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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

Hello, 2014!

First orders of business for 2014? Lunch with JAY!
I ran down to pick Sydni up from Dawne's, and then it was off to Applebees to catch up with Jay. We had much to catch up on, and I'm so glad we got to sit down over lunch to spill the updates.

not a bad start to 2014!

Of course, with it being the new year, there's a million "resolutions" I could be making... I think it was last year though that I decided to start refining the definition of resolution, or at least steer away from those annoyingly cliché ones like "go to the gymmmmmm," etc.

This year, I decided I would do some reflecting on where I stood this time last year versus where I am today. I thought that'd be more at least a more realistic metric on which I can base some goals for '14.

So, here we go:

2013

Age: 28
Kid(s): Sydni
Pet(s): Stella
Better Half: Rob... "official" Jan 1!! (:
Where I lived: Belleville, IL
Where I worked: Glen Carbon, IL
What I drove: Nissan Altima
Book I was reading: Hunger Games, Catching Fire
Favorite Song: Rye Whiskey, by the Punch Brothers

What I did NYE 2012/2013: Dinner at Red Lobster with Rob, Tawny & Ryan, Taryn & Kenny, Mike & Kelly and Gary, followed by a relaxing night at Ryan & Tawny's to ring in the new year!

{My} Top 3 Monumental Milestones of 2012:
1. Relationships: The controversial decision to step back from the one and at the time biggest relationship in my life and liberate myself from its crippling effects on both people involved. In 2013, I committed myself to a new, healthy relationship with the man who is now moving to Ohio for me.. for us.
2. Transitions at work, including everything from internal restructuring, a promotion & raise, physical building expansion and redefinition of our goals as a team.
3. My self-collapse. I'm not proud of it, but it happened in 2012 and I spent most of 2013 rebuilding and healing from the implosion that finally overcame me as a result of the things I postponed, the denial I had and the debilitating pride that kept me from asking for the help I needed, when I needed it.

Pop Culture Things I loved about 2012: The Hunger Games theater release, Instagram, Felix Baumgartner's Space Jump, The Fierce Five USA Women's Olympic Gymnastics team, "The Walking Dead,"
Pop Culture Things I'd rather FORGET about 2012: Honey Boo Boo, "YOLO", Gangnam Style and of course that whole Mayan apocolypse that was scheduled for 12/31/12.

{My} Best Accomplishment of 2012: Liberation. It came at a steep cost, a lot of social backlash and an overwhelming amount of stress throughout, but it was entirely. worth. the fight.
Worst Regret of 2012: There were a few select individuals that, during my personal struggles in 2012, I neglected, pushed away and essentially cut out of my life in what I believed at the time to be in their best interest. We are still in the repair process now...
Strongest Resolve for 2013: M E N D. At the end of 2012, I was hanging on by a very thin string to the me that I knew was still in there somewhere. I laid out an action plan that was more general than it was a detailed step-by-step: get back to happy. And I did. BAM.  
Biggest Anticipations of 2013: I had no idea how I'd let my life get so out of control, but I made a resolve to upright my sailboat and get back on the right course. I then had no idea how I would accomplish that, but I decided I would take it day by day, prayer by prayer in faith, and I would somehow make it. I was relocating back to Ohio, switching jobs, and residing within 20 minutes of the one person I wanted to avoid the most at that point. One thing at a time.....

2014

Age: 29
Kid(s): Sydni
Pet(s): Stella & Sasha
Better Half: Rob♥
Where I live: Cincinnati, OH
Where I work: Norwood, OH
What I drive: Subaru Impreza
Book I was reading: Allegiant
Favorite Song: Let Them See You, by the JJ Weeks Band

What I did NYE 2013/2014: Dinner at River's Edge with Rob, Mike & Kelly, Jesse & Anna, then off to STL to the Lumiere to celebrate the final minutes of 2013.

{My} Top 3 Monumental Milestones of 2013:
1. I moved back to Ohio. It wasn't easy, but it served not only to strengthen me in areas I never imagined I could brave, and reminded me that the people in my life are nothing short of extraordinary.
2. Work: I transferred Express offices as part of relocating back to Ohio. With a gap of only the two weekend days, I moved from Edwardsville to Norwood almost seamlessly.
3. My daughter turned 4; now that both her parents are within 20 minutes each other, I know there is now the stability she deserves and the balance of time she deserves is hers. I grew closer once again with my parents and sister, and started healing some of the other relationships that had been damaged in 2012.

Pop Culture Things I loved about 2013: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire theater release,
Pop Culture Things I'd rather FORGET about 2013: Twerking [& Miley Cyrus in general], The Harlem Shake

{My} Best Accomplishment of 2013: Transitioning back to Ohio and all the surviving all that came with it.
Worst Regret of 2013: Not having the facetime I wish I could've consistently throughout the year to see my friends back in Illinois, and to be there to help mend some of the relationships I'd damaged during my self-collapse of 2012.
Strongest Resolve for 2014: Realize my true potential as a mother, a coworker, a Christian and a contributor to the various walks of my life, knowing now that I am strong, confident and always... always learning.
Biggest Anticipations of 2014: Moving [again], this time with the best thing Illinois had to offer - I can't begin to explain how excited I am for my little blended family to be together and start building some stability again! ♥♥♥

*****************************************

^^ That's a small scratch of the surface to the list of ways I've "evolved" in just a year's time. I sometimes like to see that stuff in writing, side by side, because it makes me realize that while it all seemed to blur together for a period of time, it's actually a collection of pretty drastic changes that have catalyzed me from the inside out over the past 12 months. I have regrets, of course, but I'm pleased and proud that they do not outweigh the blessings.

Since I'm not setting fire to the 2014 me with a list of tasks to complete by the time the calendar changes again, I'm content to dedicate this year to improving the quality of the elements I already have. By proxy, I'm hoping that will introduce some new things, people, places and experiences into the mix, but I think I've got it made pretty good right now, and if I can add layers of beauty to what is already present, I'd call that a successful year.

Here's to you, yours and your 2014.
Happy New Year!!

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

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