A Smile for Today

I have one of those calendars that you peel off a page a day. I think it is titled "Bad Cats". I LOVE it! Makes me laugh all the time. Sometimes I will cheat and peek at upcoming pages but try to be surprised daily.
Gotta share this one for today. This is me as a cat!

Hope you enjoy!

Goodbye to You, my Trusted Friends...

I am in mourning.

Laugh if you will, but I am sad. This is tougher than I thought it would be.

You see, for years, and years and years, I have been about the same size. A happy size. A ~damn I work hard & I like to wear cute/smart/stylish clothes while I can~ size. A few years ago I knew, this day was coming. I could feel it, sense it. I knew I should be careful, change eating habits, and start exercising.

Blah blah blah!

Part of me felt like, well, look at my cousins, my family, I felt like my metabolism will always let me be, that happy size. It took me years to get to a healthy weight. Years to "learn" to eat properly and maintain a healthy weight. Gaining was the problem, not losing. So, I trained myself for many years how to eat "hardy".

Life took a curve ball.

Suddenly, (okay not suddenly more like a period of two years in the making) my clothes started getting tighter and tighter. I jumped up a size, then another.

I know it is possible to lose weight. To get into shape. BUT~ these lovely items in the photo above haven't fit for TWO YEARS.

These are some of my favorite clothing pieces.

My suits... a few favorite suits that got me through ten years of being a fashionable Realtor. A couple of favorite dresses. MY GREEN DRESS!!!! Oh the memories in my green dress.. Dress it up, dress it down... Florida walking the beach , pearls and stilettos... this dress was so versatile. I got so much use out of it. My cute little two piece light blue dress w/ the beaded work on the skirt! I looked killer at my 20th reunion in it (yikes...that was two years ago!) .

I paid good money for these little friends. Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Hugo Buscati... On the brighter side... Most of these were purchased between 2000 - 2005. They still look great and are classics that are still stylish (kindof.. I mean, I would be wearing them..if they fit!).

I need to part with them. They have been snickering at me every time I step into the closet. They are begging to be worn, just not by me. I think it's time to go to the Jillian Center. (A Home for Battered Women & their children, that leave without a thing. The Jillian Center provides for these women, and our community offer finer clothing for them to get back into the work field). At least I know that would be a good home for them.

But I love these clothes!!!!

Stop it Janis! You will never be a two again! Say Goodbye!

Sheri~if you are reading this, I need you to come quick, they are back in my closet. It's time for an intervention!

a Taste of Spring w/ a touch of Summer

As it starts to warm here in Indiana, we are getting a beautiful splash of color.
The tulips are vivid.











The Trees are budding and so very fragrant.

Also making the Bees happy. They have flocked to the trees spreading their pollen (when not stinging my booty!)

The Magnolia bush is in full bloom as well. It's pink and white is breathtaking.










Mischa, thinks she is an outdoor cat. Sharpening her claws, ready to ponce. (Don't worry, she is an indoor cat. She only is pretending. The only poncing will be on a toy in the house!)

Then there's these little stinkers ... I must say, even the Dandelions look love to me today!

Amigurumi World

My new adventure is to make theses cute little crochet animals. I want to make Owls for Emily (Chi Omega mascot) and Turtles for Annie (Delta Zeta mascot). I think they will be so cute in small sorority themed Christmas trees.

Thanks to my great blog friend Pam from

http://www.scottys-place.blogspot.com/ . She sent me this book and encouragement to do it. ~Love you Pam! Promise to send a critter your way!~

It looks harder than I had anticipated. I am trying to muster the courage to get started... Or at least check my supplies for the guinea pig (well not really a guinea pig more like a ball, but it might look like a guinea pig if I give it a face).

So, no more stalling... I am going in! Wish me luck!

Carol Burnett

Ahh... The great, amazing, marvelous, entertaining, fabulous, incredible... {and so on, and so on}, Carol Burnett has graced us with another memoir! It is absolutely divine!

My current read.

I am enjoying every page.

I feel as though she is sitting with me sharing these madcap stories and I am relishing it all!

She has always been a hero. She made me smile, gave me laughs through my tears.

Waiting for the weekly Carol Burnett Show was ALWAYS such a treat growing up.

This is a must BUY. I am so glad I got it now. I will cherish for years. It will be one of my re-reads.

Well, what are you waiting for? Go get it today!

101 Stress Copes

My dear friend/Family Doctor had this posted on one of his exam room walls. I wanted to copy it, but he gave it to me as I much needed it :)
I want to share with you all. I plan to try to attempt one a day covering all within the next 101 days.

