Sunday, September 22, 2013

It's true....Plans are only made to be changed.....and an adventure from Nature Boy!

 
I was told my a 'professional' this week that I am highly adaptable and flexible.....well I sure have had a lot of experience in changes and it is true plans are only made to be changed.  This used to frustrate me to no end!  I made meticulous plans down to the very detail of each and everything to be accomplished.....when the least little thing would change or delay I would work myself up into a fester (it was not pretty).....over the years I have really worked hard to lightened up and not be so controlling.....but I still love to plan and one of my favorite sayings is 'plan the work and work the plan'....(yes, I am sick, admission is the first step.....)
 
For weeks Steve and I planned to go to No Cal to see his Aunts....we were concerned with his recovery and checked with the Dr. and got the go ahead, picked out the nicest hotels and inns, restaurants and shops....then, dates were mixed up by his brothers and the dates had to move out....I had 2 major appointments I could not change (and that was documented!) so I encouraged Steve to go along with out me.  He headed out in our truck with his brothers  for a long weekend of eating and playing games and boating and shooting pistols and seeing wild antelope.....truth be told I am pretty bummed not to get to go but happy he got to get away.
 
Not to be discouraged, I made all kinds of plans....they were to start right after the boys soccer game on Saturday!    I was going to go the Long Beach Flea Market and to the Encinitas Oktoberfest! 

I wanted to send a treat with Steve for the road trip so I made some black raspberry oatmeal bars ....it is so easy, you make a basic crumble mixture of oats, butter, brown sugar.....put 1/2 in a 9 x 11 greased pan
 
 
 After you put the base, put about 1 1/2 cups of any kind of preserves (I used blackberry - yum)!
 Top with the remaining crumble mix and back for 30 minutes at 350 degrees....
 You can cut it into slices like bars or like pies!
On Friday I picked up the boys and took them to the park.....they love to be outside, make friends easy with other kids and love to ride scooters and kick soccer balls.....I decided to let them play until they asked to leave as it always seems I am asking them to leave....I caught up on phone calls and just enjoyed the fresh air.....
 After almost 3 hours Dylan aka Nature Boy came up to me and said GiGi, let's go - I caught a baby lizard and I need to take care of him!  He was the tinest thing I had ever seen!
 Dylan made him a little habitat of sand, gravel and grass using his empty McDonalds Happy Meal Box.....he is so resourceful!
 We decided to name him Sparky!  He found him at the Scripps Park = Sparky!  He came home with us and spent the night on the bar under the heat lamp.....Sparky was soaking it in!
 The next day Nature Boy decided that Sparky needed to be set free!  He carefully placed him in his hand and held him near the plants by the front door....run Sparky run! 
 Then off to Soccer games!  Luckily this week the boys played back to back on the field and at the same time!  They love to be outside, running and kicking balls.....
 After the game mommy and daddy scooped them up and headed for a staycation at a 5 star hotel in Coronado.....Kristen is one lucky girl who was gifted this awesome treat from a very generous, thoughtful and kind friend!
 As they headed off to paradise....I came home to change and head out.....then some mail distracted me and I went into my little office and happened to read this:

Your home is not only your safe haven, it is a reflection of your consciousness. Whatever is going on in your mind will be reflected in the conditions of your home. To achieve balance and clarity in your life, you must have a solid, clean foundation. Your home and the conditions in which you live are a good place to start.

Ok....that was a reality check.....really, how could I justify going to a Flea Market and an Oktoberfest and probably dragging home more stuff when I am no where near my goal to simplify my life and be fully organized!

Immediately I cleaned out the top drawer of my desk!
 It did not end there.....I went through the entire upstairs closets ripping things out and sorting and tossing piles and piles and each and everyone I completed I felt better!  I even had a stack of things I needed to return and I put together an entire fall casual wardrobe and a list of things I needed to complete it!  I know that sounds like a simple task but not for me!  I think of a color themes (this fall teal & navy blue and ivory and tan) then I try to make about 6 or 7 mix and match outfits including shoes, jewelry, handbags that I can put on at a minutes notice for casual outings.  Then I took the things back and picked up the few pieces on my 'to complete' list.  I only bought 2 things that were not on my list!  My little entry way table was looking a little bare....I got a little scarecrow and fall leaf garland and filled it out a bit....(baby steps.....)

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Nature is my teacher....simple but meaningful transformations.....

Often I forget many things that were painful for me to learn....such as transformations help you find your purpose, your values, your strengths and to help you decide on your life success patterns....and as I look back upon this week I see a week of transitions and a gentle reminder to myself that transformations take time, don't always come as fast as you want them to, however beautiful when they do arrive......
 
Yes, I have been pushing fall to arrive.....added some fall garland to the fireplace (while I had shorts on a the ac blowing....)
 
 I could not resist these beautiful mums so replaced my summer flowers with this big bunch and also my apple gourds that my Auntie M gave me a few years ago.....
 I had these 3 orphan beautiful vintage pillowcases....too pretty to throw out or donate, not matchy enough to use for company....so I took these three....
 ...and some of my felt hangers.....
 ....traced the form on the handiwork of the pillowcase....

 ....and cut out where I traced the hanger form....

 ...stiched them inside out, leaving room for the hanger hook....
 ....and they turned out pretty nice.....
 ....a little extra nice touch.....
 ....for the guest room closet....some day I want to do a whole guest room in all vintage décor....I have lots of the pieces, just need a larger guest room!
 One of the sweetest transformations is in this little book that Brody picks up and writes in when he is here.....Brody is a boy that takes it all in however only will use his knowledge when he wants to!  When he started Kindergarten in August this is how he wrote his name....
 ....and when I peaked at his writing book over the weekend here, just a few weeks later, is his much improved penmanship!
 ....and remember the chrysalis that Dylan put in a container and watched and waited and I could not bear to look at????
 On Sunday morning we awoke to a beautiful butterfly in the container....
 Dylan did the honors in setting it free....you can see the black dot as it is leaving the container.....
 ....beautifully transformed, in it's own time and off to a new venture!
Nature has so many beautiful lessons....if we only watch and learn!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Surfing Leopards Help Me Evolve!

I love that my daughter Kristen is kind, caring, artistic, creative and a supporter of any and everything her kids are involved with.....even when it is hard to believe she can take one more thing on!  Home mom in both classrooms, working girl, both boys in soccer, running from field to field, team mom, etc., etc.  She even volunteered to do the team banner for Brody's team (Dylan's team and most others just order team banners at Kinko's).....when she picked up Brody last week the coach told her they chose the name 'Surfing Leopards'....he said half the kids wanted surfers, the other half wanted leopards so he thought this was a compromise....really?  What do you do with Surfing Leopards?  No Google Search on that one!  Anyway, she came over with some felt (team color is purple) and some vague ideas....when this happens I just stand ready at the sewing machine to bring to life whatever creation she comes up with.....I really could not conceive how this theme would come together.....  She cut the letters out of leopard print and backed them on purple felt....ok....breathing started being a little faster, however I can do this!
 Then she took some blue batik print material and cut out waves (this is where I really got lost - I am matchy matchy and for someone to put leopard and blue batik on purple was more than my Type A OCD Symmetry brain could take)...a twitch may or may have not started at this point....
 Then we cut surfboards out of leopard print....I was sweating and feeling dizzy at the placement of each and every board.....
 Then she added geometric designs made into soccer balls....I was breathing in a paper bag during this stage.....
 Then she wanted them 'Poofy'......I visualized myself in a happy safe place.....
 This is how it looked when she left my house.....probably because she saw the look of a major panic attack coming on to her mommy.....
 She added names on each of the surfboards....
 And I am so happy that it turned out the way it did.....I would say that even if I was not taking some of Steve's heavy pain meds :)
 I made a stop at the dollar store on my way to pick up Kelly's Hero's (I mean Brody) from school.....I could not resist this helmet....
 ....these binoculars....
 ....and this noise activated grenade (I may have bought an extra one - GiGi's should never ever be unarmed!)....
 He is my camouflage loving, army men playing, hero emerging, brown sugar tanned little guy.....
 It has been too long but I did go Thrifting this week....it was so fun to browse and treasure hunt.  I got this really cute pink chiffon like summer dress...*I never buy clothes, but this called to me*....an On The Go Fisher Price Christmas play set to add to my collection, some giant Mega Blocks, some wooden blocks all for just under $11.00!
 But the BEST thing that happened this week was The Addie came in for a few days....I always feel so much better about everything in life with all my family is together....he and dad spent many hours doing their mock Fantasy Football Draft and then had the real draft....they really enjoy this time of year.....me, not so much....I am looking for a Pilates class for Monday nights....
 The Addie is my personal Help Desk.....and as luck would have it my printer died when he was here and he hooked me up.....we lingered at Bagels and Starbucks....I made some of his favorite dinners....we had loads of family time and just soaked him in....only down side was Shannie Girl was working in Phx and could not come....we miss her.
 Adam and I had a horrible experience on our way home from Staples!  He got a picture of it and we almost called 911.....we HATE clowns and they give us the creeps....this pulled along side us and we locked the doors and made no eye contact....beware of this coming to your city...be warned!
 I am trying hard to force fall, or at least cooler weather.....I brought out some fall silks....
 And put up a small fall table scape......if I decorate it, it will come?
 My earth loving, science minded, serious and saucy Dylan has his second Chrysalis of the summer....he thinks this is cool....I can't hardly look at it....he thinks it has to be right in front of my face so I can look at it really up close.....eeeeeewwwwwwwwww
 He always goes to the garden and picks his crops.....he has a green thumb too....
 When I look at this picture all I see are his sweet little hands holding his little bounty.....

They slept over Saturday instead of Friday and after a full day of Soccer and a 1K Fun Run, 3 hours of playing in our canyon and caked with dirt we finally got them in and scrubbed down.....they ate and then we watched a movie.....I had to scrub the bathtub twice to get the dirt out!  Boys!

 Steve and I are festival people and lucky for us San Diego has a festival every weekend....we roam the county walking the streets and hanging out listening to music and people watching.....this weeks was in Pacific Beach.....home of the San Diego Steeler Nation....nothing like watching a game with Steeler Fans.....we left before they lost to the Titans....nothing like watching Steeler Nation Fans cry in their beers.....
 This was the Brazil Festival.....ok, why not, we have done Greek, Italian, French, Lemon, Art, Chili, Old Time Cars and every burb in SD County.....say what you want about us, but we are equal opportunity festival goers.....
 PB is where my favorite cottages are on Crystal Pier.....someday we will just go and stay in one even tho it is minutes from our house....
 View from the porch.....
 View from the Pier.....
 View from the shops on Ocean Blvd.....love this area....makes me happy to see pretty things....
 I got a kick out of getting out of the house!  Takes so little to please me......and before we left we put a leopard surfboard on the float....just because now it looks wrong to me to see Soccer Balls without leopard material!
I have evolved!