Looking Back: 2012

Hey guys! I was thinking of posting something else today, but then I decided, since it's the last day of the year, I'll do like a year in review! Sorry for the absence lately, life has been crazy!

Going through my journal for the year and iPhoto made for a lot of reminiscing as a wrote this. (:

January:
-hung out with my best friend at her new apartment, where we made red velvet cupcakes & I met her boyfriend for the first time
-started my second semester of college
-unofficially owned the Beetle for one year

January 25th - annual tradition!

February:
-the musicians were here for a week
-my cousin is born

Valentine's card for the bosses (:

Valentine's Day nails!

March:
-Luna reached 105,000 miles
-wisdom teeth removal
-Dirty Deuce/Geri X show

April:
-Geri X concert
-shopping with the best friend, bought my first Coach bag, & I went to Olive Garden for the first time
-got my iPhone

Geri X & me (photo by Eric S)

May:
-found out that my best friend is pregnant
-finished my second semester of college
-had a bonfire with one of my favorite musician ladies (:

photo by Anna Sacks

June:
-the musicians were here for a week
-picked up a good friend from the airport with my dad. due to a delay, Dad and I ended up spending an hour at Barnes & Noble
-summer classes started
-Delaney Davidson concert
-summer camp started
-Miss Meaghan Owens concert

outfit for the Delaney Davidson concert

July:
-Independence Day parade
-Liv Mueller/Delaney Davidson concert
-Delaney taught me how to waltz & I waltzed with pat mAcdonald
-Todd Carey concert

August:
-summer classes ended
-Black Sabbath at Lollapalooza in Chicago with Dad
-pat's birthday party at the motel
-my 19th birthday/officially owned the Beetle for one year
-camp ended
-second year of college started
-Chris Aaron & Friends concert

birthday outfit!

September:
-started this blog!
-Chris Aaron & Friends concert (with Wally Ingram)
-Dad's birthday

October:
-took some maternity pictures for the best friend
-the musicians were here for a week
-Mom's birthday

Halloween night two

me & Ellie Maybe (photo by Dan O Stoffels)

Dan O Stoffels & me (photo by Ellie Maybe)

photo by melaniejane

November:
-cousin's baptism
-Christmas parade
-Thanksgiving
-owners' meeting

first snow of the season

outfit for the meeting

December:
-babysat my favorite little ladies
-finished another semester of college
-best friend's baby born
-Christmas
-crazy week at work!

Winter Gift Exchange

So, what with being new to blogging, this was the first swap that I participated in, and I really enjoyed it! What can I say, I love shopping (:

Thank you so much to Allie & Melissa for hosting and organizing the exchange!

Aside from purchasing a gift for someone, and receiving a gift from someone else, you also had to do something charitable. Typically, I clean out my closet a few times a year and donate what I no longer wear to the local Goodwill-type place. Since it had been a while since I last cleaned out my closet, I pulled a bunch of stuff to donate (and my mom did too!). In fact, I have another pile waiting to go as well. Another thing that I have made a point to do this month is something super simple: holding the door for people. It seems simple, but I think it's something that seems to be forgotten about these days.

I sent a fun package off to Leah, and Evani sent me something wonderful!

Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cupcake Mix, Wilton Holiday Cupcake Party Pack, and red/white/green sprinkles!

cute stationery in my favorite colors!

Evani's pretty card & a mouse for Max!

Go visit Leah and see what I picked out for her! I had so much fun shopping for her!!

Update

Hey guys! Life has been pretty crazy around here what with the holidays, family, work, and sickness. I hope to be back posting soon. I have a few posts sitting in drafts that still need to be finished up.

Hope to see you again before the new year!

xoxo.

