Posted by terrepruitt on December 15, 2021
How is your Christmas Season / End of the Year going? I am very late decorating this year and also doing less, but it is still so time consuming. I hope you are able to keep your time as stress free as possible. Here is is with some ornaments. Not quite done, but . . . I will have a picture of that later I am sure. 🙂 Plus some of our new tree.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Christmas Ornaments, Christmas season, Christmas Tree, Christmastime, decorating, end of the year | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 1, 2021
I am one of those people that opens gifts right away. If you send me a gift, I am going to open it. In person, though, I am shy about opening it unless you ask me to open it. If I am asked NOT to open it, of course, I will wait, but without instructions I am digging in. I think my friend sent me an advent calendar to help me exercise patience and control. It is cute and I am excited.
Funny, it is like advent is in the air. I had thought to send them out this year to everyone. I couldn’t find ones with the idea I had in mind for everyone so I only sent a few and . . . I got one. So fun. I also have an idea to do one with my husband next year, but we will see if that actually happens.
Do you/your family have advent calendars?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Advent, Christmas season, Christmastime, Holiday season, kitties, pets, puppies | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 1, 2017
Oh, it is that time of year. I think all of the Friday Photos will be of Christmas things!
Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: Christmas Ornaments, Christmas things, Christmastime, Friday Photo, ornament tree | 8 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 31, 2015
Tuesday I was too busy celebrating Christmas with my girlfriends. We get together during Christmastime and visit. We have done it every year for almost thirty years. I didn’t get around to writing a post that day. Then today/tonight I am busy celebrating the end of 2015 and the New Year. I am just stopping to write this quick (super quick) post. Here is our New Year’s Eve.
We were lucky to have our niece come visit. No pictures because we spent the day relaxing and don’t want to post pictures of us in our jammies!
We had cheese fondue for dinner. I will say it was very good. John has marinated the meat and he did an excellent job. Then we read our Good Things Jar. There were a lot of “cat” notes in there. A lot of “the cats are so sweet”. They really are. Now we are waiting for 2016.
Come dance with me at one of my Nia classes next year. It would be great!
Posted in Misc | Tagged: celebrating Christmas, celebrating the New Year, cheese fondue, Christmastime, Nia class, Nia in 2016 | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 27, 2014
Time with the family. Time with friends. I hope that you were able to enjoy Christmas no matter what. There is such good energy around this time of year. I just like to soak it all up. Some people take this time to reflect on the sadness that has occurred throughout the year, but to me this is the time of the year to forget all that. This is the time of year where there is so much joy I don’t want to dwell on the stuff that has happened that might be sad. I want to take advantage of the sparkle and shine. There is soooooo much good stuff going on, I want to grab onto it and fly. It is like a butterfly that is flying by . . . I could sit there and put my head down and think about loss or I could stop and watch it. I can enjoy IT while it is here. I can see the beauty and live in the moment. There is always time for sadness and sorrow, but the world is not always so excited, so I want to be right there in THAT fun stuff.
I had some time this weekend to watch one of those old shows on Netflix. It is one of those comedies that I can only watch for a few minutes at a time because the main character is so annoyingly dumb and causes all of her problems (why yes, that is how comedies are made). So I usually watch about 10 minutes at a time. But this weekend the main TV was playing movies I didn’t care to watch so I took my little device and watched my show. It was the last few episodes. It is soooo much better when a show has actually ended and they get to wrap it all up. They did a good job. This show, regardless (or irregardless — ha, ha, ha, totally a joke on the show!) of its stupidity, often made me laugh and cry. They did a good job wrapping it all up.
The ending song though really grabbed me! I found myself thinking . . . . .”Snap! I had to watch this entire series to get to this AWESOME song!” Then I immediately went to iTunes to buy it, but I can’t because I am having issues . . . happens often . . . oh well, I can get it resolved, just not right now. I will focus on this song . . . on the happy ending of the series I just watched (Ugly Betty) and of the wonderful Christmastime I had with my family, on how lucky I am.
Update 01.05.15: my original post consisted of lyrics I copied and pasted from a website. I have edited this post to reflect the words that I hear in the version of the song I have. (My hubby got my computer working and I was able to purchase it from iTunes! Not much different, but with at least two lines I like what I hear better.) Not sure about the “I know it’s fact is true now” line.
