Alaska! Day One

Ok I'm going to try to write down what we did in Alaska before I forget!

Day 1, Wednesday:

We arrived at about 2 a.m. and got our luggage.

Mine had apparently been mauled.

I really like this suitcase, so I was pretty bummed.

There used to be a wheel in that spot, by the way.

We checked into our hotel and slept for a few hours.

Our hotel room was super hot and we weren't able to turn it off...

so we ended up opening the window of our room,

which was on the 15th floor.

There was supposed to be a chain to keep it from opening more than a couple of inches, but it was broken, so our window opened way out and had no screen or anything.

We enjoyed the fresh, cool air but it freaked me out.

We drove over to Branden and Amber's house at around 10:30

while the girls were eating breakfast.

We were hopeful they would remember us.

So we sat near them at the table to give them time to adjust to our presence...

which didn't take long at all, thankfully!

They were both being shy though...

they kept looking at us and smiling and then sticking a finger in their mouths

(apparently their go-to thing for when they are nervous)

After breakfast, we presented them with some small gifts:

A couple of puzzles for Kaylee

and a doll stroller for Isabelle

Isabelle likes her stroller but the puzzles were a big hit with both of the girls...

and as the week progressed I was kicking myself for not getting two of the same puzzle!

Frank had the idea to get matching shirts for us and the girls

(how cute is that?)

So we ordered shirts from Etsy that have Isabelle's favorite dinosaur on them.

they say:

Grandpasaurus

Bakasaurus

Isabellesaurus

Kayleesaurus

Branden had to work that day, so he left fairly soon after we got there.

Frank drove him to work and Amber and I took the girls and did some grocery shopping.

We spent the afternoon just playing with the girls.

They showed us their favorite toys,

we read books,

and Isabelle even modeled her dinosaur hat for us.

The apartment looked all cute and clean when we arrived, but within short order the place was strewn with toys and clothes, puzzle pieces and food.

It brought back memories of having little ones and feeling like my work was always undone within minutes.

The girls had a surprisingly good time playing on my suitcase.

We attempted to get a picture of all of us with our matching shirts but it was harder than you might think.

Birthday Gift

I received the most thoughtful gift this year.

Over the years I've received thoughtful gifts, especially from Frank.

But this one was a surprise because it came from a couple of girls here in my neighborhood who, although we are friends,

really don't know me that well.

I haven't lived here that long, after all.

We all went out to lunch and they presented me with this gift:

First of all, how cute is this gift?

Turns out that they were trying to think of what to get me, and realizing that they don't really know me that well or know exactly what I would want,

decided to stalk my blog.

They found my "100 things" posts that I do every year and proceeded to read the posts for the last several years!

So they got me a box filled with all kinds of things from my own lists of things I am thankful for!

A lot of the things were handmade and really cute so that was an extra bonus.

Here is what the gift included:

a bouquet of handmade daisies (my favorite flower) in a cute jar

fels naptha (my favorite stain remover)

wool socks (apparently on my list for the last 4 years)

dark chocolate

dark chocolate covered almonds

make up remover cloths

lotion

ibuprofen (in a cute container...bonus!)

a picture of a cute pinterest idea involving tulips (hilarious!)

a personal invite to next year's mother's day trip to Park City

cute little notebooks and a cute little pen to go with them

lip balm

a ticket that gives me priority seating in the car for next summer's garage sales

a cupcake

and the one that really made me laugh...a page of free compliments.

Wow, what a fun gift that was!

It really touched me and was funny and sweet and thoughtful all at the same time.

Thanks gals!

I'm sure you are also so glad I found an opportunity to put more pictures of you on the internet.

Happy 49th Birthday to me!

As is tradition now 

(since I've done it 2 years in a row)

I am going to write down what I did on my birthday.

I have to start a couple of days before my birthday though because that's when I got my cake.

Since Frank gave me a trip to Anchorage for Christmas,

and the flight was scheduled to leave on my birthday,

we decided to have the birthday dinner and cake on Sunday 

(2 days early)

so that we'd have time to enjoy it.

It's just no good having leftover birthday cake and leaving it for the kids!

Just like last year, I gave him the recipe for my favorite vanilla scratch cake and asked him to make it for me.

Unlike last year, the cake totally failed!

He was very careful to make it exactly the way the recipe said.

And when he looked in the oven close to the time when it should have been done,

he let out a yell and called me over.

I looked in and saw this:

He even took a picture of me seeing the disaster that was my cake.

So sad!

But since it was a bundt cake, he flipped it over and it looked fine.

