`
...Two and a half years ago, my nephew, Bobby, blazed trails in Bristow's Klingensmith Park
by our city lake for Bristow's Nature Trail...
...He and Kris Wyatt encouraged everyone thru FB to start our first day of our new year, 2021,
with a hike on the trail...
...We woke up with "spits of snow" in the air...I stole this pic from Bobby's fb, so I
believe he hit the trail early...
~
...I was wanting to get to the trail while we still had the snow flurries, but it had stopped
before we got there @ 10:45...
~
...I've been reading some amazing health benefits of nature walks...
* Improves immune functioning: walking in the forest for as little as 20 minutes improves
your bodies ability to battle illness and keep those "killer cells" high for a week.
*Improves mood and helps improve depression: a wonderful health benefit of nature walks is the
improvement to mood...
...In Japan, they call a short, leisurely visit to the forest "forest bathing"....
...Studies reveal that being in nature has a powerful positive effect on the mind, body and spirit...
...It serves as a refuge to inspire, reflect and heal...
...I am challenging myself to not let this be my last nature walk of the year...
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...I was thinking this would have been a perfect spot to see some wildlife, such as a deer...
...I thought maybe they would be laying low b/c of the weather...
...this was the spot where I slipped..the rocks were mossy....
...thankfully, Paul missed the actual fall...I am getting up at this point...
...this is a babbling stream we crossed....
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I am anxious to bring my littles to walk Bristow's Nature Trail...
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...north end of our City Lake...
...take note of the bridge on the far side...
...I took my Brownie Oath on that bridge when I was in 2nd grade...
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Camera roll...
...this not so lil' bunny got a mani and pedi today for school tomorrow...
...I love the blue glitter polish she chose...
...just like her momma...
...who knew she would like an egg sandwich...
...her momma ate one packed in her school lunch almost everyday...
~~~
...the Junies' momma will be in school meetings tomorrow, so Nonni brought them to Bristow...
...their nightly Bristow ritual...eating popcorn w/ Poppi...
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...just waking up and watching their programs before we fix breakfast...
~~~
...one down, more to go...
...Linz in line @ the Tulsa Fairgrounds...
~~~
...So, it's important to my girls that Paul and I get our covid vaccine...
...It's important to me, so I don't have to be worried about passing the virus to one of my
precious littles...
...I called around and was able to connect w/ the Lincoln County Health Department in Chandler.
...I was in and out within 30 minutes....
...waiting 15 minutes to leave...very simply done...
...My only side effect has been a sore arm. That's no different than the flu vaccine...
...Paul and Ali have registered online and are waiting for their dates...
...Ali is in phase 2 as an educator and Paul is in Phase 2, as I was, being 65+...
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...Nonni pick up day, and the bunny immediately amidst her LOL dolls...
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Camera roll...
...the Junies giving their momma a "thumbs up" on their dinner...
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Jan. 6th...a dark day in American history...
~~
...It was a sad day for our country....the United States of America...
...The nation and the world watched....I am sure, as shocked as I was...
...The protestors entered the Senate Chambers interrupting the finalization of Biden's victory...
After reconvening several hours later, in the wee hours of the morning on Jan.7th,
Vice President Pence declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner of the presidential election, along with
announcing Kamala Harris the Vice President...
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Camera roll...
...the bunny is 7 1/2 and eating a cherry for the first time...
...Her report card came home today and let's just say "We were proud!"
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...a happy bunny...it's a mommy drop off and pick up day...
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...Sunday brunch @ Napa Flatts, along w/ B...
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...the Junies are always happy to get home on Sunday from their dad's...
...getting their shields ready for school...
...they rotate from mask to shields...
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...Jan. 10th Corona update...
,,,,Did you know if one person test positive in your household, they consider everyone in the household positive w/out testing....So, the way I read this, the numbers of positives would be higher than what it shows on the update...
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...WELL, it is here....in our house...and I am NOT happy...
...Wear the mask people...It's NOT hard...in fact, very simple...
...RESPECT your family, your friends, your patrons in your place of employment...
...I know when Paul came in to tell me that he tested positive, he felt demeaned...
...That's all I have to say...except this prayer...
...Dear Father, as we continue this fight against this virus. I ask that You continue to place a shield of protection from the Coronavirus around my family and friends, including my household. We ask, Father, that You put your arms around us and keep us safe and heal our sick bodies from this
horrid virus...Amen!...
~
...Trusting, believing, and looking forward to better days...
