Hodge Podge & a little catch up

Every weekend, I promise myself I am going to blog, I am going to blog (or is it I am going to post?) And every weekend, I end up just reading all the blogs instead, and I am STILL 1,000 posts behind! How do you all keep up? That is my question - just how the heck does everyone do it? So I need to be going to bed here, it is 1:15 AM, and I should do SOME picking up, but I thought I could at least make a dent and put up some of my pictures. I am taking pictures all the time, thinking I will be using them on my blog, and see where it gets me? So, since I have lots to catch up on, here at least is a start! I would love it if you would leave a comment also, if there is anyone out there reading this! Hugs - Diane (I will be working on writing something to go with the pics tomorrow, I hope!)

Another Birthday Past

And there was also Emily's 21st birthday - while she was biking in Australia for her interim. So we celebrated that after she came home. She has been so anxious for this birthday, when she can finally drink alcohol! She has been so good and patient about that - I am amazed - and proud of you Emily! She had a white Russian for one of her first drinks - mmmm, doesn't that sound good right now? So when she got home, her friend Lauren, from school, came for the weekend, and we also had Kathryn and her parents over too to celebrate. We had a wonderful time!

Of Birthdays Past

Well, where do ya start? I can't start out every post about being so behind, and apologizing - but here it is again...... oh well....... Time just does whiz bye these days! So, once again, playing a little catch up - here are pictures of our Birthday week!

The Carlson Family does it up big in mid January! DH's birthday is at the end of December, and then me and the kids have our birthdays January 13th, 15th & 17th!!! So when the kids were young, we would all get sick of cake that week, especially as our family all wants confetti Angel Food cake for their birthday. So this year, Ben was still in the U.P. (that is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) for his 24th birthday, and Emily was in Australia for her 21st birthday! But I was home - and got to celebrate with my wonderful Birthday Babes at the local Chili's Restaurant. We go there for each of our birthdays, and usually sit there talking and catching up until hours later, and we always have a great time. We all have girls the same age, so we have been doing things like dance lessons, soccer games, tennis matches together for many years. And it is always comforting to find out that their girls are doing the same type of things as my girl is! We also like to come up with some goofy cards - and pictures get cut up, and heads get pasted on to new cards, but we are running out of cards that have pictures with five women on them. But anyway, here are a few of the cute one's that I got this round, along with pictures of the five of us.

A little shuffling here:

Look at me, kickin up my heels!

And hubby and I got to go out to eat at my fave restaurant later that week, thanks to another gift! It was a wonderful birthday!

Only a Little Late!

This weekend I have promised myself I WILL blog myself! And I WILL, but quickly tonight before I go to bed, I do want to quickly squeeze this one in. I have been cleaning boxes and crates filled with soot/wood bits/who knows that got all over (and in) everything in our tiny attic when we had our 150 year old farm house re-roofed last year. And tonight I came across a crate from a long time ago. Anyway, since it was just Valentine's Day I wanted to show you this vintage card, but not just any vintage card, but one that my dad sent to my mom many, many moons ago. They have both been gone for many years, but I am glad it was one of the things I saved! By the way, my dad's real name was Harold, but everyone called him "Friggy". So let's see if I can make this work...... (hint - if you click on the picture it becomes crystal clear!)




Isn't this just sweet? I think so!

Let it Snow!!!

Click on these pictures - you will be transported!

Here is the view out of my living room window, these are to block the noise of the rather busy street on the other side. You would never know would you...

Well, here is hoping for a few more inches, and maybe a snow day from school tomorrow - maybe then I would have time to catch up! My decorations are down, but I still have a few Christmas pictures to show everyone! So hang on/be patient! In the meantime pray for snow! I LOVE IT!
Everything looks so fluffy and white! We got twelve inches since yesterday, and it is snowing again tonight, so there is hope! But it has been coming down nice and gently, with no wind blowing it around, so we shall see. But here are a few pictures I just couldn't resist taking. I think this resident cardinal is starting to smile for me when he sees the camera coming out!



And hubby was even able to go cross country skiing today. When we moved here 30 years ago and bought cross country skis, we loved to go out along the trails along Lake Michigan. But we haven't hardly had sufficient snow the last fifteen twenty years, and now with my arthritis in my toes and knee, I really miss being so mobile! But I am glad DH got to go!

And here are a few Snow Flowers from my garden - through the living room window mind you. When I first saw these on blogs, it took me awhile to realize what they were - just flowers adorned with snow!




Oh, another neat thing about snow - in our old farmhouse we put in a sky light and it is right over our bed. Much to my hubbies chagrin, I like to have it just a little bit open year round (well lots open in the summer), but when there is snow all around like now, the sound is so cool. I even had hubby get up to listen last night - when you stick your head out the sky light, there is NO sound, it is like the snow has swallowed up all the sound! It is the strangest thing - the silence is very loud!

So snow - come on down!

Hugs from Michigan - Diane