A Bee In My Bonnet!

We are women, and yes sometimes we get a "bee" in our "bonnet".


I think it is supposed to be that way...that is how change occurrs.


Yesterday was that day for me....a bee came by and flew into my bonnet.


I'm talking about a "haircut".  


I have not had my hair trimmed since September last year.  And that is not like me at all.  But the problem has been, I am between hairdressers!


Ahhh, you are all nodding.  You compute, you understand.


Us women, hate being between hairdressers!  


Our hair to us is like "Samson's" hair in the Bible...


*Sidenote* if you are not familiar with that story....Samson had a long flowing mane of hair (picture it) washboard stomach, six pack, muscles, some hip sandals, and long flowing hair, and it was his hair that gave him his strength, when someone cut it, all his strength was gone!


So, for me when I am in doubt about something, I don't do anything!  Hence the long scraggy hair I've been carrying around for 6 months.


After being unwell for so long.....the bee in my bonnet decided to fly in that day, and I HAD TO GET MY HAIR CUT NOW........Not tomorrow, not next week...but now!


My poor mum was barraged with sms photos of the latest bob hairstyles!  When I get my haircut, it rules my thoughts until it's cut.....


"What if I don't like it?",  "What if it makes me look fat in my jeans?", 
"What if they cut it too short?"......


All those thoughts swimming around in my head......And if I get a bad haircut, it can plunge me into the depths of depression until it grows out again!  Why?


Well a good haircut can make or break your self esteem, just like our dear old friend, Samson!


With a bad haircut, all my strength and confidence is zapped out of me and can make me feel down about myself, and then it seems to be that way till the next haircut.


I have been loyal to my old hairdresser for 12 years!  A long time....But a change is in the air for me...as you all know, so I took the plunge and tried someone new!


GASP!  


I know, it was very scary.  Meeting someone for the first time, who doesn't know your hair, and doesn't know you from a bar of soap!


BUT....


She was fantastic!  I talked, she listened, I shut up, she cut!   Simple!


And the result.......


"I feel like a million bucks!", and should have done it ages ago!


So the moral of the story is?


"TAKE YOUR BONNET OFF, GET RID OF THAT BEE, AND GET YOUR HAIRCUT"!


Stella!

Goodbye Olly!

When I first laid eyes on this baby...it was not love at first sight...infact I was always a cat person growing up....and my DD (Dear Daughter) #3 actually picked "Olly" out of the litter of 8 puppies.


As I have said previously, we were duped with him, as we firmly believed we were buying a pure cocker spaniel....and he turned out to be crossed with a red setter, and behaviour wise is a red setter....a nutter on legs!


But as the weeks grew into months, I fell in love with this dog, and he is my baby!


Who can resist this famous photo, that captures him completely.....

Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth!!!


He is the most adorable thing as far as I am concerned, and he has his funny little quirks that make him unique!


When we first brought this baby home, we were so worried he would be hurt and might get cold, and lonely, and miss his brothers and sisters, and I remember a few sleepless nights at the beginning!

But cute he was!
















And then he slowly became meshed into our family life, and both he and us, made some adjustments along the way!

Those eye's.....they get me every time!  I can't resist them.  And he is so loyal to me.  I mean, even more than my DH (Dear Husband).  When I walk outside first thing in the morning, with my bed head and bad breath, coffee in hand and sleep in my eyes.....He loves me no matter what I look or smell like.  He sits by my side and doesn't move until I move, to get my second cup of coffee!  And even when I do, he waits by the back door until I return....Now that's loyalty!

He is relaxed and well mannered...(that was not always the case!)  I had to do alot of work with him to get him to this point.


As you can see by the way he sits, he is not a well bred champion...infact they would reject him, on the way he sits, alone!


But he's my champion.......






An ODE to you Olly.  We love you.  You have been a wonderful addition to our family.  A loyal dog and friend....who will be sorely missed by all of us!  We are so thankful we got to spend this time with you.  You have been a special little friend and have showed love and loyalty without asking anything in return....
I remember those fun times we had throwing a ball to you for hours, and you would return it every time!  


