Thursday's Ten:::10 things Spring

1. budding and blossoming flowers and trees, just the transition from winter to spring is lovely
2. baby animals, or just the fact that animals in general are out roaming pastures [that are now turning green because it's spring!} I love seeing them but I love driving by a farm and hearing the excitement in my kids voices when they see a baby calf or a bunch of horses
3. the sunshine!!! I don't think this needs explanation. 
4. flip flops-again, no explanation needed {unless you're my husband who thinks flip flops should only be worn in the shower!!}
5. the temperature~not only can I turn the heat off, but the kids can play outside. and when the kids can play outside.........................they wear themselves out!! and when they wear themselves out............calm and relaxing, quiet evening
6. windows start coming up [or down in the case of being in the car]. I love having the blinds drawn and the windows open!
7. family time outside (which is a little in conjunction with #5) family walks in the park and picnics and barbecues....aahhh
8. freshly mowed grass...some days I like the smell, other days I do not...however, I love how clean everything looks with a newly mowed lawn.
9. the shops that close down for the winter [particularly the small mom and pop ice cream shops] are opening back up for the season!
10. And lastly, while I'm not in school, spring means the end of the school year is nearing. And I love not having the stress of worrying about my kids homework or getting up early in the morning. 

Stop by Lora's page by clicking her button above! I love her page. And her music rocks too. Makes me wanna stay for days. :)

Thursday's Ten: Things I miss from childhood

I decided this week (since I've already posted about my goals for the new year, read about that by clicking here. ) I wanted to post the top ten things I miss from my childhood.

I can't put this in any particular order because they are all some of my favorite or missed things from childhood.

Ah, MASH! If you are a female, you know this game well and it needs no explanation! However, on the off chance that someone hasn't heard of this game, I'll explain. This is where (as young girls) we would have the opportunity to marry any guy we wanted, drive any car, live in any type of house. Of course, you didn't get to PICK, that would be too easy! You drew the little, hypnotizing circle (or whatever shape you desired, some simply drew tallies.) After counting the lines, proceed to count down the list that number of times and begin marking things off. It was a game of chance. (But when you get to pick the possibilities, who cares what you get!) If you live in Paris and drive a Mercedes, marry the man of your dreams, who cares if you live in a Mansion, Apartment, Shack or House???

The convenience store near where I lived (1 of only 2!) carried these for the longest time. My sister and I loved them! You could get them in a variety of flavors and we thought we were cool drinking out of the glass bottles! I think they still make them but I haven't seen them since. And let me just say, the Clear American's or whatever it is that walmart sells, do not compare!

I lived about 5 minutes from this wonderful place! Of course, it wasn't anything near what it is now! And it didn't cost nearly as much as tickets today cost ya! But it still wasn't cheap, by any means. Needless to say, you stayed as long as you could stand the heat! And the sunburn was almost always worth it! They give out free soda's and sunscreen now...where was that when I was visiting as a child??

Oregon Trail-the game that we all wanted to play...well, while at school anyway! I wasn't one of those children that was lucky enough to come from a family that owned a computer as soon as they came out! Or even in the years that followed. Of course, we lived in the country and when you got the wide open country, who needs computers?? Which brings me to my next memory...

The tire swing! We had a huge tree in our yard that dad somehow managed to get a tire swing into. To this day I don't know how he got up in that darn thing! (Maybe the tree was bigger while I was shorter??) We had so many good times there. And only a few, not so good. ;)

Oh, the wonderful slap bracelets! I had welts endlessly. I thought I'd have them forever! Now, why did they stop manufacturing these things? You can still get them on certain sites, retro sites in particular...I don't recommend them if you have small children. Ah, who am I kidding?!?! Of course I recommend them! They made the list didn't they?!?!? :)

One of the most achieved successes as a child would have to had been mud pies in mom's pots and pans! Dirt+water+grass & rocks= an ultimate array of mud pies! My sister is only 13 months younger than me. We did EVERYTHING together as kids. She was (and is) my very best friend. Being in the country, this was most definitely a favorite!!

Mega Maze! I couldn't find a picture of it. But it looked very similar to this one...only bigger. I have been told it was also called Fun Island...but we always called it Mega Maze. Tons of fun....until you got lost so many times the staff had to come find you to help you out.

