tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621274199727054562024-03-14T02:33:59.583-07:00Loving this LifeCreating a life of happiness regardless of your circumstances.DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-27751070668085915592016-04-04T22:07:00.000-07:002016-12-20T20:57:05.280-08:00A girl and her house, a love story, Part 1 - The Fixer Upper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-Maya Angelou</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For as long as I can remember I have loved old houses. In middle school I loved visiting friends homes in an area called San Mateo Park, in Northern CA. It was just a 15 minute drive from my own middle class neighborhood of Eichler homes, but a world apart in appearance. The homes were big, old, and beautiful. I have no idea where I get this from because I had never lived in a particularly old home, nor were were my parents or grandparents old house lovers. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When my then husband and I were ready to purchase our first home, we opted for a 1939 home over the similarly priced new track homes that were popping up all over our small city. The house had been flipped by a contractor and much of it's character was changed or covered up, but eventually we ripped up the carpet to reveal original hardwood floors and added our own touches to make it look more like it may have back in 1939. It was a simple house, but we loved it at the time. In the attic we found furniture left behind by the homeowners and undiscovered by the contractor. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">After a few coats of white paint, they had the cottage look that I loved. I learned to garden, sew, and craft in that house.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">After a few years of marriage and the addition of two little girls, we decided we wanted a bigger house on a less busy road. The downside of our first little house was that is was directly across the street from the freeway, something we knew we would eventually want to move away from. In the Fall of 1995 we finally found "Our Dream Home". We had been looking in the downtown area, where all the old houses were, and had considered one house pretty seriously, but in the end decided against it because the price was too high for all the work the house needed. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">But here it was, an interesting floor plan, lots of wood floors, crown molding, built-ins, arched doorways, big bedrooms, mullioned wood windows, all the things I loved and wanted in a home. The house was big compared to what were coming from and sat on 1/3 of acre, atop a small hill on a corner lot. It was at the entrance to a once very prestigious older neighborhood in town. At one time if was even nicknamed "pill hill' for all the doctors who lived in the neighborhood. The house was built in 1938, the third house in the neighborhood custom built to members of the same family. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The bad part was that it was a complete mess. Unlivable in it's current state...smelly, dirty, old damaged plumbing, rotting windows, stained floors, and inadequate electrical. As I walked through the first time with our realtor while my husband was at work, we started in the living room and made a circle, hitting the kitchen towards the end. I still remember my heart sinking as I walked into the kitchen. The bathrooms had been scary enough, but that kitchen was awful. Except for the light coming in those old dirty windows. It was late afternoon and the sun was shining through the windows, which were directly over the kitchen sink. The house was across the street from a very old park with lots of mature trees. I fell in love with that view instantly. I have no idea how I could overlook everything else that was so wrong with this house, but I did and I was excited to bring my husband to see it. Our realtor took us back that evening with the kids and my mom. It was dark and there no was no power on, we had a big flashlight, the kind you use if there is an emergency with a radio attached. It was spooky, but we knew we had to have this house. Another couple saw the door open and came up to see if they could look at it too. I remember feeling so territorial, "back-off, his is our house!", I thought to myself. Soon after a another visit with all of our parents, we decided to make an offer.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The good part was, since the house was a true fixer upper in "as is" condition, it was cheap and to our single income family, affordable. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Our real estate agent was a family friend to the owner and wrote a letter on our behalf to help seal the deal. There were several other offers coming in, so we offered the asking price and crossed</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> our fingers. The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> owner was willing to carry the loan so we wouldn't have to qualify through a bank. This was good for us, since we hadn't sold our first home yet and he would not take a contingency. It was go for it and take a chance, or miss out. We took a huge leap of faith and went for it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">On January 31st, 1996 escrow closed and it was officially our house. By now our first home was on the market but wasn't getting a whole lot of notice. It was cute, but with not the best location and it being a buyer's market, we weren't getting too much action. This was worrisome, as we would now have two mortgages to pay. Finally in April the house sold, albeit for less than we hoped. We had to move in with my parents since we had made little progress so far on our "dream house". It was in no condition for a family with two small children to live in just yet. Our oldest was 4 and the baby just 7 months old. I wonder now what possessed us to jump into such a huge project with a 4 year-old and a newborn. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Here are some pictures of what the house looked like, I wish I had more, but this was long before cell phone cameras...</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I have neglected to mention the smell of this house, it's not something I can put into words, but hopefully the pictures will give you an idea. It was awful!</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2URJmxCaGN0/VwNK8VizttI/AAAAAAAABH8/jZZR-QfJ0Akr8Mbq35tcZTSvrPvwfKO9Q/s1600/My%2Bbedroom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2URJmxCaGN0/VwNK8VizttI/AAAAAAAABH8/jZZR-QfJ0Akr8Mbq35tcZTSvrPvwfKO9Q/s640/My%2Bbedroom.jpeg" width="430" /></a></div>
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Master bedroom</div>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-49QOJf481QA/VwNCPmgreBI/AAAAAAAABG0/uNg8mzX3K3k0ek1fozBgsz-lz39jYJf4A/s1600/Alyssa%2527s%2Broom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-49QOJf481QA/VwNCPmgreBI/AAAAAAAABG0/uNg8mzX3K3k0ek1fozBgsz-lz39jYJf4A/s640/Alyssa%2527s%2Broom.jpeg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alyssa's Room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-plG-dtKKZaE/VwNCPnlSJrI/AAAAAAAABG4/rXO08xxybJAfONtWnvybuzfsXuxazbmqw/s1600/Dining%2Broom%2Bbefore.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-plG-dtKKZaE/VwNCPnlSJrI/AAAAAAAABG4/rXO08xxybJAfONtWnvybuzfsXuxazbmqw/s640/Dining%2Broom%2Bbefore.jpeg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dining Room, gotta love those drippy dirty doors!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n6yjDPK2kvc/VwNCPldZK8I/AAAAAAAABGw/QcKx75QXsSwQClqieJbqsHYCyEBwfSlOA/s1600/Guest%2Broom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n6yjDPK2kvc/VwNCPldZK8I/AAAAAAAABGw/QcKx75QXsSwQClqieJbqsHYCyEBwfSlOA/s640/Guest%2Broom.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristil's Room, this room was one of the dirtiest, the woodwork was literally dark yellow from cigarette smoke. The walls were an awful brownish yellowy green color. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pm9spMEMAZs/VwNCQf85gMI/AAAAAAAABG8/2DA_Xj0Ks_MMV7uBD3mqcTF6PAbjvxbdA/s1600/Jack%2B%2526%2BJill%2BBathroom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pm9spMEMAZs/VwNCQf85gMI/AAAAAAAABG8/2DA_Xj0Ks_MMV7uBD3mqcTF6PAbjvxbdA/s640/Jack%2B%2526%2BJill%2BBathroom.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack & Jill Bathroom between the girls' rooms. That is the shower on the right, it was painted black and white stripes with red around the opening. Yikes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oAMw_ZkHMqM/VwNCQlJUo_I/AAAAAAAABHA/DalSY5QUDl8-TyEUpAldV9fxyJX73HUPw/s1600/Kitchen%2B1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="441" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oAMw_ZkHMqM/VwNCQlJUo_I/AAAAAAAABHA/DalSY5QUDl8-TyEUpAldV9fxyJX73HUPw/s640/Kitchen%2B1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kitchen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bTA2fBxxbmQ/VwNCQ-bGSkI/AAAAAAAABHE/pSunNs5_ves8LqOtlHiZBMRib-e3HkOnQ/s1600/Kitchen%2Bsink.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="417" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bTA2fBxxbmQ/VwNCQ-bGSkI/AAAAAAAABHE/pSunNs5_ves8LqOtlHiZBMRib-e3HkOnQ/s640/Kitchen%2Bsink.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kitchen Sink w/ tiles literally crumbling.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OV1e6aE8bVg/VwNC0D8qJQI/AAAAAAAABHo/IVondaTNb-AgxQL1uZ5zabd9Y1IS57Nzg/s1600/Butler%2527s%2Bpantry.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OV1e6aE8bVg/VwNC0D8qJQI/AAAAAAAABHo/IVondaTNb-AgxQL1uZ5zabd9Y1IS57Nzg/s640/Butler%2527s%2Bpantry.jpeg" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Butler's Pantry</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ub-Y0ZyRHAo/VwNCRGU9rLI/AAAAAAAABHM/yjP5iL9kB_cI2ARqRK9vwNIGbDi6XH8iw/s1600/Library%2B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ub-Y0ZyRHAo/VwNCRGU9rLI/AAAAAAAABHM/yjP5iL9kB_cI2ARqRK9vwNIGbDi6XH8iw/s640/Library%2B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Library/Office</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7H6bjb7AS6k/VwNCRZQGaAI/AAAAAAAABHQ/dS8iLnk-SVI2ed1vpA9FtAUMNfo4SpAXQ/s1600/Library%2Bbookcase.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7H6bjb7AS6k/VwNCRZQGaAI/AAAAAAAABHQ/dS8iLnk-SVI2ed1vpA9FtAUMNfo4SpAXQ/s640/Library%2Bbookcase.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library bookshelves. Notice the yellow tinge, that was all over the house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lloWVGMLQJc/VwNCR-xa6XI/AAAAAAAABHY/QetOMGDAww0Lb43UjmoJytuuTO_U6N5Fg/s1600/Living%2Broom%2B2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lloWVGMLQJc/VwNCR-xa6XI/AAAAAAAABHY/QetOMGDAww0Lb43UjmoJytuuTO_U6N5Fg/s640/Living%2Broom%2B2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Living Room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HXKu2eFFWmE/VwNCRnzpnxI/AAAAAAAABHU/rPyk_ven0aYah8Y11xmNg6Z7kHzoRIXeg/s1600/Living%2BRoom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HXKu2eFFWmE/VwNCRnzpnxI/AAAAAAAABHU/rPyk_ven0aYah8Y11xmNg6Z7kHzoRIXeg/s640/Living%2BRoom.jpeg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Living Room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zKjN2IS-YC8/VwNCSAH2v1I/AAAAAAAABHc/eQ2n8tSU4n0YAYu0-GeYMZH4K5g2lbUZg/s1600/Main%2Bbathroom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="491" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zKjN2IS-YC8/VwNCSAH2v1I/AAAAAAAABHc/eQ2n8tSU4n0YAYu0-GeYMZH4K5g2lbUZg/s640/Main%2Bbathroom.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Bathroom</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> To be continued...</span>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-43083878593162241412015-07-09T10:35:00.000-07:002015-07-09T10:48:48.436-07:00Hey there, I'm still here...<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.powerofpositivity.com/20-things-you-dont-owe-anyone/" target="_blank">“Never explain – your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.” – Elbert Hubbard</a></strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><br /></strong>
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love this quote, I found it today in an article a friend posted on FB. It came at the perfect time for what I was already contemplating this morning when I decided to write a blog post, something I haven't done in almost 2 years.</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><br /></strong>
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Where have I been?? Right here, living life, experiencing both struggles and accomplishments, just like everyone else.</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><br /></strong>
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">I had been struggling with sharing myself through my blog after a rather difficult court battle with me ex-husband a few years back. In a nutshell, posts from my blog had been printed and used as examples as to why my life was so great, I didn't need his money. They were used as documentation for lack of a better explanation. I wasn't sure I liked this kind of exposure, even though I put myself out there by posting details of my personal life, purposefully in a positive manner. That is just who I am, some might say "TMI", but I am a pretty open person. I try not to pretend to be what I'm not and I'm comfortable with (most of) the decisions I make for myself. Yet, I often still feel the need to explain myself. I'm really not sure why...maybe it's my detail-oriented mind, or my borderline type A personality. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;"><b>Regardless, I think I am pretty much an "open book", while I use discretion and opt for little white lies as opposed to hurting someone's feelings, I will give you an honest answer if you ask me something.</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;">This sentence "</span></b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;">We should be confident enough in our decisions that someone else’s opinion doesn’t matter", </span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;"> from the article mentioned above (which I have provided a link to, click on the quote) speaks volumes to me, it's something I've said before myself. As most of us know, this is not always so easy to do. I think it's human nature to doubt ourselves and look for affirmation and acceptance, especially in this world of constant self-comparison from a barrage of social media.</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;">So what am I getting at here? Well, just speaking my truth, in an attempt to be a better person and give me the strength and confidence for another obstacle I will face tomorrow when I once again appear in court with the ex.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;">He's taking me back yet again, always over money, and I'm fighting it because...well, I guess I don't need to explain, but rest assured with or without a detailed explanation, I am confident in my decision and know that I am doing what I need to do for ME.</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;"><b>Please send your good thoughts, positive chakra and prayers my way....</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;"><b>Happy Thoughts,</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;"><b>Lisa</b></span></span>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-2200581498872514602013-10-14T10:40:00.000-07:002015-07-09T10:49:44.987-07:00A New Beginning...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just a few weeks ago I moved my youngest daughter into her first apartment on the campus of University of California Santa Cruz. Wow...how can it be??? The little blondie who liked to run around naked with a plastic bucket on her head when she was little! (I'm sure she will love that I have shared that here).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But really, two daughters now living away from home, one permanently and one in college. My oldest decided to move back to Southern CA where she attended and graduated from college. I can't blame her for wanting to live by the ocean!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Such a change for my girls and I. In less than two weeks, the "little" one will turn 18, my oldest now 22. That makes me a little old doesn't it??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's not so bad...I can cook whatever I want...the house stays just as I've left it in the morning...I can come and go as I please. Then there is the extreme quiet, and little bouts of loneliness for the old days, when the girls were young and it was just the three of us. I do miss them. Terribly in fact. But at the same time I am very proud of them and happy that they have spread their wings and left the nest. As hard as it is, I know I have done my job by the sheer fact that they were ready to fly when it was time. I worry about them all the time. But I guess that's what "we" moms do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me....I've immersed myself in my new job and my creative passions...cooking, baking, crafting, creating. I am in the middle of several projects, from cleaning out a messy teenager's bedroom, to sewing and decorating for Halloween. So my weekends are packed with chores, projects, new recipes, and friends when I have time. Making more time for fun will be my focus for the new year. For now there are things to do (and make!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Always in search of balance over here...some days doing it better than others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some things I've been keeping busy with...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In search of the "ultimate" Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />One great thing about having your kids living away from home is how much you look forward to seeing each other when the holidays or visits come around...right now I am excited to see my youngest this weekend to celebrate her 18th birthday....it puts a whole new perspective on the mom/daughter relationship and definitely fosters an appreciation that wasn't always apparent ...if you know what I mean!!</span><br />
