Weekending - October Is Over!

Happy Halloween! I hope everyone has a fabulous day and night ahead. We had a super fun weekend of all things Halloween and fall. Unfortunately it was in the 80's and sunny here  and felt more like May than October. I can not wait to have a fire in my fire pit, maybe by Christmastime. The weekend was a good one though. I really didn't do much but hang with the kids and just do stuff around the house. Friday night I snuck off to have a little quality time at the at the tattoo shop. I'll update with a pic after it heals but I got a sweet kind of mehndi, ornamental piece on my left thigh. It's amazing and it hurts like a mother at the moment.  Saturday we carved pumpkins, toasted pumpkin seeds and made pumpkin spice muffins. Because you really can't have too many pumpkin things. Saturday night we had a big football game to watch that didn't quite go our way but we made nachos and the best of it. Sunday was Ava's last Lacrosse game before her big tournament next weekend. The season flew by and I am happy to say she has finally found her sport I think and she's really good at it for a beginner! A stop for ice cream was necessary to round out the weekend before coming home to meal prep. Pumpkin Pie ice cream of course. Oh and I got my hair done again... it faded so quickly last time to a lovely shade of orange so we are attempting to get back to more of a red ombre. All in all a lovely weekend, I am actually really enjoying just not going out as much lately. It is a much needed break and a welcome change of pace. Just a few snaps...

Stay safe! 

Weekending

Weekending - October Is Over!

Monday, October 31, 2016

Happy Halloween! I hope everyone has a fabulous day and night ahead. We had a super fun weekend of all things Halloween and fall. Unfortunately it was in the 80's and sunny here  and felt more like May than October. I can not wait to have a fire in my fire pit, maybe by Christmastime. The weekend was a good one though. I really didn't do much but hang with the kids and just do stuff around the house. Friday night I snuck off to have a little quality time at the at the tattoo shop. I'll update with a pic after it heals but I got a sweet kind of mehndi, ornamental piece on my left thigh. It's amazing and it hurts like a mother at the moment.  Saturday we carved pumpkins, toasted pumpkin seeds and made pumpkin spice muffins. Because you really can't have too many pumpkin things. Saturday night we had a big football game to watch that didn't quite go our way but we made nachos and the best of it. Sunday was Ava's last Lacrosse game before her big tournament next weekend. The season flew by and I am happy to say she has finally found her sport I think and she's really good at it for a beginner! A stop for ice cream was necessary to round out the weekend before coming home to meal prep. Pumpkin Pie ice cream of course. Oh and I got my hair done again... it faded so quickly last time to a lovely shade of orange so we are attempting to get back to more of a red ombre. All in all a lovely weekend, I am actually really enjoying just not going out as much lately. It is a much needed break and a welcome change of pace. Just a few snaps...

Stay safe! 

Read More

Back To Blogging Link Up - Push The Button

So I love that Alyssa is doing this Back to Blogging link up and it couldn't have come at a better time for me. I mean, I always seem to need to get back to blogging. As usual I am late to the party but maybe Ke$ha got it right on that one. So the first prompt that jumped out at me was this one:

A blog post (or a list of post topics) you want to write but have yet to hit "publish" on 

Ummm.... who me? I don't start things and not finish them do I? Crap, yes I do. 160 things to be exact are living in my draft folder. Now, to be fair, some of the drafts have nothing written and were to maybe remind me of a link up or a favorites post or something. Everything else is anywhere from just started to in the middle to about done... and not published for one reason or another. Mostly that I am pretty sure I have some form of adult ADD. Or maybe I though it was just mediocre, boring or useless because I am my own worst critic. Looking back though I think I may have a few worth revisiting and finishing. Let me know if any of these strike a chord with you!

10 Signs You Have Been Single For Awhile

• Think of that episode of Sex and The City when Carrie moves in with Aiden and laments about the inability to indulge in her "secret single behavior". I have a laundry list of things I do now that are a direct result of the fact that no one else has been around for a little while. Are you curious?

A Guest Post By Winston

• Winston is my dog and yes he has a voice and a fetch personality, at least in our minds. This might be too cutesy for me though, I could never quite figure out a way to approach it even though I have read some posts like this that are hilarious.

