The month of January is fast approaching….today my husband and I did this…
We said goodbye to our son and daughter and her new husband. The only thing that gave me a little bit of small hope is they all live in DC…but I cried…and cried….and then had some retail therapy…and silk pajamas did take away the sting for a bit…clearance pjs are even better.
Life when you have adult kids and you own a retail store is anything but relaxing…and honestly I’m not sad to see the holidays go. It is a blur of constant activity and absolute exhaustion. I feel that I live in a constant turmoil of being pulled in a million different directions and never feel that I am in the right place.
Christmas Day was a beautiful and quiet day. It was filled with just our immediate family. We opened presents slowly…we ate lunch when we felt like it…and it was an incredible day and I am grateful for it.
The month of December brought a staff Christmas party….
Christmas Dress up day….
Playing in church….
Sisters of Solace graduation where we presented the custom made necklaces….
Now we all get ready for a new year….cleaning up the old….throwing out what didn’t work…and working towards more simple…more getting by with less….and I’m ready.
My house has always had good bones…and good layout…she just didn’t look like I lived there….for ten years we have worked on her….and today….she finally looks like she belongs to me.
I know there are many brick purist but this brick on my house was some of the ugliest brick known to man..and no one will miss it.
I started the project with kilz for brick. I started rolling the entire brick but then decided I didn’t like the way the grout was showing through so I decided to brush it.
I also had painted my front door and I do like the color but May change it this next summer. I also plan on painting the patio…
So here is how it started….
And here is how it went….
We then decided to paint the trim black on the garage…and we really like how it turned out!!!
I have had the paint to do this project for about a year. I have not had the time to do it since we did a “cleaning up” of staff and restructuring. I now have a very capable staff and actually have my life back again who hnos something I haven’t had in such a very long time…that it almost feels weird.
So I started with the Rustoleum Floor system which is a two step process. The directions call for using a roller but I didn’t like the way my bathroom floors turned out, so I brushed all my floors and even though it was tedious the end result is exactly what I wanted!
My floors were the disgusting white tiled with some strange lines in them which made them look dirty constantly. I have hated them for ten years….
I have two dogs and one teen…so we will see how they hold up…but honestly even if I have to touch up every six months it will be worth it…
I did the first two coats and then let dry for six hours….I then did the stencil on top and let that dry for another hour. Then I did the sealer on top of that. The hardest part was my dogs….they did not understand why the kitchen was off limits…so they made it super difficult with them. However, the results were so worth it!
This will be done again after the holidays and I will also do the laundry room
The last month has been a crazy flurry of house projects and camping…work and school….
We took our camper on one last amazing camping trip where the weather was just fantabulous! We started the morning running the Donut Dash…Louie enjoyed it immensely!
Then it was time to go camping!
Beautiful day for a hike
Then it was time to celebrate Halloween….Ellie decided to dress like her youth pastor and won first place!
Then it was time for me and Louie to show what we got!
We won in the work Facebook post!
Then I clowned at St Francis! The kids are soo great there!
Then we went to the Mayors Thanksgiving dinner and we won an award for our business!!! Totally a surprise!
I then clowned at Roller Rama and enjoyed making balloons
I had a beautiful dress to wear to this event…but this event was outside and decided to be absolutely freezing with a high of like 54 degrees.
I told them how I appreciated the colors being for our beloved KC Chiefs…..😳
We walked up to the amazing tent….
We then waited on the bride and groom to get there…it was quite the ordeal….
A lot of people there to greet them
The food was amazing!
There was a family dance off!
The only pic of me on the dance floor…sadly no video Family Dance off It was freezing so my son brought out his Chiefs sweatshirt….at a venue with Eagle fans…😳
My only regret is that I should have just froze in my beautiful dress….but I chose comfort over beauty…..
It was a wonderful party….dancers kept dancing until after 8…party was over at 5….
The day decided to turn colder but still bearable…thankful for my shawl.
It rained during the bridal portraits but let up abo 15 minutes before the ceremony….
My daughter was the ring bearer/dog handler….
The dress can be cleaned thankfully, after the dog dragged my daughter through the grass…it provided much humor.
The dog whined as she didn’t understand why she couldn’t be by her owners My son read a verse My sister n law had a reading and even lost her shoe going on stage but none of us ever knew it until she told us.Trey finally got his brother! Trey participated in a ceremony which the brides brother was to participate in…very interesting. Reception time!!!Father/ Daughter dance where we all cried! Beautiful flowers
All weddings have hiccups and this one had some….but in the end…all that matters is who is getting married…and we are thrilled with the match!
Our day started with my coffee made with “love” from my fave coffee shop lady…then we took a 40 minute Uber ride out of the city and into the outskirts of Philly.
We arrived at our hotel and they had our reservation, but said we couldn’t check in until 4….we travel a lot and I’ve never heard of this at any hotel we have ever stayed at. I showed my annoyance…but didn’t lose my cool. Explained the situation about how we were here for a wedding celebration and said I hoped we could get a room earlier then 4. We then headed to my husbands sister and her husbands room…where another family member was also hanging out….and that just about sums up the entire next three days…constant flexibility.
We went ahead and went out to lunch and at a a place called Thunderbird. I have always had amazing service in Philly…we have been going there for 6-7 years and this was the first rude experience we have had. My husband said excuse me to the waitress because he couldn’t hear her and she was so flippin ride back I almost slapped her. She got my order wrong, my drink wrong…and lots of other things…but all of us were afraid to complain because we weren’t sure what she would do if we did. The guy behind us glared at us the entire time because apparently we were sitting at his “special table.” I kid you not, I’ve never had this experience….not even in NYC. Them when we got up to leave she complimented my shoes? I was like…take back your compliment…your too cranky to like my cute shoes….
