Bet You Didn't Know I was a Royal

The internet proves it!

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Entirely Miss Reverend Lady Lara the Charming of Hoptonshire by Leer Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

This is Kinda What My Life is Beginning to Be Like

Yep this is pretty much My Life.

Tee-hee.

Holly Jolly Recap - Stand out moments from 12/25

1. This is the first year that our almost 3 year old is starting to get it. Although, he was more interested in eating the cookie remnants from Santa's visit than looking at the presents Santa left.

2. Wearing comfy jammy pants all day long.

3. Cinnamon Rolls.

4. Bigfoot Memoir, mistakenly wrapped for Emerson when it's clearly adult fare - Chuckle Chuckle.

5. Emerson taking more interest in T's Shiatsu chair pad than his own toys.

6. Patti LaBelle's divine mac and cheese recipe.

7. Walking through the neighborhood and taking some casual family shots with my new zoom lens.

8. A long afternoon nap (and the fact that all of us were able to take one).

9. Getting in some much wanted reading.

10. Talking to family we don't have the luxury of spending the day with and recapping our respective hooplah.

11. Tickle time.

12. Christmas night in the Southwest. High 60s and clear and, well, just see below for yourself...

Love Thursday

Love is birthday party balloons in an array of colors...

Top iPod Tunes of 2006

Following Deejah's cue, I am listing the songs that topped my mp3 player of choice this past year.

25. Your Latest Trick - Dire Straits
24. Quando, Quando, Quando - Michael Buble f/Nelly Furtado
23. Tio Pepe - Bona Fide
22. Hold Me Now - Wayne Wonder
21. Adelaide - Old 97's
20. Light Up My Room - Bare Naked Ladies
19. Is She Really Going Out with Him - Sugar Ray
18. Jump - Madonna
17. La Belle et le Bad Boy - Mc Solaar
16. Ghost in You - Mark McGrath
15. The Only Living Boy in New York - Simon & Garfunkel
14. A Summer Song - Chad & Jeremy
13. 1985 - Bowling for Soup
12. Everybody Wants You - Josh Kelley
11. Sitting, Wishing, Waiting - Jack Johnson
10. Lebanese Blonde - Thievery Corporation
9. You Got the Love - Candi Stanton
8. Nothing Left to Lose - Mat Kearney
7. Wish You Were Here - Ryan Adams
6. Ride - Cary Brothers
5. Pain Killer - Turin Brakes
4. Hearts and Bones - Paul Simon
3. Home to Me - Josh Kelley
2. Chocolate - Snow Patrol
1. Got to be Real - Cheryl Lynn

Ha!

Karmageddon: It's when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, and then the Earth explodes and it's a serious bummer.

- Washington Post Mensa Invitational

Love Thursday - Santa Style

This Thursday I celebrate the love that comes from the sponteneity of our children. Case in point...

Days Talking Up Going to See Santa: 5

Number of Questions Asked About Santa Prior to Seeing Him: 200+

Freaking out when actually meeting Santa and sporting a never before seen expression to the camera: PRICELESS



For more Love Thursday, visit Karen's Site.

My December Musts

1. Get all my Xmas shopping done in enough time to avoid rush shipping.
2. Finish There is No Me Without You for Book Club.
3. Slow down and just be.

READ
The History of Love

WATCH
Brothers and Sisters - if only to see the killer house

HEAR
Sarah MacLachlan's Wintersong

Happy December

This is one of those poems that, even as an amateur with no publishing experience, I wish I had written myself. It was featured today in The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor.

In the Middle by Barbara Yarrow

of a life that's as complicated as everyone else's,
struggling for balance, juggling time.
The mantle clock that was my grandfather's
has stopped at 9:20; we haven't had time
to get it repaired. The brass pendulum is still,
the chimes don't ring. One day you look out the window,
green summer, the next, and the leaves have already fallen,
and a grey sky lowers the horizon. Our children almost grown,
our parents gone, it happened so fast. Each day, we must learn
again how to love, between morning's quick coffee
and evening's slow return. Steam from a pot of soup rises,
mixing with the yeasty smell of baking bread. Our bodies
twine, and the big black dog pushes his great head between;
his tail is a metronome, 3/4 time. We'll never get there,
Time is always ahead of us, running down the beach, urging
us on faster, faster, but sometimes we take off our watches,
sometimes we lie in the hammock, caught between the mesh
of rope and the net of stars, suspended, tangled up
in love, running out of time.

Love Thursday

I have never considered myself a very religious or spirtual person. While I didn't grow up with consistent attendance to and attention of church, I have regularly thought about faith and what it means to me. What I have come to is faith is extremely personal and for me, centers around the goodness of people, the beauty in the world, that the human spirit is resilient and capable of more than we know and, ultimately, the idea that there is something greater than each of us. I am not quite sure what that greater thing is. I think that's part of my spiritual journey.

