Mumbo Jumbo

...it seems everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE on my blogger list of friends has been playing catch up with posts! It's kinda fun to back track and read all the happenings in your lives, even after the fact. ;) I've had good intentions to get on here and update my own for the past few weeks...and every time I had a few spare minutes, I would think "resting here on the couch while I doze watching tv sounds better than typing at the computer for the millionth hour today." haha So, I'm sorry I've neglected my blog...I'm gonna try to catch up in this one post as not to bombard your blogger update list. hahaha

Start at the present and work my way back...and hopefully remember everything that's been going on!

Today it looks like a winter wonderland outside...I actually like a little bit of snow (less than 3") and think it looks so pretty when its fresh snow, no tracks or shoveling or grime to be seen.

They say more is coming...and it's still flurries...so we shall see!

In the snow picture above, you see my pretty little car covered....well, it feels good to see that car parked in the driveway again! I was without my car from Saturday-Thursday this past week. The week before I noticed it didn't seem to be warming up anymore and then one night we were coming home from dinner with family and I got an electronic message on my dash that there was a problem, as well as a Diagnostic Alert from OnStar. Pretty crazy, huh? So I called the dealership Saturday morning at 8am and by 10:30am I was on the road home in a 2011 Chevy Equinox (with less miles than my car...ha)! It was a pretty sweet rental car (that I did not have to pay for). Needless to say, they had to replace the thermostat in my car but due to it being a brand spanking new model for Chevy, it took them awhile to diagnose the codes the computer was spitting out at them. I'm just glad it was a stress free week because I didn't have to pay for anything!

the 2011 Equinox (love the mocha color)

I would be remiss not to mention that we also held our annual Mary Kay Open House this week. We had a fairly decent turnout for a rainy night, but don't worry...the consultants did a good job of eating the treats we had for the chocolate fountain. Yum, yum, yum!

many pretty tables full of MK products

During the past week, winter officially welcomed itself in our part of the world...we had a small dusting on the ground when the weatherman (oh yeah, you know you all trust his every word!) said we wouldn't have anything remaining on the ground.

this was at the end of the day when the sun came out, we had a bit more earlier on

So, remember that dinner I was telling you about coming home from when my car told me it had a problem? My aunt's birthday is Nov. 27th and although the Menchhofer family needs no reason to go out to eat, a birthday is as good as any! We all trekked down to Lawrenceburg for dinner at Sakura. It's our new favorite place....we are seriously addicted to Japanese Hibachi. YUM! It was Jenna's first time actually sitting around the hibachi grill, but she did enjoy the meal we had in Pittsburgh; however, Sakura is way better than Nakoma was.

Sara, Monica holding her nephew Henry, Jason

(not pictured: Andy, Callie, Kevin, Roni, Zach, Ethan, me, mom)

Jenna flipping me off for taking her pic :p

And now we arrive at Thanksgiving...well the day after. haha Thanksgiving was a glorious do nothing weekend. I was seriously in my pjs almost the entire time! Lots of naps and good food. It's tradition in our house to put the Christmas tree up the day after Christmas. It's a serious downsize in what used to happen at our home (I believe my dear friend Kim would have said it "looks like an angel took a dump" back in the day, outside and inside our house), but it's the one concession that can't be made! I truly love Christmas trees...they are just so peaceful and simple. I even dug my tree and decorations out from when I lived on my own and put it up in my bedroom. I often times turn off all the other lights and sit in the room with only the glow of the tv and the Christmas tree lights. :)

tree in the living room

my tree

And finally, I cannot forget Pittsburgh...I know, I know...it really deserves it's own post, but since nothing of significance happened on the trip and you've probably all seen the pictures on Facebook already, there's no need to go in depth. Suffice it to say, that it was a fun and relaxing long weekend. Jenna had a Swing Dance Exchange there, so mom, Zach, and I tagged along. We drank a lot of Yuengling beer (and brought some home), found fun kitschy places to eat (like a church converted to a brewery), learned how to navigate da Burgh's crazy road system (think multi-level highway systems and a million one ways), left some money with their fine casino (haha...and met some crazy, fun ppl at the bar there), took Christmas card pics at the Duquesne Incline (sorry, none of you have seen those yet! but I'll post in a few weeks after the cards should be in your homes), and caught up with an old FFA friend, Tim, who now works in Washington PA (which also happens to be the hometown of another Pittsburgh friend of mine). It was all in all a great trip and we were sad to leave, but it was nice to get away for a little while. Short trips like that make life bearable and interesting!

