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Miche Bags - Went to a party!

2011-06-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

I just went to a Miche Purse Party on Friday and am in love!

Night Out

2011-04-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful night my hubby and I had! Sure bliss. :)

Accepting What I Can Not Change

2011-03-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think it's ridiculous how I can still long for something I never had and never will have. My intellectual part of my self realizes this, but there are times when my heart cries out I guess.

Although I truly understand why you finally just left, it still hurt. After all we were just kids, trying to survive in the cracked foundation beneath our feet. The alcoholism was over whelming. I felt like you took an eraser and erased us. I often look back, seeing my life from a distance, like watching a movie. Feel perplexed how the strings were cut so swift and quick. I've lived so long w/ out you. I didn't get to know what it is like to have that comfort throughout my life. Expectations create hurt and later confusion for me. I don't trust you or even really know you. Sometimes I think I do, I try to bring logic to your actions - so lost, insecure, never received the love, didn't know how to give it. And then I realize I haven't allowed myself to acknowledge my own pain and sadness and sense of loss. I've always thought about your pain, his pain, her pain. I am allowing me to feel a little pissed off and sad about it all. Through it I have learned self love and how I need to give the love I yearned for. I thank God everyday, that I'm able to stand on both feet, chin up, shoulders back and move past it. And yes, once in awhile I'll watch a movie, or see something that triggers my sad spot or yearning for something I never got and never will get. Thank you for helping me learn the tough lesson of accepting the things I can not change.

~ jd

I need a vacation!

2011-03-05T06:42:00.000-08:00

I need a vacation, a getaway, a quiet retreat, mother nature... something! I'm tired of being tired of the same old mundane work routine M-F. Bored to tears!

Really Live

2011-03-03T05:32:00.000-08:00

We will all die, but only some of us will truly live.

Girl Time

2011-02-12T17:08:00.000-08:00

Where would we be without our friends? The older I get the more I realize the importance of girl time and having authentic friendships. Today I am feeling quite blue. I could sure use some fun girl time right about now!

I want to feel in love again!

2011-01-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

I remember just being so in love with my hubby when we first met and then got married!

Building a life together was so exciting and so much fun!

After 19 years of marriage and many ups and downs on the roller coaster of life... I dream of the above photo! I have learned that material things and all the things we built together truly don't matter... We adore and love our children and feel so blessed. But....I just want my hubby to adore me and make me feel super special like he did when we first met! Is this too much to ask? Today, I am thinking of how I can make an effort to get back to this... he did agree and say he would go on a weekend wine tasting trip w/ me, when I asked him last night. I told him I miss being romantic and feeling like real love birds. A long marriage can feel very content. This is not bad. But I long for some passion. I'm only 41 for pete's sake!

Middle Age Crisis For Women or Just me!

2011-01-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

I'm tired. Counting my blessings, but tired. Dreaming of a home of my own separate from my husband. Is that so wrong? We've been married for 19 years. I long for my independence. Want to see what life would be like if I got to be in charge all the time of my every decision. Want to have a home set up and decorated the way I like. Want to have foods in the kitchen that I like to eat - not just what he likes to eat. I've openly discussed this with him and of coarse he thinks I'm crazy. I just want to discover who I really am. I have been married to him since I was 23 and dated him since 22. Sometimes I feel like my identity is missing. Who am I, what do I like? Is that so selfish? I want to feel free and do things MY WAY not go along w/ his way. I'm 41 now, but am trying to find meaning in my life. I work each and every day. I do the M-F hamster wheel grind. Is there something so wrong w/ wanting to feel like the Captain of the Ship? He makes me feel like there is and when I tell him my feelings, he just laughs. What will I do. All actions have serious consequences and especially when children are a part of the situation. I love my children - I love my husband, but sometimes feel like we are more friends than anything else. I never want to hurt him. Yet I find myself in misery, day dreaming about what my life / home would look like if I could be me. Anyone relate to this?

Self Forgiveness

2011-01-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I continue, even today, always liking myself. But what I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes- it is inevitable. But once you do and you see the mistake, then you forgive yourself and say, 'well, if I'd known better I'd have done better,' that's all. So you say to people who you think you may have injured, 'I'm sorry,' and then you say to yourself, 'I'm sorry.' If we all hold on to the mistake, we can't see our own glory in the mirror because we have the mistake between our faces and the mirror; we can't see what we're capable of being. You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one's own self. I think that young men and women are so caught by the way they see themselves. Now mind you. When a larger society sees them as unattractive, as threats, as too black or too white or too poor or too fat or too thin or too sexual or too asexual, that's rough. But you can overcome that. The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn, and sure as hell we should never teach.

-- Maya Angelou

Whole Purpose

2010-12-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

We have to steer our true life's course.

Whatever our calling is in life!

The whole purpose of being here

is to figure out what that is as soon as possible,

so you go about the business of being on track,

of not being owned by what your mother said,

what society said, whatever people think

a woman is supposed to be...

when you can exceed other people's expectations

and be defined by your own!

