January 4 2014

It feels like more than four days have passed since I last posted.
I did make it up until midnight on New Years Eve. Kissing my Vic, cuddling with the babies. Much different than last NYE but sweet all the same. :)


1/1/2015 I worked (Venice Office) on the 1st with a few other agents and my sister and her husband. There were over a hundred tenants arriving on that day. Many of them ended up not coming until later. It wasn't as busy or crazy as I thought it would be. Within minutes of people checking in they would be calling with problems of TV's not working (missing their football games) or WiFi not working (more often than not it was user error) and a few true problems like a flooded kitchen or someone setting off the home security system.
It was nice to come home  to cornbread and beef stew that Vic had made. I think that is something that you don't truly appreciate growing up...coming home to home cooked meals. Vic and I don't do a lot of cooking (me even less ) so it's pretty special and appreciated when one of us does cook.

1/2/2015   Weekly weight in day...I found those extra pounds that I thought I had missed picking up over Christmas. Ugh.
I went to work in Sarasota with Vic. On our way we had to stop and pick up Vic's evidence of aging (glasses ) ...She called it that and it cracked me up , I told her I was going to have to use it in my blog (I was banned from using it on facebook or twitter LOL) But please notice Vic, I am giving you full credit!
The glasses look great. It will take some time to get used to the progressive lenses but I am so happy that she is enjoying seeing everything so much clearer (except maybe our wrinkles and under eye bags that she pointed out on the way home)
Working in Sarasota just one day a week is getting harder now that season is here. We didn't get out of there until after 6pm.

1/3/2015 My nephew got married! I was so impressed that they were able to put it all together in just a few days. Mary borrowed a dress that fit her perfectly. Devon and Brandon matched with red shirts, black pants and ties. There was a sit down meal after the wedding, cake, a champagne toast (they are only 19 but did get to have their toasts) Thankfully there were lots of pictures taken. I 'm so glad they had a chance to work things out with my sister before the wedding so she could be there.

Vic and I had just laid down for bed when we got a work call. One of the tenants just arrived and had forgotten to bring their lockbox key. We keep a spare but it appears someone took it so we headed up to Sarasota to let them in. It was a big beautiful full (or almost full) moon so on the way home we stopped off at Venice beach and played in the sand. Once I got back in bed and fell asleep my dreams were haunted by lock boxes and lost keys.  

I don't think that I'll have much more to add for today (1/4/2015) it's going to be a day of football. Sisterwives is back on tonight so we'll probably catch that too :) I'm glad that our shows are starting to come back on. We did find a few new things to binge on , yesterday it was The Knick.  A look at the professional and personal lives of the staff at New York's Knickerbocker Hospital during the early part of the twentieth century.

Subscription Box Review-Unboxing. Scentbird November

I have been loving my monthly subscription boxes so much that I've added several new ones to my list.
I was searching on YouTube the other day to see what other unboxings I could find and came across one for a perfume subscription.

I'm not one of those girls that is well versed in perfumes. In my 20's I did work at a perfume store (Perfumania) so I learned a little more about the different brands and scents. Most days I don't wear perfume at all. Growing up I remember my grandmothers scent when we'd be going out or at church..it was Youth Dew by Estee Lauder. Later my sister and mother would wear the same thing when it was an extra fancy gathering. Usually in winter because it's a pretty heavy scent. I have a few signature scents that I've worn over the years but usually like switching it up but not to the expense of buying the designer brands that I'd really like to wear.

But anyway...the subscription service is Scentbird. You can pick your perfume each month like I've done or do a survey and have them match it up to your style/taste and pick it for you.  It cost $14.95 per month . The first month you get an atomizer and a bottle of  the perfume in a vile that fits into the atomizer much like a lipstick tube. Each month you get a new vile. For my first month I picked Michael Kors and it smells amazing.

 I purchased this plan and am not being paid to do this review.

Autumn Begins

I don't know if it is because I was born in October or what, but Fall has always been my favorite season. Living in Florida now I don't get to enjoy it as much as I did up north. It doesn't cool off in the evenings here and the leaves don't change colors.

Some of my favorite fall memories are playing in the leaves, missing school one day and going out with my mom to take fall pictures in the park, smelling the scents of cinnamon and apples as mom changed out her candles around the house.

This picture was taken in Moberly, Mo . It is of my family. (I'm the one with glasses) The photographer Rob Vance just passed away I heard today :( , he was a life long friend of the family and the reason we moved to Venice Fl. 29 years ago.

I've been in the mood to decorate for fall this year. I picked up some glittery pumpkins at the dollar tree (everything is better with glitter!) and set them on the counter at work. I ordered a large lot of soaps and creams from Bath & Body works in all the yummy pumpkin flavors.  If I was really adventurous I'd bake a  pumpkin pie but not sure I'm up to that. I did watch a youtube video last night with some pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes that looked pretty delish, I'll share the link with you here.

Here are a few other fall photos from my college days.

Girls Weekend 2014

Girls Weekend 2014  CLICK ON LINK FOR VIDEO

The girls weekend with my girlfriends that I've known since grade school was a huge success.  Already looking forward to next year. :)


There is something to be said about old friends. I grew up in a small town in Missouri. The same town that my parents and grandparents grew up in. There is something quite wonderful about life long friends that know you...really know you. These women that I adore so much knew me from girl scouts, from St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, from playing on the DoubleCola softball team, from  first loves, broken hearts, school dances, and all the other memories that come with knowing someone for your whole wide life :)

Not everyone made it this year to Florida but they were there in our hearts. Some will never be with us again but their memories are always part of our conversations and they are loved just the same..never to be forgotten.

I am feeling so blessed to have known these women.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 
― Maya Angelou

August 2013

August 2013



August past...

1977 my first eye doctor appointment that I remember..had to get glasses. Dr. Mueller in Moberly

1995 My car wreck (thunderbird) got a new Mitsubishi Eclipse

1996 said goodbye to Tuggles

2000 Got a new Daewoo (no one had heard of them but it served me well, loved that little green car)

2011 Victor and his friend Hillary came to visit us for the first time. We went parasailing

2010 Weight 218


2011 Weight 226

2011 Went to TN with Vic to see Dad and Cyndi

2012 My dad and Cyndi visited Fl for the last time, he would pass six months later
(as much as I hate this picture of myself it's a great "before" picture for my weight loss journey)

2013   Weight 199

Google Earth

Lately I've been exploring Google Earth. I saw several posts on facebook and twitter that the google earth car has been driving around Sarasota again.

Last night I went back to Missouri (via google earth) and drove by my grandparents houses. It was cool to see the familiar sights but kind of sad to see the houses as they look now. I missed the porch swing on Grandma Ethels house and grandma Dunnys porch was gone entirely ! There was however a new garage along side the house with people standing outside talking. The people were blurry but I let my mind wander to the conversations that had been held in that exact spot by my family members.



Then I came back to Florida and drove by my dads old house.It was kind of neat because they have not updated google earth in a while I guess because dads red truck was in the drive way and his flag was flying on the front of the house. For a moment or two it was almost as if he was still here just across town from me.





Do you ever go visit places on google earth?