My New iPad 2

Isn't technology great?!?

I got an iPad 2 for Christmas.

I am using my new iPad to connect to my computer to update my blog!

It's so cool!

I thought I couldn't do it, because in order to get pictures on my blog, I have to use my computer.

Now I can use my iPad to connect to my computer to add the pictures.

Now as long as I have a Wifi connection, I can access my computer!

WooHoo!!!

Clean Washer

On Pinterest, I found how to clean my washer at  http://www.somewhatsimple.com/how-to-clean-your-washing-machine/  It has been needing it for quite some time, I just didn't know how to go about it.  

Look at that!  Gross!!

It sounds easier than it is and takes some elbow grease, but look at the awesome results.  

This is during...

And this is after...

 Before, I was worried about how much of that grime was getting on our clothes.  Ewwww!

Now I don't have to worry if our clothes are getting clean anymore.  It's like new!

Green Grass in January!

I took this picture on January 11, 2012.  I just couldn't believe that the grass was still green in January!

Of course, the next day we got a little bit of snow and the schools were closed.  Now the grass looks dead, like it should in the dead of winter in Missouri.  The nice weather was great while it lasted!

My Birthday-January 31st

My birthday started out as a regular Tuesday.  I took Nathan to Kuk Sool Won for his 10:00am class.  I picked him up early so he could take a shower after Ryan.  Then Ryan, Nathan and I left for their 1:00pm Vocal Fusion class at Mozingo's Music.  After their class, we went to lunch at Dragon Buffet in Lake St Louis with Gale, Beth and Zach.  Gale and Beth gave me these flowers for my birthday.  Aren't they pretty?

After lunch, we went home.  Sister Natalie Palmer came by to say Happy Birthday and gave me these flowers.

Pretty, pretty!  I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends!

In the evening, Nathan wanted to go to the Into the Woods production practice.  Ryan, Cory and I took him. We went to Culver's to eat dinner while we waited for Nathan to be done.  Then we went to McDonald's because Nathan wanted to go there with his friends afterwards.  We had McFlurries for dessert while Nathan ate his dinner with his friends.  We were getting ready to leave when Beth whispered something to her friends.  All of a sudden, they all started singing Happy Birthday to me!  I was embarrassed, but pleasantly surprised too.  I told everyone thank you and started to leave.  When I turned around, the McDonald's guy said "I heard it's someone's birthday."  He gave me this cake...

Fun, huh!?!

All in all, a wonderful birthday with my family!

Weekend at Melinda's House

I visited Melinda the weekend before our birthday.  Melinda and I are 2 years and 32 minutes apart.  

We were both born on January 31st.

I guess I forgot to take any pictures of her with me.  

Oh, well, her boys are entertaining!

Melinda and Russ got a new heater installed while I was there.  One of the workers gave some styrofoam pieces and a sturdy box to the boys to play with.  I told Melinda he probably has kids.  Sure enough, he has a 3 year old at home.  Matthew figured out that the styrofoam was sticky so he kept putting it on his face and let it hang.  What a silly boy!  Then Jacob had to get involved too.

Faces are fun, but sticking the block to their tummies was fun too!

I also helped Melinda and Emily help Jacob make his 100 Days Poster for school.  Cutting out the airplanes with Melinda's Big Shot from Stampin' Up! was easy....but 100 of them really gets tedious after a while! 

But since we all worked together, it wasn't that bad.

What a fun project! And the best part...he is done early! YAY!

Cory's Birthday

I made this for Cory's birthday.  His birthday is January 1st.  He is a New Year's baby.

I didn't know what to get for him.  He wants a HAM radio, which we can't afford right now.  I promised him we will get one for him as soon as we can.  He passed his Technician license test as well as his General license test.  We are very proud of him! 

I saw an idea similar to this on Pinterest.  I bought the candy bars and found everything else around the house.  I had some wooden skewers from a long time ago.  I taped the candy bars to the skewers and stuck them in a floral block inside the vase. I had the floral block left over from a project a few years ago.  The vase is also from several years ago.  When I was done, it didn't look like the picture from Pinterest.  Then I realized I forgot to buy some confetti.  

We have a paper shredder and I have lots of scrapbook paper that I'm not using very much any more, because I do my scrapbooking digitally now.  I emptied my shredder and shredded about 6 different colored papers and used that as confetti for the vase.  Voila! Quick, easy, inexpensive birthday gift for my hubby! Until I can afford to get him that HAM radio.