Weekend Wrap Up

I know that title it isn't all that clever, but I need to save all my clever for next semester when my students start showing up again ready to be entertained taught.

This past weekend has been very very quiet.  The kids were with their Dad, and Rich and I are not that loud...actually that really isn't all that true.  We laugh and act more goofy when we are alone, because we don't get the "you guys are really weird" lecture.  I must admit we are pretty weird, but the nice thing is that we are the same kind of weird...needless to say I enjoy my weekends with him.

Friday night we watched the new Gold Rush Alaska on Discovery.

Yes, It was Friday night and I was watching a reality show on the Discovery channel...I know, I know.

For some reason I have really gotten into this show, but I also found myself glued to the new Biggest Loser on Tuesday night...maybe my 40's are all about reality television.

crap 

We also ran to take Andrew his phone charger...yeah we are good like that.  Since we were in the neighborhood we stopped at our favorite restaurant and sat in the bar and got some appetizers and chatted, this was only after we went to Target and I spent some of my gift card from the kids at Bath and Body Works.

See I know what you are thinking, but the thing is it's THE BIG YELLOW sale and I got some kickin' deals.  You would do the same thing too...just admit it.

Saturday morning began with getting my name put on Rich's safe deposit box.

It is what all good married couples wait to do until 5 months after they get married.  

This was only after I bet Rich that he had gone to the wrong bank branch...and I was proven wrong.  Just so you know I am not afraid to admit when I am wrong...sometimes.  We ate breakfast at Denny's and cleaned the house.

Have I lost you yet??  Now is your chance to get out while it isn't too late...cause it just gets better from here.

We ate dinner at our favorite pizza place and made another trip to Target. We also made a risky trip to Off Broadway Shoes to replace my brown boots (who's heel broke as I was heading out the door last Tuesday causing me to have to re think my entire outfit, thankfully it included only having to iron pants.  I didn't have to try to navigate a new shirt, just the pants, needless to say I wasn't happy...at all).  The boots are in the garbage and have been replaced.  The risk was mitigated due to Rich's presence.  I only bought one superfluous pair of shoes.  They were 60% off cute white Converse shoes with a double tongue...I told myself that I would throw away my old pair of white Converse, but they are still in my closet "just in case".  And that ends our Saturday evening...well only after Rich ate his coconut M&M's we found at Target...to that I say YUCK.

Sunday started out with a great work out and a great salmon omelet...to that I say YUM.  I tried to make these yam muffins and ended up calling them YAK muffins...they were disgusting.  Sometimes healthy is good, and sometimes not so much.  Rich liked them (so he says).  Trust me it was the recipe not the cook.  We did laundry and...well that is about it.

Please forgive me, I usually am a little more exciting, and no I am sorry you can't get back the last five minutes of your life.

More Later

- A Ro

Project 365 Week 1 & 2

Here we go again!!  I am so thrilled to be participating once again with Sara and her Project 365.  I can't wait to put last years days into a book and remember what a wonderful year we had.  2011 is shaping up to be a great one too.  Week one only had one day in it so I am including it on this post.  I had a very boring week and my pictures were not too exciting.  But it is what it is.

Head on over to Sara's blog and check out all the other participants week.  I love sharing my life with you all this way.

Enjoy!!

Saturday January 1 2011

Yep...We Start With a Crappy Picture

My new phone is the source of this fantastic picture.  It is my brother Greg and my nephew JoJo just as we toasted Happy New Year.  I love this picture especially since it has the game we were attempting to play, and a guy eating a bagel on TV.  Great shot and what a great way to start this Project.  (Is the sarcasm too obvious??)

Sunday January 2 2011

Back to Homework

Yep, we came home to homework.  Bella just hunkered down and got it done, and managed to give me a goofy look in the process...that's my girl.

Monday January 3 2011

Maggie's Home!!!

Rich went and got Maggie tonight.  We were so glad to have her home and we really liked the kennel that we took her too...she even got a little stocking on Christmas day!!  We are glad to have all of our family members back.

