One year later.....

Here we are once again. A year since I started these writings of ramblings and thoughts. Some of the posts have been brilliant, thank you very much, and some have been rubbish. I’ve been watching The Great British Baking Show and The Crown on Netflix and I’m full of all sorts of proper words.

 I don’t want to do a slow written montage of the past year as that will take too long and you can go back and read the high points, but I felt I should reflect as I am saying goodbye to level 35.

A small recap on the last few weeks of 35, I am an Aunt again! Stella June made her way into the world this month and is the prettiest girl!! Her parents better watch out. While she was away at the hospital being born I was put on Jasper duty and boy did we have fun! I am blessed and thankful by his presence in my life. He’s a joy to be around and will be a wonderful big brother. His Mom and Dad I know are very proud of him.

My fur baby’s relationship is coming along. BabieCakes can still be a cranky old lady, but Piston flat out does not care and beats along to her own drum. Again, if you follow me on Instagram you see the shenanigans they can get into.

As I concentrate, on one common theme from the last year what pops into my head:

“time is non-refundable. Use it with intention”

This past year of my life there has been loss that reminds me that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. My heart fills with emotion as I think about the people that left this world early for a heavenly one and it makes me ask myself, “am I living and being the best version of myself?”

I can 100% say no, not every day.

In the moment of grief I often think, “I am going to do the things I’ve always wanted to do.” “I am going to stop and take pause to enjoy this exact simple moment,” and “I am not going to sweat the things I cannot control.” However, more often than not life happens. Instead of being grateful for another day I’ve been given, I tick the mental check-marks of the day ahead and before I know it a month has passed by with little to no notice.

I am terrified by the saying, “grab life by the horns.” Why? My evaluation of this means no organization and no planning. This phrase may mean something completely different to you and when I Googled it the search returned in regards to professional grabbing life by the horns. I am in awe of people who consider the world as their “home.” You know the type I am talking about. Those that live day to day with what appears to be no concern for where they may sleep tonight (my version of grabbing life by the horns). They seem so enlightened and really living in the moment. How do they do that? How do I take a spec of that lifestyle and transfer it to my own? Not so far as to not know where I am sleeping, but to not panic if my day strays just a bit from normalcy. As I type that, I feel like I just raised my hand and said, “Hi my name is Shelly and I am a control freak.” To that I have, no comment.

Here is my question. How do you “grab life by the horns?” Not workplace horns, but everyday life horns to remind yourself that tomorrow is fleeting? How do you remind yourself to be present now? This is an open call for suggestions!

I am not so absentminded that I walk around oblivious to the wonderful moments around me. I am a fairly reflective person (hello, blog much). I find the Holy Spirit in the quiet times of the day and can be moved by the ordinary things of life. As I have gotten older I find the trinkets, things, and stuff that once made me happy in truth was an illusion of happiness. I don’t shop for that kind of happiness any more. I create it around me. Life is far too short to put my happiness in somebody else’s hands. The getting up early on a Saturday for breakfast with Jarret and the going to my sisters after work for chats and playtime with Jasper (and know Stella) are great examples and reminders that in this life I am loved. It’s normalcy at its finest and time that is being used with intention.

However, is it enough? Meaning the birthday’s I am blessed with year after year is the precious gift of time. Like my beloved Kate Spade purse I got one year as a gift that I wore out, am I wearing out the time I am given? Dear Lord, I hope so.

There always things that stop us from doing something. Money, work, kids, obligations, and the list can rattle on. I am not unhappy in life. Not even close, but instead of worrying about how many calories are in my favorite piece of cake I am just going to eat the cake.

 

Alright so last year when I started the blog I made goals here are the goals for 36:

1. Take a vacation. A real vacation. I need to go someplace I’ve never been, see something I’ve never seen.
2. Really truly try not to sweat the things I cannot control. It’s not worth the stress and worry if I cannot change the outcome.

That’s it.

Goals are good, but this year I am not going to fill my schedule with them instead I will enjoy every second of everyday and though I may not understand, I need to remember to trust in God’s plan and walk with him every day. As I have leveled up to 36 I am reminded that there are some that don’t get to and to be thankful for every day that God blesses me with.

Thank you for all the Birthday wishes I felt them and it made my day splendid!! I am truly a blessed girl.

Have wonderfully happy day/evening!

Summer Fun

Since school has been released I’ve enjoyed seeing posts on all the various social media outlets of summer time fun. Kids enjoying sprinklers in the yard, hoses on the swing set slides and sprinklers under trampolines. Kiddos getting ready for the different summer camps that are offered and teachers kicking back and relaxing with their favorite adult beverage of choice. It’s no doubt that summer is in full swing with temperatures here in Dalhart already starting to reach 100 degrees that help remind us to sunscreen up and drink plenty of water (safety tip moment).

I was laying “by the pool” and soaking up some sun at my Sister’s one Saturday afternoon. “By the pool” is Jasper’s Walmart kid pool that is blue with sea turtles and fish printed all over it. Shana and I were talking and I mentioned this is what summer is about. Sitting around sweating for a tan, while Jasper ran around playing and us all enjoying a Flav-Or-Ice freeze pop. Living our best simple life.

Do kids still look forward to the simple times of summer? I wonder. I know when I think back on my summer free from classrooms, teachers, and bed times I think, "man I wish I got summer time off again!" Just a few summer time memories for you today.

Dalhart City Pool was the place to be. The place I spent the majority of my summers. Back in the day the pool still had the deep end, 10 foot and we all knew the story of why there wasn’t a diving board anymore. Shana and I would ride our bikes to the pool a little before they opened. We’d wait in line or in the grass and once they opened the window to pay we were ready to go! It was $1 to swim all day at the Dalhart City Pool and often Shana and I would have sandwich bags full of change for our entry into swimming fun. Once you got into the pool area top priority before jumping in was finding the perfect piece of concrete to put your towel. However, no matter where you put your towel it was going to be soaked when you finally needed it. There was always a break in swimming, so when the lifeguard’s blew their whistle’s you knew you had to get out, take a rest, and eat a snack. I think this break was 30 minutes? I honestly don’t remember, but it felt like a lifetime! When we had some extra money for the concession stand my snack of choice was laffy taffy and a cup of pickle juice. It was all about the laffy taffy and $0.10 cup of iced pickle juice. I lived for summers at the pool. 

