.....And so it begins......2010

I've been absent from the blogoshpere for a long time. I've stopped by sporadically and without much gusto....I miss writing....it is a goal of mine to get back to the writing. Thinking I might have lost my writing wizard I've shied away and funneled my creativity into other areas. Today I feel a pull to refocus, as always, the looming New Year inspires me to take stock. I'm not compelled to make a list of resolutions, but rather make note of what I would like to focus on in the new year.

When I began this blog I was searching for something....certainly the name of my blog spells out my focus, to LIVE instead of hide, but I'm wondering if there aren't more ways in which I can LIVE that I have been avoiding. This might be something to focus on.

My first quarter of school will be over next week, finals week. I am confident my grades are where I want them, but I feel like I could have done better, been more committed, so I will dial up my focus there.

And I am already feeling the affects of winter wearing off...yes, I know winter has only just begun, but today I busied myself with a sort of purge and it felt inspiring, like an early spring cleaning. Feels like I might need to revamp the blog, too, so please stay tuned!

Tonight I will send out my wishes for the New Year to the "Wishing Moon".....the magical Blue Moon, which happens to be on New Year's Eve......

Happy New Year to you all and thank you for your inspiring words and your friendships.

Peace
♥

The Light Ride........Ta Daaaaah!

We started the light ride late.....we saw Santa early in our ride......

This house is famous in our neighborhood for putting this amazing display on every year....they did not disappoint this year.....

This house is well know for it's light display also....it is one of my favorites because they always wish everyone a happy new year....even my neice and her friends LOVED this house....

And we saw the American flag....

Then at the end of our ride we stumbled upon this amazing little street where all of the neighbors got together and built these amazing light tunnel/arbors......



At the end, I ran through the tunnel clicking away on my camera......it was freezing last night....but the ride was beautiful......


Happy Christmas to you all and to all of you a Good Night.....!

I hope Santa brings you everything you wish for..........

Peace
♥

Ode to the Christmas Cookie.........

Peace
♥

These are a few of my favorite things......

.....cookie day! My 'girls' are coming over to bake with me....this is one of my favorite Christmas traditions....and I can't wait.

Wednesday is my next favorite thing.....The Light Ride.....we load up a thermos with hot chocolate, pile my sister's van full of blankets and Christmas cookies and hop in and cruise the town oooohhing and aaahhhhing at the Christmas lights on the neighbor's houses....this year my niece and I are going to photograph the lights...I can't wait.

I'll save some cookies for you.....

♥
S

Ahhhhhhh......

Local Nursery, Loomis, CA December

Peace
♥

Love in the snail mail......

Thank you to Brian, RxBambi and Graciela for stopping by on the 7th and 8th for sharing their stories....watch for a prize in your snail mail!

I sent out my Christmas cards this weekend! I found the most wonderful cards with gorgeous pictures of Santa Claus on them and it gave me great pleasure to prepare them and send them out. My beloved Mom J used to send out over 100 Christmas picture cards every year.....all of us kids and grandkids would gripe about having to get a picture done every year for the card, but in truth, we all looked forward to those cards. The Christmas after she left us I recreated an old card that she had sent out in the 40's with a picture of herself as a young woman, letting all of her Christmas card recipients know that she was gone. Sending out all 100 of them was a huge undertaking and it gave me an appreciation for what she did each year.

This year I sent out a few additional cards outside of MY usual list of recipients, I included a few to "Recovering American Soldier"......Please, if you have an extra card or two, or you have access to a class of kids, send a card to a Recovering American Soldier, here is the address:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and that your weekend was divine.

Peace
♥

Guess what kind of cake held my candles.....?

Oh YES.....Cheesecake Factory Godiva Chocolate........OMG....Heaven on Earth.....

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me..........

It's my birthday, December 11th......Yeeeeee Haaaaawwwwwwwwww!

I feel like a list is in order....maybe two.....

I wish for a light heart....a strong heart....a good heart.....