~ OW

God Bless! ~ Jan

Preparing for Santa

2010-12-05T17:56:00.000-08:00

Oh the magic of Christmas and preparation!

Why do weekends buzz by so quickly? Is tomorrow really Monday? Yikes. Well, we did get both Christmas Trees up this weekend. Now we'll see how much of the outside lighting I can get done today. We certainly want Santa coming to our house this Christmas! :)

... Happy Sunday!

~ Jan

Much to do for Holidays!

2010-12-04T07:38:00.000-08:00

This picture is Val and I at work. I work for a wonderful retirement center and we just got done performing a fun Holiday skit for the residents. I was lucky enough to be Buddy the Elf :)

Still looking to get a family photo done for Christmas cards. I am a bit behind this year with all the Christmas decorating, shopping, family photo, etc. Working full-time and keeping up with everything else can be exhausting at times! But I'm enjoying the journey and counting my blessings!

Wish me luck at the mall today!

God Bless!

~ Jan

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T21:02:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for the big feast tomorrow...will be cooking up some Turkey with all the fixings!

Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Jan

Lady Diana

2010-11-16T17:40:00.000-08:00

I was so sad when Lady Diana died. There was something very sweet and magical about her. She battled depression, like so many of us do. She had that certain charm and realism that truly made her so appealing to so many of us. I truly was a big fan of her and the charity work she did. She appeared to be a very hands on Mom and a good one. She was so elegant and seemed to be a classy lady. I admired her. I had never seen the above photo of her before and had to post it. I thought it is beyond great.

God Bless and Happy Tuesday,

~ Jan

The Friendship Baton-Pass it on!

2010-11-14T12:22:00.000-08:00

Thank you for this Jesse! Jesse has given me the friendship baton and now I must pass it on! The Main Art Blog is one of his fabulous blogs http://www.theartofjesse.blogspot.com/

In respecting the passing of the friendship baton, we shall observe the following rules:

a) Create a blog post, and please use the IMAGE of the relay friendship race...

b) In your post, answer the Eight questions...

c) Pass the baton of friendship to Ten bloggers, and link them in your post...

1 - When you were little and were asked what you wanted to do when you were big; What did you reply?
2 - What were your favorite cartoons?
3 - What were your favorite games?
4 - What year was your nicest birthday and why?
5 - What were the things you absolutely wanted to do, and have not yet done?
6 - What was your first love?
7 - Who was your first musical idol?
8 - Which was the most' beautiful sought (and eventually received), Santa Claus, Jesus' Child, Saint Lucia, christmas gift?
_________________________________

My Answers to the Questions:

I wanted to be a body builder, comedian, singer and actress. My dream was to be on Saturday Night Live.

ScoobyDoo and Popeye were my favorite cartoons.

I loved playing barbies, we had the barbie townhouse with the pull elevator, pink corvette, lil' wicker furniture, so many outfits! I also remember my sister and I playing backgammon a lot.

Sadly, I don't recall my birthdays as a kid or any parties, even though I've seen a photo of one in particular. Recently my sister called me on my birthday and left me a voice mail, singing happy birthday and that touched me.

I want to travel to Italy, London, Ireland and Greece. I've always wanted to run in a marathon, I want to live in many different places - want to live in a cottage near the beach, want a garden, want to live in a high rise condo - way up at the top, want a space of my own for things I love and a place to create!

My first love was speed skating. I belonged to a skate club as a kid and spent a lot of time at the rink.

My first musical idol was Rod Stewart. I remember seeing him on tv, wearing those tight pants and I remember being glued to the tv while he performed and sang - loved his confidence and scratchy voice.

My most beloved Christmas present as a kid was a stuffed bull dog. I wanted a real one, but never got one, but cried when I got the stuffed animal. I remember crying because I felt so happy to get it and hugging it so tight...my reaction made everyone in the house cry.

Below are some wonderful blogs I follow that I have linked to this post to pass on the friendship baton:

http://www.roxannetheartist.blogspot.com/

http://www.theintimatedish.blogspot.com/

http://www.blackandwhitecollage.blogspot.com/
http://www.suefurrow.blogspot.com/
http://www.bluebirdnotes.blogspot.com/
http://www.latest-bmw.blogspot.com/
http://www.rubyjunescottage.blogspot.com/
http://www.sharonlaffertyart.blogspot.com/
http://www.stfusarrah.blogspot.com/
http://www.highartat1968.blogspot.com/

Thanks for sharing and being a part of this fun friendship baton! Pass it on!

I won 2nd place at work for Halloween costume contest...that's me the cowgirl! Giddy Up!

God Bless and Happy Days! ~Jan

True Beauty

2010-11-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

One thing I have learned is that true beauty comes from within. The most beautiful people I know have an inner beauty. They just glow from the inside out and send off a magical vibe of contentment and happiness that external beauty alone can not.

