Moon Dreams & Day Beams

Thanksgiving is great because I, for one, need a day that forces me to sit down and reckon with all that I have been given. All of it. Even the stuff that doesn’t seem like what ‘I’ wanted. Because I’m finding that’s the stuff, in one way or another, for which I need to be most thankful. Unlike super commercialized Christmas that is flanked with traditions and the stress of gift giving and getting, Thanksgiving is a simple, unpretentious day of focusing on your gratitude attitude. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

we are headed to barnesville today to brian’s family thanksgiving. it is our first visit to barnesville so we are excited.

i know beatrice will love all the animals on the farm! we are taking brocolli casserole and corn salad.

thanksgiving is a pregnant woman’s favorite day of the year. happy holiday!

 *check out the sassy apron sold at a Common Thread

oh, yeah. happy birthday, daddy. we miss you so much already. your spirit still lingers as does our love. remember, the lives you touched here. and, don’t forget to come back some day. i love you!

In my humble opinion, you can never say this too much to those you hold dear.

{photo via from random things}

i was so impressed with cbs’s 60 minutes feature on rex, who has savant syndrome, that i decided to use the clip of the show as this week’s music monday. considering kindermusik-type research on early child development links to music and the on-going research for the link between music and alzheimer’s disease, i am very curious about how music is stored in the brain, in the mind. i can not seem to grasp how it is stored different than other information. for instance, how does an alzheimer’s patient remember every word to happy birthday yet forget the name of a spouse? anyway, this excerpt from 60 minutes discusses the link of music to autistic/blind individuals. all i can say is: impressive. if you didn’t see the show, it is worth taking the time to watch it here.

From November 2008

And, the blue ribbon goes to…The Nutcracker.

This fairy-tale ballet is one of my all time favorite Christmas traditions. Hearing the music, reading the book, or seeing the play magically whisps the audience right to Christmas. When I learned our neighbor, the dancing queen, was performing in the Statesboro Youth Nutcracker Ballet I knew it was time to introduce Beatrice to the holiday fun. After much deliberation and consideration, I decided to take her to the Friday Matinee for School Children.  This abbreviated performance only included the half hour “sweets” scene. More, the audience was composed of classes of children so I knew Beatrice would not be the only movement and murmer in the theatre. And, the tickets were only 5.00.  Given these details, it seemed like a no brain-er. I made the reservations and we attended. I am so glad. It was so much fun to take her!

Upon the entrance of all the schools of children Beatrice was completely in aw. She moved out of my lap into the seat beside me, where I positioned my (new) pocket book to weight her seat from sandwiching her little body.

She wanted to be just like the children surrounding her. At the moment the toddler felt like she was ten. I could tell.

She was completely mesmerized by the dramatic lighting, music, dance, and costumes of the play. She loved it. Having seen this Russian ballet in several arenas including professional and amateur performances. I must admit this is my favorite venue. The small theatre and local performers of the Averitt Center production was outstanding.

My only disappointment was that the cherubs (including our neighbor Sophie) were not in this scene.
I was really impressed as I am glad to have found another ballet buddy. Brian will be delighted that he no longer has to be lugged to watch this ballet every year.

Happy Birthday, Allison.

The Birthday Girl.

Brian and I bumped into Chris from high school. It was great laughs!

 Brian bumped into his guitar teacher and wifey.

 Preggers Unite.

 A few MOMs.

a few happy couples.

 It was a blur of fun. And, then…

She’s all tucked in. Mission accomplished. Happy 30th Birthday Alllison. We love you!

okay. everything is simply getting too perfect around here. first of all this blog referenced moon beams & day dreams. i am so humbled because i LOVE apartment therapy. it is a deliciously spunky blog.  if you have a moment to grab a taste, you should click over for a quick savor of this webblog. seriously, it will melt in your mouth it is so good. and there is even more fantastic news. rachel said, “yes.” rachel is going to help me with our christmas cards. yes. yes. yes!

so, despite the depressing realization that my father is no longer among us (and that his birthday is this week), that pregnancy is dreadfully establishing itself upon my body, and that while we are embarking on our first year of business in an un”bear”able housing market our budgeting plan for baby #2 is terribly sketchy – alas, there is good news.

i am so glad and so thankful. thank you rachel and thank you apartment therapy. the stars are finally in my court. it is about time they started lining up.

*medallian wooden glitter star ornaments by blondheart on etsy

after much shopping, i finally surrendered to my inner desire. i ordered this coat for beatrice. this will be her very first coat. i can hardly wait for it to come in the mail. don’t you just love it? 

morepeonies, originally uploaded by danske via beach bungalow 8.

happy friday. i hope you have the best weekend. you deserve it!

