November 9th, 2013

I am incredibly grateful for Christmas music.
I have a rule that as long as it's November, Christmas music is allowed.
There is an exception to that rule:  Christmas hymns are allowed whenever, all year long.

Just today I was playing O Come, O Come Emmanuel on the piano and my spirits were lifted 100 percent.  There are verses in that song that I never knew existed and they are wonderful.

For instance,

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

and open wide our heav'nly home,

make safe the way that leads on high,

that we no more have cause to sigh.

And,

O come, Desire of the nations, bind

in one the hearts of all mankind;

bid every strife and quarrel cease

and fill the world with heaven's peace. 

 

 

Tell me that those aren't just the most wonderful things to sing about.

There is something about Christmas hymns that just gives me such a sense of peace.  I was singing some of my favorites tonight and Kyle said from the other room, "I love Christmas music."  I told him that I did also and that I feel my voice was made for Christmas music.  I love to sing and I'm pretty decent at it.  I'm better than most reality housewives if that gives you an idea of my ability.  But, when I sing Christmas music, there is something that just fits.  I told Kyle, "I feel as if singing Christmas music is what I was made to do."  There is not really anything in the world that makes me feel like that.

For years and years now, I've wanted to be a known recording artist simply so I could record a Christmas album of my own.  I really care about nothing else but the Christmas album.  When I was younger and I was taking piano lessons, my teacher would gripe at me so much because I NEVER practiced.  I hated practicing . . . until Christmas would come along.  Around Christmas, she would get me Christmas piano books full of my favorite songs.  I would practice the ones I was supposed to work on and go ahead in the book to the others because I love Christmas music that much.

It's a dream of mine to one day record a Christmas album and it's one I really hope I see happen one day.

If you are one of those "Don't listen to Christmas music til after Thanksgiving people," you are missing out.  Capitalize on your time with the best music of the year.

Some of my other favorites are:

O Holy Night
Silent Night
Away in a Manger
I'll Be Home for Christmas
White Christmas
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Santa, Baby
Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Angels We Have Heard on High


Xoxo,

Nicole

P.S. - I'm SO excited for all things Christmas!!!!!!

November 6th, 7th, and 8th

Today's blog will have to include Wednesday, Thursday, and today.
Wednesday I got the migraine of a century which spilled over into Thursday.
All I wanted to do Wednesday and Thursday was sleep and cut my head off, so I didn't get around to writing about what I was thankful for.
Although I didn't feel like writing about it, I did think about it very much.

November 6th, 2013
Tuesday night I was laying in bed, almost asleep, and I heard my brother's text ringer and I told Kyle, "I really want to know what that says but my phone is on the charger."  I decided to wait until the morning.  Wednesday morning I woke up and checked my phone for all the missed notifications and read my brother's text.  All it said was, "You're very thoughtful and it's something I wish I was better at.  Just wanted to tell you."

I'm very grateful that I have a brother who is not afraid to lift me up and encourage me.
I really was blessed with the best brother.
Not only has he been a protector for me, he has been someone I look up to.
He always jokes that the first three years of his life were the best because I wasn't around yet, but I know that's not true.
We had the best childhood and we were always best friends.

My brother is genuine, sensitive, creative, and makes friends better than anyone I know.
Seriously, it's the thing about him that I wish I was more like.
I go somewhere new and make friends about a year later, or right when I have to leave.
My brother goes somewhere new and makes friends within like 5 minutes.

He also is really great at keeping in touch with all of his friends.
I am terrible at this.  It's one of my flaws.
I admire the time he puts into keeping in touch with friends.

He is smart.
He is accepting.
He is funny.
He is kind.

I am grateful for my brother.

Christmas - circa 1991

Seattle - March 2009

November 7th, 2013

On Thursday, I was most grateful for Benadryl.  I keep Benadryl in my medicine cabinet for my migraines.  Yes, you read that right.  I know Benadryl is for allergies, but for me it's for migraines.  Benadryl KNOCKS me out.  When I have a migraine all I want is to sleep or for someone to cut my head off.  It is not very rational to have someone cut my head off, so I choose to sleep through it.  That's where the Benadryl comes in.  I am able to take some at noon, sleep until 7, and then go right back to sleep at 9 and sleep another 10 hours.  I know, it's a lame thing to be grateful for, but I don't know what I would do without it.  I might cut my head off. 

P.S. - When I was younger and my family took long road trips my parents Benadryled my brother and I.  We woke up at our destination and my parents didn't have to hear "Are we there yet?" a million times.  It's genius.  We joke about it now.  Don't worry, they were good parents.  I personally liked sleeping until we got there. :)

November 8th, 2013

I am grateful for weekends.  I love having two days off to just recharge and be with my family.  I love not having to be anywhere.  I love having two full days just to ourselves.  I feel bad for people that have to work on the weekends because every week I look forward to Friday so much. 

