Tag Archives: being happy

2012 Day the Last

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This has been a helluva year. Before I recap the good and the bad, let me share my holiday break with you…

Christmas day… We had a great holiday. The boys arrived home from their dad’s around noon. We opened gifts, enjoyed the day…then headed to nonnie’s house for Chili and more gifts.

My niece, Double A, tried to steal my sparkle! Can you believe that?

 All the boys (including El Jefe) received Wife Beaters in their stockings… Yes, we were dreaming of a white trash Christmas…

 Next year’s Christmas card, maybe?

I’m not sure which Rader liked more, his iPhone or his Hulk Hands. haha.

Christmas night, the sleet an snow came down with a vengeance. We lost several trees and the eerie sound of limbs crashing to the ground all night was really creepy. It was beautiful, but I was over it after about 15 hours.  18 of those we were without power, and we were very lucky. The boys’ dad was without power from Tuesday – Sunday. No thank you.

Now…let’s talk about 2012 and why I’m glad it’s over…

What I loved about the year:

  1. My friends. The people who love me and care about me no matter what. They have supported me through a very tough time. They knew I was trying to hold it together, and when I pulled away, they pulled me back. I am very lucky. So very lucky to have them in my life. 
  2. My love. We have been through a very rough year financially. It could have killed our relationship, but we are stronger than ever. And 2013 is looking fantastic. I’m very lucky to have this man in my life.
  3. My boys. I’ve never been closer to them. They are the one thing I’ve done right in my life. Maybe even the only thing.  I am so proud of the young men they are becoming. And I can’t wait to see what 2013 brings to them.

Why I’m ready to kick the door closed on 2012:

  1. Being a one income family. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t fun. I fought depression…I adopted the mantra “Fake it til you make it” and I’m ready to stop faking it. I don’t do fake very well. 
  2. My health.  I had complications from a procedure last February that lasted all year. We finally figured the problem out in October, and it looks like it’s finally getting better. Of course, as a result of this issue, I’ve gained weight. I’ve been sad. I’ve stopped exercising. That is all changing. 
  3. Loss. I’ve lost friends this year. I have always been the one who reaches out to people. I’m the fun one, the sparkler, bright and shiny and happy. And for a few months last year, I couldn’t be that person anymore. And the people who know me and want me in their life reached out to me. And there are a few who didn’t. Who took my absence as a reflection on them not on me. And I’m so sad. I miss them terribly, but I was trying to patch my life together and I didn’t have the energy or the life left to reach out and mend the tatters. I just couldn’t do it. Maybe this year I’ll find the strength to recover the loss, because I do feel the emptiness without them in my life.

2013 is looking bright. We are a double income family again. We are lucky to have the support of our family and friends. And I’m very much looking forward to what this year has to offer. Bring 13. Bring it hard.

Sparkle on, my pretties. Have a fantastic New Year’s Eve and please be safe. If it doesn’t rain, I plan on lighting up the firepit and ringing in 2013 with my family. It’s gonna be a good night. Cheers!

Just in case today is the last day on earth…

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DON’T FORGET TO SPARKLE!

I am on holiday as of noon today…I may or may not be around for a couple of weeks. We’ll see. Maybe I will pop in and share some love every once in a while…I know you’ll miss me…and I certainly don’t want you to feel sad or lonely.

Happy holidays everyone! I hope whatever you celebrate is wonderful and memorable.

Sad News, Happy News

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Last night, Ruby went missing for over an hour. We let her out with Trin-Trin like we always do. She didn’t come back after about 20 minutes, which is unusual, so we started to look for her. We searched 3 different properties that are attached and cover more than 10 acres. We searched across the street, even though she has never ventured across the street before. Nothing.

Finally, after more than an hour, I looked in a different ditch across the street, and there she was. Shivering and weak. I picked her up and there was no yelping, so I didn’t think she got hit. She had a scraped bottom lip that was bleeding, and that seemed to be the extent of her injuries.

