My February Finds

Candy Kisses, song by Dean Martin (more like a re-discover)
Peonies & Poloroids - great blog for those of us who LUV photography
Dear Lizzy - cutesy, smart & ever so creative!
This really cool downloadable menu planner - for Mom's & Wives in need! (like me!)
Lola lip gloss in Buxom Lips - my new fave lip gloss (thanks, Maria!)
Picnik - Edit & touch up your digital images plus collages & more! (thanks, Sarah!)
Bebe Perfume - Perfect Valentine's Day perfume
The Best Places to Kiss by Kate Chynoweth - looking for a place to spend Valentine's Day?
Red Velvet Cupcakes - perfect for the girls in the office
Pink Drinks Notecards in a Tin - Super cute - found them at Ross on clearance for $1.49!
Love Me Do Dress - Love it!...but doubt I would ever have the gutts to wear it!
Heart Bookmark - Gotta love Martha Stewart (over 55 ideas for valentine's day)
Valentine's Day Movie - Perfect day out w/the girls or w/your main squeeze! (opens 2/12)
Dear John - Another romantic movie - I highly recommend the book too!
Try the Love Calculator - It's fun & free!
Tip Junkie website - love, love, love it!
For the Team Edward Fan!
Personalized Rubber Stamps - a "gotta have" for paper & stationary freaks alike
Pink Charmmy Kitty Cluster Necklace - OMG! (this is definitely an item 4 my wish list)

Enjoy!

I Heart Valentine's Day

I love, love, LOVE Valentine's Day! And I personally don't believe it's a holiday solely for couples. Rather, I consider it to be a special day set aside for us to remind all of our loved ones just how much we love and appreciate them. That includes family members, friends, co-workers and even your favorite barista!

Everything about Valentine's Day is so inviting - the colors for instance. Red. Pink. Hot Pink - Who could resist? And the candy! Brightly colored foil wrapped hershey kisses. Conversation hearts and heart shaped boxes wrapped in red velvet filled to the brim with assorted truffles and such. Cutesy stuffed animals with cheesey sayings, like "Be mine," "I'm yours," and my all time favorite,"Hug Me." Although these particular phrases are probably not appropriate for everyone on your list, they are sure to win over your closest friends and/or your main squeeze (a.k.a. boyfriend or husband)

This year, I'm going to take the time to make handmade cards. No store brand cards for my loved ones! It's time to get creative. Pour on the attention to detail and let my spirit be my guide. Incorporate actual photos and delicate red and white ribbon. (I haven't used ribbon in years!) Maybe use some good old fashioned doilies. Hmmm...where does one find doilies these days? To sweeten the deal, I could find one of my favorite recipes and include it with the card. To share with those who share my love of baking. The possibilities are endless! But isn't that the idea? To make the time and the effort, to show our loved ones just how much we care? No fancy dinners needed. No blingy ring required. (Although I certainly wouldn't give it back) :)

This project is my goal for the next few weeks. I'm not even going to add it to my "to do" list as scary as that may sound. Maybe because my current "to do" list seems to be lingering longer than normal. Who knows? Maybe I'll get it all done in one day? A girl can dream. I may even post a few of my creations for you to see. What can you do for your loved ones this Valentine's Day? Here are some other ideas that may tickle your fancy:

For your Boyfriend or Husband:

Make him a special dinner complete with candlelight
Make a CD using the love songs you both enjoy
Schedule a couple's massage
Take him on a surprise overnight trip to Cambria (LOVE Cambria - so romantic!)
Create a scrapbook of your lives together thus far; photos, tickets stubs, cards, etc.

For your Friends:

Make a Friendship mini album using pictures, friendship quotes, etc.
Make a Shadow Box using a few photos & friendship quotes
Organize a friendship brunch for your closest friends
Purchase blingy cocktail rings from your local thrift store - beautiful & inexpensive! Wrap them in white organza and tie with pretty pink satin ribbon

For your Family:

Find the perfect photo of you & your family member & frame it in a bold red frame
Bake individual loafs of banana nut bread, wrap in saran wrap first to keep fresh and then in pink tissue paper and top it off with black & white ribbon
Make chocolate covered apples in pink tinted white chocolate and drizzle with candy hearts

Have Fun!

