500th Post!!

It All Started Here! 

Just Daryl and I, sitting on the couch, taking bad webcam photos! A lot has been documented since 2008.

2012 was a big year for Meerpohl Manor. We moved, I got my job as 4-H Agent and saving the best for last, we added Alberto to the family!

Even more has happened since 2012 but  as someone recently told me, "I like your blog because you don't need to read every post to follow along, you can just pop in and out!" So I won't repeat everything, because, well, 500 posts is a lot to link!


I think 2017 is going to be the blog's biggest year yet. I don't know why, but when it is just me making the decisions, things are bound to get unpredictable!

Other notable posts:
That one time I ran a marathon
The morning we woke up with no debt
Daryl's first day of school - PS-He never wants me to walk him inside anymore! I love this post so much because of the pictures. I didn't have to ask for smiles that day, he was so happy to be a big boy going to school, he couldn't contain his joy!

Funny Alex Story:

Last Thursday I accidentally pinched Alex's finger in the gate at Daryl's school. We both reached to open the gate and I opened it right onto his finger. It didn't break the skin, but getting pinched like that really hurts! There were tears.
After dinner, three hours later, Alex was sitting on my lap looking at his sore finger.
Alex-"Mom look what you did to my finger."
Me-"I know Alex, I'm sorry, it was an accident."
Alex-"It was, but you still did it, so it's your fault."
Me-"Alex that makes me feel bad."
Alex-"I'm sorry, but look, my finger is still hurt!"

So, I guess Alex is not going to let me off the hook easily, now or ever. Good, I need him to keep me honest. ;-)

Getting this picture was not easy!
We all cheered and hugged when we finally got it!
Except Purl, she didn't like this idea from the start. 

The Manor on the Move

This weekend went as planned and with the help of my friends and family we moved houses on Saturday. The weather held out all day Saturday, thank you baby Jesus, and we were all into the new house by 1pm! Couldn't have done it without every single person that came to help me.

I was so glad to be stuck at home on Sunday because, with the help of my mom, I got most of the boxes unpacked. Today, I got the last rooms arranged and cleaned. The boys and I are officially settled!

Daryl and Alex now have their own rooms. When Alex saw his room with all of his toys set out he squealed with delight. Also, because he saw me unpack a lot of his room we have spent the last two days playing with toys he had forgotten about! It has been pretty entertaining. This afternoon he even talked Daryl into three rounds of Memory game. All three of us played and Alex won twice and Daryl won once. Alex had the advantage because Daryl wasn't paying attention when Alex and I were playing. So he only remembered the cards he would play.

Daryl likes being in his own room too. He has already started the, "No one can come in my room and if you come in my room, don't touch anything!"

All three of us are very happy. So in the future, the blog will be about knitting and running and funny Daryl and Alex stories. :-) Sorry for the blip in regularly scheduled programming!

We love three day weekends!

Purl feels right at home! 

Couldn't have moved and got all settled without my mom!
Love this lady! 

Just packing...

The move is coming. Room by room, I'm packing my life into boxes. It hurts, I love my house and the life I had in it. To add insult to injury an ice storm is coming. That is like my life right now. Let's make things difficult, not impossible, just difficult.

This morning Alex gave me a moment of joy when he wanted to wear one of Daryl's old hand knit sweaters to school. Before we actually left the house he took it off, because it was itchy. Thankfully, he will wear Merino wool, so I just need to remember that when I make his sweaters. I bet he would wear, gasp, acrylic yarn just fine too. (Hangs head in shame)

That's it for now, just checking in to let you all know we are all good!

2017 Goals

So I don't make resolutions, people don't keep them, and they are mostly forgotten quickly. However, I LOVE goals. I can be a bit distracted so goals help me focus. Also, even if I don't reach them, that is OK. I was working towards something good for me, and that is the important part!
First, let's see if I did what I said I would do in 2016.

Goal #1 Run 1,000 Miles! Whew, that was lofty. So the real mileage was 533.80. We might have to set our sights a little lower next time...

Goal #2 Knit 4 Sweaters! I knit two. This one should not have been that hard, but all I got done was the boys Christmas Sweaters.

Goal #3 Read 16 Books! I read 13!! And I love this goal, I read some great books this year. My favorites were The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer. Aging with Grace a research project on Nuns about Alzheimer Disease. The Martian, which I tried not to read since everyone was reading it, but dang, it was good! I also read the first two Game of Thrones books and I have to block off some serious time before I start the third book. Those suck you in and don't let you up for air!

Goal #4 Six Date nights. I actually accomplished this one. Fat lot of good that did! 😜

2017 Goals!

Goal #1 Run 550 Miles! I can't just take off from the house like I used to, but running is good for my body and mind so I will find a way to make this happen.

Goal #2 Knit 4 Sweaters! What the hell, let's try this again.

Goal #3 Read 16 books! One of my favorite goals, I shall read all of the things and learn all the stuff. :-)

Goal #4 Six Friend trips! That sounds like a lot but I've already got plans for a weekend in Oklahoma with Jennifer and Jenny. Jennifer might not know. Shhhh. A weekend to Little Rock with Jaime and Emma and Jessica. Again, Some of those people are probably unaware. I will see Ms. Becca this year, I need to!  This doesn't mean all these trips will be solo, the boys and I are up for adventure this year, if you would like on our calendar, let us know! We have three openings.

Goal #5 Put 2,000 in savings. My lovely joint savings account is not so lovely now that it was split in two. I need to pad her a bit.

Good luck to everyone on their goals for the New Year. I hope we are all successful in our endeavors!!

All the sweaters I knit in 2016. Don't judge, how many did you knit? 😁