*photo by venomphotography

Save your pennies

i had planned, and really hoped to go to the 4th Annual International Festival today. it sounds like fun as i have wanted to every year since it’s inception. “it is so much fun. you should go,” stephanie and bella used to always tell me. i have not attended the parade of countries yet. there are belly dancers and country-authentic food and music. oh, it sounds like so much fun. rather than fulfill my festival dreams, i am going to the coast with a few girlfriends. i am excited about the a opportunity to escape my ever-joyful-life-as-a-stay-at-home-mom-who-just-lost-her-dad-and-who-resides-with-a-toddler. oh yeah, baby. i have always wondered exactly where the “coast” that locals refer to is. now, i will answer my curiosity as i shope, have fun, relax, and eat. yay. it sounds like a delicious weekend.

for more information about statesboro’s international festival, click here.

i must admit it. it’s killing me. i want to know who big papa is. so, who IS big papa? i have heard it is a developer for atlanta’s “black hollywood.” have you been watching this bravo spin-off series? “the real housewives of atlanta” is so ghetto. i love it. it’s trash television at it’s finest. kim zolciak’s mysterious love interest aka big papa has not been revealed. according to kim, “he would buy me the world if he could.” the weird thing is that this dude is married with children. so, who is this dude who refuses to be seen in public with zolciak? hmm…something highly suspect is going on. i have heard rumers that the mystery man is a millionaire real estate mogul, lee najjar.  another rumor swirling around is that it is grammy-award winning country music producer, dallas austin, who has been working with zolciak on her album. a friend suggested it was gary coleman. despite the perfection in the hilarity of that match-up, i don’t think gary could fund kim’s lavish lifestyle. i think he was last seen on sweet 16 passing out invitations!

do YOU know who big papa is?

This picture makes me sunny and nostalgic. Something about it reminds me of my old friends Loraine and her brother Adam. 

Actually now that I really look at it, maybe that IS Adam pushing the car. But instead of Loraine, it looks  like his wife Stacy is in the drivers seat. They are moving out to California this year (lucky dogs).

Yes, for sure. This must be them in the photo…headed back to Cali.  

I hope this photo supplies you as many smiles as me. 

No matter where you are headed.   Happy Weekend.  May you enjoy it to the fullest! 

 xoxo, christy

Here is another gift idea that uses magnets.

Those ubiquitous, colorful magnetic letters can spell out the recipient’s name.

via super creative d sharp

photo via d sharp

Really, what is a blogger to post the day after THAT. Nothing fashoned by my mind is

photo via flickr

posters from here.

after i voted in a one and a half hour long line at 7a this morning (argh!), brian breezed through the polls mid-morning in about forty five minutes. we did enjoy a little free swag. as promised, the first stop after my civic duty performance was starbucks for a free cup of coffee. yes, yes, YES!  and, brian scooped up a free chick-fil-a sandwich for lunch.

yes, it pays for the hulsey’s to vote on election day in the ‘boro.

and you know, whatever happens today, tuesday, november 3, 2008 promises to be one of change.  here is a print called Tuesdays Promise  by Jessica Rose.

i think it is appropriate for today, a day that brings promise. promise of relief. promise for a brighter future.

happy election day, 2008.

oh, here is a picture (by palmetto scoop) from one of the statesboro polls this morning. it is not our poll, but it indicates the length of the lines this morning. wait a minute. it IS our poll. weird. i totally saw this guy walk by and snap the picture with his camera.

for this weeks music monday i chose, “stranger on the shore” by acker bilk. this song, originally called “jenny” after his daughter, is so delightful. i stumble upon the tune with each visit to kim’s blog. i have truely fallen in love with this song. so jump over to daisy cottage as the music will play automatically.  listen. see what you think. for me, it congers up dreams of home and of youth, a warm roast in mama’s oven, dirt roads, blue skys and sunshine. i feel like i am riding on a magic carpet with all of my favorite people passing all of my favorite things when i hear this song. i love the ride this piece navigates.  

if you are wondering about acker bilk, his parents tried to have him learn the piano but as a busy-boy he found it restricting. he loved playing soccer outside too much to enjoy the piano!  more, he lost two front teeth in a school fight and half a finger in a sledging accident (both of which he claims impacted his eventual clarinet style). He later learned the clarinet as an adult while serving in the British Army.  by the mid-1950s he played professionally.  boy am i thankful. i really like this song.

click on it and listen. let me know what it makes you think of.

happy music monday.

xoxo, christy

While waiting in line Tuesday to vote in this historic election, according to Southern Mamas here are some humorous ways to amuse yourself: 20 things to do to kill time in election line.

You can also get free swag for voting.  Whew hew.

Shane’s Rib Shack: A free “Celebrate America Meal”—3-piece chicken tenders, fries, and 20-ounce drink—to the first 300 customers at participating locations, according to their press release.

Starbucks: Free tall coffee for simply saying”I voted.” Oh, yeah baby. This will be my first stop on the freebies loop. Ya’ll know it!

Ben & Jerry’s: Free scoop of ice cream from 5-8 p.m.

Books-A-Million: Free cup of coffee after showing your “I voted” sticker.

Bruster’s Ice Cream: Free Waffle Cone.

Krispy Kreme: Free star-shaped doughnut with red, white and blue sprinkles to each customer wearing an “I Voted” sticker.

Chick-fil-A: Free chicken sandwich for wearing the “I Voted” sticker.  Well, we know where Christy and Beatrice will be eating for lunch!!!

Chick or Treat?

Chicken Little are those eggs in your basket, or candy?” they asked the chick.  Papa, is that a chicken on your head?

 Audrey looks a afraid of B’s antics.  Tootle-lou from The Farm Chicks!