We have reached the winter of our [dis]content

This is the view from the office entrance this morning.  Very pretty and serene.  With that pretty and serene setting comes boredom.  Winter is very slow for us here in the construction world and it gives us plenty of time to get to all those projects and vacations we're too busy to take on during the busy season.  I, on the other hand, have done absolutely nothing in the way of getting some of my projects done.  I'm redecorating my office at home and have yet to get around to actually painting the room.  Last weekend I went as far as to get the paint out of the garage and put it in the house so it could come to room temperature.  I felt like that was a big enough accomplishment for the time being.  You could say that I'm something of a procrastinator.  Anyway, so hopefully sometime in the next month, I'll get that bad boy painted the lovely grey color I've picked.  Or maybe I'll just hire a painter.

On the plus side of my procrastination in painting, I have rekindled my love of reading.  I started the Game of Thrones series some time last spring and got stuck somewhere in the middle of the second book.  I'm happy to say that I'm now in the middle of the third book and plowing through that with my usual gusto that has me finishing books in one evening.  I like to think that I am responsible for keeping printing houses in business.  I haven't quite gotten on board with the whole e-book thing yet.  I really enjoy flipping an actual page.  It's somehow soothing to me.

I've also finally started catching up on my Netflix queue.  I'm currently watching the nip/tuck series based on a recommendation from Courts. It's very addictive, extremely dark, and quite gruesome.  I love it!  I can only watch a few episodes at a time, though.  Too many hours of that show, and you start feeling a bit creepy.

So, that's what I've been up to.  Holing up in my house with a mug of tea, reading and watching television.  Sounds pretty lame, but I couldn't be more satisfied.  It's nice to take a break from going out for a month or so.  Plus, it's too damn cold to leave the house!

I'll leave you with my favorite picture from the internet today.  I'm not an Obama supporter by any means, but I think his wife has great style.  This quote was all too easy to relate to!  Happy Thursday!

Hey, Whatcha Been Doing?

It's been a busy month with Christmas, New Year's Eve, friends in town, and (of course) a round of the flu.  Let's start with the most recent events.  Last weekend me and my girls piled into the car and headed west on I-64 to view the Princess Diana exhibit at the Frazier Museum in Louisville.  We started the day off with a brunch at Hillbilly Tea downtown.  My BFF Beth and her friend met us there and we proceeded to eat our weight in delicious food and tea.  I highly recommend it.  I got the Hillbilly Deluxe (pictured below) which featured scrambled eggs with herbs, a Cream of Wheat pancake, and hashed potatoes.  It was excellent!

After brunch, we headed to the museum to catch the exhibit.  It was just okay.  It was neat to see her wedding dress and clothes, but overall the exhibit was a little underwhelming.  We still had a great day overall, though.  It's always fun when the five of us get together for a little girl time!

Next up, Riley got a new toy.  It's a duck.  It quacks.  I love it, he loves it, we all love it.  Man, that furry beast is spoiled.  But he's so sweet, so he deserves it!

We had a mini-ice storm last week.  It didn't affect the roads or anything, but it did make the trees really pretty.  I must say though, I'm already over winter.  Bring on the sixty degree temps, spring colors, and flip flops!!!

The beginning of this month marked a momentous occasion for my baby bro, Will.  He took his first flight alone to Florida to meet our dad.  I got to walk him to the gate and watch him board the plane.  He was excited to be flying on his own "like a man."  I was excited for him, too, but that didn't stop me from shedding a few tears when I said goodbye.  You're such a sap, Sissy.

Back up to NYE...I had a few friends over to ring in the new year since we couldn't really figure out what we wanted to do.  We had a great time, despite lamenting over how quickly the last year flew by.  I scaled back on the food since I had just thrown my annual Christmas party the week before and was a little burned out on cooking.  Simple finger sandwiches, a cheese platter, a few dips.  Nothing terribly fancy, but definitely yummy!  Please also note the awesome napkins Beth got me for Christmas.  So true, right?!?

My favorite part of Christmas is that almost all of my best friends from high school come home.  Most of them I only see once a year, so it's always a blast catching up and engaging in a few shenanigans together.  I miss them like crazy, but at least I have a place to crash in some great cities.

Uncle Will and baby Eli cuddled up together on Christmas morning.  That little chunk of a baby is getting so big and it makes me cry!  I want him to stay little and snugly forever, but that's not exactly how it works.  C'est la vie.

Finally, Riley got to see his favorite person in the world, his Uncle Jed.  I am not kidding, he goes crazy over this guy.  Maybe it's because he gives the best hugs in the world.  Just a theory.

This month has flown by without much fanfare, but that's how January goes.  Next month brings Riley's 8th birthday, Valentine's (meh...), and the Super Bowl.  I could care less about who wins this year.  The Raven's quarterback is a murderer and I couldn't tell you the last time I watched a 49er's game.  So yeah, I'll be concentrating on the food and booze wherever I watch the game.

I hope everyone had a great holiday season and a relaxing January.  Until next time!