On Friday’s after a day of swimming when the pool closed we’d ride our bikes over to SouthPark Salon. It was the perfect time because Mom would be finishing Grandma Miller’s hair and we knew we’d not have to ride bikes home. This is how it would work....

-We’d ride over.
-Park our bikes in front of the salon.
-Grandma would be sitting under the dryer.
-Granddaddy would walk us over to the United parking lot for a snow cone and walk us back.
-We’d then eat snow cones while waiting on Grandma, we’d beg and plead to ride to the house with Grandma and Granddaddy which meant we’d load our bikes up in the back of Mom’s minivan.

Eventually we’d make our way to Hartley for the weekend. In my memories this worked every time. Have I mentioned my Grandparents spoiled us just a bit? There were times Mom would say “no, ride home.” I don’t have many of those memories, but feel certain it happened more than what I remember.

My birthday is in July and Shana’s is June. This meant birthday slumber parties outside. We’d stay up all hours of the night and sleep on the trampoline. I remember these nights of sleeping outside as some of the best sleep in my life. Like camping, sleeping out in the fresh air under the stars is rest for the soul. We’d get a BigFoot from Pizza Hut. Remember those!?! Huge rectangular pizza that only came in cheese or pepperoni. This brings me to summer food! I mentioned Flav-Or-Ice freeze pops, but what about push pops!? Getting a push pop and having to tap the bottom of the stick on the concrete sidewalk to loosen up the ice cream in order to devour it. BBQ’s, ice cream, hamburgers, cold yummy salads, snow cones (insert Hula Hut advertisement), squash patties, and fresh garden vegetables are all things that make summer happy. 

We were also fortunate to take summer vacations growing up and got to see many places in the US at an age when I probably didn’t appreciate it as much as I would now. My Mom’s brothers at the time lived on both coasts and one in the middle (California, Missouri, and New York). We were able to visit a few times along with other places like Arizona, Kentucky (Aunt’s wedding), Iowa (of course), New Mexico, Colorado, and Oklahoma. Trips to Ute Lake with family make me smile as I remember us all cliff diving. Summer vacations are part of the reason I am such a travel bug.

The cool mornings, fiery afternoons, and warm golden evenings just add to the wonderful memory making elements of summer fun. Keep the pictures coming they inspire my summer planning and make me smile as I watch the summer memories being made.

-Have a Happy Evening! 

FurBaby Loves

I am on a love my furry babies high. If we are FaceBook friends than you already know that I got me a new little furry love. On my way home from the vet this morning I was thinking about how much I already loved this little ball of energy despite the tears I had earlier in the week (I’ll explain shortly). Then I started to think about the correlation between pets and children.

Now before I anger or upset anyone with children, I am by no means comparing my cats to your children. What I am doing is comparing the love you develop when having another being that needs your constant care, affection, attention, soothing, discipline, and time.

Fur babies do indeed become our babies. I realized this when Piston was getting her first round of kitty shots this morning and the vet had me holding her head and I was soothing her with words and scratched around her face and ears.

I brought Piston home on Sunday night. My approach was this, I’ll let BabieCakes get use to her and let her start to feel at home. It was stressful Sunday night. Monday morning I got up ready to try again and again it did not work. On my way to work I was talking to Jarret trying to hold back tears thinking I wasn’t going to be able to keep Piston because BabieCakes was stressed and my loyalty was to her. Talking to my dear friend Elizabeth, she assured me that it takes time, that I need to be more patient, but if I thought I couldn’t do it then, okay. Then I talked to Mom and at this point the tears were rolling and I was able to pinpoint the problem. I felt like I had betrayed BabieCakes. Did she feel like I was replacing her? Did she resent me? Did she feel okay because her breathing was rapid and her heart racing as she hissed and growled at the new kid?

Yes, I thought all these thoughts and then cried about it. What the hell is going to happen if God willing I ever have more than one kid?

Currently Piston has a safe room with all her things and I am slowly and more patiently introducing a few of her smells to BabieCakes. I am bribing BabieCakes with fancy pate food near Piston’s bedroom door in order for her to think positive happy thoughts while listening to the new kid meow and bounce against the walls as she plays.

Parents, does your kid have a safe room in order to get use to the older one’s smells? I’m kidding! However, the vet this morning when asking if I was on the right track with BabieCakes and Pistons sisterly relationship did compare them to 12 year old girls. Just saying.

Since the separate but equal decision descended our household my evenings have been much like this: I get home and coo and caw over BabieCakes and remind her she is Queen B and that she’s in charge when I am not home. Then I go coo and caw over Piston, pick her food up off the carpet because I swear that kitten picks up her bowl and chunks it across the room, we play, I assure her I’ll be back and then I start over with the other one. The attention each needs or requires is no different than a child. I watched Jasper last night and he required just as much attention as my cats currently do.

I went to bed later than normal last night due to not getting home as I normally do and spending time with the furry butterball and then with the new girl. I have been getting up earlier to spend some time with each in order to have a smooth transition when the face to face of this arrangement starts to take place. Despite what I have going on this week my nights and mornings have been focused on these two ladies.

Although I am not comparing children to pets can you see why people like myself may look at their fur babies as such? I am here to tell you people I am not the minority either. I know people with children and still consider their pets as fur babies and not just pets. I often think it can get forgotten that pets are breathing, heart beating, and personality wearing beings. Different from animals. Yes, pets are technically animals, but once they have entered your home and you’ve named them, ready or not they will leave an imprint on your heart and life forever.

There are numerous times we as a family will be talking about the “remember when…” and more times than not one of our pets will be part of the story. Or at the very least when a story is being told and we are all remembering that day, Boob or the Poop (those were their nicknames, ask me about it sometime if you care) are just hovering in that image we all hold in our head.

Call me the crazy cat lady if you will, but my heart is filled with love because of my cats. Wherever you stand on pets whether its cats, dogs, gerbils, birds, lizards, and ferrets maybe even a whole zoo don’t be embarrassed by the affection you give your pets. They can make us better humans, so if adopting an animal, remember once you bring it into your home and give it name beware(!) your heart will forever be changed by it.

