And so it all begins...

2012 is just around the bend...

Happy, healthy new year!!!!!!!!!!

my christmas wish...

To you and all your family,

your neighbors and your friends,

may all your days be happy,

with a joy that never ends.

May peace and love surround you,

at Christmastime and all the whole year through!

2012...the year of the Debate

This is going to be a banner year!

Success in all things I do!

New beginnings!

It is an Election this year!

31 days from now...it all begins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It happened so quickly...

I cannot believe I am on the cusp of 40!

Where did the time go?

Oh my!



do over day please

I want to follow him down  a hole and just disappear today, please.

This old house...

There is something so sad, yet beautiful about these empty places.

This is a perfect time of year for a SPOOKY house!

a very special birthday

This year I am going to spend my birthday morning at the

"Give Thanks. Walk."  

for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

It takes $1.6 million each day just to run St. Jude's.

No family or child is ever turned away for their inability to pay. 

I am going to walk to show my support, and to raise hope for children and families of children who are suffering from all types of cancers.

Cancer, like many diseases, does not discriminate, but it is especially difficult when children become ill.

Please consider signing up, or donating to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital!

A child, who cannot walk herself, is depending on you to be strong for her.

A child who is asleep in his hospital bed, away from his family, would love you to honor him this way!

 I am selling the following original images, as a fundraiser.

Each one depicts the hope of something bright coming from the darkness.

1.

2.

3.

4,

Each one is printed as an 8x12 color print

Minimum donation is $10.00

Checks or cash accepted
  (checks payable to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital)
Prints can be mailed or delivered (locally)

Message my Inbox with orders: please include item number and qty.
I will contact you with payment specifics.

Order through November 10th.

Thank you.

**Prints make great gifts for the upcoming holidays ;)

for anyone who needs this...

Over-tired? Feeling down?

reblog this important information!

you are not alone! Please ask for the help you need!

welcome, welcome to Spooky town...

 

So I decorated the exterior of our house today. I went with simplicity.

Some cobwebs with spiders, spooky guys, and a couple of skeletons.

I am saving all the big stuff for the Community Halloween Party! 

Check out the pics though.

My neighbor's dog totally barked at them, as they walked by! HILARIOUS!!!!

Raindrops on Roses...

These are a few of my favorite things:

crisp morning air

Halloween

fall season

mittens, hats and scarves

travel

snuggling pets

fluffy pillows

horror movies

creativity

weekends

football

family

friends

Extinguish your torch

New alliances are made daily!

Who is on your side?

Are you kind to everyone?

Will people back you up?

Will you stand alone in a time of need?

Ask yourself...Am I the kind of person I would want to be friends with?

You are my ally and I love you!...YES YOU!

dinoflagellates are on display!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen...head out to your local beach and see the light show!

It is red tide time again and it is AMAZING!!!! Looking for a free activity to do in Carlsbad? Take the family, pack some snacks, and don't miss this one!

The moon is in the new phase now, so it is the best time to view this cool spectacle of nature!

crusade!

I am on a mission!

Hope I do not lose my head!!!!!

Color wash

Color is the theme for today!

Check out this bright eyed guy. He is about to become a glossy hot pink with metal flake, like this

 
112732 C-27
*502716 CC-27
HOT PINK

Speaking of color....

Sporting my Packers green and gold, only to find the game is not on public television! booooo!

Thank goodness for highlights and score updates! ahead by 10 with 11 minutes to go! Who's the team we love the best? P A C K E R S!!!!!!!

don't touch my stuff!!!!

I am hyper aware of germ transmission after seeing Contagion today!

I have always been a  bit of a germ weirdo, but I am on red-alert!

What is funny is that two of my favorite "places" to go are hotbeds for germ cultivation...

Carnivals and Garage Sales!

I guess the fun I have at a carnival, and the prospect of a garage sale killer bargain on a long-forgotten treasure, outweighs the danger of contracting a mutant strain of a virus that will wipe out humanity as we know it!

Even though I am willing to be lax about certain things, I still don't want the waiter touching the rim of my glass...where my lips go!

Straw please!

Paper Tigers...

scared me and came alive ...

Go LSU Tigers!

Easy come, Easy go...

Sometimes we wish for things to happen a certain way, and are disappointed when they do not.
It is an easy trap to fall into.

I am a staunch believer that everything happens for a reason.

