Living Intentionally

I stopped setting New Year's Resolutions a few years back.  Not because I don't believe in them...Because I do believe in setting goals.  I just don't like the pressure that a New Year brings, to get me to try to be better at something.

So...Like last year....I will

LIVE INTENTIONALLY.

Live a life that sets an example of what THRIVING means.

*Life is made up of choices!  Everyday is a NEW CHANCE of endless opportunity!  The past is past and TODAY is a brand new day!

*Know WHO I AM and focus on the stuff I am good at!  AND KEEP DOING THAT STUFF!!!

I am going to STOP COMPARING MYSELF TO OTHERS!!

NO RESOLUTIONS!!!

But I WILL HAVE ATTAINABLE GOALS!  *Ones that inspire me to keep going!!*

FOCUS my energy on MY LIFE and how I can be better at things that MATTER!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

THRIVE ON!

THRIVE ON!

I met with a good friend recently.  We talked, like we always do.  She is a very spiritual woman, who is strong in her faith...And I always go away from our meetings feeling very uplifted.  She has this way about her...That always seems to encourage me.

And...Although sometimes I don't feel like it...She tells me that I also encourage her.  It's amazing the impact that SOMETHING...or SOMEONE can make...without really intending to.

When I began this blog 7 yrs ago....It's intention was to put myself out there...Tell MY story, so that somewhere...Somebody would feel less alone.  I wanted to Inspire...Uplift...And Encourage those living with Neurofibromatosis...And help them see that a THRIVING LIFE was possible!

A few years ago, I began to end my blog posts with "THRIVE ON!".....Which has been echoed back to me several times, which really makes me feel GREAT!

So GREAT, in fact that it has been the staple of how I live my life!

I want to share with you a way that YOU TOO...can show what a THRIVING LIFE looks like!  A way to LIVE PROUD...And shout to the world that YOU ARE AN OVER-COMER!  A person who doesn't let life's obstacles hold them back!!

Cancer?  Brain Tumors?  Neurofibromatosis?  THRIVE ON means that you go beyond JUST DEALING WITH IT!  You FACE IT!  YOU EMBRACE IT!  And you THRIVE with IT!

Get your T-shirt now by clicking on the shirt of your choice....Join ME as with THRIVE THROUGH LIFE!

THRIVE ON!

Holy Christmas Lights Batman!

What's Christmas without Christmas lights...?

I love decorating for the holidays....Christmas especially.  But I have never gotten up on the roof to put up lights.  For one...I HATE heights and had imagined myself tumbling off the roof, clinging to the gutters screaming for anyone to come help me!

I also had a fear of being that lady who can make it ON the roof...But the only way down was calling the Fire Dpt.

Well- neither happened....And THIS year, our house has LIGHTS~ AND a giant wreath made out of an old hula-hoop!

FEAR- It has stopped me from doing so many things.  I'm not sure why fear has all this power...When the JOY I get from doing something I feared has SO MUCH MORE power!?  It's like this lesson - that needs to be taught over and over and over...and I STILL don't trust in it.

The FEAR wins, almost every time.  

I'm still willing to learn though...So that's good...right?

Have you done something you feared? How did it make you feel? Do you let fear stop you from going towards something that could bring you joy?

This Christmas Season I hope that it does nothing but fill you with love and joy!

THRIVE ON!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've been "hosting" Thanksgiving dinner at my house for years.  My exuberant crowd usually gives me a "thumbs up" with everything except ...SCRATCH that...The turkey is pretty much the only thing they eat, with the exception of my hubby (of course) and a few others who get BRAVE enough to try a "thank you" bite of mashed potatoes.

So, anyways....My hubby and I were grocery shopping and got to the TURKEYS.  *gobble gobble*

What the heck.....This one is almost 40 dollars....While THAT one (which is HEAVIER) is 17.

Hmmm  - I have ALWAYS cooked the cheaper turkey...and they have ALWAYS been yummy....I started wondering if the more expensive turkeys were raised by Daddy Warbucks....While the cheaper ones got kicked around in some turkey orphanage.

I LOVE Thanksgiving.  The business in the kitchen....The excitement to taste all the amazing flavors...The togetherness....And most especially...The fact my Christmas tree goes up!

I am NOT a Pinterest-worthy cook.  In fact, I feel like people spend WAY too much time on their turkeys in general.  My turkey gets coated in olive oil....butter....salt...and that's IT. ...I have tasted turkeys that people spent HOURS preparing with spices, lemons, leaves....And....I felt like spitting the stuff out in my napkin! (sorry to whoever reads this who takes offence...But when it comes to turkey, in my opinion....the simpler....the better)

I LOVE traditional....I don't ever try to live up to some Pinterest-type life....Because I know it's impractical...And it's just not who I am.  And even if I tried....My turkey would probably end up looking like this...

This Thanksgiving I am focusing on what is REALLY important.  If my "cheap" turkey tastes like a cheap turkey, so what.?  If all my kids eat JUST ONE bite of potatoes, doesn't matter.

Look around you.  See all those blessings?  They are there....even if you have to search for them.

Happy Thanksgiving!
THRIVE ON!!

Holiday Craziness!

I usually go missing in action this time of year.  The craziness seems to keep me running from one thing to the next...So today, I wanted to slow things down a little and catch up.

My Holiday CRAZINESS begins in September.  While school has already started, September is filled with Birthdays!  And the Birthdays don't stop, until after we ring in a new year.

September 18th...Both Brooklyn and Riley turned another year older.  I swear, when I look back at all the parties ...It just seems to have swept by and gone WAY too fast!

Then....I turned 40.  Yeah Yeah...I even dedicated a whole blog post to how I feel about that...But, it's not as hard as I thought it would be to be 40.  I kinda like it....Now, I can act mature and feel normal doing it....Or I can be silly and be one of THOSE moms...

Early October, Braden turned 17!   SEVENTEEN!!!  I can hardly believe it!  These kids are becoming grown ups, right before my eyes!  Having THREE teenagers in my house is a daily adventure....I am so proud of all of my kids!

THEN....we had Halloween....Which seems like was celebrated the ENTIRE month of October.  I love EVERYTHING about October...Especially raking and playing in the leaves....Which became tradition the very moment I became a mommy.

And now...We're into November...Thanksgiving and another Birthday....Then December...With ANOTHER Birthday and of course Christmas...

In the meantime...We had another STABLE MRI for Braden, which sets our mind at ease a little...And we can put our focus where it should be...

That's an update from my little corner of the world...I hope that my family and friends who read this blog learn to take the Holiday Craziness one day at a time...and enjoy those moments when you can relax and reflect on the blessings that surround you.

Thrive On!