Category: Random

Random, Writing Workshop

Summer 2018 Accomplishments

traci

As Phineas and Ferb say,
“There’s 104 days of summer vacation
And school comes along just to end it
So the annual problem for our generation
Is finding a good way to spend it.”

I don’t have 104 days off this summer.  I have about 70 days off this summer.  So, what do I want to accomplish during the summer of 2018?

  1. Finish decluttering my house – My aunt helped me reorganize my kitchen. I’ve also done the hall closet and am currently working on decluttering my bedroom.
  2. Take a class about Inclusion and the Special Education Student. I’ve already signed up for the class.  It’s a self-paced class and will help me with the way my career is going.  The focus is more on inclusion and less on pull out services for students who have been identified as having some sort of learning disability.
  3. Have my fourth EPIC adventure with Molly. She’s coming to town in 2 ½ weeks.  While she is here, we have many fun adventures planned.  (Click on the photo below for a link to the photos from one of the 2 adventures we had last year.)
    My Visit to Western New York
  4. Read at least 5 books if not 10 books.  I want to finish reading/ listening to all the Cleo Coyle’s Coffeehouse Mysteries series.
    Here are the books I have left to read/ listen.
    Espresso Shot
    Holiday Grind
    A Brew to Kill
    Dead Cold Brew     
  5. Watch all 13 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. I just finished the third season.
  6. Getting a physical and other preventative care taken care of – Actually was done this week.
  7. Day trips around the area
    Peace Museum
    Boonshoft Museum
    Wegerzyn Metro Park
    Cox Arboretum
    Etc . . .
  8. Freezer Meals for the upcoming school year
  9. Focus on more writing for the blog
  10. Sleep – lots and lots of sleep

It’s not as adventurous as last year’s summer.  This year’s summer vacation will be focusing more on making sure I’m prepared for next school year.  My last 2 school years have been tough.

Have a magical day,
Traci

Random, Randomness

2017 – The Year of the “Bucket List”

traci

Last January, I decided my 2017 was going to be known by the phrase bucket list.

So was this year the year of the “bucket list?”

In 2017, I had so many different experiences some that could be said were part of my bucket list even though I do not have an official bucket list.

Travels

Zoos and Aquariums – Hubby and my Official Bucket List

Random

  • Got my first tattoo at 41 years old – I did not know a tattoo was on my bucket list.
  • Gluten Free – I have been gluten free for 11 months now!
  • Book Reading – I have read/ listened to 41 books during 2017. I’m almost done with book number 42 so I may have one more done.  Tanya would have been proud of me.

I think I crossed items off of my bucket list.  Memories were made with family and friends.  My 2017 was definitely the year of the “bucket list.”

So what is my word for 2018?  You are going to have to tune in on Thursday to find out.

Have a magical 2018,
Traci

 

Random, Writing Workshop

A Review of 2017 and Goals of 2018

traci

This year I changed the focus of my blog from recipes to more of a diary.

As I looked at my stats from last year, I noticed one thing.  One of the blog posts that got the most hits was a recipe from long ago.  During Thanksgiving and Christmas, I get a lot of hits on this simple recipe – honey glazed carrots in the slow cooker.

Today I am going to share my top blog posts from this year.  These are the ones that got the most hits.  However, I get a lot of likes from the WordPress Reader.  However people do not always actually go to the blog post so it does not register as having visitors which is frustrating.

 

My Recipes that Got the Most Hits

Pressure Cooker Chicken Pot Pie – I posted this recipe about a week before going gluten free.  It’s the blog post from this year that got the most hits.

Forgotten Chicken – This is another recipe that I posted before going gluten free.

Diary Type Blog Posts

Gerry Brooks and Findlay Market – Hubby and I went on a date for his birthday to see one of my favorite Youtube stars and then went to a farmer’s market.

The Night My Life Changed FOREVER – This is a raw blog post about the night my sister died.

2017 Summer Bucket List – I blogged about what I wanted to accomplish during the summer of 2017.

Writer’s Workshop Blog Posts

An Unforgettable Experience – In this blog post, I wrote about the time I had an up close and personal encounter with a flamingo.

So What Did I Do This Week – I wrote a finished to do list of what I accomplished during the week.

Romance, Ghosts, and Mystery – This was a book review about The House on Tradd Street such a good book.  In the book, you’ll meet Melanie who has inherited a house.  This house comes with a mystery and a ghost.

All Because It was Humid – This is a combination writer’s workshop blog post and travel blog post.

Travel Blog Posts

Port Orleans – French Quarter – While we were down in Walt Disney World in 2016, we visited Port Orleans, one of the moderate resorts.  Such a beautiful resorts.

As I said, these are the blog posts with the most hits.  I wish I could have a way to track the posts with the most likes.

Most of my likes this year were from my travel blog posts with lots of photographs.

My favorite blog posts to write this year were my travel blog posts.  I’m known by the family as being a shutterbug.  I love to take photographs especially when I am traveling .

My two recent travel series are the ones from our family’s trip to Folly Beach and my trip to western New York.  I also wrote a series about our trip to Orlando, Florida; Holland, Michigan; and Berea, Kentucky this year.

During 2018, I’m going to complete the Folly Beach and Western New York blog posts.  I need to also write about my trips to Hershey, PA and Pittsburgh, PA.  I may also share photos from our 2016 trip to Niagara Falls.  I have only shared bits and pieces about the trip not the whole trip.

20160331_205755
Seeing Steven Tyler was the highlight of my trip to Niagara Falls.

I am also going to continue to share menu plans because those attracted a lot of attention.  My work is going to have a fitness/ weight loss challenge that runs from January 5 until mid March so I will be sharing my progress with the challenge.  It may be on this blog or on My Food Journey.  If I do it on My Food Journey, I’ll put a link to the blog posts in the sidebar so you can visit the blog posts.

During 2017, I crushed my Goodreads reading challenge.  If you have not heard about the challenge, you basically decide how many books you want to read during the year.  You can edit the amount of books during the year to increase or decrease the amount.  I believe I started with wanting to read 20 books and then edited it to be 35 books.  During 2017, I read/ listened to 41 books which is 117% of my goal.  In 2018, I need to share more of the books I have read or listened to through Hoopla.

Happy New Year,
Traci

 

local sights, photograph, Random, Writing Workshop

Clifton Mill’s Twinkling Lights

traci

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

Wait, I’m not talking about stars in the sky.

Today I’m going to be talking about Christmas tree lights that twinkle merrily.

About 20 minutes from my house is a working water mill called Clifton Mill.  Each Christmas season, they decorate the mill.  People come from all over to see the lights. Continue reading “Clifton Mill’s Twinkling Lights” →

Random, Recipes, Writing Workshop

Trip to the ER

traci

All I wanted to do was sleep but I did not have a pillow.  Plus my right arm was hooked up to an IV.  My left arm was hooked up to a heart monitor that checked my blood pressure periodically.

Last Wednesday, I woke up with a gut retching stomach ache.  The Wee One and the Imaginative One just had a stomach virus so I thought that was the reason for the stomach ache.

Continue reading “Trip to the ER” →