Catching up: Days 23-29

So I fell behind, and I don't have pictures of everything, but I do have mental images of them if that counts?

Day 23: Boxes
I broke down all of the Amazon.com and Kohls.com boxes and got them ready for recycling... there were quite a few!

Day 24: Jammies
 This one... I think of this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kjoUjOHjPI

Day 25: Morning
 Adam and I got to spend Christmas morning in our house. We had coffee, opened gifts, watched Adams gift of the Man of Steel Blu Ray and took a nap! An amazing Christmas morning for us!

Day 26: Stacked
 I packed up our gifts for my parents and our nephews.... they were quite stacked... and packed up in 3 bags... I'm a spoiler - of Monkey clothes/hats/jammies... my brother says I may have a problem.... is there a "monkey junkie anonymous"?

Day 27: Thank you
 I don't know how you photograph 'thank you' - But I have quite a few things I am thankful for.
My Mother-in-law and Father-in-law spent a week with us as I recovered from my gallbladder removal surgery the week before Christmas. It was a huge help having them around. Adam could focus on work w/o worrying about me getting into things I shouldn't, and they helped me around the house so I didn't have to get into things!:O)
Adam's Sister's family drove the 3 hours up to join his parents and us for an early Christmas weekend! We had some great quality time and an amazing dinner at the Allen Street Grill!

Day 28: In My Cup
This is what I've been drinking this Post-Christmas season. :o)

Redds Strawberry Ale

Day 29:  Outside

This is the outside of our house! Our beautiful wreath from the Kwanis Club and my modest Christmas lights for this year. Maybe next year I'll expand! 

Day 22: Lights

Day 21: To-Do

My to-do list usually looks a good bit different than this. (And I don't mean the blurr effect) it is usually full of calendar events, call reminders and other work functions, however since I am off for holiday break, it is much more relaxed. Filled with Christmas menu plans and gift wrapping!

Day 20: Gifts

We will be having the Unger Family Christmas this weekend!

Adam's parents have been with us since Tuesday, keeping tabs on me as I recover from having my gallbladder removed. His sister and her family will be up tomorrow morning to spend the rest of the weekend with us! I'm excited for some quality family time with them all!

Day 19: Mail

I love getting Christmas cards!

Day 18: Want

A nice holiday adult beverage!

  (Photo taken from google images- one cheat!)

Day 17: Tree

Day 16: Games

I had my gallbladder removed today- so I had a good bit of downtime to play games! These are the games currently on my phone!

Day 15: Shopping

This was how I did a good bit of my shopping! 

Day 14: Recipe

So I baked a few cookies today... and it takes a recipe to make up the dough so todays term fits perfectly!

Peanut Butter Blossoms, SnickerDoodles, GingerSnaps, SnickerSnaps/GingerDoodles, & Mini M&M Cookies.

I am BEAT!

 But since it was snowing outside I was staying in. So, why not warm up the house by baking! (for 5 hours)

Day 13: Star

Day 12: Listen

I love pandora radio. Current favorite is the Pentatonix holiday station!

Day 11: Close Up

Love these little noses!

Day 10: Red

I'm in Nashville for a Conference and I was trying to come up with how I'd use RED....

Then we went to the Melting Pot for dinner. I had never been to one so I was excited to experience it. Plus the company was great. I got to catch up with Maria and sit and relax with Sarah and Marylyn, co-worker/Boss, but also dear friends.

So here you go - Glorious Red Strawberries dipped in chocolate.... Fantastic!

Day 9: You

This is me, in the Detroit airport, just as I finished my first Japanese meal, and first successful meal using chop sticks!

Day 8: temperature

Brr!

Day 7: something sweet

Drinking Hot chocolate, wrapped in a blanket, looking at the Christmas tree!

Day 6: Glitter/Bling

November 7, 2011 - Adam insisted we put our Christmas Tree up..... I found this hung on it!

Day 5: Messy

Playing in the leaves with Noah, Fall 2012. He kept picking the leaves off of me one by one saying "It's a Mess". Anytime I hear someone say 'mess' or 'messy', I think of this day.

Day 4: Handwriting

Blurred because they are kinda mushy ;)

Hanging in our home office, are handwritten notes that Adam and I have left for each other at some point in the past few months.. I LOVE getting to read, and re-read these. They make those tough days just a little bit easier knowing what my hubs loves about me, and reminds me what he does that I love.

Day 2: Hanging / Day 3: Home Decor

While this is a unique one, I knew exactly what I wanted to use for 'hanging'...

This is the very first item that was hung in our new house when we moved in in March. The first of many.

This was our second hanging project, which I still love. All of these photos were on the table in the lobby at our wedding. (well, except for the photos OF the wedding)

This picture is from early on, you can still see the boxes along the sides! 

This one I took tonight, closer so you can see the pictures a tiny bit.

