It's been a long time since my last blog so we'll call this one....
Catching Up :)
December brought:
Holiday get-togethers. Lots of great food. Lots of wonderful memories.
An end to some of the chaos that comes with running kids around to their after school activities.
An impromptu trip to Michigan with Josh, Tracie, Tim, DJ, and Tim's family. We went to Newberry which is on the Upper Peninsula, ...simply breath taking.
We went snowmobiling, spent time in the hot tub and the hotel pool, and had an amazing time. We drove our snowmobiles on the trails, up to Taquamenan Falls, and through the streets of town. It was amazing to be able to snowmobile right up to the restaurants, peel our gear off and sit down to good food, good conversation, and get warmed up from the inside out. ...The best part of the whole trip...catching my sled on fire and helping DJ pee in the snow. lol! (DJ is 4 years old)
My girlfriend Kathy and her life partner, Aaron, had their second boy on New Years Eve morning, ...Owen Carter, what a sweet little thing!
New Years Eve was spent driving home from Michigan with Josh and then meeting up with our family and friends at our local watering hole later in the evening. We had lots of good fun, and a safe night.
New Years Resolutions....
To be more transparent.
Always tell the truth.
Find some balance.
Be more available for my daughters.
...and one more I added on later;
To get involved and provide some sort of service for our community,
by painting more and donating them to various organizations to be auctioned off for charity.
Also by contacting Karen so we can volunteer at her church as a family, maybe in the church food pantry.
January
This month I am grateful for:
Sharing a lovely evening with Jones on her birthday. We had dinner with them and some their favorite people whom I adore.
Thinking of Jones, Craig, and Dean all day on inauguration day. Knowing they were there, sharing an awesome time with millions of others who made the journey to welcome our new president.
Getting to have lunch with Josh, Jones, Ben, Bridget, and her amazing little man, Nathaniel, who is an absolute doll. I got to catch up with Bridget, and hear all about Jones's trips to NY, and DC. Love love love those ladies.
Celebrating my grandma's 91'st birthday, and getting to see my Great Aunt. My Great Aunt was an amazing cook, clipping recipes and trying out new recipes was one of her favorite hobbies. I was so excited...one of the things I love most is cooking a great meal for my family so I was thrilled when I learned that some of her cookbooks would be passed down to me and my sisters. It is a lovely thing to have some of her favorite recipes written in her own handwriting. While going through her cookbooks I found an old photo of her in a paper frame that was taken at the Casino Royal in Washington DC. When I asked my mother about that photo she told me that my Aunt had worked as a secretary for the Department of the Interior! How amazing! I never knew that and am glad I found out before she passed (she's in a nursing home right now). I'll be asking more questions about her and her life now, you can be sure of that.
Sharing a girls night out with my sisters and my girlfriends! The guys all went out for an evening of testosterone (they went to watch some cage fights). My sisters and I went to dinner at El Rodeo and then met my girlfriends for drinks, lots of singing, and lots of laughter. ...And getting to make a toast and recognize Michael's passing, the girls night out was on the anniversary of his death.
Filling out paperwork for my daughters classes for the up coming school year and getting to see all the interesting classes they have chosen.
Learning that Taylor will be taking a photography class during her first year as a high school student! yeah!
Being thrilled that Kelsey's creative writing class has started and learning that her teacher has recommended she enter one of her essays in a creative writing contest through Purdue University!!!!!
Feeling proud of Josh for going back to school, he started at Ivy Tech earlier this month. He is working on a dual degree; welding which he's interested in and would like to do for fun, which may lead to a career later, and Agg. Business which is where his heart is and may also lead to a career later.
Getting to share in all the fun that comes with being involved in a wedding. My sister, Tracie is getting married in June to a fantastic man named Tim. My other sister, Lisa, and I are included in the wedding and are currently getting ready to start trying on Bridesmaid dresses.
Looking to the future...
Kelsey will be getting her drivers permit soon, finishing up her year as a sophomore in high school, starting her summer classes and then on to fall classes. By Thanksgiving she should have her drivers license and will be looking for her first job.
Taylor will be finishing up her last year in middle school, going on her eighth grade trip to DC, starting summer classes for high school and looking forward to being a freshman this fall.
Josh will be continuing with school, continuing with various never-ending house projects, and looking forward to being called back to work at Action.
I will be painting more, getting some service projects lined up, continuing to work at the mall and at the hospital, trying to keep up with our daughters, and looking forward to some time at the lake house this summer :) ...oh and trying not to panic when my daughter starts driving! lol!
I am grateful for a safe, joyful, and prosperous year for all.
I am grateful for a new president.
I am grateful for tomorrow and all the opportunities a new morning brings.
I am grateful for you, as ani says best...joyful girl, you.
