2013~lets bloom!!!!

happy new year!

new year. new you!

what did everyone do last night? i hope super duper fabulously fun stuff!!!

i spent it with one of my best friends and her little family!

her and i have known each other forEVER. like forEVER!

we went to nursing school together, our kids are super close in age and grew up together.

i didnt want to do anything too crazy, so when she offered up dinner

drinks, champagne and a hot tub, you bet your sweet booty i was all

over that!

i was very fortunate to be able to stay over at her house so no drinking / driving,

because princess # 3 and friends were home to take care of the fur nuggets!

bliss. i could sleep in and then she even made me breakfast. hollar.

i felt a little bit like a princess!

so what are your new years resolutions?

i dont like to really call them resolutions. i like to think of them as just ways

to improve me.....and my life!!!

i want to focus on all things positive and all the positive changes

that have came to me this year!!!!

i have been very blessed with so much.

and it's true. the law of attractions works. it really does.

try it. you just might like it!!

i have a lot of things going on that make me smile.

i have had some things make me sad in the last few months, but they

are things that i can NOT  change and it is time to move  ON!

the one thing i am doing is choosing my word of the year,

and that word is:

BLOOM!

bloom  (noun) 

1.

the flower of a plant.

2.

flowers collectively: the bloom of the cherry tree.

3.

state of having the buds opened: The gardens are all in bloom.

4.

a flourishing, healthy condition;

 

it represents what is going on in my life right now.

my life is blooming with fullness.

my life is blooming with new growth.

my life is blooming with opportunity.

my life is blooming with joy!

my life is blooming with prosperity!

my life is blooming with fun!

my life is blooming.

 

so if you could choose a word for 2013, what would you choose?

what are you doing to improve your life this year?

resolutions?

tell me.....i would love to hear!

p.s. i always love getting emails from my readers too! so feel free to email

ANYTIME!!!

may the upcoming year bring you peace, joy, happiness, wealth and anything else

your heart desires.

hugs,

TA

 

 

 

 



pinch punch!

have any of you ever heard the expression

"pinch punch" first of the month!

my mom started saying this to me a LONG time ago (without giving ANY reference to my age)....

but i have started it with the princess' and

now it is a game as to who can 'get' the other FIRST.

i have failed at being first for the past

oh, i dont know.....7 months....

princess # 1, ALWAYS gets me first.

usually because she is working nights during the time that

this arrives and so she is able to send my

merry message, via text at 12:01.

today, she sent it at 7:30ish, AM....and still got me.

its just a fun little tradition.....

so from me to you:

PINCH PUNCH FIRST of THE MONTH!

xo

 

i read my horoscope for the month of november and it says i will

be extremely organized. hhhmm.

i. hope. this. is. true.

like very true.

i have been trying to hard to get organized, but i always seem to struggle.

 

i have blogged about this before, but will throw it out there again.

suggestions welcomed for any ideas or plans you currently use.

i bought a pretty new planner and i am hoping this will help....

'hoping' being the key word here....

 

so along the lines of organization....

have you started christmas shopping yet?

i am cutting back this year slightly but i dont have lots to buy.

i have a list and i am checking it twice AND i know what i will

buy each princess. princess # 3 is the hardest. she changes her mind like the wind,

but i know we will not be going crazy this year  so that should help...

 

here are some rather cool gifties for your lovies:

 

source

 

source

 

source

 

source

 

so there ya have it lovies,

a few of my fav etsy places!

go shop!

 

xoxo

enjoy your thursday!

sandy....go away....

hey all! i hope your week is off to a grand ol start!
 

mine has been quite crazy.

we are battling the winds and rain of sandy the hurricane.

i just wanted to pop on and just say

i am thinking of everyone during this craziness.

i hope that all of you are safe and warm and free from

the wrath of this storm.

while listening to the news the past few days, i can not believe

what mother nature is capable of doing.

my heart truly goes out to everyone on the east coast who is without heat, a home,

or lost a friend, relative or even a pet in this madness.

i wish them all strength and blessings to see light at the end of this.

i awoke at 1:30 tuesday morn, to a HUGE tree branch down in my front yard,

my fall wreath missing from the front door, the gutters hanging off the house

AND my electrical box ripped off the house, oh and a LIVE

electrical wire in my front yard. my internet cable was out, and

luckily for us, we had heat and power. many people in the area are still without.

boo.

not fun on any day, or halloweenie either.

so here is to everyone being safe and sound and enjoying your last day of october.

blessings,

and just a few pics for you...

 

\

i have never seen anything so crazy before...

