Dear Santa...

Dearest Santa,

Christmas is oh so near and it just occurred to me that, in the midst of all the hustle, bustle and holiday cheer, I have forgotten to send you my Christmas list. Yes, I am 28 years old and yes, I have a Christmas list. I believe that I have probably, in all honesty, jumped from the Nice List to the Naughty List and back again, several times in fact, this year. If I had to guess, I would say I am currently hovering on the "Eh, I Am Not Sure What List To Put You On" List. Frankly, I am sure most adults are, most adults that have to deal with other adults on a daily basis anyway. I do feel, despite this inconsistent listing, that I completely, 100% deserve to get everything on my list this year. I submit for your most careful consideration:

1. A renewed, refurbished pair of big shoulders for my Mom (Hers are looking a little worn these days...perhaps those 1980s shoulder pads could come in handy)

2. Continued strength and honed good decision-making skills for my brother, T. (He is such a great dad to his kids, but I know it is tough on him at times. Help him to know how proud I am of him, if it's not too much to ask.)

3. A continued sense of pride and self-congratulations for my Dad (He has made positive changes recently in regards to his health and I am very proud of him.)

4. Knowledge, focus and good self-esteem for my brother, A. (He is smart, but sometimes needs a bit of help focusing. Also, high school is never easy, so help him to see every day how awesome he is, even if others don't.)

5. Good health and good sense for my grandparents (I love them and though they have had a challenging year in terms of health, I know they can watch out for each other and make good decisions in regards to their physical and mental health. As a side note, can you make sure Opa is on the Nice List this year; he really hates getting coal in his stocking.)

6. Patience for my cousin Michael (I know college is turning out to be a different journey and tougher than he expected, but he is an amazing young man. Perhaps patience with oneself is that toughest kind to come by....)

7. Time to relax and warm memories for all my dearest friends (we all work so hard and are so busy, so a chance to slow down and relax, enjoy the holidays and reflect on the best parts of 2010 might do everyone some good.)

8. A renewed sense of enthusiasm and energy for my co-workers (Cookies are coming ladies and gentlemen and we call better have our game faces on, complete with  Brownie Smiles, when we return from a well-deserved holiday break.)

9. Wisdom and humility for those in government (Whether I agree with their politics or not, and I probably do not, I hope that those making decisions remember that it is not just about them, not just about people with money, not just about adults, but about making decisions with the honest-to-goodness best interest of all people in mind)

10. A new pair of fabulous shoes

Santa, you have always been so generous and perhaps your efforts and amazing ability to remember what I ask for each year goes unrecognized. Thank you. Thank you from the little girl who was beyond excited to find a Barbie Dream House, a pink bike, a baby doll, new skates, an electronic keyboard, and games galore under the tree. Thank you for always eating the cookies I so lovingly backed for you and for making sure the reindeer always got their apples and carrots. Thank you for bringing me the sweaters and mittens Mrs. Claus crafted with love each year. Thank you for keeping Christmas alive in the hearts of so many, whether they admit they believe or not, you know the truth.

Merry Christmas Santa. I'll be listening for the reindeer on the roof on Christmas Eve and I promise that Opa won't get you this year.

I still believe,
Christina

PS - About those shoes....

Sniff, Sniff, Happy!

After what seemed like a summer that would never end, Fall finally arrived here in Illinois, and I for one, was ecstatic! It is my favorite season, for so many reasons and the thought of Fall simply brings me a warm and fuzzy feeling and a smile. For several weeks the weather had been playing tricks on me, dipping down to cool temperatures at night, then soaring up to hot once more, taunting me. Once cooler days finally arrived and decided to stay, the nights got even cooler, cold actually, and I was happy. I knew it was really truly Fall when the smell of the air changed. No, not the changing colors of the leaves or the date on the calendar, but the smell.



The smell of Fall is so distinct, one that makes me happy because it alerts me that the season is here to stay, at least for a while. I have to admit that scent is a sense that is often overlooked, but one that holds the key to so many wonderful memories for me, not just memories of Fall, but of people, places, events throughout my life. I believe that scents hold the key to taking you back to these moments. Just for the fun of it, here are some of the scents that I enjoy most:

1. Baking apple pie: My mom makes the BEST apple pie and so the smell of that baking not bring only brings back memories of many happy Thanksgivings, but makes me crave mom’s homemade awesomeness! Yumm!

