Happy 2014!

January 1, 2014

The New Year--January 1st, specifically--is the time of year we all tend to make promises to ourselves that we ultimately fail to keep.  So why do we keep doing it?  Why set ourselves up to fail?  Well, because it's hard to get somewhere if you don't have an idea of where you want to go.  Now, if I don't make it all the way to my goal, or even if my goal changes in the course of the next year, that's okay.  I can't beat myself up about it if I don't reach the end of the line, so to speak, or if my road takes me down a different path.  As long as I get started in the right direction, I can feel good about the progress I've made.

So here we go. 

Yes, I'm going to make the obligatory resolution to lose weight/eat better/become more fit.  I've got some tools in place to help me track what I'm doing via Fitbit, and some plans in place for Lisa and me to encourage each other on this path.

I've used this blog in the past as a means to express my philosophies and observations, but also as a place where I can record family events and memories for posterity, including photos of family and friends.  I've gotten away from that purpose somewhat, so I not only want to keep up with that here for this year, but I want to back up and post previous events and photos that I've missed this year.  Every six months prior to this year I have had Blog2Print create a hardback copy of all of my entries as a permanent record--I want to update and then have those published from 2013.

I want to continue to pursue photography in new ways, as well as explore other artistic formats.  In 2013, I did some photography work for a friend of mine, and I dabbled in painting (in oil and acrylics) and even sold my first painting.  There's definitely more in those fields I want to explore.

I intend to continue to be mindful in how and why I teach, so that I can continue to grow and guide my students to the best of my ability.

Most importantly, I want to continue to work at being fully present with my family and friends, and be the best wife, mom, sister, and friend I know how to be.  The traditions and memories we are building now are the times my kids will look back on in their future, and I hope they are memories of love that they cherish.

To that end, our first pictures in the new year are of our traditional pizza night with my family, Lisa's family, and some good friends.  We've also got pictures from the Lutjens-Smith/Gaetje family Christmas gift exchange.  I'm so thankful Lisa was able to bring her kids (and a couple of their friends--Tia and Kimberly) up on the train today to spend the first few days of the new year with us.

Me n' Ed's Don

August 7, 2012

While we were off on our vacation, we read in our Facebook feed that Don Schmidt was in the hospital and was doing very poorly.  Don was a fixture at Me 'n Ed's, and after several of our big family get-togethers there, he finally accepted that we considered him a part of the family.  As a matter of fact, I've posted pictures of him here as part of our big 'ol eclectic group of chosen family that comes out to enjoy each others' company at Me n' Ed's.

Sadly, just as we were returning from the vacation, Don passed away.  As a tribute, his family decided to celebrate his life at the place he loved--the place where he was just as much a fixture as Norm was at the Cheers bar--Don's Me n' Ed's.  I had the opportunity to meet his real family there, and they all said that Don had talked about us all and had just loved how we had embraced him and made him one of our own.  It was really a lovely thing to hear, that we had made an impact on him.  He'll surely be missed.  He'll still be there, though, in spirit, since they put a plaque on his favorite bar stool in his memory.

Pre-Wedding Family Get Together Pizza Night

March 30, 2012

My baby sister and me
Danielle and Aunt Laura
The happy couple--Laura and Sean
Me with my soon-to-be brother-in-law Sean.
Nathan
Brothers--Chad and Sean Byrnes

Little Man Nathan

February 28, 2011

My sister-in-law Julie came to visit last weekend from Washington, so I finally got to meet my newest nephew, Nathan. They came to visit Julie's mom and grandmother for some birthday celebrations on their side of the family (including Julie's), so while she was in town we decided a pizza night was in order. What a sweet baby boy he is! He was happy as a clam, even though he was a tired little guy, and was quite content to let us all pass him around while he got to know a few of us from his daddy's side of the family.

Nathan with Grandma

Nicholas bonding with his newest boy cousin
Julie and me
Nathan was absolutely fascinated by Uncle Doug's beard!
Bree hanging out with Nathan
My sweet baby Nathan giving Auntie Donna some love
Mama and Nathan
Being social can be quite exhausting; after fighting it off valiantly for quite awhile, Nathan finally gave in to sleep.

Thanksgiving 2010

November 29, 2010

Despite being sick for nearly all of vacation, we had a great Thanksgiving. Lisa, Devin, and Bailey came up (Taylor was with her dad in Oakland), and Jim and Kathryn joined us for our feast. Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, deviled eggs, pumpkin pie, lemon meringue pie, sparkling apple cider--the works. We ate til we couldn't eat anymore. Not long after, we went back for more. During dinner, I asked everyone to say something they were thankful for, as I do every Thanksgiving. Our responses this year?

Bailey--I'm thankful for parents, because they get you stuff.

Devin--I'm thankful for everybody I know, even the mean ones, because they've taught me I can face them.

Danielle--I'm thankful for food, family, and when cousins and aunts come. I'm also thankful for pizza and softball. The emphasis is on the FOOD.

Taylor (by phone)--I'm thankful for all my family and friends.

Nicholas--I am thankful for this wonderfully wonderful dinner.

Kathryn--I'm thankful for good teachers, because I can learn so much, and for this day because it's been good so far.

Brianna--I'm thankful for everyone being able to be together, and not just getting together once a year.

Lisa--I'm thankful for family and our extended definition of that, and that we can all be together for the holidays.

Doug--I'm thankful that in these tough economic times, we have too much food, rather than too little.

Jim--I'm thankful for economic easements instated by the government.

Donna--I am thankful for our family, and how we are blessed with not just the family we are born into but the ones we have chosen to be family as well.


On Friday Lisa and I took the kids to the Oh Wow Nickel Arcade, and later to the pool room. Saturday Laura came up to join us, and we converged on the baseball field at our neighborhood park for the annual Mayes Girls Thanksgiving Softball game. I think this might have been my favorite softball game so far, since it started raining on us during the middle of the second inning. Softball in the rain is far more desirable than our ill-timed 100+ degree game at the Fourth of July celebration! That evening we all gathered for one of our famous family and friends pizza nights, and then the adults all headed out to Thai Fusion for a little karaoke. What a blast! We closed the place down, as we have been occasionally known to do, and then Doug, Laura, and I came back home and talked well into the night.

Although we missed the members of our family who weren't with us, I am so thankful that so many of us are able to get together and really have fun. I love my family!

Another Me 'n Ed's Pizza Night

September 19, 2010

We got quite a few friends to come out and join us for another Me 'n Ed's pizza night. I just love it when we can all hang out at a family-friendly place and let the kids all have fun together while the grown-ups all catch up with each other.