My third grade teacher used to write T.G.I.F on the white board every Friday.  I always used to think, "Why is she so excited about Friday?"  That was probably because when you are a kid (and a nerd who liked school) Friday was just like any other day.  Now, as an adult, I wish I had a giant white board to write T.G.I.F. on every Friday.  I get it.  Thank God It's Friday!  Seriously, I thank God for Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays.

The weekend has arrived, people.  Take it in.  :)

Xoxo,

Nicole

November 5th, 2013

Today, I'd like to thank Jesus for my puppy, Mr. Tumnus.
More affectionately known as, Tummy.

Never in my life did I think I could love an animal as much as I love my little buddy.

I am grateful that nobody else wanted him.
I am grateful that he was so quiet and shy when I first met him (a kindred spirit.)
I am grateful that he is not the smartest breed because I'm convinced it makes for a better personality.
I am grateful that he rarely barks.
I am grateful that he is not scary.
I am grateful for the smiles he puts on the faces of people who see him with his head out my window.
I am grateful that he has so many weird habits like eating bugs on his back.
I am grateful that even when I have to get on to him, he wants to be close to me.
I am grateful that he follows me all over my house.
I am grateful that he is such a kind dog.
I am grateful that he is a cuddle bug.
I am grateful he jumps on us when we come home.   I know, la la la, dogs shouldn't jump, la la la.  I like it.  It makes me excited to come home.

There are so many times a day that either Kyle or I say, "That's my favorite thing he does," and it's always something different.  Clearly, we have trouble with just having one favorite.

The following list are just some of my favorite things about Mr. Tumnus.

1.  The excitement that follows me asking, "Do you want to go on a walk?"  He can be dead asleep and be asked that question and the response is always the same.  He jumps up, circles himself a million times, runs and jumps at whoever is in the room, runs and jumps up on the door, and then finally jumps up excitedly at the front gate.

2. The way he pokes his head through our bathroom door.  We have a really weird accordion type door and he always pushes a little bit of it open and then pokes his face in between it. 

3.  The way he rushes to our bedroom when either of us says, "Do you want to go to bed?"  He absolutely LOVES going to our bed. 

4.  The way he is cuddles up by us in the mornings.

5.  The way he cocks his head to the side when I ask him questions.

6.  The way he darts through the house so insanely fast and jumps off the back of the couch when we play chase.

7.  The way he follows me everywhere around the house and how he sits patiently waiting on me to go back to wherever I was before.

8.  The way he sits in the middle of the hallway when Kyle and I are in opposite rooms because his heart is torn as to who he should be with.

9.  The way he lays on our chest when we are laying on the couch.

10.  They way he really will cuddle with anyone who will let him.

11.  The way he digs and digs at the mattress and moves the blankets and pillows with his nose to get the perfect spot ready.

12.  The way he peeks his head in the shower if someone is in there.

13.  The way he paces while he is eating food.  He rarely just sits and eats his food.

14.  The way he looks out the window when Kyle or I leave.

15.  The way he LOVES company. 

16.  The way he races to the kitchen when he hears me open what sounds like the bag of carrots.  He loves carrots so much.

17.  The way having him around makes me talk like a complete fool.  It's beyond baby talk.  It's a problem. 


He is just the best dog and is constantly making me laugh.  He is a great pick-me-up after a long day or a bad day.  He is so excited to see me even if I just run to the car. 

I am so grateful for his company when Kyle is not around.  He really is man's best friend.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of my little bear.  

Everyone says I look like a Teddy Bear; I don't get it.

Cuddling with Daddy.

May I come in, please?

Wait, where are you going?!

Sigh.

If I lay on the sheets she won't be able to make the bed and she will have to cuddle.

Kisses from my best friend.

Having once lived under the reign of the White Witch, I don't mind a little snow.

OU fan.

Can you please open the door?

No Shave November.

I don't think TSA will notice me.

First night with the new guys.

My hair was so dark when I was a puppy.

Nothing better than snuggling with mom and dad on a lazy Sunday.

Patiently waiting for mom to come join us in the living room.

Deep in thought.

She takes way too many pictures.

I know you are trying to clean in there, but please let me in.

Exploring Narnia.

I hope if you have a dog or a cat, that you love them as much as I love this little guy.


Xoxo,

Nicole

November 4th, 2013

Today, I am thankful for my job.
I'm thankful for the fact that I have a job in general.
More specifically, I am thankful that I have a great job.

A job is a job and as with any job, there are moments of frustration.
But, those moments are far fewer than the great moments.