Whew...that was a lot of mumbo jumbo! Hopefully you are still reading! ;)

Stay safe this winter and enjoy the Holiday season! Our first round of Christmas parties starts tonight...and I promise I will do a better job of staying up to date on here! It's too much work to let it go this long. haha

S-N-O-W

I may have stated it a few times already this winter...but I'm over it. ha Over the cold weather, over the snow, over it all. ;)

Here are a few pics from this little snow storm.

Friday afternoon after 30 mins of snow

Saturday morning after more snow and lots of wind

Toby must be tired?!? haha What do you think?

Snow Day

We were all enjoying yet ANOTHER snow day in southeastern Indiana today! I was finally able to get out of the house. The roads are not great by any means, but they are decent enough to drive. I packed Toby up and off we went on our little adventure. :)

First I had to stop and get some gas! That is one thing you don't want your vehicle to run out of in the winter! haha Toby was pretty wound up in his carrier (he hates the one I used, but when I'm by myself, its the only option as he is completely locked in)...so we stopped at the Co-Op to see mamaw! Toby was very excited!! :) Mom loves to show him off to all her co-workers and they always enjoy seeing him.

After those 2 stops, we finally made our way to Monica's! Ethan was waiting for us at the door...in his cute footie pajamas! ha We played for an hour or so...watched bits and pieces of 2 different movies...and then ate a delicious lunch Monica fixed! (well Ethan ate a corndog! ha) After lunch, Ethan and I got all bundled up and went outside to play. I pulled him on his sled for awhile. We ATTEMPTED to build a snowman, but the snow just didn't want to stick! We even played on his playset after breaking off a bunch of ice. I tried to swing while he went down the slide, but the chain was frozen and it dumped me on the ground! haha Thank goodness I was the one with the camera or else I may have to show a pic of me! :p We played outside for an hour and it was cold, but so much fun!!!

Toby was so worn out from playing in the house with Ethan and following Monica around that he fell asleep in his carrier on the way home! haha :)

I finally got to play in the snow! YAY!

PS - We are expecting more snow Friday & Monday...could be interesting!

Winter Wonderland

Everywhere as far as the eye can see...snow and ice! :) I had plans to go over to my cousin Monica's today so I could play in the snow with her little boy, Ethan. I was going to take Toby with me because Ethan LOVES Toby and always asks to see him! Unfortunately, there was just toooooo much snow today! I doubt the kids have school tomorrow because I live right off the highway and we have not seen any sort of snow plow today! haha So, hopefully I'll get to make my way over there tomorrow and have a playdate in the snow with my lil buddy! :D

I did go out in the snow on my own today! I couldn't help myself!! I LOVE winter...and have so many great memories from when I was growing up (as noted in my last blog). I stomped around the yard awhile, making paths everywhere I went! :p I shoveled snow off the deck and blacktop so mom could get in the house without trudging through all the snow. I brushed all the snow off my vehicle, but still have a sheet of ice covering it. Mom called awhile ago and said she planned on de-icing the Mountie tonight, so looks like I'll get to head outside one more time today! ha ;)

Enjoy a few pictures I took! Hope you are all safe and warm!

SNOW!

It finally happened...we actually got our first REAL snow this winter! And it's certainly more than I thought we'd get! (I mean, who really trusts the weather man anymore? ha) Here's a few pictures! There's probably about 4-5" on the ground in most places. And that's what several friends who measured the snow in their yards while out playing with the kiddos said today. ha We are supposed to be getting freezing rain and more snow on top of that this afternoon/tonight....possibly for a total of 10-12" of the white stuff. Personally, I think that is a stretch...we haven't had that much snow since I was in high school! ha

One thing is for sure...snow isn't nearly as much fun as an adult. My winters used to be spent PRAYING nightly for more snow so we'd get a snow day at school! ha Snow days were spent at my aunt & uncle's house...with my 3 cousins, sister, and 4-6 other neighbor kids! We'd ride our 4wheelers and snowmobiles for hours and hours on end!!!! :) Ah, what fun we had! haha A couple years ago, Jenna and I built a snowman in the front yard here at mom's, but these days I don't have anyone to play in the snow with! :( bummer!

Winter has ARRIVED!

Sunday morning, I woke up to a slight dusting of *snow* on the vehicles and ground! Winter has officially arrived with this new development! :p