A Wonderful Holiday...

I'm baaaaack! The girls and I had such an amazing time in Victoria and Sidney! My heart and spirit are still there - I guess that's what happens to all of us when we come back from holidays, doesn't it? I treated the girls to 2 nights stay at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria - in a word - stunning. That is a place I have passed by countless times in my past and always dreamed of one day staying there - so we did. We were such little tourists there, exploring all kinds of attractions and time just flew by. While in Sidney, we enjoyed lots of walks along the ocean front and a day at Sidney Spit, a beautiful sandy beach you can only reach by boat. I was also able to take the girls to the High School I attended as it was open and to my surprise, my Class Graduation picture was hanging in the hall. The girls tried their hand at shrimping for the first time and it was so much fun watching my little city slickers taking the shrimp out of the net that they caught.

I used to live in Sidney as a young girl and it has changed so much, for the better. Or is it that one has a different appreciation for things as we get a little older and wiser?









I'm easing in to the reality of being back home in Edmonton and the girls are back at school as of today. September will bring regular schedules and routines back in to our lives and although we love the summer, it's always nice to welcome the coming fall season.

Hope you all have enjoyed your summer as much as I have - I'm wishing you much love, happiness and success in all that you do as we go forward in to the busy seasons ahead.

Love Dawn ♥xox

Mini Vacation Time...

The girls and I are off to have some fun together for a few days before the start of a busy school schedule. My Victoria is so excited because although she's flown on a plane before, she doesn't remember it as she was so young - so she's off the charts thrilled about it! We all are excited!

See you next week and best wishes for a happy start to a new school year for all of you who have kids school age.

Love, Dawn xox♥

If...

August 18 marked the date that my Mother would have turned 83 years old this year. I posted awhile back that she passed a few years ago of Alzheimer's Disease. I'm happy to say that although I miss her dearly, I can look at her picture and smile, think of a memory shared and laugh, but most of all, I feel her presence often and I love the feeling of unwavering support and love she gave me and to this day, I still feel it.

She had a fondness for poetry and one of her favorites became one of my own favorites and so I thought I'd share it with you.

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build them up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Wow, if only we could all actually live this way, hmmm? Lol! Well, I guess most of us try don't we - at least some of it anyway! I have very fond memories of my Mother reciting different parts of this piece throughout her life, depending on what she was facing at the time. She was so articulate and spoke softly and a smile would slowly appear on her face as if by mearly uttering these words, all would be well... and so it was.

Perhaps something in those words will speak to you - it's wonderful how that happens - sometimes we get to read or hear exactly what we need, when we need it.

Have a wonderful weekend dear ones! xox♥

Keep Moving Forward...

I am so enjoying this summer with time spent with my girls and friends! I can't help but feel a little pang of indulgence guilt as I am not spending much time at all tending to on-line business. All I can say is "It is what it is" and be grateful that I'm able to take this much needed time to just 'be'.

On the agenda the last couple of days has been back-to-school shopping - yay (not!). My girls love to get organized for school early and even though it's a bit of a task, I'm always grateful to get it done early especially when I see all the crazed parents trying to find supplies at the last minute... that's not fun - I did that once and promised myself, never again!

Even though the summer is still a few weeks from its end, my mind is ever busy with thoughts of the year ahead of me. Recently I read a little excerpt of the life that Abraham Lincoln lived - I'll share it with you cuz sometimes we can all use a little reminder to feel gratitude for all that we have.

Excerpt from The Best Way Out is Through,

by B.J. Gallagher

Many people do not know that Abe Lincoln endured many hardships and heartaches throughout the course of his life - at times struggling with severe depression. Consider the following:

• He spent his childhood working on the family farm, with long days of back-breaking toil. Unfortunate circumstances forced his family to abandon their home in Kentucky and move across the river to Indiana, in search of better opportunities.
• His mother died when he was just ten years old, leaving his father to raise the children.
• He went to work for a none-too-scrupulous businessman, who ran the business into the ground, leaving young Abe unemployed.
• He ran for the Illinois state legislature and lost, finishing eighth in a field of thirteen.
• He signed a note to buy into a general store with a friend, but within a year they were out of business, overwhelmed by a better-organized competitor in the same town.
• He fell in love with Ann Rutledge, became engaged to marry her, only to have her die unexpectedly. He was heartbroken and severely depressed.
• He fell in love again and married Mary Todd. Together they had four sons, three of whom died before reaching adulthood.
• He was finally successful in getting elected to the state legislature and made two attempts to become speaker. He was defeated both times.
• He wanted to run for Congress but failed to achieve his party's nomination.
• He ultimately won a seat in Congress. But when he sought to run for the U.S. Senate, he couldn't muster the votes and withdrew from the election.
• He was selected as a Vice Presidential candidate, but due to late entry in the field, he couldn't win enough votes.
• He ran for the Senate again but didn't win the seat because his party failed to gain control of the legislature.

But despite all the struggles and setbacks, at no point did Lincoln ever give up; personally or professionally. He endured great pain and sadness, but he didn't let it stop him. He just kept going.

