old year's end

My last few end of the year blog posts have been an overview of each month and each popular post from that month. This routine generally brought lots of smiles and giggles as I was reminded of all that had happened in that year. As I was looking through my Stats recently I realized that this post has been my most popular and most read post not only for the year, but for the entire short little life of my blog. And with that reminder of that post and the wonderful woman in that post, I smiled. Who knew Miss Momma would be so famous in the blog world?! 

2012 was a hard year. For many more reasons than the loss of Miss Momma. I haven't been blogging much since my computer was stolen and it wasn't until recently when I sat down to recreate my 2013 Snapfish picture calendar that I realized I didn't have my pictures from the majority of the year anymore. Bye bye laptop = bye bye pictures. Don't worry, most of the good ones of Freddiefriend are on my phone. Sigh of relief. 

But during this hard year, and especially during the past few months, I feel like I have had to grow up. Fast. Grow up mentally, emotionally, spiritually, you name it. Life is hard. And it isn't fair. And no matter how many times Mary Caroline told us that growing up, it took some big oh no no's to open my eyes and make me try to swim through the bad stuff. So there are bad days and you want to do nothing but sit down and cry, right? (and oh Lawdy, those days seem to have come in mass recently). But this is the end of the whole year. 365 days--we did it! We even lived through the end of the world...several times...We get to experience a whole new year!

And you know what? Good stuff always accompanies the gross bad stuff. I've seen and felt some of the deepest love and support from my family. And I hope I've reciprocated. Moore hugs and Moore laughter, please. (you know you love the last name jokes!) And the love and support from Freddie, whoa. I am 100% positive this FF man is the best thing. Period. He's so good I don't even need any of those "since sliced bread" type endings on there. 

So this day, December 31, this end of the year, is a reminder for all those other days, when you feel like life is dragging you down down down and you are never getting back up, that you will. And life will go on. And a new year will come. 

And now, may I present, 2012: A Short Picture Review. (very short. and more like the last 1/4 of 2012.) 

Thank God for sisters and their picture taking and their lending of computers.

no big deal. that's just the tulle skirt I got for Christmas.

Last but not least, not a picture from 2012, but still a mighty fine picture.

Happy New Year Everyone!

I have a feeling 2013 might knock our socks off a bit. At least, it better. 

her majesty

I kind of have a thing for Christmas trees. You know in Home Alone 2 when Kevin doesn't want to go to Florida for Christmas and his mom says they can decorate a palm tree and instead he ends up in New York and she finally finds him standing in awe under the Rockefeller tree? Yeah, that's me. Except, if I was lost in NYC I would be curled up crying somewhere. But for the sake of this post, let's pretend I am standing under the big tree. 

Growing up, we always went to cut our own trees. Brawny Russ Moore would take us out, saw in hand, and we would point and laugh and excitedly pick and cut down a little ole 6 footer. Then everything changed. We moved into a new house with high high ceilings. With high ceilings came taller trees. With taller trees came Russ Moore wanting to go to the nursery and have those brawny men bring our tree right to the car. Our first tree in this house was a 12 footer and baby, it was beautiful. Ever since then my sister and I have become the biggest tree s-n-o-b-s. It has to be at least...8.5 ft. 9 ft? 

And our tree this year is one of the best of the best. A real beauty. Full. Thick branches. Tall. You know, all the must-haves when it comes to trees.

The point of all this? Christmas trees are wonderful. And so I will now share some pictures of ours.

Side note: Now that I am all grown-up (gross) and living on my own I just couldn't stand to put up a tiny tree in my little house. We managed to get an 8 footer into Freddie's house, but I still consider the tree at my parent's house to be my tree since a) it is and b) I spend Christmas there. 

And now, ladies and gentlemen, may I present, Her Majesty, The Moore Family Christmas Tree.

p.s.- funny, I am actually in Florida right now. Not with a palm tree, but with a fiber optics tree. I managed to snap a few pictures of Her Highness before leaving for vacation.

I didn't have much time to delve into the ornaments, but just know that there are ornaments representing just about every aspect of life on this baby. 

like pointe shoes and Luke Skywalker, need I say more?

Linking up with Veronica. Check it out. And hey, how about you let me check out your tree too! ;)

favs on a friday

Thoughts on Tuesday. Friday Favs. Apparently I am all about alliteration on this blog now. Does that mean tomorrow has to be Saturday Stories? Or Saturday Scandals?? 

The possibilities are endless. 

However, this week is not endless (Thank God) and it has almost come to an end. What better way to celebrate than a short review of the good stuff?

1- The Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Freds and I went on Tuesday night and basked in the Christmasness. New word! Last night I had a dream that Freddie skipped around singing Christmas songs with me. If only that had happened here. 

2- Hand made gifts for our troupe students! Lindsey and I got creative (okay, Pinterest got creative for us) and made some of the best holiday gifts that any student shall ever receive. :)

3- A Poinsettia tree. I don't think this needs much more explanation. It is beautiful. And I love it. Period.

4- This is what you find when you go Christmas light looking in Georgia. Santa in the porta potty and Pooh (ehhh, anyone?) in line behind him. I feel so sorry for those of you living somewhere other than Georgia during the Holidays. 

What were your favorites this week?

Linking up with Rachel and Lauren. You should too!

baby, it's cold(ish) outside

Tuesday thoughts (and facts, I say!):

Wow, I'm almost done with my first semester of teaching!

The only downside to teaching little twinkled toe girls in Atlanta is this:

So uh, what's the fastest route home? Trick question. There isn't one!

The candy man ain't got nothing on Freddiefriend the cotton candy man. This is the result of going "Christmas shopping for other people." Imagine me doing the obnoxious quote unquote gesture here. One cotton candy machine equals one very excited Freddie. And excited Freddie just happens to be the best.

Last and certainly not least, this time next week I will be here. No, not here on the blog. Here, Disney World!

Christmas at Disney is more magical than Christmas at the North Pole. Even Santa agrees, I'm sure. Eee! 

What are you thinking about on this fine Tuesday?

Linking up with Helene.

while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads

My most recent post was about my favorite moments from November. I thought I would shake things up a bit and talk about something that has yet to happen (but soon will!) in December that is making me wet my pants with excitement. 

Too much?

This is the time of year for many things: family, friends, giving, cookies, holiday music, lights, decorations, eating, and...The Nutcracker. (the ballet. Although, it's the time of year for the doll too).

This 23 year old is missing her good ole Nutcracker dancing days so badly this year. If I could go back to painful rehearsal toes and hard to dance in partnering tutus, I think I would do it in a heartbeat right now. But ask me right now, because I might change my mind after thinking about that for a minute... Maybe it's because I've had enough time away from it or maybe it's because I teach little girls who really do have visions of sugar plum (fairies!), either way I find myself  waltzing down the Target aisles when Waltz of the Flowers is on the speakers, or doing the Sugar Plum menage around the living room. My nutty feet just cannot stop. I won't make them!

Freddiefriend got us some tickets and we are headed to see the Nutcracker next week. I fully anticipate to sit on the edge of my seat with pure glee. I fully anticipate Freddie to be doing the same thing. Hello?! First or fiftieth time seeing the Nutcracker is magical. And Christmas-y. And perfect. 

My twinkle toes are ready. Are yours?

Blast from the Past Crackin' Nuts pictures starting now: