Where I sit....

...when I blog, write, go through the mail, read the paper, and help with homework.

Where I sit for far too many hours of the day.

The desk is a big, beautiful antique partners desk.  It's from France, it's old, and she's a beauty!

I need a comfier chair though.  These are temporary chairs until we can find the perfect ones.  We had two office chairs, but they were just way too office-y looking for that beautiful desk.

The window faces the street and we can watch people walk by with their dogs and see right away who pulls up in our circle driveway.

My husband likes to sit on the chair next to me and, as he calls it, "breathe my air".  In the mornings we sit with our steamy cups of choice and read each other random bits of news.

Sometimes we sound like an old married couple.  "Honey, did you see the article on blah, blah, blah?"  "Yep, I saw it." 

Btw, my spot is the one on the right.  You know I'm a Mac girl :)

New Fave

I'm not shy about not being a morning person.  All of my good friends know not to call me before 9am (and this is because I admit that, yes, I do, sometimes head back to bed after the kids get off to school).

However, my friends also know they can call me at 1am and I'm usually wide awake to solve any of their problems.  This is something I'm quite proud of.

There is nothing ashamed about being a night owl.  Some of my greatest thinking occurs at night.  

However, lately I've been feeling like I need to try a little harder to get a handful of things done before the sun starts showing it's rays.  Or else I can easily start singing the winter blues and get lazy. lazy. lazy.

So I asked for this little piece of genius machinery for my birthday....and low and behold..it's made a big difference in my life.

That is after it took me days to figure out how to use the thing.  And I'm still not quite sure I have mastered it without looking at the directions over and over and reading them out loud very slowly.

Anyhoo...it's changed my mornings.

I ease into my morning, not jarred by the sudden blaring of an alarm.  

I wake up softly.  I wake up peacefully.

And to prove it....

This morning it was thunder storming (who doesn't want to sleep through that cozy goodness) and I jumped out of bed.  Did two sun salutations.  Resisted grabbing my robe and instead threw on workout clothes. And within 30 minutes I made breakfast for the kids, did some laundry, answered a long email, and emptied the dishwasher.

If I didn't know myself better, I'd think I was a morning person.

Fake it until you make it.  Right.  

They say that breaking up is hard to do.

We had a few breakups in our house last week.

Hearts were broken, tears were shed, and anger even showed it's ugly face a few times.

All the memories of your own breakups come rushing back and hit you like a big gust of wind on a calm day.

You can feel your gut tightening up, tears welling up, and you remember the hopeless feeling of thinking you'll never have another boyfriend again.

All I can do is tell them that time will heal.  That they shouldn't waste their next semester of school being mopey and sad.  I tell them that I miss their smiley, happy faces.  I tell them that life is actually better when you spend more time with girlfriends and less time texting a boy.

But yet, I still see them sad and trying to do their hair extra special before school and picking out the perfect 'you're gonna wish you still dated me" outfit to wear.

One of them has realized that breakups do in fact make the best breakup songs and has been focusing all her emotion on singing with more feeling than she's ever sang before.

Secretly I hope they both have many, many more breakups before their 21st birthdays.  Breakups mean you are putting yourself out there and taking a chance on love.  Breakups help you grow and learn.

But what I really want to do more than anything...is drive over in the darkness of the night and help them tp a few trees.  It won't change anything, but it sure would feel good.

(here)

Where have you been for a month, Gorgeous??

I've been hooked on pinterest, just like everyone else.  Man, it's addicting and so so fun.

I've been cocooned with my sweet babes home from school.  Late nights, lazy mornings.  Christmas break is the life, ain't it?  

I've been causing destruction by eating anything and everything in my path.  Just call me Hurricane O--for over, over, over indulgence.  Every year I think I'll have a handle on it.  Every year my willpower melts like buttah.

Everyone seems to be blogging about their new year resolutions and I've seen some great ones.  Most involve eating healthy, simplifying, working out more, and trying new things--which has consisted of everything from traveling, to cooking, to adding more color to their wardrobes.

Well in case you were wondering what mine is.  I'll go ahead and tell you.

My new year resolution is to be more.  Be more focused.  Be more balanced.  Be more present.  And if this involves eating better, working out more, being kinder, adding more color, or doing whatever..well, then I'll do it all.  I'll do whatever it takes.

Because I've finally decided (and it's only taken me 4 decades to learn this) that every action I do, involves a consequence.  And this consequence can either be good or bad.  Eating more, means working out more.  Spending more, means working more.  Over scheduling, means more stress.

So I need to think ahead and focus on that consequence.  I want the good consequence, not the bad.  In order to do that, I need to be more present in my actions.  Decide in advance how I want my week to go.  Think before I eat.  How do I want to feel afterwards?  Think before I skip an hour of taking care of myself daily.  Think before I say bad things, react negatively, or purchase without thought.

