And so it begins...

...again.

I am back, people! I have a brand new design, brand new thoughts, and a brand new way of keeping you all informed on all things BREDEMEYER!

First, let's talk about my new design. Isn't it wonderful? I found Redbud Designs through my friend Leslie Ruth and I think Sharon is amazing. She will tweek, twist and work until you are in love with your little online journal and given the quality of work she does, is tremendously affordable! The icing on the cake: She's an Abilenian! The only thing I love more than Taco Bueno, Joe Allen's BBQ, Perini Ranch Steakhouse, and the arid West Texas landscape is meeting a fellow Abilenian living elsewhere. The name of her gig even comes from Red Bud Park, where I believe her husband proposed!

Second, I am going to blog differently. Instead of droning on and on about my random thought of the moment, I am going to have new categories and tell stories relating to each.

Thirdly - YES I WILL POST PICTURES OF THE HOUSE! I promise!

I have missed you all terribly and am thrilled to be back sharing the Bredemeyer Adventure with you all!

New House. New Adventures.

Well, hello stranger.

I told you I wasn't kidding when I said I needed a minute to get myself together before going forward with any posting. Sadly, the one little creative thing I enjoy doing most, was the one thing that had to go the past month or so. But I shall return. I have a growing pre-schooler which means new antics, new frustrations and new joys and now they will be broadcast from a new home! I can not wait to show you all my fabulous, funky, quirky, amazing 1955 dream home. It is everything I ever wanted from design, to neighborhood and even PRICE - which is a huge bonus and the only real reason Kevin indulged me by looking at it in the first place.

So while we move, may I suggest you busy yourself by visiting my friend Leslie Ruth. She is hilarious and warm and I think you'll enjoy her spunk!

But come back in March. You won't want to miss this!

Under Construction

Happy New Year! I hope that the promise of 2009 has you all as fired up as I am! I love New Year's Day. It is like a brand new Trapper Keeper, unopened box of 64 crayons and a brand new medium point Sharpie all rolled into one. The opportunites are limitless!

That said, this blog is now UNDER CONSTRUCTION! I need a minute. I need a week. I may actually need a month. I have a million photos to download; a million toys to sort through and organize and three little lives to get back on track for 2009.

So be paitent. I'll have something to share very soon!!!

Happy 2009 Everyone!!!

My Top 5 Christmas Movies

In my house, the ever present Holiday Film has become almost more important than the lit tree in the living room. Movies are the modern carols and nothing fills me with holiday cheer more than the following movies. Editors note: It's A (an overplayed) Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street are not on my list. They are good...no, they are GREAT! But let's think outside of the box this year!

5. Christmas Vacation - Nothing makes me laugh harder than the comedic genius of Clark and Cousin Eddie! There are enough one liners in the movie to keep your spirits up until the egg nog is gone and the presents are unwrapped and put away! I also love how the kids change in every, single Vacation movie. A classic that always reminds me that no matter how much you try to have the perfect Christmas, your family will be there to keep it real!




4. A Christmas Story - Ok, so here's the deal. This is quite possibly one of my all time favorite movies EVER! But I have to say that it is losing some of its luster because TBS or TNT or whichever station plays it solid for 24 hours on Christmas Day. I love this movie because, although I didn't grow up in the 40's, it perfectly captured the anticipation of Christmas morning to a grade school child and making sure Santa was going to bring you that one special gift that you would just die without! I am especially partial to this one clip. My mother always overdressed me in any situation of weather. I was the kid with a scarf to cover her ears any time the wind picked up over 10 mph.




3. White Christmas - every time I express my love of the movie "White Christmas" my mother corrects me and says "Holiday Inn". "Holiday Inn" was indeed the Bing Crosby movie that launched the song, but I checked and I love "White Christmas". It is in Technicolor and it just makes me happy! It is all things old Hollywood on sound stages and witty one line quips that just make me want to pour a cocktail and act sassy! But I have always been partial to Danny Kaye since "The Court Jester". (My obsession with memorizing ..."the chalice from the palace..." is a story for another day.)



2. Love, Actually - I watch this every year and every year I cry like it is the first time I have seen it. First off, I love movies that have huge ensemble casts. Like 30,000 really famous people all getting over themselves and just making a great movie. Second, I love all things real and romantic and this movie is IT! I am a big fan of expressing your true love to anyone and everyone you care about during the holidays and this movie just makes me want to hug the postman in gratitude!!! (But that's it...just a little side hug for appreciation. I did not just confess some undying affection for our USPS mail carrier. Given that our new neighbor works for the post office I am now regretting my analogy altogether.) This movie makes me want to kiss my husband under the mistletoe!!! That sounds more appropriate!



1. Emmett Otters Jug Band Christmas - This is my all-time favorite Christmas movie ever made. This is actually my all-time favorite Christmas book ever written, as well. Growing up in the 70s and 80s, I am obviously a rabid Jim Henson fan. Nothing can spark a nostalgic tear faster than hearing Kermit sweetly sing "Rainbow Connection". Well, actually, Emmett Otter can. I am only 33 years old, but I have my fair share of life's disappointments to look back on and grieve from time to time and Emmett takes me there. Emmett takes me back to the age of six when all things were perfect. And although my life is still pretty close to perfection, Emmett makes me miss someone a little more than I did a moment ago and still somehow puts a smile on my face and a song in my heart. Actually...this song!

Happy Birthday, Ben!

On Saturday Ben officially turned THREE! I can't believe how all of the sudden the "baby" is gone and I am in the presence of a full on pre-school LITTLE BOY! Deviant and often overly "passionate", but a sweet little boy all the same. I was a bit emotional throughout the day. When he turned one, I was too much "in it" to really notice the milestone. And then he was two and that was fun but it was still much of the same. But on Saturday I couldn't help myself but to stroll back and think, "Three years ago now I was heading to the hospital. Three years ago now I was begging to get off of my morphine so that I could sit up and hold him. Three years ago now I had no idea just how tired I would be..." etc. We surrounded him with family and gifts...lord there were gifts. And each gift was his "very favorite!" and he spastically played with all of them and many of them at the same time! Which I thought was really sweet. And really loud! Happy Birthday, Ben. We hope each year is better than the one before; knowing that we'll swear it can't get any better than it is right now!

Sampling the cake

Driving and talking on the phone on his new "dadgum" gator. Dadgum and dadgummit are his new favorite words. Lovely!

Ben's Christmas Program

Tuesday night we got to go to SJES and see Ben's first Christmas Pageant. It was super cute and Ben did great! He had to wear a "Holiday" outfit and...well...you shouldn't be surprised by the outfit he chose! Yes...they are PAJAMAS!


Merry Christmas, everyone!!

"Why I Hate The Post Office" by Allison Bredemeyer

132 Holiday Cards mailed on December 13th, 2008.

As of today, TWO cards recieved. One family in VEGAS and one in Dallas.