Pocketful of Posies

30 going on 15.

2011-07-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Holy Cats. Have you guys ever checked out polyvore.com?

I actually despise cats..(sorry, furball lovers!)..I'm not sure why that statement was first to come out of my mouth.. but ok here is the deal...
I have yet to make an account on Pinterest for the very reason that I fear I will get addicted and spend far too much time on the site but then a bestie of mine recommended polyvore.com to me.

Pinterest what?

Yeaaaaaaa.

If you ~~loved~~ love making collages of fashion or interior design ideas as a ~~high schooler~~, ~~college studen~~t, mommy who is turning 30 tomorrow..ahem...this is your site. It is relatively easy to use with limitless possibilities of making virtual collages. You can search for accessories,shoes and pretty much any article of clothing by colors or keywords and the majority of items on the site also list a price and store or website that you can buy the item on. All the things you need to inspire the perfect outfit for your next special event.
And of course, you can share any of your creations on your social network site of choice or blog and people can "like" them.

Some of you may already be aware of this loveliness and are saying "girl, where have you been?!" However, if you are fashionably late to the game like me, go check it out but don't say I didn't warn you.

Honey, I'm hooked...

I'm just wondering now if Chris would mind me printing them out and scattering them across the bedroom walls...
With scotch tape. For old times sake.

Ohhh, Say Can You Seeeeeee!

2011-07-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

I always get a little "homesick" during this weekend.
I'm a granddaughter of Veterans who grew up to be a Marine Corps wife and July 4th has always been one of my favorite holiday weekends to celebrate with family & friends.

Don't get me wrong...I don't wear flag earrings and the Old Navy shirts but I'd consider myself pretty patriotic. I am not always proud of things that happen in America but I am very proud to BE an American. I love our country and I am thankful to my family members and friends that have served in our military. Being in the military isn't a job, it is a way of life and there are many that would not sacrifice and be a part of this. I am honored to know these people and be of them. With that being said...

Enjoy your freedoms & Happy Independence Day!

Go have a watermelon eating contest, run barefoot with your children, have a cold beverage in the sunshine & light some sparklers at nightfall!

One of my favorite quotes...

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. " ~Ronald Reagan

Oh, and my sweet girl.

(Boogabee, June 2010)

The sticky stuff...

2011-06-29T22:14:00.000-07:00

I'm still here.

I think...

I finally sat down and typed out my thoughts about the last few months & the next time that I logged on to finish, the post was gone. I promise you that I saved it. Man-eyyyy times. Harsh.

Soooo...I'm thinking one of a few things...

A.) Either Blogger hasn't seen the best of days since I have made this blog (gotta love the mysterious world of computers and the intra-net).

B.) I have the worst luck as a blogger.

or....

C.) Blogging just isn't meant to be for me.

I like to think it is "A". Hence, me logging back in a few days later and presenting you with this post!

It's one of those rough patches in life right now...

While Boogabee & I were visiting in NY at the end of March, my grandmother went into the hospital, was diagnosed with cancer, sent home to "be comfy"and passed away... all in a span of three weeks. My 2.5 week visit for a baby shower quickly turned into a 5 week visit filled with some priceless moments of laughter, bonding and sadness. In those 5 weeks, I was amazed, happy, sad, thankful, overwhelmed, educated...plus some. I spent more time with my grandmother and the rest of our family than I have since I got married almost 7 years ago. My dad has 7 brothers & sisters, so there are lots of us (!) and the majority would get together for meals, look at pictures, tell stories...

So many crazy things fell into place for me to even be up there with family at this hard time. It boggles my mind and reduces me to tears at how it worked out that I was up visiting. It was obviously in the big guy's plan for us to be there. I can't put into words how grateful I am.

My sister, and two of my cousins (daughters of some of the seven mentioned above) are a few of my best-est-est friends. Many years ago, our family started calling the four of us "YaYa's" and it stuck. Two of us are married with daughters (and yes, we were pregnant at the same time..our daughters are 3 months apart!), my sister is not married/has no children yet and the other yaya is engaged and gave birth to her first child on May 3rd. It was for her baby shower that we had flown to NY for originally.

