christmas collages

ok, ok, mom...i'm now posting about Christmas.
sorry i've been such a turtle about this. but really, it's been a little bit busy.

Christmas was lovely in every way this year (minus missing my family, of course, and also minus the several cuts on my hands from opening all the plastic and cardboard boxes..man, those things are dangerous.).

it started out with Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Chapman's house...aka "The Zoo" (she literally has animal figurines and stuffed animals adorned all throughout her house. Ellie loves that place....while i am constantly freaked out she's gonna break something the whole time we're there)....

Twas the night before Christmas
at Grandma Chapman's house...
Every creature was living there
Even a mouse.

Ellie was so excited
for wherever she looked
she found a new animal
and then she was hooked.

She wanted to touch it
and to give it a kiss
and i admit i was a little scared
the frog would turn into a prince.

ok ok, i got a little carried away.

i'm not gonna rhyme and poetratize this whole post.

we had fun catching up with M's side of the fam. here's a little glimpse of our evening:

and before we knew it
Christmas morning had arrived
So we walked down stairs
And Ellie was so excited overjoyed and surprised.

she got babies

and princesses

and dress-ups too

she got golf-clubs
and dolls
and lots of play-food.


she smiled, she ran, 
she kissed and hugged each and every toy
thanks to all our loved ones, 
her Christmas (and ours too) was filled with love and joy.

whoa sorry, the rhymes just keeping spilling out of me like beans. 
to sum it up:
Christmas was wonderful.
we were very blessed.
and now we are spending the rest of our break painting painting painting, tiling tiling tiling, carpeting carpeting carpeting, and any and every other renovation term you can think of so that we can get this house done before the new year.

pray for us.
and my aching back :)

love to you all! hope you had the merriest of Merry Christmases- and are ready to party in the new year!
xoxo

Santa and Merry Christmas and stuff

we went and saw Santa today.

it all started pretty good- with Ellie looking darling in a little Christmas dress-- and constantly asking for "tanta."

 {these are the kind of shots we get these days: action ones.}

but then, when we plopped her on the big man's lap....well...

it pretty much went exactly like i thought it would:

{notice her one arm reaching out to me-- she kept saying "noo! nooo!" over and over in between sobs while reaching out for me to come and save her. poor thing. sadly, it was very, very funny-- and M and i laughed quite a bit. crazy what we put our children through for the sake of "tradition."}

and while part of me wishes i had that little picture-perfect cheesy grin from my little El-ster, we all know that's just not how she rolls. plus, it's funnier this way.

anyway, so i'm busy making rolls tonight-- M's grandma's secret recipe ones (why does it seem that every grandma has a secret recipe? and what's the big secret anyway? why does it have to be a secret?) and tomorrow will most assuredly be hectic and fun and exciting and busy...

but i wanted to be sure to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. my little life and little world are better because of you, dear blogging world. so, if there's anyone out there, from me to you this Christmas Eve eve, know that my little Marci heart is grateful for you and wishes for all your wildest Christmas dreams to come true. sending you a big hug and lots of love this season and always!

xoxo

gifts

wow, it's Christmas week... i can't believe it... how did that happen? one minute we were making rolls and basting turkeys and waking up at an insane hour to get a few hot deals, and the next.... Wam! it came.

i admit it...i'm excited. makes me feel like a little kid with a slight hope that Santa might actually come and adorn my newly painted red kitchen with the le creuset pots i am currently lusting over. it can't hurt to wish right?

and yet while i'd love those pots, and some new mac makeup and some killer sexy jeans that will shrink my Latin butt three sizes, i can't help but be more excited to actually give a meaningful Christmas for once and make the magic i felt not-so-long-ago for Ellie. i can't wait to see er face Christmas morning when she realizes that those boxes i've been making her steer clear from have been full of toys and treats. holidays truly are special with kids.

and still, while i am so excited to capture ellie's expressions and enjoyment, and i can't wait to see what she likes most, i can't help but think and be grateful for all the gifts i already have been given.

the gift of life.
the gift of family.
the gift of a home.
the gift of warm socks and jackets.
the gift of being parents to Ellie.
the gift of the savior, Jesus Christ's birth and life.

i'm so grateful for the Savior and that we have this time of year to remember Him and emulate Him and the kind of life He lived. the knowledge of His birth and life is the gift i treasure most.

though i'm not gonna lie, i still kinda hope i get those jeans :)

i love this time of year, and hope you are all loving it too!

