Lesson 625: The Year in Review 2019

Every New Year's Eve
I embark on my favorite activity of the year--
going through thousands of photos,
reflecting on the year that passed.



Capturing moments of time
 is my pastime.

It's what I love most,
and probably what I do best.



It struck me this morning
that I not only have sat down at my
Lamp Post Writing Station 625 times,
but have been doing so for a decade!

I began this blog in 2010.
Here's how we've aged
in this decade.

 Christmas 2010




My Dad's birthday, December  2011



2012







2013



2014



2015



2016








If Sam ever goes to Edinboro and plays football,
I'm making this into a poster.



2017




Recently,
facebook asked their members to complete
a 10 year challenge--
posting a photo of yourself today
and ten years ago.

Here's the Lamp Post version
using Eloise's facebook profile photos.
I'm aging backwards
if you consider my first profile pic
was of the character Eloise Hawking from LOST--
which I use as my pen name.

2010


2011

2012


2013



2014



2015



2016



2017



2018



2019

2019 was the year of milestones
for the Lamp Posters.

Natalie and I became Godparents to baby Cora.

We are officially done with Fred S. Clark Elementary School
as Sam graduated from 6th grade.

Ellen took her last walk through it as well,
as they allow the graduates to return to their elementary school
the day prior to commencement.

In her graduation speech,
Ellen reminded us
it's the little things in life that matter most.

Ellen went to the Prom with
a group of friends
 and I went to the Prom with their parents
30 years prior!

We are mad about plaid this fall
as Ellen has completed her first semester at Edinboro University,
with a 4.0!

Natalie graduated, too,
and is well on her way in life.

The little bus that picked her up for school,
from age 3 to 21 made its last pick up.



The Community Based Autism Program
gave her the tools she needed to work and live
semi-independently.

She knew to dress in her finest for a job interview-
(thank you Ali B for the loaner shirt).

When you dress to impress,
it pays off!

Natalie is the best salad bar caretaker
Dobbins Cafeteria at Penn State Behrend has ever had!



The push for Autism awareness,
education,
and research continues.

Erik and his brothers--
 photographed in Building 99.
(One by blood, two by choice)

He is doing well and supporting the community
by simply going out and about in it every single day.
Inclusion works.

It was a year of milestone birthdays.




Grandpa turned three quarters of a century yesterday.

Grandma has redefined what your 70's should look like.

My Hubby had to change the setting on his exercise equipment.

That alone is worth throwing a party for.



And when you and your buddy turn 50 the same week,

well, you may as well make it a surprise party.

Sweet Natalie can now legally drink her moonshine.
She's 21.

She rubs the fact in nephew Jack's face,
as he turned 20 and waits a long 12 months to do the same.

Ellen turned 19



and crowned the next Homecoming Queen a few days later.

Louie and I celebrated 25 years of marriage in August.

We found this abandoned booth at a roadside fruit stand
and made that our anniversary gift to each other,
and everyone who comes to visit!

All of Louie's siblings were able to spend a few days together
this summer--
a cherished milestone, for sure.

Sports are a large part of our lives.
We love professional and college sports,
but spend the most time in the Kid Sports World.

Sam is on a powerhouse of a baseball team.

It's the longest season of the year,

with the longest games.

The seasons are extra long as they keep playing through the summer
as they advance in the state Little League Tournament.

The boys played their hearts out,
all the way to the state tournament this summer.
They were Top 8 in the State for the
second year in a row.

Sammy had a hamstring injury
through most of the tournament play.

This was the scene I came upon
as I came late to a game.

Me:  Trying to count jersey numbers.

Me:  Oh no! Who is hurt?

Me:  Oh shoot!

He gimped around for weeks
and spent a game or two
shouting to his teammates from the dugout.

Football took the sting away of losing at states.

The boys had a great season.

We started 2019 with basketball
and that's the way we're ending it.

Sam got the bug for golf this summer,
so Ellen has someone to golf with
(or hit with her golf club,
depending on the mood of the brother-sister match).

It's fitting that reporting on
Times News Bowling Tournament 2019,
Louie finished 9th.

People are always important to us at the Lamp Post.



Even elves like Patrick and Peppermint.

Pets are paramount in our house.




We have fallen in love with a pit bull named Hazel.

She's wiggled her way into our hearts and golf carts.

We threw her a first birthday bash

with her sister Opal.

She is a dog who likes to chew.
She ate ET,

Santa Claus,

my alpaca gloves,



most of the ornaments
and all of the lights on the bottom third of the
Christmas tree.

She likes sticks just fine,
and we exercise her often,

but chewing is her passion.
She got my Christmas decoration,

but I was able to quickly remedy it
with broccoli from my Walmart on-line order whoops--
15 heads of broccoli was a lot to eat in a week.
That's a lot of chewing!

She got a ride in the mail truck after she chased it,
and also was rescued once by the Po-Po.

She also has a love-hate relationship
with the feral cats that live in the chicken coop.

The weather is always a good blog topic when your
writing headquarters is in Erie, Pennsylvania.

I'm finishing my weather blanket tomorrow!
I can't wait to show you the finished project!

The storms on Lake Erie
were so severe on Halloween night
and early Thanksgiving morning

that my parents' lakefront cottage took
the worst beating of its long life.



With the lake water levels at an all time high

and no beach,

this didn't come as a complete surprise.
The cottage will be under repair in the spring.

Favorite Things of 2019 get their own
special section of this
year-end blog.

This was my favorite podcast.
It's a true story!

I love my new wall art--
it has all my favorites--
barnyard animals
and
baby Jesus!

Ellen's gnome project was my favorite of the year overall.

Favorite getaway spot--
LaFuria Camp--Marienville, PA

Favorite Family Fun

Favorite fun-
Eloising photos with speech bubbles

Favorite gentlemen that I miss dearly.

Favorite show

Favorite Everything

Favorite books

Favorite flop--
the Save Sheetz shirts came in
one day after it closed.

Favorite barnyard animal--the alpaca.

Favorite travel destination:  The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee

Unfavorite--
Sister Kenyan driving my UTV
while I ride in the back.

My favorite people are fellow shutterbugs.

I take most pride in my nature captures.

Favorite words of wisdom

In hindsight,
this year was a good one,
and the decade,
even better.

From my family to yours,

Happy New Year!

I hope it's a blessed one.
Eloise