2019 Starting off Great!

So, last year was a tough year.  But already I've gotten some good news this year and that makes me happy!

First of all, the year started off amazingly as my new little grandson, Auryn Bearheart! (pronounced OR-in). And he is the sweetest little Bearheart!

He is just the sweetest cuddliest boy!  And Annabelle just loves him!  She is so sweet and kind to him!  

Grand kids are just more than I ever hoped and imagined!  

And--more good news-- We are going to be grandparents AGAIN!!  My son and his wife are expecting their first in November!  I'm really in shock as I have 3 grand babies!  This Grammy gig just keeps getting better and better!

We also just bought our anniversary trip!  We will be married 30 years in November!  THIRTY!!  That is definitely something to celebrate so we will be going to Croatia in August!  Can not wait to see all there is to see there! Like this 👇👇

Plitvice Lakes National Park

And one other thing that is silly really--but I got a new dishwasher!  You know you are a grown up woman when stuff like this makes you happy 😊.  It's the little things, right!  

So hopefully this trend will continue!  I'm thankful for the blessings and Praising God in the storms too.

How's your year going so far??

Daily goals

So, I'm a very goal oriented person.  I like check boxes, crossing off lists, making lists, and feeling like I've gotten stuff done during the day.  This can be both a really good trait and also slightly frustrating.

I like to have things that I do every day.  My daily checklist so to speak.  Ideally I would get them all done every day.  I don't always but it's good to have goals.

Physical

• I eat whole, unprocessed foods and I've been keto for about 4 years now.  
• I walk.  My current goal is 11,000 steps a day.  I exercise in the morning before work and walk at lunch and walk after work. I love this!
• Yoga.  I really strive to incorporate this every day.  The stretching and strengthening are so beneficial! This one's my favorite!
• Drink water.  This is always a work in progress for me.  But if I have a big yeti on my desk it helps! Or this!

Spiritual

• Read the Bible.  I've been falling down a little on this lately, but just reading a chapter a day or doing a short study is eternally important. There's so many apps and Bible plans out there.  But I use this the most. 

Emotional

• Self care.  We should do at least 3 things to take care of our selves each day.  Drinking coffee on the porch, watching the birds, going for a walk.  Things like this replenish my soul. 
• Text, call or check in on someone.  Just putting a short note in the mail, or sending a text to someone really builds friendships! 

So what are the things you try to do every day?  Do you have weekend goals?  What else should I add to my list?

My dearest Hula Hoop

My dearest hula hoop,

I really haven't meant to ignore you these last few months.  It's been cold, and rainy and well, I could use a thousand excuses, but I just haven't picked you up like I've wanted to.

You see, I do think about you a lot.  I hear a good song on the radio and I think of all the happiness you bring me when I'm dancing with you. 

I watch Instagram hoopers and FB hoopers and I dream of the things we could do together some day.

You've taught me so much about myself.  That I can be bold.  That I can feel free to play and have fun regardless of my age.  You've shown me how to step out of my comfort zone and be free to dance in a group.  You help me not to succumb to my eeyore-ness.

Spring is just around the corner!  I see the sun peeking out today!  It'll get warmer and before you know it there will be outdoor concerts and sunny days again!  I'll take you down off that wall and we will go for a spin again.  I promise!

Your greatest fan,
Me

Invisalign Journey

I started this Invisalign journey almost a year ago. I'm on week 40 now!  I've got 15 weeks to go!  It's been quite a year of getting used to my teeth moving all over the place! 

I've gotten used to taking my toothbrush everywhere.  Taking my aligners out when eating-then brushing and getting them back in real quick.  I've felt the pain of them moving each and every week.  I've felt the weirdness of not having them in.  It's strange to say but when they aren't in my teeth feel so loose and awkward.

But the end is in sight now!  I only have 15 weeks to go!  And what a difference!  Looking back on week one --I just can't believe how crooked they were! 

I'm looking forward to the end result.  Looking forward to being able to eat again any time I want and not worrying about the aligners!

And looking forward to that straight beautiful smile!  👧

2018 year in Review

Well, 2018 is almost over and really--good riddance.  It's been a tough year.  We lost all our parents this year.  My mom died early in the year and my dad died after Thanksgiving.  Larry's mom battled a lot of sickness and after a successful move to an assisted living by us she passed away in September.  It's really surreal to be the oldest ones in the family now.  We have no grandparents and now no parents.

