tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48182352253678319632024-02-20T20:37:56.538-08:00I Love to TravelUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-83651242187151974422010-09-14T17:00:00.000-07:002010-09-14T17:28:34.322-07:00And what did you do this year??<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#ff6600;">So, as I looked back on my blog to see when I last posted, I was shocked - it was just after the New Year when I last even looked here. Where has the year gone?? Why was I so busy?? What did I even do this entire year?? I got out my datebook to check it out...</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We bought a new treadmill</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We celebrated Matea's 2nd birthday</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We went to a retirement party</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We bought a new vehicle</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We flew to a 90th birthday party for Mike's mom</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We went to a blues concert in Hayward</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We went to Duluth for an Olympic's opening ceremony party</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We celebrated Carson's 4th birthday</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We went to the Mpls. Home and Garden Show</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We sat on the deck and drank coffee for the first time on May 7th</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- I went out on a couple of girl's nights for dinner</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We went to Florida for two wonderful weeks!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We sat on the beach for days on end...and loved it!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We had daffodils in the garden on March 2, which was a first</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We spent Easter weekend in Duluth with the entire family</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We went to the Duluth Home and Garden Show in Duluth</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We made a new perennial garden in the back yard</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We redid the tree rings on the three boulevard trees out front</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We redid one flower bed off the deck</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Mike went to Eau Claire for a two-day seminar</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We babysat Maggie (one of our three granddogs) for a few days</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We both went to the Cities for a business seminar for Mike's job</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- We rode the light rail downtown from the Mall of America and had dinner at The Hard Rock Cafe OUTSIDE on the evening of April 20th!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- I sold some clothes at Dannie Duluth consignment shop</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to South Carolina to watch my nephew graduate from college</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Celebrated Peyton's 6th birthday (from a distance)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to a coworker's wedding (he was a bachelor till almost age 50!)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to Duluth for a lot of weekend trips</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to a James Taylor/Carole King concert (finally, after 30+ years)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to a Get Motivated business seminar</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to Duluth to see our newest (4th) grandbaby - Jolynn Victoria!!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Planted a garden</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Mike helped Brandon move into a new place</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Had Katie and Matea here for a long girls'weekend while Mike, Aaron, and Brandon went to Chicago Blues Fest</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Planted a lot of new bushes in the yard and lots of flowers in the deck flower boxes</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Had new neighbors move in next door</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to the airport to welcome Jen home from her World Race trip</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary!!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to a Twins game courtesy of Dave and Jodi!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to a welcome home party for Jen</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Babysat Peyton, Carson, and Bootsie while Aimee and Chad were in Mexico</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Had a visit from Beth, Joel, Mandie, Josh, Jodi, and Jolynn</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Fell down on an ACORN in the driveway and sprained my ankle and got scraped up! Stupid!!