Day 197 ~ Songs & Childhood Memories

I would like to share with you a time of when I was a little girl, innocent of  life's twists and turns, and what it had in store for me... however, I think I was pretty insightful.  Even before my parent's divorce... you see I had faith. 

I remember believing that if you are unhappy as a child, you would be happy as an adult.  I felt that God would provide, he would make it up to you.  There was no question about it.  I just felt it to be so, no different than the happy endings we often saw in movies or the stories we heard in music lyrics. 

One of my favorite songs, of which I sung as if it was my personal anthem, was by one of my all time favorite actress/singer/movie star, Doris Day.  I even remember being a little girl and wishing she was my mom!  (lol)  The song that inspired me as a little girl, and continues to pull at my heart strings today is Que Sera, Sera.  

Que Sera, Sera was first published in 1956, becoming a popular song, written by the Jay Livingston and Ray Evans song writing team.  The song was first introduced in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), an Alfred Hitchcock film starring Doris Day and James Stewart.  This song even went on to be her signature song, then becoming the theme song for the sit-com The Doris Day Show from 1968 to 1973.  I remember watching this as a little girl.

Que Sera, Sera

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be
Will I be pretty, will I be rich
Here's what she said to me.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

When I was young, I fell in love
I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows, day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, what will I be
Will I be handsome, will I be rich
I tell them tenderly.

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

What a sweet song, takes me back to an innocent time... however... a BIG H-O-W-E-V-E-R...  It is what it is.  I have lived my life.  I've...  Loved.  Laughed.  Danced. Cried.  Hurt.  And, do you want to know something?  I would not change a thing!  

Acceptance is not submission; it is acknowledgement of the facts of a situation. Then deciding what you're going to do about it.    - Kathleen Casey Theise

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, 

...   nine cousins playing

...   eight years of lovin' 

...   seven days of singing

...   six months of blogging
...   five rooms plus more

...   four loving dogs

...   three cook books

...   two ceiling fans 

...   our little girl we call Calley

Blessings to all!!

168 days to go...

PS... I love and miss you boys.  To the moon and stars above and back.  You are my sunshines.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied.  All accounts herein are written by Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life.  Some names may be changed to protect the innocent or protect me from the guilty.  (just kidding...wink, wink)

Picture credits... images courtesy of Bing images, Doris Day, Universal Pictures, IMDB.com, Alfred Hitchcock Productions.

Day 183 ~ The Innocence Of A Little Sister's Love

Looks like from here on out that my days are numbered (with this blog.)  Today is the second part of my half-way point... being that today I am on day 183, and I have 182 to go (yesterday it was day 182 and 183 to go.)  Unless it is leap year, my half-way point won't be equal.  I know that just sounded so elementary, and why I wrote that last line I have no clue!  LOL! and why I am even leaving it in, is more of a wonder.    Oh brother, I crack myself up!   Such a goof-ball!!  ... BTW ... my blog reached 8,000 views today!  WOWser! In awe here.

Love this picture of Goofy
courtesy of Disney clipart

Being a goof-ball... even saying that reminds me of when my boys were six and three we thought it would be funny if we (I) got a personalized license plate frame for my car that said... "Addison & Logan's Goofy Mom".


Now that my boys are more or less men, I wonder how embarrassing that was for them when I still had that license plate frame on my car when they were fourteen and eleven.  Sorry boys.  I never meant to embarrass you.  It's just that I was, and am so proud to be your mom... regardless of the way things have been and are at the present time.


Going down my own memory lane, I so lovingly remember the Christmases I had with my boys.  The movie marathons we would have (from the "Back to The Future" series, to the countless "Teenage Ninja Turtle" shows) ... the cookies we would make and leave for Santa; and all the singing and decorating we would do.


I hope to continue making Christmas memories with Calley, as I did with them.  I only wish for Calley, that she would be able to one day enjoy her brothers too.  


Today Calley shared with me what she wanted to get me... 

Calley...   "Mommy... you know what?"

Me...   "No, my nuggies, what?"   (one of her many nicknames Dean and I have for her)

Calley...   "I want to buy you a BIG house with three floors." 

Me...   "A three story house?!"

Calley...   "Yes!  You, me and Daddy will live on the first floor, and Addison will have the second floor and Logan can live on the third floor.  That way we can be a happy BIG family." 

Oh my GOSH!! This absolutely brought tears to my eyes!  The love that Calley has for her brothers is just amazing.  She has only seen Addison twice and Logan once in person.  However, the love she feels for them is as if she is with them everyday.  Which, unfortunately, truth be told, she does not.

courtesy of Bing images

The day that I can have all my children together, will be a day I will treasure forever!  Until then I will continue to tell Calley stories of her brothers growing up.  


