Christmas Photo Pre Shoot!

Weekends Remind Me Of...

...when I was a kid every weekend we took a trip into town and there was a bakery that I loved. You know, you walk thru the door and just get hit with the smell of everything they have been baking since 4am.  It was a little hole in the wall and the walls were pretty empty but it was my favorite part of the day.

(Images via We Heart It & Deviant Art)

Moments.

There have been several *moments* in the last 24 hours that made me stop and just, appreciate it. You know, living it, in that second aware that it matters. Yesterday while transcribing an interview it clicked- I mean really clicked- I come and go from this writing thing. I'll work for a year or 3 then take a break when I burn out but I always circle back. I always will. I may juggle other jobs to keep a roof above our heads and I may think I belong elsewhere but in the end, this is who I really am. First & foremost I'm a writer...a journalist...whatever. It's what I've done for two-thirds of my life and it's just normal.

Em came out of school today completely elated. She got her progress report a month into the second quarter & FINALLY the marks are starting to reflect the student I live with. Math still sucks but everything else was 90 & above-ish. Her Accelerated Reader looks fab. She is already 10 points OVER her goal for the quarter & there are still at least 6 weeks left in the quarter! She is working so hard and slowly but surely she is SEEING that the marks are indeed coming.

Tonite it was nearly dark & B was laying on the front sidewalk with her friend Austin. Side by side, shoulder to shoulder looking up at the dark gray sky talking about the colors of the Christmas lights from that angle. What were they doing? It was easier to catch snowflakes on their tongues that way! DUH.

Last night I had put the kids to bed, washed the makeup off my face & piled my hair onto the top of my head. I went downstairs to make Spanish Rice because I was starving and my doorbell rang. I open it & it is HIM (you know the CRUSH that has been discussed in detail here this year???). We haven't hooked up in maybe a month. I have talked to him 5 minutes here, 5 minutes there but I have honestly been busy. I just figured we're on the same page. Chemistry? Check. Deep emotional connection? Check. Can discuss anything & everything without judgement? Check check. It's bigger than us and neither of us is ready for it in more than small doses. There are those people in your life that you just KNOW once they become a regular fixture, it'll be life-altering. He is one of them. I've made peace with it & I figure we're where we need to be & we'll end up where we are supposed to. I know he loves me and I'm actually really fine with what would frusterate others. But then it's probably because I do LOVE being single. Love time with my girls alone. I love having my big bed to myself.

Anyway, he is standing on my porch holding hot pink dipped roses.

A first.

Why was he here? He missed me. Humble as anything, sweet and just needed a connection. I completely forgot that I was a train wreck the minute he walked in. He took off his coat, grabbed a comfy blanket in the living room and we spent two hours curled up together (NOTHING significant happened aside from a heavy duty makeout session for a change get your mind out of the gutter!). I sat there swaddled having a *moment*. Why do I do this? Hold out for something that moves at a snails pace?

Why?

Because when he is open & honest, when the walls are down no one has loved me more. I know it like I know I have girls. I see it, I feel it. He makes sure that I know how much I matter. Nothing & no one else compares. No one else ever has.

Do I need him here tonite? No. Seriously I don't. I think part of really growing up & being an adult in relationships is understanding that TRUE feelings don't disappear when the other person is out of view.

Shutterfly's Giving Away 50 Free Holiday Cards

I always want to do the personalized holiday cards but never actually do it. There are a BAJILLION designs to choose from and I **think** these are my three favs....

Maybe.

Hop on over to Shutterfly & sign up for your cards!

Five for Friday

1~  Flapperdoodle Stationary.  These are my official Christmas cards and Kate has adorable designs for every occassion over HERE.

2~  We Heart It is great if you need some visual inspiration.

3~  Starbucks holiday coffee. Need I explain??

4~  Sentimental Christmas decorations that transport you back in time.

5~  Friday cell phone pic: A visit to LAST Christmas :o)

My Bedroom Tree

The Good, The Bad- And All That Other Stuff In The Middle

Ever just keep letting things pile up when it comes to blogging? Something happens and you think, "Oh, that's a post!". Except that it's not because you're too busy or whatever? I've had about a week of those.

On Monday the girls and I did some shopping. I found myself in the middle of that excursion thinking, "How did I get HERE?"

I remember years ago thinking these days would never come. Days where I'm surrounded by fully functional little people that are pretty independent and opinionated. I thought I'd be stuck chasing babies forever. I was SURE that would be the case. Now all of a sudden I walk into Justice and my kids scatter. They all have an agenda and they are all uniquely different. One heads for boots, the other for necklaces and the little one wants animal erasers. Then we went to Bookters (Borders), grabbed some stuff and fought (seriously, some huge dude THOUGHT he was going to take a table that seated 6 and got pissed when I zoomed in there in front of him)for a table in the cafe. We sat there for a long time and I watched 3 little people engrossed in their new books while drinking cocoa. I think it'll be a favorite memory even when I'm ancient.

The bad? Maya needs more eye surgery. We can't get the pressure in her eye down for anything. It should be in the teens & she has been between a 27-29 since Sept. Extended time with it that high leads to bad stuff like retina tears,glaucoma, etc. so it HAS to come down. Her fab doc started her on yet another $120 dollar for .5 ml eye drop at bedtime. It burns, causes irritation and redness etc. Not fun. We're looking at a laser procedure soon to lower pressure and if that doesn't work then back into the OR she goes.I am praying the lasering does the trick. This poor kid has been thru so much and never, ever complains about it.

Ever.

We'll end with more good. My interview from the other week is going into the best (brightest, glossiest) skating mag around. Lots of advertising in there & you know what that means? Righttttt. More money to pay me with :)  I also am lining up a bunch of stuff now which is great. I've been busy & busy means happy here.

I think I want a little tree for my bedroom.  Is that weird?

Parisienne Walkways

A very early run through of what eventually became an Olympic program.

Wordless Wednesday (Stormy Weather Addition)

If you live in the northeast you're either braving downpours, tornado watches & flooding or else it is snowing! Here it has been pouring since yesterday & the wind is knocking down lines all over.

(All images are from deviantart)