Lemonade Stands

I am several dollars poorer thanks to all the cute children in my neighborhood who have had lemonade stands this summer. When will parents teach them about eBay? 

Well anyway, it is fun to see how each child's face fills up with excitement (some times their uncontrollable jumping up and down reflects their excitement also) when you stop to give them a few cents for a cold, sometimes not-so-cold and somewhat diluted...ahem...lemon drink. 

Who doesn't remember having a lemonade stand as a kid? It seems like every childhood was in need of the citrus drink to get a few dollars for something special. 

I will always stop when I see a lemonade stand because it represents the right children have to dream.

This Is All I Need To Say

That is all I needed to say.

Thank You Dr. Seuss

 Today I watched a show where they discussed how some schools will celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. Other than eating green eggs and ham (which I have personally done), they are going to read his books and then each child gets to write a book about themselves. Now, my question is, why don't we as adults do that once a year? I remember as a little girl having to write about myself and making collages of the things I did well or I enjoyed. Would we not be happier if a couple of times a year we wrote books (pictures included) about the things we do well, who we really are or want to grow up to be? I think March 2nd I will be making a book about myself to remember what is special about me. I think we should all do that.

Blue hair is hot

Oh Sunny Days...

I know some may disagree with me... but the best part of the year is SUMMER. Oh how I miss the early mornings when you actually want to get out of bed because the sun is out and it is starting to get warm.  Plus all the fantastic things you can do during the summer! I like to ride my bike to the library. I like walking on grass without shoes on. I like washing my hair and letting it dry out. I like having a chocolate covered cone that drips down my fingers (dripping soft-serve ice cream is the best!!!), unfortunately that's how I gain 10 lb each summer. But that's a different story.
Oh SUMMER, I love thee like I will never love anyone (or thing) else. Please come back soon!

Everyday Gratitude

I am so grateful for so many things.

I am so grateful that I have a home to live in, let alone a bed (and a comfortable one) to sleep in. I am grateful I have blankets to put over my body in the cold of night. I am grateful that I have a place to be during the cold days. I am grateful that I get to choose what I eat each day. I am grateful that I don't have to fall asleep to the sound of gun fire outside my house. I am grateful that I don't have to wait for the bus in the middle of a snow storm. I am grateful that I can see the sunset each day.

Sunset in Hawaii

I am grateful that I can dance around because I can move. I am grateful that I can sing because I can hear and speak. I am grateful for all the unnecessarily things that I have, including this computer and access to the Internet. I am grateful that each day I am reminded of how blessed I am by simply seeing the world around me; I am grateful to have the responsibility to try to help those less fortunate than I.

I am just grateful.

The small things

Ageless Love?

I have to admit, lately I have spent way too much time reading The Pioneer Woman's blog about her life. I envy it...and now that I have admitted to that, I would like to officially repent for having such feelings.

One of the things I love most about this woman is her and her husband's story: how they met and fell in love. I think the reason I love it so much is because I remember the feelings that she describes while falling in love. She was around the same age I was when I truly fell in love. The sad thing is that comparing our stories has made me wonder, do people still fall in love the same way as they get older?  I look at what my dates and relationships have been like since the dreaded breakup with the one that I felt such feelings for and nothing has ever compared. Yet, here I am reading about someone who felt the same way I did. As a result, I have come to the conclusion that when I felt that way it wasn't all in my head.

Still, nothing even close to those feelings has ever come since. Finally, I convinced myself that I'll never feel that same way again and something lesser will have to do; but then I wonder, could it happen again? Or was it just the excitement that accompanies that stage of our lives?

It is very difficult to date guys when you can never forget the way you felt with (and about) that person you truly loved.

Hopefully, someday I'll be proven wrong.

Pre-Thanksgiving: Pet Peeves

This is a necessary pre-Thanksgiving post. I am very grateful for millions of things, so I would like to get these few things that I am not grateful for out of the way.

Pet Peeves:

I hate it when people clip their fingernails at church. Who are you and did you grow up in a cave? Seriously.

I hate it when people have a hard time making decisions. Just choose something and do it! I think people waste more time trying to decide what they want than enjoying their choice.

I really dislike all the fake "lets make you cry" stories that people read around the holidays. First of all, they are usually cheesy, second of all there are enough true stories which are inspiring that you don't have to make some up. And I don't really care that the little boy bought his moma some shoes.

Well, that's pretty much it! So you if you don't want to be on my bad side, don't do these things.

I feel so much better now!!!!!

Ha-llo-ween! So Scary...

 A few frightening feelings...

A man in my neighborhood carved these

Sadly, Halloween has come and gone and I was not able to celebrate it. I was scheduled to work the nights people were out partying. It was very unfortunate.

In all honesty, Halloween is not my favorite holiday.  I, unlike most people, do not enjoy being scared off my pants. When I was a little girl I was very scared of the dark. In retrospect, I was scared of many things!!! It took years to not be scared all the time. So why go back?

Although I have successfully overcome most of my fears, I still cannot watch frightening movies (at all). The most frightening movie I have attempted to watch is "What Lies Beneath."  Over the years I have tried to watch it about 5 times, each time ending in feelings of defeat as I have turned the TV off when I could not take it anymore.

I guess for now the Disney channel will have to do.

End of Summer

I can FEEL the end of summer coming...
The smells, the sounds, the sunrises and sunsets... everything is different.

I have mixed feelings about it all coming to an end. Summer is my favorite season, especially here in Utah.  For me, the temperature "highs" and "lows" during summer are perfect; I am the "I'd rather be hot than cold" kind of person. On the other hand, end of summer just means beautiful changing leafs and snowboarding season (and of course hot chocolate) will soon be here. So I guess it is not all that bad.

This summer has been pretty amazing and it kind of had to be because...uhm, yeah...it is my last summer in my 20's (somewhat depressing to say, I know).  I got to do a lot of the things that I had been trying to do for a long long time but had not been able to for different reasons. All I can say is that the memories will remain.

There is a song that always makes me think of the end of summer.  It is called "Anything But Mine."  Here is to celebrating the end of a most wonderful season.