Christmas Top 10

Here it goes...in anticipation of the upcoming holiday and celebration of the season, I give you my Christmas top 10 list!

10. Christmas cards. Sitting down to write out cards to family and friends is a ritual I look forward to every year and what is even better is the warm feeling you get when you receive a card in your own mailbox.

9. Christmas lights. I think of hanging lights as a manly task and have never actually hung any outdoor lights myself but I love the festive feeling it drums up to drive through town and see giant snowflakes decorating street posts, and twinkling lights adorning businesses and homes.

8. Santa Claus. In the mall, in a parade, in holiday movies, at the pet store posing with Fido for a snapshot. Santa is certainly the American Christmas mascot. And who doesn't remember being a child and counting down the days until his visit.

7. Christmas music. I know, I know, for a lot of people this one is more of an annoyance than a treat but I can't help it. I like listening to holiday tunes on my way to yoga class or the grocery store and I even like to play it in my home when guests are over between Thanksgiving and Dec. 25th. (consider that a fair warning, friends). ;)

6. Christmas movies. From classics to cheesy new Family Channel flicks, I LOVE Christmas movies. As a matter of fact my all time favorite movie is White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. I love turning on the TV during the holidays and being surprised with a claymation classic like Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

5. Christmas food! Candy canes, holiday cakes and cookies, homemade fudge, multi-flavored popcorn tins, cheese balls with fancy crackers, fruit cake, clementines, ham, sweet yams and all of the other decadent foods served at Christmas dinner.

4. Holiday parties. Let's face it. The holiday season is stressful for most people and what better way to take a load off than gathering with friends and family to enjoy good food, drink and company!

3. The tree. Trimming the tree is one of my most loved holiday traditions. From skirt to topper I enjoy placing each and every ornament in its place. I loved dressing the tree with my sister and parents as a kid and now I enjoy sharing the experience with Mark.

2. Giving. As the years turn one faster than the next we can sometimes forget the joy of giving in keeping up with our daily lives. The holiday season is an opportunity for us to give to the ones we love as well as do something nice for people we don't know. Beside the gifts we place under the tree we can also give the gift of our time and service. Soup kitchens, volunteering at shelters, hospice or the Salvation Army, donating to food harvests, giving food to the local animal shelter, helping a neighbor or mailing a card to a wounded soldier. The act of giving lifts the spirits and spreads cheer.

1. Jesus. I mean it is his birthday after all. We set up a nativity set this year as a reminder of what the season really is all about. Christ consciousness is something we should all strive for (Christian or not) and in the grand tradition of messiahs, Jesus also preached LOVE. Love your fellow brothers and sisters and have yourself a Merry Christmas!


~Love & Light~

To view our Christmas 2012 album visit our facebook page.

November Overview

Thanksgiving Day

November is coming to an end as we roll into the final month of the year. I am blessed to have so many reasons to be thankful this year. Mark and I had our first Thanksgiving together and we both agree it was our best ever. We spent the day with some some of my family and the evening with his. We felt filled to the brim with love! 

We also celebrated both of our fathers birthdays this month, had a special dinner with our siblings, hosted our dear friend Amber from Kansas City for a few days, took a day trip to KC to eat amazing vegetarian food at Eden Alley and stock up on tea for the winter from Phoenix Herb Company, and still managed to spend time with our family and friends in between.

Yesterday we finished trimming the tree and putting out the Christmas decorations. Mark picked out the tree and it is beautiful. Our next project is to hang some lights and garland on the upper back deck looking out toward the river. I am also looking forward to choosing a few cookie recipes (sent from my dear friend Amber who happens to be an amazing baker) to try and wrapping the presents piled up in the 'Christmas Room'. (a.k.a. the guest bedroom). The Christmas cards have been mailed, a successful Thanksgiving come and gone, and the holiday music and movies are in full swing here at Chigger Chalet (the not so fancy name we call our home). November has been a great month and I am looking forward to sharing more with you as we finish out 2012 here in the land of Oz. 

~Love & Light~

Our Christmas Tree

PS To view our entire Thanksgiving 2012 photo album visit our facebook page.

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas

Lights at Finley River Park

The holiday season is in full swing at our home! The guest room has been deemed the "Christmas Room" and is steadily being filled with wrapping paper and gifts to be given. I've started double checking and collecting addresses today so as to begin filling out Christmas cards and I plan to look at holiday bread recipes over the next few days. I don't have all of the gift shopping done but I have made  a substantial dent in the list and I feel calm and stress free.
We have some exciting holiday events happening here in Ozark and Springfield during November ( I haven't forgotten Diwali this Friday) and I thought you might like to hear about them.