How To Fall In Love On Instagram

• IG is not an online dating service but you can use it that way and I can tell you how! Millions are falling in Insta love every day.

I Can't Date You If...

• It has been brought to my attention that I might be a little on the picky side when it comes to men so this is your basic list post... I couldn't finish it because blogger kept crashing. I guess it was big or something ... idk

Where I'm From

• Remember when everyone was doing these? Like "I'm from cornfields and spectacular sunsets" or in my case "I'm from the former murder capital of the US". 

Your Friendship Does Not Benefit Me

• I had this great idea for a post on the FWB trend among single folks nowadays and why I think it does not and/or rarely ever really works. It turned into a mini novel about two "friends" and I started having anxiety about people reading it and thinking it was about me. It was about some good friends of mine. It was.

Online Me vs. Real Life Me

• Yeah... real life me was a little too real for my liking. I'd rather be a filtered woman.

2016 Goals

• Can you believe I wrote this and never freaking posted it? A whole list of goals. Goal #1... Finish what you start. If I was thinking pizza at the time I am 100 percent on target for success.

The Seven Faces Of Selfie

• I love a good selfie as much as the next girl and I had this idea for a post on the various types of selfies you see over and over and over again on social media ad nauseum using myself as the example. Well, you know how it takes like 100 pics to get one good selfie? I underestimated how much actually went into 700 selfies.

Wanted To Circle Back With You - Management Speak 101

• Nothing annoys me more than people who excessively use management speak and so I started compiling a list of my favorite phrases and never finished it. Now that I have had some time for lessons learned I plan to drill down on this soon and see if I can't shift left and produce a deliverable.

What do you guys think? Any of these you would like to see me finish? I am open for suggestions!

Thanks Alyssa for the inspo!

backtobloggingAGB

Back To Blogging Link Up - Push The Button

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

So I love that Alyssa is doing this Back to Blogging link up and it couldn't have come at a better time for me. I mean, I always seem to need to get back to blogging. As usual I am late to the party but maybe Ke$ha got it right on that one. So the first prompt that jumped out at me was this one:

A blog post (or a list of post topics) you want to write but have yet to hit "publish" on 

Ummm.... who me? I don't start things and not finish them do I? Crap, yes I do. 160 things to be exact are living in my draft folder. Now, to be fair, some of the drafts have nothing written and were to maybe remind me of a link up or a favorites post or something. Everything else is anywhere from just started to in the middle to about done... and not published for one reason or another. Mostly that I am pretty sure I have some form of adult ADD. Or maybe I though it was just mediocre, boring or useless because I am my own worst critic. Looking back though I think I may have a few worth revisiting and finishing. Let me know if any of these strike a chord with you!

10 Signs You Have Been Single For Awhile

• Think of that episode of Sex and The City when Carrie moves in with Aiden and laments about the inability to indulge in her "secret single behavior". I have a laundry list of things I do now that are a direct result of the fact that no one else has been around for a little while. Are you curious?

A Guest Post By Winston

• Winston is my dog and yes he has a voice and a fetch personality, at least in our minds. This might be too cutesy for me though, I could never quite figure out a way to approach it even though I have read some posts like this that are hilarious.

How To Fall In Love On Instagram

• IG is not an online dating service but you can use it that way and I can tell you how! Millions are falling in Insta love every day.

I Can't Date You If...

• It has been brought to my attention that I might be a little on the picky side when it comes to men so this is your basic list post... I couldn't finish it because blogger kept crashing. I guess it was big or something ... idk

Where I'm From

• Remember when everyone was doing these? Like "I'm from cornfields and spectacular sunsets" or in my case "I'm from the former murder capital of the US". 

Your Friendship Does Not Benefit Me

• I had this great idea for a post on the FWB trend among single folks nowadays and why I think it does not and/or rarely ever really works. It turned into a mini novel about two "friends" and I started having anxiety about people reading it and thinking it was about me. It was about some good friends of mine. It was.

Online Me vs. Real Life Me

• Yeah... real life me was a little too real for my liking. I'd rather be a filtered woman.

