children are like kites

Morning came early today. And it’s Monday. Not just any Monday, though. It’s the first Monday of (yet another) brand new chapter in my life. I’m not even sure what to call this chapter just yet. And I’m not really sure how I feel about it either. Love it? Hate it? At the end of the day, probably a mixture of both.

My daughter left this morning on an early flight to the east coast. For business. After four weeks of training, this is her first official business trip. Of many! Wow. My arm felt like lead as I tried to wave goodbye. Her tail lights burned through the darkness, and then disappeared. Turning to come back inside, I saw “it”. THE poem. It has been on our refrigerator for a hundred years (give or take). I have shared this poem with many over the years. Mostly requested by other moms. When we got a new refrigerator we moved the old refrigerator out to the garage. The poem stayed intact. It’s funny though. I am in and out of the garage a million times a day, but never really “see” the poem. It’s just there as part of the refrigerator, I guess. But not this morning. No. This morning it was different. It was as if “THE poem” was covered in flashing neon lights, bells a’ringin… I stopped dead in my tracks to read it.

The garage door slammed shut. I felt the darkness all around me. It was quiet. So very, very quiet. The hum of the refrigerator seemed almost deafening. She is officially all grown up. Out the door and off to new adventures, challenges, experiences. It’s a solo flight for her; realistically and figuratively. Flights, rental cars, hotels… The real world; the unknown. Is she ready for everything? Definitely. She is a strong, smart, confident young woman who can handle anything. To say that I am proud – Well, that barely even scratches the surface of how I feel. Yes. I am VERY, VERY PROUD…!! But I am also a little sad. For me, not her. I am just not very good at this whole “letting go” thing. At all.

But… her time has come. “Time to soar, as she was meant to soar, free and ALONE. My job is done.”

“Children Are Like Kites”

“I see children as kites. You spend a lifetime trying to get them off the ground.
You run with them until you’re both breathless.
They crash.
They hit the rooftop.
You patch and comfort. You adjust and teach. You watch them lifted by the wind and assure them that someday they will fly.
Finally they are airborne…
They need more string and you keep letting it out.
But with each twist of the ball of twine,
there is a sadness that goes with the joy.
The kite becomes more distant,
and you know it won’t be long before that string will snap and the lifeline that holds you two together will no longer be the same.
A child, as a kite, must be prepared to soar, as they were meant to soar, free and alone, to the greatest extent possible.
And only then can we collectively say that we have done our job.”

– Author unknown

creative thinking

4 / 9 / 14

Creative thinking. That’s what I was thinking about today. Ya – Pretty much all day. Now I should have been thinking about dusting. My house ~~really~~ needs it. But there is always time to dust. Later. Back to the creative thinking… This is a subject that I think I could go on and on ~~and on~~ about… but I am really gonna try and make this a quick post. No really… Don’t worry though, we will revisit this subject again. And again. So my friend, Dawn (@ Joyful Scribblings – check out her blog!), and I are going to another blogging conference (SNAP!) in two weeks. This particular conference is geared towards more creative thinkers; people who blog about the things that I am passionate about. Photography, Food & Entertaining, DIY (Do It Yourself)/Crafting… love, Love, LOVE! So we are participating in some of the fun & creative “extras” at the conference – One of them being a “decorate your door” contest! That brings me to the task at hand for today… finding some of the goodies for our door, as well as other supplies for the conference. OK. So I try to go into crafting places like Michael’s, JoAnn’s, Hobby Lobby, with a plan. Maybe even a list. But I seem to subconsciously check all of that at the door somehow. My soul is suddenly filled with the hope and promise of possibility thinking. Ideas flow through my veins at an almost overwhelming pace. “I could do this. Or that. Or this and that and…”. Right. You get my point.

Truth is, creativity is a huge part of my life. Not just in what I do, but in who I am. It affects my actions, thoughts, decisions. It permeates my photography, my cooking, my decorating. It is why my dining room chairs are mismatched (on purpose) and I hate to iron. Or dust. It is deeply woven into my relationships, how I make friends, how I raised my kids. It is why I have trouble focusing; why my “to do” list never shrinks. It is me. Or, a (very big) part of me, anyway.

So I stumbled across an article tonight, from The Huffington Post, entitled “18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently“. Here were a few of the things they listed:

They view all of life as an opportunity for self-expression.
They surround themselves with beauty.
They get out of their own heads.
They follow their true passions
They lose track of the time.
They constantly shake things up.

Found the article to be quite interesting, really. Kinda, sorta made me feel validated, in a way. Like something on paper; in print. Something they have officially “studied“… Nice. We’re always looking for answers, explanations, excuses (?) aren’t we. I’m a Taurus, so I’m stubborn. I’m the oldest child, so I’m ~~bossy~~ responsible. Yadda, yadda, yadda. So tonight my brain is absolutely exhausted from all this creative thinking. Doggonit. No time to dust. It will simply have to wait until tomorrow.

“And then she remembered something very important… She was not bothered by dust. She was, after all, creative.” the end

gone; but not forgotten

4 / 4 / 14

I have never been the guest on a talk show. Or a cooking show. Or Good Morning America. If I were, however, and they were to ask me this question…”Of anyone who has ever lived on this earth; who are the top five people you would most like to meet…?” What would be my response?

Well, I’m not sure of all five. Need to do a little more thinkin’. One of them, however, would be Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A brave, brave man who preached against violence as a solution to ANYTHING.

A man of faith, great wisdom, peace, strong morals, conviction, and love. Wow. I feel like he could make such a difference in our world today.

He is no longer here; but we are. His legacy lives on through his teachings; the words he left behind. Our job is to love each other; as brothers and sisters. Today. And all of our tomorrows.

April 4, 1968. I was only six years old when Dr. King lost his life. Today, on the anniversary of his untimely passing, I share a few of my favorite quotes…

Thank you, Dr. King.

dreaming of the eiffel tower

4 / 1 / 14

I had the most wonderful dream last night. I was in Paris celebrating the 125th birthday of the Eiffel Tower. Problem. The Eiffel Tower was actually “born” on March 31, 1889. This morning I awakened to the realization that it was April 1st. Could it be that my invitation had gotten lost in the mail? Please say it isn’t so! An April Fools joke perhaps? Oh – I think not. It was just too real.

“…We welcomed the sunrise seated at little bistro tables nestled under the Eiffel Tower with champagne and French pastries. I wore my delicate little pink dress and my favorite pink shoes that I meticulously packed in a tiny pink suitcase. (After all, we were just there for the day, Silly!)

~~It being a dream~~, I spoke in soft whispers (wink, wink), my French fluent and flawless. There was beaucoup de célébrer (much celebrating), laughter and beautiful music everywhere. As evening descended upon us, we toasted from the top of the Eiffel Tower as the sun melted into darkness. The Tower, ablaze with tiny white twinkle lights…”

As for a birthday present; well, I did not forget about you, my friends! I brought you back an incredible gift that I know you will absolutely LOVE! An exciting and interactive 360 panorama of Paris and the Eiffel Tower (in high definition). “Breathtaking details and amazing views” (Eiffel tower website). The Eiffel Tower from above, below, at sunset, over the city of Paris, identifying famous landmarks… Honestly – it really is pretty amazing. Click on the link above (where it says “360”) and enjoy the sights and sounds of Paris (Yes – There is even music!) Ooo La La – Enjoy!!

Ok – So I need to put this dream behind me and deal with reality. I’m starting to sound like the little boy on “The Polar Express”. I just feel so distracted. Hmmm… Now where in the heck did I leave my favorite pink shoes…

cowgirl music

3 / 30 / 14

I’ve gotta be honest here. The journey to discovering my “inner cowgirl spirit” was not exactly an overnight metamorphosis. Not even close.

Part One: Cowgirl Boots

It was nineteen (gulp!) eighty; American Government class. He wore flannel shirts and cowboy boots. Not to mention, the occasional cowboy hat. Hmmm… Cute. REALLY cute. But not my type (to be continued…)

Part Two: Cowgirl Music

Fast forward almost thirty years. My son is nearing the end of high school and starts listening to country music a bit. Really?? To my surprise – the more I listened, the more I liked it. Now, six/seven years later – it’s my “go to” when I turn on the stereo. It makes me HAPPY. As a “convert”, rather than someone who was born and raised a country girl, I have to tell you that I really didn’t understand country music. At all. Basically because I never tried. Not my thing. I assumed it was all just a bunch of “down on my luck” lyrics, twangy banjos and red-neck guys with no teeth. Ummm… ladies?? Listen up here. As for that last part; you know; the “guys with no teeth” thingie? A few words for you to ponder – Tim, Luke, Blake, Kenny, Brad, Darius, Zac… Let’s just say that they all DEFINITELY have good teeth!! Nuff said. As for lyrics – When was the last time that you listened to a song that had MEANING; That told a story? That mattered? Country music embraces life, love, heartbreak, joy, our country, our families. Things that Really. Do. Matter. Country music makes you FEEL something. Happy. Sad. Nostalgic. Romantic… Don’t believe me? Fine. Don’t take my word for it. I’ve got links to a few songs below (Yep – The guys with the “good teeth”… wink, wink!) So click away and see whatcha think??

“History In The Making” Darius Rucker “It’s Your Love” Tim & Faith) McGraw “While He Still Knows Who I Am” Kenny Chesney “Sweet Annie” Zac Brown Band “Drink a Beer” Luke Bryan (Live 2013 CMA Awards) “Doin’ What She Likes” Blake Shelton (watch till the end!) “She’s Everything” Brad Paisley

Another GREAT idea… Tune in to the 49th ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards (in VEGAS!) next Sunday night on CBS (April 6, 2014). And more good news…”BLUKE is back!!” For you newbies… That is code for “Blake (Shelton) and Luke (Bryant) are hosting again this year!!” YAY!! The bad news? I will, unfortunately, NOT be there in person (insert sad face!) Can you just imagine…?? The ACM Awards LIVE at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas!!!!! Oh my. Definitely on my BUCKET LIST! Maybe next year… for the 50th celebration…?? Hey, a girl can dream; Right??? Anyway – back to our family room, where we will actually be tuning in. (This year, anyway). Honestly – It’s like a free concert on TV!! The hubbie and I turn the surround sound on, pour a glass of wine and settle in for a little country music R&R. Grab your cowgirl boots and your PJ’s and pull up a spot. The concert’s about to begin…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZGfJVlUuKo&w=560&h=315]

my little girl

3 / 28 / 146 / 4 / 17

I woke up one week ago, on a Thursday morning, with a lump in my throat.

It had been a long, sleepless night; so many thoughts rolling around in my heart; so many memories. Sesame Street and tea parties. Beanie Babies and Disneyworld. Time had flown by so very quickly. Like a blur, really. An “over-the-top” happy, wonderful, “I am blessed” kind of blur. I stumbled out of bed hoping that coffee might clear the brain fog. Thought of the day: Reality is overrated. The truth is, I much prefer a world of happy disillusionment (is that even a word?). My baby is growing up. Her first day of first grade. Kindergarten was hard enough, but first grade would be all day. What would I do without her? She had laid out her clothes the night before and her backpack was waiting near the door. Her bedroom door opened and down she came, so ready to greet the day ahead. She looked so beautiful. So grown up. The coffee was strong, and the fog was starting to lift. Or was it…?? My eyes tried to focus on the “Tweety Bird” backpack sitting by the door, but my vision was blurred. Wait. Was that actually a leather briefcase and a name badge? I blinked. I blinked again. Hard. A single tear rolled down my cheek…

My little girl was all grown up, and headed out for her first day in the business world. A “big girl job”!! It was HER day. A day she deserved; a day she had EARNED. As a little girl, we always said she was our feisty little tiger – and she still is. It has served her well over the years. When life threw obstacles in her path, she never let them get the best of her. She rose to the challenge each and every time, and slayed the dragon. That girl of mine is one tough cookie, let me tell you! She is smart, determined, personable and one heck of a hard worker. As her mom, we traveled much of that road together. The ups, and the downs. She has taught me much about life. And love. And happiness. Today I stand in awe of the woman she has become. I am blessed to be her mom. “A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present and the hope and promise of the future.” – Author unknown

Little girl in a pink tutu with a sassy little spirit… or a beautiful young woman in “business casual” with a confident smile?

I guess for me, she will always be both.

This beautiful song is for my mother, daughter, and someday, perhaps, my daughter’s daughter… with love xo

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLS0Y40WwlA&w=420&h=315]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLS0Y40WwlA

live happy

london bound…?

10 / 9 / 13

Many of you already know that the hubbie and I lived in London for two years… back in the dark ages. Actually, it was 1986-1988. Same thing. I had a friend who recently went to London with her family and she asked if I had any suggestions as to what to do, where to go… Wow. That’s a big question. There is just SO MUCH to see and do… and everyone has a different “wish list” for what they hope to get out of their trip. Anyway, for what it’s worth, I made a list of suggestions – and although it was random, she said that it helped. (To see my friend, Dawn’s “recap” of her London trip, click here… A Glimpse of London)

Someone else asked me about London just the other day. They were, also, thinking of heading over to see the queen in the near future. I’m sure it’s quite challenging to work around her schedule. No. I’m kidding. I don’t know anyone who personally rubs shoulders with the queen. But I’m 99% sure that I was standing right next to David Cassidy in a London post office once. This highly engaging fact, however, only has relevance if you read my previous post – “music memories”. Anyway – It made me think that there might be others who might actually benefit from my infinite wisdom and extraordinary insight when it comes to playing the part of a London tourist… Ya. Right. OK – perhaps you know someone who is leaving tomorrow and they need to be punished for procrastinating. Regardless of the circumstances, here it is… in all it’s glory. “The List“. Hope it helps. Someone; somewhere…

Double decker buses (top level… great wind factor!! Ha!) Best way to take an initial overall tour of the city!!
“The Tube” – For day-to-day travel, the underground (“the tube”) is super easy to navigate and the best way to get from point A to point B. At some point, tho, a taxi ride in one of the old fashioned taxis is a must!!
Afternoon Tea – My #1 fav thing to do in England… SO many options, from super, duper fancy (think “The Ritz”) to comfy casual (Think a “bed & bath” somewhere in the English countryside). I’m pretty sure that my” last meal” would include scones with clotted cream & jam…
Leicester Square – Great place to buy ½ price theatre tickets for that day
Speakers Corner (@ Marble Arch) – People go here to speak publicly about anything & everything. Have anything you wanna get off your chest??
Indian Food – a “must try”; They are every corner!! A few good things to try for your first experience (very mild) – “Chicken Korma”, “Chicken Tikka Masala”, “Nan”. In a word… Yum.
“Harrods” (Knightsbridge)– a must see!! An entire city block in one store. Don’t miss the food halls downstairs!
“Fortnum & Mason” – Another taste of British life is that is like a grocery store on steroids!! (Piccadilly Circus or Green Park) An easy walk from Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly Circus – As close to “Times Square” in NY as you’re gonna get here… Very crazy & crowded but lots of people like to photograph
Trafalgar Square – Another big tourist stop for photos… Feeding the pigeons (yuck!) Walking distance from Buckingham Palace!
Covent Garden – An old fruit & veggie market… now full of shops, open air market, street entertainers… Check online to see if there is a schedule or anything. Cute unique little shops in the surrounding area as well. This is a good place for pics & gifts to take home.
Hyde Park – huge & beautiful!
“Kings Road”/Sloane Square (Clelsea area) – Used to be very young, trendy area (shops) & your best chance to get a punk rocker photo!
“Boots” – This is the store you need to look for if you need any “stuff”… Like a Walgreens or CVS on steroids! They call a drugstore a “chemist”; just in case you have to ask for one!
“the loo” – Ask for this if you need a “potty”!!!
Pics… Big Ben, St. Pauls, Tower of London (they do a gross tour that might appeal to the men/boys… lots of gory stuff!), Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey (You will go past all of these on double decker tour, which gives you a feel for the layout of the city & let’s you make notes of areas to go back to!)

Enjoy – and give that beautiful city a great big juicy hug from a “not so secret” admirer… xoxo

live happy

musical memories

10 / 3 / 13

I’m so excited…!! The hubbie and I are headed for the Blake Shelton concert tonight – WooHoo!!!! For those of you who are all, like, “Blake WHO??” Country singer. Also on the TV show, “The Voice”. Anyway – I am ready to break in my new “cowgirl boots”, y’all! OK… wait. I’m not from the south, am I? Nope. Born and raised in St. Louis. We never said y’all. And, by the way, it’s “soda“… not “pop“. Never mind. Point of the story – I like country music…!! It is, in fact, my current favorite style of music; my “go to“. Now it wasn’t always this way ~~y‘all.~~ Honestly, I have to say that I really enjoy almost all types of music, really. There are, however, exceptions…!

It all started with “The Partridge Family” and (xoxoxo) David Cassidy. Ya. DEFINITELY love. The teen years were all about REO Speedwagon and Styx. Oh ya – And “Stairway to Heaven”… right??? The “slow dance” at the end of every high school event. Ha! College was all over the board – a little of this, a little of that. What can I say – It was the 70’s/80’s. Then when we lived in London, I got hooked on classical music as well as the soundtracks from “The Phantom of the Opera” (including Michael Crawford) and “Les Miserables“.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been a fan of what I lovingly call, “cocktail music“; my “go to” on a Friday night with a glass of wine… Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Nora Jones… I love Christmas music and “spa” music; Nat King Cole and Josh Groban. I love “Kermit the Frog” singing “It’s Not Easy Being Green” and “The Rainbow Connection”. Might also add that the “John Denver & the Muppets Christmas CD”… it rocks.

Some of my current favorite country artists are Zac Brown Band (Oh my gosh – AMAZING concert!!!), Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker and, of course, Blake Shelton. And here’s a little trivia for ya – my sweet hubbie, in a cowboy hat… when he doesn’t shave and gets kinda scruffy… looks an awful lot like Tim McGraw. Yep. Not too shabby. Just sayin’… I will try to get a pic one of these days. We will do a split screen. In the meantime, a little music from my buddy, Blake. It’s one of his songs that you may not have heard much, but one of my favs – Hoping to hear it tonight… “Do You Remember“

why do I blog?

9 / 19 / 13

Welcome to Post #100, friends!

The obvious question, at such a pivotal, historic moment; what to blog about? I pondered the possibilities. And then I pondered some more. At the end of the day, however, the answer seemed obvious. It simply must be the answer to YOUR burning question. “WHY (the heck) do you (I) blog…?”

This is a question that I am often asked by people who do not blog. Or even know what a blog really IS! According to the Merrium-Webster Dictionary; “blog” is defined as follows: “A web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences”. So there it is. Pretty simple concept. But that is merely the definition. I still have not told you WHY I blog. There are several reasons. Pull up a seat, friends, and get comfortable…

Blogging is really not that different than someone who journals with pen and paper in a pretty little book that is safely tucked away in their nightstand. The only real difference, basically, is the fact that Bloggers choose to share their “journal” with the world! Or, at a minimum, anyone who will listen! Blogging is very much a creative outlet for me. A way to share, with you, my daily life experiences – my passions, joys, triumphs… and even my sorrows. Blogging keeps me present in the moment(s). MY moments… MY life… I journey through my day with a heightened sense of awareness as to what is happening all around me. Every experience has the possibility of becoming part of a blog. A beautiful sunset, an event that moved me to tears, a conversation with a ~~stranger~~ new friend in the grocery checkout lane, a mouthwatering dish at a favorite restaurant… So often I find myself pausing to take in the moment, rather than rushing right through it. Affirming gratitude in my daily life. And this is good.

In the “blogging world” there are people who blog about absolutely EVERYTHING!!! I am, apparently, what is referred to as a “lifestyle blogger“. Basically, I am random and don’t fit into any specific “categories”. Ya. OK. I’m good with that. That is who I am. My blog is “live happy“. Definition: I blog about family & food; creativity & cocktails; homemade & humor; motherhood & marriage; parties & procrastination; girlfriends & gratitude; London & laughter…

To put it simply – blogging about my life makes me happy. And having people follow my blogs, like my blog posts or comment…? Ahhhh….. Very, very happy!!! My goal is to share a little piece of my world with you, in the hopes that we will connect. And I so hope that we do.

live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

a life to live over…

9 / 11 / 13

So we are two days into our kitchen remodel (Yes. Will definitely blog about it!!) So I’m kinda, sorta stuck at home for the most part. Let me just say that this really makes it kind of difficult to procrastinate about this cleaning, clearing and purging “cycle” that I am in. I said difficult. Not impossible.

Today I found a (huge) stack of inspirational articles that I have collected throughout the years from emails, the newspaper, friends… I found it to be pretty much like going through a box of pictures. You know… Two hours go by, and you are all emotional entangled in a trip down memory lane – Yet, remarkably, the pile is still huge.

With today being the anniversary of 9/11 – we all awakened this morning with a heightened sense of “life”. And family. And loved ones. And those we have lost… A reminder about living in the moment, because today is a gift. With that in my heart, I stumbled across a poem that came via email many, many moons ago. I cannot tell you the source, or even who sent it to me. What I can tell you, however, is that it was written by someone that I would have LOVED to meet; someone who has always made me laugh… Erma Bombeck. I felt that sharing her wisdom and insight was a beautiful way to give meaning to a most difficult day… Thank you, Erma xo

If I Had My Life to Live Over (by Erma Bombeck)

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the “GOOD” living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment realizing that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”

There would have been more “I love you’s” and more “I’m sorry’s”

….but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute…..look at it and really see it … live it … and never give it back.