When Daddy Plays With The Toys

OK, hold up now.

I think I'm going crazy.
Is it "monkeys" or "monkies?"
"Monkeys" when it's a noun and "monkies" when it's a verb??
My previous post should say "barrel of monkeys," I think.
I hate English.
The end.

Cheap or Frugal?

Here's a way to pinch some pennies this very week:
Say "no" to the store-bought valentines!
I made these last night, entirely from supplies and leftovers I already had in the house.

The Cast:

• two sheets of 12x12 cardstock, cut and then folded to make 8 square cards per sheet.
• two scrap pages of 8.5x11 patterned paper.
• something heart shaped to trace the hearts
• a hole puncher
• left over raffia ribbon from my gift wrap bin
• a stamp block w/ some clear alphabet stamps
• left over Halloween candy!! No lie, folks. Those dum-dums are from October. And I'm glad to get them out of my house.

Voila! Cheap, quick, and more fun than a barrel of monkies.

Today is a good day.

And really, it's had more than one opportunity to not be a good day. But today is a fighter, and refuses to be taken down. I like that.

Woke up Oh My Gaaah It's 7:30 We're So Freaking Late Hurry Run Run Run style this morning. Adrenaline shot through my veins, which can be quite a nice feeling. I was out the door in ten minutes. I'm a rock star. Three cheers for Justin's job flexibility. I left all things James in his care: breakfast, clothes, show-and-tell item, lunch box, and the kiddo himself.

Today I'm thinking about the importance of a smile. I am not one who smiles constantly. I've been accused of "looking pissed off," even in a moment when I am perfectly content. However, I try to wear a smile most of the day at work. I wish more people would. When I pass faculty or other staff members in the hallway, I always smile and say something polite. Always. Every single time. Why do some people ignore me? I don't understand. I'm just going to keep smiling until they either smile back or tell me that I'm getting on their nerves. At which point I will probably smile more. Because I'm ornery like that. :)

Play With Your Food!

Dinner's just more fun that way!



Thank you, Aunt Karen, for such a fun gift!
Get your own!!

The Value of Remembering

This one's wordy -- consider yourself warned.

Last night, Justin and I enjoyed a dinner date (followed by a trip to the book store) and some great conversation. That's the thing about date night: you get to have uninterrupted grown-up conversation. (Not that the interruptions at home aren't sweet ones: "Daddy, opa dis," "Mommy, Amos a go outside," "I'n watch a show, peeease," etc.)

Generally we talk about work for a while, but eventually the conversation always comes around to the hopes, dreams, and collective goals we have for our family. I was amazed last night when I mentioned to Justin that I'd settled on the word "give" as a kind of resolution for the year. To which he replied that God must be working in both of us on that one. Turns out we've both been feeling convicted to make some of the same changes. I guess we're meant to adopt the word "give" as a team. That's comforting and exhilarating at the same time.

But that's not what this post is about, really.

Somewhere during our appetizer, we found ourselves investigating the topic of forgiveness -- specifically what it means to "forgive and forget."

And our banter really centered around forgiving and forgetting as it relates to others. You know, when someone does you harm, it can take a while before you are prepared to offer them your forgiveness. But I think people struggle more with the concept of forgetting the wrong that's been done to them. My husband, whose wisdom I admire, had great insight on this. He said that he once led a church youth group discussion (back in Tomball) on this very issue, and that the kids were hung up on the impossibility of forgetting something that has caused pain. And Justin told them that, of course, it's usually not possible to instantly forget those hurts -- at least not in the literal sense. When someone injures you, it becomes a part of your history and cannot be erased from the books. But to "forgive and forget" means that you make a conscious decision to put that hurt behind you and stride forward. You choose not to dwell. And maybe in the beginning, when the pain is fresh and ugly, you have to make that decision every hour, or even every few minutes. But you practice doing so, with determination (and the reminder that you've already forgiven), and soon enough you realize it's been a day since you thought about it. And then a week. Or a year. Or five years. Or twenty. The history of that misdeed still exists. But it's been forgiven, and forgotten.

(I hope Justin will comment on this and leave some further insight, if he wants. I probably haven't done his explanation justice.)

But later, as I stood thinking in my near-scalding shower (a great place to think), I began to wonder about the concept of forgiving and forgetting as it relates to self.