2016 Goals

• Can you believe I wrote this and never freaking posted it? A whole list of goals. Goal #1... Finish what you start. If I was thinking pizza at the time I am 100 percent on target for success.

The Seven Faces Of Selfie

• I love a good selfie as much as the next girl and I had this idea for a post on the various types of selfies you see over and over and over again on social media ad nauseum using myself as the example. Well, you know how it takes like 100 pics to get one good selfie? I underestimated how much actually went into 700 selfies.

Wanted To Circle Back With You - Management Speak 101

• Nothing annoys me more than people who excessively use management speak and so I started compiling a list of my favorite phrases and never finished it. Now that I have had some time for lessons learned I plan to drill down on this soon and see if I can't shift left and produce a deliverable.

What do you guys think? Any of these you would like to see me finish? I am open for suggestions!

Thanks Alyssa for the inspo!

Read More

This and That...

So this last week went by in a blur but a much better blur than the one before. I wasn't here at all so let me catch you up on a little of what I'v been up to. I keep thinking somehow I am going to find more time to blog but then I never seem to lately.  Work is good if you like an insane pace, not enough hours in the day and a never ending long list of things to do. Oh and driving, it's great if you like driving all over Atlanta all the live long day to meetings at which more work is created. It struck me the other day that after 2 years of feeling ok on Sunday I am back to having those pangs of dread throughout the day knowing that Monday is fast approaching. I never felt that way in my last job. I wouldn't say I loved every minute of it but more often than not I did. Right now I still feel like the new kid, unsure of what all I am supposed to be doing, making too many mistakes and feeling a bit like the work load is enough for more than one of me.  It actually is and my bosses boss knows that and is planning on hiring a few more folks for our group but until then... this is pretty much my thought process on Sundays.

Part of the reason I am feeling dreadful and overwhelmed is because I am also perpetually pissed off because my ass-hat ex douche-bag is still MIA. For a freaking month now. What in the world did I do to the universe? I am currently on Mom duty 24/7/365 and I know, they are my babies but Lord I am tired and I miss my every other weekends of sleep and no kids around. I need to get away and the other sad fact is that the only getaway on the horizon is a 12 hour road trip to MI for T-Day to visit family which is turning out to be drama before we even get there. Oh let the joy of the holidays begin!

So what do I do when I am feeling anxious, tired, pissy and full of dread? Buy things of course, because we all know when life gives you lemons you must shop for limes, apples, bananas, pears and oranges to complete your fruit bowl. Insert plug for Amazon Prime here because there is nothing like instant gratification to make me feel better about life in general, also feeling like I am saving time and money while I am actually spending it is good too. I should be saving I guess but given recent significant losses I am taking more of the enjoy it while I'm here approach to life, and shopping. So here are a few of my most recent purchases..

A new work bag from Graceship. My old one was black, boring and like a big garbage bin in which I could never find a thing. This one is a beautiful neutral camel, super soft yet structured. My old tote was constantly falling over which is not only annoying but makes you look like a mess at all those meetings. If you are in need of a great new bag check them out and get $25 off your purchase with my code. Click here.

Look at all of that beautiful organization...ahhhhhh

I also jumped on the bandwagon and decided to order the new Echo Dot from Amazon. I have been wanting a speaker for the kitchen/lower level of my house and so I figured why not try Alexa and see what it's all about. I will very likely be working more from home after the first of the year and I think I will get a lot of use out of it. I will have to let you guys know after I have a chance to really use it. Does anyone have one? Love to hear your thoughts!

One last one... Do you guys know about The Giving Keys? Check this company out. They sell jewelry made of keys engraved with meaningful words on them. The idea is you wear your word for awhile and embrace it, until you find someone that needs it more than you do and then you pass it on and pay it forward. I got "Let Go" even though I have it tattooed on myself, it bears repeating for me and something I struggle with, the letting go of things I shouldn't be holding onto.They employ people transitioning out of homelessness. Go read their story and get a key.

