2011 - I remember when we were going to party like "it's 1999". I'm watching all the year end TV shows and the prognostications looking ahead. Gloom and doom. Gas prices, food prices, crappy weather. In my experience, worrying about that stuff has been worse than actually living through it!
2010 was a pretty good year, I must say! Paul and I certainly enjoy having adult children. Not to say we didn't like having little ones - it was great while we were there, and I do get nostalgic for some parts of that. I'm also remembering my more youthful looks fondly - a face that didn't contain so many lines. (have you ever caught sight of yourself in the side mirror of the car - ey yie yie. they aren't kidding when they say objects are larger - the craters in my face! all the way out to Colorado I looked at them...)
I'd like to live with my honey each and every day. It's like a little divorce each Monday when I leave - we each have to steel ourselves to life without each other, except for that nightly phone call. But it's not looking like that's going to happen any day soon. So we'll keep on carrying on this way. The good news is - we love our friends and our home.
We had some great trips in 2011 - not starting with the one on 1/1/2010. That was when we drove home from Phoenix - the fun Christmas/ISU Bowlgame trip. Oh the trip was all fun (Christmas with my fam, bowl game - McKims, Conovers), but the drive home was pretty wretched - just because it was so f'in long. I think we laid low after that until our Marco Island, FL trip with Cindo - fab as usual and so relaxing. By the time we got back, it was spring!
Then our travel schedule really got hopping. The bestest part of all our trips was the people. We know some swell folks! Whether family or friends we are blessed with the best! (I know - kinda sugary sweet for me. Please don't let it rot your teeth right outta your head..)
2010 was a pretty good year, I must say! Paul and I certainly enjoy having adult children. Not to say we didn't like having little ones - it was great while we were there, and I do get nostalgic for some parts of that. I'm also remembering my more youthful looks fondly - a face that didn't contain so many lines. (have you ever caught sight of yourself in the side mirror of the car - ey yie yie. they aren't kidding when they say objects are larger - the craters in my face! all the way out to Colorado I looked at them...)
I'd like to live with my honey each and every day. It's like a little divorce each Monday when I leave - we each have to steel ourselves to life without each other, except for that nightly phone call. But it's not looking like that's going to happen any day soon. So we'll keep on carrying on this way. The good news is - we love our friends and our home.
We had some great trips in 2011 - not starting with the one on 1/1/2010. That was when we drove home from Phoenix - the fun Christmas/ISU Bowlgame trip. Oh the trip was all fun (Christmas with my fam, bowl game - McKims, Conovers), but the drive home was pretty wretched - just because it was so f'in long. I think we laid low after that until our Marco Island, FL trip with Cindo - fab as usual and so relaxing. By the time we got back, it was spring!
Then our travel schedule really got hopping. The bestest part of all our trips was the people. We know some swell folks! Whether family or friends we are blessed with the best! (I know - kinda sugary sweet for me. Please don't let it rot your teeth right outta your head..)
All in the same general time period: Taste of Chicago with Behrs and Wilts - a college buddy gathering. Stopped to see Juddy at his internship at J. Deere in Moline along our way. Memorial Day in Colorado at Cindo's and with Amy and the historical tour and retro concert at Red Rock. Gorgeous weather. Fun with our daughter. The McFee wedding. Independence Day was a rain out but we had fun drinking with the McFee clan and newlyweds Caleb and Krissy.
Then the big trip - Pasedena (this as I watch the Rose Bowl Parade - cooler now that I've been there), via LA, Santa Monica and Hollywood. For niece Leslie's wedding - with most of my beloved fam along for the big event. Not enough time to sufficiently talk to them all of course. We'll never forget making friends with Jorge the shuttle driver (we were with Cindo and Bolder - B makes friends wherever he goes) at the Best Western in SM - hugs all around when it was time to leave! Watching the Rose Bowl parade today as I write this - means a bit more now that I've been there! Jud, Paul and Bold liked the sports bar with a gazillion beers.
Paul and I did a combo work/Goldsmith fam trip to NW Iowa in August. Hauled the kayaks along while we visited first my old workplace Fox River and my friend Karla Smith in Osage. Then the nearby landfill and on to Decorah where we stayed at a cool restored hotel. Kayaked the Upper Iowa river on our way to the Goldsmith fam reunion in Preston, MN. Paul was STRIPPED of the green jacket at the golf tourney (what a relief). Stayed at the Jailhouse Bed & Breakfast - lovely place.
The very next weekend it was off to Osage Beach, MO - yes we are well traveled folks hitting all the Midwest states! Al and Sharon Higgins were kind enough to invite us once again to their lovely home on the lake there. This year they even got to stay (last year Sharon's aunt passed away). McFees and McKims also sweated away the weekend with us. Seriously hot - so we floated lots (yet my ice never melted...thanks Tervis Tumbler). And sipped, while under attack by some flying little fish. I had great concern one might fly into Sharon's cleavage...(I wasn't as obvious a target..)
It was very sad the next week to learn of Diana McKim's mom Betty's sudden death in a car accident. She was such a nice lady - we missed her tailgating this fall. I feel badly for Jim, going it alone now. Reminds me of Dad after mom passed away - like a rudderless ship. I hope 2011 is a healing time for the Brown family.
Of course September kicked off football season. It kinda dominates our lives! But in a good way. This year we went to KC in September for the KSU game. Headed out from the Elms Club and partied right through the night. Pretty good for old folks! Ran into Jud and buddies there - I don't know which group was having more fun?!? The piano bar at the Power and Light district (and the blue stuff we drank there) was the best! Tailgating was fun too - met the guy in the gold double-knit sansabelt pants who knew Creston gals.
