In a funk

I've been in a funk - I very rarely get this way - maybe it's the weather, maybe it's some recent losses in my life, maybe it's wedding let down - it could be a combination of all. However, I have decided to get organized, get some stuff done, and pull myself out of this funk TODAY! This has been going on for a few days now, and I'm done with it! So, while it may be cloudy outside, it's going to be sunny inside my house today! We always have a choice - in every circumstance, we can choose how to look at it, how to react. I just was teasing my client yesterday who was saying she had another doctor's appointment and that her husband was taking her. I told him to bring her a candy bar or a flower and pretend like they were going on a date! They laughed at me, but got my point. Perspective makes or breaks everything! Choose to have a good one today!

Jammin'

Here's a picture of some of the participants of "open mic" at The Cooler last night. The Cooler is a small establishment in East Peoria, and on Sunday nights they have what they call "open mic", which I found out is time set aside for local people to just show up and sing or play their instruments. My son in law, Patrick, and a couple of his friends host this adventure on Sunday evenings, which means if no one shows up to play, he and his friends provide the music. Last night they talked my brother, Jim, (in the center playing the guitar) and Robert (on the right side, also playing a guitar- you might remember Jim and Robert were the 2 guitar players at Mal and Patrick's wedding) into coming and jamming for open mic. I wasn't there, but Mal sent me this picture from her phone - looks like some serious playing is going on to me! In case you don't know, Patrick is on the left singing (Jim's playing his guitar), and friend Dave Frye is in the back playing the big bass. Jim was, I believe, just an unsuspecting member of the crowd when several people "chanted" his name loudly until he agreed to join in the playing. No matter, my brother is such an accomplished musician, he is able to pick up and play about anything. Nice to see you with a guitar in your hands, Jim - hope you had fun!

Eggs!

Terrance and Maria dig around for "fallen" eggs

Apollo checking out his basket so far

Ow! That plant poked me in the face!

I don't like the marshmallow ones - let's throw them to the birds!

Emma found the egg with the dollar bill in it!

Terrance spies one in the tree!

Egg hiders at rest!

Easter portrait

In anticipation of (or in fear of) rain today, we had a small egg hunt for the little ones yesterday. They were pretty funny and diligent in their search - insisting that we keep on looking until every single egg was found.

Cookies!

Last week I had three little visitors - Mal came over to visit and Apollo and Emma came for the afternoon. While I was at work, the three of them decided to make some cookies. These pictures will give you some insight as to how well the three of them work together! Sorry the pics aren't very good - you already know my phone and I are not best friends and I think I'm not very good at working the camera on it yet - lol! P.S. The cookies really were yummy!

Someone likes the rain!

I know this is a horrible picture and you have to look reallllllllly close, but remember my computer is broken and I'm working with a very old laptop here. I came home for lunch today and just a few minutes ago, our dog, Pockets, starting whining and crying. He's not been feeling the best the past couple of months, so I thought, oh no - what's happened to him? Soon he came bounding down the hall and around the corner, where he plastered his nose to the sliding glass door. He barked and barked and hollered until I came over to look. There, at the edge of the patio was a little bunny nibbling daintily on a little green weed - I assume - that was growing there. She seemed unaware that Pockets was going nuts trying to get to her and just munched and munched away. Eventually she saw the dog next door come up to the fence and heard Pockets barking and took cover under the neighbor's deck. She (or he) was adorable with that little bitty nose crinkling up while eating. Pockets will be on the prowl again tonight because he also LOVES it after the rain stops because usually then the toads come out. Oh glorious rain - glad someone's enjoying it!

Health Fair

This past Saturday, I offered free chair massages at the Health Fair held at Tremont High School. It was sponsored by the Tremont United Methodist Church. Fabulous! People could come and get free blood pressure checks, free mammograms, free bone density tests, free body composition tests, carotid artery check, etc., etc, etc.! It was a wonderful opportunity for people to come and get a good idea of where they are health wise. At one point I did hear the lady doing the body composition testing ask someone if they exercise at all, at which precise moment I was extremely glad I was doing a chair massage and had a line of people waiting for me! Actually, my chair was occupied the entire four hours and so it was a very rewarding morning. This is an annual event, so I'm encouraging everyone to come out next year and check it out!

