Farewell 2022 - See You Next Year

 

Hello and Welcome! - Yes this year has not been one where I've posted much on the old blog. - Can't really say why but I hope to start posting (and commenting) more in 2023.

 

Christmas here was nice, albeit slightly different then normal.  For one this we had SNOW (Ugh).  We usually don't have a "White Christmas" here but God decided we needed one for a change.  

 

One exciting thing though was that our houses made the front page of the Newspaper for our decorations. 

These photos were taken prior to the snow we eventually got.  Here is what they looked like Christmas Eve...

 

 

 

Normally we go out to eat on Christmas Eve, which we did.  We had Chinese food.  The roads were somewhat slick but not enough to keep us from going out. - We didn't go look at lights though like we usually do. - Came back home, opened stocking gifts, wrapped presents and went to bed.

 

Christmas morning we had the small family gathering at our house around 7:30 where we opened our gifts.  Then it was off to my nieces house for the family breakfast.

After the breakfast we went home and just relaxed.  Instead of fixing a huge dinner we opted to order take-out Mexican food instead.  I did make a dessert but that was all the cooking I did.  It felt good to not have to rush around preparing a big meal.

Overall it was a very pleasant day.

 

Now the snow that was there Christmas Eve disappeared the day after Christmas.  It warmed up to 50 degrees overnight with rain and by Tuesday it was all gone!

 

Getting ready to ring in the New Year tonight but I wanted to catch you all up on the holiday happenings. - My apologies for not visiting or commenting on your blogs much lately.  - I plan to improve on that in 2023.  -  See You Next Year!

Thanksgiving and the start of Christmas season.

 Welcome! -Well here in the USA the Thanksgiving holiday has now come and gone.  

We had a very small and somewhat quiet Thanksgiving.  Most of my family spends the holiday with either their spouses family or just celebrates on their own.  So it was just Mike, myself and our daughter Greta and her two girls, Coleen and Joelle.  Greta's boyfriend had to work so he wasn't able to join us this year.

Greta did most of the cooking and prepared some great food.  She made a sausage/vegetable stuffing, green beans almondine, mashed potatoes and gravy.  We did the turkey and I made some cranberry/orange sauce and an Apple Pie.  I bought a Pumpkin pie (mainly for hubby) since I don't like cooked pumpkin pie.

Here is the food and company shots.

 

 

 

One of these days I'm going to have to remember to have someone take my picture as I was the one taking these and never seem to get into the family photos.

 

Of course after Thanksgiving we have a bit of a tradition of getting the outside Christmas lights up as soon as possible.  This year ours went up a few days before the holiday but didn't get turned on until after Thanksgiving.

 

 

We got one new elf and also moved my mom's Nativity set into our yard so that our daughters family could put up what they wanted in their yard (which use to be my mom's place).  They still have to get their house lights up but yesterday Mike & Coleen worked very hard to get the yard decorations set out.  Everything looks very festive now.

I spent the day getting down the holiday glasses, doing dishes, some laundry and puttering around here and there.

 

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are looking forward to Christmas and the holiday season to come.  

 

Thanks for stopping by.

A Halloween Send Off

Welcome. - It's now November and soon Thanksgiving and the dreaded (snow) will be upon us.  - I'm so not a fan of winter but seasons come and seasons go so I'll try to make the best of it.

Meanwhile....I thought I would share some Halloween shots with you.

Coleen worked really hard to make a costume for the character/myth,  Mothman she made the wings and antenna herself.

She wore this to a party she went too before Halloween night.

Her little sister, Joelle they dressed up as, Chucky (to grandma's dismay)

Although I must admit that with that face she's just to cute to be spooky.

 

 It rained here all night long and I thought we wouldn't have any kids show up but they came out in abundance this year.  We had at least 70-80 trick-or-treaters which is the most we've had in about 5 years.

 

Coleen took Joelle around to a few houses in the neighborhood as the little one hadn't been feeling well and they didn't want her out in the rain for very long.  

 

This is how Coleen looked then,

 I loved her "third eye" look.

 

So that's it for Halloween this year.  - I didn't get out and take pictures of people's yard displays like I normally do so maybe next year.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Halloween Decor

 Oh my gosh it seems like I only post here about once a month anymore.  I have a bunch of stuff that I haven't posted so maybe I'll start trying to do a few more posts in the near future.

Anyway we decided to put up some outside Halloween decorations this year. Normally we usually carve pumpkins but in recent years we just haven't had time, patience or the desire to do so.  

So instead this year I purchased this:

Didn't tell hubby about it until it was about to arrive,  I wanted it to be a surprise. - The surprise was on me though when I showed him another one and he said,  "Go ahead and get it!"

 

So without further ado....

 

                                    Happy Halloween!

Back to School

 Welcome! - Yesterday was the start of school here again for another year.

