Thursday, February 28, 2013

Friday is Close!

For a short work week, thanks to the blizzard, it sure has been long!  I don't know about you, but I'm pretty happy tomorrow is Friday!

I made a new Etsy Treasury today!  Won't you check it out?!  Every view, every click on one of the pictures, and every comment we get on the treasuries we make helps move the treasury up on pages.  The closer to page one we get, the better!  So please, if you can spare just a few minutes of time, check it out!  It helps my Etsy business, and the business of those included in the treasury!


Here are a few more pictures of our winter storm!  Enjoy!

Neither of them actually touched the ground!  There was still snow under their feet, and  Flower was afraid to stand up all the way!

Mattie wanted to take a picture of Mama in the snow!

Sitting inside with Mama, drinking hot chocolate, was far more enjoyable to my Little Man!

Look at the snowman we built!!

"HELP! I can't get off the mountain!!!"

"OH NO!  I AM FALLING!!!"


Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Great Texas Blizzard

We are covered in snow!!  Woohoo!!

Texas weather is so strange.  Normally, we don't get crazy, horrible blizzards, just a few inch-or-two snows a year.  But when we do get blizzards, they are off the charts horrible.  This storm was just that type.  They even named it:  Rocky!

We got weather alert warnings 14 hours in advance, that we needed to prepare.  Everyone went to the store to stock up on essentials, but on Sunday afternoon it was nearly 70 degrees!  Flower and Little Man were out riding their bikes in t-shirts, but, around 6:00 p.m. the wind hit, and the temperatures dropped 30 degrees within 5 minutes.

It had just started snowing when Barb Wire Man and I went to bed, and the snowflakes were huge.  It wasn't a pretty snowfall, either...it was snowing horizontally thanks to the 50 mph winds!  I woke up to texts alerting me that school was cancelled!  It was still snowing horizontally Monday morning,and it looked absolutely disgusting outside.  But, Barb Wire Man got dressed and headed out to work anyhow.  Shortly after he left, I learned that the storm was so bad that even the Department of Transportation had stopped operations, and were no longer clearing roads.  "Until further notice, assume all major roads are closed" was their report.  Since Mike drives a semi truck, he obviously was unable to work, so he came home!  

It snowed until noon, and the winds didn't die down until evening.  We spent the whole day cooped up in the house...Barb Wire Man, Flower, Little Man, our huge rottweiler, our schnauzer, and me.   It was crowded and a bit chaotic, but so enjoyable!  Barb Wire Man built a fire, we played cards, smoked cigars up the chimney, played games, made chili and just enjoyed each other's company!  

By noon, school had already been cancelled for Tuesday.  Thanks to the winds, which ranged from 50 to 75 miles per hour, there were 5 foot plus snow drifts all over the place.  Mail didn't even run, it was so yucky!  

My kids are itching to go outside and play in the snow today, but it is still so cold!  I'm making them wait until we at least hit 32 degrees...so far, its only 16.  And honestly, I am as ready for them to go outside and play as they are.  Barb Wire Man made it to work, but operations are still pretty limited because of the road conditions.  I worry about him while he is on the road, so I spend a lot of time in prayer when conditions are like this.  I'm thankful he is an amazing driver....it is all the other idiots I have to worry about!  

Enjoy the pictures of our crazy, Texas Panhandle Blizzard!

This was looking to the south...even though we had over 11 inches of snow, there were still bare spots on the grass, because the wind had blown it away into drifts!

This was looking east, across the street, and one of the rare moments when I could actually see the houses.  For most of the day, the wind blew the snow so hard, I could hardly make out the houses!  On the left, you can see where the snow drift is actually taller than the fence!

This was looking south in my back yard!  My poor little schnauzer couldn't even walk out into the yard or she would disappear!  In fact, it was almost too much for the Rott!
 
Be blessed, and stay warm!  I will post more pictures later!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Freebies! Everyone loves FREE!

Some of my favorite free offers for YOU!

