That time of year.

Well, it's that time of year.  The time of year that I costantly feel stressed, anxious, spread too thin.

Once New Year's rolls around, I can breathe easy.

It's the holidays and everything that goes along with it {baking, parties, gift buying}, the financial aspect of the holidays and never wanting to spend what we don't have which means getting creative, which means making my head hurt, all of the school obligations, the cold/bad weather starts {which I actually love, but it adds 20 minutes onto the commute anywhere making sure 4 kids are bundled}, and all of the unexpected things that you just don't plan on happening because, let's face it, they always seem to happen in force at this time of year. {This is my finest run-on sentance to date.}

Every year, I vow to slow down, say no, enjoy the time spent with family and friends that we don't get to see that often. But every year, I fail miserably. 

Is there some magic spell I should know?  A part of the equation I'm missing?

The real tragedy is, I have so much to enjoy.  So much to be grateful for.  The obvious: husband, kids, health, home, clothes, food, a general want for nothing.  But there is also the not so obvious: a thriving start up business, a husband who has been sober for 6 1/2 months, people who appreciate my gifts of which I love to share, the realized joy of having a child with special needs, the acceptance of who I am and being comfortable in this skin.

So, I have to ask myself, what gives? 

I am alone in this struggle?

I find it so hard to be in the moment from Halloween to Christmas.  And there are so many fantastic moments to find yourself in during these months. 

What do you do to slow down, enjoy, relax?

PLEASE TELL ME! 

Please?

You could potentially save me from certain doom. 

Insta-Friday

I love these shoes.  They stink, they aren't even gray anymore, our puppy has gnawed the insole, but I don't care.  I even have two other pairs.

But, when you love something, you love it.  I am starting to fall in love with my gilded herringbone pair, but I feel like I'm cheating on the gray pair.  Woe is me.

I'm sure you've heard that my hometown team, the St.Louis Cardinals, won the World Series.  Right? Well, we did.  It was a fun night, complete with a victory dance with some amazing people.

On Tuesday, I got a call from the school nurse to come pick up Betsy.  She wasn't acting herself.  About 10 minutes after we got home she basically collapsed and crashed.  Right where she was.  Turns out she wasn't sick.  At least not for reals.  She had TMH virus.  Too much Halloween.  She was golden when she woke up.

I had the pleasure of catching an Avetts' show with some special girls.  I've learned that if you're friendly, you get VIP treatment {.  We happen to meet the promoter {no lie}.  We didn't know he was the promoter, but we had a nice convo with him, and he asked if we wanted to be closer to the boys.  Uh, YES!  He told us who he was, led us through the 'velvet rope', and voila!  It was as if they were performing just for us.  Friendliness goes a long way.  I picked up a couple of t-shirts for my little boys, too.  They thought they'd died and gone to heaven.  Once they're back in the Lou we will be taking the boys to the show.  They won't know what hit them. 

Our family pictures are next weekend.  We have the outfits nailed down, AND the awesomest prop ever.  A red convertible Olds.  Holla!  We're going to a very urban setting downtown, so I'm super excited.  Brenda will work her magic for my family as always.

So, that's what's newsworthy from my instagram.  Have a super weekend!  I know I will be dancing the night away tomorrow at our 'adult party'.  Hahahahahaha!

The Rock.

Our master bathroom sucks.  It's functional, and that's about it's only endearing quality.  Real problems, right? 

Well, it's just not in the cards for a total gut job.  {Which it desperately needs.}  It's a totally awkward space, and needs to be reconfigured.  The sink area is open to our bedroom which is strange, and that door that you see {which we screwed shut}, is a pass through to Pete's room.  The toilet and shower are to the left and are separated by the sink area by a door.  It's just a little too cuckoo-ka-choo for me. 

It was so bad, I didn't even take before photos.  Which I now regret.  The sink was peach with some sort of permanent toothpaste'ish stain in it, the vanity was a creamy color, with a faux marble finish, and you can still see the pretty floor.  Stunning as it is.  It was lovely.  Plain lovely.

It made me want to vomit every morning.  Right in that pretty peach sink.  Something had to be done.  Enter creative ingenuity.  We had some grayish/tan paint that I slapped on the walls, stupid door, and ceiling.  Then I took this {but was able to purchase the faux bois 'rocker' separately,and not the whole kit at Home Depot}, and some brown paint that we had, and did a faux bois finish on the vanity.

Then, add a white-less-than-$30 drop in sink, and it looks MUCH better.  I added the white deer head for a little towel rack, and moved my old-window-turned-accessory-holder and hung it over the hole where an old, nasty medicine cabinet randomly was.  Big Daddy also changed out the light fixture for my old favorite stand by HERE. {Yes, you can still buy them in-stores, and yes, it's an outdoor light, but who cares? They also look fab spray painted obnoxious colors, which I still may do.} 

Then, the piece de resistance...that mid-century rocker.  It's awr-some!  My mother-in-law was getting rid of it.  YES, PLEASE!  Now, I know a rocking chair seems a bit odd in a master bathroom, but it just works, ya know?  

I 'rocked' the vanity, and 'rocked' the chair. 

What can I say?  I like to rock.

Now, I just need to find an affordable oriental'ish type rug to cover up some of that floor.  Yick!  I think the reds, golds, and blues will really tie into the other colors going on in the room.  I found one I loved at HomeGoods, but when I checked the price it was $99!!!!  For a 4x3 rug?!  Pass.  Hello, Craigslist. 

