If life were easy...it wouldn't be hard!

When I decided to start blogging, I wanted to be able to have a place to journal all the cute-fun things that our family is doing. I wanted to be able to write my feelings down and be able to remember all the things that I am blessed with and have to be thankful for. But this past month I have honestly had such a hard time feeling very blessed or even being very thankful for much. As long as I can remember February has been my very least favorite month of the year. February seems to me to be the longest month out of the year-not the shortest!!

I remember the first day of February this year, so well. I woke up that morning and felt like I had been ran over by a train. Every inch of my body ached, my head was pounding and my throat felt like I had swallowed a porcupine!! I wish today I would have listened to my body trying to tell me to stay in bed, and just slept the entire month of February 2009 off! I remember looking at the calendar later that day, and staring at the LONG 28 days ahead in the longest month of the year! I told myself that I could do it, that I would have a great February and not get depressed this year. Oh WOW!! I often wonder if the things that get me so down in February would get me as depressed in any other month. No, no one has passed away that I love, and the things that have gotten me down are mostly material things. But none the less hard to try and figure out when you try so hard, why so many bad things still have to happen. As I have tried these past few weeks to stay upbeat and not lose it, I have honestly prayed for an end to the misery, for some good news and happy times. Then I remembered that in order for me to really know happiness and appreciate my blessings, I must also know pain and suffering. If life gave us everything we asked for and we never had to suffer, we would never grow and never truly be happy. No, this doesn't make the hardships any easier to endure, but it helps us be grateful for the good times once the hardships have passed.

So as the longest-shortest month of the year comes to an end, I know that someday I will look back on February 2009 and appreciate it for what it gave me. It has helped me remember that the most important things in life are being with the people I love-nothing else really matters. And that as unpredictable as I know life is, things can always get worse, but they can also always get better!!

Side note to self: Run away to Mexico, Hawaii or the Caribbean next February!!

Top ten in the nation ...

Business Week Magazine conducted a study and found the top ten most affordable suburbs in the nation where residents can find the best quality of life for the money!! Business Week based its rankings by looking at schools, crime, reasonable commutes, strong economics and a good quality of life. The top 10 suburbs were:

#1 Pewaukee, Wis.

#2 Mill Creek, Wash.

#3 Brandon, S.D.

#4 Munford, Tenn.

#5 East Norriton, Pa.

#6 South Weber, UT.

#7 Cornelius, N.C.

#8 West Des Moines, Iowa

#9 Pataskala, Ohio

#10 Fort Mill, S.C.



Gotta love it!!

BOYS WILL BE BOYS!!!...AGAIN!!!

Last fall I posted a cute story about Ridger (November 2008) and how he caught and housed a tiny "dead" mouse in one of my decorative lanterns that adorn my patio table. He had put some leaves in the lantern for the mouse to sleep on and some tiny berries for it to eat. He was so proud of his new sleeping pet that he took it around the neighborhood to show it off. Well...

Last week Ridger had been over at the neighbors house playing when he saw a dead mouse in their yard. The neighbors had seen some mice in their garage, so they put out some deacon to kill them. When they saw the dead mouse they told Ridger that we needed to make sure the dogs didn't get it. They were worried that the deacon in the mouse might hurt the dogs if they ate the mouse. Well, apparently Ridger thought that they meant that they didn't want the dogs to get the poor little helpless mouse. So Ridger took things into his own hands. Literally!! Later that day him and the neighbor girl came inside the house and informed me that they had put the mouse someplace safe, so the dog wouldn't get it. First I made him change his clothes and scrub his hands. Then I asked him where he put the mouse, he said "behind a bush"!!! He would talk about the mouse often, every time telling me that our dog would never get the mouse. A few days had past when I was out on the patio. When I was walking in the door I looked in the corner of my steps, and there behind one of my planter boxes was one of my lanterns. Hmmmmm?? As I proceeded to reach over and grab the third lantern and return it to its usual place on the patio table. I noticed something inside the lantern!!! Oh my goodness!!! Ridger had put the sweet little mouse inside the lantern to protect it from the dog, and then hid the lantern behind the bush(the planter box).

So, I must add one more reason to why my beautiful rod iron lanterns make the best home for sleeping rodents-it provides a safe place for them to reside, and keep them protected from dogs or any other creature who might try and eat them!!! (I do believe we might be getting Ridger a hamster for his next birthday!!!!!)

Valentine's" Day Graphics

Happy 1/2 Birthday!!!

River and Ryker were both born on August 12!! Five years apart! When I was younger I always felt so sorry for the kids who had their birthdays in the summer and had to make up a day during the school year to celebrate their birthday! Well, now two of my kids have to do this!! So the day we usually celebrate their "un-Birthday" is February 12, six months exactly from their real birthday! So today we are celebrating both their 1/2 birthday!!! River is taking a treat to his class, and I made a 1/2 birthday cake for each one of them!! (1 cake they get to share!!(: ) I guess it's fun to have a reason to celebrate your birthday twice during a year!!! I'm sure this will be the last time River will get to do this because next year he is Junior High. So HAPPY 1/2 BIRTHDAY River and Ryker!! I love you both soooooooo much!!

Snowmobiling!!

Last week Trevor took me and some of our friends up snowmobiling. The snow was a little icy and crunchy at first, but as soon as we got to the top of the mountain it was great. The view from the top of the mountain was amazing!! Snowmobiling isn't usually my favorite activity, but the three of us made Trevor go see 3 Broadway musicals in New York, so it was his turn to choose the activity! We had a great time and it was a well needed break from reality!! Thanks Trevor and Augers for a great time!!