Hey there!

I've missed all y'all, dreadfully, and hope you missed me too. It's been a very long year with ups and downs, but you know me, I try to celebrate the ups, learn from the downs and in all circumstances, give thanks...

And I am, so very VERY thankful, for everything!

I'm really hoping to get back into blogging again in the new year, but if you have known me for any length of time, you know that December is the month in which I set the most ambitious of goals for myself, and this year is no exception...I'm terribly busy, but that's a good thing, really!

But there have been so many things that have happened in the past 6 months that I have wanted to share with YOU...how about if I just share a couple highlights? Will that make you feel loved?

How about this: In June, I ran the Butler Road Race. Remember the last time it was mentioned here? My family dominated it...Tony first, Andy had a second, Catherine came in third in her class...

This year, I was the only family member running...

and came in ...

drummroll, please...

 

Second in my class!!!!

I was so excited I grabbed the guy handing out medals and hugged him and started jumping up and down...

 

 He really didn't seem to mind, though...

~sigh~
 

We also got to spend lots of time at the river...and one day I got this wonderful idea, I would ride on the front of the kayak while Tyler drove.  I know you're wondering how that worked for me, right?

 

 

Well, it didn't...

 

My friend and walking partner, Deb, and I, went dress shopping one day.  I found a dress that was so 'not me' that I'm still in shock.  I bought it, couldn't wait to wear it, and finally did, at the wedding of Caitlin and Will. It was my magical dress.  It was my dancing dress.  It made me do crazy things like..



 

Like trying to steal a bouquet-bearing groom!

(click on the picture above to biggerize it so you can see the expression on Will's face:  priceless!  Also, check out the bride, behind us.  It was the most amazing wedding!)

 

Last month, Andy, his friend Ashley and her friend, Corinna, and I went bike riding.  I managed to do ten miles without mishap.  Heck, I wasn't even tired but when I went to get off the bike at the end of the ride...

 

 

I fell over, like a sack of bricks (and I'm sure I looked about as smart as one too).  I'm still wondering what that guy who was waiting for me to remove myself from the middle of the street while Ashley took pictures, was thinking.

 

Then, as if I have not been abused enough, during our annual family Thanksgiving dinner, my oldest son, Michael, announced it was too warm and proceeded to take off his sweater...

 

 

Don't you just love his t-shirt?

 

Oh, and note the shirt I am wearing:  Marshall Mangler, 8K trail race.  Yes, I did it, along with my beautiful daughter-in-law, Catherine.  I came in FIRST in my class!!!!

 

Oh, I guess I should tell you, I was the only one in my class, the oldest woman in the race by 6 years...Guess most women my age's family love them so much they don't let them run 5 miles through the woods on hilly trails!

 

Well, friends, that's about all the scandalous news I have time for right now.  The dogs want breakfast, my coffee cup is empty and my tree is waiting decoration. 

 

I seriously missed this.  I love yuns...now go out and be a blessing to someone...

 

God bless you,

Love,

Jan

 

 

 

 

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Good morning, friends!  It's such a beautiful Sunday morning!  I'm on my way to church where It's my turn to greet fellow worshipers as they come in the door.  It was one of the first jobs Mark and I were asked to do when we became members.  I love it!

After that, we're off to the river!  I'll check back soon, but until then, here's what my friend, Deb, and I did last weekend...

Mars Annual Band on the Run! 

Yes, I'm applauding us, we're amazing!

Have a safe holiday,
Love,
Jan!

I'm teeing up for another catch-up session.

I'm so sorry I went missing again.  It's been a whirlwind of activities, finishing things in my house (goodness, you guys haven't even heard of that yet!), walking a million miles a day with my friend, Deb, opening camp on the river for another season, a few 5K's, some giggles, a bunch of tears and many prayers...


We'll get through it, though, you and I, one bit of old news at a time.  I've missed you!


Have a safe holiday, thanks for the hugs, prayers and email.  You have been such a blessing in my life.  I hope I can bless others as well.


Love,
Jan

Happy Birthday, Michael!!!!

It is with great pleasure and with tons of love, that I interrupt this blog break to wish my oldest son, Michael, a very happy birthday. 

I love you, you handsome guy, and am so proud of you!  Hope this year is the most exciting yet!


If you see Michael, stop him and give him a happy birthday hug!

Back before too long...I miss everyone!
Love,
Jan

I have to tell you...

I have  a program on my computer...I used to check it daily, but now I only check it once or twice a year...

If I ask it, it will give me a few stats...

Like this one...

I have been quit for 6 Years, 1 hour and 15 seconds (2,191 days). I have saved $32,865.61 by not smoking 131,462 cigarettes. I have saved 1 Year, 3 Months, 2 Days, 11 hours and 10 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 1/31/2006 12:55 AM!!!!!

You gotta see this!

