JANUARY 2014

Christmas 2013 and all the holiday 'busy-ness' has passed.  All the 'things' that make the time so pretty and exciting still wait to go into their appropriate places of rest until the next Christmas Season rolls around.  I had so much fun celebrating this year; with a Christmas dinner party for my Crochet Club friends.  A Christmas sleep over celebration with the kiddos and their littles because of their plans taking them away for Christmas.  A Christmas Eve celebration with the Bizal family here, rounded out with a lively game of Catch Phrase - a tradition with them.  So much fit into a short period of time and then it is over LOL!  Christmas day was quiet with DH and I taking in a movie 'The Wolf of Wall Street' and eating left overs  :-)

Welcome 2014 quietly as DH was feeling a little under the weather with symptoms of a cold and was preparing to leave for a Wrestling tournament leaving on January 2nd for Rochester and I preparing to leave at 5:15 a.m. with the Jordan's for a 9 day vacation to Paradise Island, Nassau  (Bahama's) - resort of
ATLANTIS.

And what a heavenly vacation it was!!  How I long for the beautiful surroundings, beautiful weather, and waking up to the childrens' excitement of embracing life in a world of sun and all that the resort had to offer for adventure.  I got to kiss and hug a dolphin and be in the water with 'her' - after sharing literally, tears of laughter with my daughter as we tried to squeeze into our wetsuits LOL xoxo!!  I went down 'The Current'
a 'rapid' river ride on an inner tube (a challenge to myself to overcome actually going over rapids), going down a water slide which involved a tube going slowly through a shark tank, took a leisurely ride down a lazy river and a couple of beautiful beach walks on the ocean.  The food was great and Paul saw to it that we hit some especially good restaurants, and we even had a buffet dinner outside in the dark, with twinkling lights and festively decorated tables!!  It was a wonderful break from winter at home....a Polar Vortex that brought the temperatures to -25 to -35 degrees FRIGID - a great  time to be gone!!

HOW I MISS THIS!!

I returned home to DH and settled into the surroundings of cold and snow again and greatly miss the yearly January visit with sister, Cindy.  She stayed home this year on a 'stay ca' from work, and I realize how much fun she has brought to my January drudge the last two years.  Paul had hip surgery a week ago (last Wed) and he is recovering nicely.  DH has vacationed in Costa Rica, fishing for 4 days and he is back.  I have helped get the Jordan kiddos to appts and classes, while Amy helps Paul recoup.  I had a lovely evening with Laurie - who made me an outstanding dinner!!  (and movie of 'Hello Dolly' with Barbra Streisand).

Life resumes.....in the continuing cold and snow.  

I have hopes of blogging more efficiently ..... but you know how that goes!!  We shall see....

I missed Starbucks and Caribou while vacationing - so have had 3 chai tea lattes and one northern lite vanilla latte to make up for the losses LOL!! 

Now I must rush out and enjoy the few hours of purported 30 degree temps before the 3 inches of snow and temp of 2 degrees return!!  Happy Friday everyone!!