My Favorite Photo - January - Swap from Happy Mom

Hello friends and swappers!  I thought this fortune cookie message was a great way to start this swap, and I hope it's seriously gonna happen for all of us.

This year got off to a great start.  My company's National Sales Meeting took place in San Antonio, Texas and I love traveling to the southwest.  

My first few photos come from the trip.  We only meet once per year, so the meeting is part reunion, part business and a lot of fun.  Especially when the company had a record year, and I made the President's Club for the 3rd time in 8 years.  Some of the sights and friends from the trip:

Our VP of Sales, Me, our President /CEO

President's Club award

Marlin's awesome Southeast Division

Desserts

At the famous San Antonio Riverwalk

 Would you believe, that with 40 sales reps, only 5 of us are women?  And let me tell you -- WE ROCK!

Kansas, Michigan, Georgia, Colorado, Virginia 

Once I got home from San Antonio, it seemed our weather went a little crazy with record highs and lows all at once.  I think the doggies are ready for Spring, and so am I.

Leia

           

           Pica

And the final picture is one I found online and used for my Facebook cover.  If our winter scenes looked like this, I might not dread winter so much.  

Idyllic Winter

Hope you have a great month and Happy Valentine's Day!  Thank you for posting a rating, so I know you've received my swap.

ESG: 10 Questions - from Happy Mom

Hello everyone!  I'm posting my swap here on my blog, and I'm glad you stopped by to read my answers 😀

I'm Ilyse Johnson - AKA Happy Mom on Swap-bot, and I live in the Richmond area of Central Virginia, in the USA. 

This picture was taken last week in San Antonio at our National Sales Meeting.  We stayed along the Riverwalk and had a very positive week.

And now.... on to the questions:

What's the most interesting thing you've read lately?

I just started John Bevere's book "Killing Kryptonite" and so far, it's very good!  He's one of my favorite Bible teachers and this book is already challenging me to think outside my comfort zone.

What's a fact about you that's not included in your Swap-bot profile?

I'm highly introverted!  I'm not shy, so most people are surprised to know that...but I'm always content to be home alone, doing my own thing and being in my 'happy place'!

Do you listen to any podcasts? Which ones? If not, what topics would interest you?

I occasionally listen to Gary Vee, Sandler Selling Skills or just anything random I land on while driving.  I would like to be more intentional about listening to motivational people.

If you were in charge of the playlist right now, which 5 songs would you play next?

I've got my SPOTIFY PLAYLIST I call "Heart of a Woman" on right now.  We're listening to:

1. Overcoats - Nighttime Hunger
2. CSNY - Find the Cost of Freedom
3. Nashville Cast/Connie Britton - Stronger than Me
4. Third Day - Soul on Fire
5. Lauren Daigle - Come Alive (Dry Bones)

What's the best gift you've ever gotten?

My dad wrote me a beautiful letter when I left home for college, and I still have it today.  He poured his heart out about how proud he was that I was on a path he admired so much.  I have cherished it ever since, especially after he died.  He was an amazing father.

What's your favorite part about living where you live right now?

I grew up in the midwest and we always had a lot of snow every winter.  I moved further south for the more mild weather, but it's been cold here too!  Still, it usually is more mild and Virginia is a beautiful state.  Our neighborhood is quiet and safe - that means a lot!

Least favorite?

We are having one heck of a time with drainage in our yard and under our house.  We need to spend a small fortune on new French drains, tree trimming and new grass (again).  I look at old photos of our house, and when I see how full and thick our grass was years ago, it makes me so sad!  We're had so much rain the past 2 years that we truly live in one big mud puddle! 

What's something that people assume about you, that isn't true?

I have it all together 😀and don't have bad days or have to deal with drama.  I have it like most everyone else does - but I really do try not to let it get me down for too long!

If you had to sum up 2018 in three words, which would they be? 

Trying - Challenging - Busy

What event/trip/holiday are you most looking forward to?

My niece is getting married in June, and I'm excited about the wedding and being together with family again.  Our family is scattered between Vegas, Chicago, Indiana and Virginia...so, getting everyone together for a happy occasion is a treat!

