the magic of Christmas...

Is sitting on the living room floor in your pajamas, watching the person you love most in this entire universe, rip wildly through paper and bows to get to the tiniest of things; squishy slimy bugs, Buzz Lightyear pez dispensers, hot wheels. It is watching his face light up with overwhelmed joy and disbelief that these incredible treasures are ALL HIS!!! It is, of course, having the resources to provide these little, silly, superficial things that bring my sweet boy so much joy and wonder and this year, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, I would remiss if I didn’t take note that there is magic in the fact that we have a roof over our heads to keep us dry and safe. But the most magical things for me are the memories of when I was little and would wake up at who knows what ungodly hour and sneak out to the living room to check and see if Santa had been there yet. When I would see my stocking stuffed full and overflowing with presents, my heart would race and I’d barely be able to contain myself….SANTA! WAS! HEREEEEEE!!!!!

That stocking. That lopsided, red velvet and green satin contraption that my mom made for me was always one of my most cherished possessions. Last year, while searching high and low for a stocking for Ben and coming up short everywhere I looked, it came to me out of nowhere…of course I wasn’t going to find the perfect stocking for Ben at the mall….at Target….at Pottery Barn. The only perfect stocking for Ben was already in my garage, sewn together with all the love his Grandma Hallie was saving up for the day she’d get to hold him. She never got to hold him, but every year at Christmas, when he sits on the floor with that stocking in his little lap overflowing with presents, I will know that they are together. And THAT is Christmas magic.

We have a winner for the Kohl’s gift card giveaway!!!!! Congratulations, Skye!!! Now go buy your new knife set!!! I can’t have you slicing and dicing with dull knives, woman.


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the most wonderful time...

Today, I'm just giving you a little quicky and linking up with beautiful Kristen to share our Tinyprints 2012 holiday card.
This weird little blogging world has brough so many amazing people into my life, given me so many fun opportunities and has taught me so much over the last year and a half. I am thankful for YOU. Yes, you.
I hope your holidays are filled with health, happiness, abundance, joy, yummy food, peace and most of all, love.

   

p.s. have you entered the Kohl's $50 gift card giveaway yet???

happy.

You can go ahead and let out that deep breath you’ve been holding, stop chewing your pretty nails and pacing in a panic…I’m alive. I’m here. It’s just been one HECK of a shopping/working/planning extravaganza this week! Whew!! And I mean WHEW did I get some good bargains…he hee heeeee...

(p.s. I love Kohl’s. like, true love, for real, ok? And during the regular year, I totally forget how much I love them and then Christmas comes around and they are all “EARLY BIRD! NIGHT OWL!” and I’m all “oh hell YES I sure did just save $219.71 thank you very much!” how do they do it? I don’t know or care, but what I do know is that my new gallery wall is going to look so amazing in my living room, I got 2 of the cutest shirts ever for the monkey - plaid flannel Osh Kosh say what? - I really think the husband is going to like the CLOTHES - sorry honey - picked for him and um…I am taking back that horrible half pleather, half knit perforated peplum princess by Vera Wang disaster that I was clearly stoned when I put it in the buggy….yes. Love me some Kohl’s!)

You know what is even better than the small fortune I saved at Kohl’s?? Jessah & Erin’s Ornament Swap! Today is the day!!! I’ve been waiting for this day ever since my gift arrived from sweet Jessah last week….what a lover this girl is, first of all! This swap was such a joy to be a part of….

I signed up right away when I saw the swap on Erin’s blog and I was so excited to participate. As my weird luck would have it though, something got a little messed up and somehow poor little me got kicked to the curb. For a minute I was very “nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I guess I’ll go eat worms” over the whole thing, but then I dug my Big Girl Panties out and emailed Jessah and what happened next was nothing short of Serendipity. She apologized for the oversight and offered to take me on as an extra swap partner….I started reading more of her blog, wanting to get to know her and every post pulled me in more and more until I was immersed in her journey and the joy that are her blessings in life and her pain and the struggles that are her cross to bear….we had so much in common that reading her story and thinking about her now gives me the chills. It was no accident that I got missed in the swap….Jessah and I were meant to know each other…

Last week, I raced home to find a box from her waiting at my door….inside, I found THE most gorgeous, sparkly pink, lacey ornament that I’ve probably ever seen. First of all, how did she know I was obsessed with pink? And glitter?? Because she’s just that good, folks…..but she didn’t stop there! She also sent me a jar of fragrance beads that actually SMELL pink if you can imagine that and the most fun, festive and precious shade of pink polish….did I score or did I score?? Seriously, I love everything she sent…she went above and beyond because that is just her way. I am so thankful we wound up together…and I am wishing with all my heart for the best Christmas Miracle of all, for her, because hse deserves it and she is going to make an incredible momma. Go visit her blog and see what I chose for her and send her some love. She will touch your heart just like she touched mine.

just a lil somethin' somethin' quick...ornament swap!

I already know, ok? Ornaments. It's freakin' October. My head is spinning. But this was just too cute to pass up you guys! And I am all about festive, flouncy, fluffy, glittery, fabulous ornaments....   So here is the deal....Erin & Jessah are hosting this too fun to miss Ornament Swap and when I heard about it, I was all OH HECK YES. What I need all of you to do is go sign up if you haven't already cuz we are gonna have a BALL....hahahah.....get it? A ball? Like as in ornaments.....i die. Moving on...I love a good swap. I don't do them nearly enough because truth be told, I am an utter wreck at getting to the post office, and I hate the thought of signing up and then stressing out trying to get my gift out on time, but as I mentioned, I am committed this time, dammit......   Alls I'm sayin' is, if you don't join the party, you's 'a gonna be sorry. So hop on over to one of these lovely ladies' blogs and get yer name on the list and stop being all Scrooge McDuck.....it may only be October, but Santa will be here before you know it.....    

Also, post of substance coming soon, guys, I really do promise. The thing is, I am a ball of stress and have to-do, to-buy and to-figure-out lists coming out my a$$ right now. I haven't mentioned it lately cuz I'm sort of in denial, but I'm going to this event next-flippin-weekend and am actually probably maybe hopefully going to be face to face with my imaginary lovah....

oh. hi, Boo. Why in the name of all the is holy must you be so freakin' adorbs? I love you. Also, please give me a bite of that.

the taco, people. the taco. jeez.

SO anyway, I probably am not going to be able to speak, or else I'll spend the whole night hiding from him and too nervous to eat which is way lame since this is a FOOD event...blah blah blah....I haven't posted much cuz I am insane in the membrane these days trying to get my outfit figured out, making & getting to hair appointments, watching an endless stream of tutorials on you tube about how to style & clip in my freaky-deaky long extensions, pondering whether or not to wear fake eyelashes lest I might look like a hooker, which I obviously want to avoid.....all of this when I already know I am going to end up standing in front of him all.....mute. That's real cool.

I'm such a creep. So pray for me, would ya? And be patient. My sanity is bound to return sooner or later.

In the meantime, sing up for the Ornament Swap, k?

kisses!