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Had a surprise visit from Aaron, Katie, and Matea right after that and they brought us dinner and spent the night</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to the State Fair</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Had an overnight visit from Jodi and Jolynn</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Had a week and a half visit from Jodi and Jolynn</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Had a couple day visit from Brandon over Labor Day weekend</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Helped a neighbor host a Neighborhood Block Party (2nd annual)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">- Went to Peyton's Victory Riders Horse Show</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">AND.....drum roll, please,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">I collapsed after this was all accomplished!!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">So, now I know what I did this summer (oh, and this doesn't include my every day typing, washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.) That was done in between all my galavanting around the country!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">Hope you had as fun of a year as I have had!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">Until next time...</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-45026214326301926752010-01-04T11:03:00.000-08:002010-01-04T11:22:48.740-08:00Taking it Easy and Being Thankful<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSwbDdsVZafWdzkfQjUm1Ff_ygpndcblui1JI9bIhab1NOpSpgMNLgdZaUxQR56PHyYWjWqj2JAmAgaVyS0qwJedOg2BdF_yesrE2D6KBZVfGKWd571RVOaRydgqjWzuzkuqNyaETA1hQ/s1600-h/IMG_5787.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSwbDdsVZafWdzkfQjUm1Ff_ygpndcblui1JI9bIhab1NOpSpgMNLgdZaUxQR56PHyYWjWqj2JAmAgaVyS0qwJedOg2BdF_yesrE2D6KBZVfGKWd571RVOaRydgqjWzuzkuqNyaETA1hQ/s320/IMG_5787.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422967170094676450" /></a><br />Today is a weird day for me. I have NO typing to do, so am doing some normal household things that I never get to do unless I am running around like a maniac trying to get them all done. Granted, they get done routinely, but not without a lot of hubbub and racing around to finish the normal household tasks (dishes, laundry, etc.). I am enjoying just being "normal" again and not trying to accomplish too much today. In some ways, that is good, in some ways that is bad. I seem to get more done when I "have to" do them, so to speak. Days like this make me feel like I need to lie down and take a nap instead of doing housework! When I have things that are under deadline (like my work), I get a lot more done. I guess I do need a few days like this every once in a while, but probably not too many! It is nice, though, sometimes to have a "free" day like this. <br /><br />We had a nice Christmas and New Year's. All the kids made it home on the weekend of the 11th through the 13th, so that was when we had our Christmas. It was a fun time and I really enjoyed having all three grandbabies here at one time to hug and kiss as much as I wanted (or as much as they could stand!). We did get a nice family picture, which is now my wallpaper on my computer. I love looking at it every time I walk into my office on my big computer screen. Oh, and next year, we will actually be able to see our fourth grandbaby, since Jesse and Jodi are expecting their first baby in June! Do you think I'm excited?? I am beside myself waiting for the big event. I know they are both anxiously awaiting the arrival of their little one also. I remember those days - waiting for my first to be born and I had the wonderful blessing of having TWO babies the first time! Wow! Talk about exciting!! Anyway, I am thankful for my family and what God has blessed us all with. I am thankful for the good health He has allowed all of us to have for the most part. He has blessed us with so much. Thank you, Lord! You are so good! <br /><br />I wish everyone a very Happy New Year. May God bless you richly.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-9935974579092159302009-09-30T13:38:00.000-07:002009-09-30T14:09:23.304-07:00What did you do today?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCG0dZNc6ez8bMt_x9PdAiSO8XSsEjdI5B5_35GaKU0iNArH_F8NvC59MGgihkEJw-VzjVKta82eEq4KNFHyyFzB9hDHd2bhWfMELxMLw9n8eaPNvXcCazaC8Dv7sgvs0eq3yg8XVxGM28/s1600-h/DSC05569.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCG0dZNc6ez8bMt_x9PdAiSO8XSsEjdI5B5_35GaKU0iNArH_F8NvC59MGgihkEJw-VzjVKta82eEq4KNFHyyFzB9hDHd2bhWfMELxMLw9n8eaPNvXcCazaC8Dv7sgvs0eq3yg8XVxGM28/s320/DSC05569.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387370088846166898" /></a><br />Thanks to some unscheduled events by the doc I work for, I did not have to do any typing today. Therefore, I was able to do some things that I wanted to do - well, actually needed to do. One of which was making some homemade pesto to freeze for the long winter ahead. I made it last year for the first time and was it ever good!! I got to the point where I was literally hoarding it towards the end of the winter because I knew it would be a long time before I had any more of the wonderful stuff! To find fresh basil here in the northland over a winter is next to impossible. (And, believe me, I tried!) At any rate, since we were in a frost advisory last night, I went out to my lowly garden plot and cut all my basil. Today, I knew I needed to get the pesto made before it wilted and went south on me. I was able to eek out six 1-cup containers of it. Oh, the wonderful smell (and taste) when it was all done! Yum! I know pesto is an acquired taste, but oh, is it ever a wonderful taste once you acquire it!! I also made a pan of lasagna for our small group potluck coming up this Sunday evening. I did a few other things, too, but my biggest accomplishment was making the pesto. I am wondering how long it will last over the winter months...not long enough, I know that for sure!