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Ahhh...... you guys! 

Let's just cut to it: 2017 is over and 2018 is here. I was barely awake to see it happen, but only because I'm a 30something bi-ped trapped in the body of a 400-yr-old tree snail with social anxiety.

Okay, not entirely true, but neither was I planning for nor interested in the flashy show of 'going out' as is deemed traditional for ushering out the old and in the new. Life as I know it only includes that type of production for special occasions, and I've found out that's not a bad thing.

As with every new year, I'm programmed just like the majority of us to see this as a window of opportunity to... fill in the blank. I look back at the last decade's worth of promises I made to myself as each new year strolled in, and I know they were all over the place.

I found an old (other)blog entry from 2009 where I told myself I'd finally learn Dutch that following year, which is my sister's native language. It's 2018 and no, I don't speak Dutch. In the last hours of December 2012, I promised myself that in 2013, I'd find a way to get out of Illinois where I'd been living, and back home to Ohio. By March, I was. Last year, in 2016/17, I told myself I would read more books. It wasn't as lofty a goal as some I'd set before, but it did require me to be intentional, and by proxy taught me a thing or two about the patience I do and do not have for the resolve that I want to reflect in all the areas of... me. And yes, I did some reading: 28 books for the year, which isn't bad for someone who has started and re-started this entry at least four times because she can't stay focused.

Moving along....

2017

2017: I learned a lot (more, because this is a living process) about what it means to embrace the best & worst of all of it. 2017 gave me time with family, incredible friends (both old and new), adventures, missions trips, successes & disappointments, several swift reality checks and a small but steadfast support network that continue to have an un-explainable yet equally-unfailing faith in me. In 2017, I didn't learn that my family and truest friends can be counted on two hands. That much I already knew. Instead, I realized just how quintessential those relationships are, and that relying on them is not a weakness, but instead making a choice to let walls down, and allow those people see the best, the absolute worst and everything in between. 2017 had a solid stock of adversity to share with me over its 12 months, and while I wish I could say that my responses were always graceful, well.. that's just not true. They saw all my awkward recoveries, loved me frankly and objectively through them and reminded me that it's okay to be not okay in a world that suggests our worth is tied to just how okay we can be. I also got to know some incredible new people, who defy those archaic suggestions that your best friends should be your oldest. You know who you are - know that I love you beyond measure. ♥

2017 was kind enough to do so gradually, but set courses to develop me in the big arenas: my family, my work, my church. I became a full time installment on the worship team, and in doing so found a team of people whose passion for music and ministry is contagiously inspiring. We continue to watch as our church family grows and invests in tangible, hands-on levels for each other. On the professional side, I'm six months back into life as it should be for what I do. My back is covered by a team with the same goals and genuine desire to find them as a unit. We're invested in each other, and if there's one thing I saw this year, is that the daily grinds are worlds apart when that piece is missing. On the family front, there is work to be done, and 2017 provided the avenues to start working towards goals with Sydni and as a family unit. We made it a point to be present with immediate and extended family, and plan to be even more so over the next year. Vacations, spontaneous outings and hopefully no more broken bones (fingers crossed)!

2018

2018 : First things first: Whole30.
^ I committed the month of January to Whole30, at the persuasive bidding of my friend Jess. (P.S. - If you're lucky enough to have a friend whose life's work is to help other people become even better in their own skin... embrace it!) Anyway, for those of you unfamiliar with Whole30, it's a dietary re-set program designed to eliminate foods and food groups that keep the body from functioning at its best. As with anything in the diet category, there are plenty of things to cut out, but in this case, it's being replaced by whole and raw foods, which fundamentally is how we should be eating anyway. So for the next month, I and a handful of other determined people are saying goodbye to sugar, dairy, alcohol, legumes, grains and of course 99% of all things processed. In their place come the perimeter foods, as I call them - the stuff that usually is found in the outer rings of most grocery stores: fruits, produce, plant-based starches (most of them) and core protein sources like eggs and lean meats. Fortunately, thanks to growing up in a homeopathic household and years of athletic conditioning, I'm coming into this with at least a basic understanding of decent food practices that are appropriate for the lifestyle I want. This for me is a method of fine-tuning it all, and eradicating the stuff around it that's there solely because it's convenient and comfortable. I'm not a crash-dieter, I want to be clear on that. This isn't a crash diet, it's an investment and I'm happy to have a stellar group of guys & girls on board for this session! January Whole30 - we've got this!

