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!
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| 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.
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| Selfie in Front of Christmas Tree |
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.
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend. I may have mentioned this before, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. I love the food, a little too much, and I love spending time with family and friends.
A friend shared the classic Charlie Brown quote earlier this week: "What if today, we were just grateful for everything?" It's so fitting for Thanksgiving, and I thought it would be a great way to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
I know I'll be enjoying turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and, of course, pie. What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes? Or do you have a different family tradition?
However you choose to celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and get to spend time with loved ones.
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| 100 out... Oliver Loves it! |
Last week was another hot week with temperatures closed to 100 degrees the first part of the week. It found Oliver out enjoying the warmth of the sun in our back yard. Yes, he goes out and sits in the sun to warm up from being inside our house with air conditioning. He will sit out there until he starts panting and then head back to the door to go back inside. What a knucklehead. The picture to the right is from late in the week and as of Sunday temperatures have dropped to acceptable temperatures.
The weekend has been beautiful since Thursday with weather in the seventies or eighties. I am sure Oliver is not liking that as he wants more heat when he is outside. Looking at the forecast for the next week and the trend is supposed to continue. No complaints from me.
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| Shrimp, Crab, etc., Boil |
Hoping the Royals can turn around the losing streak we have been on since Wednesday. A four-game losing streak going into the game this afternoon. We need to turn it around and snap this bad skid. It started late in the week when two players got hurt and we have not been able to turn it around since then. I will be wearing all of my lucky Royals gear today to try and push us in the direction of a win and point us in a new direction.
Have a great rest of your Sunday and Labor Day.
t always feels like a sign that summer is half-over as July 4th weekend comes and goes. The summer is speeding by and only gets faster. I hope you have a fun and safe holiday.
No fireworks purchases for us this year, but we might watch some as others fire off their fireworks. Hoping our dog, Oliver, can remain calm and not be too bothered by the sound of the fireworks from neighbors. It is pitiful to watch him outside the past few nights as people fire off their fireworks.
If you shoot something that goes into the air, please follow safety protocol. My sister, Dina, has had one too many fireworks chase after her. I remember one time it hit her and put a hole in her shirt. She was far back from the fireworks, but somehow they managed to seek her out.
Happy 4th! Stay safe and keep all of your digits.
This Memorial Day, as I watched the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS, I was reminded of the true meaning of the holiday. The beautiful music and powerful stories paid tribute to the sacrifices made by those who died serving our country.
Tears welled up as I listened to families recount the lives and service of their sons and daughters who gave their all in combat. Their bravery and dedication ensure the freedoms we cherish today – the freedom to live our lives as we choose.
On this day of remembrance, I am deeply grateful for all those who came before us, who devoted their lives to protecting the United States from threats both foreign and domestic.
May we never forget their sacrifice.
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| Tongue Out and Sleeping |
Every year on the second Sunday of May, we celebrate Mother's Day, a day dedicated to honoring the incredible women who raised us, nurtured us, and loved us unconditionally. But where did this tradition even begin?
The origins of Mother's Day can be traced back to ancient civilizations who celebrated fertility and motherhood. In the modern era, credit for the holiday goes to Anna Jarvis of West Virginia. After her mother passed away in 1905, Anna campaigned tirelessly to create a special day to recognize the sacrifices and contributions of mothers. It wasn't until 1914 that President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation making Mother's Day an official national holiday in the United States.
Why is Mother's Day so important? Mothers are the cornerstones of our families. They are the ones who bandage scraped knees, celebrate our victories, and offer a shoulder to cry on during our defeats. They are our biggest cheerleaders, our confidantes, and our guiding lights.
This Mother's Day, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to three amazing women:
Carrie (Wife and Mom to Oliver), you take good care of Oliver and me. Oliver wanted to wish you a Happy Mother's Day which he did with kisses first thing this morning when he saw you wake up. Oliver cannot wait to snuggle on the sofa with you to celebrate.
Mom (Nancy), thank you for your unwavering love and support throughout my life. You taught me the importance of hard work, kindness, and resilience. Your endless patience and guidance have shaped me into the person I am today. Of course Oliver had to be part of the day to help celebrate.
Joan, Happy Mother's Day! Your warmth and thoughtfulness aren't reserved for holidays – your delicious cooking and special gifts are a constant reminder of your love and support. Thank you.