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-12326399373593476162009-08-31T15:23:00.000-07:002009-08-31T15:35:17.496-07:00Life in the Fast Lane<span style="color:#ff9900;">I have decided recently that if I had my druthers, I would not choose to live life in the fast lane. I actually do well under pressure and get a LOT done, but I don't think my nerves do well. This summer has been a really crazy one. Last summer, we had so many things that were planned to happen (a new granddaughter, a wedding). This summer, we just kind of went with the flow, so to speak, and it turned out to be almost busier than last summer. I am having a hard time believing tomorrow it is already September of 2009! Wow, how can that be? My work has been insanely busy, and I am really thankful for the work, but sometimes I feel like all I do is type. Actually, some days, that IS all I do. I feel like a typing zombie at times. People laugh when I tell them that after typing for an entire day, when I watch TV, I find that my fingers are typing everything that people are saying on a show. I know it sounds weird, but I type what I hear. I just figured out today that over the course of this year, I have typed 132,578 lines, and that is only taking into account the typing I do for my job and get paid for. Not even the typing I do in for my timesheets, emails, Facebook, or any other time. I guess it's a good thing that I love typing, huh? I will say, however, that I don't love typing as much as I love to travel, hence, the title of my blog. The best thing about working from home is that I can do it whenever and I can also take a few minutes every once in a while to dream about traveling on my next trip. So far, I don't know when that will be, but it is still fun to dream! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-89470918619481042252009-08-06T17:46:00.000-07:002009-08-06T18:01:08.821-07:00In Honor of My Dad<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff9900;">Eight years ago today, my dad passed away. He suffered for nine months with cancer of the appendix. A very rare form of cancer, according to the doctors. Nonetheless, he never once complained nor did he let on that he was suffering. He was such a dear man. He was a very gentle and kind man and one of a kind. He lived his faith like no one else I have ever known. One man who knew him told me that he had never seen another person in his entire life (and this guy is 70 years old himself) that lived his faith like my dad did. I remember as far back as three years old when my mom's dad passed away and she, my older brother, my baby sister, and myself were leaving on a plane to fly to Ohio to be with my grandma. I remember my mom telling my dad as we walked up the stairs to the plane (there weren't jetways back then, mind you) that there were bacon and eggs in the fridge for his breakfasts when we were gone. He was definitely a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I don't even remember him eating anything like spaghetti or anything like that until I was well into adulthood. He grew up on the farm and loved his meat and potatoes. He also made a killer salad every Sunday after church for our family dinner. I also remember one Sunday night when I asked how to get to heaven, and he took me to he and mom's bedroom, we knelt by their bed, and he prayed with me to accept Jesus as my own personal Savior. What a blessed memory that is. Another special thing that I remember was that we always had a garden whenever we lived where there was room to grow one. One of my favorite memories of my dad is that we would go out to the garden and eat ripe tomatoes standing there together in the garden. Tonight, Mike and I were standing in our own garden and I ate a ripe cherry tomato in honor of my dad. What a seemingly small, but fun memory to have. He definitely taught me to appreciate the little things in life. Like love, ripe tomatoes, hard work, helping others with no concern for my time or money, and living my faith as a Christian. He and my mom were married just shy of 50 years when he died. He loved her like no one else I had ever seen. He was a wonderful dad, husband, grandpa, and friend. I am so thankful to have had him in my life for the years I did. He was one in a million. And I miss him dearly.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-36362072411669414662009-06-03T12:31:00.000-07:002009-06-03T12:44:32.907-07:00In Honor of My Mom<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc66cc;">Seven years ago this past Monday (June 1st), my mom passed away. She was such a wonderful mom and such a special lady and remembering her reminds me of a lot of good things in life. One of which was all of her beautiful flowers. She definitely had a green thumb, which I was fortunate enough to have received from her. She gave me this beautiful Christmas cactus for my birthday the year before she died. It has bloomed over and over and over again and every time it does, I think of my mom. She gave me a love for plants, a love for music, a love for children, a love for gardening, a love for the simple things in life. She usually had a beautiful smile on her face (when she wasn't yelling at one of us eight kids!). I know she would have absolutely adored all three of my grandbabies! Oh, how I wish she could have met them all, but I am sure she is watching from heaven and enjoying herself seeing them anyway! She was also a real giver - of herself, of her time, of her talents (piano playing being the most famous for her), her food (she was definitely a food pusher!), and of her laughter. So many times I wondered how she did all the things she did in her life. She was a remarkable woman, not to mention a wonderful wife to my dad and a fantastic mother to us kids. My dad loved her so very much and until his dying day, he couldn't say enough good about her and all she had done for him. They set a wonderful example for us kids. Oh sure, they had their moments, just like we all do, but overall, they were deeply in love with one another and loved each other until the end. I remember when she met Mike (my own husband) for the first time - she met him the night before I did - and came home and told me what a looker he was! How's that for motherly advice?? She always liked Mike and couldn't resist teasing him once in a while when we were dating, even though he was a very shy teenage boy at that time. All my pictures of my mom are old ones and none are digital, so I don't have a good one to post here, but wanted to at least show something that reminds me of her. I am so thankful for the 70 years she was on earth, even though it seems that she was way too young to die when she did. She missed my dad so very much after he died (10 months earlier than she did). She was lonesome and wanted to be with him. I know she could have gone on without him, but she had given almost 50 years of her life to him and that was pretty much all she knew when he passed away before her. I thank God every day for the family I was able to grow up in. I know it is a blessing that many people don't have, and I know it is a very special thing. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to have such a special mom. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-71069805970312302992009-03-25T12:37:00.000-07:002009-03-25T12:53:48.765-07:00Long Time, No Write...<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff9900;">So, I'm back again...finally! The last time I wrote here, I was looking forward to our trip to Florida. Well, it was a WONDERFUL trip and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The weather was gorgeous and I couldn't get enough of the sun. It was absolutely beautiful and very restful. We had time to spend with our friends from church also, which was nice. It gave us a lot of time to walk on the beach and visit with them. We also took in a few other adventures with them and had some great food in the meantime! We even bought some shrimp from one of the little stores down by the docks and enjoyed it for several nights, as we were able to cook in the little house we rented. That was definitely the way to go (renting a house) as opposed to staying in a motel. I still think about being in Florida most days, but am also glad to be home and thankful for a beautiful home we have. We are so blessed and I thank the Lord every day for His bounty He has allowed us to enjoy in our life!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff9900;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff9900;">It took me two solid weeks to catch up on my typing when I got back home from Florida, but it was well worth the time off. I am still thankful for my job. I love working from home and it has been something else I am very thankful for. If anyone had told me eight years ago I would some day have my dream job, I would not have believed them. God's timing is ALWAYS way better than anything I could have ever imagined. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff9900;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff9900;">Now, I am dreaming of summertime and my garden. I have two little basil plants that I have been trying to nurse along and grow. I am not sure they will make it. I also have some basil seed, lavender seed, and pepper seeds I want to start in the house, but am not sure if they will make it either. Of course, my long-time dream is to have a greenhouse...maybe some day. When we were in Florida, we stopped at a local plant sale and you should have seen the beautiful plants they had!! They had lots and lots of beautiful herbs that I would have loved to have for my own garden. I just couldn't figure out how to haul them home on the plane! Oh well, soon I will be able to plant and have my garden to work in. I am also looking forward to having some warmer weather to sit outside and enjoy our deck. That is one perk of living where we do. We have a beautiful backyard to enjoy. Oh, and the birds are back and I wake every morning listening to their beautiful songs! There was one this morning that I recognized, but could not identify. It was really loud and raucous...hmmm. Too bad my mother-in-law isn't around. She would have been able to identify the call for me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff9900;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff9900;">Enough for now. I hope to keep more current on my posts. Ta!