It's a process in itself, honestly. I mulled around quite a bit trying to decide how many and how extreme I wanted to get with this New Years Resolution business. I've learned that, from a broad prospective, setting vague goals is easier than putting a specific face to an objective, and beyond that, a deadline. I've also learned that putting too many individual goals on the board makes for a frustrated me, when I realize I don't have the wherewithal to invest as wholly into all of them as would be needed to feel fully accomplished. If I just confused you, don't worry.. It made more sense in my head before it came out, but the gist of it is that my GOALS for 2018 are both broad and pointed:

(i didn't write this, but i like it!)

Less and More. Basic opposition and balance at the same time. Less talking, more listening - and more awareness of what it is I'm listening to. More doing, and maybe more planning this time around, too - especially for those big trips across country lines into places where my Passport precedes me. Less negativity overall, but an understanding that acknowledging it doesn't necessarily mean I am negative, but that my actions are intentional and reflecting the goal to weed out whatever it brings: worry, stress, doubt, ungrateful attitudes. It's not on that list up there, but more travel. More adventure: more mud under my nails and more nights spent in a tent off the grid. More hikes with like-minded people who fuel me not just physically, but intellectually and emotionally. More volunteering (YES REBECCA, more blood drives...) haha. More humbling myself to let the seasoned and successful pioneers in my career field pour into me, and less obliging that small voice to just do it tomorrow. Less excuses and filling up my schedule with things that don't promote self-care or time for the people who matter, and more confidence in saying 'no' to things asked of me that I know are outside of my limits.

More memories, and less worry that I'll miss them.

2017 was a good year, at the end of the day.
2018, let's see what you've got. ♥

Whatever your visions are for 2018, I hope you're ready to love yourself through every day of pursuing them! I have high hopes for this year, and while I'm not planning on it to be a perfect walk in the park, I am planning to position myself so that I'm ready to push when I need to, and be still when I don't. To be a better daughter. A better sister. A better mother & wife. A better Christian, colleague, athlete, bookworm and human. The only competition I'll have in 2018 is the one through which I can measure whether or not I'm a better version of myself than I was the day, week, month.. year before. If I can do that, I think I've got this :)

Oh, and in case you thought I'd be heading into the new year with a serious face, let me set the tone for you of how it's likely to look:

I mean.... this is just who I am, and those of you who have the unfortunate luck of knowing me well, know that this is 110% accurate ;) But hey, if you can't laugh at yourself, what can you do?

Happy 2018, blogbots! ♥

xo | cms

Oh One, Oh One: An Open Letter

My Dearest January: 

I believe I can speak on behalf of the greater majority in welcoming you back. It was been aptly noticed that following your appearance last year, the remaining flock of your dysfunctional siblings took the wheel and well, I'm sure you know how that went.

We lost a great many influential characters in 2016 - many of our historic pioneers and trailblazers, entertainers and American icons, are here among us no more. We elected a new president, and seemed determined to re-brand our purpose of unity only in the concurring that we have just about reached rock bottom in how serious we regard our politics. Miniature civil wars planted themselves across the country, fueled by racial hate, wealth & greed, politics and human rights. Nationally, war ravaged [and continues to ravage], providing coverage littered with white body bags and nameless, stunned children crying out for the parent who was just killed in a bomb strike. Natural disasters came and went, leaving families and communities in shambles - or in some cases, all together demolished. The clearly defined course of how we intended to grow from these things is still somewhat fuzzy, to me at least.

And yet, here we are. As wretched as that sounds, and as disheartening as all of this has been on so many of us, we are here. We are handed this new year, this new day and everything in it, so that the things that are avoidable, can be intentionally avoided. For those things unavoidable, inevitable and purely unexpected, maybe now is the time we intentionally commit to the highest level of preparedness there is, and then trust that our sure-footedness will carry us through the rest that we cannot foresee.

There was unmistakable beauty in 2016, too. I married my best friend. We not only bore witness in the marriages of several of our close friends, but had the honors of being in some of those weddings. Other friends had babies, some learned they would be expecting. Shelter animals were adopted. A significant portion of the DAPL was re-routed. People recovered from illness. Kids who plan to make their world a better place went viral on social media for doing it. There was a lot of ugly, but there was a lot of grace, too.

As it relates to New Years' Resolutions: I honestly don't think that in the last 3 years at least, I have designated a clear list of things I want to accomplish this year. I've had varying theories over the years, toggling between the quest to fully reinvent myself and the idea that all that I am just needs to be tweaked, not entirely reconstructed. I think one year I committed myself to "learning a new language." Bold, right? Possible, of course it is. Realistic for where I was at the time with life, motherhood, career & real, earnest desire in my heart-of-hearts? Probably not. SO, as I am swept into this new year, I have decided that YES, I do in fact have a couple of actual, practical and achievable resolutions for myself. In no particular order:

.:: Read More. I didn't do an awful job in 2016 of reading, but the list of want-to-reads still has some of the same titles on it, and I intend to conquer them this year. And also, because well, books. I love them and I love to read.

.:: Pray More. There is absolutely no power like the power of pray, and my goal this year is to re-calibrate my prayer life so that it happens all the time, not just in the super good and super bad times. Like, when the day is just... meh, I want to pray. And when I'm busy, I want to pray. Basically, whenever I become so self-absorbed with my little bubble, I want to train myself to stop, pray and give thanks for all that is and isn't.

.:: House Work! Please note that I did not say finish the housework. I by no means intend to finish the upgrades I want this year.. BUT, believe you me, the dining room will not see another Christmas looking the way it does now. Whatever else we can accomplish, will be added to the 2017 successes.

.:: Work Out. Gym. Diet. LIVE BETTER! Yes, I'm having a hard time putting that into words that don't strike me as cliche. As a disclaimer to no one in particular, I did get back into the gym sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With that said, it'll probably be another week before I venture back; I will blame this on my current sinus infection, and admit that the influx of resolutioners is absolutely the second but still very legitimate reason that I'm okay waiting a week. But yeah. I have this one body, and only this one body, and if I'm stuck in it until I go back home, I might as well make it a nice place to live :).

.:: Family Before Work! Guilty. I did not always put my family before my work last year, but not always just because of physical overtime. Emotionally, I failed often at leaving the cloud of work at the door, and not letting it permeate the atmosphere of my home when I walked in each day. There is too much sitting right under my nose: my husband, daughter and two dogs, to allow the frustrations of work dictate my attitude at home.

I dunno, I think that is a fairly practical commitment; really, I could build onto each of those into a dozen sub-categories, but I don't think resolutions should be bound just to the beginning of a year. Who knows, maybe I'll have February resolutions. Or Tuesday resolutions. Or 3:30 PM resolutions.

The year's still new. Who knows.

For now, Happy 2017, blogbots.

Above all, LOVE♥

xo | cms

ADIOS, 2014!

It's been a long time since I've participated in any real partying for New Year's Eve [as defined in the traditional sense, that is]. I've thoroughly enjoyed and not-at-all regretted the past several years of laid back, under-the-radar celebrations, complete with a small circle of friends and/or family, and calling it a night.

But not this year. I am 30 after all. Why not?!
Rob and I as usual were on the same page with wanting to celebrate New Years in a big way: We are after all engaged, and depending on our settling a date, we might be sharing the same last name come this time 2015. That's still up for debate, but for the moment at hand, it was a matter of ushering in 2015 with great friends in Illinois.

I was off work today, which afforded me just enough time to run some last minute errands, clean the house and get everything packed up for a 5-day trip to IL. Rob worked until noon, and joined me to wrap up, stuff the car to the brim and load up the pups [yes, they came, too!] for the all-too-familiar 5-hour jaunt to Dillon's house.

We arrived with just enough time to unload the car, order a pizza [because classy, that's why....] & doll up to join Matt & Courtney down in STL for the night's festivities to really begin.

So we arrived at the hotel directly across the street from Harry's, where Courtney & Matt were waiting. We finished getting ready and made our final decent into the chaos that was NYE celebration on the other side of the street.

harry's | st. louis, mo 

And that being said,

HERE WE GO!

ready to get this started! 

The plan to do the night to the extreme:

yes, we had a table. [thanks, matt!] 

And there were photos galore...

rob. cori. matt

this guy ♥

matt & courtney [aw♥!]

The clock struck midnight and we officially welcomed in the start of a brand new year! I have zero complaints about the entire experience & am excited to see how 2015 dares top 2014! 

love, love, love you! ♥♥

See you on the other side! 

farewell, '14, & hello, '15! 

I hope you and yours have ushered in the new year safely and joyously! I know that for us, 2015 is going to have to step it up in big, big ways to top 2014, and I'm pretty excited to see where the next year takes us.

