I Need All the Joy You Bring

     Happy Valentine's Day!  Have you told that special someone that you love them?  Probably.  But telling your family and friends (whom you love) is important too.  Life is short, I try to remember to tell the special people in my life that I love them (whether it's a best friend, my parents, or other family members), but I usually forget.  Valentine's Day is just a little nudge of a reminder (okay, maybe a big nudge).  Being that I'm single this Valentine's Day (like every other V-Day, except one), my friends are my special someone's.  I'm headed down to Oxford today for the weekend.  On my way down I shall be working on the playlist for this month.  It already has a title:  "The Single Girl's Valentine's Day Mix."  It was supposed to be the playlist which the ladies and I celebrated Valentine's Day Weekend because it shouldn't matter that we don't have significant others (but we live in the South and we're getting matronly).  Anyway, it's looking like the weekend might turn out a little differently than I imagined.  It's probably for the best.  

     I think it's extremely interesting how some music is created.  The following video is one of those where I'm watching with curiosity.  Please teach me how to do that.  You'll be seeing this song on the upcoming mix.  

Title: "Holdin' On" by Flume

Hope That the New Year Don't Look Like Last

     HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I spent yesterday at work and then I was busy making frosting for cupcakes and preparing for my first stab at a photo booth.  My parents attended a New Year's Eve party, hence the need for cupcakes and a photo booth.  While I hoped I would have spent the time between when I came home and the actual stroke of midnight being productive and editing photographs, I came home feeling like I got hit by something achy or at the very least completely wiped out behind the boat multiple times and spent my night zoning out pretending to watch TV.  

     I did manage to swig down some champagne, which is of course the most important thing, and put together a short gif of photos, the second most important thing.  I hope you enjoy the small teaser because there is definitely more to come!

Title: "New Years, Old Years" by Marc Scibilia

Here Comes the Jackpot Question in Advance

     How do you like your shimmer, glitter and everything shiny?  Sometimes it's all about the subtle statement.  While New Year's can be seen as a time to get away with anything you aren't daring enough to wear on a normal occasion, I'd prefer to go in a simpler direction (and maybe a little more edgy).

Dress:  Love Maxi Dress with Cut Out, $64
Necklace:  Kendra Scott Allegra Necklace in Zodiac, $195
Crown:  Limited Edition Rhinestone Headband, $27
Ring:  Low Luv By Erin Wasson Moonstone Ring in Gold, $69
Clutch:  River Island Pearl Embellished Box Clutch, $53
Shoes:  Vince Camuto Madelyn in Bronzite Glitter, $200

Title: "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
originally written by Frank Loesser and sung by The Orioles

When I Look Back on Those Neon Nights

     I guess it's just about that time of year again.  Time to reflect on the past year--learn from the mistakes we've made, remember the fun we've had, laugh once more at those inside jokes, and in general take a moment to be thankful we've been given another year to do things differently, better--to prove to ourselves (and others) that we've grown through one life experience after the other.  It's fitting that soon after Christmas we start a new year, even though this year it seems to have caught me by surprise.

     New Year's resolutions for me never really pan out.  I'd prefer not to make a resolution that I know I can't keep just because society tells me that's what I'm supposed to do.  Every day should really be about making a resolution to do better than the day before.  Then again I still have a little less than a week to make any solid decisions concerning any sort of resolution I will or will not be following.  That's less problematic than the music I want to listen to while I'm ringing in the New Year.  Playlists set the mood for everything.  I am a firm believer that you should have a soundtrack to your life and I want my soundtrack to be amazing and perfectly curated--like always.

     So I guess it's also time for me to get my little bottom into gear and find some rockin' music.  That is unless I want to ring in the New Year being serenaded by my not-so-little puppy Oscar--I'm sure he'd love to howl at the moon for me.

(P.S. that's him howling at me)

Title: "Miss Atomic Bomb" by The Killers

Do We Ever Really Know?

5 things I'm thankful for this week

My parents.

They are always there for me, especially when I'm not feeling so well.

(And they listen to me whine and complain about my ills, plus are way more patient than I would be.)

Christmas.

It's in the air.

(It's even got the puppies excited! I'm especially grateful I'm not having to decorate my own place with my own tree.)

Christmas parties.
Good friends, good food, good fellowship.
(Do I need to say more?)

(Photo Credit Clockwise from Top: One, Two, Three, Four)

Christmas songs.
Finding new Christmas songs to listen to is challenging and rewarding because you can listen to them over and over again the whole season long.
(Did I mention I somewhat liked Christmas?)

Strength.
I'm thankful that God has given me the strength to carry on because he and I both know if I had to rely on myself alone I would not be able to get out of the bed in the morning.

Title: "How Long" by Julia Stone

Is That What You're Brewin'?