God Bless,

~Jan

The Last Lecture

2010-11-07T16:08:00.000-08:00

I just got finished reading this amazing book, The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch. I just had to share some of the fabulous quotes from the book.

• And as you get older, you may find that
"enabling the dreams of others" thing is even more fun. (p. 4)

• When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody's bothering
to tell you anymore, that's a very bad place to be. Your critics
are your ones telling you they still love you and care. (p. 5)

• Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. (p. 6)

• The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out.
The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.
Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough.
They're there to stop the other people. (p. 8)

• [On Humility] My dad had fought in World War II in the Battle of the Bulge,
and when we were going through his things [after he died], we found out
he had been awarded the Bronze Star for Valor. My mom didn't know it.
In 50 years of marriage it had just never come up. (p. 17)

• When I was in high school, I decided to paint my bedroom I always wanted a submarine and an elevator... And the great thing about this is
they let me do it. And they didn't get upset about it. And it's still there.
If you go to my parent's house it's still there. And anybody who is out there
who is a parent, if your kids want to paint their bedroom, as a favor to me
let them do it. It'll be OK. Don't worry about resale value on the house. (pp. 17-18)

• Decide if you're Tigger or Eeyore. Never lose the childlike wonder.
It's just too important. It's what drives us. Help others. (p. 19)

• How do you get people to help you? You can't get there alone. People have
to help you and I do believe in karma. I believe in paybacks. You get people
to help you by telling the truth. Being earnest. I'll take an earnest person
over a hip person every day, because hip is short term. Earnest is long term. (p. 21)

• Apologize when you screw up and focus on other people, not on yourself. (p. 21)

• Remember brick walls let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us
from the poeple who don't really want to achieve their childhood dreams. (p. 21)

• Anybody can get chewed out. It's the rare person who says, oh my god, you were right.
When people give you feedback, cherish it and use it. (p. 22)

• Don't complain. Just work harder. [shows slide of Jackie Robinson, the first black
major league baseball player] That's a picture of Jackie Robinson. It was in his
contract not to complain, even when the fans spit on him. (p. 22)

• Be good at something, it makes you valuable. (p. 22)

• Work hard. I got tenure a year early. Junior faculty members used to say to me,
wow, you got tenure early. What's your secret? I said, it's pretty simple.
Call me any Friday night in my office at ten o'clock and I'll tell you. (p. 22)

• Find the best in everybody... you might have to wait a long time, sometimes years,
but people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting no matter how long it takes.
No one is all evil. Everybody has a good side, just keep waiting, it will come out. (p. 22)

• And be prepared. Luck is truly where preparation meets opportunity. (p. 22)

Sadly Randy lost his battle with cancer.

~ Jan

Depression

2010-11-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

"Creativity is the antithesis of depression. It is a way of saying that what I think and feel matters...Depression is not just an illness, but a failure of creativity. We all face the problem of creating meaning in our lives. When we're depressed, we've lost hope for meaning. We all need to make a delberate effort to make the self fertile; for the depressive, that effort is essential to life."

Richard O'Connor, Undoing Depression

She hides below the surface,
The life she wants to forget,
The one where she was forgotten,
Never got to be a kid,
The pain it's all so real,
She tries to chomp it down,
The dark, hidden reality,
That it will never be,
So sharp at times it surfaces,
She's learning how to make a little room,
For this persisting voice from within,
The one that wants to speak,
She's learned just how beautiful it is,
The cocoon she's lived in,
It's preserved her well,
She's emerging as a butterfly,
No longer chewing on sharp glass,
The grip it has released her,
Her voice it is so loud,
Beautiful woman, we hear you,
Keep talking,
Keep living,
You are so amazing,
Self love, self worth and this voice,
She floats across the sky now,
So light, so cool,
Beautiful woman, you are loved!

It's a Witch World

2010-10-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

1. One who practices the black art, or magic; one regarded as possessing supernatural or magical power by compact with an evil spirit, esp. with the Devil; a sorcerer or sorceress; -- now applied chiefly or only to women, but formerly used of men as well. There was a man in that city whose name was Simon, a witch. --Wyclif (Acts viii. 9). He can not abide the old woman of Brentford; he swears she's a witch. --Shak.

2. An ugly old woman; a hag. --Shak.

3. One who exercises more than common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person; also, one given to mischief; -- said especially of a woman or child. [Colloq.]

4. (Geom.) A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera.

5. (Zo["o]l.) The stormy petrel.

6. A Wiccan; an adherent or practitioner of {Wicca}, a religion which in different forms may be paganistic and nature-oriented, or ditheistic. The term witch applies to both male and female adherents in this sense. [PJC]

One who exercises more than common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person ... is that so bad?

Boo!

~ Jan

Just Smile a Little

2010-10-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

Smile a little, smile a little,
As you go along,
Not alone when life is pleasant,
But when things go wrong.
Care delights to see you frowning,
Loves to hear you sigh;
Turn a smiling face upon her,
Quick the dame will fly.

