15 days of Christmas Songs - #4

I adore this song. I hope you'll hear and feel the warmth this song brings to the Christmas season for me. Each time I hear it, I feel like an observer watching a beautiful Christmas scene unfolding before me - filled with the most tender parts of the season. For me, it is my family. What would this season be without them to share it with?
If you haven't heard of First Call before, I take pleasure in introducing you...

15 days of Christmas Songs - #3

Thanks to Franz Schubert for this magnificent song. While 'Ave Maria' is widely considered a church song, it is actually a secular art song. It is tells the story about a young maiden who implores Mary to give her comfort in her time of distress. I always hear this piece around Christmas time and think it is absolutely beautiful - whether hearing a man or woman sing it. I was pleased to find that Andrea Bocelli sings it so amazingly. Enjoy.

15 Days of Christmas Songs - #2

Ah, Harry. I suppose he is one of the "newer" Christmas favorites - even though his x-mas album came out in 1993. I always love hearing this song at this time of year. The nostalgia of it is great. I was 17, and I have such memories of good friends back in high school, of being in heavy like with someone, and of fun times working at Chick-fil-A. Those were the days, eh? Do enjoy one of my favorite vocalists, Mr. Harry Connick Jr.

15 days of Christmas carols - #1

Who doesn't love a good Christmas song, eh? Here we start with song #1 for 15 days of fave Christmas songs. You may find some of them cheesy; some are, yes. You will most certainly find them sentimental. If you know me, you know that music and memories are synonymous. They truly go together - especially at Christmas time. Each Christmas is filled with old songs and new. Truth be told, I prefer the old. The sounds of songs I've known since I was a little girl fill me with such joy for the season and for life. I am a sentimental girl.

And here we go, folks.

Ah, this one could very well make me cry. Then again, I'm pretty sure all of them will.

Thanksgiving in Charlotte

My ideal vacation... to simply do nothing, and to be with people I love. Yep, that was my recent trip to Charlotte, NC. Time spent at my baby sister's home is simply that - a true vacation. We don't have to go sight-seeing, and we don't have an agenda of any kind. My time is simply spent in her beautiful yellow house playing, or just sitting with my nephews Gavin and Ryan, my brother-in-law Kurt, and my little sister Caiti. Sometimes it is a surreal experience realizing once again (after ten years) that my sister (4 years younger) has a family. Folks, lemme just say that my little sister is great at her current occupation of mother and wife. She's so smart and could do big things with her life, but her greatest joy is being a mom to G & R. She puts her family before anything else. What I love about Caiti is she has such a calmness about her. Even growing up, it seems like she was always the calm one. I hardly remember her raising her voice. I love that about her parenting style, too. She gets on her sons' level amid chaos and encourages peace. There are some people that were simply meant to be mothers, and she is definitely one of them. Also, she's gorgeous. Seriously. Kurt is a lucky husband! Needless to say, I love 'er.

I wasn't the only visitor over the course of the week of Thanksgiving. My brother Shane and awesome sis-in-law Sharon and their boys came to visit as well. That makes THREE Curran siblings. But hold on, big brother Quinn also made it in town with g-friend Darlene. It was a Curran party with half of us siblings at Caiti's house. Fun times were had by all. Good times in Charlotte! Thanks for everything, Caiti. Love you!

Beauty of a little sis 'n me.

Awes sis-in-law Sharon and her silly Aidan.

Sharon and Shane's cute Owen 'n me.

Crazy faces of Ryan, Gavin and Auntie.

Ryan and I enjoying our delicious t-give dinner. Seriously, seriously yummy!

Auntie & Gavin.

The Summerhays family.

Sisters and sis-in-law (pretty much my sister) on a little outing together. Fun, fun.

Curran siblings representing in Charlotte.

Displaying the sibling line-up: Quinn - 1, Caiti - 6, Me - 4, Shane - 3.

Yep, me too.

This is a thankful time of year, and I feel inclined to add my own thoughts.

I'm thankful for...

• Mom & Dad for letting me bunk with them for a few months whilst I figure out where I want to be and what I want to do with my life.
• My co-workers - especially the ones motivating me to get my booty in gear and do P90X!
• My friends from the ward - especially Katy for motivating me to do the triathlon and to keep reaching for things I never thought I'd do physically (Santa Run comin' up!)
• My nephews for thinking I'm cool and fun, even when I don't feel it.
  
• The Bombay House. If you've been there, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout.
  
• My brother Conn for making me feel oh-so youthful by still calling me Erbear.
  
• My Slanket.
  
• Melanee, for being one of the top roommates/landlords E-VAH! I thank you for the talks, the laughs, and the understanding. I miss you already.
  
• Single life.
  
• The hope of non-single life.
  
• The hope of family life.
  
