Birthday Bliss

As I was talking with a co worker today, it dawned on me it was Bella

-Boo's birthday. So I texted my husband with the new's and responded, " Lets have a party." After worked I stopped the Dollar-tree picked up this marvelous birthday hat, some party favors and a squeeky toy ( she can never have enough of those). We fed her, gave her a new toy, blew our party favors and loved on her. And naturally a photo shoot followed.

It may seem silly to some. Bella is our family. So we celebrate her.

Find things to celebrate daily. Life is too short to not throw a party.

Things to Remember in an Ordinary Day

Remember that time is of the essence. You dont get to call a "do-over" for a wasted day. You just lose it.

Choose to find your "pink flamingo" in the midst of your day. They are there, look around.

Be the salt of the earth. Spread love wherever you go. A little goes a long way :)

Look for all the things you love about your loved one ( not all the things that drive you crazy)

Dreams

Life is short, God's way of encouraging a bit of focus. - Robert Brault

So what is the purpose of living if you don't have dreams? So what is the purpose of dreaming if you don't act on making them come true? Life is way too short to not actively live everyday. Choose today to be in pursuit of your dreams. Even if life doesn't turn out as you planned, there is a better version to be acquired with hope and action. Keep dreaming;)

Every man dies, Not every man really lives. - Braveheart

Seven years

Celebrating 7 yrs of Marriage! Yaa! Where did the time go? Through the yrs we have blended two different individuals into one shared life. We have woven together a lifestyle that is uniquely ours. Though we are two very different people we have learned to Love, respect and comprise. We cherish the sweet moments and grow together in the challenging times. We try to keep things simple and live a life of Purpose. Each new chapter gives us another opportunity to grow as individuals and become the people we were meant to be. My husband has grown leaps and bound's into a great man of integrity, honor and strength. I am proud to be married to him and excited to see what is in store for our future. We are thankful to for all our blessings and pray for God's guidance as we begin a new year in our marriage.

Happy Anniversary to us :)

Rabbit in the field

Rabbit in the field is sweet little antique/thrift shop I came across yesterday. It was delightful. Full of rabbits and feminine things that would fit into the shabby chic home. It is caddy corner to the original Blanco Cafe on Blanco. So next time you are in the area drop in and take a peek.

Run like a girl

I read this book a couple years ago sipping an iced green tea in the middle of the day at the Barnes and Noble. Loved it. The title enticed me in. It will inspire you to remember about the girl you once were and encourages you to move forward where ever you might be in life. The author truely understands women and how to motivate us to move forward using quotes and tugging on our heart strings.

The intro reads:

In your memory there is a snapshot of a girl on an unstoppable mission to invent,create,take risks and have fun!...

Run like a girl is a celebration of the power and beauty of the girl who still exists in you....

You will be reminded of your own resilience and courage to transition, reinvent and stay true to God's calling.

Fearless

When you are young you live with this sense of fearlessness in your soul. You want to conquer the world, make your print on it and make a difference. So at what age do we tell ourselves that we cant? when do we get so caught up in the routine that we stop living, dreaming? I can say for myself somewhere along the way I lost my way. Fear crept in. That is why I love this particular piece of art. It reminds me to live fearlessly. And as long as I have breathe in my body I will continue to not only dream but to act, plan and believe.

So come one, come All. Lets march onward, put on your armor ... and live with abandonment!

You Are More

I love the song "You are more" by Tenth Avenue North. So many people beat themselves up over past mistakes. Though we are held responsible for or choices, they do not define us. You are MORE. Just to paraphrase my favorite lines:

You are more than the choices you've made

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes.

You are more than the problems you create.

You've been remade.

Stop living in the shadows. Embrace who God created you to be and move into the light.

Baby Steps

Dream big. Make plans. Take steps.

Are you where you want to be? Are you who you want to become? It may take a thousand baby steps to get there, but each step is one step closer. It only takes a step to get towards where you want to be. So what are you waiting for? Put one foot in front of the other and find yourself closer to your dream.

(Arent these shoes adorable? Check out joyfolie.com )

An Ordinary Day

Yes, Id love to say that I receive flowers from my husband all the time, but then they would'nt be so special. Just an ordinary day made special with a thoughtful gesture. I never know when they are coming but when it does they always warm my heart and bring a smile to my face.

Make someone's ordinary day special with a thoughtful gesture :)

Find Joy in the journey

My goal for this blog is to uplifting and encouraging to others on their journey. Teaching us to see the beauty even in the struggles. Life is messy and complicated and tough. But there is a silver lining around those cloudy days. So much of our journey is not about the destination as much as it is about the ride. keep your eyes open and dont miss that beauty in each day along the way.

Find Joy in the journey.

Aspire to be . . .

My Bella-Boo. Look at those eyes of admiration. Do I really deserve such dedication and devotion? Not really but she thinks so. To her, I am alllll that and more. This is her waiting for me outside of my bathtub. She has become quite the little showdog. Staying perfectly still as if she knows, she is the center of my attention. She waited patiently as I grabbed my phone to snap the picture. Look at that show off. She blended in so well into my shower curtain and bath rug. I thought it was just lovely.

