Goodbye 2017!

This weekend we say goodbye to 2017.  I have mixed feelings about it but overall just can't believe that the year flew so fast.  Can't wait to see what 2018 has in store!

1)  What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?

Completed a career change and am no longer in the teaching profession.

2)  Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more?

I honestly cannot remember what goals I made but yes I am making some for 2018 (this is the same answer yearly, ha!)

3)  Did anyone close to you give birth?

My cousin Shannon gave birth to Sophia, my stepsister Amy gave birth to McKenzie.  2018 has a lot of births coming up as well...at least 3 in the family.

4)  Did anyone close to you die?

Family wise, no.  Colleague wise yes, cancer took a lot of lives this year.

5)  What countries did you visit?

None this year :(

6)  What states did you visit?

Wisconsin, Illinois, Oklahoma

7)  What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?

A maid!  Hah, no seriously, more help with the house.  2 of us live here, 2 of us should be helping.

8)  What date(s) from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory and why?

There's really no dates that stood out this year.

9)  What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Switching careers

10)  What was your biggest failure?

Not getting a classroom.

11)  Did you suffer illness or injury?

The flu, lots of colds and pink eye

12)  What was the best thing you bought?

hmmm honestly nothing big, just house stuff

13)  Who's behavior merited celebration?

Hmm that's a hard one...honestly!

14)  Who's behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Too many to even list!

15)  Where did most of your money go?

Bills, bills, bills

16)  What did you get really excited about?

Traveling

17)  What song will remind you of 2016?

Believe by Imagine Dragons

18)  Compared to this time last year, are you:

a. happier or sadder? in the middle

b. thinner or fatter? in the middle

c. richer or poorer? in the middle

19)  What do you wish you had done more of?

Voicing my opinion

20)  How did you spend Christmas?

Hosted my inlaws here then went to my parents like usual

21)  Did you fall in love in 2017?

I continue to fall in love on a daily basis

22)  How many one night stands?

Zero

23)  What do you wish you had done less of?

Paying attention to those people who just don't deserve it

24)  What was your favorite TV program?

anything on Bravo, This is Us on NBC

25)  Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate last year?
Oh definitely!  I hate the word "hate" but some people earned it

26)  What was the best book you read?

Hmmm.....check out my Goodreads list, because this is a hard one too!

27)  What was your greatest musical discovery?

More country artists to love!

28)  What did you want and get?

scrapbooking supplies

29)  What did you want and not get?

A classroom

30)  What was your favorite film this year?

Don't have one honestly

31)  What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

I turned 36 and I had a family dinner then went to pick apples at Eckerts and the Blues home opener was on my bday this year so of course couldn't miss that.

32)  What was one thing that would have made your year immensely satisfying?

Proving to myself I could get a classroom

33)  How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?

Casual chic

34)  What kept you sane?

Reading, blogging, travel & family

35)  What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Honestly no one because celebs (except the Kardashians...shudder) aren't really out there anymore.

36)  What political issue stirred you the most?

Everything with Trump.  Whether you voted for him or not, he's the President.  Deal with it.

37)  Who did you miss?

My momma day in, and day out

38)  Who was the best new person that you met?

I'd have to say my cousin Sophia and my niece McKenzie

39)  Tell a valuable lesson you learned in 2016?

Live your life the way you want, not the way others want you to.  Because others will not be the ones picking up the pieces if it falls apart - they'll leave you in the dust.

40)  Quote a song lyric to sum up your year:

Cheers to the New Year!

Merry Christmas!

From my family to yours, I hope you have a blessed Christmas. I appreciate each and every one of you and can't wait to see what happens with this blog and yours in 2018.

Cheers!

Anheuser Busch Brewery Lights

One of our favorite traditions at Christmas time is to go see the free lights at the AB Brewery.

I don't remember when the tradition started but it continues year after year. You check in at a table and receive a wristband that allows you 5 free drinks that are set up on different bars throughout the area as you walk through the lights, participate in activities and take tons of pictures.

The weather was perfect and we arrived when it opened bc we knew with it being the Thursday before Christmas, it would be packed. Only thing I was bummed about this year was they took away their 'Ritaville set up where you got lime a Rita's and what not.  Maybe it'll appear next year again.

Until next year...cheers!

MoBOT Garden Glow

We've done so much to celebrate Christmas that I have major updating to do.  But I'll start with the most recent, our first every trip to the Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Gardens:

I've lived in STL my entire life and it took me this long to visit the garden at Christmas time.  It was a fun time being able to walk through the lights and of course tons of picture ops:

We went with my cousins Jennifer and Susan and had a grand ole time.  Afterwards we had a yummy warm up meal at Sybergs.  We may have just started a new yearly tradition!

5 on Friday!

Happy Friday everyone!

1)  I've been slacking in the blog world lately.  Its not that I don't want to write, I just literally have zero time to do so.  For instance I'm on work day #13 of 21 in a row.  When I get home from work I of course have maid...I mean wife duties at home and if I'm lucky I get a workout in.  I haven't done anything for myself in a long time.  My wish for the new year is that my husband helps more.  There, I said it.  I'm exhausted and he doesn't help very much.

2)  I wish I could say I will get caught up on Christmas break this year however this is the first year since college graduation that I am not off for a break.  Now hubby took off but he won't do much except play with his technology unless I leave a honey do list.  Guess I better get started on that.

3)  We started Christmas celebrations back on the first weekend of December that I still need to post about.  Since that party we've done a lot of other ones too.  More on those later!

