A little Fairy Magic...

Every time a child says, "I don't believe in fairies," there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead.  ~James Matthew Barrie, Peter Pan

The first of three banners I made for inside the house.


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.


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.

I decorated the kitchen and dining room to match the theme.

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 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!

This little table was all ready for them to put on their crowns, wings, and grab their wands before heading outside.

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".

.

The picnic area all ready for them outside.

A table set for the "big girls".

All the flowers I used were from my own garden.

I used this table to keep all the food on, protected from flies and bees.

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.

They were so excited when they saw the picnic area all set up for them!

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. 

A shot of India in her wings & crown.

India, 4

Sahara, 6

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.

The details...

Fairy Crowns I made for the girls, using candle rings I found on the clearance isle at Michael's.

Little Fairy Door, purchased from Lovinglee Crafted/Etsy, I hung it in a tree right next to the picnic area.



Close up on Bubbles Tag, Clip Art from revidevi/Etsy Shop

Bubbles purchased for $1 at Walmart, prettied up w/ ribbon and handmade tags.

Little Gumball Pipettes, Gumballs & Plastic Pipettes from Polka Dot Market

Little milk bottles & paper straws, purchased from Polka Dot Market.

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.

Skewers I decorated w/ ribbon for the fruit.

" I Believe in Fairies" Stickers we all wore.

An inexpensive candle I found at Ikea, I made a little "tu tu" for it w/ leftover ribbon, tulle, & flowers.

Little picks I made to match everything.

Bags with their initials for little gifts I had been collecting.



Fairy wings I "re-purposed" for my little niece.  They were found in my youngest daughters closet, long ignored by her.


 

My sister got so comfy under the trees, she took a little "Fairy Nap"

I will fondly remember this summer for the wonderful visit I had with my sister and her precious girls, especially our little "Fairy Picnic."

Happy Thoughts,

Lisa

Summertime

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. 
~Celia Thaxter

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

I still enjoy putting out my little display of decorations, some that I have had for more years than I can remember. 

Hope you all had a lovely 4th of July too!

Happy Thoughts,
Lisa

My Happy Place

It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts can build a home. ~Author Unknown

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.

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!

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

This is the door to my bedroom, it opens directly out to my backyard, a feature of my 1938 house that I LOVE!

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.

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.

I Hope you have enjoyed a peek at my happy place, where is yours????

Happy Thoughts,
Lisa

This is who I am...

 To teach how to live with uncertainty, yet without being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy can do.  ~Bertrand Russell

Hi there, I'm finally taking the time to blog again...well, I have the time to blog again.  I missed it, I really did.

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. 

Finding the time to run a household, including the yardwork, errands, school functions, and work full-time (plus some), can be physically & emotionally exhausting.

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.

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.

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.

No one is perfect... that's why pencils have erasers. 
~Author Unknown

 I am...

someone who loves my children more than anything, but still enjoys the time away when I'm with friends.

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.

a person who is loyal to a fault, but in return expects the same from friends & loved ones.

a mother who has high expectations for her children, but will love them unconditionally, no matter where their path in life leads.

someone who can be hard on others, but who is most hard on herself.

a person who believes in science and facts, but keeps an open mind to the possibilities & magic that make up this universe.

a woman who sometimes has a hard time focusing on one task at a time, but is passionate about so many things.

a person who can be happy and content alone, but loves being around people.

a woman who can forgive, if not forget, when someone is truly sorry.

a person who is basically liberal in her beliefs, but has strong morals.

someone who is reluctant to make changes, but is learning how.

a woman who tries to be sensitive, but will always answer you honestly.

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.

 a woman who hates making mistakes, but tries to learn from them when she does.

nowhere near perfect, but overall content with who I am.

 I am...a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend. 

I want to be the best mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, employee I can be.

I am human.

Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.  

~Henry van Dyke

What about you?  Who are you?  What makes you who you are?  How do you work on making you better each and every day?  

Writing it down can give you a wonderful perspective on where you are and where you want to be.

Happy Thoughts,

Lisa

Life's Little Surprises

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."

~Helen Keller~

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?

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.  It's when I put in most of the work, so that I can enjoy my garden all summer.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

So, for now, I will keep dreaming of a personal masseuse, a pain free body, financial stability, and homegrown tomatoes....

Free flowers from my garden, one of my favorite simple pleasures!

Happy Thoughts & Happy Easter!
Lisa

Join me...

Come check out my new cooking/baking blog over here, I have a quick and easy recipe to share...

Checking in...

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. -John Burroughs

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.

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.


I thought I might have some time to really write something good today.  But, nope, not going to happen.



I'm trying to get motivated to do yardwork with pictures from last year.  My garden looks nothing like this right now!! :(



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.

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.
 
Weeknights I have been baking and crafting when I can, but sadly, I don't have a picture to show for it. 
Oh well, there will be more baking and crafting in the near future.

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.

Write more soon...I hope!

Happy Thoughts,
Lisa

It's all about Birthdays...

A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip. ~Author Unknown

I am not one of those people who dread their birthday each year. 
I love birthdays.
I love celebrations, and birthdays are little celebrations of the day we were born.
I can't say I am crazy about getting older...but then again, what's the alternative, right?!

I think it was perfect that my birthday landed on a Sunday this year.
After all, it was my only day off all week.
It was the finale to a week filled with good things.

To start...the little second grader at my school. 
He gets to stay!
I'm so thrilled for him, you can't even imagine.
It's just temporary at this point, but he is with a family who truly wants him!
And they live in the neighborhood of our school. 
I love when life works out like that...when people who truly deserve goodness in their lives receive it.
It's funny how a few days can go by and things can turn around in such a positive way.

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...

Something I've been wanting for a long time!

I LOVE the Apple 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.  You don't even have to wait in line there, they ring you up right there wherever you are standing, so COOL!

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 LOVE!

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. 

Such a good weekend, filled with good food, my family, friends, some work, and a little splurge. 

Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest. ~Larry Lorenzoni

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 :)

I'm a happy girl right now...Birthdays are pretty awesome! 

Age is pointless, no way do I feel the 44 years my birth certificate says, in my heart I'm easily 25!

Next week I hope to have some more great news to share, but for now I won't jinx it ;)

Wishing you MANY birthdays and Happy Thoughts EVERYDAY,

Lisa