jack frost.

made a little visit. during the night.

we woke up to a light dusting of the white stuff this am. and the cold. he had to bring the cold with him.

everything was covered. not much to do anything too fun in. but enough to get everyone excited.

we dragged out the snow boots and the ski pants. bundled everyone up. and played around in it. threw snowballs. tried to build a snowman. until our noses were red and our toes were frozen.

don't you remember the excitement of snow? even a little bit seemed like mounds of the stuff back then.

luminary.

thanksgiving is over. done. the leftovers are all gone already. the turkeys and pilgrims and their ship, the mayflower are all snuggled back in their storage bin. it's time to move on to christmas.

we headed out to the arboretum this pm for their annual luminary walk. i've always been partial to luminaries. their soft flicker. their simpleness. perhaps it's from my love of the southwest. but i think it came long before then. but i digress. the walk was chilly. well, it was cold. and it was raining/sleeting/snowing during our walk. but it was beautiful and added to the atmosphere.

the littles loved it. chasing down the path. holding hands.

adoring uncle john (sorry juju).

looking at the lights and the waterfalls and the trees. sitting on santa's (or christmas's) lap.

this time both requesting barbies. yes. barbies. but he only siad it because she did. drinking hot apple cider.

warming ourselves by the fires. listening to the dickens carolers. going out to dinner afterwards to warm up.

juju and i even managed to escape for a few minutes. took the scenic route as they wandered down the shortcut with the littles. listened to some indian flute music. i loved it. such a simple and beautiful way to start celebrating the holidays.

christmas lap.

the excitement of thanksgiving has come and gone. the pilgrims have vanished. just as quickly as the bird was devoured.

we've moved full force on to santa. and what he should bring. we've been wavering on what we think we should ask for when we sit on his lap. should it be a princess dress? a pink electric guitar? a kitchen? a drum set? or the easiest on the wallet and the ears. this week - a headband? personally i vote for the headband.

today. we thought barbies would be nice as well as a choo choo. for him and for her. he still is leaning towards a cooking (kitchen) and a headband (don't ask). i'm still gunning for the headband.

but the best part today was when they contemplated how they actually have to ask for these treasures. that they actually have to sit on his lap and ask. there were some tears of fear and shouts of joy. for he is a bit timid to sit on "christmas" lap (not santa's lap. he calls it "christmas lap") and she can't wait to get there. getting her off will be the issue. as was demonstrated by our visit to the easter bunny this spring...

thankful part 2.

so today is my day to be thankful. to spew out what i'm thankful for. and here goes. don't mind the randomness. and don't mind that it's in no particular order of importance. or complete. i'm sure i could go on and on.

family.

sharpie markers. apple computers. and fresh raspberries.

cowboy boots. and words. and john denver songs.

starbucks lattes. and holiday gingersnap lattes.

friends.

cinnabon cinnamon rolls. and thankful that there isn't one here. i only get them occasionally in an airport.

orange julius. again. not here. only when lucky enough to find one.

laughing. and 24 hour news.

my north face puffer vest. and jacket. timbuktu bags.

nikon. and great lenses. and inspiration.

christmas lights.

martha stewart glitter. and green street lights.

cupcakes. and frosting.

warm fall days. and early spring days.

flowers. and rain drops.

good books. and crossword puzzles.

construction paper and scissors.

wine. and cheese.

littles. and words. and wonder.

project runway. top chef. and the barefoot contessa.

mrs meyers lavendar soap.

flip flops. and warm days to wear them.

oceans. mountains. and forests. i'm not picky.

sunsets and sunrises.

dogs and down comforters. and snuggles and hugs.

turkeys on parade.

so today. i decided to break out the cupcakes. and be creative. i felt like baking. so i whipped up a batch of turkey cupcakes. for tomorrow. for delivering to friends. don't worry. it's not an original idea. i just modified it slightly to give them a bit of personality.


i love how it looks like they're just marching along. not caring a bit about their fate.

and he seems to have a bit of attitude. well. shouldn't he? it's his day after all. although. when did your day become the one where you're eaten?

and i know. i hate candy corn. in case you'd forgotten. i won't eat the tail feathers or the beak. i mean really? who would any way?

thankful.

on sunday at sunday school. she was thankful for:

yes - that says princess dresses.

yesterday at school she made a picture. and she was thankful for:

and yes - that's nail polish in the middle and that's supposed to be me(!) on the left and her brother on the right.
and today at dance class she was thankful for. finally. her family.


yes. it's been a progression. certainly princess dresses and nail polish are the things to be most thankful for...

slinky.

i read yesterday that the inventor (or wife of...) of the slinky died recently. her name was betty james. let's take a moment. everyone has enjoyed a slinky, haven't you?

she was 90 years old.

immediately it reminded me of my dear friend jeanne. in texas.

when i worked with her. years ago. she always. i mean always. carried around a little slinky with her. she's just one of those people that always has to be busy with something. (like people who doodle in meetings) and her slinky was her thing. especially helpful in the dysfunctional place we worked. with the crazy people we worked with.

but she always would fiddle. fiddle. fiddle. with the slinky. and i'll always remember her. when i see one. i bet she still has one on her desk now. i'll have to ask her...or send her one for christmas...

46.

happy anniversary to my parents.

wow.

46 years.




that's 46 years. our 10 seems measly in comparison. but i won't go there. this is about you.

46 is a big number. i'm sure it's hard to come by. not many these days get there. congratulations. you've set a high standard for us to live up to.

we had a party for 40. sorry. no bash this year. but toddot got married. so that was a big enough celebration for the year.

3 kids. dogs. and now a new puppy. grandkidd-os. 46 happy fun adventuring years.

a lot to be happy about.

enjoy and celebrate!

happy birthday.

to twinkle.

our first little. our colorado native.

life has been rough for you lately. i know. you don't feel great. the other littles call you "winkie". we don't get to snug like we used to.

but we love you. still our first little.

happy birthday. to you. to you. to you.

finally.

friday.

finally.

yippee!

and what did i get done?

not much. not much at all. but it was a good week. i got focused. i got organized (kind of) and i made it through. i had a lot on my plate this week. and i'm glad some of it is cleared off.

but it's finally friday. and can you believe it? it's also five weeks until christmas.

i know. the holiday decorations are up in the stores. the christmas music has been playing on the radio for weeks. the holiday sales have started. but i'm not in the mood. to play christmas yet. now. don't get wrong. i love christmas. love the whole holiday season. but don't like the way it's been commercialized. extended. used.

but this year is going to be different for us. new family members in town. homemade from me. but the usual busy. busy. busy. rushing around. i think we can say we're already overbooked this coming month. something every weekend. parties. dates. get-togethers. outings with friends. it will be a special, fun month.

but for now. i'm just glad. glad that it's friday.

finally.

suddenly i see.

suddenly i saw. today. and realized.

all the things. that i have to get done. before the holidays.

so i focused. sat down. made more lists. decided what to give as gifts. decided what i'm going to create. because i think this is going to be a handmade christmas from me.

isn't that what christmas is about? the thought? the intention? the things i remember loving the most at christmas were usually handmade. or handed-down to me. heirlooms. or pieces of memories. it wasn't about the stuff. it was about the thought. the effort that went behind, or into the gift.

i'm excited. i have a lot. a lot. to do. but i'm focused. and i'm going to get them done.



so it's handmade. from me. can't give out details. because certain giftee(s) read this site. but more to come. so just know that i'll be busy busy busy. creating. creating. creating.

off the wagon.

oh. i've been good. very good.

not in attempt to entice santa (although that would be nice).

but just good.

i guess i've been a bit freaked out by all the doom and gloom of the financial reports. the excessive hype of the news media. waiting for the recession. the higher prices. etc. etc. and i've had that whole simplify message running through my brain, too.

so i've been good. not great. but good.

i mean really? how many pairs of shoes does one person need? well, ok. i shouldn't ask that one.

but seriously? i have enough clothes, shoes, make up, un-necessities to last me months. no years.

but today. i don't know what happened. i fell. and fell semi-hard. not hard. just semi-hard.

two new pairs of jeans, a sweater, and a new pair of shoes.

i know. i know. it doesn't sound like much. and it really wasn't. old navy for the jeans and sweater (and we know how cheap their stuff is) and the shoes. well. they were expensive. but i had two coupons and a gift card (from a return, of course - see i'm what you could call a "serial returner" - but i'll save that for another post). so in actuality they were cheap. so what if they are cole haans. they'll last forever, right? and they were cheap in relativity...

so there. i 'fessed up.

i fell off. but i'm back on tomorrow.

well, after i get that one sweater at banana that is calling out to me....

quiet. please.

oh, how i wish i was here. today.

i've been fighting a migraine all day. all day long. i could feel it coming on when i woke up this am.

and it's here. a day at the beach would certainly help it.

so i think i'll just think about that.

the beach.

sand in the toes.

sunshine on the shoulders.

the smell of suntan lotion.

a cool drink in my hand.

the spray of surf on my face.

i'm feeling better already.

and it's only monday.

time for more coffee. more coffee. more coffee.

here's my list for the week. and it's only monday. monday.

* pick out and return school pictures
* work
* bank
* layouts to start and complete
* holiday gifts to start
* schedule dr. appointment that i've been putting off for months
* take little 1 to dr.
* photograph session
* write thank you notes for many many various things
* workout
* call friend in texas
* return phone calls
* rsvp party
* finish laundry
* plan menu
* finish cleaning up yard
* wash car and get gas - complete! how do you like paying $1.69 a gallon? yee haw!
* take little 2 to dentist
* call dentist for me
* find holiday outfit for little 1's holiday pageant
* finish painting things
* finish. finish. finish. many things. and it's only monday.

sometimes i think i should just drink coffee. do you ever wonder about those lucky folks that just sit in coffee shops all day? what do they do that allows this to be their lives? what path did they take that i didn't? because somedays, i would sure like to know...

caterpillar.

hours of fun. a caterpillar brings.

we fed him.

played with him.

named him. cater. of course.

built him a house.

decided he would be our best friend for. ever. forever.

and then unceremoniously dumped his house and his food with him back into the yard. and moved onto something else.

how fleeting friendship is when you're five. at least she didn't smoosh him.