Snodgrass Update

It's been a while since I've shared about the little things going on in our life.

Where do I begin?

First let me just tell you that our 3 sweet babies are the joy of our lives!

Sassafrass is Queen and despite all our efforts to help her lose weight, I'm afraid she might have gained some instead. Hmmmm...

Marmalade is the love. of. my. life! It's ok, Scott is fully aware of this.

Sometimes I wonder if I will adore my kids as much as I adore her.

She can truly do no wrong! Scott thinks otherwise...

And then there's sweet Kita

Scott is such a great gift giver!

For Christmas he surprised me with this...

Yep, my very own Coca-Cola Classic Vending Machine!!!

Him and I had seen it at a thrift store. It hadn't sold in months and they dropped the price. We planned to meet up one day at the thrift store after he got off work. I showed up first and noticed the machine was GONE! NOOOOO!!! We asked the guy working there if they had sold it and he said they had just sold it earlier that day! OH EM GEE (OMG) (Oh My Gosh)!

I was heartbroken and threw a fit all the way home!!!

Much like a three year old who didn't get their way.

Later that night we had a Christmas party and after a few guest had arrived I heard the door bell ring again. So I went to answer it thinking it was another guest, but it wasn't.

It was my Coca- Cola Classic Machine!

Wow. I was soooo surprised. Such a great gift and a fantastic surprise. Scott had gotten off work early and purchased the machine ahead of time, then he gave the performance of his career to trick me into believing the machine was sold and gone for good!

God bless that little devil!

And then there was Valentine's Day.

Scott found this Vineyard and Winery in Santa Fe, Tx called Haak Winery.

He made reservations for us to enjoy a lovely lunch in the wine cellar.

It was amazing!

HAAK WINE

One week a few months ago I was sick. I stayed in bed for four days so I think that's why once I recovered I had this urge to COOK! And cook I did.

Tuesday I made...

Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday I made...

Vietnamese Spring Rolls and Chicken Curry in Coconut Milk

Pssst... you can get everything you need to make these at HEB!

Thursday I made...

A.MAZ.ING Beef Stew!

And for Friday, of course, there was Spaghetti.

Get this.

Last week whilst I was napping, I heard this huge crash!

The last time I heard that sound a tree branch had fallen on the house.

I was scared so I called Scotty!

To make me feel better he suggested that it was probably just a bird who might have flown into the window.

YEAH RIGHT!

This was a HUGE crashing sound. Had to be more than a bird hitting the window.

So when he got home he went to check out the scene and...

...Sure enough

Now. How many of you have a bathroom in your master bedroom?

A toilet, shower, vanity, sink?

Probably all of you.

Well, for two years Scott and I have not had a vanity or sink in our bedroom.

It was inconvenient for sure, but we worked around it until we could afford to put one in.

Here's the vanity before...

And here it is after my brilliant husband worked his magic...

And finally

After sharing a car for a few weeks, we were able to purchase another vehicle.

Scott thinks it's his, but really it's mine!

Isn't she lovely?!?

Man, that truck really brings out your beard babe!

The Biggest Loser

Now I know that some folks believe watching TV is a waste of time or that it fills your head with junk, but I see it a different way.

There are a few shows that I am... let's just say "attached" to.

One being The Bachelor! Yes, the Bachelor.

Now you may think that show is just a bunch of stupid drama, and some of it definitely is, but i thing it really exposes the girls on the show, and most girls in North America really. I see their cattiness and their jealousy and I think...that's me! YIKES! The show helps me to confront my inner bitch if you know what I mean.

And you know, ever season I watch the Bachelor, I come away so much more appreciative of Scotty and my marriage!

Another great show is AMAZING RACE!

It's terribly entertaining, but every episode is also a mini cultural lesson in a way. As players travel around the globe you get to see places you may never get the opportunity to see in real life. It makes me want to get off the couch and catch a plane to Cambodia!!! Or Dubai!!!

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

And finally there is THE BIGGEST LOSER!

