One of Childhood's Joys

Remember when as a kid you were allowed to lick the bowl? That's what Amber is doing here ~ licking the bowl and spatula after she made brownies. I just had to take a picture of her before she finished licking and washed her face! This sweet 'tween' will turn 12 on St. Paddy's Day. She is going to have a slumber party here that night. But around 4:00 PM we will have her cousins and aunts and uncles over for some pizza, followed by birthday cake and ice cream.

Amber's mom informed me that they will be moving in a few months. Farther north than they live now; approximately 86 miles north. Which means we won't be seeing her as much. :( If we were to pick her up on Friday and take her back home Sunday evening we would be driving about 345 miles for two round trips. Not that she isn't worth it....she IS! It's just with the price of gas and the amount of time spent traveling we would be better off if we could get her during vacations so we could keep her longer than 2 days.

Well, I need to go and tuck this little sleeping beauty on my couch in her own bed before it gets too much later. Maybe, I'll just watch her sleep for a few more minutes before I wake her enough to walk to her bed........sleep tight, all! ZZZZZZ

Happy Valentine's Day

How many of you receive these kind of items from your Sweetheart on Valentine's Day? Me either; and do you want to know why? Keep reading....

You see, I don't need flowers or candy on Valentine's Day from my Sweetie! I don't need candy or flowers or any other gift just because it's Valentine's Day. He shows me all the time just how much he loves me by getting up and going to work each day to earn a paycheck. He shows me in the way he helps me in the house, and so many more ways than just supplying me with empty calories in the candy and a runny nose from the flowers. And I show him just how much I love him by keeping the house clean, paying the bills, doing the laundry and cooking the meals. Oh, there are other ways we show our love too, but the above mentioned ones are the ones that people rarely take the time to thank the other one for. Probably because they are the ordinary day to day mundane tasks of living. Not the kind of thing that sells Hallmark cards.......but in my opinion the ones that really matter!

I remember when I was hospitalized and hubby was there for me. He stayed by my side and was there when I needed him. Love is being there for the bad along with the good. He showed just how much he loved me.....and he continues to do so to this day. Oh sure, I get angry with him and he gets angry with me. Two people can not live together without having differences. Love means fighting fairly. Love means working through those differences and re-connecting afterward. Love means forgiving one another and not holding a grudge. Love means wanting the other person to be happy and being able to put them first, not that you will always have to, but the ability to do so really shows a strong and lasting love.

So, this is my tribute, my offering of love to my hubby this Valentine's Day. Thank you for being there, for loving me, for putting up with me (I know I'm not always easy to live with), but mostly thank you for staying true to yourself and just for being the wonderful man you are to me! I love you.....Happy Valentine's Day!