Turning the Page
What’s Jack up to? Mr. Jack is a missing the DH after the Christmas Holiday. I’m just not as playful. Sorry Jack. I’ve got to step up my game.If you’re like me, and I suspect a few of you are, you get excited over the opening of a crisp new book. So sweet!So like a fruitcake, I spent a good deal of time on Sunday searching for the perfect new daily planner to help organize these days that seem to always get away from me. I also had way too much trouble finding inserts for my Filofax which I’ve had for years for all the family appointments. See I’m big on writing things down and if it doesn’t make it into that red book, well, we don’t make it where we need to be. Organizing a family is not easy. Can I get an amen?
One of my Christmas gifts this year was a new Blackberry which should arrive any day. The DH feels this should answer all my organizing needs. Now I love him dearly, but he should know by now that you can never pry the pen from a writer’s hand.Are you ringing in the New Year by turning a new page? I sure am. Think of all the wonderful possibilities of a clean slate. That first moment of infinite ability.Best,KwanaLimbo
Are you all still on holiday or is it back to the grind for most of you? Right now for me it’s that strange limbo week between Christmas and New Years where the kids are out of school, but my DH is working so it’s not really a holiday anymore, but not quite routine and I’m busy, busy, busy.This week for me is also the week of reflections where I’ll look back on 2008 and will say a happy sayonara to it. Also it’s the week where I start to look forward to 2009 with a bit of fear (must work on that. I think it’s the artist way) and lots of hopefulness for better days ahead.
This image came up when I did a search at the MET using the keyword ‘limbo’ It’s by van Gogh and I had never seen it before. Don’t ask me where it’s hanging or even if it is. I’ve been to The Met more times than I can count in my life as it’s probably my favorite place in New York since I was a child, but I’ve never seen this. It’s instant love and now I’m dying to see it in real life.
Wanting to get a jump on the January 1 rush, I was up the morning after Christmas and off to Weight Watchers to get back on track with that. Go me! So far I had not fully embraced the new program (old one either) and the Monday meetings were just not working out. Too much weekend downfall and the singing, well, that’s another story. So I went back to Friday and had a few minutes of one on one time with the leader for a better understanding of the new program.
Yay Me! Yay you too!
Happy Monday.
Best,
KwanaImage: Artist Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890)Title : The Potato Peeler Date 1885
Heartbeat
What’s Jack up to? Jack is having a hard time navigating in all this snow which has now turned to nasty slush and ice. Poor thing I wouldn’t want to put my paws in that either. Before you bring up doggie booties, they are so not Jack’s style or my patience. Getting his jacket on him is chore enough. Oh the joys of winter. It’s December 22nd and the holiday panic has seeped in. My to do list for the day is 1, 2, 3, 4 …17 items long and counting. Thumpity, thump, thump goes my rapid heart.Anybody else feeling the heat on this cold day?
Well, if you’re not or even if you are and need a bit of a break check out this great new website I Heart Daily from YA writer Melissa Walker and Anne Ichikawa. It’s a daily newsletter for teen girls with features on fashion, beauty, entertainment and news. It’s super chic and oh so cool even if you’re not a teen and just want to be in the know and who doesn’t want that? Check it out here.Best,
KwanaShoe In
What’s Jack up to? Right now he’s cozy under my bed and breathing pretty deep. I suspect he’s snoring. Jack you are so not sleeping under there. You have you own bed. Sorry dude.
So I just can’t get the whole crazy shoe incident with the president out of my mind and it seems that others can’t either. Who knew he had such cat like reflexes? Kudos. I’d have been clocked in the noggin with the first one.
Well it seems that this has started an irate shoe trend. True story: here in New York a man very upset over budget cuts and fare hikes came into an MTA transit meeting to throw a shoe at the MTA head yelling, “This shoe’s for you!” Seriously.
Is this the beginning of a whole new form of protest?
Hey it’s better than heavy artillery, unless you pull out all the stops, say a Manolo Blahnik or a Christian Louboutin. Now that could prove deadly.
Gorgeous, but deadly.
image thanks to saksScroll down for TOP CHEF talk.
Best,
KwanaTime Treasure
I know, I know we are all so busy, believe me I am swamped like crazy right now. But during this holiday season I’d like to challenge you to step out of your usual box of crazy (sorry is that just me in the crazy box?) and try something different. I understand the economy is in the tank and there are those that may not have what they normally may give to charity, if you don’t why not give something much more valuable a bit of your time. “Time? Ugh! Groan! I’ve got less of that than money. It’s too hard!” I know I’m talking
to myself again. But how about trying something fun like wrapping presents at a local children’s home. You would not believe how many children are without homes and how many presents and wrappers they need. Hey, You don’t even have to be good at wrapping the kids won’t care! Or you can take a send a few cards to some sick and shut ins at your church or volunteer to take a couple of hours away from your own family, just 1 or 2, to deliver meals on Christmas Day. Who knows? You may actually WANT those hours away from your family and they can;t talk bad about you if it’s for a good cause. Sneaky giving.It may seem like a lot to ask, but it’s a gift will touch you, the giver as well as the recipient for a long time to come.
