A Time of Thanks!

Shona's Thankful list:

1) A loving Heavenly Father that is aware of me and all of my needs.
2) Girls, Girls, and Girls! For my amazing Children.
3) A healthy family.
4) For laughter.
5) Love.
6) Music.
7) For all my experiences this year.
8) Forgivness
9) For all my needs always being met.
10) Good friends.   

Ten Things that made me Happy this week

Yesterday when we got home from school little Lauren climbed on the sofa and snuggled me. She brings me great joy.

Today I hugged an old friend. We cried and caught up with each others busy world. I hope we keep in touch.

A week closer to my mom being home.

An amazing, incredible boyfriend that loves me, cares for me, and thinks of me first thing in the moring and the last thing at night. I am the luckiest.

Running

My job that I love so very much.

A sweet neighbors hard work.

Watching my oldest struggle with life, and that she comes to me for help.

Following Rules

Helping others

Be Still My Heart

    Months have gone by and I fear too many things have been unspoken of and blogged about. Seasons have changed, children have grown, and of course my place in life has progressed. Taylor has performed numerous times, Lex has entertained us, and Little Lauren isn't so little any longer. We have had birthday celebrations, fun weekends, a car accident, and more importantly a relationship that has my world full of love and peace. A world of joy, blessings, and contentment. 


We have had hair cuts, anniversaries, Thriller, volleyball, shopping, Halloween, so you think you can dance, and almost completed a project that I started ten months ago. (front room painted, check!)


All and all I am happy, my girls are happy and we have too many blessings to describe.

Top "Loves" for today

Wednesdays, whats great about them? It's "hump" day, middle of the week, and really not my least favorite day but not my fave though. (Thursdays are my least fave!) I love Wed because my favorite class is on at the gym, my girls dont normally have anything planned, and we can be home together. That means Lex is in her room doing what she does, Tay is hanging with Ty, and Lauren is with Celena, their besties. That leaves me.... What do I do these days?
Okay Top "Loves"

1) LOVE that my mom bought a new toy, and that means I have a new toy. My mom is VERY good at sharing, infact sometimes I tell her that she needs to buy something just so I can use it.. LOVE ya mom! A new serger. For those of you that sew you can be excited too, if you dont sew.. go to number two.


2) LOVE that I dont have to make dinner tonight! Yeah GNO

3) LOVE M&M's! any and all kinds. They make me feel better.

4) LOVE a forgiving body for when I eat the M&M's. Thank goodness there is always tomorrow to work off the things I ate today!


5) LOVE that my sprinklers are being fixed, and that I wont be the "beer family" yard of the subdivision.
 Thats all I've got.............

Not Too Shabby

    As time flies by and July is moving quicker than I can keep up with, I fear that my warm summer nights will come to an end WAY too soon. I don't even feel like the girls and I have been doing much of anything, and still time demands on changing. I received Allexis's and Taylor's High school registration in the mail last week. School starting again?! Stop I say Stop! I still have a million things that I want to do before they leave me again. (photo: Big Ben, which I have been to and visited, he said that time will not stop for me, even though all but one clock on my wall of clocks do not work in my house, by purpose)

Today was a good day. It felt so good to get up and get things done. Lauren went to soccer camp, lex was with a girlfriend, Taylor was at the pool, and I went to the Dr and the pool w a girlfriend. My life has really been on hold for the last 6 weeks. I am thrilled and hopeful that now I can resume a few more activites, that life around my world will go back to craziness.

Think like a man...

 laugh at myself all the time when I drive down the street and see a crazy woman driver. I always say to myself, “She needs to learn to drive like a man” We all know that women and men think differently, but once you get beyond the Mars VS Venus stereotype, we really could teach each other a lot.

Lets Cue in Ladies!

1)     Men ask for what they want. Is being pushy or asking for what we want going against our natural instincts? Does it make things uncomfortable to ask for things ourselves? And even if we try, are we branded “High Maintenance?” Think about it, when a men asks for what he wants he is considered strong and assertive, Ladies, man up…., be your own advocate!

2)     Men don’t nit-pick their looks. Guys just don’t feel the same pressure to look young and feel beautiful. List 10 things that your body can do. Have kids?…check. Exercise?...check. Hold an amazing Pilates position for a long time?...check. That may not be stop you from having an “I’m fat day” but will but your thoughts into a healthy perspective.

3)     Men aren’t perfectionists. Will we ever be able to say to ourselves “The house is “Good enough?” or “works for me?” We need to become risk takers and accept that we may fall flat sometimes; we need to not care what others think. Don’t only feel good about yourself when every aspect in your life is going well. Write down 5 things you’re grateful for daily.

4)     Men don’t worry obsessively. Do you ever just hash out things over and over again? Why do we fret about everything stinkin thing? Don’t immediately jump to the worst-case scenario. Realize that nothing is written in stone. Before worry ask yourself, Is there anything concrete that I can do about it? If yes, do it! If no, take a long look and ask yourself, is my concern valid, realistic or overblown?

The truth is, we’d do well to take a lesson or two from the guys.

Top Thursday Thrills

Three Thrill’s Thursday

Number one; The smell of clean laundry. Right now I have dirty laundry up to my knees. (laundry mat here we come)

Number two; A great bra. I had a girlfriend tell me once that when needing a new bra and not wanting to spend a lot of money, her husband said to her, I wear glasses everyday and got the best, you wear a bra everyday you should get the best. (brownie points for him!)

