January Photo A Day

I have decided to do a little challenge on the great Instagram.  Join me?  Use the hash tags above to play.

Netflix and Chill? Or the impossible case of bingewatching...

I recently got over my binge watching of Parks and Rec and moved on to Shameless.  I have now finished Shameless up to season six.  The new season is not yet offered on Netflix.

Here are a few things that I have taken away from it:

I think Fiona is horrible.  I really started to dislike her in the third season.  I think Gus got the raw deal.  She totally deserved the song he wrote for her. Song totally NSFW.

The Gallagher's would be horrible family support division clients.  So many people moving in and out of their house, changes in income, large lump sums of money received.....
This might be a post for later on.

Their lives are just a mess and it makes you think that your life could be so much worse.
It makes me very grateful that I do not live in the Slums on the South side of Chicago.
Totally not a safe show to watch around children.
Lots of sex, drugs and illegal activity.
With that being said, I really do love this show.


I have started watching The 100.  I like it.  I like post-apocalyptic type shows.  I like seeing what people come up with the future of the Earth.


I binge watched Stranger Things about a month ago.  It took me a few episodes to get into it and I liked the concept.


I've been watching Fuller House.


What Netflix shows have you been watching?
I need ideas for my next binge.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a great and wonderful day.

I hope you were able to spend it with those that you wanted to spend it with.

I spent the day with my family.

A few important people were missed.

Hopefully, we get to see them soon.

The children are happy, the adults are happy.

The weather is not happy.

Rubric's Cubes and another controller for the youngest boy.

Pink stuff for the girl.

All three of them.  All together.

Makes my little heart happy.

Lauren made some outstanding food for lunch.

The littlest niece was worn out.

Christmas Decorations

There is no denying it.  I love Winter/Christmas Decorations.

I wanted to share a few of my favorites.

This is my door owl!  He is wearing a glittery, pom pom scarf!

This is the Maggie cat hanging out next to the tree.

Presents!

I like owls and decorations that are white.

Shotgun Sheilas ornament and Sebastian.

My ballerina that my grandma gave me.  Look at that date!

There is another grandma decoration or two in there.

video: Mannequin Challenge

For part of our Christmas/Holiday celebration, we decided to embrace the Mannequin Challenge.  Our office also challenged the other offices to complete this challenge with us.  We only had one bite.  

The first part of the video is our Midtown Office staff.  The second video is my office.  I love the videos and think they are super adorable.

Do you know how hard it is to hold still even for those 45 seconds?  I was so tempted to turn my head and look around.

I showed my mom the video and she recognized the decorations.  Yep, they are some of them that I could not fit on the tree at home.

Have you done the Mannequin Challenge? 

holiday adventures

We took a little adventure with my friend Sue last night.

We met up with her at the River Market, right across from the Streetcar stop.

I've never ridden the Streetcar and I have to say, I kinda like it.

It's free and an easy way to travel from the River Market to Union Station/Crown Center area.

Outside of Union Station

The red background is advertising the Pompeii Exhibit.

Christmas Tree inside of Union Station.

These are my kids.

Yep.

The great hall in Union Station.

It's quite lovely.

Outside at Crown Center.

The Mayor's Christmas Tree at Crown Center.

After our visiting of the holiday lights and trees, we took the Streetcar back to the River Market and ate dinner.

If you have never tried the Minksey's Tostado pizza, you should!

Sooooo colddddd.....

It's been so cold.

Seriously frigid.  Even for the middle of the country.  We've been hit with arctic temps and it's not so much fun.

 I woke up on Sunday morning to -4 degrees F.  By the afternoon when I went to Target, it was up to 4 degrees F.

It was just cold.    You can't really tell the difference when the temperature drops below freezing.

My Girl Scouts had already signed up to be Bell Ringers for the Salvation Army.

It was about 19 degrees F but felt like 11 with the wind chill.

The girls were troopers and last 1.5 hours.  We did give them a few ten minute warm up breaks.

My daughter was a frozen potato as she called herself.

One of the girls showed up in shorts.

...

No Comment.

One of the other parents had snow pants and long socks in her car and the girl didn't want to wear them.

She tried.

...

Alli did get some Starbucks to warm her up.

...

Alli said they received a lot of donations.

I am really proud of the girls for braving the weather

and helping others out.

Clara, Abbi, Sarah and Alli

Abbi and Alli and their poor red noses.

derbies: winter wonderslam

The Sheilas and a few friends decided to participate in a tournament put on by the KC Roller Warriors.

We played a rule set that was completely unfamiliar to us.

We were seeded 8th out of eight teams.

We came in second.

We did all right.

My team needed a place filled about two days before the tournament.

We filled that space with V-Diva of the Gotham Girls Roller Derby fame (you know, the second best team in the country.)

She was super helpful and very patient with us.

She also taught me some amazing WFTDA strategy.  I love strategy.

Here are some more pictures from the event, courtesy of KC Derby Digest.

I jammed.  I got points.

I got to play derbies with V-Diva!  What?!

I survived.

writers workshop: seven things of comfort

seven things that bring me comfort

**Good Morning**

Literally, when people tell me good morning.

Good morning text mean a lot.

Even if I have to send them first to get one back.

**Kids Getting Along**

It's just so much nicer than when they don't.

I feel comfort in my home when everyone gets along.

**Reading in the Bath**

I mean, who doesn't like that?

**Chocolate**

Especially Ghirardelli.

Because it's awesome.

And I love it.

And other things I don't want to get into.

**Netflix**

I'm currently watching Park and Rec.  I'm on season seven so it is sadly coming to an end for me.  Must find another show to watch while I cuddle up in my blanket.

**Baking**

I like baking and cooking.  Especially when other people are able to enjoy it.

**Decorations, Lights, Holidays **

They are pretty, they are fun, they bring joy.

A Visit With St. Nick - Part 1

Shoal Creek Living History Museum has one of my favorite Santa's of all time!

The Victorian Santa with his green robe that hands out gold coin chocolate.

Shoal Creek has seventeen 19th century structures.  All original. Some of the homes they have on the grounds were relocated to create a village type feel.

Alli and Peyton kept commenting about how small the houses were and wondered where all the people slept. (Mostly upstairs in a loft type setting)

The house were Santa welcomes visitors is the largest house.  It was for the rich people of the time.

They have a school house, blacksmith, church, city hall, mill, many cabins and houses.

During the event, they had a lot of re-enactors.  Some for each of the area.  They set up a Civil War encampment and the soldiers were riding around on horses a lot of the time.

There was a sheriff that played with the yo-yo Peyton had purchased from the General Store.

We took a carriage ride through the woods and spied some bison.

I love all the decorated Christmas Trees.

This is one of my favorite Christmas time events.