Hope Springs Eternal....Even in Autumn!!!

This might seem like a funny card to post in late October when winter is on it's way IN and not on its way OUT. But there is something you should know about me....I'm an optimist by nature. I get down, and things go wrong sometimes, but inside I just *KNOW* that it is just a season. I always have to giggle when things get tough because I always remember a quote I read somewhere once upon a time. I couldn't even tell you who said it, but here it is: "Remember that the Lord said, "It came to PASS, He didn't say that it came to STAY."

So today, on this cold and "dreary" day, I find myself excited for the chill in the air, the changing leaves on my apricot tree and the fresh snow in the mountains because it reminds me of this princible. Today was "Soup Day", there will be several of those in the coming months, but I know the time WILL come when it's "Chicken Croissants and FRUIT" day!

Ya Gotta Have HOPE! One day those boots will be covered in mud and snow, but the next day, they may spring up some blossoms!

~Melanie

Card Recipe:
Stamps:Soft Swirls, Flower Filled
CS: Bazzill
Other: Mini brads, Dimensionals, Silver Cording (SU-retired)

Dancing---it's for the Birds!

You've got to check this out! Your kids will LOVE it too!

May I Have This Dance?

Brothers and Sisters

They scream, they fight, they tattle, they rush to be the first one to do this, the last one to do that, to get the biggest bowl of cookie dough ice cream, the smallest portion of the chore list, the longest hug, the shortest lecture and best of everything. Bottom line, they are 2 happy, healthy, normal kids!

At the end of the day, despite everything, they love each other in a way that only they can understand. She turns to him for a sense of security and protection, He turns to her for a sense of fun and adventure. They teach each other things that a parent could go blue in the face trying to get through to them. There are days when I want to pull my hair out and scream loud enough that they could hear me if they were half way around the world "STOP FIGHTING, SETTLE DOWN, BE QUIET!!!" (I know, the irony isn't lost on me) but then they do....at the end of the day, they are still clinging on to those last few moments together. As a mother, I can't even begin to describe the emotions that this invokes in me. I know that someday I will be gone, their father will be gone and they will only have each other. Only THEY will understand what it's like to grow up in this family, only they will be able to support each as brother and sister & if we're lucky,friends.

Tonight I went in to tuck them in, say my final goodnight and noticed that Carson was not in his bed. I looked in to see if they were hiding out, up to a few final moments of night-time mischief, instead I found them all hunkered down in Karlee's room. I couldn't help take a walk down memory lane, reminiscing of all the other times I have found them asleep together, from cribs and toddler beds, floors, couches and even closets and sleeping bags. I wonder what their last words were to each other were as they drifted off to sleep. They'll hate this picture for now, but someday, I know they'll secretly hope that their own kids will want to happily spend every last moment together.

This is one of my favorite videos. It's one of those songs that really puts things in perspective. But be warned it's a *TEAR JERKER*