April 10, 2025

It was raining, muggy & warm.

Our nurse managed to snag the last

available oscillating fan.

I selected the Flintstones on TV, and my doctor

was going to lunch to eat spaghetti.

He didn't get to finish.

It's utterly crazy that it was 31 years ago!

Happy Birthday Brandon!! I can't imagine 

life with no you.

xoxo

be well...

💝

"Fall in love with the art of living.

Fall in love with letting things be.

Fall in love with listening.

Be still in the sun,

where the winds ever-gently blow,

knowing it is here,

in  moments like this,

you are living,

and you will grow."

Love Text

...."listen to this after your prayer." he said.

having a moment ...

Today is his birthday....and he has

a knack for synchronicity. 

I  am so grateful to be on this climb with him.

Notes to self:

Allow the light to shine into the deepest recesses

of your being- cleansing, healing, refreshing,

and renewing you.

You don't have to be anyone other than who

God created you to be.

Focus on your provision.

Forget the "what-ifs".

'The purpose of the game is to enjoy

one another, not to win.'

"Life isn't a competition.

There is no winner or loser in God's family"

Care more about loving than being right.

be well...

xoxo

💖

"Music is an experience we enter into.

The only product at the end of it 

is that you were present to it.

Oh, what a difference it would make

if we could be present in our days 

in the same way.

What if we could end each day

exhaling with a sense of peace,

saying, 

'I engaged. I listened. I was present.'

And what if that was enough?"

Happy Birthday to my sweet nephew!

Today I celebrate you!!

Much love...xo

💝

Thanksgiving

...was hosted by Brandon and Molly this year.

All Thanksgivings are special, but this one

was one of the best.

On the road trip there, I reflected on past Thanksgivings.

There were times Brandon would go to his Dad's and I 

would be invited to celebrate with my girlfriend and her family.

(The same family that played matchmaker & hooked

hubby up with my phone number, back in the day.)

Then there's the Thanksgiving that Brandon and I were pet sitting 

for his Dad and girlfriend when they went out of town.

 We had an invite to join those same friends,

but an ice storm moved in.

We had two choices.

Risk driving an hour to celebrate with our friends,

(and perhaps stay the night)

or risk a 10 min. drive to Walmart to purchase all that we needed

to have our own celebration at home.

We chose the latter.

A quick trip to the store, a thawed turkey with all the fixings for our meal,

and each of us selecting a movie to buy that we could watch together.

Mine...Eat, Pray, Love.

His...Zombieland.

A meal in the oven.

A fire in the woodstove.

Zombies & Zen and a kitten with the zoomies

who kept racing up the Christmas tree...

still ranks as one of my best Thanksgivings to date.

This one tucks right in beside it.

 Our families gathered and met, and stayed overnight.

Great conversations paired with copious amounts of laughter.

Pets to cuddle, football games, and an amazing meal.

Later, fun rounds of Shanghai Rummy, 

nibbling on homemade rolls & pie.

It's a Wonderful Life playing in the background.

Up early, and reconnecting at the kitchen table.

Getting to know little (quirky) things about each other,

sipping coffee, tea, and  Dr. Pepper.

 Brandon baking cinnamon rolls.

Then, a little Birthday celebration for Molly,

before we all headed back home.

It was perfect.

I'm swooning on a gratitude high.

be well...

xoxo

💝

"I am grateful for what I am and have.

My thanksgiving is perpetual."

~Henry David Thoreau~

"Happiness is the consequence of personal effort.

You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it,

and sometimes even travel around the world for it.

You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations

of your own blessings.

And once you have achieved a state of happiness,

you must never become lax about maintaining it.

You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming

upward into that happiness forever, to stay 

afloat on top of it."

~Eat, Pray, Love~

"I've never been good with farewells so...

that'll do pig."

~Zombieland~

 

Self-celebration

On the first day of my 63rd year...

I woke up determined to enjoy "...the day that the Lord hath made...",

and immediately started getting heckled by my inner critic,

which was interrupted with thoughts of a story from the Bible...

where the people all turned on each other,

and ended up destroying themselves. 

(2 Chon. 20 & Judges 7)

Mmm-hmm. 

Sully

That is why I start every day with journal and devotional time.

Hubby asked what I wanted for my birthday:
Me: "I just want to get in the car and go."
Him: "Where"
Me: "Wherever it takes us when we get started."
And that is how we rolled.

I wanted...
A day where we didn't have any plans.
A day where we were totally directionless...
and open for an adventure.
A day without expectations,
and the time didn't matter.
A day where we just show up!


 It turned out to be a ridiculously happy way to spend the day!


be well...
xoxo
💖

Charmed

This week...

An out of town stay with some old friends to catch up,

shopping for flowers at their favorite nursery,

and then lunch with the family at their grandson's favorite local cafe.

More heading out of town in another direction, to see my kiddo and his Fiancee.

Shopping at their favorite nursery for flowers, berry bushes and veggies for their garden.

Then out to an Italian restaurant to celebrate B's 30th. birthday.

