Winter Weather Advisory...good grief.

This is what our weather report is today.
Granted, a friend in western Nebraska said her wind chills will be -30 to -50, but good grief.


Winter Weather Advisory:

Issued at: 7:46 AM CST 1/31/11, expires at: 2:00 PM CST 1/31/11

Winter weather advisory remains in effect until noon cst tuesday, winter storm watch remains in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning,
A winter weather advisory remains in effect until noon cst tuesday. A winter storm watch remains in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.
Timing, freezing drizzle will continue to spread northward across the area this morning, with precipitation changing over to snow this afternoon. Light snow will continue tonight before rapidly intensifying Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night. The snow is expected to end Wednesday morning.
Storm total snow accumulations, a light glazing is possible this morning, with 2 to 4 inches of snow expected with the first storm this afternoon into tonight. Total snow accumulations from both storms of 10 to 16 inches will be possible across the watch area. Some uncertainty still exists with the exact track of the second storm.
Winds/visibility, north winds at 25 to 35 mph with higher gusts are expected Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning. Visibilities could be reduced to near zero at times due to blowing and drifting snow creating near blizzard conditions Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.
Impacts, roads are anticipated to become snow packed and slick. Travel will likely become dangerous and potentially life threatening.
Precautionary/preparedness actions,
A winter storm watch means there is a potential for significant snow, sleet, or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue to monitor the latest forecasts for additional upgrades.


Oh, and tomorrow is Groundhog's Day...if Mr. Groundhog doesn't do what he needs to do to get winter OUT OF HERE, I will go to Pennsylvania and kick his groundhog booty back to last fall ;)

Though really, it hasn't been THAT bad...it's just those days when the storms are coming and you are nervous b/c you don't know what Mother Nature has in store for you.  Meteorologist can guess (and occasionally those palm readers are almost correct!) but they never know EXACTLY what will happen to us.  It's that unknown I hate.

Then again, I always hate the unknown.

Need suggestions on what to wear...

Did you know that I am "fashionally challenged"?
True story.
It's a shame, too.
I see all my friends (many of them pictured above at Sat. night's MOM 4th Birthday Party) dressed so cute for girls night outs and things like that.
Then I see me...no sparkles, no jewels, no pretty boots.
Just Jessica.
Sigh.

So, what would you suggest I wear to a great friend's BIG 4-0 birthday party in two weeks?  I do own skinny jeans and I am not afraid to use them.  I just need to find some fab boots on a killer sale to go with them....

To be a little child

This morning Jackson was having a bit of a melt down.

B&J, 3/2007

Something about Brennan, quarters, pencils, and pennies.
He was screaming.
He was crying.
He was angry.
He was upset and misunderstood.

When he finally calmed down, he got dressed, ate breakfast, and started playing with Brennan again, as they watched Dora the Explore with Mia and Ethan.

If only being an adult were that easy.  If we could get upset and throw a big fit over small things, then shake it off and move on, not thinking about or caring what caused the problem in the first place.

However, it seems as we grow, we lose that ability to forget, to accept, to not worry and move on.

And it makes life so much harder.

The Life and Times of the Modern Rugs and Boys

I love area rugs, especially modern rugs.  They look so nice, unlike the Granny Rugs so many of us have.
They are so versatile, and look so great.  They can be relatively inexpensive to invest in, yet can really add to a room, helping it feel homey and just right.  They are also a LOT easier to replace then other flooring.
And with three boys...it's nice that they are so easy to move around, clean, and replace, where as wall to wall carpeting (as in my den) is expensive to replace...and when it gets worn down looking, or the dog we had when we moved to Omaha decides to eat the edge of it, or when the then five year old decides to spill red jello on it...well, that's it, there's a tear and a spill.
LUCKILY there are stores like CSN who have awesome modern rugs for me to search to find the perfect rug for my three wild ones.

My favorites right now from CSN?

The Super Indo rug.  This rug has the potential to camouflage some spills and drops :)  So...perfect for me right now with three little boys.

When the boys grow up a bit and I can move out of the "how to hide what is inevitably going to happen to the rug" phase...then I'd like something like this:

I love this color in the Gandia Blasco modern rug!  LOVE it...but I'd say this color would not stand up to the test of three little boys.  :)  So, I will file it under my "when the boys are men" category.