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DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-32506298467137945222013-08-05T21:54:00.001-07:002013-10-14T10:27:34.741-07:00Change is good, right??<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.<b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">-Winston Churchill</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br />I am in the midst of some very big changes in my life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I have always resisted change, but I have also learned, and continue to practice the theory that change is not only necessary & inevitable, but it can also be good thing. It challenges us, makes us grow emotionally, and opens up new doors.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goodbye old desk...</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">First major change - just a couple weeks ago, t</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">he very same week my </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">principal got a promotion, I was asked to interview for a new position, </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">which also happened to be a promotion. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">In a matter of two days, my boss was leaving our school for a job at our district office, and I got the job at a new school.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I moved from a school site where I have loved my principal, staff, students, and parents</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> to a new position and a new principal, where I only knew a couple of teachers.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">H<b>ard to believe everything fit in one box!</b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">If there is no struggle, there is no progress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">-Frederick Douglass</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">It has been a bit of a process for me to "let go". Like I said before, I truly loved the teachers, the kids, and the parents where I was. For 8 years I have worked with a core group of amazing and talented teachers. It was very hard to leave. Not only did it happen quickly, but also during our Summer break, so I did not get to see very many of my co-workers and especially the students and parents I have grown to love, before I left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I am still adjusting to that part. On the other hand, I am tackling new challenges. A whole new position, which includes new task and duties, as well as some I am familiar with. I am meeting lots of new people and getting to know a new principal, teachers, and co-worker. So far, I love my office co-worker, she has been warm, welcoming, and so very helpful as I adjust to my new job.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I am challenged for sure, but also optimistic that I can make a difference to the students and families here. That is what I hope for anyway. The demographics are slightly different, the needs of the students at my new school are much deeper than where I came from. There is no PTA, very few parents volunteer in the classrooms, a big change from my old school. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d1TBWMc8CzU/UgCBSsVi45I/AAAAAAAAA_s/rt6EU_QcjJ0/s1600/IMG_3217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d1TBWMc8CzU/UgCBSsVi45I/AAAAAAAAA_s/rt6EU_QcjJ0/s400/IMG_3217.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My girls</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Another big change that will be a far bigger challenge, is I will soon have an "empty nest". My oldest daughter is moving out in just a few days. I can't believe it. Seems like just yesterday she graduated from high school and was starting college. Now she's graduated and ready to face new challenges herself. Time to be a real grown-up. How scary and exciting all at once!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">My youngest starts college in just over a month, so she will be leaving too. Fortunately she will not be as far away, so if I really need to see her, I can get in my car and be with her in just a couple hours.</span></span><br />
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">-Allan Watts</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">As a friend recently said, nothing really prepares parents for this. Our kids growing up, leaving home, all things that are supposed to happen, but still difficult for moms and dads. I am working on letting go, but even so, there is a pit in my stomach when I think about them both being gone.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I know I will be ok. I have many friends and interests to keep me busy, not to mention the extra hours I've been spending at work adjusting to my new job.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">But it will still be hard, there's just no way around that. I will miss my girls so much. Over the past 10 years that I have been a single parent, we have grown so close. We are the 3 Musketeers Don't get me wrong, we disagree, we even fight sometimes, but they are everything to me, and I think they feel the same. I love them so very much, they are my world. So, I will keep my chin up and be happy for them as they start new adventures and become strong independent young women. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I have so many hopes and dreams for them, I look forward to watching their lives unfold.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">So for now, I accept the changes in my life and </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">even </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">welcome them!</span><br />
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<br />DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-47992836566566433212013-07-27T15:54:00.001-07:002013-07-27T16:05:41.552-07:00Summer<div style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Merriweather Sans', sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: 16px;">Because it’s summer and the memories are just waiting to happen. -</span><em style="border: 0px; display: inline !important; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 24px 0px 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: xx-small;">Unknown</span></em></div>
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Oh Summer, how I love you! As much as I love each Season and the different weather, foods, and feeling each has to offer, nothing compares to Summer for me. The main reason is the time off I have from work and being able to spend quality time with my girls.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sitting on the beach relaxing...</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">My toes w/ new pedicure in the warm Lake Tahoe sand :)</span></b></td></tr>
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A couple years after my separation and subsequent divorce, I started a tradition of going to Lake Tahoe every summer with my girls. I have probably mentioned before, my Aunt and Uncle own a cute little house on the South shore and allow us to stay at no charge. It is the perfect get-away for me after a long stressful school year at work. This yearly trip, which over the years has ranged from a few nights to almost week, depending on what's going on in our lives, has become the only time all year I truly relax. Even when I'm off work at home, I am still working around my house and yard and dealing with the day to day responsibilities of being a homeowner and single mom. In Tahoe, I check out of the usual responsibilities and let it all go. I cook and clean while I'm there, but it's at my leisure and if I don't feel like it, then I don't have to. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My girls in the backyard of "our" little cabin.</b></td></tr>
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Since I love to cook, I don't really mind cooking most of our meals, so we plan ahead and do all of our grocery shopping before we leave, packing it all up and hauling it to "the cabin", as we fondly call it. <br />
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This Summer was our 8th visit to the cabin, and over the years we have brought along the girls' friends, boyfriend, and even got my sister and nieces to go with us a couple years ago. This year, it was just the three of us all week. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this time with them. This is my last summer with both girls living at home, so I truly cherished our time together. When we are home, there are so many distractions for all of us, work, friends, boyfriend, all the stuff that keeps us so busy and coming and going in different directions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>We found a new shop that had hundreds of different sodas and candy. Alyssa found her her friend Sheldon, lol.</b></td></tr>
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We stayed up late watching movies, got pedicures, shopped, played cards, went out for sushi, hung out at the beach, drove around the entire lake, and just enjoyed being together without all the usual distractions. <br />
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We have decided to make a pact, that as long as we can, we will continue to go to Tahoe together every summer, just the 3 of us for at least a few days alone, even if there are boyfriends, husbands, etc. who enter our lives. This is a trip I look forward to every year and it's always a little hard to say goodbye when we leave our beloved cabin in Lake Tahoe.<br />
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<br />DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-35662355956464585552013-07-07T20:38:00.001-07:002013-07-21T18:26:06.839-07:00Two endings and new beginnings...<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 23.09375px;"> "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail." </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 23.09375px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 23.09375px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">~ Ralph Waldo Emerson</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Helllooooo! Anyone out there?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been wanting to write a new post for the longest time, but mainly due to time constraints, I haven't managed to settle down long enough to do it.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The past few months have been a whirlwind of the usual end-of- the-year work responsibilities and graduation festivities. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am proud to say I am the parent of not one, but two recent graduates. My youngest daughter graduated from high school in early June, and my eldest, from college just over a week later. I am so proud of both of them, they are great kids and have worked hard in school and with extra-curricular activities. My youngest will start college in September and my oldest plans to relocate back to where she went to school in the San Diego area. It looks like my "nest" will be empty for the first time in my life. Lots to think about and get used to for sure.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To celebrate both graduations, I hosted a dual grad party, it seemed the best way to commemorate the accomplishments of both girls with family and friends. Although the weather turned out much hotter than I would have liked, we had a lovely evening. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spent the better part of almost two weeks planning and preparing, but throwing parties is definitely something I truly enjoy. Being creative and fine tuning all the little details is something I am passionate about, so what may seem crazy and far too time-consuming to some, is something I relish.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are a few pictures of the party, even though most have been taken on my phone camera, you get the idea.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I made the majority of my decorations, and had some of them saved from my oldest daughter's party 4 years ago. I neatly packed it all away knowing I could use it again. I have mostly white accessories in my house and garden so that whatever holiday or party it is, I can just add accents of color and it looks like more than what's really there. I spent several days spray painting some old tables, and chairs that had been given to me and that I've had for years, it made it look like I had a bunch of "new" furniture, but it was all just transformed with paint. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beautiful buffet you see in the pictures was given to me by a friend a few weeks ago and I stayed up til 1:30am painting it before the party, I had a vision of it white and I just had to have it done. It probably need one more coat, but it looked fine for the party.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day after the party, I took everything down, as much as I loved the yellow and white in my house and garden, to prepare for 4th of July which I've been decorating for the past 15 years. We live downtown, so there is a fireworks display we can see from our front yard and every year we have friends over to eat dessert, snacks, and watch the fireworks. Those pics will maybe be my next post.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is so much more I'd like to say, but for now this is enough for you all to read.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-31128785512119256982012-09-26T15:10:00.002-07:002012-09-26T15:14:18.582-07:00Life...<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;">“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/61105.Dr_Seuss" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: magenta;">Dr. Seuss</span></a></span></span><br />
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I'm not sure if there is anyone out there left who has ever read my blog, and if you are, you probably assume I no longer write new posts...<br />
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I actually wasn't sure if I ever would again either. So much going on, every single day. On days that I do have a little extra down time, I get on the computer and get distracted with reading other people's amazing blogs or oogling over websites or Facebook.<br />
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It's not that I don't have things to write about, I really do. In fact, I'm sure I'll forget a lot of what I wanted to say today, just because there is a bunch to catch up on.<br />
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For one, I worked over the summer at my second job. It was good and not so good. I've met some nice people, learned some things about weddings and all the work that goes into making them special. I also learned what very hard work it is, and that I'm getting older and don't bounce back quite as quickly as I used to!<br />
