Just a few of my favorite things...

It doesn't take much to make me happy...a  pleasure so simple as a full tank of gas so I can go and do is not usually what one would think  necessary, but it's high up there on my list. Believe it or not noise is one as well. I quite enjoy silence too, but when given the choice of a kaotic loud home over solace....I'll always choose the sound of life happening in the moment.  When I have a day to myself with peace & quite, it's grand but it gets old....when the family is together...things are happening and it is a sweet sound even if their is a whine or two in there....wait....three, four, five, six whines would be more likely.  Now let me share with you a few little things inexpensive & priceless items that also make me ooze cheer.

 My Marilyn Monroe chopping board my brother Chris gave me. I do not actually use it, it's basically used as art but every time I look at it it makes me smile because for one thing I love Marilyn (who doesn't) but he knows this about me, thus making it a thoughtful gift but more so because it is unique and it ties into him because he is a chef. Makes me think of my sweet wonderful bro.

 I heart this necklace, I made it it but that's not the reason, it's what is in it.  I have a fondness for frogs, mummies/dead things (I know that's strange but when I tell ya I can find joy in most everything I'm not kidding). My friend Amber found the most perfect mummified frog and held onto it because she knew I'd adorn it. Well she was right! On the belly side of the frog, it's hands actually make a heart. It's priceless and when ever I wear it or look at it I really feel the love from her.

 My kitchen window.  I love just looking out.  Observing nature, my boys at play, a grand breeze on my face. In the window I have a few things that make me smile, like the huge acorns my friend Jami & my kids collected for me(natures treasures), plants my kids are growing & pics of their yummy faces. So simple but yet so sweet.

 This green plant (can not remember what it is called), I have it all over the place. Why I love it so is when I was pregnant with my first boy 10 years ago a gentleman gave it to me as a gift for my great joy to come. I've had it ever since & then some. It is the gift that keeps giving. I have re rooted it over & over again and given it to so many people. To me I think of it as a chain of love with it's heart shaped leaves.

 There is no price you can put on your children's art work and I love proudly displaying it all over my house. It is everywhere, the bathroom, living room, kitchen, bedrooms, doors, you name it and their great imaginations are before you. I can honestly tell you I look at it everyday, the same stuff over & over and it never gets old, only better.

 The coffee mug on the right was given to me by a wookie & sheman and I LOVE it! The skulls were the main reason for the purchase due to my fetish.  But, it is more than that to me.  In the morning it is my mug of choice for that perfect serving of cozy coffee. It is a super bad ass mug that can take a beating when dropped. It nuzzles perfect in my had when I'm taking my sip...yes it's an experience and makes my cup of joe all that much sweeter.  The mug on the right I love because my sweet 1st born gave it to me on my second  mother's day and he was so proud for picking it out himself and well look at it, it's adorable. Coffee, tea in this cup is like a million kisses from my little sweetie!

 I like clean nails so I have a set up at each sink to help aid in this department.  This saucer is by an artist in Charleston that my mother-in-law gave me & it is perfect for fitting all of the items. I just like the set up, it makes me feel special and as you can tell I like everything to feel special which stems into even cleaning your nails.

 My precious saucer my sister gave me...not only is it adorable, but a perfect spot to place my jewelry on a whim. I remember how happy she was for finding it for me.

 I treasure these salt & pepper shakers my hubby gave me.  Our first date in 1993 we saw the movie "Nightmare before Christmas" and since then we are associated with the movie & it's characters. I-Sally with my red locks & he-Jack but with a gorgeous full head of hair. It is a great reminder every time of where & when our love affair began.

 This compact was given to me by sister-in-law Angela. She got it from South of the Border, the art on it gives off it's obvious reason for gifting it to me. I use it almost everyday and it's cuteness never gets old.  I smile every time I pick it up.

 These plaster-of-parish castings are like gold to me. The set of hands on the left are my first born, the feet are my second son, and the hand on the right are my husbands when he was a little boy and lived in Italy. They are momentous in capturing a moment in time. On the back I have the boys ages and a picture of them from that day the castings were made by us.

 (Old picture) This young lad is 4 yrs old to date.  Isn't he scrumptious!  Besides his yumminess, it is the rocking chair that also holds a torch in my heart. My sister-in-law Katherine gave it to me with my first born.  It was an old beat up chair she got from a friend and she turned it into comfort. She sewed the cushions with this lovely fabric and by hand I might add, sanded, painted, & permanently placed the baby shower invite under the seat cushion. My mother-in-law made the back cushion, & my step mother made the blanket hanging over the back. So much love was put into it! Also, many many many delicious nights were shared rocking my sweet boys to sleep, reading books, breast feeding, and all of this with what felt like a hug from all the folks who put love into this chair just for us.

My squirrels. Yes, we have our own squirrels...you read that correctly. We like to think of them as our back yard pets. We feed them daily...seed & fresh water.  They are spoiled.  We can identify them and have named a few.  They provide great entertainment through out the day & at dinner time.    
I often wonder though if they think of us as their servants. They are known to come to our slide-n-glass door looking in wondering where the food is if we have yet to refresh it.

My patio.  Refreshingly covered by the shade of the trees, my plants surrounding giving off beautiful colors, fire pit ready, bird feeder for watching, & with a nice breeze the wind chime gives a peaceful sound.  Need I say more.

Well, I'll end it there although I could go on & on.  Till next time, remember to keep your eyes open to the joy of simple things.

Be Authentic....

The only way to be loved for who you really are is to be authentic.
“We want to be loved for who we really are, and yet we are terrified to show up as who we really are even on those days we have the crazies. Your true soul partner will love and embrace all the parts of you, the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, that will only occur AFTER you love yourself in this manner and express yourself authentically. Being authentic is like sending the other person an invitation to meet you at that high vibrational level. ” Love and Abundance.

Superflymom

Who is that amazingly capable woman? It's Superflymom!
Batman and Superman have nothing on us moms. We have amazing superpowers and we don't even need silly capes or leotards to unleash those powers. Perhaps your special power is your Momsonic Hearing, which means you know which kid is coming down the hall based on their pace and stomp intensity. Or, perhaps your superpower involves the ability to translate the seeming gibberish of a toddler into coherent thoughts and phrases. Maybe you can catch poop with a single hand or use your inhuman strength to carry a baby and several bags of groceries into the house in a single load. As moms, we often beat ourselves up for all of the things we can't do or didn't get done. Instead, let's take a moment and boast about the amazing things we can do, like taking 3-4 kids and a dog for a walk around the block and living to tell about it. Like, managing your day so, that you’re able to get in a little time for yourself(which is usually bathroom time with the door actually closed & no kids lurking around), run errands, get kids from point a-z in a timely manner, clean the house, lunch with the hubby, work in some fun time for the kiddies, throw in some volunteer time, help with homework & studies, cook dinner & have it at the dinner table, and snuggle time with the kiddies & hubby. And, all of this with a great level of patience (that's our strongest superpower-patience). See….Superflymom for sure and all of this without a magic wand but instead very capable hands and simply because you are AWESOME! Now with your list, there are many things that may not have been accomplished.  But hey, that’s because we as moms usually focus on the most important anyway and something will always be knocked off the list but, the great thing is that there's always tomorrow for that other stuff.

Happiness is at no cost but is right now, and in the moment....

I don't really care that much whether people listen to me. I used to think, once upon a time as a young lady, that I'd do something grand and impressive, change the world and all that stuff. I don't care about that anymore. Now, the more I've learned, the more I've come to lean toward the conclusion that the best thing in the world is for the world to leave you alone.
There is ultimately nothing to accomplish in life. You don't need to be rich or well-liked or of prestigious social standing. You don't need much of anything to be happy. You just need to focus on being happy, because you can only do one thing at a time in life.
If you try to do more than that, nothing gets done because your intentions conflict with each other, one hand pushes against the other. You must choose. Career or family, money or love, success or happiness… you cannot have it all. You can really only have one thing in life, and you'd better choose carefully.
You can choose money, spend all your days in gradually expanding offices and finally die of a heart attack in a board meeting while your gold-plated Ferrari sits quietly in the garage of your fifty-room mansion in the most exclusive neighborhood in the state.
You can choose family, be buried in a 2-for-1 bargain plot with your spouse & children weeping over your headstone and be as forgotten as a dead squirrel in the forest in a matter of generations. I hate to think of this especially having two children of my own, but hey let's be realistic.
You can choose anything you want in life and probably get it, but you can only completely achieve one thing. If you split your priorities, you will achieve split results as well. You can have a little bit of money, a little bit of prestige, a little bit of family and a little bit of everything else, but none of them will be complete for you. If you want 100% success with anything, that thing must comprise 100% of your priorities. Each goal you set for yourself takes away from all your other goals, because circumstances will always force you to further one at the expense of another and to choose between them every day.
My advice to you is to focus on happiness, on enjoying life. You probably don't want to hear this, but this means you will not have status, be oober rich, or anything else. Conversely, focusing on money, status or anything else means you will not achieve happiness. Happiness is not success. Happiness is the opposite of conventional success.
It's not having things, it's ceasing to want things. When you stop caring about everything that could be and focus completely on enjoying what is, you are happy.
You are unhappy when you think your life isn't the way it should be, that you need to change X and Y and then your life can really begin. It doesn't work like that, though. This is your life,  RIGHT NOW, THIS IS IT! Are you happy? That's the truth right there.
Because people mostly do not want happiness. They want something else, something like money or success or status or respect, a beautiful wife or a wikipedia entry that says they were important. They want other people to think they are happy more than they really want to be happy. When you want to be happy even if it means that everyone you've ever loved and everyone you're ever going to meet will think you're a pathetic loser, that's when you're ready to be happy. Not before.
Being happy is the simplest thing in the world. Just do something that completely occupies your attention.
This is why people do extreme sports – the danger requires their complete attention so there is room for nothing else in their brain, and their internal monologue about everything that they think is wrong in their life quiets down. You don't need to risk death, though. Watch a really good TV show or play a video game, something that really draws you in. Once you get better at giving your complete attention to the immediate present moment, you can do anything. Cook dinner, go for a walk in the park, sit still and do nothing. As long as you can stay out of your head and out of the range of that internal voice that nags about changes it wants made, you'll stay happy.  I had a day like that yesterday & only I allowed it to ruin my happiness....silly silly silly me for allowing it. Happiness is your natural default state. Do you think lions lying in the sun berate themselves over what an ex-girlfriend or sibling said about them on Facebook?
That's the secret to happiness right there. It doesn't seem that impressive since I didn't stretch it out to 180 pages with exciting Sanskrit words and made-up spiritual-sounding terms thrown in and charge 29 bucks for it. But it is the truth.
I've said what I wanted to say on this blog and I could probably have said it a lot quicker. What does the future hold for me? I might just go and do something completely normal and boring or pointless that involves hanging out in the grave yard wondering if the day of the dead will ever be and play Zombies with my son(s) because it's funny & I know it will evolve into more happiness because it is silly & fun.
No one can know the future, and don't ever let anyone convince you they can. Those people on TV and on the internet trying to tell you what "will happen" in the next ten or twenty years are full of shit. All of them. Especially the experts.
Don't budge into the pressure of doing what does not make you happy, know thy self and what makes you soar and don't take it personal if other's don't get you, just be who you are and in the moment of happiness.

Laugh a little or better yet a lot.....

Wow, it's been a while since I've written, last year to be exact.  I do plan to try and keep it a up a bit more this year even though I'm off to a late start.  So for now, let me write about my favorite thing; that thing being laughing. I mean seriously, I am the cheapest date for a chuckle & a giggle.
There's no pleasure as wonderfully simple as a good laugh. A fancy meal requires extra time on the treadmill. An exotic trip abroad will drain your wallet.  And while there's nothing quite as cathartic as a good cry, where's the fun in that?
Spontaneous funny moments happen all the time, yet the art of manufacturing comedy is a tricky business.  Drama is like a good keylime pie: It's not easy to make it great, but the ingredients are pretty simple. Loss.  Betrayal.  Bad luck.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to make you feel rotten.
Comedy, on the other hand, can come at you from any direction.  It's unpredictable and infectious.  It requires timing & execution, plus a real understanding of how to please a diverse audience.  Our individual senses of humor are defined by our struggles and our values, and no two people walk the same road.  So how do you create a joke with universal appeal that also gives everyone the feeling it was just for them.  The good news is that there are a lot of comedians taking the challenge.  And increasingly, those comedians are us.
One way we're wresting humor from sitcom writing rooms, comedy clubs, bringing it on the streets with flash mobs, blogs (my personal most recent favorite blog my dearest friend Amber introduced me to is Crappypictures, a must go to read). These communal experiences have grown so popular that they've come full circle.  We've also taken comedy online, ofcourse.  Many who earn a living to make people laugh have mended a funny bone that was broken. Sites like Funnyordie.com & YouTube.com have democratized comedy by giving everyone a shot at it.  Feel free to skip the multiplex offering and make it your mission to get into some real-live entertainment, whether it's an innovative comedy project or a classic festival.  Heck, why not go one step further with a little laughing yoga (yes it is real-google it) or circus training?
The magic of good comedy is that it doesn't allow you to sit around passively-it demands full participation.  After all, you're either laughing or you're not.  And when you do, it feels really really good.  So what are you waiting for and laugh some bliss into your life.

The Purity of Fall Bliss.....

I am hopelessly in love with the changing season that is fall and its exhilarating nip in the air, which sets an edge to ones’ energy.  Don't get me wrong, I can find much love for the summer, spring, & winter but they do not hold a candle to my affection and grandiose feelings of aliveness felt in my heart for an autumn breeze. Inhaling the sensational allure of what is fall; the spiritual energy of air intermingling with soul creating a recharge followed by a refreshing tingle all over....how can you not react with such purity when the Autumnal Equinox sets above?
The sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, if we are lucky enough to have it, snow is enchanting. There really is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather in the fall. I am particularly fond of the rain this time of year.  Being uniformed in my galoshes alongside my boys, taking on as many puddles as we can find, letting the rain kiss us and sing us a lullaby.  Anyone who says only sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.  The fall weather can provide a great metaphor for life – sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, and there’s nothing much you can do about it but to carry an umbrella and if you’re lucky a rainbow will apologize for the angry skies.  Some people get wet in the rain; I much more prefer to walk in it.  The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain.  This is the kind the anonymous medevil poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you’d just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency.
The grandest feelings of fall are the “in the moment” experiences.  I like to suck them ALL in, even the tiniest ones that most persons would look past.  I thrive on the spooky wild and gusty; swirling dervishes of rattling leaves racing by, fleeing the wind flung deadwood that cracks & thumps behind.  The substance of the winds is too thin for the human eyes, their written language is too difficult for human minds, and their spoken language mostly to faint for the ears; it’s all so poetic. I love when the sun creeps beyond a gray cloud and its rays lay like a friendly arm across your shoulder.  I am ecstatic by the excitement of Halloween and the spookity feeling it has deep in my heart; the wiles of imagination, decorating with great enthusiasm with my family and delivering on child hood thrills. Picking out pumpkins at a pumkin patch is all too momentous and sets anchor to the season.  The magical sound of laughter at festivals and the enjoyment of community shared with friends and love ones is squishy sweet.  Snuggling up with a book, blanket, and my little love bug boys under the trees in our hammock while the birds sing us enchanting songs gives off a refreshed feeling.   Adventurous hikes are a must with touching, smelling, exploring, & experiencing nature at its best.  The smells of crisp leaves burning in the air defines the season’s charm.  Rustling around in leaves always promises tons of laughter with my boys.  On a cold evening, making use of the fire place or the fire pit outside and roasting marshmallows’ engages great conversation. I look forward to school activities, volunteering, cooking, baking seasonal treats, parties, strolls on the beach on a windy day, star gazing the chilled skies, the mountains, endeavoring my favorite restaurants that have outside seating,  hayrides, football, opening windows, my husband wrapping me up in his arms because my bones shiver from the cold, traveling and oh so much more!  I love being in love with every little moment.  Taking notice to all the little things makes for tremendous bliss!  Here's to another year love affair with all that is fall/Autumn.

                                                             MEET:
                                                     Autumn and Fall

 In honor of great gifts of fall: these were our flying squirrels that literally fell upon us 4 years ago on the first day of fall on a chilly, crisp Saturday morning. We no longer have them, they are unfortunately very high maintenance and that just was not going to work out with a second baby on the way.  But they sure were cute, funny, adorable, & entertaining creatures. My jack-russell terrier treated them as though they were her pups and gave them baths. They were amazing flyers too and loved just hanging in your shirt pocket for hours.

Creating Perfect Packaging can equal Irresistible Bliss........

Have you ever had the feeling you were meant for great things? As a little girl, did you know you had something special to express into the world?  Many of us have lost touch with our whimsical, feminine dreams of greatness in exchange for a more driven, masculine take on success.  Without even knowing it, we've been enlisted on a mission: to prove we can do it as well as or better than, the men.  We are all so desperate to attain what we imagine will make us equal and happy (a successful career, marriage, family, 2.2 kids) that we forget who we really are: brilliant, sexy and magical beings like no other.
We've forgotten that our power lies not in competing with or trying to be like men but in embracing our natural and womanly strengths of compassion, enchantment, and tenderness.  We are intuitive healers and masterful lovers.  Our hearts run deep with emotions, and we cast a wide net of spiritual truth.  Our sexuality and feminine wiles inspire, enliven, and empower. We as woman are remarkable.
The world is in desperate need of irresistible woman; woman who are willing to be enthusiastic, alive, and expressive-regardless of the circumstances; woman who are not afraid to tell their truth or speak up for what they believe in; woman who feel at ease being intelligent, sensual, and compassionate all at once; woman who do not compete with, demean, or do battle against men (or other woman) but who see everyone for who they really are - fellow human beings also in search of a great life in search of love & bliss.
A woman must claim & show her irresistibility to the world as key to fulfilling her potential as a woman and a human being.  It's the secret to making an impact on the world you were meant to make.  Woman who embrace their irresistibility hold the heart to the world. Be sure to embrace your feminine as well as your masculine energies.  We all have both and integrating them in a balanced way is the key to unlocking your full potential as a human being and your bliss.
A huge part in being your irresistible self in a perfect package, delicious, scrumptious, take me home now gorgeous gal kind of way takes pride and respect in one’s self and I'll give you great examples of how to achieve that.  The real sin against life is to abuse and destroy beauty, even one's own- even more one's own, for that has been put in our care and we are responsible for its well-being.  Perfect packaging is the art of making your outer appearance a natural and irresistible extension of your inner fox.
 Now Irresistibility Action Tips:
*Do not wear clothes that actually do not make you feel attractive & just pray that someone will notice your inner goddess underneath the layers of T-shirts, baggy sweaters, and sweatpants? Go through your closet & get rid of old, unattractive, and unflattering items.
*Update your cosmetics and have fun with your make up.
*Love thy hair!  Invest in a great style and lavish your hair with the best products; be good to your hair it's one of your best accessories.
*Take care of your skin!  Do body scrubs, enlighten yourself with an oil bath and always be sure to moisturize. A woman should be soft just as she is elegant.
*Make sure to take care of your teeth, a bright smile can brighten everyone’s day, get professional support in this department if need be. I must give an honorable mention to one of my dearest friends Trig in this department because she does it "oh so well" with her amazing bright smile, it will truly make your day and lighten up a room!
*How about your figure? Do you maintain a strong & fit body or do you hide your babe-ness behind a layer of unhealthy extra weight?  Create a consistent exercise routine.  Not too skinny though, curves is where it's at!
*Update bras & underwear, cosmetics & skin care & hair products, jewelry and accessories, shoes, work clothes, evening clothes, workout clothes, socks. Newness is always great!
*Do you know your body type? How clear are you on what you should or should not be wearing? Become aware if you are not already.
Irresistible woman pay attention to the details.  Become practiced in treating yourself like a beautiful diamond that sparkles with a little polishing.  Commit to having everything you own be in great shape- especially you.  In life, everything matters.  It's not different with your appearance.  Healthy skin is just as important as healthy hair.  Great shoes are just as important as great clothes.  Nice bras are as important as nice socks.  Investigate your wardrobe, your cosmetic bag, and your jewelry box.  Look for rips, stains, or wear & tear and get rid of anything that doesn’t make you feel your best.
Simply become aware of details and commit to keeping your appearance clean & crisp.  I'm not suggesting you take on an obsessive-compulsive striving for perfection, but do experience the personal ease and satisfaction that comes with having things around you being well taken care of.
And finally and most importantly, don't rush as you get ready for your day.  Apply makeup carefully.  Allow enough time to wash & style your hair so you look and feel fresh.  Do what you know will support your irresistibility inside & out.  Drink water, take vitamins, and wear sunscreen.  Nourish yourself with healthy, nutrient-rich food that fuels you.  And never underestimate the impact that consistent exercise has on your irresistibility, with all the benefits exercise offers, the payoff is well worth the investment.  "Investment" being a key word.....Invest in you and be irresistibly blissful along the way.