Fall weather is finally here (at night) and I had to turn on the heat just briefly last weekend to get the chill out of the house. It was heavenly to sleep in a cold room under heavy blankets this weekend. I am desperately trying to eat better and play more tennis. My two fall team seasons are about over and I signed up for a winter women's team and 6 weeks of coaching with a pro. I need it, it's a huge stress reliever for me. I am trying not to beat myself up too badly about the yo yo diet life style I have been on for the last couple of months but I am really disappointed that I have allowed myself to go so far off track again. Good news is it is the easiest thing to fix and also gives me pretty immediate gratification. I have been staying home more to avoid eating and drinking out anymore than necessary and also to save money... haha... see how well that is working.

Anyway I just wanted to stop by and say Hi! Hope everyone has a great week!

Echo • Graceship • The Giving Keys

This and That...

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

So this last week went by in a blur but a much better blur than the one before. I wasn't here at all so let me catch you up on a little of what I'v been up to. I keep thinking somehow I am going to find more time to blog but then I never seem to lately.  Work is good if you like an insane pace, not enough hours in the day and a never ending long list of things to do. Oh and driving, it's great if you like driving all over Atlanta all the live long day to meetings at which more work is created. It struck me the other day that after 2 years of feeling ok on Sunday I am back to having those pangs of dread throughout the day knowing that Monday is fast approaching. I never felt that way in my last job. I wouldn't say I loved every minute of it but more often than not I did. Right now I still feel like the new kid, unsure of what all I am supposed to be doing, making too many mistakes and feeling a bit like the work load is enough for more than one of me.  It actually is and my bosses boss knows that and is planning on hiring a few more folks for our group but until then... this is pretty much my thought process on Sundays.

Part of the reason I am feeling dreadful and overwhelmed is because I am also perpetually pissed off because my ass-hat ex douche-bag is still MIA. For a freaking month now. What in the world did I do to the universe? I am currently on Mom duty 24/7/365 and I know, they are my babies but Lord I am tired and I miss my every other weekends of sleep and no kids around. I need to get away and the other sad fact is that the only getaway on the horizon is a 12 hour road trip to MI for T-Day to visit family which is turning out to be drama before we even get there. Oh let the joy of the holidays begin!

So what do I do when I am feeling anxious, tired, pissy and full of dread? Buy things of course, because we all know when life gives you lemons you must shop for limes, apples, bananas, pears and oranges to complete your fruit bowl. Insert plug for Amazon Prime here because there is nothing like instant gratification to make me feel better about life in general, also feeling like I am saving time and money while I am actually spending it is good too. I should be saving I guess but given recent significant losses I am taking more of the enjoy it while I'm here approach to life, and shopping. So here are a few of my most recent purchases..

A new work bag from Graceship. My old one was black, boring and like a big garbage bin in which I could never find a thing. This one is a beautiful neutral camel, super soft yet structured. My old tote was constantly falling over which is not only annoying but makes you look like a mess at all those meetings. If you are in need of a great new bag check them out and get $25 off your purchase with my code. Click here.

Look at all of that beautiful organization...ahhhhhh

I also jumped on the bandwagon and decided to order the new Echo Dot from Amazon. I have been wanting a speaker for the kitchen/lower level of my house and so I figured why not try Alexa and see what it's all about. I will very likely be working more from home after the first of the year and I think I will get a lot of use out of it. I will have to let you guys know after I have a chance to really use it. Does anyone have one? Love to hear your thoughts!

One last one... Do you guys know about The Giving Keys? Check this company out. They sell jewelry made of keys engraved with meaningful words on them. The idea is you wear your word for awhile and embrace it, until you find someone that needs it more than you do and then you pass it on and pay it forward. I got "Let Go" even though I have it tattooed on myself, it bears repeating for me and something I struggle with, the letting go of things I shouldn't be holding onto.They employ people transitioning out of homelessness. Go read their story and get a key.

Fall weather is finally here (at night) and I had to turn on the heat just briefly last weekend to get the chill out of the house. It was heavenly to sleep in a cold room under heavy blankets this weekend. I am desperately trying to eat better and play more tennis. My two fall team seasons are about over and I signed up for a winter women's team and 6 weeks of coaching with a pro. I need it, it's a huge stress reliever for me. I am trying not to beat myself up too badly about the yo yo diet life style I have been on for the last couple of months but I am really disappointed that I have allowed myself to go so far off track again. Good news is it is the easiest thing to fix and also gives me pretty immediate gratification. I have been staying home more to avoid eating and drinking out anymore than necessary and also to save money... haha... see how well that is working.

