Travelling -- Through Life

I'm home.  I'm back from Spokane and it feels good!  But---I hate to not be with these adorables.

It is always so hard to say "Good-bye", especially when you know you aren't going to see them again for several months.  We're hoping they can come back home in June.  That's a long time!

Dee, Riley and Heath took me to the Spokane airport at noon on Sunday.  Riley cried and cried when I told her "Good-Bye" at the airport passenger drop off.  I HATE THAT!  I tried as hard as I could to hold back my own tears.  I hated to leave Dee, too.  We get along very well.  Both of my DIL's are like daughters to me.

I tried to think of the positive about coming back home:  I was going back to my hubby, parents, pets, and my other son and his beautiful family; I was getting back to my home that I love; I was looking forward to getting the Valentine and any lingering Christmas decorations put away; and I would be back on my OCD schedule.

I had one stop in Minneapolis, then on to Pittsburgh.  I wouldn't arrive in Pittsburgh until 10:30 p.m. with my hubby picking me up.  We then would have a three hour drive home from there.  Oh how I hate that part of any trip we take!  Years ago travelling was fun, and plane rides were exciting.  Not so much any more.

I was flying on Delta because that is usually the only flight from Pittsburgh to Spokane and vice versa.

 There is no non-stop flight at all.  There is always at least one transfer.  Delta has got to be the most boring airline.  I have never been on a Delta flight with any type of media screen.  No TV or movies at all.  And of course the regular peanuts, pretzels and soft drinks.  You must have to travel around the world to get this accommodation advertised on their web site.

I've never been on a flight like this with Delta.
And it's not like I was flying from Spokane to Seattle or Salt Lake.  I was going across the country.  Even from Minneapolis to Pittsburgh was a three hour flight.  This is the little puddle jumper that we were on for that distance:

Here is the fun part of the story.  I was waiting at my gate in Minneapolis and dreading this flight to Pittsburgh.  It's dark now, I'm getting tired, and I'm hungry because I didn't have enought time between flights to eat.  Then walking toward me is a lady that I think looks familiar.  As she gets closer I realized that it's a very long time friend of mine, Holli, that I had not seen in five years!  We have know each other for 47 years, since the first grade!  There were many years in between that we hadn't seen each other at all due to moving long distances away.  Now she lives in Pittsburgh and had been visiting her nephew at Purdue and was also travelling back home with a connection in Minneapolis.  We just couldn't believe it!  Here we were on the same flight back home.  After asking my seat mate if he would mind switching seats, Holli and I were able to sit together and talk non-stop for three hours.  I was almost wishing the flight was longer because we had so much more to talk about.  Now we're planning a visit in the next couple of weeks in Pittsburgh so that our mothers can visit.  They were also good friends all those years ago.

What could have been a miserable and long trip turned out to be so much fun.  I didn't even notice the cramped, dark and boring conditions!  The peanuts and juice now tasted good, and it was a bright and comfortable ride.  

I Love!

(Mary Englebreit)

I think Valentine's Day takes on a different tone as you get older and have been married happily to the same person for over 31 years.  We don't buy gifts for each other on this day.  We didn't even buy cards for each other this year.  It can just be a waste of money if you're just trying to come up with something at the last minute just because Hallmark says you need to.

We just love that we are home together. ( I got home last night from Spokane.  I'll have to write about the trip tomorrow.)   I  Love being home. We allowed each other to sleep in this morning since we didn't get to bed until late.  Then first thing today we promised  to be nice to each other all day!  How's that for a Valentine's gift!?  It doesn't sound so good writing it, but I have to say, it was a nice gift to each other.  We can have a tendancy to pick at each other and get on each other's nerves since we work out of our home and we're together all day.  Today was nice.  I Love my Hubby!

My little babies were very happy to see me when they came with "daddy" to pick me up at the airport. I  Love my babies.

I Love my morning coffee in my "Love you, kiss, kiss"  mug.

I Love to look outside and see the red cardinal that shows up every morning for breakfast.

I Love my family, friends and all my blog followers. 

I Love my life!!

Show and Tell My Knit Necklace

I love to knit, and when I saw this pattern I just had to try it.  Isn't it just so different and pretty?  The necklace I'm talking about, not the sweater.

