Top 10

May you always remember that YOU have the power to change your world.

All I Want For Christmas

Tuck and Roll

Learning how to fall with grace and humility is the key to knowing how to pick yourself up and try, try again.

May you always be aware that falling down on the path to success is a required part of the journey.

Great Adventures

"It's the most wonderful time of the year".... For me and my family, this is the most CRAZY, wonderful time of the year! We deck the halls and then there's baking and shopping and wrapping, fa la la la la la la la la. Throw in a birthday, other than baby Jesus', right in the middle of December, and you can feel my need for a blood orange martini!

All of this aside, last night my daughter Emily and her wonderful boyfriend Karlo decided to make a gingerbread house. I suggested the milk carton, graham cracker idea and was quickly shot down. They wanted to make the gingerbread from scratch and they wanted it to be a "Greek" gingerbread house! I didn't want to squash their spirit, (well maybe a little) but I know what baking from scratch and building a house of candy and cookies entails. This project wasn't going to be as simple as they planned.

I was excited by their enthusiasm, (oh to be young and believe that everything happens fast and easy) but I wasn't sure of their time management or decorating skills. Like most college kids, they woke at 11:00, searched for nutrition, and then around 2:00 were ready to go fetch the ingredients. By the time they shopped, drew up their architectural plans, (complete with a balcony and dome) made the gingerbread, and oh, by the way, cooked dinner (FABULOUS Greek meal) and began to frame the house it was 10:15  Uuuggghhhh! I stayed  for a while, curious of the method to their madness, but overwhelmed by the blobs of sugar and egg-white glue that sent me running for bed. Visions of hardened egg whites and frosting on the carpet made the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up and I feared for the disappointment of a gingerbread house gone wrong.

As I headed up the stairs, the gingerbread walls were falling and the red solo cups were breaking out. I'm not entirely sure if they were for structural support or moral support, my guess is it was a little of both. In the middle of the night came sounds of whisking, whisking, whisking. My nightmares took me to a leaning, dilapidated, blue and white mess upon my waking in the morning.

The good news: I did not crush any spirits! When I made it to the kitchen I was shocked to discover that they had accomplish gingerbread greatness! My daughter, nicknamed Em-Azing for a reason, had accomplished something I never expected. I knew she and Karlo would make the best effort of putting their gingerbread house together, for they are both hard workers, but I honestly didn't expect it to be great.

As I drank my coffee, soaking in their success. I began to think about the beauty of being young. As an older and "wiser" person, I often limit my fun factor. I determine: how much time a project will take, time is always of the essence; how much energy I will need to expend, because I am definitely old and tired. And how much knowledge I will need to execute my task successfully. This often times results in doing nothing at all or choosing an easier route, such as milk carton gingerbread houses. As young adults, Emily and Karlo were never once detoured, for their only goal was to have fun and succeed.  I've come to realize that their greatest desire in any adventure or challenge that they embark upon, is not only accomplish their desired goal, but to always have fun. While I didn't doubt their ability to have fun making a gingerbread house, I didn't believe that they could make it from scratch, in the time allotted.  I think Norman Vincent Peale said it best: "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." Emily and Karlo had these very key ingredients already in place before they began their journey and therefor their success was eminent.

As my children get older and bring home wonderful friends, (the house has been bustling with so much love and laughter this holiday season) I feel blessed to be reminded, that to live life fully is to embrace each moment, believe in my abilities and take time out to have fun during this very busy season. Who knew one could learn so much though the baking of gingerbread houses.

1:10 am

May you always be willing to embark upon great adventures and not be detoured by naysayers!

Light at the end of the tunnel

"Never Never Never Give Up"

~Winston Churchill    

Never Give up Hope

Never Give up Faith

Never Give up Love

Never Give up on Yourself

Never Give into your Fears

May you always be willing to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Passion

I'd Rather Go Blind

 Not much needs to be said. Just listen and feel the passion of a 13 year old Rachel Crow singing for her life in the survival round of X Factor. Very Moving!

May you always be willing to live your life with passion!

The Journey

"A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, 'How heavy is this glass of water?' Answers called out ranged from four ounces up to twelve. The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it.
"'If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.'
He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden, if we feel we must.
"'So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax. Pick them up later after you've rested.'"

— Author Unknown

Life was never intended to be a burden. It is a journey to be explored and celebrated. So often we shoulder the burdens of our lives and carry them around for all to see, thus diminishing the joy of our everyday lives. You see, if you constantly carry the weight of the world on your shoulders you will have no energy to pick up the simple pleasures of everyday life.

May you always be willing to set down your burdens and enjoy life.

Mark Twain

May you always remember to take pleasure in each moment.

Wonder-full Wednesday

"I found I could say things with colors and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for."
                                                                         ~Georgia O'Keefe

                                                                                                                

dentsu-paint-sound-sculptures

May you always be willing to enjoy the beauty that today brings.