 

As is my tradition I'm posting Coleen's "back to school" photos.

 

She is starting her Senior Year in High School. - Where has time gone?

 

 She was rushed yesterday so not much time for many pictures.  She just had her hair dyed the day before.  

 

Here is the "side by side" comparison shot between grade 11 & grade 12

 

 And finally below is a collage from Kindergarten through Grade 12

Lots of changes over the years.  

 

 Wishing her the most wonderful year.

Awww Monday - August 8, 2022

 It's been awhile since I've joined in for Awww Mondays so I'm joining today (a day late) with a cute little post.

 

We took Red to the Splash Pad in July and I am finally getting around to sharing a few of the photos I took of her there.

 Several years ago I took Coleen when she was about 11 years old and the pad had just opened up. 

 

 So now it was time for her little sister to have some fun.  You'll see Coleen here as well.

 

 Lots of fun for sure.  

 

 

Fourth of July Fun

 So last year I didn't go out on the 4th of July as I was still recovering from having Shingles and it was blazing hot last summer.

 

This year, it rained in the morning but cleared off by midday.  So we walked up to the park to take in the booths & music. 

 

One of the bands that played - They were a "bluesy" type of band.  Not bad but not my style of music.  I went to high school with the guy in the blue hat in front.

 

 We had a barbecue and fixings at the house.  Invited my niece and her husband to join us. - We ran into them at the park and they didn't have anything planned for dinner.  It was fun having them join us.

Coleen took this shot of Grandma (that's me)  and little Joelle watching a sparkler. 

 

A nearby neighbors fireworks, they get the big ones.

 

One of ours, we shot off some. Didn't go out to the local community fireworks (I wanted too but no one else did).

 

Had a pretty nice day all in all.

 

 

 

 

Willy Nilly Friday Five - July 1, 2022

 

My gosh it's been over a month now since I've posted here.  - I guess it's because I rarely go anywhere (other than the grocery store or out to eat) so I don't seem to have much to post about.  - Okay, whining over...

 CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

For today I'm joining in on WILLY NILLY FRIDAY FIVE  hosted by Tom (The backroads traveller)

 

 1. Going back to May for a couple of shots... Just never posted them but wanted to share.  My mom's lilac tree was stunning this year (until the heavy rains came).  I captured this shot of some of the blooms.

 

2.  I try to document hubby's accidents so I can remember when they happened. - This one was May 5.  He'd been out of town working and after he got home that night he told us he'd fallen and bumped his head, elbow and knee.  After looking at the "goose egg" on his forehead we went to the Urgent Care.  - No broken bones and they didn't think he had a concussion so after a couple of hours they sent him home.  - He felt pretty sore for several days afterwards.

3.  He requested Meatloaf for his birthday in May and since I hate mixing it up my daughter and "Red" came over and helped out!
 

4. I got to attend a small circus with my daughter and granddaughter. This was one of the acts.  I shot this for 52 Frames Triangular Composition theme. - It made the (52 Picks album!)

5. Some strange looking clouds I noticed one night. Shot in BW

6. Every year a bunch of White Pelicans shows up and I happened to spot them one day.  - I decided to try and get a better view of them so I drove to a different spot and started walking down to the water.  Just before I got there they decided to fly so I only managed to capture this image of them.

7.  Bought a new lily from a catalog and planted it.  It should look like this one from the catalog...

This is what I got....  I'm not sure that I like it, what do you think?

 

8. While driving around trying to find something for the Everything In Focus challenge I spotted these weeds growing in a wheat field and snapped a shot of them just because.

 

That's it for this round. - Hopefully I'll get out more and snap more pictures like I use to so I'll have more to share.

 

Willy Nilly Friday Five - Random Things

 Hello & Welcome!

 

Joining Tom (The Backroads Traveller) for WILLY NILLY FRIDAY FIVE 

 

 

 

 1.  Curvy - Spotted this curvy grass out on a walk.

2.All in a Row - Love this group of trees a few blocks away from where I live.

3. Feeling Squirrelly  - One of the many squirrels that stop by for peanuts at the feeders everyday.

 

4. - Fenced In. - Part of a fence a few houses away with a backdrop of Dogwood Blooms.

5. -  Reflections - Some cattails and reflections at Rooks Park.

6. - Spring White  - Spotted these pretty white flowers, (Snowdrop Anemones) out on a walk one day.  They sure are pretty.

7. - What? - While out for a walk I noticed this unusual sidewalk job. 

8. - Easter Cutie - We celebrated a week late as the kids/grand kids had the stomach flu Easter weekend.  Ugh!

 

 

9. - Furry Cuties:  Our two youngest,  Rowdy & Rascal enjoying some bonding time.

 

 My favorite girl singer:That lady could belt out a tune!

  

Happy Mother's Day weekend to all the mothers both past, present and future.