i miss Don today and i have no idea why

Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their death bed

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. 

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

***I am so in agreement with this but...... easier said than done.
 
2. I wish I didn't work so hard. 

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence. 


By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

***I regret having to work when Kasey was growing up.  I regret the men in my life when Kasey was growing up.  I will never ever feel good about any of that, no matter what, never.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings. 

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result. 

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly,in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

***Speaking honestly and being honest with oneself is not the easiest thing to do in the midst of turmoil or what we perceive to be turmoil.  Only later do we realize the intensity of it or we realize that it was just a dark cloud that needed no special attention.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. 

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved.Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

 
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks,love and relationships.

***I promise to not lose touch with those I love.  I will also not be sad when I attempt to keep in touch and they can't reciprocate. 

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have sillyness in their life again.

 
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again,long before you are dying.

***I vow to be more content from this day forth.  That's ll I have to say about that. 

Observer August 2010 but have since found a link to the post on her website: http://www.inspirationandchai.com/Regrets-of-the-Dying.html

found this photographer's website

not sure if you've started your website or blog yet, Kathleen but I found this one that was pretty nice.  See if there are any ideas you can steal!

http://carrielambing.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog


or this one


http://laurahaleyphotography.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog

Pookie update

June 12th - Pookie lost his first baby tooth (that we know of)

June 13th - Lost another one and another is just hanging

June 14th - the hanging tooth from yesterday has been swallowed today

and look how big he's getting

compared to

heels, babygirl clothes and to-die-for purses

Casadei & Sigerson Morrison

high heel cowboy sandals, that's what they're called.  Isn't that the perfect name? 

OMG, i'm still alive because I LOVE THESE HEELS !  

(but they're $300.00)

bugger!

and if i knew how to sew, i know a little babygirl that would look adorable in this outfit!!!

ok, and another pair of shoes and these are only $139

and then there's the purses i MUST have SOON !!!

i need to win the lotto SOON !!

and it's just $98

it's a Norma Kamali and it's only $98, which is pretty cheap for a nice suit.

best invention ever in a can

chalkboard paint!

seriously, i'd paint anything that's not nailed down.

the hunt is on

i'm looking for a large picture frame. i'd prefer vintage and ornate but just a nice thick large one will work.

i'm looking for beads.  wood or glass and any colors especially black and any size.

and i'm looking for vintage looking wrapping paper.  like something that resembles oil cloth, vintage style.

if anyone comes across any of the above, give me a shout!!!

you can clean your entire home with vinegar and baking soda.

Acidic vinegar kills some germs and microbes and inhibits their growth; cuts grease, lime deposits and soap buildup; disinfects and deodorizes; removes stains, shines and polishes. 


Use white vinegar for practically everything from my wood floors to toilets. Mix about ½ cup of vinegar with a cup of water and add a little orange or lemon essential oil to make a wonderful, all-purpose sanitizing spray. 


Put a little in a small bowl and place it on a high shelf to absorb odors, and I use vinegar scented with essential oils to wash garbage cans and remove pet stains.

Important to check the label before you buy white vinegar to make sure it’s made from natural ingredients. 


If the label says “grain alcohol,” “neutral grain spirits” or “wine,” it’s made from natural ingredients such as corn, apples or grapes. 


Avoid anything that says “synthetic alcohol,” as it’s likely petroleum-based.

Baking soda is an effective (and cheap) deodorizer that also scours and removes smudges or scuffs from floors. Inside dog accidents, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to baking soda, sprinkle it on the rug, let it dry and vacuum. This formula is much more pleasant smelling and healthier than the chemical formulas that are sold for this purpose. 


Use a thick paste made from baking soda and water to clean the oven—simply apply the paste, let it sit overnight, remove and follow with a swipe of vinegar-water solution. (You can play with the ratios. One of the great things about cleaning with these simple ingredients is that it doesn’t have to be an exact science.)

The real fun happens when you combine baking soda and vinegar in to clear sluggish drains. Pour in ½ cup of baking soda and chase it with ½ cup of vinegar, then watch it fizz as the acid and alkaline react to each other. It’s so much fun that my kids beg to clean the drains!

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-home-living/clean-your-entire-home-with-baking-soda-vinegar.aspx#ixzz1PCwosSAh

peanut butter puppy poppers

wheat flour, baking soda, milk and peanut butter

roll out and cut with a cookie cutter

waalah!!!

jamie and pookie like them too!

and i made another batch of sweet pickles.  it's so easy and so hard not to eat a jar at a time.

more new finds

Kathleen, i found another cutesy blog for you:   http://www.makeit-loveit.com/

and then there's these:

 another great example of what to do with a jar and metal bracket and a piece of molding.

ok, why didn't they think of this when they built those stupid cabinets that have all the wasted space in the corner?  seriously

 and I am definitely going to do this when I find a frame I like.  I think an ornate one.  What do you think?

a few more finds

i thought this was a precious picture and could be my little darlin' Ava in a year.

 ok, seriously, brownie batter over oreos nestled ontop of cookie dough.

i really would love a chalk board in my kitchen

coffee filter roses, can you believe it?

 and this is my ideal crafting room

 another photo idea for Kathleen (who is on her way to stardom with her photography abilities)

 and another for Kathleen

 and when i get a yard........

 and when my bff Amy get's married, I am going to do this in whatever color she chooses for her wedding reception!!!!

 and finally, i think Ava would be cuter than a bug in this little get-up.

wise words from Tina Fey to her baby daughter..

“First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, You dammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers. Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.”

And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes. Amen.” -Tina Fey

More DIY things i'm going to attempt

are you ready?  i've found a few.  not sure when i'll get to them but i'm gonna try

not sure what i'm going to do with these, i'm thinking a hair clip or on a small headband.

 i think these would be nice in a bathroom or a craft room

great christmas gift, filled with hot cocoa mix 

this would go great with the cocoa above.

i'm going to try this with a taller glass and use as a flower vase

a wooden cutlery box and some door knobs.  how easy is this? !

 when i get a bigger place, i am definitely doing this

ok, that's enough ... i certainly can't do ALL of these things but I am going to buy some embroidery thread and try the crocheted necklace and perhaps the wooden cutlery box turned jewelry holder. I'll let you know how I do.

smiles, hugs and waves to you!!!

gift idea!

someone is definitely going to get this as a gift!!!!!

is it summer yet?

the weather is doing that June glum here in San Diego and i guess i can't complain.  it's scorching on the east coast and people are dying from the heat.

but i found these vintage pictures that remind of me of lazy warm summer days and stuff

new stuff

maybe try my hand at making this necklace in different colors

Really cute ideas for a range of different stuff.


My newest fav blogs:


http://pinterest.com/boards/

amazing pictures, how-to's, everything, really just about everything

http://maizehutton.blogspot.com/

and I found my next pair of shoes !!!!

and someone please tell me this man is a manicurist and he's free!!!!

on another note, not related to that "awesome drink of water" in the picture above....

I have also become the queen of "keeping puppy hair of wood floors."  

thank you very much

every day it's half the place and then the next day, it's the other half

it's a good thing i like my damn dog

and another thing about "domestic-shit"...

fold your sheets and store them INSIDE their pillowcases!!

why didn't i think of that?

soooooooooooo martha stewart, don't you think?