Grow Your Blog - 2014

 

I am so ashamed of myself. The new year has come and one of the only posts I've written is to tell you that I've been away for awhile. Duh, like you didn't already know that. But alas, the day has come that I can no longer be away for awhile.....for two very good reasons.

Reason #1: I've missed writing. Although I carry on conversations in my head on a constant basis and intend to write these things down, lately it seems my attention has been called in different directions.

Reason #2: I've joined up again this year with Vicki from vicki-2bagsfull.blogspot.com  and her Grow Your Blog Party. So, I must have a post ready to share with all sorts of new friends. You see that little button on the right. You can click on it to go to Vicki's website to pay her a visit and to visit many other bloggers there. The majority of these bloggers are crafters.

And then there's me.

Although I craft and create, I don't usually blog about that. I blog to capture memories to share and to preserve for my children and grandchildren. So......I'm the one that many of these bloggers let tag along because they are all wonderful like that.

Disclaimer #1: I reserve the right to blog about crafts, if I want to. Ha! And it may or may not happen from time to time.

Last year, I joined the GYB Party and gained over 60 followers. I'm very grateful to Vicki for letting me be a part of this wonderful event. Over the year, I've grown exponentially and met so many wonderful people from all over the world. So now, I welcome you to my blog. I hope you enjoy reading about what's happening down on LaLa Lane as I'm sure I'll enjoy reading yours.

Thank you, Vicki!

The Back Story: My name is Laurie. My home and playground is near the coast of South Carolina. I've lived here all my life. Well, except for the time daddy was in the Army and moved around a little. Anyway, I love to run, kayak, read and cook for my family. I do many other things, too. But these things and my many adventures are mostly what I write about.

The Back Story Characters:
Cliff - my husband of 33 years. His dry wit will leave you gasping for air. Oh and he's gorgeous! Some people may cringe at the word, but he really is my "soul mate".

Emily - my oldest daughter and mother to my two grandchildren. She is super smart! She's a nurse. One word to describe her....Compassionate with a capital C! If I ever get sick, she's my go to girl!

Whitney - my youngest daughter. She lives in Colorado and is about to be hired as an Air Traffic Controller. Holler! She is the female clone of her daddy. She doesn't so much look like him, but has his sense of humor and athletic prowess along with street smarts and logic.

Lidia - my granddaughter and the sweetest, nearly 10-year-old eva! She is the best story, conversation, etc. summarizer I know. She loves science and is as smart as a whip. Takes after her mama. Love her to pieces!

Sawyer - my grandson and the funniest little 7-year-old I've ever met! He is the best reader in his 1st grade class. He shocks the heck out of me with that. He loves Bear Grylls and aspires to be him. He has already started a bucket list. #1 on his list is to go to England to visit Bear Grylls, of course. Love him to pieces!

Jason - my son-in-law, Whitney's husband. Lord Bless him. Whitney makes him toe the line. Ha Ha!! He's in school to become a Nurse Practitioner. And he's gorgeous, too. If those two ever give me a grandbaby, I know it will be beautiful. But guess what? They are dead set against having children. Dang it!

Kitter - my grandkitty...her parents are Whitney and Jason. Kitter has a story of her own. I blog about her from time to time because she is just so danged hilarious. She thinks Whitney is her play toy.....oh the things those two get into.

Matt - Emily's serious friend and (hopefully!!!!) soon, son-in-law number two. Matt knew Emily when they were 15 and 16 years old. His father was our pastor and as it sometimes happens, his father became the pastor at another church and they moved away. But, while they were here at our home church, I told Emily that Matt is the boy I wanted her to marry. Life took a different turn for both of them, but after all these years, Matt and Emily found each other again, by chance, and it looks like my wish may come true after all.

There are others you will read about from time to time.....The Sistas and Sista Sista to name a few.

Well, hope I caught your attention and that you will stick around for awhile. It's WAY fun!! Seriously!!

Now, If you would like to read my blog from the GYB Party from last year, just click (here). If not, no biggy...we'll just mosey on.

Let's get down to business........As promised, below is my full-on, catch-you-up post. Read on......

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2014: New Year, New Stuff

So....let's see. I last wrote in December and boy do I have lots to catch you up on. I declare, 2013 was extremely busy. I looked back on New Year's Day 2013 to see what the heck I was doing because you know the saying, whatever you're doing on New Year's Day you'll be doing all year.

Oh wait, I need to call mama to see if I got that right. Hang on, I'll be right back.

Oh Lord, good thing I called. According to mama, I had it all wrong. The saying goes...."If you wash clothes on New Year's Day then you'll wash them for a corpse before the end of the year." Yikes!!

I don't think I washed clothes on New Year's Day this year, thank goodness. But I did enjoy some rice and black eye peas (Hoppin' Johns), collard greens and cornbread. It was just Cliff and me this year. The children were off making New Year's memories of their own. It was a nice relaxing day....I knitted, took a joy ride around the beach with Cliff and then rested.

Since my last post in December, I've ran many miles and even ran a 5K with my best pace yet, had a birthday, the grandkids stayed with us over Christmas break (more about their adventure in another post), dinner with friends, went on a movie binge (saw Maddea's Christmas, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, August/Osage County and Sole Survivor). Jason flew home for about a week and a half to go hunting with Cliff and to visit his mom....all before starting back to school.

I started a new tradition, for this year anyway, called "Drop-In Dinner". I have a large family and wanting to stay connected a little more, decided to have a drop-in dinner where they would come by my house when they got off work....you know, to give them a reprieve from cooking after a long week of work. They could eat at my house or take it home. Usually when we get together, those of us that are starving end up having to wait. So as not to make anyone wait, I dubbed it a drop-in. We had our first one a couple of weeks ago and I called it the "Drop-In Soup Dinner". I can't wait until the next one. I've already got a menu planned, but you'll have to wait.....it's just a big ole surprise.

Let's see....my running has picked back up. I have a 9-mile Trail Run I'm training for and another half marathon in April. I've started working with a personal trainer to improve my strength and hopefully, drop a few pounds. Had my first session with him Tuesday and Lord have mercy......I told Cliff that I was going to need an Epsom salt bath, a rub down and personal concierge service and I'm pretty sure that the next day I would be a little bit paralyzed. Second session was Friday and I'm not gonna lie, I got sick. I nearly puked. After working out a few kinks, I finished the workout with a little more knowledge of what to eat and when.

I have a few home projects in the works....or rather will very soon. And last, but not least....my favorite show ever, American Idol, came on last week. Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 pm, I'll be glued to the television. Well, I think that's the crux of the last month here on LaLa Lane.

I'm looking forward to another year full of fun and adventure and hope you come back for visits, regularly. I'm heading out for a run.....I think we've reached our high for the day.....39 degrees. Some call that balmy ;) Ha Ha!!  But here on the coast, all I can say is brrrrrrrr........it's cold enough to kill hogs.

Oh wait, in case you were wondering....................

My 2013 year end exercise stats are:

2013 Exercise Stats
Month:	Ran:		Races/Pace:					Biked:	Kayaked:
Jan	28.3							8	6
Feb	48.39
Mar	45.22		BFF/10K - 12:56 pace					5
			Race For The Inlet 8K - 11:34 pace
Apr	29.4		Divas 5K - 11:27 pace					41.58	1.8
May	38.58		Caper's Island Eco 10K - 13:47 pace					62.68
			Brookgreen Gardens 5K - 12:19 pace
June	50.89		Simpsonville Sunrise 8K - 12:48 pace					81.07
July	51.88							163.26
Aug	66.18							104.67
Sept	82.78							89.41	10
Oct	41.18		Georgetown Bridge to Bridge Half - 13:56 pace					10.44	15
Nov	24.41		Race To Save Hearts 5K - 11:28 pace
Dec	42.62		Misty's Category 5K - 11:22 pace
TOTALS:	549.53		Best Race Pace: 11.22					566.11	32.8

Disclaimer #2: If this excel spreadsheet looks crazy on your screen, I do not claim to be the Excel Expert King that Cliff claims to be. Okay!

Hasta Que Otro Dia,

Laurie