How special is that?
Best,KwanaTo The Races
What’s Jack up to? Jack’s curled up on the couch relaxing with his belly full after a busy weekend with the dear twins of getting into little scraps and scrapes and being and all around trouble maker. Time to rest up now.
Richard Diebenkorn. Sleeping Girl. 1962.I wish I could rest after the weekend of being on the run. Nothing can make you feel your age quicker than going to a club in the village filled with young twenty somethings where the party doesn’t even get started until 1 am. I don’t think I’ll recover until Friday. But it was wonderful seeing my friends and the music was amazing. I’d almost forgotten the pulse of the city at the hour.
Now it’s off to the mommy races and a week that’s so packed that I can barely wrap my head around all the things to do. I guess it’s just that time of year.Best,
KwanaFun with hot glue
What’s Jack up to? Well Jack’s back home and totally not loving me. He’s not in the house 10 seconds and he pees on the kitchen floor. Jack was totally confused his week in the big city. “Concrete? What ya supposed to do with that?” Ugh! Now he’s all like, “Grass? What ya supposed to do with that?” Sigh.
Moving on to nicer gentler topics… Fun with hot glue or the Five Dollar Wreath Makeover!Check out my porch before. So sad.
I can’t believe it’s really December and I’m already behind. I look up the block and wince. Look the other way and shake my head. Yep the neighbors are all ahead of me with lights strung and wreaths up. I head to my basement to pull out the lights and my old wreath see if I can muster up some spirit. Muster, muster, muster. Here I go…
Sigh again. Look at this wreath. I am not feeling it.
Off to The Christmas Tree Shops to see if I can find a deal. No great deals on full wreaths, but I got a little box of crystallized fruits (I know it sounds strange. Stop laughing) for 5 bucks and I thought hmm… I’ve got hot glue (tasty with plastic fruit?). It was a Martha moment.
Here is the finished product. I likie verrrrry much because it’s all mine.
An original. Let there be light.
Now to the tree. Baby steps.
Best,
KwanaSouthern Charm
What’s Jack up to? Jack is trying to get used to being back home after spending the week being totally spoiled by Nana. How will he survive with just little ‘ol me after having all the bacon, ham and roast beef his heart desired? He is going to be so hard to deal with this week.I’m back from Savannah and visiting the DH’s family for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was lovely, but way too quick and the ride there and back too long. I-95 is a long road.Enjoy the moss hanging from the stately Southern trees while I do some more laundry. Sigh.
What are you up to today?Best,KwanaTradition
What’s Jack up to? Jack’s tuckered out after a busy weekend (not so much) and a bath (much needed) so as I write this he’s off to his bed. Way to hang Jack.What fresh hell is this?I imagine this is what my family is thinking as we stand in the middle of the waiting room of Sears portrait studio on Sunday. Yep, I said it. I take Sears holiday pics. I have been carting the dear twins down to Sears every year since they were a year old. 6 months really, but it was that first Christmas picture, all done up and incredibly glossy that had me hooked.Their cheeks gleaming, eyes shining bright. What was a mother to do, but pluck down her card and sign up for the full package?So there we were on Sunday at year 14. Another year with more new sweaters from Old Navy, Me, The DH, The DD and The DS, a bunch of other parents and an army of screaming infant to 5 year olds. My gang kept looking at me and saying, is this it? This has to be the last year mom. We are not doing this next year. Eyes roll, heads shake. Even the DH agrees.The tears prick, prick, prick at the back of my eyes. This can’t be it. This can’t be the last year. So what they are not babies. They are MY babies and it was just yesterday that I was carrying them in here in my arms. Besides this is our tradition. Our family photo. Does it matter that we look like fools and my babies tower over these other babies all done up in their holiday finery and screaming like banshees.In a few short years they won’t be here to take these photos with me and all I’ll have is the hi-gloss techi-color sparkle in their eyes, the memory of these days of my forced tradition and maybe some Aretha Sings The Blues or Amy Winehouse and probably a bottle of wine. Sob.How will I get them all back again next year. Bribery? I’m sure they will get hungry sometime.
Best,KwanaMerriment
So I was all ready to sit down and write some really profound post for the day (Hey! Stop laughing) when I get a call from this temptress down the street.
“Hey”, she says all sweet and innocent. “Why don’t you guys come on down the block? We’ve got our other buds here just having some grub and vino.”
Hmm, I think I’ve already had grub, but I could use some vino and I really like those other friends too, but I’ve got so much laundry to do and I’ve been out all day. I know I’ll just stop by with the DH for a few minutes- ½ hour tops.
4 hours later after much vino, more grub, music and merriment we roll back into our house.
I guess the holiday season had begun!This one is for you friends.
Oh and TWILIGHT is done. Yeah, I have been bitten.
Best,
Kwana
