winter songs

oh, here it is again...time for christmas carols. i'm starting early this year - it just seems right when turkey day is so close to december. what are your traditions? wait until christmas eve to get your tree? up right after thanksgiving? have you started your christmas shopping yet? do you do gifts in your family? what's the best thing about christmas for you?

this'll tell me if any of you read this, huh?! answer my questions - inquiring minds wanna know! now, on to the carols - i have many, many here, but i'm always looking for more, or different variations - the more radical the better. so, do tell.

and, merry christmas. happy holidays. all the good fuzzy feelings for this season of love and light to you and your family. hugs and smoochies.

october in tune

dude...seriously...october? how? i succumbed to fall this weekend, and got some pumpkins, but will not go lightly away from summer. i truly need a home where there are eternal summers. me and vitamin d are BFFs, and this greyness the PNW brings takes me down many a day. wah wah wah, right?!

ok, so i had to go diggin' for tunes again this month. none of my regular shows are on, so i can't pull them from those, altho parenthood just came back and i'll shamelessly yank from those episodes soon.

so, i know you love to hear my good ol' day stories, my three readers, so here's one about a song on here. i was listening to my belinda carlisle pandora station the other day and it must've been love came on, and i was instantly transported back to 1989. my friend and i got all dolled up with garish makeup to try to convince the box office dude that we were in fact over 17, so we could see the rated r (ooooh) pretty woman. we got in, but we weren't fooling anyone. so, here it sits, for old times sake.

what are you listening to? are you so excited i included tay tay on here, so you could shake it off?

july's jingles

oh, hey there, my three readers. thank you for your lovely comments on june's playlist! and, here we are for another round of only posting the playlist on the blog. writing takes time, y'all. and, as soon as i sit down to pen what is sure to be riveting stuff...squirrel! i have so much to share, say, tell you, but i don't know that it belongs here in the design space. i want to shift this space a bit. get more real. but i don't yet know what that looks like. if you've got idears, let 'er rip!

the ol' shazam paid off this month with 15 songs for me to share with you! no idea where I heard most of them, but whatevs yo! i heard the norah jones version of i think it's going to rain today on the sarah pandora station the other day, and i was thrust back into a 1988 movie theater trying to see thru the gallons of tears i was crying during beaches. the soundtrack was my first CD, and i listened to that thing ad nauseum. hearing it reminded me just how much i love me some bette midler, and that i can quote beaches like nobody's biz.

so you've heard the paramore song, have you? well, i've somehow avoided it's radio overplay. a friend brought it up when we were talking about how it kinda blows to get older and have to weed thru crap like miscarriages and jobs. one listen and it was love.

speaking of sarah Pandora stations - some girlfriends and I went to see her at chateau st michelle last weekend, and it was amazing. as always. if you've never seen her, make it a point. she rocks it! you'll be pleasantly surprised. but maybe don't go to chateau st michelle. i've heard they frown on cutting lines, sneaking your own booze in, and dancing in the aisles. but, i've just heard that.

on to the music!

junebug, i love you

since yesterday was my birfday, i thought i'd whip up a playlist of some of my fave songs. i can't help it that most of my favorites haven't changed since about 1997, but whatev.

some of these songs are off favorite cds, and I would have put the whole cd on the playlist, but i spared you. if you care to listen to the whole cd of my faves, they are: dave's crash, big head todd 's sister sweetly, heart's bad animals (this tape was on repeat in the tape deck from sophomore thru senior year), sarah's fumbling towards ecstacy, toad's dulcinea, and keane's under the iron sea.

so, if you were to create a list of 20 of your faves, what would make the cut? i love these kinds of questions, so answer up, you, my three readers.

maylist playlist

well, thank the good lord for baby sisters! i had about 2 songs for the playlist, and she sent me over her shazam list, and... shazam (i'm so sorry) a list was born. p.h.e.w! so, i'm gonna be hearing most these songs for the first time, just like you!

you'll notice i felt the need to put some george michael circa '90 on here. a gal pal turned the big fore-ohhh this weekend, and that song was on the playlist there, and it brought back major memories. i knew every word, and might've obnoxiously sung the whole thing at the top of my lungs. and, all I could think about was linda evangelista singing inside her sweater and the infamous vest going up in flames. did you go there with me?

