Family Heirloom.

At this very moment both Ivy and Grady are taking a nap and Savannah is still in school. I feel like someone just dropped off a package full of slight-freedom on my front doorstep! The house is quiet save the gentle snores of sweet children. It is cold today-a rare cold, sunny and spots of dry flurries are in the air. The light is different too. My favorite kind of cold. It isn't stopping the birds from their song or daily duties.

My Mom gave me a necklace a couple years before she died. It was her "something old" for her Vegas wedding to my Dad. My Grandma Marian gifted it to her.

Marian.

 When my Grandma was little it was her Mom's,

Carrie.

my Great-Grandma Carrie Campbell. And before her it belonged to my Grandma's Grandmother,

Amanda.

Amanda Sandmann. Marian was never allowed to play with it when she was growing up, she could only look at it in her Mother's dresser drawer. In that drawer was my Great Grandmother's gold bracelet and gold lapel watch my Great Grandpa gave her while courting her. My Grandma Marian and her siblings (Carol, Eleanor, Bud) cut their baby teeth on that gold bracelet. Before my Mom gave it to me, she or my Grandma restrung it and gave it a new clasp. Ivy is wearing it here, playing in my jewelry box.

Ivy.

Me.

 I wore it to my Mom's funeral here. (Why am I smiling? Saddest day ever!)

My Mom, Patricia. 

My parent's wedding day, September 3, 1975.

I love this photo, my Dad's hair and the joy on my Mom's face.

Silence broken...I just heard a Goo.   

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Granola Bars.

I am still having a difficult time keeping the cookie jar full of these. But now a new deliciously easy treat is proving difficult to keep in The Honey Hut as well. I adapted these Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cereal Bars to be more like healthy granola bars for an easy healthy sweet snack. 

1. Melt a half stick of butter over medium heat.

2. Mix in 4-5 cups of mini marshmellows, 1/4 t. salt and 3/4 cup of natural peanut butter.

3. Pour melted mixture over 8 cups of puffed-rice cereal. I didn't use a chocolate flavored rice cereal as I was trying to make these as healthy as possible. I used my favorite...Special K.

4. After letting the mixture cool slightly, stir in 1/2 cup peanuts (or peanut butter chips) and 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips.

5. Press into a large greased square or rectangular baking dish and let stand 20-40 minutes. 

 6. Cut up into bars and wrap with parchment paper if you like. Store in an airtight container.

Yum...headed to the kitchen now. 

Hurray.

It's a snow day.

We are making tent forts and staying in our pajamas all day, YAY!

Just wish Tim were here to snuggle us.

"When I Was A Little Girl..."

Knowing full well that as The Little Girls get older they will ask me less and less for a story about my childhood, I feel pressure to make each request count. The problem is, I've had a terrible time of late recalling my childhood or stories I thought I'd never forget. Basically I have a bad memory. If I had time, I'd do some brain exercises like play Sudoku or watch Jeopardy but alas, I have three young children and little time to myself. My sister Deanna has an incredibly quick memory and she is a fantastic story-teller AND The Little Girls ADORE her. So when we get together she delights two sets of eager ears. I love watching their faces, the three of them, as Dee Dee tells with animation her tales of woe.

Daddy-Daughter Dance.

A group of Dads from Savannah's school decided they wanted to be more involved in school related activities but in their own way. So far they have organized two on-campus events; a pancake breakfast and Friday night's Daddy-Daughter Dance. I adore Tim for many things, but my favorite thing about him these last few years is how he puts his own inhabitions aside and shows The Little Girls a side of him that few adults get to see. He encourages them to break out of their shy shells and try something new. He took Savannah to that dance and while he was at it,

he danced around with her friends whose Dads were too uncomforable to be on the dance floor. Then he came home and taught some dance moves to Ivy who felt a little left out. The three of them did that crazy Chicken Polka Dance all night.

Cuddlebug.

Ivy has been teary this morning, sad about an upcoming trip Tim and I are taking. She says she'll be missing me terrible, especially my love. And when she gets to the part about missing her Daddy well, the tears spill. So we are spending quality snuggle time on the couch today, banking some of that love for when we won't be together.

Lately.

This last week has been very busy and so I am cramming quite a few days into this one post. We spent an afternoon at Jenkinson Lake (usually under snow this time of year), the water was tranquil and the air was sweet and cool.

We got a rare treat when Auntie Angela was in town and came for a sleepover (no photos-too busy catching up) the next morning we met up with Tim's parents for a Valentine's brunch.

Met up with Eva and baby Alexandra for some antiquing. This glitter-ized silver tea set was stunning and gave me inspiration to put glitter on something when I get some free creative time.

It snowed on Savannah's day off of school. So lovely.

The Little Girls made Chocolate Covered Strawberries for Valentines dinner's dessert.

The Goo enjoys newly introduced solids...and experimenting with projectile art on my white wood floors.

Jack came over for a play-day. Here he is waiting for "The Big Yellow...Bus." He is very good at reminding me not to forget to pick up Savannah.