I wish for peace, world over, even if it sounds cliche'

I wish for everyone to receive what they dream of, now and always

I wish for love.....abiding and hopeful

I wish for the stamina to make it through school

I wish to make a difference....to give back.....to help

I wish to have snow on Christmas....(I think I'm pushing it on this one, snow in Roseville once a decade is probably all we can hope for)

I wish for my Nephew to find his own peace as he assimilates back to civilian life after Iraq

I wish for my loved ones to have a beautiful and fulfilling Christmas.....


AND, list two......

I love how my fammily has always made sure to set my birthday apart from Christmas even though it would have been easy to lump them in together...

I love how my Mom and I joke about her making me a birthday cake each year and she actually makes one for me.....

I love how my Dad bugs me for a list of things I want for my birthday and then goes out and buys the super, duper, ultra deluxe of whatever I've asked for, even though I don't really want or need the super, duper ultra deluxe model.....

I love how my Dad always insists on seeing me (and his other kids) on their actual birthday to wish them a Happy Birthday.....

I miss how my Grandmother would load up a gift bag with items she had been squirreling away for years ahead of time.....I always got what I asked for, but usually two years later......

I love that my birthday is exactly two weeks before Christmas....not that other birth dates aren't special, but I've always believed that December babies are a little more special.....

I love that I have sooooo many coincidental birth date match ups in December....my dear friend's father is the same day as mine, my best friend's birthday is on December 17th...the same exact date as my cousins, who is six days younger than me and my best friend's twin daughters' birthdays are December 26th....my younger cousin's birthday is December 14th.....many special December babies in my orbit!

Maybe my birth date is why I love Christmas sooo much.....

I love how on my birthday I never feel older, only a little more sure of myself and lucky to be here.....


Peace
♥

Old Ranch

Lincoln, California December 2009

Come tell us your story.....

I've been practicing my close up photography....loving the Christmas ornaments up close. This gold ornament is one of 25 my beloved Mom J gave to me on my 40th birthday....She collected these ornaments, one for each, her, my mom and my aunt every year for 25 years. The 2007 ornament even arrived after her death in fall 2007....pre ordered, of course. I love these ornaments, they are absolutely beautiful and they are a beautiful reminder of my Grandmother and her love of Christmas....

At school they have set up a Christmas tree with paper angels displaying a list of wishes for tenants of a Rest Home, they asked us, if it was not a hardship, for each of us to pick an angel and buy some or all of the things on the angel for the recipient. I'm a fan of this Christmas tradition, lots of businesses do it.

I was happy to pick an angel and shop for the items on this list. Without any sentimentality here, it made me feel good. I picked my angel on the way out on Wednesday and on Thursday brought my gift back the next day....I was warm all over all evening and into the next day.

I'm not blowing my own horn here, I know that many people contribute in special ways during the holiday season and I'm wondering if you will share with the blogosphere your special ways of giving this time of year. Really, I want to hear your special tradition of giving.....

For everyone who stops by and tells their story, you will be entered in special Christmas drawing for a little gift...please, share, I might even have more than one special gift!

Looking forward to hearing from you.....

Peace
♥

An old friend of mine.....

There are pictures of me when I was but a toddler posing with this jolly old fellow! Yes, this lighted Santa is more than 40 years old and he's still making my Christmases bright.

All of the plans for the birthday celebrations are set, as are the Christmas celebrations....I can't wait!

I meant to post about this on the 1st of December, but I was distracted, sorry....if you don't already know about this site, please, especially if you have kids, check it out: Norad Tracks Santa

I LOVE this site...there are some silly, fun games to play, but the best part is watching Santa's ride around the world....my family and I watch every year.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend,
Peace
♥

My favorite time of year!

Despite my melancholy I am still in love with this time of year. After dark tonight I went the store and was able to enjoy my neighbors Christmas lights....just doing that brought me joy. I so love Christmas lights on houses....and Nativities in the yard....

I appreciate everyone's comments on my last post....perhaps I helped someone else or at least gave them a sense that they are not alone.

I am in the midst of organizing all of our usual festivities, the annual light ride, the friends and family Christmas party, getting my supplies for the cookie bake day and working on gifts I am making....immersing myself in my favorite things....even rocking out to Christmas music!

It is going to be a wonderful Christmas.....!