Busy Life!

So I started a new temporary part-time job this week and while I love it and I'm learning a lot and I am grateful beyond words for the improvement it's making to our family budget, waking up at 6:15 a.m. every morning, dressing "up" and putting my brain to work in ways it hasn't for a while? Well, it's kinda kicking my bum just a little bit. But now that it's Friday I see some light and I think I just might be able to get used to this. I work with some very nice people in a very nice place and it's good to get up and get going every day. Having worked from home for the past ten years had gotten me into the habit of setting my own pace and often working in my jammies - good things, but part of me really enjoys the "real" workplace again. And of course I still have all of my own business ventures going strong, so life is just extra super-duper crazy busy these days to say the least. But I love it all and I am so grateful for my opportunities! And I have the best family to come home to, so that is a wonderful bonus!

It's times like this, when life cranks into high gear, that I am especially grateful for Rich. He is such a calm, kind person and he keeps me grounded and is always encouraging me to be my best. Hey hubby, I love your guts!

All right, time to go be a housewife for a while. Enjoy the weekend, folks!

"The busy man is troubled by but one devil; the idle man by a thousand."  —Spanish proverb

"The more we do, the more we can do."  —Dag Hammarskjold

Vanity: the good kind

You can keep your white Christmas or whatever: what I am dreaming of is a new bathroom! Before we moved into this new/old house we wanted to gut and re-do the master bathroom. But one thing led to another and the room that got our attention (and most of our money) first was the kitchen. And we LOVE our new kitchen! But having a nice kitchen only makes the bathrooms seem MORE dismal, if you know what I mean. So as we are on the brink of our second spring here, and with a decent tax refund on its way from uncle Sam, I am trying to convince the hubs that it's time to do something about the toilette. I've started collecting some pretty pictures and refining what it is what I want to have in the new space. The funds are tight, and holy Moses have you priced bathroom vanity cabinets lately? They cost some coin, let me tell you. But lucky for us I am very fond of the idea of re-purposing an old dresser or buffet cabinet, fitted with a new granite top and some lovely vessel sinks... so the planning process begins, and we'll see how it goes. Here are some of my inspiration photos. 

This will probably be a slow and gradual process, doing a little here and there as the budget allows. 

We already have a lovely large mirror and I've already purchased the light fixtures. And there's a large floor-to ceiling cabinet already in the space that I am going to try and refinish and move to the opposite wall. I just might post some "before" pictures sometime soon... but for now I gotta run. Duty and family call!

Later.

"Home is my favorite place."  —anonymous

A strange thing happened yesterday...

While out and about yesterday I was exiting a store and began walking toward my car. Since it was an unseasonably warm and sunny day I had parked at the far end of the parking lot, under a tree where it was shady and cool. As I walked I observed a young woman putting her belongings into the back of her SUV, and I noticed an older woman approach her, speak for a moment, hand the younger gal a piece of paper, and walk away. The older woman then crossed the aisle and approached another woman who was headed toward her car. She said something, the woman shook her head no, and the older woman walked away. I then quickened my pace, trying to avoid this older woman and whatever she was trying to sell. As she stepped between a row of parked cars and headed away from me, I thought I was safe. A few seconds later, I heard a soft yet distinct "excuse me?" from somewhere close behind me. Feigning deafness (one of my favorite tactics in awkward public situations), I kept on walking. I was now just a few feet from my car. I hit the clicker, opened my door, promptly locked it, set my bags on the seat, and proceeded to put my key into the ignition. As I turned my head, the woman stepped toward my closed window and knocked on the glass! I was just a little bit startled and also the tiniest bit frightened. This stranger was boldly invading my personal space and I did not like it one bit! So I went ahead and started my car, rolled down the window just an inch or two, and said to the woman, "can I help you?" She then showed me a folded piece of paper and said to me, "I write poetry and give it away free. Would you like some?" This was such an odd thing for her to say and it caught me completely off guard and I said "no thank you" and rolled my window back up. The woman walked away and that was that.

I have to say that for some reason this experience really struck me. First of all, I wish I would have taken the sheet of poetry from the woman. I am now so immensely curious as to what was on that paper, and now I will never know. And secondly, I am a bit in awe of this woman's courage and tenacity in approaching total strangers and offering them her poetry. Now I know she may in fact be a certifiable nut ball and who knows whether the paper really did contain poetry that this woman had written or perhaps it was instead some sort of crazy rant, or maybe just nonsense, or maybe it might have been something completely sweet and harmless. Again, I will never know. If I go back to that parking lot, a place I have visited many many times before, I doubt that I will ever find that woman again. The moment has passed, never to be recaptured.

So, strange poetry-peddling lady, whoever and wherever you are, I hope you truly are who you claimed to be and if I ever see you again I will take your poems, and I will read them. I am sorry that you frightened me, and I am sorry I turned you away.

That's all for today.

Draw a crazy picture, Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-jumble song, Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance 'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world That ain't been there before.

                                                                    —Shel Silverstein

Take Some Time.

Tomorrow marks the first day of Spring. 2012 is almost 25% over, can you believe it? With the warming weather we have lots of projects planned around our new/old house, namely painting, some more new light fixtures, and lots of planting & gardening. In addition to that I am working on a few new and exciting work-related projects which are keeping me extremely busy and looking forward to some awesome new possibilities. 

2012 so far has also brought its share of trials and challenges, as does every year. There has been birth, death, illness, divorce, dented fenders (and bumpers, and broken mirrors), lost jobs, lost homes, and many other challenges. Yet on the brighter side of things there have been new babies, engagements, weddings, new homes, new opportunities, new business ventures, new songs written, hugs given, love shown, and life lived. And despite the rough times I would say that for me personally it's been an outstanding year so far, and it's looking like things will only get better!

The artwork I've shared today is from one of the many new collections that I've been developing. It's a good reminder that we all can benefit from. Life gets pretty hectic and noisy sometimes, so let's all take some time to sit and listen...  to our conscience, to our child, to our spouse, to a friend, or maybe just to the trees or the birds.

Here's hoping that this week is a fabulous one!

"There is always music amongst the trees in the garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it."  —Minnie Aumonier

Is it Spring Yet??

Hi friends. Just a quick, short post for today. Goodness gracious, lots of rain in these parts lately! We need the moisture but I for one am ready for Spring time. Over the past couple of weeks the trees have been blossoming like crazy, just a few days ago we mowed our lawn for the first time this year, and more and more I find my mind dreaming of some new things I want to plant to pretty up our place. And I can answer that in one word: Lavender! And some other things here and there, but a lot of lavender is on my brain. French lavender. Can't wait. 

Ok, it's time to go watch the American Idol results show...

Have a good night!

"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'let's party!'"  —Robin Williams

No Place Like Home

One final post from Oz, and one last peek at my new Oz designs: There's no place like home! As much as I love being out and about I'm a home-body at heart. Being with my sweet hubs and kiddos, when they are around, brings me the most joy. I am truly at peace when we're all four safe together under the same roof. It can be a big bad world out there, and there really is no place like home!

The path through life is a personal journey. No one can hand us the answers on a silver platter. However, with the guidance of the gospel and the scriptures, we can make our way along the path and find our way home to our Heavenly Father.

When Dorothy learns to stops putting her faith in other people to solve her problems, when she discovers her inner spark, she attains the ability to be happy and she finds the strength to overcome her challenges. She discovers that her heart’s desire is an inward journey, not an outward one, and just like a personal testimony, she had to gain this knowledge on her own. These were truths she had to learn for herself.

Dorothy learned the wisdom of living in the present moment, rather than always dreaming for things to be different.:That grief is only temporary. To appreciate her loved ones, to count her blessings and be grateful, and to be at home with herself.

As we all know, good eventually triumphs over evil in the land of Oz. As the Wicked Witch melts, she curses Dorothy and exclaims, “Who would have thought a good little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness?”

Good will indeed triumph over evil, of that we can be assured. Life is full of infinite possibilities, and we, each and every one of us, are all full of infinite potential. We are God’s children, and He wants us to be happy as we journey through life on the path toward our Heavenly home.

"Home, the spot of earth supremely blessed, a dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest!"  —Robert Montgomery

Are You a Good Witch?

Here's another sneak peek at the new "Oz" collection I am working on. Did you know there are good witches as well as bad witches? Which kind of a witch are you? That's the question that was asked of Dorothy when she landed in Oz. Dorothy had never before considered herself a witch at all. But each of us can use our power and influence in the world for either good or evil purposes, and it's completely up to us which way we choose to go: toward the good, or away from it.

By giving to others we actually bless ourselves. By putting the goodness within us to work for others, for nurturing love for love’s sake, by giving of ourselves unselfishly, goodness will flow back to us. Love expands, and selfishness contracts. The more you expand and feel for others, the more you purify your own heart, aligning yourself with the will of God.

So the message for today is: be a GOOD WITCH! Go out into the world and put some good where maybe there was none. Be nice, be good, and be happy. It's the way to the emerald city! 

"Goodness speaks in a whisper, while evil shouts."  —Tibetan Proverb

"Goodness is love in action."  —Robert Hamilton