Snow Day Party

Good Monday morning!

The Showcase Pic for this week is a photo of our Special Guest, Robin Oakley, and her family of good-looking and strapping young men. I'm not sure what "strapping" really means, but I've always wanted to use it in a sentence. I've heard that word before in cowboy movies, I'm sure. I may have to run over to The Pioneer Woman's blog and ask her what it means since she lives on a cattle ranch with many strapping, young cowboys. Okay. I've used it twice. I'll stop now.

You'll find the second part of Robin's interview below.

The Gallery Pic is of Roxie and her friend, Ragan. Since I was digital picture "poor" this Monday morning, they kindly agreed to appear in the Gallery once more.

Monday Mayhem

Although I am a little lean in the digital picture department, I have a ton of pictures on film taken with my old camera with the paparazzi zoom lens. Saturday night just happened to be one of those "moments" in your lifetime which will never be forgotten.

Mikie and his three friends, The Hope Quartet, put on an amazing concert Saturday evening with well over 200 people in attendance. They haven't sung together on stage in 30 years. After practicing Wednesday, Thursday, Friday AND Saturday of this past week, they put on quite the show in front of a highly appreciative and supportive crowd. It was a sweet, sweet concert and although the voices have matured over the years, they sounded fantastic. They have definitely gotten better with age.

The responses on Facebook and in person were so favorable, and many people asked for more concerts. The guys are spread out geographically with two in different parts of Alabama and one in Florida and one in Tennessee, but maybe it will work out again before another 30 years slips away.

And Mikie... Your solo was incredible. If it hadn't been a gospel concert I would have thrown the underwear I keep in my purse on stage!

Wonderful, wonderful job, guys! Also, there is one digital pic of the group on Belinda's Project 365. You can check them out there.

Special Guest - Robin Oakley - Part Two

Here are some more fun facts about Miss Robin you may or may not have known...

11. Shoe lover or purse lover?

Can I say both? I lean toward purses as I get older because I tend to go for comfort in shoes these days. Can you say MawMaw?

12. Where is your "happy place?"

The beach with a good book.

13. Who are you most like... your mother or your father?

Personality... father.

14. If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?

Domestic Diva in a Working Girl’s Body.

15. Did you grow up in a small church or a large church?

We thought it was large at the time, but compared to today’s churches, it wasn’t.

16.You are at home ALL day long by yourself with no car. Do you go stir crazy or thoroughly enjoy every minute of the day?

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Something tells me this doesn't happen very often in Robin World.)

17. Movie lover or shopping lover?

Movie.

18. What is one food you cannot force yourself to eat?

Salad. (You are Mikie's long-lost sister!)

19. How old were you when you married?

22 years-old.

20. How long was your engagement?

Nine months. And just so we’re clear, Adam was born four years later.

All righty then! The final installment of Robin's interview will appear tomorrow, so you'll definitely need to visit again and check it out!

Snow Day Party

In some parts of the country, a Snow Day would be an everyday occurrence during the winter months, but in Alabama... it is an OCCASION! With a "Winter Weather Event" looming in our forecast for Thursday and Friday of this week, make a plan for the most wonderful of days... a Snow Day!

1. It goes without saying, buy tons of milk and bread... But also plan a couple of family-favorite meals to have on hand (chili, soups, munchies, etc.). Make these meals ahead of time so you don't have spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

2. Other than the time you will be spending outside taking pictures, making snowmen, having snowball fights and such, spend the time INSIDE in your PJs watching movies, working on puzzles, etc. (Go ahead and rent movies your family hasn't seen together before.)

3. If there are other families in your neighborhood with children around the same ages, challenge them to snowball fights and/or snowman building contests. Go ahead and scope out the best place to sled. Or as we Alabamians have been known to do... ride those upside-down garbage can lids (cleaned the night before, of course) down the snowy hills.

4. If you have smaller children, take time this snowy day and night to read a really good chapter book aloud to them during the day. If you spread it out, you can read three to five chapters easily. Or, go to the library, and rent a Book on Tape the entire family would enjoy and listen to it off and on during the day and evening.

5. Of course, if the power goes out, the plan may have to change a little. Board games, books, charades, etc. will have to take the place of movies and books on tape. Cereal, sandwiches (and maybe cold pizza?) will replace the chili and soup. If you don't have a fireplace, or alternative heating source, make plans ahead of time to visit a relative or neighbor for an hour or so who does have a fireplace and enjoy your time visiting with them.

6. PLAN for a fun-filled day with your family.

These are just a few suggestions for a day that may or may not even materialize. We're hoping, but we've been disappointed before. Be prepared, and make it a day to remember.

If you have any other Snow Day Party ideas you and your family have enjoyed in the past, feel free to share them this week. Oh, and I'll be seeing you at Wal-Mart bright and early Wednesday morning!

Have a cold, but fun Monday. We start school tomorrow, and we are NOT pleased! Thankfully, Austin is here until early, early Wednesday morning, so he gets an extra day to prepare for the busy weeks and months ahead. I'll be sharing a Snow Cream recipe with you tomorrow... just in case, you know. And I'll have the last of Robin's interview. January is going to be a busy, busy month on A Simple Life!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. The Mystery Bag Party info will be going out tomorrow. If you were one of the six winners, you'll be receiving an envelope in the mail this week. Read it, and follow the instructions carefully... or else!