I've caused my fair share of hurt -- I guess we all have. Deeds or words that were rooted in selfishness or carelessness, and ultimately caused pain to someone else. And I carry the memory of those things with me at all times, but I'm not convinced that is a bad thing. When someone has been hurt, and you are the offender, you have a choice. You have a choice to learn from that moment, or to continue unchanged. If learning (and improving) is the ultimate goal, there is a process involved. After asking forgiveness of God and the person you've hurt, you must be willing to forgive yourself -- to recognize the pain you've caused for what it is, and then offer yourself the chance to start fresh. Then you make the necessary changes in your life or within yourself to avoid causing a similar hurt to anyone else (the most difficult step). After all that, at least for me, I choose to remember.

I should mention that remembering, as I see it, is not the same as dwelling. I'm talking about tucking that memory away in a part of yourself where it's semi-easy to access -- not for the purpose of wallowing in self-loathing, but to serve as a gentle reminder. I file those moments in a binder in my brain, flagged with neon post-it notes. And then I vow to thumb through the pages from time to time, especially when the next opportunity to err comes along.

And I guess in doing so, I'm strapping myself with what's commonly known as "baggage." But you know what? It isn't a burden. It's just a collection that's meaningful to me... a set of moments that contribute to my makeup, and that I may hopefully one day label as wisdom.

Stuff I Want to Say Today

1. The winner of the iTunes gift card giveaway is... Kristin!!! Congratulations -- your treat will be on its way in tomorrow's mail!
2. Speaking of giving, I guess I've settled on a word for 2010. GIVE. This will be a year of giving for me. I want to be more generous with my time (especially when it comes to spending it with James or keeping up with friends), my money, and my affections. I have a lot to share, and I can't afford to be so selfish.
3. Completely off topic: sometimes I hope I meet someone from PETA so that I can give them a good slap. Let's see if I get any hate mail over that statement. But seriously, folks -- they want to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a robot. Are you kidding me? What kind of alternate universe do we live in where we expend energy worrying about something like that? They say the bright lights and camera crews stress him out. What do you think? Is it unfair to the rodent that we've made him a Q-list celebrity?
4. Lastly, if you have three and a half minutes, watch this. This is the most beautiful music video I've seen in a long, long, long time. Okay, maybe ever.
   

The Art of Time Suckage

Next time you have ten minutes, you might like this little blog.
Or maybe you won't.
But you don't know if you don't try, right?

Assignment and Giveaway

Okay, time to complete the assignment.

I'm sitting here, racking my brain for my best and worst memories from high school. And I'm thinking I've blocked the whole damn thing out. What other reason do I have for only being able to access a small handful of memories -- most of which fit more in the "neutral" category?

I guess I'm going to make a blanket statement that high school math classes are among my worst memories. I have stress dreams (I bet we all have some version of this one) where it's the end of the semester, I've got a math exam looming, but somehow I've never been to class -- or can't remember which room to go to -- or don't even have a textbook and certainly haven't read the material.

Also in the negative category are vague memories regarding relationships. You know, having to go to school with that awful feeling in your gut when you know a friend is mad at you (frequent), or someone spilled the beans about your crush and now everyone knows (less frequent).

My best memory isn't really one memory, but more like a string of memories:
movie nights in rotating homes, long hand-written notes passed between classes and first thing in the morning, orchestra concerts and trips. Some of you reading this are a part of nearly every memory I have from those years.

And as far as teachers: there are three who stood out to me. I'm not making a claim that any of these people changed my life or anything so drastic. And I know that teaching styles are a matter of personal preference, so you may disagree with my choices. But I'd have to say that Mme. Purifoy (French II, I think) and Mrs. Lampo (AP English, Jr. year) commanded my respect in their classes. They always seemed to know the material and have an organized direction in which the class needed to go. I learned a lot in both of those classes. And of course, I have to add Mr. Turbyfill to the list... mostly for his dedication and kind spirit. He caught a lot of flack from the students (myself included sometimes.) But he came to work every day, tried his best, and was proud of the students when they rose to the occasion.

Honestly, when I think of high school in general, I hear music more than I see memories. It's almost like a specific soundtrack plays at the mere mention of high school. And each song has a particular memory or set of emotions attached. The list is long, but here's a tiny sampling: Bizarre Love Triangle - Frente!; Nightswimming - R.E.M.; Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something; All I Want Is You - U2; The Promise - Tracy Chapman. Gracious, my list could go on and on.

