back when  beginning the collection of pez dispensers all started up in my life i was determined to have enough before december to fill up my christmas tree. [that was in february] i was able to accomplish that this year. i put my decorated pez tree up in my bedroom at the parents house. sadly, i was on the go a whole bunch during the month of december and didnt get to enjoy it like i would have liked to. i did take it down today but i am determined to find a new home for all my little pezzy friends to hang out for me to enjoy throughout some of the new year. any ideas, pop-tarts?

love,
m

a visit from this family is something i look forward to every year.

unfortunately, seeing these guys does not happen near enough but when it does, it is great.

marley and i with jack, jon harris, and allie.
cant. get. enough. of. them.

of course, we have to make secretive plans.

this crew melts my heart.

i am so thankful for knowing them and having them as friends family! :)

love,
m

i have a friend who shares music in the way that some friends share a lengthy phone call or a giant hug. her music gifts are so meaningful. she always knows the most fitting time and fitting tunes to give. i was just given two new cds full of jams that were very much so needed and spot on.

thank you tq.

love,
m

"I said, Peace runs deep, deep in Him"
can i get an amen?

I have a crush on Josh Garrels. This is true.
Gah, he sings with so much passion.
I love his style of worship.

love,
m

"Train Song" Josh Garrels

new year, here i come. 

{ more than likely wearing feathers in my hair and bright colors }

consider me ready :)

love,
m

in new orleans ----> i turned twenty five.

sparkler candles. i need these for every birthday.

but do you blame me for wanting the numbers to decrease rather than increase each year?

love,
m

a sister and a cousin.

[both of them i love]

m

scenes from christmas morning.

love,

m

" we will open the book. its pages are blank. we are going to put words on them ourselves. the book is called opportunity and its first chapter is new years day."

-edith lovejoy pierce

scenes from last night.

love,

m

{my thoughts on} 
a wake-up call with no voice 

more or less a text.... WA-BAM! the most sudden WA-BAM you have ever had. enough gained by just sweet sixteen words grouped together in a way that was nothing to one and everything to another.
approaching a new year it could not have felt any better of a time to start beginning each of my days:
as someone and not as something.
courageously being myself. 
finding a path that is brighter. everysingleday.
more fearlessly.
taking { BOLD } chances.
dancing through my days with trust {in myself} that i will face beautiful things in life
..................................................................................
i believe in myself. this is a gift i will always have and hold close to my heart. thinking about it, i am glad i hold it with a firm grip....
 
[to me] believing in the person you are (totally) is not something that comes {honestly} from many people you face. of course, you have your "biggest believers".  if your list of "bb's"  consist of, hmm lets say, four people then quickly divide that in half (quickly do so because the longer you think hard about the people (the ones who say "they believe in you") who put such a false face on each day are the ones you are usually making up excuses for. unaware but often in your own head and frequently to others) so trust your quick division process and move along.....
dance through your days.
and when you are faced with a rhythm of an uncertain beat- hold nothing back. express yourself. give the world a glimpse of what you have.
you have nothing to lose because of all the {real} deserving belief you have in yourself.



a pretty large (but confident) decision.................................................
after receiving what i referred to as "a wake up call with no voice"
i knew something had to be different this time in order for it to be as big of an eye opener as a fireworks show finale is but with different emotions. {and that it was}

-putting a situation into a movie-
the last time (okay....multiple times) it was playing at the movie theater (you know, the cinema in my brain)
sure, this movie was a "big hit".... ratings were high enough for them to even extend the time frame of showing the movie.... over and over again.
but when the credits played they were all excuses for every single bit of the movie.
perhaps the part that made you cry...
or that one little detail you cringed about but could not get it out of your head for anything.
the scene where you covered your eyes and pretended something totally magical was happening when it was in reality abuse of some sort.
or the love song that is dedicated but with total dishonesty in the emotions department....

there comes a time where the "replay" button needs to be totally taken away and replaced with an employee (aka-one of your REAL biggest believers) for a quick rewind on the big screen. discussing in detail about all the bothersome parts of the movie that are followed by credits excuses. are you really getting your admission worth being filled with those type credits? why absolutely not. that is when it is considered a smart move if you chose to do this one thing:
keep your distance from "actors". (that would be all you sweet cheeks putting on a pitiful front to the world)
they often get confused in the roles they are playing. their producers expect strict role play and you deserve the opposite....in fact, no scripts are needed because you deserve what is real and far from anyone sending you memorized words......
(b/c that's just their lines for that movie)
and it means nothing.

m

every single bit of that song lissie, every single bit. job well done if i do say so myself.
yes. i played it for an entire night on repeat because it felt right and made me happy.

that is my good morning to you all.
i hope it makes your day.

love,
m

Lissie - Pursuit of Happiness

a whole bunch of randoms: (ready set go)

• my pandora is set on the avett brothers station and at the end of the last song played they laughed real hard for a good 44 seconds and it was a laugh that cracked me up. (so i laughed along) a good laugh. one that i am sure made their abs tight after it was all over. good stuff. now i am left wondering what all the giggles were about. oh, to be in the know.
• my family has wonderful friends that we consider family in every way possible that live in michigan and they came to visit tonight. i will smother you with pictures of the most adorable three kids very soon, i promise. the whole family is adorable. they are just awesome people. more later, promise.
• i am about to clean my room. it is a madhouse. send love and luck this way. i think i am even a little scared how carried away i could get though. 

• the feeling i have about recently turning twenty five is a good thing. i feel like this year holds an incredible amount of growing. i also think the new roads i am going to curiously walk down are going to be paths lined with happiness. 

 

• santa was so good to me. now i just need help organizing my life in a few areas. to those who know me- that does not include my car, reba, quite yet. she is going to rehab for hoarding and when she returns (all clean and free of everything under the sun) she will join the crazy train in staying organized. one thing at a time, people

• i love ani difranco.
• another family christmas at my parents house tomorrow. diet starts following that.

love,
m

"we have two lives:
the one we learn with and the life we live after that."  -bernard malamud

good morning, snow bunnies.

i hope everyone was "precious" enough this year to have a visit from santa.
here at my house the sister and i just discovered that the jolly old man, indeed, did stop.
we have continued the tradition in our matching christmas eve pajamas....early to rise but definitely not early to bed....
RISE AND GRIND, EVERYONE! 

the daddy will have one of the most amazing morning meals whipped up here shortly.... the mama will have mimosas ready to be served.... gifts galore and then off to murphree lane for more festivities....today is a day of celebration. so enjoy!

Merry Christmas to you.... and you.... and you.
oh, and you too!


love,
m

lets play the pretend game.
oh hey, it is only december 21st.
and i would love for you all to help me blow out one big candle for a first birthday.

mal mag, my dear.... you were born a year ago.

oh how sweet. and crazy. thanks for being such a therapeutic outlet for me.
and to the followers (and anonymous readers) thanks guys.
i enjoy writing. about this and that. big deal or small to-do. it makes me happy. and to know that mal mag has stalkers is loads of fun. so, thanks. again and again.... thanks.
now is the time to throw loads of confetti for the celebration of this sweet first birthday.

love,
m

p.s. thanks for pretending. i didn't forget the big birthday. i have just been sick. so that called for a belated celebration. now back to your best behavior because yes indeed, santa will be here in a short amount of time..... with a sack full of goodies.... or switches?!

yesterday was my birthday.
tomorrow there is another birthday. [ a first birthday ]
and here are a few scenes from a twenty first birthday....

more to come later.
i am sick.
and it is not from partying too hard in new orleans celebrating my day of birth, i promise.
i told the boyfriend on the way down there i felt like i was getting sick.
like most always, i was right. have been in bed all day today.


i am hoping for a much better day tomorrow. i still have way too much christmas shopping to take care of. oh boy. and i haven't even sent out christmas cards. too bad they don't say happy new year just in case that does not happen in time.

i hope everyone had a fun weekend and has a wonderful week.

love,
m

secrets shared by sisters.

