Eve's are the Best

Merry Christmas Eve

Eve's are my favorite. I like them better than the actual holiday. Eve's are full of anticipation and excitement for the next day. The buzz, the butterflies in your stomach, the craziness is about to begin.  It's so much fun! Birthday Eve, Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Eve...the best nights of the year.
 
 Most everyone is buzzing around this morning and afternoon, preparing, last minute shopping, wrapping, baking and rushing to get it all in before the big man arrives tonight. At some point on this day though, the rushing stops. A calm and quiet peace takes over. Children are snug and nestled in their beds. The presents are wrapped and ready to be ripped open.  Christmas music is softly playing through the night.  Blessings are counted. It's a time to be grateful and feel the power of the holiday.  Eve's are really the best.

I, too, am doing the same (or I'm about to after I finish this post anyway).  I'm going to head out and grab my last minute items, listen to Christmas music for the last time until next November on my commute home from work and soak in all the love, holiday spirit, excitement and anticipation.  For, this feeling comes only once per year and I like to relish it.

Tonight and tomorrow I will be with my most amazing family and friends.  We will laugh, eat, open presents, play, talk, remember those who cannot be with us and celebrate. We will toast to our many blessings and we will be thankful.

On this Christmas Eve 2012, I would like to wish all of you the Merriest Christmas!  I would also like thank you to anyone who has read my blog this year and supported this endeavor of mine. Thank you for reading. Thank you for your love, kind words, thoughts and your support.  It has been a blessing for me to share this journey with you.  I appreciate every comment and I cherish your support. Thank you for welcoming me into your life.

Have a safe and happy holiday. Enjoy the rush, the calm and the rush. Love out loud and eat cookies!

Merry Christmas!

xo~

Holiday Happiness

Just because.  :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKj92352UAE 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dGOfFbzvq4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jyCfRHumHU

Anyone who knows me knows that I really don't need a reason to celebrate.  Life alone is a reason to celebrate.

Me: "Hey, it's Monday and we've lost 3 games in row, we should get together and celebrate...something, with dirty martinis."

And I hate missing out, on anything fun. I seriously suffer from FOMO.

I've always been social (ask anyone who knows me, they will tell you that I like to talk and party) and I've always enjoyed being surrounded by people I love. I'm typically the last to leave most places (unless of course I have to leave to rush off to the next fun place). I love to have plans and I love to celebrate stuff...little stuff, big stuff, birthdays, 1/2 birthdays, holidays, seasons, summer, snow, hurricanes, whatever!  I love having family dinner on Sundays, mainly because, it brings us together in celebration of life.  I subscribe to the philosophy that you can sleep when you're dead. I mean really, other than haunting people, what else is there to do when you are dead??? 

So, you can imagine how the holidays are for me....insanely fun!  I'm quite certain, it's not just me who experiences this holiday mayhem. See also: going to the mall between December 15th and 24th. Life this time of year can be crazy and filled with all kinds of opportunities to celebrate and be happy. 

For the past 3 weeks, I've basically been enjoying everything the holidays have to offer. I'm doing everything in my power not to miss any celebrations, even if it means I'm double (ok triple) booked.  I've traveled north and west (Side question, anyone up for going south next?), spent time with most all of my amazing friends and family, decorated our house, wore an ugly but fabulous sweater all around town, I still have plans to go to 34th Street, I've had a fair amount of (lite) eggnog, put a holiday collar on my pup, participated in 2 wintry/festive races, shopped for presents, I'm planning on wrapping presents, baked a bunch of cookies, had our book club holiday party, 2 words: Festive Flavors, and I'm doing some charitable stuff. In other words, I'm getting it ALL in!

Santa Speedo Annapolis, MD
New family tradition

The holidays can be hectic and frantic for many reasons, but I choose to embrace everything about them. The reason for the season, the hecticness, the sparkles, the love, the people, the presents, the food, the shopping and lack of parking at the mall, the giving, the joy (and sometimes sadness), the movies, the music and the celebrations.  I'm embracing all of it.

In light of the tragic and absolutely horrible events that occurred last Friday, embracing the joy that comes this time of year is the very least I can do.  While I cannot control anything that actually happened that day, I can live on, love, give back, embrace the happiness, and celebrate life.  Those terrible events serve as a sad reminder, that while we are hectic, busy and sometimes out of time and patience, these little and many celebrations show us that life is good and we are blessed beyond words. 