Towards the end of her pregnancy, she became severely preeclamptic and developed HELLP syndrome so she was induced. Aiden Joseph was born 4.5 wks early with a severe intraventricular hemmorhage. He lived for one week.

I can't exactly put into words what I think or feel. I can only imagine it is ten gazillion times worse for my yaya. There are alot of questions unanswered still and our birthing situations could have almost been interchangeable. I cry often and I hug Avery a whole tighter. I can't watch the schnasty late nite reruns of "16 & Pregnant" anymore. It makes me upset because it doesn't seem fair that those girls get to have their babies. (And you know, honestly, I don't miss it at all...)

We didn't have a chance to catch our breathes from the first loss to have it be topped by an even greater, more tragic loss. I'm not angry with God for putting all of us through these events, but I have questioned how much sadness one can stand in a short amount of time. I pray for my dad, aunts & uncles who no longer have a parent on earth and I try not to think about what that is like. I thank God for letting me know my grandmother for almost 30 years and for her to see and play with Avery. And I thank God for making me be a part of this awesome family and in turn being able to surround my daughter with these people. I pray for understanding and happiness for my yaya in the months and years to come. She will be forever changed. I believe we all will...
Though, thru all the tears, this quote has been stuck in my head.

Where Hope Grows, Miracles Blossom.

Life is too short.

2011-03-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not down with people that thrive on complaining.

We all know people like this.

Sometimes, I even catch myself falling into the trap of making something small into something huge or feeling like bad things keep piling up.

Pity party for one anyone?

But, as I get older, as each day passes with each new moment of not knowing what will be next,

I think there is one question to let marinate...

At the end of the day, in the big picture....Is it all really worth it?

Ouch.

2011-03-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

My head feels like it wants to explode.
Like from the bottom of my nose to the top of my head is one huge pressure cooker. Ugh.
Due to this, I've come to the conclusion that pollen is sprinkled by the devil. Yup.
My car is no longer a pearly slate grey but this dusty yellow sprinkled thing.
Everywhere you look, stuff is covered in this devil dust. Everything.
There is a yellow haze in the air.
I SHOULD know better. I could own stock in Zyrtec and suphedrine.
My sinuses are reminding me of this sad fact.
The warm weather & sunshine draws me outside...I just can't help it.
I checked the pollen count for today and found for the whole month of March it will be...
dun, dun, dun....High. With a peak on Friday at "Very High". Go figure.
Pure torture.
I. Cant. Stand. The. Throbbing.
Boogabee is sleeping, she is teething and is running a low grade fever. Poor baby, I wish I could grow teeth for her...I gladly would. Maybe my sinuses are also having sympathy pains...
So, what I really SHOULD do is take advantage of this nap & lay down myself..

Brilliant idea. Toodles!

Oh, have I told you?

I despise pollen.

Dr. Seuss Rocks..

2011-03-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

source

Happy Berfday Dr Seuss!

Youngest Gleek.

2011-02-27T10:26:00.001-08:00

I could never get sick of Glee. I have a big heart of love for Glee.

Love for Bieber...eh, not so much...

Sam's renditon of "Baby, Baby, Baby" was pretty darn good.

I would venture to say it was better than the Bieb's original.

Biased? Maybe slightly. (Remember, big heart of love for Glee.)

And yes, I do wish my side swept bangs fell as nicely as Sam's did despite the dancing...

(I hate it when guys have better hair than me...annoying.)

I have to tell ya though, watching our 15 mos. old attempt to sing along & mimic the dancing to Sam on Glee....it is freakin' priceless.

She says "Whoaaaaa" and "Down, Down, Down" pretty perfect.

This alone makes the 2 min. clip worth watching at least 3 times a day...right?

"Whoaaaaaaaa-oh-oh-ohhhhhhhhhhhhh".

Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

2011-02-25T15:01:00.001-08:00

Happy Feet.

2011-02-24T10:18:00.000-08:00

This song makes me sing and dance around my living room....or in my car....or in the shower...
It never gets old.