[makes you wonder]

 

love,

m

" see you and me have a better time than most can dream of, better than the best, so we can pull on through, whatever tears at us, whatever hold us down, and if nothing can be done, we'll make the best of what's around."
 -dmb

this is ziggy. and david.
and they are making twin faces.
and i felt like i was seeing double.
and it was fun.
from all of us -happy friday.
do a dance. and make it a happy one.

love,
m

scenes from the dirty water.

that is [in fact] snow on the bushes.
flurries twice in one year here is way crazy.
the south is up to something fishy...what is this bammy?



oh and look at my precious little girl on her potty break.

love,
m

i thought surely the banana posts would not last longer than a day.... that is where i was totally wrong.
the sister and i went on a nifty thrifty run yesterday.... i made several purchases actually. and these bananas were one. they are [fake] sparkly with something that looks like sugar coated on them. and i love them. the crackberry took this picture and it stinks like a dirty diaper. but take my word, they are so precious. if you think i am weird for getting excited about finding two sparkly bananas at the salvation army hold tight. maybe one day an explanation will be served. until then, make fun [if you insist] and have fun doing so.
"long hair don't care"

happy hump day.

love,
m

"you have to do stuff that  
average people don't understand 
because those are 
the only good things"
-andy warhol


love,
m

too bad wallpaper is a pain in the arse to put up / take down. 

i guess i could settle for a piece of this framed if this banana kick stays around.

love,

m

 

credit

today there will be alot of talk about bananas. 

well.... not completely. 

but just in case i get carried away....

consider this your warning.

i am going to go bananas about bananas. 

mainly because that is exactly what i want to do. 

and also because i love the color yellow.

love,
m

yo, ashley. 
i have that andy warhol shirt.
i like your style, girl. [always]

love,
m

one question.
where in the world is santa this year?
it is now the sixth day in december and i dont believe i have had even a single glance at that jolly guy.

yall, has santa been anywhere you were this december? 

im starting to get a little scared.

am i being punked?

i need to see santa asap or im going north. [for-eva]

love,
m

hello, all.

i hope your monday is treating you kindly.

i also hope you are staying warm.

it is ridiculously cold here for bammy. 

at least my body tells me so.

between my willow house and the "new" little hobby... i have been a busy body. (that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh i like it i like it)

not to mention that my "blog brain" has been fried. i know, it's never stopped me from posting about sweet little nothings before but for some reason lately my fingers refused to type here. so i didn't force anything on them considering they are always so good to me. they braid my hair, tie my shoes and it never fails - send texts out to my long list of important people. so i have respected the trusty fingers request and gave them a [well deserved] break. 

but they are back.
and ready to tell you about something. 
here goes....
me + the sister + the godsister have some things new taking place in our  
scatter brained world.
my (marley)
crazy (chelsea)
mess (mallory -psst thats me)

it would tickle our fancy if you would check out the crazy mess we make time and time again.

we promise to have a much more put together looking result.... it's just so much easier [and fun] making the mess getting there....

you can find us here. and here.
my crazy mess loves company.... so pay us a visit.
 dont be shy.

here's to a happy week! cheers.

love,
m


oh pee. ess. - i promise to show much more love to mal mag from here on out. its my birthday month and malmag also has a big [exciting] birthday this month. she will be turning one. im coming up with fun ways to celebrate. that is a promise. oh and i cant forget the sister- she will be celebrating the big twenty one. can we say excitement overload? i think so.

why hello, two thousand and ten.
i would lurves for you to close the year on a great note.

think you can handle that miss december?

love,
m

pssst-several fun birthdays this month. guess who?