Teresa & Luna <3

Tuesday's Tunes: Whiskey & Cigarettes

{I know that many bloggers today are having a day of silence for the tragedy at Sandy Hook. I fully respect that, but sometimes I just need to write and get things out. I cannot imagine how it must be in Newton right now; I pray for peace and love for all those affected.}

~~~

Another Geri X song today.

Geri seriously changed my life back when I first met her in October of 2010. She is such a sweet, sweet lady and I am so grateful to have her as part of my life. I have no idea how different my life would be if I never had the chance to meet her, to hear her music, to see her perform, and to get to talk to her the few times I get to see her each year.

This song is called Whiskey and Cigarettes, from the album by the same title. This song really hits home hard, especially today, for me. Personally knowing both her and the person the song is about, I can really feel the pain.


I wanna be your gold slide, warm whiskey, and your favorite pack of cigarettes.

In other news, today Luna {the Volkswagen Beetle} has been in Wisconsin for two years! (:

{insert original title here}

I feel like I am such a slacker at blogging because I never have anything to write about! I wish I was one of those people who just sits at the keyboard and lets everything just flow through their fingertips and writes something nice and perfect, accompanied with beautiful pictures.

In other news...

Yesterday, my parents and I had lunch with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. He is such an adorable, smiley little eleven month old! (:

Today was my last tumbling class at the Y for this session (which means I get two weeks off). I really enjoy spending time with those kids. They're at the best age {3-5} and they say the funniest things. We had one boy in class who would literally run lengths of the floor when he would arrive until class started, and he would run around all during class as well. One day, he said at the end of class, "I'm hot and sweaty!!" haha. His mom and I were both like, "Really?! I can't imagine why that would be."

My best friend had her baby today. I can't wait to meet her!(:

Tomorrow is back to the ortho to get my permanent retainer glued back in before I go to work. My mouth has just gotten used to there not being any glue behind my teeth, so it'll be another weird few days.

Tomorrow is also the eighteenth of December, which marks the second anniversary of Luna moving to Wisconsin!

Then on Wednesday, I am going to get my hair cut! It's only been seven months...


Since I can't have a picture-less post ~ melaniejane made pat sign a copy of his new novella "Space Kitty Blues" for me & she gave me the cute little cat pen (:

Target Scores & Life

I made my weekly trip to Target yesterday (: I totally scored at the clearance rack!

white v-neck pocket tee (not on clearance): $6 (regularly $8)

brown boyfriend cardigan: $9.98 (50% off)

long & lean tanks in mustard and grey floral: $2.40 each (70% off)

red floral ruffle front tank: $4.48 (70% off)



I think I'm going to wear the red floral tank with a black cardigan for Christmas!

I stopped to photograph the bridge on the way home because I thought the sky looked pretty.

This morning I had to go to the orthodontist because the wire that is behind my two front top teeth (there's also one behind my four front bottom teeth) split! I thought that it just got unglued or something, but it split in half right between my teeth. They had to take it out and sand all of the glue off, so my mouth feels so weird right now! It's been four years since my teeth have been this "thin."

Today when I checked the mail, there was a package for me! (There was also a bill for my next semester of college...) I won a giveaway from Sara over at Life in these times... for a guitar string bracelet from Hilari at the Meraki Menagerie. It is so beautiful! And I was very pleased with the quality of service I received from Hilari - she was always very prompt at returning messages, and she shipped my bracelet out right away. All of her jewelry is so beautiful. I know a few ladies who would love something from her shop (:

Today was also my last day of the fall semester! One more year!!! I took my Hospitality Facilities Management exam today for certification with the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Since I'm off of school for a month, I am going to start looking at real estate for rent. woohoo.

Tuesday's Tunes: Invisible Pistols

So I may have skipped a week or two, but I'm back! Linking up with Les over at Leslyn's Lovely Life for Tuesday's Tunes!

As often as I see these two, I have only seen them perform once. I think that needs to change, because that's just not fair.

