HNY!

Happy New Year All! 

It has been a rough one.

I am glad to see it go. 

My mom sent this

 email to me today.

It is her letter, from me to 2009. 

I cried really hard when I read it. 

My mom is so smart. 

And cute too. :) 

I hope you have a lovely evening! 

I'll be sipping champagne with Marilyn.

{well, with her movies at least.}

Dear 2009,
It is time for you to go now.

  You have been here for a year and

 it is your turn to move on.

  I am glad that you came to visit

 and 

i thank you for all of the lessons

 that you brought with you. 

 Good lessons that I will never have to learn again.

  Lessons that I can now cross off my list.

  You did a good job making me stronger and smarter and cuter.  

If being cuter is even possible. 

 And you brought some amazing people into my life.

 Please leave them here when you go.  

You also took some amazing people away from me. 

 I do not like that but i know that you can never take them from my heart, 

even though they are gone from my world.

  You moved some of my people around too. 

 Nice job. 

 I am looking forward to your nicer,

 kinder, more generous friend named Next Year.

  I like him a whole whole lot. 

 I am going to be very open to him and the

 WONDER

 that he is bringing to me tomorrow.

  I am thankful and grateful for you. 

 Tonight i will smudge you out and mr. new year in. 

 I will look at my bubbles and count my blessings.

  i will watch nice smoke take useless memories.

 mistakes and energy out of my window, 

so it can live in the phoenix heat. 

 I will celebrate ME and hug ME (maybe once)

 and cry for ME and appreciate ME for 

managing what you tossed my way this year. 

 Thank you for helping me to improve my catching and throwing skills. 

I will be so happy to see you go.  

Love,

 Taylor Kalander

Mary Grace Believes

Today's post is from a new blogger, Mary Grace.

She, coincidentally, lives sort of near my grandmother's house in Central California!

Very fun.

I believe that:

People should take time, even just a tidbit, to notice and appreciate the beauty around them before it might be too late.

You realize you've fallen in love with someone/something once the world around you suddenly stops for a moment.

Second chances and such opportunities do exist but sometimes are invisible to us.

Everyone has the potential to do/create something. They just got to find it and maybe then master it.

A good laugh is needed everyday.

People working out in the gym is just as self-conscious as you are.

If you're trying to believe in hope, you're hoping.

If you always have someone to hug, you're a very lucky person.

 

Mary Grace's BEAUTIFUL photo:

And her explanation for choosing this photo:

P.S. The picture is in the attached file. I picked this because I took it on the day after the first rain of this (fall) season halted. Probably not the best shot but the lovely autumnal colors just seemed to pop out for me. My sidekick was the only camera I had @ the moment. People would ask me why I would walk so far to this specific parking spot from my classes. I realized this picture had the reason.

 

THANKS for playing.

This is one of the last lists that I have.

If anyone still wants to send their's in, feel free!

I'll publish mine soon. :)

Tony Believes

This is my boy BFF Tony Bologna.

He believes he will have another beer.

That is all.

{This is a photo of us in New Orleans for Mardi Gras the year before the Hurricane. Can you tell by my tongue that I'd had a few Hurricane drinks that day?!?!}

Corie Believes!

Today's post is from Corie who is one of Julie's and my sorority sisters from NAU. :)

I have SO much fun keeping up with her beautiful family

 (especially her adorable daughter, Camdyn) on her blog!

Their world is full of pink cupcakes and hairbows.

And I love it.

I Believe that you don't ever have to grow up, if you don't want too!:)

 I Believe in LOVE at first sight! I experienced it the first time I saw my hubby and when I saw Camdyn's face!

 I Believe that you can NEVER eat too many cupcakes........ or candy for that mater!

I Believe that PINK is the BEST color in the world!

I Believe that the "double "C's" is the best two letters in the world. Not only because of the fashion of Chanel, but also because it is my initials!:)

 I Believe in Santa.....and ALWAYS will. Afterall, if you do not BELIEVE, you do not recieve!

I Believe in sleeping in as late as you want, except when you have a baby!:)

 I Believe that a clean house makes EVERYTHING perfect. Oh, and PERFECT vaccum lines are just BLISS!

I Believe in taking photos EVERY day and capturing the 'story of our life', so when I am old and grey I can remember every last detail!

Thanks SO much for playing Corie!

Can't wait to see your Christmas photos!

if YOU would like to play, please send an email to

Ltkalander@gmail.com

Thanks!

 

Tracy Believes

.......and we're back........

Today's post is from Tracy of Res Ipsa Loquitur 

{translation for you non-pre-law-nerds out there:

 The Thing Itself Speaks}

 who is one of my favorite bloggers 

and is also a future famous actress. 

Her blog posts are very true and thought provoking. 

When I see that she has posted, 

I save them for the end of my day so that

 I can dedicate some time to thinking after reading. 

THANK you for playing and THANK you for blogging. 

I believe...

That if you're gonna get all opinionated about politics, you'd better be voting.

That macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food.

That books on tape don't count as reading.

That when you have a crappy day, listening to ABBA's "Take a Chance on Me" is the best pick-me-up ever.

That my mother is my hero, and one of the strongest women alive.

That John Bonham was the best drummer to ever exist.

That while everyone wants kittens to stay kittens, when it's 2 AM and that kitten is using your face as a launching pad yet AGAIN, you really do want them to grow up to be mellow cats.

That whoever came up with the idea to put gooey marshmallows between graham crackers and chocolate should be awarded with a Nobel Prize.

That people are the easiest way to screw up organized religion.

That Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" is possibly the most amazing song ever composed in the history of this earth.

That there is nothing that taking a moment to breathe cannot fix.

That world peace could probably be achieved through eye contact, firm handshakes, and a genuine interest in the needs of others.

That dinner parties are one of life's simplest and most profound pleasures.

That there is always an excuse to go for a hike or walk.

That chocolate and cheese were sent directly from the gods to make us appreciate life.

That, if given the chance to stay up until 5 am to see a once-in-a-hundred-years meteor shower, or get a good night's sleep...we should pick the stargazing, every time.

That Tay is the sweetest blogger ever for coming up with such an adorable guest posting theme!

{aw, thanks!}

Thanks again for playing! 

If YOU would like to participate, please send me an email. 

Ltkalander@gmail.com

Annie Believes

I was SICK at home yesterday so didn't post today's I believe. The posts will resume tomorrow, so stay tuned. In the mean time please enjoy this awesomely nineties video of Annie Lennox singing Money Can't Buy It. I chose this song because I LOVE her and LOVE the I BELIEVE lines in the song.

**Can you imagine the creative meeting planning this video? "Um, let's put her in a ball gown, throw a towel on her head and have her sing into a mirror. Sweet. Meeting adjourned. Good work team."

Tracey Believes

This post is from Tracey

who is one of the

FUNNIEST bloggers I've ever read.

Her writing style reminds me of

Jen Lancaster

and I hope that someday we can drink

too many martinis together.

I BELIEVE

that with enough wine, I can solve the world’s problems.

in opening my Christmas presents not on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day but as soon as I discover where Dave has hidden them. I just can‘t wait.

in the church of Do The Right Thing.

that the toilet paper should always come over the top of the roll.

in reading to my children.

that bitching at your husband all the time will get you a divorce.

in taking my makeup off before I go to bed.

in Karma.

that you should always make him wait just a little.

that what you do right now will greatly affect you, positively or negatively, ten years from now.

that sometimes it's really out of your hands.

That “liquor before beer, you're in the clear” is good advice.

that a sense of humor will get you through life.

that Dave will never, ever put the silverware in the right place when he unloads the dishwasher.

that sometimes being immature is fun.

that what goes around comes around.

that girls dress for other girls.

that you should always tell someone if they have toilet paper on their shoe.

that everyone should know how to drive a stick shift.

that everyone should be alone sometimes.

that you should love whoever you want, regardless if you think you should.

that you can never have too many friends.

if you are really angry about something, chances are you are at least partly to blame.

that you should not over-think things.

that if you want it bad enough, and you work hard enough, you will get it eventually.

in never being too available to anyone.

that, if you smoke cigarettes, you will regret it someday.

that sometimes you have to have difficult conversations with people, even though you really don’t want to.

that the older I get, the smarter my dad gets.

that when you go to college, you should major in something you love.

that brothers and sisters should stick together.

that sometimes highly educated people are actually not very smart.

in saying no sometimes.

that actions speak louder than words.

that you should never let a man control you. If he doesn’t like your clothes, your job, your friends or your decisions, don’t stay with him.

that no one should tell you you’re laughing too loud.

that sometimes the journey is more fun than the destination.