We thought she may have gotten scared by a car and fell down the ditch and then was just too cold to move.

However, once she warmed up, we discovered her sweet little pug tail was broken. Hanging limp as a noodle. And she was having a real difficult time with her back legs. She’s at the vet now and we are waiting to hear what’s going on. Poor Ruby-Doobie-Doo. It looks like she was definitely clipped by a car. So we wait.

We’re all pulling for you Rubes.

Now, in happier news…

Remember how I sold German Rights to BITE ME?

Well, we can add LOVE SUCKS! to that mix now! That’s right! Lovely Agent emailed me this morning and said CORA wanted to buy the rights to LOVE SUCKS! Yippee!!

FYI

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I say Happy Holidays.

Why? You ask (probably with a judgey, angry, smirk. Be careful…you’ll wrinkle)

Because to me, the holidays are Thanksgiving, Hanukkah,  Christmas, Kwanza, and New Year’s. Yep. Those are all the holidays. And I wish them to be happy. Ergo: Happy Holidays/

If you wish me a Merry Christmas, I’m going to smile and say Thanks! Same to you!

I’m not offended because you celebrate Christmas. I love joyful messages, however they are sent. Why people get bent out of shape over a message of peace, joy, and happiness…no matter how it is delivered, is beyond me.

Would you rather me wish you a Happy Chriskwanzakkah? Cuz I totally can.

I love the holidays. Who cares how the message of happiness is delivered. Just receive it with a smile and accept it with the warmth of the intended message. Don’t get caught up in the words used to deliver it…The only difference in Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays is the attitude in which they are received.

So Happy Holidays.

What I’ll never understand…Black Friday

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THIS pretty much sums up how I’ve always felt about Black Friday. I mean, we just celebrated a day of thanks and now we’re off to battle to the death for the best bargain?

Ugh.

You will find me at home, decorating for Christmas and watching movies with the boys. There will be wine, and pie and lots of smiles.

And please, if you’re gonna get out and shop this weekend, shop locally. Don’t give the damn conglomerates another reason to open earlier and earlier and deny their employees a holiday just so they can make a buck.

Barf.

Weekly recap

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Hey gang. Sorry I bailed on ya this week. I needed a respite. I’ve been busy planning an awesome birthday celebration for El Jefe. Which was yesterday. Which included a video montage of happy birthday messages from several of his out-of-state friends, a message from the boys…where they killed a hooker and she turned into a zombie and then they died. A message from da Godfodda and Laura, and finally my message…where I made him a bacon sandwich.

And he woke up yesterday, and there was a bacon sandwich waiting for him. With a light saber candle…

I also made a Bacon Apple Pie which was delicious, but I have figured out how to improve it and will remake it and when it is perfected, I will post pics and a recipe.

Here’s a picture of last night’s pie:

We had a great time with our friends. It was very needed.

Booty Camp is going great. My booty is definitely looking better. Though the weight is hanging on like static cling. That’s okay. It’ll come off…eventually. It better or else.

Okay, that’s about it. Y’all have a great weekend and I’ll do better next week, I promise.

Happy Thursday

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I’m in a great mood today. Rader Tater made the JROTC Drill Team at school. This is awesome, as not a lot of freshmen are invited to try out. What isn’t awesome? Having to get him to school before 7:00 a.m.

But my parental proudness outweighs my general early morning crankiness…so today is an epic win.

I’ve been really happy lately. I feel great about getting back to me… when I turned 40, I was really exercising and focusing on feeling good about myself. It was a process I started when we lived in Oxford…not long after our home renovations were done, and I was working for someone who made me miserable, plus the marriage was starting to unravel and I was in denial about it. So I started exercising and trying to lose the 50lbs of security blanket I had added to my body. It’s amazing how just adding a 2 mile walk a few days a week to my life made me feel much better about myself.

