12 - Eagle Harbor

Thea and went to the Keweenaw after taking jones to his camp.  I would have liked to take him to the harbor too but it didn’t work out.  But Thea and I had a great trip we met several new friends and enjoyed the beach, rocks, weather, wilderness, ice cream, cabin, lake etc. 

 

Quilt for Rowie

I finished this in Jan.  Used a bunch of stash fabric. And did a random half square triangle pattern.  I love these charley Harper prints. 

31 - birthday party jones

For Jones birthday we had a party with like 15 friends.  I called it my last mom party because I planned nothing and we literally just had friends over for sports, pizza and cake.  I think it was probably our last big party and next year we will just resume doing something fun with a few friends.  

11 - Jones to camp

Jones my is off to camp.  He’s loving it.  They take so many pictures it’s great to see him having this experience.  He learned to water ski and he’s doing lots of sporty things. Also the camp is on a gorgeous lake in Wisconsin.  

13 - Hockey School

Sent to hockey school.  This is a high point of summer.  This year his sister is missing him so much she continually asks to go see him or drive by his dorm.  But I am trying to keep her entertained while also giving him space. 

19 - Native Plants

We planted 8 flats of native plants.  I didn’t take many pictures.  But goal accomplished.  

39 - Visit Old Friend

I am sad to say it had been like 5 years since I had seen my girl Amy.  But I was overjoyed when she shared she could meet us at the Dairy Farm with her daughter.  We didn’t have near enough time to catch up but still time is time.  

30 - Birthday Party Thea

For Thea’s birthday we were on a hockey tournament and as gift/party I bought her tickets to Disney on Ice for her and 5 friends. I was a little worried she would find it too young but surprise it wasn’t.  They had the best time wearing fancy dresses and going to see their favorite Disney characters skate.  And also on the plus side I think Thea could have a career in Disney on Ice even if she never took another skating lesson.  

I also made the girls little “purses” with mirrors, lipstick, friendship necklaces and a few other treasures a as party favors - def a hit.

42 - Wolfie

This baby.  We are so in love with him already.  

23 - Spring Break Chicago

Over spring break we took a short trip to Chicago and Northern Indiana.  Our friends joined us which made it more fun.  I only wish it was a bit warmer.    We went to the Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile, Science and Industry museum, did the big Ferris wheel, found a park, and we went to the Fair Oaks Dairy Farm.

18 Marshmallows

Kathleens food this year is marshmallows.  So I thought let’s make some.  We used Martha Stewart’s recipe and made a few alterations like we made some of them lemon and some with chocolate.  They turned out okay but honestly they weren’t my favorite ones I ever made.

Things that made my year

I have seen people documenting by making lists of things that made their year and last year I started jotting my list down.  I had planned to make 100 but I ended with 72. 

things that made my year 2023 by KJB

1. Olaf and Smolaf our snowmen.
2. Chocolate taste testing.
3. Rodeo night at kids night out.
4. Shooting buckets on the floor of Millet.
5. All the kids who gave me hugs when I volunteered at school.
6. A Harry Potter Birthday crafting party.
7. Spring break stay-cation and discovering “gummy teeth”.
8. Jones delight in making the travel hockey team.  
9. Learning to use Rise360 holy cow was it simple after using other authoring tools.
10. Gus Gus sightings.
11. Visiting Thomas Dambo trolls.
12. When a friend drops off anti-nausea meds for my daughter who was getting sick all night.   
13. Auntie Kathleen got married and I gave a toast I might have cried. 
14. Jones goes to sleepover camp for first time me being nervous him not.  
15. Thea’s desire to help me paint a “Muriel” it is so hard to let go of control but also so rewarding. 
16. Seeing jones make new friends at hockey school and seeming so much more mature.
17. Reading a book while my kids at at the pool independently. 
18. When my little sister is having a baby.
19. The number of compliments I got on Thea and Is matching dresses for Kelly’s wedding.
20. When Jones said “this art installation isn’t so bad it’s cool” at Paso Robles field of lights
21. Playing pool at the Aloft.
22. Having Jones tell me he was “sad camp was over”
23. The wind and the sun at Half moon bay. 
24. Thea deciding to try out for a play and contemplating if she should sing “my lipstick is popping” or “Jolene”
25. End of summer neighborhood sleepover.
26. Barbie movie. Hi Barbie!
27. Impromptu pool party at Natasha’s.
28. Practice walks.
29. New pink moccasins.
30. School supplies.
31. Cheerful greetings during RAH cart.
32. Thea trying something new being a Jungle Bush in Jungle Book.
33. Orange whippy dip
34. Jones first bengals game.
35. Jones top golf hockey swing.
36. Halloween skate with football player and zombie figure skater.
37. Carpool!!
38. Practice Chicken dinner with all the mom friends.
39. Friend pumpkin patch
40. Viking ship ride at dusk.
41. Icy cold halloween.
42. Audiobooks 
43. Good markers.
44. Perry Park hockey with friends and family. 
45. Jonesy writing a speech to give his hockey team to motivate them.  
46. My kids carving their own pumpkins.
47. Thea’s moment being picked as cheer captain.
48. Jones comforting his teammates as they lost the playoff game. 
49. Airplane shoot off at Louisville Science Center.
50. The giant world at the pool. 
51. When the kids think the Cirque du Solieil will be boring and then see it and think it’s awesome! 
52. Thanksgiving break sleepless water park trips.
53. Cheese sample day at Costco. 
54. Thanksgiving at a friends.
55. Watching the hawk that visited the tree outside my work window.
56. Doughnuts at dawn.
57. Thea joining in at the winterfest lights parade at Kings Island.
58. Making crafts with my niece and nephew.  
59. Mini van pizza and Christmas light displays.
60. Christmas nachos with smoked meat by Joe.
61. Jonesy joining us to play games while the kids play downstairs.
62. When my friend text and ask me to take her to church on Christmas Eve. 
63. When your friend saved you from throwing a baby shower in burger king
64. Baby shower for lita and wolfie.
65. 45 beaver signal.
66. 4 of 5 siblings being in Oxford.  
67. Multiple conversations in the beechpoint haus living room.  
68. Getting complemented on my cup holders.
69. Finishing not one but 3 quilts in 2023.
70. Jonesy sliding me notes while I am on conference calls.
71. Pools sooooo cold you can’t dip your toes in and the company on the pool deck.
72. “Fancy” dresses with Thea on new years Eve