Frog Kissing

"Anger is like a fat, ugly frog that no one wants to kiss. But even a child knows that when we kiss a frog, a gift appears."

                                                                                          -- Robert Holden
                                                                                  Author of Shift Happens

We all know there is nothing pretty about anger, but the truth is it gets even uglier when we try to suppress it. The further down we try to push it, the more insidious it becomes, outwardly causing irrational thinking, depression, rage and violence, while inwardly creating ulcers and heart attacks, migraines and addictions. And every time we try to hide our anger, we miss an opportunity to heal and change.

Instead of trying to bury our anger, we're better off when we
acknowledge its presence; accept that it has arisen to expose our doubts and fears, our old wounds and our own lack of self. Once we've "kissed the frog" by accepting its presence, we can let it go, blessing our old wounds, releasing our fears, and restoring inner peace as we choose not to react but to create a better way for ourselves and our world.    

~Kate Nowak

May you always be willing to let go of your anger and embrace the opportunity for growth.

Welcome to Holland

"I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances may be. I know how to live when things are difficult and I know how to live when things are prosperous. In general and in particular I have learned the secret of...facing either plenty or poverty. I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me."   ~Philippians 4:11-13

Battling, with life's ups and downs, doesn't change things. As my mother says..."It is, what it is." Many people resort to burying their head in the sand and pretending that nothing is wrong. This doesn't help either. But I know what does help.

Acceptance.

Acceptance of life's difficult situations doesn't make things harder, it makes things easier. Acceptance empowers us to see life through a different set of eyes. Emily Perl Kingsley said it beautifully in a story she penned years ago.

"...it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the wheels of the jumbo jet touch down, you awaken from your slumbers, and you hear a flight attendant's cheery voice saying,  "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland."

In life, we are often faced with unintended trips to Holland. It can be a break-up, lingering illness, hardship, loss of a loved one. Or any situation where we are left powerless and vulnerable. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is open your heart and accept whatever comes, with gratitude. Acceptance is powerful; it can turn turmoil to peace and helplessness to independence.

Yes, being in a place not of our choosing is difficult.  However, I have found that in times of struggle, the rewards of growth and love can be abundant.

smile :)

:)

Top 10 Reasons to Smile

Smiling Makes us Attractive

Smiling Changes our Mood

Smiling is Contagious

Smiling Relieves Stress

Smiling Boosts your Immune System

Smiling Lowers your Blood Pressure 

Smiling Releases Endorphins, 

Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin

Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes you Look Younger

Smiling Makes you Seem Successful

Smiling Helps you Stay Positive

Life is always brighter from behind a smile :)

So

So choose to be HAPPY, and bring happiness to others
So do the CRAZY thing, that scares you

So be the person who INSPIRES others

So embrace each day with GRATITUDE and appreciation

So LAUGH out-loud and let your joy be heard

So sing and dance and let your CREATIVITY flow

So LIVE and LOVE as though it's the only thing that matters

What's standing in your way?

"I love you"

"I love you" means that I accept you for the person that you are and that I do not wish to change you into someone else. It means that I do not expect perfection from you-just as you do not expect it from me. It means that I will love you and stand by you even through the worst of times. It means loving you when you're in a bad mood or too tired to do the things I want to do. It means loving you when you're down-not just when you're fun to be with. "I love you" means that I know your deepest secrets and do not judge you for them-asking in return only that you do not judge me for mine. It means that I care enough to fight for what we have and that I love enough not to let go. It means thinking of you, dreaming of you, wanting and needing you constantly, and hoping that you feel the same way for me. ~Unknown

May you always love, and be loved, unconditionally.

May you always be willing to live each moment as if it were your last.

Thank-full

Today I give thanks for YOU, because you are here for ME always.

For my parents... without your unconditional love and support I would not be the woman I am today.
For my sister... you are a bright light that inspires me to be better each and everyday.
For my husband...I am amazed by this blessed love of ours. You are the best thing that happened to me and our children.
For my four children...your love and laughter bring me to my knees. I am so proud to be your mother.
For my extended family and friends...you know my heart, even when I speak with my "outside voice".


HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Your Best Life

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

~Maya Angelou

photography: four creative studios

At one time or another we have all been in the presence of someone who has the ability to make us feel as though we were the only person in the world. Take note; Nothing feels quite as good as making another person smile. Nothing feels better than lending a helping hand. And nothing makes us feel more loved than loving someone else.

May you always be aware that in order to get your best life, you must be willing to give the best of yourself.

Attitude of Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." 
                                                                                         - Melody Beattie. 
 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. While I work hard to practice an attitude of gratitude throughout the year. During the fall and Thanksgiving in particular, I take special note to slow down, before things wind up for Christmas, and focus on the blessings before me.