As I have gotten older, and specifically - more recently - I have developed an appreciation for crosses. For me, they are a representation of my informal belief system, my energy, my faith. This summer, I picked up a couple of them; a couple of ones that I connected with.

This week, I had the pleasure of getting together with a dear friend of mine, Alison, who took me out for a belated lunch. Always having a knack for getting just the right gift, Alison presented me with this beautiful cross. I was taken aback - at her thoughtfulness and at how beautiful it is. I immediately found the perfect place for it in my room.



This Thursday, I am celebrating faith and friendship. For more Love Thursday, visit Karen's Site.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

...burrrrr chilly burrrrr. It may get below freezing tonight. Here in the desert! Unheard of.

Thank goodness for my Lands End Waffle-Weave Henley and my warm fuzzy slippers.

My Life as a Soundtrack

I got this from Waking Up Late and it is eerily fun and cool at the same time!

If your life were a soundtrack, what would the music be?

Here's how it works:
1. open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. put it on shuffle
3. press play
4. for every category below, type the song that's playing
5. for each new category -- press the next button
6. don't lie and try to pretend you're cool

opening credits:
"Fool on the Hill" The Beatles

first day at school:
"I Feel the Magic" Belinda Carlisle

falling in love:
"Human Nature" Michael Jackson

breaking up:
"Whatever's Left" Snow Patrol

prom:
"Luminous Times (Hold Onto Love)" U2

life's okay:
"With a Little Help from My Friends" The Beatles

mental breakdown:
"Regret" New Order

driving:
"Anybody" Pat McGee Band

flashback:
"Follow You" Josh Kelly

getting back together:
"Liberian Girl" Michael Jackson

wedding:
"Blue Eyes" Cary Brothers

birth of child:
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" Bing Crosby

final battle:
"Anybody Wanna Take Me Home" Ryan Adams

death scene:
"Taking Care of Business" Randy Bachman

funeral song:
"I Hate Myself for Losing You" Kelly Clarkson

end credits:
"Wanna Be Startin' Something" Michael Jackson

Isn't it crazy???

I am tagging the following people to do this - it's so random and cool!

Claudia, Tristin, Deejah, Cynthia

The Perils (and Positives) of Being Anal

About three weeks ago I embarked on a project that I knew would test me, would drain me, would crimp my back - Photo organization.

When I transitioned to the mac, close to 3000 of my just over 4000 photos did not transition very well. In other words, they didn't bring the date information over, resulting in an iPhoto file of mismatched mismash. For someone like me, this meant a lot of anxiety.

I am pleased to report, however, that I have finished this ardous task and have my photos properly organized and now I will be able to make photobooks and albums with much greater ease than before. Plus, my archive is now accurate, plain and simple. Here's the breakdown:

For 2004 I have 1,365 photos
For 2005 I have 1,400 photos
For 2006 I have 1,489 photos
I have 15 photos I can't seem to figure out where they go.

I probably shouldn't have taken on the task of dating the pic during the same month as NaBloPoMo, but I did and the former suffered. But I know have a huge weight off my shoulders (and crimp in my back). I also came across one of my top ten favorite pictures of all time...



This process has been at the same time tedious and reflective...allowing me to walk back through the past couple of years and again experience the joy and heartache that occured. Thankfully, there has been more good than bad. More thankfully, I have documented this time and can refer back to it whenever I so desire.

Love Thursday - Thanksgiving Style

Love is...an embrace.



This photo was taken yesterday at Emerson's school Thanksgiving Lunch for families. It was a beautiful day (80 degrees!) and we got to dine outside on traditional Turkey day fixings. Emerson was most interested in the cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and playing with his friend Aidan.

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for so many things. All of the obvious ones, family and friends, a good job, my health (despite the Whooping Cough), but here are some others...

1. Music - I like having an ongoing soundtrack for my life. Music is celebratory, reflective and therapeutic.
2. Good books. I feel fortunate the the last several I have read have been really good.
3. That while there are many things I want, I truly have everything I need.
4. The patience I am continually embracing.
5. The silliness and wonderment of toddlerville.
6. The help, support, and humor that I get from so many.

For more Love Thursday, click here

A Kinda Big Whoop

Whooping Cough that is.

My bacterial bronchitis proved otherwise, when my doc's office got the result of my bloodwork back today from my visit on 11/14 - WHOOPING COUGH.

The diagnosis is required to be reported to the County, which it was. And the County is required to contact me, which they did. I had a nice long conversation with Karen, of my County's Health Department and after timelining my illness and letting her know who lives with me, and yadda, yadda, yadda I am on my merry way and my loved ones are all on zPacks (including a liquid version for Em).

It's kinda dramatic, me being reported to the Health Department. Like, maybe I should be quarantined or something. Truth of the matter is, I am no longer contagious and am doing much better than my doctor and Karen think I should be doing. I will take that as a Thanksgiving blessing and possible miracle.