To all the moms out there, Happy Mother's Day! May your day be filled with love, laughter, and appreciation. You are all truly heroes.
Happy Easter! A overcast day but beautiful. Carrie and I are planning to head to Lawrence for a bit today to see my Mom and family. I tried to plan out when others would be there too, but that did not work out, so we are going around noon and see who we can while we are there. Mid-afternoon we will head back to Topeka to have dinner at Shirron family. It is going to be a great day!
I hope you have a fantastic Easter Sunday!
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| Carrie and I in NYE 2001 |
As we look toward 2024, I think back to past New Years Eve celebrations. The picture to the right is from 2001 with Shayne and Autumn. Carrie and I were dating at the time and went to celebrate the end of 2001 and the start of 2002 with Shayne and Autumn. I recall that Carrie was sick that night with a fever and not feeling well at all. She went to bed early leaving Autumn, Shayne, and I to ring in the New Year. Carrie reminds me that I kept going into the room we were staying and letting her know we were having fun, could smell some type of spirit on my breath, and then finally I went into let her know that the upstairs toilet would no longer work. I will leave it at that and note that Shayne and I had to go out and get a plunger to start the New Year of 2002. Good times!
While we lived in Lawrence, we had some epic New Years Eve celebrations where we had people sleeping on the floor in various rooms where ever they could find a spot to sleep. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of pictures, if any, from those celebrations. A lot of good memories though from various parties one including Brenda taking around "shots" that was beer and laughing while she offered "shots" to the party goers. So much fun and good memories of those parties.
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| New Years Eve 2007 |
On New Years Eve 2007, I have good memories of spending the end of 2007 with my family in Lawrence. We grilled steaks, drank a lot of wine, and even made Irish Coffee at some point during the evening. The picture to the left is Dad, Jerry, and I outside cooking, telling stories, and drinking wine while we cooked.
Our game of choice was Rook which I had introduced Carrie to playing when we were dating. The whole family played and we have many good memories of staying late on work nights to finish up a game before heading home.
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| Dad Trying CPAP NYE 2007 |
Carrie and I had recently moved to Topeka, so we made a trip into Lawrence to spend with Mom, Dad, and family to ring in the new year. I had recently been fitted with a CPAP machine and for some reason, we broke it out on New Years Eve 2007 for my Dad and Mom to try out. I recall my Dad was still questioning how it worked and how I would sleep with it on my head. Eventually, Dad would get one himself but never liked it and I am not sure really ever gave it a chance. Still, we all tried it on before we started playing games and drinking wine through the evening.
The next morning, as we do almost every year on New Years Day, we would have Hoppin' John that my Mom had told me about when I was little. We have had Hoppin' John just about every year Carrie and I have been together on New Years Day. The short of the meaning behind Hoppin' John is that it brings luck for the next year and then greens along with Hoppin' John can bring wealth for the upcoming year. A little hot sauce and it was excellent to eat on New Years Day and a few days after as it is always suggested to make a lot so you have leftovers.
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| NYE 2011 |
In 2011, we had a small party at our home with friends. Scott, Robin, Brenda, Carrie and I celebrated the end of 2011 and the new year of 2012. We watched movies in the living room, played games, and a few drinks to end the year and celebrate the new year of 2012.
Some of our New Years Eve celebrations have been Carrie and I spending a quiet evening at home, grilling, drinking wine, and hanging out with Oliver. We have had NYE celebrations where we are with small groups and large groups. I do not believe we have ever been out on the town for a big New Years Eve celebration with large groups of people. I prefer to be home or at a home to bring in the New Year. I am not sure why, but prefer to bring with a large group at some event space.
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| NYE 2019 |
New Years Eve 2019 we threw a big party at our home with family and friends. Little did we know it would be the last time we could all be together as COVID 2020 hit early in 2020. We had a good time celebrating the end of 2019 and 2020 starting the next day. It seems like so long ago as I look back and reflect on our fun that night. Games were played, drinks were had, and a lot of fun by all.
Last year, Carrie and I were in Houston, TX to ring in the New Year. We stayed a few days with Corrie and rang in the New Year at her home. I recall all the fireworks that went off in her neighborhood. It was impressive as I recall walking outside after midnight to smell gun powder in the air.