Anyway, this is PurgAtory Hill (pat mAcondald & melaniejane), also known as two of my favorite people in the wold. My favorite song of theirs was "Drinkin' or Drivin'" (side story - I just opened iTunes to see if it was "Drinkin' or Drivin'" or "Drinking or Driving" and I double clicked on the album - still not used to the new iTunes - and it started playing. haha).

Back in July of 2009, I went to a show of my dad's guitar teacher/good friend that pat happened to be playing at (and maybe melaniejane too - I can't remember) and I got them to sign the CD that I had (which was a pre-release copy - literally something that pat had burned on the computer and gave to my dad). I was so excited!! Then they were like, "you need a real copy." haha.

The first time that I got to see them perform was on September 11, 2009. I had just turned 16, and I remember the guy my dad and I bought our entry tickets from (it was a small music festival) asked if I wanted to buy drink tickets too. I was thinking "really??" I recounted that story later to pat and melanie as a cop was walking by. hahaha. I took a ton of really crappy pictures that night.

Here's one.

That girl owns the tambourine. Like, seriously. While they both have had their own successful solo careers (she plays incredible cello - look up her cover of the Beatles' "Come Together" / he is a Grammy-nominated songwriter - "The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades"), I love love love both of their albums together.

Without anymore ramblings, the song I chose for today: Invisible Pistols from Invisible Pistols by PurgAtory Hill.


I just love the way he says, "I don't know!" haha.

The Holiday Tree

I know, I know: it's a Christmas tree. I agree, but at work, we decorated it for multiple holidays this year.

One of the many beautiful vintage pieces that we have at the motel is a 1950's aluminum Christmas tree. It's really a pain to put up (figuratively and literally - shards of aluminum).

aligning the branches for placement

p mAc and me decorating the tree // photo by melaniejane

favorite ornament

We realized when we put the tree up last December that we didn't have a tree topper, but we did have a raven from Halloween. So we used that on the top, and then added the glittery red star.

Christmas 2011

CBG on the wall

The keyboards and musical instruments were then added under the tree as "presents." There is also a vintage spinning color wheel. The tree even has a stand that place music and spins.

I don't recall anything being added to the tree for New Year's.

To transition into Valentine's Day, rose petals were added to the floor.

For the tree, I cut out a bunch of red hearts.

People were asked to write on the hearts things that they love.

March obviously brought green for St. Patrick's Day.

Shamrocks everywhere.

I don't quite remember if Easter was in March or April, but pastel eggs and spring animals were added to the tree next.

After the Easter tree was the May flower tree. (:

At some point, the raven was given an eye to look less creepy, but now it's like the Mona Lisa and follows you wherever you go.

Music notes and musical instruments were added to the tree in June, but I don't seem to have any pictures of that. :(

Independence Day in July brought fireworks - used fireworks of course!

Nothing was really changed on the tree for August, but here's a cool picture of the lobby decorated for pat's birthday party!

The next holiday the tree was decorated for was Halloween! Halloween is probably our favorite holiday haha. (Yes, mom, I know that Halloween is not actually a holiday.)

I love the bats! And Edgar Allan Poe! (I was asked if it was Bill Murray...looks more like James Hall to me.)

creating the decorations

a bunch of our musicians have the raven image (on the orange circle) as a tattoo.

that creepy plush thing is supposed to be Poe also

Right before Thanksgiving, pat made a gobbler for the raven!

The rest of the Thanksgiving decorations didn't go up until two days before the holiday...

I made hand turkeys.

I love the pumpkin pie slices!!

This weekend I got to decorate for Christmas! We have so many ornaments. There was one for practically every branch of the tree, and only three didn't survive the year in storage.

I love love love this picture.

I still love these.

Christmas 2012

pat wanted there to be remnants of each holiday left on the tree all year. There are still rose petals from Valentine's Day, a shamrock from St. Patrick's Day, Easter egg lights, a daisy or two, music notes and musical instruments, a grenade, Edgar Allan Poe, and a couple turkeys.

What a year.

It was so cool going through my iPhoto to find pictures of the tree from each month. (: