Indoor snow!

Oh my word Mamas... Go to Amazon now and buy this :

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FA6APE/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1358884720&sr=8-1&pi=SL75 ( I hope that link works, I'm texting this blog post in. )
I got some for the boys for using over Christmas break but we never got to it, so I busted it out today... a COLD teacher workday, hence, no school, and not a lot of desire to go play outside in the cold,wet,mud.

This snow is AMAZING! It starts like this:

Then you add water...

And POUF! SNOW!!!

We set up some towels on the table, broke out these little German houses and the boys got busy building villages. As I'm typing this, Alden is entering hour two of playing with it!

The best part is... It dries out and you can use it again. Yes, in our day and age of cheapo-made-in-china-junk-that-breaks-on-the-way-home-from-the-store this concept is unheard of, but it is true.

So, if you want some fun whilst stuck inside this winter, and don't mind vacuuming up a few snow bits off the floor...
GO! Go buy some now! Let me know if you love it as much as we did :)

(Ps you know how some bloggers have to make disclaimers about product opinions? Well, rest assured NO ONE ever sends me free stuff, and usually people probably wish I kept my opinions to myself, so this is 100% bonafide truth. (And if you happen to work for playtex, I will sell out in a skinny minute for free tampons. ) what? I think tampons is the financially smart endorsement... Those suckers are expensive.

Martha Fern

There is a set of stories I have told more times than I can count about my arrival and culture shock upon  moving below the Mason-Dixon Line. The tales involve my (now) husband, and his grandmother. I met Martha Fern in June of 1992. I arrived at her house with boxes and boxes of my things to store in her basement... not exactly how one wants to impress her boyfriend's grandmother. She gave me a hug, and offered me sweet tea.
Over the years, as we spent more and more time with Maw Maw, who never would've let me call her Mrs.Anything, I came to appreciate her so very much.

She was lively, full of spunk, style, and humor. At age 70 something, she was line dancing at a town festival.
She was ALWAYS impeccably dressed. Matching shoes, handbags, and of course, hair done, and make up on.
She loved UNC basketball like none other. If you invited her out on game day, expect a no in reply.
She made the BEST chess pie. Ever.
She always had chocolate on her cupboard.
She kept her house spotless.
She taught me how to paint pecan shell Santa Clauses.
She was even there when I picked out my wedding dress...

and on December 11, 2012, she died.

I can't really put into words what it was like to have a "Maw Maw" in my life. My own grandmother was so far away, and having one here, that made me feel loved, was something I didn't even realize I cherished so much until she was gone.
She always gave me a Christmas envelope and birthday card like all the grandkids got... even before I was married to Micah. She knew my favorite color, and that I liked pottery, books, and vintage goodies. She was an amazing women for SO MANY reasons, but for now, I want to note one that meant so much to me...
In all the years we have been married, she never once introduced or referred to me as her "granddaughter in law". Not once. She would say, "This is my granddaughter, Judi. Micah's wife." I know it may seem like a small thing, I don't know if she even did it with intention. But I noticed it, and it touched my heart...

I have shed more tears than she would ever have wanted me to over her passing.
She was a great lady, and I know I will see her again someday, but for today, I want to be sad that I will never again be introduced as Martha Fern's granddaughter...

I love you Maw Maw. Thank you for being you and loving this Yankee so well.

Hello 2013

I know, its been a while.
I just couldn't publish many of the posts I have written in the last few months.
Some were just so... negative.
I like to poke fun at things, but if I am not careful, it sounds very harsh. I sent my Micah a post I had written up about people and their moral high ground bragging about not seeing Magic Mike or reading 50 Shades of Grey. He had to be honest (which is what I want) and tell me it sounded quite mean.
Then there were the posts about the election... oy vey. Let me just say, you will not find a registered Democratic OR Republican voter card in Jesus' pants pockets. Because he wore a robe, and was an Independent dummy. Just Kidding. Sort of.

So, I took a break from it all so I didn't become a snarky-what-or-who-can-I-make-myself-superior-to-today-type-of-blogger.

But now it is 2013. So I am back.

With a sunnier disposition.
 Sort of...