What Pinterest has Taught Me

You can learn alot about a person from their Pinterest boards. Last night I took a look at some of my boards, re-arranged them alphabetically, added a new board or two and reorganized. When I "pin" from my Nook, it sometimes doesn't add the pin to the correct board so I have to go in later and move things around. My boards were amuck and I had cute outfits on my "foodie" board, things that should have been in my inspirational quotes were in my "dream home" board and I had pins of cute little puppies on the "my style" board. It was absolute chaos and bedlam!

So, I started really taking a hard look at what I actually pin. I've always kept a binder full of inspirational items printed off the internet or ripped from the pages of magazines or catalogs . . . cute shoes, book titles for future reading, decorating ideas, recipes, etc. and I've always kept a file on my hard drive of interesting photos for my blog. So Pinterest is totally up my alley.

Last night I realized a few things about myself:
-I love a good quote and also have a warped sense of humor (I already knew this about myself; my Pinterest boards just confirmed everything).
-I am a closet "preppy." I love all things pink & green and I love all things Lilly. Who knew??
-I love to party. OK. This isn't exactly a revelation. We all know I love to entertain and throw a good party. My "Party Idea" board is beautiful and I have a lot of great ideas I can incorporate at T's grad party, KJ's b-day, etc.
-I love to travel. Again, this isn't anything new but I have been very blessed to have travelled to some wonderful countries and islands yet there are still so many places I'd like to go!
-I love to read. Duh. Let's just say my family knows me well and bought me some Barnes & Noble gift cards for Christmas.
-I am obsessed with doors. I mean, beautiful, hand-carved, unusual ornate doors.
-I love shopping. And there is a difference between shopping and buying (although I like to do that, too!). I love a beautiful shop. I love a beautiful boutique, gorgeous lighting, unique fixtures and window displays that draw me in.
-I luv, luv, luv the holidays! All of them. I love to decorate the house and am always on the look out for intesting tablescapes for the dining room.
-I luv mason jars and use them for EVERYTHING.
-I find those Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" pins hysterical.
-The list of people I most admire is a little wonky and ranges from Mr. Rogers* to Bon Jovi**. I like people who keep it real. People who've made a difference no matter how great or small, people who aren't flashy and people who age gracefully (i.e., Helen Mirren).


*Fred McFeely Rogers -- an American educator, Presbyterian minister, songwriter, author, and television host. Rogers was most famous for creating and hosting Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001), that featured his gentle, soft-spoken personality and directness to his audiences.

Initially educated to be a minister, Rogers was displeased with the way television addressed children and made an effort to change this when he began to write for and perform on local Pittsburgh-area shows dedicated to youth. The Public Broadcasting System developed his own nationally-aired show in 1968 and, over the course of three decades on television, he became an indelible American icon of children's entertainment and education, as well as a symbol of compassion, patience, and morality. He was also known for his advocacy of various public causes. He testified to the U.S. Supreme Court on time shifting; and he gave now-famous testimony to a U.S. Senate committee, advocating government funding for children's television.

Rogers was honored extensively for his life work in children's education. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor; a Peabody Award for his career; and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. Two resolutions recognizing his work were unanimously passed by U.S. Congress, one of his trademark sweaters was acquired and is on display at the Smithsonian Institution, and several buildings and works of art in Pennsylvania are dedicated to his memory.

In 1996, Mister Fred Rogers was ranked #35 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.[

Fred McFeely Rogers was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 40 miles (65 km) southeast of Pittsburgh, to James and Nancy Rogers; he had one sister, Elaine Rogers Crozier. Early in his life, he spent much of his free time with his maternal grandfather, Fred McFeely, who would later move to Florida, and had an interest in music. He would often sing along as his mother would play the piano and, at age five, began to play the piano as well.

Rogers graduated from Latrobe High School (1946). He studied at Dartmouth College (1946–48) in Hanover, New Hampshire, and transferred to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition (1951).