Had some good tailgates in Ames too - as usual. Having the McKim RV makes all the difference. Don and Diana just keep improving the '92 Vista Cruiser (okay I might have made that title up). Don put new flooring in this year and a sound system. Pimpin'! We all got Cyclone Snuggies at the Texas Tech game - and they were good luck! We have such a good group to hang with - Jud and roomies loved us (something about the food, beer and flatscreen).
Amy was back for the Utah game (good to see her college roomie Chelle and we got to meet Jud's GF Kara. Deb and Larry were there (in their Utes costumes) too. That night we old folks even went to the compustown bars. And the Nebraska game was a Big 4 Plus More reunion - bringing together my college roomies, Hauser, Julia and Paul's buddies Mike and Tom. It was almost too much - like getting married - too many people to talk to!
The next weekend Diana and I decided we had to go to the Colorado game in Boulder. We got rooms at the Millenium that were $150, but included $100 coupons for food/drinks. We were up to the challenge. Unfortunately the Clones weren't... But we got to see Amy briefly and the Cyclone tailgate before the game was lots of fun.
The Goldsmith Christmas gathering Thanksgiving weekend in Earlville was special this year as we had a surprise 70th birthday party for Carol on Saturday. So Tom and Terry Meyer were there with fams along with Barb. Good to see everyone as usual! Those Goldschmidts are a great group. Love 'em.
Finishing up with our Christmas trip to Colorado. See my past couple blogs - so luck Lefebrvres let us horn in on their Christmas.
Then the big trip - Pasedena (this as I watch the Rose Bowl Parade - cooler now that I've been there), via LA, Santa Monica and Hollywood. For niece Leslie's wedding - with most of my beloved fam along for the big event. Not enough time to sufficiently talk to them all of course. We'll never forget making friends with Jorge the shuttle driver (we were with Cindo and Bolder - B makes friends wherever he goes) at the Best Western in SM - hugs all around when it was time to leave! Watching the Rose Bowl parade today as I write this - means a bit more now that I've been there! Jud, Paul and Bold liked the sports bar with a gazillion beers.
Paul and I did a combo work/Goldsmith fam trip to NW Iowa in August. Hauled the kayaks along while we visited first my old workplace Fox River and my friend Karla Smith in Osage. Then the nearby landfill and on to Decorah where we stayed at a cool restored hotel. Kayaked the Upper Iowa river on our way to the Goldsmith fam reunion in Preston, MN. Paul was STRIPPED of the green jacket at the golf tourney (what a relief). Stayed at the Jailhouse Bed & Breakfast - lovely place.
The very next weekend it was off to Osage Beach, MO - yes we are well traveled folks hitting all the Midwest states! Al and Sharon Higgins were kind enough to invite us once again to their lovely home on the lake there. This year they even got to stay (last year Sharon's aunt passed away). McFees and McKims also sweated away the weekend with us. Seriously hot - so we floated lots (yet my ice never melted...thanks Tervis Tumbler). And sipped, while under attack by some flying little fish. I had great concern one might fly into Sharon's cleavage...(I wasn't as obvious a target..)
It was very sad the next week to learn of Diana McKim's mom Betty's sudden death in a car accident. She was such a nice lady - we missed her tailgating this fall. I feel badly for Jim, going it alone now. Reminds me of Dad after mom passed away - like a rudderless ship. I hope 2011 is a healing time for the Brown family.
Of course September kicked off football season. It kinda dominates our lives! But in a good way. This year we went to KC in September for the KSU game. Headed out from the Elms Club and partied right through the night. Pretty good for old folks! Ran into Jud and buddies there - I don't know which group was having more fun?!? The piano bar at the Power and Light district (and the blue stuff we drank there) was the best! Tailgating was fun too - met the guy in the gold double-knit sansabelt pants who knew Creston gals.
Had some good tailgates in Ames too - as usual. Having the McKim RV makes all the difference. Don and Diana just keep improving the '92 Vista Cruiser (okay I might have made that title up). Don put new flooring in this year and a sound system. Pimpin'! We all got Cyclone Snuggies at the Texas Tech game - and they were good luck! We have such a good group to hang with - Jud and roomies loved us (something about the food, beer and flatscreen).
Amy was back for the Utah game (good to see her college roomie Chelle and we got to meet Jud's GF Kara. Deb and Larry were there (in their Utes costumes) too. That night we old folks even went to the compustown bars. And the Nebraska game was a Big 4 Plus More reunion - bringing together my college roomies, Hauser, Julia and Paul's buddies Mike and Tom. It was almost too much - like getting married - too many people to talk to!
The next weekend Diana and I decided we had to go to the Colorado game in Boulder. We got rooms at the Millenium that were $150, but included $100 coupons for food/drinks. We were up to the challenge. Unfortunately the Clones weren't... But we got to see Amy briefly and the Cyclone tailgate before the game was lots of fun.
The Goldsmith Christmas gathering Thanksgiving weekend in Earlville was special this year as we had a surprise 70th birthday party for Carol on Saturday. So Tom and Terry Meyer were there with fams along with Barb. Good to see everyone as usual! Those Goldschmidts are a great group. Love 'em.
Finishing up with our Christmas trip to Colorado. See my past couple blogs - so luck Lefebrvres let us horn in on their Christmas.
And all the work and blood, sweat and tears in between all the funn stuff of course. We are two lucky souls! We found each other. We popped out three great kids. One hasn't given us one bit of lip...okay he's in heaven but he has been good! The other two are good citizens - hard workers, thrifty and are loving children. Who could ask for more?
So bring on more in 2011~!
So bring on more in 2011~!
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