Anyway I just wanted to stop by and say Hi! Hope everyone has a great week!

Read More

Friday Favorites

I am so glad that this week is behind me. I had a huge work thing to get past and it is O.V.E.R. Thank God. There were mostly 10 hour days and about 500 miles worth of driving and I never even left Atlanta. To say that I am exhausted and ready for the weekend is an understatement. New jobs in general are exhausting and the amount of new stuff I have to learn for this one has been a bit overwhelming. This week though I really just focused on work, went to bed really early every night and just kind of hibernated in my house (for the few hours a day I was actually in it) and it helped. I am struggling though, trying to figure out this new schedule, new role. I am feeling decidedly like I need to retreat a little from other stuff like social obligations particularly. I am not managing everything very well, important things are suffering and I don't like it. But on the other hand, none of it is irreparable I just need to take some time to figure it out. Everything feels a little like chaos right now, time to clean it up. Sometimes it's good to do something familiar like a good old Friday faves post so let's just do that for right now...

BOOKS

One of the things that has been  suffering woefully are my food choices. But, I am still buying the books cause I can't help myself. Reading is fundamental and inspirational right?  I had to buy the Celebrations book by Danielle Walker because holiday food is so amazing and also so amazingly bad for you. Her book is beautiful and I can't wait to incorporate some wonderful, healthy things into the season this year.
.

And then a new book by my hero, Melissa Hartwig. Food Freedom Forever... that is what I am striving for and have yet to achieve. The book is thoughtfully written and even though I have already read all of her books I still feel it is a valuable addition to my Whole30 arsenal. She rocks!

MAKE UP

I admit I am late on the matte liquid lip bandwagon but oh how I love the Gen Nude Collection from Bare Minerals, particularly this one, Smooch. I haven't really tried a pinky-mauve nude in a while but I love this one and bonus... they all smell like glazed doughnuts.

Here is how it actually looks on me in my natural habitat... drinking wine on my deck.

TATTOO

So everyone knows winter is the best time to get tattooed because they have lots of time to heal before they ever see the light of day. Given that and the fact that I got birthday money from my peeps and birthday gift swag from my tattoo shop I have an appointment with my girl Savannah Colleen in a few weeks for something ornamental. I have decided that everything from now on will be ornamental or floral/nature-ish. No more cupcakes or color anything. I LOVE this...

ON MY WATCH LIST

Prime continues to knock it out of the park with Season 3 of Transparent. I cannot get enough. The cast is truly brilliant. If you haven't, you must. It's just so good.

FUNNY STUFF


Uh huh...

Me every day...

My ex is still MIA but I am getting ready for his return...

When it's been the longest week of your life and you can work from home on Friday...

Oh and I have no plans this weekend...

Hope everyone has a great one!

Friday Favorites

Friday, October 14, 2016

I am so glad that this week is behind me. I had a huge work thing to get past and it is O.V.E.R. Thank God. There were mostly 10 hour days and about 500 miles worth of driving and I never even left Atlanta. To say that I am exhausted and ready for the weekend is an understatement. New jobs in general are exhausting and the amount of new stuff I have to learn for this one has been a bit overwhelming. This week though I really just focused on work, went to bed really early every night and just kind of hibernated in my house (for the few hours a day I was actually in it) and it helped. I am struggling though, trying to figure out this new schedule, new role. I am feeling decidedly like I need to retreat a little from other stuff like social obligations particularly. I am not managing everything very well, important things are suffering and I don't like it. But on the other hand, none of it is irreparable I just need to take some time to figure it out. Everything feels a little like chaos right now, time to clean it up. Sometimes it's good to do something familiar like a good old Friday faves post so let's just do that for right now...

BOOKS

One of the things that has been  suffering woefully are my food choices. But, I am still buying the books cause I can't help myself. Reading is fundamental and inspirational right?  I had to buy the Celebrations book by Danielle Walker because holiday food is so amazing and also so amazingly bad for you. Her book is beautiful and I can't wait to incorporate some wonderful, healthy things into the season this year.
.

