Project 52 Week 5 {Noise}...

Laughter...

Craft Time: Crystal Snowflakes....

On one of our snow days last week the girls made crystal snowflakes.  I really can't believe we are still crafting snowflakes because we are all getting a bit tired of the snow.  Well, the adults are.  The girls are lovin' it as I'm sure all kids are.  Even though we are sick of the snow, these snow flakes sure are pretty.  Especially when the sun light streams in the windows and reflects off the crystals. 

Slice O' Heaven Oreo Dessert...

We are stuck in some "Polar Vortex" here in the great state of Indiana.  Average snow fall for us is 26" and we've already reached about 34" and winter just started a month ago.  Plus, we've been experiencing several days of subzero temps which has caused schools to delay or cancel several times a week since the beginning of second sememster.  I don't know about all the other parents, but I'm ready for some sort of routine!  Right now the winds are about 40-50 mph which is causing some major drifting and we are supposed to get more snow on Saturday or Sunday.  This girl may be ready for summer.  Then instead of complaining about sub zero temps, we can all complain about 95 degree days with 100% humidity;0).

This recipe is delightful!  It's easy to make and so yummy.  If you like dirt pudding, you will love this dessert!  I love how the chocolate pudding compliments the Oreos and Cool Whip.  So, before the snow drifts reach out your back door reach 6 feet and we get more snow, head to the grocery store and stock up on the ingredients to make this dessert!  It will make being snowed in with your family a little more bearable;) 

Project 52 Week 4 {Joy}...

It was finally warm enough on Monday for this little girl to play in the snow for a few minutes.  Joy...

Project 52 Week 3 {inside}...

For starters, I'm a day late posting this as we are now on week four.  This wasn't the picture I took for the week's theme, but Photoshop, for some reason, decided it didn't want to download the picture I did take.  So, this one will have to do.  We've had a lot of snow, but it's been too cold for Jo to go out and play in it so we brought the snow inside.

Christmas 2013...

The holidays are always a crazy time for us, much like it is for everyone else, I'm sure.  I feel like I'm just now finally recovered!  We have 7 gatherings to go to and while it seems crazy and we feel like all we are doing is running from one house to the next, we feel very fortunate that we have so many loved ones to spend Christmas with.

The girls asked to decorate a gingerbread house this year.  I didn't feel like I really had the time to actually construct one, so I bought one of those handy dandy kits from Wal-Mart and called it good enough.  The girls really didn't care at all!

Project 52 Week 2 {Imperfection}...

The theme this week for Project 52 was an easy one, I thought.  My life is full of imperfections.  Living a perfect life would be pretty boring...and stressful!  One of the things I am far from perfect in is house work.  I can work from sun up to sun down (and most days I do!) trying to keep up with all the fiasco in my house, but it is exhausting.  When my kids grow up I want them to remember that I was present in their lives and that I took them outside to play in the snow, or baked cookies with them, whatever!  I don't want them to remember me always with a mop in my hand to busy cleaning because really, the day will come when they will all be out of the house (hopefully) and I will have all the time in the world to clean (hopefully.)

So the photo I chose for this week is below.  In it you will see toys strung all over the living room floor.  We have a toy room right off our living room, but the toys still manage to make it to the living room.  The floor is also blotched with stains.  Stains that I don't know where they come from.  We just had the carpet cleaned in December.  When I snapped this photo, it was a few minutes before noon and 2 of my 3 kids were still in their PJs with hair that had not yet been brushed.  The oldest is playing a game on the Wii and had been most of the morning.  The middle is sitting on the couch pouting about something!  The youngest is whining because she wants a piece of candy that her sisters have hidden from her..or maybe she just wanted to watch a movie because yes, I do let her watch movies.  Sometimes it's the only thing that will give me 5 minutes to switch laundry or go to the bathroom!  I would say we live a perfectly imperfect life!

Pipe Cleaner Snowflakes...

The girls have been home from school for over two weeks now.  Their last day for Christmas break was December 20th.  They were due to go back today, but we had some snow yesterday and it is freezing outside.  The windchill has ranged from -20 to -50 all day long and it looks like tomorrow won't be much better.  They have called school off for tomorrow as well.  I saw on the Facebook world that it is actually colder today in Indiana than it is in Alaska!  

The girls have done well with keeping themselves entertained.  It helps that they received some new toys at Christmas to keep them entertained, but they are still getting a little bored.  This craft was super simple, I had everything on hand and it required minimal help from me! 

You will need:

Pipe Cleaners (I used three and cut them in half, but it doesn't matter because no two snowflakes are alike anyway!)

Beads (we used clear on the ones pictured, but we ran out so the girls decide to make some with colored beads and those turned out to be very pretty.)

String

Twist your pipe cleaners together to make a snowflake shape and place beads on the pipe cleaners...

Leave a little bit of space after the last bead so you can bend the end over the final bead to hold them in place. 

She cracks me up! 

Voila! 

Simple and pretty.   

Tomorrow we may make some snow ice cream!  Stay warm everyone!

Project 52 Week 1 {Reflections}...

Four years ago (I can't believe it has been that long!) I participated in Project 365.  One photo every day for one year.  I am proud to say I actually did it!  I pulled out my camera every single day for one year and took at least one picture.  Sometimes I didn't get them posted on time, but I did manage to take a picture every day.  It was a huge commitment.  Some days I had very little motivation, but I still got it done!  I still love photography, but feel I don't have the time for it or something always takes priority over it.  I realized yesterday how much I missed it and decided I wanted to participate, yet again, in something like Project 365.  So, I decided to join My Four Hens Photography for their Project 52.  It's one photo a week ,which seems so much more manageable than a photo a day.  You are given a theme each week ,but you don't have to use the theme you are given.  The idea is to watch your photography skills advance in a year...hopefully...and to have fun! 

The theme for this week is Reflections and while I can now think of a million things that I could have taken a picture of, this is what came to my mind first...

I hope you enjoy following along on this "project" with me for the next year.  At least I will have something to post once a week!!:)