It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Yes, I've been AWOL for quite some time now.  Closing in on two months.  I meant to step away for only a couple of weeks.  And like so many other things in my life, before I realized it I got swept up in a black hole of time flying by.  It was the best of times.  It was also the worst of times.  Luckily, the good FAR outweighed the bad.

The best of times...

"Falling in Love with Baby Blackburn"

"My Girls"

Thanksgiving weekend we celebrated the upcoming arrival of Grand#2.  More photos coming THIS WEEK of the baby shower extraordinaire!  Can't wait to show you some of the cute decor.  Check back soon. (my goal is to get this Baby Shower post in BEFORE the actual baby makes it's appearance...which is any day now!)

"Who's Got the Cookie"

Quickly following on the heals of the baby shower we went full throttle into Christmas celebrations. I hosted not one, but TWO holiday cookie exchanges at the house this year again.  Both were bigger and better than last years events.  I had cookies coming out of the wazoo for WEEKS! Who am I kidding...they were gone before I could taste each type AND they have now taken up residence ON my wazoo!

"Look who's here again!"
(on our way to see Santa)

As soon as the last cookie party ended (and I mean THAT NIGHT!) Thing #3 was home from Penn State for the holidays...and Grand#1 and her family (aka Things #2 and #2.1) were back from Cincinnati for a nice visit.  Which included our family Christmas party.  The FIRST time we've been able to get a full family photograph in quite a few years. In the meantime, the family has grown considerably.  I swear I heard the staircase moan. Keep in mind...we had eaten a FEW cookies! What you can't "hear" in this photo is a rousing rendition of "Doe a Deer" to keep the babies from crying. As you can see, epic fail.  Might have to blame our voices for that.

"Clan McIntyre"

As in most family gatherings where babies are a relatively new phenomenon...they kinda took center stage.  First Christmas where both my sister and I are both a Mimi and an Omi.

"You're new here, let me tell ya a bit about this family we belong to"

Three days after Christmas we were off.  Thing #3 headed west to Pasadena, California to watch Penn State vs. USC in the Rose Bowl.

"Rose Bowl Bound"

And the Better Half and myself headed east to London where we met up with my BFF and her hubs for the New Year.  Planning on posting more photos of our London excursion next week.  Check back mates, you'll be gobsmacked!

"Ringing up Colin Firth...because I love you Uncle Jamie"
London, England

"Masters of the Selfie"
London,  England

And....I FINISHED MY 365 PROJECT!!!!!!!  Woohoo!  Not sure I'll do that again, but glad I did it once!  Note to self:  Do NOT pick a 365 project during a leap year!  My over achieving arse was committed to 366 freakin' photos!  My last photo of 2016 (or maaaaaybe it was my first of 2017????).  New Years Eve Fireworks in London.  Blimey...gonna be hard to top that next New Years!  Challenge accepted.

"New Years Eve"
London, England
366/366

So it's now 2017.  Thing #3 is back at Penn State.  I still don't have all the Christmas thing-a-ma-jigs down and packed away.  Grand#2 is due any day.  I've got lots of photos to edit.  And yet...here I am still stuck in that Black Hole.  Trying to dig my way out.  Which brings me to,

The worst of times...

"Saying Goodbye"
Homer

Returning from London we picked up Dogs #1 and #2 from the kennel.  All seemed fine.  Thing #3 returned to school a few days later.  And then things went rapidly downhill for Dog#1...our Homer. In retrospect, I honestly think once Thing #3 went back to school, and the holidays were over...he gave in to what ailed him. Those who aren't "dog people" might have a hard time understanding the true depth of sorrow that comes with losing a fur baby.  Homer was closing in on 12 years old.  He was DEF a part of the family.  I was alone when the hard decision had to be made, so I was the one to hold Homer and give him his last kisses.  I guess it is only fair that our fur babies give us so much of their hearts during their lifetimes, that they should take a piece of ours with them when they leave us. RIP sweet HomeBoy.  Forever in our hearts and our family.  Sniff.

And THAT is where in the world I have been, in a photographic nutshell.  Please check back later this week for those Baby Shower pics...sure hope they make it here before Grand#2 makes it into our world!

P.S.  Hoping to be back on a more regular blogging schedule.  Black Holes be damned!

Here's where I "link up" today 

The week that was (week #46)...

The week that was (November 7, 2016 - November 13, 2016):

"When I think of the past, I like to focus on the beautiful things"

312/365

"I put my vote where my mouth is"
313/365

"Emotional day for many Americans"
314/365

"My nails say 'It's about time!' "
315/365

"Fall colors are in their downward spiral"
316/365

"Can't we all just get along?"
317/365

"An afternoon of baby shower prep and crafting"
318/365

What a tumultuous week we navigated!  Election day highs.  Election day lows.  Hopefully now that it is all over, we can ALL adopt the familiar mantra when confronted by hatred and unkindness, #whentheygolowwegohigh.

