City Girl turns Country Girl

Heading to the Farm today. I've never had to take care of chickens so this should be an interesting adventure. What I am looking forward to is the change of scenery and the peacefulness that comes with being there....well that is when Abbilicious (Mom's HUGE German Wire Hair puppy) takes a nap.

Let the adventure begin!

What if I had ten good reasons to love you and to leave you better then the you , you were before?

"Life isn't as serious as the mind makes it out to be." — Eckhart Tolle

Deep at the center of my being is an infinite well of love.

It's so FLUFFY i'm gonna die!!!

It's all just a game we just want to be LOVED

Does it get any better then Lenny Kravitz. I must have listened

to this album a zillion times my Senior year of High School, and I

still have it in rotation to this day.

Destiny...

I have this magnet above my desk at work. It is an amazing daily reminder of how I want to be.

If it's a broken part replace it, If it's a broken arm then brace it, if it's a broken heart then face it.

Mat Kearney - Breathe In Breathe Out

I love you to the moon.

This morning after I arrived at work, I felt this overwhelming urge to leave. I felt like my job was too much, that I wasn't being appreciated, that things weren't changing even with all the effort I was putting in.
The  way I was feeling was quite opposite of the way I've been wanting to feel. In my quest for happiness, and being love I have been taking teeny tiny steps. After today I realize they are working.
I could have let the feeling I had this morning take over, and been grumpy all day, but I didn't.  I once again chose to let it go. Good thing I did. Shortly after my "moment", I had a friend go into emotional turmoil. She was falling apart right in front of me. Previously I would have felt helpless, I never knew what to say or do in somewhat uncomfortable situations. Today I knew what to do. I hugged her, and I don't mean a tiny little squeeze. I actually held her for a moment as the tears were streaming down her face. I then reminded her that she was one of the sweetest, most loving , amazing people I knew.
I told her that she needed to stop worrying about  what others had to say about her. I told her that it's the ones who love you that count and she had the choice to keep feeling miserable, or let it go.
I'm not sure if she got it at that point, but I knew I had done my part. I knew I had at least planted the seed.
I am so thankful that I am on this journey. I am slowly figuring it out and I love love love it.
Take care of you!

With Love,
Dana

Sunday Morning Cover (Maroon5)

Who doesn't love a good cover song?

Happiness...

I'm slowly getting it. 

say anything tristan prettyman

I instantly fell in love with this song. Tristan Prettyman has the most

Beautiful soul. It carries along into her music. You can here what

she feels in her voice. Enjoy.

Forgiveness is the final form of love. Reinhold Niebuhr

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the perogative of the brave. Mohandas Gandhi

How Cute is this.....

Nobody can “make you feel” anything. What you feel about life and the people and situations of your life are the perceptions, decisions and interpretations that YOU BRING to life. ~ Mastin Kipp

My own little piece of heaven.....in the form of sweet sugary goodness.

I love Cotton Candy....and this is no joke.  I really love cotton candy. It is one of my favorite things in the whole world. I use Victorias Secret Cotton baby Lotion and body wash because it smells like cotton candy.

So how Freakin excited was I when I strolled into work this morning and saw this..........

If you want to be happy, be. ~Leo Tolstoy

It's true, look how they shine for you.

This song is best listened to while driving with the sun rising in the morning.... Actually all Coldplay songs are best when listening to them during sunset or sunrise.

Just me, myself , and I.

Lifes too short for what ifs and plans...

Free Hugs

Being the Huge Hug Slut that I am....I so want to do this!!!

Well, I'm the Icing on the cake. I'm the secret ingredient your missing ~ Tristan Prettyman

So tired...and feeling a bit weak.

I had an incredibly long day today. I think I worked more hours than I have ever worked. It was a good day, but as it when on and I got more tired...I started thinking and over analyzing and then I felt sad. As I was sitting at my desk on the verge of tears, I pulled it together and said to myself..."Come on really? Just breathe and let go. Stop holding on to these feelings. You are choosing to feel sad right now...why?". So I sucked it up and all was well. I think that no matter what I do I will have those moments where I have to have a talk with myself. I have to remind myself to choose happiness and love. Negative thoughts become a habit, not one that can't be broken, but one that you definitely have to work at getting rid of. I intend on working hard to help myself be love.

You Can Close Your Eyes

William Fitzsimmons has the most amazing voice. It soothes the soul like no other. He is the calm that I need at the end of a long day. He is my favorite person to listen to while in a bubble bath. If you get a chance check out some of his other music...it is all simply divine.

Triple Love...

I had a Dream ...

“Letting go doesn’t mean giving up, but rather accepting that there are things that cannot be.”

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm Yours

I love love love this video. I have watched it at least a hundred times in the last year.

It always brings a smile to my face. First, how talented is this cutie? Second...who cares if you know the words to a song...make up your own and rock out proudly I say!

