Sunny with a Fair Chance of Spring

Whew!  We're already looking at March. . . 2011 has been a blur so far. . . I keep looking for the brakes, but they are just nowhere to be found.  So many things going on -so many things on the 'need to do' AND 'want to do' lists and not many are getting checked off.  I don't quite know how to explain that - because if there's one thing we have NOT been doing and that's sit still.  We leave the relaxing to Fritzie and Frazer.

We had a lovely-lovely holiday - and wondered if we had our dates mixed up when we got the White Christmas snows a month later and then again. . . Snowed and snowed and snowed.   And the artic temperatures - below zero for highs?  Really?  Ridiculous!  Javyn didn't mind too much - he got four 'snow day's off. . . too bad they're going to have to make up two of them:-(

Heck!  Jori even got a day or two off - it was so bad KU cancelled classes.  Now, you know that's pretty bad.  Glad it's all behind us and I refuse to listen to the people saying we'll get more at the end of this month. 







The robins outside my window tell me that Spring's on its way!

But if we *have* to get more snow - it better happen while we're in Florida for Spring Break - and that's all I have to say about that.

Oooooh. . . Spring Break!  Can't wait!  We're winging our way to see Disney and Epcot and the beach and. .  and. . .Hubster found this great Disney Resort deal, then lucked into some good flight prices, and even snagged a rental car for a decent price.  The kids have the same Spring Break dates so it's going to be a real family vacation - something we haven't done in awhile.  Anybody want to dog-sit?

We're all well. . . enough.  There's been so much sickness in the area - the hospitals are full, including (for many of them) their auxillary / overflow rooms.  Pneumonia is a big culprit.  I dealt with a strange 'Deep Sigh' kind of cough for a little more than a week - I still 'sigh' on occasion.  Apparently, it's a recurrence of and leftover from the mycoplasm-pneumonia I battled earlier in the season.   I'm so glad everyone else in the house was able to, for the most part, avoid the worst of it all.

With all the nasty winter weather - we all found things to occupy our time *inside* as much as possible.  I've actually got both sewing machines out and have been working my way through the mending / alteration pile that was beginning to grow out of control. . . and working on my jewelry.

So many beautiful stones and pearls and crystals to work with and so many ideas - just not time enough to create them all, but I'm giving it my best shot!  There's new treasures added to the ksyardbird Facebook page and ksyardbird Etsy shop all the time.  If you're interested in keeping track of it all in one place - save the ksyardbird website to your favorites.

Troy and I have been enjoying the 'public' ksyardbird blog I've been writing.  We photograph the steps and ingredients while making a recipe or an entire meal together and I write it up and publish it.  It's rather like a journal entry of our food-life and a great way to keep our best recipes together and accessible to others.  I just passed my one year anniversary of regular postings and hope to keep it going.   The best part?  Eating the yummy foods!

Javyn spent most of his 'snow-time' playing one computer game or another.  It's really amazing how the kids can network through the internet with each other and play games with/against each other and even watch movies 'together' without ever leaving their house.  Wow.  Golf season just started with the first practice of the season today.  Hoping the weather cooperates and allows plenty of beautiful sunny days for the golfers.

It was an up and down day for Jori when she sold The Classy LeBaron earlier this year. . .

And a Happy Day when she got into her new Toyota Corolla - hooray!  No more non-working this. . . and that. . . and this other thing. . . and. . . . We need to get a good picture of her with the pretty (well-working) car - stand by for that:-).  School's going good enough with a little bit of the 'junioritis-syndrome' hovering.  I'm sure Spring-Fever will kick in and take over.  Not really sure if that's good or bad, though.  She is enjoying her job at The Winfield house selling furniture and all the decorating tidbits that go with it.  I know I enjoy shopping there - via Jori:-) 

Javyn has his car stereo tricked out. . . well, enough, so that it really thumps that bass of his music.  And glass-pack exhaust - you definitely hear him coming down the street.  I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that, but there's no way he can sneak out or in without us hearing - that's a Good thing.  hahaha!

