Happy New Year; Florida Style!

Happy New Year!
I wish I could send my Kansas family/friends some of the warmth and intense sunshine we are having! We have been so blessed this year to spend time with our families all over!

May you meditate on the fact that in the best of times or the worst of times there is the constant of God's love and family dynamics (either good or challenging)!

Miami Heat Game & Michael Beasley 12/30/08

 

Don't you just love all the colored lights at this arena!?!?!?

Dad got tickets for all of us to go to the game. Steve wasn't able to come; but Joe, Ginger, dad, Lauren, Lindsey, Lindsey's friend Corey, matt, and I went!
 

We drove down to Miami from Miramar and waited in anticipation for the doors to open. Lauren, Lindsey, and Lindsey's friend Corey are waiting patiently!

 

As soon as we got into the arena, Matt went to the store to get a Beasley shirt!
 

Our ever popular self-shot at a sporting event!
 

Proof we actually saw Beasley play-this was taken right as he came in mid-first quarter. He was 7/7 at the free throw line.

I told Matt I would buy a shirt if the Heat won......and they did 90 something to 80 something. It was a really good game. Soo000 I found a shirt on the clearance rack for $15! It's kind of shiny so the photos don't give it complete justice.



 

I will post more photos once we get settled. I have some awesome pictures of our airboat ride and alligators!!!

May you be blessed on this Magic Night!

May your Christmas be filled with peace, family, friends, and love. With Christmas and the holidays here I may take a nap from blogging. But I promise to be back by the new year. If I have a chance alone I will update; but this year I plan to engage as much time with family considering that I don't know where life will take us next year.

It has been an honor to read all the blog entries from all my "real" and "haven't met in person real friends." May you all enjoy this blessed time especially on this magic night of anticipation and celebration of Christ's birth.

As I am typing this post, Matt is practicing for the Christmas Eve service tonight. I wish you could here the beautiful sound of Silent Night being played in the background. Shut your eyes and imagine a beautiful guitar being played by a wonderful man.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and to all a good night!

Snow Pictures

I didn't get many photos of our first snow fall this year, but these are the ones I got.
Can you believe Christmas will be here in 5 days!

Merry Christmas!

The joys of living in an older apt...the rent is cheap and we are able to keep our 2 cats and puppy dog!

There has always been a small water spot (see the tiny dar spot in the center-it's probably mold) since I moved in to this apt in May 07-they found a leak in my cousin's Kitchen sink above me and fixed that but there is alway some residue water drainage from their bathroom/shower. There is a part of the floor near their bathtub that has linoleum but not subfloor so water tends to find itself on my ceiling. Well I am okay with my little fungi spot; but Wednesday morning there was a little more see the small circle? By Wednesday evening this is what it looked like and it was bowing a little. A phone call was made to our manager and Jon our maintenance guy was on it first thing Thursday morning. I told him about kitchen leak and about how no one has fixed the hole in my cousin's floor. He said he would try to seal up the floor a little better and get me a new tile.

Yeah, little joys, like no fungi on my ceiling tile make me smile!

Christmas Photo 2008

May you have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

12 Days of Fitness Completed!

So here's me with my new T-shirt-Matt wasn't home at the time so this is as good as it gets!
This does not mean I am finished for the month, but it does mean I can set a goal and reach it!

Tonight I Zumba'd. I found out that "the policy at our gym is that you must have shoes on at all times" Who dances in tennis shoes???? Oh well, now I have to find some shoes that will work- I have tried dancing in tennis shoes and believe me it is more dangerous than going barefoot! I can dance in heels and I can dance barefoot- tennis shoes not so much. I guess I am going to have to find something like those funky shoe/heel shoes that cheerleader/high kickers wear or something....Don't you just love policy....ugh.....Let me sign a waiver......

The Amazing Race....MattBek

Last night Matt took me on an Amazing Race including clues, Road Blocks, and Detours. My favorite reality TV show is The Amazing Race, I have told Matt more than once that I would love to compete on the show with him. We both agree we would provide very good TV considering our very passionate discussions :)

So I got home from my hair appt and bundled back up to get into the car where I was handed the first clue down memory lane. After I figured it out I was given my first destination if I could figure out the clue. "Dinner will be served where the Irish and Mexicans play" It was on the tip of my tongue.. "Carlos O'Kelly's" I needed a few clues just because we had not been there is soooooo long!

