7 Pins

So Pinterest has really been one of my 2012 obsessions, and I simply don't know what I did before pinning took over my life.  It has become a source of inspiration, a cookbook and recipe finder, and a stylist.  As one of the mainstays in my life, I thought it only fitting it should get an entire day in my 12 Days celebration.

These are the most Pinteresting and Pinspiring pins of the year...

The saying says it all.  We have become addicted to our phones (myself included), taxi driving, and general busy-ness.  I have literally lost the ability to relax when I don't have a commitment of some sort.  This is going to change in 2013.

If When we win the lottery, I will own a house with this office for myself.  No boys allowed.  Like, ever.

So much to see.  So much to inspire.  So much happiness.

I have always had an unnatural attraction to books.  When I find a book I love, I want to be inside that world.  Or I wish I were the person who created that world.  

Sigh... some day.

I don't really need to explain this do I?  It's perfection.

I have recently convinced one of my friends at our Corporate offices to read Harry.  We have always liked the same books, and I just couldn't get over the fact that she hadn't read them yet.

She's read the first 5 in about a month, trying to finish before the end of the year, and is emailing and talking about Harry like he's real. 

 I knew he'd get to her too....

Might be the winner of the Best Pin of the Year.

It's also how I feel about my friends.

Enjoy the night!  Catch you tomorrow.

8 Posts

I've been working on a video for the rink again, and have found myself looking over the past year.  You can learn a lot looking through old photos, but even more when you look through the posts from this year.

It seems I have a lot to say.

I am so thankful that you keep coming back to read what I have to say :)  So I thought it might be fun to make a list of the ones I like the most from this year.

Here we go... (please don't feel like you have to read them again)

1. Believe:  Friday, January 27
2. Read This!:  February 13
3. Friends, Zac, and the power of 50 shades:  April 30
4. Courage:  April 5
5. B Something:  May 3
6. Blaker's Top Ten:  June 14
7. Finding Gratitude:  November 21
8. Blessed:  December 7

It's seriously like a trip down memory lane for me to read them again.  I don't often do that, which is why I probably repeat myself so often.  I don't always love doing what I get paid to do, but this blog makes up for that.  

This is what brings me joy.

This is putting it out there for you to love or hate.

This is where I actually can show some courage.

Happiness is.... this.

Have a fabulous week!

9 Elf Lines

I'm snuggled up in bed, under the down blanket, and watching Elf for the 4th time this week.  I have no idea how many times I've seen this movie, and when we had our van, I would hear it on the DVD player every single day from November through Christmas.

Every.  Single.  Day.

And it still never gets old.  It makes me happy, and the fact that I know every word (as do Toby and the boys), just makes it all the more fun.

Here are my favorite 9 quotes from Elf...

1. We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. 
2. I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite 
3. Francisco! That's fun to say! Francisco... Frannncisco... Franciscooo...
4. He's an angry elf. 
5. You sit on a throne of lies! 
6. Have you seen these toilets? They're GINORMOUS! 
7. SANTA! OH MY GOD! SANTA'S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM! 
8. I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel. 
9. SON of a NUTcracker!

Now I know most of you probably read these and said them in your Elf voice, just like the movie, didn't you?  It's okay, you can't help it...

It's an Elf thing.  

10 Moments

I know that most people would want to forget this week if they were in my shoes.  Spending time in and out of the hospital, not once, not twice, but three times would send anyone over the edge.

I've had to live on that edge in the past couple weeks.

However, in my challenge to stay in the moment, I have tried to take snapshots of all of it.  Good, bad, and ugly.  Lot's of ugly.  And my goal wasn't just to remember the good stuff.  That's easy to do... I want to remember it all.

Here are the 10 Moments I won't forget this week.