Love love & more love to you & yours - HAPPY 2015!!

xo | cmd

Weekend Wrap Up

There were four girls total in my bed this morning, and we all seemed to wake up right around the same time. I wanted to capture the moments, since we had plenty of time before church. Technically, we even got Mr. Rob in the picture too, since he's in that picture there in the background [Sydni pointed that out!] I wouldn't mind waking up to these faces, this way, every single day (:


waking up happy [minus one, but soon]

my favorite snuggle buddy♥

she's got them wrapped around her finger.. haha

I finally convinced all of us off the bed to get the day rolling; at church, the lesson of NEW was starting, and let me tell you, it was a home-run sermon. If you have time & want to hear it, by all means, LISTEN HERE (:!! I was hooked for the entire message, and I am thankful that I've found a church family on which I may be landing, permanently.

"new"

After church, it was off again to the new house to drop off more stuff, followed by one more run of items before the weather again began to decline. It's supposed to hit a low of -8 or so tomorrow, and by the end of today, we could tell it was already well on its way.

That didn't stop a determined Craigslister from coming out to our place to buy and pick-up Sydni's bed that we were selling. It was a great bed for her, but we're upgrading her to another one, and from what I understand, we just sold this to a family who truly needs it way more than we do. And that makes me feel good.

Sydni and I cleaned up some more before settling in for a weekend-ending movie night with Despicable Me. I promised her we'd watch the second one again whenever we have the chance, but tonight we had some good laughs with the first one.

movie night fun!

And tomorrow is again Monday..... that thing that keeps happening every week ;)

Good night, for now!

xo | cmd

Trading '13 for '14

*backdated, durr!*
First things first : HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!!!
Today of course was the last day of 2013; I'm once again floored by how quickly it went, and again I'm looking very much forward to what 2014 is going to bring us.

The daylight of December 31st really wasn't anything super magical; I made us all breakfast before we continued our mission of packing and cleaning Rob's house. Sydni was here this time, so of course she did her due diligence of unpacking every other box and playing with whatever was in it, but in spite of it all, we still made some pretty massive progress.

As the evening rolled around, we made our way down to Fairview to Dawne's....

coco playtime

2013 has been a rocky road [nothing like 2012, I'll say that much... but still.... ], but I'm looking back at it and making sure to identify some key individuals who made life a little better for us during our various transitions. Dawne is one of them, and tonight I was so grateful to spend a little time with her before the year ended. I probably would've collapsed into myself early on in '13 if it hadn't been for her helping hand and generosity to Syd & me. We sure do love her!

dawne: love. her.

From Dawne's, we headed back to Granite to Mike & Kelly's, where we started our New Year's Eve journey. Soon enough we had Jesse & Anna in tow, and the six of us rustled up some dinner plans. Before we left Jesse's, I made sure to capture Zepplin's New Years salutes; he. is. adorable.

zepplin says happy new year, too!

After dinner, it was off in search of a New Year's crowd. Nobody put an ounce of planning into the night, so it was essentially us flying by the seats of our pants for the evening. That meant a pit stop [a bust, really] at a local dive downtown STL before we pretty much crash landed at Lumiere a half hour before midnight.


None of us are prolific gamblers [which is probably a good thing], so we had to laugh at our BIG WINNINGS after feeding $5 to a slot machine and pocketing a buck-46 [which went right back in, haha].

yeah.. we party hard, ya dig... hahaha

Most importantly, we managed to get out of the car & the parking garage before the ball dropped, and in the company of some great friends, we welcomed the new year. I'm feeling pretty good about this one, and I certainly didn't mind bidding '13 a farewell in the midst of some pretty awesome people.

hello, 2014!!
♥ kelly. mike. cori. rob. jesse. anna ♥

last couple selfie of '13..
.. with the best thing this place has to offer ♥

Happy 2014, to you & yours!
Let's make this a great one!

xo | cmd

Resolve VS. Resolution: Hello, 2013.

"What happened in your past is not nearly as important as what is in your future. Don't let "good enough" be good enough" - Joel Osteen

... truth.

 I'm not exaggerating when I say that I am BENT on making 2013 a great year.

Forget about the fact that it's January 1st, and that everyone around me is hunkering down on an unrealistic list of resolutions [yeah, how'd that first and only day at the gym go? heh...]


bahahaha... so true.