And now, with absolutely no elegant segue whatsoever, I have a giveaway.
I've got this:
and I want you to have it.
I want to know what your high school soundtrack is like. What song or songs bring you right back to a memory from that time? You know -- a song you could hear when you're 70 that would instantly bring laughter, tears, or at least make you close your eyes and remember.

Just leave me a comment about it sometime between now and Monday morning at 8am. Some lucky someone will win this $15 iTunes gift card. Aren't you excited? ;) If you drop by this blog from time to time but have never taken a moment to say hi or introduce yourself, now's your chance!

Happy Friday, everyone.

J.D. Sallinger

Just saw on MSN that J.D. Sallinger has died.

Everyone has a list of authors who had a huge impact on them as teenagers -- those formative years when all suggestions from all sources stand an equal chance of snaking their way into your permanent make-up. J.D. Sallinger hovered near the top of my list.

I suppose I've read Catcher in the Rye probably five times. But I have equal affection for Franny and Zooey and Nine Stories. A favorite quote from Franny and Zooey: "An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's."

If you haven't read his books, head to the book store. Or heck, I'll loan you my copies.

Technology is cool. C-O-O-L, cool.

James has been watching the Max Lucado "Buzby" movie quite a lot lately. It's cute, but does have the unwanted side effect of making me run around spelling everything.

Remember this post?
This morning when I dropped James off, the kids were happy to see him. I heard five or six little voices yell out, "James!" -- but in a good, happy way. And when I peeked back in, I saw a sweet little boy walk over to James, stand in his tutu circle, and just start dancing. He was bouncing and saying James' name over and over. Guess he was glad to see my child. My heart did a grand jete and then spun around with glee a time or two.

So about that technology. The first day we were in Jackson, Justin's phone rang. It was his mom, who had located an internet page with a webcam feed from the Jackson town square. She was looking at us! And a few minutes later, my mom called and said she was looking at us too. I love that! It feels a little "Big Brother," but there's also comfort knowing that we're never as far away as we think. Here's a screen capture my mom took:

Yep -- that's us! Pretty cool, huh?

Moving On

This made me cry.

I'm Drowning in Paperwork

That's what I get for missing three days of work. Good grief -- I am still trying to swim up from under this ocean of paper. I think I need a vacation. haha.

The happy news is that our luggage finally returned from its joy ride. Justin says they delivered it to his office about an hour ago. Thank goodness. I'm sorry, but how stupid do you have to be to send a piece of luggage to the wrong place? I know we all make mistakes, but it just doesn't seem like it should be hard to get all those suitcases to their proper destinations. Maybe my expectations are too high, I don't know.

I did want to share just a couple of pictures. We took a zillion -- and a zillion videos, as well. (We made a video diary for James, which I sent to my parents so they could play it for him. Apparently he went ape over it, and talked to us on the computer screen. Very cute. He's still saying "big buffalo," and "snowstake" (which is his version of "snowflake," as I'm sure you can guess.)

The first day of our trip was mostly shopping. We got in about noon, and had a half-day to poke around the town.

The second day was fabulous, but long. The snowmobile tour company picked us up at 6am, we went to their office to get "fit up," as our tour guide Bob called it, in all our gear. We drove 60 miles to Yellowstone, and then snowmobiled until nearly 7:00pm that night. That was a new experience for me, and I definitely enjoyed it. I preferred riding to driving, though, so I only drove one 17 mile section of the trip. The rest of the time, I rode. I was so scared that I would freeze to death, and I had so many layers on that I'm not sure how I could even move.

I wore: ballet tights, long johns, jeans, a camisole, long-sleeved T-shirt, thin sweater, a fleece, and my puffy down jacket. That was all under the ski suit. I also wore ski boots, with disposable foot and toe warmers, and ski mittens with two hand warmers in each one. I had a scarf around my neck, a fleece face mask, and my helmet. By the end of the trip, when we took off all our gear, I felt 40 pounds lighter. BUT... I stayed warm! The weather was great: it snowed lightly the first half of the day. Then it started snowing up a storm. Driving the snowmobiles got a little scary for a while -- it was practically a white out. We couldn't see the machine in front of us without staying pretty close. In fact, it continued to snow so hard over night that the next morning the park was closed.

The next day was spent relaxing. We hung around our Inn for several hours, mostly reading. I did a little school work. Then we went for a long drive. The scenery was gorgeous, and we just kept going and going. Some of those roads are a little nerve-wracking, covered in snow.

