celebrate
My favorite season is finally upon us. The crisp cool air, pumpkin flavors, cozy sweaters, colorful leaves, all make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. To celebrate the new season I've compiled some of my favorite fall photographs I've taken.
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
Just thought I's share a quick post with you showing how wonderful my husband is. He sent me a large bouquet of flowers a few days ago "for no special reason." Just a little reminder of love and affection.
Today is my brothers 24th birthday and I could not be more excited to celebrate it with him. He and I are pictured above in May of 1992 with a dandelion bouquet we picked out. Since it is a Thursday, and "throwback' Thursday's are so popular, I thought it would be nice to post a picture of us from back in the day. I chose this picture because it represents how close my brother and I are, but also because it is pretty darn cute! We grew up as best friends and still remain that way today. I could not have asked for a better brother than Michael. He's always there whenever you need him and shows his generosity when you least expect it. After our mom passed, I feel that we grew even closer with a silent understanding that life is short and to enjoy as many moments as you can together. Our plans for today are low key, and if you know my brother, that fits in perfectly with him. Browsing around town looking for a truck he could purchase, dinner at the casino, trying our hand with lady luck, and enjoying some lovely libations. So glasses raised to my little brother, cheers and many more to come! Happy Birthday.
May 1st brings the arrival of May Day, a springtime holiday celebrated with festivals to announce the sign of rebirth. The origin of the holiday dates back to 1886, when workers in Chicago walked off of the job, demanding an eight-hour work day, something that was not yet common during that period. This was a "rebirth" for many workers and a victory none the less. This signaled the International Worker's Day as being May 1st around the world, but the United States did not yet establish the holiday for fear of the Haymarket affair, which stood for revolution at the time. The Haymarket affair started out as a peaceful rally for the workers, but quickly grew out of control when someone threw a stick of dynamite into the crowd. The U.S. was afraid of riots starting out, something the Haymarket affair was known for, so instead changed the holiday to what we now know as Labor Day and moved the date to September. Another possible reason the U.S. tried to further itself from International Workers Day could stem from the Bolshevik Revolution happening on May 1st 1917.
Current day seems to celebrate the holiday more for the arrival and blossoming of Springtime. The festivals usually have dancing, singing, cake, and food to celebrate. On a personal note, my grandmother was named May Day Queen when she was in high school. Whatever the holiday means to you, be sure to get out and celebrate the warm weather and sunshine. Let the festivities begin!
When it comes to dessert time, that signals all sorts of warning bells in my head. Basically, how bad the sweet treat can be for my body and health. One thing I have learned though, like most things in life, is moderation is key. I always watch the sugar content in all types of foods be it the appetizer, main course, or dessert, due to the toll it takes on the body. Sugar can literally make you look older, yikes! Cutting sweets completely out of the diet would be ideal, but as I have learned in the past, cravings can come on strong and take over, leading to an eventual dessert fest of all sorts. To keep the cravings at bay moderation comes into play. Either make healthy comprises like swapping milk chocolate out for healthy 70% dark chocolate, which is filled with flavanoids and becomes more like fiber at 70%, or treat yourself to one dessert a week so as not to completely limit yourself, but also keeping the sugar at bay. This way, you can have your cake and eat it too, the best of both worlds being had.
Finding that balance can be tricky, but simply takes some planning and good decision making. Instead of bleached flour, buy whole wheat flour, and instead of white rice, try the ever healthy quinoa. I've used whole wheat flour and quinoa in many of my recipes for cooking and baking, and they come out fantastic. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips from the vending machine, try to pack an apple instead or bring some berries and almonds to munch on. Having that one dessert at the end on the week, or whenever you prefer, will not seem so bad after all of the healthy choices being made. Not only that, but it gives you something to look forward to, a nice reward for all of your hard work!
In my mind, Spring does not officially arrive until Easter. The whole basic meaning of Easter is the renewal of life, which, perfectly co-insides with the events going on all around us at Spring time. White has always been the classic Easter look, just take a look at the fabulous Judy Garland in "Easter Parade" or in "Meet Me in St. Louis" when her whole family is going to visit the Louisiana Expedition in the Spring, all are decked out in head to toe white. For me, I chose a white embroidered dress that has the best bow detail around the collar that I got from Modcloth. The nude clutch with crystal bow detailing works perfectly to keep the outfit classic. Get this, the clutch is from Cracker Barrel! Never would have guessed that, but it shows how pretty finds can be found where you least expect it. I decided on a slight pop of color with my shoes from DSW. They have a blended floral print on them with the majority of the color being blue. A sock bun pulls the polished look together and the beautiful earrings are from the Jacqueline Kennedy collection. Hope everyone enjoyed their Easter!
Taken today on her 17th birthday. Doing what she loves, resting in the sunshine.
It's hard to believe that my baby is seventeen years old today. Where does the time go?!?! I remember the day my family and I received this little bundle of joy. October 17th 1997 became one of the happiest days of my life. The rescue team estimated that she might have been about six months old when we got her. Valley Cat Rescue found her at a home that had caught on fire and been abandoned. Her vocal cords were affected from the smoke and could only produce a squeaky sound, but over the years she has been able to work up to a full meow.
My how my little kitten has grown up over the years. She truly provides the best companionship I could ever ask for. The apple of my eye and light of my life, Chelsea means the world to me and I am thrilled to celebrate her seventeenth birthday with her. She deserves only the best, perhaps some tuna fish for later after we have some nice cuddle time. Happy birthday to the best little girl in the world!
Mommy and baby on her big day