I love me some Ryan Montbleau Band.
If you haven't had the pleasure of listening to their music or seeing them live, you gotta!
Seriously. Before they become the next big thing....because it WILL happen.
I promise.
Uh-mazing....

You can find more about them on their website.

The Case of the Vanishing Monster Dust Bunnies

2011-02-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

First let me point out that I am not a girl who is afraid to get dirty. I'm not a germa-phobia. I like animals...well many animals....

As mentioned before, I have two dogs.
Dogs do some gross things. Plain and simple. G-R-O-S-S.
Two dogs = double the gross-ness.

Over the last couple weeks, these two dogs combined have managed to make me cringe or gag more times than I can count. Kilo (6 yr.old beagle/black lab mix) is a garbage gut. He will eat anything that isn't shiny and might smell a little tasty. This leads to random "pukings"....

I'll leave that one alone. But let's say it happened the other day, ohhh no less than 5 times. Hork.

Porter (3 yr. old black lab) is part human, part labrador and part horse. Everything he does is loud and messy. He is the notorious toilet water drinker, turd eater and random bum rubber on the carpet.

Ugh. I bring you to this morning.

As I was drinking my coffee this morning, little clumps of dust began raining on my head. Ahhh. That's Nice. Not Really. I decided it was finally time to take on the task of cleaning off our fan in our cathedral ceiling-ed living room. I am severely allergic to dust. I hate this job. I never fail to finish in a sneezing attack and it kind of knocks me outta whack for the rest of the day. So, I put Avery down for a nap, started some laundry and let the dogs outside for a little bit. I proceed to tackle the dust colony overtaking my fan, letting it fall to the floor so that I can grab the vacuum to clean it up when I'm done.

I am astonished and feel slightly horrible at the amount of dust that has fallen onto my living room floor. I mean, the thing is always moving, so how does that colonization actually happen?!

Boogabee is asleep and the dogs are going nuts outside. (Ten minutes outside in the sun, in February is apparently wayyy too long.) So rather than let them wake a sleepy baby, I let them in. I run and get the vaccum and make a pitstop in the bathroom to grab tissues and wash my hands.

I come back outta of the bathroom to find that the huge dust colony has vanished.
Like, I can still tell where it was, but everything is gone. Completely.
In a matter of two minutes.

I don't know who did it. All I know is one of them has huge dust bunnies in their belly and I'm not looking forward to possibly cleaning those up later.
My vote goes to Kilo. But, you just never know...
You'd think they never eat.
G-R-O-S-S.

Shop! In the Name of Love...

2011-02-15T13:56:00.001-08:00

Browsing around Etsy happens to be one of my favorite things to do..

Oh man.

I think this print is so sweet.

I like the vintage-y eye chart style to it.

Heck, the whole shop is sweet.

You can find that print and some other lovelies here.

I'm a sucker for poetry from way back.

Let me tell ya,

I love me some e.e. cummings.

This simple little card caught my eye.

I'm also loving this print from the same place.

Actually, there isn't much in this shop that I don't like..

One of each please!

When I found Lily Jane Stationary,

and read the inspiration behind the business,

I wished I stumbled upon it wayyyyy sooner.

10% of proceeds go to the March of Dimes.

A.k.a...kick ass stationery sold for a great cause

that I also happen to have a soft heart for..

Quick, someone hide my purse!

This pillow cracks me up.

The other side.

Haha....Thanks go to Out On a Limb for the laugh!

(By the way, her Poppy Fields pillow needs to find it's way to my house)

Just sayin...

Ahh, so I leave you with this last lovelie...

One of my biggest loves is my daughter.

This "Birth" necklace is the perfect piece of "mama" like jewelry for me.

I cried when I opened it on Christmas.

(P.S. This picture is not my necklace, just a example from the site to give you a visual.)

Me = Big fan of hand stamped creations.

Go visit here....

Valentine's Day is a cutesy holiday and I'm not a hater.

I think it's fun to plan surprises or create cheesy valentines to bring

an extra smile to those that are special to you.

Besides, who doesn't love another day to celebrate in life,

even in the littlest of ways?

I hope every one of your days is filled with love!

Just a little gift...