On our last day, we went for a snowshoe excursion down by the river, by ourselves. Well, we thought we were alone. Turns out there was a huge moose hunkered down nearby, watching our every move. We stared back for a while, but he didn't seem disturbed. After checking out of the Inn, we drove through the National Elk Reserve (where we mostly saw tons of those Curly Horn Sheep) and then headed to the airport.

It was a great trip, and I would go back in an instant. Here are just a few pictures -- if you've seen the album on FB, this will be redundant. But I thought I'd share all the same.

...aaaand we're back.

We touched down safely in Houston late last night -- sans luggage, I'm afraid. You know how that goes. (You do, don't you? Tell me I'm not the only one whose luggage gets lost?!) Seems that our suitcase wasn't quite ready for the adventure to end. It took off across the country to Washington DC. Supposedly it will be back in Houston (through Atlanta) some time today, and will be delivered to our house. I'll believe it when I see it. The end.

The trip was amazing. As is always true for us, by the second day of the trip we were fantasizing about moving to Wyoming. I think that's easy to do on vacation -- dream of moving to wherever it is you're visiting.

I've put tons of pictures on Facebook, and I'll get some posted here soon too, along with some little blurbs about what we did each day. But for now I'll say: snow is beautiful. I love it. I love it. I love it. I wouldn't love it quite so much if I had to plow it off my driveway each morning. But for just a few days, it was a wonderfully refreshing change.

Brrrr!

We're here!!! My tootsies are cold, but Oh So Excited! More pictures and updates soon. For now, it's time for wine and cheese here at the Inn, followed by a lovely dinner in Jackson.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Party, School, Vacation, and an Assignment

Well -- it is always so long between posts these days. I guess life is just busy. Sometimes I have more in my head than I could possible share in ten posts, and feel rushed to get it all said. Others, I prefer to keep my thoughts to myself and just enjoy reading what the rest of the blogosphere has to say. It's ebb and flow.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, the hub and I will be nestled into our uncomfortable airplane seats, bound for snowy terrain. Friday, our view will look something like this: as we spend 8 hours snowmobiling through Yellowstone National Park, and hoping not to lose any digits to frostbite. I think it will be a trip to remember, and I am so ready to get out of here.

Started my first online business course yesterday. So far the "assignments" have all consisted of introductory, make-sure-you-can-navigate-a-computer tasks. I'll have some work to do on our trip, but I'm thankful that the class has started slowly and I don't feel pressured to read ten chapters while on vacation.

Last Saturday, I had the privilege to see some beautiful faces that I never really banked on seeing again. Blog Gals, you know who you are. It was pure joy to have you in my home. When the last of you left at about 2:45am, I had the distinct feeling that we could have all stayed there talking another several hours -- if not for pure exhaustion, and family waiting for us. I can't wait to see you all again.

The Assignment:
We discussed each sharing our thoughts on a certain subject, and thought it would be fun to talk about our best and worst memories from high school. Feel free to be as general or detailed as you are comfortable with. It should be interesting to see those days through one another's eyes. But I'd like to add an additional topic. We spent a good deal of time Saturday poking fun at(or venting frustrations about)less than stellar teachers we'd had. I'm wondering if anyone wants to talk about a teacher they really admired: someone who commanded your respect and changed you for the better. It doesn't have to be from high school, I guess -- just anytime.

Other bloggers reading this, feel free to take this blog prompt for your own! Some days it's helpful to have a predefined topic!

Happy Wednesday, everyone.

TGIF and Happy semi-New Year

I, for one, am so glad it's Friday -- because I am very excited about this weekend. Blog gals, I hope you're ready for a great reunion. I can't wait to see all of you in person. For most of you, it's been more than 10 years.

And speaking of 10 years....

I've told you before about my habit of thinking back as each New Year rolls around. 10 years ago we began a new decade, a new century, and a new millennium. And in that one year, 2000, I had so many changes in my life I almost couldn't see straight.

Here's a sample: I suffered through a bad breakup, I moved back to Texas after four years away, my first ballet was performed at the RDA gala concert, I had surgery to put a titanium rod in my shin, I started dancing again, I broke the other leg, I quit dancing, I started college, I took my first "real person" job, my Granny passed away, I had my third 1st date (long story) with my husband, and I became the proud parent of Amos Pug. I'm sure I'm leaving something out! :)

The last 10 years have been chock-a-bock full of surprises. There have been times of grief, but joy in abundance. I feel like I grew up over the past decade, and I'm thankful for that. (I'm not the only one, hahaha!)