Smile a little, smile a little,
All along the road;
Every life must have its burden,
Every heart its load.
Why sit down in gloom and darkness,
With your grief to sup?
As you drink Fate's bitter tonic
Smile across the cup.

Smile upon the troubled pilgrims
Whom you pass and meet;
Frowns are thorns, and smiles are blossoms
Oft for weary feet.
Do not make the way seem harder
By a sullen face,
Smile a little, smile a little,
Brighten up the place.

Smile upon your undone labor;
Not for one who grieves
O'er his task, waits wealth or glory;
He who smiles achieves.
Though you meet with loss and sorrow
In the passing years,
Smile a little, smile a little,
Even through your tears.

A Room of Our Own

2010-10-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” – Dead Poets Society.

“a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction”

“But for women, I thought, looking at the empty shelves, these difficulties were infinitely more formidable. In the first place, to have a room of her own, let alone a quiet room or a sound–proof room, was out of the question, unless her parents were exceptionally rich or very noble, even up to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Since her pin money, which depended on the goodwill of her father, was only enough to keep her clothed, she was debarred from such alleviations as came even to Keats or Tennyson or Carlyle, all poor men, from a walking tour, a little journey to France, from the separate lodging which, even if it were miserable enough, sheltered them from the claims and tyrannies of their families. Such material difficulties were formidable; but much worse were the immaterial. The indifference of the world which Keats and Flaubert and other men of genius have found so hard to bear was in her case not indifference but hostility. The world did not say to her as it said to them, Write if you choose; it makes no difference to me. The world said with a guffaw, Write? What’s the good of your writing? . . . For surely it is time that the effect of discouragement upon the mind of the artist should be measured”

"Once conform, once do what other people do because they do it, and a lethargy steals over all the finer nerves and faculties of the soul. She becomes all outer show and inward emptiness; dull, callous, and indifferent."

"So the days pass, and I ask myself whether one is not hypnotized, as a child by a silver globe, by life, and whether this is living."

~ Virginia Woolf

Taco Tuesday!

2010-10-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight is Taco Tuesday at Fredericos!

This Mom won't have to cook tonight! ...will be dining on Fredericos delish tacos! Happy Tuesday!

~ Jan

Dog Gone Good Day

2010-10-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to a dog-gone good week! Today being Monday wasn't so wuff wuff after all. Counting my blessings! Had a wonderful walk tonight w/ hubby while Fletch practiced his basketball.

I don't know about you...but these days I'm seeing what's right instead of what's wrong.

So much beauty all around us.

God Bless and make it a goodie! :)

~ Jan

Weight Loss - The Battle

2010-10-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Why does losing weight have to be so darn difficult? Okay...I'm doing weight watchers on line. I know it works as I lost weight by simply logging my food each day once before. But food has been tasting so good lately!

And then there's this Herbalife that some people swear by. I've tried a few of their products here and there. In the end, I'm finding a lot this weight loss stuff is all the same...full of caffeine.

I've also tried that Alli product for weight loss...the first FDA approved product. Okay...did they really think this stuff would be popular? It says not to be far from a bathroom when you first begin taking the product...I now know why! Hello - no fun! The stomach pain it creates is unbearable.

In the end, I think I'll stick to the good old fashioned way of losing weight...walking more, and eating out less. Let me see here...if I eat fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meats and walk, walk, walk...I'll probably lose some weight, not to mention feel good! Hey now there's a terrific idea! :)

Happy Sunday. I'm going for a walk!

~Jan

Delish Kitchens!

2010-10-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

Well, today I'm feeling better than I did yesterday. I ended up relieving stress by watching a marathon of movies and shutting out the world! This morning, hubby and I walked to Starbucks and I enjoyed a nice pumpkin spice latte. Just wish I had a magic wand to wave and make all the recession yucky stuff go away! So now I'm blogging and have found some beautiful kitchens that brought me much joy and inspiration. Hopefully enough to dig in and do some much needed cleaning today. Tomorrow it's back to the M-F work week for me.

So many amazing kitchens featured in House Beautiful...these are a few of my favorites...

I want this outdoor space in my backyard! Wow!

Old Fashioned all white kitchens are among my favorites too!

Loved these rustic wood cabinets...a very natural look.

I love these cabinets too!

Baskets are so useful! I like this!

Here is the Jeff Lewis kitchen! ...so modern...too clean lined for me.

I so love this kitchen below...so unusual and so warm...love it!

Decorating w/Books! ...another look right up my alley!

Happy Sunday everyone! ~ Jan

Getting Lost In A Movie

2010-10-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life just feels a little serious and a little hard to handle,

So today I think I'll just Get Lost in a Movie,

This morning I found myself watching an Italian Movie called "I am Love" with English Subtitles,

I needed to Get Lost In a Movie,

The economy is depressing and shows no signs of rebounding back,

Time to go Get Lost In a Movie,

My husband is sad, but trying not to show it,

The stress of the economy and sagging income is wearing,

I think I'll Go Get Lost In a Movie,

Life's kicking our ass, but we're not giving in,

Sounds like the perfect time to Get Lost in a Movie,

I've got the pot roast a simmering and I'm sippin' some red wine,

Next is just the perfect time to,

Go Get Lost In a Movie,

Okay, so now you know where I'm headed,

That's right I'm off,

I just feel the need,

To go Get Lost In a Movie! Not sure what I'll watch,

Maybe this one or that one,

No, I just am not sure,

Only sure of one thing,

and that is...

I must go Get Lost In a Movie!

God Bless and Happy Saturday! ~Jan

Forgiveness

2010-10-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I continue, even today, always liking myself. But what I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself.

It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes - it is inevitable. But once you do and you see the mistake, then you forgive yourself and say, 'well, if I'd known better I'd have done better,' that's all.

So you say to people who you think you may have injured, 'I'm sorry,' and then you say to yourself, 'I'm sorry.'

If we all hold on to the mistake, we can't see our own glory in the mirror because we have the mistake between our faces and the mirror; we can't see what we're capable of being.

You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one's own self.

I think that young men and women are so caught by the way they see themselves. Now mind you. When a larger society sees them as unattractive, as threats, as too black or too white or too poor or too fat or too thin or too sexual or too asexual, that's rough. But you can overcome that.

The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn, and sure as hell we should never teach.

~ Maya Angelou

God Bless! ~Jan

I Heart Ann Taylor & White House Black Market

2010-10-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

I'm so looking forward to my day of shopping with my beautiful daughter Samantha today.

Happy Days!

- Jan

I think she would say...

2010-10-06T23:44:00.000-07:00

Live your life to the fullest,

Accept change, yes nothing will stay the same,

Love yourself, so you can love other people,

Listen to your body,

Rest when you are tired,

Get excited about something,

Give yourself to someone,

Let go and trust,

Laugh at yourself, yes you're a little nutty,

Don't compare yourself to others,

There is no comparison,

Forgive yourself when you do something wrong,

Learn from it, it's okay,

Have something really old in your house,

Have something very new in your house,

Give love freely,

Love unconditionally,

Don't waste precious time holding grudges,

Never keep score,

Dance,

Relax more often,

Treat yourself every single day to something simple,

Be kind,

Be honest,

Just breathe,

Be yourself,

There's no such thing as perfect,

There's no such thing as average,

Relish you,

Love you,

Be kind to you,

Laugh more often!

A Good Laugh!

2010-09-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

Mommy Dearest

2010-09-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

She left me when I was becoming a woman,

Becoming a young lady,

The formative years,

Years of preliminary guidance,

Help me when I stumble,

Whose there when I fall,

Still remember the foggy days,

The ones I can block out,

The painful ones that stunned me,

Days that threw me for a loop,

We all must live the truth,

The truth and reality,

I clench it in my fist,

The truth it sets me free,

The issues were not mine,

Her issues, his issues, these are not mine,

I am not to be ashamed,

I lived as a child for a short time,

Relish those moments,

Oh yes I do,

Oh Mommy Dearest please set me free,

There's no room for you now,

No trust in my heart,

Shattered and broken,

It will not last,

The hope it lives on,

Go away little bird I call hope,

I'm setting you free,

I live in the reality,

That it will never be,

I dream of us laughing,

Birthday cards from you arriving,

I squeal with delight,

In my mind I paint the picture,

The one that really doesn't exist,

The one where you act like my Mom,

And care that I exist,

When does a girl,

Finally let go,

Wonder if I'll hang on,

Paint that picture over again,

The one where she changes,

Tells me I'm precious,

Has came to her senses,

Apologizes she forgot I exist,

My birthday it's coming,

Wonder if I'll march to mailbox with high hopes,

Of receiving a wish,

One that says she really gives a @#$%

And why would that matter,

Truly after all these years,

Why won't the little child,

Just let me be?

What's Your Untold Story?

2010-08-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

-Maya Angelou

Phenomenal Woman

2010-08-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

Phenomenal Woman

by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me. Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need for my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

God Bless all of us Phenomenal Women!

How Do You Make People Feel?

2010-08-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

I've learned that people will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget how you made them feel.

- Maya Angelou

Balboa Island

2010-07-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a wonderful trip to California. I so love Balboa Island! You can see why...

Fun boutiques and shops.

Yummy ice cream and frozen bananas!

I was surprised to see how much over cast there was, but it was still beautiful!

Thank You Funky Junk Sisters!

2010-07-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

I just returned home from a wonderful family vacation and what a surprise...I won the recent give away from the Funky Junk Sisters! I am just thrilled! I am super excited to receive the beautiful necklace and tank top! Woo hoo! I will be sure and post pictures of me wearing them! Thank you Funky Junk Sisters, you gals so rock and are so inspiring to us all! Woo hoo! God Bless!

GIVE AWAY! ...simply fabo!

