No butterfly here!

Yikes. avert.your.eyes.

I am so uncool.

Way beyond...

Fair warning.

I do not have a cute butterfly tatoo on my lower back.

But on a bad day,

if I dressed hurriedly before getting kids to school,

or fell behind on laundry,

and you don't quickly look away as I bend to pick a horses hoof,

you just might see...

my grannie panties way up above my low rise jeans.

I'm so sorry.

We horsey gals keep either these or thongs for use under breeches.

I am not a thong girl. 

Nuff said.

I guess I could call 'em "Bubble Duds" for my bubble bu%%?  :-0

Now if you need a good laugh read more from urban dictionary! 

Locker room: 

-"Ew, you wear granny panties?" 
-"Yeah, that's right, I do. Get over it. At least they don't go up my a** like thongs."

or

"Ok, I think you can take the curlers out now. How are those granny panties fitting?" 

But I prefer to think of Bridget Jones.  

Oh God! I forgot I was wearing damn granny panties! Shit, now I can't get drunk and strip!

I'm off to find some new bikinis for Valentines day.

Wishing you a comfy day without your knickers in a knot!

I dedicate this post to my fashionista "virtual friend" Janie, who manages to rock out plush purses, glittery flats n trendy toenails in the middle of cows, kids n farmland in Illinois.  I dunno how she does it.  

Snowflakes

I know! Can you believe it - 2 posts in 2 days?! I love snow days!

Finally my inside decor reflects the outside.

We've seen few flakes this winter.

Everyone's been waiting to play in the snow.

Nick seeming to forget he's short, fat n old,  says "bring it Olivia!"

Olivia's happy to fight down n dirty n try to knock his stubby legs out from under him

Well, almost everyone.

Do I have to go down there?

Ewwww,  I no likey!

We made our redneck preparations for a big ice storm this weekend

 But were thrilled to find softer snow instead....

PERFECT sledding weather!

I love sledding too and let each kid take a few pics while I played...

Jack's pics

Sarah's pic

Have you all had your sleds out much lately?

Underwear or doughnuts?

My HUBBY deserves to be treated like a KING

but

Apparently you can't ask for too much from me on your birthday.

I was trying to get it all together for The Farmer's birthday...

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!!!!)

I had the best intentions and ideas stolen off Pinterest.

He's a sweet n simple (yes I said it) man.

He doesn't ask for anything.

In fact he asks that I not buy him anything!

So I tried to come up with a few simple things to start his day in a special way;

We serenaded him in bed.
(I printed out Adam Sandler's lyrics from The Wedding Singer)

I wrote a love note on his mirror.

I made him a homemade doughnut cake.

and sausages n coffee n stoked the fire n packed his lunch...

w/treats from a goodie basket using a green theme 

b/c I'm green with envy that he's still (barely)in his thirties.

Uh huh - I'm a cougar and I recommend it! ;-P

Jack made the best card and was soooooooo proud.

No, it is NOT a turtle w/a swingset on top as I'd guessed.

shame. on. me.

He drew he n his Dad combining 

with Dad trying to figure out why the auger was jammed. again.

I also began this.

But think maybe I need all the prayers I can get too!

You see, I managed to overlook the obvious first step in caring for a man.

Making sure he had clean undies to start the day.

I even have a plan for these days!

I hide extras in each persons room so I'm not shown to be a big behind.

But he'd already found n used those!

So I scrambled madly to find one last pair while the kids distracted him.

I about came undone for the rest of the day over this.

Jack has no shortage of undies.

He loves his newest ones.

Even tho I went to tuck in his shirt at preschool after the Bday celebration

and found him going commando.

He prefers to wear them on his head I guess.

Simple family.

Simple needs.

Pinterest doesn't prepare me adequately.

Unless you count this, which I really must copy.

I guess the cat's outta the bag now, huh?

Happiness upon happiness

Wow, can it really be 2012 already?!

HOW???

We're so behind that although The Farmer and I were barely awake to kiss out the old and in the new, our real party was this morning!

