Celebrations

So...here I am on New Year's Eve working on the blog. Wow...so exciting! haha John went fishing, and both girls are back home...so it's just me and the dog. I did get invited to a party or two...but didn't feel like going alone.
I bought a cupcake and I have some champagne...so I will celebrate while I keep Kiena calm. she can't hear as well as she used to ...which is good on nights like this...because maybe she won't hear all the firecrackers! I think she's going to hear the big ones going off...but I'll turn up the TV. haha Meanwhile earlier this week I enjoyed a party or two with good friends and family. When we moved to Florida in 1967 Karen is convinced it was 68...but I'm right this time.. we found a house on Oak Ridge Dr that was under construction.My parents decided to buy it. It was in a great area and it was also across the street from the the house where a man who worked with my dad lived. Actually they were across and up two...right across the street was a family that also had an 11 yr old. Lisa had a sister Rene who was a couple of years younger than us. I think every house on our street had several children...we counted one time and it was something like 52 kids on our block (cul-de-sac). We had a blast.>
Karen lived up the street...she was also 11 in 1967.
well, Mrs. P across the street will be 80 on January 9th. Unfortunately she is fighting cancer right now and the prognosis is not good. Her daughters and daughter- in- law planned a big 80th birthday celebration for her.
Mrs. P was involved in many activities over the years...the temple, the Jewish school, she taught at Satellite High and M.C.C., she is in a book club, takes art classes. played tennis,etc and many of these friends were at the celebration. Neighbors were there...some of whom have been living on Oak Ridge since the 60's...some came later
(Karen's mother also turned 80 this year)
There was music and a woman who sang...and of course some dancing. Family members and a few friends shared special memories and it was a lovely celebration. (I am glad I got off work...that is another story!)Friday night...Brenna was packing up to head home to AL...but we took time out for dinner at Meg O'Malley's. Turns out David, Bridget and Destin were downtown and they decided to meet us.We had a great time visiting with them. Bridget and Brenna both commented on what great taste Tony and Ian aka Marthahave...they were both wearing their gifts.David left early...but the four of us stayed and had some laughs...enjoyed the band in the background...and had a nice night.
We stopped to pose with "Santa" on the way out!
It was a nice end to the week.

the rest of the story...

Due to technical difficulties (so what else is new!) these photos were supposed to be part of the previous blog...but I decided just to add them on with this one. One of the turtle ornaments on the lobby tree.
We posed with Goofy before dinner...when were finished we had another opportunity to take pictures.....Here we are posing with Donald Duck (not to be confused with Daffy Duck...haha...one of the girls said "Is this Daffy?" Poor Donald shook his head slowly...no telling what he/she? was thinking...hahaha If it's any consolation to Donald...today as I was letting Haze out into the back yard I looked over at Brenna and said "I guess I have to take Brenna (meaning Kiena of course)... for a walk now." We both just started laughing.
the dogs were tired after a busy Christmas morning

Here's the best gift of the day...Brenna got this from Aunt Martha. Tony had her name and she had opened his nice gift earlier... We were un wrapping things up and Megan handed this package to Brenna. As she opened it the look on her face kind of said "What the h$%#? (wondering if they were trying to tell her something...haha) Then came the note...explaining that someone had donated some "gifts" to the hospital for the kids...(most of which went straight to the trash)...but when Martha spotted this brand new Dating Game still in the wrapper...she told her staff..."I'm taking this!". She said they laughed...couldn't believe anyone would actually think any of the kids would want THAT! I can only imagine what the the other donations were!
Check out the hair and fashions! This could be one of those gifts that turns up from time to time as a joke....it's just too good to retire!

Christmas 2011

It will come as no surprise to my family and friends that read this blog...that I am having trouble getting it to do exactly what I want it to do tonight. I had hoped to add a few more photos...but can't seem to get them to download...so I'm going to go ahead with what I've got so far. We had a great Christmas Day here in Indialantic. Both Brenna and Megan were able to come home this year. We decided that because we enjoyed the brunch down at Disney's Vero Beach Resort last year...we were going to go again this year.
It was a beautiful (a little warm) day...so we had a nice ride down A1A. we got there early to check out the gingerbread display. This year it was a beach theme...(I think) Cute!
Tiki huts, Girls in bikinis and grass skirts, Santa riding in a red convertible (with the top down of course)
and then we went upstairs to look down at the real beach.

