Sunday Photos

Even though I have two other posts started....

I thought I would post these pix for my Sunday post. . . even though I have not done that regularly recently either.  Oh well, I like to be spontaneous!

Lola in the sunrise

The beginning of the tree trimming

Mission accomplished

Ghost house

Favorite tree!

Nativity

Backlit Jac

Ornamentation

Until next time- be a joy giver!

Packers are 13 and 0!  Over all a very joyful day!

Goal!

I am thrilled and ecstatic to say that I have hit my next goal on my weight-loss journey.  Holy MOLY!  I got to my 2nd goal of losing 30 + pounds for a total of 52.  I am trying to figure out where I am going to land.  I am planning to continue to lose, but am going to let my weight training and cardio do the work for me.  I was told last week that with my form and results that I am a natural weight lifter.  Now I don't know if I was being fed a line, but was assured that this was the truth.  So, consequently, I am even more motivated than I was before.

This morning I stepped on the scale and found numbers I doubt I have weighed since I got married.  I am astonished and shocked still.  A year ago I was depressed and disturbed by my weight, my knees, my heart palpitations and all kinds of other things.  I started using my LoseIt! app with purpose on December 21.  You know BEFORE New Years, as I am not a believer in New Year's resolutions.  I did ok with it, but then discovered the online component of it, got myself some of the most rocking friends I could EVER have in my life.  EVER.  I have developed friendships with people from all over and I plan to go visit someday.  With them and my husband and a few close friends here, I have accomplished something I never dreamed could ever happen.  I still have some weight loss to go.  If you know me, please don't tell me I have lost enough!  I will never be too thin, as I love to eat too much!  I am influenced by others for the good and the bad so easily.....  I have a final goal in mind and I am next taking step one of two to get there.

I have almost retrained my brain to eat in normal amounts.  There is still that urge to sit down with a spoon and a jar of peanut butter, but I ignore it now.  I hope someday that little voice goes away, especially if there is a plate of cookies in front of me!

Thanks so much to all of my friends for their help. I truly wouldn't feel this way and look this way if it wasn't for all of you!  I am truly blessed.

Winter Wonderland Take 2

So, here is the results of the second walk, nope, third walk that I did yesterday!  I hoofed it through the woods with boots on (could have worn snowshoes), and it was pretty easy going.  Good snow for walking, not too slick, not too packy.  It was really nice, not too cold- great for taking pix.

Lots of pix of snowy tree branches, I must be obsessing over them right now, and a couple of  the Mad-Accountant and the Barber.  They are always goofing around doing something on the weekends.  Sunday it was cleaning up some blow down in the woods and then doing what all males seem to enjoy: make a fire and burn stuff!!  Um, ok....  Enough said.

Yep, it's a fire!

Little cabin in the snow

Nature's own Charlie Brown tree

Until next time, find your joy in life's simple pleasures!  

Winter Wonderland- Take 1

We all know winter will be here for a while..... but it is sharply beautiful the first time it hits big.  The loveliness of the stark white and grey make the landscape look like a black and white photo.  Just a few touches of permanent green and yellow ochre dot the landscape.  Only human dyes and paints will change the lovely monochromatic tones.

I went for a couple snowy photoshoots today, the first was right away after sunup when there was a peek or two of our lovely star in the sky.  Then I had the Mad-Accountant drive me to the boat landing where I shuffled through the snow and got some frozen lake pix.  Finally, after a little snacking and then lunch, I decided to go burn off a few more calories by hiking to the creek in the back 80, sort of an over the river and through the woods type of venture.


Here are some of the products of today's adventure.....

Poor Lola!

Lilacs

drooping

Promise of sunshine

Fence line

Monarda mounds

Smith Lake

Dock on Smith Lake

Another version- Smith Lake

County Park entrance 

Swim at your own risk!

Over hang

white pine 

White Pine overhang

Pavillion

I've got more, but I am just too tired to edit them!  I guess Chapter 2 is coming next.

Until tomorrow, find your joy!  Mine is going to be in the vicinity of my pillow!

Thanksgiving and Hunting and Madrigals and .....

I am a week or so behind on my blogging here.  Had a wonderful Thanksgiving- all the kids were home, except for one of the Sarahs, who went to visit her Grandma.  But she was here for the beginning and the end of the week!!  And they were all together for Saturday night and Sunday.  For the record, Jon is married to SarahGrace and Greg is with SarahJane.  This may or may not clear up any confusion.

Mike, Greg, SarahJane, SarahGrace, Jon

Hunting was very successful this year, as far as I am concerned.  There were 5 deer harvested off of our property, and regardless of what the DNR says, there are PLENTY left.  Since I had a cheesecake bounty on them, I had to bake the weekend after Thanksgiving, but it was worth it.

Greg and SarahJane fueling up for opening morning

Jon having breakfast

Fred and Ruger

Toby never wants to be left behind

Cleaning the gun

One of Greg's deer with Greg, SarahJane and Fred

The boys with SarahJane and her deer

Always time to talk before hunting

I was trying to work on a Madrigal dress all week, but someone kept me a bit occupied!  So I had to finish up the dress after they went home.  I will post a pic of Jenna in her dress after tonight's dinner.  I can't wait to go and see it.

She was crawling on my head and licking my hair

Thanksgiving was so nice, we had really good food and the family had a rousing game of Monopoly after dinner, as is our habit!

Thanksgiving table

Family gathering

Me, too!

Who is going to land on all those hotels?

Not sure who won, Sarah Grace has a good track record, though!

SarahGrace, Brenda and I went over to Winter, WI on Saturday for the big craft show and the best part of it- the cookie walk across the street!  We traditionally go have breakfast/lunch at a local restaurant after the shopping.

Debi and Sarah

Brenda and Sarah- they had REALLY good coffee

These two kept things lively around the house!  The poor cats outside barely could show their faces in the yard without feeling like they were being stalked.  No cats were hurt- only their pride was a little injured

So innocent

Yet, such little demons

LOTS of relaxing occurred

And here is a sneak peak of the season to come--

New zipper inserted

New dress made

New tree in waiting

Alright, this was indeed a joyful week!  But this is what it looked like when it was almost done-  erg.  I was glad to have the week done......

Until next time- be a joy giver!