January Recap

Were has the month gone?  It seems like it was just yesterday that I was thinking about Christmas and now Valentine's day is just around the corner.  I was doing fairly well posting until I got sick with a cold.  Then I got better and oops - there it is again.  Anyway, I am on the up swing, I think - so let's see if we can recap the month.

I started going to Yoga the first of January.  I go twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday).  It might not be aerobic exercise, but I have really enjoyed going and I think it is good for balance.  I also volunteer at one of the gift shops at the Village Square on Wednesday mornings.  Also, I am now the Secretary on the Executive Committee for the Village - so that means I have meetings the Thursday of every month for the Executive Committee and a Membership wide meeting the third Thursday of every month.  Then I have to transcribe the notes from each meeting and put a recap in our local newspaper.  Now add on top of all this we both are having a lot of doctor's appointments.  Seems like we don't have time for anything else - but we do.

Monday I sat down and got the bills paid for the first of the month and made a menu plan for the month.  (I just do so much better if I have a plan).  We decided that we would only buy groceries for two weeks and made two trips every month instead of one big trip.

Tuesday was Yoga first thing in the morning and then I started on some cleaning out projects.  I know that you are suppose to wait for Spring Cleaning, but the weather has been pretty good and it was a really good time to get some things done.

The first Wednesday of the month we had dinner at Bud and Joyce's along with Neil and Carol and Dan and Kathryn.  It was a nice time with some good friends.  Thursday I started the day with blood work then Yoga at the community center.  Then, after lunch, it was off to the first Executive Committee meeting of the year.

Friday we went to the grocery store in Perry after a quick stop at Sonic for lunch.  

All during the week Dan had been working on the yard.  One of our friends came over with a tractor that had a root rake on the front.  He mostly worked on the back yard to get all the old roots and plants out.  When he left, the roots were gone but we had a mess.  So, another friend came over with his tractor that has a box blade on the front.  A couple of hours later and we have a flatter yard but still a lot of trash. 

The next step was to get some dirt/clay mixture delivered to give a good base for the patio stones to go back in.  We really wanted this to come directly off the back porch with just a very small step down.  So, we are working on the walkway from the back porch to the patio area.  Then we'll tackle the patio area.  Down the road we are planning on building a pergola here (hopefully later this spring - before it gets too hot).

In the meantime, I worked on raking the yard and getting all the trash that has accumulated in the yard out.  It took two days but I was able to get the front and back yards done.  (I still need to do the side yard, but I hope to get that done in the next week or so.)

Tuesday, the 10th, after Yoga I had a hair appointment.  Wednesday was working at the shop.  Thursday we had dinner at our friend's Carol and Neil before heading down to the Village Church for a program that is part of the Artist Series.  This month was the Annie Moses Band.  Carol and her sister had seem the band in November up in Shipsawana and loved them, so we were really looking forward to seeing them.  However, neither Carol and Neil nor Dan and I were impressed with the show they presented here.  Oh well,  we'll just know not to go next year.

Friday the 13th I had an appointment for my bone density test (was this an omen?)  Anyway, I started with the first bout of "the" cold over the weekend.  I was down the entire weekend, but was feeling better by Wednesday and was able to work my shift at the shop.  Thursday was the Membership Council meeting.  Friday we were suppose to go to Madison to another show (Ragtime and Boogie-Woogie at North Florida Community College) with dinner at Denny's before but Dan was not feeling well and I was starting to feel bad again.  So, no show or dinner.  I was suppose to take Mom to a quilt show in Trenton, but by Saturday morning I was quite sick AGAIN!  I called her because I was determined to take her, but she insisted that I stay home.  So after another weekend in bed I finally started feeling better by Tuesday just in time for Jessie's appointment with the vet.  (She is doing great!)

Wednesday was work at the shop and then Thursday we were in Lake City for Dan's appointment for his electrocardiogram. The last couple of days of the week we experienced beautiful weather - so we opened up the house hoping to air out all the germs and help us get over this junk!  I also got the results of my bone density test and have to see the doctor to see what our next step will be as the test was not good at all.  

This weekend we have just been trying to get over this cold.  The weather has turned cold and we are enjoying sitting in the family room in front of the fire.  Next week I have a doctor's appointment in Gainesville - so it all starts again.

Hopefully, in the next few days we will be both be over this cold and we will be done with doctor's appointments (although Dan has three doctor's appointments in February and I have one.  Oh the joys of getting older, but it is better than the alternative!)

Hope you had a good month - and have stayed well!  Talk to you later!!!!

Christmas Day

Well, I didn't quite make this post as soon as I thought.  Everything was going well until I decided to catch another cold.  This thing is everywhere in the Village, but I was hoping that I wouldn't catch it.  Nope, not to be.  Anyway, I am feeling some better today and thought I should get this post knocked out so I can start posting about the new year.