“Beauty In The World” Macy Gray
I know you’re fed up
Like a lead up for us Life don’t let up for us
All they talk about is
What is going down?
What’s been messed up for us?
When I look around I see blue skies
I see butterflies for us
Listen to the sound and lose it
Its sweet music and dance with me In sweet music and dance with me
‘Cuz there is beauty in the world
So much beauty in the world
Always beauty in the world
So much beauty in the world
So, shake your booty boys and girls for the beauty in the world
Pick your diamond pick your pearl there is beauty in the world
All together now
We need more lovin’
We need more money, they say
Change is gonna come
Like the weather
They say forever
They say
When they’re in between So, Baby, in between
Notice the blue skies
Notice the butterflies
Notice me
Stop and smell the flowers
And lose it the sweet music and dance with me And lose it in sweet music and dance with me
‘Cuz there is beauty in the world
So much beauty in the world
Always beauty in the world
There is beauty in the world
So, shake your booty boys and girls, yeah, beauty in the world
Pick your diamond pick your pearl ‘cuz there is beauty in the world
All together now
Heya throw your hands up and holla, “Heya!”
Throw your hands up and holla
When you don’t know what to do
Don’t know if you’ll make it through
Remember god is giving you beauty in the world Remember God, He’s given you beauty in the world
So love (Beauty in the world)
Yeah love (Beauty in the world)
There is beauty in the world (Beauty in the world)
Beauty in the world (Beauty in the world)
So, shake your booty (Boys and Girls)
All the beauty in the world (Beauty in the world)
Pick your diamond pick your pearl (Pick your pearl)
There is beauty in the world (Beauty in the world)
All together now
Yeah love
Yeah love
Oh love
All together now
Hey baby when I’m looking at you now
I know it’s fact is true now
There is hope for love There’s love, there’s hope for us and
There is beauty in the world
Hey baby
Hey baby when I’m looking at you
I know this vibe is true I know it’s fact is true now
There’s love
There’s hope for love there’s hope for us and
There’s beauty in the world
I am just so blown away that I am just hearing this song. Believe me, if I could have downloaded it, I would be dancing to it RIGHT NOW!!! I hope you had a great time this over this Holiday. There is only one more regularly scheduled day to post this year for me. I hope you will come back for my final post! I promise nothing except that I will do one. Thank you for being here.
How was your Christmas? Or, if you don’t celebrate, how was your Thursday?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: beauty in the world, butterflies, celebrate, Christamas, Christmastime, family time, fly, happiness, holla, iTunes, joy to the world, love, Macy Gray, Netflix, not my thing, sadness, shake your booty, song, sorrow, stupid comedies, Ugly Betty | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 4, 2014
Someone posted this on Facebook. I agree with it. I do feel that people need to set boundaries. I think that sometimes people drain themselves or let others drain them (of time and energy) and don’t take the time to recharge or rejuvenate. I think that sometimes situations like that can lead to “hard feelings” and resentment. Not all the time, but sometimes. I have seen relationships crumble because one person takes advantage of the other, but the one that was taken advantage of allowed it to happen. Of course, when I see something I like, like this meme, and I want to use it as a spark for a post on my blog I want to give credit for the person that created it. I appreciate it when all the information is there so it is easy to find the originator. This woman, Anna Taylor, has an interesting story. She is an international recording artist, a singer-songwriter, and speaker and radio host among other things. You can hear her sing and check out her story on her site (click here). I have seen this saying — or ones like it before, but this one ended up on my Facebook feed at a time when I was thinking the same thing so I save it for a future post. Today is the day.
Of course, everyone’s boundaries are different and there are different boundaries for different people, but I think it is important to set them and have them. At times they can even flex and move, but that should be up to you. Then it really is up to you, as the person setting, the boundaries to make sure that they are clear to the people you are dealing with. If they don’t know what they are it is easy for them to disrespect them.
I feel as if some people don’t respect their own time and energy so then others don’t either. That is a lesson taught and a lesson learned. I think sometimes people are also afraid to say “No,” for whatever reason . . . perhaps they don’t want the person asking to “not like them” or the person asking is family so there is an implied obligation . . . or it goes back to the person being asked just doesn’t respect or maybe even feel worthy of time to themselves. I don’t know . . . it is all very personal.