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-79936268257370894562009-01-31T17:27:00.000-08:002009-01-31T17:32:30.375-08:00Florida, Here We Come!<span style="color:#ff9900;">So, today it hit 40 BIG DEGREES here in the Northland and it was like a heat wave! And, I am thankful for that, but even better than that, is we are going to Florida for a week on the 18th of February!! WooHoo! I am so excited to go south. I am so ready for some heat right now. This has been a long winter up here, but I have enjoyed the sunny days. I am ready to do some planting in my garden and sit on the deck in the mornings and enjoy the outdoors. Just not quite yet, though. Hopefully, this will be a good sign and we can keep getting warmer as the days are also increasing in daylight hours (something else I LOVE)! Thankfully, my office has some of the only southern exposure windows in the house and I practically live in it all winter (not only because I work from home, either). I enjoy the sun so much and can't wait to have some warmer sun soon. January is almost over and it is a good thing, as Martha Stewart would say.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-20080629074826852352009-01-03T18:15:00.000-08:002009-01-03T18:19:55.864-08:00I've Been Tagged!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUxR6q34eaCGtI95SEC8glrUylVLecskzTeynVE8DwJIqGGgLxLIVFmRsqox4MvFLgtMRGPxueqa7KSSiIUiuagy0YLHbEJ_NapSiBst_N5eJQMcCPHQ-q-eSQrGP13LSz2XX-xxbDLCR/s1600-h/DSC04827.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287256975537373234" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUxR6q34eaCGtI95SEC8glrUylVLecskzTeynVE8DwJIqGGgLxLIVFmRsqox4MvFLgtMRGPxueqa7KSSiIUiuagy0YLHbEJ_NapSiBst_N5eJQMcCPHQ-q-eSQrGP13LSz2XX-xxbDLCR/s320/DSC04827.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Here's my fourth picture! Can you tell that I live in rural Wisconsin?? And we have BLACK squirrels that lie in our trees! Pretty sad, huh, that this is the picture I got to post! (I really do have a life, believe it or not)!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-39757405581033538802008-11-29T17:47:00.000-08:002008-11-29T17:57:02.604-08:00Feeling Old<span style="color:#ff9966;">So when I heard about a guy being trampled to death at a Walmart on Black Friday, I was in total disbelief. Then when I read the articles about the people being mad when the police told them they were closing the store down (since a man was DEAD!) because they had "been waiting in line since yesterday morning," I felt absolutely <strong>sick</strong>. What the heck is wrong with people these days anyway?? When saving a few bucks is more important than a life?? Wow. That is pretty sad, if you ask me. It makes me feel old like when I used to hear older people talk about how the younger generation was a bunch of ingrates or so unthankful for what they have. I feel like an old, old lady when I hear things like the incident at Walmart. Things like that make me sad, to say the least. Think of all the people who live in other countries and have basically the clothes on their backs and are thankful for one meal a day. I have way too much in my life and sometimes feel ashamed at the abundance I have been blessed with. I am hoping that in our lives of abundance, some day we can give more than we take. I know that is something that I need to work on. The best story I have seen this year was a man who takes his entire family (kids, grandkids, etc.), loads them in his van, and buys hundreds of turkeys for food shelves. Then the whole family delivers them. How awesome is that? It really made me think that I should be doing more things like that in my own family. I am seriously thinking we need to start a family tradition of doing something like that...I'll keep you posted.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-6150175763706578122008-09-28T18:39:00.000-07:002008-09-28T18:42:10.581-07:00The Amazing Race<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff9900;">Finally! The Amazing Race is back on!! Whoohoo!! My favorite show of all times!! My dream is to be on that show some day and travel all over the world! I get a rush just watching it, so can't imagine how I would feel if I ever made it on the show! Some day...</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-31659347030452614662008-09-24T19:21:00.000-07:002008-09-24T19:23:14.783-07:00Not Enough Time??<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff9900;">So, what was I saying about a month ago about not having enough time in a day?? Was I crazy or what?? My free time has dwindled down to almost nothingness at this point, but I just had to write to say that I am working from home, which I love and am thankful I can do this job! The work is coming in droves now, but I will try to keep up with the blog from now on. Lots happening, but it is good! Gotta love it, huh??