4)  My christmas shopping is done and all wrapped so I did manage to do that.  I have a few odds and ends I need to pick up but the stores are crazy and its just not calling my name.  Unfortunately dear old hubby hasn't done any of his yet so good thing I don't rely on him to purchase items for the family.

5)  I am supposed to host my inlaws here Christmas Eve.  I am not too thrilled about it for many reasons.  They ruined our housewarming party back in April/May and my gut tells me that something is going to happen again this time.  Let's just say that if you are a guest in someone else's house, be polite and don't go into rooms that the party isn't being held in and do not just allow your kids to use/ruin whatever they feel like in a specialty craft area and on top of it all, don't quit your job on your family's front porch and tell your family at the party that you are now jobless because you didn't like what they were paying you.  We don't have kids and my inlaws make it all about the kids - which is great but they don't honor the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of Santa Claus and the spirit of listening.  Its all about presents, tearing opening all the toys and wrecking the house.  If I had a kid who was helping with said wrecking I feel like I'd be okay with it more.  I'm not bah humbug because Keith has the same feelings...he just couldn't say no to his mom.  Fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong!

Have a great weekend - ours is a busy one!

Holly Jolly Christmas questions

Real or fake tree?
Ever since I moved out of my dad's house I've always had fake trees. I still go help them cut down a real tree for the main house. Next year I'm thinking real...we will see...

Favorite Christmas cookie?
We have a girl's day cookie exchange and I usually make almond Joy cookies, pretzel rolos and puppy chow. I love just about any sweet.

Home on Christmas or travel?
Both...kinda. We travel to my dad's which is 30 min from us so I consider that traveling ;)

Clear or colored lights?
I love colored lights but I realize that this year all we put up was white.

Send Christmas cards?
Every year!  Picture ones too!

Favorite Christmas present received?
Now this is hard but probably my desk. I always wanted a certain type of desk and dad had it made and it's still my desk to this day. Another year I got a bookcase to match.

Favorite Christmas present given?
My dad collects train stuff and he had some really old prints to preserve so I did that one year. He loved it!

Stockings or no stockings?
Stockings on holders in the fireplace. Before we got the house I had to use command strips.

Christmas PJs?
Yep but I wear them all year too

Favorite Christmas carol?
Carol of the bells and silent night. Makes me tear up every time.

Favorite holiday tradition?
Just being with family

Early shopper or last minute?
In the middle

Favorite Christmas movie?
Elf and Christmas vacation

Favorite holiday beverage?
None actually. Can't stand egg nog and don't drink coffee.

Cookie & milk for Santa?
Of course!!  More so if we had kids.

36 while 36 update

Its been a slow start to my list but let's hope it picks up!!

1.  Complete my 2015 scrapbook

2.  Complete my 2016 scrapbook

3.  Get a massage

4.  Eat at the Blue Owl Restaurant in Kimmswick

5.  Run/walk a race

6.  See a show at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville

7.  Go to a balloon glow

8.  See the Christmas spectacular at Silver Dollar City

9.  Visit a new city for a Blues hockey game

10.  Plan a vacation somewhere new for us

11.  Donate a bag of clothes - completed Dec 2017

12.  Get professional pictures done - completed November 2017

13.  Find a plant for the piano room

14.  Read at least 30 books

15.  Tour the Missouri State Penitentiary

16.  Go to a SEMO or Mizzou football game

17.  Take a cooking class

18.  Build a new wine rack for the kitchen

19.  Hang my flag pole - completed Oct 2017

20.  Re do the basement bathroom

21.  Go to a new to us winery

22.  Weekend trip to the Lake

23.  Create a halloween shirt - completed Oct 2017

24.  Create a thanksgiving shirt - completed Nov 2017

25.  Create a Christmas shirt

26.  Make a Halloween wreath - completed Oct 2017

27.  Have a keratin treatment done to my hair

28.  Put up a hummingbird feeder

29.  Put out bird feeders

30.  Make our garage user friendly

31.  Create 2 things out of 2 palates I've obtained

32.  Visit Johnson Shut Ins

33.  Make another keychain board

34.  Tour the Daniel Boone home by candlelight

35.  Go to a Tech Shop open house - this place shut down in November so I'm going to count it as its not my fault!

36.  Celebrate me!!!

7/36 = 19%
Not bad for a month and a half!

November books

After having a "no book October" (not on purpose), I read a lot in November.  I had a mix of hits and misses:

1 star

I tried hard to read this book on many occasions and I just couldn't.  I was bored fast and just couldn't get past the first few pages.

5 stars

I really really enjoyed this book.  I actually couldn't put it down but that's how I usually feel about Kristan Higgins books.  This book shows you how you should always have an open heart for family, despite differences and situations going on in each other's lives.

2 stars

I made it to the middle of the book before stopping because I just didn't feel a connection and a want to finish it.  I had high hopes but was disappointed.

2 stars

Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors and while I finished this book, it was confusing to me and led me in different directions.  It does show you how friendships should last the test of time and in this book, the one that's evident has many hardships and somehow overcomes.

3 stars

Now that its December I'm trying hard to read some of the Christmas books that are out and about.  This one is the first of 3 and it was short and sweet.  It left you hanging because they want you to read 2 & 3.  This book shows how family sticks together despite divorces, separations and other facets of life.

I have many books on my radar for December.  Here's hoping I can get through a few of them.  If you're curious what I'm reading, and what I'm hoping to read at some point in the near future, check out my Goodreads list.

Happy Reading!