2014 Week 5...catching up slowly...

Another long week, but at least it wasn't freezing!  Disappointing...very disappointing...football game to end the season.  We didn't even watch the entire game for the first time in years.  And yes, I managed to get my garlic to turn blue!  It was promptly removed from the roast in the crockpot even though it's safe.  Yuck.

2014 Week 4...really late...

Weather is the big deal this week - ridiculously cold and snowy and just no fun.  But the big tray of nana's mac and cheese from my cousin was an awesome surprise!

2014 Week 3...a little late...

A lot of life happening in the past 10 days, a long, girls' weekend away and snow storms.  

It makes me feel like I've accomplished something when I get the photos off my phone and onto my computer.  Making this weekly collage is becoming a favorite routine now.

Next routine to build on - printing the photos!

2014 Week 2...

An expensive week - oil delivery and new tires for my car (and just realized yesterday we need propane too...ugh), but overall a good one.  Missing a couple pictures from John, but I am trying to get a good schedule groove going, so I'm posting without (Sorry John!).

2014 Week 1...

A good week to start the year.  Blizzard.  Extra day off.  Relaxing.  Good food.  Time with friends. 

Snow day...

The office is closed today and I'm spending the day relaxing on the couch with Miss Olive (who is not fond of sharing space), playing on the iPad, trying to find something...anything...on TV to watch and enjoying the beautiful view out my window.  We only ended up with 5" of snow instead of the foot that was predicted and that is wonderful!  It is, however, absolutely ridiculously cold outside (below zero wind chills and single digit temperatures), so we are bundled up and staying in today.  

Currently

January...

Setting goals for this week, this month, this year.

Finishing the last of the holiday treats and leftovers.

Reading Dan Brown's Inferno.  

Becoming very introspective and lost in my own head as I try to get things on the track I'd like to travel.

Wearing black pants every day with a turtleneck because I am totally predictable and uninspired.

Making more lists than I'll ever be able to get through...but embracing the need to do write things down.

Feeling hopeful, anxious, loved, blessed, cursed and approximately 329,456 other emotions.

Watching whatever is on the DVR and waiting for the new seasons to begin.

Loving the clean slate feeling that the new year brings.

Addicted to goofing off on the iPad (the ultimate time suck) and playing many games of WordScramble.

Enjoying the process of dreaming and planning and setting a new course for this life.

Planning my birthday trip to see the wild horses of Chincoteague and the Outer Banks.

Wishing for this year to be the year that is more good than sad.

Listening to Miss Olive snore.

Playing with some new fun photography apps.

Welcome 2014...

image property of Michelle Bond

Let the journey begin...

December 10...

A little treat while watching some fun holiday shows!  I think maybe I should have had my own peanut butter whoopie pie instead of splitting it. It was so good!

(And with this I have finally hit 150 posts!)

December 8 (cont'd) and 9...

This is how Saturday night ended.  John was hit and run as he was pulling into our driveway!  The person never slowed down and passed him on the left as he was turning.  Hit the tire (so lucky it was a little closer to the door) and destroyed the front end.  John tried to follow them, but the car couldn't go anywhere with the front end hanging off.  People suck.  A lot.  So there will now be lots of fun figuring transportation out and unexpected bills because it's coming out of our insurance.  Sigh...  

The only silver lining I could come up with - because John had to be at the airsoft training class he organized, I couldn't make it to my dad's house to help the siblings clean out the little bit of furniture there.  We all agreed that I would have been too emotional about it anyway and it was for the best.  I've more than made up for missing this over the past few years.  I'm feeling pretty sad about the house now being empty and kind of dread going there again to see it that way.  It's been a long time coming, but it's too soon if you know what I mean.

December 9 - I used a little bit of my Holiday Bonus from work to splurge on some fun things for me (there were 2 great coupons that I just couldn't pass up) from Kiehl's and Studio Calico.  Now even though life is more than a little crazy I'll have a couple deliveries to look forward to.  

And can I say how happy I am that I am actually keeping up with my December Daily photos!  And they are all actually printed off too!  Hopefully next weekend will have some free time for me to work on the album.  I bought the Studio Calico December Daily kit this year - love, love, love the album and the papers and the stamps (ok all of it!) - and have got the Ali Edwards 4x6 pages all printed out and ready to go.  I just need to do a little decorating, a little stamping and some journaling.

December 5, 6, 7 and ...

December 5 - My first "scratch & sniff" holiday card!  Rub the tree and it smells like the tree!  Love it! (Thank you T&B!)

December 6 - Looking forward to using this stamp set!  New Year's Eve plans have been made - dinner at Mexicali Grill with drinks at home.

December 7 - Brought out John's festive holiday mug for the season!

December 8 - Shopping for one of the kids in the families we adopted at work.  Fun and stressful (because I want to make them happy) at the same time.