Tonight! repeat TONIGHT (Nov. 15th) is the Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting in Oz. The tree lighting takes place at 6pm at the OC (1530 W. Jackson) and then a bus will transport everyone to the Finley River Park for THAT lighting ceremony and Santa will be there too. Mark and I plan to just step out onto our back deck and watch the lighting at the Finley. We have been enjoying the best view in town of the Finley River light display for a week now! We call it Christmas town...kinda feels like we are living in a Tim Burton movie. You drive your car through the display from one end of the park to the other. It is donation based admission and is open until January 8th. The lights turn on at 6pm every night and the park is open until 11pm (1075 N. Riverside).

This coming Saturday in Springfield will be the One Stop Christmas Shop Festival at the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center (333 S. John Q. Hammons Pkwy). From 8am to 3pm you can browse the booths showcasing wares from over 100 different vendor's. Admission is ONE DOLLAR or two non-perishable food items for the Ozarks Food Harvest Fundraiser. I am hoping to pick up a few gifts from local businesses.

Also, this Saturday (Nov. 17th) will be the annual Ozark Christmas Parade. It begins at 6pm and this year's theme is the "12 Days of Christmas". The parade runs from 3rd St. to the Downtown Square.
Get out and get in the spirit!

~Love & Light~

Lights at Finley River Park

Diwali

Diwali (Indian Festival of Lights) begins tomorrow and I found a restaurant here in the Ozarks that throws a party to celebrate! Diwali is the victory of good over evil or light over darkness. It has a major religious significance for Hindus. For more information on the festival check out www.diwali2012.in.

Honestly, I was a little surprised that one of only TWO Indian restaurants in Springfield has a weekend celebration for Diwali. I mean, we aren't exactly crawling with Indian people here in the land of the hillbilly. BUT now I am super curious to see who will show up to this shindig at Gem of India. The celebration is this weekend, the 16th and 17th, from 5pm to midnight. They will have a grand buffet, DJ, belly dancers, a curry eating contest and more! I have no idea what to expect but I'm sure it will prove to be entertaining and at the very least we will get to fill up on a lot of decent Indian fare. The address is 211 W. Battlefield in Springfield, MO. I'll see you there! Happy Diwali!

~Love & Light~

Lunch At D'Arpino's

We ate at THE BEST little Italian Cafe in Springfield on Saturday. (It definitely qualifies as one of 'our places', so I had to share). If you want authentic Italian in a charming atmosphere D'Arpino's at 3014 S. National in Springfield, MO. is your place. Don't be fooled by the strip mall it sits in because once inside you will be transported to a darling family owned/operated cafe unlike the other Italian joints in town. The owners, Mark and Mary Ann D'Arpino opened the business in 2004. While sitting in the dining area you can watch them cook your meal. I enjoy seeing my food being made as I wait, it is the best way to assure the food is being prepared well and in this case, with love. The cafe was intimate (but not small) and clean. The music playing was nice but not too loud. Our server (one of only two on the floor) was very kind and attentive. She told us about the two specials being served that day and that is what we decided to order. Mark had the pork chop with a side of spaghetti and I had the stuffed eggplant with a side of spaghetti. The meal was preceded by caesar salads and super delicious garlic bread. 

caesar salad and garlic bread

pork chop, stuffed eggplant, and spaghetti

If you live in the Springfield area, do yourself a favor and eat at D'Arpino's the next time you're craving Italian food. You'll be glad you did! 

~Love & Light~

The dining room

D'Arpino's Italian Cafe

3014 S. National

Springfield, MO. 65804

Hours:

11am to 9pm - Mon. thru Thurs.

11am to 10 pm - Fri. and Sat.

           Closed Sundays

Phone:

417-889-9898

She Drives Me Crazy

Our hound Penny is the cutest dog in town (smelly mouth and all). I really do love her but half the time I am trying to hold back my desire to strangle her (this is a figure of speech PETA, relax). She is almost six months old and is still way more puppy than adult. She is curious about everything, wants to put all things on the floor in her smelly mouth (shoes are her favorite snack), and has somehow managed to teach herself how to open the trash can lid. These things I can live with and I know that as she matures she will be less ornery BUT her most annoying habit is her inability to let us sleep in the mornings. Now, Mark is a Godsend and gets up at the crack of dawn to take her out to do her business but if once back in her playpen she decides she doesn't want to go back to sleep, NO ONE sleeps. She cries and barks and slams her body against the pen. It is absolutely impossible to sleep through this racket. Then once she drags you out of bed she wants you to run around and play with her for HOURS! She never seems to tire!

As I type this she is eating wood chunks off the fireplace hearth. Is this good for her health? It couldn't be any worse than digesting the sole of a shoe or passing the bits of plastic she swallows because she EATS her toys. These little details would have worried me when we first brought her home and I would have gone out of my way to prevent them from happening, but currently as long as she isn't peeing on the floor or eating the furniture, eh...she's fine.

