It's Way Past My Bed Time...

I've been getting up at 5am each day to kiss my treadmill good morning...and in return, it punishes me, making me wake up, sweat, and exercise...ick. I always feel better after, but it's going to be SO difficult in the morning. I sat down here at the computer to just check a few emails...an hour ago! I still have pants to iron! AND...I have no clue what shirt to wear with them! At least Garrett is finally in the bed. He insists on getting up every five minutes to make sure I'm coming to check on him in ten minutes...I've assured him that's not even possible since he won't stay in the bed! So, it's way past my bed time and I've gotta' iron those pants. I may not make it to the treadmill in the morning...

Eric's Home...I'm Saved!...

Eric was away on a business trip in Florida all last week, literally Sunday to Friday...ugh! I don't enjoy being a single parent and hope that it never happens "for real!" On top of merely taking care of the day-to-day running of the household on my own, the boys and I got sick as well.

Then, Eric called early in the week to let me know that he had forgotten to read the water meter and send off the bill. Now, I do a lot of things around here, but one thing I DO NOT DO is read water meters...or pay bills for that matter! I was so MAD! He tells me this just after the big snow. "You don't have to do it tonight. There's too much snow on the ground." Duh. My initial reaction was that the darn bill would be late because there was no way in you-know-where that I was going to stick my hand down in that meter hole! BUT, upon reflection, I decided that it had to be done...so I did. I trudged out in the snow Tuesday afternoon and tried to gingerly open the second hatch with the tip of my ink pen, so as not to have to actually place my hand in the black abyss that is the hole in the ground...it didn't work...

Finally, frozen and crestfallen, I reluctanly placed my purple-fingered hand down into the depths of the opening (carefully dodging all kinds of webs and roots) and read the darn meter. Whew! Am I a good wife, or what?!?! Don't answer that...

Anyway, now that he is home safely and things are back to "normal," the boys are totally sick with whatever Eric has had over the past two weeks. I had to call and get them meds ordered up today so that they won't have to wake each day to matted eyes and a mask of dried, crusty snot on their little cherub faces. Well, I don't know about cherubs, but the snot mask part is absolutely true! If you think it's gross, try having to clean it up each morning! :O/

We all had a great Valentine's Day, too. The boys had parties at school and at church...Parent's Night Out weekend...woo hoo! Eric and I had reservations at Emmy's Saturday night. It's a local German restaurant that we haunt from time to time...love their fried brats and German egg rolls! So, life is back to some sense of normality in the Springs household...for now...

Snow Day...

Just after I drug myself out of bed for a shower, "the phone call" came...NO SCHOOL! This NEVER happens in this town, so I did a silent celebration (didn't want to wake the boys) and crawled back into bed.

A late breakfast and staying in our jammies was a super way to start the day...after an hour of PBS cartoons, of course. Hey now...Super Why helps them learn word-building and reading skills!

The plump, quickly-falling flakes began late in the morning, adding to what had fallen unseen overnight. What a beautiful sight!

Our entire subdivision, tucked neatly away between two hills, is simply a winter wonderland. The valley is covered in beautiful snow and the surrounding woods are silent, still, and serene...unlike my boys...

What Happened to Our Angel?...

Where has my little angelic boy gone? Braden Riley is driving me crazy this week with his whining, arguing, back-talking, screaming, bullying, crying, name-calling, and the list goes on and on. He has only been on green once this week. He's been talking out and interrupting the teacher at school and has just been on a TEAR here at home. You name it, he's done it! When will the insanity end????? Calgon, take me away...

Hi, Nanny!...

Today, Braden and I visited Nanny for quite some time...it was great! With only one boy in tow, there were no fights, no fussing, and we could actually hold a civilized conversation. Amazing! I always used to LOVE going over to Nanny and Papaw's house, lay on my mama's lap while she rubbed my back or played with my hair, and just listen to the adults and their conversations...not caring one bit what was said, just that it was so peaceful. Now, I'm one of the adults and Braden seemed quite content to just listen, and he was happily playing spaceship in his own world, too. Thanks, Nanny, for a super afternoon. We had a wonderful time just being with you!

We LUV Churros!...

Last night before cooking dinner, Braden, Garrett, and I watched Paula Deen cook her own Mexican fiesta. Braden became enamored with the idea of churros, Mexican "donuts." So, on this chilly, snowy, winter morning, we decided to print the recipe and go for it.

I don't have a piping bag, so I cut the corner out of a freezer bag...no weird thoughts about what these might look like...I'm warning you!



You make the dough, fry it, and roll it in cinnamon sugar...YUMMY! We don't have a deep fryer anymore, so I had to just heat oil in a sauce pan. We just make do with what we've got. :0)

Crispy, yet light and fluffy...perfect!

First of All...

First of all, I didn't think I would have to get up this morning, seeing as how the temperature had already dropped six degrees just on my way home from work yesterday...but I did have to get up afterall! THEN, with the preschool closed, Garrett did have to stay home with his more than sick daddy, but they played Wii all day and everything was copesetic. BUT, the weather finally hit around 12:30 or so and the students went ape wild just because they could see snow flurries! AND, when the announcement came at the beginning of 6th period that the students would be released at 2:00, well folks...you'd think the fair had come to town again!!! EVEN WORSE...the announcement that the students could use their cell phones in class to phone a parent so they'd have a ride waiting. And then it began...all hell broke loose! I swear, one girl talked to her mother four different times in fifteen minutes because the mom thought the girl was lying about school being let out. THEN, the mom thought the girl was lying about being allowed to use her cell phone in class! WHAT?!?!?!? Just come get here, lady, and be done with it!

ANYWAY, our family was all home, safe and sound, by 3:20. This was AFTER the school called my cell phone to ask why I had not yet picked Braden up..."school has been let out early," the snooty lady said. DUH! I had my usual Friday afternoon hall duty to attend to before I could attend to my own family. So, I called Eric, who had to drag himself out of bed, warm up the truck, and fight the elementary soccer moms for access to the school parking lot...but, like I said...we were all home by 3:20! Yeah!