We then headed back to the hotel….
A little cramped😬
But first Rita’s!!!!
My fave is mango slush with vanilla custard
If you’ve never been….just go….then tell me thank you!
Headed back to the hotel and our room was ready and I just about hugged the lady!! God love her! So we were able to move out of my sister n laws and brother n laws and I’m pretty sure they shouted hurray!!!
We then proceeded to get ready and head to my soon to be son in laws parents house….
Three of our children My sister n law with two of our daughters Cousin and daughtersMe with thet two children i gave birth to
Ellianna then did a ceremony with her soon to be brother n law…
Elisha and her dad
We then did some Henna…which is a leaf, I never knew that!
Then we had a lovely Indian meal with Naan and some tofu chicken which I had never had before…it was all very good!
Then back to our hotel to get ready for the next day of the actual wedding ceremony!
You can’t go to Philly without seeing the Liberty Bell…and even though I’ve gone before…it’s still a pretty amazing site to see…we explored the city with my husbands sister and her family. This being their first time in Philly it is impossible to see all the things…but we did our best to show them some important things!
We took them to Independence hall….
We then took them to the Museum of the American Revolution museum which has the coolest thing ever that if you are ever able to see you must go!
It’s soo neat to see!
It’s a very interactive museum…the first time we took Ellie, she was 11 and this time she just played along….
Then we needed to eat lunch so we headed to Reading terminal….which you must absolutely head to!
Straight to bed to begin an exhausting but three day wedding adventure….
If you ever happen to stay at this hotel….there is a coffee shop…where the sweetest lady will make your coffee with “love” and I adore her! Two days of coffee made with “love” I truly missed her when we stayed at the other hotel….
We have just returned from our fishing trip and I am exhausted…but yet here I sit trying to figure out great problems that don’t even exist yet while I try to get through a extremely busy four days….
First of all, as all trips go…nothing went as planned, my husband and I had different opinions on priorities…and Friday just wasn’t fabulous…but we pressed on.
Determined to get there we pull into our beautiful campsite on a Friday night….I seriously have no idea why I chose a Friday night….the campground was crazy…dogs barking everywhere and kids being kids. Trying to get the campsite set up before dark…I was hurrying and cut myself severely with a knife….so much so I thought I would faint.
We took one of our dogs this time as well…and I was so nervous that he would be horrible…in the end…he was a model doggie citizen.
This was only our fifth camping trip in our new to us A-liner, and we are getting better…but still learning. This was our first fishing trip together and let’s just say….we have much to learn.
Friday night was a restless night as it always takes me forever to fall asleep. I always make up things in my mind that are horrible that are impossible to have happen…but still…there was a faint possibility our camper would roll down the hill into the woods and I worried about it all night…because that’s who I am.
On fishing trips you don’t sleep in…we were up at 6 every single morning…with the only exception being today….which is a long story.
Saturday morning found me cranky and tired and the most serious bags under my eyes you ever did see. My husband decided to buy me a new fishing rod and reel for his birthday (because that’s what he does) and so our first plan was for me to learn how to use it…
Saturday we got skunked but really only had a couple of hours to practice so to me I just considered our tags a donation to the conservation department….your welcome!
Sunday found us rejuvenated….and you should know that most fisher men and women are very helpful and kind….and you learn a ton just by asking …who knew garlic would be a trouts best friend? But this trip it was!
My husband always catches the fish first…this one he threw backThen it was my turn….my very first trout ever!I caught two that day and my husband caught four….but I was elated!
Then Monday came….and boys and girls the fish gods were smiling on me….we had all our fish caught by 9:45….8 fish….all done! I also got the biggest one of the day…which gave me bragging rights all day!
This was my first day wearing hip waders ever and they certainly gave me advantage!
But no….definitely NOT attractive
Tuesday was a lot harder….the fish were skunking me…but finally…I caught two and my husband three. He technically caught four but one was too tiny….
We met the nicest people….one fisherman gave us his filet knife when he saw the crappy one we had…fisher people are just like that…and it gives me all the feels.
Our campsite was beautiful…
Our surroundings were breathtaking
Mark was able to take fly fishing lessons and get himself a nice rod and reel and some flies to begin this journey….
We ate well….got to use the pizza oven that our friends told us about and I got for Marks birthday!
Sooo good and soooo fast!
We of course enjoyed s’mores!
Mark made a cherry jubilee in the campfire coals….turned out pretty amazing!
It’s seriously a yellow cake mix…we recommend two jars of cherry pie filling and a can of ginger ale and if soo good!
We taught Ellie how to clean fish and cook…
Not her fave….we also forgot the filet cleaning board 😬
Fishing is not her fave….but she’s a good sport…she worked on a writing project, drew and entertained Louie.
Camping isn’t always relaxing…this trip was busy….I was dirty pretty much all the time…the showers at the campground were not ideal…I had enough dry shampoo when I got home today in my hair…it felt like straw…
There were daddy long legs constantly in the bathroom…the raccoons got into one of our coolers last night…and woke us all up at 1 am. Totally my fault…it started raining and I didn’t do my normal locking procedures and boy did we all pay! There is a couple of raccoons with my chicken chili and a whole bag of cheese farting their way through the state park! It rained every single night we were there except one….the bees were awful….but I am so grateful that we have a camper…it made life so much better!
If you wait to figure everything out for a new adventure you will never do it! Go do it! Learn from your mistakes and come back stronger!
The Reluctant Red Nose 