Family Dinner

Last Sunday, I invited all close family members for dinner. Mike and Lana brought two of their grandchildren. Here they are playing a game on Wii with Brad and Kyra. Kiyanah is standing up and Logan is on the sofa with Kyra. When they first arrived, I asked Logan and Kiyanah to go get Kyra and Brad. Logan walked right over and knocked on their door while Kiyanah stayed by me at my door. We had to introduce them to each other.

Lana, Kevin, Mike and I enjoyed some time around the table after dinner. We enjoyed Macaroni and cheese, Grandma Helen style, cabbage salad with Greek dressing, green beans and homemade brownies with walnuts. mm-mm- good! It was nice to spend some time together.

walking

One day after Kyra and I went shopping, we took the cats for a walk. This is the western border of our property. Kevin has planted olive trees here.

This is Pipi checking out a pine (?) tree. Kevin planted it several years ago.

Rain, rain...

One day last week, I was driving to my exercise class and came upon this little flood. this shot shows the water wending its way north. I know, north! that's the way the water flows in our neck of the woods.

here its flooding the road. The next day the road was severly eroded -- sorry, I didn't take a picture and its since been fixed.

Driving on the new lanes

Coming home from the exercise studio on Monday, these are the new lanes they've been working on for almost two years!

one month down

Dec 16: ribcage-34"
Jan 15: ribcage-33"
down--1 inch!!!

Dec 16: waist-35 1/2"
Jan 15: waist-34 "
down--1 1/2 inches!!!!

Dec 16: hips-41 1/2"
Jan 15: hips-39 3/4"
down--3/4 inch!!!

Dec 16: thighs-21 3/8"
Jan 15: thighs-21 1/4"
down--1/2 inch!

Dec 16: calf-14 1/4"
Jan 15: calf-14"
down--1/4 inch!


Dec 16: bicep-12 1/4"
Jan 15: bicep-12"
down--1/4 inch!

so i totaled my losses and it comes out to 4 1/4 inches! i've increased my workouts to at least 5 days a week, stuff like kickboxing (argh) and interval circuits. they really make me sweat. here's to more inches lost next month!

Sunrise

I was watching the sunrise the other day and tried to capture it through the window screen.
another one through the screen
I finally went to the front door--the color was almost gone.

random pics from the weekend

A few weeks ago, my nephew from Arizona, Kevin, called me and asked if he could bunk out at our house. They arrived on Friday night and then drove around all day Saturday checking out our county. He's been transferred here but they aren't moving here. Pictured here--Kevin and Taya.

Taya is drying her hair in my upstairs bathroom.

"Someone's sleeping in my bed!"

a yucky bug on my ceiling

The cat in the tree. Brad had to lift her up to it! She doesn't climb trees. I thought that was so hilarious!

New Year's Eve

I was relating to some coworkers what my NYE plans were: toast with my husband (sparkling apple cider), pull some poppers, go to bed early. I told them I was very excited about our plans. They all laughed. That's what we did, with one addition; Kevin brought home food from our favorite Mexican restaurant so we ate that then drank a toast to the new year. We went through the whole package of poppers. I went to sleep at 9:30! Sorry, but I was very tired. Slept through to 6am on New Year's day.

Christmas Day

After giving Kevin a haircut, we opened our presents. Then I asked Kevin if he wanted me to make a pie. What do you think he said? I asked him if he'd help me and he quickly agreed. He peeled and cored the apples while I made the crust. As soon as it was out of the oven, he wanted to know when it would be ready. I told him we would have it later. We went to the movies to see "Invictus". Its not a rugby movie! When we got back, I started dinner. Kevin wanted to eat pie right then but I told him it was for dessert. Then I capitulated and said "Alright. I cut you a piece right now." Then he said "No. Its alright. I'll wait"! We had a lovely dinner. The picture is one of my gifts---a runner from my sister-in-law, Cheryl. She makes all kinds of things like this. That's a Nativity music ball. It plays Silent Night. Inside the ball, is Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus. When you shake it, glitter swirls around them. Its my favorite Christmas decoration. We had a nice Christmas.

"O Christmas Tree"

I like to keep you up to date with the latest happenings here so here's our Christmas tree. Its kind of sad, because I never did get to hang ornaments on it. :( You will notice though, Mandi, that I am still using the angel that you made lo these many years ago.

workin' at the car wash...

I started out just washing my car (the 626) and then decided to wash the Miata. They both had mud caked on around the wheels, so it took longer than usual to wash, since I had to rinse off the mud. so nice and clean now....

Sunday morning

Pipi makes herself at home on the arm of Kevin's chair....