Short blog and I am sorry, but I’ve got to get BabieCakes off my lap so I can go play with the other one…..

Have a Fur-tastic one!

-Shelly

Dear Mom,

We celebrated my Mom’s birthday yesterday. Her birthday is not until Tuesday, but since her special day falls well on a Tuesday we took yesterday’s beautiful day to celebrate her with mushroom swiss burgers, chips and queso, carrot cake blondie bars, and a Guinness (St. Patty’s Day). Before dinner Shana, Mom, and I went to English Rose in Amarillo and Shana I treated Mom to a piece of Kendra Scott jewelry of her choice for her birthday gift. We “ooh’d” and “ahh’d” at all the pretty things and we all found some pretty pieces of jewelry to take home (happy birthday Mom) and enjoyed the little bit of shopping. Jasper kept us all entertained with his antics and adorableness as we visited at the house.

On the drive home I started to think of the special bond between mothers and daughters. I obviously can’t speak for every mother and daughter and their relationship, but I can speak about the relationship with my Mom. As I grow older every year I see my mother in myself more and more. The saying of “one day you’ll turn into your mother” is tot-ally true. I always joke that I can thank Mom for my chicken legs. Well her and my Granddaddy. I also thank her for my go-go gadget arms. My Granddaddy probably had something to do with that too. More than once when people have seen me from behind they’ve mistaken me for my mother.

Most of you know my Mom and have known her either your whole life or her whole life, but a little quick background. Donna Lynelle Miller grew up in Hartley, TX she was the youngest of three boys and therefore a princess. I have no doubt her brothers would agree and come up with some story of how much a princess she was. I always like to tell the story of how my Mom got her middle name. My Granddaddy's name was Lloyd and my Grandma was Wanelle. I use to lovingly spell 1L. Hahaha! Anyway, there you have Lynelle! I always enjoyed hearing stories from Mom about how’d she make her own clothes in high school and cruise the drag in Dalhart. Being able to spend time in her old bedroom in Hartley growing up always made me smile. This was Mom’s room when she was my age!! Reflecting on these stories growing up reminds me that Mom used to be just like me. Probably a bit insecure, maybe a little shy, defiant against her parents, stayed out past curfew, athletic, wore glasses, and probably drank some beer on a back road.

Wait….was she just like me or was I just like her?

Besides my physical attributes I recognize a few other traits and quirks I inherited. She is an extremely self sufficient woman. You did read that I said she made some of her clothes, right? She actually made my prom dress senior year and Shana’s prom dress. A McCall’s pattern, sewing machine and instant glam! She is very handy. Build, paint, install, wire, and sand. She can do it all! I consider myself handy, not quite to her caliber, but in a pinch I can get the job done. Due to her handy abilities she is also very crafty and creative. She can create anything in her mind’s eye. She can talk measurement and construction with Jarret like any other carpenter, my thoughts drift when they start getting too precise, this is where I am not like my Mother as I don’t think I have the patience for that type of craftsmanship.

Her creative heart is embedded in my heart. I have a love as she does for design, good craftsmanship, originality, and the quirky. The quirky is my favorite passed down trait. I always find myself on the other side of the quirkiness line. It’s what makes me uniquely like my Mom. The quirky in design, humor, and life! I mean did you see our basement on Keeler? Shana and I joke with her about being a hippie. However, we both have a bit of hippie in our hearts too. The ability to love freely (to be clear not free love, but love freely) and look past the way things are “suppose to be” and be a bit more open minded or at the very least see both signs of the coin. This might be a more modern definition of hippie, but it fits.

Growing up Mom was a mom. There were rules, punishments and chores. She wasn’t our friend. She was our Mom. This is not to say she didn’t love us. Our house was full of love and laughter. There was always an understanding we could share anything with her. I had a very happy blessed childhood. My parents did their job. Today however, I know my Mom as a woman, not a mother. She is still my mother, but we are friends. I know what hobbies make her happy. We take each other’s advice when shopping for clothes together. We share and talk about work and recipes, all the normal types of conversations that are shared between girlfriends. It’s friendship.

The relationship with my Mom is special. I without a doubt know Shana would say her relationship with Mom is special. Our Mother is special. A woman who showed us how to be strong, efficient, and dependable she showed us through example to be women, who aren’t afraid to be ourselves, love fiercely, work hard, and be thankful to the Lord for what he provides. She nurtured two very different girls and somehow seamlessly guided them to become the women they are today. Now as grown women who have started their own families and look to start them she will be there to give advice and help guide us through another chapter of our lives.

Happy Birthday Mom! Happy Birthday Friend! Happy Birthday Nonna! Happy Birthday Wife! A lady of many hats that you wear so beautifully and gracefully. I am thankful for you. I love you. Cheers!

Love,

Your favorite oldest daughter.

Happy is Happy

Yesterday I had posted about a study Purdue University did stating that in order for a person be happy in life they need to make an annual yearly income of $105,000. I laughed, it was a literal “lol.”

I understand money helps take away stress regarding adult life things like bills, children, vacations and everything that comes with having to be a responsible member of society and that in turn makes people happy. However, to put a price tag of $105,000 on it, that is the laughable part.

I have bad days where happy is elusive, no matter how many pep talks I give myself. I can admit that this week I had a few bad days and Jarret can attest to that as I took some of it out on him, but happy is happy. What I mean by this is if you want to be happy you find ways in life to be happy. There is no price tag for happiness. I have continued to think about this well into my Saturday because this has indeed been a very happy Saturday.

This morning I got up and made some homemade waffles in my awesome waffle maker had some coffee and proceeded on with my Saturday cleaning of the house. I continue to unpack boxes and sort through my stuff since moving into the new digs. I have repacked some boxes for keep and some for give away. About 11am I found myself outside raking and enjoying a very pretty morning once the sun started to warm it up.

At lunch Jarret and I went to The Grill for a cheeseburger and I had a cherry limeade, my favorite drink of choice there. I stopped by my sisters after lunch and had the sweetest little boy run up for the biggest of hugs. Oh, that Jasper makes my heart melt. Came home finished the little bit of raking and picking up in the yard and now I am sitting on the couch typing away, with my laptop on my knees and my arms stretched out as far as they can go because my cat insists on sitting on my lap and I can’t say no. The complete Harry Potter series is on HBO, which gives me the goal to getting through as many of the films as I can for the rest of my Saturday.

