My favorite quotes today

There is a website I look at often.  It has lots and lots of pictures. You can go look yourself and find what you like:  TheBerry

Today, they have an inspirational quotes post.  These are my favorites:

The first two remind me of the saying "You don't know what you've got til it's gone."  And, really... you don't.  The second two and thoughts like it, are what keep me motivated - to do the PX90 and start new things right now.

So, check it out, you might find inspiration on one of the other posts as well.  There are several posted daily.

Ceramics

Ceara takes a ceramics class in school - that wasn't even offered when I was in school!  I love hand made things.  I want to learn how to do it too, but one thing at a time. 

Anyway, she made a mug for Jeff for Christmas.  She was disappointed because the paint is chipping off, but I think she did an amazing job on it.  See for yourself:

Isn't it wonderful? I love it!

The New Year, so far...

Well, until I can post some pictures, you will just have to read a wall of text.  So far this year, I've gotten into a routine of getting up early and doing PX90 workout* - I was doing it a couple of times a week before Christmas, but now I'm doing it every day.  For the past 5 days anyway.  It's going pretty well - I like doing it every day better because I'm building up more stamina for it.  Boy am I sore when I get up in the mornings, though.  However, I feel awesome when I'm done!

I also got a Zumba DVD that I started tonight.  This was the first night I could do it because of other commitments throughout the week.  It comes with an instruction dvd that I had done over the weekend, so I thought I would give the real thing a shot. 

Between the 2 of them, if my legs don't look awesome soon... I want a refund!  ;)  Right now I'm thinking I'll be lucky if I can walk tomorrow. 

I've also began crocheting.  I have always wanted to learn to make afghans, and it looks like I might be able to soon!  If I can get the stitches right.  I'm working on it.  So far, I have one semi-rectangular dish cloth.  I'm working on the second one.  I would post pictures of my attempts, but... see the below post. 

Also coming up this weekend, I am throwing a baby shower for Ceara.  Yes, that's right, I'm going to be a grandma for the 2nd time before I turn 40!  We will be having another baby girl in the family before the end of the month.  Rylee Lynn is the chosen name so far. 

Conor is finally getting back into his school routine, it was a little rough the first two days, but I think he's back to status quo. 

I've actually found a nails and I hung up some pictures.  I'm feeling all organized and stuff.  I still have one frame left to fill, and I hope to get that done after the shower this weekend. 

And now, it's time for bed - actually, a little past my desired bedtime.  I will try to keep you posted!  ;)

*this is not a resolution, I was doing it last year for most of the year, I'm just kicking it up a notch. 

Ugh, come on Blogger

Blogger won't let me upload any pictures.  Grrrr.  I'm trying to post more, been trying to do another post for the last week!  But I am unable to get the pictures in there so I can't do it.  It is an important visual too. 

Out with the old

It has been a long year of NOT posting much.  So, I'm closing out the year with a post.  I don't know why.  I've often wanted to post more, but just haven't done it.  I do enjoy looking at my older posts occasionally though, so I would like to keep up and know what was happening in my life in 2012. 

Nails.  I need them to hang photos.  Not the ones on the end of my fingers; the ones you pound into a wall with a hammer.  I have them somewhere, but who knows where?  I'll come across them some day - on a day I don't want to hang pictures, but maybe I'll remember to make a note of where they are for when I do want to. 

My camera broke.  Well, it still takes pictures, but will not accept any new memory cards.  So, I have to work with internal camera memory - which is only about 15 pictures.  I take all kinds of pictures until I get down to the last 2 - then I'm very picky about what I will do with that precious space.  The camera is a dinosaur of sorts in technology years.  I've had it since 2005... it has been a good camera.  Maybe 2013 will be a good year to retire it and get a new one.   

Conor got an expander put into his mouth this year - trying to make room in his mouth for all his teeth.  We "turned" it for a month and now he has braces. 

