The New Year 

You are doing alright

. 

I will start by saying it is important to always try for self betterment. When is a more opportune time than the new year to strive for this?  It's tradition to come up with lists and goals that will help get you however many steps closer to being the best you can be. However, sometimes making that list can be discouraging, bewildering and down right depressing... I know it is for me. I start to focus on how second rate I have let myself become. So yes, I made a list. It was just about the same list as it is every year.

Here is the short (of a very long) list for 2011:

• Read your scriptures every night before you go to bed
• Try to make dinner at least 3 times a week
• Spend less & Save more
• Discontinue your love affair with  Diet Coke
• Improve your laundry skills
• Have more faith that things will work out

. (I'll do my best)

BUT

As I wrote that list, I realized I have a some habits that I kinda love and certain things about myself  that I’d hate to change. So... I have decided to yes, focus on some self improvement, but I also want to focus on some of the positive things  I am already doing. Some things I don't want to change. Things that can make me say "Hey, you are doing alright."

         SO... My 2011 Keep up the good work list:

.

.    .

• Keep drinking all that water in the morning. You are doing great
• You make a wicked mean  green drink. Nothing is better for you and the children
• You hardly ever watch TV. I am so proud of  you
• You do a really good job making sure all the lights in the house are off when you leave
• You try your best to make a yummy Sunday dinner
• You haven't missed one month of visiting teaching all year
• You take such good care of your skin. (And I think it shows)
• Keep trying to be a good friend to those you love and even those you don't know
• You can count on one, maybe two hands how many times you have gone a whole day without brushing your hair
• You are a brave girl. Not many things scare or intimidate you
• Your enchiladas are only getting better and better
•  Keep waking up with a smile. Being sprightly in the morning either helps everyone else be cheerful or is irritating enough to drive people to a frenetic state. Either way, you win 
• I am pretty sure you brushed your teeth every night and every morning. Three cheers for good hygiene
• You have a great relationship with your family. That is everything to you
• You are not afraid to stand up for yourself or your loved ones
• When times get hard, don't forget you are a great  mom and wife. You are doing what you love

Oh Yoshimi.

Her name is Yoshimi
she's a black belt in karate
working for the city
she has to discipline her body

'Cause she knows that

it's demanding

to defeat those evil machines.

I know she can beat them.

Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me,

but you won't let those robots eat me.

Yoshimi, they don't believe me,

but you won't let those robots defeat me.

Brody made me a cd a few years ago. He titled it "Lyndsey's 5 Star Mix". And it was. It was my introduction to amazing bands like The Decemberists, Bishop Allen, Band of Horses, Mates of State, Flaming lips and Damien Rice. I really loved that cd. I listened to it all day, everyday, over and over, until Tom couldn't take it anymore. He begged me to play something else...As he always does after I find something new and obsess over it for months at a time. This would be the perfect opportunity to come clean to my parents about ditching sixth grade to come home and listen to my brothers Poison tape. I couldn't get enough of that song "Talk Dirty to me". We should talk later about why a sixth grade girl was listening to that in the first place. But that will have to be for another time... I will say though, I remember craving that song. Almost  feeling like I would die if I didn't get to hear it. So I would sneak home and listen to it over and over and over.(When I find something I love, I lose my need for variety.) Wow, I am sounding healthier and healthier by the minute... Moving on.  So for the sake of keeping my husband and children happy, I moved on to the next mix. Something about My chemical Romance, Blue October and a couple other gems. I listened to those to death and then of course, moved onto something else. Before I move on to the next part of this discussion, I will say that I do have self control. I will find those very special songs and make myself only listen to them once or twice and then I force myself to move on, so that I will not tire of it.
 
So why is Yoshimi the title of this post? Because I stumbled across my 5 star mix a few weeks ago and have done nothing but listen to it again. It brings back such emotion... (As all good music does)  And Yoshimi, strangely, was my happy song. So what do you do when you need to be comforted or cheered up? For me, I listen to the kind of  music that brings back those good emotions.
 

Those evil-natured robots
they're programmed to destroy us
she's gotta be strong to fight them
so she's taking lots of vitamins
.

'Cause she knows that

it'd be tragic

if those evil robots win.

I know she can beat them.

 

 

In case you are curious why I am blogging so much...

We have a weather situation in New York.

It's just me, my computer and 500 canceled flights.

 Still, it kinda  makes you wonder. If she can do it...

GARRETT. SO GOOD LIKE THAT.
.

Excuse me? 

Thanks for the shirt Benny pooh, ya big scamp. 

( I know you read it every Sunday)

Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, 

but eventually you find a purse you like.

 

 

 

Christmas 

with the whole family
.

I am not a  Christmas groupie. I never have been. I have such a hard time with the whole commercialization of the entire holiday. Starting with the wretched music that is now being played the day after Halloween. I mean, have you actually stopped and listened to the lyrics of half of these songs? They are unbefitting and some... quite creepy.  Then there is Santa Claus. The whole Santa idea is erroneous, he confuses the children as to whom they are suppose to be celebrating...and talk about creepy... Next, the horrible TV and radio commercials. (If you truly love your loved ones, you will buy them this and this and this.Oh, and if you super love that special someone, you will buy him/her a Lexus, and put a big red bow on top of it...) I know, I know, I sound like Scrooge. And for that I make no apologies. I think it's high time we stand together and put a stop to buying into all of the holiday slipshod. Speaking of slipshod, would I be pushing it if I also requested a halt to our kindergartners singing "I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas"?

.

Yes, I am being hypocritical... I write in this blog my ideals. Not my realisms.
.

So here are some pictures. Bare with us... As we did indeed don our gay apparel.  I hope you all had a very merry Christmas. I know we did.

Merry Christmas

For me, Christmas memories and Polaroid film go hand in hand.

I'm thinking of gettin' my gloss on.

It's no secret that I have been struggling with the design of my own home. And when I say "struggle", I mean I haven't done anything.  And when I say "anything", I mean I haven't done a thing. I haven't even put up one picture. Not even set one piece of furniture in the place it is suppose to be in. That beautiful walk in pantry that I was so insistent upon, still has never been organized. The food is placed in the same spot that  my wonderful  movers so carelessly threw it in. And, I think my family and friends are getting really tired of it. (I'm getting there) Although they haven't said anything about it, I 'm betting they aren't loving my butcher paper drapes in my dining room... I can't say I blame them. It's high time I put up real drapes.After all, it has been... eight months.

Spearheading this sudden burst of motivation,  these beautiful glossy walls. I think I may start with these beauties. My family room only has about forty square feet of paintable wall space. The rest is either windows or cabinetry.  I'm thinking of a charcoal grey lacquer. I always wanted library walls done in this treatment but I think my family room is as close to a library as I am going to come.  On a completely different note, I am loving  these herringbone wood floors. I fought for those. But I lost that battle. I also totally dig the color palette. Maybe I should just see if this home is for sale.

I love the way the lacquer trim and walls all blend together. I'm thinking this wouldn't work

with a contrasting trim. And look at that wall to wall carpet. Can't beat that with a stick.

It is smashing.

Missing New York

I just came across this picture. This was about 4 Years ago.

 I love these women

Mom and Carolyn.

Thanksgiving