New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve already.....  Oh my, time sure goes by quickly.   A tradition in Tim's family started when he was just a child is to have New Year's Eve dinner as a family.  That in itself is so peaceful and loving.   This family dinner has evolved just a bit since Tim was a little kid.  Now, the dinner has spouses, children, and in-laws.   It is no longer a family dinner made lovingly by Tim's mom in their family dining room.  We all get dressed up and have a wonderful meal prepared by the fabulous chefs at the St. Louis Club.

Each year, we get to make a "wish".  It could be something we are thankful for from the previous year and carried into the new year.  Or it could be something new for the new year.  Often that is thought about during the day on New Year's Eve.   This year I decided to write down my thoughts. 

Here is what I've come up with today:

December 31, 2011

As I sit gathering my thoughts for tonight the thing that keeps popping in my head is ‘One Little Word.’   I believe it was Ali Edwards (a scrapbooker and blogger that I have met) that started this several years ago.  I’ve always thought about this and have had several words that seem to be “it” for the year.   This year, I thought it may be good to write them down with my reasons for that being the word and maybe that would help me pick ‘one little word’.

Respect…  Such a powerful word.  We need to remember to respect ourselves and each other.  Respect what the other person feels and thinks.  Respect is a way to show others that we truly care what they think and feel.  Respect their things and their feelings.  Respect to others help us gain their respect back to us. 

Love…  A word that is used in so many ways.  I love you is a statement that means so much!   We love each other as a family.  We love our friends in a different way but still very meaningful.    We also use love to just mean something great.  “I love my new toy, or chocolate chip cookies or jelly beans!”  A great statement, but a different meaning still.   Love makes the world go round!

Courage…  A word I truly thought about using!   Courage to be yourself.  Courage to try new things.  Courage to accept things you can’t control.  Courage to let your kids go somewhere without you.   Courage to go to a different country on vacation.   All wonderful things, sometimes very scary and sometimes very exciting.  Many things take courage. 

Joy….  We all need to find joy in everyday life.   When times are tough, joy is what can pull you through.   Joy is in everyday life!  It is the smile we give and get back to a friend.  It is watching your child play.  It is holding your husband’s hand knowing that a simple touch can relay how much you love him.  Joy is everywhere.  Sometimes, we just need to look for it.

Peace….  One of my favorite songs we sang this Christmas is “Et in terra pax”.   The first line of the song says ‘et in terra pax, and on earth peace’.   The song gave many of us chills each time we sang it.   Peace is something I strive to always achieve.  Sometimes it is really, really hard!   Peace within our own life, peace with each other, peace with our children, peace with friends.  Peace needs to come from within.  It can’t be purchased or given to you by anyone else.  There are so many outside influences in our daily lives.   Having peace inside will help with the outside stuff that may not seem manageable. 

So I my word for this year is Peace…   Peace will open our hearts to the love and joy of all that is around us.  Peace will give us comfort, and confidence, and courage to try new things.  Peace will give us respect for ourselves and for others.   Peace will bring us closer to God and to each other!

My friends, have a peaceful New Year!

Missing Daddy

Missing Daddy today and every day!  Five years ago he left this world to go to heaven.  Cancer took over his body and was not kind.  Miss you, Daddy!  You taught me so many many things about life and living!  I'm truly blessed to be your daughter!

Home from Creative Escape

I had the best time with my friends... Kathy, Linda and Julia!!!  You all are such incredible women!!  Creative Escape was a fabulous experience!!!  I loved the girlfriend time!  Loved the scrapbook stuff!  Loved the classes!!!!!   Such a wonderful adventure!!!

I am such a lucky girl!!!  I had lots of hugs and kisses from my boys last night and this morning!  Love that!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband, Tim. Eighteen years ago on August 21, 1993 we were married at St. Raphael's church. I love you, Tim!!!!

Today was a fun day. We had Brandon with us overnight. We had a big breakfast at home. Then went to the Manchester Pool for a fun swim. Myra kept the boys so Tim and I could have a fabulous dinner at Bravo.

Lynch grandkids

The end of summer vacation brought most of the Lynch cousins together!!

My brother his wife and their two kids visited from Montana for two weeks!! It was so great having them here. We haven't all been together since my daddy passed away almost 5 years ago. We did go visit them but even that was about 4 years ago.

Time passes too quickly. We had a great time and did lots of fun things including a cousins sleepover at our house and one at grandma's. We went swimming several times, went to the zoo on a way too hot day and visited Meramec Caverns. So fun having them all here!!!!!!'

My sweet Benjamin is 10

My sweet Benjamin turned 10 on May 31. He is such a great little man! He finished third grade with Mrs. Sugrue. After summer break he will head on to fourth grade with Mrs. West. Benjamin is a fun loving boy that absolutely loves baseball!!!!!!! Love you, buddy!!!

