Wassup??

Outside my window: Frigid---still---snow flurries, but not amounting to anything.

I am thinking: About all the of the things I'd like to get accomplished this weekend. Most of it fun.

I am thankful for: Leftovers in the refrigerator.

From the kitchen: I cooked last night for the first time in weeks---since I've/we've been traveling. You can hardly call it cooking when I pulled one of my freezer meals out of the freezer. I just added new potatoes and frozen broccoli. Pretty easy.

I am wearing: Just settled in to my jammies for the evening.

I am hoping: That all of this walking on my treadmill pays off. So far so good. I don't want to share because I don't want to jinx myself! 

I am reading: A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell (author of The Sparrow; Children of God---which were excellent). I'm having a bit of a hard time getting in to it. I need to spend at least a solid hour devoted to it. I did finish another book recently---Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. It was really good, but very sad---about a guy who was blamed as a teen for a murder he did not commit and how it ruined his life. We actually have a case like that in Nashville. Recently they found out who really did it, but unfortunately, it's too late to repair the damage to that teen---now adult.

I am busy creating: I'm finishing up a few things for the wedding. Will share later. Also, on my ski trip last week, I made a few pairs of boot toppers. I used a knitting pattern and a crochet pattern. Both were pretty easy. 

I'm bummed: That I had to return some bras. I managed to pick up nursing bras. Go figure.

I am hearing: ABC Nightly News.

Around the house and garden: In preparation for the rehearsal dinner next Friday night which is going to be here, I've done just a very little Valentine decorating. Since it's going to be February 14th, I thought it was the perfect thing to do.

 I used some vintage valentines from my scrapbook stash. I added a few candles, books, tea cup and an old camera.

The fruit and floral arrangement normally resides on my dining room table. Since I plan to have a fresh arrangement, I moved it to here. I couldn't believe that next to the painting, it looked like it just "fell off"---it seems to match so closely.

In other news: Today, I'm going to see/meet/hear Lady Fiona Canarvon from Highclere Castle (home to Downton Abbey) at our Antique and Garden Show tomorrow. I've gotten a group of my friends together. We'll have lunch at The Southern after. 

BTW---have I mentioned that I'm also hooked on Call the Midwife? OMGosh---I love it. It's also on PBS. Season 3 starts up March 29.

One of my favorite things right now: I can't get enough of fires in the fireplace. This cold weather makes it perfect for just chilling out in front of one.

I appreciate: My bridge partner. We haven't played in 4 weeks---and we came in "first" today.

I regret: That I will not be able to complete my plan of seeing all of the Academy Award Nominees for Best Picture. I get my friends together for Movie Mondays. We've only seen 4 of them so far. We've missed Philomena as it's already gone. Movies come and go so fast. This week, we saw Her. We all agreed that it was pretty weird---certainly NOT best picture material. Twelve Years a Slave was fabulous and definitely worth best picture. We loved Gravity, but not for best pic. It's just a shame that pictures that were showing much earlier in the year don't get nominated. The Butler should have been on the list.

How the weekend is shaping up: The "kids" are coming over for happy hour and dinner tonight. After that, I plan to hang out in my scrapbook room quite a bit over the weekend. And I really need to devote some time to my book. Can't wait.

I hope you have a great weekend too. Do something just for yourself!

Five Things Thursday

Five things I've seen on the internet lately:

The best baby laugh ever:

http://truthseekerdaily.com/2013/11/this-will-crack-you-no-matter-who-you-are/

The piano guys:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n543eKIdbUI#t=230

Start a fire with a water bottle---in case you ever are in survival mode!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwQJ-3pZfwc#t=205

How to clean your dishwasher---awesome---be sure to read the last tip for all of you that clean your dishes before you put them in!

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/how-to-clean-your-dishwasher.html

How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew:

http://www.reshareworthy.com/open-wine-bottle-without-corkscrew/

One Woman's Waste of Time is Another Woman's Priority!

While on our trip this past weekend, my friends and I were talking about how we spend our limited spare time. Everyone knows I follow over 200 blogs---and the funny thing is---I'm the only one in my circle of family and friends that follows any blogs at all! Well, except they read mine and might click over to a link I've posted, but that's about it.

I read blogs because I have an innate quest for learning. I want to learn as much as I can---I might not always remember stuff, but I love learning it---which, technically isn't really learning it after all. So, let's just say, I love discovering new things whether I'll remember them or not. I love little peeks in to other's lives. Maybe I'm just nosy. One thing is for sure, I discover a lot. The internet is amazing.

I was showing Karolyn and Pam how I use a "blog reader" to keep up. On a daily basis, there can be as many as a hundred new posts. Yes, that's a lot of reading. But here's the thing---you do not have to read everything. I zip through and decide what I'm interested in reading. I add them to my reading list. I  have many favorite bloggers where I read everything they post. I've even become "internet friends" with many of them. I love that!

So, realistically, how much time does it take to keep up with that many blogs? I'd say about an hour a day. You'd be surprised at how fast you can zip through a hundred posts. It's when I'm out-of-town that I get behind. I'm okay with that. I actually like the fact that I have plenty of reading material on my list. Now that I have my treadmill desk, I'm loving the work out I get at the same time.

Karolyn made the comment that all of my blogs would be way too overwhelming for her and she would not have the time. On the other hand, she and Pam play Sudoku with their coffee every morning. That's how they choose to spend an hour. I'd rather read something.

Here are a few quotes I've recently discovered---where? You guessed it---from my blogs! This is one of my favorites: Missus Wookies Wanderings. I LOVE "Ted Talks" and she's got some good ones on that post.