 

 

 

 

 

i think we all get it.....be safe, warm and hug your loved ones and
be thankful for everything you have!
xoxo



rainy saturday!

hi friends!

yikes, it has been such a long time!!

i hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

we are all good here, thankfully!

just enjoying our little lives and trying to prepare for the upcoming holidays.

oye. after halloween passes, you know how quickly

the holidays approach.

i am a lover of all things holiday tho. i stinkin cant wait to decorate the house, the mantle, buy the

christmas tree. so much fun!

but before we get into all that, let's just say happy halloween!

is anyone dressing up as something fabulous this year?

i am not. i seriously love halloween, but i have been so busy with

everyday life that i have not even had time to think about it.

it is raining and cold here and all i want to do is cuddle on the couch with the

fireplace crackling, drink hot cider, and snuggle with the fur balls.....

life. is. good.

leading into this holiday season, i just want to share my sincere thank you to the universe and god for

making some of my dreams come true!

i quit my yucky old job.

i have some really great projects in the works.

my daughter and i have been EXTREMELY busy doing

THIS

i am truly just enjoying life. and the most important thing:

i am happy. like crazy happy.

so many times we get caught up in the hum drums of life, we forget

what true happiness means. or what it even

consists of....but it is such a GREAT feeling.

i guess, what i am saying, is dont sweat the small stuff.

everything happens for a reason (whether good or bad, unfortunately), enjoy life

to the fullest. every stinkin day.

tell your loved ones you love and care about them.

smile.

at.

everyone.

you.

see.

when you open your heart up to new things, ideas, etc. you will

see how everything just falls into place.

i also have to share a secret with you.

i have been listening to a positive affirmation cd. by

louise hay.

omg.

life changing.

and can i tell you when  you truly do this and practice this with heart and sould

it really DOES work.

 

find her here:

you can do it!

(you can also find a lot of her material on amazon or your local library. you wont be disappointed)

 

i know these affirmations have been many of the reasons for the positive changes

in my life :)

 

and just a few of the things we have been up to:

 

greetings from keeley joy...monster of destruction :)

 

 

princess # 2 ,  keeley and dallas at the monster mutt dash 5k (and yes, keeley is wearing a prison shirt)

 

 card making and hocus pocus!

pumpkin pie eatin....

 

princess # 1 digging away!

 

 

caramel apples, home made.....yummo

 

 

 

pink party planning.....

 

and that lovies pretty much sums up the month of october.....

 

have a lovely saturday xoxoxo

 

 

sunday funday!

whoop whoop!

sunday funday.

ahhhh. its almost time to go back....

you know where.

that lovely place that leaves HUGE amounts of money in my checking acct.

hahahahahahaha.

(a little positive affirmation!)

so i hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. they go by super fast. i was off

again on friday and i am loving those long weekends.

when they are done, i will cry.

like. a. baby.

not lying.

i cry over everything.

sooo, how bout this. the latest story that made me cry.

i have a friend who has 4 sweet lil boys. yep 4 of them.

i honestly do not know how she keeps her sanity. but she does.

god. bless. her.

no really.

so they went to Cedar Point, which is the most amazing place on earth.

ok. maybe not THEEE most, but pretty close.

its one of the world's best amusement parks.

anywhosie, (sorry, i know i get off track)....

she said when her and peanut #2, were on the ginormous ferris wheel,

he told her he was going to look for his grandma in the sky.....

(she passed last january from cancer)

omg.

whatttt a lover bucket. like seriously. it made us literally cry when she told us.

how freaking sweet is that????

so weekend recap. i was off friday and i did fun stuff, like mow the lawn. clean the house.

laundry. i went and visited another friend who just

had a little princess about two weeks ago

and i went to THE WALMARTS. ugh. i hate THE WALMARTS.

wait. i really love THE WALMARTS, but i HATE the people who

frequent THE WALMARTS.

i love their prices and needed to get cleaning goodies so i HAD to go, but

i have never seen so many down right scary people. ugh. not even kidding.

i have commited to this spending fast.

read all about it here:

and then she saved

this blog is amazing. please. go and check it out. you will find

so many ways to cut corners,save, etc. i love reading the

stories of people who have actually done this.

so my intentions are to do this for as long as possible to get some bills paid and build

up my savings acct.

this is not an easy task for me. trust me. i love

to shop, dine out, buy 'good' groceries, go to starbucks, etc. etc. etc.

the list is longer then the misissippi, but i know in the long run i will be happier

and let's face it: financially better off! yippee skippy!

