So far, So good

 I'm actually kind of "blah" at the moment and being lazy tonight, but during my lazing I have replayed the past month or so in my mind. Good stuff! Here are some images of moments and places I enjoyed- in no particular order.

 Baby bottles and...wine? Hahaha!  This is preparation for the most delicious Thanksgiving dinner at my parents (my Mom is a fantastic chef and no, I did not pick it up).

Exploring, with Jon, on Thanksgiving night in east Tennessee.

Friends and I painted pieces to go on a community Christmas tree. Can you guess which two are mine?

The king of all Christmas pageants, Blake! Smart, cute, and so hilarious- he is the BEST. I may be a little biased.

Jon and I celebrated New Year's Eve with friends, at a little party at Casa de Shearer. We were going to head downtown for the countdown, but after everyone had a couple drinks it seemed like a bad idea to try to relocate the group and we had a countdown in the living room watching the Time Square ball drop, instead. Still lots of fun, still one of my favorite holidays! It's a toss up between New Year's Eve and 4th of July- I think I love them both equally.
Well, here we are four days into the new year. So far, so good. I like the way 2011 is looking!

I'm Giving Thanks a Little Early

It's the time of year again: gray skies, short days, horrid weather. Typically I get depressed about now, and it's been coming on pretty strong in the past week. However, I have had some great times this fall which arguably is helping me ease into the "blah-est" months with less misery than usual. I carved pumpkins with my two favorite little boys, hiked in the mountains with a girlfriend while the leaves turned gold, painted in my studio alongside a community of other dedicated artists, and spent many mornings outside running or biking with my new workout buddy, and received encouragement and support from my loving husband. All these things made me realize that sure, I may go through some weeks really down (if I won't leave the house to hang out- it's me, not you!), but I have blessings in my life to come back to.
Last Saturday I had a flashback. I drove past Estel Gallery while Artrageous was happening. I didn't participate in Artrageous this year, but last year I did. I remember having a hard time getting dressed for that event, and feeling miserable. I had gotten so down that I'd given up. I hated the dark, cold days so I didn't go outside. I was inactive because I wouldn't go outside, so I started gaining weight. I gained more weight than I ever had before over the winter, and couldn't fit in most of my clothes. I avoided doing anything besides the necessities because I hated the way I looked and felt. And so on. As I drove by Estel, it hit me- what a different place I'm at compared to this time last year. I think in no small part, the people close to me are responsible for this difference. They motivate, encourage, and support my attempts to be a better person- thank you so much!

Graffiti Ad for December

Happy *post* Thanksgiving! Did everyone overeat like I did? It was ridiculous- the amount of food I ate. Jon and I went out to see his fam in Wilson County. If you don't know, Jon is the oldest of 11, so holidays are quite a gathering out there! My mother -in - law even made me faux turkey & veggie gravey. YOU KNOW IT!!!!
I'm posting a pic that was taken for the December "Grafitti" advertisement; originally the idea was to have Seamus posing with me but... he didn't end up in the final cut:( I hope you like it :)