Cozy Feeling

I am at home for the week, between visit to family for all the holidays. I had a wonderful visit with my family over Thanksgiving and I am looking forward to my visit with Steve's parents for Christmas. Yet I am SO glad to be in my own little home for a few days. Tonight it finally dropped below fifty degrees and it was very blustery outside so the kids and I decided it was soup kinda weather. I made Chicken Tortilla Soup with Quesadillas, and for dessert I made muffins:)

So as for the title of my post:Tonight after dinner, but before the muffins were done I went to my outdoor storage area to rummage through the Christmas stuff for my kids Christmas DVDs. While out there the wind was whipping, so I hurried and grabbed the rubbermaid and headed back inside. When I stepped in my kitchen I was just hit with a sudden wave of coziness! The house smelled good like cooking and baking, the heat was humming and my kids were laughing. Really if that's all I get for Christmas I think I could be pretty satisfied with it. Of course Steve and I snuggling up together watching Home Alone would be better, but a girl will take what the Army will give her:)

Hope you Have a Cozy Christmas Season!

One Car Countdown

So if you have read my previous post you will note that our family is currently down to one vehicle. I do acknowledge that plenty of people manage to get along fine with one car, and some with no car! However our family has had two cars since forever so we are a little spoiled. Add to that the fact that I jam packed my schedule so the kids and I would have plenty to distract us after Steve deployed and then they postponed his date 6 weeks! So my very full calendar and his work schedule have required some serious juggling. In the spirit though of my never ending quest for contentment, I have come up with what I consider the top 5 benefits to sharing a vehicle.
1)More family time! Every time DH needs dropped off or picked up the kids and I drop what we are doing, grab our stuff and spend 15 extra minutes with Dad we would have otherwise missed.
2)Evaluate Schedule-Do I really have to run that errand? Can I combine any of our trips on and off posts. Can I schedule that appt for another day? All the things that I once just closed my eyes and planned I now think through a little more objectively.
3) Save Gas! Oddly enough we seem to be saving gasoline. I am guessing that all those days that he keeps the van and I am grounded at home are days I would have normally run around town (probably for no good reason!)
4) Better Schedule- Since we have to drop Steve off most mornings, we are getting in the routine of all getting up a little earlier, getting dressed, having breakfast as a family and heading out the door. As soon as the kids and I get back, we start right in on our daily schedule since we are already dressed and ready for the day!
5)More time at home- This kinda goes with number 2, but I just have been amazed at how freeing it is to be home bound. On the days Steve keeps the van, I know that I can really spend time that day on housework, the kids schooling, or even baking without fear that I will have to hurry to make it to the next deadline event. Why this week alone the kids and I have done school every day (which honestly since they are in kindergarten and preschool is alot!), I have baked an apple pie to surprise my honey, I organized a couple of closets and cabinets, and rearranged and spruced up Gillyan's room.
OK, so that is like my longest post to date but who doesn't like a countdown!