2010-06-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

The funky junk sisters look like they are having an absolute blast doing what they love! They are currently having a fabulous give away...this beautiful pendant necklace and one of their signature tank tops! Please visit their blog for the details at http://www.funkyjunksisters.com/ I find them to be so inspiring! ...just had to share! :) God Bless.

Outdoor inspiration!

2010-06-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

Pottery Barn truly inspires me! I so love the outdoor bliss below! The things I would buy if I could...

hope you enjoy as much as I do!

2010-06-21T16:40:00.001-07:00

summer time bliss

2010-06-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

Summer time bliss! There's nothing like a delicious ice tea! My favorite drink of all time!

I am enjoying the summer with the kids. I am counting my blessings! God bless!

Summer is here :)

2010-06-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

Summer is here...time for swimming and relaxing!

I love all of the wonderful flowers summer brings!

He's awake and ready for his fun day at Wet and Wild Water Park!

She's ready for her indoor soccer game...go get 'em girl!

Summer time bliss...I feel so blessed. :)

My new home

2010-06-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

We have recently moved and I'm looking forward to getting this place charmed up now that I'm not working. There's so much to figure out.

Dining area.

Need to remove the bench, as there's too much furniture in this room.

View from upstairs. I love the cottage style chardonnay tile in this house.

Can't wait to replace this plain chandelier with my own.

I love all the arches in this house.

Beautiful arch ways through the entry way.

Wouldn't a fun chandelier look cool?

The entry area to my new home. The walls were white, so I wanted to try jazzing 'em up a bit w/ color. My next thought was to add a few daisies and then try making it look like aged wall paper by adding some tarnishing effect here and there. It did not go as planned and now I'm left wondering...hmmmmm...what shall I do now?

This is my living room, which I'm still figuring out. Now that I am not working, I have the time to dedicate on getting the house decorated, painted and arranged. It truly was mission impossible trying to find the time to get the house put together while working full time. Summer is here and I'm excited to get started!

Lot's to figure out.

The hideous kitchen! My dream kitchen has white marble countertops, antique cream cabinetry w/ fluting and oil rubbed bronze knobs and hardware with stainless steel appliances. We are renting this house, so not sure what I'll do!

Any and all input is appreciated. I will post picture of the exterior as well, as it's so darling w/ castle rock and very cottage outside. I'm currently working on the master bedroom and bathroom. So much to do! Thanks and God bless! :) I feel so blessed as this past year has been such a journey for my family due to recession.

Here I am with beer in hand. Cheers to all of us fabulous women who ride the roller coaster of life and come out swinging! ...Us tough, yet sweet broads :) xoxoxoxo

Dog Heaven

2010-06-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

Here's our Roxy :)

Roxy and our little Cleo. They are sisters and our little loves.

Precious girls; we love you! :)

Something More

2010-05-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

"There is a stage with people we love when we are no longer separate from them, but so close in sympathy that we live through them as directly as through ourselves...We push back our hair because theirs is in their eyes."

"But we're not satisfied with what we ourselves have learned about the world and ourselves. We're always waiting for a stranger to come and tell us something more. And "something more" means "the rest of it," and that's what we need most; we miss it. So, go ahead, stranger! ...tell her what she herself is, beyond what she herself already knows she is...her life, her years, her great expenditures of self, what of herself is honey and what is gall on her tongue, the hunger she has, and the hunger she sees."

"In a few years I shall have created a woman's world for myself, which I shall love even more, for it will contain my husband and my children. But I haven't reached that stage yet. I am still wavering between the past and the the future. My husband loves me too much to allow me to work on my own writing just yet; it is difficult anyway, and I will have to work it all out for myself...With a little effort I can again become what I was before, although no longer a maiden, but a woman, and when this happens, both he and I will be satisfied."

"The literature of women's lives is a tradition of escapees, women who have lived to tell the tale...They resist captivity. They get up and go. They seek better worlds."

"She endured. And survived. Marginally, perhaps but it is not required of us that we live well."

The above quotes are from the book, Something More, Excavating Your Authentic Self by Sarah Ban Breathnach

Brick and ruffles!

2010-03-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

What makes you sing? A few things that make me sing are brick buildings and ruffles!

What a fabulous room. I'm a huge fan of brick and old buildings. Delish!

These ruffles get me singing! I so love this table cloth! I must make one!

Love this shower curtain with the ruffles! Tranquil bathrooms are ze best!

I will be moving soon and am super excited. Can not wait to post pictures of my new home. It's a total cottage! I'm currently busy painting the master bedroom and bathroom. Had to remove some not so fabo wall border. That really gave my neck and back quite a work out. I will be posting photos once I get settled in of my new home! Woo hoo!

Soccer Sam

2010-02-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

High school soccer season is officially over. Last night was Millennium's last game. I'm so proud of my Soccer Sam. From the time she was in 1st grade, the only sport she was interested in was soccer. Here she is a Freshman in High School and the passion and love for the sport is still such a part of her. Great season Soccer Sam. We are so proud of you! :)

Shabby Chic

2010-01-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

Take a look at what's cookin at Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic store. I dream of owning one of her couches! Perhaps someday it will be in my budget :)

Following are my favorite things Shabby Chic!

