The One with 10 Years

10 songs and 10 photos to celebrate 10 years! 

Have I told you lately that I love you

Have I told you there's no one else above you

You fill my heart with gladness

Take away all my sadness

Ease my troubles, that's what you do

For the morning sun and all it's glory

Greets the day with hope and comfort, too

You fill my heart with laughter

Somehow, you make it better

Ease my troubles, that's what you do

Have I Told You Lately - Rod Stewart

I've been all around the world, done all there is to do

But you'll always be the home I wanna come home to

You're a wild night with a hell of a view

There ain't no place, ain't no place like you

No Place - Backstreet Boys

 

You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey

You're as sweet as strawberry wine

You're as warm as a glass of brandy

And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time

Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton

Man, oh man, you're my best friend
I scream it to the nothingness
There ain't nothing that I need

Oh, home, let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you
Oh, home, let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you

Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

 

Well, all these times, they come and go and alone don't seem so long
Over 10 years have gone by
We can't remind, we're locked in time
But you're still mine
Do You Remember - Jack Johnson

I don't love you like I used to

I don't love you just the same

No, I couldn't pretend

Be a lie if I said we haven't changed

I love you so much more with every day

Better than before and that'll never change

'Cause you and I've been through so much together

I Don’t Love You Like I Used To - John Legend

 

So I'll love you 'til my lungs give out

I ain't lyin'

I'm all your'n and you're all mine

There ain't two ways around it

There ain't no tryin' 'bout it

I'm all your'n and you're all mine

All Your’n - Tyler Childers

 

Cause all of me

Loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections

Give your all to me

I'll give my all to you

You're my end and my beginnin'

Even when I lose, I'm winnin'

All of Me - John Legend

 

So let the light guide your way, yeah

Hold every memory as you go

And every road you take

Will always lead you home, home

See You Again - Wiz Khalifa

 

so we live

And we learn

And we love

'till we burn

And I'd do it all over again

Yeah I'd do it all over again

I’d Do It All Over Again - National Park

The One with 2024, Quarter 4: Books and Baking

 Book tally for the quarter: 26

Book tally for the year: 103

My favorite reads from the last quarter of 2024, in no particular order:

Somewhere in the Night: A Country Club Murder Thanksgiving - Julie Mulhern

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen - Shea Ernshaw (favorite of the year)

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna (favorite of the year)

Somewhere Beyond the Sea - T.J. Klune

Tent for Seven: A Camping Adventure Gone South Out West - Marty Ohlhaut

Baking this quarter consisted mostly of My Best Favorite's birthday cake and some Christmas treats.

This was my first time making candied oranges and the process was LENGTHY. I can't say that I'm likely to make them again.

This was also my first time making cream cheese mints. These were easy and tasty, and I WILL make them again. Maybe these are a new Christmas tradition.

I also helped a friend bake delicious red velvet cookies at our annual Christmas baking day.

A goal I have for 2025 is to actually use all the cookbooks I've collected over the years and never used. I've even recruited some friends to help me on this quest. My hope is to find joy in cooking again, add some new recipes to my rotation, and enjoy food time with friends.

"...food was really about storytelling. It was about creating something good, and then giving it away." 

- Sarah Addison Allen, Other Birds

Here's to good storytelling (in all forms) in 2025.

The One with 2024, Quarter 3: Books and Baking

Book tally for the quarter: 26

Book tally for the year: 77

The third quarter was full of good reads, and I surprised myself with how many Rom Com books I read - and liked. The below are some favorites (Rom Com and otherwise) from the quarter, in no particular order.

This far into the year I found myself particularly unmotivated to bake unless I had to. The most baking I did for fun was when the nephew was visiting, and we went camping at the Roaring River. We had campfire donuts, Dr. Pepper Peep s'mores, burgers, etc. etc. 

Oh! And there was tons of reading time whilst camping at the river.

Here's to finishing the year with baked goods and good reads. 

The One with Remington Gregory

Yesterday, on what would have been my grandpa's 102nd birthday, we surrounded our freckle-footed Remy for a warm and comfy send off. In the days and moments leading up to yesterday we made sure to fill his days with some of his favorites. A final fire night (he was so cozy he stayed out longer than the rest of us), some of his favorite humans, and lots of snacks including spray whipped cream near the end.

We chose to do in-home euthanasia, and it was the kindest, tenderest, most dignified experience. So much gratitude to the organization Lap of Love for making it so gentle and easy for our little man.

It wouldn't be a trip down Remy Lane without gobs of photos... 16 year's worth. 

Oh yeah, remember that time we hurt our feet at the same time?

I'll be forever grateful to my cousin for entrusting me with Remy's care all those years ago. He sure changed my life. 

Remy and Dharma - together again.

"How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." 

- A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh