Friday-Vignettes from the week.

1. The BIG excitement of the week was Dyl winning Right To Life-Lifespan's "Volunteer of the Year" Award! Way to go saving babies, Charlito!

2. Favorite recipe tried: Thai Chicken Curry , which nearly tasted like the Gang Garee we get at the Thai restaurant and wasn't that difficult to make. See "Allrecipes" because it won't let me copy the link. (I did do a few switcheroo's....no pineapple, because it wouldn't fly around here, and I sauteed the chicken and vegetables before adding the coconut milk).

3. I've loved the color combo, blue & white, for home decor for several years now. I even devoted the living room in our old house to that theme ( perhaps overdone, but that's how I roll ;). During a recent trip to Target I was highly gratified to see this duo as *in* for spring ( according to Target, anyway). Which probably means I'll find lots of great clearance items in a couple months!

4. Snow, snow and more snow. 8 inches on Sunday night, 2 or so more last night, 2 more predicted tonight and tomorrow! Will.It.Ever.End?

5. If there is one thing I can say about this winter, it is never boring! Every week we can look forward to a new and exciting malady invading the house. This week Manny was literally bedridden for 5 days with a severe ear infection. Just as soon as he started perking up, George looks to be down with bronchitis. It seems like it has been like this since the week before Christmas. Either we have no immunity this year or it is a really bad year for nasty bugs. I'm thinking the latter, based on ancedotal information.

6. Funny of the week; An acquaintance asked Dyl how we keep our house so clean. We all got a big guffaw from that one!

7. Even better than finding new and yummy recipes is having Zak here to cook! Although it can be argued he sometimes "overseasons" things :) whatever ideas and ingredients I throw at him, he comes up with a dee-licious meal!

January/February

How can it be that February is almost over?! Not exactly a bad state of affairs if you're tired of winter. :) The St Cyril's Sharks basketball season ended. They didn't quite have a winning season, but it was the first time for a team at St Cyril's and the boys really improved as they got used to playing together.

Snow, snow and lots more snow.......

Noah can't wait for rugby. Hanging out with his three favorite things, G, his phone and rugby ball. ;)

Lovely thrift store finds!

Ditto!!

Salt dough projects to keep the littles busy during freezing cold days.

Gabriella was very undone that no one got her flowers and chocolates for Valentine's day ( they always get a little candy bucket from us and treats from meemaw and papa, but I guess she was missing romance. ;) I bought some the next day and had Zak give them to her. She insisted on wearing the tissue the flowers were wrapped in as a veil. She's a quirky one! ;)

From my Valentine!

Video games have been played a bit too often this winter. Mom has wimped out due to cabin fever. The addiction starts young around here.

A new tablecloth and a little dinner party made for a cheery winter day. New friends and old.

Outside my window: A winter storm last night brought 8 fresh inches of snow. The irony is we had a glorious *thaw* last week and the foot of snow we already had melted. I guess "old man winter" didn't like that. :(

I am thinking: Cars. We went from a driveway full of 4 clunkers to 2 in the last month. Van totalled, Noah's car died. Trying to figure out what the best course of action is in getting all our drivers back on the road.

School: Good MEAP results for the boys. Advanced or at level on all subjects. Jed whizzing ahead in math!

He really loves history like his mother. ;)

Reading/Watching/Listening to:

Finished: Too Close to the Sun by Sara Wheeler

I was thinking how this man probably wouldn't merit notice except for his character in the movie "Out of Africa". Even in Karen Blixen's novel of the same name I don't think he achieved the same fame. But more than the man it was an interesting account of Africa in the early 20th century (British and German imperialism at it's best! cough) and for some biographical information about Ms. Blixen.

On the nightstand:

"The Wives of Henry Oades" by

England's Lost Country Houses - Giles Worsley ( I don't know if I can get through this one because it is just too gut-wrenching to see all these treasures that were eventually demolished (often for maddening reasons). Kind of like when I go to downtown Detroit...although many houses are still standing, in a state of sad disrepair.)

Listening to:

At Home by Bill Bryson

This is a fascinating look into how our homes came into being room by room. With all sorts of historical" this and that" about a great many subjects pertaining to them. I like that he asks so many questions that I have often pondered ( ie: who figured out how to make bread?! The answer: no one knows.....but at least he is as amazed that someone came up with it as I am).

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: by Kate Summerscale

This was kind of a horrifying case in the middle of the 19th century (I'll spare the gory details) but it is more than that an intriguing look at one of Scotland yard's first detectives (Mr. Whicher). Really, it reads like a murder-mystery, yet it is true!

It seems a little morbid to say I enjoyed this one, but it was really, really well done and kept my attention from start to finish.

and...I bought myself a birthday present...the ethereal "Creation" sountrack. Beautiful!

Watching: Since I finished my beloved "Foyle's War" series (hopefully they will come up with more!) I started on another, although a bit more cheesey and set in modern day. Still I can't get enough of the depiction of Scottish life on a "Laird's estate". It's sort of light and pleasant watching. "Monarch of the Glen"

Comings and Goings-on: Well, I had a delightful birthday thanks to my dear family. Tim took me to brunch at "Kruse and Muer at the Lake" which was fantastic. Lots of seafood! He also got me "Wii-Fit" ( which was a request from me, not a sly hint from him ;) Everyone in the family loves it from young to not so young. It is somewhat addicting. If I don't do it one day I feel kind of antsy. I love that you can pick your routines, there is great variety.

The older kids took me to see "The King's Speech" which was very well-done, terrific acting. As Al said, if you can make a movie about a King's speech therapy that holds your attention for a full two hours, you have some serious talent!

We also had little Jed's birthday in February, who isn't quite so little anymore at age 8. No more birthday's until April!