Gazing back at the years past…It seems surreal that I have
spent almost my Entire 20’s with this man. Anticipating the year to come…Knowing that
2013 is going to be a BIG year for
Ralph and I. Cant believe that I get to spend it with My Favorite.
Truth: I have been known to un-decorate my entire house the
day of Christmas after the festivities take place. Fact. This year I’m not sure why I felt guilty as every decoration
came down before Christmas day came to an end. There has to be other A-type
personalities out there like me?!? Are there??
I couldn’t take all the “clutter” and even
though I stayed home sick (yes you heard right) the ENTIRE day I still managed
to throw it all down into the basement. Don’t
get me wrong, I thought it was all beautiful, full and magical…but I like
clean, crisp and simple.
I needed “normal” back and having two weeks off left me with
this sudden urge to accomplish all….Slowing it down to blog tonight is much
needed. What is this creepy flu that is going around? My two day sickness
seemed to come and go so I think I’m officially in the clear of NOT getting it…Yippee.
I think Ralph and I’s best bet is to retreat to the Beach House and stay free
and clear of everyone. Ring in the New Year in the most Romantic Setting
Possible, I think we will head there Sunday. The plan was Today but we have
Anthony coming over tomorrow to install Fios…so I’m sure they will be playing
around all day.
I also have to confess that I have very little New Year's decorations!I don’t
know what it is with New Year’s but I never seem to have the gumption to
decorate after the whole hustle and bustle of Christmas has past. But what’s
the fun in that… I went to AC Moore and bought some wooden numbers…Lots of Gold
“Frill” and a big Tub of Martha Stewart's Gold Glitter. I was able to spruce up
my “just because” flowers and took out the dozen red roses and left the dozen
white ones. I dipped the flowers in some mod podge then swirled in the gold
glitter. Took out some of the greens from the arrangement and replaced it with
gold. I glittered up the numbers and but magnets on the back. Stuck them on my
pottery barn chalk board and finally numbered two glasses for our toast.
My Ralph did good this year…Somehow he always seems to “get
me.” He listens like nobody has ever seemed to listen…even when I don’t think
he is…even if it’s just a wave of a gesture over a conversation about a commercial.
He totally, totally gets me.
I hope y’all have a HAPPY NEW YEAR filled with Love and Laughter!
Happy week before Christmas peeps! When I started this
post I had a houseful so I’m finally posting now, I knew if I didn’t Christmas
week would have flown by and I wouldn’t have had a chance to say howdy ;) I
have to share this
moment- I
was at whole foods with my mom…we were eating lunch in the little eating area
and there was this man maybe in his early 40s and he was so HAPPY!! Smiling at
everyone, humming songs and really just. plain. happy. I found myself happy too.
I couldn’t stop smiling and really believed it was contagious! My mom of course
had to walk over to him when we were leaving and say “You are so happy, we Love that.”
Little did we know we would then be sitting down with him (this complete stranger) and listen to his
story about how sick he was for a very long time, so sick that he and his family believed
he would die, he got better and decided to live a HAPPY life. He says he finds
that most people look “unhappy” thus are unhappy! He also said no matter how mean or unhappy people are being around him, he will still be HAPPY. He said most of the time people will catch on. Such a true statement. He
said it made his day by us letting him know that we acknowledged his happiness. Sometimes it's the small things we do for others that are the most
important. I feel blessed like crazy.
If you are looking for a Super easy way to bless your family or anyone else you have to give this recipe a
go...it’s so easy and if you have little kiddies they will love rolling the
cookie balls in the red and green sugar!!! Bake extra and walk over a few
batches to your neighbors.
Ingredients:
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter (softened at room temperature)
1 egg, lightly beaten (egg should be at room temperature)
3 Tablespoons half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Red and Green colored Sugar
1 Bag of Holiday Hersey Kisses
In a large
bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and
vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill
dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven
to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface roll into 1 inch balls, then roll in colored sugar. Place cookies
1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Right out of the oven place a kiss in the center! Cool completely. ENJOY!!
Baby Christian came to play over the weekend and we LOVED
watching him play with all the Christmas
Decorations. He was certainly a good distraction.
Trying to stay busy more so after the Connecticut shootings
last week. I really can’t even go into a discussion on the horrificness that
went down; our house has been solemn as I’m sure the rest of Americas was. We couldn’t Christmas
shop, get into the holiday spirit, do anything really, other than just be. A
mournful state engulfed our house over the weekend.
I can say; The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in
spirit.
Psalm 34:18
My spirit is certainly crushed…I
have boycotted facebook on and off, not that I'm on it much that often anymore….I can’t watch people draw political debates passing
blame on why this tragedy happened. Knowing that there are presents under
Christmas tree’s right now for little children that are now dead is enough for
me to be sick. Knowing that teachers were killed as they shielded their
children, rips me to pieces. Knowing that if it happened in my classroom I
would have done the same. Walking in my classroom Monday and seeing the hurt on
children’s faces. Knowing that living over an hour away...this Monster has also stolen
these children’s innocence, and put fear in their tiny hearts for a place they
once thought was safe. Reassuring
parents and children that OUR school
is safe, knowing that a perfectly safe Suburban school much like ours was NOT. Lifting my hands and completely surrounding
myself to the lord this holiday season.
About a month ago I got together
with a couple of my friends...we decided to make a "time capsule" as
the excitement of our TEN year class reunion is coming up. (Which I have to be
honest…I totally skipped out on! There was a link up online of those in attendance
which mind you was about 20 from the 160 graduates and truthfully maybe only wanted
to see about 10 of them…I decided I will hold a little mixer to replace the
reunion and save myself the wasted time of seeing those I don’t really care for,
Maybe I will be more inclined to go to the 20 year)Anyway, I thought it would be a great idea to do that
with Ralph. We don't have any children right now and in ten years who knows how
many changes will come about. We have a ton of paint in our basement and I
grabbed the lightest one and cleaned it out. Printed off a super cute label for
it and we went to town.
We wrote each other letters, added
pictures, small trinkets and a few other surprises that the other doesn't
know...we will open it on Christmas day the year 2022 Omg. It's funny how much we got
into it. When I first started dating Ralph for years I would write down what we
did everyday...I'm not kidding...I will have to take a picture of that and add it later today...
I guess you can say I was kind of
obsessed. Imagine if he found that!! Or the baby clothes, or seating
arrangements for our wedding...I wonder if he would have been long gone.
Truthfully I don't think so, he was in love. He is still in Love.
Take a peek at our Time Capsule....
Ralph took a rubber mallet hammer type thing, banged the top and the lid is officially secured...not to be opened for another TEN YEARS!!
