Post Birthday Milestone.....

Post Birthday Milestone!

So I just turned 30! and wait for it.............wait.............nope I did not explode!

When you turn 30 you are truly now an adult, (that is if you were not one before;) and totally time to act like one. You know those life goals and bucket lists, well it is time to start accomplishing them! Time is now and now is time, so get to it!

Three life lessons I have learned in my past 30 years.

With good family and friends you can accomplish anything and celebrate while you do it!

If you do not have a best friend that treats you awesome, go find one. My life would be a total drag without her. 

Life does not have to be complicated, we make it that way
Dream big, take your biggest dream and multiply it by 10
Be grateful, for your family and friends, but mostly my faith!
Give love, a lot of people don't feel loved, they need to come to my house, I'll love the heck out of them!
Laugh lots and lot and lots, but especially at yourself!

Happiness During Rush Hour

I would have to say that this morning felt more rushed than usual. The kids wanted to play rather than get ready for the day and I preferred to just enjoy a warm cup of coffee while sitting at the table instead of sipping it quickly in the car while dropping my daughter off at school. Not only were we all a bit slower this morning, but it is gloomy and rainy outside. I'd have to say this is not a great combination to keep us going.




But as I was driving on the freeway to downtown and of course hitting rush hour, I remembered it was Veteran's Day. A day to remember all those currently and in the past who have served our country, who laid down their lives and the multiple sacrifices these men, women and their families suffered. I want to thank all our vets! Here is a new music video just released by Mary Beth Anthony, "The Soldier's Wife".





While driving through the rain I realized that I needed to slow down and take a deep breath. Just because it was raining did not give me any excuse for being crabby and lazy, instead I needed to motivate myself, just like any challenge in life. The difficult times, those times of suffering are the ones which pay off more in the end than the good times. Yes, we all need to laugh and laugh a lot, but what lessons would we learn in life if we never had any trials. The purpose of these trials is to not only learn from them, but to learn how to deal with them. This seems to be the hardest part, accepting the suffering for what it is but also dealing with it in an appropriate way. Instead of lashing out on others, or blaming them for our misfortunes, it is time that we put on a smile. The whole does not need to know that we are sad, depressed, angry, upset, ill and in need of sympathy. Instead of using our social media outlets and friends as a way to relay our feelings, maybe it's best to keep somethings within the privacy of our families and even ourselves.

So rush hour brought me to the conclusion that happiness doesn't stem from having it your own way, but dealing with what life throws at you with a smile and an accepting attitude, because ultimately we rarely can change the hardships presented before us. All in all, we can only take those moments to grow internally and externally and be a better person for it!

Also, wishing Katrina a Happy Birthday!

Turkey Favorites: Gobble Gobble Wobble Wobble

I would have to say that wild turkeys are pretty ugly looking, especially when they are having a Turkey Convention in Katrina's front yard, but here are a few of our turkey favorites. Not alive of course!

The best place setting ever! Ourbestbites

Easy Craft! My favorite kind! Almost Unschoolers

This would be quite an elaborate centerpiece!

This made us chuckle. Joyful Art Designs

A bit of turkey sophistication and elegance. One Day at a Time

Family Priorities and Family Ties

It's time to take back society, it's time to take back family life! We have become such a "Go-Go" Society that relies mainly on selfish motives and oftentimes we forget to think about others, especially those in our family. Let's go back to those times of family dinners, family picnics, memorable birthday celebrations and unforgettable stories told by grandparents. Those were the simple times, but those are also the times most remembered when we get older. We won't remember why we skipped a family dinner or the reason we excused ourselves from visiting our grandparents over Thanksgiving.

A table is only beautiful if it can be filled with family and friends.

Credit: Little Lovables

Credit: thegraphicsfairy

With the Holidays approaching let's put special time aside for our family and close friends, because in the end what else really matters? What is the point of celebrating Thanksgiving if we don't have anyone to share it with?

Enjoy the laughs!

Credit: eHow

Spend a few moments making memories and crafting! 

Credit: Scrappindoodles

Let's truly be Thankful!

Credit: Heresyoursignprimitives

Make some memories to last a lifetime!

Rolo Roll-Ups: A Fall Treat

If you are looking for something to do with all those Rolo candies from Trick or Treating or parties, here is an easy recipe, but with an addicting taste!


Ingredients:
Rolos (or any chocolate/caramel candies)
Pillsbury Crescent Dough
Cinnamon & Sugar to sprinkle on top

Roll up the chocolate candies in the crescent dough.

Sprinkle each roll up with a bit of cinnamon and sugar.

Bake 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy with friends and family!

This is the perfect treat to share with new neighbors!

Are You a Distracted Person?

Live Life with a Purpose: The Perfect Day!

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” 

― Eleanor Roosevelt

We all have busy lives that revolve around one or many different aspects of our life, whether it's family, friends, children, husbands or our careers, but oftentimes we forget to look at life on a broader scale. Oftentimes we miss saying hello to a neighbor because we are in a rush to leave the house and get the kids to school, or we spend an entire luncheon on our phones instead of having a constructive conversation with family, and even at work we get so caught up in our responsibilities and shut ourselves off from our co-workers by spending the entire day at our computers with headphones on and never say "Good Morning" or "Have a Nice Evening".

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

These actions which may not begin as intentional will increase and multiply like a bad habit. They will become part of who we are and our daily routines, which is truly unfortunate, because we are meant to be social beings. We thrive on social contact and interaction. Yes, I know that not everyone is an extrovert (Sanguine or Choleric Temperaments), but even introverts (Melancholics or Phlegmatic Temperaments) need those moment of social stimulation, even if it's a smile and a quick "hello" or sending a card in the mail to a friend, or enjoying a cup of coffee with family while the kids are running around crazy. No matter the case, we all deserve to receive social etiquette from others, but we also must remember that it is absolutely necessary for us to initiate it as well!

So, it's time to get off of our phones, open our eyes to the desires of others and begin to live life with a purpose!

Our Week in Short: What are your Plans for the Weekend?

For Katrina and myself, this week has been a combination of planning, events, meetings and new beginnings. We may not be able to give all the details right now, but this week we have officially begun a new business venture: EXCITING! It's finally the merging a few beautifully creative worlds into a business plan.  This weekend may be busy with floral designs, Fall Festivals, family breakfasts and a charity dinner, but the most important thing is that we will both get to spend some quality time with friends and our families. Life is Good!  Enjoy your weekend.

Designing beautiful autumn flowers.

It's time for a girls breakfast at The Pancake House!

Enjoying a drink with friends, or two!