Hot for teacher {Listography 2011}.

Each Wednesday, Danielle, @ Elleinad Spir, Emily, @ Notorious MLE, and myself are working our way through the lists of Listography 2011.

{I was not hot for any of these teachers.  Just wanted to lure you in :)...}

(...remembered the mean one. Mrs. KING.)

  

...yes, some ineffective, mean-spirited, burnt-out folks, but overall- so many influential teachers.  teachers that were passionate.  dedicated.  teachers that poured their heart & soul into each & every lecture.  my poor memory is not a reflection of this.  maybe i need to start taking ginkgo biloba?? {kidding.}

If you happen to have a post (or want to write one) on this topic, link up @ Danielle's.  Or share with a comment!

  

Lessons learned.

 

Thanksgiving 2011.

 

What can I say??  Well, I can't say that it went as smooth as one would assume after glancing through these photos.  Just keep in mind... these were the "before" pictures~ the calm before the storm.  It wasn't all bad.  The turkeys were tasty.  The entire meal was delicious.  The house was autumn-y.  Lots {& lots} of leftovers (which is always a good thing).  The week (plus) of prepping with my grandma - priceless.  How could you not love a grandma that thoroughly cleans your oven, and then "preserves" it by covering it with tinfoil?? :)  

 

Truth is, tradition is extremely important in my book.  So important, that sometimes I need to be beat over the head in order to realize that that some traditions need to be tweaked a little [or a lot] here & there as time goes on.  Some tossed out all together... To create space for new.  When it comes to the holidays (or family, in general), we tend to make our decisions based on what works for the larger group.  To do what we do cause that's how it's always been done... what [we think] is expected of us.  Yes, I realize we are grown-adults, but as I mentioned- change doesn't always come easy- even if it is clearly a change for the better.

 

The night wasn't a disaster.  No family blow-ups.  No kitchen 'mishaps.'  It was simply a whole lotta work, with very, very little time to enjoy the week prior... the weekend after... the kids being home from school... the meal for that matter... and certainly no time for "thankfulness."  There's other factors involved, but needless to say, this is one area that is in need of tweaking.

 

I realize we're all bit "over" Thanksgiving at this point, but I'd love to hear about your traditions, since I'm in the market for some new ones myself (& I've got a whole year to think about it).

 

{speaking of new traditions and executive decisions, this post is a must read for anyone in the same boat as myself}

  

{the menu, the tin-foil, & my favorite decor... the artwork}

 

{the grown-ups' table}

   

{the kids' table}

  

Good & plenty {Listography 2011}.

                        

Each Wednesday, Danielle, @ Elleinad Spir, Emily, @ Notorious MLE, and myself are working our way through the lists of Listography 2011.

   

... what we're thankful for...

{me}

oh, i have so very much to be thankful for. family. friendship. health. life. love. feeling esp thankful for these two... my heart & soul.

 

{her}

trees

food

air

turkey

animals

people

indians

pilgrims

sky

light

toys

shelter

vegetables

fruit

family

friends

{him}

family

friends

God

homes

dog

food

holidays

books

 

{if you have a 'thankful' link, please share below :)}

...happy, happy thanksgiving- and remember:  SAVE THE CARCASS!!

  

PAUSE.

{thanksgiving countdown ~ continued from here}

Grocery shopping- CHECK.  Unloading of my grandma's hefty accumulation of Thanksgiving "supplies" (boxes and boxes)- DONE.  Starter cocktail researching/testing- YEP.  All else- HERE WE GO. 
                               
But before we do... we're taking a little break to celebrate.

 

Because it's his birthday.

 

And aside from that, he's the love of my life.

{headed to disneyland for corndogs, christmas lights, & smiles... happy birthday ryan, & happy tg week to all of you =)}

  

The unwritten rules.

{in the midst of thanksgiving prep, my grandma's christmas shopping, preparing jacob for another campout, and the usual laundry... therefore was not planning on writing a post today.  but i just couldn't resist sharing, as it is ever-SO relevant (and btw- we are the hosts) :).

If you want a good laugh (not to mention a potential rule-bending pie recipe ~ READ THIS.