We battled some medical things ourselves.  I had a kidney stone. Larry had shoulder surgery.  I had a weird infection in my elbow.  We both had some unusual sickness at the beginning of the year.  I had some eye surgery. (Post on that later) and I started Invisalign too!

But it hasn't been all bad.  We got to go on a cruise in April to the Caribbean with great friends!  We had some beautiful California Closets installed in our condo. We got to go see our son in San Diego twice! We got to see some wonderful friends in Virginia. We spent a great weekend in Corpus with my daughter and her husband and the grand baby!  I got to spend several weekends this year with my dad coming over.

So as we turn the calendar to 2019, I'm anticipating good things!  We will have another grand baby in January!  And a new baby is always a happy way to start the year!  Annabelle will be 2 next year!  My son will be finished with the Marines in March and will be starting some new exciting career.  We will be celebrating our 30th anniversary and we are looking at a trip to Croatia!

There's lots to mourn for last year but lots to look forward for the year to come.

So my word for the new year is RELATIONSHIPS.  Trying to think of my relationships with people.  Not just my jobs or duties to people but what am I doing for the relationship?  How do I build that?  How do I grow and encourage those?  Lots to work but I'm praying God will guide me in this next year.  

Happy New Year everyone.

I buried my dad today

I buried my dad today.
Something I thought I'd never say.
But time marches on
We grow, we get old.
And these are the things we must face.

My dad was one of those awesome old time cowboy types.  He told stories in the slow old fashioned way.  He was never in a rush.  He relished whatever experience he was in at the moment.  He loved sitting and staring at a campfire and watching the stars at night.  He knew pretty much everything about everything-except movies and TV stars and celebrities.  He could speak intelligently about almost any subject because he was well read.  Every time I saw my dad he had a book in his hand or on his chest or right within arm's reach.

Some fond memories I had of my dad:

Climbing on the roof on the fourth of July to watch the fireworks all around the city. 

Being pulled in our wagon, that was attached to the riding lawn mower.

Countless camping trips.

Walking hand in hand in the last few weeks of his life.

Watching many a PBS documentary.

Standing in the kitchen and helping him cook biscuits or feed his sourdough starter or making heuvos rancheros.

Walking out in the yard at my grandparent's house and having him tell me the name of every kind of tree.

Getting up in the middle of the night and going to smell his pipe tobacco.

Staying up late to work a jigsaw puzzle.

I will miss you dad.  I've missed you for years already since Alzheimer's took you from us.  You made me laugh and I will treasure the many memories I had with you.  Thank you for making me the person I am today.

Happy 29 years!

In a few weeks, my honey and I will be married 29 years!  In a way, it seems so short but in a way it seems so long! Hahaha!  JK--mostly 😂

Marriage is tough.  It takes effort.  It's not always romance and flowers and mushy stuff.  It's life and messes and arguments.  It's disagreements and not seeing eye to eye and misunderstandings and annoyances.  It's missed opportunities and different expectations.

But that does not mean we haven't had some fun along the way!  It's also, coffee together in the morning, watching the rain on the balcony together, playing a new board game together, watching Jeopardy together.  All these things have the same word in common--together. 

Marriage is together.  We are on the same team!  We should be working together!  I'm for Him and He is for Me! 

So what's the big secret on how to be married for 29 years?  << here's a few ideas but I really couldn't tell you. I have a lot of thoughts and ideas.  But the main one is just don't quit!  Work at it!  In some aspects,  I'm competitive and so is he and neither one of us want to lose.  (***side note:  Now it goes without saying that in the cases of abandonment or adultery or abuse--get the heck out!  Seek help and counseling!)

A big part of our marriage is friendship.  It's having fun together.  I think that's what keeps us going a lot of times.  Being silly, having fun, dancing like no one's watching! 

Read good marriage books.  Seek counseling even during the good times.  Go on dates! Go on marriage retreats. Be around other married couples. Apologize. Don't always be right. Love with the other person's love language.  Get off your phone sometimes.  Do one nice thing.  Stop the downward spiral. Enjoy yourself. Grow. Change.  Help each other. Learn from others.  Take advice.  Don't get stuck in the monotony.  Mix it up.  Try.

It's like putting gas and oil in the car, if you want the car to keep running you gotta take care of it! Maintenance is pretty important to a relationship. 

So have fun, hang on and enjoy this ride called life!

Here's to another 29 years Larry!  We got this!!  💗