Train drops of jupiter

missing Marco Polo

Catch Up!

Hello! Wow, I miss my blogger world! Tax season has been in low gear so far this month, so I thought I would catch up before the storm hits in about two weeks.

Em dropped and broke my camera in December. Accidents happen so I bought her one for Christmas. And she dropped THAT one! So my pictures are very limited now *sniffle!* I will look into getting repaired ATS ("after tax season").

We're snowed in here in St. Louis (well, not literally snowed in, but the driving is dangerous and violin lessons have been canceled for tonight). Last night the three of us played a terrifically fun card came called Nertz.

Tonight we're snuggled in again. We're going to make brownies, put on some Delilah on the radio and play some more nertz! I love this time with my girls!

Long Time!

Hello everyone!

I've disappeared from the blogger world for awhile because of a) holiday busyness; and b) my obession with Facebook! I hope this finds everyone well. We had a nice, but busy Christmas. And from there, I head straight into tax season. The years seem to be flying by. January is been slow for us at work (thankfully), but the storm will hit about mid-February and you won't see me for awhile until mid-April! (Seems like I just posted about last year's tax season not too long ago!) I look forward to catching up on reading your wonderful blogs. I've missed you all! Take care and God bless! - MJ

A very tried three-of-us late on Christmas Eve, wearing our new Christmas jammies!

One of Katie's Megaglomper friends made this for her. How cool! (Does this make me Edward's mother-in-law?!)

Baby Aly is no more. Now she's Little Girl Aly! She was the highlight of Christmas morning, helping to pass gifts out to everyone (even though she had a look like, "Why am I handing out gifts?") Christmas Eve was dinner at Barb and Brad's. Christmas morning breakfast was at Chris and Jeneane's.

Christmas morning at our house.

Teenagers! (My, how fast they are growing!)

A few weeks before Christmas, Sister-in-Law Jeneane, organized a "pottery night" at the Painted Pot. I learned a new technique - glass cutting. I was taught how to break pieces of glass and glue them together to make an artful project. That's my penguin on the right. It was later put in the kiln and melded together. I hope to do more of this in the future!

Barb, Jeneane, and Melanie at the Painted Pot.

Concentrating on that glue!



On New Year's Eve, Barb hosted her tradition "Kids NYE" party. Every year they write out the highlights of the old year, predictions for the new year, and read previous years' predictions. It's fun to see what they have written in the past!

The "Rob Your Neighbor" game. It's lots of fun, but they look oh-so serious!

My church had a New Year's Eve dinner and service. My pastor had asked me the day before if I would speak 3 - 4 minutes on the past year and how God had taken me through some troubled times (my divorce). I'm so glad I'm in the Toastmaster's public speaking club at work. It made me a lot less nervous and I actually enjoyed the opportunity to speak!

Holiday Happenings

We've been busy elves around here! Keeping this Christmas time simple so we can enjoy the reason for the season and experience some true PEACE (instead of the normal holiday chaos!)

I'm loving the prelit tree I bought last year! This is the first year ever we decorated the house the day after Thanksgiving. In fact we set the tree up at 12:30 a.m. after Thanksgiving, night owls that we are! ;o)

I've been trying to cook more at home and finding out how more settled I feel. Above is Greek chicken and potatoes served on my mix-and-match holidayware I've collected over the years!

Feefers is taking it all in. He recently experienced his first snowfall and loved it!

I had some friends over for a spa night. We had such a RELAXING, fun time!

Lesia's stylin' baby! LOL This was the part where we exfoliated our lips. It was hilarious!

I've been using BeautiControl products for over a month and can honestly tell the difference. (Do you think I'll get free products for saying that?! LOL)

I hope everyone is enjoying the season.

Make someone feel special today!

My Best Thanksgiving Ever!

Maybe it was the nicer weather. Maybe it was having the celebration back at my brother's place after a nasty house fire last year. Maybe it's that the kids are growing up and we're not having to follow them around everywhere. I don't know what it was, but this was the most relaxed and fun Thanksgiving I can ever recall!


Growing up, we're were always expected to "behave" at family functions. Although I miss my mom, it's like we have free reign to laugh, act silly, and be ourselves now. The best part (besides the fantastic food) was doing dishes in Marty's kitchen as we rocked out to some of his favorite tunes (and some old songs too!) We danced as we did our chores.

When we were kids, dessert was NEVER served until the dishes were done. Ah, the freedom to let the dishes sit and to enjoy each other's company. There was no official announcement when it was time to clean up. I wandered into the kitchen and picked up a dish cloth and before you know it, everyone was there pitching in....and having a grateful, hysterical, memory-making time of our lives.

How do you deal with the ....

narrow-minded - adjective intolerant, conservative, prejudiced, biased, provincial, petty, reactionary, parochial, short-sighted, bigoted, insular, opinionated, small-minded, hidebound, illiberal, strait-laced

I have a friend whom I have tolerated for years. She fits every description above. She didn't start out that way (or I wouldn't have become friends with her). Over time, she has increasingly become more and more unbearable. She expects everyone to believe exactly as she does or else she doesn't "approve" of them.

If you live this way for a very long time, you become entirely self-centered as she has become. I hate walking on eggshells around her. I can't be myself around her because I might offend her. I've been bending over backwards, trying to bite my tongue and do the right thing. I have kept my mouth shut and have been forgiving when she has offended ME with her ignorance. I have changed the topic, skirted the issues, talked about the weather, just to avoid getting into a confrontation with her. Because she attends my church, I see people bowing to her attitude as I have, also trying to do the good "Christian" thing.

Recently I have kindly and gently spoken my mind, not about her personally, but about my opinion on some issues. Suddenly I am the enemy. I am the "hypocrite." I greeted her kindly last time I saw her but I don't know how long I can keep up the facade.

What would you do? I need some advice!

Grateful for Good Friends

I'm grateful for good friends. One of them is Kelly. We first met nearly 12 years ago when I was new to my church. I felt then that we would be good friends. We both have been through a lot in our respective lives in the past 12 years and have recently reconnected through Facebook. Kelly invited me to a women's meeting at her church tonight and I was really BLESSED! It was so good to see Kell in person again and to know that we are indeed really good friends!