Fall Bucket List

I found this awesome new blog Loves of Life that had this great Bucket List for fall. I really unfortunately don't know all the protocol that goes into crediting a person with their ideas, but I have her blog link above and she does give a link so that you can print out the list as well. I thought this was an awesome idea. Especially good for families, but I love to do all the stuff on the list as well. She has actually printed it out and frames it as a reminder of things to do through the season. Go check it out and all her other fun things!

30 Day Challenge - Day #24 A letter to My Parents

    
     You know some of these topics are really deep! A letter to my parents, can that even be done without taking up the entire blog page? I'm not really sure, but I'm going to give this a try.

Dear Mom and Dad,

     Where do I start in order to thank you for all of the things that you have in my life. I know you admit that you weren't the perfect parents, and what child doesn't have emotional scares from things that would have them spending thousands on a couch talking to a shrink, but honestly I know that I didn't have it bad at all and I know you did the best you knew how, and that's all that really matters, right?
     To my Dad, I know you always haven't been proud of me and have rarely ever agreed with what I do, or how I live my life. I know that you spent so much time away from home building a life for us and keeping a roof over our head, and working to provide us with all the little extras. For that I am humbly grateful for the hard work that you have endured over these long years. The time spent driving back and forth, the times you missed school plays, or functions or birthdays all appreciated because I know that I was always well cared for. I do know that because of all of that time away, you have rarely understood me. Seems since I turned 13, you really haven't been able to figure out a way to really relate to me, but that's alright. We can always agree to disagree and I know that you love me with all your heart just by the little things you do, not always by what you say.
     To my Mom, my life coach, my friend, sometimes my worst enemy, you have never failed to be there when I have needed you. Whether right or wrong, up or down, you have been the glue that holds me together. You are always my strongest supporter and always my biggest critic and love you or hate you at times, I can't deny that you have never left my side! You have always brought joy into my life with all the little extra things you do. Everyday is a new day full of surprises and smiles. From cards, to little treats, to outings and happy moments making popcorn, sodas and movie night you always have tried to fill my life with such beauty and happiness. I know it's not always easy running from one end of my tightrope to the other waiting for me to fall so you can catch me and I know you have to be just completely exhausted after 38 years! I know sometimes it's hard for you to separate that I'm a big girl now and that while I still love my safety net, you need to learn to let go. You have wanted so much for me and with that wanting have given me so very much. I thank God everyday for you and for the fact that you haven't been keeping a running tab all these years because I am indebted to you forever! I'm not sure that I could ever re-pay you for all the things that you have done, except to be here when you need me to catch you.
     Again, I'm not sure I have the words to express what you two mean to me. You have provided a loving and joyful home for me to grow up in, and you continue to bring me joy as an adult. I may not always like what you have to say, but I respect your opinions. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if you had not been my Mom and Dad. I can say that it wouldn't have been the same, and it wouldn't have been as good. Your two are the best and I love you so very much!

Holly

30 Day Challenge - Day #23 Something I Crave A lot of

Something I crave? Hmmm let's see, craving and habits are two different things. So I would probably have to make a list of stuff. Here are 10 things I crave a lot of:

1. Chips - I am a chip whore! I love all kinds, plain, spicy, cheesy, and everything in between. My favorite is Dill Pickle potato chips and I ship bags of them home when I'm in Minnesota, because you can't find him here.

2. Homemade chocolate chip cookies

3. Starbucks Frappachino

4. Starbucks Black Ice Tea - No water, no sugar, with extra ice.

5. Affection - I crave attention, I'm a big hugger!

6. Popcorn - I love popcorn (there's the salty again) butter, salt and Tabasco for some spice and mix in some M&M's or other chocolate with it....oh what a treat!

7. Quiet me time - I can go for hours without putting a TV or radio on. I used to never be like that, had to have constant noise, but I'm so over that! I also can entertain myself for hours at a time as well.

8. Coffee - Can't start my day without at least 2 cups if not more.

9. Wine - I have become an amateur wine connoisseur, and I love to have several bottles in my house to choose from. My dad calls me a wine snob now, but I don't mind. I have my Uncle to thank for this snobbery, but it's nice to be able to go into a restaurant and be able to order wines.

10. Water - Sounds like a funny one, but I love to surround myself with moving water and I have three fountains around the house so that I can always hear the gentle lapping of water.