Watching the Biggest Loser, I can't help but be inspired to change my life and be good to myself.

So because of the Biggest Loser...

I took Nikita on a 45 minute walk yesterday!

I use ground Turkey in my cooking instead of ground beef (did you know it's like half the calories? something like that...if you get the turkey breast)

And I put Sassafrass on a strict diet! She eats tuna, smaller portions of her dry food, and I even bought her a remote controlled mouse to chase around the house so she gets more exercise. But I'm afraid Scott gets more entertainment out of the REMOTE controlled mouse than Sassafrass gets exercise. :)

How Color Affects Us

I knew a little bit about what colors symbolize and how color affects us physically, but I didn't know all this. It's very interesting (to me). Just wanted to share.

Blue is by far the populations favorite color. It can symbolize peace, calm, femininity, life, purity, technology, and depression. When you see the color blue it invokes rest and can cause the body to produce chemicals that are calming. It can also aid in intuition.

AND this you might like...

"Bring the color blue into your life more often. There's a good reason you won't see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating" -allrecipes

GREEN can symbolize nature, luck, youth, jealousy, etc.

When we see green it physically and mentally relaxes and soothes us. It offers a sense of self control, harmony, and renewal. it can also help to alleviate depression, nervousness, and anxiety.

And here's a nice fact for you

"Suicides dropped 34% when London's Blackfriar Bridge was painted green."

Red can symbolize many things like blood, love, energy, danger, and passion. Red grabs our attention and physically and mentally increases enthusiasm, stimulates energy, and encourages action. They also say we shouldn't paint walls red because it encourages aggression.

BUT...

Feng shui recommends painting the front door of a home red to invite prosperity to the residents.

Pink stimulates energy and can increase blood pressure, heart beat, and pulse rate. It stimulates passion without aggression. It symbolizes childish innocence, femininity, and purity. It also encourages friendship. It has even been used in prison cells to discourage erratic behavior.

And check this out...

Since the color pink is said to have a tranquilizing effect, sport's teams sometimes use pink to paint the locker room used by opposing teams.

YELLOW can symbolize JOY, HAPPINESS, OPTIMISM, DISHONESTY, AND COWARDICE. Physically and mentally it stimulates the nervous system and mental processes. It also encourages communication and activates the memory.

AND...

75% of pencils are painted yellow! Why?

Pencils have been painted yellow ever since the 1890s. And that bright color isn't just so you can find them on your desk more easily!

During the 1800s, the best graphite in the world came from China. American pencil makers wanted a special way to tell people that their pencils contained Chinese graphite.

In China, the color yellow is associated with royalty and respect. American pencil manufacturers began painting their pencils bright yellow to communicate this 'regal' feeling and association with China.

PURPLE can symbolize royalty, nobility, spirituality, arrogance, cruelty, mourning, and enlightenment. Physically it can calm us and uplift us. It encourages creativity and offers a sense of spirituality.

And...

Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases ten times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass.

Black is the color of night and "evil". It can also symbolize elegance, power, wealth, mystery, fear, sadness, and mourning. Too much black can be overwhelming and can represent void and emptiness. Wear black if you want to look slimmer. Physically it can make you feel inconspicuous or provide a restful emptiness.

And...

In China, Black is the traditional clothing color for boys.

ORANGE represents energy, balance, warmth, enthusiasm, and demands attention. Orange sparks more controversy than any other color. When you see it you either "hate it!" or "love it!". It stimulates activity and appetite and encourages socialization. Orange represents "gluttony" in Christianity.

And...

Orange is the national color of the Netherlands because its royal family owns the principality of Orange.

BROWN represents earth, hearth, home, outdoors, endurance, and comfort. Brown supplies a feeling of wholesomeness and says stability, reliability, and approachability. It physically makes you feel you are connected to the earth and gives you a sense of orderliness. Companies may use the color brown to denote a natural product.

AND...

They say if you dream of the color brown, it means you will be lucky with money.

Hope you enjoyed my lesson in color today!