At Rollins, Rogers met and married Sara Joanne Byrd. They had two sons, and three grandsons,. In 1963, Rogers graduated from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and was ordained a minister in the Presbyterian Church. During the course of his career, he garnered forty honorary degrees. Rogers was red-green color blind, swam every morning, was a vegetarian, and neither smoked nor drank.

**Bon Jovi -- I love the fact that he has been married to his high school sweetheart since 1989, has four kids and leads a very non-Hollywood life. He's worked on behalf of the Special Olympics, the American Red Cross, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Project H.O.M.E., The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation (formerly the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation), and other groups.

He has been named the first Founding Ambassador of the Habitat for Humanity Ambassador program as part of the international-nonprofit organization’s new advocacy outreach initiative. Bon Jovi has been raising awareness with Habitat for Humanity since 2005 when he provided the funds to build six homes in Philadelphia and built the homes alongside the homeowner families, as well as with members of his Philadelphia Soul Arena Football Team (now non existent). The construction site also served as the video shoot location for his band’s single, "Who Says You Can’t Go Home". In 2006, Bon Jovi made a $1 million donation to build 28 Habitat homes in Louisiana in partnership with low-income families on the hurricane-stricken coast. In July, 2007, Bon Jovi announced a project that will rehabilitate a block of 15 homes in north Philadelphia. During an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2005, the band donated $1 million to the Angel Network foundation.

The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation (formerly the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation) was founded in 2006 and exists to combat issues that force families and individuals into economic despair. Through the funding and creation of programs and partnerships, they support innovative community efforts to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. On October 19th, 2011, they opened the JBJ Soul Kitchen, a community restaurant where patrons pay what they can afford for their meal, either with money or by volunteering work.

He is one of 21 artists singing on "Everybody Hurts", a charity single organized by Simon Cowell in aid of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Although he is generally associated with the Democratic Party, Bon Jovi's voter registration indicates that he is unaffiliated. He toured extensively on behalf of Presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004, appearing at and playing acoustic sets (with Richie Sambora) at rallies for the Kerry-Edwards ticket throughout the United States.[10] Bon Jovi also played as a part of the Live Earth concert at the Meadowlands in 2007, and was introduced by former Vice President Al Gore. In 2008, Jon Bon Jovi supported Barack Obama for President, even holding an exclusive fundraiser at his home for him; he also played a 2009 Manhattan fundraiser for now Secretary of State Clinton to lessen some of her $6.3 million dollar campaign debt. On Sunday, January 18, 2009 Bon Jovi performed a duet at the Obama Inauguration Concert of the Sam Cooke classic "A Change is Gonna Come" with Bettye LaVette.[21] On June 4, 2009 Bon Jovi performed an acoustic benefit show for democratic Gov. Jon Corzine at the NJPAC in Newark, New Jersey.

On June 24, 2009, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Andy Madadian recorded a musical message of worldwide solidarity with the people of Iran. The handwritten Persian sign in the video translates to "we are one".

On 15 December 2010, Bon Jovi was appointed by Barack Obama to the new White House Council for Community Solutions. Bon Jovi's efforts with his own The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation in recent years have resulted in creative public/private partnerships as well as more than 260 units of affordable housing for low income individuals and families. In addition to providing advice to the President on solving specific community needs, the White House Council for Community Solutions has been tasked with three key functions: enlisting leaders in the non-profit, private, and philanthropic sectors to make progress on key policy goals; providing strategic input and recommendations to help the federal government promote greater innovation and cross-sector collaboration; and honoring and highlighting those making a significant impact in their own communities.

Looking Ahead

Really looking forward to 2012! I have a feeling it's giong to be a great year!

I don't normally make resolutions, more like I try to work on something or be more aware of something (i.e., make a concious effort to recycle more or read more or eat more vegetables and fruit, etc.).


I bought myself a cute new Lilly Pulitzer agenda and luv, luv, luv writing in a fresh new calendar. So many possibilities and so much to look forward to!

E-Card from Ole Miss

Oxford had some snow flurries a week or so ago and I guess that's when they snapped this photo and sent to current/incoming students.

Another Awkward Photo too Funny not to Share

For some reason this just sends me into hysterics!

Not gunna Lie

Ok. I'm just going to put this out there once and for all. I love living in the South 10 months out of the year. I can't stand the heat so I really don't enjoy July or August but I do love Spring and Fall in Alabama. However, the last couple of years I've noticed it's getting harder and harder for me to get in the holiday spirit when it's a balmy 60-something degrees outside and I'm contemplating putting the A/C back on.

I miss the snow. I miss cold, red cheeks. I miss hot chocolate. I miss skiing. I miss ice skating. I miss winter coats. I miss mittens. I miss the Rockettes. I miss 5th Avenue windows. I miss Rockefeller Center. I miss New Year's Eve at the Pickle Barrel. I miss sledding. I miss cherry chapstick. I miss using my fireplace regularly. I miss making snow angels. I miss snow days. I miss the sound of the snow plow coming down your street. I miss snowball fights. I miss catching snowflakes on my tongue. And snowmen. I really miss making snowmen.

http://www.travelvivi.com/christmas-in-new-yorkbig-apple-at-its-best/

Mama Mia !!!

“Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.”
Sophia Loren

(thank you Lilly Lemontree)

Tebowing

Interesting post regarding some Long Island high school kids who were suspended for "Tebowing" in the halls during school. If I'm reading this correctly, they were suspending for blocking the hallways, not for any other reason.

Some of the comments on the message board are interesting to say the least. Here is a sampling:
"I love this. Seriously, its great. Imagine children all around the country are symbolically showing thier respect for a power greater than thier own. At a time when religion is going out of style with the youth, this comes along!! Its wonderful and I hope these children continue this "Fad", even if they dont understand the meaning, at least they are emulating with style!! Bravo!!"

"DUDE they were not praying they were pretty much just doing the gesture...a lot of people is doing that but it does not mean they are praying they just f-ng around"

"You are so right! Children all over the country are not symbolically showing their respect for a higher power. Do you not get it? In an awful lot of cases, they're not emulating it, but mocking it. What if they were actually mocking it? Would that change your perception? Talked to two of my grandsons about this and they said it's just effing around - and they both play HS football and think Tebow is a jerk, religiously, but a damned good QB.... "

"Touche, I'm glad the kids are praying/"tebowing" ( in school ) that is, I hope that's what they are doing. It would sure be an embarrassment if our youth were just emulating a gesture without understanding the meaning behind it."

"No matter how you look at it, this was NOT a religious issue. It was kids clowning around AND continuing to disrespect the teachers after being told repeatedly to knock it off. Sounds like they needed and got a reality check."

"Obviously you didn't read the article. They weren't actually praying, they were just on their knee like Tebow does. I can understand why they got into trouble, but suspended was a bit much."

One of the kids even said, "It was a joke between a group of friends that took a life of its own." So there was no acutal praying involved.

One of the students admitted they Tebowed in the hallway "out of respect for Tebow, and because Tebowing is the new thing to do.” So, they didn't do it as a stance against seperation of church and state or as a defiant act of prayer in the schools. They did it out of respect for a football player.

So, which is worse? Tebowing for Tebow or Mock Tebowing?

http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/msn/no_athletes_at_ny_high_school_suspended_for_tebowing_in_school_hallway/8753017

Lots of Glitter is a Good Thing !!!

Luv, luv, luv the way the house is decorated this year! I've got some new things and always try to mix things up. There's a lot of glitter this year and I really like it!

This is a photo of our family travel tree. We always try to buy an ornament everywhere we go and the Alpine tree looks so pretty in the foyer.

Hard to tell in the photo above but the two "presents" are covered in glitter and the polka dot one opens up and holds a tea lite. The three green vases in the back to the far right I got from work. They must have been left over from a wedding or some other event because there were dozens of them! I thought they'd be cool for Christmas decorations. Not sure yet if I'm going to put something in them (like silver, glitter tree branches?) or just leave them alone.
Really into "subway art" this year (hello Etsy my old friend!) and have some similar decorations for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Again, hard to tell but the wording is all done is red glitter. Looks very pretty when the tea lights in the red votive holders are lit.

