annie.e

December was a WHIRLWIND of a month – holy cow. I am currently enjoying my New Year’s weekend of doing nothing to compensate for all the things I did in December! Hope you all had a happy holiday season.

Started the month with Mike’s son’s birthday – sports themed cake FTW!
Time to decorate my parents’ tree.
We took a trip to Milwaukee with the kids to see Harry Potter in concert – it was delightful.
Gingerbread party time!
Mike also had a birthday in December!
Another trip to the vet for Schmoo. She was anxiously awaiting.
Took Mike to Silvercryst for a birthday dinner – it was our first time there – loved the mauve and green decor! ;-)
A highlight of the holiday season for me — assembling the Home Alone LEGO set! OMFGGGGG.
Mike’s step-brother and wife came to visit us!
We had a blast at the Packers v. Bears game!
Public service announcement: the brandy old fashioned kringle from Uncle Mike’s bakery is amazing.
Cookie baking day!
Mike and I had date night at Becket’s. I was tickled to see the old Main St. Christmas decorations being used above the old Park Plaza benches-now-booths.
We headed to Bloomington the weekend before Christmas.
And we met COCO! She’s a 6 month old Aussiedoodle – rescued from a bad breeder situation. Thanks to Mike’s stepmom for basically insisting that Mike adopt her.
Cherry bounce season is here.
I napped so hard on the 23rd that I woke up not knowing where I was or what day it was LOL
Gearing up for Christmas.
Coco and Sadie met. It went… OK. We need to work on this friendship situation but I am hopeful that they will one day be BFFs!
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
My neighbors also got a puppy! I was so happy to meet sweet Otis.
Mike and kids headed to Iowa for his grandmother’s funeral, so I got to babysit Miss Coco.
New Year’s Eve!
We did a casino night/Las Vegas themed NYE for the kids – it was a blast. I made Vegas casino-themed cupcakes and made the kids match the cupcake to the casino name.
Circus Circus // The Stardust (gone, but my favorite neon sign so I had to include it) // The Stratosphere // Treasure Island
Binion’s Horseshoe // The Bellagio // The Golden Nugget // The Sahara
The Flamingo // Caesar’s Palace // The Cosmopolitan // The Paris
The MGM Grand // New York New York // The Excalibur // The Luxor
The world lost Betty White on NYE. She always felt like a grandmother to me because I used to watch her with my own grandmother. All my Golden Girls are gone but they will forever bring me feelings of comfort and safety and for that I’m grateful. And damn, even in her death… she was a master of timing. (People Magazine published a cover story about her turning 100 and it was set to hit newsstands this week — the comedic timing of her death just makes me LOL — gotta love her!)
Mike taught the kids roulette and blackjack; I made Fat Elvis sundaes (chocolate ice cream, peanut butter sauce, bananas, and a cherry on top)
Cheers! I hope 2022 brings you all health and happiness.

1. What did you do in 2021 that you’d never done before?
Traveled to Iceland. And, you know, continued to survive a global pandemic.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make resolutions for 2021. But I think my resolutions for 2022 are going to be: get hot and don’t die.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Mike’s grandmother died – I was not close with her because I didn’t know her well enough, but she was a sweetheart.

5. What countries did you visit?
Iceland!!! It was MAGICAL.

6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?
A healthier body.

7. What date from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I don’t think any dates in particular will be etched in my memory.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Didn’t get COVID, continue to survive yet languish in this global pandemic.

9. What was your biggest failure?
My now 30+ pound weight gain? I hate calling that a “failure” though… but it is something I’m not happy about.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, other than my usual headaches/migraines. And all of my loved ones have been COVID-free – please let it stay that way. Thank you, vaccines!!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Every year I make a photobook on Shutterfly, so that’s always my favorite annual purchase.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
This question is weirdly worded, but Mike has been great all around.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Nearly everyone. We are living in angry, awful times. See also: any and all people who deny science (anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers).

14. Where did most of your money go?
Amazon. Or the Animal Hospital of Oshkosh. Sadie was not cheap this year!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My trip to Iceland was a dream come true. I also had wonderful trips to Florida and New Orleans with Mike and Maine and Las Vegas with my momma.

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2021?
“Wild Blue” by John Mayer.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you
i. happier or sadder?: Sadder at the state of the world. Just as happy in my personal life.
ii. thinner or fatter?: Fatter. LOL. Christ.
iii. richer or poorer?: About the same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercising.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Depression/stress/boredom eating and drinking.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my parents and Mike in Oshkosh.

21. What was your favorite TV program?
I didn’t watch a ton of new TV this year, but Squid Game was wild. I don’t know if it would be a favorite though.

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
It’s a waste of energy to hate people.

23. What was the best book you read?
I don’t even know. As soon as the pandemic hit in March of 2020 I stopped having any interest in reading. Weird, right? But I read one of Louise Penny’s books on the plane to/from Iceland and it was awesome.

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Hmmm. I don’t know.

25. What did you want and get?
A successful surgery for Sadie’s leg — and continued successful treatment of her epilepsy.

26. What did you want and not get?
To lose the weight I gained in 2020. Sensing a theme here?

27. What was your favorite film of this year?
No clue; I don’t remember watching many movies this year.

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 37 and spent it here in Oshkosh with Mike, my parents, and a few friends.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
IF CORONAVIRUS HAD NOT CRAPPED ALL OVER OUR LIVES.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2021?
Stretchy pants.

31. What kept you sane?
Mike. My mom. Sadie. My dad.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Keanu Reeves, babyyyyyyyyy.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
There are too many to list. TOO. MANY.

34. Who did you miss?
I haven’t seen my out-of-town friends in so long.

35. Who was the best new person you met?
Mike got a dog — Coco. And she is precious.

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2021:
People are wildly stupid and lack the ability to think critically. I mean, I knew this. But wow.

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
*shrugs* I don’t know. Good question.

My trip to Las Vegas page is up!

My trip to New Orleans page is up!

November was a slower month because Schmoo had her big surgery on the 9th. So many snuggles to fill the days. Read: this post will be 98% Sadie pics. *shrugs*

Started the month in Vegas (more on that in a later post) – and my pink hair lingered! I wish I could have pink hair permanently, tbh.
Went to Rotary (gasp) to see Craig Culver speak. And then there was me… nervous AF dropping Sadie off for her surgery.
Not living her best life… at all.
I put up my Christmas tree while I supervised her recovery.
The most melancholy little rainbow flower.
I was… a bit tired.
Schmoo was… loaded on her pain pills.
The cutest parents.
LOL.
We marched in the holiday parade!
Up until recently I didn’t know how to put air in my car tires. Whoopsie.
TEDxOshkosh is BACK!
Turkey Trot 2021!
GIMME THOSE POTATOES
A weekend in Bloomington-Normal IL