so let me know if any of you have ever tried this. did you succeed? was it difficult?

i can do ANYTHING i set my mind to. i have a strong personality. i am not going to lie though.

this. is. going. to. be. tough.

tougher then beef jerky.

i have been tested a few times already. everything is on sale....of course. now that i have committed.

butttt, i found a pair of sandals for 13 bones. 13 doll hairs. yep.

they were pink.

they are still at the store.

wooooo whooooo. i did it. not willingly. but i did.

and that is all that matters.

how appropriate... xo

saturday: bachelorette party. how bout the only girls that wanted to actually go

out after dinner were the mother of the bride, the sister and me?? and honestly, i could have went

home to watch 48 hrs, cuz that's what old people do on saturday nights, but i didnt....i hung....2 beers later. oh boy. i am old.

sunday: volunteer event for the MS pedal to the point. we moved over 3000 pieces of

luggage for bike riders who pedaled over 120 miles in two days. yikes. it is always so

heart warming to do a volunteer event. i am going to try to help more. :)

have a nice week, blendsies.

let me know your tips on saving moola. i could share use a few.

have a happy week, filled with sunshine smiles and maybe some buttercream.

xoxoxo

ta

vacay fun!

so i said i would share some vacay pics.

a few at a time.

lets not get too crazy folks.

so sweet lil theresa over at blooming on bainbridge said that they paint rocks every summer.

whaaaa???

and then modge podge them!

hollar. bring on the paint the podge and lets get groovin.

yes. i said groovin cuz i am cool like that.

i already had some fun colors, like, PINK, of course....

but lime green, tiffany blue, purple, white, black and orange.

we filled up our little wine glasses and let the painting begin.

yes, i am corrupting my 19 year old daughter. (she only had a few sips~let it be known, i do NOT in

any way, shape or form, promote underage drinking).....just sayin.

so here my friends are the lovelies we created.

 can i just say that i have been a modge podge'n princess for well over 30 years? i used to modge podge EVERYTHING back in the day. bet all you sweet lil young nuggets

did not even know it existed that long ago?!

yes, i am showing my age....but lets keep it real. i do have 3 big girl kids. and yep. i am still

just a very young girl at heart. :)

AGE.

is.

ONLY.

a.

number.

ok, so here ya go, my lovies. let me know what you think.

are you all dying to go get some brushes and paint away?

do it.

it is truly stress free and FUN!

please take note of my 3 heart shape rocks i found on the beach! love them!

enjoy your day! xoxo

happy summer

happy summer all.

oye. vay.

can y'all believe that it is already almost AUGUST 1? yikes.

like seriously where does the time go?

we have had a wonderfully uber hotttt summer. really hot.

and you know what?

i dont have central air. yep. none. nada.

needless to say, i sweat a lot. wish i could sweat off about 10 lbs of meaningless

cellulite.

i do have a window unit in my bedroom and that does truly help.

i have progressed to getting ready in there. there is nothing worse

then drying your hair when your house feels like

it is 100+ degrees inside.

awful. sticky. messy.

the girls and i just got back from a beautiful 4 day mini vacay 'up north'.

that's what the people in michigan call it.

just up north.

as a child, my parents owned a summer home on portage lake which is a small lake

off of lake superior.

my dad always called in 'god's country' and honestly until

now, i didnt 'get' it.

i.

do.

now.

it is truly one of the most beautiful places in the US.

we traveled to the sleeping bear sand dunes. (amazing also, btw)

and there is this area called empire, where the water,

is turquoise blue. that is NO exaggeration.

it is stunning. i have been to the carribean, mexico, jamaica, etc and i can

tell you that this water is EVERY bit as clear and aqua blue as there.

we had the best time. just girls.

we climbed the dunes, kayaked, ran (thanks tif for making us work out),

we painted rocks, (thanks theresa from Blooming on Bainbridge for the wondeful idea),

we laid in the sun, had a bon fire and made s'mores, saw deer and a fox,

ate home made icecream, made yummy breakfast and dinners, did pedicures,

went to a little town called glen arbor and fish town and RELAXED.

BEST. VACATION. EVER.

oh and we drank wine. :)

we took our little mini labradoodle with us and she loved swimming in the lake

water and trying to catch minnow. she was an angel. (first time on a road trip)...

and the greatest....

no speeding tix this year. yayyyyyy!!!

princess # 2 and # 3:

fish town:

 just a few quick photos from our little vacay. i have yet to upload the rest.

yes. i am lazy. dont judge!

have a happy saturday lovies! more pics to come!

xoxo