I know, you want to know what happened at the Frigid 5 Miler, but before I show you, you have to see this...

Last spring, while we were at a benefit luncheon, the boys bought my nephew, Tyler, a unicycle.  Summer is such a busy time for our family, and the uni was pretty much forgotten until a few weeks ago.

I already told you that Butler is a bicycling town, but have I told you that it is a unicycle town as well?

Yes!  Butler has a Unicyle Club, Butler Wobble, who meets on Saturdays at the Y.  A great bunch of people and they have lots of fun, so if you are local and interested in learning to balance on one wheel, I encourage you to check out their blog! 

Come to think of it, there will be some pretty incredible unicycle activities coming up in May.  If you are interested in unicycle and even remotely local, check it out.

Getting back to the story...according to the experts, it takes about ten hours of wall hugging practice before you can take off across the gym on your unicycle.  Tyler was determined to beat that number. and worked hard!

By the end of the evening, he was doing very well.  In another week or two, I'm sure he'll be pedaling along with Andy and Tony!

Someone else was working just as hard, and doing just as well...

Yes, it's  Morgan!  She was doing a great job!  I know how hard it is, and was very proud of her!

Did I ever tell you how hard it is to get hurt on a unicycle?  Apparently, when you are on a bike and fall off, you fall OVER.  When you are on a unicycle and lose your banance, you fall forward and pretty much walk off of it.  Seems that statistically, you are safer on a uni than on a bicycle...

Unless your name is Tony...

who managed to break his scaphoid bone, which the orthapedic surgeon tells us, is very hard to break...but he's all healed now, which is good since he has to help...

Three torn ligaments...

~sigh~ 

Aren't they perfect for each other?

So, come back so I can tell you all about the Frigid 5 Miler!

Now I'm getting company today!  My friend, Janet, who I have not seen in forever and a week, is coming to visit, so I'm off to get my chores done before she gets here.

Go out and be a blessing in someone's life but don't forget to come back soon!

Thanks for stopping by...

Love,

Jan

Catherine

Stop the Presses!

Oh no...I believe I just became front runner in the

Bad Mother-in-law competition...

I am a day late posting this...

Happy Birthday, Catherine!

Yesterday was my daughter-in-law, Catherine's birthday.  I've been such a scatter brain lately, that I am a day late posting this.  I hope that she'll consider the source, forgive me and accept my biggest and brightest birthday wishes for her!

We're blessed to have her in our family...

She's a devoted wife...

A medal winning runner...

First class baker of pies, a champion ping pong player...

She's funny, beautiful and smart.  We're proud of her! 

Happy birthday, Catherine!

May God bless you with many more!

Love,

Jan

"Pinging" in the New Year...

Earlier in the holiday season, Andy announced that the New Year Eve party woud be at his house this year...AND...the celebration would include a Ping Pong Tournament!  Everyone brought food.  I made pork and sauerkraut which must have been pretty good - I saw people eating it all night long!

By time I got there, the compeition was in full swing!

That's my daughter-in-law, Catherine, showing off her skills while Tony eats, Morgan, Brandy and TJ are obviously in awe!?!

Michael looks like he was studying the competition...

Wonder what Jamie was thinking?

There goes Andy...

Andy is such a good doggie dad, he bought Helga Jean a new bed just for the party...

Hey, that's not Helga!  Where is Helga? 

 There she is...guess we know who rules THAT roost,

don't we? 

In the mean time, the competition continues.  Tony had his brackets all figured out and they posted them on the chalk board...

We had two classes, women and men...

The finalists for the women were Vicky and Heather (Morgan's mom).

Heather won!  Vicky didn't jump over the net to congratulate her, but she was a good sport...

Tony presented Heather with her trophy...

Of course we had trophies...we are first class pongers!

Andy and Tony were the finalists for the men.  I know, they are always the finalists...

Tony managed to win, but we think it was because he looked so intimidating with his wrist bands...

I presented him with his trophy...

And of  course, Vicky had to congratulate him...

He was pretty excited..

The clock struck 12, there was a ton of huggin' and shoutin' going on, even Helga got her ears scratched!

everyone stopped to eat,

but the ping pong went on and on...long after I remembered I was an old woman and went home to get some rest!

~Sigh~

Although I'm not a party person, I always love New Year's Eve.  It just feels like a clean slate for me, time to change things, start over, even learn to write a new number when you write checks.  It's a good thing, even if it means letting go of old things....

But there are always memories....and those are precious.  This New Year, memories are very precious, and some are just darn funny....like New Years, 1964, when we dressed my darling baby brother as the New Year's Baby....

Love ya, bro!

Now it's a snowy Friday, go out and be a blessing to someone and come back soon.  I know you are curious about the

 Frigid Five Miler....

I'm so glad YOU stopped by to share my life.  God bless you!

Love,

Jan