Tender Mercy Tuesday - 48th Edition

As I sit here remembering my past week I can think of one huge tender mercy in my life.

My parents.

Someone commented (to someone else, but I heard about it) about some of my actions. I had done a good deed without really thinking anything of it, but it really impressed some people that didn't really know me. I can honestly say that it is because of the way I was raised that I too the actions I did that night. My parents are so super awesome and have always been there for me through everything that I've had to deal with in my life.

Today I am grateful that my parents are my parents and I am just realizing how many of my tender mercies in my life come back to my parents. They are so great. :o)



p.s. I made things festive here on said blog - Happy Holidays!

Holiday Hangover

I am not wanting to be at work this morning, I have an awful holiday hangover. It's definitely a Monday morning around here and I'm hoping that I don't die from the insanity of it all.

I had the most lovely Sunday yesterday. I waxed domestic yesterday and made a pot roast in the crockpot with potatoes and carrots. I also had prepared a green salad, my favorite holiday jello salad and a pumpkin pie. OH! And crescent rolls. I had a major craving for those. So, I made a lot of food. :o) Then, I invited Monkey Man and a couple that are really good friends with him. (I like them too, for the record.) We had a blast eating good food and playing Ticket to Ride. It was fun times. After the friends left Monkey Man and I decorated my Christmas tree.

I rather enjoyed decorating my tree with someone. It was fun. After we were done, (it didn't take long, it's a tiny tree) we were sitting in the glow of the tiny twinkling lights and we started talking about the month of December. Now, December is a  busy month for anyone and there's always so much going on and as we started discussing the different activities (i.e. parties, wedding receptions, date nights etc) that we had planned we both pulled out our planners and started writing everything down. We are very busy in the month of December. :o) However, I am so excited. Monkey Man definitely wants me involved in his life and that makes me happy.

Also, we talked about New Year's Eve. We have an idea of what we want to do. It is a crazy idea, but it could be a lot of fun. I don't want to tell you what it is yet in case I jinx it and make it so we can't go....but let's suffice it to say that it would be my most adventurous New Year's Eve ever. :o)

Anyways, it's been a good weekend. I am thoroughly enjoying my relationship with Monkey Man and I know that the next 3.5 weeks are going to just FLY by and I will suddenly find myself in Virginia celebrating Christmas. :o)

This happened yesterday:

Christmas threw up in my living room. here, i'll prove it to you.

yup. definitely a disaster zone right now. so what do I do to combat the disaster that I need to deal with?

• I made a mail organizer. (I tried to follow this one tutorial, and then....me being my mother's daughter I tried to guesstimate on my own measurements. This mail organizer is one of THE ugliest things I have ever made. but....it's functional!)

• made a pumpkin pie. I did not do any pie baking for Turkey day (we ate dinner @ Mimi's cafe...that story coming later!) so today I did a little baking here and there.

• made my favorite jello salad. I'm cooking dinner tomorrow night for Monkey Man (and maybe some friends? we'll see) and I'm rather excited about it!

• danced around in my kitchen to the wonderful sounds of Michael Buble and She & Him Christmas albums (seriously, they rock. go buy them! The She & Him one is only $5 on Amazon MP3 Downloads right now!)

• went and bought fun new Christmas floral things. as if i didn't have enough Christmas stuff to begin with...

• and now I'm contemplating making some new pillow covers for the holidays.

and yes...the mess is still in my living room 24 hours later...ha ha ha ha. I promise it will be gone....eventually. ;)

Thursday Things - Thanksgiving Edition

I have so many wonderful things to be thankful for this beautiful Thanksgiving Day. Here are just a few things that I am grateful for today:

• My family - they are have always been supportive of me and my dreams and for that I will be eternally grateful.

• The restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I seriously don't know where I'd be in my life without it.

• My sweet boyfriend. I was not feeling well last night, at all, and he took time from his busy schedule to bring me chicken noodle soup and sit and just hold me. After he left I felt tons better. He's amazing and I am the luckiest girl in the world to call Monkey Man mine.

• My jobs. I work for the best company by day and do what I love by night. Not very many people are as lucky as I am in that regard and I feel so blessed to be able to do it all.

• My church calling. As hard as it can be sometimes to be over so many people and have so many responsibilities, I love it. I love the joy that comes from being able to serve those around me.

• My apartment and roommates. I live with the best girls in a great apartment. I am so glad that I found this place 2.5 years ago. 

• Technology and other comforts that come from living in the 21st century. I am very blessed to live in this day and age. 

I really am so very blessed in so many different ways. I hope each of you will take some time today to be thankful for everything you have been given. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Tender Mercy Tuesdsay - 47th Edition

BEST Tender Mercy ever was given to me this weekend you guys. 

So remember last year when I got to perform and it healed my heart, body, and soul?

Yeah, I remember that too. :o)

Well, it's happening again this year! Wahoo! We're doing a director's piece to Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley. We're not dancing to the entire six minutes - the music will get cut.

I am so excited at the opportunity to perform. I think it's really important for our dancers and their parents to see the directors dance. They get the chance to see that we really are skilled at what we do. :)

Dancing has always been such a great place for me to release my emotions and what not and I feel so blessed that I am still able to perform.

We had our first rehearsal last night and these girls that I get to dance with they are just....AMAZING. I love them so much and getting to spend time with them on a fairly regular basis is going to keep me so happy.