If she is not talking about them constantly, she will want what they like.  She does not just ask for carrots and ranch dressing, she asks for Logan's favorite salad when he was a little boy.  She does not just ask for (pickled) ginger, she asks for Addison's favorite eat-the-entire-jar-in-a-single-sitting vegetable (root).  When she get's in trouble, I will ask her why she did something and she will reply because she misses her brothers.  (She knows how to work it!)  She even asks me to sing to her the sunshine song I used to sing to her brothers when they were little.  Everything is about her brothers!


I hope that one day Addison and Logan will get to know the amazing little sister that they have.  They are truly missing out on the joyous moments she has to give them.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray

You'll never know, dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away

~ Words and Music by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell 1940

  

Blessings to all!!

182 days to go...

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 182 ~ Once Upon A Christmas

Ocean Fron Walk, Santa Monica, CA  cica 1970
courtesy of Bing images

I remember being around eleven or twelve, at Christmas time.  Los Angeles in the early seventies was such a charming city.  Although a little, for lack of better words, run down.  The Hollywood of the 70's, was not the Hollywood of glam of the 40's, 50's and 60's, let alone the Hollywood of late...  and Santa Monica, well it most certainly was not the Santa Monica of today.  Everything was simple, compared to today at least.  It wasn't so... Hollywood.  It just wasn't like it is today.  Let's leave it at that.

Back then... are you sitting? ... well they actually did not put out Christmas decorations, lights, let alone have Christmas sales until the day AFTER Thanksgiving.  The official start of the Christmas shopping season.  

Familiar sight to most Los Angelenos who travel into
Beverly Hills, Ca during Christmas time

I do not recall many Christmases from when I was a child, except for maybe three of them.  When I was about 6 or so, 10 and this one.  One thing my father did do for us, as children, was Christmas.  He'd put lights up on the house, a small tree to start with, and every year we would drive through Beverly Hills to see the lights and the "real" reindeer.  


One of the local department stores in Beverly Hills had reindeer in their cages, on the roof top of the store, along with a sleigh.  I think it was in the eighties that I last saw them there, if not the late seventies.  I wonder if the store, along with the city of Beverly Hills still do it (probably not,) or if People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) would allow it?  (Probably not.)  

courtesy of Bing images

I remember that my father would go as far as having us write letters to Santa, make cookies, leave them out for Santa, as well as leave carrots out for the reindeer.  Christmas morning he would go as far as making hoof prints from the patio door (we did not have a fireplace at the time) to the dining room table, where the milk, cookies and carrots were left. 

So today, I try to make every day special for my children, not just Christmas.  I wish for  Calley to have wonderful childhood memories.


On another note... just wanted to point out the day, 182... and how many days are left... 183.  This is as half way as I can get!!  WOW!!  I must say it is bittersweet.  I can't believe  that I more or less have six months left.  WOW!  Sorry to come across at a loss for words, but this has been an awesome six months that really has me somewhat in disbelief and more motivated than I have ever been!

Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace.  God is awake.   ~ Victor Hugo 

Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today.  I can choose which it shall be.  Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet.  I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.    ~ Groucho Marx.

Blessings to all!!

183 days / 26 weeks to go...

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 181 ~ Life Through Calley's Eyes

As you may have already suspected... yes... the first thing I did after waking up this morning was look out the window! ... and no... the snow did not stick on our side of town.  Funny thing, just over the hill, fifteen-twenty minutes away... it did snow.  

El Paso is like that.  It can be raining cat and dogs where we live, and six miles away where my in laws live... zilch.  So... although I felt slightly hesitant at believing the weather forecast, the little girl in me wanted it to snow so bad!

courtesy of Bing images

Funny... I just realized that it has been ages since I felt that way... excited for snow to come.  Did you ever feel that anxious feeling, and, or the excitement, as if you're were a child again, waiting, and staring out the window, wishing for snow to come.  I saw that "feeling" in Calley last night.  I would have to say that now that I look back on that moment, it was a precious moment.


What happened with Calley this morning?  Well, it so happened that we woke up busy.  Have you ever had that happen?  From the time our eyes opened, and we headed out the door, Calley did not bring up the "s" word... "snow."  And ... then, we left to run some errands, drove away and headed towards the mountains... Calley was so sweet and innocent when she turned to me and said... "WOW! look at the mountains mommy, they are so beautiful."  I would have loved to have shared a picture of our mountains with you, however... I was driving. (wink, wink)

I love seeing life through Calley's eyes.  She keeps me young.

Youth is a wonderful thing.  What a crime to waste it on children.  ~George Bernard Shaw

 Children seldom misquote.  In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.  ~Author Unknown

Blessings to all!!

184 days to go...

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.