So in celebrating this season, be happy and be with those who make you happy, take a moment to reflect, celebrate, give back, drink wine and eat the bad-for-you-but-oh-so-delicious food, show those you love that you love them, don't waste time, and be grateful for absolutely every little and big blessing in your life. Live for those that cannot and celebrate everyday.

You can sleep later. Now is the time to live your life!

My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone suffering a loss in Newtown or anywhere else. You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice. Absolute truth in the face of anything requires you to be stronger than you ever thought you could be.  May you continue to harness your inner strength and begin to heal. 

Happy Holidays!

xo~

Where is the Rewind Button?

Super Powers Activate!

I've often thought that life needs a rewind button. Many of us have probably awaken on a morning or two thinking, "Oh wow...did that really happen?"  But, this is not about do-overs or second chances, this is about redos. I've said for years that if I could have a super power (besides teleportation because you know I can't pick just one of anything), it would be to rewind life and live some moments again, kinda like Kenny Chesney wants to Live Those Songs Again, but for real.

Now, the catch is that you can't change the moments, the outcome, how or where they happened or the results and present day circumstances. I know, it's tricky to put restrictions on super powers, but it's my blog and I do what I want.  :-) The only option is to rewind and live those moments again. Life with a DVR button. You can be in them, feel them, smell them and experience them all over again. You can relive your feelings of happiness, joy, excitement, bliss, goo, whatever! A.Mazing, right?

I'm sure many people would love to relive moments...weddings, birthdays, vacations, life accomplishments, time with loved ones who have left us, etc. Obviously, life doesn't work that way, but wouldn't it be cool if it did? 

I've been mentally compiling my list of relivable moments for years now and if an event makes the list, it generally stays. Right now, I have about 5 of them in the mix. 5 really good kick-ass periods in time where I felt either blissfully happy, blissfully in love or had time with someone I love so much but can't talk to now. Mine are also moments/events of my adulthood. I have some from my childhood, but these relivable ones tend to be from my adulthood. My moments or events are ones that involve relationships with other people.  They aren't shining moments of accomplishment, like say, a college graduation, even though that was a great feeling.

Right now, today, here is what I have...in no particular order:

• June 2007. A warm and early summer night.  I was a plus 2 at a friend's daughter's wedding. The warm evening air was perfect. The first smells of summer were beginning to be abundant.  Love was in the air.  The company was amazing. There was dinner, drinks and dancing.  My plus one denied his liking of dancing (I knew better) and only danced in limited circumstances.  This night was one of those circumstances.  The connection I had then was seemingly unbreakable, electric and frankly, amazing. It was so strong and obvious that others at the wedding took notice.  It was one of those you had to be in there moments to even believe they were really possible. Love like that really does exist. Redo!

• March 2006. St. Thomas, VI with my Favorite Friend.  I was free at last!! Free to be me...free to go where I wanted, be with who I wanted and free to live the life I wanted to live. And the first stop in my Freedom Rock life was a beach vacation with one of my most favorite people in the world.  We did all the things we loved....sunning, swimming, beaching, eating, watching softball games, reading, and enjoying each other's amazing company. We pondered the meaning of life, came up with our aliases and dreamed about our future.  Love like that really does exist. Redo!

Favorite Friend Love
March 2006

• Tuesday November 24, 2009. At the cabin, spending the day with Stella. We all knew the end was near and this was our opportunity to soak her in for one of the last times.  She was weak and thin, but she still looked great.  She was her beautiful and shining self. She was smiling and full of grace and love.  We spent the whole day reminiscing about good times and hard times, talking about the future, baking, laughing, going through her jewelry and loving each other.  I got to ask her questions I would have never normally asked and she answered with honesty.  We got to say our goodbyes and she got to tell me what she wanted me to know. It was the saddest happiest and most peaceful day of my life. Love like that really does exist. Redo!

Family Love

 

• July 4, 2012.  Wolfeboro, NH. On this day, we did so much and had such a great time.  We took Baby Kitty to his very first (and likely annual) July 4th parade.  It was a day filled with tradition, love, joy, smiles, happiness and blessings.  The weather was perfect, the baby was amazing and I felt so incredibly blessed and loved. We enjoyed everything the town had to offer and didn't think about life back in the real, fast-paced world. There was something so pure, real and amazing about the day, that it's almost indescribable. The family was together and everyone in this cute little summer town united for a festive celebration of our great country. Love like that really does exist. Redo!