We have a plan for the shower/toilet area to cover the sub-par tile on the wall, but I don't want to talk about that now.  I'm tired of typing.  But, I can assure you it will be cool & cheap, with a super-fly industrial/cottage feel. 

Someday, we will lay the leftover hardwood where the nastiness now lies, dry wall in the non-functioning door, and we will retrofit an old dresser to fit this bad girl...

In all honesty, we will probably never gut it after doing all of the above.  The hard part will be finding the right piece to fit the sink.  That may take some time.  I am NOT patient, so it will be interesting to see how this turns out. 

Time will tell...

Hump day ear candy.

Matthew and the Atlas. 

Just really fantastic stuff. 

Had a few of their songs on my ipod, but then I saw them open for Mumford & Sons back in June. 

Wow, oh, wow!

You know, the same show I that I got to sit in the sound booth.  The show that I met Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwane, and Ben Lovett.  And, yes, I stood 5 feet from Winston Marshall, but it's hardly worth mentioning because apparently he was too good to frolic with the fans.  Dumb.  The show that I found myself in the same place as the band after the show for a good hour, and had a nice chat with Ted & my cousin while I was there. It's true.  I would bore you with photos, but this post is really about Matthew & the Atlas, after all.  Okay, just one...

So, where was I?  Oh, yes...M & the A are good.  Really good.  They will actually be here Thursday night.  Not here as in my house, but here as in St.Louis.  Just to clear up any confusion.  I mean, they are more than welcome, but I'm not sure they know who the hell I am. 

My favorite...

And more...







They also do a fantastic cover of The Pogues 'Fairytale of New York'.  Listen HERE.  They are definitely worth adding to one of your playlists.  Good, good stuff. 

I think I have a banjo problem. 

Halloween ramblings.

So, I don't have a picture with the boys.  They were too busy playing in the fire pit.  We like to keep it safe in these parts.  I have a couple, but you can't even see their costumes.  I can tell you we had a sailor, a doctor, a Quidditch player, and a gladiator.  They all looked great, and more importantly, they got a ton of candy that I can steal while they are at school today.  That is a reward of parenting.  If you didn't know that, now you do.  You are welcome.

Also, I was alarmed and appalled to learn that St.Louis is one of the few places in this great country that require kids to tell a joke before they get their candy.  Always has.  Check this article out HERE.  Do your kids have to tell a joke to get their candy on Halloween?  Please tell me they do.  You hear the best jokes.  Good, clean, funny jokes.

Want to give a shout out of thanks to my sister and brother-in-law for hosting a great little party, and for sending home a TON of leftovers with us.  I wish the kids were off of school today so we could have stayed later, but alas they were not.  Which isn't entirely a bad thing because now I have more opportunity to pilfer their candy.  Too bad for them.  Too bad.

Tale of a tripod.

I took on the daunting task of taking some photos of the whole fam damily with the help of a tripod, and, my friend, Hollie firing the shutter.  I had the remote with me, but I felt better with a human pushing the button.  Sometimes, I don't like to rely solely on technology. 

The weather was cloudy, we had pelting rain 5 minutes before we did this {believe it or not}, the kids were acting like nut balls, and my Dad was worried about the rain droplets on his truck showing up in the photos.  They're not the sharpest or greatest {technically speaking}, but I think they're pretty rad.  I know, I know, I'm a bit biased. 

I cannot even tell you how long it's been since my sister and I had a photo taken with just my mom and dad.  Maybe our weddings? 

AAAAAND, I flipped when I saw how tall I was in that bottom picture.  GIANT!  A six footer to be exact. 

I was also struck with how freaking cute my Mom and Dad are.  They're still in their 30s, right?  Because that's how I see them.  Probably always will. 

So, that's it.  With a tripod...even an endeavor this lofty IS possible.  Who'da thunk?

Hump Day Ear Candy.

Just because this song always reminds me of chilly, fall days {I have no idea why} spent warm and cozy inside while reading a book with some candles burning {for ambience} under a suggly blanket...

Okay, I'll stop.

Just listen.

Adult Party?

So, we are having our second 'Grebe Fall Ball' coming up here, shortly.

Basically, it's an event we have with no kids allowed, so that our friends {most of whom are paretns}, can relax, socialize, enjoy some good food {without worrying about sharing with little hands}, and the company of friends {many of which we don't get to see all the time}. 

To say I look forward to this night is an understatement.  It is such a fun time. 

We have even had guests come in formal wear, which may or may not have included a tuxedo shirt and old bridesmaids' dresses.  I mean, we do call it a ball, right? 

Funny enough, the first year we had this soiree, I was telling some folks that they should come, and I was giving them the deets.  All I said was, "You know, it's an adult party.".  I was met with some quizzical looks. 

Apparently, an adult party to some means something totally different than what it means to me.  Ha!  I was told I didn't seem like the adult party type.  At that point, I picked up what the were puttin' down, so to speak.  I assured them there was nothing 'questionable' involved.  No strange 'toy' demonstrations, or unrated movies, or bowl of keys, if you know what I'm sayin'. 

Needless to say, I have since referreed to the party as the 'no kids allowed party', or the 'find your babysitter party', or 'mom & dad's night out party'.  But, every once in awhile I catch myself saying things, like, "Hey, Big Daddy...did you invite Bob and Suzie to the adult party?".

I must admit, it does sound a bit sketchy. 

So, the moral of the story is this, if you ever receive an invite to an adult party from me...you can rest easy.  It's not what you think.