Okay, I think I'm finally caught up - at least with all the *important* stuff! Whew! An unbelieveably busy holiday season almost immediately followed by a 9-day trip to AZ makes for LOTS of back-paddling, running around and mayhem in general. I'm sort of in shell-shock that it's the 24th already! There's SO much going on, so much to write about, so much I'm doing. But rather than bore you with all the gorry details, I'm going to borrow from my friend, Debra Blakely, and do a "Ten on Tuesday" list. Ten things (yes, I'm limiting it to 10, but I warn you - women are like spaghetti!) that are on the forefront of my brain right now. Here goes:
1) We had an awesome visit to see our son, Matthew and our daughter-in-law, Martha in AZ. We did lots of catching up, eating (Martha's a chef and Matthew ain't a bad cook neither!), dog-walking around the lake, shopping of all sorts, venturing out, spade playing, sunset watching, BB shooting (Matthew got the Daisy Rifle from "A Christmas Story" for Christmas and now, of course, we want one, too) and more. I did bring my big old SLR digital Canon, but I also had a lot of fun taking pics with my iPod and especially using the Hipstamatic app. Here's a little collage of my fave photos:
(click image to view larger)
I just about full-on lost it as we drove away to return home - it had been a year since we'd seen M&M - but the only thing that saved me from heaving sobs was knowing that they are in the process of moving to North Carolina. They should be there by March. I know that's still a whole day of travel, but we won't have to make plane reservations, we can bring all our pillows, the camper, a cooler, whatEVER and we WILL see each other more often. Plus, we'll all be in the same time zone. That's comforting!
2) It wouldn't be a proper post if I didn't brag on my granddaughters. E continues to love school, willingly do any kind of activity we have planned, be the best little mommy to her little sister when we go places and just charm us. Yes, she has her silly moments, but she IS 7.5 after all! And Mags...well, being that she's 2.5, things are constantly changing with her. She is growing physically - and verbally! Her vocabulary seemed to just quadruple while we were gone. Where she spoke in mostly 3 word sentences before, that girl can hold an entire conversation now - and that's with just herself! We first noticed this when we phoned from AZ, but, wow, she has really become quite chatty! And, she's starting to cop a bit of that 2 y/o attitude. She's definitely testing the boundaries and using every bit of the power she thinks she has. I find it very amusing, for the most part. Her parents - probably not so much. We had the girls overnight this past weekend and we always prided ourselves on our ability to get Mags down for naps and overnight sleeps. Well, no more! She quite brilliantly came up with every possible detour to laying down and shutting her eyes - all in tearful hysterics, of course. Chris fell for it, but when I took over, though it took a while, I was able to talk her down successfully. You just can't let a 2 y/o win. Know what I mean?
Here's my favorite photo of them from the holidays:
3) I've decided to stop with the photo challenges and maybe even the scrapbooking challenges. NOT because I don't want to take photos or scrapbook, but because I have an endless supply of projects running around in my head at this point just wanting to be brought to fruition. And also because I'm taking two online year-long workshops (at Big Picture Classes - One Little Word and Move More Eat Well) which each involve an on-going album AND...
wait for it...
...I'm doing Project Life this year! PL encompasses taking lots of photos and documenting your everyday life, but in a weekly format. So, I figure I don't really need any prompts to get me scrapping or photo-taking. I've got plenty to keep me busy. I'm loving PL so far - AND I'm even all caught up! My conundrum this week is that it's a wonderfully quiet week, but, therefore, not much to take photos of. Maybe I'll do some around-the-house stuff.
4) Speaking of my continued (and never fading) LOVE of scrapbooking, (paper and digital) and art journaling, I'm eagerly anticipating the release of the March/Spring Issue of Stampington and Company's Somerset Digital Studio. Because I'm going to be published in it! Wow! I just think this is a superior publication full of amazing artists and to be included among them, well, I'm really honored. I can't wait til it comes out. :)
5) Just when I thought we maybe - MAYBE - might get away without any big snows this season, we get 5" dumped on us this past Saturday. Well, I know it could be much worse - and half of it is melted now. We didn't even get our 1/4 mile long driveway plowed because for one, our plow guy is no longer plowing and for another, we just wanted to see if we could tough it out since it's supposed to remain fairly mild for a while. I'm still crossing my fingers that after this melts that will be IT! C'mon early spring!
6) After the holidays and then our trip to AZ, I was SO anxious to get back on the healthy eating bandwagon. And this past Sunday, I did my first juice fast. I decided that I'm going to fast with juice just one day a week. It costs so much less that way and I still think it will be beneficial. Sort of like a clean out from the past week and a jump start for the new week. And, can I say? Since I've been avoiding sugar, junk food and fast food since we've been home for a week now - I have this funny feeling. I think it's called "energy"! ;)
7) I made a point of walking around the little lake (and by little lake, I really mean pond) just across the street from M&M's house in AZ every day that we were there. It was just what I needed to get my exercise mojo going again. I was looking forward to getting out to walk on my driveway (as I said, it's a 1/4 mile!) but the snow/ice has put the ki-bash on that idea. BUT, I've got my Total Gym back in place after the holidays AND I started the Wii 30-day challenge (sans running) and it's all going really well. Hello, muscles! You ARE in there! I'm sure this is also helping with the energy level and the fact that I'm sleeping really well lately!
8) Chris got us tickets to see Iona in Allentown, PA in June. It's at a really small venue, which will be totally awesome. We have almost every album of theirs. They're a Christian/Celtic band. SO cool! I can NOT wait for this. And, since the concert's on a Tuesday, looks like we'll have a little overnight getaway. As it should be, for it will be a BIG birthday for me that week, as well as my 37th wedding anniversary (both on the same day, by the way). I'll be expecting lots of presents. :)
9) Ohhhhhh, Downton Abbey! I am so head-over-heels in love with this PBS series. I just can't get enough of it. It's got everything a good period piece should have: engrossing plot, exquisite clothes and sets, gorgeous cinematography, romance, suspense and impeccable acting! LOVE!!!!!
10) Why is it that the second I strip down, ready to hop in the hot tub out on my secluded deck that a) I get a phone call and then as soon as I hang up, b) someone knocks at the door. Pfffftt!
Happy Tuesday!
