December 29, 2011

thank you...

...to all of you who have supported this blog
...to all of you who have left comments under posts
{i really do get so excited when that happens!}
...to those of you who have shared a post or the site with others
...to all of you who i love dearly
...to all of you who i could not live without

*     *     *

i hope to give much much more in 2012!  look forward to
give aways!  guest bloggers! new expierences and posts! 
 if you are intersted in guest blogging shoot me an email, i would love to share what you have to say and the things that make you happy.

please continue to comment under posts, give me feedback, or just communicate. 

please follow so i can one day offer so much more! 
any interaction on the site is truely some of the best support i can get!

here is to new beginningslove and growth in the new year.

hurry up 2012!

December 27, 2011

christmas 2011: one for the book


christmas 2011 was unlike any other 

this year we spent christmas day in the hospital where my mom has been for the past two weeks.  we knew she wouldn't be out by christmas, so we decided to make the best of pre-christmas build up and the best of christmas weekend just for her.

first up: decorate her room. 
the big sister and i bought up a lot of christmas decorations last week and slyly hung them all while my mom slept.  when she woke up she was greeted with colorful ornaments raining down from her window.  red and sliver snow flakes hung from the curtail rail {with medical tape of course}christmas cards and get well cards nicely propped up for her to see.  a tiny green tinsel tree and of course, cookies within reach.

next on the agenda: christmas eve.
it's a good thing my mom is on a regular hospital diet so we don't really need to 'sneak' in food, more just bring it to her.  so we thought it would be fun to throw a little pizza party.  we called in her favorite order {double sausage pizza with a vanilla coke} from our beloved family pizza place, frank's, and invited friends, family and nurse staff to stop by for a greasy slice and vanilla coke while a christmas story played on tv.

last: christmas day.
we had mom's present and stocking ready to go, cookies for the nurses baked and decorated, but the big sister and i were really excited about a surprise we had decided on a few days prior.  hideous pajamas for christmas morning.  to really embarrass ourselves further we decided to cut up a christmas ribbon, fashion it as an over the top bow and place it on top of our ridiculously braided hair.  the embarrassment was well worth the laughter we got the moment mom saw us.

a new tradition?
i hope everyone had a very merry christmas, ate and laughed as much as we did, but most of all, appreciated the time spent with your family and loved ones.  it just goes to show, location is no match for good company.

December 18, 2011

dear december,

i wish i could say i love you.  i do.  but undoubtedly you have dealt blow after blow since the 1st.  you have delivered bad news on top of bad news, ultimately trying and breaking my optimistic outlook.
 
with that said, you have taught me something new.  you have taught me to deeper search for wonderful things, as little and petty as they may be, and see their meaning.  with those tiny little beautiful things i have decided to pile them up and hold on to them; count them; adore them and keep them so the next time you approach with a new complication in hand, i'll fall on things i love.

i don't blame you for being honest.
but instead of caving to your news, i've decided to welcome it.
find humor in it. and approach it on a case by case basis, as hard as this may be.

beacuse you have affected the people i love most, this month, i have also decided to be about everyone else.  i'll check in every now and then, but my empathy is on reserve for the people i love.   so i can laugh with them.  cry with them. bring a bit of light in their darkness.  hug them. escape with them.  and just be present.

so, that's what i will be doing from now on.  i may also accompany my plan of attack with chocolate.  maybe some wine.  but guaranteed, with laughter.  not for you, but for my loved ones because they need it most right now.
suck it december.
xo,
R

December 11, 2011

these sweet treats are:

























         sunday, lovely sunday...
always better with ice cream for breakfast!