Oh my...has it really been this long since my last post?! 
Are we here...at 2012 already? 
Why does time go so slow when we want it fast and so fast when we want it slow?
Why are my kiddos so old already?
Why am I always perplexed by this?

Last year C and I said we were going to make this year different...we accomplished that and I am so proud of us.  We started off in the beautiful state of FL where we found that for us, it's the perfect place to visit.  We all missed winter, snow and wearing our long johns.  I can't wait to visit my Family-in-Law again and hang out on Anna Maria Island...love that place! 
We have settled in our new hometown, a suburb of St. Louis.  I love it!  It's a college town that has remained small with a large city all around it.  The schools are really great and my kiddos love it.  That is really all I could ask for.  Carl has a great job although a bit stressful at times.  I have also started working again.  Carl's company needed some help in the office so they offered me some great part-time work.  I love getting out and having a bit of an intellectual challenge to add to my busy Mom-life...although I must say the geometry my 7th grader is bringing home has proven to be a challenge all over again...ugh...I was never great at math. 

So here are some highlights from last year...Enjoy!

The Byars visit to FL! 

The Fam at Myaka State Park!

Carolyn's Bon Voyage Party for her 4 month Cruise around the World!

Carolyn's completed journey!  We followed her via this map and her itinerary the entire way!

Carolyn telling the kiddos about an adventure on her trip and the kiddos have on some of their goodies Baba brought home with her!

Carl up in the tree dropping yummy FL mangoes in our backyard!

Us!

One of my favorite pics!  Friends are great!

Eating at Anna Maria Island Pier restaurant with G and G!

Kids night out with Dad!  Fishing in Palma Sola Bay!

 

My big sisters and nephew Daniel came to visit!

On Anna Maria Island Pier once again...one of our favorite spots!

Katia's orchestra concert!

After packing up and leaving FL, kiddos and I were on a big road trip!  Our first stop was to visit Carl in MO and see our new hometown.  Then it was off to WY to hang out with Gram and Gramps Osborne and friends in CO! 

My best buds!  Can't ask for a better bunch of girlfriends!

Love and miss ya Scill!

Zander on bottom holding up Gabe...his BF!

"The Cruncher" strikes again!  Zander loves this...he begs Gramps for the cruncher!

In WY on M and D's property!

At Grams and Gramps Osborne!

Campfire with friends!

The lake below G and G's...their house is behind the big rock at the center-top of picture!

Our new home!

First day of school 2011!

Celebrating Carl's b-day at Johnson's Shut-ins!

Yes, we now live in the beer capital of the US...StL...home of Anheiser-Busch!

The Andrew's visit to MO...poor Eleanor really had a great time...just didn't want to leave I guess!

Halloween!

Zander at 5th grade music performance!

Moving our stuff all in!  Yay!

Thanksgiving in Chicago with Big Sis Lori and her family, G and G too!

Thanksgiving in Chicago..."grab a weapon" says Daniel when we walked in the door!  They were out the door and having a blast!  Big cousins are AWESOME!

20th Anniversary!!!!!!

The Fam!

At the Arch!  me, Grams, Z, K, L and Gramps

Cool pic Aunt D! 

...and the stocking were hung by the chimney with care!

At Steinberg Rink in Forest Park!  This was FUN!

Saying goodbye to G and G...Christmas 2011 was great fun!

Love!

We had a great 2011 and can't wait to see what 2012 brings to all of us! 
We are so fortunate for all that we have and by this I mean friends and family. 
There isn't a day that I don't think of all of you and feel blessed!
Peace and Love! 

Alicia

New Fav Thing!!!

I have found a new love.  I know I am slow to find this love.  I guess I was never patient enough before.

GARAGE/YARD/TAG SALES!!!
Whatever you call them, I am an addict.  


So we have moved once again and have not been able to get our stuff up here yet (so pricey!) so we have had to buy a few things to get us through.  You know things like a comfy chair, a table to eat at...you know, so we aren't sitting on the (awesome) hard word floors eating breakfast etc.  We have found so many great things and I am thrilled.  
Here is my new comfy chair...it's from Lord and Taylor furniture and is nearly new.  The lamp ($5) is also new and in really great shape.

Our new dining room table and 4 chairs from World Market!  The lady with the above chair also had this table...she had good taste!  

We have also been lucky and found some free stuff just sitting out waiting to be given a new home... these wicker tables I will eventually paint and use them outside or in the girls' room but for now they are very handy in the L.Room.  The futon pad (temp. couch) my neighbor found and gave us. 

My neighbor also scored this sewing machine table w/ a great sewing machine and chair!  Her daughter's GS troop had a GSale (I didn't know about this one) and these items didn't get purchased.  She brought it all home for me!  Ohhhh, I also love my new neighbor! 

The top of the sewing table folds out and to the left.  The sewing machine lays under and you fold it up to use.  The chair had an awful tweed fabric and I recovered it this week.  So great now!

 I also found these pillows...love them so much...Just my style and the perfect colors!  

My entire family love the garage sales...hubby was the one getting me going last Saturday by making the pot of coffee and the kiddos always grab their wallets. 


Some of our other scores...
Washer/Dryer...also from the woman with the chair and table.  They aren't shiny and new but they wash clothes perfectly!  

and....
K and L have found lots of very cute clothes 
Z found a new bike for $10!!!




Each Friday our little local and FREE newspaper comes out and they have a great list of garage sales.  I map it all out with the maps app on my hubbies iphone and we are set to go! 


A great way to start the weekend! 

What will I find this weekend?  I will let you know...

Girl Scouts!

My littlest is officially a Brownie GS and she couldn't be happier about it.  She was so excited to be asked to join the troop and didn't hesitate. Of course I thought there might be a bit of hesitation because we are new to this school but no, not one bit of thought required.                                    
We went to the GS store the day before the first meeting and she got her garb needed to be "official".   Of course that was a lot of the fun...shopping!  As we still don't have a lot of our stuff from FL, I borrowed my neighbors iron and got those patches on good and tight.  I would prefer to sew them but for now they seem to be holding good. 

She was easy to wake this morning...I told her the sash was ready to go and she JUMPED out of bed to get dressed and put it on. 

Her troop is big...29 girls but there are 4 leaders and they seem to be extremely organized.  They work on a badge at every meeting and there is even a back yard camp-out coming up in a week or so. 

The above, first pic was taken pre-hairbrushing as sissy pointed out to us.  "Lili you really need to brush your hair".  So I had to take a second...

Now we were pure Brownie perfection!  Can you tell she is excited?!  I sure can! 

To help us Remember...

A group of volunteers here in St. L put together a very touching memorial to help us all remember those people who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

Its was really an amazing sight and put into real, hands-on meaning just how many people were affected that terrible day. 

This location is Art Hill in Forest Park and the large building is the St. Louis Art Museum. 

Each flag was numbered and labeled with the name of a person who died that day, a picture (if avail.), their age, where they worked, and where they died...in the Twin Towers, one of the 4 airplanes, or the Pentagon. 

Hearing all those flags wave was such an experience...very chilling reminder of what those people heard that day.  The shadows on the ground also made me think of the person who is no longer here on earth with their family.    

It was a wonderful honor to be there and celebrate those that lost their lives on 9.11.01.  I applaud those that had this idea...it was perfectly fitting.