So...next time you are thinking of changing your room around, or doing a complete make over...check out CSN...they might just have the perfect rug for you!

Sledding, because really, what else is there to do around here on a Saturday?

Picture this, if you will

1.  The kids and I are at the mall, for a play date.
We are walking through JCPenny's, checking to see if they have any good shoes for Brennan. (They did not have any that I loved, thanks for asking).
As we are leaving, I spot a man on a Hoveround type vehicle.  He has a cell phone in his hand and is texting furiously.
The sales lady at JCP calls out to the man (because they are too helpful at JCP when they are bored), "Can I help you find anything today sir?"
The texting Hoveround maniac just kept on going.
And I started laughing...a lot.
I told the lady, "Shhh...he needs to concentrate, he's texting while driving."
She started laughing a lot, too.
I mean, seriously.  Old people on those things are dangerous enough (did you know some retirement communities require you take a DRIVING TEST to drive them in their halls?) so an old guy TEXTING while driving one in the mall....PRICELESS.

2.  Bart is driving us home from a run to Sheridan's.  (I know, frozen custard in the winter).  Well, we are going home, and Bart makes it up the hill from hell.  Well, as he is approaching the top, I say, "You should start to slow down" but Bart says, "I have a technique."  (Please keep in mind that I do 90% of all driving in our family and that I've driven on this hill FOUR TIMES that day and that our turn for our street is RIGHT as the hill starts going down and that there is a fire hydrant RIGHT at the base of the turn for our street and I always worry I will slide into it).
Yeah, um, so, I got out to push the car out of the snow bank and the dude in the mini van who wanted to turn to go UP that hell hill got out to help me...he didn't have anything better to do since Bart had succeeded in blocking the entire street.  A few seconds, a little man power, and Bart was able to go on his way.
Now, please don't think I am making fun of Bart only because...

3.  When Mia was dropped off, her dad said, "There is a car stuck on X Street and a LONG line of traffic behind it, also stuck."
Well, I assumed the car was stuck in snow.  I did not think about the fact there was not a ton of snow and I managed my street fine.  I assumed the car would be UNstuck by the time we got to that intersection.
So, I ignore the gut feeling to take an alternate route, though longer, to take Bart to work.
And watch as two cars back down the hill, causing me to slow down and have to back down.  Then, I have to do a U turn and go the opposite way to get my momentum back up.  And turn back around to bet that hill.
And well, I got stuck.  On ice I guess.  The 4 wheel drive SUV behind me did not get stuck.  But stopped smoothly behind me, meaning I could not back up and go the alternate way.  Meaning the cars behind me who thought that they could conquer the hill (not the hell hill, but a different hill that has never given us problems in the past) could not.  Bart and the man in the SUV pushed and pushed.  Finally we got up.  I think I left half my tires on the road behind us.
If only I'd listened to my guts.

So, moral of the story?  Listen to Jessica and I will listen to my guts and we will all be good.

Oh, and old dudes on Hoverounds are way dangerous...don't give them cell phones with texting capabilities please.


And PE 101 is off of 120 between Maple and Blondo, Erin.

PE 101

We went to PE 101 today.
Love that place.
The kids run and run, but that's okay...they can!
AND I built up my COURAGE (word of the year) and gave out three business cards!

I was at a stop light when I took this picture of the temperature.  There reaches a point when it is just COLD and today was one of those days.  Luckily the parking lot and door are very close to each other at PE 101 or we might have reconsidered.

I French braided Mia's hair..fancy since I usually just do a half side pony.  BUT static was getting the best of her and it needed a bit more then just a pony tail today.

Fancy again, right?  A picture of me taking a picture in a mirror.  I know, you are impressed and want me to photograph your wedding now.

Just can't say enough of how fun PE 101 is...Crissy can, with one picture, but the girl won't let me post it.

Apples

When Ethan brings me a cold apple, straight from the fridge (where I wash them BEFORE I put them in, about 90% of the time), and says, "HHHHNNNMOMPCRUNCH", I can usually oblige, take the first bite to break that tough skin, and go about my day.
BUT...when it's a soggy apple (as it was today) or when he continues to bring me the apple for me to take more unsolicited bites after he's taken a few of his own...
That is when I draw the line.