Even when bad things happen, this is my belief.

Hurricane Irene made landfall on Saturday, August 28th, and just like that, our vacation was history.

Most of my husband's family were driving in from Baltimore to meet us. I had to make the unfortunate phone call, to deliver the difficult news.
We had planned on a week-long get-away. It would be the first time we would all be together, in one place. We had big plans to  hit the surf, tour Ocracoke Island, eat lots of delicious foods and spend hours catching up.
We were going to celebrate our niece's birthday, too.
Another time, perhaps.

In order to make it a nice trip, I had worked dutifully on finding a vacation rental on Cape Hatteras Island, North Carolina. For weeks I looked at rates, locations and houses.
I weighed pool vs. hot tub; porch swing vs. rooftop deck.
I kept narrowing down the selection field.

I looked at mansions, modest homes and beach bungalows.
I saw houses as green as Irish grass, the most vivid blues, and everything in between.

All the houses had  special names. There was Mermaids Tears, Edgewater, Dolphin Dream and the one that caught my attention out of all the others, Happy Days.

It is not the largest of homes, or the smallest. It is not the most or least expensive. It  just seemed to call out to me. After all, what does one want from a vacation but happy days...

I will miss lounging on the wrap-around porch, under the lazy sun, in the afternoons.

I will miss rising early to hear the surf pound the shore and the birds calling out to one another. 

I will yearn for the leisurely walks I will not be taking down the narrow pathway leading from the house to the beach.

I will pine for family meals served in the inviting dining area.

I will always wonder how many stars I would be able to see in the Cape Hatteras sky.

I will dream of the sound-side and ocean views I could espy from the artists loft...if only I were there.

I am grateful that we did not lose our lives like so many others did, because of the hurricane.

 I am thankful that we were all out of the path of any major damage.

I am saddened that we missed out on our trip this year, but we will be back!
We will always be in need of some Happy Days!

Ten Years Later

This week everyone seems to be reflecting on 9-11, with the ten year anniversary looming in our midst.

I will not bother you with the facts about where I was on that fateful day.

We all remember. We will never forget.

I will, instead, ponder things I  remember about that day and in the immediate days following.

I remember that morning being preoccupied with an exam, and later feeling how insignificant my exam really was.

I remember being saddest about the fact that perpetrators of this horrible, violent attack, had such little regard for human life.

I remember thinking that all of the people who were in the towers, working, had left their houses with thoughts of returning, perhaps in time for dinner or tucking in their children.

I thought about the passengers on the planes and how full their hearts must have been thinking about seeing loved ones who were waiting for them at their final destinations. I thought of the people waiting on the other end of their flights, so excited to see a loved one; a child, grandparent, long-time friend or spouse.

I thought of the crew and pilots who made countless trips and though they probably did not ever focus on it, the thought of a terrorist hijacking must have been somewhere in the deep portions of their minds, always.

I thought about the first responders and the kind of person it takes to hold that job. The fearlessness they have to exude, all the while trembling at the unknown. I thought about the sacrifice it requires by their families, to allow the rescuers to serve their communities and their countries.

I thought, in that moment, and was quite right, that the world was forever changed that day.

I had a few nice thoughts too.

I thought about how nice it was to see pride of country blooming and sprouting up where it may not have been before.

I thought about people who had lost faith, finding it once again in the time following that awful day. When some wanted to be afraid, others' strength and resilience shined brightly.

I thought about how nice it was to see neighbors  talking to each other. People were checking on one another. People were caring about those other than themselves; friends and strangers alike.

Our country burst forth from its cocoon and became a gorgeous butterfly.

When I think back about the day that terror struck in our hearts, I try to remember that when we are injured, the initial shock is swift and painful, but we move beyond that. We make adjustments and grow stronger as we heal.

We have done this. I truly believe that good can come from all things.

We united as a nation that first day, and all the days after.

Bono said it so eloquently, when he claimed that all across the world, people pulled together and became American that day. People felt our pain and cried with us. Families far away, held loved ones close, in their sympathy for us. Everyone grieved that day, alongside us.

Our tears and their tears collected in the same pool of reflection. What was to become of us?

Well...ten years now have passed and we are still here. We are still rebuilding. We are still remembering.

The hurt is still there, but maybe it is a little more like a  hidden tattoo;  we know we have it, but others do not see it as much. What we show others is that our grief made us stronger. We speak of those we lost with great pride, as heroes.