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There were a few mornings after I worked the night before (til 11 or 12), that I felt a little like I'd been hit by a bus or a train, something of that caliber ;) One weekend there were 3 weddings, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and I worked all three. I thought my feet might fall off by the end of that weekend. I'm happy to say, they are still attached, if not a little battered.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My sweet little niece India playing with her little friend on the beach. She's the blondie :)</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>We took the girls to Starbuck's in Cardiff-by-the-Sea to do some homework. We were the only ones without laptops, we had crayons, markers, and colored pencils instead. That's my rainbow drawing on the bottom right, you're never too old to color!</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My niece who just turned 8 has been learning how to surf, I love this picture of her on the beach!</b></td></tr>
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It felt like my Summer went by very, very quickly this year. I guess the second job and having less time off from my job as school office secretary made it that way. Our district's calendar was slightly different this year, so we did not have our usual 6 weeks off. What I did have, was both my girls home with me all summer. Although my youngest also got a new job and we were often like passing ships, we still found time to hang out, us three Musketeers. <br />
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Because of this, we did not do a whole lot over the summer. We did take our yearly trip to Lake Tahoe, it was so good to get away for a few days. Our trip there was also a little shorter than usual, but I was still happy we all got to get away together. It is one of my favorite places, especially in the summer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A picture my daughter took with her phone in Tahoe, so beautiful there!</b></td></tr>
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I think I chose today to write a post, because I am feeling a little out of sorts, and I thought it might help unravel my brain a bit. I just returned home from bringing my oldest daughter back to college. This is always my least favorite trip to Southern CA. I loved seeing my nieces and sister, that is always a plus and one of the reasons we get to go as often as we do. Not having to rent a hotel makes all the difference. I love spending time with those little munchkins, I miss them so much.<br />
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So, it is with a heavy heart that I left them...my sister, nieces, and daughter...we had a few great days together. We had a birthday party at the beach for the little girls, I went for coffee and a long walk on the beach with my sis, and enjoyed a "big girls only" happy hour having sushi, which is something I don't usually eat. It was yummy and nice to hang out with my sister and daughters! I also managed to get my daughter moved back in to her on-campus apartment. <br />
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Some other recent highlights- my oldest turned 21 on Sept. 18th, can't believe I have a kid that old!!!! My younger daughter made the "top 6" for Homecoming Queen at her high school, so we have lots of activities in the next couple weeks involving that.<br />
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There's a lot more to say...but for now this will do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fuW1Y7_5IrU/UGN241qm8II/AAAAAAAAA28/LBPuxhignW8/s1600/St.+Malo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fuW1Y7_5IrU/UGN241qm8II/AAAAAAAAA28/LBPuxhignW8/s400/St.+Malo.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is one of the many houses we got to walk by on the beach. It is my new dream neighborhood that happens to be just across the street from my sister's condo...a place called St. Malo, very exclusive and way out of my budget, but I can dream!</b></td></tr>
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Wishing you happy thoughts,<br />
LisaDreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-88418746124669336612012-03-25T21:19:00.000-07:002012-03-25T21:19:58.209-07:00It's all about the kids...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIMmSZXGGz8/T2_rtx3sOEI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/XINQ8WTFHI4/s1600/Lorax+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIMmSZXGGz8/T2_rtx3sOEI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/XINQ8WTFHI4/s400/Lorax+quote.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Because of my full-time job, I spend a lot of time with children between the ages of 5-12. It's probably the number one reason why I like my job so much.</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">I love the adults at work too, I am fortunate to work for a hard-working principal, and a group of dedicated teachers and support staff. </span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">But the kids are what really make me love my job. It's not easy being a kid these days, especially if your family life is not so great. Through my job, everyday I see the struggles that kids must face, when they really have no control or choice over their own lives. While I encounter many wonderful parents who clearly put their kids first, I also see a lot who don't.</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">And it makes me sad. Part of me wants to take a kid home with me everyday. Of course I can't, but I see so many childre nwho could wind up so much better off if they were just in a better environment. Some of these kids might have little or no chance at success in their lives solely because of the people who are raising them. </span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">And with all the hardship around, the agencies that are here to protect children, must pick and choose when they can intervene. The standards I have and what I think parenting should be, is far higher than what is considered acceptable parenting by child protective services. </span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Many times I feel helpless, all I can do is show them kindness, listen to them, and try to make them smile. I wish I could take them all home and give them every opportunity in the world. </span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">After a busy and stressful week at work, that included a home visit with my boss, and two nights out during the week, I made it a point to find some time this weekend to have a little fun. Now my fun may seem simple, but anything that lets me relax and makes me smile does the trick for me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Saturday night, after a long day on my feet selling prom dresses, I de-stressed at Barnes & Noble with my daughter, drinking coffee and browsing through my favorite magazines and cookbooks. </span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Today we saw The Lorax, a sweet movie with a beautiful message for kids and adults. It was just what I needed to round out my weekend. A homemade dinner and glass of wine has me ready to face another busy week.</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Wishing you Peace and Happy thoughts,</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Lisa</span>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-6521621596964085712012-03-18T09:19:00.001-07:002012-03-18T09:23:31.376-07:002012, so far...<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: magenta;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">-Brian Tracy</span></strong></span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Well, so far, 2012 is turning out to be a pretty decent year. It's flying by, but it seems as we get older it just does!</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">My oldest daughter, who is away at college, will be finishing up her third year, and I can't believe it! My younger daughter, has only one more year of high school and then she'll be off to college too! This is an important time for her as far as school goes, so much pressure on her to get good grades, taking SAT's, and finding the right college. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">I worry so much for my girls...I want them to have every opportunity in life that they possibly can. I want them to be HAPPY, and INDEPENDENT, and just do what they LOVE for a living. That's not asking too much, is it??</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Sometimes I just have to stop and BREATHE!!! </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">The bottom line, though, is that they are good girls, I couldn't be more proud and more pleased with how they are turning out. I am truly blessed!</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">For me, it's been a very busy year. I have a summer job!! Wooo hoooo! I'm pretending that I'm completely excited about that :) Which I am, really, but it will be different this summer, working on the weekends, probably every weekend. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">I am at that point in my life, though, that I really don't have a choice. With one in college, and the other starting college next year, I desperately need the extra money. I will be working at an event venue, it's outdoors, so I'm happy about that. The last thing I want is to be stuck inside during the summer. I will be doing a lot of hard work, setting up tables and chairs, serving and cleaning up during and after weddings and events, and even cleaning bathrooms. A little hardwork never hurt anyone, right?!? I am excited to be part of people's important day though, and I love celebrations and parties, so I think it will be really fun!</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">My youngest just went to prom Saturday night, and I paid for her dress and all the "accessories" with money from my "other" second job :) It's just temporary, but I am working for one of my best friends from high school at her Tuxedo Rental and Prom Dress shop. Perfect, right?? I literally "worked off" my daughter's dress, shoes, & jewelry.</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9hzDXZ1kq8c/T2YFIqu1hAI/AAAAAAAAAzk/cZyGd5c8gAM/s1600/triumph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="355" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9hzDXZ1kq8c/T2YFIqu1hAI/AAAAAAAAAzk/cZyGd5c8gAM/s400/triumph.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">I've discovered this Author and Artist, <a href="http://notsalmon.com/" target="_blank">Karen Salmonsohn</a>, she is so positive and inspirational.</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">It's funny how life works out when you need it to. I am by no means out of debt, I still work more than I play, but we do what we have to, and I am lucky enough to get to work with nice people who I enjoy spending time with. I can't really ask for more than that.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Above all, I firmly believe in the old adage, that hard work pays off.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Someday, maybe I can save enough money to take a real vacation...I dream of Europe, I have always wanted to visit Italy, France, England, Greece....and let's not forget Spain!</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uvPjA7g15M/T2YHqtmj3BI/AAAAAAAAAz0/aE5s8Z8GeHk/s1600/DSC01708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><img border="0" height="353" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uvPjA7g15M/T2YHqtmj3BI/AAAAAAAAAz0/aE5s8Z8GeHk/s400/DSC01708.JPG" width="400" /></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Little inexpensive treats I sent to my two sweet nieces, I miss them so much</span>!</strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">But for now, I need a new washer, dryer, oven, and the list goes on! I guess we are always in need of something, it's what keeps us motivated and working towards a goal. And I'm ok with that at this point in my life.</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-07DuJ9FJh8s/T2YKvBAM8kI/AAAAAAAAAz8/dmzI6Y9t9S8/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-07DuJ9FJh8s/T2YKvBAM8kI/AAAAAAAAAz8/dmzI6Y9t9S8/s400/photo.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Andes Chocolate Mint cupcakes I made for the kids going to Prom</span></strong>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><strong><span style="color: black;">In my spare time, yes, there's a tiny bit of it....I am still baking and crafting, and just started with all the yard work that comes at this time of year. I am already dreaming of homegrown tomatoes and evenings on my back patio with a glass of wine and my favorite magazine or book....</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VhSWz_F742s/T2YHWHYzmoI/AAAAAAAAAzs/6ZeB8mTcSsU/s1600/DSC01711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VhSWz_F742s/T2YHWHYzmoI/AAAAAAAAAzs/6ZeB8mTcSsU/s400/DSC01711.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Some fun little candy bars I made for St. Patrick's Day</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Hoping this year is finding you in a place of peace and happiness.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Wishing you happy thoughts,</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: black;">Lisa</span></strong>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-54969993695367670842011-12-31T14:09:00.000-08:002011-12-31T14:11:22.760-08:00Reflections<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day"</span></div><div align="left" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">-Edith Lovejoy Pierce</span></strong></span></span></div><div align="left" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">On this last day of 2011, I am feeling some relief that this year is over. I can't say that any one event was particularly traumatic or life changing, but there were things that overall made this not my favorite year.</span></span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eHSLblVutQE/Tv9_ZmksiyI/AAAAAAAAAzE/uIFsLbvVw3g/s1600/New+Year2_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eHSLblVutQE/Tv9_ZmksiyI/AAAAAAAAAzE/uIFsLbvVw3g/s400/New+Year2_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">It started out in January with me in family court with my ex, and although in the end it all worked out, it was several months of major stress and doubt. Not to mention some seriously difficult financial times. It was also the year of car repairs, something I am never very well prepared for. It seems that is the one area that I tend to neglect, I think it just gets to be too much for me to keep up on, with the house, yard, work, kids, etc. But in the end, I've learned that I am stronger than I thought, and proper maintenance leads to less problems down the road. I hope to carry that lesson into 2012 regarding my own personal health as well. My experience with bursitis in April taught me just how debilitating severe pain can be. Let's face it, I am too young to have those worries on top of every other worry a single-mom faces. I ended my last week of December getting the last check-up I was long over-due for, and for me that is a starting point to focus this next year more on ME and my health. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> At a memorial I recently attended for the mother of a friend of mine, he made the remark that his mom took far better care of everyone else than she did of herself. That really had an impact on me, because I know I am guilty of the same. This life is just too short to take for granted, and I am afraid I have fallen into the rut of everyday life where I am not taking the best care of myself. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">I am hoping that the new year will bring me the courage to follow the dreams that I have for myself. I regret that fear has kept me idle, and not moving forward this past year or two to become the person I really want to be, and most importantly, set an example for my daughters that they can look up to.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">All in all, I have nothing to complain about, I have two beautiful daughters and a nice home. I know many who faced real losses this past year, so I am grateful nothing that devastating happened to my own family. This time of year always has me a little melancholy, and this year more so, as my sister and nieces were not able to spend the holidays with us. I really missed not spending Christmas with those sweet girls. I am thankful though, for the time I got to spend with my own daughters, especially my oldest who is home from college for one more week. We haven't done anything exciting, but it's just been nice to hang out together.