Happy Birthday Michele!

The dreaded day has come for Michele when she'll spend her last years in her 60's. I don't know why she complains so much about getting older...she's active, full of energy and looks young. To me, age is a state of mind. My mind tells me I'm 30 something but then when I try to do what my mind is telling me I want to do, my body fights back...awww!

I wasn't able to spend her birthday with her but I was able to get a picture of her blowing out her birthday candle while she was here at Easter. Whipped cream isn't the easiest vessel for a birthday candle but after several attempts I finally got a good pic. Happy Birthday Michele! My wish is to be just as active as you when I reach your age in another 20 months!

Sunday Showcase - Laundry Room

While keeping up with the signs around my house, my laundry room has a Wash & Dry sign.

The best part about my laundry room is it's connected to my closet. Instead of a standard door from the laundry room to the closet, a pocket door was installed. I do think the hanging rods and shelves are rather high. Living in a maintenance free older community, you'd think the builder would realize old people begin to shrink as they get older. OMG, I can't believe I wrote that statement! 🙊

Monthly Van Horn Alumni Lunch

 Our group was rather big today for our monthly Van Horn alumni lunch.

We went to Hacienda Vieja Mexican Grill. While the company was fun, the food was extremely bland. Needless to say I won't go back there.

Violet Accomplishes the Splits

Violet has been practicing and practicing trying to limber up enough to do the splits.

She finally accomplished that feat. She's following in the footsteps of her Ma. Maybe she'll continue and be a cheerleader when she's in high school. 

Hike by a Fountain

Michele and I have this goal of doing 52 one mile hikes this year. One of the places on the list is walking by a fountain.

Even though Michele and I went to the outlet mall where they have a fountain, it wasn't turned on. So when Michael and I went to Ameristar to get our yearly gift, we walked by a fountain. I checked my Apple Watch and sure enough I'd walked over a mile that day. So this counts as my "fountain" hike! 

Sunday Showcase - Easter

I'm changing up my Sunday Showcase because today is Easter so I'm showcasing family.

Michele came to town and we went to The Big Biscuit for breakfast before our big Easter dinner later in the afternoon. Even though the temperature had dropped considerably, I'd bought an Easter outfit and I was bound and determined to wear it. When we walked into the restaurant, I felt like an Easter egg in a dirt field. Everyone was in their winter dark clothes and I was in my Easter finest.

Michele also spent more time making clues for the kids to find 4 Easter eggs than it took the kids to find them. She made them age specific so Hazel's clues were pictures.

Then it was off to the garage to find the rest of the eggs. Lots of places to hide eggs in my 3 car garage. 

It's not often we can get Hazel to participate in picture taking but she did pose for a few pics.

My house is always so quiet when the kids leave. I'm happy for the calm before and after the storm but I miss all the excitement. Happy Easter!

Goldie Drives the Firetruck

All the Taylor kids have had their turn visiting Jamie at the firestation and driving the firetruck (or at least sitting in the driver's seat).

Today was the day for Goldie. Maybe with 4 kids, one of them will follow in Daddy's footsteps. 

Toothless Lincoln

Lincoln's at that age where he's losing his baby teeth and getting his adult teeth.

Right now he has no front teeth and has lost one of his bottom teeth.

Makes me grateful that I've spent all these years going to a dentist and my teeth are .

Teresa's Beddian Birthday

This is Teresa's Beddian birthday. A Beddian birthday occurs when the age a person turns is the same number as the last two digits of their birth year.

Mine was 15 years ago, Michele's even longer. I'm hoping my kids will be able to remember theirs with years ending in 81 and 83. You know....the memory thing. Not funny? Anyway, Happy Birthday Teresa!

GRASS!

I think all the stars have aligned and the weather gods are now on my side.

This morning I woke up to this....

And this afternoon I saw this (backyard).

I'm a little worried about the front yard. It only looks halfway complete to me. But that's a fight for another day. Maybe they'll be back tomorrow.

Sunday Showcase - Dining Room

This week's Sunday Showcase features my dining room. 

I've had these glass shelves since I moved back to Kansas City from Sedalia in 2001. Most of the glass tchotchkes have been donated or broken but I've kept a few and will continue to add new ones. The dining table has a hidden fold out leaf although the use of the kitchen island has served for enough room for family dinners.

I tried to think of something different to fill the bowl on the table. I went with small rocks and pot pourri to bring in that blue color. It may not be a huge room but it serves it's purpose for my family.