new journeys

As we continue our journey in the short time we have here this round, I find my heart singing by not what I am accomplishing as much as what my offspring do.  The years pass quickly and I was wise enough to absorb as much as possible and not take anything or anyone for granted.  I hope I remember more than I forget which is why I blog, I guess.  My boys can always know a little bit about me even if don't remember as they were growing up.  If it's in writing, they can always go back and reflect.  A strong sense of pride and a little relief occur when their parents witness their own journeys unfolding.  We step back a little bit each day so they can embrace their future on their own discover all life has to offer and allow them to make their choices. As adults, they discover more new terrain and sometimes it can be a little scary in the big, sometimes bad world out there.  Deep in their hearts they know we always have their backs, but it is now their time to spread those wings and take off  with whatever they themselves absorbed under our watch. 

Lady bugs are supposed to be good luck so I share this cutesy pic to wish them lots of luck in their new endeavors.  Mike enjoys the comforts of his own new family and begins a whole new journey with his own son.  His whole life is changing in ways he never knew possible and the joy a son brings is insurmountable.  Words cannot express the bliss, but now he knows how we felt with each of our own sons.  Dan resumed his relationship with Darcy and they are full speed ahead, learning from life's lessons and embracing the endless possibilities as they end their days as students and bask in the pride of their hard earned accomplishment with the college diploma opening doors to new and exciting careers.  Darcy has been granted a coveted paid internship and Dan will pursue a masters in his chosen career.  Meantime, they are having fun house hunting and so am I.  I am no stranger to this process and share what I know to decrease the daunting challenge it can be.  They have time to find the perfect nest without pressure so it is more exciting than stressful for them.  Steve is so busy these days with completing his studies at the community college and forging ahead with being accepted at DePaul in the fall.  We will take processing that goal one step at a time.  He is successfully juggling the demands of working, attending college, and special projects.   He promoted a new endeavor with his colleagues in the production of a story called Cody's Girl and they had a fundraiser to supply funds to get this accomplished.  It was enlightening to see how passionate he was about this project and he was rewarded with much support from his family and friends.  His biggest thrill is being asked to take on the task of film marketing coordinator for the new movie being distributed world wide called

You can visit the link at http://www.iheartshakey.com.  He is avidly spreading the word about this adorable movie to all so when it is released sometime around Father's Day, he can boast his role in its successful awareness.  Steve is determined and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and knowing him, it is a given.  This could be his portal to his own career.

I had to share this garden for here is where my heart is these days, with discovering the beauty our earth offers and appreciating the simple blessings it provides.  I learned not to sweat the small stuff  and it has brought me contentment and solace.  It takes a long time to get to this frame of mind, and maybe that's how it is supposed to be. 

These are my ultimate favorite flowers.  I love their beautiful colors, the arrangement and their femininity.  This is my goddess bouquet. 

Like the song says "we don't have to make it perfect...

oh, but maybe we could try...

love me for the woman that I am...

and I will love you.  xo

sharing the love

happy valentine's day

with love... from me...to you xo

double nickel

Another year, another page to turn in reflection of this thing called life.  Unlike the basic speed limit, my wings have less limitations and as my soul accelerates,  I share its quest for bliss. 

Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light. ~ Yogi Bhajan

Some days I’m lost, some days I’m found. There is one thing that I have. That is my hope. That flame burning inside of me that lights up my life. I have hope for my life, for my future, for the calling I was meant to follow. I have hope tha...t the roads I travel down will lead me on a journey of love. Love for myself, for others, for life. A journey that lasts as long as I breathe. A journey of many wondrous things. I just know it. Deep down in my soul, to the secret places of my heart, that there is something I’m supposed to do with my life. Something big, something great, something really meaningful. So I walk in that Faith, in that promise of my future. I shape my present to fit into that bright and warm future. One where the dreams I have, become the reality I know. Where my words, my voice, and my heart brings hope to others. That is what I know, and even though I don’t have it all together. I have this one beautiful hope for the life I lead, and that keeps me strong. It keeps me going…

When our soul assumes its rightful place as the author of our intentions, we begin to hear its quiet voice whispering encouragement to make choices that bring happiness, health, love, meaning, and peace.... David Simon

You do not need to change other people; you can change your reaction to them. When you choose to feel good you are not dependent on other people acting in certain ways to make you feel good. Before you can attract people who will support, appreciate, and acknowledge you, you must choose to do that for yourself.... Orin

Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. You may not be perfect, but you are all you’ve got to work with. The process of becoming who you will be begins first with the total acceptance of who you are.

To Love is human. To feel Pain is human.
Yet to still Love despite the Pain is pure Angel.
Rumi i ♥

The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers....

Everything happens in its own right time, you need not force it....Osho

A man once told the Buddha, ‘I want happiness’. The Buddha said remove the ‘I’ that’s ego, now remove the ‘want’ that’s desire, now all you are left with is, "Happiness"...

Wherever you go, go with all your heart...Confucius

Believe in yourself;
Remember how truly Beautiful you are.
Adorn your Soul with Love;
And watch that Light Flow around you;
And touch the World.
Every imperfection, flaw or hurt;
... Is a tiny gem of a precious lesson of Wisdom.

