The Lilly Room Transition...

So -- okay -- here's the deal. There are two problems with setting up the new "kid room" situation in my house.

First of all -- these two children have been sharing a room (at their home AND at my house) -- and they're quite used to it.

Secondly -- the upstairs bedroom -- (which is HUGE) is -- well -- UPSTAIRS.

The kids have always lived in a one-story ranch home...and the whole concept of UP THE STEPS feels like a trip to them....traveling to a foreign country...to a land that time forgot...

I really hadn't considered what a BIG CHANGE this was gonna be. Although, at first, Lilly was excited about having her own big space...as we got right down to it, she said, "that big room upstairs creeps me out".

Ugh.

So, this transition is gonna take some time...

I hoped making that room the Grandma Escape Room would make it a fun, happy place for them...

I decorated it with some twinkle lights (which can be kinda permanent)…

At nighttime, the lights look beautiful...

I turned my puzzle table into their new game/activity table...

It was clear to me that they want to SLEEP in the same room -- so, fine.  That'll work for now.  At least their clothes can live in different rooms...this will be a good transition.

Everybody hates change.

The key is patience.

And, hopefully, at some point, the room will not creep them out... 

On their first official night of sleeping in the room -- they slept like babies!!  Neither of them got up during the night.  It was after 10:00 when I tried to wake them up...

As an extra treat -- I served them BREAKFAST IN BED.

I'm glad I took a picture. One day, I hope this is a sweet memory for them...

Breakfast at Tommy's

After our exciting night at the Hotel Blackhawk...we got up the next morning and the kids were DETERMINED to visit the Fitness Center one last time.

Warren and Lilly took turns on the equipment...

Then, sadly, it was time to say Goodbye to this beautiful, luxury hotel...

But not before I took one last Mirror Photo...

Here's the thing. The kids' FAVORITE MEAL is breakfast. But that would cost more than the actual room did...so,I decided we'd have breakfast at "Tommy's". It is an AMAZING little hole in the wall breakfast dive joint...a few blocks from the Hotel...

Maybe a dozen booths --and not quite that many tables. Note the fancy wood paneling and acoustic ceiling...

We had a game, of course.

Both Lilly and Warren were delighted with their food!

Tommy makes HIS OWN BREAD -- AND DOUGHNUTS, TOO..!!

Warren ate every bite before I thought to take a picture.

Lilly ALWAYS picks raspberry filled....

If you are a fan of the Food Network -- you know every town in America has a Diner, Drive-in or Dive like Tommy's. I wish you could come here and eat with me....OMG...IT IS AMAZING. Simple, hot and delicious (two eggs, with homemade toast and hash browns is $2.90). They make the best fried potatoes...and -- well, it was the PERFECT ending to Warren's most perfect birthday gift/adventure!!

2019 Governing Values

I wrote this blog a coupla years ago...and recently, Laurie emailed me to ask if I'd send it to her.  I was thrilled that somebody remembered it!!

So, at the very beginning of another year...it seems like a good time to review...

******************

JANUARY:

There are two kinds of people.  Those who always make New Year's Resolutions...and those who never do.

I fall into the latter group. For one thing, resolutions seem to be about wishing for change...and setting myself up for failure.... Maybe I'm lazy. Or smug. But I like my life....so you won't hear any New Year's Resolutions from me.

BUT, I would like to share my Governing Values. THIS is a concept I completely embrace.

In 1996, my friend Val introduced me to the Franklin Planner. Remember that workshop? It was life-altering for me.

That was a very busy time in my life, trying to run a business with two boys still living at home. There were many days (and weeks, and months) when I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. SO MUCH WORK, SO MANY OBLIGATIONS...and I always felt guilty. If I was home, I wished I was at work, and vice versa...

The KEY to my life was learning how to prioritize, and focus my energy on doing the things that REALLY MATTERED. This concept changed my life. The road-map for this change was to establish my own, personal "Governing Values."

This list has guided me for over 20 years.  I used to carry a little printed version in my billfold.  It would be like a surprise I'd rediscover every so often.  After all these years, I don't need the reminder.  But, every January...I go back and read what I wrote in 1996...

1. I love my family and I spend time with them. I will show John he comes first, not last... 
2. I am kind. Every single day, I will do at least one unheralded good deed. 
3. I have a positive attitude. I try to see the upside in every situation... 
4. I am honest and direct. I will be scrupulous in my dealings with people. 
5. I am enthusiastic. No matter what I’m involved in, I will bring 100% of my energy. 
6. I enjoy a good sense of humor – both mine and other people’s. I look for the humor in every situation. 
7. I treasure my friends. Each day, I will contact one friend or do one thing to enhance a relationship with somebody I care about. 
8. I try to see the other person’s point of view. If I do not agree, I will be a good listener. Nobody ever learned anything by talking. 
9. I am generous. I give what I can, when I can, expecting nothing in return, and never keeping track. 
10. I am a writer. I write every day. 

***********

So -- here's your challenge for 2019.  What are YOUR governing values?  Every value starts with the word "I"...a VALUE you hold dear.  The second part is the ACTION that will support that value.

Hotel Blackhawk, Chapter Two

One of the major elements of Warren's Birthday Present/Hotel gift was that Uncle Ross would be bringing us pizza for supper!! He had to work on Christmas -- so we didn't see him then.  The kids knew he was bringing them their Christmas gifts...

By the time Ross arrived, we'd been at the hotel for a coupla hours...already in the pool for the first time...and WE WERE HUNGRY..!!

After eating the pizza up in our luxurious room -- the kids wanted to give Uncle Ross THE TOUR.

This was our first visit to the basement -- where we found the FITNESS CENTER..(with free bottles of water)

And THEY HAVE A BOWLING ALLEY..!!

 

Uncle Ross gives the BEST gifts!!  Lilly got a big wooden art chest, and a paint by number...

And, of course, Warren got LEGOS to go with his new Lego Table!!

After Ross left, we went back to the pool...but the kids could hardly wait to get back to the room to play with their Uncle Ross gifts.

I'm telling you -- we lived in and enjoyed EVERY SQUARE INCH of the Hotel Blackhawk!! And we managed to completely TRASH our room. wow. The next morning, it looked like there had been a Frat Party in Room 503...

Yikes. We cleaned it up, of course...and put things back where they belonged...But I still thought we should leave the maid a $10 tip. I told the kids it would be a nice surprise for her.

Kind of like Warren's gift to somebody...for his birthday...

The BEST room in Our House!

Whenever I get company (looking forward to your visit, Mary!) -- my favorite part is making up the bed. I love to hang the sheets out on the line so they smell fresh and wonderful. And, of course, I carefully choose my best embroidered pillowcases.



The quilt on the bed is a winter scene, complete with ice-skating. (more about this later in the week)

I think the best room in the house is our guest room -- mostly because of the fabulous paint job on the walls...


This paint job happened years ago, after Ross moved out of the house. I invited my sisters and cousins to a paint party and the room got a complete REDO. We were experimenting  (there may have been Margueritas involved...)

I wasn't content with every wall being a different color (like my living room). Why not paint free-form lightening bolts and use two or three different colors of paint?? This is the door...

And this is the opposite wall -- where I sit to do my jigsaw puzzles. Notice the yellow ceiling...which comes down onto the wall. Mostly because we were all laughing too hard to deal with a fussy straight line...

I bought this hanging lamp during a Pennsylvania treasure-hunt with my friend Kathy! In 2008, I started to up to this room at night to work my jigsaw puzzles (and I lost a LOT OF WEIGHT that year)...

This room has served many purposes over the years. At one time, it was Ross's childhood bedroom -- I built a loft bed in the corner, with a desk beneath. Then, it became our guest room for a long time. When Ross moved back to Iowa to go to nursing school, it was a soft place for him to fall.

Most recently, it served as the Farro Family ESCAPE Room...and, then, I thought it was going to become Lilly's bedroom...

But -- hey -- best laid plans and all that....

Hotel Blackhawk!!

The Hotel Blackhawk is, without a doubt, the nicest hotel in the Quad cities. After 30 years of decline, and then abandonment, it was completely restored about six year ago (the year Warren was born?). And it is a FABULOUS hotel.

I booked a room, for one night, for only $146. And for the memories we made -- I consider that quite a bargain.

Every room at the Blackhawk is actually a three-room suite.  There's a small living room (with a television) -- a bedroom (with two beds).  And a bathroom (with a television in the mirror).

I took a picture of our beds before we messed them up.

Warren was thrilled with the big walk-in shower.

The living room had a desk, sofa, mini-frig, microwave...and it's own television.

There are actually two separate lobbies.  We explored ALL the space in the hotel.

This is the television inside the mirror in the bathroom!

The kids are not allowed to use the hot tub at the YMCA -- so this was quite a treat.

The swimming pool is on the 3rd floor (our room was on the 5th) -- so you don't have to walk through any public areas in your swimsuit (a big plus for a Fat Grandma).

I am telling you -- THIS WAS A VERY GOOD IDEA..!!

New Year's Tradition.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Every year, since 1970 (OMG...that's 49 years now!!) I have been making the same meal on New Year's Day.

On January 1, I make pork and sauerkraut. It is a tradition from John's Pennsylvania roots -- and  it's supposed to "bring you luck"...and so far, it's working. We attribute every bit of our happiness and good fortune to our New Year's Tradition of eating fresh pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day.


The side dishes may change -- but it is ALWAYS a large fresh pork roast with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. This tradition is very popular in Pennsylvania. And as near as I can tell -- IT DOES NOT MATTER where your people came from -- Italy, Ireland, Poland -- every family in Pennsylvania eats the same menu on January First.

This year -- Popovers!!

Shockingly, little kids don't like pork and sauerkraut... It's kind of an adult-acquired taste...And -- HEY -- January 1 is also Warren's Birthday!!  So the kids don't come to my house for this meal.  I don't want his birthday memories to center around food he did not like...

So -- we'll visit Warren later on in the day to eat the Farro Family Birthday cake (Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter icing)...

This year, we'll share our special New Year's meal with Ross, my brother Cal, and our friend Jack.  I'll make a HUGE fresh pork roast.  After many hours of cooking low and slow in my Dutch Oven, I'll add two large jars of Frank's sauerkraut.  (with an apple, cut in quarters).  There will be a large bowl of mashed potatoes, and Popovers.  I'm also making an apple salad, deviled eggs...and coconut custard pie for dessert.

Years ago, my parents came on New Year's Day....but, alas, life changes.  I miss them every day.  But,  hey -- the key to happiness is learning how to ACCEPT CHANGE....

Maybe that's a good thing to remember on New Year's Day. Don't worry about the way it used to be -- but enjoy TODAY...and live in the moment.

Eleanor Roosevelt said it best...

Yesterday is History, 
Tomorrow is a Mystery...
Today is a gift.
That's why they call it the present...