Bye Bye, 2012

I can honestly say that I'm glad to see the year end and another begin.

2012 wasn't the easiest nor was it the most pleasant year. It was full of ups and downs.
Not to say that it was completely terrible, there were really great things that happened like having Moya given to me, going back to school, getting a new/used car, holidays with family and loved ones, lots of crafting, getting a new tattoo that I really love, new adventures, etc.
It was just such a tedious, emotional year.

I'm looking forward 2013, to try new things and to become healthier physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I'm ready for a fresh start.

Happy New Year!

Gratitude Sunday

Today I'm joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for Gratitude Sunday.

                                                                           

This week I'm grateful for:

- Spending time with family for the holidays. It was great to see everyone.

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- Having a nice warm house and bed. The temperature has been frosty.

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- Getting a ton of new books for my Kindle.

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- Learning more crochet patterns, and getting new ideas.

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- Having the chance to use a really nice camera (although I haven't taken very many photos yet).

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- Mukluks, they are toasty & cute. I love them.

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- Making jewelry with awesome, new stuff that I've gotten.

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- Making healthier changes in my life. I've started to take vitamins daily, do yoga a lot more often, and have stopped bad habits.

There's so much to be grateful for.

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{This Moment}

Today I'm joining Amanda at Soulemama for {this moment}

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. 

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What I'm Reading

Libba Bray has me completely captivated with her 'Gemma Doyle Trilogy'. (I'm actually sad to see that it's only a trilogy.)
I recently finished reading the first book 'A Great and Terrible Beauty', and I immediately picked up the second book which I'm currently reading, called 'Rebel Angels'.

I'll only give info about the first book in the trilogy so that I don't give too much away for those who want to read it.

"A Great and Terrible Beauty"

I found this snippet on Libba Bray's website: "It's 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life that she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's been followed by by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls - and their foray into the spiritual world - lead to?"


The books are intense, magical. The fact that they are sat in the 19th century lends a nice historical touch, and also confines the main female characters to what society believes that they should be, but they're able to step out of those roles that were defined for them and show their own personalities, ambitions, and adventures.

I can't stop reading them.

Holidays

The holidays were exciting and rather exhausting this year.

Lots of coziness, warmth, laughs, and love.

Christmas Eve was spent with us opening our presents that morning, and afterwards going to visit my Dad & Yvonne. Presents were opened, dinner was eaten, fireworks were sent off into the sky (literally), a lot of laughs and happy memories were made. 

(This is my Dad and I):

Christmas Day was spent with Aiden's mother and granny. My Mom and Chris came to visit. We exchanged gifts and had a light dinner. I had baked cookies, made sandwiches, pasta salad, etc.  My Mom made a delicious caramel almond cake.

(My Mom): 

Moya enjoyed the holiday:

I enjoyed the holiday. It was wonderful to spend time with family, and to see smiles on faces. As I said it was pretty exhausting, traveling and getting everything ready. I slept really deeply last night and woke up entirely too late this morning, but I needed a recharge.

I hope the holidays were warm and full of love for you too. 

Gratitude Sunday

Today I'm joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for Gratitude Sunday.

This week I'm grateful for:

- The beautiful snow that started falling on Friday morning. It was breathtaking.
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- Having a nice lunch date with my mother.
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- Making a lot of progress on the scarf that I'm crocheting.
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- Homemade lemonade. It's so delicious.
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- Receiving my final grades for this semester, and feeling proud of myself.
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- Getting several books for my Kindle, and several from the library. I love reading new books.
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- Cuddling up on the couch with a blanket, a book, and Moya.
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- Going out to dinner with Aiden. It was yummy, and much needed.
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- Relaxing in a warm, cozy house, with candles lit and a propane heater going.
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- Video chatting with my Dad, who lives two hours away.
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- Lots of crafting, and discovering how to make easy, cute envelopes.

There's so much to be grateful for.

Lemon Candle

Last night we made a candle using a lemon & extra virgin olive oil.

We cut the top off of the lemon. The part of of the lemon that was left over we hulled out until there was a piece left in the middle that resembled a wick. Poured the oil in & lit the wick. The top peel that was left  we cut a hole in, & placed back on top of the lemon.

Smelled great!

{This Moment}

Today I'm joining Amanda at Soulemama for {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

........

Yucky Weather & What I'm Reading

The weather has been really yucky.

Heavy rains today and insane wind. The kind of wind that rattles your doors and windows, and forces you back when you're trying to walk down the street. Snow is in the forecast, so I decided to take my library books back and get a couple of new ones in case I'm home bound for a few days. I certainly couldn't be stuck indoors without a really good supply of books to keep me entertained.

Lately I've been completely absorbed in 'cozy little mysteries'. I'm reading all that I can find at the library and also buying several for my Kindle. They're so much fun, the characters are very likable, and the plots are light and interesting. My favorite authors are: Rhys Bowen, Alan Bradley, M.C. Beaton, Laura Childs, and Cleo Coyle. I'm sure I'm leaving out a few. 

Currently I'm reading Liver Let Die by Liz Lipperman. Apparently it's her first novel. I'm enjoying it quite a lot. 

Finds

Picked up these two awesome items for a total of $3 today. An eighty (he told me so) year old man had a table sat up in a parking lot on the side of the road. He was selling mostly old items. Interesting man. I saw these & couldn't pass them up. I love the herbs painted on the glass. I've always had a thing for old, retro cups. I really really love them. My Grandma had quite a collection of them. Maybe I'll have my own.