31/355

IF THE TIN MAN HAD A CHRISTMAS TREE...
I don't think I ever posted this... Remember when I bought all those funnels?  I made a tree!

30/365

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?
I came across this picture while looking for something else.  It's funny - I think about this watering can all the time.

I never knew the story behind the 15 foot sculpture but with a simple google search - here it is.

I took it before one of our Venture Outdoor hikes with RoseBud... the one where everyone almost got trampled by runaway horses!

The Bud was pretty good keeping up with the big dogs... especially her hiking friend Conan and his mom Portia (in the AC/DC shirt.) If I remember correctly, there was only one other small dog.

It was a pretty serious hike for such a little pup...

"Can someone give me a little help here?!? I can't get over this giant stick!"

These will always be two of my all time favorite pics of The Bud. Always by my side...

...and always ready for an adventure...

What do you do with all these pictures?  The tens of thousands of pictures?  Pictures of a life that I thought was so different than what it turned out to be. I'm having a really hard time because it seems like a large part of my memories (from half my life) are tainted now. I know Dr. Seuss said don't cry because it's over - smile because it happened or something like that... I never liked that quote very much.

29/365

MR RIGHT
I was thinking about my post from the other day... best spouse names. You know my husband was a really good husband.  I just want to set the record straight on that. We always did things together. He was a good provider.  He stopped at the flower guy down the street and brought me flowers. He was great at laundry. He told me he loved me every time we talked. He always kissed me (and The Buds) goodnight and good morning. He liked to go grocery shopping. He liked to clean and do yard work and go to craft shows. He put the toilet seat down. He was responsible and a good listener. I felt safe with him. He didn't mind cooking or stopping for takeout.  He liked kids and dogs.  We laughed all the time. He was honest and trustworthy and helpful to others. I really did think we were a team... even up until the end.

28/365

BOOK CLUB
Forgot to post this - book club met the other day - it was only fitting to do it over lunch. ;-)

27/365

MUG SHOT
I forgot to post what I got the other day...

I still think it's funny that one of my job qualifications was compassion... along with every other buzz word around.  I like what I do.  I would still rather be a housewife, though.  There shouldn't be anything wrong with that. ;-)

25/365

BEEP BEEP
I just remembered this when I downloaded my pictures. When I charge my phone it makes noise sometimes... beeps and goes off  - again and again. It's usually when I first plug it in... There's some sort of interference going on.  It did it the other night and then it started flashing back and forth between this...

... and this...

Totally woke me up at 3:33 am. Who is trying to get in touch with me at such a bewitching hour?

24/365

YEAH...  NO.

Did you hear the UK study on the names most associated with being a good spouse?
Best wives are named: Katie
Best husbands are named: David.

23/365

LATE FOR WORK
So close yet so far away... It really shouldn't have taken me 45 minutes to get to work!

And is this a thing? I came out and thought branches fell on the cars but it was just the windshield wipers!

22/365

THIS THE KIND OF BEAT THAT GOES RA-TA-TA
I've been trying to think of this song for days...

Missy Elliott - Work It.

21/365

LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER
The Dad still can't get the car in the garage straight.  Though the other day I had twenty minutes to get to a blood test I forgot about and my car was acting up so I had to take his out of the garage... I thought I would surprise him and put it back in (which I've never done) and I was almost as bad... I was over to the other side, though, and could barely get the door open to get out.  I forgot to take a picture of that but this is his park job from today.

20/365

WHAT A CROCK
I'm not the biggest crockpot fan but I do make a few things in there that we always liked.  Most of the recipes were from BabyCenter I think... there were groups of expectant moms that would post recipes, etc... I got a lot of good ideas on there.  I'm not one to go out and leave the crock pot on so I can only make things in it when I know I will be staying put for the entire day.  I had two running today... a teriyaki chicken and pepper steak...

19/365

BUT DREAMS COME SLOW AND THEY GO SO FAST

Every time I hear this song I think of college and Cat Stevens.

18/365

IT'S LIKE RAIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY

I was going through the sing-along sheets at work and came across this...

17/365

SOCIAL (MEDIA) DISTORTION
I'm taking a stand.  The foot selfie or footsie/feetsie - I don't know what to call it - bothers the hell out of me and needs to go. I'm not innocent here. I once did the foot shot and I have regretted it ever since.  I wish to ban the foot shot from all social media. Especially if your feet shouldn't be seen by the general public in the light of day.  It's up there with the eyeball shot and the look at me I'm getting all liquored up - here's what I'm drinking shot and the I'm on a plane and here's a picture of the wing capture.

There is a point where you can over share a little too much .  I mean who wants a hundred pictures of the kid of a person they last had contact with in 8th Grade Biology class popping up on their feed?  I know I have some ridiculous photos from time to time... some people may think my things that are going to fall off the back of a truck shots are stupid.  Some may not even want to see pictures of the most adorable pug in the land - though that's just stupid.  I don't know too many people that would feel that way. We're all guilty.  I've posted various food porn and salted carmel mocha shots and I know sunrise/sunsets, clouds and dead trees with cool instagram filters can give you a big boost of creative self esteem.  There are some things that are just grasping for some sort of intervention.

The driving in the car shot... I don't get it.  Just go pick up your kids from school and get back and work on homework together. I know you still think you're as hot as you were in high school but really - you're not. And that car seat in the back is a big distraction.

The Gym selfie that never changes.  If you are doing a weight loss challenge and want to show a progression or before and after than more power to you - I'm a big documentarian.  The same shot in front of the same machine with the same towel around your neck.  Old news. We get it - you pay $24.99 a month to take pictures of yourself "working out."

The bathroom mirror shot with or without extraneous background clutter or worse... ok - wait - why is your phone in the bathroom anyway?

Then there is the inspirational quote that sums up my life completely (for today) share... NOT A PHOTO.  Seriously - it takes a lot for me to double heart click a quote - if ever... There are apps that you can post a quote or your own words on an original photo.  Do that.

Oh and this one is right up there with the footsie for top hated.  The sitting on the beach knees glistening with lotion shot - with or without hint of something a little higher. By something - I mean vagina.  God help us all.

16/365

GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS
I saw that this is old and probably made up... it's making a resurgence and funny nonetheless. "Story" here.

15/365

EXCUSE ME WHILE I KISS THE SKY

Lizzie has been saying we should go see the movie Frozen.  The movie snowdogs has been popping into my head recently so it was a little weird going to go see this - especially after I just had a three hour lunch with David. Anyway, I thought it was cute.  (Spoiler if you haven't seen it.)  When she gets all fierce!?  Come on!? We about died around 3:17 of that clip.  Seriously thought we were going to laugh ourselves silly. She was working it!

After the laugh fest was over I kind of got a little down...  I could just see the stage show right before my eyes. That brought up a few other thoughts that I'm not going to go into at the moment. It was definitely a great message about self discovery and empowerment and a good lesson on love of family.  Seeing this girl who thought she had to exile herself to a far off land because she didn't know how to control her powers... or was it a curse - was kind of sad. She put up all these walls and created this safe world... conceal - don't feel... so she could become herself - getting all trampy is just an extra bonus.  ;-)  All the things she missed with her sister - building snowmen, etc... ;-( IDK - all in all, it was a good message that true love doesn't have to be a romantic disney ending and may just be the family around you...  Oh, and you don't need a man or have to get married - because, in the end, the prince... he just may be a f-ing asshole.

Lesson learned.

14/365

THE WOODS ARE LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP,
BUT I HAVE PROMISES TO KEEP.
AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP, 
AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP.
1-2-3-4-5-6 miles!

13/365

COMMANDO
This Skipper with the pug is really cute and I'm loving the blue stripe in her hair.

I left these two alone for a minute  -  Lily found her delicious... "I'll eat you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!"

She went on a lick fest and was chewing her hair... she knocked her over and whoa...

...those flesh colored plastic panties kind of freaked me out.  I'm ok with the molded plastic but make them a color... especially with such a short skirt. They do have cute little stars on them and say Skipper.

12/365

PIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION
You can put a price on anything... and someone will buy it. By someone - I mean me.  Partly used tubes of paint from Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.

11/365

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
I'm not a selfie kind of girl... I knew I had to look ridiculous in my light up readers so I turned the camera on myself to see what I looked like... I did look ridiculous and had to share. ;-)

I still think they are pretty neat!