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">I am looking forward to a new year and hope that it brings you health, happiness, opportunities, and most of all, peace. We can't ask for more than that.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Happy New Year & Happy Thoughts,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Lisa</span></div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-84676033228703697372011-11-21T10:14:00.000-08:002011-11-21T11:29:53.808-08:00Thankful...<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Siqxg7GS9CI/TsqREUpV4uI/AAAAAAAAAx4/BMkbDpatXZg/s1600/I+am+Thankful_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Siqxg7GS9CI/TsqREUpV4uI/AAAAAAAAAx4/BMkbDpatXZg/s400/I+am+Thankful_002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures</span>.</span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~Thornton Wilder</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Reflecting today on all that I am thankful for...</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">My daughters</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">My family & friends</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">My home and the comfort it gives me</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">The country that I live in which allows me the freedoms we take for granted </span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">A job that allows me to be home on the holidays with my loved ones</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">And the many small things that I try to stop and take notice of...</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">The change of seasons</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">The magic of the holidays and the festivities that surround them</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">A warm fire in my living room</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Freshly baked cookies</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">A warm bubble bath</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Flannel sheets</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Hot coffee</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Music & Art</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">The simple & amazing beauty of nature</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">The joy of giving gifts over receiving them</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Using my hands to Craft, Cook, & Bake</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">What are you thankful for?</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Wishing you Love, Warmth, & Happiness this Thanksgiving and always!</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Happy Thoughts,</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">Lisa</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><strong></strong></span></div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-40502046106162618812011-10-23T08:35:00.000-07:002011-10-23T08:39:49.929-07:00Hello<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">If nothing ever changed, there'd be no Butterflies.</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">-unknown</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Well, as you can tell, I just can't find the time to blog regularly. Too much stuff going on with work, kids, home, etc.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>I have been making some time for crafting when I can, and getting out my Halloween decorations. I hope to have some pictures up soon...</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>My youngest daughter turned 16 yesterday, oh, how the time flies! Next weekend she will have a slumber party with a few girlfriends, so I have been making little things for her party to make it extra special. She hasn't had a party in a year or two, so I am looking forward to it. Believe it or not, I kind of miss those slumber parties I used to have for my girls.</strong></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tElcArXtByw/TqQzhwiprnI/AAAAAAAAAvY/esN09AH4-54/s1600/Alyssa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tElcArXtByw/TqQzhwiprnI/AAAAAAAAAvY/esN09AH4-54/s400/Alyssa.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Isn't she cute? She is sweet, shy, smart, and such an old soul at 16</strong></span>.<br />
<strong><span style="color: black;">This is quick pic I took w/ my phone just before we left for one of my my best friend's wedding earlier this month</span></strong>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Otherwise, life just seems to roll on by, I continue to try and figure it all out, how to balance everything, and pay all the bills. </strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>I know I'm not the only one who struggles with this on a daily basis, but sometimes I just wish I could figure it all out before I'm too old!! :)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>I made a little inspirational picture, trying to remind myself to do all these things....</strong></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N_PtcUwuqtE/TqQwye5TrlI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/I6H9NJGFrLA/s1600/Inspiration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N_PtcUwuqtE/TqQwye5TrlI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/I6H9NJGFrLA/s640/Inspiration.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Well, I'm going to keep this short, after all, the lawn is calling to be mowed and the bathrooms to be cleaned...I know, you are so jealous of my EXCITING life!! Haha, but I am truly blessed, I have two of the most wonderful daughters a mother could ever wish for, and there isn't enough money in the world to buy that!</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Happy Thoughts,</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Lisa</strong></span></div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-32544274404701335762011-09-11T10:51:00.000-07:002011-09-24T21:06:57.240-07:00This & That<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: magenta;">Attitude</span> </span><span style="color: magenta;">is a little thing that makes a big difference.</span></span><span style="color: magenta;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"> ~Winston Churchill</span></div><div style="color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"></span> <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>It's been awhile since I've last posted, life just gets so busy. I find it hard sometimes to actually concentrate long enough to write words that make any sense.</b></span></span></div><div style="color: magenta;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8eOm6RhN6jg/TmzqWdLZXQI/AAAAAAAAArQ/1ZSpE4mYSf8/s1600/DSC01235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8eOm6RhN6jg/TmzqWdLZXQI/AAAAAAAAArQ/1ZSpE4mYSf8/s400/DSC01235.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6Dez3TKCJI/TmzrCy0qc5I/AAAAAAAAArY/RmFivUZU6-A/s1600/DSC01239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6Dez3TKCJI/TmzrCy0qc5I/AAAAAAAAArY/RmFivUZU6-A/s400/DSC01239.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEbs8Lo67Vo/TmzqwNE8SJI/AAAAAAAAArU/1G41FaOB7w0/s1600/DSC01237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEbs8Lo67Vo/TmzqwNE8SJI/AAAAAAAAArU/1G41FaOB7w0/s400/DSC01237.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>I used a lot of stuff around our office to decorate cheaply with</strong>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1budt-s-9Tc/TmztuhVlVpI/AAAAAAAAAr0/2HURLcHeax8/s1600/DSC01246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1budt-s-9Tc/TmztuhVlVpI/AAAAAAAAAr0/2HURLcHeax8/s400/DSC01246.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>I've been back to work now for over a month, and the first few weeks of a new school year are so busy, I'm completely wiped out when I get home from work. Getting dinner ready, doing a few chores around the house/yard and preparing for the next day are sometimes the only thing I get done in the evening before it's time for bed.</b></span></span></div><div style="color: magenta;"><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>I now officially have two "Juniors" in the house...one in high school and one in college. Time just keeps whizzing by and I can't believe I will be the mother of a 20 year-old in just a few days!</b></span></span></div><div style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w500cROGrPg/TmzscuTPKTI/AAAAAAAAArs/Rdb6qYqgWwg/s1600/DSC01201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w500cROGrPg/TmzscuTPKTI/AAAAAAAAArs/Rdb6qYqgWwg/s320/DSC01201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>This is a cake I made for a good friend of mine for her birthday. It is <span style="font-family: inherit;">dark</span> chocolate cake with straberry cream cheese frosting. I used her homemade strawberry jam to flavor it. The flowers are from my garden.</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>I continue to work on my creative side, in the past week or two, I made my first wedding invitations for a friend's mother, I also made another friend a 2-tiered cake for her daughter's 13th birthday. One of my best friends is getting married next month and I am helping her with wedding favors and other goodies. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-muW8iRXXKCQ/Tmzr8DtaQaI/AAAAAAAAArk/XUlFNGpr1Jw/s1600/DSC01268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-muW8iRXXKCQ/Tmzr8DtaQaI/AAAAAAAAArk/XUlFNGpr1Jw/s400/DSC01268.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I am by no means a professional, but the cake tasted delicious! The bottom is a triple-layer dark chocolate, the top vanilla, all with vanilla cream cheese frosting.</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9mJTfzZ7-9U/TmzsLsQh2tI/AAAAAAAAAro/48NQyhZXhUo/s1600/DSC01269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="383" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9mJTfzZ7-9U/TmzsLsQh2tI/AAAAAAAAAro/48NQyhZXhUo/s400/DSC01269.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>A topper I made for the cake.</strong></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>On the first day of school, I made some cute goodie bags and other cute printables with a Back-to-School theme design to welcome back the staff at the school I work at. My boss and I set up a table in the lounge with breakfast goodies and coffee. I think it helped to start the year off, keeping morale up is always a priority in these difficult economic times when education is constantly hit with budget cuts.</b></span></span></div><div style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>As I've said before, I work with a great staff, and I love making them smile. I like to consider the work I do for these little events as practice, which help to hone my skills as a crafter, baker, and cook. </b></span></span></div><div style="color: magenta;"><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">My garden is growing, but showing signs of coming to an end. This year my tomatoes came in much later than they have in the past, so I didn't have time to experiment much with new recipes before I returned to work. Last night I did make a delicious batch of<a href="http://dreamgirllisa-adventuresincooking.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html"> tomato soup</a> with homemade croutons. There is something so satisfying about making meals from scratch and especially using ingredients you have grown in your own garden, without harmful pesticides or chemicals.</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7-C6rB-M7Uc/Tmzrr-S9lNI/AAAAAAAAArg/sv9ouS0II3M/s1600/DSC01255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7-C6rB-M7Uc/Tmzrr-S9lNI/AAAAAAAAArg/sv9ouS0II3M/s400/DSC01255.JPG" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Homegrown tomatoes</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CY6HYCXHSMk/TmzrWlZjhvI/AAAAAAAAArc/vBl550XMVQ0/s1600/DSC01253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CY6HYCXHSMk/TmzrWlZjhvI/AAAAAAAAArc/vBl550XMVQ0/s400/DSC01253.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>My first ever success with cantaloupe, it was so yummy!</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Over the summer, the girls and I took our annual trip to Lake Tahoe, and this year my sister and nieces joined us. It was fun to show them around to the beautiful places of Tahoe and get to spend that time with them.</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rcl9YTOm-98/Tmzssqh2vgI/AAAAAAAAArw/Ug4yrvpltss/s1600/DSC01273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><img border="0" height="387" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rcl9YTOm-98/Tmzssqh2vgI/AAAAAAAAArw/Ug4yrvpltss/s400/DSC01273.JPG" width="400" /></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>A little 6" cake I made for the girls and I.</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TojR5aNyqf4/TmzwWffMn0I/AAAAAAAAAr4/B0D3drg_CNw/s1600/DSC01279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TojR5aNyqf4/TmzwWffMn0I/AAAAAAAAAr4/B0D3drg_CNw/s400/DSC01279.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The inside came out looking like the colors of ocean water.</strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Maybe it's the end of summer, and the impending return of my daughter back to college, but I always get a little melancholy at this time of year. There is always so much to do in preparation for the move back and the days are going fast with the busy-ness of a new school year for my younger daughter and all the activities she has right now. I have been thinking a lot about what I will do when my youngest heads to college. There is the financial aspect that brings up my worries for how I will afford to send her to college and also support myself when I will no longer receive the financial help from her father. Then there is the emotional side, when I will possibly have a true "empty nest". My girls mean the world to me, but I have always tried to have my own hobbies and friends, so that when it is time for them to spread their wings, I will not fall apart. The last thing I would ever want is for them to feel guilty or worry about me being alone.</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.</span> ~Roald Dahl</span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I like to think that there will be a new door opening for me when I am alone, more time to explore and develop the passions I have. As each birthday comes for me now, I do feel a sense of urgency in figuring out "what will I do with my life". There are dreams and hopes I have that I am starting to worry I am running out of time for. I find myself looking for inspiration from women who started businesses or became financially successful at a "later age" in life.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I realize I am sharing a lot of really personal feelings now, but my worst fear is that I will spend my whole life dreaming of what I want to do, but never finding the time or resources to actually make it a reality. I don't want to look back on my life with regret, and feel sadness for all the things that could have been. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I love my job, but I also know that it is not what I am truly passionate about, and it does not provide me with the full financial support I need to keep my house and live a comfortable life on my own. I don't need a lot, but I also don't want to spend the rest of my life living paycheck to paycheck as I am now, and always worrying about money.</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.</span> ~Francesca Reigler</span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">In essence, I am trying to figure out how to turn my hobbies and passions into something more, something that I can possibly earn some income from. I know there are many women out there looking for and doing the same thing, so I am not unique in my aspirations.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I would love hearing from other women who share the same feelings and who are turning their dreams into reality. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Well, my chores are calling, two days off on the weekend don't leave much time for errands and chores, so it's off to my lawn-mower I go now...</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Wishing you happy thoughts,</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Lisa</span></strong></div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-78648201022413373082011-07-26T16:36:00.000-07:002011-07-26T17:00:07.578-07:00A little Fairy Magic...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Every time a child says, "I don't believe in fairies," there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead.</span> </span><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">~James Matthew Barrie, <i>Peter Pan</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><b>The first of three banners I made for inside the house.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I have mentioned before that I have two little nieces, now 4 and soon to be 7 years old, that I absolutely adore. Last week my sister and the girls came to visit. We, my girls, my parents, and I, were so excited to have them come, they hadn't been here since Christmas, and hadn't visited during the summer in over two years.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I had recently been in Southern California visiting with them when I picked up my daughter from college. She goes to school just a half hour from where they live in Carlsbad, CA, so I get to see them when I move her down and pick her up each year. We also try to make another trip over spring break to visit all of them, "my girls", as I affectionately refer to my daughters, nieces, and sister.</span> </b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H0AJye85dlo/Ti4zS332diI/AAAAAAAAAn0/fQWkNx9IzB0/s1600/DSC01009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H0AJye85dlo/Ti4zS332diI/AAAAAAAAAn0/fQWkNx9IzB0/s400/DSC01009.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>I decorated the kitchen and dining room to match the theme</b>.</span><br />
