Let’s dive in….

 I have several topics to cover so let’s just get going!!

The daughter showed up on Christmas Day (YM) and although I’d had my dress bought and had every detail in my head… Again I changed my mind, that’s just how it works. So I wore a black oversized men’s dress shirt style shirt but it is a high low so the back sweeps down to the back of my knees. The fabric is sewed so that the back sticks out a bit like a gown, it ties at the waist, I love this shirt soooo much. Paired it with black washed J Crew jeans, platform patent leather Doc Mary Janes, white ruffled anklets, light makeup with gold shimmer eye shadow and plumb lipstick. I looked in the mirror and thought “ Hah! I think I’m going to Christmas dinner as Wednesday Adams!” When I walked out of the room everyone else was ready and every single person was dressed in all black. We totally were the Adams family! 

We left 90 minutes early for dinner so that we could walk around the Gaylord first but the traffic was CARAZY getting onto the property!!! When we finally got in the air was just buzzing and it was magical. Simply magical. We had no time to walk around so we just headed to the restaurant and I thought where we were seated last year was stunning but this year… my heart burst. On the back patio next to the river, under the massive decorations and right next to a gorgeous Christmas tree. I could not have picked a better place. So blessed. The food was gorgeous, I had the best wine I’ve ever had!! The two youngest are so much fun to be with. We just laugh and laugh. 

After we were done we walked around for a while then left to go home and open gifts. We started around 10:30!! It was so good! So intimate, cozy and beautiful.

A couple things I got: white Doc patent leather combat boots, Jo Malone perfume, Glossier You perfume, a Yellowstone shirt ( 😁) a sweatshirt from my favorite brand ( soft serve. Seriously, if you like soft soft things, this is it, hands down) candles from Anthropologie… anyway those were my top faves! Oh, the husband and I had the same idea and got each other new Apple Watches. My kids got new gaming headsets that they both screamed over! I got my daughter a Ring Doorbell system because I worry about her so much, plus a device that locks doors to make them extra secure, mace with dye and a personal alarm with flashing lights. She thought it was so funny that I was locking her up and giving her all the protection things. In all honesty, here’s where I sound like a Texan, both my girls are licensed to carry and have taken multiple courses in firearms. I never would have believed that if you’d told me that I’d encourage that. But, here we are.

36 hours later the youngest son started on the path of a really bad case of Covid 😳🤦🏼‍♀️

All other plans were immediately cancelled. Dark water starts to leak in… But, I’m rescheduling things and except for one thing that we just can’t attend because it will be closed, I think I’ve got it.

So ive got a couple more things but my tummy isn’t feeling well so I’m gonna go for now.

Happy New Years, Luvs and bears! The 🌙 

Me

Our Christmas…..

 Christmas Eve started with a whimper. It was below freezing and pipes were bursting throughout our building. These are sprinkler pipes that lead to our balconies so in the direct cold and wind. We run our dryer because the vent comes out next to the sprinkler and we figure that the warm air has to be better than below freezing wind. Anyway, when they burst the pressure is off in the pipes so the fire alarms go off until the fire department can get here, fix the pipe, which by then has flooded the apartment it belongs too and if it’s the 2nd floor then likely the shop it’s over and that means at least an hour straight of this god awful screeching noise that feels like prisoner of war tourture.

That happened ELEVEN times between Friday night/ Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon. We were TIRED. 

But! We had tickets to go see Avatar so we rallied and got bundled up then walked into the parking garage to see that when my husband had come down a few minutes earlier to start the truck to warm it up, something caused all the oil in the truck to drain out onto the ground. 

We decided to put it into the box until Tuesday. 

Dinner was going to be here on the Island Christmas Eve night anyway so no driving needed. Christmas Day the YM was coming down and she has my car so we could carry out our Christmas plans so I got our movie ticket money back, we will be renting a car this week so we can still go to the Christmas village by Hallmark, to see the movie and out to dinner again and the truck was towed to the shop. 

The anxious depressed me didn’t even show up! I’ve spent a lot of time working hard on my reactions to stress this passed 18 months and I’d say that it was tested and I passed!