The greatest thing about my job is that I have free time to spend with Kyle and Mr. Tumnus.
 
My job allows me to have most of my mornings to get things done around my house, hang out with the pup, see Kyle more, and just do whatever the heck I want.
My job pays the bills.
My job allows me to be around a wonderful family.
My job is really training for the only job I've ever really wanted: Being a mom.
My job is super random.
My job allows me a lot of alone time, which I love.
My job is very flexible and something new every day.
My job is not a 9-5 (Bless those of you that have one of those.)
My job allows me time off to see my family and go on vacation with my husband.
My job is not really a job.
My job is not something I dread.
My job allows me to be around children without having to make lesson plans, do paperwork, or stress about teacher related things.

All in all, my job is really great and I'm very thankful for it.

This is a picture of me and the three children I nanny.

xoxo,

Nicole

November 3rd, 2013

Today, I am thankful for books. 

I am thankful for the writers of books and for their imaginations.  My imagination is so small and I love how a good book can really make me feel like I am a part of another world or someone else's life.  It's a wonderful thing to be able to escape for a little while to Narnia, or Hogwarts, or the Upper East Side of Manhattan. 

I am old school about books.  I do not like and will not ever like electronic readers.  E-readers to me are the worst thing to happen since i-Tunes.  There is just something about going to the library and scanning the shelves for a new book to read.  I love to sit in a chair with a blanket and hold a book.  I like taking my book with me places.  I like that people can see what I am reading and inquire about it.  I like when someone else is reading a book I can see what they are reading. 

I hope that books do not ever go out of style.  I hope they don't vanish the way VHS did when the DVD came along. 

Books smell good.  I love the smell of books.  I love the way the library smells when you enter it.  If I had my dream house, it would have a library built into it where I could just collect books and have them on display like some of these homes http://www.architecturaldigest.com/decor/2011-10/home-libraries-slideshow

Here are just ten of my favorite books:

Xoxo,

Nicole

November 1st and 2nd

I shall join in, a day late, on the November Thankfulness fun.  I will be attempting to say one thing of which I am thankful for every day during the month of November.

I'm going to combine November 1st and November 2nd in this one blog.

November 1st-

I am thankful for Jesus.  It is evident every day that the blessings He has given me are way more than I deserve.  Truly, I deserve none of it.  Everything that I am thankful for in my life is in some way because of Him.  Nothing of importance in my life would be possible without Him.  It is amazing how even when I feel like a terrible human being, He loves me.  There is always something that can be learned from Him; always something to model myself after.  I am thankful for my relationship with Him and for His constant guidance in my life.  The most amazing thing about Him is that He gives as much to everyone else as He gives to me.

In my life, there are times when I think, "I just can't give any more of myself today."  I get tired and often have the tendency to want to be selfish and I give into those tendencies from time to time.  Sometimes, I'm just spent thinking that I've been taken advantage of or that I'm giving way more than someone else is.  I am reminded often when I step back and think about all I have, that it shouldn't matter how much I have given or how much I feel someone else has not; I am called to serve and to be a reflection of Him.  I fall short every day, but I am thankful for the gentle reminders of what giving is really about.  He gives, and gives, and gives of Himself without ever asking for anything in return.  This is love and for this example of love, I am grateful.

My calendar for the month of November has this picture and while it is clearly not Jesus (or the Jesus people always put in paintings) it is a great visual of how much Jesus gives of Himself daily. 

November 2nd-

I am thankful for my husband.  There are many petty things about my husband to be thankful for; such as the way he takes my glasses off when I fall asleep reading or the way he opens the car door for me every time we go anywhere together.  Those things and so many other things are wonderful and make me feel very loved; but, I am thankful for much more than that.  I am thankful that my husband is a follower of Christ.  I am thankful that his relationship with Christ drives his choices and actions. 

I am thankful that He is a thinker and that He is critical of himself.  This is not something that many people are great at.  I think it is human nature to first be critical of others and wish that they would change things about themselves.  Kyle is critical of himself more than anyone else and has the ability to see his weaknesses and work on them.

If we are having the occasional argument, he is never rash.  He often will speak so slowly because he really thinks about what he says before he says it.  I am the complete opposite.  I tend to say whatever comes to my mind and in the heat of the moment it can be really snarky and bratty.  The whole time I am being this way I'm looking at my husband thinking, "How is he so calm?"  That's just Kyle.  He is calm, rational, and laid back.  All of these things challenge me because I tend to be irrational and high-strung. 

I am thankful for a husband that makes me want to be the best version of myself and that God placed me with someone who can teach me how to be all the things that I am not. 

Plus, look how insanely handsome he is.  Way out of my league.