2011-02-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

It is pouring rain. Not my favorite. A ~~good~~ ~~great~~ wonderful friend of mine sent me this link and brought a little sunshine upon me..

I thought I'd pass the sunshiney goodness on.

Let Adele take care of the next 49 mins...

She is helping me wash dishes and finish the neverending laundry that is in my household....really, how do two adults & a baby accumulate so many clothes?! Sigh.

Adele is perfect company.

Adele's latest album "21"

Wah.Wah.Wah.Wah.

2011-01-28T19:58:00.000-08:00

Feeling pretty random today....as if that is outta the ordinary in the slightest...

Spent a few precious days in Florida with family to mourn my grandmother and discuss the next steps for my grandfather, who has Parkinsons. While slightly stressful and not a "happy" planned trip, it was really great to spend full days with family, some of whom I haven't seen in many years. I hate that sometimes death is what brings people together to BS, reminisce and eat yummy food...

Ordered some hot brown knee-high boots from DSW, was ecstatic to get them annnnnnd they look like miniature size 7's. Boo. They fit but boy are they snug on the top of my foot. This discovery was after a 7hr long, crappy weathered car ride from Fl. with my sis, mom and my daughter...a.k.a..way too much estrogen in one SUV for that long. Talk about disappointed...and grumpy.

Sigh.

On a much happier but slightly weird note...

Sugar snap peas....threw a handful in my bowl of New England Clam Chowder today in an attempt to accomplish my goal of eating a green veggie at least once a day. May sound gross, but I tell ya, it was surprisingly good. I have a severe love for those little boogers...

Oh and...thanks to my friend Becki, I have now discovered Yankee Candle's "Farmers Market" scent...holy delish. It smells like home. She gave me a tart to try and now I'm hooked. You know, as if I don't strive already to keep Yankee Candle in business..

So onto my dilemma...

I recieved an iTunes gift card for Christmas and there is sooooo much music that I want that I can't decide what to get..Amos Lee's latest cd came out last week...loved the free download "Violin" from the album and I just love Amos Lee...Adele's next album comes out February 21st....it is all mine on that day but that is sooooo far away. The iTunes card will burn a hole in my coffee table prior to then..

The list goes on...The Avett Brothers....been eyeing some Joe Purdy songs that I don't have yet...a few "poppy" songs that are catchy, "The Social Network" score soundtrack (which I actually have not seen but really want to..soon!), and there are even a few country songs that I am thinking about....I def wouldn't call myself a huge country fan but it's in my blood and that what I grew up listening to..rock and country.

AH! Decisions. Decisions.

Now that I went all over the creation and back again with this post, I really should be ~~finishing~~ starting laundry...since it is 10:52 pm. Eek. I am well known for throwing it in at night and forgetting about it until morning. I'm pooped tonight also so I may scoot into bed before I switch it over...

It's so not looking good for that load of laundry...

Happy almost Saturday....Hope it's full of good music & randomness!

Saying Goodbye...

2011-01-19T08:51:00.000-08:00

I give you this one thought to keep -
I am with you still - I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the sweet uplifting rush,
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not think of me as gone -
I am with you still in each new dawn.

One of my grandmothers passed away unexpectedly this morning.
In November, with the encouragement of my mother, I sucked up my "poor me, I don't wanna drive 6 hrs with a one year old today" attitude and made a visit to see my grandparents so that they could meet Avery before she got much older.
At the end of a great 2 day visit, I was so so very glad that I made the trip and now I am even more sure that I was supposed to do it....Funny how life is....

This poem was read at another one of my grandparent's funerals in 2002.
I saved it because I think it is perfect.

Rest in Peace Gram...
Much Love,
Kim

Twenty-Ten

2011-01-09T19:23:00.000-08:00

Tried this a week ago..and I can't see it on my blog...soooo round 2 of this entry!

A snippet of what I taking away from 2010...

Expect the unexpected. This lesson began in 2009 and carried thru..I think it is now one of my life mottos.

I have a love/hate relationship with technology. It amazes and intrigues me yet annoys and angers me all in the same sentence. I love my LG Envy. Smartphones are gangster and I'd rock one...but this little one here isn't gonna raise herself and I'd rather have QT with her than my phone.