For you see, when we are willing to look at life as a blessing and filled with gratitude, then a wonderful transformation occurs. Life becomes easier, more pleasant, a gift to be cherished. Life, like everything else, is a matter of perspective and how we choose to live it is entirely up to us.

May you always be willing to live with an attitude of gratitude.

Yummy Granola

 Food is our common ground, a universal experience.

~James Beard

As I prepare for my children and their friends to come home for Thanksgiving, (I'm so excited for everyone to be under one roof for a few days) I decided to make some granola. It's a big hit around the house. It will make for a quick snack for the early risers or serve as the first course before the main breakfast. 

I like this recipe because I can make it ahead of time, which gives me more time to enjoy my family, and it makes for a nice care package or hostess gift during the holidays.

Here is the recipe, I hope you enjoy it and the upcoming holidays.

Yummy Granola Goodness 

I serve this granola with vanilla yogurt and fresh berries for breakfast, or sprinkle it over ice cream for dessert.

ingredients

2C old-fashioned oats

3/4 C sliced almonds

1/2 C sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 C coarsely chopped peacans

1/3 C (packed) brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 C unsalted butter

4 tablespoons honey

1 C dried fruit (I use orange flavored crasins and golden berry mix from Trader Joes)

preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Melt butter with honey in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Pour over granola mixture and toss well. Spread out mixture on baking sheet. bake 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add dried fruit; mix to separate any clumps. Continue to bake until granola is golden brown stirring frequently, about 15 minutes loner. Cool. Do ahead Can be make 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

No Regrets

                                                                                                   

IN LIFE WE DO THINGS. SOME WE WISH WE HAD NEVER DONE. SOME WE WISH WE COULD REPLAY A MILLION TIMES IN OUR HEADS. BUT THEY ALL MAKE US WHO WE ARE, AND IN THE END THEY SHAPE EVERY DETAIL ABOUT US. IF WE WERE TO REVERSE ANY OF THEM WE WOULDN'T BE THE PERSON WE ARE. SO JUST LIVE, MAKE MISTAKES, HAVE WONDERFUL MEMORIES, BUT NEVER EVER SECOND GUESS WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY WHERE IT IS YOU'RE GOING. 

ANNONYMOUS

Not Your Typical Love Letter

May you always be willing to see love with innovative eyes.

Hug it Out

"I will not play tug o' war. I'd rather play hug o' war. Where everyone hugs instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins."

                                                      ~Shel Silverstein 

Hugging is a way of connecting with others. It is a way of sharing love, appreciation, and genuine affection. It is about giving and receiving and most importantly, it is free. It promotes positive energy and it has healing powers that are better than Mom's "magic" soup. 

May you always be willing to hug often, hug well and embrace the power of the hug. 

Plans for Tomorrow

"We are always getting ready to live, but never living."

                                                                                             ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

National Geographic

Far too many of us plan for our arrival at the top of the mountain, where life will be better or easier.  We promise ourselves that when we get to the top...when the children are grown...when we accomplish financial independence...THEN...we will start enjoying and start living. But what we forget is, it is the journey/climb, where most growth and living takes place. I assure you, if you take time along your journey, breathe in the air and enjoy the majestic views on your way up, you will not be disappointed, for you will know that you have lived each day to the fullest.

May you always remember to live in the moment.

A Place of Gratitude

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."
                                                                                                                                 ~Marcel Proust

As we approach this time of Thanksgiving, let us acknowledge the kindness and generosity that we have been shown by others. Take a moment and express appreciation for those who have impacted your life through large or small acts of kindness.  For the first step to making the world a kinder and gentler place, is to acknowledge the generosity of spirit we've already been shown.

May you always be willing to show your appreciation.

Veterans Day 2011

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Good Things

 

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends. 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

May your day be filled with all things good.

Wonder-full Wednesday

LOVE MORE

worry less

Enlightened Perspective

 I've Learned

 by Andy Rooney
1919-2011

I've learned...that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned...that when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned...that just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.

I've learned...that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned...that being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned...that you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned...that I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned...that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned...that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned...that simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned...that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned...that we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned...that money doesn't buy class.

I've learned...that it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned...that under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned...that the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I've learned...that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned...that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned...that love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned...that the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned...that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned...that there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I've learned...that no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned...that life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned...that opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned...that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned...that I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I've learned...that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned...that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned...that I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I've learned...that when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned...that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned...that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.

I've learned...that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

May you always be willing to learn and grow from life's experiences.

peaceful inspiration

 For the friends who inspire and remind us that we are not alone (you know who you are)...thank you.

May today be a day when peace comes easily.

"Let Go of the Rice"

 In a world that lives like a fist
mercy [trust] is no more than waking
with your hands open.

