Merry Christmas Eve 2024

It's hard to believe that it's the end of 2024, and Christmas Day is tomorrow. Another year is winding down, and I'm fortunate enough to be able to be with family this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve this year finds Carrie, Oliver, and me in Lawrence staying at my mom's for a few days before we head back to Topeka Christmas Day to celebrate the day with the Shirrons.

I hope you are able to be with family and friends during this holiday season. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cheer: "Finding the Light" - Music, Laughter, and Holiday Reflection

Merry Christmas 2024

Friday night, Carrie and I had the pleasure of attending "Finding the Light: Event and Reading." We went not really knowing what to expect, but it was so fun. It was a production of readings, music, and fun. The plot revolved around guests attending a Christmas party and the troubles or issues that arise in life while trying to navigate the holiday season.

The performance made us laugh, shed a tear, and feel reflective about the Christmas holiday. It was something I would see again next year if they produce it again. I would love to take my family and friends to see it too. We heard about it from Erin and Greg, as the people who wrote the original musical were, or have been, involved with the Topeka Civic Theatre located in Topeka, KS. Our friends, Jason F and Jason D, were in the band and sounded fantastic! It was a fun night, and I hope they do it again next year as we would definitely see it again.

This was truly the first Christmas celebration outside of work that Carrie or I have attended this year. A little unusual, but it was nice to hear some original songs alongside some of the familiar Christmas carols. It was a special and enjoyable evening.

Selfie in Front of Christmas Tree

We took some time to take pictures in front of the beautifully decorated Christmas tree that was set up. They offered some delightful drinks to enjoy before, during, and after the event concluded, along with some light snacks. It made for a perfect evening of entertainment and truly put me in the Christmas spirit. 

As we approach the final full week before Christmas, I can hardly believe that 2024 is coming to an end. It will soon be Christmas 2024, and the year will be over a week later. Yes, I say it every year, but the years seem to be flying by faster and faster. You blink, and suddenly the year is over. I have a lot to do this next week at work before wrapping up 2024. I am looking forward to some time off to regroup and prepare for 2025.

Have a great week, and make sure to savor the build-up to the Christmas holiday.

Merry Christmas 2023! Have a Happy and Safe Christmas!

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A post shared by Carrie H. (@carrieloulou)

Merry Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas! I am using a post Carrie made on her Instagram page of our Christmas tree as I thought it was perfect for a Merry Christmas greeting. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. It is hard to believe that 2023 is coming to an end as it seems like the year just started, but here we are at the end of the year. 

Enjoy the day and be sure to reach out to your family and friends this holiday season.

Merry Christmas 2022! Have a Happy and Safe Christmas!

Christmas seemed to really sneak up on me this year. Like the year flying by, the holiday got here quick and we are celebrating Christmas 2022. Wow! Looking forward to being with family during the holiday weekend. We had a wintery mix with cold temperatures as we headed into the holiday weekend.  

Back in April 2022 I won some auction items at a Washburn Athletics fund raiser and we were able to take advantage of one by staying the Cyrus Hotel in downtown Topeka. We were able to take Oliver, so he was able to enjoy the time in the hotel. Since we were downtown, we wanted to have dinner at White Linen and we were able to go with Greg and Erin who had not been there until this visit. We went to the hotel Thursday afternoon and had dinner that evening. We had a wonderful time and it was so good to eat dinner and then head back to our hotel room to relax. Oliver loves hotels, so he had a great time even though it was bitterly cold outside, he did his business quickly so we could get back to the room.

Christmas Eve we are in Lawrence to see my Mom and some family who will be able to make it in that day. On Christmas Day, we will be at Greg and Erin’s for the day. We were closed at work on Thursday do to the wintery mix that moved through. I find I am all mixed up on my days. It felt like Friday on Thursday and I am not sure what Friday felt like, but it certainly was not Friday. 

Have a happy and safe Christmas!

The Movie “Spirited” (2022) Became My New Favorite Holiday Movie After Watching Friday Night

November is over and we are into Christmas music and movies. Everywhere I look there are decorations. It is a fun time of year. This past Thursday, we went to watch Christmas Vacation (1989) at B&B Theaters where we had a great time watching an old movie I have seen hundreds of times on TV, but on the big screen this time. A big bag of popcorn, Hot Tamales, and a big beer in a comfy chair was perfect. We had a great time and it was fun to watch the movie with a crowded theater.

Friday night, Carrie and I decided to watch Spirited (2022). I have a new favorite movie. Spirited is on Apple TV. I was not expecting a lot from Spirited, but so happy we watched it. I had all the emotions with laughing, crying, laughing, and sadness. Featuring Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, and Octavia Spencer. While it was a musical, it had a good story and kept Carrie and I engaged in the movie. We both loved it! Following the end of the movie, I went out and found the soundtrack of Spirited on Apple Music. I have been listening to the album each day since Friday night.