Life is truly about the little things. Spending time with my one year old reminds me of this on a daily basis.

I am a chronic daydreamer.

Interpretation is key. You can stick two people in the same experience and those two people will not hear, see, or feel the the exact same. Recognizing this is even more important. A great example....My best friend of 25 years, Laura, came to visit me this March and we had an craft nite. We grabbed our sketchbooks, old magazines, scissors, some glue and turned on the music just like we would have 10 or 15 years ago. We threw subjects/words in a hat, shook it up, pulled one out and then our idea was that we would take the topic and each create something out of it using pieces from the magazines. The first one that we chose was "Tree of Life". My tree ended up being a combination of reds and pinks and had a "love" look about it. Laura's tree was made up of all blues and greens. They looked completely different and it was interesting to see what they were reflecting...

I have faaaaaar more patience with humans than dogs. With that being said, I very much so love my dogs but boy-oh-boy, sometimes the insanity that they bring upon me gives me a stellar excuse to leave the house & take Avery on a little adventure.. (then again, who needs an excuse for a little adventure?)

I was born to be a mommy. I didn't know that I could love another living creature so much. I want to live forever...

Chucks came back! Fashion totally repeats itself. Now if only I had saved the cool plaid pair I had when I was 12...Gonna roll into 2011 in these grey ones of twenty-ten. Happiness!

I spend too much time trying to make things work with people who don't matter. Instead, I need to throw my cares & efforts double-fold into the people that do.

And finally,

I still hate almonds...sorry guys, maybe in 2011, my love for you will come back. Pregnancy sure does some weird things to your body...

Now....Go out and enjoy the sunshine or the rain or the snow...no ipods, no cells, no tv, no video games and no internet....take pictures...write about it....enjoy it.

Best Wishes of health & happiness with huge amounts of silliness for 2011!

The Value Meal...

2011-01-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

A little background...I live in what I like to call a military-thick-area. My husband honorably served an enlistment in the Marine Corps. He deployed to Iraq. We lived on a Marine base for 3 years. I never ever in my life thought I would be one, but I was/am a military wife. It is a "hat" that stays with you. I can't get the patriotism out of my blood and it's ok, I like it. I am proud of my husband and the many people that I have met over the years and am honored to know all of them.

With that being said....there is a man who I have seen all over the place in the past 6 years that I have lived in this place. I've seen him walking along with local parades, I've seen him walking around the sidewalks downtown. He is always walking and his walk is very distinct because he limps. I gather that he is probably in his 60's, but it is hard to say as some of his teeth are missing, he looks a little ragged and his clothes are shabby. Regardless of all of these things, he is cheery, always saying hello to passerby and smiling. About six months ago, I saw him walking while I was driving and mentioned to a friend next to me that I see him all over the place. She said "Oh yes, I see him alot also, he is a disabled veteran and he is homeless but he is always very cheery."

First off, I don't understand how that happens when this man served for his country...especially in a military town. But that is a rant for another day...

Fast forward to this afternoon....I decided to venture out late, in dire need to get away from my crazy dogs & get some quick fresh winter air for me and the little...perhaps do some leisurely shopping.

I went to a couple stores and at the last one, Avery began to fuss a wee bit so I decided to head for home. Sooo, I am walking out the door, trying to keep Avery busy and also hurry because a man on a cell phone is on my heels and I see this man near the entrance. It is the man I was talking about earlier, and he smiles and says "Hello everybody" and I say "Hi" and smile and keep heading for the parking lot. My car is parked close by and as I am taking Aves out of the cart, he approaches me but keeps his distance and says "Um, ma'am could you treat a disabled veteran to a 2.99 value meal at McDonalds so I can eat some dinner?" I tell him that I'm so sorry but that I never carry cash, which is the total truth. I hardly ever have anything but change and I knew that I didn't have much but I also had my hands full with a one year old...