This was the first year without either of my girls here.  Ceara became old enough to work - and work she has.  Sure she had a job in 2011, but she didn't work all the time.  This year she has - working 2 jobs at one point because her first job wouldn't give her many hours, then just going for the second job where she was able to get the hours.  When she comes to visit, it is usually after she gets off work at night (10ish) on the weekends and she is usually tired and falls asleep pretty quickly. 

Allie doesn't come over as often because she lives 30ish minutes away and has Lily and work and all that life stuff. 

Conor got an xbox last year for Christmas and we haven't seen him since.  Just kidding... he does love playing it, but he seems to be able to walk away for other stuff pretty easily.  He started reading Harry Potter this year and loves it.  He's in the 4th grade and has the reading ability of a 7th grader. 

He just turned 10 years old - double digits.  We had a Hobbit party for him - we took him and 6 of his friends to see The Hobbit, then came back home for pizza and cake. 

That's about it for this post.  I'm not making any resolutions per se, but I would like to start posting here again in the New Year.  Hope everyone is doing well and has a great New Years Eve / Day! 

Conor's Berries

click to view

The days are getting cooler as we head into the fall season - my favorite by far.  The beautiful colors, the smells... mmmm. 

I've neglected my blog for so long, I don't know if I should try to catch up, or just go from today.  I'm leaning towards the latter.  Easier to make a fresh start!  Lily is getting so big, so smart, and she is so beautiful.  She is really amazing.  I know everyone thinks their kids / grand kids are all of those things, so you may think I'm a little biased, but... really.  She is. 

Conor has started the 4th grade and even writing that seems like... whooa.  Really?  Didn't he just get out of 1st?  Junior High School is right around the corner!  Scary. 

Ceara is a Senior in High School!  She is almost done!  She will be 18 next month, and that just seems impossible as well. 

Allie is, of course, a mother now and she is finding out just how much you can love another being - your child.  She is navigating the adult world and finding her place in it. 

I've changed a few of the links to the blogs I read - removed some that haven't posted in years and added new ones that I've found.  Hopefully today is the start of many posts to come, but I'm not promising anything. 

Lily Dancing

My aunt has a valentines bear that sings Justin Bieber's "Baby" and when it was playing on Sunday, Lily did a little dance to it.  She likes music!  :)  I pieced together a few videos I took with my phone - she would be dancing, and when someone walked into the room and she noticed them, she would quit. 

Scrooge offers Melton some tough love

Scrooge offers Melton some tough love

Happy Birthday Ceara! (the Katie edition)

Yes, I know Jeff already posted pictures, but he forgot to include the ones I took and since people have already commented on it, I thought I'd make my own post!  ;)  His pictures were all taken with his Blackberry, and I didn't take my camera to the restaurant, so all of mine were taken when we arrived home. 

She wore a tiara for her birthday, of course!

I love getting un-posed pictures - there was an app on Jon's iPad where a dinosaur would repeat anything you said in a strange, deep voice, and it cracked them up!

And I took a little video - I couldn't get it turned on quick enough to get the singing, but you can hear the part that the boys added to the end. 

She said she had a great birthday weekend, and I'm glad we could give that to her. 

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!  We love you!  :)

Happy Birthday Ceara

Ceara's 17th Birthday Cookie

Ceara doesn't care for cake... or chocolate.  Maybe it's just a defense mechanism because her dad used to steal all of her chocolate, so she told herself she didn't like it.  Who knows?  So, in light of those two dislikes, I made Ceara a birthday cookie - 1/2 peanut butter cookie, 1/2 sugar cookie.  Jeff is unaware of this at this time, but I'm sure he will object to the lack of chocolate anywhere in the party dessert!

Ceara's actual birthday is on October 7th, but because she had to work, we are celebrating it on October 8th.  Today.  Or tomorrow, depending on how you look at it.  As I have not been to bed yet, I still feel it is Friday. 

Jeff has always liked for parties to be themed, and since Ceara loves El Rancho Grande, we are taking her there for dinner to celebrate her birthday.  So, he decided that her cookie should be a Mexican theme.  I did my best to comply. 