It's knit, it's beaded, it's jewelry!  This is just so different!  I love to knit and I like to make things that are just a little unusual than just a plain scarf, or plain shawl, or plain hat.  I don't like plain.

Here's a closer view.

I used a sock weight yarn called "Mini Mochi".  See how it's shaded?!  The beads I used were carnival colored with the same shading.  I actually could have used some smaller beads, but I could find smaller in this color.
I used a #2 knitting needle and for anyone that knits you know this is very small.  You almost feel like you're knitting with toothpicks!  I tried another necklace using a #3 needle but didn't likee how loosey goosey it was. 

I thought it looked nice against my new purple turtleneck.

These are the hooks I sewed on.

This pattern was in the March edition of Creative Knitting magazine.

I'm linking up to "Show and Tell Friday" hosted by Cindy at "My Romantic Home". 

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

This is the first time I've joined this party, but I thought it was such a great idea because I have a lot to show!

A Little Exercise Does Wonders

We're all getting back on schedule now.  It could be that we were so tired on Monday because we really did work pretty hard over the weekend - cleaning, cooking and friends over for the Super Bowl.  Oh, and two babies to keep up with!  The thing that has made both of us feel so much better is exercise.  Dee has been going to the gym each morning for an hour with some of her friends.  I'm glad I'm able to give her that break. She said the exercise makes her feel so much better.  I hope she can find a sitter or a friend to watch the kids after I go back home this weekend.
While she's gone I put Heath down for a nap and then I work out to a fitness show on TV.  It's "Bodies in Motion by Gilad".  Back home it's on FIT TV, but here I found it on JLTV (Jewish Life TV).  It's half an hour and includes some stretching, cardio, abs and some light weights.    When done consistently it's a nice little workout. 
Yesterday morning I was trying to keep Riley occupied so I told her to exercise with me.  She tried to follow along and it was so cute.  Then I picked up the hand weights and she picked up two of the dogs' rubber bones and tried to do the same thing I was doing.  So adorable!  This morning I had my camera ready just in case, and she followed along again with me and Gilad.

Heath has also become a much easier baby.  The colic that he was so troubled with while at my house seems to have passed.  Now he is a happy, smiling baby!

He loves his jumpy chair and will sit in there and laugh and bounce for quite a while.

Brandon came home this morning from five days on a training mission out in the woods. He walked in the front door about 8:30, with all his gear, looking and smelling like a mountain man.

   We were all so glad to see him.  Layla (their Sharpei/Golden) could hardly control herself.

Unfortunately Brandon has to leave at 6:00 tomorrow morning for Georgia for three weeks of Jump School training.  I won't see him again until they possibly come back home in June.  Poor Dee is going to be home alone with the kids for 2-1/2 weeks since I'm leaving on Sunday.  She does a great job, though, and is a wonderful and patient mother.  Brandon wanted me to stay longer to help her, but I really need to get back home.  Dee is probably ready for a break from me anyway.  She's been with her mother-in-law (me!) since Christmas.  Being alone isn't always a bad thing! 

I figure by Saturday, the day before I go home, I'll be accustomed to the time change and Dee and I will have a good system working together!  Then it will take me another week and a half to get used to the Eastern time change!

No Rest for the Weary

We've been tired, busy, lazy, and cabin fever may be setting in a little bit. 

I say Dee and I are tired because two babies don't let you rest.  I know I'm also having a hard time still with adjusting to the three hour time difference.  I've been here almost a week and it normally only takes me a couple of days to catch up.  Maybe because it's winter and cold and dark longer, I just can't seem to be able to stay awake past 9:00 at night. 

Brandon had to leave on Saturday morning for the woods again to train a new class.  Dee and I got out a little bit and took the kids to the mall.  We didn't stay out long, but at least I got out of the house.  Then we picked up a few groceries since Dee was going to have a few people over for the Super Bowl.

Of course we were cheering for the Steelers but all the cheers weren't enough.  Regardless, the food was good, the company was delightful, and our babies looked very cute and in the spirit.

Today we just feel tired and lazy.  I feel like I'm not doing or moving enough.  I don't really know if that's completely true since these two little ones are very busy and don't sleep that well!  I guess I'm just used to a lot more housework, cooking, and work.  Dee tells me that I'm on vacation and to just relax.  When I relax, though, as I'm doing today, I feel lazy! 

Tomorrow I need to exercise or take a walk even if it is cold out!