Merry Christmas week to all.

xoxox

drawing

Ellie discovered she likes to draw....







i foresee many more scribble tattoos in the future...
which is all fun and games till the walls get some tattoos too.
but for now, i think it's pretty stinkin cute.

xoxo

I'll Be Home For Christmas

i woke up this morning with a community of zits inhabiting my face.
i don't know what's worse: the pain of those monsters or the fact that i am still battling zits in my mid twenties.
i decided the only way to combat those vermin would be to sit in front of the mirror and try to annihilate them-- show them who's boss.
well, now my face is all red, swollen, and looking worse (and feeling worse) than before.
ugh.
but, i'm determined to be in good spirits...

so i put on my Christmas playlist.. Christmas music always boosts spirits. i'm now listening to David Archuleta's version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas."



i admit it, i'm crying a little bit. why does that song always make me cry? i think it's because it makes me think of my family.

it makes me think of my mom singing that song while putting Martha Stewart to shame in the decorating department.
it makes me think of cinnamon potpurri brewing in the kitchen, a collection of Santa's adorned all over that beautiful entertainment center, my brother teasing my sister, my dad walking through the door from work or from the gym, and Lucy, the dog, lurking around every corner pleading for attention and snuggles.
it makes me think of snow dancing to the ground, chocolate peppermint cookies (the secret-recipe ones), driving up to a house decked out in lights glowing in white ice, and watching old movies while sipping on some hot chocolate.
it makes me think of my grandpa playing music on his piano, my grandma unveiling her treasure of gifts for all her grandkids, my cousins and aunts and ungles laughing and dancing and singing and limbo-ing.
it makes me think of laughing till my stomach hurts. 
it makes me think of choirs and concerts going on all over town.
it makes me think of my mom's smile, my dad's laugh, my sister's beautiful face, my brother's humor, and his wife's love for their little Rosalie.
it makes me miss my family like something fierce.

don't get me wrong, i love it here. it is lovely. i love being close to M's family. i love sharing the holiday with them.  it is so special-- especially for Ellie.
it's just not home...yet.
and so when i think of "I'll be home for Christmas," i can't help but think of my little childhood Utah house...humble and sweet...and my little Hartley family...wild and equally sweet.

love to you all, and missing you all lots.
hope you're enjoying the season!

xoxo

i'm hoping he wins tonight:

but i wouldn't mind if he won either:

how 'bout you?

{side note: i'm getting sad that all my shows are ending. like, i'm pretty depressed thinking that there's no Glee on tonight. thank goodness for the two-hour SYTYCD season finale. but really, what am i going to do until 'early spring' without new Glee music, hilariously sarcastic Sue comments, and ridiculously adorable Mr. Shoe? thank goodness Christmas is around the corner...and then American Idol, Lost and 24 are coming soon to distract me........[a side note to my side note: am i the only one who gets chills every time an American Idol commercial comes on?? and how freakin' cool is it that Ellen is going to be a new judge? just when i thought it couldn't get any better...it did.] the end.}

Ellie week part VII: sweet and sour...but mostly sweet

one final Ellie week post...

{yes this is a blurry image..but i wanted to share it because a. it's virtually impossible to snap a clear photo these days and b. it totally captures Ellie's personality these days: on the go, happy, energetic, always moving, sweet & sour}

 anyone who knows and/or who has been around Ellie for about 10 seconds knows that she has a very unique personality. i like to call it "sweet and sour...but mostly sweet." you see, she is so sweet and kind and loving in so many ways....most of the time. but don't get on her bad side...and don't make her mad...because then things can get a bit sour.

you can make her mad by doing 1 of 2 things: 1. pick her up and try to love on her while she's busily playing or running around. 2. deny her a treat or a toy or basically something that she wants. (and if you're me, which i am me, i have a 3rd and 4th way i can make her mad: 3. give another child attention (this could mean holding them, chasing them, giving them a snack....the list goes on. she's suffering from "only child syndrome" at this point). 4. leave the room.).

so what does "making Ellie mad" entail? well, there's only one way to describe it: crazy. and one other word too: tantrum. 

now, i must admit, i really wasn't expecting to be dealing with tantrums at such a young age...but we have at least one grumpy spell or tantrum a day these days...and sometimes, if i'm extra lucky, i'll get a handful of them. she is a very stubborn, strong-willed little squirt. the solution: therapy. ha ha, just kidding (could you imagine an 18-month old in therapy? strangely, in this world, i somehow could). for reals though, i'm not quite sure of the best solution. i usually don't give her what she wants, continue to hold the kid, and go in the other room anyway. i then come back to her out-of-control self and try to hug her and reason with her (insert laugh here) and then distract her with some other toy or snack. is it working? kinda. am i hopeful it will get better? you betcha. could i use advice? of course.

having said all of that stuff about Ellie's sour self, she is also the sweetest little toddler on the planet. the evidence:

• she gives unsolicited hugs and kisses all day long...not just to me or M, not just to her Grandma and Grandpa, and Gammy and Pops and aunties and uncles, but to her toys (even things like blocks and toothbrushes) and even to her food. i love her huggy little self.
  

• whenever she sees me she says, "hii mama!" (even if she just saw me 10 seconds before). makes me feel so loved.

• she looovvees her crib. she practically jumps out of my arms to get in it when it's time for nap or bed. i think this is partially because of her love affair with her raggidy ole pig that she's snuggled in bed with since she was born. when i leave the room, i often hear her talking to that pig saying this like "awweee, hiii pig. niiicceee." and then i hear her lips smacking as if she's kissing that pig. wow. she loves that thing.
• she also looovees for me to sing her before she goes to sleep. she'll snuggle into my shoulder and say "song? sing?" we sing this "night night" song that my mom wrote for my little sister when she was Ellie's age..basically you sing everything you can imagine to sleep. when i finish, she'll say "again?" or she'll say, "twinkle twinkle?" and then we'll sing twinkle twinkle 5 or 6 times. she loves being sung before bed-time. i love being snuggled before her bed time.
• she says please and thank you, like this: "paallllleeeeshh?" and "take-yoo." i love that sweet little voice.
  
• when we're getting ready to go upstairs to take a bath, (which is still twice a day...she loves her bath SO MUCH that we take one in the morning and one at night...maybe that will change once we start paying our water bill??) we do a little waddle dance and sing "up up up to take a bath bath bath." she waddles just like i do and follows me all the way up the stairs. it's one of my favorite moments of the day.
•  she still LOVES books. she loves being read to and reading books on her own. her favorite book right now is "Papa, Please get the moon for me." she has a recent infatuation with the moon, which i think is absolutely adorable. she also recently loves "The Polar Express" thanks to Grandma Lynne. i love that she loves to read. 

she is just sweet as candy, this little Ellie girl.
if you've met her, you'd agree.
if you haven't, you must.

and thus concludes my Ellie week. hope you've enjoyed it.
and Ellie,
i hope you know how much your mama and dada love you. you're our joy.

{our cute + curious little bug}

xoxo

Ellie week part VI: a couple of random facts

it's late and i've been enjoying a lazy day with a slightly snotty nosed Ellie (which means slightly (and not so slightly) grumpy Ellie)....so i don't have pictures and thoughts gathered for a new Ellie week post...so instead, i decided i'd share just a couple random facts of the day...

Ellie made it to nursery today. yes, she's now in nursery. she didn't cry. and i didn't either (does that make me a bad mom??). in fact, she ran in there, hugged the nursery leader, turned around and waved me and M off and said "buh-bye." wow. i felt myself twittering a lot during the rest of church...turning to see if the door opening was someone coming to tell me what a cry-baby she was being or how mean she was being to the other kids...but no one came. and yes, you could say my mind wandered just a bit.....looks like sitting through 3 consecutive hours is going to take some getting used to. so Ellie's transition seems easy. mine...not so much. maybe it's time to have another kid??? (no, not an announcement).

we've also played a lot today.
we've watched some sesame street.
we've played with Elmo.
we've danced to Christmas music.
we've built some buildings such as this one:

and then Ellie enjoyed her favorite part...destroying the masterpiece:

and then we enjoyed a nice little snuggle...of which daddy captured on his phone (poor quality...frumpy mommy, but you get the idea).

now we're getting ready to eat some yummy gooey Caramel corn while snuggling up and watching the Holiday Inn, my all time favorite Christmas movie. i love Christmas time.

i have one or two Ellie posts left for this Ellie week.............
get excited.

xoxo

Ellie week part V: doin' the moonwalk

{Ellie girl doing some pirouettes on Halloween}

there are very few things Ellie loves more than music.
it's been that way since she was just an itty bitty and her Gammy sang her her first lullaby.

i remember when she used to be that mean little infant she once was (and she would cry nonstop) one of the only things that would give me relief was to dance to these classical baby CD's i had while holding in my arms all swaddled up. i'd put one of those songs on and she'd stop, mid-scream, and look right up at me with those big, constantly-teary -yes as if to either say: "you're crazy, mama- can you send me back?" or "yeah, you shake it mama. this is what i was born to do." i have a video of it somewhere...but i'm sure i wouldn't want to share it with you anyway because i probably was wearing my pj's, rockin my perma-frizzy-pony-tail that i had on top of my head for the first 3 months of Ellie's life, and had a swollen face- either from post-laborness or from crying (it was a shocking experience for me, becoming a mom)- and all of that combined with me dancing to Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" would be just plain embarrassing for anyone other than me to behold.

however, we did post this video when she was just a few weeks old as proof that she was born to shake it:

{wasn't she such a teenie!? i forgot what a little squirt she was. so cute...even if she was a big meanie. :)}

well, it isn't hard to imagine that her passion lives on...she still loves to dance.
she loves to twirl and pirouette.
she loves to shake her bum (that's a new trick).
she loves to stomp her feet reeallly reallly fast.
and she loves to stick jumps and tricks in there wherever she can.
unfortunately she was being a bit of a stinker when i was trying to get her to dance on demand today. but i did get a few moves, including prop-work and the moon-walk. check it out:

{note: it's kinda long. and kinda boring- and yes, you'll get annoyed by my voice- but it's just to give you the idea of what we do around our house all day every day. we dance. and i try to get her to do other cute and slightly embarrassing moves}

Ellie also lovvvveeess to listen to music.
she loves for me to sing "twinkle twinkle little star" over and over again (it's her favorite song. i didn't even know 18 month-olds had favorite songs).
my favorite is that she'll attempt to sing it too.
makes me smile so big.
{unfortunately you have to tolerate listening to my yucky-mom-singing-voice yet again to get to hear her sing twinkle twinkle....but i promise, you'll be rewarded at the end when she whips out her new favorite trick: flying like tinkerbell}.

i'm so grateful she loves music.
because i think of any language in the whole world, music is the universal one.
it speaks to my soul.
and i hope that it will continue to speak to hers.

xoxo

Ellie week part IV: a pirate's parrot

{Ellie chattin' it up, as usual}

one of Ellie's greatest talents is her vocabulary.
you know those parrots that live on pirates' shoulders and repeat everything their master says?
yeah, Ellie is my little parrot on my shoulder.
she repeats EVERYTHING.
if i say "cool!" she says "coooool!"
if i say "Miiiikkeee?" she says "Miiiikkkeee?"
if i say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" she says.....
ok, so she doesn't say everything.
but almost everything.

i think her mind must be racing a million miles a minute-- even when she's sleeping.
example: this morning, i went in to wake her up (sometimes she can be a bit of a sleepy head) and right as she stood up and looked at me with her squinty eyes, and she said in her groggy voice: "ball? doggie?" i really wish i knew what she was dreaming about...

she loves to tell me all of her body parts- which i think is adorable. we'll just be sitting there building some building with our blocks and she'll point to my nose and say "nose." or we'll be eating breakfast and notice her toes and say "hi toes!" so cute.

{note: yes, i let Ellie still wear her Halloween pajamas even though it's almost Christmas. so sue me. also, she gets that crazy bed-head from her daddy....... finally, notice the squinty eyes. i love morning-squinty eyes! so funny/cute}



my favorite words she says right now are "de-ish-ush" (delicious) and "yu you" (love you).
i caught them on tape today for your viewing pleasure.

{note: please ignore my "high-pitched-mommy-voice"..........i can be really annoying..}



oh how i love this little pirate's parrot-chatter-bug.

xoxo

Ellie week part III: technologically advanced

 {Ellie on the airplane, pushing the buttons on the arm-rest to change the channel. seriously!?}

the kids these days come out smarter and smarter, i swear.
Ellie is no exception.
i can't help but think back to when i was a kid when computers were the size of houses, cordless phones were THE BOMB!, and cell phones were the size of watermelons (think Julia Roberts on My Best Friend's Wedding...makes me laugh everytime she pulls out that brick!) that only rich people had in their cars.
then, the cell phone movement happened...and suddenly all the cool kids in high school had them.
i wasn't cool.
you see, i didn't get my first cell-phone till i was in college (i know, i was so deprived. i even walked to school, barefoot, uphill, both-ways, too. so sad).
i remember how cool i thought i was when i got that first phone (that teeny-screened nokia which died like 10 times...but which fostered many hours of playing "snake"- i owned that game)...and how it transformed my life. that was only like 6 years ago, folks.