Number Three; Pretend coffee, or shall I call it postom (sugar-free, caffeine-free, guilt free)

Oh' Thursdays!

P.P.M. (Proud Parent moment)

There are many things that I as a parent am proud of my children for doing. Parenting as hard as it is, is rewarding in itself. I would like to think that I live through the success of my children and bask in their glory. I do feel the most important thing a parent can do or say is to show love, and if you have daughters like mine it is very easily done. Do you know that 80% of all comments that children hear are negative.  Did you read that!! 80% Yuck!! (Statistic courtesy of Taylor’s teen living class)

I am proud when my girls are successful in school, church, and life in general. So when one of them offers the “WOW factor” I have to blog about it, and they all do!

Lauren (my youngest who is 14) was nominated by her peers, at her school as a student that makes a difference. Someone that is nice to everyone, sets a good example, and is a leader. I am so proud of her. Not only is she on the honor roll, but to hear as a mother that she has a wonderful disposition, a brilliant character, and is a virtuous Young Woman, I feel so blessed to be her mom.  Little Lauren, Lil bit, lo-lo, and my baby. 

Top Ten "Loves" for today

Top 10 for May 18

1) Brilliant girlfriends
2) My children when they wake, the first thing they do is snuggle me, when they get home from school they snuggle me, and when they are going to bed they snuggle me.
3)Bleach
4)Homemade Shortbread
5) Pay day
6) Late night movie with a daughter
7) Tomorrow I see the Dr.
8) Rain
9)Naps
10) On-line shopping

Follow your Yellow Brick Road

Where does your yellow brick road take you?

What if the Hokey Pokey really IS what it’s all about?

Wednesday May 11, 2011

Good mornin’ I love mornings.. it’s a brand new day ready for adventures, mistakes, and learning. I have always loved to get up and get things done, then take an afternoon nap! Whoot whoot.

There are random things and people in this world. REALLY!! I experienced randomness this morning, from someone that I just cant figure out… random .

Last week I started getting “Women’s Day” magazine in the mail. Two of them to be exact. (also random) I am not sure why, if my mom got me a subscription or what but it was so nice to receive. Please hold for new ideas and recipes to come! Courtesy of my new magazines.

So my yard needs done, my daughter needed to get to her ortho appt. and ,my house is a mess. This is really a good lesson of control.. Let things go Shona! Sheesh Really, I sometimes have to tell myself, when I am old, or written in my obituary do I want it to say I kept a clean spotless house, or I was always up tight about everything? Nah.. I want it to say I was happy, adventures, brave, giving, and most of all good looking, kidding, most of all a loving mom.. Aahhh DA’ Girls. (sigh) What would yours say? write a mock up

Blessings

Today as I recover I have a million things going on in my head. I wonder why I have been so blessed with the people around me? There are so many good things that happen in the world today, and t’s a good thing that I have a sweet neighbor that loves me and is so willing to help and please me. I feel it is a waste that not everyone knows about her (well, thankful kind of so I don’t have to share) I can call upon her day and night. What this women is capable of is beyond me.  The time we have spent together shouldnt be deducted from life. We learn from each other, grow, create, bake, laugh, eat, watch movies, shop, eat, read the same books, encourage our children, and complain about our mistakes and families sometimes together. Some day I hope that she walks on the moon if that is what she wants.

Event of the Month!

bAbY bAbY bAbY!

 Saturday we had a baby shower for my soon-to-be nephew baby Owen and his mom. (My sister Stacy) He is due in a few weeks. We were excited to welcome this addition to our family (I'm going to be a real Aunt!) and have everyone over to celebrate this special boy! 

Of course when I get involved it isn't just a baby shower, its an event! The Theme was 
"Milk & Cookies"  


The colors were brown and blue. On the menu... Cookies, Cookies, and more Cookies!
My mom and I were busy taste testing cookies all month. These are the ones that we came up with.
Mini M&M's 
Chocolate dipped Macaroons
Lemon Head Delight!
White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip
Oreo
Shortbread (We are Scottish!) 
Sugar Cookie

Then we also had a table for lunch. Salad, sandwiches, fruit kabobs, chips, crackers & Cheese, chocolate covered strawberries, and of course a red velvet baby cake! 

The party was delightful! We had personalized water bottles, party favors, baby banner, amazing flowers, and the best baby wreath (made personally by my mummy)

 

May I be Cinderella?

  Once upon a time... I love that line. It is official, Cinderella is my favorite Princess! There are so many reasons why. First and for most we all want to live "Happily Ever After" Second, every girl dreams of becoming a Princess, but then there is the side to the story that until now I haven't really dwelt on. 



  She is Vibrant! happy, and makes the most out of life. She has know one in her life so she makes friends with the mice. Who really sings while they are on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor?

I love that she believes in magic, and that she allows magic to happen to her. She doesn't question it by asking "Whats in it for me?", or "What would I gain from this?"  She just knows that miracles are a part of life!

Her openness, eagerness, and the way that she arrives at the ball just full of woner are personal characters that I hope to achieve.

  Her step-sisters on the other hand, Yikes! They scheme for things, fight, they're jealous, complain all the time, and they are the ones that are suppose to have everything! They are full of envy.

 

  Who do you want to be, Cinderella or one of her step-sisters? Cinderella lives Happily Ever After because of who she is, now that's magic!