Never trust a man who doesn't take the time to watch a sunset

This has been my setting every night for the past week...

I spent the week at Cape San Blas with the lovely Rivers' kids and ever so wonderful (and wise!) Helen. No matter what we were doing (kids running around, dinner being cooked, TV on, books in hand, etc., etc.) the sunset became like a giant magnet pulling our eyes towards it. Life as we knew it paused or plaused as Righton would say and we all stood, eyes glued straight ahead and mouth possibly wide open, and watched the sun disappear.

After marveling one night one Helen turned to me and said, "Never trust a man who doesn't take the time to watch a sunset." So watch out, men of the world, I'm testing you.

On a completely different side note, I don't speak html. I chose to take Latin and French as my languages growing up which apparently was a bad choice. So, long story short, my blog really dislikes my lack of html knowledge and isn't cooperating with the big makeover changes I had in mind. In fact, it is even changing the way I originally had it, just because. This change will happen---one day. Just keep anxiously waiting on the edge of your computer chair seat but don't sit there and continually press REFRESH. Time to go learn html and computer gibberish. Or find an html-ian who is bored...

Heaven on Earth

Ooh heaven is a place on earth.

It's true. Heaven really is a place (or a few places) on earth. And I went to this earthly heaven on Saturday. 

That's right, my friends. I am speaking of the one, the only Whole Foods Market. I cannot express the joy and excitement I get whenever we run out of enough food and are in desperate need of a run up to the big ATL to experience the magic of Whole Foods. Saturday, after lots of pushing and bribing on my part, turned into one of those run up to ATL days. And it was perfect. 

After walking up and down every aisle, admiring everything from the adzuki beans to the naan pizza to the freshly cut organic pineapple to the ever so tempting chocolate fountain, I was definitely humming "oooh heaven is a place one earth..." in my head. Not gonna lie, there is no shame in some wholesome Whole Foods love. 

On a side note, my sister is obsessed with half birthdays. Let me take that back, my sister is obsessed with HER half birthday; however, it didn't take her (or my mom) but a few hours into the fine day of January 15 to pipe up and inform me that it was, indeed, my half birthday. Cause for celebration? I think YES. 

As if spending a day baha-ing up to Whole Foods wasn't enough, I topped off the ATL trip with a run to COSTCO. Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious. Heavens. Alive. Could the day have gotten any better? Really? Days like this make for a happy and giddy little MLE Moore. 

See?

sooo happy and a totally believable picture

Anyways, to make a long and spectacular story of grocery buying short, we ended the day with some chaulet (a.k.a.-chocolate for those of you are not in the know). Perfection. I think I now get why my sister likes half birthdays so much...

Last thing, I've been stalking some overly precious and adorable blogs lately. I'm thinking Yippee! is headed straight to a teeny weeny makeover. Stay tuned. 

Let It Ice, Let It Ice, Let It Ice

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so... oh wait, there's no fire burning here, but the space heater is pretty delightful. It's the blizzard of 2011--dun dun dun. 2-5 inches of snow turned into more like a "snow sandwich" consisting of a layer of ice, a layer of snow, and another layer of ice. A crunchy, slippy and very cold mess. My dog would rather cross her legs and hold it all day than have to face the scary ice world.

Agenda for the day:
1) Sit under blankets.
2) Eat a somewhat excessive amount of chocolate (preferably dark chocolate).
3) Watch an infinite amount of rented TV shows. Bring it on Big Love, Private Practice, and Royal Pains.

P.S.-Thank you, Weather Channel for keeping us in the know about  the impending blizzard so that we were able to hit up Hastings just in time to get all the goods before the Ice Queen showed her wrath to Newnan.

Accomplishments for the day:

1) CHECK. Double check.

2) Check, thank goodness for receiving dark chocolate as a Christmas present.

3) Still in the process of checking. We're gone through the trials and tribulations of Juniper Creek and having 3 wives in suburbia, moved over to the drama ridden doctor offices of Oceanside Wellness, and now finishing it off with some high class concierge doctor treatment from good ole Hank. 

Anyone want to come ice skating on the ice rink formally known as the Moore family front yard?

So, with that being said, time to go curl back up under my blanket, put a piece of chocolate in my mouth, and watch Hank save some Hamptonians? Hamptonites? People of the Hamptons. 

Hope y'all can stay warm! Freezing is no fun.

In 2011 I will...

New Year Resolutions. 

You've all made them at one point or another. So, what are we going to work on in 2011? Some of the usual like I will spend more time with family and friends, I will lose weight, I will spend more time reading, I will exercise everyday. Yeah yeah yeah, those are all well and good, but how much time have you added reading? spending time with fam? losing weight? You know how we played "let's take a good look at what we are thankful for" at Thanksgiving? We are going to do a New Year's version! Get ready. I am about to get down and figure out what I will really be resolving this year.

