Top Ten Tuesday: Tweets from the Outlet Mall

Do you tweet? I love to tweet… However, sometimes the tweets come to my head so fast and furious that I can’t punch them into my phone quickly enough. Of course, I’d drive people crazy if I tweeted them all back to back to back.

So, sometimes I just keep track of the tweets in my head and share them here. I shared my internal tweets while I was cleaning one day. Those were pretty funny.

Today, I bring you my internal tweets I had while My Sweetie and I were at the outlet mall after dropping the Princess off at camp yesterday. Enjoy…

1. We’re at the outlet mall… along with the rest Northern Georgia.

2. I’ve lost my hubby in the Pottery Barn outlet. They’ve redone the store, and he may never find his way back out.

3. Why are men’s workout shorts down to their ankles while women’s barely cover the parts they need to?

4. Why should I spend $20 on a graphic t-shirt when my church gives me at least one a year for free?

5. You know you’ve been watching too much “Burn Notice” when look at a dress and think, “Fi would look great in that dress.”

6. Why do companies put the thinnest toilet paper on the biggest rolls guaranteeing that you won’t be able to pull off more than a few inches at a time?

7. You know it’s hot when stores strategically place box fans because their air conditioning can’t keep up with the constant opening and closing of the door.

8. I’m sure I need a set of shot glasses from Ralph Lauren. Seriously? Who pays $30 for a set of shot glasses?

9. Why can I not find shorts for the Princess that cover a decent portion of her thigh?

10. I LOVE looking at an XL shirt and saying, “That’s too big.”

There you have it. What I was thinking/internally tweeting yesterday at the outlet mall.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever thought at the mall?

Oh, and if you want to follow me on Twitter, click here.

Linked to the amazing Ohamanda’s Top Ten Tuesday.

WE MADE IT!! We’re at Blissdom

The fabulous @oohamanda and I made it to Nashville LATE last night. We decided to come up early to beat the snow and we are SO GLAD we did!

We are now hanging out at Blissdom, and I am already OVERWHELMED by all that there is to know. Whew! Trying to make it better for you friends. Trying to make it better. We’ll see if I’m learning anything over the next few weeks!

We’re bored inside! What to do?

After watching my Facebook and Twitter feed for the last twenty-four hours of all the parents lamenting the fact that they are “stuck” at home for another day with their children, I thought maybe we all needed to take a different perspective.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m ready to get back to the normal routine, especially since we just had Christmas break. I have a full-time job that I can do from anywhere. So, I’m working from home and having to balance the time with the family and the time with the computer.

However, what a gift this time is…truly. It’s as if God took a look at our crazy, insane, go go go lives, and said, “You all just need to pause and spend time together.” Then, He trapped us in our houses to make it happen.

Here are some ideas of things that you can do with your kids (young and old) today.
The pink ones are links.

1. Cuddle in bed and read a book.
2. Experiment with your leftover candy canes.
3. Make shakers with empty water bottles and beans/rice and have fun making different rhythms as you dance around the house.
4. Bake a batch of cookies for home or to deliver to a neighbor.
5. Clean out the toy box. Make it a game.
6. Make edible snowmen.
7. Play charades.
8. Have a drawing contest. Put a still life in the middle of the table and have everyone draw it from a different angle.
9. Act out your favorite fairy tale.
10. Have a dance party with your favorite tunes.
11. Make homemade playdough.

  • 1 pkg koolaid
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 3 tbsp cooking oil

12. Make homemade goo.
13. Make cereal necklaces with Fruit Loops or Cheerios.
14. Make puppets with lunch sacks and markers.
15. Make Tie Die Coffee Filters.

Those are just some ideas that spilled out this morning. I’m not sure what we’re going to do today. I know we are going to do some cleaning. And, then, we might make some goo. My Princess loves playing with goo…

What are you going to do today?

Works for Me Wednesday: Sledding without a Sled

In case you haven’t heard, there has been just a bit (like half a foot!) of snow here in the ATL. And people, it ain’t going nowhere! As in, we are all snowed in, which isn’t a bad thing really. The first snow day we had a TON of fun sliding down the hill on the golf course, so we headed out there for a second day.

The problem was, the nice neighbors who had lent us their awesome sleds weren’t out, so we had to use our own stuff. I have an great sled with runners from back in the day, but this snow wasn’t good for that type of sled. We needed something slick that distributed the Princess’s weight evenly so it would go fast.

So, we tried….

A swim ring.

A boogie board from our last beach trip.

A pool boat for toddlers.

The verdict – the pool boat worked the best, especially when weight was distributed across the sides and no booty was in the boat. Then, another neighbor came out with his two girls, a can of silicone spray and two trash can lids. We shared our pool floats, and he shared his silicone spray, and they got some good speed going down the hill.

Sledding without a sled… it works for me… and it works for her too…

Linked to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family.

Top Ten Tuesday: Snow Images O1.10.11

It snowed Sunday night in the ATL. I mean it SNOWED. We usually get a dusting here in the South. I’ve done other posts about snow in the South. We’ve played in it before. We even made indoor snowmen while waiting for it.

However, this snow we had Sunday night. It was some SERIOUS SNOW. There is over half a foot on the porch. People, we don’t get that much snow down here. Well, not since 1993 anyway. Needless to say, Monday was a snow day. Tuesday will be too. I have a feeling we’ll have another one on Wednesday. I’m just hoping the sun comes out and does some thawing because the temperature at my house…it’s not supposed to be above freezing before Saturday. Ya, that’s some winter weather ya’ll.

