Closing Time

Hey.  Remember me?  I used to hang around these parts a lot.  My life has changed so much in the last four months.  Four years, really.  I haven't been writing quite as much recently.  But, I'm feeling that familiar pull in my blood, that whisper that I'm not writing enough.  That I need to get back to it.  And I want to.  And I'm excited about it.  But...

Not here.

When I thought about starting to blog again, it just didn't feel right coming back here.  I won't take this down - probably not ever.  So many pieces of my heart are scattered around this place, in my words.  Now, though?  Everything is different.  I'm starting a completely new phase in life.  I'm starting over, in so many ways.  And it's inspiring.  So inspiring that I created a new home for myself, for my words.

That's where I'll be from now on.  Won't you join me?

December 2013 Soundtrack

I'm still around.  I spectacularly flamed out at NaBloPoMo AND my 30 Days of Thankful, and then went radio silent.  Nice job, me.  The last 2 weeks have been busy, what else is new, right?  I'm trying to figure out how to configure my life so that I can find time to write regularly.  I have stuff to say!  Doing NaBloPoMo was a good kick start in a way, but there were a lot of days that I was writing so late that I felt like my creativity wasn't at it's best.  I need to find time when I'm altert and not just posting after the kids go to bed every night.

In any case, it was definitely a good experience, and I'm sure I'll do it again - maybe next time I'll actually succeed?  Today though, I want to talk about my current soundtrack.

I have been listening to more music lately even though I usually listen to audiobooks in the car.  I'm a bit worried I'm not going to be able to meet my 50 book goal this year, but lately I have just felt so much like singing at the top of my lungs.  The last couple of days I've been in the mood for Christmas music, somehow - despite the fact that I listen to it for 8 hours a day at work.  This is my theme song for this season:



I absolutely LOVE Sarah's version, but then I heard this on the radio, and oh, my heart!  Just when I thought I couldn't like Cee Lo any more... amazing.



Lately I've been having a newfound love affair with Maroon 5.  I don't know why that happens, re-discovering or finally listening to new music from a band you really like.  I've been listening to a lot of stuff from their last album, and right now, I am totally obsessed with these three songs:



Though I totally dislike the video... this video on the other hand, is awesome:



And I looked for a real video for this one, but it doesn't seem to exist, so you'll just have to listen.  I love it:



I am also loving this one, though it's prone to make me feel a sadness in my soul.



I've been enjoying that kind of music lately, you see it in my choice of winter song above, and in my calm in listening to this one.  I feel like I'm in the midst of some huge turmoil, and there is a quiet sadness about me. It's not bad, it just is.  And this music is my background right now.

This one is also heartwrenching in many ways, and touches me.



One of my other very favorite songs right now is this one.  There's just something about the saga-like sound, maybe it sounds like something from a musical and that's why I like it.  I have kind of fallen for Fun. this year, and this is definitely my favorite song.



On another note, today I heard on the radio that Paul Simon and Sting are coming to Seattle in February.  I'd like to go to that.  I feel like Paul Simon is one of those artists on my list of people I'd like to see, and probably won't get many chances for.  Maybe I'll be lucky and someone will get me tickets for Christmas.

Finally, let's leave it with my very favorite Christmas song ever, specific to this version.  Amazing:



What's your soundtrack like these days?

Thankful Days 26/27: Nora & the Farm

I am thankful for my baby niece Nora, who lights up the world with her smile and makes the most hilarious noise when she eats, like she is some kind of engine revving up to take on the world.  She lets me pick her up and play with her and smiles at me even though we haven't met too many times, and she is the most adorable and beautiful little girl ever.  I am thankful for this farm where my sister lives with her little family, with the husband who loves her and who fits together with her so well, and who holds his daughter and carries her around while he works like they're two peas in a pod and it's just meant to be that way.  I'm thankful for this peaceful place away from the crazy world where my little niece will grow up, and the loving parents who will raise her, and the chances I will get to come here over the years and spend time with all of them.  Who'd ever have known that one day a little piece of my heart would live on on farm 30 minutes outside Colville?  But it does.