The next day, (B's B-day) we hung some solar lights in the yard, visited 

the mall for a little B-day shopping, then swung by our cousins

who were celebrating their 49th Anniversary.

I watched as they all sat down to enjoy a piece of their traditional pineapple 

upside down cake.

Still watching...

....as Darla their dog managed to leap up and knock

my cousins plate, sending a good portion of her cake flying to the floor.

Then shortly after she gobbled up every crumb....

took another lunge managing to knock Brandon's plate, 

catapulting the rest of his cake to the floor (after bouncing off of his pants).

Bad dog.

More cake to make up for everyone's loss.

Lots of laughs.

Lot's of love.

Charmed by my own life.

Journal highlights from my week on the go...

Begin the day with open hands and a heart of faith.

Fear less. Love more.

Surrender to the unfolding of greater things.

Keep the heart open and teachable.

Live within the boundaries of today.

Humility is the gateway to wisdom.

'Don't settle for the dissatisfaction of what you know

rather than the openness of what you haven't tried yet.'

"Don't settle for the ordinary when

the extraordinary is right around the corner."

Trust that no matter how tough the experience is,

you will come out transformed.

"Let go. Surrender. Ease up. Sit back & simply

allow the magic to happen. It will."

be well...

xoxo

💖

"You were made for this moment.

Get back into your skin.

Dance and cherish everything,

as if you might never have the chance again."

 

November 18, 2024

Remind yourself how quickly things pass,

to ensure you enjoy things while they last.

Bday at Dana's

Think of your life as an adventure.

Focus on the path just before you,

and keep your mind wide open to being surprised.

Be receptive to a miracle.

Walk in a softer way and allow your heart to lead.

Loving...

a dark rainy morning

 the warm glow of twinkle lights

Laughing so hard yesterday my ribs hurt today

sparkler candles

Yellowstone on Sundays

my kiddo is house-shopping

keeping things simple

grace

be well..

xoxo

💖

 

November 5, 2024

Today the constant swirl of to do's seem to be fading away,

leaving some space for dreams, and creativity.

I have been enjoying some quiet rainy days at home,

reflecting, unpacking and just putzing around the house.

Twinkle lights, candles, books and a cat on my lap.

 Hygge mode.

Today I am thankful for:

Hubby coming by to pick me up so we could go

vote together

My dad. Today is his birthday.💖

Long catch up phone chats with my girlfriends.

It was good to hear their voices after 3 weeks.

The sun peeking out from the clouds, 

and a walk in the woods by the lake.

Hubby picking up Mexican carry out for dinner.

Graduating as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach.💞

Finding a quote that I wrote down  from the movie "Dog Gone"

(Netflix)

"You live in a bubble,

eventually you suffocate."

My favorite journal takeaway for today:

Avoid the temptation to doubt yourself.

Be willing to go for what you know, when you know it, 

with or without the company of others.

Happy voting !

xoxo

💗

 

Full Tank

The trip up was nice. It sounds so cliche,

but it is true that " Home is where the heart is."

We celebrated Brandon's 29th with pasta, then custard.

Heavy on heavy.

 Fun and laughs.

And on the next day I treated him to shopping and lunch.

He took me to some of his favorite spots.

We had a completely impromptu 

jump-in-the-car go with the flow post Birthday day.

I hated to leave, but I came home better than before.

 My heart was full, and I was happy.

xoxo

💖

 

Things that Fill

We all get so busy with our problems and so

preoccupied with the many things that are missing 

from our lives that we sometimes forget

to be grateful and appreciate the wonderful

things we have.

We have the ability every day to either pay attention

to the things that feed us, or the things that drain us.

What are some of the things that boost you up,

and recharge you?

What are some of the things that drain you and

leave you zapped?

We all have the ability to choose and prioritize 

what we make space for.

Embrace the pleasures of the day to day living.

Search for the good 

the beautiful

the love in everything life sends your way.

Work as hard at paying attention to the things that bring you joy,

as you did on paying attention to the things that made you miserable.

Shift the balance a little every day.

Get creative.

Spontaneous.

Grateful.

" A life of hope and optimism may sometimes disappoint,

but of all lives that disappoint,

it is the one I would choose."

xoxo

💗

 

On the Sixtieth Year

I decided that for my 60th, I would appreciate and celebrate each

day in October. 

I will break my habit of taking myself so seriously all of the time

over such little nothings. Let that s--t go!

I'm giving myself permission to laugh at myself, 

and allow the journey to be what it is,

with all of it's beauty & imperfections.

I will learn to pace myself down the rough and bumpy

paths, and appreciate the flowers along the way.

I will work on the things I can change,

and accept the things I can't.

I will remember that I am loved, 

and when I hear the whispers in the wind, a dove coo, or the noise of a jet...

 I will remember that

I am never alone.

Shareable quotes :

" The butterfly does not look back at the caterpillar in shame,

just as you should not look back at your past in shame.

Your past was part of your own transformation."

" Live your life for you not for anyone else.

Don't let the fear of being judged, rejected or disliked

stop you from being yourself."

" Look at you! Healing those traumas, addressing those bad habits,

holding yourself accountable,

no longer seeking validation from others,

and finally speaking your personal truth.

