by Jen | Nov 15, 2014 | Life Reflections
Once upon a time, before I discovered coffee, my husband, my sister-in-law, and my father-in-law would watch endless made for TV Christmas movies during the holidays while I intermittently napped and made fun of them. Upon my discovery of coffee several years later I was forced to watch the movies with them as caffeine made napping impossible.
Here’s the thing, you know how when you enter Disney World and you first get trampled by the hoards of people at opening and then you get run down by a stroller only to get crowd pushed against your will to Fantasyland to realize that even though it is 9:05 in the morning the line for the Pooh Pots is already 50 minutes long and everywhere you look is crazy ass commercialism for a mouse? And for a moment everything feels kind of phony? Well that is what those stupidly simple made-for-TV Christmas movies felt like to me.
But then something changed.
Do you remember Disney’s Wishes at the end of the day?
Jiminy Cricket says:
I’ll bet a lot of you folks don’t believe that, about a wish coming true, do ya? Well I didn’t either. Course, I’m just a cricket, but lemme tell you what made me change my mind. You see, the most fantastic, magical things can happen, and it all starts with a wish!
And tinker bell starts flying overhead and the fireworks are going off and kids are sitting on their dad’s shoulders with awe on their faces and parents are staring up at their kids with tears and smiles–so grateful that they had this magical day with their kids and everything in the world is ok, even for a moment. You feel like a kid again, not a cynic. You rode roller coasters and whirled in circles with Dumbo and ate pure sugar and hugged the “real” Mickey and Minnie Mouse and were transformed into other worlds and times and stories again and again.
That’s what happens to me now every year when the Hallmark channel starts their Christmas movie marathon. Yeah, some are really bad. It is easy to comment on ridiculous plots, bad hair, terrible acting (I still avoid Meet the Santa’s with Steve Guttenburg) and dare I say it? –the over-commericialization of Christmas.
But what happens if you remove the cynicism?
We still have a few ground rules. My sister-in-law’s choices cannot have death, children (usually bad actors), or Santa Claus in them. My rules are no death/sickness = must be lighthearted, and recently made. My husband’s rules consist of no Steve Guttenberg. And sometimes we even break the rules and are happily surprised. I like watching a movie where the whole drama revolves around who will win the cookie bake-off and will the girl get her guy and be a snow bride.
They are simple and sweet and make me feel like I do at the end of a day at Disney World (minus the sore feet) where laughter and a little magic collide.
I’ve been converted over. Josh, you are next… 😉
[JIMINY] from Wishes
Thanks folks, for making this little gathering of ours so extra magical.
From our family and friends to yours, goodnight, and may all your wishes come true.
So long!
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish, I wish tonight
Oh, a world of wishes.
A world where dreams come true.
So make a wish, see it through.
Dare to do what dreamers do.
by Jennifer Farlin | Nov 11, 2014 | Life Reflections, Popular
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes – how do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In 525,600 minutes – how do you measure a year in the life?
How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love. ~Rent
Today is Veteran’s Day. As a wife of an active duty service member my thoughts automatically shift to all those who are serving their country far from home, away from family and friends. As a mother, I think of all our children who have moms and dads risking their lives and who have to accept that mom and dad won’t be home, again, for_____fill in the blank. Time crawls for those who are missing someone. I know firsthand. And yet, how is it when the clock is counting down for the next departure–time speeds up and moments move at lightening speed?
It’s true when they say you don’t know what you have until it is gone, isn’t it? After all we’ve been through as a military family I am forever grateful for my husband’s presence. It is a present. A gift. I do not take it lightly. I do not take it for granted. I cherish even the snoring that comes with it.
I am thinking of all the stories I have heard now. The stories from friends and family who have served or are currently serving. Stories that ended and began all in a single minute. Stories that were heroic, sad, joyous, and devastating. How do you say I am so sorry this much? How do you explain the extent of the ache in your own heart? How do you measure gratitude? How do you measure moments? How do you say I appreciate you this much? How do you explain how much something or someone means to you or explain your degree of sorrow?
How do you measure sacrifice? I am surrounded by Veterans–my husband, my father, my father-in-law, my friends, my community, my previous community, and my community before that. I’ve been told there are about 20 million Veterans alive today who are serving or who have served. 5 million men and women during the Gulf War Era (present), 7 million people during Vietnam, 1.3 million people during World War II and 2.1 million people during the Korean War.
There are so many statistics out there on Veterans. So many numbers. So many measurements.
But how do you measure a life?
Thank you to all who serve past and present.
Love to you.
Jen
Other popular posts:
11-11, Thank You 2013, I’m Sorry You Are Not A Military Family-So Put That In Your Pipe And Smoke It
Read more: Veterans Day: Census Facts | Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/spot/veteranscensus1.html#ixzz3IbgN8Yr4
by Jennifer Farlin | Nov 10, 2014 | Inspired Style, Interior Decorating
I thought I would start this week off with a bang and talk about Tweed. I can just feel all the Facebook Shares as I typed that. Pretty sure this post is going to go viral. Tweed. I know, I’ll stop. I’m getting a little too crazy for a Monday. I should have done this one on a Friday, but that’s how I roll. Crazy. Tweed.
I’d like to insert here that my children hid a Whoopee Cushion on the couch and I just sat on it.
Too bad they weren’t here to bask in their success.
Back to Tweed.
The Glenburn Hotel ~ Rothesay, Scotland
Tweed. I know what you are thinking. #How is she going to top this post? Or should I say Tweed this? You know Tweet this?! Right?
by Jennifer Farlin | Nov 1, 2014 | Art, Inspired Style, Interior Decorating
Yes. I love The National Gallery of Art.
I, also, love posing like the art. Hard to tell which is Degas’ Little Dancer and which is me, isn’t it??? It’s a joyous thing to go mid-week with friends. It was quiet, uncrowded, and none of the guards were asking me to remove my children from the sculptures.
I get so excited and inspired about all the colors—and then I start building rooms in my head….
Mary Cassatt
Mix and Chic
Mix and Chic
Celerie Kemble
Nancy Vintage
Mix and Chic
Vincent Van Gogh
Mary Cassatt
Mix and Chic
George Bellows
Dorothy Draper Design/Greenbrier Hotel
Remodelista
Andrew Wyeth
Momtoob
Thomas Sully
thevisualvamp.blogspot.com
Claudiablonde.tumblr.com
(Love this new blog I found Mix and Chic Interiors! Check it out.)
OUTTAKES:
