Christmas Coma

The day after Christmas I fight back the urge to take down all of the decoration:
Standing as a defiant reminder of a day that comes and goes;
Leaving a trail of financial ruin, selfish children, and cranky parents.
I admit, I fall victim to the joyful cheer that begins in early November––commercialism and the lure of family traditions.
I have to take it down, now!
But I know, regardless of how hard I resist, next year I will shower my home with Christmas too early, and all will be right again.

A Trip To The Beach

A trip to my old stomping grounds;
Memories of soccer practices, hide & seek, and neighborhood block parties.
Life was so much easier when my mom and dad handled everything.
My biggest fear was deciding what clothes I would wear to fit in––never fully understanding that I always selected things that actually made me stand out.
I get sentimental especially during this time of year. The fall always reminds me of new adventures, back to school, Trick or Treating, and the smell of smoke in the crisp beach air.
As much as I try to live in the moment, it’s nice to reflect on the warmth, love, and friendship I experienced growing up.
Sometimes it’s good to visit the past.

Six Word Essay: Returning Home

Comfy in my bed snuggling puppies.

Home

Sunday in LA; hungover.

Happy to be home with my family.

Ginger and Lily on my lap—Starbucks iced coffee and my journal.

My sister is going to be okay.

God is good. 

Home Is Where The Heart Is... and a comfortable bed.

Sleeping in my own bed,
Priceless.
It’s fun to be on tour;
It’s more enjoyable to be at home.

Home Sweet Home

They say "home is where the heart is" and while I believe that it's true, you can find happiness, love and family anywhere you are-
There's nothing better than walking into you home after being away for a long period of time.
The joy of being greeted by your family, my puppies give extra long cuddles.
The comfort of knowing where everything is in the kitchen.
But most of all, my BED!
I might actually get a full nights sleep tonight, for the first time in four weeks...
It's great to be home.

Random Note:

Household budget crisis over;

Bring on the HBO!

I've got a season of True Blood to catch up with.

The Glamorous Life on Tour...

The delight of sleeping in my own bed is second only to the love I receive from my partner and our puppies!
It's not that I don't enjoy life on the road-I just HATE hotel beds.
#SleepIsNecessary

Up, Up and Away!

I'm feeling much better about myself now that I'm back in LA.
When I'm on the road I lose track of the things that are most important to me.
My quality of life, family, goals and faith are what keep me grounded and motivated,
When I'm on tour, I don't have enough time to focus on maintaining balance.
But I'm back in LA and I'm up, up and away!
Working towards accomplishing more of my dreams.
One day at a time.

Home Sweet Home!

It's not that I don't enjoy traveling,

Clearly I've made a career of it!

I spent the better part of my summer in cities across the country,

Working, site-seeing and catching up with friends.

I just got back from a week in New York City-

Where I worked really hard,

And partied harder!

The past three months were jam-packed;

Too many wild adventures and sleepless nights.

Though I had an amazing time...

I've never been more grateful to be home with my family, in my own bed!

I slept better last night than I have in months!

Proving, it's awesome to retreat...

But it's heavenly to return!

Number One Reason To Come Home

When I first moved away from home, I struggled from major withdrawal.
I was so attached to my family, and though I had my mind set on building my career, I just hated being so far away from them.
I couldn't wait for a holiday, graduation or wedding to have an excuse to return home.
As the years passed the trips home got more complicated- Naturally, I evolved into an independent individual. The family dynamic changes.
It's painful to see grandparents grow older.
Cousins begin having kids of their own.
Parents get remarried...
And everyone wants their way, but no one wants to compromise. It becomes a battle not to fight.
Then the moment comes-
You get a phone call from your sister, and you find out that you're going to be an Uncle!
Then the joyous day comes... I'm officially an uncle.
Not to mention, I was asked to be my beautiful niece's godfather!
Coming home becomes magically again!
Yes, it's still a challenge battling the urge not to argue with family, or the heartache of watching loved ones get older, but my little niece has become my number one reason to come home more often!
I'm mean how can I resist this:

Six Word Essay on Going Home

Time with my family is golden!

New York to Los Angeles-

Started today in New York;
Ending the day in Los Angeles-
Everything in between;
crazy,
wild,
fun,
with a splash of jet lagged...
But I'm happy to be home!