Home (On the 9th Day of Christmas)

Today, while looking through old things, I found this poem I wrote many many years ago and thought it was sweet. I was obviously not a great writer...

Home

Home is

singing in the shower,

my sister scaring me when I am dancing along

in my room,

looking at my clothes trying to figure

out what to wear. 

Home is where I 

hug my piglet late at night, 

watch movies in the dark, 

smell the food my dad cooks each night

for dinner, 

looking out my window and seeing a full moon. 

Home is me throwing the ball for my dog as she runs after it. 

Home is 

a special place no one can make for you.

Home is celebrating holidays with my family. 

I love my home. 

After reading this, I decided to try and write another poem in the same model about what home means to me today. Excuse my horrible writing and cliches. 

Home

Home is 

the taste of sweet dr. pepper 

just chilled perfectly on ice.

Home is

watching the stars dance across the sky 

while laying on my bed late at night; 

my skylight like a window into the universe so much bigger than me. 

Home is

the good things and the bad things, the little things and the big things, the overwhelming things and the underwhelming things, the surprises and the expectations,  all rolled up into one.  

It is being able to watch tv, or to read a book, or to take a bath all alone, and know that someone who is loving and who is caring will be waiting for you when you are done. 

Lately, home is listening to my mom play the hymns on the piano all through the holiday season.

For me, like some aspects of family, home is ever changing and adapting and like all the sayings say, home is not a place. 

Home is the feeling you get when your dogs greet you everyday without fail. 

Home is feelings, home is tastes, smells, sounds, and all those people who have ever touched you. Home is memories and moments that replay in your mind like little movies. 

Home is not just one thing, it is a montage. It is like a quilt that constantly grows. 

I love my home. 

The Evaluation

The latest video from HPN productions. It is, as I like to see it, a window into each of our souls and it reveals a little bit about our personalities.

That Awesome Moment When...

A very exciting event occurred tonight as I opened my Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, not to find one piece of brown wrapping paper around my sweet delicious treat, but four!!! In the past, I have had them double wrapped but never have I experienced a quadruple wrapping! I felt quite special. It made my day.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas

Tonight, I decorated cookies for Santa with Grace and her family. Although none of my cookies turned out quite that way that I had envisioned them, it was super fun! 

I hope Santa likes them!

On the Seventh Day of Christmas

Recently, in the past few years, I have started a new tradition with myself: to read Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris during Christmas time. No matter how many times I reread this book, it just never gets old! 

To everyone who loves witty, hilarious stories about the Holiday Season this book is for you! 

Holidays are stressful times already but this book always makes me chuckle. 

Read it! You won't regret it!

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

I always dread wrapping all of the christmas gifts, but this year I really tried to make them nice and pretty (In past years, my wrapping skills have been made fun of tremendously!)

I learned that this white wool string from Anthropology is adorable and super easy to use! I also loved their beautiful wrapping papers!! However, it is pretty expensive, so when I ran out I just went all hipster and used newspaper!! I think it looks pretty cool actually! 

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

I have never decorated my upstairs as much as I did this year! In fact, I normally think that rainbow christmas lights are among the tackiest things in the world, but this year I did not feel the same way. So I spent a few hours tacking up some lights all around my play room in the windows. I cannot explain how rewarding the feeling is when you plug in all the lights at the end and they all come on. It is just magical. 

Gold On the Ceiling (Black Keys)

What could be better than bubbles, streamers, hamburgers and no school? I am loving this christmas break!

On the Fourth Day Of Christmas

Okay, so I found this while shopping and I thought it was utterly adorable. It might have been a waste of money because I later learned that I can make my own (possibly happening next week) but it makes me so happy! So for now, it was definitely a good purchase!

Doronophobia

I had a great night last night celebrating the birthday of my friend Hailey! Thank you to all my friends for some fun memories!

I wish I could dance like Regine

It's finally here... and it might be magic.

On the Third Day of Christmas

I love the last day of school before christmas break because all my friends are always in holiday garb! It always puts a smile on my face to see their big chunky sweaters, festive socks, and antlers!

The King and All of His Men (Wolf Gang)

Fun photo shoot! Thank you so much to my friend Grace for photo credit!

On the Second Day of Christmas

One of my favorite things about Christmas time is the smell of a fresh pine tree. Unfortunately, in my house the christmas tree is no where near my room. Therefore, when I found this christmas tree scented candle, I was ecstatic! This meant that I could always have the smell of christmas with me! For those of you pine tree scent lovers of those of you with a fake tree, I definitely recommend this candle. There is no other way to put it: it smells beautiful! 

These matches are so cool. I just found them in my house, but I had never seen any as pretty in my life!

On the First Day of Christmas!

Today, with only 12 days left until the long anticipated holiday of Christmas, marks the official first day of my countdown and the preparations of the festivities. Each day, I will post the activity or holiday themed thing that I am doing as a little "12 days of Christmas."
On the first day of Christmas, I decorated my room. I wanted to make my room a fun little winter wonderland and now just looking at the twinkly lights makes me smile. There is something so unique and special about Christmas lights. The way that they glow never ceases to amaze me.

Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Iron & Wine)

On my recent trip to Washington D.C. I visited the East Wing of the National Gallery.  Here are a couple photos I snapped  of some of my favorite paintings!