A Knock at the Door

This is one of my favorite pick me up videos of all time ~ Enjoy!

(You'll have to turn off my music at the bottom)

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!!

Happy Dr. Seuss day to you....for breakfast have some Green Eggs and Ham...then Hop on Pop until Horton hears a Who, meet up with Thing One and Thing Two, and end with dinner consisting of one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish ....Oh the Places We will go!!!!

The bonds of Friendship

Littlefoot "Have you ever seen the Great Valley?" ~"No." Said Littlefoot's Mother ~ Littlefoot "Well, how do you know it's really there?" ~ "Some things you see with your eyes, others you see with your heart." said Littlefoot's Mother ~ Littlefoot "I don't understand, Mother" ~"You will, my son. You will." --The Land Before Time ♥ Talking with my girlfriends on the phone is such a wonderful thing. Though many of us are miles apart, it feels as if I can just pop over to their house for coffee after each time we talk. Recently, while talking and laughing about our pictures of our last beach vacation I realized that none of us are the same place we were a year ago. Yes, I know everything and everyone changes. But to fully understand you'd have to know what brought us all together. We all were going through one thing or another, we all were struggling with something, and we bonded over how much our lives were alike ~ taste in music, love of photography, being a mom, gardening, our children ~ we were comfortable and real with each other in a way many often shy away from. We shared our inner most secrets, our dreams, our hopes, our fears....All but one of us were celebrating our fabulous 40's, coming into a self discovery that only comes with age and experience ~ looking back on our 20's and 30's with fondness and looking forward to our 40's with a deeper appreciation of what really matters. We had all been on different paths that had crossed many times over the years but one night in December during the blizzard of all blizzards we met at Carlos O'Kelleys and had a Margarita Monday that none of us will soon forget. After that night we couldn't wait to plan our next girls night out. We planned our summer vacations with our kids, who were all the same age and upon meeting each other seemed as if they were lifelong friends too. After the most amazing week at the beach of good old fashioned girl time, it was hard to determine who had more fun the our kids or the "big kids". We were all at turning points in our lives, though some of us more aware, and some of us had unforeseen events that changed our lives completely, mostly for the better. Again, everyone goes through changes in their lives but what was so great about ours is that we went through them together. I can't imagine anything in life that we cannot get through. Which brings me to the Land Before Time quote for the day. We are all on a life journey filled with changes and what is really important is when you see a person's heart. To not have to explain or defend what has happened because those that see your heart need no explanation at all. People see what they want to see, and hear what they want to hear...but a true friend sees your heart. And it is an awesome feeling when one sees a persons heart ~ I am so blessed to have the best friends that see mine and will be by my side as we set out on our adventure to the Great Valley ~ to discover our strengths, to explore our uniquenessess, to love and be "real" with, to celebrate our success, to encourage each other when times are tough, to grow and recognize that together we are greater than the sum of our parts. Oh we will get to the Great Valley one day...and I am going to get there with some of the best hearts I know....of that I am certain!

Spring is Here!

I always love the little crocus flower that pops out of the hard cold Earth...so fragile yet so strong and they do seem to shout "Spring is Here Spring is Here!" I love spring...it is a time of renewal. Little seeds and planted bulbs bring forth life and show such determination to let us all know the change in the season is upon us. It is a time that I find personally to grow, to emerge from winter's cocoon, to break through the soil and be strong for whatever comes my way. No longer safe inside the hard cold ground, the new delicate life is fragile and cast into the wind and the unknown. Seasons bring about change in more than just what we see in nature....It's a chance to take notice to all the things that are growing, changing, and struggling to break through...that from a tiny seed or a round bulb gives way to a beautiful flower. Take time to nurture yourself, to be renewed, to grow and to recognize the strength it takes to emerge and be seen! Yes, spring is here!

A Love Letter To My Children

There are many posts on facebook...starting off like this "To celebrate Valentine's Day, change your profile picture to you and your spouse/significant other and make sure you tell how long you have been together!!"  And each time I read it, I come back to this thought of Valentines Day....celebrating the love you have for someone...and each and everytime....I think of my children.  Now don't get me wrong...I could post about the ups and downs of married life, and the love I have for my husband.  How it has changed, how it has grown, and how we met, etc.  I have said it many times, and told many close friends...that when I gave birth to my boys...I knew such an indescribable love, such an overflowing, outpouring of devotion and caring that transcends the love I have for my husband.  I don't think I could in my whole in entire life ever come up with words that could possibly express the love I have for them.  When asked, who did I love more...my kids or my husband...my response has been....I know it is said that you are supposed to Love God first, then your husband, then your children and so on.  But for me, at the moment of their birth, my heart was truly given to another.  Their lives are my legacy, my love flows in their veins.  I have never felt a greater love than that. Although I love my husband dearly....it's the maternal love....having your heart living, beating and growing outside of your own body....is not only stronger but it's the kind of love that is enduring.  Surely my heart has been broken by boys, and has known crushes, puppy love, passion and heartaches....and has loved in many different and wonderful ways over the course of my life.  I have always loved with all my heart....with all that I am, and all that I have.  Loving my children, watching them grow has far surpassed any kind of love I have ever known.  Sure there are times, when we don't see eye to eye....when I wonder, as a mother, am I doing my best.  There are times when I wonder how I have hair left in my head....or that my eyes haven't swollen shut from the tears that are shed  from joys and sorrows over the years.   Raising them, to have wings to fly, to know that there is nothing that cannot fail as long as they try.  To watch them grow and create their own paths and adding their own branches into a legacy they will make for themselves, that is love.    And I know many might challenge the faith sentiment that the greatest love is from our Lord and Saviour....and I am not denying that love at all.  I think a child's heart is the closest to Gods than any other and in loving my children I feel closer to God in so many ways.  To me that must be the love St. Valentine's had in mind.....love is loving your child with all your heart, to me, there is no greater love than this.  In the end the love for my children never waivers, although it is ever changing...ever growing...ever more. Happy Valentine's Day <3

This evening we were watching Happy Feet...when Elliott looked up and said "I almost got lost like Mumble..but you and Mrs. Melanie (his preschool teacher) found me" ♥ He may struggle with many things that come naturally to others.  But he gets things...the really important things.  I think sometimes we all get a bit lost in this crazy world of chaos and life.  It is nice when you feel the comfort, the complete and utter surrender of being found, truly found.  How awesome that he has felt this way since he was 4 years old, in a preschool class.  I know there will be many times that my children may get lost along the way....but I find comfort in knowing that they know they have been "found".  Tonight was one of those times where you can actually feel the moment....Bless their souls and touched my heart ♥

"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." — Marcel Proust Thank you to all my gardeners...who've planted, nutured, pruned, weeded, and allowed me to bloom....Even in the winter months...my garden's bursting into life ♥