I really, really do love my hound dog and I know if I keep telling myself this over and over again I won't have room to think anything else. On the bright side I have a new mantra for meditation class.
I DO love my dog. I DO love my dog. I DO love my dog. I DO love my dog. OMMMMM.

~Love & Light~

Penny (a.k.a. Beelzebub)

Tis The Season

Yesterday we celebrated Samhain and the day before that I turned thirty three. We certainly had fun wrapping up October! Today, November 1st, is the official first day of the holiday season. I spent some time this morning taking down the Halloween decorations and thinking about the busy season ahead.

This is going to be the first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year that Mark and I spend together. We are very excited to start creating our own traditions. We are also feeling very grateful to be home and celebrate with family and friends. I can't remember the last time my sister, Sara, and I were in the same room for a Christmas celebration. That changes in 2012!

Between the run around of gathering gifts and being spread thin jumping from party to party, we often forget the true joy of the holiday season, being with the ones we love.  Making memories and sharing laughter and joy are the special moments I am looking forward to with anticipation. I hope all of you have as great a time preparing for the coming Holidays as I plan to!

~Love & Light~

Moksha

This morning in Kundalini class we talked briefly about Moksha or Mukti, the liberation from the cycle of death and re-birth (Samsara). When I got home I decided to surf around online and read a little more about the subject and was lead to this cool song/video that I thought I would share with you guys. Have a great weekend!

~Love & Light~

Yoga After Injury

I love yoga for many reasons. I love the calm I feel after a good session on my mat, I love the community of like minded individuals and I like the physical workout that comes with it. What I don't always like is motivating myself to get off the couch or driving my car in crappy weather to get to class. Add to that the on and off recurring pain of a foot injury and going to yoga can seem more like a task than a gift. That said, I know that even when my foot is feeling stiff and painful, a few Sun Salutations and a Warrior Pose or two later I will be energized and optimistic.

I ruptured my foot by rolling it on concrete stairs months and month ago. It is likely that it will give me trouble for the rest of my life. It creates new challenges on the mat that I never thought would be an issue for me. Simple balancing poses can become very difficult and rolling over my toes from Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog is currently not an option. I have had to slow down and approach my practice from a new angle. I do look for the positive in my injury though. I have become more present and self aware. I have also learned that my practice is about reaching my personal goals and that my limitations may be greater than others. My practice will continue to change as the years go by and that is okay, I just need to keep it going. And for a little inspiration, I will end this post with a video of my favorite celebrity Yogini, Meghan Currie. Enjoy!

~Love & Light~

Vamps!

Okay, okay...I am a HUGE Alicia Silverstone fan so I might be a little biased here BUT her new movie Vamps is now available on Amazon instant video (hits theaters Nov.2nd)  and I am about to press play.  I love Amy Heckerling films! Fast Times At Ridgemont High is a classic and Clueless is my all time favorite feel good movie. Soooo a Heckerling film starring Alicia as a vampire sounds like the perfect Halloween season movie to me! I can hardly wait for Mark to get home from the karate studio so we can watch it. Until then here is the trailer. Let me know what you think if you get a chance to watch it too.

~Love & Light~

Home On The River

Hello! Welcome to No Place Like Home. My name is Leanne and this is a blog about my life in Oz (a.k.a. Ozark, MO). Basically this is a collection of stories about my fabulous boyfriend, Mark, our adorable basset hound, Penny, and our daily happenings here on the Finley River in Oz. The following is a little back story to bring you up to speed.

Mark and I originally met when we were sixteen. He was an instructor at the karate school I was attending in Springfield, MO. I thought he was cute, he thought I was cute and life went on. We went to separate high schools and a few years after graduation he ended up in California and I moved to Kansas City. The years rolled on and we each experienced many adventures, growing into adults along the way. Had it not been for the creation of Facebook, it is likely that we might have never reunited. Then in 2009 I received a friend request from Mark. Two years later our friendship had grown into something more and by March of this year we both knew it was time to make a move. We knew we wanted to be together but I was still in KC and he was then in Hawaii. It only made sense that we come home. We decided a small town right outside of Springfield would be ideal and a day after we arrived in town an ad posted for a house on the Finley River in Ozark ( a quick 10 minute drive from Springfield). It was kismet. June 1st we were officially living on the river and a few weeks after that we added Penny to our little family.

Fast. Yes. But when something is right and you can FEEL it you have to take action. I'm glad you stopped by No Place Like Home and I hope you will return and read along as our story grows.

~Love & Light ~

               

Penny's new winter coat

Leanne & Mark