Monday, September 12, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Where were you on September 11, 2001?
It's been 10 years since that awful day we now refer to as 9/11. Where were you? That's the question of our generation....much like my parents was "Where were you when JFK was shot"? On 9/11/01 I was just about to get up to get my kids off to school when the phone rang. It was my mom, she said to turn the news on. When we turned the TV on we saw a split screen of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and we sat speechless as we watched the second plane fly into the north tower. Unbelievable.
I was scheduled to help my cousin move from the San Fernando Valley to Corona that day. After talking it over, we decided to go ahead. What I remember as I drove through LA was the eerie silence. We get so used to the air noise of helicopters, planes etc and to hear absolutely nothing was terrifying. One of those times when the silence is deafening.
I think for me September 12 was worse, mostly because I didn't have anything to do. I remember being glued to the news for most of the day. We had my cousin, her husband and friends from the neighborhood over for dinner, the wine was flowing, it was one of the few times when I had to put my husband to bed.
I've always been one of those people who get teary eyed during the Star Spangled Banner (especially when my daughter Jade sings it). I used to get so upset as a teenager when our cross-town rivals who were "the Braves" used to sing at the end of the national anthem "and the home of the braves"....ugh would make me so mad. Now when I hear the National Anthem, from almost the first 5 words I'm in tears, and if you've actually heard all three verses it means more:
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
My prayer now is that we will always remember. God have mercy on us that we would ever forget and take our freedom for granted.
We are the land of the free because of the brave men and women who sacrifice their lives for us every day via military, fire department, police, ambulance and paramedics. Thank you for your service, today and everyday. God bless you and God bless America.
I was scheduled to help my cousin move from the San Fernando Valley to Corona that day. After talking it over, we decided to go ahead. What I remember as I drove through LA was the eerie silence. We get so used to the air noise of helicopters, planes etc and to hear absolutely nothing was terrifying. One of those times when the silence is deafening.
I think for me September 12 was worse, mostly because I didn't have anything to do. I remember being glued to the news for most of the day. We had my cousin, her husband and friends from the neighborhood over for dinner, the wine was flowing, it was one of the few times when I had to put my husband to bed.
I've always been one of those people who get teary eyed during the Star Spangled Banner (especially when my daughter Jade sings it). I used to get so upset as a teenager when our cross-town rivals who were "the Braves" used to sing at the end of the national anthem "and the home of the braves"....ugh would make me so mad. Now when I hear the National Anthem, from almost the first 5 words I'm in tears, and if you've actually heard all three verses it means more:
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
My prayer now is that we will always remember. God have mercy on us that we would ever forget and take our freedom for granted.
We are the land of the free because of the brave men and women who sacrifice their lives for us every day via military, fire department, police, ambulance and paramedics. Thank you for your service, today and everyday. God bless you and God bless America.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Lovely Advice
Health:
Drink plenty of water.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
Live with the 3 E’s - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
Play more games.
Read more books than you did in 2010.
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Sleep for 7 hours.
Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
Personality:
Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
Dream more while you are awake.
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
Smile and laugh more.
You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Society:
Call your family often.
Each day give something good to others.
Forgive everyone for everything.
Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
Try to make at least three people smile each day.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
Do the right thing!
Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
The best is yet to come.
Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.
Drink plenty of water.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
Live with the 3 E’s - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
Play more games.
Read more books than you did in 2010.
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Sleep for 7 hours.
Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
Personality:
Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
Dream more while you are awake.
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
Smile and laugh more.
You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Society:
Call your family often.
Each day give something good to others.
Forgive everyone for everything.
Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
Try to make at least three people smile each day.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
Do the right thing!
Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
The best is yet to come.
Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Memory Lane
Good grief, I can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted here. Such is life....
To say things have been busy here is an understatement. July was about football practice and getting ready to go back to school, and working lots of hours. I can hardly believe it's already August 17! Christian started his sophomore year of high school and Mackenzie started the 8th grade, Jade will start classes the end of the month and I turned 41!
For my birthday, my mom decided she wanted to take me away for the weekend, to Laguna Beach where I was born. We left on Friday and after we checked into our hotel we went to the Sawdust Festival and the Art A Fair, both were fantastic. I love galleries, paintings, sculptures, photography, hand made jewelry and all the stuff that comes with artists. Friday evening we went back to our hotel and got dressed up (mom insisted) and had dinner at what is now called The Lumberyard. When I was little it was the Ivy House, then it became Cedar Creek...all of which we have loved. Dinner was lovely.
After a goodnight's sleep, we had some breakfast and walked all around downtown Laguna. It was one of those "oh this used to be a flower shop, and this used to be Swenson's Ice Cream and that was the bank" etc. So, I started taking pictures. My mom took me all over, from the place she and my dad lived when they were first married, the hospital I was born in, our first house, where I went to preschool, my elementary school, the restaurant my parents owned etc. I took lots of picture as we were going around you can find them on Facebook if you'd like to see them. The coolest thing about the whole weekend was going to the restaurant my parents owned, the GM was awesome. He gave us a tour of the whole place, showed us all the changes that had been made, even walked us through the kitchen and back office. My mom told me that the walk in refrigerator, walk in freezer and the tile in the kitchen are the one's my grandfather put in back in the early 70's! It was great to have that time with my mom, she's been under a lot of stress the last several months with my step-dad being so sick. I know that this was one of those things that I will look back on and cherish.
Last weekend was a high school reunion of sorts....they've been doing this beach bash thing with multiple classes invited for the past couple of years, this was the first year I went. It was great to see so many lovely faces. It was good to catch up with some dear friends from the past...it was also weird to see some folks doing the same thing 23 years later. Some people haven't gotten the memo that it was time to grow up.
All in all, the last month has been good, but very much a trip down memory lane. When I was in Laguna, I had lots of thoughts like "what if my parents had never split up, what if I'd grown up here" etc....I guess more opportunities to grieve, oh joy, LOL!!
At the end of the day, I find even more reasons that I need beauty and rest for my soul.
I hope you find the same.
Ciao.
To say things have been busy here is an understatement. July was about football practice and getting ready to go back to school, and working lots of hours. I can hardly believe it's already August 17! Christian started his sophomore year of high school and Mackenzie started the 8th grade, Jade will start classes the end of the month and I turned 41!
For my birthday, my mom decided she wanted to take me away for the weekend, to Laguna Beach where I was born. We left on Friday and after we checked into our hotel we went to the Sawdust Festival and the Art A Fair, both were fantastic. I love galleries, paintings, sculptures, photography, hand made jewelry and all the stuff that comes with artists. Friday evening we went back to our hotel and got dressed up (mom insisted) and had dinner at what is now called The Lumberyard. When I was little it was the Ivy House, then it became Cedar Creek...all of which we have loved. Dinner was lovely.
After a goodnight's sleep, we had some breakfast and walked all around downtown Laguna. It was one of those "oh this used to be a flower shop, and this used to be Swenson's Ice Cream and that was the bank" etc. So, I started taking pictures. My mom took me all over, from the place she and my dad lived when they were first married, the hospital I was born in, our first house, where I went to preschool, my elementary school, the restaurant my parents owned etc. I took lots of picture as we were going around you can find them on Facebook if you'd like to see them. The coolest thing about the whole weekend was going to the restaurant my parents owned, the GM was awesome. He gave us a tour of the whole place, showed us all the changes that had been made, even walked us through the kitchen and back office. My mom told me that the walk in refrigerator, walk in freezer and the tile in the kitchen are the one's my grandfather put in back in the early 70's! It was great to have that time with my mom, she's been under a lot of stress the last several months with my step-dad being so sick. I know that this was one of those things that I will look back on and cherish.
Last weekend was a high school reunion of sorts....they've been doing this beach bash thing with multiple classes invited for the past couple of years, this was the first year I went. It was great to see so many lovely faces. It was good to catch up with some dear friends from the past...it was also weird to see some folks doing the same thing 23 years later. Some people haven't gotten the memo that it was time to grow up.
All in all, the last month has been good, but very much a trip down memory lane. When I was in Laguna, I had lots of thoughts like "what if my parents had never split up, what if I'd grown up here" etc....I guess more opportunities to grieve, oh joy, LOL!!
At the end of the day, I find even more reasons that I need beauty and rest for my soul.
I hope you find the same.
Ciao.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Recipe of the week: Pineapple Salsa
I saw a recipe similar to this awhile back and last night I thought I'd make my own. (It's similar to my orange salsa recipe from last May.) I ate some last night with grilled chicken and had a little tonight with mahi mahi...good stuff. If you try it let me know what you think. A Votre Sante!
Pineapple Salsa
3 cups fresh pineapple cut into small pieces (about 1/2 of a large pineapple)
2 1/2 cups tomatoes chopped
2 cups chopped onion (I used a sweet onion)
1 large Anahiem chile diced (you could also use jalapenos)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp dried red pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 fresh ground pepper
Cook the onion, chile, salt pepper and red pepper in a large pan until just tender. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl toss pineapple, tomatoes, onions, pepper and cilantro. Serve with whatever you like, enjoy!
Pineapple Salsa
3 cups fresh pineapple cut into small pieces (about 1/2 of a large pineapple)
2 1/2 cups tomatoes chopped
2 cups chopped onion (I used a sweet onion)
1 large Anahiem chile diced (you could also use jalapenos)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp dried red pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 fresh ground pepper
Cook the onion, chile, salt pepper and red pepper in a large pan until just tender. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl toss pineapple, tomatoes, onions, pepper and cilantro. Serve with whatever you like, enjoy!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Faces of Grief
Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to a women's conference, the title was "Faces of Grief". Our culture teaches us that grief is primarily losing a loved one. While, that is absolutely grief so are so many other losses. Loss of a job, pet, house, health, losing friends to moving. What about the loss of a dream or the dream for your child?
If I'm honest, I've had a ton of loss to grieve the past couple of years. Mostly though I haven't grieved, I've just moved on, or so I think. I know it sometimes pops when I least expect it. I can become so easily angered or emotional and when I dig deeper, it's usually not about what's right in front of me. What I got out of yesterday is that your pain matters and it matters to God. However small or large and that it's important to give ourselves room to grieve, otherwise we might not be able to move on.
At my place setting was a bookmark with this on it:
Isaiah 43:2
You will pass through deep waters (of grief)
But I will be with you.
You will pass through the rivers (of sorrow)
But their waters will not sweep over you.
You will walk through fire (of heartache)
But you will not be burned.
The flames will not harm you.
I'm hoping to get to the beach this week, I need some beauty in my life. I hope you have a beauty filled week.
If I'm honest, I've had a ton of loss to grieve the past couple of years. Mostly though I haven't grieved, I've just moved on, or so I think. I know it sometimes pops when I least expect it. I can become so easily angered or emotional and when I dig deeper, it's usually not about what's right in front of me. What I got out of yesterday is that your pain matters and it matters to God. However small or large and that it's important to give ourselves room to grieve, otherwise we might not be able to move on.
At my place setting was a bookmark with this on it:
Isaiah 43:2
You will pass through deep waters (of grief)
But I will be with you.
You will pass through the rivers (of sorrow)
But their waters will not sweep over you.
You will walk through fire (of heartache)
But you will not be burned.
The flames will not harm you.
I'm hoping to get to the beach this week, I need some beauty in my life. I hope you have a beauty filled week.
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