A Worthwhile Trip

I made a trip to my favorite thrift store today. Despite the rain, I made the effort for me. To think. Uncompress and just be. It's always the perfect place for thinking - quiet and serene.

Everyone seemed to be the same mission - to find a good deal and uncover a few "forgotten treasures." I walked each aisle careful to notice each vase, each case and bauble. I even took the time to sift, to open and inspect. Then I wandered over the my favorite corner - the "book nook" complete with a single wooden chair inviting any passerby to sit awhile. Contemplate and read. I plopped myself down and took it all in. One title at a time, I read the inside cover to figure out if it was a promising "good read."

Within minutes, I felt calm and even content. To sit and be still. To consider and sumise. After careful consideration, I picked out 7 books - mostly romance and chick lit but also a couple of self help books for good measure. I tucked them under my arm, happy that I had spent the time. Quality time for myself and no other. It was a very good trip. A worthwhile trip to my favorite thrift store. (Note: books at a thrift store are anywhere from .50 to $3.00 - what a deal!)

Time

In life there are limitless responsibilities. Naturally, things are bound to fall through the cracks. But when your in the middle of it, the thick of it - when your feeling as though life is running you, instead of the other way around, don't fret. Don't even give it a second thought. Because, when the project is done, school is finished and your "out of the woods". Basking in the light at the end of the tunnel - you will find the time.

Time to make that phone call. Write that letter. Re-organize your life and re-discover the real you. Now you will set the tone. Set the pace. Set the date. You will feel accomplished, fulfilled and proud. Because you did what you set out to. Never gave up. You made it happen. All by yourself.

Until then, keep your head down. Stay in the fight and focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. Go easy on yourself. Give yourself some breathing room. No unnecessary expectations and plenty of leeway to make a mistake or two, or even three. Put a calendar on the wall, and at the end of each day, write in a big red "X" to symbolize that you are one step closer to the completion of your goal/project. Before you know it, you'll be walking up to the stage to receive your diploma or walking out of a staff meeting smiling proudly from all the "Well done's" and "Good Work's."

dedicated to M.H. xoxo

Not Ready for the Sun

I'm not ready for the sun just yet. I know it sounds strange coming from a girl who was born and raised in California but it's true. I love the cold...the wind...and the rain. Especially when I'm at home...warm and cozy typing away while the wind blows through the vents and rattles the windows. Somehow it calms me. Again, I know it's strange.

I'm hoping for just a few more weeks of pre-empted warmth. The feeling you get when you are drinking a cup of hot chocolate, the way it warms you from the inside out. The ability to wear a brightly colored scarf without a look or a smirk. The need for a warm and cozy polar fleece blanket on our bed and my favorite leopard printed umbrella. My long wool coats and my short leather jacket.

Soon I will have to trade them all in for things like flip-flops, cotton sheets and sunscreen. Pare down. Wear less and feel more. But for now, I plan to enjoy every cold/windy/rainy day that comes my way. The storage boxes will have to wait. I'm in no rush. Again, I know it's strange.

Linger More

I want to linger more. be present. settle in and really take it all in. Forget the craziness that often is my life. forget the lists, the voicemails and emails to return. I want to write. Clear my head and breathe. I want to listen to music. good music. I want to write a letter and send it all in the same day. I want to observe more. talk less. Enjoy the company of a good friend. laugh more and cry less. Hug everyone I love and tell them just how much I love them.

I want to look forward and forget the past. Stop imitating life and really be a part of it. Make my own way. Discover new things. Spend a full day taking pictures. Scrapbook until my hands ache. I want to spend less time speculating and worrying and more time creating and inspiring. I want to dilly-dally. Take my time. Stand still and forget the hands on the clock ticking away regardless of how hard I try to get them to stop.

What Sustains Me

There are not many things that are steadfast in life. Things that keep you going. inspire you to do better. be better. live better. For me, first and foremost, is my faith and belief in God. Even when it feels like life is bearing down on me with all it's force, I think of the sacrifices he's made and the gifts he has given me. It's easy to forget though, to lose sight at times, I must admit.

There are other little things in my life that have helped solidify me. keep me sane. Like Reading. I LOVE reading. I could never fully explain the feeling I get when I am reading a good book. I've probably read 100's of books in my lifetime. By far, this for me is one my biggest stress reliever. Give me thirty minutes a day to read and I'm good. It doesn't matter what kind of day I've had.

