AP Inspired

a thousand thanks.

today's post is dedicated to the synchronicity that graciously bowed itself to this dream come true for the lovelies. . .

their very first comic con and the delightful pleasure of meeting a few of their favorite characters ever.

and, so, we shall begin.

i am grateful for. . .

whatever inspired us in the fall to let the lovelies watch the back to the future trilogy. over and over and over again.

the incredible luck that aligned for several of the actors to be scheduled for the spring dallas comic con.

my dad stepping in to buy our tickets while i was busy contemplating whether we really needed to go or not.

the adventurous fans who dressed up in character, completely swooning the lovelies and amping up their halloween costume expectations.

 

 

the incredible kindness and patience every actor demonstrated. truly.

 

the many ways the lovelies sought to connect with the actors and their characters. as they approached christopher lloyd, they said in unison, "great scott! it's dr. emmett brown!" to which he laughed whole-heartedly. just as they were leaving, he leaned in and proclaimed "great scott!" right back at them. i think it took their breath away for just a minute. . .

 

 

walking right in for a picture with a few famous faces.

the lovelies getting everyone's autograph on their DVD set.

sitting in the delorean.

seeing a few resolutions in full bloom. one lovely wanted to meet someone famous this year. the mister wants to create memorable moments, and this definitely fancied its way to the top.

and

the joy of being in the company of my family. it was the perfect day.

a thousand thanks.

i am grateful for. . .

being halfway through my feng shui course. ahhh. . .

everyone who graciously agreed to have me shui their space for my final project.

some heart full trees on our chalkboard. the only thing missing is wind swirls of a love poem. any suggestions?

how happy this made me.

my berlin kitchen. her journey + recipes were the perfect combination of golden storytelling.

a recent keane concert. in the company of my mister and a most lovely friend.

feeling inspired by this magazine cover. hmmm. . .a wall heart + a stack of polaroids? a perfect afternoon project.

 

 

also feeling inspired by this adventure in color. some paint swatches + an empty vision board are calling my name.

 

clean windows.

the joy of being smiled at and the effervescent feeling of a smile stretching across my face in reply.

a spontaneous spring trip to london!

this beautiful paint color combo. while they won't work for what i wanted, i am smitten with their luscious hues.

the things that matter by nate berkus. a flawless book in every way.

a ridiculously silly evening with a bestie. if you are going to get lost and your night is going to turn into a comedy of errors, it's magically therapeutic to be with someone you adore.

an upcoming class with a favorite shui guru.

comic con this weekend. trust me. . .that phrase startles me more than you. but, i have lovelies who are obsessed with back to the future. and the professor and lea thompson will be attending. so, you know, comic con. . .here we come!

losing count of all the cardinals i saw + heard while outside this morning. last time i saw so many, it was raining. this morning was overcast, too, which has me thinking maybe they prefer when skies are gray.

every kind word you send me. it drenches me in delight, and i am completely and deeply grateful. thank you.

xo

a thousand thanks.

i am grateful for. . .

a 38th birthday. an equal measurement of awe and gratitude for the last few decades, and my tremendously bright outlook for many more. . .

the snow falling quietly this morning. as though the world graced me with a blank canvas on this special day of mine.

red velvet gelato a lovely gifted me last night. yum.

lunch this afternoon with my mister. a date without the lovelies. it's kind of a big deal.

the pitch perfect soundtrack i've been running to this past week. i love me a good mash up!

the day last week when i saw 9 red cardinals. it was like good luck was around every corner!

a run in the rain.

downton abbey. so, i came to the party rather late. a-hem. and i know i cannot possibly contribute anything more to this fete. instead, i'll share my favorite maggie smith line yet . . .

I always thought this family might be approaching disillusion; I didn't realize disillusion was already upon us.