Annual July 4th Parade

Parade Ready Baby Kitty

• July 2007. Rummy Cat, BVI.  I remember this vacation to be one of best of my life.  It was the first time I traveled with my sis and her fam to the Caribbean in the style we've all become now blissfully accustom too.  It was also the first time, we all disconnected from the outside world and had nothing to do but enjoy each other's company, relish some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and relax. We connected with each other on a new level and shared experiences that we will always remember and cherish.  My, now 7 year old niece, was a beautiful 2 year old at that time and she entertained us daily by singing Baby Beluga and reading to us and "New Baby" in the most adorable way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZJ6SVme1Hs&feature=youtu.be My life was peaceful, settled and full of love and I was surrounded by my most favorite people in the world for 8 days straight. Love like that really does exist. Redo!

Peace, love and joy in the Caribbean
July 2007

Baby Norah Love
Original Pussers 2007

 Obvi, there are many many moments in my life that have been fantastic and I would like to redo...but as of today, if I had my super power, these are the ones I would choose. I felt amazing in them. They were so profound that I knew they would last a lifetime. I also remember not wanting them to end. They were that good. It's not possible to stay in that bliss forever, but if we could just do them again, wouldn't that be so cool?

How about you readers?  What would you choose?

xo~

Remembering Stella

Beauty, Grace, Strength, Fun and Love

Cabin Christmas 2005
P.S. My mom still has that M&M's sweatshirt.  :-)

It's been 3 years since she left us.  3 years today. On the day she left, it was much colder than it is today.  On that day, it actually snowed a bit, which was perfect because she loved the snow. She loved the warm sun too.  She loved life, loved her family and loved having fun. She was one of those people who just oozed love.  In fact, if you were a friend, you became family. She was a kind hearted person with a dog's soul.  That's probably why we loved her so much and we continue to miss her everyday.

She was kind, fun, adventurous, serious, hard-working, dedicated, budget conscious, direct, a great cook, supportive, a beautiful wife, an amazing mama, a super fantabulous friend and an all around wonderful person. She took care of everyone and everything. When making breakfast, she would make extra pancakes for the pups. She loved her animals, they were family.  Her laugh was contagious. Her smile was so very bright. She loved things that sparkle.  She loved vacationing to warm and cold places.  She was so proud of her baby girl...they were best friends. She was an artist and the best Pictionary player ever.  She loved potato chips and chocolate.  When I was a little girl, she told me she couldn't wait to retire so she could go play full-time. She worked hard and she had a zest for life that was so rare, so genuine and so precious, I don't believe I've seen anything quite the same.

True Love, Goo, Best Friends & Life Partners
Colorado Summer 2009

Ultimate Love
2009

 All the memories I have of her are great. Truly great.  Cabin fun (and by fun I mean, her helping to protect us from Scott's shenanigans.  See also: me shouting for her to save me from floating down the creek on a small piece of floating pier fully dressed in brand new shoes, oi vey. ), Disney World, holidays, birthdays, family dinners, boat races, Shanghai Rummy games and so many more.  It's truly hard to capture her presence using only words.  When you were with her, you were in the presence of someone who was truly a shining star.  Her amazing and filling presence was something you felt and no words will ever describe it totally and completely.  You had to feel it to truly understand. We were blessed to feel it. And, to this day, when I think about her, I can still feel it. It warms me from the inside.

She fought hard for a long time. In the face of that horrible cancer, she continued to have fun, love and live her life. She traveled and played until the very end. She smiled and shared and she didn't miss a beat.  In her last days, when we all knew the end was near, she kept us smiling.  From another room, she knew exactly when Sara was putting the wrong kind of cheese in the lasagna. She knew she wouldn't be here to see and experience so much more of our lives.  But, her zest for life and love was with her until the very end.  Her spirit was never broken. She had no regrets.  She was so full of grace and love that it brings me to tears....3 years later.

Today, I remember our last conversation and her instructions to me...take care of my girl, make sure the cabin is a party house (and bring food because Scott won't grocery shop), have fun and always be happy.

As you'd expect her words were poignant, direct, loving and heartfelt.  And, the instructions are words to live by.  We miss you everyday Stella. We play as much as possible, your girl is following her dreams (which I suspect you would have loved her doing), we party at the cabin and we are striving for happiness everyday.  I'm thinking about you today and I miss you everyday.

Thank you for being you and loving us so much while you were here.  You loved us as daughters, you made us feel so very important and you always made us happy.  You've given me Beautiful Perspective and you will always, always be a bright, shining star in my life. 

Until we meet again.

xo~

The whole bunch of us

Cabin Walk "Stella's Walk" 2007