That wraps up my answers....Thanks for swapping, and for posting a rating for me.  Enjoy your day!

Ilyse

My Favorite Photos from December - from Happy Mom ❤️

Happy New Year!  Our final look at pictures from last year... and I had so many photos to choose from!  I narrowed it down to these, and hope you like them!

I'll start with our photo from Christmas evening.  Here you see my husband and me, plus our 'babies' and their 'significant others'. 

L-R: Ande, Jacob, Me, Matt, Michael, Callie

We had a great Christmas and a fun New Year's Eve...hope you did too.

I always like to share pictures of the doggies. Jacob and Ande were out of town a few times in December, so we had their dog, Pica, with us.  She and Leia get along well, and they're both so cuddle-able.  This month - 2 close-ups:

Leia

Pica

This next photo is Jacob bouldering on one of his out of town trips.  Look at those arms :)

Jacob

And I'll leave you with a gorgeous shot of the Swift Creek Reservoir - So pretty and peaceful!  I can't take credit for this one - I snagged it from Facebook, but I love it.  

I hope your year is off to a great start, and that 2019 is a happy, healthy and prosperous year!

Please remember to post a rating, so I know you've received my swap.  Till next time....

Blessings,

Ilyse

Come for a visit! Home for the Holidays swap from Happy Mom

I am so happy to welcome you to Richmond and to my little house in the suburbs!  I hope you enjoy the visit!  

The Richmond Airport is an asset to our area.  It's so easy to fly in and out, and so much closer than having to drive to DC or Norfolk.  It's about 30 minutes from my house.  On our way out to the suburbs, we'll make a few stops.  

Richmond is a pretty city.  It's the capital of Virginia and there's a lot of history here.  

One place I always take guests is to the historic Jefferson Hotel.  This picture was taken from the mezzanine, looking down into the the lower lobby, and as you can see - it's decorated for Christmas!

We'll head out to my house now... 

I live in a development called BRANDERMILL and as you can see, it's beautiful year-round:

We live in Deer Meadow Court, and here's a shot of my cul-de-sac:

And welcome to our humble abode!

Our front door - Come on in!

Our tree - 2018

And now that you're settled-in, we can talk about what you'd like to do while you're in town.  

If you've read my Swap-bot profile, you know that my house is a 2 hour drive inland from the Atlantic Ocean...2 hours south of Washington, DC and about 2 hours east of the Blue Ridge Mountains...plus, there's plenty to do right here in this area.  

One of my favorite things to do for the holidays is a "Tacky Limo Light Tour".  A few years ago, we made this our family fun time.  The limo picked us up at home, then picked up a few of the kids' friends, and we headed through several well-known neighborhoods to look at all the holiday decorations.  We covered a lot of ground in just a few hours - so festive!  Here are some photos from that night:

Inside the Limo

Just one of many of the houses we visited!

This family knows how to have fun!

Downtown Richmond - The James Center

Did you enjoy the tour?  There's lots more to do while you're here, but I don't want to wear you out!  On Christmas Eve, we can attend services at Clover Hill Church, if you'd like... or, just relax at home.  Our tradition is to wake up on Christmas morning and exchange gifts.  When our kids were little, I'd have the camcorder ready when my husband would carry them down the stairs into the living room to see what Santa brought them.  And he always brought too much!  These next two photos are from years gone by, but you get the idea!

Christmas is always a very festive and fun time for us, and I've sure enjoyed sharing my memories and photos.  Mostly, I enjoy sharing the Love of Jesus and the miracle of His birth at this special time.  It's easy to get caught up in the activities, shopping, baking and the like...but the real 'magic' is knowing that our world was changed forever by the birth of a baby in a manger.  

Blessings to you and yours this holiday season!

With love,

Michael, Ilyse, Callie & Jacob

My Favorite Photos - November - from Happy Mom 😀

November was a fun month - and I have some random photos to share!  Enjoy the visit!

Starting off with a pano photo of my street with a gorgeous sky:

Next are 3 snags from Instagram and Facebook. 

Left is my friend's daughter from her overseas wedding in Italy.  The bride was just a kid when our families became friends, and she has grown up to be an amazing woman.