And then a new book by my hero, Melissa Hartwig. Food Freedom Forever... that is what I am striving for and have yet to achieve. The book is thoughtfully written and even though I have already read all of her books I still feel it is a valuable addition to my Whole30 arsenal. She rocks!

MAKE UP

I admit I am late on the matte liquid lip bandwagon but oh how I love the Gen Nude Collection from Bare Minerals, particularly this one, Smooch. I haven't really tried a pinky-mauve nude in a while but I love this one and bonus... they all smell like glazed doughnuts.

Here is how it actually looks on me in my natural habitat... drinking wine on my deck.

TATTOO

So everyone knows winter is the best time to get tattooed because they have lots of time to heal before they ever see the light of day. Given that and the fact that I got birthday money from my peeps and birthday gift swag from my tattoo shop I have an appointment with my girl Savannah Colleen in a few weeks for something ornamental. I have decided that everything from now on will be ornamental or floral/nature-ish. No more cupcakes or color anything. I LOVE this...

ON MY WATCH LIST

Prime continues to knock it out of the park with Season 3 of Transparent. I cannot get enough. The cast is truly brilliant. If you haven't, you must. It's just so good.

FUNNY STUFF


Uh huh...

Me every day...

My ex is still MIA but I am getting ready for his return...

When it's been the longest week of your life and you can work from home on Friday...

Oh and I have no plans this weekend...

Hope everyone has a great one!

Read More

Currently - October

So I missed the actual Currently link up because I was in South Carolina last week working and then being evacuated on Wednesday afternoon. The governor basically said get out if  you live here and if you don't get the HELL out faster. I didn't see any hurricane just horrendous traffic. It is finally fall here though. The temps have broken and the nights are cool. I am officially adding a layer to my bed tonight since I have been waking up cold with just my summer blankets. Work is killing me which is why I never seem to find blogging time anymore. I am putting in long days and as I said earlier, travelling a little bit which is a new challenge for me as a single Mom. But we are managing just fine even if Mom is a wee bit exhausted every day. All good stuff. So let's get to the other good stuff, Currently I am...

CHEERS-ING

I am all about the pumpkin beers right now and I have to recommend the Headless Horseman... a classic Black and Tan with Pumking and Choklat (layered) by Southern Tier. I think it's like 12% ABV so you have been warned!

ORGANIZING

My thoughts on what in the actual fuck I will do if I come face to face with a creepy clown. #IfISeeAClown My tentative plan is just to yell "you're gonna die clown". Fight fire with fire right? I mean I'll probably run away but you know. Seriously, my 10 year old has requested a ride along on Halloween night. Thanks creepy clown asshats for ruining my Halloween drinking plans and forcing me to hang out with a bunch of 10 year olds. Just kidding. Sort of.

DREAMING

Of the Holidays. Sorry, my football season is in the toilet. Time for me to start planning my Friendsgiving before I go home to Michigan for the actual holidays! Has anyone ever done a "Friendsgiving" kind of pot-luck? I need ideas to make it super easy and lots of fun! I think I may even send out real paper invitations... old school! Tiny Prints let's you set up a site of your own where people can RSVP online, so the charm of a real invitation with a way to track it all like an evite! How cute are these?

And if this could be my table that'd be great...

BUYING

Booties. With the cut outs. I am a lover of Steve Madden and this trend is oh so comfy and cool. If your feet get hot and you hate socks this is the style for you.Perfect for fall in the south. I am on my second pair now... these. I already have these and have been wearing them to death. Love and soooo comfy!!

LISTENING

Ok somehow my 10 year old turned me on to Melanie Martinez... hopefully she hasn't heard this song. But I really am digging her voice especially on this track.

Currently

Currently - October

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

So I missed the actual Currently link up because I was in South Carolina last week working and then being evacuated on Wednesday afternoon. The governor basically said get out if  you live here and if you don't get the HELL out faster. I didn't see any hurricane just horrendous traffic. It is finally fall here though. The temps have broken and the nights are cool. I am officially adding a layer to my bed tonight since I have been waking up cold with just my summer blankets. Work is killing me which is why I never seem to find blogging time anymore. I am putting in long days and as I said earlier, travelling a little bit which is a new challenge for me as a single Mom. But we are managing just fine even if Mom is a wee bit exhausted every day. All good stuff. So let's get to the other good stuff, Currently I am...

