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The BEST Christmas song you may have never even heard

Hello! I cant believe it is the last day of November! I think my Halloween costume is still slung over a chair somewhere. Hey - dont judge! LOL

So we were driving in Disney World in December two years ago and listening to the Orlando Christmas radio station. We are just talking and driving and all of a sudden we just stop to listen to this enchanting song on the radio. We didnt even think to SHAZAM it - one of the greatest inventions ever - and panic set in as the song was at the end. We were trying to remember lyrics as we just had to Google this. We searched "holiday night" and BOOM it came up right away!

Listen to it here... Holiday Night!

Her website is here!

Funny disclaimer: I consider myself a self-proclaimed expert on all things Christmas! :-) Music, movies, TV shows, trivia, you name it. Some people just have that innate holiday disposition built into their DNA and I am definitely one of them. So when I hear a new carol I had never heard, it always makes me stop and listen. Im like a holiday sponge who needs to know it all. Yes this is me below - a Christmas sponge. haha

Well we found the song! The artist is Margo Rey and the song is called Holiday Night! OMG it is seriously one of my most favorite songs ever. It is so ingrained in my being that I find myself randomly singing it in like August! LOL seriously. My boyfriend and I spontaneously dance to it in the kitchen and I even hear him singing it to himself doing random chores. Love that! As I read through her posts and blog, I found out she is also a fellow 2x cancer survivor! OMG - what are the chances? Now this songs means even MORE to me. It shows that cancer doesnt kill everything or everyone. Never give up hope for sometimes it is all we have left! *BELIEVE*

Im not quite so sure why I felt the need to write a post regarding this but I did. When something brings me so much joy, I just feel the need to share. She is not my sister or cousin, etc. so Im not writing this post because I simply LOVE this song. When it comes on, I can actually feel the lyrics! I think of a holiday night which can be December 2, December 13, December 24, and even those precious post-Christmas pre-New Year nights when the holiday spirit is still abundant but the hustle and bustle (and pressure) of Christmas is no longer.

I imagine people dressed in their Kate Spade and Ralph Lauren holiday finery. And a glorious table set in anticipation of a delicious feast! Lest we not forget the roaring fire to greet guests coming in from the winter chill.

Kate Spade New York 2014 - My fave dress!

I miss these old Tommy Hilfiger ads! What a sartorially splendid bunch!

I see a mini movie play out in my head as the song unfolds and I see the people arriving to a beautifully decorated home complete with the smell of a holiday feast in the air and snow gently falling outside. I see hugs and kisses and hear the clinks of the toasting flutes. I just wanted to share this with you.

Im sure we all have those carols that speak to our hearts. I love White Christmas by Bing, All I Want For Christmas Is You by the Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey and the instrumental version of Sleigh Ride by the Boston Pops! But I love all holiday music and it is on non-stop from November to basically the 26th of December.

Thank you for indulging me to gush about this song. Please give it a listen and let me know what you think. Or just tell me about your favorite holiday carols. I would love to hear - remember, Im a yuletide sponge! ;-) Happy Holidays!

The BEST Christmas song you may have never even heard

Choosing the Best Plants for your Garden

Many times we buy plants on impulse then find there is nowhere in the garden that really suits them.

Before buying plants carefully examine your garden to see how much sun and shade it gets, whether the soil is well drained or waterlogged and whether your aspect is sheltered or windswept. Youll then be equipped to go and buy the best plants for your situation; shade-loving plants for the sheltered areas, sun-lovers for the warm spots, drought-resistant plants for the parched areas which may be either sunny or shaded, and swamp plants for the poorly-drained parts.

But wait! Test your soil first, to determine the pH level of your soil and what kind of nutrients you need to add, if any. Is the soil acid or alkaline? Most plants prefer soil that is slightly acidic, but there are some that must have alkaline soil to grow. You can alter the soils pH level, but its much easier to simply plant for the soil you have.

Now you are ready to plant. Well - almost. Will you plant in groups or singly? If you buy one of everything your garden may seem rather spotty. Group plantings are organised, harmonious and you can vary the color for interest.

Before planting out, place your chosen plants around the garden bed in their pots to see how they will look. Re-arrange them until you are satisfied. Grouping plants in sets of threes or fives usually looks better than planting in groups of even numbers. Be sure that you have an interesting combination of colors and textures of plants. Tall plants should go to the back, or the centre if your garden will be viewed equally from all sides. Try to keep your plants away from trees. The roots of trees are fiercely competitive and will steal all the nutrients and moisture meant for your flowers.

The right color scheme is one way to maintain the harmony in your garden. Imagine the color of the flowers when they are in bloom. Some colors may clash with others, but can still be planted side-by-side if they have a different blooming season. Foliage color is also important. Many flower plants have silver, grey or purplish foliage that is just as attractive as the flower. This means that they are still attractive well past the blooming season and so have added value.

Choosing the Best Plants for your Garden

Are you the best version of yourself

ARE YOU THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF?

Quite the powerful question, isnt it? I went to a lecture at Church and this was the question that the speaker, Matthew Kelly, posed to the audience. As I sat there and pondered this question, the answer was a resounding "NO!" How scary is that? I didnt even have to think about it - it wasnt even debatable - I am no where near the best version of myself - what a sad state of ME Ive become!

When I look in the mirror, I dont really LOOK anymore. My face, hair, skin and body will forever show the effects of the chemo, radiation, and surgeries needed to survive breast and ovarian cancer. When my hair grew back in, it was a totally new and yucky color and texture and the medications have taken their toll on my face and skin more than "fun in the sun" damage ever could have. But alas, as my Mom would say, "it is what it is" so I suck it up.

