come say hi...

over at my new spot!

oh yes... i have a new blog home...
and i am as happy as a clam... on the best beach... on a warm sunny day! 

 

guest room is ready

my mama is on a plane right now... heading straight for our home!
happiness!
i'm telling ya... no matter how old we get... we are STILL their babies!

being around family... spending time... even if it's just sitting & chatting... 
is hands down... the best thing in life... the bEsT!

i am looking forward to lots of chatting... lots of good stuff!  :)

and speaking of happiness...
i have fun changes coming to my blog soon... !
i wish you could see the smile on my face... it's BiG!

cheers to a hAppY tHuRsdAy...
may it be jam packed full of happy things!

oh the options

 

having fun with light & shadows! 
isn't it nuts all the adjustments you can make in photography these days!
there are SO many fun "looks"... "feels"... you can give to a pic by just tweaking a tidge!
and then it's always interesting to see how OTHERS see the same pic!
i find that when i focus on just ONE at ONCE... each one is fun... just in it's own unique way!
curious... do you favor for one over the other... just the feel of it...
btw... there is one that has been left "un-tweaked" too... any guesses which one? 

here's to a terrific Tuesday... 
and embracing all of it's unique opportunities!

copy cat

you reach... she'll REACH!
you run ... she'll RUN!
you dance... she'll DANCE!
you stretch... she'll STRETCH!
you stand tall... she'll STAND TALL!
you go for it... SO WILL SHE!

she may be your SHADOW but... she lives within you...
and is always there to show how FUN you ARE... how MIGHTY... how BIG... how STRONG!  

as she follows you... you'll see...
she'll show you just how wonderful you ARE!


we are SO enjoying the GORGEOUS weather!
believe it or not... on Saturday we woke up to SNOW... then bright bold sunshine on Sunday!

all i know... i want to grab Spring by the horns & RIDE!
with flip flops ON...
oh WAIT... i need a pedi BAD!

is Spring peeking out where you are too? 

eleven...

years of pure bliss!
ha ha ha ha...
okay... SERIOUSLY... can we be honest here!

 
marriage is one of hardest thing we have ever done!
i guess that is to be expected when you are COMPLETE opposites from one another!
if you were to write out on a piece of paper our traits...
it would look "mathematically"...  not EVEN possible... no way... no how!
those of you that know us... can attest to that! :)

a choice... commitment... to stick together through thick & thin!
we have had a lot of thin... very thin... thin ICE!
and there have been times as though i thought we would fall right through that ice!

i think when you bring two people together... AND their histories...
a new foundation sometimes has to be built.
at least for us... this has shown to be true...
because somewhere along the way our personal foundations formed a few cracks. 

the really GREAT thing... as we rebuild our foundations...
we are not only becoming stronger within ourselves but... stronger as a TEAM!

we know our team needs more coaching... but we are both IN IT... to WIN it!

i am SO thankful that i have a man that lOVES me...
and is WILLING to do what ever it takes to make our lives beautiful TOGETHER!   
he is a hard-working... smart as ALL get out... 
always striving for the next level... well respected... funny... awesome MAN and FATHER!  

so to him i say...
hAppY AnniVeRsAry!
i love you
&
look forward to what the NEXT eleven years bring! 
 
he always gives me tulips on this day...
they are what i carried on our wedding day... my FAVORITE flower for sure!



the girlies dressed "us" special for the day... don't we look lovely! :)


they even made us cards!   

  

so tonight... we'll be toasting with a REALLY nice bottle of red wine... 
and reminiscing about the last eleven years... like when he had hair & i had a waist!

come on in...

 

 



we're expecting much lower temps... even snow... oh yes...
so while the sun is showing her face & spreading her warmth...
we're saying "come on in"... 

SHINE

show us all your goodness!

wishing you a hAppY FrIdAy...
and hoping there is LOTS of goodness in your day too!

it's a doozy

holding on... hanging in there... DECIDING to make the most of the the day!

like Gretel... our dog... she just goes with the flow & stays a happy camper always!

looking for... counting on a doozy of a day! 
and of course wishing you the same!

"shucks"

so... my dilemma was to either DO IT or act like i didn't SEE it!
when i clicked over to see what the ever creative gals were up to...
"shucks"...
a "tag you're it"... with a CATCH!
no primping... just sit down RIGHT NOW & take your picture!

SO...
even though i wanted to tweak the heck out of his picture...
add blush... take away the blemishes... the wrinkles...
change out of my gross workout clothes from THIS MORNING... do SOMETHING...
i reminded myself that i am embracing my authenticity...
and well... this is ME! 

and GUESS WHAT...
now it's your turn!