So happy semi-New Year to all of you -- May neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect you, and heaven accept you!

Just some stuff. Some days the last thing you feel qualified to do is give your blog post a cute and quirky title. Ya know?

I have to say it: no comments on the previous post? Not one?? I don't have thousands of readers here, but it is unusual not to have at least one person respond to any given post. So I'm left with the following conclusions:

1) Perhaps I am the only person who occasionally has thoughts, feelings, dreams that I'm not sure where to "store." Maybe you had no idea what I was even talking about. (Sorry -- but I'm not buying it.)
2) Many of you have this same dilemma, but you feel uncomfortable discussing it.
3) You have busy lives, and just can't comment on every single post.

Yep -- it's definitely #3. :) Moving on....
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This morning I got myself worked into a little Momma-frenzy. You know what that is? It's when you're going along, following the routine of parenthood, dealing with the humdrum daily stuff like packing lunch boxes and changing diapers, when suddenly you're struck by a whirlwind of worry. *SMACK!!!* And then you just have to stand there for a few minutes, with worries and fears battering you in the face, confident in the knowledge that it will pass. And it does -- it always does. But in that moment? It's awfully hard to catch your breath and stay on your feet.

It happened today, just as I had seen James safely into the 'TV room,' and was turning to go. All the children who arrive at school prior to 8am sit together in the TV room and watch cartoons until the teachers arrive and take them to the classrooms. James loves the TV room -- most days, anyway. But he is usually the youngest in there, by several years. This morning he held my hand all the way down the hall, then broke loose and ran into the room without so much as a glance back at me. I put his lunchbox on the shelf, and just as I was turning to go, I heard it. A tiny little angry boy's voice: "SIT DOWN, JAMES! YOU'RE IN THE WAY! GOD!!! JAMES, MOVE!!!" I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard my child's name. And then a little chorus of other voices chimed in: "Yeah, sit down James. I can't see. James!!!"

Some background: This is not the first time I've heard that same little boy yelling hurtful words that are just dripping with anger. Once, in our early days at that school, I dropped James off and he began to cry. Hard. This same little boy, with venom in his voice, practically spat the words, "BE QUIET RIGHT NOW. I'M SICK OF THIS!!!!!!! Clearly, he hears a lot of angry language and yelling at home -- it comes so naturally to him. So I guess I should feel sorry for him....

I stood still for a moment, observing the situation. James had walked in front of the other kids to sit by the teacher. He had a look of mild surprise on his face -- eyebrows lifted and head cocked slightly -- but he didn't look like he'd taken it very personally. Once I was sure everything was fine, I headed out.

But as I reached my car, the whirlwind struck. Suddenly I could see James as an elementary student, being yelled at and bullied by other kids on the playground. I was hit with a fear that my child would be an outsider. And I began to berate myself for not being part of a larger social circle here in town... the "cool mom club," whose children grow up to be the "cool kids." I began to worry that he will have trouble making friends, or that some day he won't be welcomed at a particular lunch table, or invited to a certain party. I could picture him coming home from school, head hung low, after being "beaten up" by some no-good bully. It went on and on until tears pricked my eyes.

And then, slowly, the fog lifted. I caught my breath, put the key in the ignition, and drove my car to the office.

He's only 2 years old. He's happy, healthy, enjoys friendships with his classmates and cousins. So I recognize that these fears speak more to my personal issues than anything really having to do with James. But that greeting card quote comes to mind. You know the one? "Having a child is to forever have your heart go walking around outside your body?" Yeah -- I get that now.

In the end, I have to realize that some bad things happen to everyone. It's just the nature of life on this spinning ball. Some kids will be mean to James. Sometimes he will not be included. Some exchanges will lead to hurt feelings. It was true for me. It was true (I imagine) for anyone reading this. And we survived. Maybe in those moments, you have the opportunity to learn empathy. Or to know how it feels, hopefully with the resolution to rise above. A "what not to wear" for the soul, if you will. Maybe those painful childhood moments help shape an adult who is fair, honest, brimming with integrity.

And perhaps it is my job to step in when needed and help that transformation to occur. To heal hurts, shower encouragement, rebuke when necessary, and give guidance for the next time... the very same things that were once offered to me.
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Thanks for reading my thoughts today. It's good to know you're here.

Why Do You Blog?