He says" Oh thats ok, thank you ma'am, God Bless you", smiles and he hobbles back to the store entrance. I got into my car and could barely hold back my tears. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, even if you dont understand it at the time. If I didn't have a one year old that was getting hungry and tired, I would have driven to McDonald's and brought back a value meal to this man. I know that it is likely that he asked everyone that he saw near the store, but what if everyone said no?

As I shed some tears on the drive home, I made a decision that the next time that I see him walking, I will go and buy him that value meal and drop it off wherever I find him.

I feel that I owe him that 2.99 value meal.

The irony of this experience being about a "value meal" isn't lost on me...in fact, now the term has taken on new meaning. Whenever I hear it, I will think of this one minute exchange. I thank God for the life that I have and for the situations that he puts us in at times to remind us to be grateful, to be helpful, to be mindful and aware of others. I turned this man down and he still was polite. He is homeless and hungry and he left me with a "God Bless You"...

I don't know this man's story (though personally, I would love to hear it). One thing that I'm willing to bet...that his limp comes from a war wound....for that alone, we all owe him a value meal.

Merry Christmas Eve!

2010-12-24T08:36:00.001-08:00

My picture doesn't want to work...grrrr......but the message is simple....

~*~Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!*~*

Much Love,
Kim

And yet another lovely...

2010-12-23T18:49:00.000-08:00

Love this book.

Long before this became a movie...try in like, oh maybe 1987 or 1988ish...I became an instant fan of this book. I was in 2nd grade. When I think of the first time that I heard this aloud, it seems movie like. ..the details are so vivid.I grew up in Upstate New York. That means in the winter, there is definitely snow and lots of it. It was the week before Christmas vacaton and it was one of those days that the snow was falling in huge flakes, slowly to the ground. Like on the cover of this book...

The library was warm and you could see the snow falling behind the librarian as she read aloud. It was magical. I felt like I could hear the train whistle and the bell.

Now, as an adult, I own the book. Like the librarian, I have now read it aloud to many children over the years. .And every time I open the pages,I remember that first time I heard it.

The movie is a bonus, one of the few films that actually sticks quite well to the book. It has become a tradition in my home to watch this movie on Christmas Eve or Christmas day. And the book.....well it's out all year round. What a great piece of children's literature, that goes without even mentioning the beautiful pastel illustrations.

Instant fan. For life.

Another Christmas Lovely.

2010-12-20T18:48:00.000-08:00

I don't have a subscription to Martha Stewart Living. But, I spend alot of time on her website..and do pick a mag/catch a show here or there if I see something that interests me.

I gotta say, I'm definitely a fan.

And this December's issue = a keeper.

I think the wrinkled cover is giving me away as to how much I've looked at this magazine..

Lots of good ideas, pretties to look at and even a few recipes that I wouldn't mind trying..

The "One dough, 30 kinds of Cookies" intrigues me. I've spent the last month deciding which of the cookies I would like to make.
Still undecided.

Five days until Christmas...

There's definitely still time to cram another baking session in...

I bet Martha will.

Merry Memories.

2010-12-17T19:22:00.000-08:00

Gosh, there are so many remakes of songs. Some of them blow the originals out of the water while others are horrible and the originals stand true.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" sung by Judy Garland is an original that I'm pretty positive I'll never get sick of and though I have heard a gazillion different versions of it, I'm loyal to this one......

Like, it's one of those songs that stops me in my tracks wherever I am when I hear it and I can't help but hum or sing along...

I think of hiding under the table on Christmas Eve in the midst of my gazillion aunts and uncles because I was scared of my Godfather who had a beard...(Now it makes me chuckle. He wasn't even creepy. But, the beard...not so much of a fan.)

I feel the warmth of my grandparent's woodstove, their soft recliner and a full belly and I can see their twinkling tree with far too many lights & 30+ years old tin pie plate ornaments made by my mom and uncle as children.

I hear my other grandfather's authentic antique sleigh bells that were rang every Christmas Eve to round up the littles to leave for home. For years, I legitimately thought it was Santa's sleigh. When I got older, I became part of the "team" of cousins to run around outside and ring it for the youngers. I remember the year that I had strep throat but insisted on stumbling through the deep snow with my dress clothes on just like everyone else.My mother wasn't very happy, but I was...and that year stands out in my mind.

