Merry Christmas 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my wonderful friends and family!

Oswald Christmas tree!

Hanging out and waiting for the kiddos

Unfortunately, Greg and Sarah and Greggy won't be here today, but soon they will.  Time to go make some Christmas goodies for later today.  Have a great day, no matter who you are with! 

Today is the ultimate "be a joy giver" day!  Have fun

Pictures, baby!

I am feeling the need to post some pix, so here is a little fall and winter update!  It's been a long while since I posted here, though I have been making calendars and other (secret) things with pictures- so it isn't like I haven't been doing things.

A dusting of snow on the roping and ribbon

Here are a few favorites from the past few months

Look at how big this little girl is getting

swing!

Oh, fall, how we miss you

First snow of the year...

Washburn

Washburn

Washburn

On the woods road

The beehives- they now have black tar paper for wind break

Little Greggy having breakfast

The doggies are looking for something- find the tennis ball!

Suspicious

The way back field, big and little trees in flux

Find the joy in your everyday, not just the Holidays.  It is all around you!

A weight lifting hiatus that needs to end

Today was the first day that I got back upstairs to do some weightlifting- such as it is- since I was sick almost 2 weeks ago.  I feel exhausted from both the day and the extra bit of energy you can give to lifting when you haven't for a while.  These last 2 days before Christmas break are killers. NO ONE wants to be there, and let me tell you, contrary to what the kids say, we ARE doing something at school.  Don't believe them if the say that they didn't do anything all day.  That is bogus.

Anywho, I have a lead on a semi acceptable gym that I sort of forgot about at one of the motels in town.  I am going to go and check it out, but I plan to continue using my home gym, as the convenience of being home is hard to beat.

I have to say that there are some good things that I have discovered being without a gym for a while.  First, my hand and arm numbness is pretty much gone- so no waking up not able to feel my hands.  Next, knee pain I had been having is gone, too.  I have been able to do some good low squats using the big kettle bell for extra challenge.  Another plus is I have been able to really pack a lot of workout into a short period of time, so I've been able to get a few more things done at home during the week.

BUT I miss the people, I miss the challenge and I miss the workout.  I NEED to do some hard core bench pressing, some lat pull-downs, and bar work.  I need to get back to it.

Unless something else opens up here (note to anyone interested: there is a void here and it needs to be filled!) I will have to make due with my own little setup and hopefully can fill in the gaps with the equipment that the motel has.  Better than nothing, let me tell you.

On that note~ look hard for the joy that has been missing in your life!

December musings

Well, hasn't it been a long time since I wrote on here??

A quick catchup-
(HAHA- I call catch up days ketchup and mustard days in the elementary school.  They think I am hilarious)

Hunting season happened and winter hit with a vengeance.  Like so much freaking snow you wouldn't believe it, unless of course you live here, and you can.

Hunting season was not good for the hunters this year, but it did allow lots of time spent with the boys and later on in the week, little Greg and Sarah Jane.  Unfortunately, Jon and Sarah did not make it up here for Thanksgiving because of a bit of illness!  That was a bummer.  However, it was a nice week.

I have my Christmas decs up- yay- and now have to spend time wrapping to add to the festive look of the house.  I so enjoy Christmas time and the music and the silly movies and the colors.

I also had an unfortunate bout with a stomach ailment that is taking it's sweet time going completely away.  I after 4 days my coffee still isn't tasting too hot this morning, so that isn't too wonderful.  Booo.

I am not adjusting very well to no gym- it makes me still sad. I have picked up some kettle bells and dumbbells and will get a few more things yet and rock on with it.  I can still pick up the 50 lb horse feed bags with no issue, so I must not be back to square one yet.  :)

IN other news, I have been doing my Lola a day pictures for almost a year now, and I am secretly relieved to almost be finished.  It will be nice to NOT have to take a pic of Lola every day, though it has been an interesting thing to do.  I will do some sort of movie with those photos!

I got a few good snowshoes in at the beginning of December, but NOW it has been warm and when the sun comes up I am afraid that the snow will be virtually gone.  AND it will be a stupid skating rink out in the driveway and it will look really ugly.  Let's cross our fingers for a refresher of snow soon.  I mean if it has to be cold, there should be snow.

So there is a week and some change left of school before an ALMOST 2 week break, which is so seriously needed.  Gathering our resources in the teaching world and digging in baby!

I have one other piece of exciting news, that I will talk about separately at another time.  :)

Pictures will follow.  I want to do more picture posts again, since I do not like having a neglected blog.

Hope you are finding Joy in your December!

A REALLY good day

Today is that "fall back" day of Daylight Savings Time.  With all the whining about the time change in the spring, few people complain about today.  Apparently they are grateful to have an "extra" hour in the day and have nothing to say about it!  HA!

Similar to the analogy that in order to have amazing sunsets, you have to have clouds (I guess the traditional statement is rain and rainbows, but I like sunsets much better than rainbows), in order to have this fantastic, leisurely day of extra time, you have to lose that hour in the spring.  So quit whining and enjoy a little delayed gratification!

I LOVE this day!  LOVE IT.  And that is what I told the MA right now when I went to see if he was alive yet- he works hard on these weekends, so he's a little sleepy.  I said the clock says 7:35 but it is really 6:35.....  and I LOVE this day.  Lol  In that moment he told me he was tired I think that meant- get out!

I look a the time and I know that it will be a day where it seems like you should be doing something particular SOON but you don't have to yet.  Where  you feel like you can leisurely have more coffee, even if the horsie outside is staring at the house waiting for his breakfast.  Where the possibilities seem endless and time is going slow.  I savor the feelings because I know I won't have another day like this for a whole year.

And even better, it looks like the day is going to be dry and at least partly sunny.  And not as cold as it was yesterday.   I guess the only sort of drawback is the fact that it will be dark super early now but on the other hand, it is nice to have a little light in the morning.  My Lolaaday pictures will be way better for a while!  I enjoy being optimistic, it really makes the little things in life fun.

And it is awesome to be able to find the little joys in life!

Past clinging to things.....

After my little tiny quick hit post yesterday, I had a memory of an even more horrifying moment in time perched on the ledge.

Those people were MEAN!

I'd like to especially thank my sister for inviting me and Penny for holding my hand as I walked down a terrifyingly steep ravine.  And then they all conspired to get me to do this...

Ah the good memories when they weren't shaming me into doing dangerous things for the sake of photography and "fun"......  

That was such a great week.

Definitely one of the joyful memories I hold dear.

clinging to trees in unusual places

This is apparently going to be a new feature here on the Mad blog.  Because I seem to be doing a lot of that lately.

If not clinging to the tree, then to a building or wall or any solid object when I am higher than my comfort zone.  Which is approximately 6 feet.

So my first example, though by this time I wasn't really clinging--

who am I kidding- looking at this picture makes me nervous.  Lol

Here is clinging to trees on the top of the Sea/Ice caves.

Until next time- find  your joy and be brave!