{maggie smith is just exquisite, right?}

rainboots.

the lovely women at hello monday who are going to revamp this-here blog of mine.

any question i have an answer for -- i am surprised any time i realize i knew a little more than i thought i did.

natural sunlight flooding our home.

my tibetan wind chime. and hanging it mostly by myself.

the names of lipsticks. ruby woo, lady danger, diva, fabby . . . as if i assume an alter-ego with a simple swipe of color.

a puddled blanket seducing me to bundle in and read a good book.

a three-day weekend ahead.

the kindness i am joyfully surrounded with at my blog. you each add so much sparkle to my day!

and. . .

the birthday wishes i've received. each one feels like a gorgeous trinket from a time in my life filled with beautiful memories. every single wish is adored.

thank you.

xo

a thousand thanks.

i had an inspired idea last year.

and then promptly snarled myself into a debate of whether it was overly gratuitous. as in, is this too heavy on the how swell my life is chatter?

so, i compromised. i kept daily lists privately. and made a few blog posts along the way.

if you cultivate a list every day of 9 things you are thankful for, you'll end up with 3,285 little notes of gratitude. which makes a thousand thanks a rather modest goal.

but is it blog worthy?

well. here is my answer.

having my nose in books for years now studying different theories on a well-spent life, i know one thing is certain:

gratitude is a cornerstone.

personally, i feel its levity most on my absolute worst days.

because even then, i celebrate the good and float above the low notes playing. 

which is why i've decided a thousand thanks is worth chronicling.

so, i hope to make this a weekly post, and i hope a few are inspiring enough to arouse joy in everything swell going on over in your nook. because there is always something good, kind, and worthy of a handful of glitter!

let's begin.

i am grateful for. . .

a new year. beginnings always feel plush. potent. possible.

pomegranates and the patience to pluck them clean.

fascinating documentaries, especially his story and her story.

the return of daily rituals that slipped off the to-do list: writing, running, and meditating.

an approaching birthday. and another year for magical thinking and making.

a stack of books to read. this and this and this are at the top.

this site is a daily thrill as a good deal enormously delights me!

hot water + a squeeze of lemon + freshly grated ginger -- a healthy digestif for sure!

the halfway point in my feng shui course! {much more discussion on this to follow...}

twinkling lights. oh, how i hate to see them go. . .

the recycling of stuff we no longer use out of our home and into the hands of those who will.

goals. when i don't know what to do next and doing nothing isn't an option, my goals give me choices. and direction.

the zest of my lovelies' laughter. this sound instantly enhances every molecule of our space.

french bingo.

the simple meditation i feel when caring for our home. it warrants an eye roll, i know. but for me, it is how i honor the ritual of daily life.

and random acts of kindness.

xo

inspired prompt | what are you most grateful for today?

a year in review.

1. after following me home from an afternoon january run, churchill was a most delightful guest in our house until his family retrieved him a few days later.

2. my birthday celebration included the jean paul gaultier exhibit. which was genius eye candy, people. seriously. followed up with dinner at bolsa -- a local restaurant started by a high school friend. the food? every morsel made my mouth gallop with joy. quite the perfect evening.

3. oh, copenhagen.

while it is impossible to adore one moment over another, feeling the morning sun wash over me while sitting in a local park was exquisite. and our day at the louisiana museum, seeing both the exhibits and walking the grounds, had smiles crackling across my face.

 

 

4. watching one lovely come off her very first rollercoaster ride. with a mega watt smile and blushed cheeks, eager to do it again.

5. and witnessing the other lovely in the water with her most favorite animal ever -- the seal.

6. sharing birthday balloons with a friend and doing a little shui quenched with possibility.

7. at a street fair in may, one lovely was called out to boogie with the breakdancers. the emcee suddenly called out the other lovely, my mister, and me, too. shall we say a family that dances together stays together?

8. at a neighborhood party, a few of us went inside to talk. we wandered into the dimly lit office and spontaneously declared it the VIP lounge. in no time, there was rumor of a VIP room. . .with people stopping in to check it out.

9. flipping through channels one evening while sleep eluded me, i caught ryan adams and cowboy junkies in concert together. i burrowed into their music and melodic voices, deciding it was about time i get myself to a concert.