Spirited is a different take on the Charles Dickens classic although it is a musical and a different twist. If you are looking for a new Christmas movie for the holidays, I highly recommend that you check out Spirited. It seems everyone I have spoken to about the movie have agreed how great of a movie it is. Carrie and I plan to watch the movie again and maybe a few times before the holidays are over. If you do not have a Apple TV subscription, I suggest that you get one for the holidays so you can watch Spirited.

I remember my Dad when he would go to movies, he always liked the movies where he came away feeling good. Spirited had me come away feeling good and reflective on the holidays. I hope you have a chance to watch or whatever your favorite movie is for the holiday season.

Our Trip to the Kansas City Plaza with our Dog for Three Days with Eating, Drinking, and Fun

View from Our Room at InterContinental on the Plaza

Carrie and I had a wonderful time in Kansas City on the Plaza following the Christmas Holiday. We had planned it back in November to make for a fun time away from home and since we were not traveling anywhere for the holidays. We wanted to stay in a hotel and because we were taking Oliver, we wanted a dog friendly location. 

We selected the InterContinental on the Plaza. We contacted them back in November to schedule the room and stay. We were told it would be $75 additional to have Oliver stay with us. No problem! The rates were really low following the holiday, so we jumped on it and booked the room.

Oliver Watching People

This would be a first time trip for Oliver staying in a hotel. He is ten and never stayed in a hotel. We were hopeful he would be good, not bark, or cause a disturbance while we were out two nights. He did great! He was a perfect little gentleman... well, except that in our room he could see the people walking in front of the shops and he would do a low bark as he watched them walk along the sidewalk. Nothing loud, but it was constant as he did this the whole time we there. The only time he was not concerned what was happening outside was when we shut the curtains so he could not see out. It made us laugh and I think he was trying to protect us from whatever those tiny people were doing he could see way off in the distance.

Overall, he did great! We took him out and did good on walks. He loved it because we took him on walks multiple times each day we were in the hotel. On the way back from walks, he had not figured out that all the rooms look alike, so he would stop at each room on our way back to our room on the second floor.  The first night when we went to dinner, we came home to find him on top of the coffee table looking at us when we came in the door... we are still not sure what he was doing, but he looked to be having fun!

Carrie and John at Dinner

The first night (Monday) we were able to connect with my brother, Tim, who was having dinner with his boys. Originally I had contacted Tim to see if he could meet for dinner or drinks Monday night, but he said he already had a commitment. As it turned out, he invited Carrie and I to join him, Donna, Brian, Jack, and their spouses. Tim took us to The Capital Grille on the Plaza. What an experience! Tim had a private space for us to eat and we had a nice visit with everyone. The food was good and the wine was flowing freely. Good memories to be able to meet up and see everyone that evening. Carrie and I did not do great with pictures on our adventure to Kansas City, but we did manage to get a picture of us at dinner that evening... no, did not get any pictures with anyone else, but it was a fun time!

BayCoyKC Sandwiches

Tuesday was a lazy day. We stayed in bed, read, snoozed, took Oliver on walks, and basically did nothing the whole day. We did order BayBoyKC for lunch. It was really good and the sandwiches were huge! After finishing lunch, we decided to lounge more, so we continued to read, watch TV, and lounge around our room. Oliver was enjoying barking at the people on the sidewalks of the Plaza. By about 4 or 4:30, we decided we better figure out where we were going to eat. I reached out to my brother, Tim, to check if he would like to meet for drinks and/or dinner, so we made arrangements to meet him for drinks. Again, no pictures of our visit, but we were able to spend a few hours with him having drinks, eating oysters, and enjoying conversation. 

Dinner at McCormick & Schmick's

Carrie and I had late reservations at McCormick & Schmick's at 8:45, so we decided to head over early to sit at their bar and enjoy more drinks, apps, etc. Our plan was to hang out and then sit and have dinner, but we decided to eat at the bar. We had more oysters, drinks, and a delicious meal all while at the bar. I opted for the lobster which was good, but could have used some butter. What I had ordered originally was two lobster tails, but they were out of that and went with this lobster pictured to the right which had shrimp over the top. All very good and we had an enjoyable time.

The best thing about staying at the InterContinentalwas that we could walk to everywhere. Monday night when we met Tim for dinner, the The Capital Grille was right across from the hotel. For Tuesday nights meal, we were able to walk to meet Tim for drinks and then walk on to McCormick & Schmick's for dinner. It was perfect! Really, the whole three days felt like date night with Carrie, so we had fun and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

By eating at the bar, we were able to beat the 8:45 reservation so we were not out as late and we could get back to Oliver who was holding down the hotel room for us. When we got back to the hotel room, he was sleeping on the couch and looked up as we came through the door. I think he enjoyed some alone time after being with us for the whole day.