I've had this question on my mind for a few weeks now. I think if you ask most bloggers why they started a personal blog, and continue to post to it, you'd probably get one of a handful of canned responses:

• To update friends and family about what's happening in our household.
• To connect with other bloggers who have similar interests.
• To have an outlet -- a place to share my thoughts and feelings.

Have I listed your reason, or do you have another?

Initially, I started this blog with reason #3 in mind. I began the blog right as my life was being turned on end by a new baby, career change, and house move. It seemed like a good way to air some frustrations, honestly. Before blogging, I did an awful lot of journaling. But I quit journaling when I got married, because it felt inappropriate somehow -- like I was keeping secrets. And frankly, I never felt that I journaled with honesty. In the back of my mind, I always wrote with the realization that someone might read my words. So they were guarded. Eventually, a blog seemed like a good substitute for my journals. But there's this one little problem, of course. A blog is just so... public. And not only that, but once you have a good sense of your audience, it becomes difficult not to write with them in mind. Anyone else relate to this? Your writing takes on a slant based on the idea that certain people are reading it. This isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but it prevents the blog from bestowing the same therapeutic qualities as a journal or diary might.

So here's what I'm wondering:

What do you do with your deepest, strongest, most private thoughts, feelings, and dreams? You know -- the stuff in the basement of your heart, covered with white sheets and stringy cobwebs? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that no matter how fabulous a relationship we have with our spouses, friends, or parents, there will always be some things that are yours alone. And I'm just curious what type of storage you find most appropriate for those things. Do you leave them inside, buried and quiet? Do you have a private journal where you feel safe enough to record anything you like? Do you regularly send postcards to Post Secret? (Only sort of kidding on that one.)

Just curious.

You know one outlet I miss? Notes passed between classes in high school. Now that was good therapy.

Christmas update -- let's do this and move on.

At long last -- my Christmas update post.

It was lovely.

The End. :)










Now if I could just find time to take down my tree.............

Because I need a new hobby like I need a hole in my head.

Okay.
First it was scrapbooking. I gave that a try shortly after Justin and I were married. (It seemed like something a married woman "should do." Don't ask -- I have issues. I also bought a whole new "married woman wardrobe" prior to the big day. You know NO ONE stranger than me, okay? Just accept it.) It took precisely one session of scrapbooking for me to be hooked. And although I only get around to my scrapbooks about twice a year, I just adore every bit of it: sitting cross-legged on the floor, supplies spread out a mile around me, pictures in chronological order, stickers&ribbons&papers oh my.... It's good stuff. My scrapbooking goodies now take up a good chunk of real estate in our guest room closet.

Then it was jewelry making. One year for my birthday, my mother decided on my behalf that I would now become a jewelry designer. Because that's how we roll. So that year, I opened up gift bags full of beads and clasps and wire and books suggesting ways in which I might put them all together. It took precisely one session of jewelry making for me to be hooked. (Sensing a pattern here?) I really went nuts. For a while I was selling my creations in various places, but I probably have spent a gazillion dollars on beads over the years. I don't have much time to make jewelry these days, but I still love to dabble here and there. All my beading goodies now take up a good chunk of real estate in our office closet.

Well... this year when my mom's birthday came around, I gave her a gift certificate to U-Paint-It, with the stipulation that she had to take me along when she went. We finally settled on a time (last week) and off we went. And good gracious, did we ever have fun.

We chose our pottery (a bowl for mom, a plate for me), figured out what the process was, and then set to work. Two nutty perfectionists in a room full of paint, stencils, and stamps. I told Justin I would be home in an hour... and nearly three hours later I was finally leaving the store. It was too fun. I think we both enjoyed the quiet companionship... you know what I mean? Sitting there together, but concentrating on our own tasks. We'd bounce ideas off of one another, or comment on various things. But mostly we just enjoyed creating and hanging out together.

All I can say is: it's a good thing I don't know how to make pottery, or do the glazing and firing after a piece is decorated. And don't any of you dare tell me. Because frankly, I'm out of closet space for hobby paraphernalia.

Here's how my little creation turned out:

Blog? Huh??

1. I am alive. We survived the holidays.
2. I am so busy today that I can't even find time to walk down to the Ladies' room. I can't believe I just said that. I hate when people say things like that.
3. I am looking forward to posting some good updates about our Christmas vacation, and mention some things that will be coming up for the Ellisons. But I'm afraid it will have to wait a bit longer.
4. It is my 7th wedding anniversary today! How cool is that?!?!?!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Although I only got on the internet a total of three times over the holiday break, I did sneak by and catch up on your blog posts one of those days. I hope 2010 is off to a great start for you all. More soon....