I could go take a picture of her as she sleeps, however I will wait until tomorrow and just make a new post.  I just wanted to post the pictures now, because I kinda like how it turned out.  Despite the fact that my cactus plants look like green warped ghosts.  It's hard enough drawing with a pencil... icing is not as forgiving!

Sleep?  Who needs that?  Oh, wait... I think I might need a couple of hours!  :)

Lily Rolling Over!

Allie and Lily came to visit last night and I got to see Lily roll over!  I know the video is dark, but it will just have to do for now.  I will get a better one next time!  :)

Mimi bought her this nice little hat and it looks so cute on her! 

Time just flies, doesn't it?  She's going to be 6 months old next month!  It's hard for me to believe she's been with us for that long. 

She was jabbering a LOT and chewing on her fingers.

All of the below pictures were taken with my iPod:

Up until last night, every time Jeff talked to her she would pucker up and cry.  Last night, however, she was even laughing at him! 

I made cookies last night, too, so I thought I'd share a picture of them as well!  They were pretty good, new recipe.  Someday Lily will be able to help me cook, and I look forward to that, but I'm not ready for her to be that old yet!  I'm enjoying her as a baby!  :)

Why yes, I do have other things I should be sharing, I just thought I'd share these new pictures of Lily for now. 

Weekend Activities

I guess I'm going to have to start with Sunday because blogger won't let me move the pictures and videos around.  Or I am just a noob and can't figure it out.  Sunday, I exchanged Conor for Lily - Allie and Jon took Conor to Kings Island and Lily spent the day with us.  Time flew by while I had her, it didn't seem like they were gone very long.

That first video is actually from last weekend when they were here visiting on Labor Day.  It's so fun to watch her laugh.  And she can go from cracking up to somber in just one second.  She absolutely adores her daddy - he was the one making her laugh and coo.

In the second video, she was watching the dogs wrestle around, and it absolutely cracked her up.  It was such a nice day, we put her swing on the deck for a little while so she could spend some time outside. 

Saturday was full of activities as well.  First thing in the morning (9am) Conor had a soccer game, so we were up and at the park early to cheer him on.  Ceara had spent the night with us and she went with us as well.  She was supposed to be off work, but once we got home and made plans to make home made pizza, they called her in.  She wanted more hours so we put the plans on hold until she came back after work. 

Gage came over to play with Conor and I left the boys home and went to a Euchre party.  When I got home, Ceara and Grant were already here and ready to make pizza.  I had made the crust earlier in the day, and made the sauce last week, so they set out to make them.  I should have taken step by step pictures, but I forgot.

Ceara took the pictures of the "works in progress" and we forgot to take a finished picture.  Ceara made the one with the peperoni, while Grant made one with just cheese. 

We'll try other toppings at another time, but for our first time making it all from scratch, it turned out pretty good. 

I used this recipe for the pizza dough and this recipe for the sauce.  Made with our own tomatoes we grew in our garden!  :) 

Friday night we just stayed home and relaxed - had to prepare for the weekend after all.

Gimme Kisses!

Barb sent me this video of Conor today, and it brought back such memories!  Oh, how little he used to be!  How did he get to be so big?  I miss when he was little!

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane, Barb!

Heatwave!!

I can't believe it has been so hot!!

Anyone remember this song?

Sunflowers

Mathematical model of floret arrangement

Illustration of Vogel's model for n=1 ... 500
A model for the pattern of florets in the head of a sunflower was proposed by H. Vogel in 1979. This is expressed in polar coordinates where θ is the angle, r is the radius or distance from the center, and n is the index number of the floret and c is a constant scaling factor. It is a form of Fermat's spiral. The angle 137.5° is related to the golden ratio (55/144 of a circular angle, where 55 and 144 are Fibonacci numbers) and gives a close packing of florets. This model has been used to produce computer graphics representations of sunflowers.