...day 8 gratitude image and some monday music

i had the best surprise show up for me in

my mailbox saturday.

see those beautiful, fun, gorjuss green arm warmers

i am wearing??

yep...those came in the mail for me from

my dear sweet amazingly talented

sister friend Patrice.

She is such a special soul who i feel blessed

beyond measure to have in my life.

you can go visit her right here.

i loved getting to wear them this morning

on my walk!!

thank you Patrice...I am ever so grateful for YOU!!!

happy monday my friends.

i hope you are showing your gratitude

and like my choice for today's music!!

ox

kolleen

...day 7 gratitude image

today i am grateful for my first niece

Taylor

who turned 18 today!!!

she is a beautiful, smart, outgoing, talented,

fun loving young woman!

i am so blessed to be her aunt

and i love her very much!

she is an amazing singer....you can

check out her youtube page here.

...day 6 gratitude image

(picture from my phone...thus the crazy golden eyes!!)

i am so grateful for my girlfriends.

such a beautiful bouquet of women

that i was fortunate

enough to spend my time with tonight!!

we all need our "girl time"...

and i was

especially grateful for it after a week of tending to

my littlest rockstar who is thankfully

on the mend!

happy weekend my friends.

ox

kolleen

day 5...gratitude image

one is painting and one is drawing

i am grateful they aren't fighting!!!

happy friday my friends

ox

kolleen

day 4...gratitude image

imagine my surprise,

when i log into my email

and find this priceless treasure

awaiting me from a beautiful,

radiant, mega talented, fun loving,

spirited friend of mine.

i am SO grateful for Rachel

and our friendship.

she is infectious

and kind

and loving

and wise

and fun

and talented

beyond measure

and more and more and more....

(i truly could go on and on!)

Rachel created this sweet art for me

inspired by a story i shared with her about

my youngest daughter Sydnie.

years ago when Sydnie would say

"i love you mom".

sometimes i would ask

"How much?"

and one time she answered "one".

i frowned a bit and as time went on,

she realized that one was pretty low

on the number scale...so she would get

higher and higher.

i love you 16.

i love you 68.

i love you 101.

i love you 1074.

until one night she looked at me

and said...

"mom, i love you the last number."

yep.

my cup runneth over!!

what does day 4 gratitude look like for you?

ox

kolleen

thank you Rachel....for YOU!!

ooxx

day 3...gratitude image

i am so grateful for my littlest one

Sydnie.

she has been fighting a flu bug since

saturday. i must say

she is an outstanding patient,

not one complaint.

mom is anxious to have her spunky

spirited Syd back!!

I am beyond grateful

for her every single day.

oxox

kolleen

day 2....gratitude image

don't you just love when

you walk out of a thrift store

with a fun, funky hat for $15.00

i know i do!!!

anyone that knows me well...

knows i am a "hat girl"!!

so i am super grateful for this find

and way out of not having to

fix my hair today!!!

whoo hoo!!

what was your image for day 2??

ox

kolleen

.....gratitude images, day one & some monday music

i try to write daily in my gratitude journal,

5 things i am grateful for.

some times i am really disciplined about it....

others not so much!!

so for the month of november

i am going to attempt to take a photo each day

of something i am grateful for

in that particular day.

so...who wants to play along with me??!!

30 days of gratitude images

IMAGE #1

my first cup of yummy coffee

especially in this mug that my big sister Kim

gave me probably over 10 years ago....

it always makes me smile!

i also wanted to share with you guys

my friend Lara's blog....she is an

AAAAAA-MAZING

photographer and woman. she is

being so generous and giving

photography tutorials....it's FAB-U-LOUS!!!

go visit....learn from one of the best!!

hope you aren't all unwrapping your breakfast

this morning after last night's trick

or treating!!!

happy monday...here is today's music choice...

ox

kolleen

...saturday snippet

YOUR FEET WILL BRING YOU

TO WHERE YOUR HEART IS.

- Irish Proverb

HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!

ox

kolleen

....say whaaaaaaaaat wednesday

(at the stew in the infamous link)

HAPPY HUMP DAY FRIENDS!!!

so today i would love to know this....

what are you getting closer

to taking a leap with???

i feel myself getting closer and closer

to opening an online shop...especially

with all of the love and support i feel from so many of

my fellow bloggers, friends,

family, etc...

here is a pic of a few little nuggets

i have worked on over the months.

some of them may be making their way to arizona

for a dear friend of mine to display in a show she is in.

i am a bit nervous about this but

am truly starting to realize,

i will NEVER know

if i continue to stand on the ledge...

both feet firmly planted.

at some point.....

you need to

LEAP!

so, please share with me...

are you ready to jump off the ledge

with anything new and exciting???

all my love

ox

kolleen

(ps....i am still a bit love drunk here in cali. thank you to my soul sisters

who are in the stew with me!!)

.....LOVE DRUNK

have you ever wondered what happens

when you bring together

8 soulful, artsy, quirky, fabulous women

to meet up in a cozy cabin

on the northern shores of Lake Superior???

Well, sit back, relax and let me tell you

a little story...

it all begins

(Lovely Liv & Radiant Rachel)

when two GOR-JUSS souls come together

and plan out this adventure

on a restaurant napkin,

send out theeee most yummy invite

that you couldn't possibly

say no to...

flights get booked,

planes land, and you all come

together

to enjoy...

coffee and conversation in the mornings

with THIS view,

(me and Lori)

walks down by the water full of

beautiful conversation and

smiles, smiles, smiles

jars put together by the

wonderful Liv and Rachel

to be filled to the brim with Love Notes,

deep, meaningful conversations

taken place in the "link"

a friend finding a treasure,

a stunning full moon dancing across the water

(me and Rachel)

soul laughter

(and LOTS of it!!)

the best stinkin grilled cheese i have ever had

(thank you Lori Portka!!!)

(Carissa & Rachel)

music & dancing

book binding taught by the incredible

Jen Schaffer

(thank you Jen!!)

bonds made

not to be broken...

only to grow stronger

and...

(photo courtesy of Jen Shaffer)

to enjoy new friendships formed

blending together

a soul sister stew like no other

(THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

aimee, susie, liv, lori, carissa, rachel & jen)

and then when all is said and done.......

you clumsily stumble on home

completely and utterly

LOVE DRUNK!!!!!

(there's nothin quite like it!)

thank you for letting me share...

sending my love drunkness

to all of you!

ox

kolleen

...still on a "high"

i have been home for a week and two days now

and still feel as if i am on a "high"

from the beautiful gift of

BRAVE GIRLS CAMP.

i am still on a high from....

planting my feet firmer into the

grounds of my friendships

blooming with these two gor-juss souls,

seeing first hand...

intricate details woven about with

so much love,

being fed like royalty....morning, noon and night

(is your mouth watering?!?!)

watching unconditional love at it's best amongst

a group of women who were ultimately strangers

walking into this incredible week,

finally coming face to face with one of my dear

soul sisters who i have blogged with for a LONG time...

it feels as if i have known Kelly forever,

being in a room FULL of anything and everything

you could imagine to create with....

(kid in a candy store would be an understatement)

observing beautiful friendships take flight,

bearing witness to the beginning stages of healing

due to love and safety and

truly being seen,

the sunrise in McCall, Idaho on the day

i had to leave this magical place,

(no touch ups to this photo AT ALL....it was

breath taking)

and

i'm still on a high from simply being able to

JUST BE!!!!

HAPPY MONDAY MY FRIENDS....

and i can honestly say i watched a moment change

everything for many many women....i think they

would all agree when i say "we are all forever changed."

oxoxo

kolleen