PRODUCT REVIEW

When I was asked to review a hand wash with sunscreen, I was curious but didn't know if I would really have an opinion on how I liked it. In most cases, my thought is "hand soap is hand soap." To my surprise, this hand soap impressed me the past two weeks. It is creamy, moisturizing to my winter chapped hands, smells wonderful and has SPF 15.
Putting sunscreen on the wee ones is a must in the summer, but to be honest, in the winter it is usually an after thought, unless we are heading to snow. I've loved the hand wash so much, I've been using it to wash the wee ones. I can't wait to try the body wash!
Solise has made it so convenient to have sun protection without smelling like sunscreen or being sticky and greasy, especially if you have wee ones who throw a fit when sunscreen is ever applied. It's easy-peasy now and I love that!

WE OPENED A CAN OF WORMS!

I wanted a new tub. We saved and this summer we purchased one that would fit the bathroom space. It's been sitting in our garage for 6 months. With a few pleadings and batting of the eyes, I requested the bathtub switcheroo be our first house project of the new year.
Taking out this tub and surround wasn't as difficult as we had thought, BUT THEN we realized we opened an expensive can of worms. We discovered a leak behind the wall and black mold on two of the walls.
Larry took care of the wall situation immediately, BUT THEN we discovered the leak had caused a lot of floor damage. While Larry was removing the floor and sub floor I was looking for in the deep holes between the joists for a time capsule or long forgotten hidden money from the original owners.
This "time consuming but not too difficult" tub installation has turned into bathroom drama and our lair is stressed. Hopefully it gets put back together quickly - we need that shower!

IT'S A WONDERFUL DAY TO

celebrate Tom Selleck's birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM!

COULD HAVE BEEN LOVE STORY

Tell someone how you feel today.

via cup of joe

DOMINO COOKIES

for an added deliciousness to our Friday night. PS - We are replacing our tub this weekend. We are excited and nervous (yikes!)

OATMEAL BREAD

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg yeast
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 1/2 cups flour
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp salt

Pour boiling water over oatmeal and let sit until cooled.

Mix all ingredients together. Knead until well combined. Let rise. Divide into two loafs and place in greased loaf pans. Let rise again. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done.

GOING TO THE LAKE IS

always a blast, especially when you can throw rocks in practically the middle of the lake.
We have never been to Detroit Lake in the winter and were so surprised at how low the water level was. It was awesome walking out in the middle of it.

PS - I still can't skip a rock.

DETROIT LAKE

We stayed at The Gescher Lakehouse in Detroit Lake this weekend. This awesome cabin is a retreat in the woods.
We saw a deer as big as a moose. Personally, I think it's Big Foot's pet.
This cabin is minutes to the boat docks in the summer and 30 minutes to skiing/sledding in the winter.

This cabin sleeps 12. It has 3 bedrooms, a loft, 2 baths, a large great room with a gas fireplace, textures and comfy furniture, a large deck with a Traeger BBQ, a large yard with a fire pit, a fully stocked kitchen with a gas range, dishwasher and microwave.

It is an inviting, cozy, yet spacious cabin that makes you feel at home while you stay there.

If you are wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle and have some fun family time, this cabin is where you should stay.

We had a fabulous, man clan approved, two thumbs up weekend.

WE HAD A WEEKEND EXCURSION

to the snow.

Sledding, snowballs, sunshine, snow angels, hot cocoa - it was a blast!

We discovered we need more snow gear.

What is your "must have" for winter play and/or warmth?

IT'S A GREAT DAY TO

celebrate my mom's birthday.
My mom is amazing and so talented. She is funny, interesting and interested, smart, loving, kind, a great mother and wonderful grandmother.
My father made her a banana nutella strawberry cream birthday cake. Everyone was raving about it. It looked and smelled so good!
Luckily for Aunt Mary and I, there was a vegan chocolate cake too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

WE LOVE YOU!!

NON-DAIRY CHEESE

is what I learned how to make last night.
We made provolone from beans and mozzarella from cashews.
It's a very interesting process, a little spendy but I'm looking forward to experimenting.
The mozzarella is my favorite so far.

OPERATION

was such a fun game for me when I was a kid. My brother got us the Iron Man 2 edition for Christmas and it has the whole family giggling!

I love family games that are quick so that everyone begins and ends the game happy. I love a happy man clan!

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR

Rare and unpublished photographs of the civil rights movement are on Time's site. Powerful photographs.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." ~Martin Luther King, Jr