Grin & Bear It

>> Wednesday, August 25, 2010

This Basil is outta control!

This morning pics

June- starting to perk

June

Its been said there is a time to live and a time to talk about living. I prefer to live. Swimming, catching fireflies, nature, concerts, visits from friends, trips, fairs, love and much laughter. Here's a little glimpse into our summer living...

Sailing in Chicago=Perfection

View from our room

Gino's East! Yumo!

Awesome Jazz Club we found in Chi-Town. This guy was crazy!

Jon and I are "Fairy Godparents" to Ayden

My honey and I jammin to JJ

Jack Johnson (6th row-thats right)

G. Love

Pat Monahan-Lead Singer to Train (Yes, that close)

Fireflies

Lucky I'm in love with my best friend....

>> Friday, May 7, 2010

When he gets ready to leave and kisses me goodbye, my heart jumps. When his colonge lingers on my clothes all day, I day dream. When he travels, I wish I could go. When he walks in the door, all is right. Balanced.

When he worries, my eyebrow furrows. When he works late, I stay awake. When he laughs, I smile. When he stares, I blush. When he listens, I share deeply. When he guides, I follow. When he reminds me of truths, I believe.

He is the lock to my key, and the key to my lock

My Confidant, Best friend, Accomplice, Ally,
My admirer, beloved, hottie, one and only

My True Companion

We have survived 11 amazing years as one. Hand in hand, heart to heart. Through the laughter and highs, through the storms, tears and fears.....
He's "Still The One"

When I first saw you, I saw love.
And the first time you touched me, I felt love.
And after all this time, you're still the one I love

Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday

They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong

You're still the one
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're the one I want for life
You're still the one
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night

Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'

I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby

Here's to 11 years of highs and lows. I'm so blessed to have shared my journey with him.

Finding the quiet lately

>> Sunday, April 18, 2010

"Learn to say "no" to nonstop going, to a family that doesn’t know what it feels like to rest, to be pure. Don’t overbook. Don’t pass down addiction and obsessions. Go outside in the wind and nature and fight it out. Take time. Turn the television off, put down the cheetos, the computers and cell phones and put some truth and a little vitamin D on. Find the quiet."~Runamuck

Article Club

>> Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Some girlfriends and I started this article of the week club. Kind of like a book club but with articles that we find interesting. We read it, then get together while the kids run havoc on one of houses and over our apple orchard salads and herbal tea, we get into these great invigorating conversations. These brain stimulating, in depth, opinionated discussions about the articles is blissful. The picture below is what my article club gathering spot will look like soon. You're invited to my club, which color of chair would you prefer??

Last weeks article still has me thinking. It touched me. The words "Choosing to live in the past or future not only robs you of enjoying today, it robs you of truly living". I personally think not only living in the past of future robs you of the moment of now, but also living with attachments, worry and obsessions. As I am trying to find balance and simplicity in everyday, I also see more clearly how focusing all your energy on things that don't really matter can cause you to be neglectful on some of the things that do. So...I better stop before I foreshadow too much of this weeks article.

Article can be found here, but I've pasted it below.

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” - Buddha

One of the best, unforeseen consequences of simplifying our lives is that it has allowed us to begin living our lives in the present. Eliminating nonessential possessions freed us from many of the emotions associated with past lives that were keeping us stuck there. and clearing our home has allowed us the freedom to shape our lives today around our most important values.

Choosing to live in the past or the future not only robs you of enjoyment today, it robs you of truly living. The only important moment is the present moment. With that goal in mind, consider this list of ten tips below to start living your life in the present:

1. Remove unneeded possessions. minimalism forces you to live in the present. removing items associated with past memories or lives frees us up to stop living in the past and start living in the present.
2. Smile. each day is full of endless possibilities! start it with a smile. you are in control of your attitude every morning, keep it optimistic and expectant.
3. Fully appreciate the moments of today. soak in as much of today as you possibly can – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the emotions, the triumph, and the sorrow.
4. Forgive past hurts. if you are harboring resentment towards another human being because of past hurts, choose to forgive and move on. the harm was their fault. but allowing it to impact your mood today is yours.
5. Love your job. if you just “survive” the workweek constantly waiting for the next weekend “to get here,” you are wasting 71% of your life (5 out of 7 days). there are two solutions: 1) find a new job that you actually enjoy (it’s out there), or 2) find something that you appreciate about your current career and focus on that rather than the negatives.
6. Dream about the future, but work hard today. dream big. set goals and plans for the future. but working hard today is always the first step towards realizing your dreams tomorrow. don’t allow dreaming about tomorrow to replace living in today.
7. Don’t dwell on past accomplishments. if you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven’t done much today.
8. Stop worrying. you can’t fully appreciate today if you worry too much about tomorrow. realize that tomorrow is going to happen whether you worry about it or not. and since worry has never accomplished anything for anybody, redirect your mental energy elsewhere.
9. Think beyond old solutions to problems. our world is changing so fast that most of yesterday’s solutions are no longer the right answers today. don’t get locked into a “but that’s how we’ve always done it” mentality. yesterday’s solutions are not today’s solutions and they are certainly not tomorrow’s solutions.
10. Conquer addictions. addictions in your life hold you hostage. they keep you from living a completely free life today. find some help. take the steps. and remove their influence over your life.

If you can only live one moment at a time, you might as well make it the present

Wonder

>> Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I wonder.....

Does summer stay mad at fall?
For drying up all the flowers and making them die. For taking away the vibrant green and the lemon sun and replacing it with browns and golds. For taking away the comfort of warmth and bringing an awkward and bitter cold chill.

Does spring stay mad at winter?
For the layers of frost and cold. For the deep freeze, the hiding sun, the howling wind and drifts of snow. For the constant white and struggle for breath. For the agonizing silence.

I wonder......

In sitting in the sun with my boys, playing and soaking up the warmth of the amazing spring day, I noticed the shoots of green all around me. I noticed my rose bush budding and my peonies popping through. The frogs screaming their love and happiness. The birds singing their song of gratefulness and joy and I think about how life is so like the earth and the changing seasons.

If only we let go, embraced and realized it.

What if.....

>> Tuesday, March 2, 2010

What if for one day we decided to live from a place of pure acceptance. For one day, what if we dared ourselves to not bring to mind the rejection and mistakes from the past. Didn't dare think of the frustrations of the present. Didn't stress over the anxiety of the future. Don't you wonder what that day would look like. What it would feel like to live as if you were complete, exhilarated, free and full of peace. To live in the absolute moment. The now. You would hear clearer. Speak softer. See more vivid and be receptive to intuition. You would take less personally, love more fully, and give more abundantly. You would probably want that day to roll into the next and the next and the next..This is where I'm finding myself these days.

A while ago, I found myself in a very deep and dark hole. Upon climbing out of it, I had a choice. To wallow in the mud surrounding it and stay sad, mad, hurt and disappointed or I could move on. Take a shower and clean myself of the muck. In that process I decided to live in the now (you gotta read The Power of Now). To live more simple and more fully. Right now I write more, I smile more, I cry more, I love more, I laugh more. I find myself playing more, snuggling more and reading more. Talking more, thinking more and holding hands more. Not concerned with what they are posting on twitter or facebook or blogs and only peeking in once in a while. Not worried about how hot my laptop is getting on my legs because its not glued there anymore and I'm choosing to keep it off. Not bothered by the he said, she said gossip and staying the heck away from drama. Keeping close to those that matter and keeping those that don't at a distance.