ok, seriously, my three readers, i WANT to know what you're listening to. give it up! i'll be your best friend. k? thanks, bye!

forward...march

sorry so late with the march playlist - I took a much needed tropical vaycay. and, let me tell you - vitamin d does a body good! so refreshed!

and, here are the tunes for march - all procured from the various tv shows i'm trying to catch up on. plus a few oldies (but super goodies) thrown in for good measure. the yoga teach threw jeff buckley on her playlist recently, and man, was it hard to stay in downward dog, when all i wanted was a microphone. oh, the angst of 1994.

ok - as always - what are you listening to?? anything i have to hear? how are you feeling about daylight savings? i went outside last night at 6 and did a happy dance that it was still light out! wahoo! (which, incidentally, is a fish i tasted for the first time on my trip)

xoxoxo

in the key of f...ebruary

by popular demand, my three readers - the playlist lives on!

you know how January is supposed to be a month of introspection, goals, and getting life back in order after the holidays? well, that sorta happened in the workshop, but sorta also didn't. things be crazy up in here, and that is the most awesome thing ever. truly. truly. truly.

my sissies and i started this thing in september. we send a picture every day of something new - each month is a new theme. january's theme was us showing our attempt at a goal we set for the year (eat more veggies, be more positive, exercise, etc.) and, man, was it so powerful to see those goals being achieved! i had a major goal deadline of january 31st, and i couldn't be happier that i achieved it! i'll tell ya about it soon. promise.

now - to the music. the farmer gives us mixtapes cds in our stockings most years, and he has quite the ear for music, so a few of those new-to-me tunes are on here. others i found on blogs, TV shows, various dressing rooms. you know what's next - tell me what you're grooving to - anything i have to listen to?

christmastime in the city

is it a rule in your casa that the christmas décor MUST go up the day after thanksgiving, and not come down until after new years (or mid-February, sometimes?!)? well, the workshop is taking a brief (very brief) break this morning to throw up the décor (i wish i could keep up year-round), and the elves and i needed some music to get us goin'.

i know you, my three readers, wait all year for this day! yippee. but, in full disclosure mode - i caved and started listening to some carols on tuesday night while I was making mashed taters for turkey day.

now, i'm ALWAYS looking for new holiday music. i tend to stick to my tried and trues, so if you know of new stuff that the cool kids are putting out, do tell. my list needs more than 67 songs, dont'cha think?!

a nostalgic nineties november

so, baby sister texts me the other day and says 'you should do a nostalgic November playlist, and put oldies on it like humpty dance and i'm too sexy.' well, good idea, but oldies?? oldies?? ok, technically, it is true that i graduated 20 years ago (say what now?!), which means the 90s were 20 years ago, but man, i'm not sure i've ever felt so old. although i was proud that she actually knew those songs.

not a difficult task at all to pack my faves from the 90s(ish) on here. i coulda kept going, but i cut myself off at 30.

did i get all the best? leave off any of your faves? mmmm, walks down memory lane are fun!

also, happy early birthday to mr man. not sure what i'd do without that guy. wanna read about past fiestas? you're welcome.
36 things i'm thankful for about him
we rock the party
husband of the year

a decade of memories

today is our 10 year anniversary. yep, mr man and i - married 10 years! in some ways it feels like it's been forever, and in other ways - say what now? 10 years?

and, what wonderful years full of ups and downs they've been. 2012 and parts of 2013 have kicked my ass. and mr man? always - ALWAYS - there to reach down and pick me up. full on carry me along if he has to. if i ever doubted his love was unconditional, i need only to look back and see that he's been my rock solid kick stand, never once complaining, and always with a smile on his face.

we meant what we said - in sickness and in health, in good times and bad. how 'bout we take a walk down memory lane, hmmm?

in 2004, we celebrated our first anniversary in vegas with friends. the girls spent all day at the pool, while the boys slept in to recover from staying up all night gambling. everyone says the first year is the hardest, but i loved our first year. after so many years of 'playing house', we were finally an old married couple!

2005 was a big year. i turned 30, and we celebrated with a dreamy trip to mexico. we bought our first house, celebrating our 2nd anniversary eating off paper plates in the new dining room, and dealt with all the fun that brings with it! our friends started having babies, making us the cool auntie and uncle we always wanted to be. and sadly, will's grandma died, and my parents got divorced after 30 years together. big year, indeed!

in 2006, we celebrated our anniversary with our first trip to portland. the seahawks made the super bowl. and, will turned 30. i wanted it to be one to remember, so we packed up and headed to notre dame for the first of many, many 'football trips'. i might've created a monster, y'all.

2007 took us on a tour of the south for the football trip. we finished up at LSU, where baby sister was starting her freshman year. mr man had to get this beauty for every halloween/new year/costume party. hell, he's been known to sport it on a random tuesday. we spent a whirlwind weekend updating our guest room so our numerous visitors felt right at home and wouldn't want to leave. it didn't work.

in 2008, we took our first wine tasting trip, and decided to make it annual after the first sip. we celebrated our 5th anniversary in san fran. i experienced the joy (not) of being laid off, but luckily got another job quickly. middle sissy got married, and we spent the holidays in NYC and on a cruise to the bahamas.

2009 made us an actual auntie and uncle when sweet p came along. we took a trip to puerto rico, and the football trip became trips. i got to enjoy another layoff, but created rosita designs as a result. and, i joined some gals on the 3-day walk, which is easily the hardest thing i've ever done - for a wonderful cause!

we celebrated 10 years in seattle in 2010. i turned 35 and whooped it up with a rockin' 80s party and a girl's trip with the fam to hilton head. instead of 1 or 2 football trips, we amped it up to 3 or 4. and, tragically, we experienced the sadness that comes with miscarriage.

we gained a nephew and a godson when coogie was born in 2011. baby sister came to visit for a month and whipped me into organization shape. we had friends join us on our annual wine trip, and beg them to come every year now. will's 35th birthday meant a band in the basement. (wife of the year!) will's grandpa passed away, and we experienced the painful loss of baby #2.

2012 - the year of the sucker punch - had so many bright spots, too. we spent the entire year traveling - dallas, grand cayman, LA, boston, NYC for thanksgiving, college station. baby sister got married, and i decided i needed to try pink hair! the football obsession grew to epic proportions - mr man saw 17(!) games live. in a seat. like, not on tv. epic.

this year has had its ups and downs too. we've had visits from my entire family, and mr man's baby sister. we convinced our friends to join us on our wine trip again. but, sadly, we lost my sweet, sweet paw paw in may. it still doesn't seem real. and, football widowdom began last night, and the first trip is next weekend.

wow! what an amazing 10 years it's been. i love that man more today than yesterday, and more today than the day we were married. our wedding was so beautiful, full of love and joy, but our marriage blows the wedding away. i love you mr man. thank you for the last 10 (+6) years. i'm so excited to see what the next 10 years have in store for us.

i think ol' pablo said it best

   I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
   or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
   I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
   in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

   I love you as the plant that never blooms
   but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
   thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
   risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

   I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
   I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
   so I love you because I know no other way

   than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
   so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
   so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

should we even call this a blog?

y'all...

seriously...

life...ugh.

it's been a rough few weeks, and the workshop's gotten dusty - i'm skatin' in on the last day of may with a playlist to cover june, too. i was shocked there were enough songs on my shazam list to give me a good start. i added in some oldies, as is typical around here. my g-pa, dear sweet pops, passed away a few weeks ago, so i had to toss a few of his favorites on it.

if you've got something i MUST hear, you know how i love a good recommendation! are you, my three readers, ready for summer? i broke out the addys today - sittin' in the sun, about to start happy hour here. cheers to june!

april airwaves

i know it's halfway thru april, and you've been waiting with bated breath to find out what this month's playlist might hold, and i'm sorry. i thought i was over my blogging funk, but alas, i was not. this list was a struggle, so if you wanna just come back for may, i'll understand. i threw a ton of oldies on there, and by oldies, i mean songs from the early 90s. *snort*

please, please tell me what you've been listening to - my ears are beggin'! i can't remember the last time i heard a new song, so enlighten me!!

lately...

