Come On Get Happy

Blog Every Day in May Challenge

Day 14/31 - Ten things that make you really happy. 

{first off, declan's look? priceless. the life jacket? priceless. the seventies porn star? mine all mine.}

1. Spending a hot day on the water.

2. A clean house complete with clean dogs. 

3. Pink.

{via}

4. Going with your gut and doing something crazy. For me, Utah. 35 days!

5. Baltimore and all the love it contains.

6. When the mister makes me food that I really, really want. 

7. Falling Water by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is hands down the most incredible space. 

{via... though on second thought, it actually makes me sad that i just can't have it.}

8. Showering, shaving, then sliding into crisp, clean sheets. 

9. Hunkering down during a Christmas blizzard. 

10. Sitting outside writing this, constant companion by my side.

What about you fine folks? What makes YOU smile?

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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Ring in the Reflections and Renewal

2:00 a.m. last night found me changing a screaming baby out of soaking clothes. (If there's one thing that Dex hates in life, it's getting his midnight snack delayed.) As I stood there, trying to wrestle him dry, having long ago given up on the pacifier that was doing nothing but adding time to the experience, I realized that the city was alive with drunk strangers celebrating a fresh start. Visions of confetti flying, girls in golds and silvers and guys in 2013 top hats filled my head. The world alive in phases full of dancing, kissing, cheering, and merriment. Luckily jealousy was nowhere to be found, as the desire for sleep and a soothed baby topped all. "Happy new year, sweet boy," I whispered as he finally nestled against me.

What an amazing year to be ending, and an even more exciting one up ahead. While I have resolved not to make any resolutions, because making them seems to make them that much less likely to stay put, I do see each year as a fresh start. After the coziness of the holidays and the gathering of stuff, the new year brings a time to cleanse and purge. Organize. Clean. Appreciate. It brings a sense of knowing what you have, seeing what you can accomplish, and hands out new energy to get there.

Today I will look excitedly at the possibilities this year brings. I will try to organize my life and plans, getting what I can lined up to feel my future appropriately controlled. I think there is peace in having things scheduled- the mani/pedi marked down for tomorrow, our flight times and confirmation scratched in, and all the bills for the upcoming months flagged. This control allows opportunities for more spontaneity. It ushers me forward to enjoy the days, rather than worry that I'm forgetting a tidbit that will bite me later. 

With this planning though I will also reflect. I will look at the year that brought me here. The year that was good down to the core. While our blog has quite a few events missing (such is life as a bad blogger), it does manage to show some important moments. If you're new, I hope you get to know us a bit better. If you're a follower, thank you so much for journeying with us. 

Without further ado, here's a rundown of our 2012. 

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JANUARY

Alas, no blog posts. My mom, Tegan, and I drove cross-country from Baltimore to Austin to enjoy a bit more time together sans baby. Thoughts of boy nurseries swirled in my head. And I ended the month off celebrating my first quarter century with a fantastic group of friends at the Clay Pit. 

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FEBRUARY

I made some resolutions for my 25th year. (I kind of dread actually going back through those...) And we shared our first sewing project: the super easy DIY dog bed. 

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MARCH

The third trimester marked my first posts on pregnancy, here and here. It also included my last solo trip to Baltimore for our wonderful baby shower. Peyton kept himself from missing me too much by beginning work on the nursery, but that is a post that is yet to be posted. A llllong time coming, I know. 

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APRIL

To usher in a new season and new life, we did a quick house update by freshening up the front door. The back bedroom was in a state of renewal as well with paint all over, new furniture, and fun finds. Instead of posting these updates, I decided to procrastinate and enjoy life as a pregnant chica, which included seeing friends at another great shower for our little man.

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MAY

Well, we had a baby, five short days after squeezing in my maternity photos and praying that my mom would make it in time. She did, and on May 11th at 9:27am we all welcomed sweet Declan into the world. What an amazing, amazing time those next few weeks were, and while filled with loads of happiness and pictures, they were also bittersweet. Overall I learned to always try and soak in the '"now". 

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JUNE

As can be imagined, our main focus was sweet boy, but we also managed to enjoy our first family trip and begin the weekly photo project.

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JULY

Baltimore. Athens. Baltimore. Yay, yay, yay! Declan got to meet lots and lots of friends and add two new states to his already growing list of travels. He transitioned out of his stretching/grunting baby phase to adding smiles and little "heh heh" laughs. 

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AUGUST

It hit me that I have now become old while far too young, Declan slept through the night for the first time (that would have been nice last night...), and we filled our month with baby love and relaxation.

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SEPTEMBER

Declan turned four months and added laughing to his growing list of achievements. Peyton showed off his woodworking skills with a beautiful handmade gift for D. And my money spending desires were quashed by well thought up husband tactics. 

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OCTOBER

Austin City Limits came and went, Peyton added another year to his life resume, and we actually posted TWO things (one and two) for the pinterest challenge! The whole month ended by celebrating Declan's first halloween with fantastic family coordinated costumes.

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NOVEMBER

America had that little thing called an election, and even though we voted early, I still got caught up in the day. Declan got his first two teeth, ate his first food, and then six weeks of travel began along with an unplanned blogging hiatus. We celebrated Thanksgiving in Bristol where Declan was loved on lots by his Nana and Papaw and then we were lucky enough to help with the gorgeous wedding of Preeti and Brian.

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DECEMBER

Baltimore and Bristol. Sickness and sleep. Present buying and wrapping. Declan's first Christmas! There was snow before and after the day itself, a wonderfully crisp walk in the park day of, and lots of game playing all around. Declan enjoyed the month by mastering circles and backward scooting and is currently testing his legs by jumping fiercely. 

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WHEW!! And that is why you want the new year to be a fresh start. Looking back at the year before is exhausting stuff (if you even made it this far!).  How lucky we are though to be able to say it was ours. 

What are your thoughts on New Year? Are you a reflector, purger, resolution maker? Or do you think it's all silly and arbitrary? I'd love to see any recaps you have of 2012, or hear any 2013 plans!

And in the wise words of Jimmy, "Have a very fruitful (365) day(s)!"

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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Spring Has Sprung!

And I'm really loving a few things in particular.

1. Pinterest.com. Ok... So it has nothing to do with spring. But I am love, love, loving it. Pinterest is an amazing online community that you can create inspiration boards by "pinning" pictures that you find. You can peruse other people's boards, comment on pics they've pinned, and repin them onto your own! It's fantastic and beautiful and totally a visually-drawn procrastinator's dream. And I've just found (true obsession never rests) that I CAN tie it to this lovely season with my number 2, found there but originally from here. If you are interested in joining you need to get on the invitation list and wait a week or two. Or you could just take a peek, realize how amazing that place is, and ask me to send one of my invites to you. I'd be thrilled to share the joy.

2.

My nightly occasional walks with Tegan are now sans iPod because of the natural musicians all around. Birds' songs are simply intoxicating. They call stress out of me after a long day and then refresh my soul as they announce a new morning. They are so gentle that when they first begin I barely notice, but every year they never fail to usher in the time of new growth and beauty.

3. My new herb garden. Being vegan, we cook lots and lots at home (not that you would know since recipes have certainly been lacking... will work on that!) and use herbs all the time to add flavor to our meals. I'm embarrassed to say that for the past two and a half years I have been purchasing all my basil, cilantro, parsley, and dill from the grocery store and swearing every, single time that I would plant some that weekend to stop the endless waste of money that is the herb market. But lo and behold, I never did. So after forking over much more than necessary to please our taste buds, I finally did it. I planted some herbs.

I was inspired by the dollar section in Target one day when I saw these.

So I grabbed four, a dollar pack of five metal plant markers, and then swung by Home Depot for some seeds. In no time flat I had some metal pails full of dirt and lots of tiny balls of magic.

All I had to do was wait. And let me tell you, when those first little sprouts started to show I called the hubster out excitedly like they were shooting out benjamins. Parsley was the slowest little guy, and Basil most definitely the cutest, but they are all out now experiencing the world with gusto.

Maybe I still have some waiting to do since they haven't even hit puberty, but baby, we are on the road to herb-free shopping trips. Hallelujah!

4. Peyton working outside. Poor Peyton doesn't get much time to enjoy life, as work has him going into the wee night hours most days, but the silver lining is he is able to do it outside. Most nights he can be found on our patio with a string of Christmas lights bunched above him in the umbrella, two lanterns swaying in the tree, Pandora streaming in his ears, glass of wine at hand, tapping away on his laptop. Maybe not the ideal situation, but it definitely is a darn good workosphere. I'll try to snap a shot sometime soon, but let's keep our fingers crossed that I won't get a chance!

So how about you? Is there any thing about spring that has you entranced?

We have plenty of gardening ideas on our plate this weekend to keep us out and about appreciating the chirpy weather. With spring giving us so much beauty, we are trying our best to pitch in. Spring is the time to be fresh, to try something new. Whether that be gardening, running, tennis, cooking, or sitting outside on your porch, go give it a shot. Just spread your wings, open your mind, and free your song. Spring is here!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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