Truly Beautiful things are never perfect.
They are just attuned; To the inner Glow of their uniqueness.
So listen to your instincts. Follow your Truth.
And with Humble Sacredness, acknowledge your Love;
And your self-respect and Courage.

Dance like the fragile flower;
That even blossoms in the snow and Storms;
Just be "You".
For you, yourself, are more Perfect;
Than Perfection can ever be.

I'm becoming more and more myself with time.

I guess that is what grace is.

The refinement of your soul through time.

I'm determined to create a just world...
to leave it a better place than I found it...
to reach out to those in need...
to be myself and love myself...
to respect others and live the Golden Rule...
to offer the best version of myself wherever I go...
to consider the impact on others while pursuing my dreams...
and to live lovingly. xo

priceless presents

nothing like homemade from the heart :)

thanks for filling my heart with joy



gratitude to rumi, radiant lotus, live laugh love and the most beautiful things in the world

 

made in america

My new quest is to consciously and assertively pursue purchasing items that are made in our country, the beloved U.S. of A. I firmly believe that if we commit to undoing the damaged mindset of passitivity and consumers put their money by supporting products made with our own hands, this could create substantial growth and pride that once built our nation into the most powerful country in the world. World News Tonight provides an excellent media promotion for this simple cure and I am convinced if we all unite with the same purpose we could positively make a difference. We must make every effort to make the change we all crave in our land of liberty.

 Today I made my first purchase that is made in Tennessee ~ a cast iron chicken fry pan.  This coveted item had to be made here for it depicts good old fashioned cooking in a good old fashioned tool.   

I have been researching ideas for the perfect recipe for frying chicken and they all call for a cast iron skillet.  I intended to scour Wiltons or Bed Bath and Beyond and just so happened upon this one at Walmart.  I saw the American flag tag and searched no further.

In 1896, in a tiny town along the banks of the Tennessee River, Joseph Lodge began a cast iron cookware foundry and put in place an enduring standard of quality.  The resulting privately held metal formula, precision molds, and exacting wall thickness produce the finest cast iron cookware available.  Not even the most expensive stainless or aluminum cookware can rival the even heating, retention, durability, healtfulness and value of Lodge Cast Iron.  Its legendary cooking performance keeps it on the list of kitchen essentials for great chefs and home cooks alike. 

Good Old Fashioned Fried Chicken

12" cast iron skillet

tongs

drip pan

peanut oil

rub

3 eggs

buttermilk

2 cups self-rising flour

3-4 lb. bird

Prepare the rub prior to the day of cooking.  Rub consists of seasonings you prefer and can be stored for quite awhile.  I am preparing a concoction of paprika, cayenne, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. 

It has been advised to use a smaller bird so the pieces cook more evenly, no more than 4 pounds.  I bought one pre-cut bird as well as a pack of chicken legs and another of breasts for variety.

After rinsing and pat drying the chicken pieces, apply rub and store in plastic baggie overnight. 

In a medium bowl, beat the egs with a 1/3 cup buttermilk.  In another bowl, combine the flour with a little seasoning such as salt and pepper or a bit of the rub.  Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg mixture, then coat well in the flour mixture.  Heat the oil to 350 degrees in the cast iron pan but do not fill the pot more than half full with peanut oil.  Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp.  Dark meat takes longer than white meat.  It should take 9 - 14 minutes for dark and 8 - 10 minutes for white.

Use tongs to turn the chicken and remove from pan when finished cooking.  Keep on a drip pan to remove excessive oil. 

I hope you join me in this endeavor to make mindful choices when spending our hard-earned money ~ let's put it back in our own pockets.  Try it! xo

happy birthday kiki ~ the big one!

Today we celebrate your milestone birthday ~ 50 years in this thing called life which seems to pass like a blink of an eye.  I vividly recall your birth and your older siblings and I were overwhelmed at how adorable you were.  You may have entered our world as a wee little babe, but your heart and soul are gigantic.  As kids, we squeezed into one bedroom and when you were placed in your crib as a toddler, you wanted no part of it for you always wanted to be where the action was and all you had to do was look at us with those big baby blues and we picked you up to join us.  Your voice was strong and despite your size, you would not take any guff.  I always admired this and look to you for lessons in assertiveness.  We lovingly called you Kiki, Peanut Baby and that name stuck.  Growing in a household of 10 energies was never easy as we all had our own perspectives and personalities, but you and I had much in common and we were party pals when we were groupies to listen and dance our hearts out to Wayne-O's band, Snapps.  We share similar taste in music and like to dress more unique and boast being non-conformists.  As fellow Aquarians, our souls cannot resist the temptation to try to improve the world in our own little way and our hearts get heavy when we encounter conflicts.  This sensitivity is also our strength, for we see things in a different scope than most.  That is why we remain connected ~ we always find a way back to each other.  My spirit soars when we share our life journey.

