dear january 2010...

dear january 2010...

oh the plans we had!
starting off the year with
a burst of organization & creative fun...
remember?
we were going to get everyone off to school
& solidly into their schedules
& then we were going to organize each week:
mondays for computer stuff
tuesdays for cleaning out specific spots in the house
wednesdays for collapsing in a heap
etc...

& the art & crafts...oh the art & crafts!
such wonders had never been seen...
valentines to make even the coldest hearts fall
madly, deeply in love...
decorations to turn houses into homes...

& then came the illness
i know i don't have to remind you about all
that the illness entailed
the lack of kleenex & nyquil in our house
is a sad reminder...
oh, january 2010!
every night i would think
'tomorrow is our day!
i will feel better & go make some stuff
& fold the laundry
& pick up the kleenex'
but alas
tomorrow came
many many tomorrows
& what did i have to show for it?
four books read
& many afternoon couch sessions with the kiddos...
& then last week
it looked like the fog had lifted
i only took half a shot of nyquil before bed
the kleenex was only ankle deep...

& then saturday!
saturday!
i had to turn & get out of the car
& something
some weird thing in my back did some weird thing
(i didn't take anatomy, does it show?)
& in an hour or so i was in such an immense amount of pain
that i was crying....
goodbye valentine crafts!
see you later!

a little voice in my head said
'well january was a loss'
& i was just about to agree with it
as i am prone to do when i am in pain & tears...
but let's just back up a minute
how did i spend january again?
reading good books
(reviews to come)
watching great movies
(reviews to come)
& hanging out with my sweet, wild kids
(review: five thumbs up
realistically, i'm sure my kids would have at least one thumb down)

january 2010, my first monthed friend
that actually sounds like a great way to start the year off:
doing only what really needs to be done
enjoying life
loving it up with my family...
a waste it was not

plus
bonus lessons:

from my grandma:
when you're off your feet & can't do anything
you find out that you don't have to do it all
& everything goes on fine without you
(said with the utmost love :)

& from me
(i love it when i teach myself a lesson)
there's another january next year...
yes, i know it's hard to believe
but all of this stuff
all of these great ideas
they can be kept & held tight & remembered
& brought out next year
because there's always another january
just 11 months away...

but don't worry, january 2010
i will always remember you
& be thankful to you
for teaching me my lessons about
life, books & the calendar...

enjoy these last few days
they do seem to fly by...
emily ruth

:)

spot of tea?

she sings at the top of her lungs
when you put a princess song on
('that's how you know' from enchanted)

she loves animals
& to make up little stories about them


she likes to fill the cup with raw sugar



she likes to dress up
but she's not sure about the tea

when she's done, she's done
& off she goes


she doesn't like to pose with a smile
but ask her to yell & she's all yours

oh, yes
that's her kind of tea party
right there...

:)

the girls at
ruthie b's on monday

feeling golden (globes 2010)

i don't care that it looked like she was wearing her
glittery pet chinchillas on her shoulder & hip...
i don't care that her speech was totally unpolished...
i love her
& i am so happy for her
& i feel like we grew up together
& that we are friends
& i feel like she makes everyone feel like that...
she was the insyle cover girl in october
& the writer of her interview said pretty much that, too
she just makes you feel like you're hanging out with a friend...
so happy for her :)

(& yes, it looks like the security guy behind her
is aiming a gun at someone...
maybe a peta person who was concerned about the chinchillas?)

& do i even have to say anything?
(okay, i will! :)
oh, how i adore this show!
glee has won my heart :)
& i am so happy that they won best comedy &/or musical show
since they are both :)
if you haven't seen it yet, it's not too late
they are on vacation until spring
so you can catch up on the fall shows
right now
go!
:)

also love love loved meryl streep
she has won so many awards
but she still remains so wonderfully grounded...
loved that she talked about her mom
& that she said:
“I just want to say in my long career
I played so many extraordinary women that
I’m getting mistaken for one. And.
(much applause)
No really, I’m very clear that
I’m the vessel for other people’s stories and
other women’s lives.”
loved that...
because hello!
of course she is extraordinary
but you have to love an extraordinary woman who
doesn't consider herself such...
& i love 'julie & julia'
the book, the movie, all of it...

so....
i guess it took an awards show to get me
back into my blogging schedule...
that & my sickness finally being gone
(i will spare you the details...
my poor fb friends were not as fortunate)
hooray for day/nyquil!

happy new year, friends!
i have been thinking in blog posts
for the last few weeks
(as i have since 2006 :)
& i am so happy to be
back to it...
fun fun fun :)

love you guys...
:)

ps
on that glee link i saw that they are holding open casting calls
including online submissions:

"The executive producers of Glee will begin a nationwide casting search this February to fill three new roles that will be added to the show's second season. Auditions will be open to professional and amateur individuals between the ages of 16-26."

darn it.