The Reason Why I Blog. . . . . . .

 if you have a blog,

this is a really good question to ask once in awhile.

i mean, there are definitely some who know 

why they blog.

usually, it means they're really good at something. . . . . .

cooking, crafting, writing, photography, parenting, couponing, organizing.

something!

and they are kind enough to share it with the rest of us.

thank you for that!

but for a few of us, we are just as clueless as to why we blog

as you are when you look at our blog.

take mine for instance.

it's all over the place!

sometimes in the same post...now that's crazy.

but that's me.

and i think it's really important,

if you like to blog,

to take a look at the why's of it every once in awhile.

so that's what i'm doing today.

and guess what conclusion i'm coming to.

my reasons are pretty much the same,

i just get off track every so often.

but basically, i blog for me.

yep, you read that right.

for me.

every now and then i start writing for others,

and that's when i go off track.

that's when i get stuck.

and that is when i think " this is stupid...i'm done with this silly 'ol blog".

but within a few weeks, i miss it.

then i'm back:)

lucky you!  

hahahaha. . . . .just kidding:)

well, maybe i don't just blog for me.

i also blog for you!

i just meant i blog about the things i would like to read if i were you.

hmmmmm. . . . .i have a feeling that didn't come out quite right,

 but my intentions are good:)

because i have not taken the time to master

any one particular thing 

(i can do a lot of things but am master of pretty much none:)

i  steer away from trying to teach others my

half-baked way of doing something.

unless i am totally confident i did it right the first time:)

which is why you rarely see tutorials on my blog.

a teacher i am not.

(i do find great photos though, don't ya think? :)

but what/who  i am, is this;

~ ~ a friend, mother, wife, daughter, sister

~ ~ whose faith is important to her

~ ~ who is extremely forgetful and downright flaky

~ ~ who still hasn't totally grown up. . . and never will

~ ~ who has somehow, so far, managed to raise 2 pretty incredible young ladies

~ ~ who loves to laugh and cry. . . .sometimes in the same conversation

~ ~ who is still a dreamer. . . .and who encourages that in others

~ ~ who would rather stay home with her family, 

watch reruns on tv and eat caramel corn way more than a fancy dinner out 

~ ~ who is very nice. . . .until you mess with her children. 

 or dogs. who are not pets but boys. my precious boys.

so don't mess with them;)

~ ~ who is grossly unorganized but tries to fix this every day.  not successful but i try.

~ ~ who was once told she was a "simpleton" by a somewhat confused patient. . . and didn't know it was a compliment, until now. i'll take simple every day of the week:)

~ ~ who has everything and nothing in this crazy world figured out.

~who has her own struggles and flaws

~ ~ who believes that if nothing else, sharing a smile with someone is a fabulous achievement.

 which brings me to this blog.

why i blog. . . . .

not because i do or say anything brilliant.

but because i try, most days, to be happy about something.

to smile about something.

at least once.

because that is important.

and if i can make someone else smile at my blog,

i did something fabulous.

so that's it.

that's why i blog.

i don't say the words "smile" or "be happy" casually.

i don't always feel like smiling, and i am not always happy.

and i know the same goes for you too.

but i do believe if we look around us, there has to be something worth smiling about.

so with that, i hope that today, you smile. . . .at someone or something.

and feel a teeny tiny bit of happiness.

and if not today, i hope tomorrow is a better day.

i may not be the best at blog comments,

but if you need a friendly shoulder to lean on,

i'm right here, willing and able:)

because besides blogging for me, i really do blog for you. (there, i said it:)

i just don't keep track of visits, comments or followers closely.

don't get me wrong, i LOVE them.

i simply hope that the person who needs something i have to give will

somehow stumble on my lowly blog.

and be happy:)

Suzanne

19 Signs You're Doing Better Than You Think.....

This is just too good not to share.

I believe it is from the Happiness Project and when I saw this, 

I had to share it:)

1. You are alive.
2. You are able to see the sunrise and the sunset.
3. You are able to hear birds sing and waves crash.
4. You can walk outside and feel the breeze through your hair and the sun’s warmth on your skin.
5. You have tasted the sweetness of chocolate cake.
6. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.
7. You awoke this morning with a roof over your head.
8. You had a choice of what clothes to wear.
9. You haven’t feared for your life today.
10. You have overcome some considerable obstacles, and you have learnedand survived.
11. You often worry about what you’re going to do with your life – your career, your family, the next step, etc. – which means you have ambition, passion, drive, and the freedom to make your own decisions.
12. You live in a country that protects your basic human rights and civil liberties.
13. You are reasonably strong and healthy – if you got sick today, you could recover.
14. You have a friend or relative who misses you and looks forward to your next visit.
15. You have someone with whom to reminisce about ‘the good old days.’
16. You have access to clean drinking water.
17. You have access to medical care.
18. You have access to the Internet.
19. You can read.

happy rules and inspiration from afar.......

i explained yesterday about my blog.......

 giving it up, keeping it, 

doing what makes me happy.

and i talked about wonderful people who read your blog,

people whom you have never met and likely never will. 

well, yesterday i received another very SPECIAL email..........

all the way from Bulgaria!

Maria is a beautiful 19 year old who said i inspired her, 

and she hoped I would keep my blog.

me? inspiring?  that's sooooo nice to know.  

and so cool that it comes from a 19 year old!

i have two teenaged girls and my hope is that i inspire them

and that they find others who can inspire them also.

what Maria doesn't know is,

she inspired and encouraged me with her email!

so to beautiful Maria from Bulgaria,

thank you so very much!

your email is a keeper for when i need a boost:)

awhile back, i read

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

i felt some of it applied to my life and some of it didn't.

but let's face it,

 we all need a bit more "happy" in our everyday.

one thing she suggests if you start your own "happiness project" is to

make a list of happiness "rules".

i thought it wasn't a bad thing to think about that,

so here is my own list of happiness rules to live by.

i'm not perfect.

i have bad days.....too many:)

basically, i think i'm doing okay with life,

by the grace of God only:)

but i kinda like my little happy rules list:)

and if it serves as a reminder to laugh instead of cry,

or do instead of watch,

then it's a good thing:)

hope you have a happy, colorful week!

i promise, next time i post something, 

it will be my usual, random, shallow stuff;)

hugs,

suzanne

PINK Milk and Cookies.......

MILK + COOKIES = HAPPINESS!

they just go together......

they are a reminder of childhood days......

they are maybe the ULTIMATE comfort food!

they make you smile.......

they are just plain a HAPPY treat!

so what are we waiting for?
let's have some milk and cookies!

first up,
we have some ADORABLE cupcake cookies
on a stick.......with white milk.  OOPS:)

 pretty pink toile cookies from
the enchanted oven

pink dress cookies...pretty enough to actually wear:)

and if your pink milk and cookies party

includes some big girls too,

these bustier cookies are So PRETTY!

but for some simple,

you KNOW they will taste good cookies,

just put some pink coloring in your favorite cookie dough.

even better......substitute pink m & m's.

now i know there are actual "recipes" out there.

but why complicate something?
(i'm lazy:)

like i said.......pink food coloring works for me:)

click for some real recipes if you prefer.......(pink cookies)

now, if you're REALLY ambitious,

or have a special child to celebrate,

how about a pink milk and cookies SILHOUETTE party?

 how precious are these cookies?

(found at sippystix)

like the straws?

get yourself some some pretty straws here.......

add some pink milk,

and you have a PINK Milk and Cookies Party:)

OR......you could make your own Strawberry Milk,

courtesy of scrum dilly-do!

In a blender, mix the following:

Ingredients:

*1/2 cup milk

*1/2 cup frozen strawberries

*1/2 teaspoon vanilla or 2 tablespoons Ovaltine

*blender

*whipped cream and sprinkles (optional)

YUM-MY!

and while this last one isn't a cookie,

it looks so fluffy and delicious.....

and it's pink!

it's a strawberry milkshake whopper marshmallow 

cake from (culinary concoctions by peabody) 

here's all you need to do;

Strawberry Milkshake Whopper Marshmallow Cake
Classic White Cake(recipe follows)
Marshmallow Frosting(recipe follows)
Strawberry Milkshake Whoppers(two 6 ounce boxes)

or you could take the easy, lazy way out.......like me:)

BUY a cake mix,

some frosting and whoppers .......instant cake!

see......milk and cookies.

happiness.

childhood memories.

comfort!

and pink saturday:)

thanks to Beverly from How Sweet the Sound.

and happy saturday to all the other pink saturday ladies!

check them out here.......

XOXOSuzanne

being happy...

soooo......

a year ago, i chose the word "HAPPY" 

as my word of the year.

the idea behind it is to keep that one word or thought

in mind as you go through the year.

i love the word happy.

i love the idea of it.

and i would like to be happy...always!

to see something and smile....like this precious photo.....

makes me happy.

but......

life sometimes gets in the way.

and it sure got in my way last year.  

but looking back, just because bad things happen,

we don't have to be UNhappy forever.

there will be so much to make us sad in a lifetime.

what we probably need to do is work on

getting our happy back when we kinda lose our way.

so.......

i am making my word for 2012 (late, i know:)

HAPPY.

again.

because i kinda lost my way...

and i need to see the happy in all moments...

even if it is upon reflecting back on a moment,

there was usually SOMETHING that made us happy,

made us SMILE!

like a great cup of coffee after a long sleepless night.

and more than anything,

i figure we need to remember this.....

God wants us to be happy:)

here are a few things that made me smile....made me HAPPY recently.

first, this necklace. 

I saw it a month ago and impulsively bought it.

and now i wear it 24/7.

and sometimes i see it in a mirror and it literally makes me think...

have i been paying attention to the happy things or dwelling

on the bad.

for that alone, it was worth it!

the other day, i saw this on pinterest....

a HOTWHEELS lunchbox!!!

this gave me a moment of pure joy, because it brought such 

happy MEMORIES!

yes, i was a major tomboy:)

i had this exact lunchbox....

and how i loved playing with my hot wheels 

and that orange hot wheels racetrack!

HAPPY memories!!!

my COOL iPad case also brings back memories....

of happy times in LONDON with my family.

just thinking about my favorite store in London makes me happy:)

something else from that store across the pond.....

my ditzy flower backpack.

i know...not designer....

because NO designer makes a bag as cute as my flowered backpack:)

yesterday, i had to stop at Coconut Point (outdoor mall)

for a few things.

i noticed a new store that Jordie had been telling me about...

so i popped in.

and i fell in LOVE, LOVE, LOVE with this...

and at just over $20...a real steal for this subway art loving girl!!!

is it amazing or what?????

if you need a bit of help finding your own HAPPY.....

give a few of these a try.

as for me, i know what makes me happy every single time.

these beautiful SMILES are a sure thing....

guaranteed to make ME smile.....

and make me HAPPY.

so, what makes you happy?

besides the fact that today is Friday, that is:)

linking up today with...

 XOXOXOXO

Suzanne

a truly precious story...

heartbreaking yet heartwarming at the same time.

but first, get the tissues ready.

now i'm sure you've all heard the tragic story

about the navy seals who were shot down recently.

heartbreaking doesn't begin to describe it.

as their bodies are being flown home, 

they are being laid to rest by family and friends.

but one navy seal, Jon Tumilson, 

was laid to rest by a very special friend...

his DOG, "Hawkeye"!

i didn't even need to see the photos before bawling all over the place...

but once i did, it just broke my heart.

at the funeral, Hawkeye, his loyal companion,

would not leave his side.  he laid by the casket throughout the whole service.

like i said...heart breaking yet heart warming.

i adore my dogs and have often said that if anything happened

to me, little Freddy should probably be by my side. 

 

i don't mean to sound morbid but this dog can't function without me.

he won't eat and will run from room to room, 

whimpering and frantically searching if I should happen to be out of sight.

on most days,

he and Maui  are my most loyal friends... and that's fine by me:)

so I thought I'd share some of my favorite dog quotes, starting with a long one

that is WELL WORTH READING!

i hope you like them too:)

XOXOXOXOX

Suzanne

3 Little Gifts...

 It's cold...

not quite like the rest of the country but in south Florida,

38 degrees is cold.

(But don't get me wrong...I LOVE IT!)

So this morning, I bundled up...

put on jeans, tennis shoes (no flip flops this morning:),

my favorite fleece, gloves and scarf

 (we love scarves and gloves down here:)

and headed out for a walk on the beach.

Did I mention it was 38 degrees?

 ***Note to self...next time, don't wear jeans with holes if you want to stay warm!

Brrr...it's cold...

 but beautiful.

Up ahead, there is one lonely set of footprints when usually there are many.

 Even the water LOOKS cold...

is that possible?  

 i tell you, it isn't blue and pretty but kind of sandy gray and cold...

But life goes on at the beach.

Looks like there was a party and I wasn't invited...

 a sea urchin party.

The little birds still play around in the surf.

 Shells and sea life still roll on shore...

 but those shell seekers are inside where it is warm...

except me!

And I doubt there will be many sandcastles built today...

I wanted a long, brisk walk along the beach...

and I did start out that way...

until I looked down and saw THIS...

 a sweet little sand dollar.

Do you know how special it is to find these on shore?

Usually we find them broken in lots of little pieces,

not surviving the rough ride to shore.

But not this little guy...he made it in one piece...

even though he didn't survive the ride.

He'd been washed up just a little bit too long.

But since I like sand dollars, 

it looks like I found my first GIFT!

Couldn't be happier.

On with the walk...and a few steps later I see this...

a heart shaped stone!  

 It's a sign:)

On my return walk, that's when I feel the wind...COLD wind in my face.

But in a strange way, it feels so good.

I'm so blessed to be here...and the only thing that would make it better

would be if I found a piece of the sea glass that I LOVE but is so hard to come by down here.

No luck there...

or so I thought!  Just before leaving I look down and there,

nestled in some tiny shells and pebbles...

is my sea glass.

 GIFT NUMBER 3!

It's a good day!

For a lot of reasons, of course, but for the simple reason that I love sea glass so much that

finding a lone piece MAKES it a good day!

Time to go home...

What a beautiful morning.

When I was diagnosed with MS this summer, 

I didn't know what the future holds.

I still don't...but I can't sit and wait to find out.

I kept thinking I wanted 3 things...

to be able to walk...or RUN if needed, whenever my girls may need me,

to be able to take nice walks with my fur babies, Maui and Freddy,

and to be able to walk on the beach, collecting sea shells and searching for that lone piece of sea glass.

This morning was special!

But there was a FOURTH gift in store for me.  

Walking in the door, cheeks still red and hair windblown from the sea winds...

to find a hot bowl of oatmeal waiting for me from Taylor.

And you wonder why I dread the day my girls are gone?

I'm spoiled!!!!!!

Happy Friday...hope you find a few gifts in your day too!