12 More Reasons to Love My Husband

Over the Christmas break I watched one of my all time favorite movies: You've Got Mail.  I love the scene when Kathleen Kelly (Shopgirl) and Joe Fox (NY152) are at the outdoor market shooting off  ideas for the meaning of the NY152 email handle...  

He comes up with, " ..He's a hundred and fifty-two years old. He's had one hundred and fifty-two moles removed, so now he's got one hundred fifty-two pock marks on his... on his face... Mr. 152 Felony indictments. "

Her thoughts are, " ...The number of people who think he looks like Clark Gable. Mr. 152 insights into my soul." 

I especially love the ending scene after the two have spent the afternoon together as Joe and Kathleen and she is preparing to meet NY152 for the 'first' time.  It is a struggle because Shopgirl can't imagine wanting to meet anyone other than Joe Fox, with whom she has spent the last week with as a result of NY152's 'Tweeking'. Anyway, there are at least 152 more reasons that I think it is a lovely story.

And thus it brings me to the Sweet ending to the 12-Days of Christmas treasure trove of 2011.  12 Drummers Drumming turned out to be a CD with 12 handpicked songs with the titles beginning with You're the Inspiration, Crazy, Best Was Yet to Come, Somewhere Down the Road, The Cello's song, Will You Still Love Me, Faithfully, Somewhere Somehow, Madrona, Who Needs to Dream, After All these Years, and One More Day.  All meaningful to my journey with my husband over the last 25 years. 

All in all, for me,  it was just 12 more reasons to love my husband.  What an amazing Christmas it has been!

Christmas Baking, Lords of Leaping and Piping Hot Tea....

Every year I set aside a whole day with my best college girlfriend, Deanna, and we bake our heads off.  We start at the crack of dawn and by the end of the day we manage to have pumped out about 10 different delectable naughties.  Most of the concoctions consist of  sinful ingredients such as:  chocolate chips, butter, brown sugar, coconut and peanut butter.  This year, I thought I would store my sealed containers on my back deck.  It's about 35 degrees outside and thankfully the raccoon family that used to live in our backyard has vacated for good, so I didn't see any harm.  Last night I slept restless wondering if any critters would bother the treats and woke to find all well on deck.  Just this afternoon however, I heard munching outside the window and sure enough, a mama squirrel had bitten a whole in the side of the Tupperware box!  Talk about invasion of privacy!  Shees!

That got me thinking about the 12 Days of Christmas Surprise that I have been the recipient of.  My husbands incredible goodwill. Some of these gifts are so tender, so personal.  I am humbled by his kindness and the detail and thought he has put to each days treasure.  Last nights treasure epitomized the whole essence of the activity for me.  His twist on the Lords of Leaping was certainly different than mine.  In fact, I hadn't the foggiest idea of what he would come up with.  So, as I opened up my computer last night, out came the index card and then a packet of papers stapled at the corner. For the next hour, I read through my watery eyes, my husband's thoughts on how his testimony of our Lord "Leaps" in his heart,  through 10 of his favorite scriptures. WOW.  Truly amazing.  I am blessed. 

Now I think I will steep me some Piping Hot Tea from my 11 Pipers Piping treasure of today..... (it was a stretch, but it works.) 
Cheers and Merry Christmas~!

With these Treats comes a Price....

It's the price everyone pays during the holidays...  a little more heft around the waistline.  So, needless to say I have gained 5 pounds this week!  Number eight just added to it.  Number 9- helped take it away.... 

Eight Maids a Milking:  I had to wait all day for this one, but it was worth it.  There is a milkshake that I love from Burgerville that comes around in January/February.  Chocolate Hazelnut.  It's the BEST!  Our family has come up with a close rendition of the milkshake using hazelnut syrup, Ferrero Rocher chocolates, chocolate sauce and ice cream.  (Think:... a billion calories).  So for this surprise, I was treated with a Wallis Hazelnut chocolate shake surrounded by 8 Ferrero Rocher chocolates with toothpicks sticking out the center with little princess head stickers.  They looked like little maids with big skirts!  So clever.  So fattening! So delicious!

Nine Ladies Dancing:  I have to say that this has been one of my favorites so far.  I have been so impressed with these surprises, that I am really speechless when they are presented.  Last night I received the traditional index card that states:  On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.... 9 ladies dancing.  There was a card underneath the index card and on the front of the card were miniature pictures of nine ladies dancing.  Above each picture there is a small hole punch circle with a number- so 9 numbers... right?  Inside the card it says:  This is no ordinary card; it is a special "Nine Ladies Dancing" card.  It is good for 9 special dances with your True Love.  Only one dance is redeemable each month, so you can enjoy the dancing throughout the coming months.  After each dance, I will hole punch your dance card until you my lovely lady, have had nine dances.  Awwwww. 