 

santa click here if you think i have been as good as i think i have this year.

love,

m

I drank way too little water today. and way too much diet dr pepper.
and above is my good tune tuesday.

shhhh.... now i  need a good four days of shut eye to catch up on sleep.

im falling asleep tying this so im considering it your bedtime story. so boring and true and probably means nothing to you. lets hope tomorrow calls for lots of energy and upbeat surroundings.

love,
m

scenes from thanksgiving day.
love,
m

love,

m

john mayer said:
"you guys ready to go for awhile tonight?"
  at the beginning of his concert that was recorded live for his
"any given thursday" dvd.
(way back in the day.... september 12th two thousand and two, to be exact.)

did i mention i was obsessed with him and i am on the dvd several different times?

well, both = true. 

my oh my have ole' john and i changed drastically over the last eight years.
(especially appearance) 

i got a new tee.vee. yesterday
and along with that came some inspiration to organize all my dvds.
welp, i found the "any given thursday" dvd and had to watch it. had to.
ziggy has yet to get the opportunity to see me on it
and she was having a fit to watch it with me.

and watching this dvd has brought me to this:
oh, memories. (something i am thankful for. good or bad)
i think there are two types of memories:

1- tornado like memories

[and]

2- sunshine memories

tornado memories teach you valuable lessons.

sunshine memories....the type you wish happened all the time. and nothing but sunshine memories.

(impossible) you are faced with storms for a reason. 

look back on your past and (for a change) be thankful for the tornadoes you have dealt with. pat yourself on the back for what lesson/lessons you learned from the storms. i think it makes the storms much more pleasant knowing that you learned something from it. 

they say you learn something new every day and i believe i learn more than one thing new a day. often something about myself. and more often about someone else. i enjoy learning. it gives me a sense of picking myself up off the ground on one of my clumsy days. 

  

don't try erasing your tornado memories.

(that means NO MORE "don't remind me" coming out of your mouth.)

honestly- it's good to be reminded. however it may be.

learn.something.from.those.suckers that caused the storm. 

and with the sunshine memories - 

frame every single one of them.  

because any memory you have thats like a bright sunny day is totally worth it.

now- scoot back to the topic i started this post with.

(play the song "why georgia why" right this instant)

ask yourself if you are living it right every single day.

it is a question that needs to be answered.

it's okay to have doubt. and fear. and 1,248 unanswered questions about your life. remember- you learn something new every day so be patient and some uncertainty will be answered. a stormy day might cause bad hair but it should only make you bring out the bright colors in your wardrobe (so bright and mis-matchy that bad hair and heartache is forgotten about)

and live a life that is like a bundle of bright sunshine. 

love,

m

plus.... everybody looks better with sun-kissed-skin.

 

Today called for a celebration...
To the most kind hearted man,
the best cook in the world,
the strongest man I know,
my hero,
a true inspiration,
an excellent father,
owner of the most precious smile (including dimples),

Happy Birthday, Daddy!
I love you to the moon and back.
Thanks for being the wonderful father that you are.

Xoxo,
Mal

God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed.

But if it does,
May it leave you patient and stronger,
Willing and wiser,
Tender and tougher.

Love,
M

This is true:
I want lots and lots of garland this Christmas.
Some made of pom poms and some made of cupcake liners.

This is also true:
I'm going to make that happen.

Love,
M

I'm thankful for you.
Have a wonderful Turkey Day.

I will more than likely be successful at stuffing my face with food.... for the next four days.
And then the decision to stop will be made and I will then hopefully kiss my "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON" sign hanging on my wall and find a nearby gym to move into. Surely rent at those places can't be to high. So until then, just in case the turkey dance takes place as soon as I walk away from this computer desk.... HAPPY THANKSGIVING to everyone.

love,
m

my wino tree has a personal touch. 

but here is a visual.... (because i know someone out there wanted/needed one)

don't judge me  when i share pictures of my wino tree and you see that it is.....

oh, the gallon size wine bottle.

love,

m

image

good tune tuesday.
(look up-it's above you today)
and i'm not sure why it will not do it any differently. but no worries. i like looking up. especially for a good tune. for that - here is two.  
happy gtt! 

crank it up a little louder than normal.

please (for me) and thank you (from me)

love,
m

Let's talk Willow House + random....

i had my first party last night at mary's house and it went grrrreat. 

and to those of you who came (or placed a web order) thank you so very much!

mary was excited about the rewards she got for hosting the party

and i was pumped about the whole she-bang. off to a fun start.

the item i sold the most of:

decorative card and photo display.

the a la carte sangria is:

yummy. and i wasn't the only one who said so.

just a little tid-bit i thought i'd share with the stalkers. 

say a prayer for david (right now). he has a doctors appointment shortly about his neck/back. thanks.

Cheers    < that site deserves it. thanks alot, david. now you see where i visit daily (because it changes... daily) and have temptations to spend all my moo-lah.

  i put up a "wino christmas tree" every year.   

(psssst-so do several other people in my family... i'm not alone. i know a sister, a mama, an aunt and a grandmother for sure that have one. so at least four + me)

(and even left it up year round when i lived in florida..... which was weird because i drank 1,242 blue moons too many and not enough wine. but still showed off the ole' wino christmas tree regardless of the time of the year)
   Woah, Nelly.... getting off track is so easy for me.

backtothepoint.... i will have a wino christmas tree (or two) up before dark tonight. 

and possibly more ho ho ho decor than that. 

i really cant wait any longer. i've done good holding out this long. 

Chelsea and I are making christmas stockings (can't touch that na-na-na-na)  

 and last night we had six-ish to complete. 

talk about being in the chrsitmas mood? 

i kinda' felt like an elf, honestly. which wasn't a bad thing i don't guess.

that is all for now, punkins.

have a great tuesday.

(your goodtunetuesday is coming) 

love,

m 

partners
tied together by stuff too difficult to explain to someone new.
-the story people

love,
m 

ryan adams

Ahh, I feel better already.
back to business.

"the good things in life are wild and free"

love,
m

Live- All Over You

Nirvana - Polly

Candlebox-Far Behind

(for me) today is a day for music.
well....every day for me is all music.
but i am going to make a suggestion....
you need to go right this second and get a blank cd and copy-cat me and put these songs im going to post on here throughout the day on a cd for yourself.
you deserve it.

it will make your weekend that much better. 
cross my heart.

love,
m

The Wood Brothers

The Avett Brothers - Shame

happy friday to everysingleoneofyou.

love,
m

a gift i brought home to the mom and pop while living in colorado.

they make me want to do a gobble gobble turkey dance while eating a honey baked ham.
that is all.

love,
m

chalk talk.

HAPPY 9th BIRTHDAY, CASEY!

You are such a sweet (and extremely well-behaved) brown dog. I am embarrassed to say that I am too lazy to get out of my comfy bed (where the lap top is sitting in... get this, my lap) and go to the desktop computer to snag a picture to share of the birthday girl. Casey is the presh chocolate lab that belongs to the "H" household.  It is now on my to-do list to share some puppy love as my crooked teeth pooch has been stealing the spotlight lately.


 READ: this post was actually done last night but apparently didn't show up... as I am well awake and getting things done at this point in my day and not still laying in the bed as it says above. save that "pat on the back" for a day that i'm pulling my hair out and need major encouragement.

love,
m

"I never knew you
But then who really did
If you were at all like me
You managed to keep yourself hid" 
 -warren haynes

tempting: 
getting all the christmas decor out and in place.

until the day of thanksgiving i promise to try my hardest to keep the fall arrangements displayed...

but you better believe it is......
TIME TO SHOP!   regardless of how many gourds, pumpkins and corn cobs surround me they are not stopping me from getting on the ball with my Christmas shopping!

If you are ready to check some gifts off of your list get started here.

love,
m