 Anyway, to be quite honest with you, I really put just shy of ZERO thought into laying down any hardcore resolutions for the new year. I've done that in the past, and while I stuck to my guns with some of them, the majority of those over-zealous claims ended up withering away by May at the latest.

That being said, this year I'm entering into January with more general resolve than any specific resolution. Sounds goofy, I know, but after the dramatic turn of events that could've easily driven me straight into a downward spiral in 2012, I'm still standing, better than ever actually, and for that I'm more thankful than anything else.

If you asked me how 2012 started off, I really couldn't tell you. I remember I had a really shiny to-do list that to which I was going to adhere in a direct effort to better myself and the world around me. I held my ground on a couple of those things, but I'm not bragging since most of those things were just the exaggerated versions of stuff I already did [working out, reading, writing, hanging out with Sydni... etc].*sigh. The year flew by, and, like I said in my post yesterday, proved to be quite the pivotal thing. There were transitions at my work; we lost and added staff and expanded the building itself. I undertook a leadership role as a team captain for an entire Relay for Life team for the ACS, one of the most poopular charity events in the country. New car, new friends and new insights. My daughter turned three. And of course, I made the decision to step back from the one and the biggest relationship in my life that was crippling both people involved.

It's been a year.

HOWEVER....
I don't know that I've ever felt more rejuvenated than I do right now. I feel confident. I feel blessed, and I feel extremely zealous, but not in the way that would incline me to tackle a list.

I'm content, for the first time in years. It's a bizarre feeling to have, and while it's starting to feel familiar, like an old friend I haven't seen in a long time, it still feels a little foreign considering the state of blah in which I'd been floating around for the last ohhh, 915ish+ days or so... Nobody's counting. Haha.

I have my sights set on big things for this next year. I can feel an evolution coming on, not necessarily to completely reinvent myself, but moreso to rediscover that genuine happiness that I know I have. There are people [a few specifically] who are helping me get there, and a few more that have enabled me define what I want and don't want out of life, relationships and the pursuit of my goals. I'm so thankful.

Oh, and top of that, today was the epitomy of a lazy day. I spent the bulk of it doing all of absolutely nothing with Rob, followed by some laundry, house cleaning, and meeting back up with Rob for dinner.. which leads up to now, watching The Hunger Games and fighting off sleep. I think sleep's gonna get this one. Sorry, Woody Harrelson. Another day (:

Happy 2013, my friends. I hope it's fruitful, however that is defined for you.
Be safe. Love wisely. Live fully.

xo | cmd

Eve Of a New Year

I'm getting old. So are my friends.

You know how I know that... besides the fact that this may be backdated? Haha...

.... Just about everyone I've talked to this year had formulated plans for New Year that included more "No idea" and "Mehh... I dunno..." than actual plans. Haha. Personally, I don't hate it. I really had no desire to go anywhere and find myself watching a ball drop surrounded by loud, drunk strangers. It didn't help that the weather started a nose dive into that wet, sticky snow that isn't fun even for play; as soon as you touch it, it turns to slush and soaks through all your clothes at what seems to be double the pace of regular water.

So.... as we finished up our half day at work [right???], Rob came up to meet us at work; Ali joined us and we trekked over to STL Bread Company for lunch before heading our separate ways. Rob & I kept it super exciting with some errands and miscellaneous things before I headed home to do more fun things like laundry, cleaning my house and washing dishes. Haha. Oh, and I managed to get another gorilla bread assembled in that time. I still need to pinch Nancy for giving me that recipe... haha.

Dinner? Red Lobster. We didn't take any pictures, but ironically my other Ali friend posted one just moments afterwards of the exact same dish one of the girls at our table ordered. Nobody's complaining; RL is a good choice if for no other reason than cheddar bay biscuits. Let's just be honest. (:



Festivities pertaining to the actual ringing in of 2013 boiled down to us relaxing with a group of Rob's friends at their house, around a table filled with more food [nooooooooo, lol] and some perfectly sober laughing to move us all from 2012 to 2013. I was a big fan.

We ended the night with Kelly and I watching Rob & Mike set off some fireworks from the yard... haha.. rowdy, I know. It was a competition with the neighbors across the street for a few minutes before we all called it a night. We're party rockers... for sure [pshhh.. haha].


