Shoe Make-over

I’m loving all of the fun shoe makeovers everywhere!!
Check out this submission from Katy at Sweet Verbana…
Shoe Makeover Tutorial

Good Bye Oprah

Good bye Oprah. We are going to miss you! Who is going to take your place? Who is going to inform us about life events, both good and bad? Who is going to showcase new talent in the arts? Who is going to be a champion for the underdog and those who help the underdog?

We envied all those in your audience that received fabulous prizes. We envied the friendship you and Gayle share. We envied Tina Turner's legs! We envied someone who had a vision and carried it out for the past 25 years. We envy the awesome power of a woman intentionally changing her life without knowing what is going to happen next.

So yes, Oprah I am going to miss you. Running on the treadmill while watching your show helped make the time go faster. Trying out the tips that Dr. Oz gave on your show helped make me healthier. Listening to poems by Mattie and Maya Angelou fed my soul. Reading your book recommendations helped broaden my literature base. Seeing your show on the Fistula problem in Africa reminded me of how lucky I am to be a woman in America and how I need to share my abundance with others.

Will you miss Oprah? Did Oprah influence you or affect your life in any way?

Wordless Wednesday

 A boy's best friend?

National Bike Month

Whew, I didn't realize May was National Bike Month and May is flying by! I did know that last week was Bike to Work Week since my hubby rode his bike one or two days.

I decided to review safe biking skills with my second graders. Actually, these are rules all bicyclists should know. So here are some good tips to keep you and your family safe while biking.

1. Wear a helmet! It should be a quality, correctly fitted helmet. (Here's a video on how to choose a helmet.) The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute reports that around 2/3 of all biking deaths result from traumatic brain injury. Safety experts estimate that more than half of those could be prevented by wearing a helmet. Wearing a helmet is not just for kids!

2. Bicyclists should ride on the road, and on the same direction as traffic.

3. Bicyclists must obey all traffic signs and signals.

4. Motorists and Bicyclists should yield the right of way to each other. (Courtesy works both ways.)

5. Motorists must at all times maintain a 3-foot clearance when passing a bicyclist. (Good reminder for those of us driving as well as biking.)

6. Bicyclists must signal their turns. Years ago, we taught the kids right, left and stop hand signals. Now we are told that you just need to point the direction you are turning.

7. Lights and reflectors are required at night.

8. Wear a helmet. Oh, did I mention that already?

You might also want to check and see if your city or town has additional rules for bicyclists.

National Bike Month might be wrapping up but the summer biking season is just getting into full swing. Have fun on your bike but be safe!!!

Girls Just Gotta Have Fun

Ladies you need to check out this virtual hair make-over site!

The site has hundreds of celebrity photos where you can magically insert your own image into the face portal section. Supposedly you can use the feature to see what hairstyles look good with your coloring and face, but more importantly it’s just plain fun! I haven't figured out yet how to post pictures of me using hairmixer so you'll have to go there and fool around with your own picture. Let us know which celebrity style was your favorite.

For more fun go to Gathered's website where you won't find celebrity styles but products that will make you feel like a celebrity!

Love Those Cropped Pants!

I think cropped pants are a woman’s best friend. Any gal, any age can wear them and look good. For those of us with legs a little past their prime, we are especially grateful these are in style. Here is a look at summer’s finest.

                                     Skinny Chino Crop. JCPenney $26.99

                  ASOS Tab Front Peg Linen Pants $64.83 http://www/us.asos.com

Merona Women's Pull-on Pants Target $17.99 (no pic available)

                             Cuffed Cropped Pants  $22.80 Forever 21

Cuffed Boyfriend Capris Kohl’s $29.99 (probably cheaper—don’t you always have a % off at that store?)

Are you a fan of capris/cropped pants? 

30 Acts of Loving Kindness

Head on over here to find a great list of 30 acts of kindness you could do.Help make the world a better place!

What are your favorite acts of loving-kindness? Share them in the comments section.

Times You Still Need Your Mother

My mother.

Once a mother, always a mother. I used to be a little irked when my mom would offer parenting advice. But then I got to thinking about all the times I really needed her and how lucky I am that she is still around to help me out.


Like when...


1. I became engaged. I needed her to be happy for me and help me plan a wedding.


2. I found out I was pregnant again. I had just had a baby only 3 months ago. Being the mother of 10 she led by example that every child was precious no matter when they came.


3. I needed to know if pink eye was cause to make an Emergency Run.


4. We needed someone to babysit...and babysit and babysit. She never said no.


5. I tried to bake my first batch of "butterhorns" (an old family recipe)and needed to know how to buy yeast.


6. I started menopause and wanted to know what hers was like so I had an idea what to expect.


7. I needed her prayers for a family crisis.


These are just a few of the times my mother has been there for me. Thank you mom, and I'm so happy to be able to share Mother's Day with you tomorrow!


How about your mom? Do you have a time you needed her that you could share with us?

Silence is Golden

Sunrise on my way to work. Early peace and quiet.

Working in a school situation there seems to be little time for silence. We do have a quiet period of silent reading each day but for some kids that is extremely painful! I think we are assaulted by noise all day long and for some of us perhaps even at night. It's no wonder our stress levels are high.


I have a 35 minute commute to work each day. When I am driving, I listen to the news for about 10 minutes then I turn the radio off. I use that quiet time to plan my day (or on the way home to de-stress) or say some extra prayers. On days before holidays or when our school has special events by the time I get home I really crave some peace and quiet.


Mother Theresa said so many things in nature are silent. (flowers, grass, the sun and moon). She also said that you need silence to hear God. How true!


Do you know of a mom that could use some peace and quiet? Maybe you could gift someone with that for Mother's Day. (My daughter has 3 little ones and works full-time. I'm going to take the kids overnight tonight so that she and my son-in-law can have a quiet, peaceful night together.)


Gathered From The Garden has some lovely bath teas that are perfect for de-stressing at the end of a hectic day. Just add them to your bath and soak your cares away. A silent time in the bath maybe just what you've needed!

Twin Blessings

Sunshine and a no-hitter...it doesn't get much better than this!

Do Our Imperfections Enhance Our Beauty?

Recently I had a somewhat unnerving experience. A colleague of my younger sister Mary (who is 10 years younger than me) asked if I was Mary's mother! I had never met this woman before so I was a little short with my answer "NO!".

Later, after I had the chance to reflect on it, I realized there will always be someone who is thinner, smarter, better-looking,more creative or younger than me. I can wallow in some self-pity or rail at that woman's insensitivity or accept the fact that we all have imperfections. In the book "The Woman's Book of Courage" by Sue Patton Thoele, she says that even clothes have a disclaimer. "This garment is made from 100% natural fibers. Any irregularity or variation is not to be considered defective. Imperfections enhance the beauty of the fabric."

I hadn't really considered that my imperfections could enhance my beauty. I'm still striving to be the best I can be but I 'm trying to accept that I am unique and can appreciate myself as I am now. This woman doesn't know what's on the inside, she was judging by what she saw on the outside. Yes, I'm older, but I have a lot of life experience to celebrate!

I also have to consider that maybe Mary is just VERY young-looking! If I got to add another daughter to my family, I'd be very proud to be her mother. As it stands now, I am enjoying the relationship that we have as older sister/younger sister. She is intelligent, generous and hard-working--one heck of a woman!! She has her imperfections too but that only adds to her beauty.

To celebrate the beauty of you why not pamper yourself with a jar of Gathered's Satin and Silk Shea Butter Lotion. I can't think of a better way to get your skin ready for summer!