January Weekend Update

Every year I dread January.

The month seems to drag on and on and on . . .

It's cold and dreary and such a long month --
do you feel the same???

I thought so!

We struggled through the beginning of the month with snow and

an arctic chill and then -- guess what --

it warmed up!

Love it when that happens, especially in January!!

 

So, Maddy and I planned a fun day on Saturday --
escaping

the laundry and decluttering.



 It just so happened, that the church and school I attended had

its annual Flower Show. 

They plan it for January to give us all hope for spring. 
A quick day road trip was in order!

One of the many gorgeous flower arrangements

I made my First Communion, Confirmation and

graduation from 8th grade and high school at Cathedral.

 It is such a beautiful Spanish Renaissance church  --
really a special spiritual place.

Brought back so many memories to be there!



Isn't this Cathedral lovely!!

It was quite the fun Mother/Daughter day!

First we shopped at Pottery Bar*n and some other local shops;

had lunch together at a sweet bakery cafe

(not a fast food place -- so unusual for us),

stopped at a major furniture store (just looked -- no purchases)

 and finally got to the flower show.

 

 

 

It was go, go, go and SO much fun -- just the kind of day

I'd always hoped

to have with my daughter some day.

Having a little fun at at waterfall at the mall!

One Word Wednesday!

 

 

Hello

Blueberry Pancake Cupcake!!

Bizarre Beasts - A/K/A Critters in Nebraska

 

January -- what a month!

Dreadfully long and cold in these parts!

What to do?

What to do?
 




Elephant skeleton!

Last weekend AFTER I spent a few

hours decluttering,

Maddy and I had

to have a little break!

 So, we headed to Nebraska's largest natural history museum, Morrill Hall.

It houses the world's premier collection of
fossil elephants and dinosaurs!, interactive paleontology exhibits
a planetarium and other interesting collections - the latest
being one called "Bizarre Beasts!"

Combination panther,bear, ?

Those beasts scared me a little! 

That one definitely needed some dental care!

A creepy flying dragon!

As you can see, Maddy took her own little beast along.

Is she too funny?  
She carries a stuffed animal everywhere we go! 

Normal size frog with Devilish Large Frog! 

After the museum, we headed to another

premier and fave location -

Starbucks -- for some cake-pops and a

warm drink. 

 It was a fun and creepy way to spend a cold

day in January.



These badgers reminded her of Narnia -- so had to get a picture with them!

Resolutions, Goals, Yada, Yada, Yada

Hello Friday -- TGIF!

I was going to post all about my New Year's Resolutions and Goals . . .
but it started sounding really boring and
 I hate to bore you sweet readers,
so I'll only give you the top 3!

Hello 2013!

Anywhoooo -- my number 1 goal is to exercise more.
With my foot broken, wearing a gigantic boot, having
the sniffles,
 plus the cold, snowy, icy weather [notice all my excuses],
I haven't exercised much in about 5 or 6 weeks.
 Unless you count hobbling into the kitchen to eat Hershey Kisses as exercise!! :)

However, I am going to remedy that and am doing a fabulous exercise class at the local Y.
 It's called Power Pump.
Strength training class set to music for toning and strengthening muscles.
I need that and it is  F U N!! 
But, guess what I realized -- I was the oldest one at the class!
Yikes -- at first, that made me feel even more ancient -- but then I figured --
 how awesome am I to be the oldest one in a weight-training class!?!!
I would pat myself on the back but my muscles are too sore from the weights!

My number 2 goal involves organizing and decluttering --
same old story, different year, right!
Last year, I focused on the guest room and got it cleaned out and
 looking pretty darn lovely by July.
This year -- Maddy and I are cleaning out Connor's old room.
 New paint, new carpet, new look. 
I guess it is time to get rid of his sports-themed little boy wallpaper border --
 he's only 25 now and no longer living at home! :)

And another goal -- wow -- I am on a roll now.
Wear more color!! 
Seriously, I think I wore some variation on black/khaki every day this week!
Starting now -- more color!
 

Like my new coat? It's from Lands End!

What resolutions/goals have you made?

Some Things Don't Change.

So  many things have changed about
my sweet Maddy in the last year.


April, 2012

She's gotten taller -- after fitting into size 7 jeans for two years,
 some are now finally almost too short for her! 
Remember, she just turned 11 -
maybe she'll be in size 10 or 12 by the time she's 14??

She grew her hair out last year.

Thick, long and beautiful
and also tangled at times with
tear-inducing comb-outs, so
it was off to the hairdresser for a major trim recently
She loves the change and so do I!

Luckily, she is, in many ways,
a very young 11.
That makes me happy --
too many kids grow up way too fast these days.

The number of the year may change.
 

  Her haircut may change.


 but . . .

 

Her love for Mickey never changes!

January, 2013

The Year in Review - 2012

I thought it would be fun to do a little year in review in photos. 

Care to join me?

January found us enjoying fabulous warm weather and

Maddy was out and about on her new scooter!

Maddy and Muffy enjoyed a blizzard in February!! 

 

March brought back some warm temps --

warm enough for tennis lessons outside!

Maddy and her cousin Grace had a blast in Orlando over spring break. 

 My sister, Amy, and I had fun too -- gin and tonic anyone??? 

 

May was a busy month with school ending and baby Walter's first birthday. 

Maddy and I escaped to Camp Kitaki's family fun weekend with Jodee and Kamree!

  Those little girls were a little bossy on the lake and

got us in trouble with the lifeguards for going out too far!

June meant summer vacation, the pool opened and bicycle rides!

 

Mini-golfing and goofing-off  when Amy, Grace and family visited in July!

 

 

 In August, we took a quick weekend trip to Kansas City before school started and met friends Laurie, Scott, Allison and Aaron at the AG store and shopped and shopped and shopped some more!

 

Waiting and waiting for Mr. Tennis to take the picture already!

 

 September -- time for school again and

high school football = Pius X High School tattoo!

 

 

 

October -- a fun photo shoot -- lots of silly faces and moves!

 

 

 

One of the best things about a ukulele -- you can play it anywhere!

Our lovely fall weather continued through November.

 

 

Fun with friends at holiday festivities in December!

 A friend once told me her theory on life -- it's like a rollercoaster.
 There are some incredible highs and some very low lows. 
Hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Hope you and your family will have a blessed and healthy 2013!
Happy New Year!