2024 Listy

I wrote this a while back like two months ago!  Whoops.  But I am just sharing it now, I had meant to write the additional ones to get to 52 but j didn’t and I am ok with that now.  I actually already finished a few of these.

1. Continue with Chili Bowl visits
2. Try Gobbler and OxVegas ✅
3. 100 day project
4. Get new bird feeders 
5. Buy new nesting boxes
6. Help Thea decorate dollhouse
7. Finish two quilts
8. Donate to 30 small charities
9. Purge Basket of Things
   
10. Buy new “fun sheets” ✅
11. Send Jones to camp Jorn ✅
12. Thea and Katie to Eagle Harbor ✅
13. Jones Hockey School ✅
14. Remove stairs carpet
15. Paint cabinets in primary bath
16. Make some lists 
17. Eat croissants
18. Make Kathleen marshmallows ✅
19. Plant native plants ✅
20. Make 2024 playlist
21. Write 100 memories from 2024
22. Football moms night
23. Spring break trip someplace✅
24. Print photos
25. Buy new art
26. Paint the mud room
27. Make jam ✅
28. Read 20 books✅
29. Play tennis✅
30. Birthday party for Thea✅
31. Birthday party for Jones ✅
32. Paint a wall or 4 dark
33. Get new spring wreaths
34. Make a movies list
35. Watch said movies on the list
36. Pool passes ✅
37. Make a “sports mom” jacket
38. Take a hike.
39. Visit an old friend✅
40. Take lynley and Kathleen their Christmas gifts.
41. Get kids passports
42. Meet my new nephew. ✅
43. Do something on jones list
44. Do something on Thea’s list
45. New List

2023 recap

New years came and went around here and hockey, figure skating and all that is life has sucked us in.  I did actually update my list progress earlier this year but never hit publish!  So here’s the recap. 34 completed goals 5 partial, the others not so much.  I feel pretty good about it.  

1. Monthly other country dish - NOPE
2. Cincinnati Chili Parlor Tour - only 2 adding for 24 
3. Topiary Park - Columbus
4. Host an Art club - completed
5. Bike new trail - yes
6. Hang a disco ball - not yet although I got some smaller ones and I have hung those.
7. Start a new art journal - yes 
8. Remove the carpet from the stairs - no 
9. Visit Thomas Dambo in Dayton - done 
10. Make new stockings - no 
11. Plant sunflowers - done 
12. Buy the bud press jumpsuit - nope 
13. Rearrange bedroom - yes 
14. Paint guest room - yes 
15. Make bread - not once :(
16. Buy pool passes - done
17. Monthly meal plans - not really I did like 4x 
18. Jones to see Bengals - done 
19. Layover with Jono - no 
20. Take kids to dairy - yes 
21. Ladies night with Thea - Done
22. Weekend trip - yes I think we took 5
23. Family vacation - California done 
24. Visit summit park - done 
25. Get (renew) passports- no 
26. Make a friend a cake - done 
27. Get pretzels with Kathleen done 
28. Finish 5 months of project life I think I did 0
29. Sleepover with Brooks- done 
30. Adventure with Ollie & Marlow - only Ollie :(
31. Football Moms night - done 
32. Finish a quilt - done 
33. Add new art to walls - done
34. Visit new place. -done 
35. Donate to 23 small charities - 28 actually 
36. Spring purge (100 items) - done 
37. Sign jones up for hockey school - done 
38. Visit JJ and Rob - nope 
39. Read 15 books - done read 24! 
40. Mini dance parties (maybe weekly) - was this even on my list I fogort 
41. Week of no technology evenings - maybe 2x
42. Make new soup - complete
43. Complete puzzle - complete
44. Donate trampoline - done 
45. Rehang towel hooks - done 
46. Move raspberry bushes - completed
47. Pressure wash siding - done 
48. Feed the birds - yes
49. Make Christmas cutouts - nope 
50. Help Jones with his list - jones completed his list
51. Help Thea with her list - thea completed hers 
52. Make new list ( in progress)