NaBloPoMo Day 27: Fail/Not Fail

Well, you may have noticed there is no post for Day 26.  That is because, once again, I have failed at NaBloPoMo.  Sigh...  BUT, I don't feel that disappointed about it.  It would be cool to say I made it and that I had done it.  But I've made it so far, and I feel like it has done a lot for me already (post on that is forthcoming, for sure!)  We've been at the farm with all my family the last 2 days and today and yesterday I have been extremely tired and exhausted.  I don't know if it's because the kids are being a bit gripey, or because Danny's been extra whiny (growth spurt?  He ate an awful lot today!), or because I'm away from my normal responsibilities so my body's relaxing.  I've had a cold for about a week that I can't seem to kick and I just feel really tired, and haven't slept really great the last two nights.  I was in the bed with both kids, which was kind of nice, but also way too restrictive to my movements and left me sleeping poorly and waking up with my back hurting.  It's not quite the same sharing a double bed with two kiddos as a King like at home!  Anyhow, last night I went up to put Sam to bed before writing my blog, and I snuggled in under the warm blanket in between my two little boys.  And when Justin came up to check on me a while later and I was still awake, but cozy and sleepy, I decided to stay in bed with them and rest instead of getting up and forcing out some words onto the screen.  I don't regret it.  I was tired, and I was in a wonderful place at that moment, and you just never know how many moments like that are left!  So, I "failed," but I also didn't, because my heart was in the right place.  I'm still going to try to post every day until the end of November if I can, we'll see!

Thankful Day 25: Modern Day Travel

I am thankful for cars and highways and airplanes.  Without them I would not be able to spend Thanksgiving in Colville with my Dad and sister who came all the way from the east coast, and we couldn't have made the journey here in 9 hours.  Yes, it seems like a long way to drive, but think of the alternatives if cars didn't exist or if the roads didn't go through.  We might not have any.  I am with my family because of the technology we have the infrastructure that's in place, and for that I am thankful.

NaBloPoMo Day 25: A Small Miracle

Last Thanksgiving at the farm

Today we drove from Bellingham to Colville, and the trip went more smoothly than I could have imagined.  I got home from Seattle at 9:00 last night, and was SET on leaving at 10:00 this morning.  When I got home last night I hadn't even written a packing list for our 4 day/5 night stay at my sister's farm, let alone started packing anything.  I didn't do much last night other than clean up the living room and make a list.  Justin had done some housework, which was REALLY nice because there is nothing I hate more than coming home from a vacation with our mountain of stuff that needs unpacking to a dirty house.  There's a pile of clean laundry to deal with, but that's no big deal.

I really wanted to make it to the farm by dinner, and I knew if we left much later than 10, we wouldn't.  With two adults and maybe ONE bathroom stop, it would be a 7 hour and 15 minute drive.  With two adults and two kids, and SEVEN (yes, you heard me, we stopped seven times...) stops, it is more like a 9 hour drive.  I got up with my alarm clock today - his name is Danny - but he didn't wake me until about 7:15.  Pretty late for him, many days he is up between 6:15 and 6:45.  I sat with him for a few minutes, then started getting ready.  Justin was already up after not being able to go back to sleep at 5 something.

We managed to get everything packed for all four of us, get the kids breakfast and dressed, keep the house clean, clean out the entire car (including vacuuming and changing out the towel that covers the backseat under the carseats) and change out the entire stock of toys in the car to new ones for the journey, and left the house at 10:15.

WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF MY GOAL.

I don't even REMEMBER the last time this happened for a trip like this!  Usually if we plan to leave at 10 it is more likely we'll leave at 11 or sometimes even later.  I was so happy!  Not only did we leave on time, but the kids did incredibly well on the drive over.  They didn't even ask for phones to play games on until about 7 hours into the trip - unheard of.  They were just playing with their toys, and Danny took about an hour and a half nap.  Amazing.

We got here at 7:15 just as the first two pizzas were coming out of the oven, and had dinner, then I was surprised with a delicious triple chocolate mousse cake that my sisters made for me.  Now the Olsens and Justin are in the living room watching the Gonzaga game, I'm typing, my Dad is working on a big puzzle, and my two boys are coloring quietly at the dining room table.  I'm going to take about a million pictures this week.

It's so mellow and quiet here, and I feel relaxed just being here.  It's peaceful.  I'm really looking forward to the next few days on the farm.  Getting out of the car, hugging my sister Lianna and my Dad who I haven't seen in 2+ years, and then holding my little niece Nora for a while while Kira put away the stuff from making dinner, my heart already feels at home.  It's going to be really hard when this trip ends.

 

Thankful Day 24: Lifelong Friends (Suman)

I am thankful for lifelong friends.  I got to have coffee with my friend Suman today.  We have been friends since 9th grade (holy shit, that's going on 20 years, AGH!), and in the last few years we've only seen each other about once a year, but we always manage at least that.  When we meet for coffee or drinks it's like no time has passed, and I am so thankful for this kind of friendship - the kind that feels like it will always be there, no matter how long it's been since you talked, and where the other person knows you from when you were young and you grew into adults together.  Sorry, I'm sap-tastic right now apparently.  Seriously though, it's awesome, and I had a great time catching up.  We always say we'll do it more often or sooner, and hopefully we will, but even if we don't, I will still know that my friend is out there if I need her.