Big and Little Beautiful

Hello again...

I'm so glad to hear from you again and glad you liked the last post. I'm feeling so much joy getting back into home & design. It is my big joy, along with cooking now!!!

Sidenote: What is up with me and comma's? I noticed my last entry had comma's all over the place and in all the wrong places! The comma key was broken (wink).

I didn't post very much this last year because I was more than knee deep in figuring out some minor (though sometimes they felt like major) health issues. My daughter has Hashimoto's disease, and I, hypothyroid. I mentioned I'd share some of the books, but for now Gwyneth Paltrow's two books from the last post should keep you busy. She gives a wealth of information between her recipes not one of which isn't amazingly delicious. (Yes, she has a sous chef, staff, and tons of money for the incredibly expensive ingredients, but I am still a huge fan and can tell where to skip...for example on the $55. honey) I studied like crazy to figure out some natural solutions...

We now eat only organically, though I will sneak a horrific diet coke now and then or a cup of coffee, but once I began reading about the ingredients and what the GMO's and hormones do to our bodies I decided to make the switch. After the first six months my dental hygienist said, "WHAT did you do?" (gasp, I thought I was in huge trouble) as I normally have to go in every 3 months for bad gums. She said my gums were now normal, so I was thrilled!  Really!!!

I share this because I am enjoying cooking like crazy! My kids don't complain anymore, maybe their pallets are mature now? My husband and I have a big garden and the veggies and herbs below are all home grown! I also share this because the direction I am going with my business (blog and life) is I guess what I have known all along...I thrive on living in positivity and beauty. I LOVE to concentrate on what is good, beautiful, lovely etc..(Phil 4:8, you know, my favorite). I discovered that while I am a realist, the life is sucked out of me by concentrating too much energy on well...the opposite...what needs "work". 

I love to be around people, places and things that find the GOOD, JOY and BLESSING in everything!  I am inspired by my friend LORI (joy and light even in cancer) for example, though thankfully now recovered...who was even joyful throughout that journey. I like/desire to call out the good in everything. I've realized THAT is who I am. (Perhaps it is because it is also easy for me to become negative if surrounded with negativity or pessimism or finding what doesn't work well, my weakness!!!)   I will be focusing now with my new business NAME on what is worthy of celebration...that is where I'm going. I'm so excited for you to join me. 

So, before I move on to all these future joys....celebrate with me this summer's precious memories! Write yours down too! Share them with us! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

As I mentioned before, but blogger ate this photo, this was right before I tumbled down the hill. :)

 My amazing cousin, like a bro, Dan!

 More dolphin pics...before we move on.

The kids were giggling and screaming. 

We were speechless. In my whole life I have never seen anything like it.

 The joy of listening to Justin play guitar is just the best.

Never tell him I said that! (wink)

Catherine dancing to Justin's music. Precious beyond words.

 I am in love with all things nautical, the line, the knots, the way the woodwork is done and cared for! Sanded, varnished, smooth and shiny. It so reminds me of my childhood aboard my grandpa's boat the Shawnee and our summers in Catalina. His big permanently black hands from silversmithing pulling up the chains to set sail, the smell of diesel, the rocking of the hull, washing dishes together...

Love, love, love!

 Baby Shoes!!!

 I absolutely loved the wall they made out of chicken wire and rocks. I took a ton of pictures of the beautiful simple solution.

 Isn't this close up of the white seaweed just gorgeous?

The shadows of the palm trees on the bocce ball court was so enchanting.

 Roasted beets are one of the pretties and most delicious veggies around! These were yellow and purple and I just wanted to make a pretty dish with lots of color!

 Isn't this lettuce just gorgeous? I love the color.

I love these onions. I picked them, washed them, then roasted them. Just beautiful, gorgeous nature.

 Catherine's blue eyes are almost piercing! 

The girls before dinner...

and another type of Paella...

Silhouette of the boys!

Gratitude, big and little...Bread and Wine

Hi Dear Inspired Readers,

My summer time is coming to a close, though sunny days will be here for a few months,  my son beginning school tomorrow and my daughter next week. Lucas will begin tomorrow as well. Whose Lucas? He is our international student living with us now! Happy & sad.

Do you ever have those conflicting feelings? 

Well, if you do, too...I highly recommend the book Bread and Wine, (see gorgeous picture below) for your summers end read! (I have a mutual friend in common with the author, who brought me another book by her) I could not put it down! I laughed out loud, cried (streaming tears) and found myself agreeing with her out loud, which prompted my husband and daughter to ask me WHAT was I reading?

My mom and I had a lengthy discussion today on the topic, of having a life to be profoundly grateful for, on one hand, and feeling so sad or disappointed about something, on the other. I think we all grapple with that to some degree, which is why I so loved Bread and Wine! She has clearly had a wonderful life, lovely family but has had some very difficult and heartbreaking life circumstances happen. While I laughed and cried my way through this book, I thought she was a girl after my own heart!

So, why do I share all this? Because I just had this recently. So after  DECIDING to focus on my gratitude...

I thought this book and these photos would be a good mix. I hope you get a good laugh out of my descriptions!

I'll be back posting about design and the beautiful things of the home, soon with some surprises, like a new business name and more...

I rolled down the hill, over and over, using my hands and hips to slow down,  from the tippy top of Catalina's White's Cove Mountain Top... Between laughing and squealing, my dad, daughter, hubbie, sister and I, had a blast hiking straight up a very steep, and slippery slope! The boat is down there! Thankfully, I did not roll down there, too!

Below, we look fairly composed, this was taken before I almost rolled to the bottom. (Slight exaggeration) Note: See what happens when I wear FLAT shoes, like tennis shoes?

 I absolutely love to focus on the beauty of EVERYTHING. I think even the docks in Catalina, at White's Cove, are beautiful. The cleats themselves are so beautiful, too. I think I feel this way because growing up I spent most of my summers on them, and tying up the boat to them! 

This salmon recipe (From the other book photographed at top, Gwyneth Paltrow's book It's All Good) is the best ever, ever, ever! 

 Hannah with Catherine and Sydney!

Justin helping Danny and learning the ropes!

 One of the most beautiful moments I have experienced all summer  were these dolphins. We spent more than thirty minutes in the center of these dolphins playing in the wake of our boat. It was a beautiful and magical moment from God. Really, once you spend moments in the midst of these beautiful creatures you feel as if you just spent time with our creator!

 The darling girls walking around Catalina.

My "sous chef" who is apparently a bit camera shy. So meet my "sous basket".

 Paella is Scott and my favorite thing to make together. This recipe also from Gwyneth's books! This one is seafood! It was delicious. I was trying to look "Food Network-y" with my sous chef holding up the Paella in front of Catalina, but since we didn't have a crew to clean the windows on demand, it isn't perfect, though the evening was.

 Beautiful Catherine loving the Paella, as did Eliot, Scott, Danny and my Momma.

 The best parents ever! (Ok, I'm partial)

 The darling cousins. I love them. Gratitude, is just delicious! I wish for you

Zephaniah 3:17! Love to you all. Big Love!!!!