2013 has been action-packed so far. visitors here, trips there, and a whole lotta designing in between. i'm still going through withdrawals after a week long visit with baby sister. we went to yoga, tasted wine, combed for beach glass, cheered on the sounders, and successfully ruined our lenten promises. good thing we're forgiven! big ol' sinners that we are.

i've been doing a bit of hands on design lately - canvases, name signs, magnetic clothespins. and, lots of shower invites, baby announcements, and birthday invites, too. i think i'm close to being over my blog funk, so maybe i can hammer a few more posts in before march strolls out like a lamb.

earlier this month, i went to the passion pit show at the paramount (i LOVE that place!). matt & kim opened for them, and man is that girl a bundle o' energy. i was tired just watching her! and, passion pit has 11, yes 11, keyboards!! what are they all for, i'd like to know?!

the pink tennies are getting more mileage around the 'hood lately  - gettin' my vitamin d, stoppin' and smellin' the roses, you know the like. on my beach walk the other day, an adorable seal pup was sunning on the rocks!

i think i may have mentioned a diet change once or twice. well, i've sworn off gluten (unless my willpower succumbs to pizza i can't resist), and it's opened up a whole new world of recipes. just this AM, i made banana pancakes. not kidding - 5 ingredients (and flour is not one of them). make 'em - they're deeelish!

a banana, an egg, a little vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon, some ground flax. make sure the banana's nice and mushed, so they won't be lumpy. wait for the pan to heat up a bit, put a healthy dose of butter down, then pour small pancakes. they take a bit to set up, so be patient, so you can flip them. it made me 5ish small pancakes! i topped them with a drizzle of maple syrup and blueberries. yum!!

in the club

we're gettin' all personal - real, real dang personal - up in here again.
i'm feeling nudged to tell my story, no matter how messy, no matter that others have told similar stories. and, if it helps just one of you, then that is why i've put finger to keyboard. so, settle in, it's a long one, folks.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

a few years ago, i joined the club. i didn't ask to be a member; no one does. and, it seems this club's rules are kinda similar to fight club - you don't talk about the club. well...i need to talk about the club. and, i'm quite certain there are others out there who need to talk about it, too. because, you know what? keeping secrets tears holes in the soul. giant, life-changing holes.


i joined the miscarriage club.   twice.    and, this is my story.


yea, yea, yea, you thought we never wanted kids. well, when your friends and sister start having kids, and the years speed by to your mid-thirties, and society makes you feel worthless if you're childless, sometimes minds change. so...you try to get pregnant. 

and, i got pregnant in october 2010.

and, couldn't schedule our first ultrasound fast enough. my timing was perfect - right before the holidays, so we could give the gift of being aunties, uncles, grammas, grampas, cousins. then i signed up for all the baby emails (mr man, this week our baby is the size of a pecan!), dreamt up 'how to tell everyone' ideas, and stressed over what to 'drink' at holiday parties.

brimming with excitement at the doctor's office, we glazed over all the statistics and test scheduling, our sole goal being to hear the heartbeat! finally, the machine wheeled in. let's have a look at your baby! awkward silence let me just move around a little more. awkward silence you know, i'm no good at viewing these things. awkward silence i'll be right back.

and, heart hit floor. pieces of it are surely still there. doom. denial. tears. and, mr man had to go back to work. alone, terrified, numb, i was sent off to the big ultrasound, for more awkward silences and...

i'm sorry, but the baby has no heartbeat.

no heartbeat. no heartbeat? wait, what?! nononononoooo. there's NO way. my sister just had a miscarriage. why would god do that to me? after i finally decided to try for a kiddo. when i'd already come up with a clever holiday announcement.

well, folks, there's nothing clever or exciting about calling your mama and sissies to say - thru the ugliest of tears - i'm pregnant...but the baby has no heartbeat. how do you give that much pain to people who never thought they'd hear the first two words from my lips?

how do you process feelings of epic grief, when you haven't even really processed the thought of being pregnant? when your body fails you by rejecting life enough to miscarry, but not enough to finish the process? when you have to make decisions in split seconds, then figure out how to live with them morally, emotionally, physically? when the holiday loses most of its sparkle in the blink of an eye? when your husband doesn't know what to say, much less anyone else you're likely to tell?

if you're me, you cry. a lot. buckets. and, throw stuff. like tantrums that would make a 3-year-old blush. i tend toward the dramatic side, if you weren't aware. 

then, i chugged down a healthy dose of denial (they're totally wrong), made the split second decision required of me (avoidance), and went to my family cocoon for the holidays. holidays that went by in a blur of family get-togethers, anger, more ugly tears, and waiting for the inevitable. all while trying to muster the courage to pretend i felt like celebrating a new year. what was the point?