     Here at the Peterson house we're dusting off that Christmas spirit and the decorations (and by we, I really mean my parents).  Even Jack and Oscar got into Christmas spirit/decoration overflow.  (Oscar had a little too much fun.  If we had let him, he would have eventually figured out the whole wreath thing--or really how to take it apart.)

Title: "O' Be Joyful" by Shovels & Rope

Doing the Best We Can

     I'm worn down and exhausted.  I fell asleep Tuesday night with my light on (the one right beside my bed and in my eyes) and reading (at a ridiculously early hour).  Tuesday I also went to the doctor where it was confirmed that I am probably having some kind of auto-immune flare up.  The only official diagnosis I have as of right now is Raynaud's phenomenon (basically my toes turn a purple/blue color a good bit of the time and are freezing!), but we're waiting on the results of my blood tests to see if it is caused by something else.  Scary fact, test results for things such as Lupus and arthritis can come back negative until they don't.  The scariest part about that is I had just figured that if they tested me for those things and they came back negative it meant I didn't have it period.  (And if I'm exhibiting the same symptoms as before then it doesn't quite make sense to me that I would test negative one time and positive the next, but I think all of the autoimmune diseases are kind of wishy-washy at best.)  So if I miss a few posts now and then, I apologize ahead of time.  I'll try my best post every day,  but I never want this to become a place where I gripe and complain and right now that about all I feel like doing--either gripe or sleep (I won't turn that down either).  

     I'm listening to new Christmas music right now (picking out my favorite for a December playlist) which is putting me in a better mood.  Speaking of Christmas, I got to go shopping for a little girl in Old Navy and they have the cutest clothes!  They even have skinny cords.  I'm pretty sure if I have kids they are going to be just a little mini-me.  It's going to be awesome.

Title: "By the Horns" by Julia Stone

A Tepid Flickering of Street Lights Wipes the Grief Across Her Face

     I've been feeling a little under the weather (if you can count joint problems as being under the weather) so I took a holiday from blogging, but now I'm back!!  And am hopeful that I won't be missing anymore for an extended period of time anyway.  I've been sickish for over a week now and am starting to get better (my feet are almost pain free, whereas this time last week I was having trouble putting any weight on my the balls of my feet, especially the left one).  The whole time I've been staying away from WebMD because I've been through some of this whole routine before a couple of years ago (where I was convinced for a whole TWO weeks that I had Lupus--I don't, btw).  But when  my toes turned a purply/blue color tonight I thought I'd go ahead and things up (I know very bad idea). I don't think I did too much damage, mostly because we've already ruled somethings out (like gout and arthritis--unless it's an arthritis that doesn't show up on tests).  Anyway, since I've thoroughly freaked myself out I'm just going to concentrate on my blessings and ignore anything I don't like for the time being.

Five Things I'm Thankful for This Week:

Family time this Thanksgiving with my Mom's side of the family whom I never really get to see

(P.S. isn't my little cousin so adorable?!?)

I've almost completed a whole pair of fingerless gloves 

(minus the thumbs which I haven't quite figured out how to do yet)

The wooly sheep-puppy I call Oscar

(and the fact that he seems to have been mostly good during our out of town trip)

Jack-ster

(who conquered his first circle rawhide recently)

The simple fact that I'm getting better

(I was really hoping this episode wouldn't last 6 months like the last one did)

And last but not least the love and care from God that gives me hope even during the rough times.

I just found out that one of my high school friends is no longer with us.

He will be greatly missed by all who got the chance to know him, especially by the wife he left behind.

Title: "Violence Out Tonight" by Little Comets

Give It, Give It, Give It Until You Just Can't Give It No More

     I just found out that last night that yesterday was apparently National Sibling Day.  There are so many national and international "themed"days, that I'm sure if someone sat down and put together a working calendar almost every day would be covered.  (And that's not true yet, I'm sure in a few years it will be.)  We love our national appreciation days.  For real.  Not that I mind really, I love my siblings.  And even though we're halfway around the globe from each other (or just an hour away...) we still just talk to each other like we've just ended a conversation.  I think the last photograph we were all in together was from Thanksgiving last year.  Somehow we all ended up wearing gray.  I'm pretty sure that was not intentional.

     Also, I have early birthday flowers!!!!  I can't believe that I only have exactly a week until my birthday.  It's on a Wednesday which means I'll be working.   Oh joy.  But according to my mother, life can't stop just because I have a birthday.  Which I kind of already know because I've ended up making my own birthday cakes for the past few years (which might have to do again this year), but I'm not really complaining.  As long as I don't go completely cooking/baking crazy after this weekend.  I'm planning on making at least 5 different pumpkin recipes plus a sweet for my birthday plus maybe something else for a Monday meeting, I'm not 100% sold on bringing one of my pumpkin things, but maybe I'll change my mind.