1. sit down.
2. take a picture of yourself right now. don't primp, just snap one!
3. upload it.
4. tag 3 people to do the same. 
"cheese"

come on... don't act like you didn't see it... just DO IT!
embrace the FUN & YOU!

the hue in you

“ Today you are YOU, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is YOUER than YOU. ”
the colorful & simply wonderful DR. SEUSS... who would be 105 today!


awe... to embrace all the silly... sometimes nutty... certainly unique characteristics...
that make us all our own unique shade of color!
ALL the BEAUTIFUL color in the world... we all have such a SPECIAL part in making up the rainbow! 


i'd like to think if i could be a shade of color i'd want to be RED...
bold... bright... clear... sometimes a little too loud... but good in small doses! :)
what shade of color would you want to be?

 

soft... creamy... butter

it was like... butter!
don't you like butter on your toast!

the day was truly beautiful yesterday!

we were able to throw OFF our jackets... little bit even threw ON her flip flops...
and we headed outside to kick up our heals & play!

 

flip flops... is it THAT time already... somebody get me to SPA... my feet scream winter!

oh happy day... it is here... FRIDAY... ready & raring to bring us some FUN!

i'll be sharpening my blackjack skills... doing addition with my fingers...
oh yes i still do that... we're going to Casino night!   ding ding ding 
what kind of weekend plans to you have? 

offshoot

i have been digging deep lately... pondering... wondering... praying!
i know that this time of year moves in with an instant NEED to purge...
start ANEW... look at things with a FRESH eye!
well... i have been looking at things with a fresh HEART too.

i want to make room for my dreams to GROW!
widen the fork in the road to a MERGE!

sometimes it is scary to take the leap!
to cut the dry away & allow the NEW to sprout!

how to KNOW whether the new sprouts will be as sweet... as savory... as gratifying!

that's just the thing i suppose... if your feet never leave the ground... you never take the leap!
you just have to jump!

is there anything you too would like to pull up... to make room for new?
do you have a pocket full of seeds that just needs to be tossed? 

wearing my juggler hat

trying to get this & that where this & that BELONGS... 
  
   





    
 
lots to ACCOMPLISH...
just juggling ALL the balls that are currently up in the air! 

from paperwork... to laundry... to being mommy... there is mess ALL around me!

hAppY wednesday... 
here's to conquering LOTS of this & that! 

drips...

 
it SO rarely rains here... SO rarely!
we actually get a bit excited to see those crystal clear drops fall from the sky!

what IS that?
when we lived in Houston... where it rains ALL the time... it was like...
oh... no don't go out there... as if we would MELT!
well now... come to think of it... the rain AND humidity in Houston...
you CAN melt from it!  :)  

on the western slope here in Colorado it is SO dry... 
chapped lips... dry brittle hair... cracked skin... cacti all over the place... kind of DRY!
so i suppose when it rains here... it's kind of welcome! 

i have grown to love rainy days!
feels sort of like being wrapped in a cocoon.
like being given permission to retreat.
a special time to reflect. 
a pass to just simply absorb it and just BE!  

hmmm... come to think of it... i think i could use another rainy day... what about you !  :) 

whether the sun is shining or the clouds are hanging about...
today is sure to be splendid!

rise & shine

wanting to scootch her over a bit & snuggle up this morning.
pull up the covers... shield out the cold... curl up all cozy... and drift into a dream!
awe... now that's a dream!  :D

getting the girlies rousted up this morning...
ready to face a new morning... a new day... a new week!
monday...
hello...
not quite sure if we're ready for you yet but you've rolled in... so here we go! 

sure hoping your start to the week is JUST what you need it to be!
right now... JUST what i need is MORE coffee! 

cheers to another cup of joe & a morning filled with get up and GO! 

a BAT & "how cool is that"...

little bit & i were SO in the mood for some bacon ooh la la for lunch!
do you love these too or what?
we do a tiny thing differently... instead of mayo we use miracle whip... tangy YUM!

after i uploaded this pic i noticed the bite out of the bacon... just COULDN'T wait could i... ha!  

