Breaking Ground

The snow finally gave us a break and temps warmed enough so that we could get some work done.  Dad called and asked us to come over early on Saturday so he could make some progress before my brother's basketball game Saturday afternoon.  Here he is busy at work.

Taken from where my front porch will be.

The driveway.  Dad was going to move it to the other side so we wouldn't have to turn the curve before pulling in, but it would have been too steep once he adjusted the grade for water to drain away from the house properly.

Ariel view pulled from Google maps.  I thought it would be helpful to visualize the property, and now you can understand why I'm "backwoods" babe :D.

Design Changes

I'm sure you noticed, but I've been changing my blog design around a lot.  I'm trying to settle on a "signature look."  Exactly how I want to portray that, I haven't decided.  I'm thinking a specific font, logo, and/or header that will be consistent in its basic design, allowing me to change the background and make other tweaks seasonally. 

I really like the font in the current header, its called Victorian.  I thought it looked a bit "peculiar" without being too weird or hard to read, and it's still pretty.  I like the sort of vintage eclectic look, so as long as I don't get too colorful with any of the accessories I should be able to keep it pulled together and not get tacky or overwhelming if I add some color or images for a holiday.

The actual header design, I'm not totally set on yet.   But, I'm pretty sure I want mainly B&W.  I'm really happy with what I've found on shabbyblogs.com, but the selection is a bit limited.  I'd love to hear your comments or suggestions of other places to get cute, free blog stuff.

Thanks for stopping by!

Snow Days

School was closed in both counties again today.  Father-in-law took Mother-in-law to work very early this morning because the roads were bad, so the Wild Child was left in my care.  I decided shortly after the second round of chicken noodle soup and snacks that we would go out to play in the snow and attempt to burn off some energy.  Everyone piled on multiple layers of clothes, hats, scarves, gloves, and boots.

 

We had intentions of building more snow people, but the snow was very dry and refused to pack together.  I think they had fun anyway.

Of course the Terrible Terrier could not be left out.

He had on layers, too, but still had to go in a little early when I noticed he was shivering.  I need to find some yorkie snow boots.  He was not happy about being put inside and barked out the window until the rest of use trudged inside for hot cocoa.

And this is what happens when you eat nacho cheese Doritos with hot cocoa and lots of marshmallows.

After a nice warm bath and clean pajamas, everyone took a long nap.  Including me.

Snow Diva

Babe Jr had a snow day today, then my evening classes were canceled as well.  We took advantage and went out to play.  

 

Babe Jr picked the hat and scarf.  We put juice in a spray bottle to give her rosy cheeks.  Perhaps we can make her a beau if we have more accumulation.

More of the white stuff..

We're finally well on our way to getting a house, but some dozer work needs to be done on the land first.  We were hoping that would happen this weekend, but today I woke up to this:

Its been steadily coming down like this all day and the weather channel is calling for a high of 28 tomorrow.  Looks like its going to be a few more weeks on getting that grading done, sigh...

Morning Monologue: The Soundtrack of My Life

It’s funny how something as simple as a song playing on the radio at the right moment can put things back in perspective.  I’ve been PMSing, worrying about money, the logistics of getting a house set up, and dealing with all the general overflow stress that comes along with the holidays.  Then, this morning when I got in the car, one of my favorite songs was on the radio as I crawled in my frost covered means of transportation.

It may show a bit of my redneck side, but I have an affinity for southern rock.   When I turned that dial and the lines to Simple Man played, “Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold, all that you need is in your soul,” it immediately quelled my financial woes and reminded why I rearranged my life and reset all my priorities. 

Everyone may not see things from my point of view, or agree with it.  But I’m the only one that walks in my shoes and I try to live my life a way in which I can feel proud.  There are certain morals, ethics and standards that I want to model for my daughter and making choices that go along with that may not always be the most profitable, personally beneficial, or easy in the short term. 

I truly believe that God (or the universe, whatever your personal beliefs may be) has an ultimate plan and sometimes you have to take the winding road to get there.  It may be riddled with pot holes and sometimes even completely lacking pavement, but those bumps and obstacles you encounter along the way are what make you stronger.  Coincidently, just as I dropped Babe Jr. off at school, the next song to play was Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue.”   

Hardships are what build character; the ability to adapt, adjust, and muddle through are what build a strong individual.  The important question is, can you overcome those obstacles while maintaining a sense of integrity and be proud of the choices you’ve made when you reflect on your journey?  I like to think I’m headed in the right direction.

Holiday Recap in Photos

  We had a lovely holiday!  Everyone ate goodies until they couldn't move.

Mr. Backwoods as proof.

We joined friends to make use of new toys, where my camera was kidnapped.

He didn't understand my "fancy camera", hehe, hence the blur.

Then it was subsequently used against me.

We played new Wii games until no one could move their limbs.

Eventually I regained possession of the camera.

And the critters all had fun, too.

And by popular request, the recipe for the Rolo Pretzel Turtles.

Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Place pretzels on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or non-stick foil.

Place one rolo candy on top of each pretzel.

Place in oven for 4 minutes until rolo gets soft.

Smush a pecan on top of each.

Place cookie sheet in fridge until chocolate and caramel re-hardens.

Pull off cookie sheet liner and stuff face until sick.

These are the easiest thing I have ever made, and they were gobbled up the fastest this year.  I found out about these from the pod on NSBR last year, but they just seemed to simple to be that good.  Boy was I wrong!

Enjoy!