A full morning of chores and work in which I feel productive and accomplished, a lunch with my love and a cherry limeade, and then some small chat with my family and sweet love from my nephew. Friends this is happiness.

Happiness. It’s really not that hard to get. I create my own happiness without a tag of $105,000. I try not to depend on the outside world to provide it for me. For whatever side you fall on, you do you, but as for me? I’m gonna stick to my simple Saturday mornings of chores and cherry limeades at lunch.

I really want and strive for this blog to be a happy read. However, it is hard to ignore the sadness that occurred in Florida this week. So many thoughts run through my mind, heart break for the families of the victims and for the community and frustration that our children are taking the lives of innocent people. I am a believer that guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Therefore, gun control in my mind is not the answer to this problem that seems to be growing in our country. My simple thinking is this, I am overweight, do I need fork, spoon and knife control on my flatware because they contribute to my extra weight that is unhealthy and could kill me? Here to tell you I will find another way to get all the unhealthy things I love in my mouth and belly.  As I said my simple thinking and I am going to leave it at that. I pray for everyone involved, I pray for those that lead our country, and I pray that we all remember to bring God into our hearts, minds and thoughts in the days ahead.

-Happy thoughts to you!

Great Expectations

Happy New Year!! I know I am two weeks to late on that and I apologize for the blog silence after Thanksgiving, but the end of the year just kind of ran away from me. I hope as we are two weeks into 2018 you are holding steadfast on those New Year’s Resolutions and see a bright and shiny year ahead of you. If you remember when I started this little rambling blog I mentioned I do not do resolutions, but I do see a new shiny year in front of me.

On the first of December I was offered a HR Associate position at work. When I say I was offered, I mean I did apply and go through the many interviews to be offered this spot on the HR team. This was a goal I set for myself when I first applied at Hilmar Cheese Company and when hired as the receptionist I knew that was my foot in the door. I did not however think I’d be in HR so quickly. I am over the moon as this is a promotion and a huge opportunity and exactly where I want to be in my career. I started to transition to HR the week before Christmas and since then it has been a blast. I say that because I am busy from the moment I walk in the door to the moment I leave, that’s not to say there are some days I walk out completely exhausted, brain fried, and feeling lost at times. That’s the beauty and the terrified part about learning something new. My transfer was official on 01/01/2018 which makes my official title HR Associate. No lie, when I changed my email signature at work I was smiling like a crazy person.

The short version of everything that happened between my last post and now. After Thanksgiving at McKenzie’s in Houston , Jarret and I went to OKC to see Trans Siberian Orchestra, we rocked out and ate some amazing food. We celebrated Jasper’s first birthday! We celebrated Christmas with my family. We celebrated Christmas on New Years with Jarret’s family. Got a cold New Year’s weekend, that is still hanging on for dear life. Poor Dalhart has had flu, cold, and strep running around like wildebeest in Africa, you name it and everybody in town may have it. Finally, back to work and this week being my first full 5 day work week in about a month, thanks to the heavens it went by fast.  I started reading at Church. I’ve only been on the schedule twice, but so far so good. I do need to slow down a bit when reading, but I knew that would be the challenge for me.

Other than my new position at work, I have no doubt 2018 will be a wild ride. I will be an Aunt again this summer and cannot WAIT to spoil, love, and play with this new little Webb. I continue to be in awe of Jasper. He is the smartest, happiest, and fun loving little boy and to see how he grows this year will be an adventure all its own. BabieCakes will be 12 in August, my furry butterball is becoming a distinguished old(er) lady. I suppose I’ll address what some of readers may really want to hear about. A Wedding? Am I right, is that the real reason you read? Nosy posy’s. Will there be a wedding this year? I don’t know, Prince Harry seems to be really in love and I think he will follow through and marry that Megan girl. Yes, she’s an American, but ultimately love is all you need.

Oh!! Not that wedding? Sorry. Here it is folks- I have faith that Jarret and I are right where we are supposed to be. The Lord brought us together later in life for a reason. Although, I may not understand why at times, I continue to pray for patience. I don’t mind the questions about a wedding and I don’t mind the concern that it hasn’t happened yet (we are older, we’ve been dating for this long, blah, blah, blah). I know it’s asked with love for the both of us. I’ll make y’all a deal; you’ll know when I know. J

I have not started to think about 2018 vacation yet. Any suggestions? Where are you going this year? I really want to go to Maine. I started thinking about a Maine trip about two years ago. This is a bucket list place for me. Jarret too. I’ve even signed up on the Visit Maine website. They send me catalogs and emails. You know you can go catch your own lobster and then take it to a restaurant and they’ll cook it up and serve it for you? How fun would that be? However, I also think about the mountain air. I love me some mountains. They are my happy place.

Finally, let’s talk about what really has me excited for 2018. Christmas 2018!!! Calm down, I am joking. It was just a test to see if you’d finish reading after you got the gossip on my love life. I am excited about 2018 for reasons yet unknown to me and I hope you are too. It will no doubt be a rough year with trying times and rewarding times. I’ll get knocked down, just to get back up. For today though, I am going to get dressed to go to Amarillo with my love to shop for a washer, dryer, and refrigerator for the new little house I’ll be renting in Hartley at the end of the month. That’s right my time in the barndominum is coming to an end. Later this evening I’ll go to the Twisted Elm to eat, drink, and be merry with a few of the special people in my life.

Out with 2017 and in with the changes that 2018 brings. I say bring it on!

 I have added a picture of what my morning looked like as I typed this up. Oh my furry love…no shame….

-Have a happy and blessed day.

"Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?"

Is it just me or do we need some snow? I mean it is the last day of November and this means Christmas is right around the corner. Snow seems like a reasonable request. I’m dreaming of a White Christmas…… (using my best Bing Crosby voice).

Before I dive too deep into this Christmas filled post I hope y’all had a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you indulged in moist turkey, flavorful dressing, creamy green bean casserole and warm fluffy rolls then topped it all off with pumpkin and pecan pie. My Thanksgiving was wonderful. I spent the holiday at Jarret’s sister’s (Mackenzie) down near Houston. It was a filled trip of going’s, doings, and seeing. I’d never been to that part of Texas and was thankful to go.