Would so love to own this chaise!

Broken in comfort....love it!

This couch is my DREAM COUCH!!!

The Darcy Chair - another signature of Rachel's collection. Love it!

The Pottery Barn

2010-01-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

Look at what the Pottery Barn has! These are some of my favorite things. I just had to post them :)

I so love slip cover styled couches.

Love these pillows :)

Great grouping of candle holders and all things tweet.

Glass bottles are so gorgeous, especially when grouped together.

Tweet, tweet!

Love these vintage looking keys!

See the keys on the wall here?

What a fantastic dining room chandelier! Whoda thunk?

Love the desk set up, but not large enough for me :)

Candle holders...gotta have 'em!

A perfect door mat - charm galore!

Love these light fixtures.

I love the Pottery Barn...very warm decor. Had to share :)

Thankful

2010-01-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

Thank you to my very dear and special friend Martha. Today she sent me this wonderful email about joy. I so loved this quote:

"Within me is everything I need to experience lasting joy!"

...that's me on the left and Martha on the right :)

The article also reminded us that regardless, of what is happening externally in our lives, it's important we always remember that happiness is a choice. Also, making quiet time for ourselves is so crucial - a time to reflect! Thanks for sharing this article Martha! I'm so thankful you're in my life and I treasure you girl! :)

The past few weeks have been so eye opening for me. God has really placed people in my life that teach me so many things. It's taken me 40 years to realize that yes life is a constant struggle, but what we deem is good or bad isn't always just that. It's easy to spend precious time and years chasing "things" that we think define us and are deemed important by society and our world. I'm so looking to forward to really making the second half of my life count for something more. Looking beyond and outside of myself. It's crazy how bombarded we are by "things" we are told we need. We can so create the struggle. The real beauty and magic in life is in the authentic relationships we have with others. The love we give and recieve on a daily basis. Opening ourselves up, sharing, being vunerable and not hiding who we are. Growth is a painful process that we fear when we're going through it and then we discover the lesson and the beauty that God was trying to give to us through the process. It's like the butterfly fighting to break free from the cocoon. The struggle is what creates the butterfly to be strong enough to emerge and fly out of the cocoon. Life is so magical and so beautiful. I've learned to live in the now and it's amazing! I no longer fear the what ifs. I know I can handle whatever God has prepared for me to endure. It's part of the plan for my life :) I'm so thankful for all of it :)

"To love means never to be afraid of the windstorms of life; should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the beauty of the carvings." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Must Haves!

2010-01-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

I am IN LOVE with this ruffled chair slip cover...it truly makes my heart skip a beat!

THE URNS...love 'em!!!

I have discovered this blog / store...Curious Sofa in Kansas City...what a find! Check it out!

I also LOVE these slip covers! Found this on Shelly Beson Designs.

How To Make Wreath

2009-12-01T09:20:00.000-08:00

The kids and I love making these kind of wreaths.

Cut your circle from cardboard and use gift wrap. Cut gift wrap into small 3-4 inch squares, wrap around eraser end of pencil, dip in glue and stick on cardboard! Keep on trucking until your wreath is nice and full!

Have Fun! It's very inexpensive and fun to do with your kids :)

Holiday Time

2009-12-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

Christmas is Coming!

We've got one tree up and one to go!

My Angel tree topper :)

Angels

2009-11-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful for all of the special Guardian Angels I have had in my life. I so loved these Angel images, that I had to post them and share. Hope you enjoy them too! :)

All of these precious Angel images came from The Graphics Fairy!

Blessings

2009-11-23T08:41:00.000-08:00

This little catepillar will soon become a butterfly!

This spoke to me today, so I had to share it. :)

...."No matter who has denigrated you or how much pain you've experienced in life, no matter how many setbacks you have suffered, you cannot allow yourself to accept that as the way life is supposed to be. No, God has better things in store for you. You must reprogram your mind with God's Word; change that negative, defeated self-image, and start seeing yourself as winning, coming out on top. Start seeing that marriage as resotred. See your business as flourishing. See your children as enjoying the good things of God. You must see it through your eyes of faith, and then it will begin to happen.

Learn to guard your mind, control your thought life, and begin to dwell on the good things of God. If you always think little, believe little and expect little, then you will receive little."

"Maybe at one time you had a good image of yourself, but now you see yourself as simply as survivor."

"See yourself as God sees you - as a winner, an overcomer!"

-Joel Osteen

Today, I am counting my blessings! Thank you Lord for the wonderful time my Fletcher and I shared last year at Seaside. We had so much fun crabbing together :)

Thank you Lord for those moments with Bubba, when we are fun and care free and treasuring each other.

Thank you for the Dear Friends and positive, special people you bring into the lives of our children.

Soccer Sammie, her Bestie Bri and Coach TJ! That soccer tournament was so fun! The girls had a blast!