30 Day Challenge - Day #22 What Makes Me Different

     I have to laugh at today's blog topic; What Makes Me Different? Let's face it, anyone who knows me would probably laugh too! I mean we are all unique and special, but some of us definitely stand out from a crowd no matter how hard we try to blend in. In fact, I gave up trying to blend in years ago! Sometimes it's a good thing and sometimes it's not so good, but one thing you can say for me is that I make an impression. For the good, the bad or the indifferent. Rarely the indifferent, but more to the point is that you either love me or hate me. There is very rarely any in between.
     First off I am not conventional in most aspects of my life and I like to defy the rules. Oh I try and play by them, but I find my own special way to get to the same conclusions everyone else does. As long as no one tells that I have to follow the instructions exactly, than I make up my own rules as I go. I'm also not afraid to ask why something has to be done a certain way, or not afraid to show people the easier or best way to get where they need to go either. If I find that something can be done without so much fanfare, I will do it.
     I am a strong women, and there are a lot of us out there and I prefer to surround myself with other strong like minded women. They are usually the ones that are least offended by me and definitely aren't afraid to be around me because they know that they can stand up to whatever I throw at them. Which isn't to say that I'm just off in left field somewhere, but let's face it, my strong personality can definitely turn people off and I'm OK with that. I would rather you keep up, than slow me down. I don't like stragglers and I don't like to have to hold people up. I do, however, because I don't like to see people hurting and I try and empower them to stay strong, move forward, not backwards.
     I have a strange sense of wisdom. Especially in the last year or so I have had so many people ask me where I can come up with some of my philosophy's and theory's and words of advice and wisdom. All I can say is that I have no idea! It just comes out. Sometimes people aren't always thrilled with the answers, but they can at least see the sound logic behind it. But what makes me especially funny is that I often can't decipher for myself the good wisdom that I provide to others and if I do, I rarely ever take it. It's like I say to myself, let's try this and see if it works. I normally fail, but maybe that helps me to help others later one down the road, I don't know.
     Along with the creative thinking and wisdom, comes a whole lot of creativity in my head. I'm not always good at doing things that I envision, but sometimes help other people with their creativity. What I mean that I can't always execute my idea, is that I'm not all together with certain machinery that would help me put my ideas into action. I wouldn't trust myself around to many power tools and me and sewing machines don't get along very well. When it comes to drills, and nails and things like that, I'm pretty handy, but I think things that cut or stab scare me.
     OK, you can't talk about what makes me different, without talking about the hair. Some people joke that my photo albums are not about the events and vacations, it's all about the hair, because you rarely see the same hairstyle from year to year. I have had short, and medium length hair and it's been every color from bleach blond, brown, and red. I even got my red mixed with the bleach and had pink highlights for a short while. I have never really been to outlandish, but definitely like to try new styles all of the time. Sleek to spiky and everything in between. Hey, life's to short not to try different looks. I just tell my husband that it's like coming home to a different women every few months. Oh and I have learned to highlight and color my own hair which is something that every professional hair dresser I have gone to can't tell. They always ask me, "who does your color?" Why me, of course!

Expresso Yourself

I have had this picture in my box of to do's for at least 4 years now and I finally did it. Problem was I let it sit there for about 2 weeks on the table not really knowing what to do with it. Finally two nights ago I finished it. I'm not overly crazy for the layout, but it's not the worst I have done.

30 Day Challenge - Day #21 A Picture of Something that Makes Me Happy

Well I couldn't just put a picture of one thing that made me happy. I love fall and fall always makes me happy. The pumpkins, the change of the leaf colors, the cooler weather. I love it all!

My Brutus makes me happy. Having a puppy in the house can be frustrating but they can bring you so many moments of joy and love and I only have to look at his face and I smile!

My husband makes me happy too. He's so many things to me but most of all he is my best friend and he's always there to put a smile on my face!

 Wine can make me happy, and not just because it can make me tipsy, but I love the flavor, the colors, the variations of tastes and the foods that can be paired with the wines. It's such a versatile drink.

Much like flowers, bright colors from flowers also make me happy. I especially love the Hibiscus, and Sunflowers. They bring so much happiness to my life.

OK, and what women doesn't get happy in a bubble bath! I know call me strange, but I had to take this picture last time I took one. I was in this big garden tub that had jets like a spa. I didn't think I had put to many bubbles in, but when the jets started going, OMG, the bubbles were ready to spill out onto the floor. I was laughing hysterically because I was being swallowed by the mass amounts of bubbles! But oh so relaxing with the wine, and some candles!

