Joan Ellen Cornell

10:00 AM

Snow

10:00 AM

We've finally gotten some snow here! Not that I am excited about it... my car has been parked in the same space since Saturday afte...

We've finally gotten some snow here!

Not that I am excited about it...

my car has been parked in the same space since Saturday afternoon.

It's kind of annoying to not be able to go run errands if I need to,

but P is enjoying it :)

2:37 PM

InstaFriday (a day late, as usual)

2:37 PM

My niece and her friend slept over :) Bella on the indo board Food colored shaving cream is always a hit! Resting, haha Drivi...

My niece and her friend slept over :)

Bella on the indo board

Food colored shaving cream is always a hit!

Resting, haha

Driving to the cabin

Still driving

Almost there...

The hot tub

Hiking

Keeping warm

Our trip wore him out :)

Eating ice cream at my work

2:42 PM

Away

2:42 PM

Last weekend, I was super stressed out about a lot of stuff, and all I could think about was just getting away from everything- just me and...

Last weekend, I was super stressed out about a lot of stuff, and all I could think about was just getting away from everything- just me and P, away.

So, I went on Craigslist in the "vacation rentals" section and started looking for a cabin.

I came across a post for Tomichi Lodge.

Perfection I tell you.

I emailed the owners explaining my situation, that I don't have a ton of extra money but wanted to get away for a couple days with my kiddo.

They totally hooked it up you guys, I mean, above and beyond.

They made this possible and I will never be able to thank them enough.

So more about the place.

Tomichi Lodge is located about 15 miles over Monarch Pass in Colorado.

(It was about a 3 hour drive for us)

In the winter, you drive to a trailhead and the caretakers of the lodge come pick you up with snowmobiles. It's about a 7 mile trip by snowmobile to the lodge.

The Lodge has running water and hydro electricity (from the creek running next to it).

About 150 yards from the lodge is the cabin, which has no running water or electricity.

The first night we stayed in the cabin, and the second night we slept in the lodge.

There's no cell reception, but there is a phone at the lodge for emergencies.

We got there around 1pm Monday and left about 10:30am Wednesday.

This was seriously some of the best days of my life.

Me and P snuggled by the fire, read books, played games- just spent time together.

I can't wait to go back :)

the cabin

the outhouse

the door/heart on tree

watching me get wood

inside

coloring

hanging out in the loft

insect flashcards

crayons

cooking breakfast

reading books

disco party

getting ready for the "hot tub"

hot tubbin'

7:30 AM

Catfish Review

7:30 AM

This movie. First of all, I absolutely love documentaries. This one did not disappoint. I first heard of it on Facebook, through a fr...

This movie.

First of all, I absolutely love documentaries.

This one did not disappoint.

I first heard of it on Facebook, through a friend.

I was immediately interested because it was filmed and took place mostly in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan,

in a town 10 minutes from where I went to college.

Let me preface for all you people who have no idea what the UP is-

It's small. Small towns. Not a lot of people. Far from anywhere.

BUT, amazing. I love that place and part of my heart will always be there :)

Anyway.

This movie is about a New York photographer named Nev who meets an 8 year old "artist" online.

She would take his photographs and turn them into paintings.

He ends up in a long distance relationship with her older sister, Megan.

There's a crazy twist near the end, and because I don't want to give it away, that's all I will say.

It's good. Watch it.

9:44 PM

Quotes

9:44 PM

It's a quote kind of night... { source } { source } { source } { source } { source } { source }

It's a quote kind of night...

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Sometimes more true than we want to admit

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Typewriter Series #322 by Tyler Knott Gregson

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11:28 PM

Miss you

11:05 PM

Just got off work. P is with his Nina (Jeremy's mom) for the night. I miss him. Wanna know what I do when he's gone and I mis...

Just got off work.

P is with his Nina (Jeremy's mom) for the night.

I miss him.

Wanna know what I do when he's gone and I miss him?

I watch videos like this one...

12:18 PM

InstaFriday

12:18 PM

Not too many pics this week... Bath time with Mama :) Obsessed with his new chapstick I bought him Vday present Dave and Buster...

