Playing Catch-Up



I haven't blogged in awhile so I'm going 
to have to do a little "catch-up."

Mark finally moved home.
All is right with the world.
He just makes everything better.
He is my calm.

We had a wonderful Christmas.
I hope you did too.
I'm so ready for the new year.
I love new beginnings.
A fresh start.
While emptying my camera
I found some pictures that speak to my heart.

Dani Mae in my front yard.
She is the sweetest.

The 2nd Grade Christmas program at school was so special.
Elijah is pictured in the center with the plaid red and black.
I was encouraged with how it remembered 
the true meaning of Christmas 
throughout the program.


Abi gets staticky everytime she gets on the trampoline.
It only happens to her.
Totally matches her fun personality.
Party all the time!


We spent a few precious days in North Carolina in the Fall.
It was the highlight to find snow and ice on the side of the mountains.


Family time by the fire.


My sweet Kacey.


Eli


Danielle & Daniel getting ready to go on a much needed date.

Kristen flew home for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.
Oh how I love my girl!



We enjoyed record highs this year.
85 on Christmas Day!


Happy New Year to all of you.
I pray peace and joy to you and your families.






Crisis

Three weeks, no computer. 
Might not be a legitimate crisis but it's close.
Mark took it back to Kansas.
I have this pitiful iPad which must have been born in the 1900's.
It's like texting.
I long to abbreviate every word. 
I'm thankful it does offer spell check.

Who knows if I will actually feel like I can touch the sacred word and "publish" my thoughts.

It's strange that I enjoy blogging. 
I must have some inner need to share my thoughts 
and my life with you.
It's cheaper than therapy.
I'm really a private person.
I would never consider therapy.
Hope that confession doesn't come back to bite me.
Pride comes before the fall.

It has rained all day,
which resembles my melancholy mood.
Maybe it's bringing cooler weather.
Think positive.

My chickens have enjoyed finding bugs on this rainy day.


My tomatoes perk up every time it rains.


My broccoli is coming right along.



I'm not sure what kind of trade is in my 
ancestral background since I really don't know.
Surely,  farming runs deep in my blood.
I come alive when I can get my hands in the dirt.
I love my chickens.
No really,
I love them.

I'm sure you have truly been moved 
by this riveting blog.
jk

Hope you are having a great day!
ly
cya
lol










The Princess


Abigail is 4!
Words to describe Abi

fun
loving
happy
party
princess
party
beautiful
entertainer
confident
priss
strong-willed
determined
cheerful
creative
party
smart
opinionated
funny
captivating
bubbly
did I say party?

I can't imagine our family without my sweet Abi.
She has added so much joy to our family.

Happy Birthday baby girl.
MiMi loves you




It's The Great Pumpkin

Nothing better than a fun night
 of pumpkin decorating.
The kids arrived in their jammies.
Ready for bed since tomorrow is a school day.

It all began with dinner.
We ate mummy strips (fettucine alfredo).
Mark makes the best!
We had pond skum (piña coladas with green food coloring).
Sorry, no pics.

Publix provided dessert.
If you aren't from the east coast,
you are missing out on the best grocery store ever.


I considered letting my grandkids carve the pumpkins
but they love to paint so much that 
I decided that would work just fine.

I started by gathering my paints, 
brushes, stickers, markers and whatever else I could think of.

Mostly,
I already had an arsenal of supplies.



We love crafting!


Painting is serious business.


Eli was going for Frankenstein.


The pumpkin below really prefers that iPad.
Technobaby.


I think next year I will attempt to let them carve out their pumpkins.

I love being able to make memories with them.

Hope you are having a happy week!!


"Well, let's face it! 
Santa Claus has more publicity."
(Linus in his letter to the Great Pumpkin)

so true 



Silent Auction

The golf resort we are staying in this week 
hosted a charity event for
The Children's Miracle Network
this week.


We are residing in this hotel because 
my honey is working nearby.
We benefit from the many events taking place.
I'm not interested in most of them but when I heard 
there was a silent auction taking place,
count me in!
After all, it's for a good charity!
Some of the items being auctioned off...

Yankee Candle gift baskets.
2 Southwest tickets to anywhere in the US.
JW Marriott in NY.
Sports memorabilia. 
Home Depot gift cards & tools.
Restaurant gift cards. 
Golf.
Grocery.
Haircare.
Massage.
You see my dilemma?
I started bidding on everything.
Ha!

