Early Birthday Present!

Last week I got an early birthday present from a dear friend back East. Jeff asked me why I didn't open it right away. I told him because I thought I should wait and open it on my birthday. He said no go ahead and just open it, but I thought I should wait. I know this friend always send the neatest gifts, so I thought I would wait.
Then we got to 4th of July in Anacortes and when were at the Marina to watch the fireworks...I told Jeff I wish I had something red or blue to wear but I didn't.
Came home and yesterday and I kept looking at that package and thought to myself " maybe I should just open it, I can't wait to see what she sent".
So after looking at this picture, you can see Jeff was right, I should have opened it...it would have been perfect for the 4th of July!


Moral to this story, when someone close to you sends you an Early Birthday Present...just OPEN IT!
How grateful I am for sooo many dear
sweet friends! They make life wonderful!
Good Night dear friends, and Thank You
for being in my life!

How to show up for your LIFE!

Read this article here: and thought what a neat thing all of us should remember. I think when we are children...we are there and present in our life. Somewhere between childhood and now...we might have lost part or all of ourselves. What a neat reminder!
Good night dear friends!

How To Show Up For Your Life

 

I learned this really cool term last week.  “Self abandonment”.  This is when you plan on going to the gym but end up eating ice cream bars and watching hours of stuff you can’t even remember you watched on Hulu.  This is when you don’t want to send that email or that text to that certain someone but you are feeling lonely and act from that place.  It’s when you choose activities that numb you out, take you out of your integrity, or deter you from your true path. 

 

The worst betrayal is when we betray ourselves.  When we betray ourselves, we are treating ourselves as someone who is not worthwhile.  Learning how to show up for yourself will keep you clear, directed, and more able to connect with the people you love. 

 

Showing up is:  to be clearly visible.  Do you allow people to see who you really are?  Can you be authentic in your own life?  Showing up is:  To put in an appearance, to arrive.  Have you “arrived”?  Did your completely present self make it to brunch?  Your body may be there but is your mind and spirit at the table as well? 

 

Are you actually living within your life right NOW?  Or are you living in past defeat and future worries?  When you are really showing up, life feels richer, simpler and more golden.  Small shifts equal big change!  Try these tips to reconnect with yourself. 

 

 Got photo from here:
Drop Your Story  Your life interpreted through the filter of your story means that every negative thing that happens to you cements your downtrodden version of your life.  Change your story and change what you start attracting. 

Do A Media Cleanse

Get off your electronics!  Are you enjoying your dinner or are you enjoying how cool people think your dinner looks on Instagram?  Are you missing out on what’s happening right in front of you because you are so absorbed in what happened 5 minutes ago in someone else’s life

 

Seek Peace & Quiet

Mind noise.  Subway noise.  Street noise.  Social media noise.  It all adds up to constant mental chatter.  Find a quiet place.  Go to it regularly.  It is impossible to tune into what we need if we don’t seek out space for our thoughts to percolate. 

 

Be Aware Of How You Really Feel

Try this powerful exercise for a full day.  Check in with yourself every 15 minutes.  Ask yourself three questions-How do I feel?  What do I need?  What do I want?  Are you tired, hungry, worried?  Do you need a glass of water, to step away from your computer or to connect with a friend?  Taking yourself off autopilot brings you back into your body and mind.  Consciousness around your feelings and desires reconnects you with YOU.

 

Do You

“Always be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else.” ~ Judy Garland. 

You are the gift.  Even with frizzy hair, even when your skin looks bad, even when you feel nuts.  We can’t connect with your layers of insecurity.  We can’t connect with your puffed up chest or your title.  Strip down the layers and reveal yourself.  You are enough.  You are golden.  We want to connect with the real you.  Allow us to by standing in your power. 

 

(Re)Connect With Your Dreams

Are you living the life you’ve dreamed of?  If not, WHY not?  When did you decide to take this path?  How can you course correct?  You have to know what you want to get it.

 

Your Needs Are Valid.

This can be a daily affirmation or mantra.  Use it when you start rationalizing someone else’s bad behavior.  Use it when you are afraid to have a difficult conversation.  You are important.  You matter just as much as anyone else.  Feel it in your bones.

 

Eat Well and Sleep Soundly

Meet your basic needs every day!  Please sleep and nurture your body with quality nutrition every day.  It is very difficult to stay emotionally even keel when we are exhausted or frazzled from a sugar or caffeine buzz.  Be kind to yourself.

 

Know What You Are Communicating With Your Energy

“You are responsible for the energy you bring into the room.” ~ Iyanla Vanzant

Be aware of the energy you are bringing into any situation.  Do you show up with anger, with anxiety, with your mind on other things, with love?  Whether you are with your beloved, your family, or a group of people, your energy contributes to the dynamic.  Look at what you are bringing to the mix and be conscious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Saturday, a dear friend of our family told us that since the girls were visiting that we should take them to see Santa at the Hallmark store near our house. Since Angie and Jenny had snow at their house this morning, we thought this would be appropriate.  Angie this year was perfectly comfortable with Santa, Jenny on the other hand wasn't quite as taken with him ( at least  up close, so Nana had to stay near ).

Then we took a photo of all of us, Angela ( one of my adopted daughters ) Amy, the girls, Santa and I . Now I have to tell you that I have already found out one of my Christmas gifts....if you look at the photo real close and focus in on Amy's belly then you will see what I mean. Can you see it?

Yes, we are going to have another ttle grandbaby in April! We are so excited and can hardly wait!

Details coming in 3 weeks!

"From Home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas, brings us closer to each other."   ~Emily Matthews

 

"Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given--when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes."  ~Joan Winmill Brown