What if intention could change the world?

As always ... click pause on the music playlist on the right sidebar before diving in...

SUCCESS!

Well, I'd have to count today's White Elephant Tea a success. *grin* I could not believe the amount of stuff that people brought. Truly mind boggling. The above photo doesn't even show the stuff that's on the floor or the smaller table that housed artwork & some wineglasses...or the many totebags on the door handle...or the baker's rack that was tucked away in the garage. So, you can see we had a LOT of stuff. And, as before, people walked away with things they could use, and I am quite pleased, because the amount of stuff left behind on the tables is slightly less than what I put out to begin with. So, I'll be looking for homes for some mugs, a beautiful Willow Tree angel (I think it's Angel of the Spirit, but it's downstairs so I'm not 100% sure), a microwave, a bread machine, and other odds and ends. I loved hosting it ... and I hope that everyone had fun, too!

Ice Patterns

With the bitterly cold temperatures & running the humidifier & having a small crack in our interior window, we got some amazing ice patterns on the outside pane of glass ... very cool, huh?

It should be warming up some today. Or so I've heard. I think I'm just ignoring weather forecasters for a while ... their forecasts have been totally off recently & I think just rolling a die may be more predictive.

Anyway, Friday was just insane for me at work, so I was very glad to have a break from phone calls & crises yesterday. I went with my sweetie to his painting class (a much needed break for HIM), in order to field HIS emergency phone calls from work ... didn't require any thought for ME, though, so it was a break, too. It was enjoyable to watch his creative process unfold & to hear some of the teacher's instructions & see the results. I was also able to write a couple of letters & make a few scrapbook pages, as well as map out some specifics for my workout schedule for the next 4 weeks. SWEET.


Last night, we went to the neighbors for a dinner party, where one of their guests from Germany made spaetzle and some kind of fire wine. OMG, I will NEVER eat boxed spaetzle again. It was so wonderful and tender, I could've eaten 4 bowls of it & skipped the pot roast & carrot cake!


Well, today is the day of the White Elephant Party (for last year's effort click here for details) so I need to get things set up ... and I may even need to run to the store, since this week's series of crises seriously hampered my efforts to get much prepared for munchies! Then again, I'm pretty good at punting with what I have ... so who knows? Stay tuned ...!

I got my snow!!! (and other things)

Finally! Some snow! *grin* I mean, if it's going to be cold outside, it should at least be pretty, too, don't you think? It's currently ONE degree outside. ONE. And with the windchill, it feels more like 15 below. Hey, this is why I OWN scarves and hats and mittens, right? So, I'm just bundling up & going out & doing my stuff. I'm impatiently waiting for the phone to ring so I can meet my good friend, Kim, for lunch. Ring, phone, RING! I got up & just got going & somehow, totally forgot about breakfast (that happens about once a month ... for the same reason, just getting busy & not thinking), and now I am starving. Luckily for me ... well, maybe it's not LUCK ... I was not tempted at all at the grocery store to get junk. My Wellness Journey class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking ended yesterday & the results are in. I am down by a whopping 2 pounds & o inches. I also know, however that these numbers are a bit skewed, given where I took my initial information down & where I am in my menstrual cycle today. I do know several things for a fact:
1) I am less interested in refined & processed foods. I brazenly walked down the cookie aisle at the store, with absolutely no interest in any of it.
2) I am making better choices in buying foods & in eating foods. I am just better at walking away.
3) I physically feel stronger, more agile, and more clear-headed. Bonuses all of them
4) I am going to continue this process because it feels good & I feel good, and I care only the tiniest bit that the scale's not reflecting that this morning. And know what? That's the BESTEST thing of all, hands down!

Animusic

Hit the pause button on the music in the right hand column ... then give this a listen & a look! Very mesmerizing...or at least I think so! :D

Keep your fingers crossed...

...I'm hoping for snow tonight. We've been told 1-3 inches. By the same people who said we'd get 1-2 inches this afternoon & we wound up with what I would call "a light dusting." Is it just me or are the weather forecasters erring on the side of disaster these days? Not a single snow forecast has been accurate...they all over-estimate the amount of snow, by about 300%. I can't tell if computer modeling has suddenly become insanely inaccurate, if snow has suddenly become wildly unpredictable, or if some unseen force in the media is encouraging weatherpeople to sensationalize snow. In event, I am "guardedly optimistic" that when I wake up tomorrow morning, there will be enough snow to cover the grass completely & make everything beautiful. Wish me luck!

My own BAND!

Here's how it goes. You are about to have your own band's CD cover. Follow these directions to the letter. My tagee list is at the bottom of this post. It's fun and requires no thought at all. Go to......

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

The first article title on the page is the name of your band.

2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/

The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result as a comment in this post. Also, pass it along in your own journal because it’s more amusing that way.

Journal Your Christmas, Day 37

January 6th marks the 12th day of Christmas ... and the end of this year's Christmas Journal!
Looking back on this Christmas season, I’d have to say it has been the busiest so far. We engaged in a huge number of activities from the 24^th through the 26^th, and we did a handful of last minute projects that also contributed to the overall feeling of busy-ness. I don’t regret a single moment, but we both agree that we’d appreciate a slower paced holiday and we’ll aim for that a bit more carefully in 2008.