I dont really take the time I should to do my hair and make-up. I dont dress as well as I used to and attention to detail is pretty much non-existent. Mediocrity and "good enough" seem to suffice and that is so sad. Because we all know when we put on our favorite jeans and our hair turns out just right, we feel we can take on the world!

Anxiety, fear, depression, sadness and grief have taken their toll and has robbed me of my once excessive energy, never ending perkiness and abundant hope. I know I can get it back but it is going to take a lot of courage, determination and dedication. I have to CHOOSE to be a better version of me and it is hard to believe that I CHOSE to be who I have become. A very harsh realization!

Here are a few of the ideas that Matthew Kelly presents in The Rhythm of Life...
"You were born to become the-best-version-of-yourself. This is your essential purpose. Embrace this one solitary truth and it will change your life more than anything you have ever learned. In every situation, ask yourself, Which of the options before me will help me become the-best-version-of-myself?"
"Everything is a choice. This is lifes greatest truth and its hardest lesson. It is a great truth because it reminds us of our power. Not power over others, but the power to be ourselves and to live the life we have imagined. It is a hard lesson because it causes us to realize that we have chosen the life we are living right now." (WOW - seriously eye-opening!)
"The measure of your life will be the measure of your courage. Courage animates us, brings us to life, and makes everything else possible. Fear stops more people from doing something with their lives than lack of ability, contacts, resources, or any other single variable. Fear paralyzes the human spirit. Life takes courage." (I can SO attest to this!)
"Energy is our most valuable resource, not time. The rhythm of life is a way of life that brings our legitimate needs, our deepest desires, and our unique talents into harmony with each other. The result: passion, purpose, and energy."
Kelly has a way of thinking and writing that cuts through the stifling clutter of our everyday lives and delivers a clarity that is both refreshing and liberating.

UNLESS WE TALKING ABOUT A PIECE OF FURNITURE! I read the blog BETTER/AFTER every day and am constantly amazed by the incredible transformations and I have even been featured a few times myself! I will look at a piece of furniture and shudder at the ugliness of it and will painstakingly devote days to making it pretty. And yet I wont do that for myself, WHY? Am I not more worthy than a beat up chair? WAKE UP CALL!

My heels are cracking, my nails are chipping and the other day I even went out with a SCRUNCHIE in my hair! Can you believe it? A SCRUNCHIE! And it was made of seersucker watermelon fabric. SERIOUSLY? Thats the point I knew Id hit rock bottom! LMAO!

Source: raisinglittlesaints.blogspot.com

Today is Wednesday and one week from today will be Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. 40 days of fasting, almsgiving, and reflection. As a Catholic, Lent was always such a sacred time of year and I am using these 40 days to rededicate my time and energy to ME and my LIFE!

I was so happy doing the C25K (Couch to a 5K) 9 week program but then dummy me had a Yankee candle jar on the stairs and of course I tripped and fell onto it and ripped open my knee. Then it was November and my running shoes started collecting dust. I am going to start the C25k and I am going to finish it this time!

When I am cozy on the couch with Pinterest or Facebook, I have fleeting thoughts of "I could go for a run. But its so cold outside. Maybe tomorrow." R U KIDDING ME? You live in Chicago - of course it is cold outside - its freakin JANUARY! SERIOUSLY TRACY - WHEN DID YOU BECOME SUCH A WEENIE! You have tons of North Face tights, Patagonia turtlenecks and WAY TOO MANY WICKING THINGS! Put them on and get outside! You know once you get outside and breathe in that crisp, cold air you will be invigorated. The journey of a 1,000 miles begins with the first step to LOG OFF and stop crying that your thighs have tripled in size since Christmas! :-)

Last fall, I made it to week 7 and now I have to start all over again at week 1. But it is ok because I love it and I look forward to losing the weight and feeling strong again. Maybe I will be ready for a Mothers Day 5k in honor of my Mom. Something to consider.

Life has had some really rough spots for me... I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 31, then my Dad died, my brother committed suicide, I was in three car accidents none of which were my fault, my Mom was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer and I was her caregiver for almost two years. Then, just over a year later I was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer which caused me to lose normal use of my left arm (and of course I am left-handed), my 90 mph tennis serve and my ability to ever have children.... all before my 40th birthday! Then I lost my job of over 13 years and coming out of my cancer check-up they had smashed my car windows and ransacked my car. And we wont even go into my train wreck of a love life. Good thing I am still here to complain about it all. :-)

Im not whining - really Im not - but some days its hard. I miss my parents and brother. I miss my pre-cancer life. I miss those delightful days with absolutely no worries or anxiety. I miss my breast. I miss my old HAIR! LOL! These are things I cannot change - I simply have to accept them. But I know life doesnt have to perfect to be wonderful and I still spend a good part of my day laughing - be it at myself, my DIY catastrophes or reruns of Big Bang Theory.

My life needs to change in order to find true happiness again and but I know it can be done.

I am going to work on my skin, my body, my health, my sleep habits, my clutter, my house, my money, my attitude, my diet, my computer time, my BLOG and MY LIFE! So let the makeovers begin!

But I have a few more days to be be lazy and unmotivated. I think I will go and get a Shamrock Shake and spend a few hours on Pinterest. It is probably not a good sign that I cant wait for FAT TUESDAY, right? LOL!

ARE YOU THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF?

Are you the best version of yourself