Title: "Tightrope" by Yeasayer

This Place Was Built With Love

5 things I'm thankful for this week:

That my parents are finally home so I have somewhat of a social life

That my brother is home so I finally have someone to joke around with (and pester) at said social events

That my puppy is growing into a big strong and very healthy adult dog with (knock on wood) no life-threatening, special (and expensive) problems

(I am still a little sad that his adult fur is more wiry than soft and fluffy like his puppy fluff)

That my Lifeproof phone case is actually waterproof and I didn't kill my phone when I completely submerged it in the pool on the 4th of July

I didn't exactly shoot any fireworks this 4th because I was by myself, but obviously this is red, white, and blue.

That America declared its freedom from British rule on July 4, 1776, 

and even though I don't agree with all of our policies both on our home soil and abroad, 

doesn't mean I don't live in a great country 

where I'm allowed the freedom to gain the education (as a woman) to form my own opinion 

and the freedom to voice that opinion whenever I want

(doesn't mean I'm going to force anything on anyone... 

but that's an entirely different topic not suited for a thankful mood)

And I'm grateful for anyone and everyone who has ever fought for America 

(for women and for equal rights in general) 

no matter how small others might think their fight was 

(no battle--mental or physical--is a small battle)

I'm also extremely thankful for the one who did the work of God for me 

so that all I have to do is believe because even that is extremely tough 

(and impossible without the help of God)

and if more than belief was asked from me I would most definitely fall short

Title: "Underground" by Monique Brumby

I'll Light Up the Sky

     Happy Fourth of July!!  I celebrated the freedom of America last night by going to Oxford and hanging out with my best friend.  She is in summer school and has 8 o'clock classes and works pretty much as soon as she gets out of class, so I had to come either on a weekend or when she had a holiday (aka yesterday).  We had so much fun together.  And while I worried about the puppies non stop they were just fine (I left after I fed them dinner and I left them enough food for about 5 normal meals).  I was a little concerned that Oscar would gorge himself on all of that food, but he didn't.  In fact, he was the one who actually had food left over (not a lot but some) and Jack only had one little morsel that he had apparently looked over.

      When we woke up this morning we had a huge breakfast/brunch and then hung out at the pool where I only got a tiny bit pink and splotchy but I'm pretty sure it will even out by tomorrow.  (I forgot to bring sunscreen so I had to use some spray on bronzer stuff... not my favorite kind but it apparently did the job.)  I put my Lifeproof case to the test and took some photos under the water.  It was a little difficult but also so much fun (we laughed and laughed the whole time).  Just as a tip, you have to press the "+" sign on the side to take the picture, not the camera button on the screen.  

     Both puppies were so happy when I got home.  However, Jack keeps walking around whining looking at the door.  I'm pretty sure that he's missing my parents too (that or he just wants the tennis ball that is stuck under Mom's car--I think Oscar put it there).  My whole family comes home tomorrow!!! I can't wait.  Will asked me to make him some sweet tea-- so right now it's sitting in my fridge just waiting for someone to drink it.  What can I say, I'm an awesome big sister.  

Title: "Numb" by Marina and the Diamonds 

(This song is the one playing in the video above.)

Human Beings in a Mob. What's a Mob to a King? What's a King to a God?

    This week has snuck up on me.  One day it's Sunday and the next thing I know it's Wednesday.  Just like Memorial Day would have snuck up on me too if I hadn't over heard someone talking about not working because it was a holiday.  You know what that means, I have just about 3 days to put together a stinking awesome Memorial Day mix.  I think I might have some help in that department though.
     One of the most depressing things, in my opinion, is noticing that you've forgotten to check your email pretty much all day only to realize that you haven't received any important or personal emails.  I guess some people would call that a miracle or a relief.  I guess I'll call it that too because what would I do if I were really busy?  That's right, I'd complain.
    So I'll relish in the mere fact that I'm not answering to anyone right now which means I can enjoy these trailers.

The Great Gatsby

Of course, it's a remake (it always seems like Hollywood is doing another remake).  But this movie is going to be way more glamourous and out there than they could have even imagined in the 1920's. 

And it will be marvelous because there is an all-star cast starting with Mr. Leonardo DiCapro and Miss Carey Mulligan.  

The Words

I think this premise is completely interesting and even though the trailer has me a little confused I'm ready for the movie so I can understand it all.  

(Not to mention that I love Olivia Wilde AND Bradley Cooper.)

Title: "No Church in the Wild" by Jay-Z and Kanye West

(It is also the song you hear in The Great Gatsby trailer, which supposedly isn't in the actual movie.)