Truthful Thursdays: Walking with Hannah

It's time to share some truths again, so here goes:

1. I listened to Hannah Montana while walking on the treadmill today. Embarrassing, but true.
2. People think I have gray Toms...they're white. I think it's time to paint them.
3. Our snowfall was measly but I played like it was massive storm and stayed home the entire day. (I wasn't the only one, schools were dismissed. Yeah, we're hurting for a school day over here)
4. Our house is down to one toilet paper roll and no laundry detergent. Somehow I missed putting those on my list when I went to the store. Grrr.
5. I've slowly been interacting more on Twitter. What are your tips for the twitterverse?

Truth Thursdays: I Heart Legwarmers

Sweet Little Luxuries

• I love legwarmers. Seriously, why don't women my age wear these?
• And as I've said before, I LOVE boots.
• I secretly wonder if I'm being filmed for "What Not to Wear".
• I like paint all over my hands and arms. Sometimes I'm tempted not to wash it off.
• I have a low voice. Even as a newborn, Mom said my cry was lower than my sister's. It took me years to accept it (didn't wanna sound man-ish). When I was in high school someone told me it was sultry, that helped.

What about you? Any truths you'd like to share?

Truth Thursdays: About Marriage

Us at age four, sixteen years before we meet.

• It's never exactly like you think it'll be.
• The lovey-dovey feeling isn't forever constant--it's more like a merry-go-round circling back again and again.
• The beginning years are full of adventurously discovering one another; the latter years are full of discovering the world with one another.
• There's an uncontested comfort in having someone know your yuck and stick around.
• No marriage is perfect. There is always regret, anger, frustration, and loss. ALWAYS. But there is also success, encouragement, forgiveness and tender love.

Happy Anniversary, to the one that's loved me through all my junk. Thanks for sticking around, I love you!

Truth Thursdays: Christmas Romances

In lieu of my upcoming anniversary (four days after Christmas), I thought I'd share my favorite Christmas romances.

Source

• Love Actually - so many stories...so little time. (although, there's one story that could have been omitted in my opinion)
• The Gift of the Magi - he gives up his watch; she gives up her hair...*swoon*
• The Holiday - so tender.
• It's a Wonderful Life - no explanation needed.
• The Family Stone - *sob* It makes me cry and laugh in equal parts.

What about you?  What's your favorite Christmas romance?

Truth Thursdays: The Sinking One

I know I should be full of joy during this season and most of the time, I am; but I've been missing my friend terribly.


The other night I went to hear her daughter sing. It was beautiful. SHE was beautiful.When we talked afterwards, she was a replica of her mother and I watched in a longing, wishing way. Later when I was alone, I wept.  It came from deep within, from anger, from grief at my sweet friend missing her daughter's program and how she would've loved it. It came from knowing how young she was and how it doesn't seem fair; and for not having her there to share the moment with.

I know my grieving will continue; I'm not sure why tears surprise me. I'm learning to discover the beauty hidden in grief. It reminds me that she was real. It reminds me to soak up each moment, each song my children sing, each touch of my husband's hand and each small thing I deem as normal. I want this season to be full of soaking.

The Closing of the Year:

If I cannot bring you comfort
Then at least I bring you hope
For nothing is more precious
Than the time we have and so
We all must learn from small misfortune
Count the blessings that are real
Let the bells ring out for Christmas
At the closing of the year
Let the bells ring out for Christmas
At the closing of the year.

If I cannot bring you comfort
Then at least I bring you hope.

Now all the winter bells are ringing
Hear them echo through the snow
And the children's voices singing
on the streets so far below

This is a time to be together
And the truth is somewhere here
Within our love of people
At the closing of the year.

