Does this coat make me look fat?

I'm a little late posting today. It's still cold outside. But at least the ice is gone. The boys actually let me drive today.

I like the cold weather. The only think I don't like are the heavy coats. Nothing like wearing an extra 10 pounds to the already heavy body. Feeling like a sumo wrestler.

The boys don't like this weather. Adventure Boy wears sleeveless shirts during the summer. So what do you think he wants to wear when it's 28 degrees outside? Yep, sleeveless shirt.

On Sunday, it was 28 outside and he was determined to wear his sleeveless shirt(to church) with a long sleeve shirt on top, because he couldn't get it through his head that the ice on the sidewalk and weighing the trees down meant that it was cold outside. It's only ice you know.

After much persuasion, he wore a regular shirt with a long sleeve shirt on top. Then came the dilemma with the coat. He wanted to wear a hoodie. I really don't think he understood the concept of coooooold by this time.

He has a heavy camo jacket, but Hubster didn't want him to wear that to church. He brought his heavy coat that has two jackets in one and makes you look like the little boy with the red rider bb gun.

He was arguing that the coat was too heavy, that it was too hot, that it was in the way. By this time, I just tuned him out. Freeze if you want boy!

We arrive at church and he does not take this coat off. He says it makes him warm. HMMMM!

After a while, he starts complaining that he can't breathe. I tell him that if he took off his big heavy coat, he'd probably breathe a lot easier. No mom, can't do that, then I'll be cold.

After much persistence on my part (because I'm just such a nice mommy) and heavy whispering of "well then stop complaining about not being able to breathe" he decided to take his coat off.

"Wow mom, I can breathe now" he said

How much longer until spring?

What do you mean I can't drive on ice?

Winter is finally here. It started on Saturday when it was a cold and dreary day. Misty rain and a high of 42. Woo hoo. These are days that make you want to just stay home and snuggle under your blankets to watch The Hallmark Channel, while your kids tear up the house because they can't go outside.

We had a brunch for the ladies at our church Sat. morning. As I was driving there, I turned on a road and was singing along to KLOVE when I noticed a police car coming the opposite direction. Force of habit and I tap my breaks. I didn't even realize how fast I was going. He quickly put his lights on and I just pulled over to the side of the road to pull out my drivers licence and insurance while he made a u turn to come behind me.

I knew I deserved a ticket. I think I was speeding but can't be really sure since I didn't look at my speedometer. If I was speeding it was 10 miles over.

He came to get my stuff asked me my correct address and said he would be right back. I then realized that I didn't even lower my radio. I just kept singing along.

He came back after a couple of minutes and said he was not going to issue me a citation, I just needed to slow down. How nice was that!!

It reminded me of how God gives me mercy and grace especially when I don't deserve it. I didn't deserve to be let off the hook, but the guy gave me a break.

On Sunday, it was pretty icy at our Little House on the Prairie. We didn't make it to Sunday school, but we made it to church.

Let me back up a bit. Last year we had that terrible ice storm. One of those times, Hubster was out of town and after a week of isolation I was ready for some sort of adult contact and didn't want to cook. I loaded the boys in the car and told them we were going to McDonald's. Even that sounded good and I'm not really a McDonald's fan.

I forgot that I don't know how to drive on ice. Our house if up a ways from the road. If you go to the house from the road, you go up a couple of little hills on the driveway. So if you go from the house to the road, you go down the hills. Get it?

I backed the car up out of the garage. So far so good. I noticed the 3" of ice on the drive, but totally ignored it. I drove down the drive, down the hills never putting on my gas. The car went down on it's own. When I stopped at the road, the car continued to go just a little so I turn the steering wheel so that I could turn left. But the car didn't cooperate with me. It had ideas of it's own. It kept going straight. Next thing you know, I'm in the ditch across from my house. I sure made it far.

The kids were scared but I tried to reassure them that nothing was wrong. What could possibly be wrong? The car was in a ditch with the right rear tire up in the air.

I called Hubster, like he was going to be able to help from where he was. He called some guys from the office to come help me. While waiting, my neighbor came by and started to attempt to pull me out. Then a whole crew of guys from Hubster's office came to help. They were excited because they were able to get out of the office and play in the ice.

They all helped pull me out and then it was time to go UP the driveway. They had to pull me with with a chain because the hills just weren't allowing the car to go up. Stubborn car.

Then they pushed me up into the garage. I parked the car then decided that I'd be staying home until Hubster came home. The guys asked if I needed them to get me anything, I said no while my kids were yelling from the back seat, "McDonald's please mom". I still said no and the guys went back to work, but not before playing in the ice. But see, I got my adult contact. Ha Ha.

So back to Sunday. While Hubster was driving, the boys were remembering how mom got stuck in a ditch and how mom doesn't know how to drive on ice. Then they proceeded to tell daddy that he needed to give me ice driving lessons. They still laugh about it.

I write stories about how my boys do crazy things and they make me laugh. It wouldn't be any fun if I didn't laugh at their expense. I suppose it would be OK if they laughed at me when I did crazy things. At least they know that mom can't drive in ice and snow and they sure aren't getting McDonald's during that time.

Can I go to the store in my pajamas?

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

Luke 5:16

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While usually running around in underwear, lately he's bee wearing pajamas (they are part of the chlothes category) AND I think those socks are from his daddy's drawer.

I'm not really sure, but I'm thinking that Underwear Boy is a little cold in this house.

What do you think?

Is that an icicle hanging out of your nose?

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19

Isn’t it wonderful that when you call on God he will meet ALL your needs, not just some, but ALL. So why not call on him right now?
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We don’t like to be hot in our house.

During the summer, we keep the air at 70 and sleep with the ceiling fan AND a regular fan.

Even the boys have gotten used to this. Although, I think theirs is more for the noise the fan makes. It just helps drown out the noises happening outside.

During the winter, we try not to turn the heater on because then it gets too hot.

I know, we are weird.

Since we still don’t have our fireplace hooked up yet, that is not an option.

So we wait until it gets REALLY cold in order to do anything about it.

The boys usually just walk around with blankets around them and sleep with 9 blankets on top of them. Not only do we still not turn the heater on, but the fans continue to blow.

When the inside of our house starts looking like this. Or when the boys start dripping icicles out of their noses, then we know it’s time to turn the heater on.

Our thermostat said 60 and the boys teeth were shattering every time they talked, so we were nice enough to turn on the heat to 66. Hee Hee

I’m sure it’ll get back up to 70 outside soon, then I can turn my heater back off. But I guess that since it’s been below freezing at night, we’ll keep it on. I just might have to turn it down to 65. Ha Ha!