 

i changed my profile pic over at facebook... and everybody was SO nice!
"HOW COOL IS THAT"
all i know... they sure put a skip in my step today!
for a gal to hear ONCE that "she looks good"... it is gut level "FEEL GOOD"!
thank you SO much... really! 

now... for something funny...
look at the front of my hair where the part is... see that hair sticking out kind of funny...
that would be one of MANY grays i have on my head!
why is it that they grow so wacky woo anyway?

i am one happy... gray haired growing mama that it's fRidAy...
whoop!
sure hope your weekend is filled with a BIG bowl of goodness... grab a BIG spoon & ENJOY!
xo 

poodle in a smock

little miss flying kitty and i are getting our manes tamed today!
SO excited... i can hardly stand it... my hair will actually have some shape again!

the only thing... i am going straight from the gym... antiperspirant... deodorant... don't fail me now!
it was the ONLY appt. i could get... and a desperate woman who needs a hair cut
will do ANYTHING to get in... am i right or what!

what is it though about once they have washed your hair... they take you over...
as water drips down your back... sit you down right in front of the mirror...
"AAGHHHH"... i get a glimpse of myself IN THE MIRROR! 
hair sticking out everywhere ... garish shiny smock... water dripping all over the place... 
something about that little head sticking out of there... NOT attractive! 

so you better believe it... i put on makeup today!
a dab here... a dab there... 
i might be going to the gym but i'll be darned
if i have to see ALL THAT in the mirror AND no makeup... no way!  
i'll at least look like a wet poodle... that has pretty lashes! 

so... here's to thursday... woo hoo...
we're over the hump & rolling down the other side... the weekend is oh so close!  
gotta really focus on that extra "umph" today!

am i the only one...

 
having trouble making comments on "blogger" blogs that use "embedded comments" !!!!!!!!?

when i tell you i am a complete freak over this...
i have learned on these blogs to "copy" my comment...
because when you try to post your comment... it NEVER takes! 
i will copy & paste & post... copy & paste & post... over & over again...
a gazillion times... well... okay... AT LEAST 35 times...
to try to get my comment to post! 
does not POST! 
i'll be darned if i leave that friend's blog without them knowing i tried to comment!  
it may take me ten flipping minutes... NO... not kidding! 
i am stubborn as all get out & refuse to leave without it accepting that comment! 
carpal tunnel is settling in...
this has got to stop! 

come on... tell me... has this been happening to you too?

wait a sec... talk about freak... i arranged my scrap scrabble pieces just for this post... FREAK!

friends. . .

    
we are free to stand TALL... because they are right there... to lean on AND to catch us if we fall

we are ACCEPTED... in spite of our weathered & sometimes thorny surface

we are BETTER... because once they have rooted within us we are never the same

we are STRONGER... because we sure don't bend easily when someone's right there supporting us

we are SATISFIED... because when our hearts are thirsty they are the rain that pours from the sky
  
 
 

we are BLESSED...
because with them... we run faster... laugh harder... and there is no tree we cannot climb!

blankets + popcorn + dancing hippo =

laughing out loud!

 
madagascar 2... was the perfect sunday night treat! 
who would have thought a hippo could have so many moves... ha!
my silly two cents... i definitely recommend it!

for some reason it is SO hard for me to SIT DOWN though & watch a movie!
i tend to read a magazine... play an iphone game... check on laundry... check email...
yadda yadda... AND watch the movie... what is THAT... why do we do that!

last night... i stayed still like a good little girl... AFTER snapping these shots :D...
and really enjoyed the movie!
plus... i couldn't pass up an opportunity to sit next to those toesies!


today... it sure is nice having a "no school" day!
WHAT a monday... PERFECT start to the week!
a week i am counting on being filled with "good stuff"!

for me personally... i am looking for it to be filled with a little extra "umph"...
a little more "come on girl... step it up a notch"!
pushing past the expected and just adding a bit extra!
more effort into dinner... more time listening... more time on the treadmill (ugh)...  
more time being creative... more time being happy BEing in the moment! 

anything special... a little something... you'd like push past this week?
we can step it up a notch together!  :D

14 clues...

to get to their valentine surprise... our silly way of just trying stretch out the fun!   

 
the fourteen hearts were hidden here & there... 

the trail of clues ended in the dryer... which OF COURSE had clothes in it still needing attention...
btw... they're STILL there... wet clothes in the washer too :D  !


it is the simple things isn't it though... that bring big smiles...

and silly faces!





 
   

  
we even got to out to dinner without the kiddos... and when i say that rarely happens...
i mean Rarely... with a capital R!

we had a great day... definitely simple... but in a good way!
focusing on the little things... AND doing my darndest to not eat too many heart shaped reeses...
good gOsH... i flipping love those things... my weakness for sure!

sure hope your weekend has been great too... do tell... what treat was your weakness...
come on please tell me i wasn't the ONLY one digging into the chocolate! :D