From December Into January

The week between Christmas and New Year's is my favorite week of the year. This year was as special and cozy as I had hoped. One afternoon, Madison invited me, Flynn, and Peyton to her home for a holiday tea. She served tea party sandwiches, fruit, banana bread, cake, and cranberry orange scones. Delicious! With Christmas music playing in the background, we visited and then played a game of Christmas Scrabble. It was a wonderful day.

We were also happy to be able to resume our traditional visit to my sister Margie's house this year after last year's Covid cancellation. We began our annual Christmas week visit to Margie and Chris's house years ago when the kids were young. They were sad when Christmas Day was over, and going to Margie's gave them something to look forward to. Her house is the Christmas House! We always have pizza, wings, and cookies. And she and Chris spoil my kids with love and gifts. This year all of us could go, and we had a blast. 

All too soon, it was New Year's Eve, and while we had a smaller celebration than in past years, I was okay with that because I was having a hard time staying awake! We made homemade pizza and then played some games until it was time to ring in a brand new year!

This is the only photo I have of New Year's Day, but I love it! Steve cooked the traditional pork, sauerkraut, and kielbasa. I snuggled on the couch and watched the annual Twilight Zone Marathon. Later, everyone came for dinner and games, and dessert. And that was a wrap on our 2021-22 Christmas season. Insert sad face.

Monday night, Steve and Rhett and Chris and Steve's brother-in-law Barry braved the cold in Pittsburgh to watch our quarterback Ben Roethlisberger play his last game at home. I cannot believe he has been the Steeler's quarterback for eighteen years! It was a special night, and while I was happy they could be there, I was even happier I could watch from the comfort of my cozy couch.

Well, that is about it, my friends.

Have a lovely weekend in your part of the world.

Stay safe, healthy, and cozy!

Billie Jo

The Week In Between

 

Merry Christmas, my friends! I hope your Christmas was everything you dreamed it would be. A "Merry Christmas" means something different to each of us, and I pray you enjoyed Christmas in your own way. We certainly did here with family, fun, food, and home. Now we enter my most favorite week of the year. This week in between has always been a chance for us to spend time together, play new games, watch the Christmas movies we didn't get to yet, nibble on cookies, wait for Daddy to get home, and look forward to a brand new year. 

This week has changed of, course, as my children grew. It used to be we spent days in our jammies, playing with new Barbie houses or assembling Match Car garages. Now, two of my children have their own Christmas homes, but I am sure they will be here often. My Rhett goes to work, but he joins in on the fun when he gets home. Flynn and I will spend our days in our cozy clothes and open some of her new Legos and games. I have one appointment, and we are resuming our annual visit to my sister Margie's house for pizza and presents, after skipping last year because of Covid, but other than that, we will be home here together. 

Then in the blink of an eye, New Year's Eve will be here, and we will celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of a new one. At home. With food, fun, and family, of course. I will check in here this week and resume posting again next week. Until then, thank you for your friendship, visits, comments, and blogs, which bring me so much joy. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, my friends!

Enjoy!

Billie Jo

Happy New Year 2020!

My Favorite Week Of The Year

Hello, friends!

We are snuggled in, pretending it isn't fifty-three degrees, and savoring every last moment of these cozy Christmas days. We are playing new games, eating yummy cookies, drinking Christmas teas and cocoas, and watching old favorite shows. We ventured out to mass and to our annual Christmas pizza party at my bestest sister Margie and her husband Chris' house. Some of my people went to work but came home after for more cozy fun.

I hope you all had lovely, memorable Christmas celebrations with your loved ones. Do you have any New Year's plans? We will attend mass on New Year's Eve, followed by a special steak dinner, prepared by Steve! Then everyone will humor me with my traditional party hats and noisemakers. New Year's Day is quiet here, with Steve's annual pork and sauerkraut dinner and our Twilight Zone marathon. We are something else, aren't we?!

Have a wonderful celebration of the new year!

Be back soon!

Well Hello There 2019!

I won't even begin this by lamenting that I cannot believe it is 2019, because none of us can, right? No amount of disbelief can slow down the rapid turning of those calendar pages. We can, however, enjoy every single moment. And that we did on New Year's Eve.

Mass first...

Then home to set the table for dinner on New Year's Day.

Random Photo Friday

Wow! This week found us transitioning from the fun of Mardi Gras to the solemnness of Ash Wednesday coupled with the festive celebration of Valentine's Day, and finishing with the food and fun of Chinese New Year....Which we celebrated a day early, because of our abstinence from meat on Fridays during Lent. Add some outside time in the snow for Steve and the kids and a hair cut and color for me and we had one full week! Here...take a look.

We finally had snow and non-frigid weather at the same time, so the outdoor people in the family bundled up and enjoyed! Have I ever told you how great Steve and I are as a team? He is all about the snow and cold and outside, and I...am not. 

Meanwhile, across the ocean, my firstborn was also enjoying time in the snow with Nicolas and his family during their ski trip to Sweden.

 Can I just say how proud I am of this girl? She literally embraces every single opportunity, be it learning a brand new language or putting on a pair of skis for the very first time.

Three years ago she could neither speak Danish nor ski, and now she does both with such joy and confidence.