 

Thanks for playing Tracey!

 

If anyone would like to participate please email me

Ltkalander@gmail.com

Wendy Believes

Today's post is from

Wendy.

I love her blog, photography and the

 accent that I use in my head when I read her entries. :)

Here is her list;

I believe...

...in daydreams

 

...in magic

 

...in love

...in good karma

...in others

 

...in the underdog

 

**all photos are from www.weheartit.com**

Thanks SO much for playing Wendy.

It's fun to have an overseas blog friend, don't you think?

If you would like to participate, send me an email!

Ltkalander@gmail.com

Jasmine Believes

Today's post is from my fellow

Huntington Beach High School

{go oilers}

alumnae

Jasmine.

She has a rocking blog

and a wonderfully creative spirit.

She was also on the Smitten blog, which I think is pretty fancy.

I'm bummed we weren't BFF in high school

but am glad we are blog friends now.

Who else could possibly share my crush for

Mr. Gordon

Honors English Teacher Extraordinaire

who looks just like

THIS

guy?

No one. That's who.

Here is Jasmine's list;

i believe in love.

i believe that jesus christ is lord.

i believe in the soul.

i believe that decisions should be made and opinions should be formed from a perspective of love.

i believe in rainy days and old movies.

i believe in honoring commitments.

i believe in women. i believe in feminism.

i believe that religion makes God sad.

i believe in hope.

i believe in miracles.

i believe in the bible.

i believe in health care reform.

i believe in giving time and money to the less fortunate.

i believe in sharing smiles with people you pass on the street.

i believe in treating the homeless like human beings, acknowledging their existence.

i believe in high quality food.

i believe that butter makes everything better.

i believe in real sugar. i believe that splenda, equal, and sweet n low are the root of all evil.

i believe in meat.

i believe in christmas magic.

i believe in speaking your mind and making your voice heard, regardless of the consequences.

i believe in imagination.

i believe in spankings.

i believe in chocolate and the beatles.

i believe in crying until you feel better.

i believe in sleeping nine hours per night and drinking sixty ounces of water per day.

i believe in words, friends you've never met, faith, and love at first sight.

i believe in truth and beauty.

i believe in levi, gretel, and lily.

i believe in myself.

and again, i believe in love.

Reading Jasmine's blog

makes a small part of my heart

believe in lovie love (not family love).

And that is difficult to do.

Thank you SO much for sharing.

If you would like to play please send me an email!

Ltkalander@gmail.com

Nina Believes

Today's post is from Nina,

one of the best bloggers out there

if you ask me.

I always feel serene after

I read her posts.

Aaaaaaaaaaah.

{that was a deep serene breath}

Here is Nina's list;

1. i believe fear is a good thing.

 if you haven't felt scared lately, you're not living your life to its fullest. apprehension, discomfort, struggles, tears... although they are no fun, they are all signs that we are evolving human beings.

2. i believe that if we are not disappointing someone,

 we are not being true to ourselves.

a lot of us over-extend ourselves and try to please others (i'm very guilty of this) because of a desperate combination of wanting approval, and wanting to get the most out of each and every day. i believe this is a symptom of underlying anxiety that we are not enough as we are. and ironically, when we over-extend, over-commit, and over-plan, we aren't giving anything or anyone in our lives the attention, time and dedication that it deserves... particularly, our selves.

3. true love is in the everyday.

a few years ago, my father shared with me some wisdom about relationships. he said (in essence): "your relationship is not about that big fight you had yesterday, or your wedding day. it's about all the other days. it's about the day-to-day rituals, the patterns of behavior and the consistent, general attitude you have towards one another. love is not about those really good days or those really cranky days. it's about everything in between: the way you talk about your day, the favors you do for each other without even thinking about it, and the last words you speak to each other before falling asleep at night."

**photo credit**

 

This is a very wise I believe list.

I love it.

Thanks for playing Nina!

