Frozen

There was a magical morning in January 2018 in Iowa City, Iowa when everything outside looked like it was covered in gleaming frosty crystals. It was like the world of Frozen come to life. I hurried out to to take pictures from the side of the house before the sun melted this beautiful frozen world away!

 

 

If I'd been dressed and not busy getting the kids ready for school, I would have walked out and taken some close-up shots of the frost-covered branches and scenery, but by the time the kids were off and I was presentable enough to be seen by neighbors, this magical world had melted away. 

Winter certainly does have its beautiful moments!

January 2018 Randoms

Here's what January of last year was like as far as my camera was concerned...

I liked the cover of the January PBS TV guide. Victoria is one of my favorite shows.

John had a gymnastics meet in St. Louis. He did well!

Here he was waiting to do his rings routine. Rings was one of his best events.

While we were in St. Louis, we went to the City Museum. It was the most unique, hard-to-describe, funhouse type of museum I've ever been to. I'd love to go back at some point. My pictures really don't do it any justice!

Sam found a giant geode there. 

Check out that ceiling! 

Dinnertime in our house is a time to be fed physically and spiritually--it's when we eat and read scriptures together as a family.

Hedwig had her own place at the table thanks to Sam (but no food. Well, except for spiritual food 😄).

A bouquet of pretty pale pink mini roses that I got at Costco. Pale pink roses are one of my favorite things.

I think I took a picture of this because I opened the fridge and this little tower of healthy yummy foods looked picturesque. It's hummus and organic blueberries and raspberries.

Valentine's Day and winter decorations

Peter had a birthday!

 

John's room was clean and organized (mostly thanks to me) and I took pictures to document it.

 Sam and I read The Boxcar Children together for school. It was fun reading it with him. I liked the series when I was a kid. Today, over a year later, we're still reading Boxcar Children mysteries together on a regular basis. We both like mysteries!

 

 And last but not least, one of my favorite wintertime treats...hot cocoa with whipped cream on top!

December Sunrise

I was poking around my computer desktop files and came across these pictures from December 2016 that I never posted on the blog but meant to. So after patiently waiting for two years, they're finally having their moment in the spotlight! 👏

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I miss my Iowa views!

Phone Pics, November-December 2017

This was at dinner at The Chocolate Emporium at Universal Studios Orlando. The restaurant has a cool steampunk theme and these two "steampunkers" (my word) were walking around talking to people as they sat at their tables.

Sam took these two pictures at SeaWorld:

Cute towel at a diner we ate lunch at on the way to the airport at the end of our Orlando trip.

I can do that!

A catalog cover I liked. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era.

The owl sheet mask from Target that I had to get. See yesterday's post for the funny pics!

An awesome Labyrinth t-shirt that I bought from Zulily and only got to wear like twice because it shrunk so fast. So cheap! I should have ordered it in a size XL so that I could have worn it a few more times! 

Interesting thoughts from Mr. Carnegie. (Not sure why I felt the need to take a picture of this, but okay.)

A big picturesque pile of pineapples at HyVee

After about six years of fun, I sold the Jungle Jumparoo because the boys had pretty much outgrown it and didn't use it that much anymore. Thanks for the good times JJ!

At Orchestra Iowa's annual Christmas concert in Cedar Rapids. They did such a great job with their Christmas concerts! They were one of my favorite things to attend each December.

John on Christmas Eve in his new Patriots shirt. I texted this picture to his cousin/my niece Hayley, who's the one who got it for him.

This is from Penn's alumni magazine. This lady is my kindred spirit!

Paddington 2 was a great movie!

My blingy Kate Spade owl ring and earrings that Peter got me for Christmas. I made it easy for him by sending him the website links, and was well-rewarded for my efforts. 😊

December 2017 Randoms

The playroom was very, very messy. 😱

We got two play swords the last time we were in Puerto Rico. I spy a spelling error! 😮 

They were nice little swords though. Well, other than the handles coming off. 

A pretty December sunset. 

 I cleaned the playroom. 🙋 

I love a good snack of fresh pears and cheese slices.

I saw this owl face mask at Target and had to get it. Boo Boo did a double take when he saw me, it was so funny! 😂

I crack myself up! I really am my own best friend!

Those little specks down on the ground are birds eating birdseed that had fallen from the feeders hanging above. I really miss those cute birds and I miss feeding them each week.

A delicious and healthy lunch of a perfectly made overhard fried egg 🙌 and nicely seasoned stir-fry veggies. 😋

Front porch, snow, and Christmas lights. I miss all of this too.