When we have a choice to help our brothers or to leave them to help themselves, we help because it is the way WE do brotherhood.

We are a nation made up of many backgrounds and COWARD does not run in our bloodlines. We will not be bullied by terrorists. We WILL ALWAYS stand up for our country and if you turn your head you will see that we are not alone.

**Last night's wide-spread blackout was a nice reminder of how we have all come together. Neighbor was out talking with neighbor. Friends gathered for football. Food was shared. Lights were shared, candles dispensed.
Smiles were across every one of our faces as we remembered there are BIGGER things we have faced and conquered!

"You is kind. You is good. You is important."

Yes...YOU!

Tell the people in your life what they mean to you, every moment of every day!

I'm Leavin' On A Jet Plane...aren't I???

There is an enormous chance that our vacation will not happen.

I have been practicing patience with this whole process and it is not the cancellation of the trip that has me on edge; we can vacation any time.

What has my undies in a bunch is the thought of  facing the aftermath. The emotional let-down of everyone else involved.

Our trip is insured. Our plane tickets can be moved. Our hotel and rental car can both be cancelled, without penalty.

What do you do with a disappointed heart?
How do you soothe frustration?
Where do you find kid gloves?
How hard does a punch have to be when you are no longer able to roll with it?
How do you answer, "Why me? Why us"? 

I can only keep a calmness in my heart and hope that whatever happens, was meant to be.

I know that all of these questions sit on an unbalance that is no more in our control than a Cow Pie Auction can be predicted!

Estoy con Estupido

So it took and hour and 5 minutes to drive less than 30 miles tonight. Made me homesick for LA! ::)

It was worth it though!

There was a Chargers game and I was going to Hillcrest to see my friend Marcia's comedy show, which was very funny!

I paid $5.00 to park. I indulged in a light dinner of red velvet cake and a chai latte. I had some good belly laughs. I drove home. I dodged rear-ending a car, when traffic halted instantly after a merge of freeways, by inches...LITERALLY. I feel blessed.

I also feel relieved that all of those years attending Stock Car races yielded a lesson in tactical maneuvers of driving!!!!!!!!!!

It was a nice night for me. Time to tuck in!

in my heart of hearts today

The Wind

As the wind swirls around me I am reminded of the lightness with which I wish to surround myself.  As it flaps at my heels, I remember it is OK to move when you are stuck…

As I turn and let it sweep a flyaway hair across my cheek, it is reminiscent of a kiss and I do not move to brush it away.

As my skirt flutters in the welcomed breeze, I feel I need to dance again and not be stilled. Fear of changing everything often leaves us immobile.

As all of this is happening, I feel myself altering who I am and becoming who I am about to be and as I cry silently for loss I have to smile for gaining a bit of my strength back.

As this awakening breaks over me, like dawn to a new day, my smile will be a beacon for every happiness to lay its windfall on me.

dream a little dream

It's in the wind today...I feel it!

And For Seven Years...

 Today is the seventh anniversary of my return from Maui. A life-changing event for me, really.

It was the first day of the rest of my life...as I see it.

I thought there might be a double rainbow or a special sign for me today...nothing noticeable though.
What does this mean??

It is also an old friend's birthday! With that...Happiest Birthday Josh...this is for you...It was written last year, for your birthday scrapbook...however, I am unsure if it made the cut! :)

All The Days

The days behind you,

Those filled with high school friends,

Parties where your band rocked us ‘til wee hours,

And Punk and Rock and Metal…

The days where anyone who knew you

Knew you would always keep your feet planted

While your spirit soared!

As we all grew up

Some went away and some stayed

But always the band brought everyone together again

And how you played!

All the days as a Front man

Never once, were you selfish with your gifts

You shined while performing and surrounded yourself with great friends

Each, great musicians who had a common respect for the song

And that love came across in your music.

Now your brightness is visible from space

And you have changed lives and made friends with your music.

You have realized boyhood dreams and unknowingly

Taken us all along for the ride

Wherever you stand

Your position on stage matters not

You will always be the Front man to your fans

You will always be Josh to your friends

And in all the days of the world,

Carlsbad and the gray blue house with the owl

 And the Cantina

Will forever tie you to your roots

As a high school kid who graduated from garage bands

To playing Arenas,

Who changed the world…

But never altered who he is.

Boogers make bad bookmarks...

Some things I have learned since being away...

There is truly beauty in ALL things.

Laughter REALLY IS the best medicine.

Tomato plants and pumpkin vines can still cause a poison ivy like rash on your forearms, even if trimming and pruning them was a volunteer gesture for an Elementary school garden.

Sundays honestly do last longer if you spend them lounging on the couch.

Sometimes vacations are equally enjoyable whether you are floating in a friends pool and reading a book while she sleeps in, or travelling to an exotic locale.

Blueberry coffeecake is the sh*t.

Ella, Judy, Billie and Patsy have not lost their allure over time.

Everyone looks silly in a red clown nose and a moustache on a stick.

An overabundance of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga songs are having ill effects on me.

Steering clear of work drama is the best path NO MATTER WHAT.

People do not always do what they say they will do...even if you give them time to do it.

Parades are awesome.

It is okay to miss something or someone that is absent.

People like to be invited, even if you know they have no intention of attending.

Going somewhere that has a history feels like visiting an old friend.

Nom Nom Nom

Shark week has been sooooooo sick!

 Long live the Almighty Landlord!

Start Spreadin' The News....

Good for you, New York!

It is nice to see some forward thinking!

All over your great state closet doors are flying open!

All across the country people are cheering for progress!

Death up by one in the game of life

AmyWinehouse is dead at the young age of 27.

Many commented that she joins the ranks of greats who have gone on before her, such as Hendrix, Joplin and Cobain.

It is a shame when a person imagines they are void of self worth and turn to a life ruled by drugs and alcohol.

Her heart and talent were true...it was her will that was not her own. Her body was no longer a temple and it betrayed her in the end.

A sad, sad shame. Rest in peace, at last.

that's the way the cake crumbles...all over the floor

Humph!

Sometimes, days and things do not go as planned.

It is not unusual for things, when seemingly smooth, to turn ugly!

In life, it goes like this and you need not be afraid!

A broom and dustpan are your troops and will forevermore be at your disposal!

Let them eat cake and spill it and smash it!

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

I was reminded this afternoon of how quickly something to be treasured can disappear.

It does not matter if the object  taking flight is tangible or perceived; the hurt and loss are the same.

Hold fast to the things which you esteem and be rid of the things that weigh you down.

You would be amazed at the transformation awaiting you!

Appreciate each moment of the day and fill your night with possible dreams!

you drive me wild

Sending a universal thank you out to Joan Jett for never disappointing!

She rocks non-stop! I love the way she connects with her fans and her band mate chemistry!

Whenever I leave one of her shows, my throat is raw from screaming and singing, my face hurts from smiling, my back is soaked in sweat and I struggle to restrain  myself from having musical Tourette's as I belt out her tunes!

So thank you JJ for making a rocker out of this girl!!!! Thank you for appearing to the masses again and again so we can get our fill of your remarkable, sustainable talent! Thank you for paving the way for chicks that rock!

I do not know what the world would have done without your influence!

Give Up My Life, My Heart, My Home

Infidelity is an awful truth in this world. It is hurtful, deceitful, shameful and seems to be a trend lately.

My heart aches as I think about how easy it is for someone to cheat. It seems silly to me that someone who is so willing to cheat thinks that their partner in crime will remain faithful to them, once the next best thing comes along.

There are people in this world who, for one reason or another, cannot be with their betrothed. Their hearts pine for one another yet, circumstance, location or obstacles keep them apart.

It is unfair for people,who have it all, to throw to the curb that which others yearn for but are forced to remain apart from.

Most people who have a heart that longs to be with it's mate, will give anything to get that heart back!

You cannot go back from a lie. Think first.

Hello Gorgeous!

I am a beautiful ball of light inside and out...

We all are! :)

Bumping in and out of each other's space.

You can choose the type of light you will to be...

the fire or  the reflection!

on a Wednesday

So many things happen on a Wednesday.

It is a quiet, unassuming day placed squarely in the middle of the week.

It is a day that brings relief to many in the Monday through Friday work force, as Wednesday is gaining on the weekend.

Today's Wednesday is June 1st, the start of the summer months. It is so hard to believe that the month of May is now a memory.

This particular Wednesday I worked hard, played hard, thought hard and listened hard.

In the end, it was quiet, calm and silence that I heard. It came loudly and clearly; a peaceful serenity that can only come on a Wednesday when your heart is open to it.