The silver placemats in the dining room are new this year. My mom doesn't like the napkins and napkins rings on top of the plate because it hides the Christmas tree pattern.

But this is what my table really looks like. My mom made those napkins rings years & years ago when she used to do ceramics as a hobby. There are 8 of them and a couple of years ago one of the stars broke off (Cosmo fixed it w/ gorilla glue).

I can't remember what I did for last year's centerpiece so I tried to stay with the red & white snowflake theme of my table linens. This is a wrought iron cake stand, a clear glass plate with bubbles and some ornaments and candles. Some of the candle holders I had, a couple I purchased this year.

And here's the complete table. I love the layered look and using all of my different glassware. It drives the girls insane and they say the table is too busy. The red champagne glasses I've had for years and also use them for Valentine's Day and 4th of July. Can't remember where the snowman glasses came from but the Christmas tree highballs were a housewarming gift from my brother-in-law and sister-in-law when we first moved into this house and they match my dishes. Have no idea where the hand-painted peppermint wine glasses came from either (maybe a dirty Santa one year??).

As my friend Richard would say . . .

. . . What in the Hell????
Holy Ish! I am a total sucker for Awkward Family Photos and this Holiday Edition is no exception. I can't stop laughing. I mean, howling out loud, tears running down my eyes kind of laughing.

Oh wait! How'd that get in there??? That's not a Christmas photo!!!

hahahaha

And the Countdown Begins

Can't believe it's less than 2 weeks to Christmas. I'm on schedule and in pretty good shape: exterior decorated, interior decorated, 2 trees decorated; dining room table decorated; Christmas cards ordered, printed and 90% addressed; most of the gifts are wrapped; one Christmas party attended, two more to go; and I have just a few more gifts to purchase. Whew!


KJ had her first middle school dance this weekend and had a good time. She said it was "kind of lame" at first and then just when things were getting good, it was time to go home. It was only from 5:30 to 7 PM and it was a lot of work for just an hour and a half. I did KJ's hair and make-up and also helped LG w/ her hair when she came over for photos. KJ said I should be a hair & make-up artist for Chanel. She's too damn funny.


Saturday I attended my friend's annual "card addressing" party. I don't think I've ever seen a guest actually address their cards. Lots of good food and lots of good drink. I do love me some mimosas. I've always said I could start each day off w/ champagne!


T had conditioning Saturday morning and then worked at the store for a little bit both Saturday & Sunday. Sunday night Cosmo & T went to the soccer game at the Met (it will always be the Met to me) and had a really good time. Sounds like it was a great game! We had a nice family dinner when they got home and everyone was relaxed and ready for Monday morning.

Friday was T's visit to Ole Miss and I am proud and excited to say her college search has officially ended! She luv'd luv'd luv'd everything about Ole Miss . . . communications program, location, size, setting, safety, lax team. Everything. She's officially been accepted into the journalism program and as far as T is concerned, this is a done deal. Because of her grades she will qualify for the Honors Program, in-state tuition and additional scholarship money as well. Although it was kind of stressful at times, T conducted her search in a mature, wel-informed fashion and it was a learning lesson for all of us.

Because of lacrosse tournaments, she was inundadted with calls and letters from various coaches who had seen her play. Right off the bat she eliminated those schools that did not have her major. She handled herself so well each time a coach called. I know it was akward for her but she was very honest and told them up front thank you but she wasn't interested. She didn't want to waste anyone's time. After that, she did some research on the schools she was interested in and scheduled some visits. She found something she liked at each of the schools she visited but none of them were the total package the way Ole Miss was. FSC's campus was magnificent and she loved the idea of being in FL, spending time at the beach and learning to water ski. She loved the urban setting of Temple but there was zero lax $$$ and I worried about her safety. She loved the northern rural setting of Slippery Rock but didn't like the fact that her tour guide refered to it as a "suitcase" school. She worried about being 20+ hours from home and having nothing to do on the weekends. FSU was always a top contender but the out of state tuition would have sent her daddy into a tizzy. She also loved U of FL and of course, she loved Alabama. In the end, Ole Miss checked off every box on her list of criteria. Yay! Now we can relax and enjoy the 2nd half of her senior year! Whoop! Whoop!

We have Balls !!!

Success! We finally have balls (and other assorted ornamentation!) on our two Christmas trees! It wasn't quite the Norman Rockwell family painting I had envisioned, but KJ & I had fun last night decorating. T had a TON of homework and said to just go ahead and put her ornaments up (she is the least sentimental child I have ever known. She actually told me she kind of liked the trees bare. She said it was simple and elegant). Cosmo was busy installing the TV & cable in our bedroom so it was just me & KJ. Of course, all of KJ's ornaments are bunched together in one spot front and center and she put T's stuff way in the back.

Still No Balls

Yep. Two Christmas trees are up in the house and neither of them have balls or any type of ornamentation. Both trees have lights on them, but nothing else. We had such a busy, busy weekend it just got put on the back burner. Hopefully tonight we can have a nice family meal and then decorate the tree.

Thursday I went to see T perform at halftime of one of the basketball games. I luv, luv, luv that Christmas routine and the new costumes looked GREAT! They had a busy week: Wednesday was the bonfire, Thursday morning they had a pep rally and danced at 2 basketball games and Friday was the state championship game at Bryant-Denney. T went out with the girls Friday after the game as is their post-game ritual. Saturday afternoon they also danced at a local pageant and Saturday night she spent the night at a friends.

Not really sure what to say about the State Championship game. It was a GREAT game and I hate the loss for the seniors. The coach had a tough call to make and, although it didn't work out the way we all wanted, it was the right call. We had a lot of fun sitting with friends, the weather was perfect and I was a little sad because it was T's last football game. The night before the game I told her to "just enjoy the moment, rock the sparkley and work those boots!" One of their very last positions during the half-time show is is one hand in the air holding a long ribbon and the other hand is on their heart. While they were performing I watched her close her eyes at this point and take a deep, soulfull breath. I knew she was savoring the moment and that gave me chills. I am just so incredibly proud of her and I know she's had a lot of fun as a Bnette. She cried a little after the game but said she cried not because they lost but because it was over.

Saturday Cosmo & his little shadow finished decorating the outside and put up the rest of the lights. I did some shopping, ran a few errands and took a little power nap before we headed out to the engagmenet party. KJ was originally planning to go to the party but got invited to a friend's house at the very last minute. T met us at the party and left early to go out with friends. Had a nice time at the party, the food was wonderful, M's house looked beautiful and G&H are a very sweet couple!

Sunday we drove up to Ross Bridge to get some Christmas card photos done and Cosmo joined us for a bit on his way to his lax lesson. It was such a gorgeous day out we decided not to rush home and ended up walking around downtown and taking some photos. Cosmo called after his lesson and we met him for a late lunch at Cucina Superior in Brookwood. T was operating on about 3 hours of sleep so she came home and took a little nap and then met with friends to discuss their Spring Break 2012 plans. By the time she got home, no one felt like decorating the tree. Hence, we have no balls.

Greatest Christmas Movies of All Time?

"You'll Shoot Your Eye out Kid"

Need I say More? Classic Family Christmas Movie that NEVER gets Old!

Here's Wikipedia's list of Christmas films worth seeing. I see a few family favorites on the list but half of these movies I've never even heard of (and, I thought it was really weird to see "Die Hard" with Bruce Willis on this list).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_films

I luv, luv, luv this movie.

I luv, luv, luv Will Ferrell.

I would love the answer the phone, "Buddy the Elf. What's Your Favorite Color?"

Saw this in the theaters when it first came out. I laughed SO hard when Tim Allen gets botox and is trying to eat fruit salad and drink a glass of water Cosmo still talks about it. I had the giggles really, really bad and just couldn't not stop!

Seriously, it is not Christmas in our house until we watch Christmas Vacation. We know almost every line by heart.