Here we go....

Okay, friends and relations, start your engines. The holidays are about to begin. Let's see who can make it to the finish line with their sanity still in tact.

If I'm counting correctly, we Ellisons have committed to six different holiday "get-togethers" in the next three days. And I am looking forward to each and every one. But I gotta admit, it feels a bit daunting.

Does anyone else out there have dreams of staying home, by the fire, in your pajamas for the holidays? Like, from the morning of Dec. 24th to the morning of Dec. 26th -- just watching Christmas shows and drinking spiced tea, napping with a fuzzy blanket, walking around in your slippers? Am I crazy? I can't be alone on this, I just can't.

My shopping is (nearly) done now. Still have mucho wrapping to do though, so I'm glad we don't have to work tomorrow. As soon as Christmas is over, it's on to other business. Irons currently in the fire include: setting a ballet in Houston the first weekend of January, celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary, an upcoming cocktail party with some gals I haven't seen in a long time (can't wait!), a vacation with the hubby to Wyoming, and diving into my college course work. Yep -- you read that right. I've decided to go back to school... while continuing to work full time and raise an almost 2-year old little fella. I might be crazy.

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the last few days of this year. Even with all the running around, the commitments and responsibilities clouding my vision, I can still see so clearly the blessings I've been given.

So from my computer to yours: Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Three Photos

Can I just say, life is about to get really busy?! As a kid, Christmas always seemed like a quiet, calm, restful time at our house. Maybe I'm misremembering, I don't know. But when I look at the jam-packed calendar I've had to make just for the next two weeks, I'm overwhelmed. It's going to be fun, don't get me wrong -- I just hope I can find some time to sit on my butt with a book and giant mug of hot chocolate, too. Wait... who am I kidding? We have a certain little person who can't easily be fooled into quiet time. Ah well. One thing's for sure: I'm ready to be out of my office for a full 12 days. Bring it on!

Wanted to share three random photos with you. It's not for their amazing artistic value, or anything like that. I'm no photographer. They're just shots that I like, and that show a little of what life has been like lately. Ready? Cool. Here we go.

Here's one from this morning. We were running late, trying to get James in his jacket and out the door. But he spotted Daddy's boots and wanted to go for a walk. It was adorable, watching James hoist his feet high off the ground for each step, and holding on tightly to Justin's hand.

I encourage you to click on this one and see a larger version. This was two weekends ago, I think. It had been raining for days, and James was so frustrated by being cooped up inside. So we went out on the porch to blow bubbles for a while. About 15 minutes after I stopped, I noticed this bubble had landed on a wilting rose nearby and hadn't popped yet. So I went to take a picture, and managed to get one with the shadow of my hand reflected. Kind of strange, but kind of cool.

This is my favorite, for what it represents. Justin and I have a long-standing Christmas tradition of watching "The Family Man" during the Christmas season. I adore this movie, and always look forward to the evening we decide to pull it out of the drawer. In case you've never seen this little gem, have a sneak peek:


Happy Wednesday, everyone. Wait... it is Wednesday, right?

A little joy....

You may have seen this already, but my Dad just sent it to me and I had to share. Not sure why, but it made me tear up. What fun this must have been!!!

Friday Musings

Okay, first of all... you know what I love?
I love it when someone says to me, "Hey - we should go to lunch some time," and then it turns out they really did want to go to lunch!! I'm not kidding, it makes me so excited when that happens! It seems like so often, people play the "let's do lunch" card as a way to end a conversation, or to seem interested when they really are not. Maybe they think it's the polite thing to say. I don't know. But I really appreciate when people follow through on those words. :)

Secondly, my Christmas shopping list has begun to stress me out. Every year, I get to the middle of December and still have zero gift ideas for the same handful of people: our grandparents. Why, oh why is it so hard to shop for them? Does anyone have a great idea for what to give your grandparents? I'm open to any and all suggestions. I think everyone must have a "toughie" on their Christmas shopping list. Am I right? Do you have someone that stumps you every single year?