I decided against a dress on Christmas Eve because we were walking to the Cheesecake Factory in arctic weather and a dress seemed a little underdressed! So, I wore cranberry colored flannel lined leggings, a cranberry t-shirt, a blue/yellow/cranberry flannel shirt ( So Soft) and my dark brown teddy bear coat. Oh, black Ugg’s and a dark brown teddy bear bucket hat. I was CUTE! 

We came home and made three dozen cookies. It was actually a great day!!

I’ll do Christmas next post!

Love, me

VACATION

 Our vacation starts Thursday and will last until the beginning of January so I’ll be mostly keeping off of the internet. I’ll try and write though to share our holiday!!!

Here’s my annual Christmas Wish For You:

That you find kindness in surprising ways.

That you always have a shoulder to lean on 

That you know that you are deeply loved

That you only shed tears of joy

That you perform an act of charity and don’t tell anyone.

That music makes you want to dance

That someone kisses you on the forehead 

And strokes your head.

That you belly laugh

That you cherish your memories 

That you make new ones too

That you see the moon when you most need a kiss

That you know that there will always be one there.

That you stop and smell lilacs. I love lilacs, do you?

That you solve many of the world’s problems during late night conversations.

And that you learn something new.

I wish you happiness, peace and joy.

Merry Christmas 

Tracylynn

Hola, Amigos!

 It is literally freezing cold here and I’m snuggled in blankets with coffee, flannel jammis and fuzzy socks! Picture me a happy as a clam!

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about my new medication, that I call “ amnesia candy,” and I can say that after only a couple of weeks I am having many less therapy dreams and because I accidentally took one for the team, I forgot to take it one night and spent every sleeping moment in an emotional battle with, well, all the people. I was even blessed with new dreams so that was fun. My conclusion is that it is working and I did not fully realize just how bad it’s been.

We had the company Christmas dinner last week and as the definition of an introvert I was anxious. Shocked? But!!! I had the best time!!! The restaurant was beautiful. We had 30 people, the three partners and their spouses sat at the front but it didn’t feel like it was hard to talk to people at the other end and occasionally we even called down to the other end on the phone. I did end up have the most adorable guy across from me and we had a very similar sense of humor so we laughed a lot. 

I wore a dress with the base color being dark blue but with what looked like tiny gold champagne bubbles all over it. The sleeves were puffy on the upper arm but tight from the elbow down to the wrist.  A belt that’s intended to be for a wedding dress with white and gold crystals all along the front and it was gorgeous. I opted for black tights and black suede booties, my hair up was up in a messy bun, subtle makeup with plum lipstick and champagne colored shimmering eye shadow, enough to sparkle nicely in the lighting, a gold bead and pearl necklace and Jo Malone’s Jasmine Sambac and Marigold perfume. In short, I loved loved the look!!! 

I have three more dresses coming up to wear Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Years’s Eve. I love dressing up and feeling like pretty princess ☺️

Aside from that. I’m not sure how often I talk about it but because I’m chronically anemic, I crave ice like a drug. Seriously, it’s very important that I have ice! I can eat 25 lbs of ice in 3 days, sometimes two days! There is good ice and bad ice. Bad ice isn’t soft, is large and is clear. Good ice is pellets like Sonic or a hospital. So, to keep up with my ice chewing, like an ice beaver over here, we purchased an ice machine that makes and store up to 45 lbs. BEST PURCHASE EVER! 10/10 would recommend for us anemic ice addicted people!! Just do it. 

Loved the pics! Thank you 😊 

I’m here!

My Dudes,  I have the things to say and talk about I’m just in the middle of the rush to do all the things for Christmas and still do my channel and also life stuff…. But! I have the scoop on our work Christmas dinner and all the details. Can’t wait to share and also, we made a purchase that is changing my life and I 10/10 need to recommend! ( of course it’s probably gonna sound lame, what else?)

I will be here asap!! 

Me!

This Stuff..

 Had a doctors appointment last week, Thursday, my blood pressure is low. Haven’t really heard about that being an issue before but it has been for a few months so I get to actually drop a medication. You know you’re old when you’re excited about dropping a med! 