I started worrying that I would win too many items.

Thank goodness I was outbid on most everything.



The picture below is a gift package for the Red Door Spa.
I was trying to be incognito and my pictures proved it.



We really wanted those 2 Southwest tickets 
but these people were relentless.
It was so exciting to go around the room again and again 
to see if we had been outbid.

I ended up winning a beautiful basket of candy.
My grandkids are the ones who won!

Now to fit it all in my luggage.



Cranberry Festival

You heard me right. Cranberry Festival!



Who knew!?
We just don't have those in Florida.

When the sweet lady from the bagel shop recommended it,
I knew it was something I needed to attend.

Only because of the Ocean Spray commercial
did I know water was involved when harvesting cranberries.


Mark and I headed to Chatsworth, NJ.
We drove and drove and drove some more.

It was cool to see all the cranberry farms.

We finally arrived.
It was huge.
It's the 3rd largest cranberry festival in the US.
Thousands of people.
We learned a lot about harvesting & the use of cranberries.
It made me want to use them more often than just with my Thanksgiving turkey dinner. 

We were told that once the festival ended,
the town would be empty till next year.


We walked around for a few hours.
We sampled cranberries in everything.
Have you considered cranberry chili?
It's not bad.
How about chili hot sauce.
I'm a fan.

The weather was perfect.
I bought some treasures. 
It was a fun event.
Made for a lovely day.

We ended the day in a sports grill which we searched 
high and low for 
so we Mark could watch football.

Dolphins won (finally).
Jaguars lost (again).









Black Mountain Getaway

A couple weeks ago,
Mark needed to do a few repairs at our cabin in Black Mountain
so Abi & I volunteered to tag-along.


Abi made the trip a ball.
She is not your average 3 year old.
Party waiting to happen!
She is a delight to travel with.
Yes, I do sound like a MiMi.
The picture below is the view from our porch.
It was hazy so you can't see the mountains way out there
but you can see a little color was starting to show.

I forgot to bring my camera
so iPhone pics will have to do.



Abi posed for me at my beckoning requests.



 And there were more than a few.


 It is always so beautiful in North Carolina but especially during this time of year.
We did a little shopping and a little hiking 



but mostly just enjoyed being lazy at the cabin.


It was a quick weekend get-away
but I will take what I can get.

I hope you are having a beautiful day!

XO







Delightful Weekend

Early Saturday morning,
Mark & I hopped in our rented car and headed to New York City.
We are staying 90 minutes from the city so we knew we had to take advantage.
He always amazes me (scare the padootie out of me) as he drives down 7th Avenue. Craziness.




We saw 
I've seen it before but not in NY. 
It did not disappoint. 
We always get our tickets at TKTS.
It's the best place we have found to 
buy discounted tickets to all the plays.
We ended up just behind the orchestra.
Perfection!

We did some shopping and ate at the famous
2nd Avenue Deli.

It is one of my faves.
It reminds me of growing up in Miami and eating at Corky's.
Authentic kosher food.
Mark and I shared the best corned beef sandwich evah!


We enjoyed walking through the city
& spending the day together.

The Empire State Building 
is always impressive.

I was amazed how crowded the city was this weekend.
I may be getting old.
Ok, I AM getting old.
I walked around in Macy's for a couple floors 
and felt like a sardine. 
Just too many people so we left. 

It was a lovely day and I have a new appreciation 
for Siri as she guided us to and fro.
What would we do without our faithful friend?



Can't Fall Last Forever?

While be-boppin' through all the blogs I love,
I found so many beautiful ideas for Fall.

I have always loved flower boxes.
I share this one especially with you Mom.
Think we need to add some lights to your window box?
I do too.



Don't you love the sidewalk lined with pumpkins?
I just wanna be there.


I picked this up last night.
It's called A Womans Prague-ative.
I would have called it Glittery Fall.


I do adore this time of year.
I love all my boots and especially my Uggs.
It could be argued that they are ugly.
I don't think so but I've heard others say so.
Their comfort overrules that possibility.

Candy corn!

Apples!


Pumpkin Spice Latte!
(google images)

I could go on and on and on.
I won't.
At least, 
not for now.

Happy Fall to You!