Swagbucks is my FAVORITE thing ever!  I save up my points all year long, trade them in for cash, then use it for Christmas gifts!  Fridays are always Mega Swag bucks day, too!

















* I do get paid for each click...thank you for helping me pass these on to you!**

GIVEAWAYS!

Awesome giveaways and contests!!





Enter for your chance to win $25,000 from Auntie Anne's!
 




*I do get paid when my readers click on the above links.  This is how I am able to provide them to you!*

COUPONS!!!

Since Fridays are the day I pay bills, I am reminded that I need to clip coupons and save in anyway I can!  In full disclosure, I do get paid for these links, however, they are companies and links I use myself to save money!  I do hope some of these coupons help save you money!  I will try to post a few more as the day goes along, including some freebie sites and some giveaways!

AWESOME COUPONS


                               
  














Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Busy Weeks...Rest Ahead?!

What a long few weeks it has been!

Barb Wire Man and I were able to go to a banquet a couple of weekends ago to benefit a wonderful organization called the Outdoor Adventure Foundation.  It is a wonderful organization!  We just found out about it a few weeks ago, but quickly realized that it was something we loved, and want to be apart of in a larger way.  We went with several of our friends, and had an amazing time...though the events of later in the evening do get a bit fuzzy for me.  That's another story that may or may not be told later.

Flower had been feeling a little under the weather with tummy problems.  She is queen of getting mysterious stomach aches anytime she must go to school/clean her room/unload the dishwasher, etc., so I had just brushed it off.  Even her teachers, knowing she tends to get "tummy aches" weren't terribly concerned about it.  However, on Sunday morning, we found ourselves taking her to the emergency room.  Boy, did I feel like mom of the year!  After blood tests, sonograms, and other tests, we finally found that she had a virus...H Pylori.  And boy did it kick her in the butt.  Three medications, a bland diet, and a week later, she was finally feeling back to herself.  We both learned a lesson: sometimes she really is sick, and, don't lie to mommy about being sick, because then she doesn't believe it when you really are sick!

I also started painting Flower's room this weekend!  I will post more on that later, along with pictures once it is finished, but it is a drastic change!  She is so excited to finally have a room that is hers.  It is beginning to look exactly how she envisioned it, and I couldn't be happier than to see her this happy!

Barb Wire Man has been working a lot, and I forgot how different our schedule is when Daddy is gone on the truck a lot.  We miss him, but I am thankful.  I'm thankful he has such a wonderful job, working for such great people, and I am thankful that he works so hard for our family.

I'm excited that I am going to have someone helping me out with some of my online stuff for my business!  Between the family and household stuff, the daycare, the knitting, the online business, the promotions, and the blog, I am just swamped.  I can't do it all, and for me to admit that means that I couldn't do it all a long time ago, and just wouldn't admit it!  Hopefully, with her helping me out, I will be able to get much more accomplished all around!

On the same note, I have a new Twitter account!  I was mixing my personal account with my business account, and it was starting to get a little confusing for me.  So, do me a favor?!  To keep up with the blog, and 13 Plum Knitting, please be sure to follow @13PlumCreations on Twitter!  It would mean a TON to me!


Be blessed today, and have a wonderful week!


Thursday, February 7, 2013

It is GIVEAWAY TIME!

I'm running a little behind on announcing this on my blog (hey, kids have to come first, right?!), but that is OK...you still have a couple of day!!

I have been knitting my fingers to death on these awesome boot toppers that everyone is wearing....

YOU COULD WIN THESE!


AND YOU CAN WIN THEM!!!


I don't even have them up for sale yet on my Etsy shop, but you could WIN this pair!  Once they go up for sale, this style will be $30, so get your name in the drawing soon!


What all do you have to do?  Not much, really!  

First, you will need to head over to my Facebook page: 13 Plum Knitting

There, you will see a big "SHARE IT TO WIN IT!" picture!  Once you "like" my Facebook page, share the picture, and write "shared" in the comments!  

THAT IS ALL!  I will draw a winner on Friday (February 8), so head over NOW to get your name in the drawing!