“So much more can happen with our hands open.  In fact, closing and stubbornly maintaining our grip is often what keeps us stuck, though we want to blame everything and everyone else, especially what we’re holding on to.
There is an ancient story from China that makes all this very clear.  It stems from the way traps were set for monkeys.  A coconut was hollowed out through an opening that was cut to the size of a monkey’s open hand.  Rice was then placed in the carved-out fruit which was left in the path of the monkeys.  Sooner or later, a hungry monkey  would smell the rice and reach its hand in.  But once fisting the rice, its hand could no longer fit back out through the opening.  The monkeys that were caught were those who would not let go of the rice.
As long as the monkey maintained its grip on the rice, it was a prisoner of its own making.  The trap worked because the monkey’s hunger was the master of its reach.  The lesson for us is profound.  We need to always ask ourselves, What is our rice and what is keeping us from opening our grip and letting it go?….”

 from The Book of Awakening ~by Mark Nepo

Ask yourself, what is your rice? Is it anger, fear or maybe even worry? Maybe its a person who just gets under your skin. When we hold on tight to that which frustrates us we are shut out from the light. But when we choose to let go, and loosen our grip, we allow light in and in turn we are given the opportunity to see things from a different perspective. Most often, what we hold onto with the tightest grip will not matter a year from now, and the things that will not matter in the long run, should not drive us crazy  now.

Most things, given enough time, will self correct. Allow that to happen and you will have more time and energy to focus on what is good in your life.

May you always be willing to loosen your grip and "Let Go of the Rice".

Wordless Wednesday

Miniature Art On the Tip of Pencil by Dalton Ghetti

Shake the Dust

May you always be willing to run forward and far into the open arms of the world.

Don't Fret

"Pick the day. Enjoy it - to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come... The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present - and I don't want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future."
 ~Audrey Hepburn

May you always be willing to enjoy the life you are living.

What's Stopping You?

The power is in you, it's in all of us, and what matters is that we are willing to live our best lives with purpose, today. Find your joy and this weekend "Do the Crazy Thing". Whatever it may be, YOU CAN DO IT. Take the bar tending class you've always wanted to take, sing karaoke, skydive or check something off of your bucket list.  The sky is the limit, just open your heart and your mind and take a leap of faith. Before you know it, it will be done!

May you always live your life to the fullest.

Practically Wordless Wednesday

 "I live and love in God's peculiar light"  ~Michelangelo

Dream Big

Most people underestimate their own personal power. They give up even before they begin, thus missing out on valuable opportunities. Time and time again we see that the people who are most successful are not afraid to fail. In fact, when failure comes in the form of obstacles or setbacks, they learn and grow from the experience and begin again with a new knowledge and purpose.

For many of us, taking risks is difficult and the first step is always the hardest. The best way to reduce fear and gain confidence is to take action. Start with small steps and build upon them, you will be headed in the right direction and the fear will become more manageable. As your confidence grows, so will your successes.

Removing fear of failure and believing in yourself opens the doors to accomplishing your wildest dreams. Believe in yourself, for what you believe is what you will become.

May you always believe that your possibilities are limitless.

For You

Peter Bradley Adams

Music in the soul can be heard by the universe" ~ Lao Tzu

Music has the ability to transport me anywhere in time. It can move me emotionally to a place of joy or sorrow. I love music and I would consider myself someone who has a somewhat eclectic taste.  I enjoy classical, country, oldies, rock and roll etc... As a Mom I have shared my love for music with my children. I remember Emily singing Blackbird, by the Beatles, in the styling of Bob Dylan at the age of five. And Hannah belting out Tomorrow, from the musical Annie, at the age of three.  But as I've gotten older I seem to listen to the same music over and over. So I'm always excited to find a new artist that moves me.  This summer it was Adele and tonight Hannah introduced me to Peter Bradley Adams. From the moment she turned it on, his beautiful melodies took me in. Check out his song titled "For You" on youtube or itunes, he is definitely an artist worth exploring further. Thank you Hannah for the wonder-full inspiration!

May the universe always hear the music in your soul.

Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible"   ~Walt Disney

Yarn Bombing. Taking a "grandma inspired" hobby to the next level!

 

  

 

Don't worry when people say it can't be done. 

The secret is to continue dreaming, 

for life will only take us as far as we allow ourselves to go.

There really is no telling what we can accomplish when passion,

love and determination are the main ingredients to attaining our goals.

May you always be willing to dream the impossible dream.

Secret for a Happy Life

"Do what makes you happiest.
Look upon what gives you joy.
Speak to those who warm your heart.
Listen to that which lifts your spirit.
Surround yourself with sights and sounds and people that give you pleasure.
For all the happiness you give to others all year long, give yourself a perfect day."

~Author Unknown

And then tomorrow, repeat steps 1-6.

May you always be willing to lead a happy life.