 

If you would like to participate

please send me an email

Ltkalander@gmail.com

My Issa Believes

For five years (in college) I was a nanny for the same family. One summer, the mother of the family gave birth to twin girls. They already had four children, all under the age of five, so needless to say it was a CHAOTIC time. {Five years later the family now has 9 children, but that's a whole different blog post} We knew we needed to bring someone else in to help with the kiddos. We knew the mom and babies would be in the hospital for awhile and that I couldn't handle the four kids under five on my own all the time. The mother's best friend offered her nanny for a couple of months. I was kind of hesitant, kind of not looking forward to someone new coming into the mix. It's always a little strange when you take care of children to have a new person coming onto your turf. The only thing I really knew about her was that she is Mormon. I am agnostic, sarcastic, boozy and have a tendency to mutter obscenities under my breath.

{I know, great nanny material, right?}

 Needless to say, I didn't think we would be a great match but I was willing to give it a try because I knew how desperately we would need help.

I. Could. Not. Have. Been. More. Off. Base.

Clarissa and I became FAST friends, then fast BEST friends, then we completely surpassed the friendship zone and became like sisters. I have never gotten to know someone so well in such a short amount of time. I have never been accepted into someone's family so lovingly and I am SO glad that I have her in my life. She has since moved to Washington D.C., married a wonderful man named Christian with whom she has a darling, sweet, spitfire little girl. I was lucky to be a part of their wedding last March and loved being wrapped in her love again, if only for a few days. She's the kind of friend your heart aches to be around.

P.S. Be friends with Mormons! Permanent designated drivers. Score!

Ok, I am done rambling now and am ready to give you the list of things she believes!

 I believe...

I've asked myself many times what I truly believe. I have very deep and rooted beliefs and understandings and I have great faith in many, many things, so I'd like to mention just a few things that I believe.

I believe that religions should be a means of building bridges and not barriers.

I believe that there are things other than chocolate that can solve all problems. (I just have to name a few: Coco Mademoiselle {YES!}, just a small sniff can bring me back to some of the best memories of my life. Listening to old phone messages from nieces and nephews. Giving kisses to babies. David Phelps singing "No More Night.")

I believe that dreams really can come true.

I believe in the great power of a nap.

I believe in clean bathrooms.

I believe all babies should smell like babies!!

I believe my wedding day was the best day of my life. (so far)

I believe in the comfort a

grilled cheese sandwich

and a bowl of soup can bring.

I believe bathrooms should never be purple, bedrooms should never be red and front doors should never be mauve.

I believe I should read more good books.

I believe I can learn how to cook.

I believe I have the best friends a girl could ever hope, pray and beg for.

I believe I am much greater than I think I am.

 I believe we all are.

I believe we are blessed more than we could ever realize.

I believe I could keep on going, and I believe I could expound so much upon these beliefs, but I also believe that sometimes I say too much and I believe this is probably a good place to stop.

 

Thanks for playing Issa!

I miss you.

I love you.

I think you're the best.

 

check out Clarissa's blog here.

 

If anyone would like to play please send me an email.

Ltkalander@gmail.com

 

Thanks!

My Mom Believes

Today's post is from my mom.

These are here instructions

from the email she sent me with her list:

"please make this into the cute blog font.

with big words in the middle and clicking links and stuff. thank you."

I'll do my best. :)

Here is one of my favorite mom

pictures. She looks like she believes in EVERYTHING in this photo and also looks very happy to have a new stuffed poodle.

Who wouldn't be?

{She is on the right}

Here is her list!

i believe in miracles and i believe that i gave birth to

 two

really amazing ones. : )

i believe that you should

always

leave a place nicer than when you arrived.

i believe that God does not give you more than you can handle, but sometimes he gets way too close.

i believe that when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. peter pan said it, and i believe it.

i still believe that

 chocolate

milk comes from

black cows

i believe that you can NOT judge a book by its cover.

 but i still do it way too often.

i believe that it is easier to forgive others once you have forgiven yourself.

i believe that you never run out of love.

i believe that hearts have really good memories.

i believe that microwave ovens encourage laziness.

i believe in

champagne

& those nice little tiny bubbles.

i believe that everyone has a soul mate,

 romantic or not.

{me too}

i believe that people create

 & become what they think.

i believe in never ending a sentence in a preposition.

 

Thanks for playing Mom.

I believe in YOU and your LOVE.

 

If anyone would like to play my game,

 please send me an email.

Ltkalander@gmail.com

i believe in love at first smell.