I redeemed the first one right then.  We danced to Michael Buble's- 'Everything'.  The End.

Seven Swans a Swimming in My Bathtub

You might think what I thought seeing 7 paper oragami swans  floating on cardboard pedestals in my bathtub. Ooooh, how absoluted beautiful and sweet. There are 7 Swans of Swimming in my Bathtub.  My husband leaned over my shoulder and asked me to pick one up.  As I reached down to grab the paper swan, I noticed that not just one swan, but all of the swans were made out of gift certificates!  There were 7 gift certificates for Lovely Nails nail salon floating on cardboard pedestals in my bathtub!  Now that takes thought. And Love.  Thank you honey for making my day! grin

Christmas Surprises

I love surprises. I love them so much that once on my 30th birthday, my husband surprised me with a weekend Get away.  I was told what to pack, but not where we were going. I thought we might be heading out the Gorge or to the San Juan Islands,  afterall, I knew it wouldn't be too far from home as I had a 6 month old nursing baby at home!  When we turned into the Portland Airport parking garage, my heart skipped a dozen beats and I began panicking all at the same time at the thought of leaving my baby a 2 hour flight behind and praying I'd packed the breast pump! 

Imagine my thrill at receiving a 'love-letter' upon waking on the 14th of December.  Not just any old love letter, but rather an old fashioned love letter with a homemade rendition of the 12-days of Christmas.  This week has been one surprise after another.

Day 1: I received a glass blown partridge with a white flowing feather tail, perched in a miniature white wire tree with paper pears dangling from each branch.
Day 2: A yummy box of Carmel pecan Turtles and a bottle of Dove body wash
Day 3: 3 French Crullers with paper hens poking out of the tops
Day 4:  A phone call from my hubby and a Christmas bouquet with 4 Birds of Paradise
Day 5: Five Gold Presidential $1 coins
Day 6: A 6 egg quiche delivered while laying in bed.

Tomorrow is Day 7.  Any guesses what 7 Swans of swimming will be??

Priceless Pieces and other Valuable Nuggets...

I found an exquisite vase at a garage sale recently.  It was marked $1 and I thought- what the heck?  If I get sick of it, I could always sell it and perhaps make a little profit.  Upon returning home, curiousity got the best of me. I looked at the artists signature at the bottom of the vase. Was it Tillin or Rillin or Nillin?  I couldn't be sure.

Imagine my surprise when my little vase with the lovely dancing ladies popped up on a search.  Turns out it was created by artist Polia Pillin (1909-1992).  Born in Poland, Pillin immigrated to the US and made a successful career as an artist.  Her art today fetches a great deal and the value of my vase neighbors in the market of $1200-1800. 

What a find!

Isn't it interesting the values we place on our stuff?  Moreover, I marvel at how much stuff we actually acquire! There are some things in life that you just can't put a price on however. I've listed my top 3. 

My priceless stuff:
1. My faith
2. My family
3. My Health
...(and down the list somewhere, in some silly way, I might add my little Pillin vase)
 
May you and yours have a joyous Thanksgiving holiday!
To Wellness,
Maryalice


As the holidays sneak upon us, let us all take 5 seconds (or more) to think upon the things we place values on... even the stuff that we value priceless...

Lyme Bites and other Sad Tales and Farewells

• I walked into my doctor's clinic today only to receive the bad news. Johnny died. No Not Johnny, I thought.  So unfair.  I recently wrote about him in my blog- We were IV roommates.  Lyme really bites. When I left the clinic the words that came to my mind were- "Johnny goes marching home."  I know that without a shadow of a doubt that Johnny will be welcomed home and will talk and walk again.  Bless you Johnny.  You will be missed.   

• Other sad news- my sweet friend Sarah passed away on Friday.  A more amazing woman would be hard to find.  She suffered for the last 2 years with Multiple Myeloma. Her wonderful husband and 6 beautiful children will be most at a loss not seeing her smiling face and feeling her daily courage.  I will miss my dear friend and I have a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes just thinking about her. Good bye sweet Sarah.  The Heaven's welcome you and you are now in our Father's arms.

• Even though I am in treatment again, I know it will only be a short time.  I have been blessed.  I thank my Father in Heaven daily for my life, for my family and friends. 

• One of the things I am most thankful for is Max.  It has given me a chance to live again.  Please have the courage to try it for yourself. www.max.com/255092 

  

Blessings to you for a marvelous day.  It's a great day to be alive!
To Wellness,
Maryalice