 Here we are, mid-November, and 2012 is working diligently to dash away from us day-by-day, and it just so happens that my New Year's resolution is stalking me.
...Maybe haunting me is a better phrase; regardless it's looming and the clock is ticking.
Normally I'm not one to rock the New Year's resolution - it's always seemed silly if not totally pointless, given that most of them fall by the wayside before January gives way to February. Heck, two weeks in (okay, two days) and you're hearing people bemoan their broken New Year's promise. But this year I thought, I can totally do a writing-related resolution, with the odds in my favor for following through.
...Yeah, totally.
So, in the early days of 2012, I resolved that I would submit at least one article to a national publication. {Crickets chirping} Well, here we are, November 17, 2012, and I can't even tell you the last time I scoped out the writer's guidelines for such a publication. Around mid-year I consoled myself with my complete lack of follow through by submitting a piece to Chicken Soup for the Soul. That's something, right? Yet in my heart of hearts I knew that's not what I was aiming for. I do love a loophole, though...
With just over 40 days left in the year (which is crazy talk, I might add), there's still time, so here's hoping that putting this little tidbit of my fractured resolution out there, follow through will soon be coming my way.
I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, how did your New Year's resolutions fare this year? And if you've got a New Year's resolution that met failure in the most epic of ways, you know we want to hear about it. Ready...Set...Share!
Ah, Christmas...So many things about the holidays to love, treasure, stress over...But there is one thing, no matter how stressed I get or overwhelmed by things I become, that can always bring me back to center. It's the sounds of the season. While I'm not one of those who has the Christmas station tuned in 24/7, there are songs that I will seek out because of their overwhelming awesomeness and ability to make me just be for a bit. I've always said that music is so incredible because it has a way of taking you back to a specific moment in the space of a chord. It's just amazing, isn't it? With the flip of a radio station, I can be driving down the road in my high school car on a hot summer day, just living life and being free. ...Well, after that slight left turn, I give you the song on my heart tonight. Love Came Down at Christmas, performed by Jars of Clay, but is Christina Rossetti's poem. Every time I hear this song...It's perfection. What songs are your musical perfection at Christmas? Take a trip to the comments and let us know! It wouldn't hurt my feelings if you wanted to Tweet the videos to @LovingAbigail or @TVMoms101.
 9 years into our marriage, the fake tree is still the winner. Have you ever noticed how, for many families it seems either you are a solid 'real Christmas tree' family or you're 'artificial tree' all the way? In my little family, we've waffled back and forth over the years (real shocker if you knew us at all...Insert dripping sarcasm here) before settling on our official stance. Following is a comical look at how we got there.
The year is 2002 and we're preparing for our first Christmas as a married couple. Let me just say, married life in general...BIG transition to say the least, but that's another story for another day. I, of course, am adamant that we get ourselves a real tree, so off we go to the various tree lots in search of the most perfect tree ever. The details on this part are a little fuzzy, but I'm pretty sure we ended up going to a few different lots before we found the tree. P.S. Two novices should not be allowed to go tree shopping together. I had gone with my dad every year while I was growing up to pick out the family tree, but he's the one who paid attention to the details - not me.
Now before I dive any further into this story, let me clue you in to a conversation we had while at the tree lot. Me: "We're gonna need to get a tree stand." Husband: "Eh, gramma has like 20 at home, we don't need to spend money on that." Me: "Okaaay...If you're sure..." (Thinking to self: If she has 'like 20 at home,' what's wrong with them???)
Okay, so fast forward to getting the tree home. The tree proceeds to go in and out of our house at least three times. Yep, you read that right THREE times. With each passage in and out the door as we (by we, I of course mean he) work on the most crooked tree trunk in the universe, the frustration levels are mounting. Finally, we get enough trunk cut off so that it can stand in our free tree stand. Guess what...There's a reason it was in the garage and not being used for a repeat performance. Oh yeah, it fell down. *sigh*
A new tree stand is purchased.
I can vividly recall as we're wrestling with this tree saying, "I wish my dad was here," and promptly going to the bathroom to cry it out. Now, the total irony of that statement is that things didn't necessarily go all that smoothly with my dad over the years. I remember many a time he was cursing over the stupid, er, beautiful tree. Apparently, though, I had blocked all of that out. So there I am, crying my eyes out in the bathroom, poor Husband is probably thinking this isnot what he signed up for - and seriously..."Why is she crying??" Enter my sister. My beautiful, thoughtful sister comes over with a box of ornaments for our first Christmas. I make my exit from the bathroom trying not to look like this entire experience has been complete misery. Good times.
The evening ended well, with feelings mended, and a ginormous pizza delivered from Pizza Hut, but it's an experience I will never forget, and that we uproariously laugh over now.
We did give the real tree a try again a couple of years later, but that darn thing fell over too, and we decided, enough is enough and have embraced our artificial tree in all it's easy-peasy glory ever since. Our greatest source of debate now is an annual argument over getting the lights on the tree. I am so challenged. However, nine years into this marriage, gone are the tears - they've been replaced by laughter up front instead of later.
I'd love to hear your stories! Leave a comment below!
 On August 6, 2011, what would have been Lucille Ball's 100th birthday there are celebrations and remembrances occurring across the web and television. For my part, I've dedicated a few of my recent articles in my TV Moms column to the incredible lady of a million laughs. You can take a trip down memory lane, remembering the episode Lucy Hires an English Tutor or get information on the Hallmark Channel 48-hour I Love Lucy marathon as well as TCM's Lucille Ball movie marathon. Also check in at my Facebook page: TV Moms: The good. The bad. The crazy. as we celebrate Lucille Ball's birthday with our favorite I Love Lucy quotes and moments. I Love Lucy might have been well before my time, but there's something incredibly special about this lady that has transcended across time. Thanks for stopping in, stay tuned...
 What's your favorite Dr. Suess read? Photo by: Amazon.com Today, March 2, 2011 is National Dr. Seuss Day. It's pretty incredible, the staying power of Dr. Seuss' work. The Cat in the Hat was released in 1954 and is still a kid favorite today - as are so many of his books. Amazing.
Today I compiled my personal Top 5 list of Dr. Seuss must-reads and discovered there are quite a few I've never had the privilege to read. You better believe our next trip to the library will be spent perusing the Dr. Seuss selection.
Here's a little taste of my list:
- I Can Read with My Eyes Shut! - The Cat in the Hat makes a return starring appearance in this special Seuss book. A constant must-read as a child, it was also one of my first solo reads.
- Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! - Not discovered until after I became a mother, it quickly became a favorite to read to my daughter. I loved everything this book had to offer. Colors for her to recognize, the common Seuss-silliness in the rhyming flow of the words, to the inherent idea of the book in “The thinks you can think up if only you try!” Reminding kiddos the beauty of their imaginations...Read more
As I was pondering over which books to include in my list, I found myself thinking about the things that make these books great. Why have they remained an important part of children's literature for decades? As I paged through my favorites, I thought back to the first grade when I struggled with certain aspects of reading. It gave me serious anxiety. Even though I loved the idea of reading and words even then. I wondered if perhaps the silly, made-up words don't give beginning readers a sense of confidence. I mean they're so very often words completely drawn from the imagination of Dr. Seuss, and they end up creating the silliest of rhymes...It's almost like a child can't go wrong when reading his books.
In the end, I don't really know. What do you think? What is it about Dr. Seuss books that has made them so incredibly timeless?
To get my list in its entirety, please head on over to my Examiner.com column where it was initially published. (Also don't forget to tell us what Dr. Seuss books make up your top reads).
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Thank you for all of your fantastical books of imagination and rhyming.
 Valentine's Day is officially behind us for another year. That big rush of air you randomly experienced? A collective sigh of relief from those who find Valentine's Day to be the most ridiculous of holidays, who see Valentine's Day as nothing but a sorry reminder of loss or whatever state of aloneness they might be experiencing. For other's still, it's just another day.
I don't remember the last time my husband and I actually did anything that would actually indicate a recognition of Valentine's Day as anything other than another day. (Yep, we're those people). I often wonder what people think this says about our relationship, but well, it's just not how we roll anymore. *shrugs* (I did remember to tell him "Happy Valentine's Day," though. You're jealous of the romance, aren't you?)
At family dinner tonight my mom went all out - the kids loved it and it was a fantastical kind of evening for us all, so I'm not totally "bah humbug" about it, but it certainly doesn't make my top 10 list of favorite days of the year. (Hmm, that implies I have a top 10 list...I'll get back to you on that).
Throughout the afternoon that I spent with my parents and the evening we all had together, more than once the phrase, "Bah humbug" turned up in conversation. This got me thinking. (Scary, I know). We most definitely need a phrase that is 'Bah humbugish' in nature that is for Valentine's Day alone. Just think of how beneficial such a phrase could be to so many. To the haters, the take-it-or-leave-it-ers (?), the closet lovers of the Day who need a front...Oh the masses for which such a phrase could benefit!
So let's get crackin'! What phrase can we create that can do for the anti-Cupids of Valentine's Day that Scrooge did for Christmas? Of course, we must keep in mind what happened at the end of Scrooge's tale, he did have a change of heart...Whose to say? But for now, let's find a Bah Humbug ---> Bah Lovebug? Nah. and start a new trend for all those who found Valentine's Day to be a little lacking in the sparkling love department. Hit me with your comments.
P.S. Even if you love Valentine's Day like nobody else's business, bust out your creativity and help the cause anyways.
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