After dinner I was given a detour: "Roll the Ball or Roll the Film" The written clue was about hitting pins. The audio clue was the song with the lyrics "I come from the land down under." Indicating the movie Australia.

Initially I chose to Roll the Ball- but then we drove by the bowling alley and realized it was probably league night so we headed to the Movie Theater. We bought tickets and went to a dark theater where there were no ads playing, nothing.... After about 10 minutes an employee came in and told us they couldn't get the projector to work; so they would return our money....So we remember there is a bowling alley at the K-State Union.

We went to the Union alley and had a blast.







Road Block--Toast our year with my favorite Sparkling Wine "J" with our flutes from last year! No, we didn't need the coffee in the morning.

After completing the tasks of the day contestants on the Amazing Race arrive at the Check Point and the first one to arrive gets a prize. I received an envelope with a kiss inside it!

We toasted to our year together and all that mushy stuff! When I gave my toast I mentioned that I am blessed to have such a wonderful love, friend, and foot warmer. Then Matt pulled out my final gift, since in the Amazing Race the first finisher of the race receives the final prize!

I have a second (okay actually 3rd) space heater! I have a small ceramic heater that stays in the bathroom, and a large heater that we keep in our bedroom but port it to the front room during the day. Now I have a heater for the bathroom, the bedroom, and the front room!!! Thank you so much baby! We had talked about buying this 3rd heater a few months ago.

12 Days of Fitness (11 out of 12!)

After wrapping packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things... Uh wait a minute sorry wrong train of thought....After being awake for 20 hours and then sleeping for 7 I stayed at home picking up and finishing up the wrapping of gifts. Around 5:30 PM I went to the gym to get in a little jog/run for about 20 minutes. I hope to go to the gym tomorrow to get my T-shirt unless the freezing rain gets here first.....then I might have to wait a day or so....Oh well here's to one more day!

Dialogue in the Dark

I have been asked about Dialogue in the Dark so I made the time to hyperlink it here: http://www.dialog.unionstation.org/

This is an amazing exhibit and it is only in Kansas City at Union Station until the end of March-Please go if you can, you will never look at the dark the same!

12 Days of Fitness (10 out of 12!)

Today it is still snowing from last night.....I dug my car out of snow there was at least 4 inches on the top of the car! I drove approx 15 mph to the gym. I got there with plenty of time to spare at 0950, my appt was at 1030. So, I briskly walked for 40 minutes and then ran hills with Michelle for 23 minutes and 10 minutes on the bike. Gotta love cross training :) Only 2 more days left and I get my T-shirt!!!

7 years ago, today, we started one crazy adventure...

Seven years ago I said "I do" to one amazing guy. I have been so blessed! Thanks babe for an awesome ride- you truly are my best friend who is also a fantastic lover, romancer, stand up comedian, spiritual leader, musician, computer guru, driven, educated person I am so honored to call my husband!











Something old: my parents' cake cutter from their wedding Aug 6, 1977 (they will celebrate 32 yrs in 2009!)

Something new: my wedding dress and exit dress (found on clearance at the Crown Center in KC with my grandma)
my veil (that cost more than my dress that I picked out with my mom-my middle sis, JoJo, wore my tiara at her wedding 4 years later!)

Something Borrowed: the earrings I wore were my maid of honor Devon's earrings

Something Blue: my bridesmaid dresses were navy

12 Days of Fitness (9 out of 12!)

Almost there!

Today was a quick I might as well get in and do something day. I walked on the treadmill for about 25 minutes at a moderate speed. It might not be much, but at least I did something. Tomorrow before work I will be with Michelle so, we all know that will get me going!

Where have I been? On our anniversary trip to KC! 7yrs going strong with a full tank!

Matt and I left Thursday evening en route to KC! We had a wonderful time visiting some sites.

