It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Well, it's been CRAZY busy around here with work, Christmas, sewing, puppies, etc., but I thought I would share a few pics with y'all. 

Don't ya just love Christmas tree lights?  I used to just sit on the couch in the dark with my cup of hot chocolate and look at the lights.  It was such a peaceful time of quiet reflection.  Sigh.  Now when I turn off the lights to look at the tree, I hear puppies barking and kids askin, "Mom, why are the lights off?  I'm trying to do my homework?"  ugh!  There is no such thing as "quiet" in this house anymore.  Oh well!

Here it is in the light.  See that banner?  Wanna see a close up?

My SIL printed that out and cut it out for our Christmas pictures we took Saturday (for the Christmas cards).  After we used it, she hung it on the tree.  Isn't that cute?  I love it.  She found it on Pinterest (of course).  You can get your banner here.  Your welcome.

So, one more thing.....it snowed last night in Arkansas..  Yes, you heard me right - and it's not even Janury.  So, the sun is now out and I can hear it pouring off the roof as it melts.  Sad.  It didn't last long.

It was just enough snow to be pretty, but the roads were clear so school wasn't cancelled.  Can I get an AMEN?  AMEN!!!  WOO HOO!  Happy dance!  I've got tons of sewing to get done today and I don't need four kids in my hair.  However, I'm supposed to substitute 4th grade tomorrow so I'd be cool with school being called off then.  A girl can dream, right? 

Have a great Wednesday!

SNOW ICE CREAM AND HOT CHOCOLATE

Well, the kiddos are out of school again so we're just hanging out around the house today.  Here in Arkansas, we don't get snow very often, maybe 2-3 days of snow per year.  We don't have snow plows here, so if it snows, the town pretty much shuts down.  School is almost always out if there is snow on the ground because of the roads out in the county that may be shaded and don't get much traffic.  This makes it dangerous for the buses to run, and therefore, no school.  So, we spend our time playing in the snow and throwing our clothes in the dryer and playing in the snow and throwing our clothes in the dryer again and eating things that I shouldn't be eating, considering I'm trying to lose a few pounds.  Our favorite thing to make is Snow Ice Cream.

SNOW ICE CREAM

8-10 cups of fresh, clean snow (put out a big bowl as soon as the snow starts)
1 can Eagle Brand
1 tsp vanilla

Dump it all in a bowl and mix it up with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.  I do not recommend using a metal bowl or utensils.  It makes the snow melt to fast.

YUM!  Isn't Eagle Brand just the best stuff ever?  It's so yummy!  I've cut my finger on many a Eagle Brand can trying to make sure I get out every single drop of it.  I even cut my tongue on an Eagle Brand can once.  Not proud of it, but it did happen.  And, in case you're wondering about my diet, I only had a couple of bites and I did include it in my calorie count for the day. 

I know Snow Ice Cream is a big snow day tradition at many homes in the south.  Our other tradition?  Homemade Hot Chocolate.  When I say homemade, I mean the kind on the side of the Hershey's Cocoa can. 

HERSHEY'S FAVORITE HOT COCOA

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa
Dash Salt
1/3 c. hot water
4 c. milk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a saucepan; stir in water.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixgture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes.  Stir in milk and heat.  Do Not Boil!  Remove from heat; add vanilla.

See, the thing is, my kids love hot chocolate.  LOVE IT!  They even ask for it in the summer.  Usually, I just warm up their Ovaltine chocolate milk, because I'm too lazy to stand over the stove on just any old day.  BUT, on snow days, we have to make the real hot chocolate, the Favorite Hot Chocolate.  It's a tradition.

We also love to have snowball fights.  C kept throwing snowballs at me, so I finally had to pelt her back. 

Yep, got her right in the eye.  It was actually an accident.  She turned around right when I threw it, bus she's okay. 

The sun is out today and the snow is melting so I feel sure the kids will be in school tomorrow.  It's been a good few days of snow with them home. 

What are your snow day traditions?  Do you make Snow Ice Cream too?

I'm linking up to The CSI Project's Winter Challenge.

 

I LOVE SNOW DAYS!

Happy Monday friends!  It has been a wonderful weekend here in the FFB household.  Hubby got up and went to work Monday and I started cleaning my filthy house.  I had ignored it all through the holidays and it was a pit!  Anyway, after several hours, Hubby called and said he was headed home.  He had his weekends mixed up and he wasn't even supposed to be there.  So, after some paperwork, Hubby came home and helped me clean.  That afternoon, my mom, who was in town for my nephew and niece's basketball games, came over and we spent the afternoon shopping.  We had such a GREAT time!  We decided next time we should spend ALL DAY shopping. 

Sunday, we stayed in the house and hoped for snow.  It started around 1:30 and didn't quit until 11:00 p.m. or so.  We ended up with 5 1/2 inches, which is unheard of around here.  We had such a good time playing in the snow. 

L had a great time throwing snowballs.

J couldn't wait to jump on the snow filled trampoline.

The girls.

Down the street.

Check out the house up the hill from us.  Not only do they still have their Christmas lights up, but they still have them on.  People, it's January the 10th.  Let's move on.  Christmas is over.  Let it go.  Just sayin.  Ya think maybe they're pretending to have a white Christmas? 

Well, Hubby called to say he made it safely to work, so I think the kids and I will go play for a little while.  I see a snowman in our future.  Have a great day!