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<div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">On my last visit in June, the little girls and I planned a "Fairy Picnic" for when they would come to visit in July. The girls love nature and being outside, and of course, they love fairies! I let them help me decide the menu, just a simple lunch of tea sandwiches, salad, and fresh fruit "kabobs". I added in one of their favorite foods, deviled eggs, and tea cakes for dessert<i>.</i></span></span></b></span></span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0i58INevfA4/Ti5j2IRl-TI/AAAAAAAAApE/oP6fHITaboc/s1600/DSC01015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<div align="left"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I included lots of little details, such as bubbles, a fairy door, comfy blankets, little bottle necklaces with pink "fairy dust" (aka, glitter) in them. I forgot to take a picture of the fairy dust necklaces, but they were a big hit, and had to be re-filled several times, as the girls dusted everything in site!</b></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RFBrD5V2slw/Ti40647sD5I/AAAAAAAAAoA/9r3TpJZ3Sbg/s1600/DSC01017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RFBrD5V2slw/Ti40647sD5I/AAAAAAAAAoA/9r3TpJZ3Sbg/s400/DSC01017.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>This little table was all ready for them to put on their crowns, wings, and grab their wands before heading outside</b></span>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>My little candy bars, the back had the quote: "Just living is not enough", said the butterfly. "One must have sunshine, freedom, & a little flower".</b></span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-twn_X7ORewU/Ti4w16zuU0I/AAAAAAAAAnc/4Piu-7cZh74/s1600/DSC00994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-twn_X7ORewU/Ti4w16zuU0I/AAAAAAAAAnc/4Piu-7cZh74/s400/DSC00994.JPG" width="400" /></a></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sf_rSNHTT2Q/Ti4xAPOQ3mI/AAAAAAAAAng/TFPfGoX9OXU/s1600/DSC00996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sf_rSNHTT2Q/Ti4xAPOQ3mI/AAAAAAAAAng/TFPfGoX9OXU/s400/DSC00996.JPG" width="400" /></a></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztrEnHMU7Yg/Ti44ZXP_bMI/AAAAAAAAAoY/g-ggIyj8t60/s1600/DSC01025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztrEnHMU7Yg/Ti44ZXP_bMI/AAAAAAAAAoY/g-ggIyj8t60/s400/DSC01025.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>The picnic area all ready for them outside.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0s_kItqy3rc/Ti44_hfsUGI/AAAAAAAAAoc/tS3Dz3pIEIs/s1600/DSC01021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0s_kItqy3rc/Ti44_hfsUGI/AAAAAAAAAoc/tS3Dz3pIEIs/s400/DSC01021.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>A table set for the "big girls".</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IROOx00jB0o/Ti8S9jzP63I/AAAAAAAAAqY/vTjoULkhl_Q/s1600/DSC01023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IROOx00jB0o/Ti8S9jzP63I/AAAAAAAAAqY/vTjoULkhl_Q/s400/DSC01023.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>All the flowers I used were from my own garden.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OGLPB8gOqXo/Ti8TwxcY2HI/AAAAAAAAAqc/M-1Cvjtfgrg/s1600/DSC01027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OGLPB8gOqXo/Ti8TwxcY2HI/AAAAAAAAAqc/M-1Cvjtfgrg/s400/DSC01027.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>I used this table to keep all the food on, protected from flies and bees.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l6oq3U-xQPc/Ti47OOuaKcI/AAAAAAAAAos/jjNfmWc-RBI/s1600/DSC01044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l6oq3U-xQPc/Ti47OOuaKcI/AAAAAAAAAos/jjNfmWc-RBI/s400/DSC01044.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>I forgot to take pictures of the food before we started serving, but I managed to get a couple shots before it was all gone.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2XDUPx-E6QU/Ti5jOZwNs_I/AAAAAAAAApA/5lYDV89gZ5I/s1600/Sahara+India+Fairy+Picnic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2XDUPx-E6QU/Ti5jOZwNs_I/AAAAAAAAApA/5lYDV89gZ5I/s400/Sahara+India+Fairy+Picnic.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">They were so excited when they saw the picnic area all set up for them!</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oniap8jgeI8/Ti9ShwLPpcI/AAAAAAAAAqs/xyFmlfALK_A/s1600/DSC01030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oniap8jgeI8/Ti9ShwLPpcI/AAAAAAAAAqs/xyFmlfALK_A/s400/DSC01030.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">I think I had myself as excited for this picnic as they were; it was all I thought of and worked on my first 3 weeks off from work. I tried to come up with inexpensive ideas, using my favorite color them of pink and green. I tried to think of every detail that would make the day magical.</span> </b></span></span> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C_NzFvsowG0/Ti46tlGXX7I/AAAAAAAAAoo/WDOSCTXT5wU/s400/DSC01042.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>A shot of India in her wings & crown.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vxA3hPoNRLQ/Ti46Iw_zkfI/AAAAAAAAAok/BOwtwdmr3Bw/s1600/DSC01041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vxA3hPoNRLQ/Ti46Iw_zkfI/AAAAAAAAAok/BOwtwdmr3Bw/s400/DSC01041.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>India, 4</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dLBQa1bNR2U/Ti45k78cP_I/AAAAAAAAAog/BzKBDdGwnOM/s1600/DSC01037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dLBQa1bNR2U/Ti45k78cP_I/AAAAAAAAAog/BzKBDdGwnOM/s400/DSC01037.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Sahara, 6</b></span></td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>We had such a lovely day, spent mostly outside. After lunch, we read stories, then my girls set up two slip-n-slides out on our front lawn, and the little girls had a blast sliding down the hill. After that, they played on the trampoline, that sits so lonely in another area of my property. My sister and I went for a walk down by the river, while my girls fixed dinner for everyone. We ended the day setting off leftover fireworks from the 4th of July, in our backyard, it was truly magical. It was definitely a day to remember, and it lived up to the (high) expectations I couldn't help but have after all the work and anticipation.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The details...</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6r7HBDgGFFA/Ti4v3I3rE0I/AAAAAAAAAnU/FwNGA9Ina64/s1600/crowns.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6r7HBDgGFFA/Ti4v3I3rE0I/AAAAAAAAAnU/FwNGA9Ina64/s400/crowns.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">Fairy Crowns I made for the girls, using candle rings I found on the clearance isle at Michael's.</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YnyovlAdlFA/Ti8KI82xQvI/AAAAAAAAAp0/JlwXPDpS5xQ/s1600/DSC00992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YnyovlAdlFA/Ti8KI82xQvI/AAAAAAAAAp0/JlwXPDpS5xQ/s400/DSC00992.JPG" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Little Fairy Door, purchased from</b></span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/LovingLeeCrafted"><span style="color: black;"><b> Lovinglee Crafted/Etsy,</b></span></a><span style="color: black;"><b> I hung it in a tree right next to the picnic area.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0yex5gh8LyE/Ti8LNTMpr8I/AAAAAAAAAp4/YT0TKDz4aN8/s1600/closeup+bubbles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0yex5gh8LyE/Ti8LNTMpr8I/AAAAAAAAAp4/YT0TKDz4aN8/s400/closeup+bubbles.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Close up on Bubbles Tag, Clip Art from</b></span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/revidevi"><span style="color: black;"><b> revidevi/Etsy Shop</b></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HoAObeOmPqc/Ti8RLZtHSWI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/e3nPqo0G54o/s1600/DSC00955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HoAObeOmPqc/Ti8RLZtHSWI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/e3nPqo0G54o/s400/DSC00955.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">Bubbles purchased for $1 at Walmart, prettied up w/ ribbon and handmade tags.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kVuCvsskGIU/Ti8Ls-cURSI/AAAAAAAAAp8/85pOp15p8DI/s1600/DSC00958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kVuCvsskGIU/Ti8Ls-cURSI/AAAAAAAAAp8/85pOp15p8DI/s400/DSC00958.JPG" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Little Gumball Pipettes, Gumballs & Plastic Pipettes from</b></span><a href="http://polka-dot-market.com/"><span style="color: black;"><b> Polka Dot Market</b></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6xDitiGi4WA/Ti8NwHIOzPI/AAAAAAAAAqE/MDXC6ywZLKY/s1600/Fairy+Juice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6xDitiGi4WA/Ti8NwHIOzPI/AAAAAAAAAqE/MDXC6ywZLKY/s400/Fairy+Juice.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Little milk bottles & paper straws, purchased from Polka Dot Market.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0u17APY_qdY/Ti8QWXPR8HI/AAAAAAAAAqM/ekFl30avi6c/s1600/Wands.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0u17APY_qdY/Ti8QWXPR8HI/AAAAAAAAAqM/ekFl30avi6c/s400/Wands.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Wands that I found on sale at Michael's, they came in a kit, but I used my own ribbon, tulle, and paper flowers to embellish them.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PT_ACucvMpo/Ti8R-TDIogI/AAAAAAAAAqU/sV5xKHoWYOU/s1600/DSC01007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PT_ACucvMpo/Ti8R-TDIogI/AAAAAAAAAqU/sV5xKHoWYOU/s400/DSC01007.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Skewers I decorated w/ ribbon for the fruit.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xq9qs6UQ9vE/Ti8Os4wGjfI/AAAAAAAAAqI/IE38o1VKbbY/s1600/Stickers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xq9qs6UQ9vE/Ti8Os4wGjfI/AAAAAAAAAqI/IE38o1VKbbY/s400/Stickers.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>" I Believe in Fairies" Stickers we all wore.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lDcrzg3Enac/Ti8MuzzD9_I/AAAAAAAAAqA/puJqjA0bl9I/s1600/DSC00961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lDcrzg3Enac/Ti8MuzzD9_I/AAAAAAAAAqA/puJqjA0bl9I/s400/DSC00961.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>An inexpensive candle I found at Ikea, I made a little "tu tu" for it w/ leftover ribbon, tulle, & flowers.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqmFxXgDgWs/Ti43zB_kv_I/AAAAAAAAAoU/-VfBvNooYHk/s1600/DSC01008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqmFxXgDgWs/Ti43zB_kv_I/AAAAAAAAAoU/-VfBvNooYHk/s400/DSC01008.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">Little picks I made to match everything.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9BHI_WvwhGw/Ti4wgrtjE2I/AAAAAAAAAnY/B-mufrJJqZ0/s1600/DSC00987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="378" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9BHI_WvwhGw/Ti4wgrtjE2I/AAAAAAAAAnY/B-mufrJJqZ0/s400/DSC00987.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Bags with their initials for little gifts I had been collecting</b>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-abEjHTwis8s/Ti4yPKuceQI/AAAAAAAAAns/ObkeEoJdqo0/s1600/DSC01002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-abEjHTwis8s/Ti4yPKuceQI/AAAAAAAAAns/ObkeEoJdqo0/s400/DSC01002.JPG" width="283" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">Fairy wings I "re-purposed" for my little niece. They were found in my youngest daughters closet, long ignored by her.</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_215737399"></span><span id="goog_215737400"></span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: black;"> </span></i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VwMVEnQzDT0/Ti47wUxhTaI/AAAAAAAAAow/ltHB07alne0/s1600/DSC01049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VwMVEnQzDT0/Ti47wUxhTaI/AAAAAAAAAow/ltHB07alne0/s400/DSC01049.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">My sister got so comfy under the trees, she took a little "Fairy Nap"</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I will fondly remember this summer for the wonderful visit I had with my sister and her precious girls, especially our little "Fairy Picnic."</b></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Happy Thoughts,</b></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Lisa</b></span></div><div align="left"><br />