So,  Saturday morning we were up and ready to get things packed and get the car loaded.  We decided to take my car instead of the Dan's truck because it gets better gas mileage and it would give Jessie more room since we could put our luggage (which consisted of two overnight bags) and all the gifts in the trunk and Jessie would have the entire back seat for herself.  Plus we wouldn't have to worry about someone seeing the presents in the back seat and breaking into the truck if we made a pit stop.

We split up driving down - Dan drove first and then I took over after leaving the interstate heading for Lakeland.  We stopped at the hotel and checked in as we had to drive right by it on the way and it made things so much easier when we came back home Christmas Eve night.

We arrived at the kids house around 4 and visited with everyone.  Crystal was there as well as the Donnie and Emily. 

Melissa had dinner catered but we weren't going to eat until they got home from church.  I helped Melissa get the girls ready for church, but Dan and I stayed at the house and did not attend.

 Getting ready to "twirl"

 Twirling!
Such pretty girls.

Donnie, Crystal, and Emily went to Olive Garden to pick everything up (of course, they screwed up the order, but Melissa would have to deal with that later, as they closed at 7:30).  There was plenty of food - three different types of pasta, three different meats and sauces, salad, and three different types of cheesecakes.   Justin's parents and sister with her family came over after church and we all sat down and had a great meal together.  The kids ate on the back porch (three older kids and Lorelai and Ada) and the adults ate inside.

After eating Justin's family left and Dan and I got ready to go to the hotel.

First we watched the girls open their Christmas Eve present - new pajamas and a new movie to watch.

Here's my adorable Ada-Bear 
While Lorelai loved the PJ's she wouldn't wear the tutu or
let me take her picture.

Dan and I had to leave Jessie at the kids house and then we headed to the hotel.  I slept okay (but I had brought my pillow from home).  We were up pretty early (6ish) and headed out the door around 6:30.  We got to the house before the girls were up.

Hard and fast asleep!
So sweet.
Melissa went in and woke the girls up after everyone got to her house - Dan and I, her Dad - Donnie, and her half sister - Emily. Her sister - Crystal - was staying with them in "Nana's" room.



After taking a few minutes to wake up in there mommy's lap the girls were ready to see what Santa had brought them.

New bikes for both the girls!

Then it was time for the stockings!

The girls "only" received a few things from Santa - their bikes, three wrapped presents, and their stockings.  Everything else came from their parents, grandparents, or Aunts.

(Everything under the tree is only from our "side" of the family - they went to Justin's parents house later in the day)

Now I could add a hundred pictures (yes, I think I really took that many), but I won't.  I'll just add a few.

Ada decided she needed to take a break and eat.

After everything was opened the kids got dressed and went to Justin's parents house.  Before they left I took a picture of the living room.  It was twice this when they came home.  LOL!

After they left I wondered where Dan had disappeared to.

This is where I found him.

After his little nap we left the kids house and went over to Dan's oldest daughter's house.  We visited with her family for a little while and then we went back to the kids house.  We were suppose to have Chinese and game night - well, we had the Chinese but Dan was tired and so we didn't stay for the game night - I think Melissa was a little upset with us -but Dan had not slept well the night before and we had to drive home the next day.

Anyway, we went back to the hotel and tried to relax a little - I think Dan slept a little better Christmas night, but I didn't sleep that well.  Such is the life of staying in a hotel.  (I don't remember ever having trouble sleeping when I was younger, but I don't do well in any bed but my own.  Guess that's one of the reasons we like to have a camper - doesn't matter where you are you still have your own bed.)

The morning of the 26th we met Dana and her family as well as Cara and her son at a local breakfast place, ate and visited for a while.  Then we went to Melissa's to pick up Jessie and tell everyone goodbye.  After a quick trip back to Dana's to pick up a Fitbit we were on the road for home.

We had an awesome Christmas (Dan and I had opened our gifts at home before leaving for Lakeland on Christmas Eve day).

I tried to limit the number of pictures I shared today - as I said I could have downloaded 100's of pictures, but I think you see how much fun the girls had and that we all had an awesome time.

Hope you enjoyed a little of our family Christmas.

Later in the week I'll try and get you caught up on the last week of December and the first couple of weeks of January!

December Recap Part 2

Hello again!  Don't faint, but I am back with two posts in one week!  How did that happen?????  I did say that I would post the rest of the December recap and here I am - are you ready???

I ended my last post with our trip to Fantasy of Lights on Sunday night.  Monday my daughter went to work and the girls went to school.   I headed out shopping, but I was to meet Melissa at their house around 2 so we could take cupcakes to Adalyn's class for one last round of celebrating her birthday.  When we got to school, Lorelai's teacher said that Lorelai had been asleep (unusual for her, but I thought she was just tired from the full weekend).  We woke her up in her class and headed to Ada's class for the cupcake celebration.  All of Ada's class was happy to eat all the sugar sweetness - but Lorelai didn't want hers.  (red flag number two)  The entire time we were in Ada's class Lorelai kept saying she was cold even though she had on her little jacket (red flag number three).  As we were putting the girls in the car I thought Lorelai felt a little warm and mentioned it to Melissa - and when we got home Lorelai wanted to go to bed and wanted to get under the blankets.  Melissa took her temperature and it was only around 99.  An hour later she took it again and it was over 104....  Then she started throwing up!

Well, to make this long story somewhat shorter - she was sick all week - wouldn't eat anything until Friday and drank very little.  Melissa's sister-in-law works for the girls doctor so she called and got some medicine - for the throwing up, but it just had to run it's course.  Melissa was able to work from home and I still was able to finish up my shopping on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings but I stayed home with Lorelai Thursday and Friday.  Since she was feeling better on Friday Melissa decided that she could be in the program at school (the reason I stayed all week) with Ada.

Ada's new thing is putting her head over on her shoulder.

Don't know where that came from.

The program was cute, but it was super crowded.  The only place for us to sit was in the balcony so the pictures are not that great as they were taken with my phone (forgot to bring my camera). 

Ada's class sang 'Santa Claus is coming to town'.

See her in her sparkly red dress right there in the center?

 After each class finished the kids were released to their parents.  Justin went down and got Ada, but she started crying.  She cried and cried.  I got her and took her around the corner and asked her what was wrong.  She wanted to go back on stage and sing some more.  I explained to her that she had already had her turn and now it was the other kids turn and their parents wanted to see the others sing too.  That seemed to satisfy her and she quit crying and went down to be by her mom while we waited for Lorelai's class.

Lorelai's class did "Mr. Grinch".  It's a little hard to see Lorelai, as she is on the back row, but she is right in front of one of the teachers.

 Sorry this is so blurry.

I think she did an awesome job for being out all week and missing

all the practice time.

After the program Santa was in the lobby for the kids to visit along with some refreshments.  The girls wanted to see Santa, so Melissa and I stood in line in a very crowed lobby.  All of a sudden Ada decided she needed to go to the potty - so Melissa got out of line to take here.  As  Melissa was washing her hands Ada darted out of the bathroom and the door closed on her thumb.  She was screaming and Melissa thought she had broken her thumb!  Well, a trauma nurse just happened to be right there - she looked at Ada's thumb, sent her kids for ice, Melissa said she put her thumb back in place, and then she stopped and prayed right there.  Ada immediately calmed down.  Her poor little thumb was twice the size of the other and she didn't want anything to do with Santa after that.

 Melissa and Lorelai

 Talking to Ada - trying to get her to come see Santa.

 Ada not a fan.

(and you can tell that Lorelai was wiped and ready for bed)

 Poor little Ada-Bear.

She didn't want anything to do with that man!

Her poor little thumb.

And Lorelai was just worn out - she fell asleep in her car seat on the way home and the kids only live about 10 minutes from the church.

Anyway, we went home and put the girls to bed - I told them goodbye as I was leaving the next morning for home, but I said that I would be back the next weekend with "P".

I was up and on the road early the next morning - before anyone in the house was up except Justin.  Got home early in the afternoon and after resting for a little while, Dan and I got in the truck and headed for Sam's in Valdosta.  We were having an open house on Tuesday and needed to get what we could and still give me time to go into town for anything that wasn't at Sam's.

My oldest daughter came in on Monday and she was a tremendous help to me on Tuesday getting ready for the Open House.  I don't think I could have done everything without her help.  Following are pictures of the house and tables before people starting coming.

Crystal kept on eye on all the tables and replenished the food as needed so I could greet and talk to our guests.

 

We had an awesome time but BOY was I tired when the last couple left at around 8:30.  Crystal was a God send once again with helping clean up and she did all the dishes and let me go in and put my feet up.

Wednesday morning I worked my shift at the gift shop in the Village Square.  Dan and Crystal came down to visit for a few minutes, while Dan returned some of the items that I borrowed for the Open House (coffee urn, punch bowl etc.).  After work we had some lunch then Crystal was ready to head down to Lakeland to her sister's.  I wished her safe travels and that we would see her on Saturday.

Thursday was gift wrapping day.  Dan set up a folding table for me in the family room - put in 'Miracle on 34th Street' and I started the wrapping journey.  It only took two movies to get everything done.

 Here's a couple of the tree all lit at night.

I love pictures of the Christmas tree lit with no other lights on.

Well, once again I have bombarded you with a picture heavy post and I haven't done Christmas day yet.

So, I think I will do one more post of just Christmas.

Maybe tomorrow????