Oliver at Snooze Eatery

Wednesday was our day to leave, so we set a late checkout as we wanted to sleep late (we are on vacation) and run some errands later in the day before heading back to Topeka. I took Oliver on a few walks that morning before we finally checked out about 12:30. Our first stop was going to be Snooze A.M. Eatery. This was our second visit to Snooze and it did not disappoint. We selected this place to eat as we like it and because they allow pets. Oliver was the hit of the patio! The staff all wanted to come out and see him. He got whipped cream to enjoy and lots of praise and petting from the staff. I think he had a great time!

Following our lunch, we stopped by Summer Moon Coffee which is another favorite before we made one last stop and headed home to end our fun in Kansas City.

We did this whole trip while Washburn University was closed between December 25 and January 2. I would certainly do this again as we had a wonderful time. Like I mentioned earlier, it felt like one large date night with our kid along. We both had a lot of fun and look forward to doing something similar next year for the holiday break.

Merry Christmas! Our Mantel and Tree to Start Christmas Eve and Wish you the Best Christmas 2021! #ChristmasEve #Christmas #Holiday

Merry Christmas! Have a very Merry Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with family and friends. Stay safe and check in with your loved ones, friends, and neighbors.

Our Christmas Eve will include a visit to Lawrence to see my mom and drop off some food. Then a quiet evening at home eating dinner, wrapping in last minute gifts, and spending time with Carrie and Oliver. Christmas Day will include time with family where I will see Joan, Eddie, Erin, and Greg going between homes to celebrate the day. I will call each of my siblings and of course my mother to wish a Merry Christmas.

I am also looking forward to a week and a few days of of work. Nice break from the work schedule and a time to regroup and prepare for 2022.

Stay safe and enjoy your time this holiday season!

Merry Christmas! Have a Happy and Safe Christmas #Christmas #Holiday #Greetings #blog

 

Merry Christmas! It is hard to believe it is Christmas Eve 2020. We are almost done with this year that seems to have lasted forever. Another unusual holiday we celebrate remotely with our loved ones. I hope you have a happy and save Christmas.

Mantel and picture courtesy of Carrie. Follow Carrie on Instagram.

December Update and Preparing for 2011

Another Thanksgiving goes by and we make a step closer to the end of
2010. It is hard to believe that we will soon be into 2011. I recall
as a kid thinking that when I would see movies and they would talk about
2015 or 2020 that it seemed so far off it was not real. Well, those
years are fast approaching and they will be here before we know it. Crazy!

Kansas Football has ended, but we still have Washburn football to
attend. In fact, Washburn football made it to a bowl game and it is
tomorrow here in Topeka. We can hardly wait, but it is going to be nice
and cold. Hopefully the Ichabods are ready and it is a fun game to watch.

Kansas basketball is well underway. They played a too close for comfort
game last night against UCLA. It was close the entire way with KU down
a few times by two or three buckets. They fought back and ended up
winning by one point which was caused by a intentional miss at the foul
line by KU to keep UCLA from going back down the court to score. Good game!

Carrie and I are planning to have pizza night at our house on December
19. We told anyone who can make it to arrive shortly after 1 and we
would play games all afternoon until it was pizza time. Then, after
pizza, we would again play games. Yes, we both realize this was a week
before Christmas, but it seemed like a good time to do it at our house
and hopefully everyone will be able to do it. I am not sure what games
we will play, but I would imagine Trivial Pursuit or some other similar
game will be played.

Sidney has been interesting the past few weeks with sleeping what seems
like a lot more than usual. He sleeps in my leather chair in the living
room and does not hardly move the whole day. He gets up to eat, drink
water, and possibly poop, but not much more than that. He is so funny
and I love going home at lunch to see him. I always feel bad if I have
to miss going home and I do not get to see him.... especially if I did
not fill up his bowl before leaving in the morning. He lets us know
about it when we get home in the evening if he did not have enough food
to eat. Crazy cat, but we love him!

I heard through the grapevine that Jennifer and Tim had to put down
their dog, Lilly. That is so sad! Lilly had been having problems for a
few years and was completely blind. When I heard about it, I remembered
all of the feelings I had when my dog, Captain, was put down back in
1991. Wow, that was difficult! I still think back to Captain some days
and it makes me sad to think that he is no longer here. I remembered
being in grade school and sitting outside playing and Captain was part
of my "play". He was my friend and listened to everything I had to
say. Sad day when he left us! I know Lilly was a huge part of the T.S.
Haverty family too and so I wonder other than being sad of Lillys'
passing, what they miss. She was always a good dog and loved to be
petted. Farewell my friend, Lilly!

Christmas plans are still up in the air. I know Carrie and I are
planning on spending Christmas day at my parents as of today. It sounds
like we will spend the day after Christmas with the Shirrons'. Waiting
for confirmation on both counts hopefully later this weekend.

Well, that is a good update for now. I had not updated since October or
something. Crazy how times flies by, but I already went over that
earlier in this update.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!! If I do not talk to you before
then....