10. so when, that same week, a friend texted me i have an extra ticket to edgefest -- wanna go? garbage, cake, the black keys are playing. . . i couldn't say yes quickly enough.

11. seeing a super moon and a blue moon this year.

 

12. reading the fifty shades trilogy. more than once.

13. seeing the cirque du soleil michal jackson immortal show with friends and our lovelies.

14. at horseshoe bay, a lovely and i counted 103 bats in the night sky together.

15. lounging with my family at a favorite austin haunt of mine.

16. trying to open a gold glitter glue pen. applying too much pressure. and suddenly. . .

g o l d 

g l i t t e r

arced

electrically across the room, onto the chandelier, into the plants, and wildly about the walls and ceiling. with every sunset, my walls shimmer still as i can't quite get the smear of sparkle off.

17. a very impromptu trip to our old stomping grounds over labor day. breathing mountain air. remembering how breathtaking fall can be. and enjoying the company of our  b i g  family.

18. watching the final installment of twilight. *sigh*

19. absolute favorite movies i saw? the big year, we bought a zoo, and midnight in paris.

20. my 4-year old nice whispering a cascade of secrets to me one evening. and just before leaving that night, she beckoned me eye-level again to mention she would perhaps send me a note. in the mail.

21. fireworks in december. makes up for missing them during the summer.

a list like this, well, it authors a happy ending to 2012. by noticing all the little things, the life right in front us, love catches on fire. and no matter how ordinary the kindling, the bonfire is a serenade of everything perfect in our lives.

xo

a thousand thanks.

a thousand thanks here in heart + head for...

{13} the Lorax. a brilliant movie. its gorgeous story. and a most timely message.

{14} our outside lights, finally fixed. brighter than before, illuminating each fabulous tree.

{15} a new meditation mantra: in God, i move and breathe and have my being.

{i love that.}

{16} my breath suspended watching her dream come true.

{17} the incredibly delightful gift of crisp pink + white striped jammies.

{18} spring break.

 

{19} the thrill of her first roller coaster ride. with a 150-foot drop.

 

{20} and for my brother who rode with her

{21} over and over and over...

{22} cardinals. and seeing them wherever i go. perhaps they follow me?

{23} normal test results. healthy thyroid, happy me.

{24} the subtle transformation of a little nook.

 

{25} polaroid happiness. like little bubbles from an ordinary day.

{26} the ambiance of a lit candle in a dark room.

{27} our lavender plants perfuming the air.

{28} winking at my mister over breakfast chatter.

{29} my mister winking back.

{30} a good hard rain.

{31} having rain boots for the puddles.

{32} basil, tomato, and mozzarella with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

{33} spring cleaning. room by room. office: done. front hallway: done. lounge: done.

{34} a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe. yum.

{35} from this gorgeous blogger who has hashimoto's...just like me. finding her blog was kismet.

{36} and a cookbook in the works. makes me smile.

{37} windows wide open and gentle spring breezes flowering in.

{38} this band on repeat daily during spring break. the lovelies are smitten.

{39} which makes the serendipity of being in line at the bookstore when i overheard they will be in concert here this weekend(!!!) glorious. can you even stand it?

{40} what's a mama to do but score tickets so my mister can surprise them? they just might faint. and while they are there screaming with outrageous delight, i will be...

{41} on my way to copenhagen.

xo

 

*only 960 "thanks" to go...

 

on my mind this morning.

{1} this book. and her words:

we become who we've known ourselves to be. i asked a poet recently what was the first question she asked herself every morning. she replied without thinking, "who was i before the alarm clock rang? who was the stranger i was in my dreams?"

{i love that.}

 

{2} my goals. most days, my mind runs wide and wild. but happiness comes from progress so i either grow or give here. and these goals, when chosen, were my effort to become more in twenty-twelve. so. capriciousness out. assiduousness in.