2012 is over. Holy cow.
I'm excited for 2013.
I hope you are, too!

xo | cmd

2012: A NOT-to-do List

Dear 2012,

Heya. Nice to see you.
Bring it on. :)

Love,
Cori

It's January 1st, folks! Whoa. It still hasn't fully registered with me that I'll be writing 2012 on everything I date at work now. Oh well. I'll eventually make habit of that minuscule change, but more importantly, I'll embrace this new year, and every opportunity I'll have within it to seize each day :).



the page girls



First, I wanted to wish both Miss Kathy K. & Adam Page a very happy birthday! I would love to have a January 1st birthday - I'd have all kinds of motivation for re-vamping my life every year ;), hah. Anyway, we celebrated this afternoon with a late lunch at Bandanas to celebrate. We had a blast! Happy New Year, and Happy Birthday!!

Today at church, my pastor gave us a message on approaching the 'new year' from an agle with a bit more depth than the traditional resolution. I don't know why I hadn't ever thought of it this way, but perhaps that's why my ears were opened today to a new, refreshing perspective.

my [silly]  loves. they deserve my all in 2012 ♥

I know that yesterday, I gave a list of just 5 fairly broad goals I wouldn't mind accomplishing by the next time December 31st rolls around. Don't get me wrong, I would be thrilled to cross the finish line of another marathon, to obtain professional advance, and maybe even add to my family. Fitness and health are always a priority; our bodies are vessels and therefore required to be respected. Of course, I absolutely plan to get more involved with my church; if one or more of those things are in God's plan for me, then I have no doubt they will happen. What I didn't add, was a list of things I plan on NOT doing in 2012. As I left church this morning, I thought to myself, "Duh, Cori. Isn't that just as important, if not more?"

Well, of course it is. From where I'm sittin', there's a slew of things I could identify in my life that don't need renovation, they need removed, completely. I figured I'd start by sharing some of those things. This will be a running list, so expect to see additions over the course of this year. I'm not numbering these, because there shouldn't be a priority of one over the other. Hold me accountable, yeah?

--*--

NOT-to-do, 2012

- Prioritize anything work, home, or family-related over my one-on-one time in the Word.
- Deny grace to anyone, regardless of circumstance, deed, or perspective.

- Speak brashly, out of anger or frustration towards my husband or child.

- Turn away from an opportunity to share the greatest news of all, no matter how uncomfortable.

- Take for granted of any relationships with which I've been blessed - family, friends, or colleagues.

- Take for granted the moments with my daughter.

- Make excuses for not going after the things I want.

- Hold a grudge, for any reason.

- [Piggyback] Refuse to accept the path God chooses, even if it is steep, rocky, and solitary.

--*--

That's just a start. I'll be the first to tell you that it's not easy to admit that every single thing on that list is to some degree a shortcoming in my life, perhaps not over my entire life, but at the very least at some point in 2011. I don't often wear my heart on my sleeve, but I felt led to put these on paper. It's not going to be easy, but even that shouldn't be a shock to me. The realest walk with the Lord promises that there will be struggles in this temporary life.

My pastor asked us a question today:

Why should we give our lives on purpose to the realization of God's purpose for us?

Answer:

The home we have secured in Heaven is our home for all of eternity. Our lives here on earth are the single, ONLY chance to fight, wholly, on behalf of our Lord & Saviour.

There's not much else to say after that. :)
My one, solid resolution for this year is to adhere to that list, and add to it as I'm reminded.


happy 2012!



I'm still Cori. I'm still a daughter, sister, wife, and mother. I'm still an athlete, colleague, and friend. I'm still blemished, and I'm still undeserving of each blessing I have. I'm still goofy, and I still laugh at myself. My prayer for 2012 is for the wisdom to recognize the plan He has written for me, the courage to share His ultimate plan with those around me, the humility to understand when my choices are not part of the plan, and the perseverance to get back up when I fall flat on my face. :)

All right, kiddies. Happy New Year.
Let's get started!

xo | cmd

2011 Mini Review & Goodwill Update

First... Here's how little miss started off the last official day of 2011. I woke up this morning to her toting in the life-size Santa Mickey wanting to play. It was adorable, so I let her have her own photo shoot with him.

my little mickeys

SOO.. I'm not going to focus this entire entry on the had's and were's of this year, nor am I really all that interested in new year's resolutions this time around, either. It's a little hard for me to believe that this year is already over. I say that every year, but this one was unique for a few new reasons.
Top Five 2011 Highlights:
1. Joe finished all his tech school training, and we moved to Illinois.
2. We joined a new church.
3. Joe made & played for the U.S. All-Air Force soccer team.
4. We had our official vow renewal ceremony - the big, fancy way + Smokey Mtn. honeymoon!
5. We moved into a house!

