My Little Life

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (Almost...) I'm sitting here on Thursday night, typing to beat the band...er, more to "beat the storm". I have a feeling that when I wake up in the morning, we may not have any internet service...there's an ice storm a brewin' and I'm very suspicious that it may take our internet with it. Kind of exciting tho...I love winter storms! I love being snowed in and warm and happy...however, "warm and happy" are the key words to that scenario. If this storm knocks out our heat (which is electric, so a very feasible possibility...) I will not be a happy camper. Anyway, I've gotta get this show on the road so I can get it scheduled to post before I lose my lifeline to the outside world... Rules for 5 QF : Copy and paste the following questions to your blog, answer them, then watch for the linky to appear tomorrow (Friday) morning! Questions for Friday, December 31st: (Special thanks to Sharayha , Sandy , Pam , @Simply_BC , @ gasfamily

Well, after last week's break from Five Question Friday, are you ready to jump back in?! Do you have New Year's plans?! Here in MinneSOOOOta , we're just trying to not get frozen to the ground...quite the system of storms on their way here, so if you don't hear from me for a few days, could you please send help? And tell them to bring hot water! Well, without further idle chatter, let's get the Sneak Peek!! Reminder: This post...this very one that you're reading, is just the sneak peek! The linky post will be up tomorrow (Friday) morning! Watch for it. That's an order. Rules for 5 QF : Copy and paste the following questions to your blog, answer them, then watch for the linky to appear tomorrow (Friday) morning! Questions for Friday, December 31st: (Special thanks to Sharayha , Sandy , Pam , @Simply_BC , @ gasfamily for their question suggestions! If you would like to be linked in a future Five Question Friday, just shout out your question suggestions to

As we get ready to welcome in the New Year, I want to wish all of you good tidings and may all your wildest dreams come true! Looking back on 2010...I'll just go ahead and declare it a success! We've got what matters most...our health and each other. Our bank accounts may be a little slimmer (no thanks to that dear old oak that fell upon our home ), but our hearts are full. Here are some of my favorites from the past year...crazy, how fast it's gone! It's been nearly a year since I took the time to Hold 'Em Close ...if only for just a couple more minutes. Remember Baby Girl, enjoying her reflection in the mirror?! I'd forgotten too...but it's priceless! Who Needs Real Friends ... My very first vlog...in which I sing a certain favorite Zac Brown Band song (Hint: Starts with "Chicken" ends with "Fried")...humiliating, totally did it to be a good sport! Ugh. A vlog ... This one makes me giggle just remembering it...on a date, a "busines

I've been doing a lot of thinking, lately. I'm really, really contemplating whether 2011 is the year for me to become an entrepreneur...to maybe, possibly, perhaps embark upon starting a photography business. Some days, I think I'm good enough to do it...then other days, most days, the self-doubt creeps in. I wonder, "Really? How could you think you're good enough to do this?!" and my concern about running a business begins to overwhelm me and then I shove this idea to the back burner again. Only to have it slowly inch it's way back into the forefront of my mind... So many questions...what to charge? ...what would I name my business? ...how would I market myself? ...what would my "niche" be? ...can I handle the criticism? ...will I be able to keep my vision of "quality photos made affordable"? ...is it worth it to take out a small business loan to get started? ...am I organized enough to make it work? ...how on earth will I ever wrap m

Last night, my bestie and her son came over to hang with us. It had been wayyyyyy too long since we'd gotten together, but the conversation and laughter quickly flowed! I scored some friend points when I decided to make Carrot Gravy for us all for supper...not one of my best batches, but still delicious! At one point, I may or may not have mentioned needing to take a trip to the bathroom...she laughed and said, "I'm so glad things never change! No matter how long it's been, things never change!" Funny, how poop can be a source of bonding... We were so busy chatting (and eating) and laughing (and eating) and drinking wine (and eating) and making sure that the Pal didn't "maim or injure" her son, Tigger (who's a swimmer on a small team that can't afford to lose any members to an injury!) that I didn't have time to take one picture. Not a single one. Fer dumb. Girl's Night In...it was awesome! Excuse me now, while I go let out all of

Last evening, before supper at a local pizza joint, our children were enjoying the establishment's arcade games. Arcade games that may or may not include a "play 'til you win" candy crane game (" Ooooh , a crane!" Name that movie...). Upon bringing me her loot, I was " yaying " Baby Girl's treasures when she held up a piece of candy. She: "Can I have dis?" Me: "What do you say?" She: *looking curious* "Open it?" Er...yeah. Not quite the answer I was looking for. To Do List: 1. Vaccum gobs of pine needles from carpet. 2. Fold socks. 3. Teach Baby Girl better manners.

Today, in mine very own hands. I held it. (Image courtesy Amazon.com ) And it felt good. It felt right. I need that D7000 ("need" being very, very loosely substituted for "want really, really, really bad"...)!! And so the saving begins!

You know, prior to Christmas, while I was in the midst of my baking hoopla, I had grand dreams of putting on my very best food blogger hat and showing you all of my creations. But then, I added 1 1/2 cups of butter to a recipe, instead of the 1/2 cup that it called for, and suddenly it dawned on me what a complete and utter idiot I was and who the heck would want my recipes anyway?!! (And, yeah...so, I was baking on the 23rd. Who wants Christmas baking recipes on the 23rd?!) Anywhoodles ...I don't know why I told you that. What I really wanted to tell you, was about all the fun we had on Christmas Day! I was able to be "cut" for my shift at work (yippee!!!) which meant I got to spend the entire day with my family! (And, which also means I'll have almost 2 WEEKS off of work! Ahhhh ...the joys of working part time!) We started the day with Santa gifts...apparently the kids were awake for a good hour before we heard them...and that tells me that since there was no crack

Does Christmas hafta go so fast?! We prepare for weeks... months, even...and then, in a few hours, it's all over. Poof. Just like that. *snaps fingers* I wish every day could be like Christmas. A peek into our Christmas: Fearing we were going to have a repeat of last Christmas : Contrary to stretched arms and sleepy faces, the kids were rarin ' to go on Christmas Eve morning! The Grandkids !! Baby Girl opened this present, jammies , gathered the one other present she had opened, came to me with burgeoning arms and said, "I wanna go home now, let's get in da van." Little did she know we had just begun! My baby bro, with his Godson...taking good care of him. I and my girl... My favorite Christmas present (this would be my new, future SISTER!!): My boy and my dad: My grandpa, my aunt and my boy...the extended family arrived for "Gift Opening: Part Thrice" in the afternoon! Okay...Christmas Day apparently needs it's own post! This post became entire