Lincoln State Park was and still is a very popular place. You could go swimming, camping, rent paddle or rowboats, go hiking. Many times there were basketball or church camps held there. Among these things that I've already listed, you could tour the place that Abraham Lincoln lived as a young boy. Many field trips were taken to Lincoln.

And the last thing that I love now but didn't know then was the unknown. I didn't think about crime and death rates. I had the whole world at my fingertips. (Or so I thought back then!) When you live out in the boondocks in the middle of nowhere, the only the you HAVE to do...is nothing. Wander, explore, learn, have fun...and that's just what we did!

*All photo's courtesy Google Image Search*

Thankful Day 6 & Thursdays Ten

I think I missed a day for my Thankful list...but I believe this one is great enough to cover two days also. I have also added my Thursday's Ten here. You can do your Thursday's Ten by visiting Lora over at Take Me the Way I Am






♥Thankful Day 6 and/or 7, also, Thursday's Ten #1
I am thankful, oh so thankful to the brave men and women who serve our country every single day and night; putting themselves in harms way and risking their lives, preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice if we, the American people need that sacrifice. I am warm in my bed each night and safe due to the work of these wonderful, amazing people. I cannot stress how thankful I am to the military for the immense list of jobs they must do and the danger they see just so I can enjoy the simplest of things in my life. A great big THANK YOU to those that are serving today away from their loved ones.
♥my family and close friends. they have always been here for me. always supported me. i can call on them anytime.
♥the material things that make my life easy and fun. electronics, books, crafting & scrapbooking, facebook, my camera. these things give me a way to cope with the more difficult things in life. they calm me. when life gives me a bad day i can use these things to leave the stress and rough day behind.
♥teachers. they have a difficult job. i don't think much more needs to be said about them. they're wonderful! :)
♥doctors, nurses, emts/paramedics. again, I don't think they need much explanation. they work strenuous hours all in the hope that they can cure, help and give hope to one patient.
♥necessities...all the things a family needs to function easily and properly. shoes, clothes, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, hygiene products. we all know why we appreciate them!
♥stability (my husbands job). we've been  in so many places with so little money. we are now where we want to be and are finally starting to feel stabilization. it feels so nice!
♥my wonderful, trusting, almighty God. he never fails, follows through with what he promises and loves and forgives more than any one person can or is willing to do.
♥health. both of myself and my husband and kids. we may not be in perfect shape but all in all, we are healthy.
♥the wonderful, yummy, yummy food that i just ate. :) Mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm!


I hope everyone has a very enjoyable and safe Thanksgiving! If you are traveling, stay safe on the roads or in the air...however you may be traveling!! God Bless!!

Thursdays 10-yummy goodness! :)

First of all, yes, it is Saturday, and yes I know this! But Lora has found a way straight to my heart with this post! :) I absolutely love candy! I've got probably the biggest sweet tooth you'd ever see in one person! So, even though I had every intention of posting this Thursday, well, things just happen. I'm not perfect, even though I do sometimes claim to be.  I don't think Lora would be upset with me for being two days late.    :p
Anyway, on to my ten favorite candies!!! In no order, only because I can't make a decision which is best to be able to do that! You know what?? It was hard enough to choose only ten! Ha! Yes, it's that bad!

Snickers!

Starburst Candies!

Symphony Candy Bar!

Butterfinger Bar!

Kit Kat Bar!

Mary Jane candies!

Nerds!

Peanut Butter Bars!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!

Sugar Babies!

Thursdays 10-my happy things

10 things that make me happy! Only 10? I'll do my best! And don't forget to check out Lora's 10 over at Take Me the Way I Am

My 10, in no particular order.

• listening to my children laugh & play together [there really is nothing better!]
• dates with my husband [rare and lots of fun]
• land o lakes mint hot chocolate mix [yummm]
• crafting [scrapbooking especially!]
• Christmas [no explanation needed because if i explained, i'd likely go on and on and on and...you get the picture]
• roadtrips [there's just something exciting about them, even when the kids are grouchy and complaining the entire time....just can't get enough!]
• the twilight saga [aaahhhhh...so romantic!]
• drive in movie theaters [love the feel of the nostalgia]
• taking pictures [i love capturing the moments in our family on film...er uh....digitalness]
• a clean house [ i don't feel this one needs further explanation! although if you visited my house, you'd never know i loved it clean!!]