Anne, Brenna, Goofy, Megan and John
Here are the girls and I out front
Here's where I go off track a little... this was earlier in the day...Haze after "opening" his gift.
Christmas Eve we went to mass at 8:00 errr...make that 8:30...(flyer was sent out with the wrong time...so they compromised and started at 8:20pm. After that John, Megan and I ventured up to Verbenia Ct in Satellite Beach to walk around the cul-de-sac and see all the lights that the neighborhood puts up every year.
ooops, here we are again....,
There were lots of lights,music, cars, people on bikes,
on foot...having parties in the driveways
all getting us in the holiday spirit.

Megan's favorite flamingo lights. She bought some for herself this year...there's one on her porch up in DC...but that bird's a little chilly
It was a nice Christmas Eve...started at Long Doggers with all the Tebow fans...watching the game and AL...then mass, then the lights. I stayed up to bake a coffee cake and get things ready for breakfast. Christmas morning we got up, ate, opened gifts, watched the little boy across the street checking out his new Little Tikes fort...fun! Took a walk with John, a bike ride with Brenna and then went down for our dinner.We all had a great time.

Ready or not

Last week we attended a graduation party for one of our friend's daughters..
Her mom had been working on the black and gold decorations for a while. Peyton made some of these black and gold ornaments as favors.
Everyone had fun...and there were cupcakes!
That party got us in the holiday spirit.
so did these lights in Megan's room...I love the way they throw loops and whorls on the walls and ceiling.
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve...I think I'm done...ready or not...The weather here is not very Christmasy...warmer than usual...but it's hard to complain about cloudless blue skies, a slight breeze and perfect weather for sitting by/in the pool, riding a bike, taking a walk...etc.

Yesterday was my birthday and I had a GREAT day! I had the day off...the county gives employees one personal holiday a year...so I even got paid! I got so much done in one day! My first stop was the post office where I went to mail a package. Naturally there was a line...but you can't go to a post office in mid December and NOT expect a line. when I got to the counter I was paying by check...I handed the man my license and he said "Oh..it's her birthday! Come on everybody"...and then they all sang Happy Birthday to me. It was a fun way to start the day. Later in the day I went to read at my friend Amy's class...the boys and girls all made me birthday cards. I loved it!Our friends Mike and Denise had made arrangements with a local bar to allow us to come in and play our music one night...it just so happens their slow nights are Tuesdays...and my birthday happened to be on Tuesday this year...so my celebration was at The Monkey Bar.
The plan was to be there from 6-11 or so. I knew none would really be there at 6pm...so I expected most people to come around 7-7:30pm. My friend Heather and I got together and made our play list. Just like Santa we made a list and I checked it twice 3,4, too many times!haha Our "main" CD included Respect, Friday I'm in Love, Human, Tesla Girl, Bizarre Love Triangle, Hey Ladies, Insane in the Membrane, Once in a Lifetime, And So It Goes, I'm Gonna be (500 miles), Blood Pressure, Just Can't Get enough, Safety Dance, Wild Wild Life, Tainted Love and Sex on Wheelz. That was just one hour...We danced all night! which is exactly what I wanted to do.

John got me a cake and some balloons
Mike and Denise got me these beautiful flowers...and some champagne of course...which the bartender let us keep behind the bar...very nice of the owner to let us do that.
Just our speakers and a cd player (and a back-up)...and John was in control of the remote.


Not everyone danced...but there were pool tables, air hockey, Foosball, etc to keep the non dancers busy. haha




Lighting the candles so we could have some cake...a Lemon Infusion Cake from Publix...never had one before...it was GOOD!My night ended with a few minutes on the porch where I caught a glimpse of 6 shooting stars!...then the clouds moved in...but 6 was good enough.
so I guess if getting older is inevitable...we might as well have fun along the way. I feel pretty good this morning...just tired feet! Several people asked if we were doing it all again next week for John's birthday...the answer to that is...I don't think so....hahaha