 (yes, mom... & grandma. I'm talkin' to you)

                    

Native soil {Listography 2011}.

Each Wednesday, Danielle, @ Elleinad Spir, Emily, @ Notorious MLE, and myself are working our way through the lists of Listography 2011.

             

(born & raised in the Sierra Madre canyon ~ the house in which my mom & her husband still reside)

  

{"List what you remember about your childhood home."}

 

It was cozy.

Quiet.  Really quiet.

Little, but just big enough.

It had a hippie-Native-American-artsy vibe.

"Indiscreet" art hanging from the walls (baring NO resemblance to the homes of my conservative-private-school friends) which I begged my mother to temporarily remove prior to my their arrival.

Wood & neutral tones.

A fireplace (loved when we got to 'have a fire').

A room on stilts, an antique tub, a water bed (not mine), a floor heater, a dusty basement, & LOTS of steps.

Always clean, revamped often, well-decorated...a cherished, inviting space (thanks to my hardworking mom).

                 

An old wooden hot tub. (no, not a spa. not a jacuzzi. definitely not a swimming pool. a hot tub)

Safe.

BIG hills & curvy streets (not the go-out-and-ride-your-bike kinda neighborhood).

Just us three, though the doors were always open.

                   

I'd love to hear about yours too.  Share with a comment or visit Emily to link up :).

        

Cream of the crop.

                                      

                                                                              

My grandma's been here since Saturday, and the countdown to Thanksgiving has officially begun.  The menu decided... grocery list formed... turkeys purchased(!)... turkey stock prepared...  Such an endeavor for one single meal, but as I said last year - I couldn't be in better company.  

That said~ it's been a whirlwind weekend of planning, cooking, EATING... soaking in the cloudy afternoons, the mid-afternoon cuppa coffee, the flavors of fall.  I thought I'd share a few "flavors" in particular that we're currently loving.

1. pumpkin pancake mix {via tj's}. (a simply perfect mix of flavors)
2. acorn squash soup. (from Guy of all people, but seriously- my new favorite fall soup other than this)
3. sweet potato fries. (if you're gonna cheat, do it right... perfect s.p.f's- which is not easy to achieve)
4. maple whipped cream. (love, love, LOVE)
5. pumpkin spice lattes. (homemade. diy. fancy. coffee. cheap. pumpkin. brown sugar. whipped cream. nuff said.)

Let me know if you try any of the above- or if you have any fall picks of your own.  Whether you're in the midst of planning, sorting laundry, off to work, sound asleep, or completely hungover from a wild & crazy weekend (although I have a feeling "those" ones are not spending their Monday mornings in my neck-of-the-web)... happy Monday =).
  

This little light of mine...

Since the kids are out of school tomorrow, Hailey had some friends over today & we made cupcakes together.  Each got to take a turn on the stool when it was their "job."  They were so excited to step on up and measure/scoop/stir/push the button... you-name-it.  They were in the spotlight- if even just for a moment, and they beamed with competency, focus, and pride.  No different from what I witnessed earlier today, at Jacob's poetry reading.  I was amazed at the depth, the passion, the heart that each individual possessed.  Each stood up to the podium- just as those cute little girls stood up on that stool... & let their light shine. 
  

{...easy to forget that they really do have wings of their own, but sure is sweet to see them fly}

                         

{vanilla cupcakes with a little pumpkin pie spice added to the dry ingredients & tj's pear cinnamon cider in place of some of the milk... & a little champagne- to get this 3-day weekend started on the right track =)}

Today {Listography 2011}.

Each Wednesday, Danielle, @ Elleinad Spir, Emily, @ Notorious MLE, and myself are working our way through the lists of Listography 2011.