He decided to just frost it and pretend all was well.

The frosting recipe is SO decadent and full of butter that I was telling him to just skip it

but he would not hear of it

and, admittedly, it looked quite delicious.

But, as you might guess, the texture was not quite right since it had fallen.

We each at a piece anyway.

It was a good try.

Darn this high altitude baking!

(PS it's now a week later, and there is still leftover cake. Sad.)

Ok now on to my actual birthday!

I asked my sisters if they wanted to do a birthday breakfast so we got together at a local place and had a nice breakfast together.

I failed to take a photo though.

A couple of my friends here in my neighborhood asked me if I wanted to go to lunch.

So, obviously I said yes!

I remembered to take pictures this time.

They brought me a gift that I'm going to write a whole blog post about.

Neither one of them was super excited for me to take their picture but they were good sports since it was my birthday after all.

I came home from lunch to discover a cupcake and nice note from another neighbor.

Then worked on packing for the trip!

Our flight was scheduled for 8 PM.

Carter got home from school and quickly told me happy birthday.

He was thinking it really wasn't fair that I did a whole blog post about him being a bad birthday son before the day was even over.

I told him that I blog when I feel like it.

haha

But seriously he felt bad for forgetting to wish me a happy birthday that morning...

well, sort of bad.

He did say that he deserves some slack at 6 a.m.

Frank was feeling kind of bad about the cake debacle so he went out and got me some fancy donuts as a consolation birthday treat.

We opened presents before it got too late.

Frank gave me a warm shirt for the alaska trip, a dvd player and a nice card.

(I've been bemoaning our lack of a dvd player for awhile now)

After that we just finished packing and headed to the airport.

Our flight was seriously delayed so we were worried that we would miss our connection

but right when we entered the airport, the Alaska airlines people asked us if we were headed to anchorage and promptly rebooked us on a different flight.

We even arrived an hour earlier than originally planned.

Quite a successful and happy birthday overall.

Hard to live with

I generally consider myself to be pretty easy to live with.

I know I have some physical ailments that make me annoying...

I say "I have a headache" way too much.

I know this.

But overall

I am easy going

Never yell 

(ok, maybe when I'm joking...but you will rarely hear angry yelling from me)

patient

kind

like to make people happy

don't mind doing laundry

cook on occasion

See?

easy.

Then I have these moments of clarity when I realize that maybe I'm not that easy to live with.

Take today for example.

It's my birthday.

I've always been that person who likes her birthday acknowledged.

This is not new information for the people who live with me!

Boys and men (at least mine) are not great at this...

So I've learned to tell them what I want.

They know in advance if I want a homemade meal.

A cake.

A party

(Frank already knows, a year in advance, that I want a party for my 50th)

So last night as I said good night to Carter I told him 

"when you wake up it will be my birthday so you better be nice to me"

This morning he wasn't particularly mean or anything but he was silent and teenagery

(Yes, that's a word.  And if it isn't, it should be.  All parents of teenagers know what it means)

And he left the house without saying the magic words

"Happy Birthday Mom"

Really I don't ask for much.

Then Frank gets up.

Gets ready for work.

Eats breakfast.

Brings up a few details about things we need to do today.

All the while, I am getting annoyed.

He is failing the test that he didn't know he was taking!

Finally, as he heads to his office I say, 

(in a possibly testy voice)

"Do you have something you want to say to me?"

So he says it.

apologetically and enthusiastically and even includes a kiss.

But, if I had to ask for it...does it count?

Anyway,

these are probably the trials of all men who live with women.

I can't be the only one who silently tests the people in my life.

Regularly.

And harshly.

Can I?

Alas, after the poor hubby went to his office I realized that I might be somewhat

somewhat

hard to live with.

2015 in Review

1. What did you do in 2015 that you'd never done before? Rode a bike with clip in shoes.  Fell off that bike in my own driveway. 


2. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015? Some willpower.


3. What dates from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? It is unlikely that any dates will be etched in my memory.  But I'm sure I had some good things happen...let's think. Um. Drawing a blank right now because of my terrible memory. My oldest son and his wife and kids moved to Alaska in 2015. I was excited/nervous for them but sad for me.  It's been ok though because Amber is good about sending videos and I like sending packages to them. Frank reached his 3 year cancer free anniversary in 2015.  3 years is a big deal.  Also we bought a rental property. That's been "fun".
4. What was your biggest achievement this year? I feel like I was a bit stagnant to be honest.  But I did help my parents out when they wanted to go to Arizona.  That was good.  I showed up and sort of participated in the family triathlon.  Hoping to make a better showing in the future though. I also lost about 15 pounds.  I've gained back 5.  I'm going to lose that other 15 THIS YEAR. Darn it all.


5. What was your biggest failure? hmmm. I guess I don't really think like that.  I wish I had done some things better but I don't like thinking in terms of failure.  I haven't overcome my sugar addiction, so there's that I guess.


6. Did you suffer illness or injury? Migraines continued to be a major issue for me in 2015. Began botox in the spring or early summer and that has made a huge difference though.  I have some other health issues that make my life miserable.  But I'm dealing.


7. What was the best thing you bought? I'm sure the rental house will turn out to be the best thing we bought...long term.  We are still trying to recover right now though.


8. Where did most of your money go? The rental house!


9. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My trip to Alaska that I got for Christmas this year.  I am going in 4 days! Probably something else too, earlier in the year, but right now Alaska is on my mind. :-)


10. What song will always remind you of 2015? Probably none of them.  Possibly Adelle's song "Hello" but only because My funny cousin Emily mentioned it on her blog and I thought "yeah, probably that song."


11. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    a) happier or sadder? happier.  I really like living near my family.
    b) thinner or fatter?  a little bit thinner.
    c) richer or poorer? most definitely poorer.


12. What do you wish you'd done more of? exercising. I'm getting weak weak weak. 


13. What do you wish you'd done less of? whining. 


14. What was your favorite TV program? Hmmm.  Frank and I choose a show and then watch one together most nights.  We do this until we run out of seasons and then choose another.  I have really enjoyed this new thing of ours.  It's relaxing and kind of a bonding thing.  So I can't say I loved one program more than another but I love the watching of our programs together.


15. What was the best book you read? I have not read as much this year.  Must read more in 2016.  I really enjoyed Becoming a Great Gospel Teacher by Mark Beecher.  It got me fired up to be a better teacher to the teenagers at my church. I liked it so much I bought extras and gave them away.  That's saying something.


16. What was your family's favorite children's book this year? Skipping this one since my children are pretty darn old.  I bought several books for my grandkids but I don't know if they have a favorite...


17. What did you want and get? New Silverware.  Yay! We were down to 2 spoons I think.  Where do they go?


18. What did you want and not get? I still want some expensive stuff around my house.  Doubt I'll get it in 2016 either but it still swims around in my brain even though it's unlikely.  Remodel of laundry room to include a sewing area, new vanity in my bathroom and changing the kitchen are on that sad, expensive list.


19. What was your favorite film of the year? I liked hunger games. I'm sure I liked something else too but darned if I can remember.
20. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 48 in 2015.  My birthday is in January though so it was a long time ago! I had my family over for dinner and cake which was awesome.  I also got to go to  lunch with my friend Annette who ended up moving to Arizona this year. (SAD!)


21. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015? comfortable when at all possible.


22. What kept you sane? Having family close was awesome.  I also made a couple of friends this year so I got to go to lunch etc on occasion.


23. Which celebrity did you fancy the most? I like Jennifer Lawrence  and I like to watch Jimmy Fallon videos on Youtube...but generally don't care about celebrities. I only picked those two because, again, my funny cousin Emily mentioned them and I thought "yeah, she's right!" 


24. What political issue stirred you the most? I generally avoid any and all political discussions but I can say that I actually posted on Facebook about Donald Trump this year.  That's how fired up I was.  I DO NOT UNDERSTAND how he is a thing.  Seriously?  This guy is so full of himself and also full of negativity and hate that I just can't take it.  I do try to avoid talking about it though because I'm not going to change any minds with my bluster.  Luckily there are no trump supporters under my roof so I don't have to deal with it at home. Whew!
25. Who is the best new person you met? Carter got a girlfriend in 2015 and I like her.  I pick her as the best new person I met in 2015.


26. Who did you miss? I miss all of my Massachusetts people. I also miss my Pennsylvania people.  I also miss my Oregon people.  Facebook is so good for this type of problem....though it isn't a perfect fix.


27. Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2015. Appreciate and love your family with all of their quirks.  I already knew this but its something I focus on in my life.  I love my kids (that includes you Amber!), my grandkids, my siblings, my parents and my extended family SO MUCH.  So glad to have more of them around.


28. What were your favorite photos from 2015? I haven't been that good at taking pictures but here's a few (ok a bunch):

I didn't take this one...stole it from a snapchat.  But it's a keeper!

This entire blog post is a stolen blog idea from my funny cousin Emily.  I steal it every year because I never remember that it exists until I see it on her blog. Thanks Emily!