And seems the car speaker thing may have been a bit of an epidemic around here. . . Troy replaces his oldies in his truck and the boys changed out the broken ones in my van. . . Hmmmm - we all sound good now:-) Well, at least the music in our vehicles sounds good - ha!

So how's the view through my window?  IWhen I close my eyes to the turmoil in Libya and Egypt and Wisconsin and even our own fine state of Kansas - it's sunny with a fair chance of spring.

 

How's the view through Your window?  We look forward to hearing from you.

Hugs Always,

Robin


 

Wrapping up 2010 . . . in a Bright Red Sparkly Bow

12-20-10
It's definitely looking a lot like Christmas, except for the lack of snow, here in Southeast Kansas.  I'm absolutely NOT complaining - the Christmas lights and decorations are lovely and plenty festive in my opinion.

We enjoyed such a glorious fall throughout November.  There were no plummeting temperatures nor surprise blizzards. The sun shone, the temperatures took their time dropping a tiny bit each day (then revisiting warmer weather once in awhile) and the trees put on a spectacular show right on into December.

Despite the un-Winterlike weather, we started our holiday decorating early this year.  It's always been an unwritten rule that Christmas decorations were NOT allowed to go up until AFTER Jori's early-December Birthday was celebrated.  Due to her class and work schedule in Lawrence this year, we celebrated her 21st Birthday, complete with an Egg Nog Cheesecake (with Cinnamon-Rum Whipping Cream and Raspberry Sauce) 

while she was home for Thanksgiving. . .

which meant lots of celebrating, food, and even more fun all packed into a short amount of time!!

The following weekend found Javyn and Troy out in Western Kansas where Javyn caught up with, and brought down, a Big Beautiful Buck

While the boys are out hunting, I'm keeping busy at my own adventure.  With some gentle (and not so gentle) prodding from friends, I decided to start opening what I call my 'ksyardbird Studio' to the public. 

This has kept me hopping much more than I anticipated even though I don't keep regular nor consistent hours.  Lots of lovely friends and many beautiful custom treasures have been made.  My work table is in constant motion - either with more custom orders, general creations, or set up shop-style to best show off the current collection of bling by 'Robin Z'. 

My latest creations, beyond semi-precious stone earrings, necklaces, bracelets and  button rings

include One-Of-A-Kind birthstone necklaces.  I've made different styles with different pendants and, of course, different stones. 

It's just such a neat thing to be part of a special gift-  taking someone's idea and creating a unique treasure just for them.

Hubster has said that I'm easy to find - always on the second floor in 'my' room.  Well. . . yeah.  He's probably right:-)  Between my 'real' job, 'ksyardbird' and all the other misc. things I do, you honestly can usually find me right here.  I just told him he'll have to 'come up see me sometime' in my best Mae West voice.  So he does;-)

Troy's traveling has slowed a little for the past month, which is a very awesome thing.  He's had quite a few 'day meetings', but no week long business trips anywhere.  Frees him up for hunting and shopping trips;-)  He's been doing all kinds of things around the place - installing a gas heater in Man Land, which was a direct project from plumbing in a gas line for the new-to-us gas grill that has found a home on our back patio.  Lucky me, I even got him to install a light above the bar in the between the kitchen and dining area - hooray!

School's going well for both kiddos and they've ended their semesters on positive notes - HOORAY!  Now to get revved up for the next semester. . . Christmas spirit with the reconnections to family and friends is a great way to rejuvenate and prepare for what the New Year may bring.

There are so many presents our Family has to be grateful for and I'm not talking about things that are wrapped in pretty paper and decorated with sparkly bows. 

We are all healthy, with good food in our tummies, roofs over our heads, a good education for our children, happy pets, warm clothes, caring friends and loving family. . . There's no tree big enough, not enough wrapping paper or bows, to package that all up.  Who could possibly wait until Christmas to unwrap, anyway?

With as much Love and Holiday Spirit possible, we (Troy, Robin, Jori, Javyn, Zayda and Jaz, Frazer and Fritzie) wish you the Very Merriest of Christmases and Happiest of New Years. . . and not just for the days to come - but for the months (and years) ever-after.

Robin