1. Listening to Blake yell on xBox tonight.  Clearly he is feeling better, and hasn't asked for any medicine.  Only food.  Lot's and lot's of food.
2. Coming home last night and watching TV with Evan.  He was chatty, and together we watched Pawn Stars and marveled at how crazy some people are.
3. Group texting through the good and bad times.  Together we got through ER visits, vomiting, diarrhea, and even a faker.  Good and bad news is better when you can share it with friends.
4. Waking up at 4 am this morning and catching up on a week's worth of Young and Restless because I can't sleep.  It was mindless perfection and exactly what I needed.
5. Calling my sister-in-law yesterday, crying, and having her calm me down.  She was working yesterday and was having the Dr.s in her hospital help figure out what to do with Blake.  She was the one who told me to ask for steroids.
6. Having Jeff visit yesterday and bring Blake a card.  He is more like family than many in my family.  I hope he knows this some day.
7. Watching the news all day today, praying for the people in Connecticut.  Tragedies, as horrible as they are, bring us closer to those we love.  Sad but true.  I can't imagine what that community is going through, and my heart is breaking for them.
8. Downloading three books onto the Nook with a giftcard.  Free books are the best.
9. Taking gifts for our adopted families from the rink.  It is always the best feeling driving away from there knowing that people are going to have a better Christmas because of what we did.
10. Having Blake look at me today as he sat in his hospital bed and say, "Thank you for taking care of me this week, mom."  I think he totally gets how difficult it was for us, and my heart melted once again.  Amazing kid in so many ways.

Just because we're present doesn't mean every moment has to be perfect or even happy.  Every experience will change you and force you to grow, and that is ultimately what it's all about.  Sometimes we learn the most from the bad times, and then we can appreciate the all the good that really is in our lives everyday and we just don't see it.

If you could pick just one moment from the past week to remember, what would it be?

Enjoy the weekend :)

11 Words

In day 2 of my 12 Days I just want to list the 11 Words that made a difference to me this year.  We speak, we write, we hear words every single second of every day, but do we ever really take the time to think about what they truly mean?  In my never-ending quest for being present, I'm trying even harder to not only listen, but hear the words rattling through my brain.  Especially the ones that keep repeating themselves over and over again.

So here we go...

1. Gratitude
2. Perspective
3. Honesty
4. Prayer
5. Faith
6. Compassion
7. Friendship
8. Happiness
9. Laughter
10. Risk
11. Love

It amazes me how time and time again, my life is about these words.  If you could pick one word to describe how you feel today, what would it be?

Have an amazing day...

12 Days

I think it's only fitting that I start the 12 Days of Christmas on the 12th day of the 12th month in 2012.  In fact, I'm counting on this to be lucky.

The 12 Days are really about reflecting over the year and seeing what was really important and made a difference in my life.  Plus, I'm just a sucker for a count down and getting to do one for 12 days is my favorite creative outlet.  The fact that I haven't planned this one at all, and only decided to do this at eight this morning makes it even more fun.

Let the 12 Days begin...

12 Things I Want for Christmas

1. For Blake to be healthy and happy.  More than anything, I just want him to feel better and get rid of the virus.  If I could wish for this 12 times I would, but that might be a little boring for you.
2. Peace of mind.  See above.
3. More time to write... uninterrupted.
4. More time to read.
5. Health.  I'm done wishing for skinny.  I just want to make sure I'm here to see grandkids someday.
6. A new phone.  This one is dying a slow death, and my phone is my lifeline.
7. A weekend vacation with Toby.  We're in need.
8. Season 1 of Revenge on DVD.
9. Happiness.
10. A girl's night out
11. To finish my book.
12. For Toby to find a new job.  Or happiness of his own.  Whichever comes first.  Both would be great.

That's it.  I know I really don't need anything because I'm really blessed, but I am trying to start thinking of things I need instead of just taking care of myself.  Yes, I'm aware the first and last ones are out of my control.  

The rest... well, I can certainly do something about those.

Happy 12 Days to all, and to all a good night.

blessed

Well this is new, writing in the hospital.  But all is quiet - mostly Blake is quiet - so I had some time to think, because I'm pretty sure that sleep will elude me here.

I was telling someone today that this has to be, hands down, the absolute worst week of Blake's life.  That's not an exaggeration, just a fact at this point.  He has been poked and prodded, ultra sounded and cat scanned.  He hasn't eaten since Wednesday morning, and it's Friday night as I write this.  Contestants on Survivor eat more than he has.

But for some reason, I am so at peace right now.  Probably because he is, but also because Toby and I have literally been text bombed since earlier this week.  Family and friends wondering how he is... wondering how we are... and what can they do to help.

It's overwhelming to think about the circle of people around us, and reminds me of how lucky and blessed we really are, even as I sit and write this in the hospital.

I know this too shall pass, mostly because my mom always said it would, but also because it's true.
The bad times always pass.
The good ones do too.

That is the one thing we can always count on in this crazy world.

That, and the fact that Blake will never do anything halfway.  Like... ever.

Have a fabulous weekend, my Friends.

p.s.  If you're reading this and didn't have a clue, he's going to be just fine.