• Five On The Fly.
  
• The friends who come to shady sports bars and endure the drunks and hoochie dancers to support Five On The Fly. I thank you all, a lot.
  
• My Bombay friends. You know who you are.
  
• The discovery/introduction of new music that still moves and creates new memories for me.
  
• Falling for someone and getting my heart broken, but thankful to know that I can fall in the first place - difficult as it may be for it to end.
  
• The hope that I won't get my heart broken, but that I may actually fall in love and be loved in return.
• Christmas lights.
  
• Cheesy Christmas music - except for 'Christmas Shoes'. I really can't stand that song.
  
• Having brothers and sisters to just hang with.
• H.F. - especially H.F.
  

The list shall go on another time. I'm thankful for all of you that even take a peek at my wee blog.

P90X

Have any of you tried this program? Holy moly, it's brutal. But, I LOVE IT!! Every morning at 6:30 I meet up with a group of friends from work to do this mother of all work-outs. For one thing, I am not a morning person by any means, so this is the first hurdle. I actually have to get up at 5:45 to get there on time. Oh, and did I mention it's a little on the chilly side in the morning? Yep. Then, of course, the program is tough. Very tough. However, I'm doing it.
People, I.AM.DOING.IT!!
It has been a long time since I've been dedicated to doing something physically like this (with the exception of the Tri). Every day I find the motivation to get myself out of bed and get myself there. Each morning when the alarm clock goes off, I really just want to throw it across the room and sleep forever, but I don't. I am grateful for the motivation - wherever it is coming from. I don't have any great goal. Like the traithlon, I just want to finish. I want to know that I did it. Losing weight would be a plus, but it's not absolutely necessary. I want to know that I'm helping my body be a little healthier than it was before. Plus, I have to tell you, I just feel good. It's nice to tell people that I've been up since the crack of dawn doing some serious exercising. I think they might even respect me.

There's a kind of glow in my face, and a spring in my step.

Is it love?

It's P90X, baby!

Sometimes...

I cry.

Sometimes.

Single and Tri-ing!

The amazing Divas!

Drew's Divas!
Victoria Jane and me getting ready for the tri!
Riding in on my flat tire.
The famous Drew and me.
Finishing the race.
One of my best friends from high school days was doing the tri too!
All of the 33 year old Divas displaying their digits.
119, yo.

So much to say… well, I FINISHED! Yes, I, Erincita finished my very first triathlon! All I can say is, I’m gonna do it again! You know, agreeing to do the triathlon in the first place made me nervous, to say the least. However, knowing that I was doing it with 9 other girls gave me great motivation. Not only that, but doing it for a cause (Drew) was a big deal for me. I am still having a hard time believing that I really did it. It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure, but I now know what I’m made of and will do it again.
Next time I’ll definitely have a road bike instead of a mtn. bike. Oh, and I’ll bring back-up just in case I get a flat like I did on Saturday . Such a bummer, for real!
Friends, I am proud. You will definitely see more entries in the future of the coming triathlons. I hear it’s an addiction, and I think I’m hooked!

Friends... I solicit your help.

Dear Friends,

I know a guy. His name starts with a Dr and ends with an ew. He is amazing, talented, kind, funny and so many other things. This friend of mine has cancer and needs help paying for his incredibly costly meds. Check out his blog and get to know him @ www.welovedrew.blogspot.com - chances are, you'll love him too.

This weekend a few of Drew's biggest fans and I are doing a triathlon to help raise money for his cause. If you are able to donate any amount of $$, please either let me know or go to paypal.com and make a contribution under ercurr@gmail.com

I thank you for any help you can give. He's definitely worth it, folks.

Many thanks!

Still here...

and still finding purpose in every day of my life. Just been so darn busy!

Purpose #7

To be humbled by my own frustrating imperfections... daily.

Purpose #6

To learn from children. I had my first international experience while teaching English in China to young kids when I was 20 years old. I don't think anything could have prepared me for the experience I was about to have. Those kids (even being 10-13 year olds) loved me. It was one of those defining moments in my life where I really felt I learned to love. I never knew how much children could touch my life. Never. I love the children in my life. My nephews, who are so dear and so important me teach me everyday. They love their Auntie Erin, and don't care how imperfect I am. It's a trait I hope to learn.
After China, I was able to teach English in Russia as well and open my heart to yet another group of children across the world. How blessed I was, and blessed I continue to be!

Purpose #4 & 5

To be amazed, cry, and rejoice at the vocal talent of Brian Stokes Mitchell - especially evident in the song below.
To be moved by the words of this song, and to understand my own important and glorious quest in this life.

This could quite possibly be one of my favorite songs.



To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

Purpose #3

To show kindness to those around me, and to be the recipient of others' kindness.