**All 365-day project photos are via my Samsung Galaxy phone camera.  For more, you can find me on Instagram @KathyMcB.

Here's where I "link up" today

"What do you see...

"Sign of the Times"

Election Day in the Philly suburbs

(Samsung Galaxy)

Followed this Vietnam vet while en route to grocery shopping yesterday, after I cast my vote.  The election pundits and media kept promoting Pennsylvania as firmly in the Democratic and Hillary camp.  And if history provided any clues, they would be correct to make that assumption.  But it just didn't reflect what I was actually seeing all around me.  

"What we do see depends mainly on what we look for.

...In the same field the farmer will notice the crop,

the geologists the fossils,

botanists the flowers,

artists the coloring...

Though we may all look at the same things,

it does not all follow that we should see them."

-John Lubbock

Regardless of for whom we cast our vote yesterday, today we are all viewing our country in a new light. For some it glows brighter, and for some dimmer.  It all depends on what we choose to see.  I'm always going to choose to see the light.

God Bless America.

Here's where I "link up" today

365-day project (week #45)...

The week that was (October 31, 2016 - November 6, 2016):

"Halloween 2016....A Banh Mi and my Basement.  I've turned into THAT lady!"

305/365

"Day After Halloween"

306/365

"Autumn, the year's last and loveliest smile"

307/365

"Ladybugs, you're cute but get OUT of my house!

308/365

"Wandering in Lambertville"

309/365

"Penn State Football and Family"

310/365

"Daylight Savings Time...pitch black a 6:00 p.m."

311/365

Hello November!  Only a few more weeks left in this 365-day challenge!  #booyah

**All 365-day project photos are via my Samsung Galaxy phone camera.  For more, you can find me on Instagram @KathyMcB.

Here's where I "link up" today

365-day project (weeks #42, #43, #44)...

The week that was (October 10, 2016 - October 16, 2016):

"Week #42"

1. Homemade socks by....someone 284/365
2. Morning Solitude 285/365
3. Spray Paint Kinda Day 286/365
4. Shiny Object Syndrome 287/365
5. Friday Night Excitement 288/365
6. A Saturday Spent Exploring 289/365
7.  Westward Ho 290/365

The week that was (October 17, 2016 - October 23, 2016):

"Week #43"

1.  Pennsylvania Wears October Well 291/365
2. Cincy with my Grand and her Chins 292/365
3.  Adventures in Babysitting 293/365
4. Next Stop...Cleveland and my Bestie 294/365
5. Planning Our Next Adventure 295/365
6. Penn State vs. Ohio State with the Besties 296/365
7. Homeward Bound 297/365

The week that was (October 24, 2016 - October 30, 2016):

"Week #44"

1.  Because the  Fortune Cookie Say So 298/365
2.  What's Cookin'?  Shrimp Stir fry 299/365
3.  Hello From the Other Side 300/365
4. Officially Boot Season 301/365
5. When No One Tells You Something is Stuck in Your Teeth 302/365
6. Two Months and Bigger Than Her Teddy Bear 303/365
7. Orange Ya Glad It's Sunday 304/365

Been AWOL from the blog.  But fully present with the 365-day project. #thebeatgoeson

**All 365-day project photos are via my Samsung Galaxy phone camera.  For more, you can find me on Instagram @KathyMcB.

Here's where I "link up" today

365-day project (weeks #40, #41)...

The week that was (September 26, 2016 - October 2, 2016):

"Look into my eyes"

270/365

"That's what a new toy will do to ya!"

271/365

"Look who's visiting"

272/365

"Mom Mom and Miss Lila"

273/365

 "Never gonna let you go"

274/365

"Remnants of a family get together"

275/365

"Happy birthday to Thing#3 and Mom Mom"

276/365

The week that was (October 3, 2016 - October 9, 2016):

"It's taking every ounce of willpower NOT to wake you up to say goodbye"

277/365

"White is the new orange"

278/365

"I'll take any kind of sunshine I can get"
279/365

"Soaking up the Vitamin D"
280/365

"Fall is in da' house"
281/365

"Watching Homecoming from home"
282/365

"Lazy Sunday"
283/365

Three cheers to Grand#1 and her momma for conquering their first airplane flight together!  But perhaps the BIGGEST cheer should go to the 13-year-old boy sitting behind them on the plane who promptly threw up after take-off.  Sure took the performance anxiety off Grand#1 and her momma!  #oopsthereitis

**All 365-day project photos are via my Samsung Galaxy phone camera.  For more, you can find me on Instagram @KathyMcB.

Here's where I "link up" today

Sweet dreams are made of this...

"Sweet Dreams are Made of This"
Grand#1
Samsung Galaxy

Who am I to disagree?  Since Grand#1 was sweet dreamin' using moi as her personal Sealy Posturepedic, it was impossible to grab my Canon to capture her sweet face.  Samsung Galaxy to the rescue.

Here's where I "link up" today