I am so grateful to her Nicolas and his family for sharing so many life experiences with my girl.

These two.

That's all.

How much better does a cut and color make you feel?

I was long past due.

Here is a pic I sent to Madison for her approval.

Tuesday we celebrated Mardi Gras...

Wednesday, Valentines Day

(With an AMAZING cheesecake from Juniors, and Peyton's delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies, for the non Cheesecake lovers)...

And Thursday, Chinese New Year.

Finishing this one with my Mocha, as snapped by Rhett.

Because. Puppies.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends.

Thanks for visiting.

I am always happy you do!

Why I Resolve To Not Resolve

Did I make a New Year's resolution this year? To quote Rhett, who quotes Simon Cowell, "It's a no from me." Committing myself to creating and maintaining a new, challenging habit at the end of a season filled with fun and food and relaxation...and food...is, for me, a set up for failure.

Yes, the new year is a fresh start...a blank page...a new beginning. But why? Because I get a brand new planner? Why is January first any different than March first...besides the fact I have to remember to write 2018 instead of 2017, which of course takes me a couple weeks to do? What I am trying to say is this: For me, resolutions are not necessary or particularly beneficial to my physical and emotional well-being. I find little to no benefit in putting an added pressure on myself to do something that prior to January first has not been a part of my daily life.

I could resolve to get up earlier every day. And I would. For a week or so, until my warm cozy sheets and our late night schedule catch up with me. I could resolve to eat a healthy breakfast everyday. And I would, until Peyton makes some delicious cinnamon rolls or turnovers. I could resolve to walk on my treadmill every morning. And I would. Maybe. Until the phone rings or I have to run Rhett to the orthodontist or the puppies to the vet.

I try to maintain a happy, healthy, consistent, prayerful outlook all throughout the year. I admit..I am not always completely successful. Some days I get up early. Other days, I sleep late. Most days I eat a bowl of healthy cereal with fresh fruit for breakfast. Sometimes, I eat pancakes with butter and syrup. My treadmill is covered in dust. But I walk my puppy down the road when the weather is nice. I eat dessert. I drink coffee. I like fresh fruit and salads. I strongly dislike structured exercise. I love to read. I pray everyday. I watch my cholesterol. I love to swing with my kids. I eat McDonald's french fries dipped in honey mustard. I stay up late. Most every night. That is just what I do.

So, this year, like every year before, I resolve to make no resolutions. I will simply live and breathe and do my best to be a happy, healthy wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. I will enjoy everything in moderation. And I will not pressure myself to be someone or something I'm not. That takes way too much effort, don't you think?

New Year's 2018

Happy New Year, my friends! We rang in the new year together, just the five of us, with food, games, and of course...New Year's Rockin' Eve. It was quiet and cozy and lots of fun. Here are a few pictures of our wild and crazy New Year's Eve...

We enjoyed Happy New Year messages and video chats with these two as they celebrated with Nicolas' parents, delicious food, and fireworks!

Back here at home we awaited midnight with some 2017 Trivia and chocolate peanut butter cake.

We all made it to midnight, and the teens...even longer!

New Year's Day began with a few small gifts from Mom and Dad.

Because, you know, Santa brought all the good stuff last week. : )

The rest of the day involved relaxing, eating, and enjoying our traditional Twilight Zone Marathon.

And that's a wrap on The Holiday Season of 2017.

I hope you all enjoyed it with your people in the way you dreamed.

Looking forward to sharing 2018 with you here. 

Happy and Blessed New Year, my friends.

New Year's 2017

Christmas week flew by in a flurry of...ok...so maybe flurry isn't the word to describe our days filled with movies, naps, pjs, and games. In any case, New Year's Eve arrived and we were ready to celebrate!

New Year's Eve began with a few presents for each of the kids.

Since Santa brings the presents on Christmas, Mom and Dad like to add a few at New Years.

Just a little something to keep the spirit of the season alive. : )

Later that morning, we began preparing for our annual family New Year's Eve party!

We set the table...

And put Peyton's delicious cupcakes right in the middle.

Flynn was happy that our little elf Zip was here to celebrate with us.

Normally, he would have returned home with Santa on Christmas Eve, but this year, Flynn received a letter from the North Pole stating that Zip had special permission to stay until New Year's Day!

She could not have been happier!

As was Zip. : )

Then it was time to get ready for Mass.

These two are always the first ones ready!

Eventually, they all make it down. 

And are always willing to pose for a picture for Mom. : )

After a beautiful Mass, we were home for the night.

And ready to ring in the New Year!

Our good friends Heather and Dave came over to celebrate with us...

We ate, drank, and played too many games of trivia.

These two made my night extra special by telling me they arranged to stay an extra week!!

I don't need to tell you how happy that made me!

Soon it was almost midnight, and we were ready to say hello to a brand new year. 

We visited a bit more, and then we called it a night.

And soon enough, it was the first morning of a brand new year.

The day dawned clear and cold.

Just as a January day should.

Steve took Madison, Rhett, and Nicolas to the Steeler game.

And Peyton, Flynn and I enjoyed a day of leftovers and The Twilight Zone marathon.

 I snuck in a nap too. : )

Happy and Blessed New Year, my friends.

Thanks for visiting!