 

{3} my lovelies. i left for spin early while the night birds were still singing. when i returned home, i found my lovelies completely absorbed, each in her own book. and although they have different *daring* volumes, both happened to be reading studying the furtive art of spying. students by day, spies by night?

hmmm.

 

 

 

 

 

{4} another new month. and on my list: spring cleaning. travel. and appreciation for all the blooms and blossoms that regale the changing seasons.

 

{5} gifts. i have a few to giveaway. next week. you know the rules. every comment, message, email you send equals an entry in the drawing.

 

now. go and have a gorgeous weekend!

xo

 

 

a thousand thanks.

a thousand thanks. in twenty-twelve.

here

we

go.

i am grateful for...

{1} the abundant sunshine + blue skies promenading the last few weeks, and it's only february, right? i think the two are having a torrid love affair.

{2} the first sip of coffee. my hands cupped around a steaming mug, absorbing the emanating warmth. it is a ritual i always, always look forward to...

{3} the way my lovelies eyes can't help but twinkle. and when i see all four mega-watts upon me, an irresistible smile bursts forth. 

{4} how easily my mister's face eases into the most engaging smile. ever.

{5} the ability to create order from chaos, especially in the peskiest of places.

 

{6} these forgotten snapshots on the mister's phone.

 

{7} hands-on-the-hip. because sometimes you just need the extra emphasis.

 

{8} spontaneous laughter. at oneself.

 

{9} a room renovation near launch. and purple? let the rapture commence.

 

 

{10} the discovery of ap inspired readers in italy (ciao!) and britain. i am global. eeeps!

{11} our neighbor's tree blooming. merely two weeks ago, she was bare. and now, she is totally blushing.

{12} you being here. right now. take this moment. and let your mind wander among all the best parts of your life.

xo

 

*only 988 thanks to go...

a thousand thanks.

a good idea likes to present itself three times.

or maybe i just need that much persuasion.

first. a recent conversation i had with my health + wellness guru:

i'm sensing spiritual growth is what you need...

{surprised pause.} really?

gratitude and praise. your body needs more of both.

but i keep a journal with what i am grateful for and i...

this is more like you need to be heard rejoicing.

ummm...like on a mountaintop?

well, however you see fit. just find ways. you will re-e-e-a-a-l-ly benefit from it.

hmmm.

***

second. i am watching him, trying to understand the surrounding phenomenon. he leads the crowd through a hands-over-heart exercise. asking the masses to think of a moment they felt grateful their hearts had guided them through. the point? when we experience gratitude, we cannot simultaneously feel anger or fear.

and then he said,

when you stack gratitude, you change your biochemistry.

okay, mr. robbins. you have my attention.

***

third. i walk into my office this morning. on the corner of my desk are cards i impulsively purchased around the new year. but somehow today, as they sat in naked delight with the sun barely up, i had a wallop of an idea.

a thousand thanks.

it seems ridiculously profuse. lofty. unrestrained. and boldly effusive.

but.

i will post a thousand moments of personal gratitude here during twenty-twelve. which means, with the few weeks that somehow slipped through our collective fingers, i must find 22 moments every week progressing forward.

to make the most of my robust inspiration, i concocted a few rules.

moments must be original :: no 2 moments in a life are ever the same. so, i can't be grateful for my health every day. i can, however, appreciate the way my lungs swallow deep breaths. or how my eyes barely caught a shooting star. or the smell of a summer breeze coming in through an open car window.

moments must be personal :: how this experience is part of my story. who am i in this moment? where am i? what am i thinking? how am i doing?

the moments must be specific :: exactly what made me swell with gratitude. i'm not composing pages of prose here. i simply want the significance of a given moment recognized. appreciated. and stacked.

finally :: a thousand thanks begins with always looking for moments of graciousness, gratefulness, and good. around the corner, upon a kind note, in the eyes of friend. 

e v e r y w h e r e .

want to be heard rejoicing from your rooftop?  join me.  i welcome your moments of thanks here below. over on facebook. or my inbox.

let the rejoicing begin...

xo