Bad blogger

So much has happened since I last blogged. I'll try to catch up.....

Fabulous day at the Bay

Today was awesome. Tim brought me breakfast then he went to his meetings. I had an easy morning then headed out to find the your bus. The bus was red with an American flag painted on it. It stopped at 21 different stops with a taped narrator telling about San Francisco stuff along the way. It was great. This bus allowed you to hop on and hop off stops. They were at each stop every half hour.

The first stop I got off was at the Golden Gate Bridge south view point. This turned out to be a fabulous stop. There was a gift shop and a little cafe with lots of flowers in the landscape. It allowed east access to walk or bike along the pedestrian path of the bridge. A bridge patrol officer on bike chatted with me a few minutes. He said the actual bridge is 1.7 miles and with the approaches it is 2 miles. I didn't go all the way across although if Tim would have been with me I might have. I did go to the first set of red beams it looks to be about a third of the way. It was pretty cool to be walking on the bridge. Then I got back on the bus and sat on the upper open deck. The bus drove across the bridge. It was incredibly windy and it was a cold wind. I got off at the next stop being the north view point. Surprise there was only a scenic view and a park bathroom. So I waited for the bus again. Got on the open upper deck and the bus drove back over the bridge.

The next stop I got off was at Ghiradelli square. They used to make chocolate there but today it is a few shops and restaurants.

I walked all along the Fisherman's Wharf area. This area has lots of touristy shops. Had lunch at Boudin Bakery. They make oh so fabulous sourdough bread there! I had melted harvati on sourdough. So yummy!!! I walked all the way to Pier 39. Love it. I spent lots of time there. There is a special set of docks just for the sea lions at Pier 39. That was amazing to see so many sea lions in one place. Some were just sleeping and annoyed with others and some were very playful! Such a delight to see!!! Then inside the Pier area there are lots of touristy shops. There is even a store that only sells socks. I found a pair that says 'scrapbook girl'. I did find that there were several stores that are candy barrel shops. Fill up the basket with whatever you want and buy it by weight.

Back to the hotel I went. I got back about 5, just as Tim was finishing up for the day.

Tim and I went back to Pier 39. We walked around and had dinner at Wipeout. It was decorated like with a surfing theme. The bathroom was through a red and white cabana. It was decorated with flip flops on the wall.

This was a fabulous day!!!!!!!!

The Bay area

This trip is fabulous. Yesterday, Tim and I got the boys to school and headed to the airport. Our flight to Denver was on time. We had a short layover then off to San Francisco. We got in an hour late and headed to the hotel. We are staying at the Marriott on 4th street. We have a beautiful room on the 26th floor. There are 39 floors to this hotel.

Tim and I headed to Fisherman's Wharf. We took a ride on the famous cable car. We walked around Fisherman's Wharf a bit. It is fabulous. We had a light rain so it was chilly. We had dinner at Scoma's on pier 47. It was outstanding. Tim had a caesar salad and a shellfish sauté. I had butternut squash soup and petrale dore. It is a white fish. Our meals were outstanding. So so so yummy. We even took the cable car back. So fun!!!

This morning Tim is already in his meeting for the day. He brought me up breakfast. So sweet. He is in meetings until 5. I'm going to venture out to shop on hop off sightseeing tour

Have a fabulous day everyone

Falling is not fun

Monday morning I fell I do not recommend falling on ice to anyone. It hurts. Our driveway is great on the winter because it dries pretty quickly when we have snow. We have a bit of an incline and the sun shines on it at just the right angle. So that is a benefit.

However, Monday morning there was one very small patch of ice and I happened upon it. Down I went. I landed on my back and hit my head. I just laid there for a few minutes then sat there for a bit before getting up. It hurt so bad that I cried for over an hour. Not a good way to start the day or the week. All day Monday and Tuesday I hurt so much. Thankfully it is now Wednesday night and it no longer hurts to breathe. My neck and upper back is still site but I'm moving around and can turn my neck again mostly.

Bottom line, be careful out there. Falling on ice is no laughing matter. I am very lucky that it wasn't worse and nothing is broken. Take care everybody

I have a teenager

I can't believe Peter is 13. Thirteen years ago we welcomed this beautiful baby into the world. He was 10 days late and weighed in at 9 pounds 5 ounces. The delivery nurse said he had the biggest little feet. Such a beautiful baby and suddenly I was a mom!

Peter is a wonderful young man. I'm so proud of him and all that he has accomplished. I absolutely love to hear him play drums. He can get quite loud and he plays hard but it is truly music!!!

I love you Peter!!!!! Happy 13th birthday!!!

Sledding at Art Hill

On January 22, Tim took Peter and Benjamin to Art Hill to sled on the big hill. According to Benjamin it is a very big hill and it was lots of fun.

Lots of snow

The one decoration I left up... What was I thinking

We have 5 inches of snow and it is still coming down. The snow sure is beautiful. The boys are loving playing in it. Enjoy your day

Happy December first

I can't believe it is now December first. Christmas is right around the corner We are sitting at the neurology office for an appt for Benjamin. We really like his neurologist. Tim took a vacation day today and we took advantage and purchased a few Christmas presents today. It is hard to believe that I've even purchased one gift already. That is do not like me. I'm usually pretty far behind. Tonight starts the advent calendars and after homework we hope to put some more ornaments on the tree.

I hope your December is filled with lots of blessings and fun family traditions. Hugs

A close up view of a table

Here is a picture of one of the tables close up. We use the good china that was handed down to me by Mehlville and Anna Garrett. We also use Waterford glasses. A lot of these were wedding presents and Mom and Daddy have found them for sale in houses throughout the years. The silverware is stainless I have the set we received when we got married and mom found a similar set for sale a long time ago and we bought it right away. It is fabulous to have that many stainless pieces. The napkins and tablecloths are all cloth. This year mom ironed all of them for me. I need to find another 8 foot tablecloth. The one I have is showing signs of use.

The decorations are fun. I find a few things to add each year but I try to stay along the simple side. That way it will all still go together.

Hope your Thanksgiving was filled with love and friendship and many many blessings.

Thanksgiving tables

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Here is the set up of our tables at Thanksgiving. We had 15 people fir dinner and 17 for dessert. It was a fabulous dinner. We all had a great time.

Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving to all! What a beautiful day!!!! We even had a little snow shower this afternoon! Kind of funny to see the purple flowers on the Ramona Climatis covered with snow.

A little stressed this morning... the boys just needed to realize that the jobs I gave them really did need to be done. It all worked out. Everyone was invited for dinner at 3 pm. Dinner was actually ready and when everyone got there, we ate! Yummy yummy dinner... turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, squash casserole, green beans, cranberries, applesauce, relish tray, rolls, pumpkin pie and apple pie! So tasty!!!!! We had 15 people for dinner and 17 for dessert. We love having our families here for Thanksgiving. It is Tim's favorite holiday! Tim is fabulous in the kitchen. He made the turkey, mashed potatoes and green beans. Plus he helps with it all! The tables were set up so beautifully.

I am so grateful for the many, many, many blessings in our lives! Tim, Peter and Benjamin head the top of my grateful list. They are so wonderful!!!!! I love them very very much!!! Our family and our friends are important to us as well! We are so grateful for each and every one of you!!!

Happy Thanksgiving and always remember to count your blessings every day!!!

Thanksgiving invite

Our Thanksgiving dinner invitations have already been sent. Of course Thanksgiving is next week. We will have a great group of family here once again. We love hosting Thanksgiving. Even though it is a lot of prep work. The dinner is always wonderful. I just love how we all sit around the table and chat about being thankful and grateful and about all kinds of stuff

The invitations turned out pretty cute. I used the Thanksgiving Cricut cartridge to make the cuts. Inside is a cut out pie abc the actual invite. I love how they turned out. Simple but yet fun!

Hugs

Altered my journal

I fancied up the front of my 21 day challenge journal today. I really like how it turned out. I liked it simple before but I just was playing with a few things still lingering on my desk and this is what happened. So fun!!!

Today our family went with Tim's parents and his sister's family in a four mike walk/bike ride around Creve Coeur lake. It turned out to be a beautiful day. A bit chilly but the sun was shining. The boys and I started out on our bikes but with everyone else walking the boys soon walked their bikes. It was a great hour. Four miles of exercise is pretty awesome!!
Hugs!

21 day challenge

I've decided to accept the 21 day challenge with Rhonna Farrer. Today is day 5. I've done pretty good so far. Along with the physical challenge I am also journaling every day. This has been fabulous. I bought a small lined journal and decorated the front with glimmer mist and the challenge mantra. The kit was purchased from house of 3 and has so many great art inspirations. Instead of putting the whole thing together at once, I'm forcing myself to journal and artsy it as I go. Love it!!! I'm do glad I decided to go this route. Along with the journaling this is allowing me not to beat myself up for not doing more. After all, every but I do is more than I may have done.

This has been do great for me. I don't do well with competitions. But since this is just for me it is great. I think I'm enjoying the journaling the most.

Rhonna says that it takes 21 days for a habit to sync in or get busted out. Really I can do as many 21 days as I choose. Rhonna also stresses that one thing at a time is it. We all have so much that we want or need to change but focusing on one thing at a time really works. I love this!! If you want to do your own challenge I encourage to click on the picture on my blog of the 21 day challenge. It is linked to Rhonna's blog and you can get the whole scoop.

Hugs and blessed happiness to you!