Finally, he ran for the highest office in the land and became the 16th President of the United States, at a time when our country was facing its worst internal crisis ever: the Civil War. Lincoln won the war, ended slavery, and unified the nation.

If ever there was a man who exemplified perseverance and the enduring of personal discomfort, it was Abraham Lincoln. If he could have such pain in his life and still achieve all that he did, how can you - how can I - let discomfort stop us from achieving our own goals?

As I am Canadian, American history taught at school was brief and so I didn't learn detailed accounts of prominent leaders. But when I read this, it reminded me that his is just one story of many, and when we are faced with adversity and all things that seem impossible we need only to reflect on those people who have seen and dealt with real struggle and kept on going.

So dear ones, if at times you feel a little overwhelmed with the tasks at hand, know that you are not alone - many have struggled before you, many will struggle in times to come. But it is in you, if you want it bad enough, to keep going and never lose sight of your dreams.

Love, Dawn xox♥

Tick, Tock - Time is Flying! ...

It's August 4th already and it seems like summer only started! I can't believe how fast it's going. I have a full month ahead; friends and family visits, my Stephie off on a holiday with her Dad in mid Aug. and then I'm taking the girls to BC for a few days vacation towards the end of the month. Somewhere in between all that, we need to shop for back to school supplies, finish the basement development and find work outside the home. Phew! I'm tired just writing about it, lol!

I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful summer and that you always find time to create - I'm going to heed my own words and make time to create this afternoon! xox♥

Inspirational Blog Party! ...

Hello Sweet Bloggieland Friends! Here's a little post today to remind you all of a fabulous Blog Party at Inspiration Avenue. I hope you find some time to visit - better yet, participate! The gifts offered to the participating winners are scrumptious!

Our wonderful Team Leader, Sharon of Mana Moon Studios, asked each of us Inspiration Avenue members to share our thoughts on the following - my answers are from my heart:


"What inspires you most about our team?"

Without question, it is the beautiful people that it is comprised of. Not only are they extraordinarily talented in their own medium, they are some of the kindest, most compassionate women I've had the sincere honor of coming to know. They are selflessly supportive of one another and provide a tireless source of encouragement to each other. The on-line venue for artists is immense to say the least, and to have found such a treasure as Inspiration Avenue amongst the vastness of the internet is like finding the perfect home for the creative soul.


"Out of all the work you've done, what piece of your own creation inspires you the most and why?"

One of my most treasured digital creations is the Starry Nights Digital Collage. I have many passions and interests and my art always reflects them. But this particular piece is full of elements that inspire me each and every day - things that I carry with me in thoughts to always move me forward in my life's journeys. The endless sky of Stars reminds me that the Universe is full of lessons and gifts if I remain open to its teachings. The gates represent the entrance and exit in to each journey I will travel. The butterfly represents safe passage through my journeys on its graceful wings. And on the wings of the butterfly are steadfast reminders to me that there is always an Angel to watch over me while my feet are planted on the earth and my dreams are reaching for the moon and stars. May we all have safe passage through our life's journeys and always listen to our dreams and wishes because they are the whispers of our authentic selves.


If you find Inspiration in this particular Digital Art piece I created, I welcome you to download it and print it out for your own personal use. If it gives you a little smile and comfort when you look at it, then know that I am smiling with you and I am honored to share a little piece of my Inspiration with you!

Happy weekend to you all and don't forget to drop by Inspiration Avenue for the "5 Degrees of Inspiration" Blog Party and leave some love for the beautiful people behind it! xox♥

A Lovely Blog Award...

I'm always so very grateful to receive such lovely awards for my little place in Bloggieland. Thank you so much to Push the Button Alpha for thinking of me for this sweet treat.

You must, must go visit this beautiful person's Blog. I adore it - mostly because the writings there inspire me so. I love to be encouraged to be philosophical and to think outside the box and every time I visit there, I do just that. So to that I say a big Thank You - for the award - but especially for gracing your readers with such mind candy! xox♥

I haven't been here much lately... tomorrow I will share a little why - til then! xox

Blog Party Invite! ...

August 1, 2009 - "5 Degrees of Inspiration" Blog Party

My wonderful team members of Inspiration Avenue are hosting a Blog Party! Yay! I won't be participating due to personal time constraints, but I am sharing the news with you cuz there are some beautiful prizes to be had and these ladies are so very talented that I wanted you to go have a look and sign up to participate yourselves!

Have fun, get inspired, write about what inspires you and make connections with some amazing people - it doesn't get any better than that! xox♥

I'm back - refreshed and happy!...

I had such a lovely time away - just me and a dear friend for a few days. I missed my girls of course, but sometimes a gal needs a little time away for just herself♥

My summer plans include lots of time spent with my girls and hopefully another 'holiday' coming again soon - probably won't venture too far away - summer is wonderful though, isn't it?

Hope you all are able to make some wonderful summer holiday plans of your own. xox♥

Away for awhile...

So much excitement is going on in my house today! My girls and I are going to the Jonas Brothers concert tonight! Yay!!! They are off the charts excited - must confess - me too ;o)

I will be away for a few days following that for a much needed little holiday... I'll post when I return. Hope you all are keeping well and happy xox♥

Summer is finally here...

Well, summer has finally arrived. Although it won't truly feel like it until Monday arrives and there is no school schedule to rush around for - Yay!! I love this time of year. I'm an early riser - not by choice, lol - I'm so not a morning person ;o) But on school days I'm up at 6am and my days are full all the way to around 11pm at night. And June is a crazy month for my girls with final exams etc.

They both finished the year with happiness and anticipation of summer and the next year of school. My Victoria is a clever cookie... she has accomplished excellent grades with 'Honors with Distinction' recognition awards and she'll be in Junior High in September. My Stephanie has done well too and will go in to Grade 12 - that will be an exciting year for her for obvious reasons, but extra special for her as her Cosmetology class will be attending various 'shows' and training in that field in California for a week.

I haven't been creating lately... my schedule has been too hectic on the home front, and I'm missing it. Hopefully we'll all settle down a bit now as we ease in to a summer time schedule and I'll be able to spend some time with my creative spirit. Here's a couple of digital collage treats for you to play with in hopes that you are able to find time in your busy schedules to enjoy your creative spirit ;o)

Happy Sunday and week that follows, everyone xox♥

It just never ceases to amaze me all the wonderful people I have come to know and continue to meet through Blogging. I consider it a privilege that I get to enjoy the words you write through the experiences you live, the creativity and art you share, and the enormous giving and caring spirit you so generously give of yourselves. Thank you to all of you.♥

I have been given 2 more Blog Awards within the last couple of days. I am truly grateful to be considered for such things and I thank you very much. Because these are awards that I have received in the past as well, I've decided to bend the rules just a little (when don't I, lol). Instead of listing Blogs that I will forward the award to, please visit the Blogs I have listed below. They belong to fabulous women who are to be commended for all that they share through their own Blogs. They are the wonderful ladies who gave these awards to me. When you've had a visit with them, come back and peruse my list of Blogs I like to visit. I know you'll find something there to inspire you, relate to, and learn from.

Kitty Designes
Push the button Alpha
Mana Moon Studios

Early happy weekend everyone.... "... And the award goes to......" All of you!!! xox♥

Fun with the number 8...

I've been tagged by sweet Sharon from Mana Moon Studios. She's such a dear lady with a huge giving spirit and I love this particular tag game, her answers were wonderful. I'm happy to play along too ;o)

8 Things I'm looking forward to...

1. Trying something completely new to me.
2. Visiting a friend I haven't seen in years.
3. The end of this school year, bringing summer.
4. Jonas Brothers concert with my girls.
5. Summer thunderstorms.
6. A flat tummy, lol.
7. Being quiet amongst nature in the mountains.
8. Finding my muse again.


8 Things I did yesterday.....

1. Smiled and laughed til my sides got soar.
2. Exercised for an hour.
3. Spent alone time with my eldest daughter.
4. Spoke on the phone with a dear friend.
5. Had lunch with a wise senior friend.
6. Watched golfers tee-off.
7. Got my car washed.
8. Thought about the future.


8 Things I wish I could do...

1. Take a trip to Paris.
2. Make more hours in a day.
3. Be financially free and share it.
4. Take a long walk on a tropical beach.
5. Lighten the load of a friend.
6. Meet in person the beautiful people I've come to know here.
7. Surprise a friend with a trip of their dreams.
8. I'm with Sharon on this one - I'd love to fly - I do have lots of flying dreams, lol.


8 Things or shows I've watched lately...

1. My daughter experiencing the feelings of her first love.
2. My other daughter being a wonderful role model for younger kids.
3. My girls laughing.
4. Grey's Anatomy (recorded the season and am finally watching it, lol).
5. Fried Green Tomatoes - Again! - Love that one.
6. A Mother Duck guiding her babies across the street.
7. Discovery Channel
8. Bachelorette (Cuz Jillian is from close to where I live, lol)


8 Of my favorite Blogs...

1. Mana Moon Studios
2. LuLu Kellogg
3. Push the Button Alpha
4. Thursday Sweet Treat
5. Everyday Possibilities
6. Here Be Dreams
7. My Romantic Home
8. Etsy Cottage Style


I found this little tag game fun and please feel free to consider yourself 'tagged' if you'd like to play along too - no obligation here - just a little fun if you choose. It's so nice to get little personal glimpses of the wonderful people of Bloggieland.

Happy Friday and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! xo♥

ATC Background for You...

Oh my, where does the time go? I can't believe I haven't posted since last Thursday! And that was a vent post, oh dear - time for a cheerful post ;o)

My girls are really getting anxious for summer. June is a little tough for them to get through while summer is approaching - final exams, early anticipation for the next grade level, etc. So it's been a very busy week, but a wonderful week just the same.

I haven't even had much time to create digitally this week.... hmmm - I better take my multi-tasking skills up a notch, lol. Here's an ATC Background I did manange to create for you to play with.

Hope you're all well and looking forward to your weekends xo♥