Recently, I’ve had some personal issues pop up that haven’t been fun. I made peace with them, apologized for my part, and moved on. And wow, how good does it feel to be at peace…and to be able to focus on the positive again. Bootcamp is going great. My butt is looking better than ever! (I saw you looking. It’s okay.) The boys are happy at home, we laugh every night and every morning. (Although, I’m not gonna lie…I’d love JUST ONCE to take Rader to school and not have to talk about farts. This morning’s conversation? “Mom. I had the WEIRDEST fart yesterday.”)

I’m in control of my own happiness. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. I’m so pleased with where my life is right now. Sure, there are aspects of it that could use a little nudge in a different direction, but damn, focusing on the negative just gives you wrinkles. And a bad outlook on life.

So…in light of the “thankfulness” theme going on right now…I’m so thankful for my family. And that includes my dear friends. I am so lucky to have two wonderful boys with fantastic senses of humor and who still kiss me goodnight before they go to bed every night. I am thankful for the wonderful man in my life who loves me despite my glaring flaws and who forgives me when I’m stupid. And who laughs at my jokes, even when they aren’t funny (which is rare, because as you all know, I’m VERY funny). I’m thankful for forgiveness…and the ability to learn from my mistakes and move on. I’m so thankful I’m healthy and happy. Life could be so much worse.

And with that. Happy Thursday. Life is good. Go forth and share a smile today.

Year 2

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So 2 years ago I went on my first date with a man I had known for 10 years. A man I had worked with and then ended up living next door to for a few months before I moved back to Little Rock.

A man who always made me laugh and always made me very nervous.

I can’t say things have changed very much. 🙂 He still makes me laugh. And he still makes me nervous, but in the best way possible.

This hasn’t been the smoothest year possible. Lots of changes and surprises and stress. But home is where the heart is, and I’m happy to say, our hearts seem to like their new digs…and event though El Jefe is feeling little old and gimped up lately ( 😀 ) he still makes my heart skip a beat when he looks at me.

the little things

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I love documenting daily life and memories. It’s part of why I still blog. It’s not that what I have to say is important, it’s that it helps me document the little things in my life that will always be important to me.

It’s why I love to take pics. I love documenting things that make me happy. Things that touch my heart. Things that just strike me in that moment. My past is always going to be a part of my present because it defined the person I’ve become. I would never want to erase that from my life. Sure I’ve made mistakes, made bad decisions, fought some demons…but if not for those things, I can’t say I would have turned into the person I am today. And frankly, I like myself.

So the past is important to me, but not as a security blanket. Not for something to cling to. You learn and move on.

But you should never try to erase it.

And now I document my present because I want to always have my memory trail. I want to remember the sweet moments of lounging on the couch with Jefe on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I want to remember the goofy moments that my kids bless me with every day. I want to remember Ruby’s pitiful face when she’s not getting enough attention, or Trin-Trin’s smile when she’s on the bed…because these things are my key to happiness. I take a picture every day because it’s the everyday little things that are worth remembering to me.

boys and their momma

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Here’s Rader and his 8th grade graduation:

and here he is today, his 2nd day in high school:

What a difference 4 months (and a couple of haircuts) can make…

Last night El Jefe and I had a houseful of boys. I didn’t cook because Ian and his best friend Ben had gone out to eat with Ben’s parents and because we had plenty of leftovers from Monday night’s awesome pan-roasted chicken.

I love the fact that the boys want to come and hang out at the house, but sometimes it feels really, really crowded. Our house is more like a cottage and with only 1 living room and 1 couch and a dining table…so when we’re watching TV, we are all on top of each other.

But that’s okay for me, I love that they wanna be there–I just wish they didn’t always wanna be right on top of me… haha. I’m very lucky though. How many teenage boys do you know that come to their mom’s room at 10:00 (her bed time) and make sure they give her a hug and a kiss goodnight? Yeah, I’ve got two amazing kids. I’m pretty proud.

Now to get Ian situated to start college next week. Wow. August 2012 is turning out to be a big month for the Francii.