Seriously, I applaud you!

Growth gets messy, ugly, and painful,

yet here you are growing. We see you !"

"One of the best things you     

Can do for yourself is          

   Taking time to learn to grow. 

               Once you give yourself patience, you 

         Become your best friend. And the 

 Empathy, self-kindness and   

                 Resilience are what you need to grow." 

" Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."

xoxo

💖

 

Fifty-eight

I celebrated my 58th birthday recently.

My dear hubby took the day off,

and Brandon planned on spending the day with me too.

The gift of time. Priceless.

My plan was to do as many happy-making things as I can.

Keep it simple.

Enjoy the company of my two special guys.

Go with the flow, and just enjoy the moments.

Nailed it !

Today I am...

Reading:  Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies

Watching:  Debates, for the first time ever!

Highlighting:  " Use your imagination, follow what feels right,

play, push yourself, let it rip, and get good at making new, 

exciting choices that bring as much beauty into

the world as possible."

Loving:  my people a little more than usual.  Appreciating them so much, for

who they are, what they do, and how they have made me who I am.

Hating:  That I am not in New York this year visiting my family, 

and being awed by the New England Autumn.

Discovering:  That a lot of the things I've worried about,

things I've tried to "fix",

things I've tried to figure out...

pretty much just ate up precious moments of my life.

Enjoying: My bottle calf (Buddy) ,

cooler nights,

Mourning Doves 

trees changing color

girlfriends and flower crowns

learning more about politics from Brandon

(he's so stinkin' smart)

reading in the sunshine

Ollie binkies in the back yard

the last of my flowers

Thinking:  I could go on forever about the things I'm enjoying.

Hoping for:  The hurricane to miss Lake Charles this time.

My family to be safe and well.

Listening to: Crickets under my window. A lawnmower in the distance. 

A Blue-jay squawking.

Smelling:  Autumn breeze blowing in.

Thanking: God for it all

I hope you are safe and well!!

💖

 

Spring

Note:

Appreciate your life. 

Take pictures of everything.

Tell people you love them.

Smile at a stranger.

Plant wildflowers.

Reach out to someone.

Celebrate something everyday...

even if it's just the beat of your heart.

Do things you're scared to do.

Remember the little moments.

Take your life and make it the best story ever.

Love & hugs !! 💖

Thoughts

" Listen to your life.  See it for the fathomless

mystery it is.  In the boredom and pain of it,

no less than the excitement and gladness:

touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and 

hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis

all moments are key moments,

and life itself is grace."

Looking back I am grateful for the things I wished had not happened.

Comforted by the realization , that the journey

 I am on isn't just about being healed,

 but mostly about becoming whole.

And thankful for a Father in Heaven and His Grace,

to find my place in this great big beautiful life He has given me.

March

Dear March,

You have my permission to slow down now.

You have been so busy with your crazy weather,

and abundant blooms.

Your days have been marked with birthdays, doctor appointments,

lunch dates, hair appointments, and sadly a dear, & special man's funeral.

Your moving so fast,

 that this morning I poured a cup of coffee,

and when I went to warm it up...

there was already a piping hot cup waiting for me !!

I don't know how you did it !

It was just like magic !

But seriously...I've had very little time for myself.

I appreciate all the joy you have provided.

Don't get me wrong.

Giggles with the sweet girls, 

playing with Oliver & Scotty,

yoga with my friends,

and snagging a lunch date [at my favorite place] with my favorite guys,

I am definitely a fan !!

I just think you need to slow it down a bit...

maybe take some time to stop & smell the daffodils !!

They really are delightful !!

XOXO

Gathering

A dinner in her honor. Cousins giggling and playing hide-and-seek. 

Our first dusting of snow. Sombreros.  Eating too much cake.

A good day with the family.

XOXO

Celebrate

This weekend we celebrated her Daddy.

Celebrations are something this family does well,

and there are several to look forward to this year.

XOXO

Seventies

Hi you !

Just popping in for a quick post.

I have had quite an eventful week.

It all started when I dove into adventure &

faced the unknown!

Or seriously...

just went to hang out with Mom for her birthday,

because yeah , it's pretty much the same thing.

We had a good time. 

We played by the river, took pictures, ate nothing that was good for us,

and got massages. We had our coffee on the deck, while watching the sun come up, 

the cows graze, the cat lounge, and the leaves fall.

We listened to oldies, and had some good old mother daughter chats.

It was a really, really perfectly wonderful way 

to celebrate Mom being 75.

It was hard for me to leave.

You know that feeling...

when everything just feels right ?

You feel like your where your supposed to be ?

And you have that comfort, that you can only get get from being with your Mom?

[even if every now and then there is a battle of the wills ;) ]

Yeah. That. 

Plus....I have always had a little separation anxiety.

Good-byes always do me in.

I try real hard not to cry when we say our good-byes...

but I want to. *sigh* 

Looking forward to our next adventure Mom !!

I hope your around for many more celebrations !

I'm happy your my Mom.

AND, I love you bunches!

Have a great week everyone !

XOXO