Not too many pics this week...

Bath time with Mama :)

Obsessed with his new chapstick I bought him

Vday present

Dave and Buster's

5:59 PM

No more cable!

5:59 PM

I'm doing it, finally. No more cable. There are so many other ways to watch tv and movies, and for CHEAPER. Like, way cheaper. ...

I'm doing it, finally.

No more cable.

There are so many other ways to watch tv and movies,

and for CHEAPER.

Like, way cheaper.

First, I bought this Roku.

It's $10 off right now on their website,

selling for $49.

This thing is awesome.

You can stream so many different channels on it.

Netflix:

Let's you stream tons of movies and tv shows.

$7.99 a month. No contract. And if you sign up now, you get a free month trial!

HuluPlus:

Streams tons of movies and tv shows.
The best part of Hulu is you can watch a lot of the newest episodes a day after they air on tv. Awesome!

$7.99 a month, and a free week trial!

Amazon Instant Video:

Comparable to Netflix,
but with the option to buy episodes and movies that aren't available on NetFlix.

$79.99 for a year (which is about $16 less than a year of Netflix).

Crackle:

Streams movies and tv shows.

Free!

Plus tons of other apps, like Pandora and Facebook and
kids channels and News channels and music channels and even games!

2:32 PM

InstaFriday (late, again)

2:32 PM

addicted. being cute. lunch. climbing the bear after swimming at the rec center. being pouty. kid colors on everything. grr...

addicted.

being cute.

lunch.

climbing the bear after swimming at the rec center.

being pouty.

kid colors on everything. grr.

eating lunch.

open up monkey...

art.

great american taxi.

riding the penny horse at the grocery store.

sprayed with shaving cream, haha.

being goofy.

9:56 AM

New layout!

9:56 AM

For all of you people who read this in Google Reader, take a second to head over to my blog on your internet browser and take a look ...

For all of you people who read this in Google Reader,

take a second to head over to my blog

on your internet browser and take a look at the new design :)

I've worked really hard to get it this way,

it's more simple and clean and I love it!

It's still coming together and

there are a couple things I need to keep working on,

but how it looks now is how I plan on it staying for a long time.

Hope you like it!

10:56 PM

Then and now...

10:56 PM

Before Porter, life really was so different, not better or worse, but different. BUT, there are those "little things" that wer...

Before Porter, life really was so different, not better or worse, but different.

BUT, there are those "little things" that were so easy back then...

- Taking a shower. You know how many times a week I get to actually ENJOY a shower? Usually not once. It's hard to take your time in there when you have a toddler climbing things, spilling things, coloring on things, getting into things...

- Eating, in peace. Porter is about as bad a dog when it comes to begging for food. He sees you eating something, he wants it. RIGHT NOW. And if you don't want to give him it, he freaks out. So I have to sneak junk food so it doesn't end up in his little paws...

- Sleeping in. This rarely happens these days. P's up by 8-8:30 almost every day, sometimes earlier. Hello mornings.

- Taking 2 minutes to get out the door. Yeah right. More like 15 these days. Longer when he decides he's gonna run circles around the kitchen island in order to avoid getting his shoes or coat on. I can't wait until summer, the kid's gonna be barefoot 24/7, haha.

- Speaking of getting out the door- there's no just running to the store quick at midnight. Or anytime. It's either an ordeal, or doesn't happen.

- Work? Ha. You know how much it sucks being a single parent and having to plan a babysitter 4-5 times a week most weeks? Especially when I work mostly nights and my schedule changes from week to week. UGH.

- Clean carpet. Doesn't exist in my life. Probably won't for another 16 years.

- Cartoons then= Family Guy, American Dad, South Park. Cartoons now= Sesame Street, Thomas the Tank Engine, Angelina Ballerina (yeah, P likes it...who knows, haha).

Alright, we'll end the list there. And i'm not complaining, not at all. Just pointing out :)

And then he walks into the room like this, and I wonder what I even did before him...