2. Nivea cream: Of all the awesome things I could tell you about my Oma, one seemingly odd thing, is that she always smells the same. She has always used Nivea cream and lotion and it is such a familiar smell, so comforting, reminding me of hugs and weekends at Oma and Opa’s as a kid.

3. Grilling: Now, I despise the smell of meat cooking in the house, but there is something about the smell of something on the grill. My dad is a rock awesome grill master, so the smell of someone grilling takes me back to Summer (Fall, Winter, Spring) dinners as a kid.

4. Cinnamon sugar roasted nuts: Who doesn’t love this smell? Come on, be honest, it is amazing! When I was kid, we were always part of the Ethnic Festival in Springfield over Labor Day weekend and a family friend had a nut business, which was, I guess, my first taste of working (and what a tasty one it was). Also, the smell is one that wafts through the squares of many Bavarian towns and I have such fond memories of spending time there, eager to soak in every bit I could.

5. Animal crackers and juice: It is a simple smell, one so connected to childhood that it could probably define it. It reminds me of babysitting, which I loved doing as a tween/teen. It’s a happy smell, which makes me think about my niece and nephew, my two favorite kids!

6. Cold: Cold you may ask? Yes, winter has a smell, one that you know if you have experienced it. You walk outside late in the evening, and if winter is really on its way, you can smell it. I don’t know exactly what makes up that smell, but to me it smells like cold, a little notice that the time for hot chocolate and fires in the fireplace is coming, tow things I enjoy about the coldest months of the year.

7. Paper: As many of you know, I love to read, love love love it! It is one of my favorite hobbies and something that I do to relax, to learn, to lose myself, to find myself, to just enjoy. There is nothing like the smell of a new book, the paper, the glue, the ink, the combination thereof. In this age of technology, so many people are turning to electronic books (and yes, I can see the draw and convenience of these gadgets), but I am not sure I can. My whole life, the library has been a magical place, full of stories and characters and the wonderful smell of books. It is a smell that, combined with some of my other favorites, might be the best thing in the world!

8. Crayons: Not wax, but crayons. I loved to color as a kid and would do it for hours and hours, and frankly, I still find it relaxing. A new box of crayons always held such possibilities. I had to pick the first color I used out of that box with care, believing it was a special, magical moment. Kind of lame I guess, but true joy at that moment. Even now, when someone opens a box of crayons, I can’t help but smile.

9. Spearmint chapstick: Yes, it is a taste, too, but the smell alone is enough. It must be spearmint, not peppermint, the green Chapstick brand. It reminds me of certain someone who was, is and probably always will be, special to me in one way or another. I am sure I had used spearmint chapstick before, but now it reminds me of good times and good company and is most definitely the kind I prefer.

10. Tea with lemon: There are few things I enjoy more than curling up on the couch with the perfect cup of tea (this means it has a bit of sugar and some real lemon squeezed in). Something about it instantly relaxes me. I always have to lift the cup up, right between my mouth and nose and inhale the part sweet, part tart and steamy smell before taking my first small sip. It is a little piece of heaven, right there in my mug!

We often remember events and people visually, perhaps even the taste of certain foods can take us back to a certain happy time. For me, the sense of smell is so important, scents being so intertwined with my memories, and also being things that make me smile, make me relax, just make me happy. What smells are your favorites and why?

Currently in November...

As I have said before, I am a big fan of lists of all shapes sizes, content and length. I am in the mood for a list, and my good friend Amy at JustaTitch just posted a great one. She has kindly allowed me to "steal" it. Visit Amy over at http://justatitch.com/ see how awesome she is! Her writing and insights are amazing and as a person, well, she just generally rocks! Now, here's my current list:

Current Books: A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby and a great novel a good friend of mine is working on. Check her out here: http://mommachase.wordpress.com/ !

Current Playlist: I just saw Joshua Radin this weekend so listening to his CDs. If you haven't heard him, I love love love his music (and he's easy on the eyes ladies), so check him out: http://www.joshuaradin.com/. I am also enjoying Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Reba, Neil Diamond, and a plethora of others. You never know what you are gonna find me listening to. Also, I heard a great new artist last night, Jessica Staveley-Taylor, one of the members of the group The Staves. Love her! Check them out: http://www.myspace.com/thestavesmusic .

Current Guilty Pleasure: Watching ice skating on TV... oh, and eating Tootsie Pops.

Current Color: Red and purple, although not together...

Current Drink: Tea, hot or iced. Hot cocoa season is upon us, which is exciting as well!

Current Food: Mexican, soup, and anything homey that my mom makes

Current Favorite Show: As always, I am a sucker for Law and Order: SVU and House. Enjoying the current seasons of Top Chef and Project Runway, too.

Current Wishlist: A new ipod, digital camera, some CDs, and of course some new boots!

Current Needs: For my tummy not to be so angry and to kiss my Bubby and Katie Bug Bug on their lil' heads....

Current Triumphs: I am trying to be a strong person for my mom and I would like to think I am succeeding, at least somewhat....

Current Bane Of My Existence: Fall Product and Cookie Chairs who are needy and other people who I shall not mention here....

Current Celebrity Crush: Matt Bomer from the new series White Collar and since I just spent an evening looking at him, Joshua Radin, once again.

Current Indulgence: Real lemon and honey in my tea, chips with dip and time for me

Current Blessing: Good friends who can be supportive and fun all at the same time and old friends who just know....

Current Slang: Hmmm, not sure. All I know is I say "Really?" a lot and Freaking A

Current Outfit: Plaid pajama pants and a navy blue Top Gun t-shirt

Current Excitement: A great, much-needed, fun Saturday with Kevin

Current Mood: So mixed-up so how about some eh with a side of happy, a dollup of blah, a sprinkle of sadness and anger with some sleepy on top

Current Link: Well, since I included a few of my faves earlier in this post, how about the exciting new Girl Scouts of Central Illinois website: http://www.girlscouts-gsci.org/ . WOOHOO!

Tell Me Something Good

As odd as it sounds, I have a thing for lists. Not just lists to keep me organized, but lists of things, places, people, you know the Top Ten of (fill in random category here) or Things to Do Before You Turn (insert age here), or Places to Visit Before (insert life changing event here). Lists, to-do lists, grocery lists, directories, baby name books, yes I am enthralled by them all. When I was a kid my mom would sometimes let me write the grocery list for her before we went to the store. I am sure part of it was just to keep me occupied and to shut me up, but I guess I did have to practice my spelling and handwriting at the same time. Who knew such a mundane task could be so educational? Little did I know my mom had her list, in her near-perfect mom handwriting, already in her purse, ready to go since the night before. Oh well.... As I got older, reading anything I could get my hands on, I started to come across quotes, words of wisdom from others, authors, politicians, actors, sports starts, saints; just about anyone who is anyone has been quoted sometime. I began to write my favorites down, wanting to keep them for myself. I am not sure if it was so much for inspiration or if it was because it was a new list, hmmmm.

Well, the obsession with quotes continued and I srated looking for ones to fit certain situations, for certain people, even for me. I used them in everyday conversation, in greeting cards, in school papers. I was a quote machine! Today I have many many many notebooks full of quotes I have collected on just about any topic imaginable. Over the years as I added a new quote to the books, I would sometimes mark some as favorites. It is fun to look through them now and see what I marked as faves back then, especially considerig what I might consider as faves today. I definitely have my faves and often use them, be it in a card to a friend, or just something I have for me, written on the corner of a random page in my dayplanner or address book, somewhere where they will pop up when I least expect it, or someplace I can turn to inconspicuously when I need a reminder of something good. I still love lists and make them for everything. I still love quotes, reading through old favorites and discovering new ones, like a treasure in my day.

I am sure we all have a quote or two we hold dear to us as a personal favorite. What are yours? Share them with me as I would love to see what words you are inspired and and who said them as well. Sometimes the sources are just as surprising!