Thank you Lord for my wonderful Sammie. I love my kiddos and realize what blessings they are!

God Bless!

FREE GIVE AWAY!

2009-11-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody...don't miss out on the FREE GIVEAWAY at Bluebird Notes!

I hope I win of coarse! lol! Above is the give away. Go to her blog, for all the details :)

Thanksgiving is Near

2009-11-18T16:00:00.000-08:00

This is last years table setting. Yes, we already had put up our white Christmas tree to enjoy for Thanksgiving. What shall I do this year? hmmmmmmm.

Dare To Dream

2009-11-18T10:57:00.000-08:00

Throw your dreams into space like a kite!

Love this decor! There's several pieces I want in my home! Love the white bird cage, farmhouse distressed table and all the soft colors!

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too can become great! - Mark Twain

God Bless!

FRIENDSHIP

2009-11-16T17:16:00.000-08:00

First, please let me tell you how Blessed I am! To be loved! :)

My girl friend sent me the most wonderful package in the mail today! She loves to create as much as I do! Some of the things she sent me are things that I can use my imagination with to create! So exciting! Look at the darling glass piece she made with our photo in it!

Look at all of these fun treasures!

Here I am sporting the fabulous bracelets she made for me :)

Here's a close up of one bracelet. Precious! Words to describe me!!! I'm so touched :)

Love her note :)

This says, "As down life's stream we wander. Let's pause awhile and ponder. How we may bring to someone gladness. How we may banish care and sadness." I so love this!

An old photo she described as "Old friends on Holiday" That's us :)

I treasure you Tam! Thank you so much for the wonderful package today :) Today was a magical day for me!

A Dogs World :)

2009-11-13T08:53:00.000-08:00

One thing that really makes me smile inside and out is vintage pics with children and their dogs. Growing up my little dog was just everything to me. These images make my heart just sing!

This cutey reminds me of our beloved lil Cosmo. She is no longer with us.

I adore vintage pics with children and dogs. They make my heart sing! :)

This has always been one of my all time favorite vintage pics! It's our lil pets that bring us so much love and comfort throughout our lives.

What a love! This lil puggy was certainly loved - what a precious photo!

Let's go outside :)

2009-11-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hanging on front porch rail.

The pros and cons of living in Arizona is our summers are so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk! But this time of year, is pure outdoor bliss. Relaxing outside with a good book, or cup of coffee in the morning is wonderful.

There's our little Cleo

Look at those lemons! I love my lemon trees!

Love the whispy, fluffy things on this plant!

yummy lemons!

All through my life, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child. -Marie Curie

Books I recommend

2009-11-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading this book below. It was written in the 1970's and is so brilliant at helping us uncover who we truly are. It is taking me through a journey of self discovery, peeling back layers from child hood. I highly recommend all of the books I'm posting. I'm always working to become a better me.

She also wrote this one below; I have it ordered and am anxiously awaiting it's arrival.

I so love all of Sarah Ban Breathnach's books. This one "Something More" is one of my absolute favorites!

This is one of my next reads below.

Who hasn't read Eat, Pray, Love - Wow, the journey this takes us on is fabulous!

I am a big Paula White fan. I love those who "overcome" great odds and make it! She is one of them.

Of coarse Rachel Ashwell's new book is on my "want" list!

Can't wait to get it!

Good things are coming my way and I'm thanking God in advance! :) - Happy Days!

My home

2009-11-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

Still need to put the finishing touches on this coffee table.

My Dining Room

Family Room

I love my new family room coffee table. I sawed the legs off outdoor patio table, primed it and painted it. I love it as it's so oversized and BIG!

I love dogs!

Here's my Cleo and Roxy!

Some of my dog collection

This precious little angel was made by Fletcher when he was in Kindergarten.

She is so precious to me!

I found this plate at a thrift store in Seaside, Oregon

It's has meaning to me, as my Father was a Longshoreman, worked on that terminal and drove across that bridge for most of his working life.

More things I love in my home :)

My very special Aunt Mona gave me that wooden piece. It's very special to me, I love her so!

These shells came from Seaside, Oregon and bring me so many special memories!

Glued this wooden ornate piece to my kitchen island and distressed it.

I grew up with two fabulous Hazelnut trees in my yard as a child! Every fall I buy some :)

I made this pillow. "LET IT BE" I think in life it's important, we just let things be sometimes. It's so difficult to accept things that "are" when we want to change them.

My daughter created this art of George Washington in 3rd grade. She's now a high schooler, but I've got it hanging up at home :)

"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it."

- William James, American Philosopher

Chandelier Heaven!

2009-11-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

Oooh La La!

I see many that I would love to have in this window!

This eclectic mix of chandeliers with this table setting is too fabulous!

Simply Gorgeous!

I'll take one of each please!

I so love this one too...elegant!

This is absolutely one of my all time favorites!!!

This one is very different...a shell chandelier; I like it :)

Thanks for viewing! God Bless!