Yesterday, we helped Jacob with an assignment, in which he had to type and format several poems that he'd written into a notebook.  It was a big project, and since he had to attend a boy scout meeting until 9PM, we were all up much later than our temperaments could handle.  This past Friday, we dropped him off [in the rain] for a weekend camp-out, so he had barely any time to work on the heavy load of homework due this week.                                                     
...camping in the rain, Einstein-level math assignments, a constitutional convention speech (the dreaded public speaking assignments), not-to-mention a Rufus King costume which he has to wear- that we had to assemble (thank God my mom saves every single item of clothing, costume, or otherwise... can always count on her in these situations)- for the speech (& btw- who the hell is Rufus King??), a poetry reading... A lot of stress & too little sleep.

Not many happy moments happening in our household this week.

Yet, reading his poems gave me a chance to look past the frustration- the seemingly unappreciative teenager.  To get out of his brain [and beyond the HORMONES], and step into his heart- which isn't always easy- or possible these days.

Here is one of his poems- written about his grandfather.

Standing by you

Building a snowman as tall as a mountain

Seeing you make huge snowballs for me

To only find them punch you softly in the stomach.

Eating next to you

Just an ordinary breakfast

With mountains of pancakes on my plate

Never knowing that it would be the last we have together.

 {We visited Ryan's father in February, a trip in which I wasn't aware that Jacob carried such vivid memories.  In fact, he has never seen this photo- until last night- after we read his poem.}

{He died in November of that same year, at only 48 years of age.  He slipped and fell off of a ladder while hanging Christmas lights.  It was sudden and completely unexpected.}

                  

So when I attempt to write out this week's list- "List what issues are foremost on your mind"- somehow it's not quite as easy as I originally thought it would be (always being one to carry "current/foremost issues" in the forefront of the mind).  All of the "I need to do a-b-c-d-e-f-g-h-i.......l-m-n-o-p.......x-y-&-z" worries that ENDLESSLY PLAGUE MY SOUL are sorta put into perspective... where they belong.

                           

What's really been keeping me up at night?  

The daily grind is taking it's toll on our household- M-F- day after day- week after week.  Knowing that I let frustration get the best of me ...that criticism took precedence over kindness ...that the unhappy outweighed the happy.  And while "tomorrow is in fact another day," and although the "weekend is just around the corner," why wait until then??

[the link is at Danielle's this week]                                                                                                                                      

Nirvana.

Hawaii...

{when can we return???}

                                                            

Let's get this show on the road.

  

Image via

I've been in a sort of talk-less-do-more state of mind as of late.  Vacations- time away from the daily routine- from the internet- shake me up a bit.  My arrival home is always accompanied with a sense of being centered- back on track, and at the same time, a little unsteady- off-kilter.  Off-kilter in a good way... in areas that needed a little rattling.

So easy to get buried under pins, tweets, likes, bookmarks, clippings of promises and plans... to make that recipe, to read that book, to organize that pantry, to host that party, to drink that martini...  I can't do it all, and I won't even try.  But as Walt Disney said, The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.  Empty promises begone!! 

           

Jeepers creepers {Listography 2011}.

Each Wednesday, Danielle, @ Elleinad Spir, Emily, @ Notorious MLE, and myself are working our way through the lists of Listography 2011.

Being a total scaredy-cat, it is not in my nature to enjoy or even have a clue about grotesque characters and disturbing theatrics.  But growing up with two huge movie buffs (mom & brother), I didn't have much of a choice... other than to bury my face in my mom's shoulder, cover my ears, and shut my eyes real tight.

{Here's just a few "favorite horror villains" (of MANY) that have left their [claw] mark...}

Nosferatu... the original vampire.

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{I do love a good vampire flick, which is not to say this is one... more of a result of the current movie-buff in my life (son).}

Freddy... the dream stalker.
  

Image via

{One, Two, Freddy's coming for you...}

Chucky... the killer doll.

Image via

{I was never a big fan of life-size dolls with shiny skin and creepy eyes... this film didn't help.}

                              

                     

Jack Torrance... the definition of CREEPY.

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{Heeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!} 

                      

            

The Thing... the shape shifter.

   

Image via

 

{Since I have no idea what "the thing" actually looks like, and since it is a shape shifter after all, I took the liberty to post this classic shot of my mom's heartthrob.}

I know, I know, I know there's so many more... so hit me with your best shot (a little adage to Pat there- sorry)... with a link below or a comment.