We should all aspire to be the people our pets think we are. Dont you think?

Summer Dayz

Yes, summer has begun and I have hit the ground running trying to lap up every hour I have. I don't want to waste one minute. I have been blessed with jobs that allow me to be off for the summer and I take every minute as it was gold delivered right to my door. I usually recharge myself and ignite my passions and creativity again. Each morning I awake with new eyes and excitement for what my day will hold. Mostly reconnecting with friends and family: lunching, going to craft events, going to movies, bookstores. But I have been pursuing my passions also: photography, decorating, shopping. dreaming, starting up projects,completing old projects, finding new ways to be inspired!

What are you doing with your Summer Dayz?!

I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to know I have lived the width of it as well. - Diane Ackerman

A Tribute to my DAD

My earliest memories of my father are when I tightly wrapped my arms around both his legs as we were ice skating because I got scared and made us both fall down. I remember walking with him to the park in the snow to go sledding,and him taking us trick or treating on a chilly evening, so cold you could see our breathe. I remember the countless trips to D.C. to to go sight seeing with a guest from out of town. He was always full of so much knowledge. I can remember him teaching us to ride our bikes in the back yard and how he built us a play house in the back yard with a loft bed and table and chairs. He also coached my soccor team and my brothers basketball team. I remember camping and waking up to his music and the smell of bacon. I recall our vacations to virginia beach and how we had to wake up when it was still dark to travel there. I remember catching fireflies in our back yard and eating hot bread and sausage at Tyson's corner mall. I remember searching for our easter eggs at the park every easter and at Christmas running downstairs to see what Santa clause brought us, checking to see if he had eaten the cookies we left for him.(yes my DAD ate them) Nothing in the world can take these precious memories from my heart. They are treasured.

So I ask. What makes a father a DAD? Money? a fine house with lots of things? No, NO. Its Love. He didn't just work and come home. Any man can father a child but only the cream of the crop can be called a Dad. My father was a Dad. He was an active participant in our lives. He gave us memories that made us who we are today. He taught us to dream and achieve our goals. He taught us to forgive others and help the needy. He taught us to admit when we were wrong and always do the right thing.He loved us, encouraged us, always told us he was proud of us. He is a man of honor, of integrity A man of prayer, A man of God. I love my father and am so Blessed to call him my "Dad."

Happy Fathers Day Pop.

Love, your daughter

LISA :)

Living In The Moment

As I sat on the beach trying to take all the beauty into my soul, this sweet bird landed. I quickly picked up my camera hoping he would stay long enough to snap his picture. To my delight he stayed for a moment. There are so many moments that pass us by as we are trying to pursue our objectives during our day. But if we keep the eyes of our heart open and look around us daily, there is so much beauty, so many lovely moments. Dont be too busy to breathe during your days. Smell those flowers, listen to the words of your kids and loved ones, cherish those precious moments.

LIVE IN THE MOMENT

Fruit Pizza

A delightful summer dessert I made yesterday. Here is the recipe:

FRUIT PIZZA

Press sugar cookie dough into a round pizza pan. Bake and cool.

Mix together softened 8 oz cream cheese, 1c sugar and a container of cool whip. chill about 15 minutes. spread over large sugar cookie. Arrange cut up strawberries, kiwi and can of mandrin oranges. Cut slices like a pizza!

Mary's photo shoot

Yes, I am pursuing a dream. Children's photography.

Mary is my first teen. We went to a thrift shop today, I had her try a ton of stuff and we came up with this! I wanted to capture her beauty along with her childlike sense of wonder for life. Mary is 16. She is full of life and laughter with a child-like spirit. She is a joy to be around :)

Open to new possibilities

I recently watched a movie/documentary about Temple Grandin... She was autistic from childhood.Though the doctors suggested institutionalization, her mother refused and pushed her through out her life to succeed and pursue her dreams. She went to school, college and received her Masters degree, wrote several articles published and designed several devices for more humane treatment of our livestock. she is now a speaker around the world on autism and how her mind works. Though it was so difficult at times with her mothers persistence patience and love she has made a difference in her world. She is truly amazing. I was inspired. One of her teachers told her to think of new experiences like a new door and if she chose to go through them it would open up a whole new world. She visually pictured a door when she felt afraid and challenged.

So are YOU open to new possibilities? Will you choose to walked through the door before you?

A weekend get away

My husbands job takes him to the East Coast so we took advantage of Memorial day weekend. We went to New York, took the ferry to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty, then across to the city walking on the streets of NY in Times Square. Also took a drive down to Atlantic City and walked down the boardwalk and relaxed on the beach. The last day we rested and went to South street, shopped AND got a cheesesteak in Philly. As exhausted we were, "We were together," and enjoyed our time.

CHERISH the time with your loved ones where ever you are.