I have been waiting to post this because I’m a wee bit superstitious, it’s been 13 months since I’ve had a kidney infection. I did have a picc line last year but that was preventative after the infection I’d had in November. Knock on wood! I can’t take baths, swim in ANY type of body of water, pool, ocean, River, lake etc… but I do not care! 

Anyway, after that we got Covid boosters. Everyone I know has had Covid since thanksgiving. My arm looks like a donkey kicked me and I’ve been seriously whining about how shitty I feel. 

It’s been raining here every single day for a week. God I love that. Christmas tree and lights, candles burning, good coffee, blankets and Tracy is in heaven. 

I’ve never been to Nashville. I’ve been to Memphis and my impression of there was…. Ick. Walked along Beal Street and it smelled bad. We were there on the anniversary of Elvis’s death and it was a Cluster Fuck. Graceland is smaller than one thinks. It used to be on a huge amount of property but as we do here it was gobbled up by people trying to make a buck. Plus! There was a Harley Davidson convention and these were…. Well, the original Elvis fans who had no business showing off their leathery skin and trying to fit rubber boobs into bikinis. The guys… well, we saw more than a few lay their bikes down the hard way. It was interesting. I don’t feel like Texans go to Nashville for vacation. I don’t know anyone who has and I’ve taken a poll. Hope it’s a good time though. 

Have to go.

Tracy

Thank you, Bear

 I was talking to youngest son and told him that after my next birthday I’m officially considered old. That I can get discounts on stuff for being old AND told him that I’ll officially be old enough to move in to an old people community! MY GOD!

He sincerely looked confused and said “ You’re not old. Nobody thinks YOU’RE old! Look at you! You don’t even have a wrinkle on your face ( this is true. Good genes) Listen to you! Be around you for five minutes and there’s nothing old about you. Especially not your aesthetic. (Like my “ style” of dressing, music, sailor’s mouth etc..)

I have to say. He’s moved into number one favorite child, which, I mean, is also a lot easier than it was a couple of years ago, what with them dropping away like flies and all…. But still! I’m gonna take it. 

And on that up note, I’m gonna actually go to bed. Busy day tomorrow. 

Look at the moon, My Bear. That’s where we can meet.

Me

In the Meantime…..

 While I give a few days for a decision that I can conclusively feel that I’ve been told IE: No photos v photos…. Let’s talk about this stuff…

My YM will be coming the night of the 23rd, we’ll be baking Christmas cookies and going to Sugarbacon for dinner. There’s a new fudge store here and a macaron store so we’ll be stocking off from locally made companies. We’re going to see a movie on Christmas Eve, then attend a Christmas concert here on the Island by our tree and then go to the Cheesecake Factory. Christmas Day we’re doing a breakfast then heading to the Gaylord for a Circ show, ice sculptures and a late dinner. We are going to turn on the “fireplace,” turn on the Christmas lights, light candles, make cocoa from the cocoa bar I’ll be setting up for the weekend, play Bing Crosby and open presents. Day after Christmas we’re going to a Winter Festival put on by Hallmark at the Dallas Fairgrounds so you know it’s gonna be like a movie!! Then the husband has the rest of the week off until January 2nd. 

Our company dinner is on the 16th at Del Frisco’s Grill. 

I’m really feeling calm and happy. 

For transparency, I’ve been put on a new medication by my psychiatrist. I have what I call “ therapy” dreams where in I spend the night either reliving events or reliving them and trying to say or do something I wish I’d done and this all includes raging at the offending party. It’s exhausting. There’s a medication for PTSD that’s been used on combat vets and rape victims, all types of abuse victims that blocks the section of the brain from  not only replaying those events but helps to block the very memories, or certain details that should just go into the box. It’s supposed to stop those dreams from happening. I’ve already asked my husband if such and such happened over the phone, in person or through text. I could not pull the memory up. He responded “ Let’s let the box do its job”  Ya, let’s do that.

Ok, done chatting you guys up. 

See ya in the flip side!

Tracy