I just like to be the one that supports people when they share with me that they feel bad, but they just had to say no to whomever because “they just couldn’t do it”. Then they go on to explain how it would cause them stress. Sometimes you just have to say no. Sometimes there are already too many obligations on the schedule. It is ok to say no.
Love yourself, respect yourself. Understand that your time and energy are precious. Especially this time of year when there are so many things pulling us in so many directions. It is GREAT to say no to something so you can sit on the couch with your family and a mug of hot chocolate. Or whatever . . . remember . . . you get to choose. And you teach people by your choices.
Does it seem as if this time of year the demand on your time and energy is greater than all year long?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Anna Taylor, Christmastime, end of the year, Facebook, Holiday season, set broundaries, stressful time of year, take advantage | 8 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 2, 2014
Ahhh, it is December, and by the pure grace of God we are getting some rain. We need a lot of rain. Our state is dry and the water is pretty much gone, but every little bit helps. And the latest storm is bringing in some nice rain. This year the “storms” we’ve had in the San Francisco Bay Area have not really been storms and have not brought rain. Some have even just been “mistings”. But this one is good. It is an awesome way to bring in a season of Joy! One way I like to bring in the season is by oiling my entertainment center and my buffet. I don’t always have a chance to do it, some years are more hectic than others, but it is one thing I like to do. I somewhat consider it part of decorating for Christmas. Since I don’t really do “Spring Cleaning” I like to oil the furniture before I decorate at Christmastime.
It used to be that the oil came in a plastic bottle with a top like the ones that come on salad dressing bottles. The oil had to be squeezed out or shook out. But then someone got the brilliant idea to put it in spray bottles. WOW! That was an awesome idea. It makes it much easier to get the oil everywhere. I did use an entire bottle on the entertainment center. I am not sure that I oiled it last year. As I said, I like to do it every year, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen. So many factors go into what you time for and what you don’t have time for, as I am sure you know . . . different things going on make different things possible or not. Sometimes you just have to let things you want to do, but aren’t that important (like oiling the furniture), go.
I take everything out of the entertainment center except the TV, stereo, and what is in the cabinet. (Yes, we still have a stereo.) When I oil the furniture I put a good coat on so I like to let it dry. I usually let it set for a day or two, to make sure it is dry and all the oil is soaked in before I put the items back. And since it is Christmastime I will leave some stuff off so that I can have room for the decorations. At least one whole shelf on the entertainment center is left empty for my nativity set. With the buffet I take everything out of the cabinets and oil inside.
I was not planning – I know I always say this, but really – on blogging about this otherwise I would have taken a “before” picture so that you could see the difference in the wood. The wood gets darkened by the oil. I think it likes it. I think it helps preserve the wood. This is really important since I’ve had the entertainment center for almost 25 years.
The buffet I got at a consignment store not to long after we moved here. I do not know its previous story.
Getting this done makes me feel good. As I said I don’t do spring cleaning, I clean for the Holidays and this is one of the things I like to do. Helps get my decorating mojo ignited. I love decorating for Christmas. I like for everywhere you look to be at least a little Christmas!
Do you have any furniture that would like to be oiled? Do you oil your furniture? Do you use Old English?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Christmas decorations, Christmastime, coat of oil, Old English, Rain, San Francisco Bay Area, wood buffet, wood entertainment center, wood furniture up keep | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 27, 2014
You may know that I post on Thursdays. Thanksgiving falls on Thursday in the United States that means that I will post on Thanksgiving. I say that every year. Even though I know that the day is coming, I don’t seem to ever have a post well planned. I am usually sitting at my computer at 11:30 pm trying to come up with something that isn’t just me being thankful. But I usually just give in to the fact that I spent all evening eating and not thinking about my blog. This year we had dinner a bit earlier than normal because the 49ers were playing and someone had tickets to go see them. I was a bit resistant to the fact that we were having dinner at noon because of a sporting event. But it turned out not to be that early. I do believe the 49ers lost, though. We had a very nice early dinner. The group was smaller than it used to be due to the fact that a lot of the “kids” were off being adults. Always so sad when the “kids” aren’t around, but so exciting that they are off living their lives. Exciting they are off with other people who love them. So, instead of sitting at my computer at 11:30 pm, I am sitting at my computer at 9:30 pm. I just want to continue the gratitude.
I am very grateful for my family on my husband’s side who provide a yummy Thanksgiving dinner (or lunch) every year. This year was very simple and very yummy. It was perfect. We even ran out of salad which hasn’t happened in YEARS!!!