Tuesday January 4 2011

Cheat Picture

OK...Today my sister Kate put this picture that Bella took on Facebook as her profile picture and I LOVE this picture so I stole it as my Tuesday picture.  I miss them!!!

Wednesday January 5 2011

Get to Work

Maggie laid down on the floor just like this.  It looked like she was doing her homework.  Too cute.

Thursday January 6 2011

Nice Surprise

Two of my favorite former students came to see me today.  I love visits from Jacob and Sabrina.  I do have the best job around.

Friday January 7 2011

Huh??

My kids were with their Dad this weekend so Rich and I went to browse Fry's Electronics to look for a GPS mounting clip (I know the excitement is killing you).  This particular Fry's was decorated in an Alice in Wonderland theme.  Totally facinated me, obviously.

Saturday January 8 2011

PIZZA!!

With the kids away Rich and I decided to go to our favorite pizza place.  I got out my camera to take a picture and almost missed the pizza.  Needless to say, adult conversation coupled with a great pizza made me forget that I was a blogger and need a good picture for today.  Silly me.

In Summary:  I think the first weeks of January have been completely normal.  Nice and normal.  We are all back to school, homework and all, and complete with pleasant surprises.  No kids weekend equals quiet dinners and errands, but I still miss my Iowa/Arkansas people.  May is right around the corner!!

More Later

- A Ro

Thankful Thursday

So many of the blogs I read do some kind of a Thankful Thursday.  I want to join in because today I am so very thankful for so many things.

But I have only one simple thank you for today and its for my Mom.

My Mom is one of the most generous people I know.  She would give you the shirt off her back if she thought you needed or wanted it.  However, most importantly, she is a generous soul.  She is someone who you could talk to for hours and makes you feel that she really cares.  She is patient and kind and puts others before herself.  She still takes care of me and is always very concerned about me and my well being.  She always makes us feel welcome in her home and goes out of her way to make everyone comfortable.  She loves her grand kids, kids, and their respective spouses and now that includes Rich and Rich's kids. She treats the newest members of her family with such kindness and respect, and welcomes them into her home and without batting an eye makes them feel like they belong.  Above and beyond all of this is what happens at Christmas.  Her home is so beautiful and welcoming, every year she puts up all the decorations (with the help of John), and makes her home so inviting and has the spirit of Christmas down to a tee.  Her house is the hub of activity during this time and all the gifts she gives are so special and thoughtful.  I love being at my Mom's house during the holidays...heck I love being at my Mom's house any time, it is truly my happy place.

I am so thankful that my mom is...mine.

Thanks Mom...for everything, and I love you.


More Later

- A Ro

A Place for All

The dreaded first day back to school/work from an extended holiday is always rough.  Especially when you only have one day between said holiday and the first day back to reality.  Especially if you are me and you have the overwhelming obsession need to have everything in order before life starts again.  AND especially if you are a little blue due to the fact that you had to leave these faces behind.

Yeah...rough, I know.

So we get home about an hour late on Saturday night and I find the following:

1.  Christmas presents that weren't taken with us all over the coffee table and floor.

2.  Assorted boxes in a pile (that I must break down and save for next year...cause that's the kind of crazy that I am).

3.  Piles of used wrapping paper in garbage bags with other boxes that must be put in the recycle bin. 

4.  A full, but thankfully, clean dishwasher.

5.  Wrapping essentials still out.

6.  An un-made bed.

7.  Clean laundry and towels in baskets left over from the loads we did before we packed.

8.   Dog hair everywhere. 

Now I realize that all those things are very normal things to find in your house when you return from a Christmas vacation, but all those things drive me crazy in and of themselves, but to have them greet me first thing after having to leave this:

...made my crazy seem a little worse.

Thankfully I have Rich...the man who can very easily, with one touch or kind word, talk me down from the ledges and he quickly got me feeling that everything will be OK....eventually.

Now I don't know about you but I feel the unstoppable urge to unpack and go through all the mail as soon as I get home.  I mean as SOON as I get home...as in shut the door, unpack, read mail.  Now Rich was wise to this, I think, because he sneakily stopped the mail while we were gone not to have it delivered until Monday, so the mail thing was not an issue.  But the unpacking was still on the agenda.

I have totally given up on Andrew (my 15 year old son) and the packing/unpacking thing.  He is on his own.  His door can be shut, and I can put my fingers in my ears and pretend it doesn't exist. 

Rich knows me all too well and either unpacks too or just doesn't leave anything out so that I can see it is unpacked.

So that leaves me, Bella, and all the gifts to unpack.  Piles were made, things were sorted and organized, and items were delivered to their respective rooms to be put away.  I don't remember hitting the pillow that night.

Sunday was the day to get everything done before Monday morning rolled around.  We made a grocery list, grocery shopped, paid bills, balanced the checkbook, did laundry (not sure how we still had laundry when I did it at Mom's before we left), cleaned bathrooms, vacuumed, mopped, took down Christmas, and organized closets and drawers.

You see my own kind of crazy involves everything in my house having a place and it being put into its place more often than it is not in its place.  So when you get new things ie Christmas gifts, they must be put into a place.  This means, sometimes, getting rid of things.  So Bella's clothes got a purging to make room for the new stuff, art bins were sorted to be able to assimilate the new stuff, and my kitchen cabinets had to be re-organized to accommodate my new FOOD PROCESSOR!!!

Yes Rich, my loving husband, got me a new food processor.  I love it so much I want to date it on a serious basis.

I must note that I love getting kitchen stuff for gifts.  I know most wives hate it, but not me...gizmos, gadgets, appliances...bring them on.  Now mind you I also get a few romantic things and Victoria Secret bags filled with wonderful things too, but nothing beats silicone tongs, dutch ovens, new knives, and food processors...nothing I tell you.

So Monday and Tuesday were get back to work, school, exercising, and are a total blurr.

So here it is Wednesday and I actually had time last night to go buy a lottery ticket, dream about what we would do with $355 million, and sit on my couch and watch The Biggest Loser.  

Things are back to normal, in their places,...and in perspective.

More Later

- A Ro

Happy New Hodgepodge

It is time for this weeks Hodgepodge from Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond.  Head on over check out the questions answer on your blog and link up.  In fact make it one of your New Year's resolutions.

1. What three words would you use to describe 2010?

Best Year Ever (I married the man of my dreams)

2. If fear were not an issue what is something you'd like to try?

Teaching music in the inner city.  I just know that I could really help some kids, but my wonderful job and the fear of the unknown keeps me where I am.

3. What do you add to your coffee or tea?

I have sugar and cream with some coffee.  Tea is just tea with a little sweetener.

4. What historical sporting event would you like to witness?

I think I would like to witness the USA's win over the Soviet Union in hockey at the Olympics.  I love a good underdog story.

5. What is one piece of advice you would like to give your sixteen year old self?

Well, I would like to say that I would like to tell myself to not let Rich get away, but then I look at our beautiful kids and would never trade them for anything.  So I would tell myself to lose the blue eyeshadow, the feathered hair, and love every moment from then on.

6. Are you a planner or do you prefer to fly by the seat of your pants?

P.L.A.N.N.E.R.  I plan everything, but I am flexible...if that makes any sense.

7. What is one thing you are looking forward to in 2011?

Getting to see my family in the Midwest again.  May and August are right around the corner.

8. I usually do a summary but Bella took this video of my niece and nephew and it cracks me up especially what Jojo does at the end.  Make sure you have the volume up.  I love these guys so much!!!

More Later

- A Ro

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Now that my Christmas Tree is down, my decorations are put away, Starbucks is back to its normal cups, and I must start back to my routine of exercising (gasp), eating something other than sugar cookies and chocolate (gasp), and starting to plan my next semester (gasp).  I thought I would reflect on some things I did during my two week break...and what a break it was!!

I may or may not have ever put on pants that require a zipper.

I may or may not have taught my neice Abby the meaning of bling.