Truth Thursdays: Paint the Van

photo - Violette

photo - Violette

• I've had the urge to paint our van since seeing the Glittergirl van in Violette's book Journal Bliss.  Serious.  Big urge.  Husband's not saying no...
• I *blush* went to see Breaking Dawn with my sister. OKAY, I SAID it. She made me.  Not really.  Sort of...but no.
• I also want to see the Hunger Games (yes, I'm an adult).
• As of this moment, I still don't have my Christmas tree up.  Don't send Scrooge;I'll do it soon.
• My son's been wishing for snow and I've been de-wishing his wish.  The forecast says snow is possible this week.  Guess wishing is more powerful than de-wishing.

Truth Thursdays: YouTube Lessons

• I love the scent of my pillow--not the fresh just-been-washed smell but the one after a few days of sleeping on it. Much has been speculated about this within my family, for instance: does this mean I like my own smell?

• I've never cooked our family's traditional Thanksgiving dressing (don't faint, Mom).  It always seemed daunting to me and so far others have taken that on. But I suppose it should be on my bucket list of things to do . . . maybe.

• I'm an avid speller.  Except, ironically, for the simple words "their" and  "friend." They always mess me up!  I think it's the i-e combo.

• I'm learning a song on my guitar.  And when I say "a" song I mean "one".  I haven't taken guitar lessons but I'm trying to figure it out (hooray for YouTube), so we'll see how this goes.  I have played piano, does that translate to guitar?

• I'm not a get-your-Christmas-decorations-up-by-Thanksgiving sort of girl.  I'm more of a hope-to-get-them-up-by-Christmas one.

What about you? Any truths you'd care to share?

Truth Thursdays: I'm Back, Sort of

Thank you for all your sweet words, my blogging friends.  The break was needed.  I don't know yet how often I'll be posting but I'm inching back.  Truth Thursdays seemed a good place to start.  Here are my truths today:

• I'm taking the daughter of my sweet friend with me to Harry Potter tonight at midnight. I can't help feeling my friend will be there with us.
• Our vacation was healing on so many levels.  Standing before the ocean reminded me of the bigger picture.  Being with my family, away from the bustle of life was needed.
• I've found it difficult to paint recently.  But my journal is full.
• I'm a Potter-maniac.  I'll be getting in line at 4:00 this afternoon to snag great seats since our spots in the theater are not assigned.  Yes, I'm crazy.  That's eight hours before the movie.  What can I say?
• My children are Potter-crazed too.  My eldest is making Pumpkin Pasties and Butter Beer (like Root Beer) for everyone to snack on.  The girls created Love Potion necklaces.  I'll post pictures if given permission--they're adorable!  My son is a Draco look-alike and he'll be dressing up like him (maybe I can sneak pics of that too!).

Truth Thursdays: I Heart Drawers

It's that time again--Truth telling time.

1.  I heart drawers! *happy sigh* Aren't they cute?

2.  I love blog giveaways.  Especially winning. And getting fun stuff in the mail. Like this gorgeous Waverly material I got from Mandie. I'm going nuts with ideas on what to do with it.  Sadly, I'm not a seamstress. Fabric glue, anyone?

3.  I'm secretly LOVING that my eldest daughter has caught the scrapbooking bug.  Stuff is everywhere and I'm delighted. hee-hee

4.  My youngest daughter gave me this craft bag and I'm not sure how I ever got along without it.

5.  I'm a little wild at heart.  (Shhh, don't tell)

Okay, your turn.  You just drank a cup of tea seasoned with truth serum, what's your truth?

P.S.  Don't forget to stop by Jen's blog for more divulging truths.

The Mysterious Jersey

It's time to tell the truth.  Jennifer at Unedited introduced me to Truth Thursdays--hers are always fun!  Now, here are my truths:

• A basketball jersey mysteriously turned up in the wash (probably a hand-me-down from cousins) and no one claimed it. My husband put it away in our daughter's room.  She didn't want it so she put it in my son's room.  A few days later, she found it back in her closet.  She sneaked it back into his dresser when he wasn't looking.  He stuck it behind her robe when she was gone.  Every time I hear a Homer Simpson-like "DOH!" come from one of them, I know the game of Hide-the-Jersey continues on.  We believe in cheap entertainment.
• Guess what?  The rain stopped and the sun came out!  Thanks for all your sunny well-wishes!  Now the porch is my favorite "room". 
• My daughter introduced me to the show Glee and *gulp* I like it.  (Don't hate, I'm only in the first season and I may tire of it soon)
• Found my long lost back-scratcher hidden under pillows.  That invention is worth gold! *scratch, scratch*
• A friend of ours gave me an easel he found at a thrift store. Yipppeee!  I'm so excited.  It makes me feel like "real" artist. Ha!

What about you?  Any truths you'd like to share?

Truth Thursdays

It's truth-telling time again, so here goes:

• In lieu of candles, I use tape.  Makes finding tape easy and is a fun conversation piece.
  

• I'm a horrible driver.  My friends insist on driving when we go anywhere together. I'll admit I'm a bit absentminded.  Being directionally impaired doesn't help either.
  

• One of my favorite bookstores is closing and I'm sad.  Very sad.  My family went to say goodbye this weekend and we bought books on their 40% off sale.  The sale was nice, but it didn't make up for the fact that I'm now minus a bookstore.  WHAAA! 

• I have bottles of acrylic paint piled high in a punch bowl on my art table. (You can see it in the corner of the tape picture above)

• I wore glitzy ballet-type shoes to an uppity banquet the other night only to look down and discover the jewels had fallen out and in their place were gaping holes. Zikes!  I kept my legs under the table for the rest of the night.

Jennifer introduced me to Truth Thursdays and this is her birthday week so go check out her blog, Unedited!
Are there any truths you'd like to share?

Truth Thursdays (I Sneeze in Tens)

I am having such fun with these truth-telling days.  Not that I don't normally tell the truth (snort), but it's fun sharing my oddities with all of you.  Jennifer at Unedited introduced me to this brilliant idea (thanks girl!).  So without further ado, here are my truths:

• I had my FIRST ever pedicure during Spring Break at the insistence of my twin sister.  Massage chairs, salt rubs and beautiful toes--what was I waiting for????  

(You knew there was no way I'd photograph a real bee, right?)

• I'm terrified of bees.  Got into a nest of them when I was a little girl and haven't forgotten. *shivers* 

 

• I don't love ice cream.  Or maybe I should say it doesn't love me. *ahem*  

• I sneeze in tens.  Seriously.  Okay not always, but lotsways. 

• Every night daughter#2 asks what my favorite color is since it changes daily.  (In case you're wondering, today it's fuchsia)

What about you?  Any truths you'd like to share?  *points finger* Come on, you know you want to.

Truth Thursdays

Jennifer at Unedited introduced me to Truth Thursdays - so here's the truth:

1.  I'm terrified of Ferris Wheels.
2.  One of my favorite movies is Peter Pan (not the cartoon).
3.  I always opt for a straw when drinking from a restaurant cup (germaphobe).
4.  I'm a klepto when it comes to nice or funky pens (so hide your favorites).
5.  As a child I wanted to make up a word that would end up in the dictionary.  And since many letter combinations had been used, my words were mostly consonants: lrgh, blske, fmsa.  (Don't ask for definitions because I won't tell you, ahem)

Truth Thursdays

Jennifer at Unedited introduced me to Truth Thursdays - so here's the truth:

1. I sprinkle cinnamon on my coffee grounds before brewing - my version of Snickerdoodle coffee.
2. Raggedy Ann sits on top of my writing desk.
3. I wrote my first book in the 4th grade (illustrations included).  The title? The Long and Hard Journey.  Haha. 
4. I think I'm part-fairy because I saw four mushroom rings in one year.  (Never been brave enough to step inside one)
5. I don't like surprises, unless I expect them.

Got any truths to share?