Happy Birthday to my Baby Boy!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday Dear Nikolai,

Happy Birthday to you!!  I love you so!!!!

 

Nikolai turned 10 today.  Now he is in the double digits.  I can't believe he is growing up so fast.  I wish I could freeze this time with him.  He wanted a Pepperidge Farm Coconut cake for his birthday.  I was more than happy to oblige him.   I made cupcakes for him to take to school today.  He announce to me after school that "everyone liked them!"  (I wonder if he thought they might not like them!)  He went on to say that he told everyone that his mom made them just for him.  I had wondered why he wanted me to make cupcakes since he is not a cupcake sort of boy.  He really doesn't like them very much.  I realized this afternoon it was so he could tell everyone that his mom made them.  He comes across as a hard shell sort of fella, but inside he is just a big marshmallow.  I love him so much!!  He is just like his daddy!!

I need a rest!

 I feel like Sam!  I just want to lay down and stretch out for a nice long nap!! 

On the other hand, maybe I will just sit and wait like Greta!

Furniture Shopping and the Dentist

I only worked a half day today.  Deniska had a dentist appointment at 1:00 and  I got him out of school at noon.  This ended up being a half hour too early so we stopped at a new furniture place in town.  He and I checked out all the sofas and chairs.  We found many that we loved liked but none that we bought.  Furniture is so pricey these days.  I am just tired of my furniture.  It is not comfortable and we rarely sit in our living room.  I would like to change the whole room around.  Wish I had a money tree!!

Before I picked him up today I stopped at Dollar General and found this sweet little metal bird.  The sign in his beak says "Follow Your Heart."  I just fell in love with him and had to bring him home with me.  I am not sure where he will finally nest but for right now he is in front of the lamp.  (The lamp belonged to my Mama.  I can remember her having it all my life.  No telling how old it is but I just LOVE it!)  

Deniska is now cavity free and I hope to keep him that way!  I love taking him to this particular dentist for she has the BEST lighting to cross stitch!  I wonder if she would just let me hang out in her waiting room and stitch....

Meatless Friday - Microwaved Potatoes

In my family, we try not to eat meat on Friday's.  During Lent, we are really strict about this but we try to observe this all year round.  (Dennis is much better about this than me and the boys!)  Tonight we wanted baked potatoes but I really didn't have the time desire to bake them in the oven.  So, I "baked" them in the microwave.  I washed the potatoes and dried them with a kitchen towel; pricked them 4 times with a fork and wrapped them in plastic wrap.  Wrapping them in plastic wrap will keep the moisture in and they will not dry out.  If you do this, do not expect a crispy skin.  It is more like a steamed potato.  I put two potatoes at a time in the microwave for five minutes, turned them over and cooked them for another five minutes.  When they were done, I wrapped them in the towel and used my hand to break them up on the inside.  I have rolled them on the counter top, but my hands worked fine.

This is one after I squeezed it with my hands and unwrapped it.

And. I cut everyone's in half and cut it up for them!  (I'm nice like that!)

 Baked potatoes are Deniska's favorite meal.  He had a baby tooth pulled today so I thought this would be a good meal for the sweet baby.  He had laughing gas at the dentist's office and is still a bit wound up from that!  He really enjoyed his meal.  (Notice how he gets as much cheese on the table as in his bowl!)  And, I might add that his dentist call us at home tonight to see how he was doing.  How nice was that?!

Dennis, of course, loaded his potato down with sour cream, butter, shredded pepper jack cheese, salt, pepper, and salsa!  Looks like he is eating a piece of fish as well.

Nikolai, being a child of few words, was just too busy eating to fool with pictures!

And, this was my plate.  I put shredded pepper jack cheese, a pat of butter, salt and pepper on mine.  It was DELICIOUS!  Personally, I can't tell the difference between cooking them in the microwave and  in the stove.  I am sure there are folks who can, but I didn't have any complaints tonight!

 

Just drop by sometime and I will bake you a potato for you to decide yourself!

A Quaker Win!

 

Linda, at  Life As I Know It, had a giveaway a few days ago.  I was lucky enough for my name to be chosen!  Woohoo!  I received this wonderful chart in the mail yesterday.  It was like Christmas all over again!!  Go check out Linda's site.  She is a gifted stitcher and really fast!  Thank you Linda again for this chart!

Snowboys!

 

No school for the whole week!  We hopefully will return to "normal" on Tuesday, Jan 18th.  Monday is a holiday and we were scheduled to be off anyway.  I can't tell that much has melted in our yard.  It's all ice over the snow.

The boys go in and out throughout the day.  Wet jeans + wet socks + wet boots + cold hands = happy boys!

Snowmen...snowladies..snowpersons?

 

My mother-in-law gave me these beautiful snow people for Christmas.  Apparently, they released some type of snow storm for we are still covered up in snow.  We have been out of school all week and I don't see us going tomorrow due to poor road conditions.  We are just not prepared for heavy snow and ice in the South.  But, I do LOVE these snowmen.  My mother-in-law always gives really nice gifts that is just what I want!  Aren't they cute? 

I also wanted to show you these framed tatted pieces.  They were made by my uncle's aunts and are well over 100 years old.  Mama had them framed and I brought them to my house this Christmas.  I just love that she had the cross framed with the Christmas trees.  I guess she wanted to make sure we did not forget the real meaning of Christmas!

This is another framed tatted piece made by the same ladies and is also over 100 years old.  These hang in my bedroom all year long.  I am inspired by the workmanship and the lasting art.

Have a good day everyone!