101 Ways To Cope With Stress


~GET UP EARLIER~ PREPARE AHEAD~ AVOID TIGHT CLOTHES~ AVOID CHEMICAL AIDS~ SET APPOINTMENTS~ WRITE IT DOWN~ PRACTICE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE~ MAKE DUPLICATE KEYS~ SAY NO MORE OFTEN~ SET PRIORITIES~ AVOID NEGATIVE PEOPLE~ USE TIME WISELY~ SIMPLIFY MEALS~ COPY IMPORTANT PAPERS~ ANTICIPATE NEEDS~ MAKE REPAIRS~ GET HELP WITH JOBS YOU DISLIKE~ BREAK DOWN LARGE TASKS~ LOOK AT PROBLEMS AS CHALLENGES~ LOOK AT CHALLENGES DIFFERENTLY~ UN-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE~ SMILE~ PREPARE FOR RAIN~ TICKLE A BABY~ PET A DOG/CAT~ DON'T KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS~ LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING~ SAY SOMETHING NICE~ TEACH A KID TO FLY A KITE~ WALK IN THE RAIN~ SCHEDULE PLAY TIME~ TAKE A BUBBLE BATH~ BE AWARE OF YOUR DECISIONS~ BELIEVE IN YOURSELF~ STOP TALKING NEGATIVELY~ VISUALIZE WINNING~ DEVELOP A SENSE OF HUMOR~ STOP THINKING TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER~ HAVE GOALS~ DANCE A JIG~ SAY HELLO TO A STRANGER~ ASK A FRIEND FOR A HUG~ LOOK AT THE STARS~ BREATHE SLOWLY~ WHISTLE A TUNE~ READ A POEM~ LISTEN TO A SYMPHONY~ WATCH A BALLET~ READ A STORY~ DO SOMETHING NEW~ STOP A BAD HABIT~ BUY A FLOWER~ SMELL THE FLOWER~ FIND SUPPORT~ FIND A "VENT-PARTNER"~ DO IT TODAY~ BE OPTIMISTIC~ PUT SAFETY FIRST~ DO THINGS IN MODERATION~ NOTE YOUR APPEARANCE~ STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE, NOT PERFECTION~ STRETCH YOUR LIMITS~ ENJOY ART~ HUM A JINGLE~ MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT~ PLANT A TREE~ FEED THE BIRDS~ PRACTICE GRACE~ STRETCH~ HAVE A PLAN "B"~ DOODLE~ LEARN A JOKE~ KNOW YOUR FEELINGS~ MEET YOUR NEEDS~ KNOW YOUR LIMITS~ SAY HAVE A GOOD DAY IN PIG LATIN~ TROW A PAPER AIRPLANE~EXERCISE~ LEARN A NEW SONG~ GET TO WORK EARLIER~ CLEAN A CLOSET~ PLAY WITH A CHILD~ GO ON A PICNIC~ DRIVE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO WORK~ LEAVE WORK EARLY~ PUT AIR FRESHENER IN YOUR CAR~ WATCH A MOVIE AND EAT POPCORN~ WRITE A FAR AWAY FRIEND~ SCREAM AT A BALL GAME~ EAT A MEAL BY CANDLELIGHT~ RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE~ REMEMBER STRESS IS AN ATTITUDE~ KEEP A JOURNAL~ SHARE A MONSTER SMILE~ REMEMBER YOUR OPINION~ BUILD A SUPPORT NETWORK~ QUIT TRYING TO FIX OTHERS~ GET ENOUGH SLEEP~ TALK LESS AND LISTEN MORE~ PRAISE OTHERS~

TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME... YOU HAVE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TO LOVE

OWWW! My BUM!

Took Riley for a walk...

A Bee decided to hitch a ride... Slipped down my jeans! Stung me twice on my Bum!

Walked the whole way with a pain in my a**!

When I got home the bee had fallen out by now & and I managed to reach around, ice the area & pull out a stinger with tweezers.

Ouch!

And I am soooo nice to Bees, Wasp, and all the little bugers!

The Right Thing...

How do we know what the right thing is?

The right thing to do... how do we know?

I am perplexed once again.
Do I follow my heart or do I follow my head?

Sometimes the simpliest things can feel the most complex.

What is right for one, may be wrong for another.

Life isn't always easy or fair. But it is what it is, and we make the best of it.

This too will pass. There will be more mountains to climb, and more valleys to cross.

My Easter Blessings

Emily, Me, Sergio, & Annie
I am so Blessed. Here we are Easter Evening. My Sweet Family.

My Sis Julie, Mom Barb & Me.

My Niece Michelle, Annie, & Emily.

Am I a lucky Gal or what?

It's good to be Blessed!

Meow

Mischa helping me do laundry.
She thinks she should inspect this blanket before I fold. It did not pass her inspection.
She curled up and took a little cat nap to think about it before allowing me to fold.
Ghee... Being a cat wouldn't be so bad. Especially one of my cats.

Chi-O Banquet

Here is my lovely Emily & I at the Chi Omega Banquet. She is looking so pretty...I am looking dumpy.

I love these banquets. It is a wonderful time for me to get to know her sorority sisters and what they are up too.

Very grateful that my girls have joined and have their sororities. They are creating wonderful memories and learning great life experiences.

Doing Time

Dakota's in the slammer.

His Crime:

This is what is left of Sergio's Bluetooth.

Pity.

Luckily, Dakota did not get hurt (It was plugged into the charger).

Luckily, Sergio loves this Pup.

He will be forgiven.