~~~
...This is my brother in the brown shirt...
...Thankful that he and my SIL were able to be another part of the family that received
their vaccine....they drove to Ada, which is part of our "stomping grounds".
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...our lil' bunny princess w/ her mask on is ready to jump out of the car in her car line...
...another way of helping prevent the virus spread...
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January 13, 2021...
...Another historical day...not one to be proud of but will go down as part of our history...
...Trump was impeached for the 2nd time...just a week after the mob of his supporters stormed
the Capitol during the finalization of Biden's victory...
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Camera roll...
...the Junies resting since they woke up @ 4:45 am...ready to play...
...now, they are tired...
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...the Junies w/ their neighbor friends having a sleep over...
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...the Junies playing with their polymer snowman kit Santa brought them...
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...celebrating Stella...
...playing Twister...
...the momma's proving that can still do it...
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...Martin Luther King Day...
...MLK has many quotes, but this is one of my favorites...
~~~
...(the US crosses 400,000 covid deaths on Trump's final day in office)...
A Day to Remember...January 20, 2021...
...Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President!
...Kamala Harris made history as the first woman, first Black, and
first South Asian descent to become Vice President...
...It was a great, beautiful day with even bits of snowflakes on the Capitol steps...
...President Biden delivered an awesome, powerful speech...
...A speech that FINALLY was full of positivity, and was an uplifting, joyful,
meaningful gathering of those who love the USA...
...the song presentations by Lady Gaga, J.Lo and Garth Brooks were amazing...
...the young poet, Amanda Gorman, stole the show w/ her inspiration...
~
...Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come...
...'Tis grace that brought us her thus far and
GRACE will lead us home...
~~
...beautiful end to the night...
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Camera roll...
...drop off w/ Momma...
...proud of her new shoes with a knob that tightens or loosens...no tie or velcro...
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...the Junies busy in their Momma's office after school time...
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...Nonni pick up day...
...eating her fave...Subway potato soup...
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...Nonni being challenged by the bunny...
...I did it...Yay!...
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,,,These two girls had a Scottsdale trip planned with 3 other friends, but it was cancelled b/c of
quarantine for 2....So, this week end, Ali and Mel went to my sister's Grand Lake Cabin
for some down time in the woods and at the lake w/out kids...
~~~
...Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in next month's
55th Super Bowl...
...It will be the 43 years old Tom Brady's 10th chance at a ring, first with the
Buccaneer's, and the young, 25 year old Patrick Mahomes' 2nd consecutive bowl game with the Chief's.
...I like Tom Brady, BUT, GO CHIEF's!...
~~~
...it was a Nonni pick up day, and this bunny could hardly wait to get home to see her
new food cart...
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...Nonni hasn't seen the Junies lately, so I made a quick stop to see them after they got home from school...
...it's hard to believe how much they have grown...growing way too fast!
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...their momma has the Junies busy on their I-pads after school in her office...
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...being home under the Q makes one depressed...
...so, once it was over, I got out and bought two new matching chairs for the clubroom...
...it was a little sad giving up the overstuffed leather one for sentimental reasons...
...But, I like what I found...
~~~
...proud of my guy...
...never, ever gotten the flu shot but went for the Covid19 vaccine...
...the Covid19 vaccine may help keep you from getting seriously ill...
...More importantly, it also protects people around you...your parents, your spouse, your kids and g'kids, or a best friend....even someone you actually don't know...
...We had to drive to the Shawnee Firelake Casino Arena...he was in and out in no time...
...IT. WAS. WORTH. IT...
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...preK fun...
...lil' A working on her bear silhouette...
...and it looks so awesome...
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...lil' M and a friend working on sensory objects...
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...Yep, look closely...it's there...🔎
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...surprisingly, this lil' Junie loved her meat/bean nachos...
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...early risers...eating their "morning sunshine" pancakes...
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...the bunny dressed up to meet her friend @ la Madeleine's for a girl's lunch w/ their momma's...
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...finishing their Saturday w/ a cousin date for the afternoon and evening...
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💖💖💖
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...This was a favorite book of mine to share w/ my classroom and now with my grands...
...If you are a lover of nature and wish to pass that trait on to your kids/grands, this is an excellent book...
...The photography is as close to real as one can get...it is a truly lovely book..simple & sweet...
~~~
Hopefully you were able to enjoy some time in the woods...If not this month, maybe next month...
...a country road...
XOXO,
from Our 5 Acre Woods