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</tbody></table></b></span></span>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-70860613343880000192011-07-14T20:20:00.000-07:002011-07-14T20:20:42.815-07:00Summertime<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;">~Celia Thaxter</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I think most of us do love summer, the warmer weather, kids (& grown-ups) on vacation, all the fresh fruit & veggies in season...it's just a more laid back, fun time of year.</strong></span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0cfWjob1Beg/Th-P9t8WkzI/AAAAAAAAAmk/ZW5b0zvieJc/s1600/Porch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0cfWjob1Beg/Th-P9t8WkzI/AAAAAAAAAmk/ZW5b0zvieJc/s400/Porch.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I am fortunate to be off for several weeks every summer during part of the time my kids are on vacation from school. I use a good part of this time to catch up on all the chores, especially in my garden, that I have not kept up with during the rest of the year</strong>.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PM9CCixDFMI/Th-URfWTDZI/AAAAAAAAAms/6tZfhIqRcTM/s1600/Dining+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PM9CCixDFMI/Th-URfWTDZI/AAAAAAAAAms/6tZfhIqRcTM/s400/Dining+room.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I am truly thankful for this time off, it means I don't make as much money at my job as I'd like, but it's also a chance to re-group and fact the challenges at new school year at work always brings.</strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S-ULH-ZkJJE/Th-O2lZPPeI/AAAAAAAAAmc/JPBCTiptQaU/s1600/Dining+buffet+table.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S-ULH-ZkJJE/Th-O2lZPPeI/AAAAAAAAAmc/JPBCTiptQaU/s400/Dining+buffet+table.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I love having some time to visit with friends, spend time with my kids, catch up on movies, enjoy the outdoors with daily walks with my friend/neighbor. I am also able to spend time on the crafts and cooking that I enjoy so much.</strong></span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--C3W0SWJBP0/Th-PYD6j0DI/AAAAAAAAAmg/Td5GKunNKo8/s1600/Butler%2527s+pantry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--C3W0SWJBP0/Th-PYD6j0DI/AAAAAAAAAmg/Td5GKunNKo8/s400/Butler%2527s+pantry.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bT9tqfdQdEE/Th-Y7_7bG6I/AAAAAAAAAm0/a1Jjkuia9hA/s1600/kitchen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bT9tqfdQdEE/Th-Y7_7bG6I/AAAAAAAAAm0/a1Jjkuia9hA/s400/kitchen.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>One of my favorite times is the 4th of July. I love decorating the house up in Red, White, & Blue. Up until last year, our town used to have a big fireworks display "downtown" by the water, which is where I live. We always had a full house of friends and family over to eat and watch the fireworks. We could literally see them from our front yard. Even more fun for us adults, was the people-watching. Thousands of people would cram downtown to catch a glimpse of this patriotric tradition that I remember from my high school days.</strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CvfupQCBkQc/Th-V2rn7O5I/AAAAAAAAAmw/tWFP_AaEzSo/s1600/DSC00890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CvfupQCBkQc/Th-V2rn7O5I/AAAAAAAAAmw/tWFP_AaEzSo/s400/DSC00890.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, with the poor economy, our city decided for the second year in a row, not to have the fireworks display. The girls still have friends over, but we have definitely pared down our celebration. This year we did a few of our own little fireworks in the backyard, something my girls choose to spend their own money on.</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2n3tdmD7WpE/Th-QfdOnS9I/AAAAAAAAAmo/abTVgWyUL60/s1600/Red%252Cwhite%252Cblue%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2n3tdmD7WpE/Th-QfdOnS9I/AAAAAAAAAmo/abTVgWyUL60/s400/Red%252Cwhite%252Cblue%2521.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I still enjoy putting out my little display of decorations, some that I have had for more years than I can remember. </strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FejIkAXwLro/Th-phdj4zrI/AAAAAAAAAm4/QC_HDnpSY60/s1600/Night+garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FejIkAXwLro/Th-phdj4zrI/AAAAAAAAAm4/QC_HDnpSY60/s400/Night+garden.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Hope you all had a lovely 4th of July too!</strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Happy Thoughts,</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Lisa</span></strong>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-36894556152778863202011-06-28T14:01:00.000-07:002011-07-01T08:47:41.922-07:00My Happy Place<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts can build a home. ~Author Unknown</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is my absolute favorite time of year, when I can catch up on so many things around the house that I enjoy. I have been crafting some special little treats for my nieces who will be visiting soon. We are having a "Fairy Picnic" in my garden while they are here and I'm so excited to make it extra special for them.</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FTyothRqWFM/Tgo45-TlHbI/AAAAAAAAAkk/PB5IHa8zvAs/s1600/DSC00757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FTyothRqWFM/Tgo45-TlHbI/AAAAAAAAAkk/PB5IHa8zvAs/s400/DSC00757.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">This is on the "upper" level of my terraced backyard and where I will lay down a blanket (pink, of course) for our Fairy Picnic!</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have also been working tirelessly in my yard, catching up on everything I neglected in early Spring when my injury kept me flat on my back and work kept me too busy to find the time to get outside.</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OkECoRv5iDs/Tg3pPZjGOuI/AAAAAAAAAlY/S7kVh5KdGqQ/s1600/DSC00823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OkECoRv5iDs/Tg3pPZjGOuI/AAAAAAAAAlY/S7kVh5KdGqQ/s400/DSC00823.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C_1YmZwE7h8/Tgo5eLysiMI/AAAAAAAAAko/NpPJWcXT1PQ/s1600/DSC00760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C_1YmZwE7h8/Tgo5eLysiMI/AAAAAAAAAko/NpPJWcXT1PQ/s400/DSC00760.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>My garden is growing, this year I have tomatoes, Japanese eggplant, cantaloupe, red & yellow sweet peppers, Jalapeno peppers, herbs, pumpkins, lettuces, & various varieties of squash growing. </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a3RhZJJGO3k/Tg3q03KovcI/AAAAAAAAAlk/0vdj8KsSbzY/s1600/DSC00826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a3RhZJJGO3k/Tg3q03KovcI/AAAAAAAAAlk/0vdj8KsSbzY/s400/DSC00826.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Every morning I wake up and head directly outdoors to my truly "happy place", my backyard. I can easily spend hours out there, pruning, sweeping, watering, etc.</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>It brings me such pleasure to see the perennials that I have planted over the years flourish and fill in every space possible. I keep a rather overgrown, somewhat "messy" cottage style garden, which works perfectly for me. The front yard is a little more "orderly", but I really love the overgrown style of an English country garden that is more like what I have in the back. I do not get caught up in perfection, and if a plant can't survive in my yard, then it's replaced with something that can. </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_I2kMpubzBk/TgqGg_kcqlI/AAAAAAAAAk4/mHo6rCqpF2k/s1600/DSC00747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_I2kMpubzBk/TgqGg_kcqlI/AAAAAAAAAk4/mHo6rCqpF2k/s400/DSC00747.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Our climate is hot and dry, so getting the feel of an English garden can be a challenge. Roses, hydrangeas, and lavender thrive in the sometimes grueling conditions of summer here, and they are really my favorites.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DZ0ROaLJL4I/Tgo8JdYXTTI/AAAAAAAAAkw/Qj5QhMdMsZk/s1600/DSC00763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DZ0ROaLJL4I/Tgo8JdYXTTI/AAAAAAAAAkw/Qj5QhMdMsZk/s400/DSC00763.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">This is the door to my bedroom, it opens directly out to my backyard, a feature of my 1938 house that I LOVE!</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gWuLicC3Z8/Tg3p0VTn7tI/AAAAAAAAAlc/pevT_tvlCao/s1600/DSC00819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gWuLicC3Z8/Tg3p0VTn7tI/AAAAAAAAAlc/pevT_tvlCao/s400/DSC00819.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>I love to put in several hours of hard work, then relax with a cold drink and a book on the patio and enjoy my garden. It is a place where my family & friends can share a meal, play some ping pong, and just spend time together.</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7qsSAUftxUQ/Tg3qQ-mhuPI/AAAAAAAAAlg/aS7tUTiaKXY/s1600/DSC00820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7qsSAUftxUQ/Tg3qQ-mhuPI/AAAAAAAAAlg/aS7tUTiaKXY/s640/DSC00820.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v2UGjWdt0Mo/Tgo84MWRIBI/AAAAAAAAAk0/mMM6BBurldM/s1600/DSC00764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v2UGjWdt0Mo/Tgo84MWRIBI/AAAAAAAAAk0/mMM6BBurldM/s640/DSC00764.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">Still working on this area, had to replace the arch, the old one finally gave in to rot and a storm. Sad to have to cut back over half of my climbing Eden roses to get the old arch out and the new one in.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>I Hope you have enjoyed a peek at my happy place, where is yours????</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Happy Thoughts, </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Lisa</b></span>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-83949802872052617492011-06-22T11:52:00.000-07:002011-06-22T23:31:43.271-07:00This is who I am...<div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;">To teach how to live with uncertainty, yet without being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy can do. ~Bertrand Russell</span></div><br />
<b>Hi there, I'm finally taking the time to blog again...well, I <i>have</i> the time to blog again. I missed it, I really did. </b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Because the school year is over, I have a few weeks off for summer vacation, and I am so relieved. I've said before how much I love my job, and I really do...but it can really be a stressful job at times. Multi-tasking in an understatement and dealing with the up and down emotions of parents is always a sensitive task. After all, teachers and school personnel spend as much, and sometimes more time, with your kids. And what do all parents, me included, feel the the most emotional, protective and possessive about? Our own children of course. </b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Finding the time to run a household, including the yardwork, errands, school functions, and work full-time (plus some), can be physically & emotionally exhausting.</b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
Anyway, the past several months have had me on an emotional and financial rollercoaster. Making it financially as a single parent will always be a challenge, but I'm hoping the future brings me a little more stability than the recent months have.</b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>As I get older, and go through life's good and bad experiences, I learn so much about myself. I feel like until the day I die, I will constantly be learning who I am and I how I deal with the joys and challenges that come my way.</b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></div><b style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've decided that I can be thought of as a person who has a lot of contradictions, but I like to think of it more as I'm someone who is open to many ways of thinking, and not limited to what I can do and feel. Having said this, I also know that I am always learning, about who I am and how I deal with those around me.</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif; font-size: large;">No one is perfect... that's why pencils have erasers. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif; font-size: large;"> ~Author Unknown</span><b style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dsztCxT-5OE/TgI4A_6a2JI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/4_PIcGytTb0/s1600/mary-engelbreit-home1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dsztCxT-5OE/TgI4A_6a2JI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/4_PIcGytTb0/s400/mary-engelbreit-home1.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div style="color: magenta;"><b style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b>I am...</div><div style="color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">someone who loves my children more than anything, but still enjoys the time away when I'm with friends.</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
a woman who doesn't feel the need to have a man in her life to be complete or feel loved, but still believes in love & romance. </div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">a person who is loyal to a fault, but in return expects the same from friends & loved ones.</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">a mother who has high expectations for her children, but will love them unconditionally, no matter where their path in life leads.</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">someone who can be hard on others, but who is most hard on herself.<br />
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</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">a person who believes in science and facts, but keeps an open mind to the possibilities & magic that make up this universe. </div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">a woman who sometimes has a hard time focusing on one task at a time, but is passionate about so many things.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div style="color: magenta;">a person who can be happy and content alone, but loves being around people.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;">a woman who can forgive, if not forget, when someone is truly sorry.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;">a person who is basically liberal in her beliefs, but has strong morals.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;">someone who is reluctant to make changes, but is learning how.<br />
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a woman who tries to be sensitive, but will always answer you honestly.<br />
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</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;">a person who gets caught up in the little things and the small scale of life right around her, but tries to take the time to see the big picture and what's really important in the world.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"> a woman who hates making mistakes, but tries to learn from them when she does.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;">nowhere near perfect, but overall content with who I am.</div><div style="background-color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"> I am...a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;">I want to be the best mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, employee I can be.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta;">I am human.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PwT8qPyYmhY/TgI3FLlrmUI/AAAAAAAAAkM/Z1r6gxeBino/s1600/roses-thumb19398741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PwT8qPyYmhY/TgI3FLlrmUI/AAAAAAAAAkM/Z1r6gxeBino/s400/roses-thumb19398741.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">~Henry van Dyke</span></div><br />
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>What about you? Who are you? What makes you who you are? How do you work on making <u><i>you</i></u> better each and every day? </b><br />
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<b style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Writing it down can give you a wonderful perspective on where you are and where you want to be.</span></b><b> </b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Happy Thoughts,</b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Lisa</b></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
