The Quiet Life of Violet

(D.I.Y.) Non-Toxic Mistletoe

  do it yourself 

 

I Was Showered (part one)

(part two tomorrow!)

Dear Squid-Kid: I Hope You Like Elephants

Hello, my little love!

You've been going CRAZY at dinner time. I think you like to eat, just like your Momma. I can tell that we're going to have a long life of secret snacks and yummy picnics and cowboy tea and biscuit parties. I don't know if you'll ever know just how excited I get thinking about our future. <3

SO EXCITED!

Tonight, I was laying all snuggled up next to Daddy and we were talking about his job. He might be getting a promotion, Squiddy! Send good thoughts, okay? Anyway, about Daddy's job - we were talking about me coming in during lunch times and bringing you. Family lunches at the office with Daddy all dressed up in his work clothes. Him showing you around his office and the warehouse. I can picture Daddy carrying you on his shoulders, pointing out all of the products and boxes. So much coffee! It all just melts my heart! I'm suprised that I have very much heart left, what with all the melting it's been doing lately.

About the title:

You've received two gifts alreadyMr. Squid and they've both been elephants!


Your Great-Auntie Anna gave us this beautiful hand-crocheted elephant on Christmas Eve. It's perfect. He's tiny enough for you to love, but big enough to not get lost here or there or where ever you decide to leave him. I can't wait to find out what you name you give him. What ever it is, I hope you say it all lispy and cute.

Daddy's friend Calvin has a sweet girlfriend, Miss J.  Miss J gave us a sweet little elephant, blue and sparkly like ice. It's a Swarovski Crystal charm, little Squiddy and I think that mommy will hold on to this one for you for a while. Maybe I'll have Daddy hang it in the window in your room. I hope the sun will catch it one lazy afternoon and cast a spray of elephant shaped rainbows on the wall for you to enjoy. 



These lovely elephants, coupled with the curtains that I've been thinking of using in your room have led your dear Momma to peek over the fields of neutral tones and maybe look towards a circus theme. I know that I told your Grandma (my Mommy) that I didn't want a theme, but a retro-chic circus theme is starting to grown on me. I hope you like stripes!

Hmmm...

 

 
I love you until the cows (and elephants) come home, and even after that.

Forever.

Your Momma

Flashback Fridays -- Christmas 2007

It was our first Christmas post-chemo and lung removal (I really need to make a time-line for you all!). We were living with Dustin's parent's so that we could save up enough money to buy our condo (which ended up being a flop, but that's another story) and since we only had a room to ourselves, we decked it out (correction: I decked it out) and made the most of our Holiday together. Dustin's cousin, Ryan, spent Christmas Eve at the house, since his family (that we love SOO much!) was spread out all over the world. Widget loved Ryan. :)

((Oh, and, I decided to finally try out number six on my "26 While 26" list... my drawing tablet!  I couldn't help myself with the mustaches...))

I hope next weekend is as amazing as 2007 was! 

Maybe with less mustaches, though.

Christmas Gingerbread Inspiration

Hello!  I've had these pictures below saved on my desktop since Thanksgiving and I swore I'd make a million gingerbread houses and decorate them all retro and cute, but yeah, it's ten day 'till the big day and I've yet to set foot in my gingerbread workshop. So, I'm going to do the second best thing and share them you! Hope you enjoy!

 

All of these pictures are from THIS site and were taken at Santa's Village in Skyforest (Near L.A.), California in the 1960's. Are you drooling yet?

Is it wrong that I'd have my house look like a gingerbread house all year long if Dustin (and the landlord) would allow it? It's just so... sweet!

I've made a nice little Christmas playlist for you all below.
Some of my favorite Holiday songs!

Thursday -- Holy Crap!

How is it Thursday already?

I've been lucky enough to have the luxury of just loafing around all week while all of my loved ones are either working at their jobs, working on their new and old businesses, finishing up the school semester (Brother, Sister and cousins!) or healing (my poor Momma broke her arms).

And me?  I've made some phone calls, I went grocery shopping, I napped like a large cat (even though the sun is on vacation), I've almost completed my Christmas shopping and watched movies -- lots and lots of movies. I am so dang lucky. SO lucky. My Sissy never ceases to remind me just how so I am as she's rushing off to one of her two jobs or trying to complete essay after essay. I'm thankful that she serves as a reminder for just how lucky I am and I hope (hope, hope!) that one day, if she'd like, she gets to be a stay at home wife/Mom. (I love you Sissy!)

What's up with this blog? I have two amazing new series that I'm dying to share with you guys, but they're both gunna need a couple more weeks worth of work before I share. I can't WAIT!

Also, I have another  series that I'm thinking of starting and it will have to with diet and healthy eating and will be laced with more practical recipes and tips. I'm still in the brainstorming stages of that one, though.

Oh, also, I now have 24 followers on here! I'm 76 away from achieving my "100 followers goal"  and each time I see that a new person  has joined, I do a little dance, laugh a little laugh and check out their blog.

I've been getting about 350 readers a day which just blows my mind! I know it might not seem like a lot to our more super fantastic bloggers, but I squee like a little girl each time I check and see that I've had a bunch of readers each day!  Teehee!


On the home front, I need to show you guys our Christmas tree, large and in-charge, but we ran out of lights (we've never needed more thant two strings!) and we're having a heck of a time finding another string of yellow mini lights. I think we're gunna try the hardware store  tonight.

I have the mantle all decked out with a garland and pretty beads and bows and twinkle lights that feel like they're gunna give me a seizure at any moment. We've been burning fire-logs and eating peppermint taffy and watching movies at nighttime.  Totally romantic and just what we need!

We also need a new couch, a real couch because this guy is kind of weak-sauce. We're totally scouring Craiglist in hopes of finding a great piece at a good price.

 On the body/mind front, I've decided to just let go and let God. I can only control so many things (even though I'd like to control most everything), so these past few months have been a lesson in just learning to sit back and let go. Let things happen when they're meant to. From cancer to babies to jobs and money, I can only do so much, you know?

I found this awesome quote on a wonderful little blog and though that it was entirely appropriate for what's in my heart.

"I have a lot of faith. But I am also afraid a lot, and have no real certainty about anything. I remembered something Father Tom had told me--that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. Certainty is missing the point entirely. Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns."  —
- Anne Lamott (Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith)

May your day be filled with little rays of  light and paw-fuls of peppermint taffy.