Ethan in his "snow suit":  Bart's gloves, Jack's hat, and some Scotty dog BabyLegs...I grabbed what was on hand, instead of going into the cold and dreadful basement to get his REAL snowsuit that I bought from Shanyn for a mere $5.

Because seriously, is there anything worse then a soggy apple or toddler snot/drool on an already 1/2 eaten 1/2 browned apple?

Good Game

Geaux Tigers!  Great game against Texas A&M.
Now, for Auburn to beat the Oregon Ducks so the SEC can continue to dominate the BCS :)

Completely and Utterly Hopeless

There was a shooting at a local high school yesterday.  At a "good" high school, too.

And as I sat there and watched the news reporters be the asshats that they are, I cried, with fear, sadness, and I don't know what else (have I ever mentioned how much I hate crying?  I really do)

How could a child get to such a point that he felt there was no other options?
Today I watched the news conference (what I could, it was lunch time and the children were rather loud) and listened as they described the events leading up to the shooting.  Nothing seemed to out of the ordinary, though the shooter had been suspended earlier that morning.
Yet now, life for those students, facility and staff will be anything but for a while.

The office workers who thought they were simply hearing balloons from a party popping at first, won't be so casual and carefree anymore.
The family who lost their mother/daughter/child won't be.
And the family whose son did this, then fled the scene and turned his gun on himself will not, either.

The world we live in today is a scary place.  There is so much pain and sadness and misery.  It's sometimes hard to look through that to find the peace, joy, and happiness that we can have with a life centered on Christ.

It's up to each of us to talk with our children and their friends.  Let them know that no matter what, they can come to us in times of trouble, not just in times of joy.  Let them know of others they can turn to if they are angry or afraid or feeling violent.  I'm not saying that this child would not have done this had someone said that to him.  I'm not saying that his parents didn't say that to him, giving him only love and support.

I'm just saying...our actions matter.  Each and every thing we do affects others, whether it be for good or not.  Let's make a conscience effort to be more kind-hearted to those around us.  To say "I love you" and give hugs.  To not judge others.  To not choose to hurt others.

And mostly to just be more understanding.

So, tonight, as you tuck your babies into their safe warm beds, say a prayer for the Millard South family, for Omaha, for our youth...for peace and understanding, comfort and love.

Thank you.

confetti creations is everywhere!

Logo courtesy of Walcott Creative

 Did you know I baked cakes?  Yep. And I try very hard to make them fit your theme as exactly as I can.

 Also have an etsy shop with iron on kits so you can make your own appliques...plus appliqued tees and more!

 This is one of my favorite shirts:  The Tie Tee...and in this Michael Miller Groovy Guitar fabric, it ROCKS!

So, if you are bored and want to check it all out, go to etsy or facebook and have a look around....you might just like what you find.  There's also the blog...if you really are just itching for MORE confetti creations.  Leave a comment or email me at confetticreationsbyjessica at yahoo dot com to be added to my mailing list.  All emails include a coupon for a % off of the shop.

31 never looked so good

Right? I KNOW!

Have any of you heard about the "One Word" thing that is going around?  Where you pick one word to represent you for the year, kind of like a resolution, but not? Here's a list of words others have thought of...I am still thinking.

JOY seems to simple.  ALIVE seems too busy (like, I need to go sky diving this second and I never really want to do that).  MOMENT maybe?  CHERISH.  I don't know...but when I do, I will share with you.

I'm excited for this.  I think that having a word to remember to try and achieve will be easier then goals...but if you want goals, I've got those, too:  Eat out less (maybe only twice a month?), Date more (maybe at least once a month), Go to the temple more (um, three times a year will beat last year's attendance, so that is an easy one, lol), Lose some weight (so I don't look pregnant.  I'm not, nor do I want to be), Get a little bit more organized, Find success with my etsy shop and cake orders, pay down debt, etc, etc....so, I need to figure out a word that can describe all that, and bring me happiness and joy and remind me to BE ALIVE AND HAPPY WITH THE MOMENT...we just went to a Cowboy Mouth concert and that is what they SCREAM the entire time...don't think about what might have been or what is to come, be happy with who you are where you are when you are.

What is your one word?

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