snow – The Bless Your Heart Blog

Random Rambles

The snow is finally starting to melt a bit around here. There’s no telling how long I’ll be dealing with mud instead. I’m not sure which is worse when it comes to keeping kids and shoes and floors and cars clean…

I’d say we had about a foot of snow but some of the craziest drifts we’ve ever had. In our almost five years here, we’ve never had to have the neighbors rescue us but we had to call in the big dogs this time.

The high winds have blown even more snow around and our road has blown shut at least four times. Needless to say, we finally got out today to buy groceries and run a few errands.

The kids have sure had a ball playing on the big mounds daddy made, though!

We also took time to make some snow ice cream! We made a picture scavenger hunt for the kids using our cell phones. We’d text them a picture of something in the house like this:

and they’d have to figure out where exactly it was. There, they’d find an ingredient needed to make snow ice cream!

****************

You know those friends who don’t feel like friends at all? The ones that feel like you’re long lost sisters or, at the very least, sisters of the heart? Yeah. Those. I’m quite fortunate to have a few of those in my life and it saddens me that none of them live close to me. My head and heart have yet to reconcile how the Lord can so lovingly plop someone in your life and then makes you live so far from each other…..

My friend Emily is one of those friends. I met her at a trade show when we were in Denver and there was just that instant connection. She is so kind and spunky, a marketing maven and an event planner extraordinaire…and she has red hair! (Just a wee bit jealous, I am!) She has the sweetest husband and parents and kids! Oh, and if you wanna build a house and have it decorated to the hilt, call this girl!

We had the privilege to attend a Super Bowl party in their new digs – SO. MUCH. FUN. Their house is BEAUTIFUL and so warm and inviting and she IS the hostess with the mostest.

She had a photo booth and games for the kids…

Wryder giving it a try... — Wryder giving it a try…

We had food out the wazoo and everything was sooooo goooood! I made a few of these guys…

The kids LOVED Emily and her family!

Wryder took a special liking to Papa. They shared bowls and bowls and bowls of caramel corn and stories on the couch.

The night only got better with that Bronco win! These guys had a ball and looked cute doing it!

Not sure she REALLY knew what was going on... — Not sure she REALLY knew what was going on…

THANK YOU, Justin and Emily for such a wonderful night! I’m voting with the kids that we just move on down to Wild Horse, too…

****************

Someone has joined the thumb-sucker ranks around here.

We fought the battle hard with Wryder and thankfully he just sucks his thumb as he goes to sleep; not ideal, but at least it’s not all day, every day.

Sayble has surprised us. She’s a closet thumb sucker……but it’s so. darn. cute.

Tell me that's not cute?! — Tell me that’s not cute?!

****************

Sawyer was looking so cute in a little outfit the other night and I wanted to snap a quick pic of her. Of course, she pulled out all of her poses…. Good grief, I love this girl!

****************

Wrex and I have been teaching a Financial Peace University class at the local community college on Tuesday nights and it has been SO cool! Dave Ramsey’s directives helped us get out debt and we wanted to share the wealth of knowledge we’ve amassed and give others some HOPE for their financial situations, too!

I firmly believe the Lord had us teach this so that we could further our journey to even more financial freedom, wealth building and extravagant giving. We feel so renewed and reinvigorated regarding our finances. Bring it on, 2016!

****************

For my “midnight” snack last night, I had some almonds and a fruit and veggie smoothie. I’ll be the first to admit that it didn’t LOOK very appetizing.

I used spinach, kale, blackberries, chia seeds and a little unsweetened almond milk. Even though it didn’t look very tasty, it really was!

Wrex humored me and took a little taste. He choked it down but swore it wasn’t as good as the frosty he had at lunch. Oh, to be able to eat 8,000 calories a day and still be at my fighting weight….

****************

Sawyer’s been wanting to sew lately, so we got out her little sewing machine yesterday and she went to town! She made these shorts for Wryder.

They ended up a little small but her decorative elements made up for it, don’t ya think?!

****************

This family of mine is just the bees knees. Days with them are the best days……

The Storehouse

We woke up to a beautiful, snowy masterpiece this morning. Everything is covered in a thick, soft blanket of white, as if all tucked in comfy cozy. I love that snow makes everything look clean and crisp and pristine. It has the ability to brighten even the most rundown/filthy/decrepit of places and makes you forget their original state, as it covers the dirt and grime with its cleansing grace.

Since the roads were supposed to be a little nasty up this way, Wrex left after his evening sale last night to head to his Friday sale in Wyoming. We watched the radar and it looked like he could beat the snow and be safe and sound in town and not have to rush in the morning, so I sent him off at 10:00 last night – not my favorite thing on so many levels – but it was the wise choice.

A dear, dear friend of mine called to pray over me since I’m not the biggest of fan of being out here in the sticks without my protector/snuggle bunny here with me at night. As she was praying, she acknowledged the Lord as the “One in control of the storehouses of snow” and that just brought such immediate peace to me. I got such a vivid image of these big, long, white sheds with little fasteners on them and then Him excitedly opening them as beautiful, fluffy flakes fall out as blessings. Little, crystalline drops of His love and His mercy and His grace and His goodness falling straight from the sky.

In those moments, I forgot my fears and worries; His sovereignty and favor covered them, much like the snow outside covered the ground. My thoughts shifted to the Giver (Him) of these gifts (snow, hubby and kids) instead of my feeble attempt at controlling their well being. Just as He controls the falling of each flake and dispenses it upon the earth, He dispenses all I need…and in that moment, it was peace…and peace He brought.

I am so thankful that He brings gentle conviction so that I can open my hands and give Him back the things He has so graciously bestowed upon me. I am so thankful for sweet friends who are filled with the Holy Spirit, who are unafraid to pray and who bless me by doing so. I am most thankful that He has chosen to cover my rundown, filthy, decrepit, ramshackle, haggard attempts at righteousness with His perfection and holiness so that I can appear spotless before the Father…as white as snow, in fact.

Today, I find myself going back to the storehouse, back into His presence, back to the foot of the cross for more of His provision. Fridays usually find me tired and a little weary and in need of more of what He has to pour out, so I can pour it out, too. Lucky for me, the shelves are never empty.

I do hope you take the time to revel in His splendor today…

and take freely from the storehouse…there’s good stuff there.

DIY: Christmas Snow Globe

What kid doesn’t love to shake a snow globe?? I remember my grandma having some at her house when I was younger and I was enamored by them! We even got snow globe ornaments one year. Mine is hanging on our tree right now, though the liquid has long been gone.

Today, I let Sawyer make her own snow globe! It’s SUPER easy…

You’ll need:

a Christmasey trinket
silicon
mason jar with lid
water
glitter

We opted for a nutcracker and a pine tree…both of which were $0.75 at Joann’s during Thanksgiving.

1.) Adhere your trinkets to the lid of the mason jar. We used silicone and let them dry about 24 hours. I’m sure any type of tough glue would work, but this is what I had on hand.

2.) Fill your jars with water and add glitter. We filled our up to the neck of the jar and added WAY too much glitter. I’m thinking a good tablespoon would’ve been more than fine, but hey – the more the merrier, right?!

Who doesn't love glitter? — Who doesn’t love glitter?

3.) Add your trinket and tighten the lid.

4.) Give it a good shake!

Sawyer had a ton of fun doing this! She did want to take them to the toy room to which I did say no…but she’s welcome to come shake them in the kitchen anytime she’d like!

Happy shaking!