This year in the barndominum I have a small pre-lit tree and a few decorations that I was able get out of storage that didn’t require me moving everything. I decorated before I left for Thanksgiving. Normally this would be something I’d do the day after Thanksgiving, but since I was out of town I needed to be proactive and plan it in advance. This tradition of putting up the tree and decorating for Christmas after Thanksgiving is not only my families’ tradition, but many families’ tradition. Decorating for Christmas can be therapeutic for me. Something about twinkling lights and bright red ribbon puts me in a Zen place. I am totally that kid with visions of sugar-plums dancing in my head. I look forward to doing it every year and I enjoy helping others with theirs.

As I got older I’d decorate my Granddaddy and Grandma Miller’s house for them. My Granddaddy had this bird ornament. I’ll try and explain this the best I can hoping my memory serves right, but it looked like a silver ball ornament and had a red Cardinal on it or a red feather? I am certain it made a bird noise. If I am not mistaken I think Shana has this now.  Shana and I (when we can) help my Mom pull out and decorate her tree. It’s the same ornaments every year and yet the excitement I have each year when I pull them out of their box and think on each story they carry is unwavering. The ornaments on my tree, my Moms tree and my Sisters tree are all different. Some folks theme their tree with a certain color or only certain ornaments that are all the same and those are beautiful trees, but we three have the tradition of buying ornaments to remind us of a moment in life. This year when I pulled out my easy to reach ornaments I was reminded about a trip to Key West because the starfish wearing sunglasses and holding a surfboard marked that trip I took with my Aunts. My Grandma Miller collected Hallmark ornaments and after she passed my Mom kept those ornaments so the memories of decorating my Grandma’s trees are still present when I put or see those ornaments on my Mom’s tree.

My favorite and most prized ornaments are my Miss. Piggy and Kermit the Frog ornaments. My Grandma Miller had the pair. I am not sure how I got Miss Piggy, but I got her and Shana got Kermit. I remember asking Shana if I could have Kermit too because in my mind Kermit and Miss. Piggy belong together. She never gave him to me and then somehow my Mom had or got a Kermit and now I have them together forever! I have included a picture below from a few years ago of them on my tree where they are living happily ever after.

The few gifts that I have purchased so far are wrapped and sitting under/next to my little tree. They were lovingly decorated and the wrapping was picked out special this year like every year. BabieCakes has taken a liking to the bows. I’ve had to swat her swatting paw away from them a few times and have come home to bows on the floor. She now has a bow for all her own. #spoiledcat. Although the ones on my wrapped gifts are certainly more fun than hers, I’m sure.

Decorating cookies is another tradition we have. We bake sugar cookies shaped in trees, stars, bells, gingerbread men and snowmen. We always seem to have so many cookies to decorate, but we get it done every year and they are delicious. During the height of our BackStreet Boys obsession we decorated gingerbread men to look like BSB. I don’t’ have a pic readily handy, but no lie they were awesome. We should have submitted them for a contest. A few years ago I wanted to decorate some of them as dwarfs from The Hobbit, but Shana wouldn’t let me use up that many gingerbread men (sad face here). Along with our cookies we make Ritz peanut butter sandwiches and haystacks. Every now and again popcorn balls, fudge or puppy chow makes its way into the mix.

Recently I’ve started to collect Santa’s. I gravitate toward the jolly man and not because he brings the goods, but because it’s Santa (my reaction is similar to Buddy the Elf from ELF)! I started my collection two maybe three years ago. I have my eye on one at Hobby Lobby and although I told myself “let’s take it easy on buying Christmas décor this year” since my space is limited, however what’s been decided is “what would a little ‘ole Santa hurt, he’s not going to take up that much space!?” My next trip to Hobby Lobby that Santa will be mine!

I even go so far as decorating my feet for Christmas. I have some really wonderful Christmas socks that officially broke free from my sock drawer today. From cats in glasses with Christmas wreaths around their necks to snowman, reindeer, Santa (duh), and bright red candy canes! They are fun, festive and although they don’t match all the time I am happy to have them covering my toes!

Decorating is not what Christmas is about and I know that. However, it certainly doesn’t hurt and if it fills the heart and spirit of those around me, then by all means! So if you you feel the urge to light your house up like Christmas Vacation, more power to you! I'll come help hold the ladder steady. 

-Very Merry Christmas Season to you!

Kermit and Miss. Piggy

Dear Thanksgiving, it’s not you-it’s me

I know I just posted about the Christmas loving fool that I am being patient, thankful and enjoying Thanksgiving before jumping straight to Christmas. My willpower is waning. I feel the strength to acknowledge and enjoy Thanksgiving before Christmas slipping through my fingers and is almost a faint memory. It’s been six days since that post and I don’t think I’ll make it. I purchased some Christmas gifts this morning and suddenly my heart is singing…”here comes Santa Claus.” I’ve not decorated yet for Christmas. I’ve not purchased any new Christmas home decorations, but when we had our first snow this week I cracked down completely and listened to Christmas music and it was wonderful and I don’t regret it. My Mom has been jabbing me on FB with posts like, “Decorating for Christmas early doesn’t mean I’m forgetting Thanksgiving. I just like to be Holly Jolly for more than 25 days. Get off my back.” I saw that as my window, so welcome to my first official post for Christmas

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This morning washing my hair and working on becoming fully awake I started to make a mental list of what all needed to get done at work today. I organized this mental list putting tasks in order from high importance to low importance of what needed to get done. Then my brain immediately went to Christmas gifts, Christmas baking, and Christmas wrapping. I love to wrap presents. I love to pick out paper, ribbon and bows. On my weekends spent in Hartley at my Granddaddy and Grandma Millers, my Granddaddy kept all his newspapers, so I’d roam around the house with a newspaper and tape in hand and wrap whatever I could find. I have mad wrapping skills as I’ve been practicing most of my life. 

