Lil Nugget

Today I read this on my friend Pixie's blog...she was/is a H.U.G.E. inspiration to my creative spirit:

Attention is the most concrete expression of love. "What you pay attention to thrives. What you do not pay attention to withers and dies."

I AM...

EXCITED for my sister Kelli's visit - she just celebrated the big 4-0 and is visiting "sin city" for the first time and then out to cali to hang with her little sis - yea that's right little sis!!!! ; )

jammin out to these guys. i weened myself off of this CD for awhile but today just seems like a good day to listen to them as i clean, do laundry, clean, do laundry, clean!!

blessed for this view each morning when i have my cup of coffee through out the summer months.

TWO LITTLE HEARTWINGS OF MINE

i wanted to share about two sweet heart wing sisters i am super blessed to have in my life.

one is my FIRST niece Taylor who loves to sing, has a desire for perfection and a voice sooooo much bigger than her little body.

the other is her sister, my second sweet niece Kylie who I love to call Keek. She has this love for life, great sense of humor and a spirit that I am completely drawn too!

I painted likenesses of the two of them on wood expressing their current passions in life and gave each of these to them when they visited me last month. I feel so lucky to have these young girls in my life that inspire me and take me back to those youthful days that sometimes seem so long ago and other times seem just like yesterday.

I love them both SO much and feel so fortunate to be their aunt!

holy cow...i got an award!!

i was lucky enough a few days ago to receive an award from these lovely ladies - THANK YOU GIRLS SOOOOOO MUCH!! Please check out their site when you get a chance...their glass is Gorgeous!

I feel so blessed to have stumbled upon so many amazing blogs with such beatiful creativity, words and most certainly INSPIRATION! I wanted to pass this on to a few of my favorites:

Silke...i love your artwork and catching up on your day to day! you are an inspiration

Renee...wow! i don't even know if i have words for Renee - you will have to check out her blog for yourself to understand what i am saying.

Kaili...so talented. beautiful artwork, family, words.

Heather...I LOVE looking at your new creations and that your sweet Audrey is your muse!

Cris...from one born and raised Midwest girl to another...I get anxious to see what new painting you will come up with next! And I love how you wear so many hats...you make me feel I can do so much more!

blessings on all of you special souls. thank you for what you bring into my day to day and in helping my creative wings spread!!

3 things

three things I am today...

happy to be hangin with one of my best's Jenn

missing my hubby

needing to paint my sweet niece Alexandra's Heart Wing Sister

JOURNEY

i realize this isn't the best quality picture but i wanted to post her prior to 4th of July. My step daughter Mackenzie has an amazing way with words and is quite the poet. She writes many things that give me goosebumps! About 3 years ago she wrote a poem titled "Journey" which is written next to my sweet little Independence Day Heart Wing Sister. This is one of my surprises for her so I need to get her finished up.

J O U R N E Y

You're sitting there watching me with your big, bold eyes,

wondering what I will do next.

You're waiting for me to run with you freely

through the pastures of faith,

the meadows of trust,

the forests of bravery and the mountains of glory.

Then, looking over the high peak mountain top

is the prettiest symbol of all

The American Flag.

It stands for freedom,

retelling the way wars ended, how the West was truly won,

What we, the People of America are doing here on Earth,

and how hard soldiers fight four our FREEDOM.

My plan is to collaborate many more of my Heart Wing Sisters with Mackenzie's amazing way with words! It is so fun to be creative with my children.

I hope you all have a blessed 4th of July and lovely summer.

WORTH THE TIME SPENT

i realize many of us may not get the opportunity to go out to the movie theatre and enjoy that whole experience very often...so when we do...we don't want to feel like we just wasted nearly 2 hours that could've been spent doing something much more useful. THAT is why I felt compelled to give a big "Bravo" to the movie "The Proposal". When is the last time you walked out of the theatre laughing, smiling and quite simply...feeling happy?? Well, I can almost guarantee that will happen if you go see this movie! It is funny, sweet, silly and just down right "feel good"! So if you are looking for something to do with your significant other, your friends or even by yourself...i highly recommend this movie. It will make you laugh, smile and feel as if you didn't waste 90 minutes to 2 hours of your life! OH...and Ryan Reynolds is pretty HOT!!! : )

"Get Down on It"

I received this in my email today & found it to be appropriate and true. Wanted to share!!!

"The opportunity to find happiness dances within every moment, beats within every heart, and grooves within every occurrence, situation, and event. Yet, it's amazing how many lifetimes it usually takes for someone to"get down on it" and pump up the volume. Feel it? All day long!"

MIRACLE THOUGHT

Miracle Thought: Time to Choose

Every situation is perfect the way it is. Every circumstance offers you a lesson that will help you become the person you're capable of being. What will you do? It's your decision as to how you handle it.

- Marianne Williamson

SPIRIT JUMP

I just signed up to be a part of this AMAZING program! I am not sure if I am behind the loop on not hearing of this long ago...nevertheless, I am SO happy that I stumbled upon it.

As I am sure most of you can relate...cancer has greatly impacted and affected my life. From losing my grandpa to it at the young age of 56, to dealing with my mom battLing and BEATING (WHOO HOO!) breast cancer, to my aunt battLing and BEATING (can you give me another WHOO HOO!) breast cancer, to my lovely, amazing husband and precious, courageous step children losing their wife/mother to hodgkins disease at the tender age of 40. I was so touched when I read about this program and the amazing souls who came up with such a wonderful idea. They are truly angels on earth! Please check it out and hopefully you will be pulled to J U M P!

home

my little brother and sis-in-law just moved into their very first home and i am super excited for them. Unfortunately they live quite a ways away from me so I am not sure when I will be able to pay them a visit and check out their new digs! I decided since I don't know when I can make it out to see them that I would create a housewarming gift that they can hopefully find a special little place for! Hopefully all of us love our homes and treasure the wonderful memories we create within those walls!

hangin with my chick

this painting says it all!! i heart hanging out with my daughter. Well, actually I have three daughters and I do heart hanging out with all of them...but this painting was inspired by my 6 year old. I am so much enjoying her and just being with her. I am not sure if it is simply because i am at a healthier place in my life or because I know she is it...she is my baby! I HEART HER!!