December 1: Joy

While I could go on and on about what brings me Joy, the very first thing that came to mind are my beautiful niece and handsome nephews. I have been so blessed to have 3 healthy, fun, loving children in my life that I am called Aunt by.

Maddie is my 10 year old niece. She is from Adam's side of the family so I 'married in' to her, but she's called me Aunt Suzy from the second time I met her (maybe even the first when she asked me if I was going to marry her Uncle Adam and if she could wear a pink dress in the wedding) She is a bundle of energy and full of life. She truly is a beautiful young lady and is growing up way too fast!

Noah is my 2 year old nephew. He will be 3 in January! He has such a fun and loving personality, plus the most adorable sense of humor! Hearing "Aunt Suzy" in his little voice, just melts my heart.

Elijah is my youngest nephew, he is 4 months old. He is such a good cuddler, he most certainly has already stolen my heart. I look forward to watching him grow up and develop his own little personality like Noah has.

I love you all very very much, and will always be there for you as a friend, and as a loving (and spoiling) Aunt.

Photo a Day idea- with a personalized twist.

I came across this as a pin on Pinterest and thought that it would be a fun idea to do - but then I thought about putting a personalized twist on it.

Photo-a-Day -Suzy Style

I want to use this as a way to reflect on the past year. So instead of something like day 1 - today take a picture of something in your current surroundings that shows/means joy to you. I want to do something more along the lines of finding a picture of something in the past year that has given me Joy.  Day 2 Something hanging that has meant something (weird one, but I have something in mind) Not all of them will be easy, and some of them I'll have to get pretty creative with, but I think it'll be a fun challenge / reflection on the year.

What do you think? This kind of goes along with the Thankful November posts I keep seeing on facebook...

Foodie Review: Elk Creek Cafe

For Sunday Brunch, Adam and I finally made it to the Elk Creek Cafe in Millheim, Pennsylvania. Friends of ours have been going there and recommending it for months, so we finally made the trek and checked it out.

We arrived just before 11 am (Sunday opening time) and found a line already forming! So we parked (free on street parking right in front)  and got in line. We were the third table sat and had water and coffee in our hands before we even had looked through the small brunch menu.

Adam ordered the breakfast burrito and I enjoyed the Eggs Benedict. Adam enjoyed his burrito and said that it was good, and that home fries were awesome.

I had never had Eggs Benedict before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Caramelized onions? on your breakfast?! My mind was BLOWN This combination was the most amazing thing I have eaten in a long time. Sweet, Salty, Creamy, Crunchy - it was fantastic.

By the time we were leaving, the place was packed full, and there were more walking in!

All in all - fantastic experience, great food, and my coffee mug was never cold/empty.

My cup runeth over

I didn't know it was possible to love someone so much until I met my nephews and got to know my niece!

Just a bad day, not a bad life...

Lately - there have been quite a few 'bad' days. Nothing awful happens, I just feel overwhelmed, exhausted, etc. But this caught my eye - I have a GOOD life. I have so many reasons to say that, my Husband, my family, our friends, our home.... I have a LOT of GOOD in my life. I need to remember that when those bad days try to take over it all - I need to remember to...

Take  a deep breath. 

It's just a bad day, 

not a bad life.

Always making excuses

I am the ultimate lazy person when it comes to eating right and getting a decent work out in.... I try or claim to try, but I always see-saw right back to the weight/size I was.... Why on earth is it so difficult to be HEALTHY! Sheesh!

I don't plan on boring you with a blog post every time I work out / go for a walk / go to the gym, but I'm hoping to make this a place to hold myself a bit more accountable.... which I'm not real good at.... But I have my amazing husband to support me and is encouraging me, so here we go!


Tonight's activity: 35 minutes of walking - 2 1/4 miles.

Day 2: The Zoo!

Today, we started out with brunch at the Open City DC diner. We had a sunny brunch in the patio! The food (and beverages) were fantastic! Multigrain pancakes with a warm banana walnut glaze!

We then went to the Smithsonian National Zoo!

(I took quite a few pictures but you get the point: zoo animals!)

We stopped at Noodles & Company for a late lunch (good food, not the best service) and then completely crashed! I really should have tracked our mileage this trip... I know we are over 15 miles walked in two days, probably closer to 20!

We just watched a couple get married in the courtyard behind our hotel too!

Brings back memories and makes me wish we had brought our wedding album along! We will do that tomorrow when we get home!

Now we are enjoying our anniversary wine from Chris, Christy, & Matthew Mugride and then heading off to dinner at Murphy's Pub! Adam is excited because they have Smithwicks!

Day 1 of our anniversary trip!

We had a great day! We walked at least 10 miles (ow my feet!!!) and saw some great sights! Here is the picture summary!

The white house 

The WWII memorial

The reflecting pool and Washington monument

The Lincoln memorial

Kermit at the national museum of American history 

 Julia child's kitchen at the national museum of American history

And topped off with a fabulous dinner at Fogo de Chao! We are stuffed but it was fantastic!