Third, to push through a nose itch like that...come on.. you have to give it up to the little guy. I know grown men that can't do that.

I hope this makes you smile as it does me!

No one can tell me that I'm doing wrong today...

First let me say, how can you not smile when listening to this song. It is Freakin amazing.

Ok now ...

My mom used to try to make house cleaning fun for us when we were little. She called it house a cleaning party. Saturday mornings after cartoons she would put some James Taylor on the record player and we would dance and sing while we cleaned. It certainly made the time go by much faster and made the chore of cleaning much easier.

To this day if I'm going to do any chore whether it be tidy up the living room or do the dishes ...I turn on my ipod and have my own personal cleaning party while I'm doing it.

We all have things we don't want to do...or don't like to do that have to be done in life...maybe trying to figure out a way to make it a little easier..isn't so bad.

Just a thought...

What are you reading too much into? Let it go. Clear out the headspace. Deal with it straight on or make peace with it. ~ Tricia Huffman

Sharing is Caring...

I just wanted to share with you an amazing blog I stumbled across a couple of weeks ago

You should really check it out. It is my morning paper before I start my day. It keeps me positive and really teaches me amazing lessons.
Check it out...
www.thedailylove.com

Life Only Sucks If You Do (Bring The Radness) ~Mastin Kipp

There is magic all around us...

Josh Rouse - Love Vibration

Live in the moment.

 Todays lesson for me is to learn to live in the moment. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day life and let things pass you by. Or to keep looking at the past thinking it will help predict the future. When we are doing this we are missing out on the right here and right now. So today, this morning actually I decided to give it a shot. Live in the moment not think about all the things I have to do later...not think about all the things that have happened earlier....just live in the moment. Guess what...it was amazing. I experienced some of the most amazing things today. I saw some of the most amazing things. Things that not only enlightened me, but touched my soul. Things I would have missed out on if I was on the mission that I am usually on which is go go go. I challenge you to give it a try....you can thank me later. ; )

With Love,
Dana

ADELE - 'Make You Feel My Love'

The first time I heard this song...it went straight to my heart. I listen to it at least once a day.

To the best Support System EVER!!! I Love each one of you infinitely.

Take a Chance and Let's just see

The first time I heard Two Spot Gobi...I was hooked. The sound that comes from this band is a sound that instantly touches my soul. I can literally feel their music within myself when i listen to it. If you have never heard them before you should really check out both of their albums. They are simply amazing!!

Everywhere man blames nature and fate, yet his fate is mostly but the echo of his character and passions, his mistakes and weaknesses. Democritus

Love burns brighter than Sunshine...

I SMILE EVERY SINGLE TIME I HEAR THIS SONG. I CAN'T HELP IT!!!

Every day seems like a test lately....and Baby I'm passing with flying colors!!!

    I have not had the easiest month. It has been filled with ups and downs. The one thing that keeps me sane is my love of life. The fact that no matter what happens in the end it will all work out as it should. Knowing that we choose to feel how we feel. We choose to live our lives in the manner that we do. I am learning to let go of things,to not hold hate in my heart, to forgive and forget. I've learned that we are not all on the same level of understanding, and that's ok. I've learned that love is more than the way I feel. It is the way I am, the way I treat others, and the way I live my life. I'm learning to push the negative away while I bask in the positive light.
I'm not perfect, I have momentary battles with my self. I have moments where I slip, but in the end I stand up and brush myself off and learn from the experience. I am grateful for all that I have, because I have a lot. I have an amazing family,and  the most supportive friends in the world. Beyond that the things we have in our life are just that....things. I hope to keep growing and I hope to have you along for the ride.

With Love,
Dana

Music Makes My Soul Shine...

 If you haven't noticed yet, Music is a huge part of my life. I think it started when My Papa would play The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix to me in the womb. I came out of my mother with a natural longing to hear a sweet melody. Every memory I have, has a song to go along with it. The notes intertwine through the years of my life. I can remember dancing to "You are My Sunshine" in my Grandmas kitchen when I could just barely speak. Singing Black bird with My Dad in the back yard when I was in Elementary school, and spending countless hours in what is now referred to as "The Barn", this is the place where the music lives at my Papa's house.  There is a song for every important moment in my life. I have always been surrounded with the love that is music. Music can make a bad mood good, and a sad mood happy in my world. I'm sure I will share more music with you then is necessary, but this is part of the love that consumes me and if i can pass on even a morsel that you will take with you, I feel like I did my job.

With Love,
Dana

Go on and love yourself, because it's all going to be fine.

No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change. - Barbara de Angelis

One of my top ten favorite songs.

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart. ~Kahlil Gibran

Ok, enough procrastination. It is time... I gave myself a week (or maybe just a little more) to just be...and now it's time to get back to taking care of me. It's funny how just one week can do so much harm to your body. I'm thinking of going back to being Vegetarian..just a thought for now. I also need to find a good yoga class in A2. I think I'm going to do drop ins for a couple of weeks and see if I can find a place where I feel at home.
 On a completely different note, I think I might take bug to her first music festival. The Life is Good Festival is going to be at the end of next month. I think it would be perfect. A ton of our favorite artists will be playing. I really think she will enjoy it, and I know I will.  I'm so blessed to have her in my life. She is so amazing.
 Well, I think that is it for today. Nothing life changing...but that's o.k.  Sometimes simple days are the best.

From me...to you...

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day. ~Author Unknown

I have been doing really well with my mission to stay positive lately. I've been keeping a smile on my face and not sweating the small  stuff. I have been letting the people around me know how I feel about them, and i have been practicing gratitude. Then I got the mail...it's funny how just one small thing can turn your world upside down in an instant. I'm not going to go into what was in my mailbox, but I will say that it felt devastating. I looked at it and instant tears surfaced. I then called my best friend. 5 minutes later all was well. I could have let this take me down a sad road today. I was at the bookstore looking for a book...and I kept gravitating toward sad books...like I was looking to wallow in my misery. I noticed what I was doing and instantly put a stop to it. I choose to feel how I feel. Yes I got caught off guard, but what I do with that...is what defines me. I'm proud of myself today for sucking it up and moving on with my day. Not letting anything get in my way. 

So, I chose.....The Book of Awesome instead of some sad sappy book, and it has turned out to be a great decision. I suggest you get a copy yourself...it will definitely be a go to, on days like today,  for me.

When we seek out the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.~ William Arthur Ward

So cute I had to share...

Reminder to Myself...

Every day brings something new and different in my new position at work. I get to talk to so many different people, from so many different places. I think that is the part of my job that I love the most. I love that I get to build relationships with my customers, and learn new things everyday.
Let me back up a little bit...
I work at a book printing company in the Print on Demand department. I get the pleasure of taking peoples dreams and making them a reality. I work in a fast paced environment, but I still try to take the time to get to know my customers as well as I can in the short time that I am working with them. I want them to trust me...
I mean after all they are kind of handing over their children to me and asking me to take care of them until they are finished. I try as hard as I can to make each customer feel like they are my most important. I want them to know that I am going to do everything I possibly can to make their books as amazing as if they were my own creation.

By doing so I have met some of the most amazing people. I've heard stories of love, of hate, and today I heard a story of a sailor hiding a girl on a navy ship. As I sat and listened to this man...or should I say this author tell me some of the funniest stories of his time in the Navy...I thought to myself, this is why I do what I do. This makes it all worth while.
As hard and overwhelming as my job may be some days...I still feel blessed that I get to do what I do.

I want to love, I want to learn to love everything.

Sweet sunset at Houghton Lake...

"Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity."

So YUMMY!!!

I may have a bit of an obsession....

I know it's silly....but I giggle every time I watch it.

Can't help but smile and dance....

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings

Life is a BEAUTIFUL thing and there is so much to smile about...

I took a trip to Chicago last week...it was a very short trip, but I did get to see the new Marilyn Monroe Statue .  On the flight home  I was reading an article in a magazine and stumbled across the Quote below.
It made me think....sometimes the Universe is telling you things without you even knowing it. Tee hee.

This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And baby, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." 
— Marilyn Monroe

Be My Honey Pie...

Anybody who knows me...knows that honey bees are near and dear to my heart.
My mother has an Apiary, and I have been lucky enough to get to help her out with it
from time to time.  I have never seen anything as magical as a honey bee. I will never forget
one fall morning walking into my mothers house after being out in candle world making bees wax candles.
I put my hand in my pocket and felt a little buzzing....the cutest honey bee had hitched a ride into the house inside my pocket.
 The healing powers of honey are amazing. I love watching peoples expressions at the farmers market when I tell them everything that honey can do. From healing wounds to helping with Migraine headaches. Honey is natures cure for what ails you.
Next time you are down at a Farmers Market look for the "Honey Lady..or Man".  Get yourself some Raw Organic honey...and you will soon be an advocate just like me.

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Macy Gray - Beauty in the World (HD)

Quick....push play...and shake your booty. How could you not smile

listening to this??

Just the smell of rain makes me smile sometimes.

An Excerpt From an Email...

The universe works in strange ways, I don't even want to begin to figure it all out. I have no need to. I am instead going to be grateful for all that I am, all that I have, and all that I have to give. I have decided to make my life what I want. Not give in to my fears...Fuck my fears...they can only hold me back. I have decided it is time to commit to the most amazing person I know. Me. (Well of course next to Lily, but by committing to myself I am in turn committing to her.)

I hope that one day you get the experience the feeling that I am right now. The freedom to just be me.

Be Truthful, Gentle and Fearless.

~Ghandi

“The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers”

~ Deepak Chopra