We chose you to be the first godmother to our firstborn son for you would raise him as I would should anything ever happen to me.  Even though I'm still around and kickin', you remain an integral part of their lives.  Time has brought us back to each other and now we forge ahead making new memories as often as possible.  We share the joy of illuminating others with our mystical connection in yoga and reiki.  It's interesting how we both gravitated toward these modalities.  Not only are we sisters, but friends and confidantes.  We learned how to forgive and our bond is stronger and we are wiser.  We share favorite pasttimes in reading the same books and enjoy the same movies and music.  When we discussed how powerful The Tree of Life was to us, I shared same with Steve and he immediately went out and bought new supplies to create your own painting to keep as a reminder we are all connected.   When you visited baby Dillan, you and I felt the magic and supreme joy of holding him and knowing he is the rainbow to new beginnings and another chance of hope for us to get it right in the world. 

You may be half a century today, but you are very young at heart (and you look half your age, to boot!)  I look forward to sharing the rest of our time reminiscing about our shared past and the lessons we have learned, and look forward to embracing the new joys we will know as our children begin their journey, for it is their world now.  We did our best and can pat each other on the backs and keep our fingers crossed in hopes that the things we taught them will help them to figure it all out.  Just for today, take a breath, bask in the love I have for you, exhale, and release any pain or unwanted energies.  Find a way to be still and let our universe fill you with amazing grace.  We will join together to celebrate at Dan's place and make some more memories over a delicious dinner.  Meantime, know I am blessed and grateful you are my sister and more importantly, my friend.  Love you, Kiki.   Namaste.  xo

embrace the love



Remember that you don't choose love. Love chooses you.

All you can really do is accept it for all its mystery
when it comes into your life.

Feel the way it fills you to overflowing,
then reach out and give it away.

Give it back to the person who brought it alive in you.

Give it to others who deem it poor in spirit.

Give it to the world around you in any way you can.

 xo xo xo

day at depaul

Steve and I spent the day visiting Depaul University to do our homework in order to get him situated in the fall for his final scholastic journey.  He began his last semester at College of Dupage and will get his associates diploma in multimedia and will finalize his college education at this great school.  His brother, Dan, just received his diploma as it graces our home reminding us of his hard earned achievement.

Way to go, Danny!  Our pride has no bounds.

I love new experiences and we decided to take the brown line to the Lincoln Park facility once we arrived in the city.  This is really a cool adventure in that we viewed Chicago from the backdoor and I was amazed at how much it has developed over the last decade.  I love Chicago!   It's a good thing sometimes people eavesdrop and when the tour gal overheard us talking about Steve's pursuit to board, she mentioned as a transfer student entering as a junior, he would not be interested in the entrance level dorms and prefer the selected apartments available, so we need not bother with her tour.  We went to another building where they have appropriate housing and the maintenance man once again overheard our conversation and chimed in his professional opinion on a few places and their condition and gave us some helpful tips on choosing the perfect place to be a resident while he gets educated.  One of the places is called Sanctuary where the nuns used to live back in the old days.  Interesting.

We decided to take the red line back to the Loop campus to meet with the guidance counsellor.  This is the underground method of transportation in our city and while not scenic, it is much faster and more crowded.  It says alot about the times.  A young man offered me his seat and while I thankfully declined, I also asked him where was he when I was 9 months pregnant? Back in the day, I did not get the same consideration.  The women nearby once again overhead me and we all shared a knowingly chuckle.

After our curious minds were satisfied from our rendezvous with Rebecca, we decided to eat at My Thai in the building where we indulged in some crab rangoon and spicy fried rice.  Yum.  The Loop location is shared with the City of Chicago administrative offices.  Who knew?  Once again, I hopped on the Metra train back home and realized as much as I love our city, I am always grateful to live in the suburbs.  Nowadays, the city is for the youth.  Steve decided to hang out with his buddies in the area and brought the vintage suitcase everywhere we went.  So cute.  I find extreme comfort in my humble abode and look forward to chilling with the pups beside a lit fireplace.  The hustle and bustle is better suited for those half my age. 

I'll settle for the quiet walks at Waterfall Glen to inspire me. 

And backyard visits from the bambi deer and geese. 

This week I have been blessed to be inspired by some heartwarming words of wisdom, hence, I share.

Don't dwell on those who let you down, cherish those who hold you up.

Don't worry about what people think, worry about what God knows.

With a closed mind and heart, the light cannot enter.

Miracles are the constant flow of Love always emanating from the Mind of God. Your next miracle is literally on the way; it's right around the corner. Stand firm in your faith in this, and it will manifest more quickly.

Things turn out for the best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out ~ Art Linkletter

I do not define myself by how many roadblocks have appeared in my path.

I define myself by the courage I’ve found to forge new roads.

I do not define myself by how many disappointments I’ve faced.

I define myself by the forgiveness and the faith I have found to begin again.

I do not define myself by how long a relationship lasted.

I define myself by how much I have loved, and been willing to love again.

I do not define myself by how many times I have been knocked down.

I define myself by how many times I have struggled to my feet.

I am not my pain.

I am not my past.

I am that which has emerged from the fire.

xo