We look to 2023 coming to an end on Sunday, December 31, 2023. For 2024, I look forward to doing a whole lot more camping this year. I did a fair amount of traveling in 2023 which was good and I hope we can keep the traveling in 2024 at a high level too.
Happy New Year to you and your family.
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.
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| Oliver and His Friends |
Would you believe that I did not take any pictures of the prep or completed turkey that I made on Thanksgiving? Well, it happened again but the turkey turned out great. Had good color and tasted good. Did two turkey breasts that took about three hours and thirty minutes to cook. Carrie and I realized at the end of the day that we had not taken any pictures throughout the day. We hosted this year having a total of eight adults and two children in our home. It was a great day!
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| Mom and Family |
Oliver has the best time at my Mom's house. He thinks he owns the place, so when another little dog was there, there were a few times when Oliver was growling and they got into a little battle at one point. All was good and no blood was lost.
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| Carrie and I After Game in Snow |
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| Birthday Dinner |
We went out to North Star Steak House Saturday night to celebrate Eddie's birthday. With the snow storm, we were the only ones in the place for most of the evening. The food was really good and we have leftovers for us to enjoy this week while working. I got a Kansas City Strip and then there was a really good dessert we all split. It was a fun night!
Sunday we have lounged around and preparing for the Chiefs game. I think we are going to bring up some holiday decorations to get ready for Christmas.
A lot packed into the past few days. It has been a fun few days off of work, being with family, and then of course eating really well throughout the last few days.
Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a fantastic week!
Have a Happy and Safe July 4th celebration! It seems like the past few years it has rained leading up to or on Independence Day. While we need the rain, I hope that we have nice weather to enjoy the celebration.
Be safe out there if you are firing off fireworks but also take time to enjoy family and friends during the holiday.
In my younger days, I would be all about going out to buy fireworks and spend the evening blowing them up. Now, I am good with a relaxing evening and maybe watching a fireworks show. My dog, Oliver, does not like fireworks at all, so we have found the past two or three years where we we go driving to get him out of the house and away from the boom that scares him to hide under furniture.
Until next time, have a great 4th and a short work week.
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| Dad and Me from 2008 |
Father's Day will always bring back memories of Lone Star Lake and spending the weekend there as that's where Dad liked to hang out. Actually, we would be out there on Saturday and then back home for Sunday so he could watch golf and of course for pizza nights. Good memories!
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| Dad Shirron and Me from 2009 |
Happy Father's Day to my father-in-law. We have a lot of memories we have put together through the years with trips to the King Biscuit Blues Festival and other adventures we have gone on through the years.
Happy Father's Day to my brother-in-laws Jerry and Kent. Plus a Happy Father's Day to my brother, Tim. I trust Tim got a game of golf in today and is now enjoying watching the US Open as it runs into the evening hours.
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| Oliver Wishes you a Happy Father's Day! |
Remembering those that served and gave their lives so we can be free. Start of summer for many with pools opening, but we should not forget those who gave their lives in the line of duty.
Have a happy and safe Memorial Day and remember those that gave their lives.
Have a wonderful day and an even better week! Short holiday update today.
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!
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.
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| Thanksgiving is Time for Pie! |
Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving! For the first time since 2020, my family will be getting together on Thanksgiving Day. We are meeting at my Mom's and enjoying company and food. I cannot wait! It will be the first time in a few years that we will all be together. It will be good to see everyone. Later in the day, Carrie and I will head back to Topeka to celebrate Thanksgiving with Shirrons' which is always delicious food and good company.
Please be safe and take care of your family and friends. Reach out to them and let them know how much they mean to you.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I hope you have had a great holiday weekend! Today is Labor Day 2022. We acknowledge the hard work of Americans who have contributed to our country and our prosperity. For many of us it is a three day weekend where we do not have to work on Monday, but there are many that work while we have our holiday.
A holiday that reminds me of the end of summer where we see pools closing, baseball nearing an end, and football starting across the country. We are past the half-way point of 2022 and yet we have a lot of great days left to look forward to in 2022.
Enjoy today as Labor Day 2022 and look at everything yet to happen in the remaining months of 2022. Until next week, enjoy the day, short week, and NFL starting later this week.
