Friday Ritual-- {This moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. -soulemama

Spring has Sprung!

Spring is my all time favorite season, right next to fall. Spring means sunshine and flowers and of course, birthdays! Its my sisters birthday first (first day of spring), then my mom, then my birthday, then my sons birthday!

So when I think spring I think Desserts; Cookies, Cupcakes and of course Cake! Take a peak at this beautiful and delicious website! Have some baking inspiration of your own!

http://www.fancyflours.com/site/index.html

Also, all the new stamps over at Stampin' Up! Sale-a-bration is almost over, but until the end of this month, there are still free stamps sets to go around!

Look at these CUTE scrapbook page ideas!!

How about GREEN your Spring?

Here are some recipes from another mama in "This Little Kitchen"

• General Cleaner: Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to 16 oz. warm water.
• Window Cleaner: Add 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar to 16 oz. warm water.
• Disinfecting Cleaner:Add 10-20 drops of tea tree oil to 16 oz. warm water.
• Floor Cleaner: To 16 oz warm water add: 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap, 1/2 teaspoon borax, squeeze of a lemon or splash of vinegar. Spray floor with solution and mop as usual.
• Linen Spray: Add 5 drops of your favorite scented oil to 8 oz. water. Use to freshen linens and curtains.

Home..

I've often heard how a home can be a big investment of not just money, but of time as well. As we've fixed one thing, we find 5 more problems. It is nice to know that they can be "fixed" and done with, but their ever presence is disheartening none the less.

One of the bane's of our existence is our heater. It's natural gas and a PAIN to light. When I say pain, I mean we are sitting in front of it for an hour with 15 matches, 3 lighters and chopsticks and usually we plan on someone losing some hair, most commonly eyebrows.

This combined with the fact that it is A) Natural Gas and B) Right outside of my sons room (across the house) makes me uneasy and distrustful of it. I was about to throw it out the window out of frustration, but after talking to my dad, it seems its the most economic and energy efficient way. UGH.

This is the thing that keeps us cozy and warms us up when coming from a chilly outside, I have to learn to trust and really, love it.

After seeing this commercial, and installing our new gas alarm, maybe I can relax a little..

It's nice to think of everything as so soft and cozy.. After all, isn't that what we think of when we think of home?

"Angles" of Mao

Meet Mao.

Mao is the newest member of the family, technically she is a souvenir from Maui.

She was a patient and orphan of Maui Humane Society (where I worked).

Jadyn needed a buddy and Jade fell in love with her right away.

I loved her for a different reason. She had an abscess in her mouth that she was being treated for, and by treated I mean the Vet has her hand in Mao's mouth and was squeezing out the pus. Ew right? Well Mao didn't bite or claw or scratch. She sat patiently and waited.

From the moment she first came home she was Jadyn's buddy.

As of late she has discovered outside and so is often out exploring or some where taking a snooze!

Ah to be a cat!

Snow fun!

We wondered and fretted, would Jadyn be afraid of the snow? Would he like the snow? Would he start a world war in opposition of jackets/hats/boots and gloves?

See for yourself!

And if you were still wondering, He doesn't fight us anymore on getting dressed. He loves his "boots" and requests them from the moment he gets up. He even knows the difference from his snow and rain boots. Usually he prefers the latter due to him being allowed to splash and play in the "wet" (his word for water, rain and snow!) puddles!

I'm more irritated by the presence of the snow and the work it entails, but I tell you, I will miss these days.

Bundled up

For our first snowy trip to our new home... He had just woke up from his nap!

Re-dedication

As always life is a learning experience. The Buddhists say that suffering is part of life, and accepting this is the first step to ending the suffering. I'm still working on that.

After we got back from Hawaii, it seemed like things just kept getting worse. We are now finally in a place of our own, though its been a Herculean task to get it livable. The place was infested with mice and still full of personal effects. I have high hopes for this house. I feel like this can be a real home for us, and a lasting one.

Since after Hawaii and all the unrest that acompanied it, I've been unpacking boxes and my life and realizing there are many things that are lost and many things that are broken. There are some things that just require some glue and some things I'm afraid will never be the same. . .

I guess we can't look back, we just have to make due with what we have, and that is what I intend to do.