I smell the oodles of sugar cookies that I baked over the years with my gram, mom and sis while laughing, singing, dancing and being silly around the kitchen. I snicker when I think of my gramps sneaking them by the handfuls off the trays before we even frosted them and then at dinner talking about the diet he is starting.

Ohh, the memories.

Priceless.

I could go on and on (and for that I am grateful)....

I just think it's is so nifty...uh-oh, I just broke out one of my mom's words...that one song can conjure up so many great thoughts.

Music is amazing.

Judy Garland singing in "Meet Me in St. Louis"

1944

What song makes you reflect on Christmas pasts?

What are some of the times that you think of when you hear it played?

Christmas Favorites

2010-12-14T21:58:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I really can't help but feel giddy at the sight of a few Christmas lights. I'm pretty sure it happens the instant that Thanksgiving is over. I get the "itch".

The tunes, the food, the traditions, the sights, the memories. I want all of it in huge amounts. Bring on the cheesiness, bring on the cheeriness...

*Insert Dorky Happy Sigh*

I thought that over the next few days, that I would share some of my favorites about this time of year. Some are oldies but goodies, some brand spankin' new, but new or old, these make me grin. Sheepishly.

I'll begin with a few newbies.

I have listened to this at some point every day since my husband surprised me with it's presence on my Itunes a few weeks ago. It is sooo much fun!

Of course, I would recommend you buy it.

Like yesterday. (And yes, I'm a Gleek.)

Source: tinyprints.com

I love this card. But, I love this website even more. With a capital "L'. I ~~have spent~~ could spend hours just looking at the designs on there. Just for fun. They rock. This was one of my many contemplations for our christmas card this year. However, my budget said "no".

source: marthastewart.com

I'm a sucker for countdowns. I grew up with an advent calendar and have yet to own a really great one in my "adult life". My daughter is barely one this Christmas, so I'm giving myself a year to find one or make one. I'm loving this idea, so sweet and easy! Someone also wrote in the comments that they made one using gloves. Can't you picture a line of cute knit mittens? Hmmm...

And finally, one of my all time favorites.

I watch this movie even when it isn't Christmas. It is one of my go-to movies when I am sick. Cozy and warm, like an old blanket. Reminds me of snuggling with my mom or gram on the couch watching old films. "White Christmas" is a little bit of home for me.

(P.S. I also have the soundtrack. True fan right there.)

So, here was the beginning glance of my Christmas time favorites.

What are some of yours?

Reverb-10 Community

2010-12-07T21:26:00.000-08:00

December 7- Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

This is actually a really hard post for me to write.

In November 2009, I became a mom. I can now say that I have joined millions and millions that know what it is like to love this little amazing creature beyond words. Motherhood has introduced me to a whole new level of love. I can also say that I have joined millions and millions who make the choice to stay at home with their children. I know that I am (and feel) incredibly fortunate to stay at home with my daughter and watch her as she grows. (It truly does happen so fast.)

I worked in the local school district for 5 years prior to becoming a mommy. Due to staff shifts and budget cuts, in 2008 the school district started "letting people go" and transferring staff members to other schools. Being as it was only my 2nd year at this particular school, hence "low man on the totem pole", the week before I found out that I was pregnant, I was told that I would have to leave my job.

I loved my job and I believe I was good at it. As heartbroken and surprised at this news as I was, a week later, I truly felt that everything happens for a reason. Losing my job opened to door to me staying home. I went to college for 4 years. I have taken the MAT to get into Graduate School. I worked for 10 years prior to having a child. But, for as long as I can remember, I wanted to be home with my child (or children) for the first few years of their life.

So what exactly am I getting at?

Despite joining this "new" sisterhood and realizing a dream of watching my child grow up, I feel like my "sense" of community has slowly diminished in the last year. I don't leave the house everyday to go to work. I don't come in contact with half the amount of people that I did while working on a daily basis. My life changed drastically and it seems like everyone around me did as well.People seem to have become more dissociated.