LightSpecs by Foster Grant.

10/365

KIDS IN A CANDY STORE... 
Well- not really a candy store but just as sweet.  Other Joe has never been to IKEA and wanted to go before they went back to PSU!   He actually had no idea what to expect.  We were all kind of hungry so a snack was in order...We went directly to the restaurant to get something to hold us over until we ate - what else but mashed potatoes and lingonberry juice for me? Yummy Delicious.

We pretty much had some sort of role playing experience in every single vignette. Seriously - almost every one.  Chrissy "took a memo" in the office.  We sat for 25 minutes testing out desk chairs while talking about Michael's upcoming college days... We sat by the fire on the sectionals...  I think other customers thought we were paid to act like we were just lounging at home.

Then trouble started...

I saw this:

UGGH. I have a similar canopy which I bought for lily's puppy pics with the intention of using them for real baby pics and I never did either... It's somewhere - here or in storage - still in the package. Here's a stock photo that I feel like I could have taken in my mind. I actually think I have those curtains.

Anyway, I  started getting a little agitated right after the whole Baby James vignette experience. Anyone that goes shopping with me has the right to bitch slap me into reality when I say I want something that I really have no business getting. Chrissy tried her hardest to convince me I didn't need it and I came up with every excuse why I should have it. Just because my husband walked out on me doesn't mean I can't have cute baby things.  Or does it?  I guess it kind of actually does.  Still... what if one day I want it and they won't have it and I'll never find it again?  I thought I could use it in my craft studio... then I realized I don't have one of those either.   Then I thought when I get my own place and Lily has her own room - how cute would it be over her bed?  Super cute, right?  I got bitched slap again and again and I finally convinced myself that I should just walk away - I didn't even know how much it was and figured it was a waste of money - no matter what it cost.  Then I came across it again and thought it was a sign from the universe that I should get it. I mean I can put it above my play kitchen or play work bench - right?!?

More bitch slapping. You know - because I don't have those either.

Finally I envisioned myself at the checkout scanning the stupid canopy and having total buyer's remorse so I reluctantly put it back even though it was only $14.99.  Then Katherine, sensing my sadness, comes over and says these words: "I really think you should get it - for Lily... or your Asian baby."

And that's why I love that girl.  Forever the optimist. ;-)

9/365

IT'S BACON!
Years ago - I think it was on our honeymoon actually - we took some classes at The Disney Institute.  We made bagels and this delicious caramelized maple/brown sugar bacon in the cooking class.   I've been making bacon in the oven thanks to the resurgence of all these pins and it reminds me of that.  The Bud sits by the oven when bacon is in there. Speaking of bacon...  I don't know how, in 20+ years, this is the first time I ever made a half of a layered salad!  It worked out pretty well!

We do thick cut bacon on a foil lined pan =  put in cold oven... 375 degrees for 12-15 + minutes - keep checking.  Lily Approved.

8/365

WORD UP
I found our old scrabble game downstairs... and some roll five score sheets for Joann - Jeannine - Sharon and Carey!

I  sat for a minute playing with the scrabble tiles and looked around at all the chaos.  It's that time of year again to choose a word for the year... I knew there was only one for me right now.  I could have gone with something more poetic like restore or nourish... clarity or release...grateful... allow.  The old faithfuls - truth and trust or grace, balance, joy or peace. Something more adventurous like explore... passion...delight. Etc. Etc. Etc. I chose something simple.

Order.

I don't mean that in a QVC kind of way. ;-)

Order may sound "functional" to some of you.  And f*uck you if you have an issue with that. To me, it's all those words I said before it and more and something that is much needed in my life.

7/365

TELL ME YOU DON'T MATTER TO A UNIVERSE THAT CONSPIRED TO GIVE YOU SUCH A TONGUE
I'm a big spoken word fan... Marty McConnell's Instructions for a Body will always be my favorite. This is a bit of old news but Lily Myers Shrinking Women has been getting a lot of press - deservingly so. She reminded me of a young Marty.  What I love even more than the words themselves is the reaction from the crowd.  "... I asked five questions in genetics class today..." You go girl.

6/365

THRILL OF THE HUNT
2013 was the latest I ever put Christmas decorations up... the least amount of decorations out and the shortest time I had them out. I've been known to have Christmas stuff out till March or later!  This doesn't count the tree at the bottom of the steps that is always Christmas - taken from Dixon House, as is, and never put away or the few snowmen that are out year round because I love them.   I couldn't wait to get the other stuff out of my sight. If I felt better I probably would have had them put away sooner! Bah Humbug.  I still have some gifts downstairs to give out and then going to have to start planning Christmas in July... I'm going to see if that works out better for me.

Without fail, though, I always find a bag of something that I forgot about.  I found a bag of stocking stuffers and a single girl tin tree stocking holder and some pug ornaments that I bought for myself.

I'm always on the lookout for pug stuff. The bigger pug ornament on the left is usually my first find of the year. Sometimes as early as October. I have some other ones from the past few years. They are made by First class Fido which is actually TJXs own line so I'm always running into TJMaxx and Marshall's on a hunt.  There's usually just one and I'm the lunatic going through every single box screaming where the hell is the pug in my head.  At least I think it's in my head! ;-)

5/365

I DID IT ALL FOR THE NOOKIE

I know I'm obsessed with My Modern Metropolis.  I can stay on there for hours. Here's another good photo series. This one by Zed Nelson... a progression of one family over two decades.  I liked one of the comments that said that Dad lost his smile around the teen years and never got it back and blames the Limp Bizkit shirt.  "Fred Durst ruins everything." ;-)

While we are on cute photo sites... check out My Cloud Pal.

4/365

HOT ASIAN BUFFET
Every time Cara and I go to GE in Monroeville we crack up over the "hot asian buffet."  Sometimes we specifically go for the buffet. I couldn't help thinking about that when I saw this video.

Anthony Lee Choreography ~ Ellie Goulding's fab cover of Alt-J's Tessellate.

Yum.

3/365

SNOW HAPPENS
Ok, really - how do these things happen to me?  I prepared in advance for the snow this morning and parked next door last night.  I'm always a little concerned that someone is going to slide into my car on the hill when there is bad weather and I can't reach it to clean it off so it's a little easier for me to get to it in the neighbors driveway.  I was running a little late this morning so I didn't have much time. The ice scraper was in the car so I went around to the other side and saw something that kind of looked like a heart in the snow.  I snapped a picture and put my phone in my pants pocket.  It took me about ten minutes to clean the snow off and get the ice off the windshield. I got into the car and reached for my phone and guess what? Yep.  No phone.  I looked everywhere and realized I must have dropped it when I thought I put it in my pocket!  I retraced my steps - all around the car - couldn't find it anywhere.  I went back into the house and got the house phone.  Of course - when I got to the car - it was dead.  I thought maybe I could hear it ringing or see the lights under the snow if I called it.  I was just about to give up and I kicked something and there it was right by the driver's side door - completely covered with snow.  After all of that it - it seems like it's fine. Thank goodness.

2/365

THANKS SEW MUCH
I have a confession... I don't know how to sew.  Like AT ALL.  Like can't put a button on or even make a stitch. I can put the thread through the needle but I don't think I can make a knot. Seriously bad.  I smuggled my sewing projects home in school so my mother could do them. I think that pillow shaped like a computer is downstairs in the garage somewhere.  I also did that with metal shop too! Though I use that hammer all the time.  Anyway, I always wanted to sew and I've been talking about it for awhile... there are some projects that I want to get to. I keep setting aside all these things I want to try if and when I ever make the effort to figure it out. Well, it looks like this is the year I'm going to learn to sew!  Cara and I finally exchanged birthday gifts (yeah - I'm really late) with our Christmas gifts and look at this pretty little thing I got! ;-)

1/365

HELLO, 2014

One of my goals for this new year is to be true to myself and to be as open and honest as I would expect and want others to be with me... I was reading Pixie's email last night - I knew it was forthcoming and it turns out it's a perfect example of truth and sincerity and vulnerability and transformation... I'm passing along a poem she shared.

To start day one...
A Blessing for the New Year 

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.

And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

 ~ from To Bless the Space Between Us by John O'Donohue