When I refer to rolling the dice, I don’t mean being careless about chances, but rather risking your heart to fall in love, showing your venerabilities, trusting your gut or leaping with faith to something you’ve been hoping and preparing for. Believing in yourself without doubt or second guessing. Being fearless to capture your dream.
Read MoreYou can imagine both my heartache and relief; I knew he had given me the sign I was praying for. It had been a friend that had no idea my Dad had passed. When I retuned the text, I explained we had lost him earlier that morning, she said she was being nudged to send me that message. I knew it was the sign he was near and was exactly what I needed in that moment. I had been given an incredible gift.
Read MoreAs the tour began, I learned it was so much more. The small group would be hiking across lava fields a few miles away, climb up to base camp, and then group by group, climb to the top of the volcano to be lowered down inside, wearing harnesses and hard hats. The wind was brutal and I was thankful for hiking boots, winter coats with hoods and gloves. The terrain was uneven and vast……volcanoes, mountains and lava fields as far as the eye could see. The volcano we were heading to, happened to be the furthest away…….better buckle-up.
Read MoreWe were only on the plane a few minutes before it pulled away from the gate. One thing we were pretty sure of, our checked luggage wasn’t on board with us. Hmmm…..we would have to worry about it upon arrival at our destination. Once we landed, we headed straight to baggage claim and as expected, our suitcases were nowhere in sight. We made our way to the lost luggage counter and waited in line with the other people from our connecting flight.
Read MoreWith a recent trip to Iceland, I was able to experience some incredible adventures. It was both rugged and beautiful; definitely a nature lover’s paradise. Even though the land was filled with volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, rivers, and caves, one of the coolest things I experienced was sleeping in a bubble. Let me repeat that……sleeping in a BUBBLE……how cool is that?
Read MoreI’ve never made prime rib before, but read some recipes and it looked simple enough. I decided to order the roast from a well-known country meat market. It was where my Dad always ordered his meat for special occasions. I called to place my order, including the number of people I would serve; a total of four.
Read MoreBack in September, I was able to get away for an adventure, the day after my son’s wedding. The timing wasn’t ideal, but it’s all I had to work with. Friends had already booked their trip when I learned they were heading to Iceland. I commented on how it would be a fun get away and the next thing I new, my ticket was purchased and the planning began.
Read MoreThis past weekend I was fortunate enough to spend a long weekend in Door County, Wisconsin with my oldest and dearest friend. We’ve been best friends since high school, through thick and thin, good times and bad. I’m beyond thankful for her tender heart, thoughtful ways and generous spirit.
Read MoreAt my son’s and new daughter’s recent wedding, a photo booth with absurd props was available during the reception, to capture all the wackiness and fun had by the guests. Let me tell you, this girl was so excited and had a great time dragging friends and family to pose any which way, but normal.
Read MoreI’ll be the first to admit, I’m a sap…..meaning, I’m sentimental and tender-hearted. The older I get, the easier it is for me to become emotional and shed tears. Maybe it’s the mother in me, but I know many can relate to those emotional ads and tv commercials that pull at your heartstrings and get you started. A few months before my son’s wedding we started talking about our mother and son dance. We originally talked about doing a fun medley of songs with choreographed moves, but after an unexpected knee injury, couldn’t pull it off and decided to just go for the traditional dance.
Read MoreNow, let me go back and start from the beginning of my story which began about three weeks earlier. I had been experiencing what I would describe as a “sweet spot” in life. I encountered blessing after blessing; almost to the point I could hardly believe. Before I go on, I need to explain that everything didn’t go perfect, but in my mind it was part of the goodness coming at me left and right.
Read MoreOne of my Dad’s treasures I held close to my heart were some of his hankies. He usually carried them in his pocket; and having them, felt like I was closer to him. I decided I wanted to give one each to my son and his bride-to-be on their wedding day, and wanted them to be personalized.
Read MoreBack in the early 80’s, my Dad purchased three sets of running gear to be used for either grain or hay wagons. One of these was converted into what would become his prized hay wagon. Over the years it was used when putting up straw from winter wheat, but once he sold the dairy cows, would lend it to friends that ultimately didn’t care for it like he would. After years of wear he decided, he would tuck it away for safe keeping.
Read MoreMy son recently married his perfect match and I thought I’d share a few thoughts on being the mother-of-the-groom. People often say the mother-of-the-groom isn’t involved or have much to do in preparation, but I’m thankful I was included from the beginning. My first experience was when son asked me to help him find the perfect ring. I was touched and happy he wanted me by his side.
Read MoreWithin a short amount of time my Mom will be hosting my sister and her family for a long weekend and anticipation of the visit, we needed to get some things done around the farm. We set aside a day to gather together and tackle the work.
Read MoreEarlier this summer, I was able to enjoy a weekend in Chicago with friends. There always seems to be endless things to experience and this trip was no different. One of the afternoons after enjoying brunch, my friends and I decided to walk back along Michigan Avenue (the magnificent mile), to the place we were staying.
Read MoreWe headed out, on foot, late afternoon to get a jump on the crowds. However, there were already motorcycles every where you looked. There were bikes of every color, new, and vintage looking their best and hoping to impress. As we glanced around, everyone wore black….black pants, boots, shirts, vests, headbands and any other riding apparel a person could think of wearing. My friend and I were very out of place in our “flowy” pants and brightly colored shirts. Anyone looking our way could tell we hadn’t arrived a hog…..LOL.
Read MoreEl loco describes how I’ve been feeling lately, in one word….crazy! My days and nights seem hectic and I feel like I want to lay on my couch for days…..well, at least for a full weekend….HAHA! In my mind there’s a good reason for my scattered actions and thoughts; my son will be getting married soon and there’s a lot to accomplish. The date has been planned for a year, but time seems to speed up faster the closer it gets.
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