Lastly, please take a quick gander at this page. What do you see? Fabulous dresses, yes. Beautiful women, yes. Ridiculously good hair, yes. But please note the poses these models are in. Uh...
When is the last time you stood in conversation at a party like THIS:

or THIS:

Or (heaven help me), THIS:


Puh-lease!!
Then again, I guess I shouldn't give these girls too hard a time. After all, 1) They look amazing in these dresses, so they should be allowed to strike whatever goofy pose they like, and 2) I'm pretty sure I HAVE done this:in public more times than I would want to count.

Happy Friday, folks. May the force be with you.

ETA: Can I tell you how much I love this dress? There are no words.

Favorite Ornaments

I love Christmas ornaments. I love the ones we hang on our tree at home, and I love to see the special family ornaments on other people's trees. You can point out almost any ornament on someone's Christmas tree, and it will have a story. Have you noticed that?

Well, I wanted to share just a couple of my favorite ornaments with you. And if you're stuck for blog ideas this week, how about you do the same? I would love to see them and hear all about why they are special to you!

Each year when we set up our tree, I pull out my big tub of ornaments. I have a collection that goes all the way back to ornaments I was given as a baby. There's no way I could even come close to putting them all on the tree, so each year we just pick a handful. We tend to use ornaments that Justin and I have acquired together. It feels right to use ornaments that are a part of our family. But I still cherish all the ornaments I have from my childhood. Maybe I'll take some pictures of those to share, too.

So here are just a few of our favorite ornaments on the tree this year:

This ornament was given to us (by my Mom, I think) the first Christmas we had our own house in Tomball. It's got a spot on the side where you plug a Christmas light in, so the windows appear lit up. Then you turn the crank on the right and it plays "I'll Be Home for Christmas." James is just enamored with it this year. He'll run over to the tree and say "House!!"

I love this Maple Leaf ornament. My parents brought it to us from Quebec. It's a real leaf, dipped in many coats of some kind of lacquer. So it's super shiny. James like this one, too!

This ornament is pretty self-explanatory! It was from the first Christmas that we were married. :) We married in January of 2003, so we had to wait 12 months to have our first Christmas together. This one makes the tree every year!

This ornament is brand new and making its debut on the Ellison Tree. My boss and his wife gave me this last year, and I think it's fabulous. There's so much detail in this little scene. Plus, I'm a huge Jim Shore fan. I'll have to show you my Jim Shore wisemen sometime.

I'm sure you can guess why this one is special! This is the second year it hangs on our tree. :)

This one is also new. Justin gave this to me last Christmas to mark my first year as a mom. It's from James Avery, and I love it. They make jewelry in this design, too. Jennifer has a necklace in this design and I admire it every time I see her!

Okay, I saved my very favorite for last. This ornament is from Mount Vernon. Justin and I took a trip to Washington DC several years ago. We were there right after Christmas. We absolutely loved every second of that trip, but one of the best parts was our day at Mount Vernon. We decided to choose an ornament from the gift shop there, and we both just fell in love with this one. I wish you could see it in person -- it's just lovely. Wanna come over and have a look? You're invited!!!! I'll make some spiced tea or hot chocolate. We can sit by the fire and watch a Christmas show on TV. It'll be great!!!!

I guess that's it for now. Just a small sampling of my favorites on the tree this year. Now it's your turn!!

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

...but only after they were first worn as boots.

Good Stuff

Tree Time, part III: The End, I Promise! :)

So there we were, miffed about our failed picture attempt, when suddenly there was a noise that made James stop dead in his tracks. The tractor was coming!! Up over the hill came the blue tractor, pulling a trailer full of hay. He slowed to a stop in front of us, and the most amazing thing happened: James forgot about his dump truck. Do you hear me? He forgot about it!!!

We plunked him on a hay bale and began to take pictures.


And then it dawned on us: if we jump up in the hay wagon with James, maybe -- just maybe we can get a family picture that doesn't include tears. And you know what? It worked. :)
It wasn't the "perfect" photo I had in mind. You can't even tell we're at the tree farm -- just looks like we're squatting in a pasture somewhere. But you know what? I'll take it!!! Because if there's one thing that motherhood has taught me, it's that seeking perfection might be foolish. But failing to see the blessings right in front of you is even more so.

My goal this Christmas season is to roll with the punches... to let James enjoy every bit of the wonder and awe, even if that means touching breakable ornaments, or playing with (rearranging) my carefully placed decor. I'll strive to remember what it's like to be a kid at Christmas time, with magic lurking around every corner. I hope to redefine "perfect," and learn to see that I've got it in abundance.

Happy Holidays, everyone!