I've always been a spontaneous girl.  Spontaneous is fun.  Spontaneous comes from the heart.  And it's okay to go with the heart, but I have to take my brain along for the ride, too.

Focus and balance.  Those are my key words for 2012.  Pretty powerful words.  And if you'll notice...2 words and 12 letters.  2012.  How cool is that? 

(photos from pinterest.  where else?)

First Turkey

I'm so grateful that my family is coming today and I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year...and doing most everything all by myself.  I have to admit that I've never cooked a turkey before.  This is a first for me.  I'm a bit nervous.

I feel like such a big girl, with new linens, recipes everywhere, and a cooking schedule.

I've told you before that my Mom is an amazing cook and I feel like I want to make her proud.

So after scouring many recipes and watching cooking videos, here is the recipe I decided to try for my very first turkey-day turkey.

Because as Tyler Florence says......

Roasting a whole turkey to get a perfectly cooked breast is the equivalent of cooking half a cow for a nice filet mignon. After several hours in the oven, it's overcooked, dried out, and stringy. You can cook a turkey in half the time or less by removing the backbone and then splitting it in half. It's juicy, delicious, and makes a gorgeous presentation. Call it a lightbulb moment in the kitchen. You'll never cook your turkey whole again.

(recipe here)

Most of our sides and desserts will be our standard favorites...with a few new ones thrown in.  Because I love trying new things...even on special days.

Hopefully Tyler won't let me down with this center stage performance.

Happy Thanksgiving!!  

PS.  Only 2 more weeks of my busy, seasonal job and then I'm back to writing again.  Thanks for being so patient.  

We just can't seem to quit watching this...

Family fun is sitting around together on a Tuesday night watching funny dog videos.

We just can't seem to get enough of this one.

Happy Hump Day!

Happy Birthday, Anna!

This sweet pea turned 12 today.  

Have you ever heard of an IT girl?  

Someone who walks in the room and is like a shining star that lights up the room.  

Like a magnet that everyone starts to move towards.  

That's our girl.

She is the center of gravity for so many circles.

And there is a good reason...she's a lover of life, always positive and supportive, 

and always seeing the good in things.  

It overwhelms me to think about all the joy she brings to our family.

We are truly blessed to be able to watch her grow up.

Happy Day.  Happy Day.  

Little People

The great thing about a family wedding and a weekend with your big, extended, fun family.....

It makes you realize that even though life can sometimes have moments of chaos, sadness, and uncertainty...

you always have family in ever corner of the world, there to support you, love you and offer comfort.

We love both sides of our families.  We love them all...the cousins, the aunties, the uncles, the in-laws.


I feel so warm and gooey inside after a weekend with family.

And, so does "Little Me".

(PS.  I'm going to have so much fun with Little Me in the next few weeks.)

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

I had my hair cut short.

I can't even believe I was so brave.  My hairstylist was so excited that I thought she'd throw a hair party right there in the salon.  "Bring on the champagne and the miniature shampoo bottle party favors, because Sherry is cutting her hair!"

I usually only change with color...red in the winter, blonde in the summer, and brown when I'm getting tired of paying for highlights.  If you go through my photos, you'll rarely see the same color twice.

Life is an endless struggle 

full of frustrations and 

challenges, but eventually

 you find a hair stylist you like. 

 ~Author Unknown

But the haircut.  Now that's a different story.  I've had the same haircut...give or take a few inches...for years.  Except for the year of my 39th b-day, where I rebelled and grew it longer than it's ever been.

Basically, bangs and a ponytail.

I've always had bangs.  With a forehead like mine and cheeks like a chipmunk, you've gotta have bangs.

“If I want to knock a story off the front page,

 I just change my hairstyle.” 

― Hillary Rodham Clinton

I wanted the Meg Ryan messy look and it certainly looked that way when my hairstylist did it yesterday.  Today it looks like....well, let's just say that it's going to take me a few weeks to figure it out, because the messy layered look isn't that easy to do.

And as my hairdresser says..."your hair grows so fast that you can have a new style every year."  So if I decide I don't like messy, I can be back in a ponytail probably by V-day.

The best of the best was when I went to go pick up Drew at school.  He walked to the car door, hesitated and said, "Sorry, ma'am, I thought this was my car." and then walked away.  I thought he was joking, until he wouldn't come back over to the car.  So I yelled for him.  He said he didn't recognize me and thought I was someone else.

Obviously, I've been wearing my pony tail for far too long.