of course, my body wasn't having any of the inevitable, so i had to face what i'd been avoiding from the beginning. unflattering white gown, legs in stirrups, breathe thru the pain. oh, the pain. and, the helplessness. and, a heart broken in two. it's almost over. we're so sorry. 

i get why no one wants to talk about, hear about, think about it - cuz it friggin' sucks. and there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it. no one can tell you why or how it happened. there are no reasons they can give you. and, life? it keeps spinning madly on, paying no mind to those who are run over. those who would rather stay curled up in bed with a box of kleenexes, than go thru the motions. pretend. smile. 

and, there was a whole helluva lot of pretending and plastered smiles. at least until someone tried to tell me how bad their day/month/year/life was, then BAM - bomb dropped. oh yea? shut it! i can top you. so lovely of me, right? but, my way thru tends toward the angry side, and i was pissed. why the hell did everyone around me get to have babies? why.the.hell were there so many pregnant women EVERYWHERE i turned? couldn't anyone see the pain behind my fake smile? pity party of one, right this way!

oh, but i've been the person ignoring the pain behind the smile. with lines like oh, i'm so sorry. at least you can get pregnant. miscarriages are so common. 1 in 3 pregnancies ends in miscarriage. all while trying to run away to avoid having to feel any more of their pain. how could i expect sympathy when i was so callous?

oddly enough, my faith didn't feel too shaken after. in fact, i sought solace in church, christian friends, christian blogs, and favorite scriptures. sure i was a little perturbed that god wasn't going along with the plan i'd created for myself, but i felt comfort in these words.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 
plans to give you hope and a future. ~jeremiah 29:11

it's taken 2 years for me to see that my story needed to be told. that there may be a lovely lady out there who is suffering in silence, and has no one to tell her this friggin' sucks. if you or anyone you know has gone thru this and is still reeling, i wanted to offer some suggestions for baby steps on that looooong road of healing.

name your baby - whatever your beliefs are, that was your baby. as soon as you saw the +, you started dreaming about your life with a little munchkin. something that's meaningful to you is perfect. my babies are hope and joy, and based on my belief, i find peace in knowing my family and i will meet them one day in heaven.

memorialize your baby - take the time to mourn the loss of your hopes and dreams. paint a picture, write a poem, plant a tree/bush, release a balloon. we chose to toss flowers into the sound (picture above). include family members if that's your thing.

allow yourself - to be pissed. to think this sucks. to cry. to wail. to throw stuff. just allow yourself. it's ok to be sad. sometimes, it hits when you least expect it. allow yourself time. as much time as you need. if you're like me, you won't be able to tell your story 1 and 2 years later without sheddin' a tear. IT'S OK. and, it's possible you'll never get over it. and, that's ok, too.

tell your story - don't be like me and keep a big soul hole of a secret. miscarriage doesn't have to be a dirty word. and, if there are people in our club, we want to welcome them. plus, your story matters.

For everything there is a season, 
and a time for every purpose under heaven.
~ecclesiastes 3:1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

i didn't tell this story for pity or as a bomb drop for those who know me, but not this part of me. i told this story for all the women who suffer in silence every day over this heart break. if you've got encouragement, ideas to add, or feel compelled to share your story too, rock on in the comments, or send me an email. let's be here for each other, sisters.

21 days of gratitude - days 7 - 9 - my girlies

day 7 - i'm grateful for food on my table
over the last few months, i've been volunteering at a food bank. and, man, if that ain't humbling. the first night was a very eye-opening experience, as roughly 200 people pass thru the doors in 3 hours. all walks of life, living below the poverty line, only able to purchase the bare minimum, seeking the rest at the food bank. i'm so grateful we are blessed with the means to put food on our table.

day 8 - i'm grateful for my sweet, sweet nana
this year, my nana will be gone for more years than i knew her sweet heart. this woman. not one for church, she surely embodied my idea of a true christian. she gave, she welcomed the less fortunate into her home, she stood up for what she believed in, she cared for the sick, and she took care of me like i was her own, while my parents worked. holy moly, i miss her every.single.day, and wish upon wish that i could have just one more day with her. the last time i talked to her was thanksgiving 1993, and i was too concerned with getting home to see my friends from high school to even notice her. the next day, she went into a coma in the ICU, and died 3 days after christmas. oh, nana, how i miss you so and i hope you celebrated your birthday yesterday with an iced coffee and a dallas cowboys game.

day 9 - i'm grateful for my girlies (mamacita, middle sissy, and baby sister)

the mamacita has had to pull herself up by her bootstraps over the last 7 years. her overcoming what seemed impossible is pretty inspirational. and, when she's down, i like to remind her she's pretty durn strong! when her marriage ended after 30 years, she went to nursing(!) school, moved her 80 year old father in with her, sold his house, then her house, then packed them up for a new city and state. and, now, she takes care of people all day, and comes home to take care of the pops so he doesn't have to endure nursing home livin'. and, this year, she married off the baby and treated herself to a much-needed vacation in italy! i love you, mom and your heart o' gold! and really, you're kind of a bad-a**.

you know how big sisters are typically supposed to be the strong ones, paving the way for the younguns? so not the case in this familia. ok, maybe i was cool and hip back in the day, but lately, middle sissy has been playing the role of atlas. she takes my crazy on pretty much daily, and never ever says she doesn't have time, or 'seriously, this topic...again?!'. she's creative, smart, an amazing cook, and was made to be a mama. those kiddos of hers are destined for greatness! she's an inspiration, my hero, and i wanna be just like her when i grow up. love you sisty, and i'm so grateful we were twins born 5 years apart!

did you know baby sister came along when i was 13? and, wrapped me around her finger. a carseat the day after i got my license meant carting her everywhere. when people ask me why i don't have kids, i say 'i do...she's 23'. it drives her crazy i'm like another mom, but i'm old, y'all, and i made all the mistakes, so she doesn't have to. not sure why i worried. at 23, she's run circles around the rest of us! she has a wonderful husband, two dogs, a furnished home, a rock solid faith in God, and a job she loves, where she's making a difference! and, that, y'all is all i ever hoped for her - faith, hope, and love! mama loves you, deedle-dee-dee! ;)

you never know what you're gonna get with family, and even though we have more drama than an episode of kardashian, we are family, stuck together like glue. i love my family, and thank God he blessed me with one so darn special!

what are you grateful for today? have you joined 21 days of gratitude?

21 days of gratitude - day 3 to 6 - aka sweet music

so being out of town without wifi makes bloggin' kinda dificil. and, that means we're doin' a little combo today of the last few days of thankfulness!

day 3 - i'm grateful for sunshine
being in socal really reminds me how much i love me some vitamin d! and, that i needed to make more of an effort to soak it up! thank the lord for sunshine and palm trees!

day 4 - i'm grateful for sweet, sweet music
i'm sure you're wondering why i'm not thankful for another family member or something different, but i wanted to get you the november playlist early in the month, so today, i'm thankful for music!

music is such a major part of my life, and i'm so grateful my favorite musicians use their god-given talents to the benefit of our ears! music's on the minute i wake up, it's gotten me thru many a 'problemo' and certain songs can take me back to a specific time or place in an instant. perfect example...the cure's just like heaven is on at this resty and i was instantly transported to my senior year of high school!

you know i love finding new music, love listening to old goodies, love playing 'omg! this is my favorite song!', even if i just said that about the last song! i maybe might have hundreds of fave songs! you do, too, right??

not sure any of these songs qualify as my fave...yet! you know the drill...what's pumpin' outta your airwaves these days? keep me hip, or tell me your faves. i truly do wanna know! and, now: november's notes:

day 5 - i'm grateful for travel

getting close to election day, you start thinking about your freedoms, and travel is one i take for granted. i'm so grateful we are allowed to move freely between state lines, borders, and overseas to see wonderful destinations and other ways of life.

day 6 - i'm grateful for the right to vote

thank god women like elizabeth cady stanton and susan b anthony and eleanor roosevelt stood up for what they believed in to give us women the right to rock the vote!

21 days of gratitude - day 2 - that man o' mine

day dos - i'm thankful for mr man

since it's mr man's birfday, is it not perfectly fitting that i be grateful for him today? why, yes, i think it is!

now, if you know mr man, you know he is the kindest, most open-minded, happiest man you might ever encounter. and, boy, does he love his football. it might border on obsession. he maybe might love it more than me. harumph. i try not to get a complex.

on this, his b-day, we're headed to the city of angels to - guess what? - watch football. back-to-back games, might i add. you're shinin' up my wife o' the year plaque, aren't you?! i know - i'm a saint.

wait, that is so not true. if you had any idea what dude has to put up with from me, you'd be thinking 'serves the chick right she has'ta feign interest in game after game'. seriously. i can whip out the crazy.

in celebration, here are 36 things about mr man i'm grateful for:

• his patience
• his giant heart
• his loyalty
• his silly jokes
• how much he loves me
• his friendship
• his hand in mine
• he's my biggest fan
• his support
• he'd do anything for me
• his compassion
• he makes me feel good about myself
• he takes care of me
• he loves me just the way i am
• he always kisses me goodnight...and goodbye...and hello)
• his passion
• his laugh
• he listens when i talk
• he likes my cookin'
• his blue/grey/green eyes
• his big bear hugs
• he lets me steal the covers
• he indulges my crazy
• his trip planning skills
• he asked me to be his wife
• he keeps me warm when it's cold outside
• he takes me to church
• his witty conversation
• he rubs my feet...if i say please
• he can fix anything
• his good-nature
• his kindness to my family
• he's way cute, maybe even a hottie
• he doesn't care about 'the joneses'
• hearing 'how was your day' every evening
• he lets me put my cold feet on him

and, the list goes on and on and on. i love that man with every ounce of my being, and i pray each and every one of you feels love like this at least once in your life.

happy birthday, loverboy. i'm excited to see what the next 36 years have in store for us. i love you more than one tiny blog post could ever portray. thank you for showing me what unconditional love is.

songs for september

so, not sure where september came from, but here we are, huh? football, autumn breezes, fall colors, pumpkin spice. luckily, we're experiencing a heat wave of 80+ proportions here, so i'm not gonna grieve too much. (maybe next week).

here are the latest tunes i'm jammin' to. found, oh you know, on various cable programming, the every day cooking show, etc. hey - i take my tunes where i can get 'em! and, you know it's not rosita's playlist without a tongue-in-cheek addition for your toe-tappin' pleasure! if you've got something you just can't get outta your head, let me know. i know i sound like a broken record, but do...tell me!

the sounds of summer

i know you, my three readers, look to me and me only for the lastest, hip music. *snort* if you do, i daresay, i'm sorry, because yes, yes, i did put damn, i wish i was your lover on this playlist. you see i was rockin' the belinda carlisle pandora station a few weeks ago, and it came on. and, just like smelling honeysuckle can, that song...it took me back. wayyyy back. i'm sorry if your ears bleed. anyhoodle...

what are you jammin' to? what should i be listening to so i don't embarrass myself with early 90s girly music?!! promise, soon, i'll show you some stuff that's been flying outta the workshop. 

a few of my favorite things - july

talk about screeching right in under the radar. and, we're doing it a little different this month. we just got back from a sun & sand vacay to grand cayman with mr man's fandamily, and it was fantastic!! just what the doctor ordered!! so, here are my favorite things from the trip.

snorkeling | the sea life (not just the fishies) | 50 shades trilogy

rum punch | havaianas | stingray city | floppy hats & fedoras

i've been snorkeling in the mayan riviera, hawaii and zihuatanejo, but grand cayman is hands down the best. we hung out all day at a few reefs and the sea life, coral, and fish were amazing!

i know i've said it before, but the 50 shades trilogy is perfect mindless beach smut. they're not gonna win any prizes, but they'll pass the time for ya! wink wink

they say when in rome...so, since the west indies are famous for their rum, rum punch was my drink of choice all week. yum!

on the snorkeling trip, we stopped at stingray city to feed the stingrays. li'l bit cool, li'l bit terrifying, they feel like velvet and suck squid outta your hand like a hoover! seriously - watch your fingers! (thank goodness our guide waited until we were done to tell us he'd just been stung recently!)

i maybe mighta packed 12+ pairs of shoes, but i lived in my havaianas. if you don't have a pair, get some! and since i'm getting up there, i'm suddenly aware of wrinkling (um, hello 16-year old self!), so i tried to make sure i had a hat on at all times. 

so, what floated your boat (pun totally intended) in july? can you believe august is here? luckily in the PNW, summer's just arriving!