WINDOW PEEKING

Play keeps us vital and alive

Is this the puzzle piece I am missing in my life? Maybe, although, I'm not sure I know how to let lose and reclaim it. I found this illustration on a blog one day and haven't been able to shake it. The quote that was with it was:
Play keeps us vital and alive.
It gives us an enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable. Without it, life just doesn't taste good.
~ Lucia Capocchione

Everyone has to find their own way to play.........
Winter is tough.....last week was extra tough....

Linda, Gayla and Dianne and their husbands were in Mexico without us. We couldn't go. I thought if I ate at Taco bell, and tanned a little in the tanning bed, it would be okay. But even when my taste buds were lighting up like usual, as I ate my cafe Rio salad, I was still thinking of them, waltzing down the beach with sandals on. The week had come and gone and I had almost forgot. Last night, Hal was off on a scout camp out.
I sat down to check on the world and I found this picture of
my three cute sisters on the beach, in Mexico without me!

And just like that....it hit me....it's perfect....

I know how to play :)

Just look what I did.....it was really fun!....just me

photo shop and my jimmy john sandwich.....
Sometimes we have to find creative ways to play!

New Years and Cookie Crumbs....

If you are reading this, you probably know me well enough to know that if I could eat anything I wanted to, and nothing else, it would just be cookies and chocolate-that's all and sometimes I do! That's why I go to the gym every morning. I even have a t-shirt that says
"I run so I can eat cake"
You might like my cookie story,
it's been a week and I'm still laughing.
Every night before bed, I have this ritual; I fill up my water bottle with ice water, I get my gym clothes ready, my coat out, I get out my gym bag....I everything ready to go to the gym the next morning. I can't give myself any excuses not to go. So....last week,
my black gym bag is on the bar stool, all ready to go and next to it, on the bar,
is this pkg of those hard yukky yellow vanilla filled sandwich cookies.
They are the, "only good in the middle of the night", kind of cookies. Anyway, before and on the way out of the door to the gym, I was eating some of those yukky cookies. Now-keep in mind that it is 4:30 a.m. and it is dark in our house, and on the way out the door....really dark.
I was on auto pilot as I entered the gym, sat down on the bench, took off my
slippers and ripped open the zipper of my black duffel bag to change into my running shoes.
Just as I ripped open that zipper, vanilla cookie chunks and crumbs flew off the top of my bag and all over the gym! They almost hit the people on the stationary bikes in front of the bench! There were other people on the bench with me. They turned their heads and tried not to notice, probably thinking I'd be embarrassed. I started giggled and laughed the entire time I was on the treadmill, in fact every time I think of the look on the peoples faces, it makes me want to do it again on purpose! Wow, I need to get out more!

December Fun

The Fun and Parties started early at our house. Mike and Melissa came the first weekend in December and Jessica came the 18th because the spa she works at was closed for remodeling. It would have been a sad Christmas without her to pull my act together for me. Sometimes, mothers take care of daughters, this time, daughter took care of mother. I'm grateful that my children are all happily independent and I'm not a meddling mom but.....it would sure be fun if they live closer! I'm grateful that Melissa loves her family and really wants to move back her and not to ARIZONA!!! ( She may read this)

We had fun making gingerbread houses, going to Drake's Birthday Party, going to the Ward Christmas Party, Taking Drake and Madelyn to see the lights and taking everyone down to see Mom and Dad after Christmas. Dad looks like a natural with those Cache and Annie!

Christmas all kinds of fun 2009

Christmas all kinds of happiness 2009

Thanksgiving at our house the very 1st time!

Because we are both lucky enough to have family that has hosted Thanksgiving all these years, we haven't ever experienced the whole shebang ourselves. Tyra, Hal, Scott, Jorine, Mindy, John and Johnny started the day by running in the "feed the hungry"run. I hope that will be a standing tradition at our house and maybe next year I can do it too. I am old and have never really cooked a turkey that mattered. That seemed like too much pressure! Scott volunteered to cook the turkey for us and did a fabulous job. He soaked it in some concoction in a 5 gallon container and honestly...it was the best ever.