The next thing is Music. On most days, music is my driving force especially I'm feeling tired and drained. It helps me forget the bad stuff and think of the good stuff. Music gets me moving. Thinking. I don't listen to the words much, for me it's all about the beat. I get lost in it. I have many favorites. far too many to list or count. There are songs that instantly bring back memories of my school days, of friendships and relationships. Songs that remind me of the loved ones I've lost and songs that are a part of my love story with Leo.

Writing is another one. I've always loved writing, even as a little girl. I can remember in grade school letting out a "woo-hoo" everytime the teacher gave us a writing assignment. Over the years it has helped me deal with problems I face in a positive way. Circumstances make more sense to me, once I write them down. Discussions are clarified. Problems are resolved and feelings are made sense of. When it's all written down, I inevitably feel better.

The last thing that is steadfast in my life is drinking Coffee. And not just any coffee. Starbucks coffee. I know. sounds crazy and insignifigant. I'd like to think of myself as someone who doesn't have vices. I've never done drugs, I've never even smoked a cigarette but this one thing - is most assuredly my one and only vice. I know exactly how much money I could potenitally save and also how many calories I could save myself but it's my thing. My one thing I do that isn't the best thing to do. (we can't all be perfect, right?)

These are the things that sustain me. fill me. Regardless of what life (God) throws my way. We all need things that are steadfast in our life. To keep us moving. creating and living life to it's fullest. When life gets hard. Unforgiving and stressful. These are the things that help me put one foot in front of the other. What things are steadfast in your life?

A White Christmas

This past December my family and I spent Christmas in Utah. What an adventure. Long drive but so well worth it. If you've never experienced Christmas with snow, I highly recommend it. It's as if Christmas is really...well Christmas. I know, Jesus wasn't born in a flurry of snow but it does present a very idyllic setting for a holiday filled to the brim with family, warmth and fond memories. We ate alot. talked. laughed. Very creatively made a snowman (it's not as easy as it looks), decorated stockings, reminisced and took lots of pictures.

On Christmas morning we woke up at 6am to open gifts. Us girls had matching pajamas to wear on Christmas morning - an old tradition of Mom's. There were 14 of us all in one average sized family room so it was quite the sight to see. One of the gifts Mom gave me was a heart locket that says "Remember" on the outside and on the inside there is a photo of me and a photo of my little brother Mario. Words fail me when attempting to describe how much this seemingly small gift touched me. Over the years she's always been able to find a way to ensure that he is constantly remembered and a part of every family event. It is definitely a gift I will cherish until the day when I join him in heaven.

There were tons of other gifts to open - gift wrap literally flying in every direction. We had a great time. A very good time. It was good to see Mom happy. Happy to have most of her kids there with her for Christmas. It's hard to believe it had been over 15 years since we had spent a Christmas together. The years have literally flown by but I am so glad that this year we made it a priority and not just for Mom because I can only imagine how much it meant to her. But also for eachother. It is definitely a Christmas we won't ever forget.

Life interrupted.

Is it just me or is it getting harder to "do it all"? I would like to think that I do a pretty good job overall but then there are moments when nothing seems to be getting done and several areas of my life are showing signs of neglect.

I have always loved the idea of "simplifying" and I do my best to keep this a goal of mine but even with my best intentions simplicity isn't always possible when most of what you do in life involves dealing with other people. Even something as simple as going to the grocery store can throw a person into a tailspin.

The crazy thing is, I don't even have kids. I can't even imagine how my list would get done if I had kids. I guess that's just it - some things inevitably don't get done. Maybe that is the answer. Like for the past few weeks I've been meaning to clean out the closets, make a trip to the salvation army, catch up on scrapbooking (at this point, I am years behind), have my car serviced and so on but you know how it is. Things happen. daily and almost without warning. Recently I've just resolved myself to the thinking that it will all get done. Maybe not today or tomorrow or even next week.

When the opportunity presents itself, I will undoubtedly seize the moment. Until then I will let life happen. bring it on. Enjoy what happens when you don't plan or strategize. No date scribbled on the calendar. Just a whim. A thought or an idea. I am going to allow myself to linger more. plan less. It will be hard - it's always hard for me but I must admit, it's definitely getting easier. much easier than you probably think.