Festival of Ice, 2012

Well, I have successfully survived my first big event since my illness a couple of months ago.  I have to admit, I was dreading it in a way... I really didn't have faith in my ability to physically pull it off.  But with the help of my fabulous husband, we did it!!

Our town does an annual Festival of Ice, and the entire community comes together to participate.  The theme this year was 'Frozen Games,' (a salute to the Olymics) with a London twist.  Our church participates by sponsoring a "warming center," a free event where families can enjoy games, hot chocolate, coffee, popcorn, snacks, face-painting, and crafts.  We don't go half-way with our decorating, either (the part I'm involved with.) 

At each game station, children earned 'medals' made from chocolate coins and crepe paper, so we set up a photo corner for them to show their prizes off.  Using a photo I found on the internet (hurrah for Google!!), Jayson and I painted an impression of Big Ben.  {Fortunately, it photographs much better than it actually looks in person.}  My father-in-law made the gold/silver/bronze stand, and we had additional medals on hand as props for the photos.

  

Elsewhere in the Warming Center, we had a 'torch' (made from a stovepipe, paint can, fan, angel food cake pan, and crepe paper), Olympic rings (made from hula hoops and spray paint) {both made by Jayson} ...

And, what has become our signature Warming Center decoration, hundreds of helium balloons dotting our ceiling. 

Strangely, I forgot to take any photographs of the ice sculptures, which is a shame because some of them were very cool.  There was even an ice torch, which was lit for a short time.

All-in-all, a successful event!  On to the next.  :-)

~ Sarah

Converstion Hearts

Well, it has been nearly four weeks since I even thought about posting here, and almost two months since I actually posted something useful (last two were Instagram posts, if you can remember that far back.)  I would like to say I'm back, but I can't make any promises as to how consistently, since I'm still unwell (still?! yes, still.)  I'm thankful for modern medicine and old-fashioned prayer (though my new medicine has me dozing off in odd {and frequently embarassing, though funny} places...)  Simple tasks are still exhausting me, but I'm approaching things with more gusto.  And I'm eating again, which is helping immensely.  Can't express how thankful I am for Jayson, who has been waiting on me hand-and-foot, and for my job, which has let me work part-time indefinitely until I'm well enough for full-time again.  Also thankful for some very dear friends and family (you know who you are) who have stepped up to take care of things I couldn't.  I am on the road to recovery and will be myself again before long.  :-)

Well, as Maxine says, a very heartwarming thing happens in the middle of February every year: all the candy goes on clearance.  I'm a candy-lover, myself, and my husband is a bargain-lover.  Which means that we have a brand new stash of candy that would put Willy Wonka to shame. 

My personal favorites are the conversation hearts because of the things they put on them.  (Nothing says romance quite like "Tweet Me.")  They also remind me of a sweet/corny/silly thing I did for my wedding.  Around this time six years ago, my mother purchased pounds and pounds of candy hearts, literally tens of thousands, and together, we spent hours over several days pulling out all the hearts that said 'Marry Me.'  On my wedding day, I had my brother-in-law give several gifts to my soon-to-be-husband, including the box of special conversation hearts.  {Insert 'awww' here.} 

It wasn't until we returned from our honeymoon that I found out he hadn't even opened the box.  I was horrified.  (It's hilarious now... but that night, I felt like bursting into tears.)

And every year since then, he pulls out the 'Marry Me' hearts for me.  :-)  (I think it's his way of telling me he's still sorry.)

What are your Valentine's memories?

~ Sarah