Journal Your Christmas, Day 36

Almost all of our holiday decorations are still up. Usually I take them down by January 1^st, but what with the trip to Disney World to celebrate Vincent’s 9^th birthday, they’re still up. Slowly but surely, they’re making their way downstairs, where I expect to sort through them and pack them away into tubs and boxes for retrieval in another 10 1/2 months. I would really like to go through things to find items we can give away, but my tolerance may be worn thin before I get that far.

Journal Your Christmas, Day 35

A simple page for my journal as it comes to an end. January 4th is the 10th day of Christmas! This page is all about reminders for next year!

• Christmas village houses have to be plugged in singly, into an outlet or power strip, which limits their placement somewhat
• We’ve got more than enough festive plates for Cookie Day
• People need instructions on how to use our Amazon.com wish lists so there’s no repetition of gifts we receive
• We want to get a live tree that has longer needles next year, hopefully they’ll be less pokey and painful
• We are totally out of Christmas cards, so I’d better start making some early … or opt not to make any & do something with Kodak Gallery or with a box or two of Hallmark cards
• We do not need any more holiday wrapping paper or bows!

Hit pause on the playlist in the right hand column...

.... and enjoy this classic:

I'm back from my trip!

I took my now-9 year old nephew to Walt Disney World to celebrate his 9th birthday (which is today), and just got back this morning at 2 am (original arrival was closer to 8 pm last night, but all turned out well in the end). We had a fabulous time & created some wonderful memories.

I still have pages to create for January 4th - January 6th in my Christmas Journal ... I'll be working on those pages in the next few days. I still need to put Christmas decorations away, and may even need to buy a new plastic tub, since we've gathered more decor this year from friends and family!

I am also getting back into the swing of things for "My Wellness Journey," so you may see some posts about that process. I was very pleased to feel more comfortable in my airplane seat, not with my hips all squished up against the arms my assigned seat, but I still want to set some new goals & keep the progress coming.

See you in blogland soon!

Journal Your Christmas, Day 34

My favorite moment of the season actually happened today. I received a letter from my mom, which happens at least once a week. In it, she wrote to express her thanks for the gifts I’d sent for Christmas, and to tell me how each gift is appreciated. I decorated a clock for my parents, with an enlarged photo of them, on a beach at Caneel Bay, where we all vacationed this past summer. Just the way she worded her appreciation made my eyes well up. It is supremely gratifying to give a gift from the heart and to have another heart echo back its thanks.

Journal Your Christmas, Day 33

It is during the holiday season that I see people who are more willing to play with me. I am silly and fun at any time of the year … and it’s refreshing to be surrounded by other children who are cleverly disguised as adults. How can anyone resist flopping down in fresh snow to make a snow angel? Or to giggle with delight when mini-marshmallows are dropped into a cup of cocoa? Or keep from staring in wonder as snowflakes drift down, each one of them unique and perfect? I know I can’t resist any of those things … I don’t even try.

Because I need some silliness ....

Journal Your Christmas, Day 32

Welcome to the first day of 2008! We are, most appropriately, starting off with a clean slate of fresh snow! It is so beautiful outside, so serene and sparkling! Even now, it slowly drifts down, covering all in a white blanket.

The new year begins in a snow-storm of white vows.

~George William Curtis

Last night, we had just a wonderful time with our friends next door. It was very simple: tasty foods, several games of Fluxx, and watching Wedding Crashers, which was actually quite amusing. We are looking forward to more fun with Barbara & Larry in the year to come

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

This morning, I warred with my vices & won the battle by going to the gym before they closed up at 1 pm. I am looking forward to continuing my wellness journey and seeing many fabulous changes in 2008. Including throwing out all of my workout clothes that have developed holes in them from so much usage! It may also be time for some new athletic shoes! Fresh snow, fresh year, fresh start! How invigorating, all around!

Journal Your Christmas, Day 31

My memories of New Year’s Eve are full of time spent with family, quietly relaxing, sometimes making it all the way to midnight, sometimes not. Pretty early on in life, I grasped the concept of time zones, so for as long as I can recall the magic of “midnight” hasn’t been particularly overwhelming; I mean, it’s midnight lots of places before it’s midnight here, so we could celebrate just about any old time on the 31st or 1st and have it “count,” right? I know: very literal of me, but then again, I’m a literal kind of gal.

Journal Your Christmas, Day 30

January: Lord of the Ring marathon, White Elephant Tea, start to learn sword

February: Tim & Mele’s swank anniversary party, lots of World of Warcraft

March: Saw Wicked with Mom & Dad, Vincent’s adoption was finalized

April: Crop on the Cape, Easter services & brunch, travel to Minneapolis

May: frantic Supervillian University playtesting, Walt Disney World trip

June: Kevin’s & Gustava’s visits, garage sale, mini family reunion in Springfield

July: lots of trips to the Farmers’ Market, Ren Fest jaunt, July 4^th BBQ

August: Caneel Bay with Susanne’s family, Gen Con Indy, another Ren Fest trip

September: Fine Arts Festival, Chix and Chocolate, travel to San Diego

October: Katrina & Kevin’s visit, lots of dinners with friends, plant spring bulbs

November: Ken’s watercolor classes with Mary Lou, Thanksgiving at home

December: It’s a Wonderful Life at the Tivoli, Cookie Day, Christmas celebrations

It's been a BUSY year! *grin* I love it!