I thought I’d show you ten images from yesterday, Monday, a GREAT SNOW DAY!

My girl after a GREAT morning in the snow.

Daddy sending her down the hill in front of the house.

Daddy pulling her back up the hill.
Such a NICE Daddy!

Daddy pulling the girl and her friend towards the golf course.

Getting ready to go down the hill on the golf course.

This is the ultimate sled.
We are so getting one for next time.

Going down the hill on the Snowboogie. Wahoo!

Snow Angel

Look how DEEP the snow is!

Bringing in the snow for SNOW CREAM!

Linked to Top Ten Tuesday at Ohamanda.com.

Happy New Year!! A New Blog!!!

Happy New Year! Welcome to the NEW HOUSE OF HILLS BLOG! Whoop! Whoop!

I finally did it. I purchased my own domain. I’m doing this bloggy thing for real. There is MUCH work to be done here, and I know it will take me a while to get it all spiffed up. However, I thought it wise to make the switch as soon as possible.

So, here were are at HouseofHills.org!!!! I am very excited about this new adventure and can’t wait to see where it goes!

2010 Blog Recap

I’m so excited that I’m able to do the Blog Recap Carnival this year. I remember reading tons of them last year and sad that I was unable to do one. I hadn’t really blogged much at all in 2009. However, in 2010, I did some blogging people! Whoop! I did enough blogging that I actually have a “first” post of every month (rather than the “only” post of the month in 2009).

This is how it works. I’ve linked to the first post of each month of the year, given you the first line, and then a quick synopsis. Feel free to click through the year with me. It’s rather like a quick scrapbook of an entire year.

JANUARY: We’re back from our quick couple getaway in Tennessee.

We had just returned from a fabulous couple time weekend getaway, and I was about to head into the new year doing a pantry challenge. This post actually lists my pantry inventory – exciting stuff huh?

FEBRUARY: Somehow it is already February of the year 2010.

Wow! Obvious statement there. This is actually a Top Ten Tuesday post about all that was planned for February 2010. It was a busy month!

MARCH: How is it possibly March already?

Okay… I was seriously have an issue with how fast the year was going by. This was a Menu Plan Monday. It has the link to the pork dumplings I was thinking about the other day. I need to make those again.

APRIL: I have a secret for my recently acquired will power (besides all your prayer cover that is).

Oooohhhh…Now, this is a good first line. This is a Things I Love Thursday post all about something that was helping me not eat. I’m not going to tell you what it was. You gotta click the link.

MAY: Well, I’m home from my conference, and the hubby is off to his.

Then end of April to beginning of May is craziness at the House of Hills due to our work conferences. However, in 2011, they aren’t back to back. Can I get a sigh of relief there. This is a Menu Plan Monday post with only one recipe link. Feel free to skip this one.

JUNE: Summer has fully arrived here in the South. Ahhhh… summer.

This is another Top Ten Tuesday about the senses of summer. I like this one. It makes me smile.

JULY: Hello Losing It! Ladies!

This was a Losing It! Friday where I check in with all my Losing It! friends. Losing It! changed my life this year. It truly did.

AUGUST: We love “Brinner” at our house – that’s breakfast for dinner in case you didn’t know.

Ahhh… “Brinner” – what do you have when you make “Brinner”?

SEPTEMBER: Okay people! We are settled in our new home.

This was another Menu Plan Monday. The first in awhile. We had just moved into our temporary home. I can’t believe we’re moving again in a few months. Ack! This one has a link to our favorite Garlic Shrimp that we eat ALL the time.

OCTOBER: Happy October Losing It! Ladies!!

Another Friday. This is where I lament that I TOTALLY fell off the wagon while on the Disney Cruise. TOTALLY.

NOVEMBER: Today was the first day of The 30-Day Giving Challenge, and I woke up bright and early to make sure I got my give done.

I LOVED the 30-Day Giving Challenge. It was so great to focus on giving for a full month. This post is the first of MANY in the month of November all about giving.

DECEMBER: We were traveling for Thanksgiving and needed to pack some snacks.

This is the post where I tell you how to pack snacks for the car without crushing them. Very profound…

 

So, there you have it. The first post of each month of the year. You know what… I do a lot of the same thing each month. I wonder, is that a good thing or a bad thing. Good because everybody like to know what to expect or bad because I might be in a blogging rut? Hmmmm… gonna have to think on that one.

To see more fun recaps, head on over to Musings of a Housewife.

Snow Flurries in the ATL

We had snow flurries. That’s exciting!! Exciting enough to take pictures!! Exciting enough to share them with you!!

Catching flakes on her tongue outside church. She was jumping for joy at the flurries.

 

“Look Mama! Snow”

 

Look at all that snow at her feet. It’s almost a blizzard!
Yes, I’m being sarcastic.

 

Enough to make the gloves wet!

So, all my Yankee friends and relatives you can make fun of us here in the South now. However, I will say that a Southern child’s joy at even the fewest flakes is something to behold and a lot of fun to experience.

Just to get you in the Christmas cheer. Here’s a picture we took at church yesterday. My former neighbor Lare of Stuart Lawrence Designs decorates the church every year. He does an amazing job.