Wonderful Christmas

This is my cup of coffee that I have every morning after my run. That may seem counterproductive to you but it is oh so worth it to me. Whip cream and chocolate atop black-as-sin coffee that only my mother can brew. It is Community, but when I say black I mean black.

This is Colleen at the Christmas Eve Dinner table. Notice the paper snowflakes on the window, made by my other sister Amy. Notice Colleen's beautiful curly hair, the hair I wish I had but do not have but that's okay. The menu? Our traditional: popcorn chicken, oreo pie, spinach dip, hawaiian sweet bread, Christmas cookies and cringle cake. Oh ya, notice the palm tree in the corner. My dad wishes we lived on the beach.

A button bouquet--made by me for Crafty Christmas. A tradition we started this year. Only made presents for friend gifts. I thought this turned out quite nicely. Kind of dr. Seuss mixed with Martha Stewart. Perfect for my quirky and cute Elena friend!

All these things made a wonderful Christmas. I wish I had gotten a picture of the Crafty Christmas present I recieved from Laura. It is a Christmas memory book for Kurt and I! I can't wait to use it next Christmas!! I also was so blessed and had an ornament shower thrown for me by Hart and Beth at the DG house. I can't wait for Christmas 2010. But Christmas 2009 was so special. If only I had gotten a post Christmas morning picture at my house. Can we say wrappng paper EVERYWHERE?

i might use it someday...

an old mirror
(the glass would be very cute broken and used on a canvas. i have seen it done a couple times!)
glass beads from a broken necklace
(i might want to put that necklace back together someday! or maybe super glue those beads somewhere handy...canvases, bows on christmas presents, wired picture frames?)
"notes" from the 11th grade
(11th grade was my favorite year of hs and you just never know when you might want to reread some of those, some of the funniest things are said while passing notes in class)
a card from my grandfather, attached to flowers that have long since gone to flower-heaven
(his handwriting makes me happy)
a scarf someone knit me a long time ago. it is fraying
(they worked really hard on knitting it. and i might be able to turn it into a "bow tie" scarf.
http://ny-image0.etsy.com//il_fullxfull.107283424.jpg check it out!
a fourth of july scrunchie
(everyone needs quality fourth of july gear at least once a year, and someitmes twice a year!)
friendship bracelet string
(its a fun activity for lecture classes that require little to no attention. too bad i have none of those. i do have the string though!)
a collection of ballerina bears
(could you throw out ballerina bears? what if i someday have a girl child who desperately wants ballerina bears? what if their stuffed pink little shoes are worth happy smiles someday? plus, my mom gave them to me-and here they still sit. after many years...okay i admit, they are not useful...just sentimental.)
countless practically empty perfume bottles
(good smells remind me of good times, some of these smells and memories are very specific. if i get rid of the scent, the memory might be gone too.)

there you have it. confessions of a true, self diagnosed, wouldntchangefortheworld pack-rat. actually i prefer the term memory&meaning conscious.

in with the old out with the new

Needless to say, I have never been a huge fan of change. Now I know how necessary it is. I know that nothing can ever "stay the same..." Just the same, I love things that are as for sure as death and taxes. Now, since that sounds a little morbid-please let me redeem myself! I am coming to this dislove of change not for the first time.

It happens to me each year, around exams, and I am invariably moving out of a room and into another. Being the nester that I am, this move always happens and then I am left studying in a very anti-cozy room. Here I am again, (see some things never change) trying to make the most of my empty room. So, why not nest a little on my blog space? How about I go through some of my favorite things--and we will both feel a little more at home. In no particular order.


1. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"-Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis makes me cry, but it is very beautiful and never fails to bring back good Christmas memories.

2. While we are on the oldies kick, how about his video clip? I think it epitomizes that phrase, that I find to be true of so many of my loved ones: "you can't live with them and you can't live without them." But I really can't live without them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb-G07i35eE

3. Caramel popcorn, and any popcorn for that matter. I think there are four basic food groups: coffee, popcorn, bagels, and cream cheese. I love them all, but coffee-above all else.


4. The smell of a cinammon candle at Christmas time, burning leaves in the fall, spring rain hitting the pavement and summer camp smells and twinkle lights all year round.


5. Aveeno Stress-Free Body Wash
Even Though it doesn't make your stress disappear, it smells very clean and puts me in a good mood.
6. Rocking Chairs



7. Reading in bed. Right now my favorite books is On Agate Hill by Lee Smith, which I would recommend to romance readers, Civil War readers, Southern readers, and mystery readers.

8. Online Plate Shopping. My favorite reaction to my plate shopping is Kurt being very concerned that he will not be able to fit enough food on small "girl plates." These are definitely girl plates-but I really love them.




love to all- and more to come. maybe you feel a little more at home!
emily