Extended Family

Our extended family is big.  A big Irish, Catholic family--yessiree, we are.  We are a fun, tight bunch, who enjoy being together and wish it was so much more frequent than the weddings and funerals that we all jump for joy to attend (don't scoff--you know that the only good thing about a funeral is that it brings the family back together again and reminds us all that life is too short and to continue planning 'cousin trips').

We joke that we are the 'other' Kennedy's....the ones without all the fame, money and scandals.  The midwest version.  

The great thing about facebook is that it's given the cousins a perfect place to reconnect and stay in touch with each other.  We now are kinda growing up together again.....and in some way, it's the best form of communication for us.  We can share news, photos, family gossip (gasp!), and lots of support.

Two of my darling, adorable, nice as sugar, beautiful, kind, and funny cousins have told me (in much nicer words) to get off my ass and get back to blogging.

Apparently they like the wisdom that this older, wiser cousin offers them.

from Sheridan's blog

They also like the kid stories I tell, since they both are so young and wrinkle-free that they are still in the 4-legged, furry stage of parenting.  

So, thanks to my two biggest fans for getting me back in the groove.

I've missed being here!

Lately I've been enjoying reading everyone else's stories and blogs, rather than write my own.

I'm amazed at the goodies that people find.  Makes me think I don't get out much, or that maybe, just maybe, I live in the middle of nowhere.  Or maybe I just wear my yoga clothes too much.

I have two big projects I'm working on.....which leaves me little time right now for FB, Twitter, Pinterest....let alone blogging, the new fall shows, and raising a family.

And...let's chat about the weather!!!  It's so perfect that all I want to do is be outside!  Daily walks and runs have been a huge part of my daily routine lately.

So forgive me while I just enjoy all of YOU for awhile.

I'll peek in next week when I have a good story.

If I were a 15-year old girl...

and I saw my date kiss his Mother and tell her how much he loved her...

I'd know right away that he was a "keeper"  :)

I'm one lucky Mama.  

First Homecoming

Favorite moment of my week...

Elton John concert with my Girlfriends!!!  

B-b-b-b-bennie and the Jets!  

TGIF!  

I've been away on a few college visits

A word or two about college visits.  First of all, you may think they are light years away from you (especially if your kiddos are still carrying lunch boxes and learning how to tie their shoes), but the day will come up so quickly that you will wonder if you were really in a coma and somehow missed all the years in between.

As you listen to the tour guide give his 'rah-rah-rah, come to our college' spiel, thoughts come rushing through your head like water...is this where we will be driving next year with a car load of bed, bath, and beyond bags?  is this where my child will live for four years?  how will they walk around this campus without me?  how will i even sleep without them under my roof?

But you have to keep your mouth quiet, your thoughts to yourself and try not to show any emotion.  because it's their choice and only they will know if they feel comfortable.

Deep inside, you know it's not the place for them, but you still have to wait until they say it.

Enjoy the visits though.  Even the bad ones.  They are road trips that neither of you will ever forget.  They are a chance to sing out loud in the car, eat at some new places, and discover things together.

Because a year from now, they will be doing exactly what you have been preparing them for during all these years.

They will be spreading their wings to fly.

And because you can't ask for a do-over, you pray that you did it right.  That you've given them the confidence they need.  You pray you've taught them right from wrong.

You pray that you've surrounded them with enough love and light, that they will still want to come back often to visit.

Because even though they have begun their flight, they aren't through learning from you yet.  And they certainly aren't through making great family memories.  Those things never, ever, end.

Creative Slump

I haven't been very creative lately.  No creative thinking, no creative writing, not a creative anything.  I've been pretty much serious.  Blah.  Blech.  Blech.

You see I'm working on 2 projects right now and both are pretty non-creative.  One is for a committee I'm on and it requires me to act all brainy and serious and ask people for money.  The only creative thing I've been able to do is create a few forms and even they didn't turn out too well.

The other project is for a temporary job.  It's about as far from creative as I can get.  But I need to do it to prove to myself that I can.  And I know.. that you know... what I'm talking about.  We've all done something to prove to ourselves that we can.  'Ourselves' can be one tough cookie.

I also need to do it because last year when I took the easy route with my p/t job, I basically made $65 a day.  Now don't think I'm only all about money-- but dear, let me tell you a secret....I can spend $65 on a pair of cashmere socks (well that might buy me one sock of that pair).

I'm kind of addicted to nice things.

I like creative jobs and by now I imagined I'd be working for some fancy magazine or even running my own business.  But my favorite full time job of all time....MOM...kind of takes precedent over everything and anything, and I'm kind of addicted and head over heels in love with that job.

So I'm doing the serious p/t job this year....because those creative jobs right now, they only buy about one toe of that cashmere sock.  And my feet get too too darn cold in the winter for only 1/8 of a sock.

 (here)