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</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-38289633405373904672011-04-22T10:21:00.000-07:002011-04-22T21:58:45.470-07:00Life's Little Surprises<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~Helen Keller~</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Well, life has given me yet another little surprise, this time in the form of several weeks of constant pain. Not what you were thinking, huh?</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Yeah, I wasn't really prepared for this either, it has put a real kink in my Spring plans. As you can imagine, on a 1/3 acre, I have lots of yard work at this time of year. </strong></span><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">It's when I put in most of the work, so that I can enjoy my garden all summer.</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I woke up one Sunday morning, if you can call it that at 3:20am, almost three weeks ago, with excruciating pain in my left shoulder blade/back area. Now, I had actually been feeling a little pain in that spot every morning for a few days prior, but I took some ibuprofen and ignored it. I had started working in my garden earlier that week a couple evenings after work. I had also worked on Saturday at my friend's Tux shop as I had been doing for the past couple months. Then, POOF! I go from a week of hard work and accomplishment to flat on my back.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I have been to the Dr. several times, been given a cortisone shot (no help at all), been X-rayed, medicated, and lucky enough to receive free chiropractic services...some of which has helped, and at least gotten me mobile again. Sitting here at my computer is probably the hardest...I imagine my time at work in front of a computer 5 days a week has contributed to the bursitis and arthritis that I've now been diagnosed with. Sleep position also plays heavily as a factor. I've researched a lot, trying to find healthy, easy solutions to my new found problem.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I've also learned a lot about pain, and the emotional and physical toll it can take on a person. I've always been pretty healthy, so dealing with this kind of debilitating pain, that literally stopped me in my tracks, has been a humbling experience. Oh, how I appreciate a strong and healthy body!! I am trying hard to learn from it. To learn to listen to my body when it is trying to say "ENOUGH!" and letting things go. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The most important thing I think I learned from this though, is the gift of friendship (& family) that I have. I missed a whole week of work, and the past 3 weeks of my second job, a first for me due to illness/injury. My boss and co-workers were there to provide dinners for my daughter and I, so sweet and generous! Another friend had her husband come over and mow my much overgrown lawn...no small task if you've ever seen my front yard. Mowing the lawn was the task I had planned for the day my shoulder gave out. The Dr. gave me a firm "no" when I desperately told him of my plans for the day. Little did I know at the time that I'd be down for so many days and lose so much sleep. My mother was there everyday day to bring us food and drive me to the various Dr. appointments I had all week. I am blessed to have her so close.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I am still in some pain everyday, but I am at least functional now. My youngest daughter and I were even able to make a quick trip to visit my daughter, sister, and precious nieces in Southern CA over this past week while we are on Spring Break. I drove down with ice on my back the whole way and a good supply of 800mg Motrin. I probably shouldn't have pushed myself, but spending time with beloved family has a way of healing the spirit.</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LiBvGtEcFEw/TbG1LS-YQZI/AAAAAAAAAio/qN3UZQlD9F0/s1600/DSC00495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LiBvGtEcFEw/TbG1LS-YQZI/AAAAAAAAAio/qN3UZQlD9F0/s400/DSC00495.JPG" width="387" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Our days with my daughter, sister and nieces were spent visiting, eating home-cooked meals and making cake pops together (above pic). It was such a joy to have all 6 of us girls together for a few days. I love them all so much</span></strong>!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I have yet to get back in my garden, something that bothers me everyday. I plan to do a little work over the next few days, but I will jump back in gradually and take breaks often. I am still learning my limitations. Ugh, "limitations", not a word I'm fond of.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>So, for now, I will keep dreaming of a personal masseuse, a pain free body, financial stability, and homegrown tomatoes....</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PSiK4naT4uM/TbG2j2G0gmI/AAAAAAAAAis/JMntahb_DwM/s1600/DSC00529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PSiK4naT4uM/TbG2j2G0gmI/AAAAAAAAAis/JMntahb_DwM/s400/DSC00529.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Free flowers from my garden, one of my favorite simple pleasures!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Happy Thoughts & Happy Easter!</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Lisa</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444;"></span></strong></span>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-57803064309878653462011-03-30T21:37:00.001-07:002011-03-30T21:37:33.029-07:00Join me...Come check out my new cooking/baking blog over <a href="http://dreamgirllisa-adventuresincooking.blogspot.com/2011/03/healthy-dinners.html">here</a>, I have a quick and easy recipe to share...DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-12808068439905336692011-03-27T13:05:00.000-07:002011-03-27T13:08:39.130-07:00Checking in...<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see. </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">-John Burroughs </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Life has been so busy, I miss my blog...last weekend I had full intentions of writing a post, but I never found enough time to sit and do it.</strong></span><br />
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</div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I've been checking email on my phone, haven't even touched this computer keyboard in a week. I miss visiting all of my favorite blogs.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I thought I might have some time to really write something good today. But, nope, not going to happen.</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0b4VcV-kD-0/TY-YD7274gI/AAAAAAAAAic/G8mRYtyXWDQ/s1600/Veg.+garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0b4VcV-kD-0/TY-YD7274gI/AAAAAAAAAic/G8mRYtyXWDQ/s400/Veg.+garden.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>I'm trying to get motivated to do yardwork with pictures from last year. My garden looks nothing like this right now!! :(</strong></span></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>It has finally stopped raining here in Norther CA, and my poor neglected yard awaits...as do the bathrooms, which are screaming to be cleaned.</strong></span></div><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>So for now...yes, I am alive. Life is busy, but as always, I'm staying positive. Working 6 days a week leaves only Sunday to catch up on the house, yard, etc.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Weeknights I have been baking and crafting when I can, but sadly, I don't have a picture to show for it. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Oh well, there will be more baking and crafting in the near future.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Been hanging with my college girl this past week, but she's back on her way to school now...always a funky day on the day she leaves.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Write more soon...I hope!</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Happy Thoughts,</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Lisa</strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-68880935807820723342011-03-06T11:52:00.000-08:002011-03-06T11:52:26.496-08:00It's all about Birthdays...<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip.</span> <span style="color: magenta;">~Author Unknown</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1Bk1XGuVetA/TXPj52HmWCI/AAAAAAAAAiU/wWjfkapdi7A/s1600/BDAy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" l6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1Bk1XGuVetA/TXPj52HmWCI/AAAAAAAAAiU/wWjfkapdi7A/s400/BDAy+2.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not one of those people who dread their birthday each year. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I love birthdays.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I love celebrations, and birthdays are little celebrations of the day we were born.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I can't say I am crazy about getting older...but then again, what's the alternative, right?!</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I think it was perfect that my birthday landed on a Sunday this year.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">After all, it was my only day off all week.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">It was the finale to a week filled with good things.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">To start...the little second grader at my school. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">He gets to stay!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I'm so thrilled for him, you can't even imagine.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">It's just temporary at this point, but he is with a family who truly wants him!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">And they live in the neighborhood of our school. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I love when life works out like that...when people who truly deserve goodness in their lives receive it.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">It's funny how a few days can go by and things can turn around in such a positive way.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Friday night I was treated to a delicious dinner out by my parents. I also got a very special present that night. My girls and parents all pitched in and gave me a gift card for this...</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Something I've been wanting for a long time!</strong></span></td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I LOVE the <span style="color: lime;">Apple</span> Store...I wanted to buy it there as opposed to ordering it online. Well first, I didn't want to wait for it to ship. </span></strong><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You don't even have to wait in line there, they ring you up right there wherever you are standing, so COOL!</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I had a hard time walking down the street after my purchase, I couldn't keep my eyes off my new little friend...actually it's more than that....I think I'm in <span style="color: magenta;">LOVE</span><span style="color: #444444;">!</span></span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I think that whenever your heart desires something, the longer you have to wait for it, the sweeter the satisfaction when it finally becomes yours. </span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Such a good weekend, filled with good food, my family, friends, some work, and a little splurge. </span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.</span> ~Larry Lorenzoni</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Hx_ZCBZYsvI/TXPj8GP6PuI/AAAAAAAAAiY/zUvEEH5wuYA/s1600/BDAy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" l6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Hx_ZCBZYsvI/TXPj8GP6PuI/AAAAAAAAAiY/zUvEEH5wuYA/s400/BDAy.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">It turned out to be raining, so I couldn't work in my yard today as planned, but maybe that was a little gift from Mother Nature, so that I would relax a little :)</span></strong><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I'm a happy girl right now...Birthdays are pretty awesome! </span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Age is pointless, no way do I feel the 44 years my birth certificate says, in my heart I'm easily <span style="color: #674ea7;">25</span>!</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Next week I hope to have some more great news to share, but for now I won't jinx it ;)</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wishing you MANY birthdays and Happy Thoughts EVERYDAY,</span></strong></div><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Lisa</span></strong><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-52184089752425352862011-02-25T23:00:00.000-08:002011-02-26T17:30:32.892-08:00Life and other random thoughts...<span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts."</span><span style="color: magenta;"> Charles Dickens</span></strong></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>It's really cold here again. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Every time I hear the heater go on, I think of all the money I already owe PG&E, ugh...</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>There is a boy at my school who is leaving. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>He's going to live with a new foster family. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>It is breaking my heart. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>He is the cutest little guy. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A sweet little second grader.</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>He likes the "panacakes" at McDonald's. That's not a typo-that's how he says pancakes :)</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>How could his mother not want him?</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Life is so unfair sometimes.</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>How could I ever complain of anything, ever again?</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I have even considered becoming a foster parent, just so he could come live with me and my girls. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>It's a big decision. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I'm not sure if it's the right time in my life, but someday I think I might like to do this. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I love kids. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Everyday they make me smile at work.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Tonight I'm spending the evening chaperoning my daughter's high school yearbook class. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>It's one of their deadlines, and they work til 10pm getting their pages done once a month or so.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Their advisor/teacher is out of town and they needed a parent chaperone. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I'm really just here playing around on the computer and reading. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I enjoy it though. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>They are good company.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>They play good music.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The kids are totally self-sufficient.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I baked them chocolate chip pan cookies and popped them some popcorn. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>They are so appreciative.</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial;">They even bought me Starbucks :)</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I love being a mom.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I miss my big girl. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I am so proud of her, it makes my heart swell.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I can't imagine what it will be like when my baby girl will be away at college too.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I would never hold them back. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>As hard as it is for me, I encourage them to spread their wings and fly...</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I want them to do everything in life I was too afraid to do.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I think that's what we all want as parents.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I am raising smart, independent girls. </strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I learn from them everday.</strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I love them so much.</strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial;">Tomorrow is Saturday and I will be working job #2.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial;">Then some fun times with the gang at job #1, pizza and bowling.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial;">The weekend is going to fly by.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial;">But life seems to fly by, doesn't it?</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial;">All we can do is hold on and make it the very best we can.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Happy Thoughts,</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Lisa</span></strong>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-85803432837095838912011-02-20T10:26:00.000-08:002011-02-20T10:41:24.591-08:00Little Blessings<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."</span> -Thomas A Edison </span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've missed blogging the past few weeks, but there just hasn't been enough time in the day. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These past weeks I am thankful for the little blessings in my life. As you know, I've been trying to find a second job. Life always seems to offer opportunities when you least expect it. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After work one Friday, I stopped by to visit a dear friend of mine from high school. She happens to own her own tuxedo rental/prom dress business, in fact, the most popular one around. This visit turned out to be just one of those little opportunities. My friend, G, has always been a supportive, giving person. Even if we go months without talking, I know it won't make a difference in our friendship. We had many fun and crazy days in high school, there was never a dull moment with this girl around. Some of my best and most vivid memories involve G. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When I casually mentioned I am still looking for a second job, she immediately asks if I'm available to work on weekends, now is her busiest time of the year, as it is officially "prom season", so she is even open Sundays. She lets me know she will get back to me, I had not been home 15 minutes before she called and asked if I could come in the following day. Her shop is right down the street, so the convenience could not be more perfect. The gals she has working are a fun group of ladies and the atmosphere is always upbeat.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So at least during prom season, my Saturdays will be spent helping young girls select just the perfect dress for one of the best high school memories they will hopefully have.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Working 6 days a week does not come without sacrifice, of course missing time with my daughter is the biggest. Trying to get all the errands and chores I usually spend my weekened doing, will be a little more challenging to accomplish. The past two weekends I have been lucky enough to have Monday off due to the President's Day holidays, so the real test in organization has not yet been passed.</span></strong><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to my work away from home, I also recently completed a little project for my boss and friend at the school I work at. I loved doing this for her, I feel blessed to work with such a wonderful lady. She threw a shower for her sister who is having her first baby, so I was honored to be asked to be a part of her special day, by designing some candy bars and a banner. I can't wait to hear how it all turned out, and hope her sister will know how special she wanted to make her baby shower.</span></strong></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lwLFzWAW0Gk/TWFVKu8H68I/AAAAAAAAAhs/BvjgswQMgKQ/s1600/DSC00299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lwLFzWAW0Gk/TWFVKu8H68I/AAAAAAAAAhs/BvjgswQMgKQ/s400/DSC00299.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">A fun banner welcoming baby Noah</span></strong>!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MG7aA5PWup0/TWFVgy_HzeI/AAAAAAAAAhw/GRZe6gT5NNA/s1600/DSC00295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" j6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MG7aA5PWup0/TWFVgy_HzeI/AAAAAAAAAhw/GRZe6gT5NNA/s400/DSC00295.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Little placecards to set at each plate for the guests' selected entree.</strong></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SlPNfr6AryQ/TWFV8RWnsiI/AAAAAAAAAh0/n2tWvEifJVw/s1600/DSC00290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" j6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SlPNfr6AryQ/TWFV8RWnsiI/AAAAAAAAAh0/n2tWvEifJVw/s400/DSC00290.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Love the color combo!</span></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpOR-PkmDYM/TWFWabNBKRI/AAAAAAAAAh4/YRL1fhHdrnE/s1600/DSC00293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" j6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpOR-PkmDYM/TWFWabNBKRI/AAAAAAAAAh4/YRL1fhHdrnE/s400/DSC00293.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I hope your life is filled with wonderful little opportunities as well! </strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Happy Thoughts,</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Lisa</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-29852848851980431732011-02-07T21:21:00.000-08:002011-02-08T21:49:08.928-08:00Sharing the Love...<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><h1 style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own</span><span style="font-size: small;">.”-Robert Heinlein</span></span></span></h1><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div></strong></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I was planning on writing a post today about what I've been up to the past week or so, since my last post. I will fill you in briefly, but now, in just the last few minutes, my direction has changed a bit.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Rebecca, from </strong></span><a href="http://walnutandvine.blogspot.com/2011/02/california-dreaming.html"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Walnut & Vine</strong></span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>, left me a comment suggesting I check out another blog, called </strong></span><a href="http://blondiensc.typepad.com/"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Blondie'N'SC</strong></span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>. I was intrigued, and clicked on the link. I was so moved by her post, her words were emotional, honest, and from the heart. I related to so much of what she wrote about, it brought me to tears.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>So first, I want to thank Rebecca, and I want to suggest you check out both of these wonderful blogs. There are so many amazing women out there in this world, I am constantly thrilled and surprised by them.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>This past week and half, I have had such a tremendous load off my mind since the trial, but also the burden of trying to make up for another huge cut to my income. A couple friends paid me to make cupcakes for them, I took a small order for Valentine Candy bars from an old friend from high school, and I even worked at buying gold this past weekend with a friend. None of it has proven to be super lucrative, but every extra dollar or two helps. I also got my taxes done earlier than I ever have, and the small return coming will definitely help.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I love being creative, so the candy bars fill my creative soul more than my pocket book. Valentine's day has kind of snuck up on me, so here I am at the last minute making up inexpensive little care packages for my sweet nieces and daughter. I love the idea of them getting a mail delivery with little surprises from me, letting them know I am thinking of them.</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3MsMvCQuXXc/TVDGs1WVZEI/AAAAAAAAAhY/WeMCHkE69p4/s1600/DSC00240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="293" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3MsMvCQuXXc/TVDGs1WVZEI/AAAAAAAAAhY/WeMCHkE69p4/s400/DSC00240.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta;">Thank you Traci, hope your kiddos have fun handing them out!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3MsMvCQuXXc/TVDMoHeaGFI/AAAAAAAAAhg/vDO2uqdQz4o/s1600/DSC00245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3MsMvCQuXXc/TVDMoHeaGFI/AAAAAAAAAhg/vDO2uqdQz4o/s400/DSC00245.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3MsMvCQuXXc/TVDMHwvVQBI/AAAAAAAAAhc/05TdHmAVmd8/s1600/DSC00246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="296" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3MsMvCQuXXc/TVDMHwvVQBI/AAAAAAAAAhc/05TdHmAVmd8/s400/DSC00246.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000;">This coming weekend, I wish you a Valentine's Day filled with love, whether it be from your husband, boyfriend, children, parents, or friends...just sweet, simple</span> LOVE.</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Happy Thoughts and Warm Hearts,</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Lisa</strong></span></div>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-862127419972705456.post-89125727530573042642011-01-29T11:25:00.000-08:002011-01-29T11:42:50.650-08:00Relief and a New Challenge<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.</span> <span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~Mark Twain</span></strong></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Some of you that follow my blog may know that I have been in the middle of court issue with my ex-husband. It has been dragging on since last August when I was first served papers at work. Not exactly how you want to start your day, but there is was.</strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3MsMvCQuXXc/TURnE_Sv3BI/AAAAAAAAAgk/4AQulUCA0K0/s1600/sunshine-for-a-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3MsMvCQuXXc/TURnE_Sv3BI/AAAAAAAAAgk/4AQulUCA0K0/s320/sunshine-for-a-m.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Due to this and that, our court date had been postponed until this past Wednesday, Jan. 26th.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>So, after months of trying to prepare my own paperwork (I did not have money to hire a lawyer, he did), taking a deposition, and having my bank records subpoenaed, we finally had our "day in court" so to speak.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>As you can imagine, I was VERY nervous. I have never done anything like this before. When we divorced, we each had lawyers and settled everything outside the courtroom, so we never had to face a judge.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>My ex had been trying to show that I had all this "extra" income that I was not disclosing, and since he became unemployed last May, was asking for a termination of the life-time spousal support which he had agreed to pay when we came to our final Marital Settlement Agreement when we divorced. We were married for a long time, over 16 years at the time of our separation, and almost 20 by the time the divorce was final. I gave up any rights to his pension and took half of our debt. I also paid all my lawyer fees that he was supposed to help pay, and eventually I bought him out of our family home. In turn, he agreed to pay the spousal support, which I was entitled to based on how long we were married. He asked that I have to start working full-time, and I did. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Now, let's remember that I was completely devastated at that time, I had been in love with this man for 18 years when we separated. I thought I would truly die of a broken heart. Little did I know that time and maturity would become my friend, and I would learn to live on my own, be happy and come to realize that everything happens for a reason, even things that can hurt so bad. I put up with so much bad behavior back then, I don't even know what I was thinking. Love can really make you blind. It's hard to even imagine that was me back then, but in time I realized that I fit the exact definition of "co-dependent".</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I have worked very hard to keep my home and give my girls everything they deserve. My marriage did not work out, but what did come out of it are the most amazing children. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about how blessed I am to have them.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>As you know, and I've been very open about this on my blog, I have tried to make some extra money since I lost the income I was receiving from child support for my oldest daughter, when she turned 18. She turned 18 during the same week I moved her into college and we have been struggling to make ends meet since then. I have been very "creative" with my finances, we have cut back on a lot of extras, I sold all my gold jewelry, had a garage sale, tried selling crafts and baked goods, cashed out vacation time, used savings, etc. to get through the past 15 months. Basically, I've tried everything short of actually getting a second job away from home, mostly because I don't want to leave my younger daughter home alone at night and want to try to maintain a decent quality of life. No amount of money can replace the time I have with my kids, I have chosen to be with them and cut back a little, rather than be away from them by working a second job so I could buy more.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>So, back to the trial. I brought one of my best, most dear friends with me. She has been with me through the best and worst times of my life for the past 14 or so years. She is my rock, and I knew she was the one I wanted there with me on this day. We have been friends since our daughters were in 1st grade together, they are now in college.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>We tried to temper my nerves by joking around, and it definitely helped. There is nothing like a little laughter to lighten things up!</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The judge was a little intimidating!! What I mean is, she did not mess around, but this turned out to be in my favor. She saw right through all my ex's BS. You cannot imagine my relief when I realized she was not going to consider even a bit of what he was trying to prove. He was actually reading my blog posts in court!! She told his lawyer that she was perfectly capable of reading them for herself, and made him stop. His lawyer tried to object to many of my questions, she told him OVERRULED!! I loved it!! I was so worried about some of his false claims, and equally worried the judge wouldn't see the truth, but she did!! Not only did she refuse to add to my income, as the ex and his lawyer were trying to do, but she scolded him for trying to make it look like he had nothing, because he was hiding it all in his wife's name. Boy was he rattled! I felt so good when I was questioning him, I kept thinking of more things to ask and when it was my turn to be questioned, his lawyer only asked 2 or 3 questions and then I got to give my testimony!! I cannot tell you how glad I was that I did not hire an attorney. I didn't have the money in the first place, but if I had borrowed it from someone, it would have just been a big a huge waste of money. The end result would have been the same. The judge did not terminate the support, she gave him 3 months to get a job. She did have to temporarily suspend the spousal support, the key word being<em> temporary</em>. She issued a "Seek Work" order and he has to report to me monthly, showing that he has contacted at least 20 companies a month. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>So, yes, things are going to be very difficult financially the next few months for me and the girls. I have already applied to two different places for a second job, and we will be trying to find more ways we can cut back. I will be working on my taxes this weekend, hopefully I'll get enough back to help out with the money I'm going to lose. The judge was sympathetic in the end, telling me, unfortunately, she couldn't consider his spouse's income in factoring the support, and because he is currently unemployed, that had to be considered. The law says that if the paying party's ability to pay has changed, that has to be considered. Basically the numbers are punched into a computer program, and the judge has to go by those numbers. But, she reminded me this is just temporary, and he will have to notify me within 48 hours of re-employment when he does get a job. She acknowledged that she could see I was just squeaking by on my income and the support I have been receiving and with this reduction, it will put me below my standard of living. The vindication alone made me feel so happy and relieved. </strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">The bottom line, we will survive. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I do wonder how my ex can live with himself. He must know, that he is not just taking money away from me, but also our kids. He lives in a large house with a pool, and drives a BMW, it's a little hard to feel sorry for him. He doesn't help with our daughter's college expenses and pays nothing more than his court ordered child support for our younger daughter. That must be a very lonely home.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">But, it is time to once again move on, and I have no plans to write of this again. These past few months have been filled with stress and anxiety, to the point that I didn't feel like myself. That is now gone, and I am ME again! It ain't gonna be easy...but we do what we have to, right?!?</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">I also want to say thank you to all my friends, co-workers, blog-readers, and family who have been such a wonderful source of support to me, especially these past several months. I truly feel loved!</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Wishing you love and happiness!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Happy Thoughts,</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Lisa</span></strong>DreamgirlLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06568371938372751839noreply@blogger.com6