Cold, Rainy Days

... are the best.

There's just something about a cold, dreary day that makes me happy.

Is that odd?

I feel inspired.  Creative.  Encouraged.

Because I know that after the rain, comes the sun.

And after winter, comes spring.

Guaranteed.

No need to rush it.  Or wish it away.

Rather, savor it.  Fix yourself a cup of tea, light a fire (or at least a candle), get a good book, turn on some music....

and rest.

At my house we like to get out every sheet and blanket we can find and build a fort in the den.  Sometimes we sit in the fort and eat popcorn.  We're crazy like that.

We look forward to days like this.  Because it's just not as much fun to build a fort in the den when the warm sunshine is beckoning you outside.

Days like this are a gift.

In more ways than one....

She's Eating My Words (and everything else)

I said that nothing else was coming in our house that eats or poops.

She's eaten those words and spit them out.



She's learned to go outside to do her business.  That's good!

But then she sometimes immediately does it again.  Inside.

That's bad.



She chews up anything that isn't nailed down or doused with Tabasco sauce.  A few recent casualties....an iPad cable, one Wii nunchuck, an SD card reader (no clue what that was but apparently was quite useful with video games and such), and one favorite pink polka dot flip flop.

That's bad.

But she has a sweet disposition, is highly agreeable, never whines, wags her tail when I put her food in front of her (eats every bite and never complains), sleeps all night and wipes her own bottom.

That's good!

(and more than I can say about some others in this house)

Randomness

So yeah I took a little blogging break but enjoyed being a lurker on my own blog!  Actually I took a mini cyber sabbatical and will probably do it again soon.  After the holidays I just felt so bleh.   I kept saying "I'm over it."  Over.  It.  It being too much spending....too much eating....too much time wasting....too much, too much, too much.  My brain, body, home and checking account were in overload.

All of a sudden I started focusing on all the junk in my life and in my home that needed to be tossed.  I decided to de-tox.  De-clutter.  And de-stress.

I've been a busy girl.

So far I have a couple of closets and drawers that actually have free space.  FREE SPACE, y'all.  Do you know how good it feels to see an empty shelf in your closet?  Or to be able to actually slide the hangers around, knowing that everything in there is actually something you wear on a regular basis???

I've also been baking again and looking for ways to make nearly everything from scratch that we consume.    Remember our Christmas list and how I wanted this?

And this?



Well I got both for Christmas!  And I love, love, LOVE my Kindle!  I stayed in bed all day long about two weeks ago reading The Help. I'm about three years behind on my reading but if you are too, READ THIS BOOK.  Especially if you're in bed sick all day.  And you aren't sick, fake it to stay in bed all day and read it.  I'd never do that of course.  I'm just sayin'.  Do whatcha gotta do.

As for the mixer, I've perfected my bread recipe and will post it soon.  It's full of sunflower seeds, flaxseed and .....wait for it.... BROWN RICE ground up into flour.   You will smile as your family devours it, knowing all the good stuff they're eating and they don't even know it.  I'm a fan of trickery.

One last random thought for today before I go.

I used to have a policy that nothing, and I mean NOTHING, would be coming into this house again that requires feeding, watering and sanitation services.

So much for that policy.  Look at this little Muppet.

Meet our new labradoodle.

We named her Cameron.  The die hard Auburn fan I'm married to calls her Cam.  And our smallest two legged baby calls her Camnewton.  It just rolls out like that....Camnewton.

War Eagle, y'all.