I am about 100% sure that Christmas doesn’t only just bring out the best in me, but it brings out the best in everyone. My heart is full this time of year seeing the kindness, love and happiness that people project. Of all the different facets that Christmas celebrations bring the biggest are the traditions. The traditions of driving through neighborhoods to look at Christmas lights, the tradition of decorating cookies, the tradition of helping Mom put up her Christmas tree while listening to Christmas music and Dad directing us from his recliner. I can get lost in the traditions. My own personal traditions include watching ELF while putting up my Christmas tree. Working on a Christmas puzzle throughout the season. I also enjoy shopping and carefully selecting Christmas cards.

One specific food tradition is pickle roll-ups. Quick story on pickle roll-ups. These are a Lenz family Christmas staple. They are dill pickles wrapped in ham with a nice layer of cream cheese in-between. You ask any of my cousins about Lenz Christmas food and they will say pickle roll-ups. When I moved back to Amarillo and had my first Christmas at my new job we had a potluck and I brought pickle roll-ups with a little story explaining the importance of these at my family gatherings. One of the women I worked with now makes them at Christmas for her family and at all the future Christmas potlucks I was always asked to bring pickle roll-ups. I’ll have to continue the tradition and introduce pickle-roll ups to coworkers here in Dalhart. The silver lining to taking pickle roll-ups to potlucks and unsure if anybody will like them? More for me. Win-win.

I still believe in Santa Clause and most Christmas lovers like myself do too. My Mom always said that “when you stop believing, Santa stops coming” and by gosh I wanted to see what that jolly man put in my stocking! As Shana and I got older and decided not to wake Mom and Dad up at 4am excited about what Santa brought, we’d dump our stocking out on the floor and compare notes. Satisfied we’d hit the jackpot we’d cram it all back in the stocking and return to bed giggling and laughing, waiting for what felt like an acceptable hour to finally wake up Mom and Dad. We had the tradition of sleeping in the same bed in who’s ever room deemed worthy that year. I don’t remember how this got started unless we didn’t want one getting to the loot before the other and decided this was the best way to keep an eye on each other. 

This year is going to be so much more special with the addition of Jasper. Here is my current struggle. Jasper is turning one next month. His birthday is only a short 11 days before Christmas. This year may still be a little lost on him as he’s not really aware that it’s Christmas. However, Aunt Shell Shell is struggling with being realistic in her gift buying verses going completely over board with toys and gadgets that he will be inundated with during this time. I try and remind myself when I find a toy that I think he can’t live without, that he indeed can live without it and be just fine. This Aunt thing can be tricky as I truly believe he needs everything his little heart desires. His parents may think otherwise. Jasper loves his bananas so when I feed him if he doesn’t like what’s on the menu, I am going to give him a banana. When Shana tells me “Shelly you need to feed him the other stuff.” Why? I’m not his mom, I’m his Aunt. This Christmas could easily turn into the equivalent of me feeding him the banana.

In general I do not watch the Hallmark Channel. I find their movies corny and too lovey dovey-touchy feely. This is the exact opposite at Christmas time. I find them adorable, completely realistic and the more lovey dovey-touchy feely the better. I can binge on Hallmark Christmas movies. During non-Christmas time I’d give a Hallmark movie an eye roll or grunt, BUT at Christmas time they get a twinkled eye and cheesy grin. When you then add 25 Days of Christmas that ABC Family (Freeform, whatever that channel is called) does…. Forget. About it. I am like a kid in the toy store that their parents tell them they can get one toy and the poor kid has a meltdown about what toy to get. I experience that meltdown about what Christmas program I am going to watch and if I made the right choice (over dramatization, but the struggle can be real).

All jokes aside these are a few reasons I love this time of year the way I do. I believe in the magic Christmas holds and brings with all my heart. The emotions that can overwhelm me during midnight mass at Christmas shows the truly heartfelt love I have for everything this holiday represents. I find my smile is bigger, my heart fuller and my attitude toward everything is sunny and sparkly. Just typing this has me bouncing and smiling at the screen like a crazy person. I could continue on about Christmas, but I need to leave something to write about between now and the actual big day.

-Have a happy merry day!

Happy Turkey Month

In true Shelly fashion I rang in November 2017 with a bang! Wednesday night I was hit with the stomach bug and I don’t know what it is about approximately every two years my guts turn against me and try to kill me overnight, but I am here to tell you it gets harder as you get older! Today was a day of real food cautiously at breakfast and then a real meal for dinner. I may have over done it for dinner because at this point I thought I was starving. I inhaled my cheese pizza and now am a bit miserable. Upside to the stomach bug and living off crackers and soup for two days, stomach shrinkage. (Note to self: use this opportunity for improved choices for all around health and well-being.)

I tried today to get off my butt since that’s all I’ve been doing the last two days and yes, my body needed the rest, but I can only do it for so long. The furry butterball thinks my lap is her napping oasis and I don’t want to spoil her to thinking this will be an everyday occurrence. I did get to have breakfast with Jarret this morning before he was off to work (see cautious breakfast above) and then I got to see my nephew for a bit.

Since, I was off the grid after Halloween I wanted to chime in right quick about how much I enjoy all the postings and pictures of the Halloween getups that were posted of littles. It’s so much fun to see the creativity and the personality that comes out in each child with their decision on what they want to be for Halloween. Thank you for sharing.

Now with Halloween 2017 in the books lets say hello to Thanksgiving!! Yes! First, I must confess I am a self-proclaimed lover of the Christmas season for reasons that shall be revealed in it’s own blog post, but as I hear my Mother in my head “we must give thanks first”  I will write a few words on turkey day. I am always interested in other people’s holiday traditions. Of course, food is the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the word Thanksgiving. I have to say it’s probably because this is my Mom’s favorite meal of the year. She has written a wonderful blog post about my Grandaddy’s cornbread dressing and she re-posts it every year, which is a new Thanksgiving tradition for her. There have been years we tried not to do a traditional Thanksgiving meal and it’s never really the same. Turkey, cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole just screams Thanksgiving. My mouth is watering thinking about it. I remember asking my Mom for Grandaddy’s recipe for cornbread dressing and she couldn’t give me one because there really isn’t a written one and as a rule follower (for the most part) I panic that I won’t be able to make it when she can’t. Another thing that comes to mind is relish trays and jell-o salads. These scream Grandma Miller. That women loved her some jell-o salads. Thanksgiving with the Lenz's was different in a sense that it was potluck style, we had the traditional style meal, but there was always extras. More people sharing their favorite Thanksgiving traditions means a wider spread, right? I don't have one particular food memory from a Lenz Thanksgiving. My Grandma Lenz is a baker so if anything I remember her pies, cookies or some sweet treats (of course I'd remember the sugar). There was always an array of salads and still to this day there is always an array of salads.

The more obvious feeling when Thanksgiving roles around are the feelings of being thankful and blessed. If you do FaceBook you may be familiar with some of the chains that get started this time of year with posting what you’re thankful for “this many days.” To save any of you from having to tag me in something like that I am just going to lay it out right here…..

To me the blessing is life. A life to live as I chose and it’s what in my life I am thankful for. If you need specifics, I am thankful for the freedoms I have been granted. I am thankful for the good days, but more importantly the bad as you learn from them. I am thankful for a forgiving, loving, and gracious Lord. I am thankful for my Mom, Dad, Sister and Brother-in-law. I am thankful for Jasper. To watch this little boy grow, learn, and see things with such innocence and wonder is truly something to behold. I am thankful for Jarret as he’s my best friend and partner in crime. I am thankful for the love he has shown me and given me. I am thankful for my job and the opportunities it presents daily. I am thankful for my friends, although we may not see or talk to each other as often as we once did friendships are everlasting. I am thankful for Brent, Judy, Mackenzie, Stacy, and Brady. I am thankful for BabieCakes. I try to remember and be thankful for these things everyday with a prayer directly to the Man in charge. It doesn't take a month to remind me, but it is nice that this month puts an emphasis on it to remind others. There is always more to be thankful for, but I am not keeping you here all night. If anyone decides they need to tag me in some FB chain please know I will just re-post this blog each and every time and nobody wants to read this more than once.

Finally, to sign off on this blessed, thankful, Thanksgiving November post as I sit in my over-sized chair with my over-sized cat trying to fit on my lap along with my laptop and settling for next to my leg, I think about Christmas lists, going to look at Christmas lights, and snow. Ahhhhh…no, I mean….Thanksgiving stuff, I am thinking about Thanksgiving stuff. I’m kidding! Seriously, life moves so quickly even this self-proclaimed lover of all things Christmas realizes you need to stop and recognize the blessing that is life and the things to be thankful for in that life even if I’ve seen 10 Christmas commercials already. Wear those pumpkins out that are sitting on your porch  and make all the pumpkin spice coffee you can because here in a few weeks it will all be peppermint mochas and rustic Christmas trees.

-Happy Turkey Month Friends!

Thanking my Farmer(s)

Have you Googled Thank a Farmer? The images that pop up include beautiful sunrises, with wheat or corn stalks glimmering in that morning sun, with a sweet red barn sitting perfectly on the side of the photo with a cow or some farm animal resting peacefully. If you didn’t grow up or know someone that grew up in an agricultural community this may be the idea you have of farming. There are some beautiful homesteads that these images represent. I identify more with the ones of combines or tractors in a field with the dirt blowing and the image doesn’t shine -it has more of a grit to it (see images below of my armature photos last week riding along in the combine).

All of the important men in my life farm. From my Dad who has worked for John Deere for 19 years to my Uncles who custom farm along with their sons, my cousins and Jarret.

My Dad has worked for John Deere for 19 years. Although his day does not consist of driving a combine or drilling wheat he is the man that makes sure when something breaks down his farmer gets that part needed to get back to work. Though his work did not put him in the field the partnership he has with his brothers took him there from time to time in his off hours. This is when Shana and I would walk sprinklers and clean out nozzles or ride with him to check on a motors and wells growing up in Dalhart, TX.

The last two years Jarret has been farming with Lenz Farms in Hartley, TX. Along with helping his Mom and Dad who have a farm in the once known Perico, TX where they have cattle. It goes without saying I’ve learned a lot in the last two years. My schedule is flexible and allows me to go sit and ride along in a tractor or combine where I have been educated on the different mechanics of each piece of equipment. I have delivered dinner to the harvest crew a time or two in the course of two years. I’ve helped work calves and bring them to town to the pins. The first time I ever went out with Jarret to their farm was when we started dating. We went out to feed. He grabbed several bags of cake and we went out to the field honking along the way for the cows to know TIME TO EAT, he stopped and started to toss the cake out into the tire tracks and those cows quickly started to swarm. My butt was up in the back of his pickup so fast you'd had thought my pants were on fire.He was sweet enough not to say anything at the time so I thought, "oh, okay I was smooth." Jump to a few months later and he's telling my Dad about how quick I jumped in the back of his pickup. I was not as smooth as I thought. I am growing more comfortable around their cows, however you don’t know fear until you have a momma cow staring you down because her baby is on the other side of you and the gate. I am not sure I will ever be comfortable with that.

This time of year is the time when there are no set hours, there are no date nights scheduled and any plans that get made are tentative. This has been the biggest challenge for me as a planner and I can proudly say this harvest season I have been better compared to last year. I think it's starting to sink in that plans need to be made after the combines are parked. I look forward to hearing his voice in the morning and sometimes in the evening. I ask him to text me when he gets home no matter the hour, which he doesn’t like doing because he’s afraid he’ll wake me up at 12:30am, but it makes me feel better knowing he’s home. We get to have breakfast together on Saturday mornings about 6:30am before he’s off to the field and then depending on what’s happening I don’t see him again until Sunday morning at Church. I am going to paraphrase a story my cousin Jeremy posted on his FB page last year. In this post he was thanking his wife for washing his shorts. He made the comment how “this time of year” they are like ships passing in the night, getting glimpses of each other every so often due to late nights and early mornings on his part and how these shorts of his were dirty and then one morning they were clean hanging in the closet like magic. It was a sweet acknowledgement of how farming can affect a whole family. 

Yesterday Jarret’s combine broke down about 3pm(ish) causing continued trouble and he text me a little after 8pm that he finally was back in the field. Many of us at 8pm last night were settled in watching our favorite tv program, myself included. He was cutting corn. When the handle on my shower broke last night he called to help me over the phone to see if I could fix it. I could not, I had to text the landlord this morning (Uncle Randy). When I got frustrated and irritated that I couldn’t fix it and started to complain, he calmly told me it would be fine. He spent most of his day working on a hundred thousand dollar piece of equipment and when it was all said and done he didn’t get to go home he went to the field all the while I was bitching about a shower knob. Perspective.

