Bless Her Heart

30 Days with a Grateful Heart (2010) - Wanna Play?

In an attempt to right my emotional boat last year, I spent the last 30 days of 2009 counting our blessings, so to speak. My Papa always said that it takes 30 days to break a habit, or 30 days of meditation to really begin to resonate within you.  Focusing on daily gratitudes helped me to recommit to the positive at a very stressful time of year.  Reading back through last year's '30 Days with a Grateful Heart', has reminded me of how grounding that experience was for me when it was all said and done. Fast forward to this year and I'm really feeling like I could use a little of that perspective.  Some of these gratitudes are small and silly, some of them bind me to my community and are woven in the deeper strands of my heart.  It's the moment that you take the pause and find the glimmer...that's where the good stuff is...in that moment, in that pause, in that gratitude...no matter how simple, right?  

So, this is where I ask you if you'd like to join me.  There's no pressure, no rules, no expectations...but if you'd like to bumble along this path with me, I'd love to have you along.  My goal is to finish on New Year's Eve.  It seems like a fitting way to welcome 2011, no?  I'll start on Wednesday the 1st...I know that December has 31 days, but this way I have a 'gimme' somewhere along the way in case I need it.  If you want to shout out your gratitude, feel free to put it in the comments, link to your blog or your Flickr, email me, Facebook it up...whatever works for you. Want to hold your gratitude in silence? Equally as groovy.

I'm breathing deeper already.  See you tomorrow maybe?

Music for your Monday: Nina Simone

Feeling Good

 

Ne Me Quitte Pas

 

 

Spiced White Russian

Remember that vodka I infused with cardamom and ginger last month?  Well it's ready!  By the suggestion of my (older) younger brother, I chose to use the vodka in a classic White Russian first. I don't think I can ever drink a regular 'ol White Russian again.  I love how the infused vodka cuts through the sweetness of the Kahlua and Irish Cream.  It seems to me a perfect balance.

Spiced White Russian

1 oz. vodka infused with cardamom and ginger

1 oz. Kahlua or other coffee liqueur

1/2 oz. Irish Cream

Cream and or Milk

Candied ginger or cinnamon stick for garnish.

Place 2-3 ice cubes in an old fashioned glass.  Pour vodka, Kahlua, and irish cream over the ice cubes. Top off the glass with cream, milk or a combination of both.  Stir gently.  Garnish with a piece of candied ginger or a cinnamon stick.

 

The Girl is nine...all nine...

So far nine is: late night crafting with practiced fingers and lots of laughter, trying new tastes in the kitchen, story-crafting, dance routines, and lots and lots of tree climbing. Nine looks like moxie and creativity...and she wears it so well.  Now, if I could just keep my heart from exploding...

Movie for your Monday: 180 Degrees South

 

We've watched this film *several times over the last month.  It's inspiring and lovely with a stupendous soundtrack. Sometimes I just play the movie off to the side while I'm doing data entry.  It has relaxing narration and a very mellow soundtrack, allowing me to absorb it from the periphery.  If I have one complaint, it's that each time I watch it, I want to whisk up the family and run to Chile.  The good thing is that this movie reminds me that I could.  Why not? 

*If you subscribe to Netflix it's available on demand.

Music for your Monday: Truth by Alexander

 

The things we do...

If someone had told me that not only would my daughter's favorite playthings be her dolls, but that this 'phase' would last for years, I would have thought them nutso.  I've mentioned before how curious her love of dolls is to me.  So when The Girl told me that all she wanted for her birthday was to go to the American Girl Store in Dallas and have lunch with her dolls, I was perplexed.  Was I really going to take her all the way to Dallas?  To have lunch with her dolls?  She wasn't going for my usual conversational tools of redirection and compromise.  In other words, she wanted nothing to do with my idea to have a special dinner with her dolls at our house or at a restaurant here in the ATX.  She wanted to go where EVERYone was having lunch with their favorite dolls...where it isn't odd...as a matter of fact it's expected.  Working on the theory that she won't want to play with dolls forever, we decided to make a quick family trip of it.  Using an online hotel booking site, I scored an unbelievably sweet rate at a fancy schmancy hotel across from the AG store and we were on our way.  

Luckily, it was all she had imagined and more.  She had perma-grin for a solid two three hours...even through the sub-par food at lunch and the comings and goings of tons of girls that were there for a book signing with the author of the Rebecca book series.  There was no dampening her spirits. After lunch, I basically just followed her around the store as she told me stories and showed me all of her favorite things.

We headed home directly after we left the store.  The drive home took us about 4 hours, which gave me plenty of time to ponder if it was all worth it.  Once we arrived home, she carried her dolls upstairs, grabbed her others from her room and promptly set up a classroom on my bed, where she played with them for hours until she finally curled up and fell asleep. So, I'm going to say yes, it was worth it.  Memories made, and all that...

* The Boy deserves special credit for coming along on this little adventure without any complaints or demands of his own. Score one for maturing teenagers. 

** There's not much sweeter than looking over at your man as he has lunch his daughter and her dolls. Score one for the Papas too.

*** I realize doll pictures are a little creepy, but there's really no getting around it when the subject matter is about dolls.

Happy Birthday, Auntie...

Beautiful, hilarious, patient and loving Auntie.  Our lives are so much richer because we have you....Happy Birthday darlin'.  We love you.

Milky Coffee

Apologies for the relative absence around these parts lately.  It seems like the fall season is always exceptionally busy with our family business, as well as school related activities.  The Girl had her last baseball game of the fall season on Wednesday, so I think things will quiet down a bit around here for a couple of weeks at least.  All of the running around craziness, coupled with many late nights spent at our desks has us back on a Milky Coffee kick.  It is so rich and sweet that it tastes like dessert to me.  So much so that I have a hard time making it for myself due to the guilt. This is The Man's recipe, so be warned....it will keep you up past your bedtime.  In our case that's the idea, but I thought I should warn you in case you want to sleep or something. *He makes it for us in the microwave, but what's the fun in that?  :)

Milky Coffee

makes about 12 oz.

1 1/2 cups of milk

2 Tbsp instant espresso or instant coffee

1-2 tsp sugar

In a small saucepan heat the milk until very warm/hot but don't boil.  Remove from heat and mix in the coffee and the sugar.  Pour the deliciousness into a coffee mug.  Enjoy!

*When The Man makes it, he heats the milk in the microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes and then mixes in the coffee and sugar.

Music for your Monday: Janelle Monae

I love both these versions.  Monday is the perfect day to tip on the tightrope. :)