Middle is a cute idea for holiday parties and potlucks.  I meant to make this for Thanksgiving, but totally forgot until I started this swap.

Right is the new "Women of Climbing" calendar featuring one of my son's good friends on the cover.  How cool is that?  Not only is she an accomplished climber, but she's also a top-rated tattoo artist.

 Sharing these next few outdoor shots because the clear skies are such a welcome change from the normal dreariness of November.  My dog loves going outside with me - even if I'm just walking out to the mailbox.  And I was on an ATC-making mission over our Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  

 Last, but not least, I thought you might enjoy seeing a video clip of my son's dog - determined to get that one last morsel that wound up under the wine rack in the kitchen.  

Don't worry - after the bottles fell, one actually knocked that morsel out from under the rack, and Pica got her due reward!

That's it for this month.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great December!

My Favorite Photo - October

Happy to share a few photos from our little family getaway to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee!

This first one shows all of us when we went out to dinner. 

(L-R:  Me, my son Jacob, my husband Michael, Erin & Kevin (my nephew and his wife), Andrew & Jess (my niece and her fiancé), Matt & Callie (my daughter and her boyfriend), Dawn & Shelly (my brother and sister-in-law). 

Dinner at The Peddler - Gatlinburg, TN

Next are photos from our first day of hiking.  The "kids" did a strenuous 10-mile hike, while the "old folks" did an easy 2.6 mile hike.  Guess which group I was in?!

Laurel Falls

Ramsey Cascades

Here are a few more - The cabin we stayed in was so pretty with amazing views of the mountains!

We missed the peak of the fall foliage - it was late this year.  It was still beautiful!

It was great having the whole family together.  It was our first time meeting Jessica's fiancé, and their first time meeting Callie's boyfriend Matt.  Unfortunately, Jacob's girlfriend couldn't join us...maybe next time!

Here's a fun shot of my kids - Callie is 27 and Jacob is 25.  They are the loves of my life :)

Jacob & Callie

That's it for this month!  Hope you liked the photos I picked.  There's a whole album on my Facebook, if you care to check it out.  If we're partnered on Swap-bot, please post a rating so I know you received my swap.  Thanks for visiting - Swap again soon!

Spend the Day With Me - from Happy Mom ❤️

Hello Swappers and Friends!  I decided to take you with me yesterday, so I hope you enjoy the visit.

We start the day around 6:30, with coffee in the living room.  The dog is fed and she's chillin while I have my coffee.  That blue box contains fall decorations that my daughter plans on putting on the shelves you see against the wall.

It was quite foggy when I left the house around 8:45 to attend a Promotional Products trade show across town.  

 

The show happens twice a year, and it's a lot of fun.  There are hundreds of vendors who display all kinds of gifts and promotional items that companies can buy to have customized with their logos.  I was looking for client gifts and a family reunion item too.  Here's a shot inside the vendor hall:

I left the show and got home - The sun was out, and you'd never know that we're bracing for a major hurricane in 2 days.  Turns out, the storm has taken a more southernly path and we're not going to bear the brunt of it, as originally thought.  Still - they're expecting quite a bit of rain, some flooding, high winds and downed power lines, so I'm getting as much paperwork done as possible, in case we lose power!  

This is my office, which is in the room that's behind the two windows on the right as you're facing the house:

       






















Around 3:00, I made a quick run up to the grocery store to get something to cook for dinner, and you can see the empty shelves where everyone had purchased bottled water:

My daughter gets home from work around 5, and she always comes into my office to chat.  Today, she Face-timed my husband, because he's out of town.  

Dinner was good!  I made LOW CARB CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS and then watched some TV and did some laundry.  

 

I took a hot bath and used one of my nice clean towels 😀and went to sleep at 11:30.  

Not a super-exciting day, but at least you got a glimpse of what goes on in my world on a normal day!  Please keep us and our neighbors in North and South Carolina in your thoughts and prayers as we weather Hurricane Florence!  She's one that won't be soon forgotten.  

Till next time,

Ilyse

Happy Mom on Swap-bot