The kids and I made turkeys with our little pumpkins for the tables. The rest of the dinner was an accidental success. The men and kids were funny. They usually have a turkey shoot using real guns out in the fields. They improvised with BB guns in the back yard.

Halloween and Annie's Blessing

I got a little crafty and made these funny cupcakes. I knew if I didn't document the...I'd forget. We went to Mindy's for Halloween because it was on Saturday and Annie's baby blessing was on Sunday. It was fun to spend Halloween with the kids and Tyra is getting kind of old for trick or treating and so.....we had to soak it for all it was worth! They have a great neighborhood to trick or treat in!

After the kids came back from trick or treating, they did the funniest thing! They dumped out their candy and put it into categories depending upon value....based on how much they liked it. Then....they bartered with each other until they got what they wanted or wore each other out. We had to watch over Josie's loot a bit but, it was the funniest thing ever! Our kids used to come home and sort it all out but barter???? That is a Livingstone trait! It was fabulous! Annie's baby Blessing was the next morning. I'm grateful they live close enough that we can spend time with them on special occasions and come and bother them when it's not a special occasion!

(I don't know why that txt is underlined-it's not worth fixing)

Love the Babies!!!

This is the New Baby, Cache Michael. Isn't he a cute little thing!!
We can't wait to have them all come home in December!

Annie has changed so much in 5 weeks!
She is such a dainty little thing and smells so good.

I'm alright with fifty.......

Fifty came and went. I ha

d a birthday cake that my Son in Law made sure said, "Happy 39th Birthday" on it. There were some great gifts. There were all kinds of funny ones from my fun friends and family. There were black flowers, calgon bath salts, a giant remote control, a fireman calendar to hang in my office (really), a vitamins, and etc. And there were all kinds of really nice gifts too. Our first stop that weekend was at Mindy's. We took Maggie with us to St. George. It was fun to spend some time with Jessica and Jordan. They live too far away. I've looked forward to the Marathon all year. It is an inspiration! It was a thrill to see
Barry cross the

finish line. We even saw Amy cross and my friend Kari. Our neighbors husbands all ran in it too. It still shocks me every morning when I have to put my age in as 50 on the treadmill at the gym.....but....it's okay, on my 49th birthday I ran 8 miles and I couldn't have ran 1 on my 19th, 29th or 39th....so, it's okay! I've had a couple set backs but....it's okay.....
I'm alright with fifty!

Welcome Annie Jeanne....such a sweet thing!!!

Tyra and I got to spend Saturday and Sunday at Mindy and John's. What a sweet baby! The kids love holding her. She just layed in their arms like a doll until I changed her.
That's when she did things dolls don't do.
Maggie and Josie were not prepared for such things!
It was hard to leave on Sunday......I guess it 's a mom thing. Even though Mindy's been grown up with her own family for a long time and is such a great mom, It's times like this that-I can't imagine she can get a long without me!

Scott and Jorine's 10 K.........

Scott and Jorine ran the 10k in the Pocatello Marathon!
This was their first 10K. They did great! They are both amazing. It's great that they run and train together. I was glad to find pictures of them on the website.
I feel so bad we weren't there!
For some reason....(I wasn't listening very good) I thought the race was on Labor Day.
This really thrills me!

It was only a couple years ago when they used to tell me they could never get up early in the morning like I did to work out nor, could they or would they want to run although they were working out every night after work, lifting weights and really doing hard work out routines. NOW, they are up about as early as I am every morning-running too.......It's addicting-its' my happy pill.

School Bells are ringing..the years just fly by!!!

Off they all go! Some mothers are crying, some are laughing, some are just
running to grab the car keys and get away while they can! Others will follow
their kids to school and weep. Hummm? What kind of mother are you?