“Go to bed smarter than when you woke up.”
— Charlie Munger

How to get smarter:

Warren Buffett says read a lot---500 pages a day. 

The best thing a human being can do is to help another human being know more.”
— Charlie Munger 

Those quotes sum it up for me.

Posting to my own blog takes about another hour a day. I can't do that on the treadmill---remember the crappy typing while walking? My goal is to post 4 or 5 times a week. The "natives" get restless if I don't.

Now, let's talk about Facebook, Pinterest and computer games. To me, these are the real time wasters.  I check Facebook about once or twice a week, Pinterest---only when I'm looking for something (I spent 33 minutes today looking for ideas using corks---more on that later) and I NEVER play computer games---except the family games I have going on my phone. I just don't have the time for that frivolous stuff.

Did I say frivolous? What I meant was---one woman's waste of time is another woman's priority!! I'll stick with my blogs.

Less Than Two Weeks to "I Do!"

Stephanie and Nicky have known each other since the 2nd grade. They have been friends since then. Finally, a few years ago, it started to blossom in to something else. Not only is Nicky perfect for her, he's perfect for US!!! Let me explain.

While we were on our ski trip last week, Steph emailed us that they wanted to come over to watch the Superbowl with us. We didn't get home until about 3:30, but I knew I could put something together without having to stop at the grocery store. I've always said, give me a stocked pantry and I can pull a party together in an hour. They brought queso and beer. I added crab spread, bbq meatballs and toasted ravioli---perfect football fare.

When they arrived, I said that I was so glad they came. With my recent traveling, I haven't had much of a chance to catch up with the girls. Steph said that they had considered inviting a few friends over but Nicky said, "why don't we just hang out with your parents." How perfect is that? There's nothing we like better than when any of the family wants to "hang" with us. We'll take it any time!! I'm just glad that Nicky feels such a part of the family that he is comfortable being with us.

The wedding is planned for Feb. 15---small and intimate. Still, I have a lot of fun ideas that I have planned---all of which I'd like to share here. BUT, we are having a big party in St. Louis in June just for our family---and I'm from a BIG one. I plan to recreate the same things we're doing here---then. I kind of hate to spoil the surprise, so I'll just share a few things.

It won't be long now...

On the Move

Heading home today to Superbowl Sunday. Stephanie and Nicky have invited themselves to a party at our house. Mindy and Justin already had plans, so it will just be the 4 of us. That's fine because Steph and I need to go over the wedding plans---just two weeks away now!!

Although the wedding is going to be low-key, I still want to make it nice. I'll be sharing some of the things I've done afterwards. As for now, I just have a couple of things to do this week...

Good bye Colorado, hello Nashville!! It'll be good to be home. I miss my treadmill desk!!

Weather Issues

With the recent deep freeze in the South---we still didn't get any snow in Nashville---just another dusting. Turns out, we had to go to Colorado to finally experience some snow. And, boy, did we!!! The prediction was 15-30 inches. We found out today that we got 26 inches yesterday. That's a lot of snow. They are predicting another 5 inches today.

This is what it looked like yesterday morning around 5-ish. I love looking out on that fir tree with the white lights.

 This was about noon---just so pretty to look at. If I had to be out in it, I'd probably hate it.

This morning, the snow has nearly reached the top of the deck rail. We have beer buried in there somewhere.

The only problem is that if you've come out here to ski---you can't. The gang went out yesterday, but came back within a couple hours. Due to the continuing snow, they were not grooming the mountain. Butch said you were literally skiing UNDER the snow---could not see your skis at all. It was way too hard. He said his legs felt as if he was on his last day rather than his first. I hate that skiing might be out of the question---the whole reason we come out here. Well, not me. I haven't been able to ski for quite a few years now. I miss it.

We girls did some knitting/crocheting. I'm making boot cuffs for Christmas. I'll share a photo and the pattern when I get them finished. We'll probably spend the day watching a few movies. The only problem, we don't really have enough food. I guess we should have made a run on the grocery store when we had the chance! At least that's what the southerners do.

7:30 a.m. Today:

This is the rental car from the front door.

Five Things Thursday on Friday

I'm just really behind. But as it turns out, I have 5 more layouts left from our little retreat to the farm that I have not shared yet.

 "Dressing the Table" is my 2013 Thanksgiving layout.

 This layout and the one below document Christmas 2013. I made one for each of the girls albums.

 I do not like to duplicate. I prefer that when I am using the same photos or story, that I make the layout different----just more fun for me.

Christmas 1984---little by little, I'm scrapbooking the older stuff. It's not really my current style as I prefer to scrapbook the little day-to-day sorts of things. Actually, I don't know why I say that. I really like it all and DO it all!!

Five more photos:

When we're at the farm, we have the perfect set-up. We put up the tables in the middle of the living room. When there's just the three of us, we each have our own 8 ft. table.

 This is my spot. I clean up after each layout to try to keep myself somewhat organized.

 This is Pam's spot. She was putting an album together.

 Karolyn faces me. Since it's her place, she has a sewing machine for us to use. She also takes her Cricut so we have that too. We do not have internet access, but I bring my laptop and printer so we can journal.

Actually, this all looks pretty neat considering it's scrapbooking! Normally, my room at home looks like a bomb went off when I'm working.

And finally---a couple more:

 I took an early morning walk. It's so pretty and peaceful in the country.

As I was walking along, I wondered, who would come along and cut up an old tree. Why bother? It's the woods. Since they didn't haul it away, what's the point?

Ohhh, for more times like this....