Dreaming of Sugar Plums before Halloween?

I have been dreaming of Christmas for months now. Why? I can't say for sure. It's complicated. Story of my life. I have a list of though.

1. First and foremost I never know when I will have a good/bad day (s) ... what I used to take for granted, all that I could accomplish and shove into a day, I now have to be well planned for. Additionally, the simplest task seem to wear me out now? Wear me out = dystonic tremors = bed all day. I find that to be the most frustrating thing of all.

2. For some reason I feel the need to amend the travesty of last years Christmas.

3. I just finished Count down to Christmas matchbox swap. I can not wait to get those little gems in the mail. I love decorating matchboxes....they are easy, I can do a little, rest and repeat.


Linda at, "A Swap for All Seasons" is truly the best swap hostess on the planet. {aswapforallseasons.blogspot.com }The idea was 25 matchboxes swapped for 25 in return and then opening one a day starting December 1. Kind of like an advent calendar only better. I have to give props where due and I couldn't have accomplished and finished with out baby girl's assistance.... (One more thing I hate and can't get used to....my own self sufficiency is ultimate to me...it's very difficult for me to wave a white flag) However...I am so grateful when she rescues me, esp when I'm refusing to be rescued.

4.The economy is tough right now, things are tight. When the kids were little and AH and I had so little money, I always shopped year round, I always had a gift closet filled with all things wonderful, it was truly an awesome thing. I never had to worry if the kids came home with a last minute birthday party invitation, etc. I was fully stocked, and enjoyed my friends making the comment, "I just don't know how you do it?". That my friends is how I did it. And actually, everyone ends up getting much lovelier gifts because I can find things at a fraction of the retail price by not waiting to shop until a week before I need it.

5. AH. That's all I need to say. I wish you could all see him on Christmas morning, it's like magic, his face is all a glow and his Christmas spirit is so real you can taste it.

I won't continue my list...we could be here all night, just thought I'd let you all know where my head was these days...it's truly a great distraction.

How cute are these paper dolls? I copied and shrank them to use like tissue paper to fold over the little goodies that was in each match box. I hope I posted this right so you can click to enlarge and print it out, I have a whole bunch of favorite girls out there who have little princess' that this would make simple projects for.... you know who you are. Think of having them cut these out to make pennant banners for Christmas with.... paper,glue, scissors,string and a printer is all you need.

A. Print out two or three copies.
B. Have the baby girls cut out all the little pieces.
C. Draw small triangles for them to cut out.
D. Paper punch the corners of the wide part of the pennant.
E. Glue dolls and accessories to the triangles.
F. Add any beads, glitter or embellishments that make them giggle with sparkly delight.
G. Tie pennant flags together with sting, ribbon, torn fabric, etc....
H. Hang like garland all over the house.

How much fun would this little project be? Not that messy, just glue, string, paper, etc.
Could be a ten minute project or an hour depending on how busy you want to keep them...and I think a sweet keepsake to keep or even maybe a tradition for years to follow. Uhhum...and I will be doing this, so I'm hoping I'm not a dork and the only one out there with a little girl inside that just wants to come out and play.... WALLAH!!! Yummy adorableness!!!!

When my match boxes come I will try to post a pic of each every day beginning Dec. 1, (if I can wait that long.... most likely I won't be able to. At least I have good intentions of doing this.... I'm also going to try to post inspiration at least a few times a week from now until baby Jesus' birthday. It makes me happy, and infinitely better and more motivating rather than posting my complaints and challenges. Speaking of baby Jesus, check out 'aswapforall seasons.blogspot.com' Linda's last matchbox posted was one celebrating him and it's soooo adorable as well as the story she posted along with it....did I tell you how much I love her and what a stellar person I think she is? You can also find link in my side bar.

All things frivolously mentioned above....I hope you are all better than well! Sleep sweet dear friends.... XOXO Keke

A Lovely Day....

Today was the loveliest day I've had in a very long time. I spent it with the most gracious couple pictured above. Mitzi's daughter Amy is in the city celebrating her honeymoon with her new husband and was generous enough to take a day to spend with me.