</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-14566999946876210112008-08-06T12:40:00.000-07:002008-08-06T13:26:39.105-07:00Not Enough Time...<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">I know I am not busier than anyone else in the world, but why does it seem that some days are busier than others? I feel so overwhelmed some days just thinking about all there is to do. Part of that might have to do with the fact that I work from home, so sometimes when I am working, I start thinking about all the other things I have to do here at home. That is why sometimes I "travel" in my mind. There are not many days that go by that I don't stop and think about things in Paris or Italy. I guess that helps keep me sane some days. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff6600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff6600;">I'm still looking forward more than you can imagine to seeing my new little grandbaby when she arrives home for the first time! Wow! How can you explain your excitement? It will definitely be a day to remember and a very happy and special time in our family.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-70378452770265336962008-08-02T17:03:00.000-07:002008-08-02T17:06:13.122-07:00Patiently Waiting...<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">By this time next week, we will have a beautiful new granddaughter! She is coming home with our son and his wife from Ethiopia (or Okedokeeah, as our two-year-old grandson calls it!). It will be a wonderful day when all three of the new family are back home and have their little one in tow. What an exciting time in the lives of our entire family! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-6160288593962111102008-07-30T10:44:00.001-07:002008-07-30T11:57:34.818-07:00Lesson from a Hummingbird<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">As I sat on the deck eating my lunch, a hummingbird flew up to the flowers on the deck, paused, then flew down lower to the flowers in my flowerbed on the ground. It drank for a few seconds, then flew up to a limb on the maple tree above and sat on a branch. It looked so tiny just sitting there on the branch. It sat there for about a minute, then flew back down to the flowerbed for more nourishment. It made me think of how as humans we need to take a minute or two every once in a while to regroup and rest. Life is so amazing and sometimes we are running so fast in our own worlds that we fail to see the little things that make life worth living. There are so many things to see and so many times, we fail to see them. It was a good lesson for me about taking the much needed pauses in life to drink in the wonders of our world. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-2425996161614302542008-07-29T08:18:00.000-07:002008-07-29T14:37:46.803-07:00My Seinfeld Moment<span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff6600;">So, I am standing in line at Walmart the other day and the girl in front of me was a really cute little oriental girl. She looked at me and I smiled at her and she smiled back. There was a big bedspread in plastic sitting on the floor in front of the checkout lane, so I asked her if it was hers. She said, "No, I change my mind." Then she smiled again and said, "Shhh! Don't tell nobody!" So I smiled and said, "Okay." Well, the clerk finished running her items through the scanner and she paid and then turned back to me, leaned on the end of my shopping cart, staring at my fingernails and said, "You still go Milltown for your manicures and pedicures?" I said, "No, I do my own." She said, "Oh, I have my own shop in Osceola now!" Then she turned around and walked out of the store, staring back at me and smiling as far as she could see me! I seriously felt like I was in the Seinfeld episode where they banished Elaine from the beauty shop (and were talking about her in Korean) because they didn't like her, so Frank Costanza came in and heard what they were saying about Elaine, then found his old girlfriend from Korea! I guess you had to be there, but that episode about the manicures flashed in my mind the whole time the girl kept talking to me and thinking she knew me for some odd reason. Thank goodness she didn't say something about me in another language because she was on her cellphone chatting (in another language) when I walked up to the aisle to checkout. It was funny, though, and something to add to my store of adventures. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818235225367831963.post-31012286748533427542008-07-28T17:27:00.000-07:002008-07-28T17:33:21.221-07:00The Maiden Voyage<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">Well, I finally did it. I created a blog. No big deal to some, you might say, but for me, it is. I have debated for a long, long time what to name my blog, but finally decided on "I Love to Travel." If you know me, you know that traveling is in my blood. I would fly anywhere in an instant if I had the freedom, time, and money to do so. Especially to Paris. I've only been there once, but dream daily about returning there some day! So, this is the Maiden Voyage of my blog and I hope you enjoy it. Please return soon for more exciting adventures!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3