Baby, It's Cold Outside!

We having freezing temperatures here in Utah! Wow--is it cold!! The kids have had a ball playing in all the white stuff.



Kade froze his tail off shoveling and taking the garbage cans out last Saturday.




There is a song that says "I cry the day I take the tree down." Well, all the Christmas stuff came down last Saturday and I didn't cry. Instead, I cry the day I take all the Christmas cards and photos down. I hang them all over my fridge and my kitchen cabinets and LOVE thinking of all my loved ones during this special time. In fact, I just can't take them down. So, they just might still be up when the next holiday season rolls around!

I got a belated holiday letter from my friend, Carol Van Bork, who comes from a small town in up-state New York. I loved how she wrote in the letter what was happening in her world right at that moment. So, I decided to take the challenge:

Right Now:

Out of my window: Snow everywhere (on the ground and flurries from the sky); quiet streets; gray skys.
I am wearing: Fleece sweats, my favorite green Polo Jeans sweatshirt (older than the hills); cozy slippers; no makeup!
I am hearing: The hum of my portable heater. It's freezing in my scrapbooking room and office.
I am thinking: About all the deadlines I need to complete, my scrapbook room that's a big mess from Christmas projects, laundry that needs to be done, family home evening tonight, getting Kade fitted for a tux for Saturday night's Preference dance and the over-ripe bananas that are begging to be made into my family's favorite muffins.



Here's the recipe:

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups smashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour (I grind my own pastry wheat flour for a healthier muffin. My family can't tell a difference.)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Then add bananas, milk, vanilla and eggs. Stir together, then add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add chocolate chips. Spray muffins tin with non-stick spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 large muffins. Yummy!

I am thankful for: A warm home, a wonderful family, parents and in-laws that are still with us despite huge health problems, a great job, friends who are always there for me, my faith, music that cheers me up on gloomy, cold days.
I am creating: Scrapbook pages for articles and special issues; party invitations for Sage's 8th birthday.
I am going: to Costco to buy frozen berries, Carnation Instant Breakfast drink (great in smoothies--I make one every morning for my children), Shrimp soup (really good), salsa and who knows what else! You know how it goes at Costco!
I am hoping: My frozen shower pipe will unthaw and not break.
I am reading: The Shack by William P. Young
Around the house: Eerily quiet. Everyone is gone. It's the first day back to school for the kids.
One of my favorite things: Every night before going to bed I take a hot bubble bath with my favorite bubbles complete with sugar-free hot chocolate, a glass of ice water (that's been sitting for at least 30 minutes), a favorite CD and a candle burning.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Articles written, pages created, camera fixed, clean up scrapbook room, get on top of the laundry, thank you notes written, airline tickets bought for Spring Break, a call to two elderly widow friends, basketball games (Kade's and Collin's), Steve's birthday on the 8th, dentist appointments, Kade's Preference dance, help with homework, two friends birthdays, organize kids school scrapbooks, etc., etc.

Take this same challenge and share you answers with us! It will be so fun to read about your life!

Have a great, relaxing week (if that's possible!!)

Love, Lisa

P.S. If you purchased a Shutterfly photo book from QVC this past week, your welcome letter from me will be in your mailbox shortly. I'm so excited for you to create the book--you'll love the ease and professional results!