I hope that you can tell from reading my blog that all year long I am very grateful for my family. I am grateful for my husband. I am grateful for my friends. I am grateful for my students. I am grateful for Nia. I am grateful to have a job teaching Nia with the City. I am blessed and I know it. I hope that I show it.
I am excited to get started on decorating for Christmas. I wish we had a week in between Thanksgiving and December (as I mentioned in my last post about a Christmas card Christmas tree), but that won’t happen until 2019. We will have days in between in 2017 and 2018, and a whole week 2019. But for now, Christmas is four weeks away. I love Christmastime!
Well, I know, every Thanksgiving is the same thing regarding my posts, but really I do like to state it in case you can’t tell from my posts all year long . . . I am very grateful.
Ooooh. Thanksgiving fact according to the website CNN Living: TV dinners came from Thanksgiving. When someone at Swanson misjudged the number of frozen turkeys they would sell in 1953, they decided to slice and package it up with the rest of a Thanksgiving dinner. Desperation IS the mother of invention and they had to figure out how to get rid of TWENTY SIX TONS (!) of frozen turkey!
Also remember, there is tryptophan (the stuff that people blame being sleepy on) in protein based foods eaten every day . . . so it is probably not the turkey making you tired.
I hope you all had a very happy and safe holiday.
What did you do? Did you celebrate? Was it Thanksgiving for you or just another Thursday? Pumpkin pie or pecan pie?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: 49ers, Christmastime, CNN Living, happy holiday, Nia, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, San Jose City Nia, Swanson TV Dinners, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving dinner, tryptophan, TV Dinners | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 7, 2010
In my most recent Nia class, I decided that I wanted to help people focus on the good of the season. I think that sometimes there is a lot of negative emotions around the Holiday season. By negative emotions I mean the way people actually feel during this time of year. There is always the ever present I-don’t-believe-in-Christ-so-I-don’t-agree-with-any-of-it, the it-makes-me-sad-so-therefore-I-am-going-to-be-sad, the WHAT?-ITS-CHRISTMAS! The feelings of inadequacy; there is not enough money, goals for the year were not accomplished, baking isn’t getting done, cards aren’t being sent, house isn’t getting cleaned, nothing is enough, there is too much . . . . .oh my the pressure! I was thinking all of this is negative stuff. So in class the focus was pushing away the negative, somewhat rejecting it, with the intent of bringing in the positive.
Both the “negative” and the “positive” is different for everyone so that was a very individualized point. We didn’t discuss anything that I mentioned above, so everyone could rid themselves of whatever they needed and attract whatever they wanted. It was very nice. It is a focus and an intent that can be used any time, I just thought we’d give it a spin this season.
As with all focuses and intents we use in a Nia class they can be carried into one’s day and/or daily living. This is where the thought of “letting go” keeps popping into my head. I love this season. I love cleaning my house, getting it all ready to put up the decorations. Then I love spending days . . . at least two or three days decorating the tree and the house. I always laugh because sometimes I can’t remember where I “normally” put something and it might end up in a new spot. Then I spend the season either saying, “Yes, that’s good.” or “No, that really doesn’t work.”
I sometimes feel very foolish for the sheer joy I feel when I look at a silly Christmas decoration that I cherish. But I do. I feel joy at the beauty and the sparkle of Christmas. This year since I am a bit limited in my movements I am having to really draw on that joy. I am going to have to strategically place things so that I can see “Christmas” everywhere yet not have as many decorations out and up.
Things tend to work in concert. We ended up with a much, much smaller tree than usual. Cool, since my hubby had to handle it without my help. Since it is smaller it will require less ornaments which will allow me to stay off my foot. Also a small tree requires less maintenance and the couches didn’t have to be moved. See? It is all gonna work out fine, I just need to let it go. Reject the negative when I start to feel a pout coming on. It’s ok that it is my favorite time of year and I can’t run around. Oh well. I can walk. My toe/foot IS healing. It is all good. For heaven’s sake its Christmastime. Let the negative go, embrace the season, embrace the unity.
Posted in Just stuff, Nia | Tagged: Christmas, Christmas cards, Christmas decorations, Christmas Tree, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmastime, Holiday season, Holidays, Nia, Nia class, Nia focus, Nia intent, unity | 4 Comments »
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