and then there's Ellie. wow. she will never ever know what it's like to live without a cell phone. in fact, she pretty much thinks my iPhone is HERS. seriously. i can't even pull it out to make a phone-call or answer a phone-call without her saying "pone?" and her grabbing at it furiously.

 she not only knows how to unlock it, she knows how to navigate on it, choose which app she wants, exit out of an app she's sick of, and actually interact and play games on it without my help (such as shape games, alphabet games and number games). it kind of freaks me out.
and while it bugs me sometimes...to the point of even considering buying her an iTouch, just so that i can have my phone back (which is completely ridiculous...and yet i am constantly browsing for good deals on them), i am absolutely amazed by her technological savvyness. and i love her adorable, determined, pouty face she makes when she's playing with it....it's as if she's saying, "this is serious business, mom. do NOT interrupt me."

it makes me realize that this really is going to be a crazy generation.

more about Ellie to come tomorrow!
(p.s. i'm loving Ellie week! it's so fun to tell you all about my little best friend--and the reasons why i love her. hope you're not too overwhelmed by it :) )

xoxo

Ellie week part II: a belly full of apple juice

another little fact about Ellie for you on this "Ellie Week":

i'm 100% certain that this pot belly:

is filled 100% with apple juice.
the evidence:

 

 

 

 

and what a cute little pot belly it is.

it's so fun to kiss.

and gobble.

and tickle.

and to hear her point to it and say "button," for belly-button.

 

question: when do pot belly's become un-cute?

because i'm pretty sure i couldn't rock that look very well.

but for now, i'm hopin' hers stays for a long, long time.

xoxo

welcome to Ellie week. part I: playful Ellie

so, it's been a while since i've posted about Ellie.
a long while.
and she's so big now.
like she says sentences like "tank-you mama."
and she jumps with both feet off of the ground.
which surprises me every time.
and she's basically like a 16 year old these days.
ok not really.
but i feel like there is just SO much to say about her...i couldn't possibly fit it all into one big stew post or one big top 10 list. i just can't do it. SO!
i am going to devote an entire week of posts to my Ellie girl.
that's right.
you're going to get a new Ellie post every single day this week.
because she turns 18 months this week (whaaatt the?).
and because this is my blog.
and i can do that sort of thing on my blog.

Ellie has become such a playful little thing.
in fact, rather than sit and eat her breakfast...or sit and do anything really, she'll look at me with those big brown/green (still no definitive color) eyes and say, "plllllllaayy??" i have to convince her that eating is necessary and playing is secondary...but i'm not sure she believes me.
she loves playing with her baby, playing peekaboo, pretending to fly like tinkerbell (which i will highlight in a future post), playing with all sorts of bouncy balls (basketballs, soccerballs, etc), jumping, dancing, and laughing whenever anyone else laughs.
her favorite is to play WITH somebody (even though she does have moments of independence, for which i am grateful). in fact, when she realizes no one is playing with her, she'll come up to you, grab you by your index finger, and drag you next to her toys and say "toys. plllaaayy." and i think to myself, "man, you know what you want and you know how to go and get it, dontcha kiddo?"
i love this playful, interactive 18 month Ellie.

more fun facts about this adorable toddler to come tomorrow...
xoxo

belated thankfulness

wow, i just got on my blog to re-read about my thanksgiving.
i couldn't find anything.
didn't i blog about it??
didn't i upload pictures for that purpose?
didn't i sit here and type out how i'm a grateful person and love my family and how i don't really like turkey that much?
and then i realized-- i never posted anything about thanksgiving.
no thankful post.
not a word about turkey.
or gravy.
or spending time with family.
not word about pilgrims. or indians.
not a single lick of gratitude to be found anywhere.
what?
are you kidding me?
i can be so...............ungrateful, huh?
so, before i go on and tell you how extremely excited i am for the holidays, and how much fun i am having visiting my family in their new abode in southern California, and before i tell you about my first 5k that i ran, and before i ramble off on some rant or tangent or some explanation why i think Ellie is so cute, i will now attempt to give a belated shout-out to thanksgiving with my top 11 reasons to be thankful this year (because i just couldn't squeeze em in to 10 reasons)...

ddrrruummmrrollll:

11. i am thankful for friends. i am thankful for memories we've made with friends this last year. i am thankful for the friendships we have that have stood the test of time and distance as we've moved so far away from most of them. i am thankful for little texts and emails and phone calls that boost me up more than anyone of them could ever even know. i am thankful for old friendships and new friendships. i am grateful to have girls to talk to about this crazy journey called motherhood and life- and i'm grateful to have couples to watch our favorite shows with, go out to dinner with, and just laugh with. and so, since most all of you are my friends, i am grateful for you.

10. i am so thankful that M has a job. what a crazy world we are living in right now. i thank the heavens every day that M can provide for our little family. we truly are blessed.

9. i am so thankful for my family. i'm so thankful they let me barge on their lives so frequently...whether it's to their house or on the phone or through texts or emails...they are always there. it reminds me of our family song "You've Got a Friend," by James Taylor (or Carol King, take your pick) (and yes, we are that cheesy family that has a theme song...but i know you're secretly thinking, hm, i want a family song):

"When you're down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name,
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring , summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend."

i'm thankful i've got a friend in my family. yesterday. tomorrow. every day. forever.

8. i am so thankful for M's family. for giving up every nook and cranny of their lovely house to US, our messes, our junk, and our overwhelming presence. for being so generous with their time and resources in helping us get our first home. for being patient with us. for listening to us and talking with us. for being my friends. and most of all, for loving our little Ellie so much. it warms my heart to see how much they love her...and how much she lights up and loves them in return.

7. i'm thankful for Sesame Street. seriously. Elmo is the best babysitter in the whole wide world! (now don't get me wrong here.. i'm always there...don't go submitting my name for Child Protective Services or anything like that.....) but really, i don't know how you moms who don't let your kids watch tv do it. how do you shower? how do you make dinner? how do you fly on airplanes? Ellie is an ABSOLUTE ANGEL on airplanes, thanks to Sesame Street. oh Sesame Street, how i am forever indebted to you.

6. i am thankful for laughter. and for the chances we are given to laugh each day. for example: today, i was going on this breath-taking run along the coast here in Dana Point, CA...well, i took my parents' Golden Retriever, Lucy, with me. everything was going just fine until all of a sudden, Lucy stopped in the middle of this paved walkway...which doubled as a golf-cart path for the nearby ritzy golf course...and pooped. you heard me: POOPED. well, everywhere there were signs saying "CLEAN UP DOG WASTE." but i hadn't brought a plastic bag. i wasn't anticipating cleaning up dog poop on my run. i mean, i have a toddler- i clean enough poop as it is. i don't need, nor do i want dog poop in my life. but there it was- staring at me. i had to do something. so, i looked at it one last time- real long, and real good- cursing just a little bit in my brain, and decided to kick it. yes, i kicked the warm poop to the side of the road with my lovely running shoes. ICK. what's a girl to do?

5. i'm thankful for music. music dictates the whisperings of my little hum-drum heart. current faves:
john mayer's new cd "battle studies" (even though i'm remaining impartial to the phrase: "who says you can't get stoned..." what the?)
david archuleta's christmas cd (A-MAZ-ING.......i  l-o-v-e it)
dashboard confessional's new cd "Alter the Ending" (brings me back to my high school and early college days)
and pretty much any and all other Christmas music....brings goosebumps to my arms and tears to my eyes.

4. i'm thankful for my religion- my beliefs- my Heavenly Father. i'm so grateful to know who i am, and where i am going. i am so grateful for prayer, which gives me so much hope in such a hopeless world....and helps me to not feel alone when i start feeling lonely.

3. i am thankful for my health. it seems like i take it for granted so often. but i am grateful at this time of my life with a busy toddler and a fast-paced world that somehow i am able to keep up...and not be out of breath all the time...or wait, maybe i am out of breath all the time?

2. i am thankful for food. i love food. so much. i've loved learning how to cook lots of yummy foods this year- and i've loved finding new yummy places to eat since we've moved to Northern Cal. i really really hope that heaven has some sort of food. because i think i might be really disappointed if there isn't any. like, i may ask for an earth-guest-pass to come and eat food once a week if there isn't any in heaven. i love it that much.

1. i am thankful for my own little family- for M- who is the perfect person for me...who somehow puts up with all my irrational, overly emotional rantings and crazinesses...and who i know adores me and loves me...and who i love and appreciate more than words can express. and for Ellie, my sweet little almost-18-month old little Ellie who has brought more joy, tears, personality, stubbornness, and love to our home than i ever could've imagined.

and so, i am thankful.
my cup runneth over....

ok, now that i have my thankful closure--

December, you can come now...
with all of your holidayness...
holly,
silver bells,
sleighs,
stars,
mangers,
stockings,
shopping,
baking,
cinnamon,
family togetherness,
evergreen,
sparkles,
mistletoe,
peppermint,
and so much more...

bring on the holidays!

xoxo