On Friday we visited the: Coldwater Creek (new sweater!), Dick's Sporting Goods (where Matt found me some wool undershirts to keep me warm!); Lunch with Gram, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; Country Club Plaza (shopping for Matt, my favorite dish at the Classic Cup, and Christmas Lights!).

On Saturday we helped B.V. (a wonderful friend who opens their house for us whenever we come up to KC) with some computer/techy stuff in the morning and then it was time for some fun at Crown Center/Union Station !
 

I love the Nelson-Atkins and all the art in it; but I think the above functional art was the best piece that should be in every restroom!

 

Photo op at the Classy Cup. New sweater from Coldwater Creek, I love the red in it!
 

Christmas Lights!!!!! So pretty!


 

I highly recommend traveling to KC and going to Dialogue in the Dark. There are no words to describe the experience. Our guide was James; originally a fire fighter/hazmat worker from Texas. His story is, one night a few years ago he went to bed and woke up completely blind. James has what he describes as something like an aneurysm in the vessels of the eyes and he lost his sight completely. He took great care in showing us his view of the world.

In Dialogue in the Dark you are given a walking cane with instructions and taken to the "transition chamber" where you sit on lighted benches that slowly dim to nothing as you are introduced to complete darkness. (You are to secure you personal belongings in lockers provided-no glow in the dark watches, no cameras, nothing that emits light is allowed in the exhibit.)

There is a hush that comes over everyone as the darkness envelopes us; then in the dark a calm, confident, compassionate voice pierces the darkness and introduces himself as James.

James first asks us how we are all doing and asks the obvious question, "Is anyone feeling a little scared?" Of course there is the "well, kind of." that comes from somewhere in the room. He then reassures us that this will be a safe environment to experience everyday occurrences in darkness. We go around the room introducing ourselves by name. This is the only room before the exhibit that we know what it looks like; the rest of the exhibit is in complete darkness as James walks us through. With sound, smell, touch, and taste we experience a new world without sight. I will encourage you to take a few (maybe 5 one dollar bills) in with you to purchase a soda and a snack while you are in the exhibit- yes you experience a lounge complete with a purchase counter, music, and seating- but there real experience is paying for goods without sight and sipping a soda- the smell is overwhelmingly fascinating!

I may never meet the other 7 people who went through the exhibit with us, but for the time (approx 1 hr) we were without sight together we had to rely on each other and experienced what life would be like without having the ability to judge with sight. Bumping into each other was no big deal- it let you know you weren't alone!

P.S. You might want to purchase your tickets on line or go early and purchase tickets because they do sell out rather quickly. We arrived at 1PM and are ticket entry was for 3:12 PM.

 

I had pulled out our hockey skates to take with us, Matt got so excited when he saw them in the pile to be packed.




After our amazing adventure in the dark it was time re-claim the ice! Some of our first dates were on the ice rink in Wichita and many after that were on the ice or me cheering for Matt as he played hockey.

I had not skated in over 2 years and was pleasantly surprised to be able to take to the ice as soon as I stepped on it. We skated for just over an hour and we decided our tummies were ready for some dinner.

You just can't go to KC without having BBQ!!! So we went to one of our favorites and had BBQ ribs, brisket, and chicken with all the fixin's! They have dinners for two and the servings are perfect- we were not stuffed, but pleasantly satisfied.

One of Matt's early anniversary gifts is pictured in the bottom left of this photo. We tend to start the gift giving the day after Thanksgiving. The TomTom was on sale on Black Friday; so now BekBek can enjoy her time taking photos from the passenger side instead of reading a map the whole trip! BekBek does have a few pointers from experience in KC that the TomTom doesn't so Matt has the best of both worlds when he is piloting the vehicle!

One of Matt's early anniversary gifts is pictured in the bottom left of this photo. We tend to start the gift giving the day after Thanksgiving. The TomTom was on sale on Black Friday; so now BekBek can enjoy her time taking photos from the passenger side instead of reading a map the whole trip! BekBek does have a few pointers from experience in KC that the TomTom doesn't so Matt has the best of both worlds when he is piloting the vehicle!