CHEERS-ING

I am all about the pumpkin beers right now and I have to recommend the Headless Horseman... a classic Black and Tan with Pumking and Choklat (layered) by Southern Tier. I think it's like 12% ABV so you have been warned!

ORGANIZING

My thoughts on what in the actual fuck I will do if I come face to face with a creepy clown. #IfISeeAClown My tentative plan is just to yell "you're gonna die clown". Fight fire with fire right? I mean I'll probably run away but you know. Seriously, my 10 year old has requested a ride along on Halloween night. Thanks creepy clown asshats for ruining my Halloween drinking plans and forcing me to hang out with a bunch of 10 year olds. Just kidding. Sort of.

DREAMING

Of the Holidays. Sorry, my football season is in the toilet. Time for me to start planning my Friendsgiving before I go home to Michigan for the actual holidays! Has anyone ever done a "Friendsgiving" kind of pot-luck? I need ideas to make it super easy and lots of fun! I think I may even send out real paper invitations... old school! Tiny Prints let's you set up a site of your own where people can RSVP online, so the charm of a real invitation with a way to track it all like an evite! How cute are these?

And if this could be my table that'd be great...

BUYING

Booties. With the cut outs. I am a lover of Steve Madden and this trend is oh so comfy and cool. If your feet get hot and you hate socks this is the style for you.Perfect for fall in the south. I am on my second pair now... these. I already have these and have been wearing them to death. Love and soooo comfy!!

LISTENING

Ok somehow my 10 year old turned me on to Melanie Martinez... hopefully she hasn't heard this song. But I really am digging her voice especially on this track.

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Funerals Are For The Living... And Other Cheery Thoughts

I have experienced death a lot in my life and it is not a huge deal to me. I know that sounds like a weird thing to say but it's true. The exception obviously being very tragic circumstances, but what I mean is death as it happens in life somewhat naturally. I come from big Eastern European families that came to this country and proceeded to have families of 12 or so children. Families of that size tend to make for generations of large extended families and I have been lucky enough to be a part of that. But conversely, when your family is huge, people are always getting old and dying just as other people are getting married and having babies. It's the cycle of life. The first funeral I ever went to was my Grandfather's, I was 7. I remember the dress I wore, a cream sweater dress with pink and green little flowers knit around the collar and cuffs. I remember seeing him in the coffin and not being freaked out, maybe because nobody else was, I don't really know. I remember people crying. I remember my Mom kissing his forehead and leaving a lipstick mark. All I could think was "oh no, that's going to be there forever, that's not good". That still makes me giggle. I remember riding in the limousine and wondering how much longer this was all going to take. Then after all the services we went back to my grandmother's house and it was like a holiday party only not so much for the adults. But it was a family gathering much like any other holiday or party would be. There was tons of food and my cousins and I ran around while the adults talked and visited. We were together and in togetherness there is comfort and solace even if just for those few hours.

To me the hard part of death comes after the funeral. Returning to life and normalcy without that person in it. Doing the things you did every day before but with the thought in the back of your mind that someone is forever missing from your world. That's when the grieving process really starts in my opinion. After the funeral.

I had to go to a funeral Friday for my brother-in-law, my ex-husbands brother. He was 38 last week when he suffered a brain aneurysm without any warning and in less than 24 hours the world lost a beautiful spirit.  I had to take my children to their first funeral because their Father is ill equipped to cope with reality and just split... again.   I have been so angry and disappointed in him... again. However, all I could really do was turn it into an opportunity to teach my kids about family obligation and what it is to be selfless even when you are in pain.