We ate the first eggs from our young hens and wore silly hats while we filled out a few questions to keep along with the years highlights and resolutions in our family time capsule.

Guess the past week was a perfect way to close out 2011 ~

a blur of celebratin' n fun.

Hope you all enjoyed the same!

Here are some highlights...

Fair warning - these are indulgent family shots to hold ALL the fun in my own aging memory as long as possible.

After a great last day at school celebrating Sarah and her AWESOME PRINCIPAL's Bdays, our Christmas took off just like the kids as they ran up our drive holding hands! 

 They arrived home to find a large package from our beloved Aunt Berry Melon FULL of thoughtful gifts and special notes!

So began a Christmas where we felt truly blessed, 

if still a hair too busy!

The peace of the family church service, listening to Sarah sing, was just what I needed to get in the right mindset before ...  ...  ...

We started early at home Christmas morning, amazed at Santa's gifts.

(Fairly inexpensive yet priceless.)

  Jack asked Santa for "the yummy" cough drops!

And a small blue r.c. helicopter that was much  much fun

(parts already on order after it broke)!

He also received the Tonka truck road grader he asked for.

He is ALL about DIGGING.

Nick n Smores were baffled by GoGo puppy

Sarah got a GoGo puppy and, by chance, a pet carrier from Ikea.

She also got an accordion which I swear years of Nickelodeon inspired.

The "fairy door" from Lori was perfect as Sarah n Jack just "discovered a fairy meadow" in a clearing in our woods and love to hike down there to look for fairies often!

The Farmer found a cute stuffed rat in his stocking to remind him of one he brought home a few years back ('nother post needed for that!) He may or may not have also received a bag of coal and a wooden toilet seat... ;-P

I was treated well with fancy electric boot warmers to keep my tootsies warm while I teach. Also some cute black n pink polka dot wellies.

We received several great games and gave ourselves Monopoly. We've had a blast playing!

The Farmer worries about his hotels on Park Place coming under helicopter fire!

But you can prolly guess what our favorite gifts were...

Jack got a cd he loves to sing along with in Dad's truck when they go to work! ;-0

After breakfast we celebrated at my moms where we were spoiled again.

Dail makes the best Santa as he tours the hospital to sing Christmas Day!

The kids adore their new scooters from Grandma!

And for her Bday Sarah received the American Girl doll Kirstin who shares our Swedish heritage and  prairie and farm life interests!! 

Midafternoon Christmas found us at The Farmer's family for an open house full of fun.

Santa's toys came with us and many a big boy enjoyed the helicopter!

A neighbor had left their Yorkie cross for petsitting and the uncles taught it to attack poor GoGo.

Giggles galore. Even from Sarah.

At Christmas' end we drove the hour back home n cleaned fast before The Farmer's bff arrived with his girlfriend.

I'm afraid my kids had more energy than I did by that time!!!

Two days later we celebrated Sarah for real!

It looked like someone had vomited hello Kitty all over our house!

   

We always carpet the Bday kid's rooms in balloons and set a surprise fancy breakfast table.

This year I made and left this mother daughter journal in her room as well. She n I both LOVE  it!

That afternoon we went ice skating with our dear friends and grabbed pizza.

I was proud when another mom asked if my kids had been taking lessons...

I said no, we do this once a year, and pointed out that they actually fell quite a lot.

 It's just that they were quick to scramble back up with a smile!

As a mother and horse trainer that's what matters most to me!

Two days after that we hosted an open house/ bonfire party despite snow flurries n MUD.

Great people put up with my mediocre food.

I made tons of chili, some of which we set on the fires edge in a cast iron pot to keep warm.

That and the cocoa disappeared fast. Of course there were dogs, s'mores n sparklers as well!

 Tomorrow we gather to celebrate my Mom's Bday 

(which was New Year's Eve)!!!

The best part of all this craziness is that we're now hunkered down in a house that has been cleaned more in the past week than all year, with treats n toys and time to rest n play together.

Hope your year is off to a *sPaRkLiNg* and / or restful start dear friends!!!