Top Five 2012 Wishlist:
1. Stay in one state for an entire year.
2. Grow with our church.
3. Promotions with work?
4. Continuously improved fitness & health - maybe another full or half marathon?
5. Baby #2?? [Notice the ?. I'll get back to you on that one. Hah.]

Anyway, today was another one of those always-welcomed days of peace and nothingness, and I took its offer. Joe worked last night, so the bulk of his day was spent sleeping. I had originally thought Sydni and I would take some sort of jaunt out and about, but as soon as I thought we were ready to go, she'd find some little nook in which she'd settle and start to nod off. So, I took the opportunity to get some of my latest Goodwill finds transformed into suitable condition and/or into the DIY project for which they were intended. These are just a glimmer of the real treasures our Goodwills here have to offer. Why not, right?

Thought I'd share :)

< This one is a tribute to the seasonally appropriate thrift finds I've found over the past couple of months. I would've taken a snapshot of the tree skirt that I found for a whopping $2, but in all truth, even in its frilly fanciness, the tree I borrowed from my parents upstages it, bigtime. That, and it's a tree skirt. It's a red tree skirt with a gold-fringed edge. I don't think you need an illustration for that.

The itty bitty nativity scene, complete in its modern yet durable rubberish design, came at a grand total of $4.50. Each character rang through at $.50. I offered the cashier $2 for just baby Jesus alone; I felt that proportionally speaking, I was committing an honest injustice by purchasing the infant saviour of the world for two quarters. She refused, stating that the prices on items are set by a higher power [ironic, yeah], and are non-negotiable, even if that price is lower than what the consumer is willing to pay. I'm guessing that type of offer doesn't happen regularly, but hey, standards are good. :)

Oh, and the advent calendar that *magically seemed to wind up on a different, randomly selected day, was thrown in for one more whole dollar. Yeah, it was worth it.

This little guy also found its new home off the modge-podge shelf and onto an end table in our living room for less than a gallon of gas. Since that might not be the same price a few years from now, I'll clarify that gas at the time of this little buy was just under $3.20. Woot! [for both moderate gas prices, and for this guy!] >

Down below there, that's my most recent gem: iron frame, glass top coffee table. Love, love, love it... and I loved that I could adopt it for $40. Btw, that shot was at the store. Sorry to say, but that couch in the picture would have to come free, with a $5 check, to me, to make it into my house.

Every little girl needs a kitchen! Sydni got hers for a $10 bill. My parents had found her an adorable vintage one that will now serve as the downstairs kitchen that Sydni seems to think already exists ;) This buster here will ask you what's for dinner in English, Spanish, or French. You choose. :)

Also for the kitch en: chips and dip? Dip and chips? Veggies? Fruit? Something? Anything? I don't have something immediately in mind, but it doesn't matter; for the $3 it cost, I'll wear it as a hat if I don't use it for anything else. <||:)

I thought it would be a little too much to photo-document all the dishes, glassware, and plates we've found along the way at various thrifty places, so I'll just let this one serve to represent our cabinet shelves of second-hand fun.

Last, but certainly not least, is the little DIY project I finished today. This was yet another inspired fix I'd seen on Pinterest, and I couldn't justify not doing it when I stumbled across a six-frame wall deco discarded by someone else. :) Yay, crafts!!

 ^ Woot! [click to enlarge]

1. Regular picture frame ensemble

2. Remove glowing pre-set family.

3. Replace with fun cardstock/paper

4. Sharpie tattoo frame headers

5. Use dry-erase marker for events

= Weekly calendar!

[ Yes, w/o weekends. We like to think that the weekends are our sacrosanct time to be together for the entire duration of those days, so if we really need to map out plans, we'll just use post-its. That, and there were only six frames, not seven. I didn't want anyone to have to share :p. Hah. ]

Well, folks. That's about it. I realize I just spent 3/4 of this entry on Goodwill projects, but ya know what, I'm cool with that since the rest of today has been a mix of well, nothing else. :) We're not really obsessed over the ball dropping or the new year razz this year - Joe will be at work and I will be here, so .. yeah. :) Oh well.

Happy [pre] New Years!!

xo | cmd