I now that this picture to the right may be hard to see but it's a picture of a Bald Eagle at the top of the tree. This eagle and another one would sit for hours on top of these trees located right on my Uncle's property in Minnesota. Down the road was a HUGE eagle's nest that we could see through a clearing. What makes me happy is to see beautiful wild animals in their natural habitat. To see them flourish and they are just so breath taking you have to be happy about something this beautiful.

Than I have the pictures here of the wolf and the bear. While these animals are in captivity it makes me happy to know that these animals have been rescued and are cared for so carefully and with much thought and love. Also these animals are great educational tools to help the general public not be so scared of them and how to preserve others of their kind in their natural habitats. It makes me happy that there are people out there who work hard to preserve what nature has provided to us and that there is a balance needed in our environment. Without these animals other things would become unbalanced.

 Than there is my Boo Boo Bear, Dakota, She has made me happy, sad, mad, and frustrated for 13 1/2 years!!! But mostly happy. I look at that beautiful face and I just melt. She's my angel and I am thankful for everyday that I have had her in my life!

Snow, how can snow not make you happy. OK, well if you live in perpetual winter where the snow is piled 10 feet outside your front door I could see you not being so happy about it. However, I love snow and I am so happy to see it here in So Cal, when it comes. The picture was taken in my backyard when I woke one morning I could see the sea of white through my crack in the curtain. This particular picture made me happy when it won the contest for the new Calimesa Web site that was being put together and so anyone who visits that site, sees my picture!

Coffee, coffee makes me VERY happy!!! I love it in all forms, flavors and varieties. I love my Americano's in the morning, my own lattes that I make, Starbucks Caramel Frappachino's, the Salted Caramel Mocha hot or cold. I can drink coffee any time of the day and night and sometimes it keeps me awake and other times it doesn't, but it's all good because it's COFFEE!!!

I also love the ocean. I love to hear and watch the waves come rolling up on the beach. I have been blessed to see many beaches not only her in California, but Oregon, Hawaii, England and Jamaica and they are all so beautiful and unique. I can't wait to see more of them in my lifetime as well as the beautiful sunsets that go with being on the beach. I love water though, water makes me very happy. I love being on the lake as well. I love this lake which is Lake Vermilion in Minnesota up in the Northern part of the state. It's a beautiful lake and it's so quiet and peaceful and it's amazing to see the different changes that can occur so quickly on a body of water such as this. I loved the Lake of the Ozarks as a kid as well. They don't make lakes here in So Cal like they do in other parts of the country. So I try and enjoy them as much as I can.

Well, this is just a sample of the things that make me happy. I am sure that I can list so many more things, but I would be here all day. I try and just take life as it comes and make happiness from what life gives me. I can find happiness in just a quick visit from a hummingbird on my front porch to the sound of my water fountains. Life is meant to be enjoyed and happiness comes from what you make of it.

30 Day Challenge - Day #20 Someone I will be with in the Future

     Only 10 more days left of the challenge! I am so proud of myself that I have been very consistent on keeping up with each day, except for maybe weekends. Today's topic actually read "someone you think you will marry/someone you see yourself with in the future." Well being that I am already married, I guess it would suffice it to say that I see myself with Paul, my current husband in the future. I mean really do you think I am going to say anything different? Well maybe some women might, but I know I would have no cause to not see myself with my husband. We have a pretty long history together of a lot of ups and downs. That and I have a very good man by my side, I wouldn't trade that for the chance to get someone who may be abusive, overbearing, cheap, mean, slave driver, and or a cheat.
      No body is perfect, but I know that I have as close to perfect as I can get. I wouldn't trade my husband for a lot of the ones that I know. He is kind, can be goofy, works so very hard, never complains if I didn't get something done, always supportive, let's me pretty much do what I want as long as the bills are paid and there is food to feed us. He's fun on road trips, and not always so fun when he comes home from work, but who isn't. He suppresses stress and anger and let's it fester to much, in my opinion, but he is never mean and nasty. He's a happy drunk and wants a snack and bed and I never have to worry that if we get into a fight he will do anything but walk away. He's not always good at doing things around the house, but when he does, it's always done with precision and care and when I have friends over he tends to my little outdoor fireplace making sure we are all nice and warm. He knows when to say sorry, and when to say thank you and he is always appreciative of all the little things that I do. That's my Paul. He's the best and I couldn't have asked for better!