Whoop(ing cough) there it is.

10 Random Things About Me

Inspired by Christina...

1. I could eat ice cream every. single. day.

2. I can get so caught up in the moment watching the Olympics (during the miliseconds of a race closing) to a game show (the last Survey Says!) that I can actually get choked up.

3. I think Dr Pepper could be the grossest beverage on the planet.

4. If I could live in a state other than the one I am currently living, I think I would pick Colorado.

5. Today, I was able to troubleshoot my own computer problem and fix it. Call me Miss MIS.

6. I can recite the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish.

7. I am wearing OPI Abbey Rose on my toenails, courtesy of an afternoon pedi with Claudia.

8. Story time with Emerson continues to be my favorite part of the day.

9. I have never been to Europe or Australia but hope to before I die.

10. Today I read a short story,Embrace by Roxana Robinson, that for the briefest and most wonderful of moments in the last three paragraphs took my breath away.

Saturday Lunch

Post oil change and swimming lessons for the boy, we joined Tia Claudia for lunch. Here's the lowdown on Zoe's Kitchen:

- Fresh, good tasting food that doesn't make you feel like you ate too much.
- I enjoyed a chicken, spinach, scallion and feta grilled quesadilla with a side of fruit (and it's not your standard melon combo).
- Em had a PB and J with chips. They even cut the crusts off the kiddie sandwiches, making my little peanut all the more happy.
- Claudia had egg salad and a side of Zoe's slaw, which is a vinegar based slaw with feta. MMMMMgood.
- They obliged my picture taking, so we like it even more.
- Average price per person - $6-9. Average kiddo meal - $3-4.

Rating: A

Love Thursday

Love is grandparents...

Em and Gamma Kathy



Em and Papa Jim



Em and Gamma Lynn

Free Money

I love the free mony that comes from the receipt of a gift card. Many times, it's better than any gift someone could pick out for you and as the recipient you feel a little freedom to experiment and maybe buy something you wouldn't normally, because hey, it's free money!

For my birthday last month, my team at work gave me some free money in the terms of iTunes dollars. I was so thrilled, and so careful to not just go nuts and spend it within the first 24 hours of having possession of the cards. This was very hard for me to do, especially in that I don't even have to leave my house to redeem them and my purchase will provide instant listening pleasure and gratification.

But, I refrained and I held onto them and just tonight (almost a month later!) I redeemed them. As I update my blog and check my e-mail and surf and do all that, I am very pleased with my three purchases (and I still have some money left).

So what did I buy with my free money? Three full albums, which are a bit of a mix:

1. Nothing Left to Lose - Mat Kearney. I just recently became aware of Mat Kearney through the title song of his album, Nothing Left to Lose. It is a great song and if you listen to his voice, he sounds very similar to Chris Martin of Coldplay fame, sans the falsetto Apple's daddy is prone to do. Of course you can preview songs on Itunes, but you can still make poor purchases and this is one I would have been nervous to plunk my own non-free money cash down for. So far, so good.

2. Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan. This is to fill my tradition of purchasing a holiday album each year and Sarah's is actually very good. Traditional Sarah sounding, sweeping and pure and clean. My favorites are Christmastime is Here (which she partners with Dianna Krall), Happy Xmas (War is Over) and Silent Night.

3. Mamas and Papas Greatest Hits. This is one of the best free money purchases because its an album I so want in my collection and on my iPod, but always forget to get it and frankly, when I am ready to cash out, I always am interested in something more current. This is the sweetest of tonight's purchases.

I love my free money!

During NaBloPoMo, I DoWaMyThroHuNoMo

Translation: During National Blog Posting Month, I Don't Want My Throat to Hurt No More!

I might have the worst sore throat in the history of my life. The good news is that my dr. ruled out strep, but gave me a diagnosis of bronchitis. Let me tell you, it hasn't been a walk in the park. I have been attacked by cought fits that have left my throat sandpapered raw. But amidst the irritation my throat, my loved ones and coworkers feel with each hacking cough, there are a number of good things going on, things to celebrate and enjoy:

- I finally figured out how iPhoto works and how it's cataloging my pictures. There's still a lot of work to be done to get this PC to Mac conversion done, but I now can actually make progress!

- Tonight was another great evening of fabulous food and fabulous discussion with fabulous friends over a fabulous book. Book Club continues to rock!

- I am getting better at styling my new 'do.

- A friend of mine just had her second sweet baby - a little boy!

- Another friend of mine is expecting!

- Emerson knows where the stars are - "In outer space mommy."

- I may have officially given up french fries. Trust me, this is a good thing.

- I am down to one or no Diet Cokes a day and have switched to iced tea.

Well that's it. It's a short list, but - hey - it's a list!