This year I will not have bangs. The cowlick inspired horn I had when I was a bangs head and three years old was obviously not enough to scare me away from the fringe forever. I experimented with the bangs (and the horn) again this year. Bad decisions all around. 2011 will be a bangs free year. Period.

This year I will smile more. Now, don't let this resolution fool you--it may sound like the usual default resolution, but it is not. I don't mean smile in the "I smile in the cheesy 24/7 no matter what happens" kind of way. Trust me, I've been on stage many times I know how tiring smiling can get. Ahh, the memories of achy, shaky cheeks or Vaseline on my teeth... But I am going to take my normal facial stance of mouth open/blank stare and make it more of an open mouth smile. That'll work, right?

This year I will learn how to prepare fondue. We got a fondue set for Christmas. Poor Russell had no idea what fondue was. After thoroughly explaining it to him he exclaimed, "Oh, so it's a snack?!" I have to make fondue so that I can give my father proper knowledge and culture.

This year I will run a 5k. And I really will, I've already registered and gotten all ready(ish) for my first 5k in February. So, even if I don't feel ready and I end up walking/jogging it, it is going to sneak up on me and I will do it. Santa brought me some nice running shoes :) He is such a helpful, resolution enforcing man.

Speaking of Santa, he also brought me this whole notepad of meal planning each week of the year. YES PLEASE. This year I will eat at home more and cook for my family. (They will eat healthier and looove all my cooking, of course). Minus Ann, she doesn't count for this one. Time to go use that new Williams and Sonoma gift card. And crack open that new cookbook. What goodies will we be eating?!

This year I will go to Disney. Shocking, I know. Disney is the best vacation of all and I'm sure I'll be needing the some of the best vacations this year. Obviously this resolution is code for I WILL VISIT MY LOVELY BROTHER LOTS BECAUSE I MISS HIM DEARLY.

There are lots of more things I hope to accomplish this year. This is the just the beginning of the list to bring me over into the beginning of the new year. The "older" I get (I am so old, chut up) the faster time seems to fly. I know just about everyone says this as they get older, but now I have realized how much truth is in that saying! 2010 was a busy year full of unexpected surprises, some good and some not so good. Was it a bad year? No way! (Especially because I survived, imagine that...) How can a year be bad when it is full of love from family, support from friends, ballet classes (and bruised toenails), pilates classes (iiiit's teaser time), drum lessons (a.k.a- therapy sessions), and babysitting and spending time with lots of precious little kiddies. That's right, the answer is it can't be bad and lawd knows it was far from it.

So, here's to a new year! Full of some new things, some old, some good, some bad, but I can't wait to start my new (bangs free, smiling, fondue eating, 5k running, meal planning, Disney going) year!

**HAPPY 2011**

On the twelfth day of Christmas...

MY TRUE LOVES GAVE TO ME:

a Gingerbread house

Oh my lawd, we made it. We made it to the twelfth day of Christmas (crafting). We have learned lots of things: how to make ridiculously cute garlands, fun fusions are more fun than Lego's, and that Martha Stewart crafts are a no-go. Sorry Martha, I'm just being real. Today's craft was no breeze, but we called in the trusty Uncle John to help us complete our gbread house. His skills extend to fixing broken toilets/sinks/light fixtures, lighting Christmas trees, fixing leaky roofs, AND building gingerbread houses. When I say building, I mean legit building. The only thing we did not have to do was bake the gingerbread. Other than that, it was up to our architectural abilities to successfully build the house. 

When I say "we" built it, I mean Uncle John, of course.

The directions said to wait an hour before attaching roof. 30 minutes sounded better to us.

We love candaaaay!

We are (UJ is) so artistic.

Caroline helps (by eating candy...) so we don't have to work as hard putting it on the house.

We (UJ) did it! Yummy yummy gingerbread housey.

I must give a shout out to Uncle John who, even when the walls continuously cave in, doesn't give up. Maybe he'll get an extra Christmas present tomorrow ;)

Ok, let's review our past 12 days of super duper amazing great Christmas fun-ness. Ready? Sing with me! 

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true loves gave to me,

Not 12, but 1 gingerbread house!

Not 11, but 2 Martha Stewart (gr) coasterish things!

Martha Stewart (gr) glittered snowflakes!

a hand painted sun catcher!

8 (even though there all aren't in the picture) fun fusion ornaments!

6 (even though there are only 3 here) felt ornaments!

Picture frame ornaments (don't fret, Ann's is done now).

a Saaaanta (slight crooked) boooooblehead

Reindeer headbands (and cute faces)

yummy (fun) sprinkled brownies

wooden colored (and glitterfied) ornaments

AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS ADORBS GARLAND.

Good singing everyone. Now it is time to go leave Santa some cookies and milk and go to bed!

Merry(Happy) Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!