More pics

The beautiful bride

Here she is again

The ballroom where the reception was held

One of the tables, all decorated

A fishbowl with fish on every table

Watching for his bride to come

Singing to her as she comes down the aisle

Coming down the aisle on the arms of her brothers

A bird's eye view

This is fun!

We did it!

We did it! We did it! Oh ya! Oh ya!

The back of that beautiful dress

Here's the whole crew

And here we go!

For those of you not on Facebook who have asked me about pictures from the wedding - I don't have many yet. I was too caught up in all that was happening to take my own, but here's a few from Geneva Aberle, who was there to get some pictures for her portfolio for her photography side business (she's an accountant by day - lol!). Thanks once again to all who helped prepare, all who came and shared in the joy of the day, and all who have been supportive since then. Enjoy! My little girl is all grown up...and beautiful I might add. When my three children came down that aisle, I have to say, they are a good looking group!

Pete and Repeat

My nephew, Terrance, is 9 and in the 3rd grade. One of his favorite things to do lately is to say this little rhyme with you - "Pete and Repeat went out in a boat. Pete fell in, so who was left?" And then, of course, when you say repeat, he repeats the line again. Well, that's kinda how I felt about my life today when I ran across a couple of old journals. Now, first of all, you have to know something about me - I believe in journalling. I think it's a wonderful habit with alot of benefits that everyone should have. You also have to recognize that I get very busy and don't keep up with my journalling - so I have about 10 journals all over my house with about a week to a month's worth of daily writing in them. So today, I was looking for a journal to write some things in when I came across one with writings from 1996 in it and one with a few writings in it from 2005 - in comes Pete and Repeat! I found that I am dealing with and jabbering about the same issues today, in 2011, that I was in 1996 and 2005. Light bulb! I've been walking down the same street for all these years! The players have different names, the house has a different address, but basically, I'm facing the same issues that have subconsciously ruled my life for a number of years. Now before we think I'm completely stuck in cement, I have to say, I have successfully set some boundaries (which, of course, have led to some loss of relationships in my life - but that's for another blog entry), and I have made some headway in some other areas - my children have grown up to be smart, functioning adults in this world. But I'm referring to some core issues that have influenced the choices I make each and every day. I apparently don't recognize those issues so undealt with, they keep showing up in the next event or relationship, but nonetheless, they are obviously there. It's fun and interesting to read old journals - my goal now is to identify those root issues that need pulling out and see if I can't write a journal that has new information in it!

One Day Without Shoes

Have you heard of Toms shoes? I don't own a pair, but I'd like to. Everytime a pair of Toms shoes is purchased, this company gives a pair to a child who needs a pair - one for one. Since September of last year, they have given away over a million pairs of shoes to children in lots of places who need shoes. I don't have to educate you all on the benefits of shoes - especially since you know I hardly ever wear any. But just for a moment think of the weather, the environment that would make it difficult to not have shoes to slip on to protect your feet. Think of cuts, bruises that would lead to infection, or not being able to go to school because you don't own shoes. Tuesday is "one day without shoes" day and to raise awareness lots of people (over 250,000 last year) are not wearing shoes on Tuesday - for an hour, for seven hours, for all day - whatever you can do. The idea is to raise awareness - #1 that not every child has the basic things they need like shoes; #2 that even though we often think we are just one person and can't make a difference, we can - buy yourself a pair of Toms shoes; and #3 that I personally think most people deep down want to share and give if they can and given the opportunity, they will. So, talk it up with your friends; go to www.onedaywithoutshoes.com, register yourself and free your feet on Tuesday for however long you can! Oh yeah, and buy a pair of Toms shoes - there isn't a retailer close to my home, so I'm planning to purchase mine from www.toms.com. There you can also read more information about this "one for one" movement - it's fabulous! One more thing I suggest - it might be a good time to mumble a little prayer of thanksgiving for the shoes on your feet today and the fact that most of us even had a choice which ones we wanted to wear. That's a privilege not everyone has!