDF file.

Keep this in mind for Christmas for the crafters on your list. As I said, she is fourteen and I... am much older than that--and it appealed to both of us. It would also be fun to have a little holiday party (with snacks!) and get together with some friends and this kit and make yourselves a pendant to keep or to give as a gift--or make them for each other! What a good time that would be!!

Maybe my neice will be an etsy seller someday! In between violin, straight A's and all of her other activities, that is!! :-)