It's Been Too Long!

One might think with such a long absence I might have something exciting to share.

I do not.

G has been going to school and loving it.  

I have taken up drawing as a hobby.

My child yells out orders for drawings.  Check out the talent below.  

You may think I traced Minnie Mouse, but I assure you that I did not.

We celebrated Robby's birthday a couple of weeks ago.  

We went to Pizzology.

I love my dad's face here.

Robby and I are at that point in the year where we are only a year apart.  

I'm 35 and he's 34.

We're practically twins!

We had a few nice days where we went out for a walk.  

Genevieve hosted a play date.

Lydia, Margo and Rosie were such great guests.  

Their faces here are priceless.  

I'll report back when I have more to share!

Fun Family Day

My little family went to the IMA for their first of monthly Family Days.  

The morning started with a showing of An American Tail at 10 a.m. with a cereal bar.

I passed on that.

I don't think G is ready to sit through a movie, let alone that terribly depressing show about that little mouse named Fievel.  I remember seeing it in the theatre as a kid and even then I thought it was depressing.  

We opted instead for clogging lessons with the Okee Dokee Brothers.  

They had a stage set up and an indoor park area with astroturf.  

G was ready to dance.  

She serenaded the waiting crowd with Let it Go before the performers took the stage.  

When they called for dancers, she was the first one up there.

She even danced with the head clogger.

Trinity's mother said that his grandparents were really into clogging.

It must be genetic.  

She needed a milk break after all of that dancing.  

The scene was just adorable.

This could so be my brother's living room.

He would love this. 

I did consent to making a Fievel mask.  

We also made an oboe out of a straw.  

My videos don't tend to do very well, but I will try once again to post one.

Here's our little clogger in action!

Another Christmas Celebration and a Haircut

 I have very few photos of my side of the family's Christmas.  Cousin Caroline was sick on Christmas, so our original plan to visit Tennessee was cancelled.  We missed Christmas with Katie, Chip and Caroline, but we had a lovely day at YaYa and Bob's house with Robby and Meghan.  

Genevieve was having such  splendid time with my parents that we left her there for 2 nights.

She helped my mother by smearing lipstick all over herself and picking flowers at Hobby Lobby.  

She got a haircut!

Thank goodness.

She was looking a little rough.  

She even sat in the chair by herself.

She did great with Linda, who cut my hair for like 20 years.  

All done.

You didn't think I would forgo the bow, now did you?

I think Dumbo has replaced Minnie for the time being.  

Jamie and I had high tea at the new Cake Bake Shop.  It was heavenly.  The decor is smashing, the food was delicious, and the waitresses wear pink and pinafores.

I'm not even kidding.

It ranks a close second to high tea at The Orangery in Kensington Palace.

It was that good.  

2014

Happy New Year!

I'm hoping and praying that 2015 will be full of happiness and health.  

2014 has been a big one for us.  What Trinity and I will remember most about this year was that it was full of traveling adventures!

We started our travels in March with a Trinity-Betsy trip to Scottsdale for 4 nights.

G rocked out with Abby and Papi in Kentucky.

I'm not sure if this classifies as "travel" but we spent the night at the uber exclusive water park and hotel in Southern Indiana with YaYa, Aunt Katie, Caroline, and Briley.  

In May I missed our family's trip to Pennsylvania to see Wellie because I was ill right before departure.

Wellie left her Easter egg tree up for G and they had a great time.  

In June I celebrated my 35th with a weekend in Chicago.

At the end of the month of June we traveled for a family vacation to South Carolina.  

In July my mom and I took G down to Jamie's lake house in Tennessee for a girls' weekend + Liam.  

Trinity traveled with me to Texas right before school started so I could do some training.

It was seriously hot in Dallas in July.  

September took us to San Diego and Genevieve's first plane trip.  

In August I became a foot model.

I always knew it would happen.

I traveled downtown (which isn't really traveling) for outdoor yoga at the War Memorial and there was a photographer taking shots for my yoga studio.  

She honed in on what I have always claimed to be my best feature.  This has nothing to do with travel, but I would be totally remiss if I didn't include a few shots of my feet. 

They look dirty.

In October we rounded out our year of travel with a trip to Maine.  

Once again Genevieve enjoyed the hills of Kentucky with Abby and Papi.  

It was a wonderful year.

I'm grateful for so many blessings in my life.

Christmas Day

Our Christmas morning was lots of excitement.  We all wore hats, which my mother-in-law loves, and the rest of us secretly do too.

Papi looks like a king here.

Wellie was Santa's elf.  She was passing out gifts willy nilly!  

Genevieve got tons of Frozen gifts from Wellie, Aunt Rose, Uncle Paul, and Trinity's cousin, Dina.  

She received a flouncy skirt, an Elsa doll, an Olaf watch and a necklace with Anna and Elsa on it.  She was in heaven.  

Papi and Abby came through with a karaoke machine.  Abby and G sang a duet of Islands in the Stream.  

I kid.

Abby and Papi also gave her a sled.  I'm hoping we don't have 8 snow days like we did last year.  

That was miserable!

Shirley received a makeover.

That evening I attempted to get some family photos.  These are just too hilarious to keep to myself.  

Trinity is cackling here.

This one is my favorite.  We tried to coax her back in the picture and BOOM!

There she is, front and center!

We were so sad to leave everyone the day after Christmas.  

It was a very special Christmas with our sweet Wellie.

We left with an overloaded car and lots of precious memories!