decorating the Henbest place with Christmas cheer.

H is a good letter. from Anthropologie...given by dear Jo Jo.


Christmas merriment in mug form. frame from Urban Outfitters.
feather ornament made by dear Jo Jo...oh how you contribute to our house Jo! i love teapots.
canvas with vintage fabric squares and buttons also made by Jolleen...sheesh! love my Christmas plates...
just added a simple snowflake to add a little festive.ness (is that a word?). ha.
Rudolph and Clarice for life!
topped the tree with a pretty little bluebird from my wedding decor.
white tree. teal, blue, and silver ornaments, blue mirror.
we have decided to keep our decor up for a few more weeks...we just can't take Christmas down yet ok! hope you all had a lovely Christmas!

top ten albums of 2009...

firstly, Happy almost Christmas! i wrote a blog at the end of last year about what my top ten albums of the year were...so i thought i would continue the tradition. this year was a good year for good tunes. honestly, i could probably make a top 25 list, but i'll leave it at ten...

1. David Bazan - Curse Your Branches
2. The Civil Wars - Poison & Wine ep
3. Wilco - Wilco
4. Norah Jones - The Fall
5. A Fine Frenzy - Bomb in a Birdcage
6. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
7. Fanfarlo - Reservoir
8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs! - It's Blitz!
9. Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg
10. Brandi Carlile - Give Up the Ghost

--with special mentions to NeedtoBreathe, The Foo Fighters, Anna Gilbert, Andrew Bird, and M. Ward. phew.

my week in pictures.

trying to stay warm in this crazy 2 degree weather.

drinking lots and lots and lots of hot tea.

teaching piano to my wonderful students.

getting ready for my kids Christmas program - "The World Says Merry Christmas."

listening to one of my favorite Christmas albums of all time.

wrapping presents in my Rudolph and Clarice wrapping paper.

darling weekends.

a dear friend said this to me today: rest your soul this weekend, i mean it. and now i pass on that wish to you.

Brighten.

some of the lyrics to one of my new songs, Brighten.

i could write a song and have to think about
a love that passed me by and on the way
i could write for miles and miles and miles on air
and the message would remain the same

(but) you have stolen the pages, my dear
you've stolen the pages

you brighten my day
everything fades when you're around me
we, have all our lives
to spend the time and then
we'll start all over again