So I helped my Sister-In-Law with whatever I could to plan her brothers funeral. My kids and I made a meal and brought it to my Mother-in-law with some flowers. We looked at all of the old pictures she had pulled out and sat and listened to her talk about her son and how much she will miss him. Because that's just what you do. I took the day off work Friday and we joined the family for the visitation and services. Then we drove another couple of hours to Athens for a celebration of life with all of his closest friends. You see, Curtis was a musician among many other things. He was your basic hippie, deep thinker and artistic soul. There was live music, dancing, food, drinks, a  bonfire and many, many happy stories about this man, his adventures and the countless lives he touched. We laughed and we cried off an on all day but it truly was a pretty amazing experience. He, possibly more than anyone I know, lived the life he truly wanted to live. He did all the things he wanted to do and balls to the wall at that. Something I would like to have a little more of in my life because fuck playing it safe, there are no guarantees. Death sucks but it's part of life. We won't ever see him again, he'll never get married or have kids, no one really even got to say goodbye. Shit, I mean he never even saw it coming most likely. Maybe that's a blessing, I don't know, but the missing him for everyone that loved him is really going to hurt for a very long time.

So....Live every day like it's your last and for God's sake don't waste time on anything that doesn't matter to you. Live your truth and a life less ordinary. RIP Curtis. God speed.

Funerals Are For The Living... And Other Cheery Thoughts

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

I have experienced death a lot in my life and it is not a huge deal to me. I know that sounds like a weird thing to say but it's true. The exception obviously being very tragic circumstances, but what I mean is death as it happens in life somewhat naturally. I come from big Eastern European families that came to this country and proceeded to have families of 12 or so children. Families of that size tend to make for generations of large extended families and I have been lucky enough to be a part of that. But conversely, when your family is huge, people are always getting old and dying just as other people are getting married and having babies. It's the cycle of life. The first funeral I ever went to was my Grandfather's, I was 7. I remember the dress I wore, a cream sweater dress with pink and green little flowers knit around the collar and cuffs. I remember seeing him in the coffin and not being freaked out, maybe because nobody else was, I don't really know. I remember people crying. I remember my Mom kissing his forehead and leaving a lipstick mark. All I could think was "oh no, that's going to be there forever, that's not good". That still makes me giggle. I remember riding in the limousine and wondering how much longer this was all going to take. Then after all the services we went back to my grandmother's house and it was like a holiday party only not so much for the adults. But it was a family gathering much like any other holiday or party would be. There was tons of food and my cousins and I ran around while the adults talked and visited. We were together and in togetherness there is comfort and solace even if just for those few hours.

To me the hard part of death comes after the funeral. Returning to life and normalcy without that person in it. Doing the things you did every day before but with the thought in the back of your mind that someone is forever missing from your world. That's when the grieving process really starts in my opinion. After the funeral.

I had to go to a funeral Friday for my brother-in-law, my ex-husbands brother. He was 38 last week when he suffered a brain aneurysm without any warning and in less than 24 hours the world lost a beautiful spirit.  I had to take my children to their first funeral because their Father is ill equipped to cope with reality and just split... again.   I have been so angry and disappointed in him... again. However, all I could really do was turn it into an opportunity to teach my kids about family obligation and what it is to be selfless even when you are in pain.

So I helped my Sister-In-Law with whatever I could to plan her brothers funeral. My kids and I made a meal and brought it to my Mother-in-law with some flowers. We looked at all of the old pictures she had pulled out and sat and listened to her talk about her son and how much she will miss him. Because that's just what you do. I took the day off work Friday and we joined the family for the visitation and services. Then we drove another couple of hours to Athens for a celebration of life with all of his closest friends. You see, Curtis was a musician among many other things. He was your basic hippie, deep thinker and artistic soul. There was live music, dancing, food, drinks, a  bonfire and many, many happy stories about this man, his adventures and the countless lives he touched. We laughed and we cried off an on all day but it truly was a pretty amazing experience. He, possibly more than anyone I know, lived the life he truly wanted to live. He did all the things he wanted to do and balls to the wall at that. Something I would like to have a little more of in my life because fuck playing it safe, there are no guarantees. Death sucks but it's part of life. We won't ever see him again, he'll never get married or have kids, no one really even got to say goodbye. Shit, I mean he never even saw it coming most likely. Maybe that's a blessing, I don't know, but the missing him for everyone that loved him is really going to hurt for a very long time.

So....Live every day like it's your last and for God's sake don't waste time on anything that doesn't matter to you. Live your truth and a life less ordinary. RIP Curtis. God speed.

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