At the age of 29, I still have many single friends or childless couples. The ones that do have children are very busy or don't make time for others outside their family. The ones who are childless, don't invite us to do things as often or anymore at all. And sadly, I'm finding that in a world where there is more and more tools for communication, people are getting worse at it. They don't call back, respond to texts or reply to emails. Where are the "thank you" notes for gifts and the RSVP's for parties? I like to think that I'm in good company, but sometimes, I'm not so sure.

The term community is by one definition:

A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals

And I'm just not feeling it this year.

I'm still Kim, despite adding "Ma-Ma" to my list of names. I still love to laugh and use my mind to create and be challenged. But, maybe it's time for some rearranging in my world and in 2011 my "feeling of fellowship with others" will be restored.

I have hope...

2010-12-04T09:42:00.001-08:00

December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)

I am a lover of words. A quote kind of person. (In fact, I have a "quote book" that I started when I was 12.) I have kept a journal of some sort for as long as I can remember. I gobble up books and read everything around me from labels on...but until this year, I had never got into the blogging world.

My family didn't have a computer in the house with the internet until 1998 when I was a senior in high school. (Dial up...ah!) By that point, final papers were required to be typed and using a typewriter was getting a tad bit out of hand.

All throughout college, when I wasn't at Tennis practice or some club meeting or type of fieldwork for my major, I was a cashier at Target. To be quite honest, the amount of time I spent on the internet was to the extent of drunk IM'ing with friends and doing research!

Fast forward to 2010...domestication has slowly taken over. I am now a married, stay at home mom to an almost a one year old. Let the planning for "THE" first birthday party begin. "THE" first birthday party becomes my labor of love. I am an artist by birth and now I get the chance to be more creative than I have in the past year and I start using Google like a mad woman. I start a notepad with one idea, which blossoms into something else and then something else develops. I start looking at fonts, templates and pictures on Flickr and I happen to stumble onto KevinandAmanda.com. I can't for the life of me figure out how I hadn't found this site years ago.

I freakin' love it.

I start talking about the site to friends. One of them tells me about an idea she found on a blog that is called "something like JoyHope or something". So I set off to find the idea, which rapidly turns into hours of falling in love with this blog. My curiosity had been piqued.

I wander around a little more and before long, I find myself getting enveloped in these blogs that these people have created of their everyday lives and I am no longer just looking for 1st birthday ideas. I am bookmarking these women's writings because I want to know what I will read next. I'm hooked and I begin to think that I could do this. I can gather my thoughts and ideas in a similiar place.

For all the world to see.

Not intimidating in the slightest...

But I take a leap. These words are a product of that leap...

And it all started with wonder.

Frustration.

2010-12-02T20:45:00.001-08:00

I've blogged four times now and only the first two are showing up!
What am I doing wrong?

Again!

2010-11-18T08:45:00.000-08:00

Urgh.

So, I learned the hard way that I need to save my writing every so often on here, just in case.

The "just in case" occurred yesterday.

Twice.

I stomped away from my computer convinced that maybe I'm really not meant to be a blogger after all.

The irony of the whole experience is what brought me back in. I was so mad that I had spent the majority of my daughter's nap time blogging about coming to the realization that I'm a perfectionist and how I get disappointed in things/people so often and I get stuck in the details...blah,blah,blah...

My conclusion to this discovery was that I just really need to let things slide sometimes and step back to look at the real picture.

Then the computer just let all the words on my screen disappear.

Ohhh the irony.

Now, it makes me chuckle.

Lesson Numero One in "letting go" perhaps?

Life is definitely a tale. But it isn't a fairytale, it's each of own tales.

Let the wild rumpus begin!

2010-11-03T14:59:00.001-07:00

Phew.

As I type this, I'm picturing Etta James singing "At Last"...

Yes, it is true, I have finally jumped onto Blogger.

I'm not gonna lie, I am nervously excited (ok, and slightly giddy with ideas) about this blog which has literally taken me years to start. After summing up the basics of what I am all about...

writing, creating, being silly, meeting new people, laughing, sharing, learning and being inspired...

sitting here with this laptop pounding out some randomness when I get the chance, sounded like a good place to carry on all of the shenanigans listed above.

So here I am...*cheesy smile*