There are often days I don’t know how he does it. Up early and to bed late for weeks on end with little to no complaint. I am up early and to bed late two days in a row and need a week’s worth of naps. Of course there are bad days and really bad days, but in the end the work has to get done in a certain time frame. When farming the weather is the one thing that is truly in control. Farmer’s lives revolve around the weather. This farming trait I do come by naturally. I love my weather radar’s often pinning different weather news stations radar’s against each other.

If you Google Thank a Farmer one of the sayings that come up is Thank a farmer if you Ate Today and I agree, but there are other ways to thank a farmer. If you live in an urban community raise your children to know that the hamburger they are eating didn’t just appear in the grocery store. Explain how some rancher was breaking ice off a stock tank in a blizzard to make sure that cow had water. Explain that the corn in their corn chips was harvested by people who missed family dinner or a child’s school recital due to late night in the field. Explain that their favorite cotton pajamas were made from a crop grown in a field that was tirelessly watched and picked over.

Whenever scrolling through FB and I see someone has shared an article or blog post about Thanking a Farmer I always stop, read it, and like it. I agree with most everything that is written and smile fondly as I know people who are farmers and are proud of them. I have so much more appreciation now that I live it a bit more from day to day. Families are proud of their farmers for many reasons and I am growing to understand it more and more. I am so thankful for my farmer(s).

-Love, Me.

  

Dalhart, oh Dalhart, city that I love

We are sliding out of the second week of October, had our first real cold front with winds from the North, fireplaces dusted off and fired up, pumpkins decorate patios across town, and Halloween costumes are being purchased, created or forgotten.

Welcome to small town livin’ in Dalhart, TX.

My inspiration for this post came while swerving along HWY 54 heading home one evening to miss pot holes in the road. Only people that live in a town with cattle trucks, silage trucks, pumpkin trucks, milk trucks, cheese trucks, and corn trucks on their roads would be able to get away with the excuse when getting pulled over by a cop, “I was swerving to miss the pot holes in the road officer.”

I moved back to Dalhart in February of this year. It had been 17 years since I lived in Dalhart, TX. The population as noted on the city limits sign is 7,930. Though some of the faces have changed the heart and spirit has not.

If you were to have asked me 10 years ago if I’d ever live in Dalhart, TX again, I wouldn’t have said no, I’d have said HELL NO! Oh…little did I know what was in plan for me. I am more than happy to be back in this town and community that helped shape me. When I left Dalhart/Amarillo and moved to San Marcos, TX it was a feeling of being freed. What I needed to be freed from I have no idea. Something that I looked forward to when leaving was the new ability of being Shelly Lenz in places where no one knew, my mom, dad, aunts, uncles, or grandparents. Funny story to go along with that, when I moved to San Marcos my first job was at a little gift shop called Country Clutter at the outlet mall. I was working the closing shift one night and a women comes to shop, I greet her and then leave her to her shopping. She goes to check out and writes a check with a Dumas address. I mentioned “I’m from that area,” and she says, “are you Chuck and Donna’s daughter?” Insert LARGE eye roll here. Joke’s on me, right? Throughout my 10 years of living down south when I walked into a restaurant, went shopping or stopped to get coffee I never scanned the room to see if I knew anyone. I walked in sat down and got on with business. Faces changed like the weather. This has been an adjustment since being back in the Panhandle. Before moving to Dalhart I lived in Amarillo and realized quickly that I was going to have to be aware of the faces around me. People that have known me or my family for many years were going to find me rude. Please know I am not being rude, I am a work in progress. Also, please don’t be offended if I have to ask your name my mental rolodex is dusty and I’ve had to WD-40 it.

Although the names and faces don’t come to me as quickly as they use to there are a few things you never forget. You don’t forget that when turning left onto Denver off 7^th street you need to stop half a block away from the light so all the trucks turning right down slam into you. Be prepared to wait for a train at least once in the course of your day. Never go over the speed limit when traveling between Dalhart and Hartley and for the love of everything that is holy, when turning into malfunction junction from any direction, pay special attention as it’s called “malfunction junction” for a reason.

I hear the talks of some folks how, “oh Dalhart is not how it once was” and that’s true because nothing ever is. Seems recently I’ve heard a lot about break-ins at local businesses, vandalism, and all around hoodlumism (I just made that word up) and unfortunately that is the world we live in today big or small. I always try to find an upside and the best thing I can come up is we should catch all the hoodlums and hang them by their toes. No? Okay…so the real upside…lead by example. Too corny? I honestly don't know other than holding people accountable for their actions. I'd hate to see the businesses I enjoy have to put bars on the windows in order to keep criminals out. Maybe a message should be sent think Home Alone style?? Iron to the face or torch to the head. Those criminals survived. Clearly, these are not good ideas, but people work too hard to be stolen from.

I’ve said this once and as my birthday is what prompted the blog, I’ll keep with that theme, but I normally do not feel my age until I look back on this little city I love dearly. Then I feel 35. Why? I can’t eat Allsup’s burritos like I use to. Jarret and I call Shopko “the store formally known as ALCO.” I’d be bored to death driving main. I’m still a bit bummed about no movie theater (although very happy that building has found its use and is not sitting vacant like so many). The softball fields off HWY 54 are nice, but something about the old one by the cemetery had a SandLot kind of feel to it. The arcade in Pizza Hut. Hardee’s on the corner of 87 and 54. The 10 foot deep end at the pool. Do you feel old now too?

The smallness of Dalhart allows the waitress to already know what I want to drink and that I take creamer with my coffee and getting a hug along with a hello when you run into someone at United. I truly believe life is what you make it. This is in all aspects. Love, job, family, and community. You get what you give. Give your community a little attention and you may get some back. I’ve dipped my toes in giving of my community and am excited to see what it gives back. Things I am looking for? Friendship, feeling of accomplishment, fun, and more of that small town feel.

Our little of the corner of Texas is just that, little and I love it. I hope you do too.

-Have a happy day friends.