 
I may or may not have enjoyed the snow...just a little.

I may or may not have wished to have more long drawn out conversations with this guy.

 or this one...

I may or may not have wished I still believed in Santa.

I may or may not have wished I still lived at my Mom's house.

I may or may not have been constantly amazed at how great Rich's kids are and how they fit right in.  Fake it until you make it all you want...you both are wonderful.

I may or may not have about fifty pictures like the one below on my camera.

I may or may not have licked the spoon one or ten times.

I may or may not have cursed myself for wanting to be "crafty".

I may or may not have kissed this face a million times.

I may or may not have secretly loved every minute of Christmas shopping.

I may or may not have fallen in love with this man a hundred times over.

I may or may not have wished I lived in Arkansas.

I may or may not have knitted and pearled until my fingers were numb.

I may or may not have wished for more moments like this one.

or this one...

I may or may not have enjoyed our usual "look Amy is the shortest one" or "mom's wallpaper" picture.

 

I may or may not have spent entirely too long wrapping presents, due to my obsessive need to have them perfect.


I may or may not have wished that I could spend every New Years Eve with this one.

 I may or may not be the luckiest gal in the whole world.


More Later

- A Ro

Project 365 Week 52 and Final Week of 2010

Well I did indeed take a much needed break from blogging.  My intentions were to blog everyday of my winter break, ha ha!!  I did so much and squeezed so much into the past two weeks and I can't wait to share some precious moments.

But first...

My final pictures of 2010!!

Sunday December 19

Fireplace in California???

It rained all week so we fired up the fireplace and pretended it was winter.

Monday December 20

Good Intentions...Bad Picture

Tonight we went to my friend Vicki's house for dinner.  Our first official day of break and it was a wonderful evening.  However, I forgot to take a picture until we were leaving.  Not a great picture, but I'll remember what it represents...rain and all.

Tuesday December 21

Out on My Own

Finished my Christmas shopping today and enjoyed some sushi.  Quiet, alone, and nice.  Not that I don't appreciate or love to eat with my family, but sometimes it is nice to sit and be alone.

Wednesday December 22

Crafty

Finished my Christmas blanket and Bella's blanket today.  It is easy work, but very time consuming.  Sat in front of the TV, laughed at the soap operas, and tied.  Fun.

Thursday December 23rd

In the Kitchen

Bella and I baked and decorated cookies for a Christmas Eve party we go to every year.  They turned out great!!

Friday December 24th

Cute, Happy Couple

Having a great time at a Christmas Eve party.  We enjoyed hanging out with our friends and eating a great meal.

Saturday December 25th

Ho Ho Ho

Santa showed up and brought the kids some great stuff.  We had a nice Christmas morning and then off to the airport to go to IOWA!!!!!

Sunday December 26th

Cute Girls

Abby and Rich's daughter share a moment.  Abby loves her and smiled and wanted to be picked up by her all week.  Cute girls.

Monday December 27

Smily Abby

Took this pic with my phone and not sure how to make it any bigger without it being distorted.  Any help??  Anyway she is SO cute and smiles SO big.  I just love her to pieces.

Tuesday December 28th

Why I Love the Snow

Woke up this morning to this gorgeous site.  My mom's farm looked so amazing.  This is why I love the snow....for a little bit!!

Wednesday December 29

Another Abby

I do have some great pictures of Abby that aren't taken with my phone.  She was so happy all the time...well most of the time.  I can't get enough of this chicky.

Thursday December 30

I Know...I Know.

She loved Fazoli bread sticks.  She is so cute.  She makes my heart sing.  P.S. I do have other nieces and nephews that also are cute and make my heart sing.  Check back later for those pics.

Friday December 31st.

New Years Eve Buddies

We went to my brother Ryan's house for New Years Eve.  We had SO much fun.  I was so blessed to ring in the new year with all my family. 

So thus ends my year.  I can't wait to do this again next week and put together my book.  What a great year and heres to more great memories and living a happy life.  

More Later

- A Ro