They came early this morning and then we drove up to the loveliest place on earth.... except it wasn't as lovely as it normally is....after a long hot summer everything lacked the green and glow that it usually has and was more crispy and brown. The flowers that are usually in abundance were barely found and a few of the shops and my favorite gallery was closed since it was mid week, and it was 90 degrees. Still.... all was right with the world because the two of them together exuded the glow that filled the plaza with that which was lost in the summer heat. We did see a few shops, had a nice lunch, sat on a bench in front of the duck pond and listened to the water fall. This afternoon we visited the champagne caves, but again, the caves were closed....so we sipped on a glass of champagne on the terrace over looking the vineyard and the mountains and chatted a while. We ended the day with dinner at a Thai restaurant before it was back to the city for them. Honestly more generous than I would ever expect, I would have been thrilled to have had lunch with them considering they're on honeymoon.... AH and I both really liked Amy's new husband, he is very friendly and out going and seemed to be very genuine and kind, all the qualities we want our daughters to find in a good man. I could tell that he was very attentive to her and it was sincere. Honestly.

As far as the above pics, I have to give credit where credits due...the beautiful pics above were taken by Liv in the Moment photographer, (because I seem to be so scattered and absent minded these days and I forgot my camera!) Ugh, dah! It's ok. Mitzi's little Liv is a far more talented photographer... I've posted about her keen eye before, but honestly you should click on her tab in my side bar...I'm not being a braggy aunt...she really is taking amazing pics.... And to that I'm going to say good night, it's been a full and lovely day...sleep sweet dear friends.

I hope this post finds you better than well. XOXO Keke

Let's Hear It For the Girls, Even If We are all A Bit Upside Down Right Now.

As always my near and dear faithful friends are always there.... humbly I thank you all. Everything feels upside down right now. As I visit each of you it seems we all have so many struggles to overcome right now and my heart is challenged to stop the tears from flowing....
I am committed to pray with out ceasing for all of us. How is it that such goodness and light be surrounded by so much darkness? I was thinking about it for the last couple of days, people are always so quick to quote, "God never gives us more than we can handle...." Sometimes the quote angers me...but I was thinking yesterday that maybe it's because we are not supposed to handle so much and in blind faith hand it over to him? Just a thought to make some kind of sense of the struggles we are all facing right now....

I have a new neurologist... Dr. Duncan. Yesterday after months of fighting with the botox pharmacy, insurance, etc. I finally received my shots. Now I sit and wait to see if they're effective. I did appreciate is approach, instead of the nine or twelve stabs that I have become accustomed to, he only injected me twice. One injection in the front of my neck and one in the back. He assures me that it will be just as effective and that there is no need to stick me as many times as the other neuro's did. I'm afraid he should have injected me one more time on the right side. It usually takes three or four weeks to see how they are working, but the right side is driving me crazy in excruciating pain tonight. I woke up this morning with my body so sore I felt like a mac truck had ran me over. AH liked Dr. D tremendously...I think he really like it more that I didn't break his hand from squeezing it yesterday...usually he holds my hand through the shots, but baby girl had gone out and bought me stress balls to squeeze instead....it worked pretty well. The shot in the front of my neck wasn't pleasant but no where near the pain from the one in the back left side. It felt like he stuck the needle so deep that it was going to come out the front.... but lesser of two evils and at least I have finally found somewhere to go where everyone from the receptionist to the nurse and doc were empathetic, friendly and professional. I told AH that usually my body goes into shock from the pain of the shots, but this time I think I was in shock by all of their kindness...sad but true, I have never been treated so kindly in the two years since I've developed dystonia. Amazing and sad to think about when you consider how many doctors I've seen. Still thanking God for mercy none the less.

I have much more to tell you all but I'll leave it with this for tonight. I hope all of you are blessed and that God will send you strength and his angels to surround you all so that you can rest if only for a moment in the feathery down of their wings.

XOXO Keke

P.S. Yes the cutie hanging upside down on the rings is Mitzi's Em. I could just bite her she is so adorable!