*Side note* He loved his ball so much, we bought him a "Tennis Ball Launcher" that launches balls about 5 metres into the air.  We trained him to load the launcher each and every time...as he is so obsessed with his ball, we got tired before he did....so with coffee in hand, I would turn on the machine, and sit back and relax and watch this clever dog load up his tennis machine....that would shoot off a tennis ball every 10 seconds, and he would be constant!  We never knew if it would be him or the batteries that ran out!!!


So farewell my beautiful friend.

Rest as peacefully in doggy heaven as you are in this picture......


We love you Olly.


RIP....

Because if you ever come anywhere
near me I will tear you from limb
to limb with my bare hands for
shredding your new bed into a million
pieces last night!!!!


Stellaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

40...The New 20 Something!

Well, it's here!


Yes...Today is 28 March...and 40 years ago today, the most beautiful, bouncing, 10lb baby girl was brought into this world by a Pommie Couple, who's life was made complete!

That's right people...I am turning the corner today, and am no longer 20 something...but now officially 40!


When did that happen?  Have I been in a coma for past 20 years?


In my head I still feel young...I have memories of me as a child and feel exactly the same....but whenever I walk past a mirror, I catch an older lady out of  the corner of my eye....Don't know who she is!


Sometimes I don't resemble me at all!  And other times,  well.....


"I still got it" ! Hmmmmm....


But to say it.....40.......well  I remember my dad's 40th birthday party....all his "OLD" friends were invited, and they had "OLD" people fun!


Ok, so I was only 14 at the time, but not the point....in my mind I was never going to be 40!


When you are 20, you are still young, but adult enough to be included in the fun "adult" stuff that we all thought we were missing out on....But still young and way too cool to worry about other people and their troubles.


By mid 20's alot of people settle into married life and create a few bundles of joy in the process....


When you officially hit 30, you've made it.  You are no longer classed as "Irresponsible" 20, but now a sensible, adult who now contributes to society.  But still, in your 30's you still havn't arrived at yourself!


What do I mean?  Well, we still are not comfortable enough in our own skin to NOT worry about what other people think.  We still bear the heavy responsibility of providing for and raising our families.  We squeeze in some down time, but we are still 30 and responsible.


Now, around 37, I noticed gravity was really taking it's toll on certain body parts, and when I laughed and smiled, new lines magically appeared at the corners of my mouth and eyes!   And then you have the WHAT THE? moments, when things would appear that you were not expecting.....ladies you know what I mean!  Hideous things our bodies do to betray us!


But, I noticed another thing has happened.   I have almost arrived at myself!


Being 40 means you can love the skin you are in, saggy and all!  It's a time when you stop worrying about what people are "thinking" and "saying" about you, because you realise, life is short, and why waste energy on trivial stuff!


I think we encounter our own mortality at this age, and realise how FAST time is going, watching our kids grow up when we are remembering ourselves at that age....and it doesn't seem that long ago!

40 is an age when you can say NO to people and not feel guilty about it....all the torment of that in my 20's and 30's, and now, so sad...NO!


Don't get me wrong...I am not depressed to turn 40, I just cannot wrap my mind around saying the number, because when I was younger, 40 was OLD.


Obviously my thoughts on this have greatly changed!  I am obviously still young and gorgeous, and people literally don't believe me when I say I am 40, and their mouths gape open, and they are stunned and surprised, and have to see my birth certificate, and still ask me for I.D. when I enter a licensed premesis....


YAWN....time to wake up from that dream!   


Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear STELLA, happy birthday to me.....Hip Hip...stella,  Hip Hip....stella!


:)

I Love A Man In Uniform!

There's nothing better than seeing a man wearing an Apron in the kitchen!

To me that's sexy!  When a man pitches in and helps out.

And DH (Dear Husband) has risen to the occasion....now granted, I did marry a Chef 20 years ago, and he is no longer in the trade, but bless him, he has been such a help.

There are times I want to wring his neck.  There are times we don't communicate very well.  There are times he is selfish.  There are times I don't like him very much.  But there are times, he is the sweetest, hardworking, best looking man on the planet....

And this week, he has been working 2 jobs....His normal full time job...over 12 hours a day....and then his second job....being me!

Running kids too and fro, cooking, washing, lunches, and yes he did manage a movie or 2, but overall, this week he has stepped up to the plate!

He has been doing a "Stella..r" job!

And like I said, "I love a man in uniform"!

Thanks Honey!

It's A Zoo Out There!

Having Stella Moments is one thing, but having Stella Moments when you are not even there is another....

Let me explain....

Whilst I have been cooped up in hospital all week, getting over my gall surgery...life has been going on around me....that's the thing with life, it never stops!

So my lovely mum and dad have been looking after my youngest cherubs for the week so I can rest in peace, in hospital, literally!

So on one of the days, my dad, bless him, decided to take the cherubs to the zoo for the day...brave man....(and he doesn't even like the zoo).

So what started out as a wonderful day out, lots of fun with POP...turned out to be a Stella Moment, in it's own right!  And I wasn't even there!

My youngest DD (Dear Daughter) was pressing up against the Hyena enclosure when she got her knee jammed between the bars!  A simple thing to do, with kids, anything can happen.  So with a little twisting and manipulating on Poppy's part.....

NOTHING!

It would not budge, it could not budge, it did not budge, there was no budge!

Oh Stella!

(I Was secretly glad that these things don't always happen to me....but I guess this doesn't count, as it was still my child!)

So after about 15 minutes of trying....Poppy sent DD (Dear Daughter) #2 to get help from the professionals.....THE ZOO KEEPERS!

It would not budge, it could not budge, it did not budge, there was no budge!

"Haaaa Haaaa Haaa"  someone thought it was hilarious!  (They were laughing Hyena's and thought they were getting "Dinner and a Show"!)

After a while, one of the professionals suggested "Elephant Oil" rubbed up and down the leg would do the trick!

Meanwhile the Hyena's were licking their chops!  And much to DD terrifying thoughts, there were 3 or 4 children's shoe's at the bottom of the enclosure, she was imagining all the other children before her, who had actually slipped through the bars into the enclosure, and that was all that was left of them!

Oh Stella!

It would not budge, it could not budge, it did not budge, there was no budge!

So in a last ditch attempt, the big guns were called in.....YEP......

"The Crow Bar"

It took 3 burly men to free my cherub from the Hysterics of the Hyena Enclosure.  And then an extra half an hour filling out forms, as this was now deemed an "Incident"!!!!

All the while, I was blissfully unaware, in a deep slumber, resting in Peace!

Stellaaaaaaa........

Bush Bashing!

As you all know I am not well at the moment, and will very soon have to have my gall bladder removed....so life for me has been a series of pain, and sleeping, with a bit of life thrown in...in other words, I have not been well enough to do much!  Quite Boring!


So when DH (Dear Husband) suggested on Saturday afternoon a leisurely drive to find a "secret" swimming hole, I thought great, that sounds gentle and a change of scenery would do us all good!


So we packed up the 2 dogs and 2 kids, and off we went.


It all started so well.  We were all singing to "Adele" at the top of our lungs, and the 2 dogs were smiling in the back!  We were on our way!


Now I must add, the secret swimming hole, is slap bang in the middle of nowhere, between towns and DH had an idea where it was!  Hmmmm.....




"It's down here", he said, "I remember"......


So down the dirt road we went.....


What DH neglected to tell me, was we would have to go "Bush Bashing" to get there!  Now for those of you who are not Australian, "Bush Bashing" is a term we Aussies use, which means 4 wheel driving!  So lots of lumps, bumps, pot holes, trees.  Basically it's like putting your family in a jar and shaking it!!!  Get the picture?


So as we are getting thrown around in the car, I noticed the only one smiling was my DH.  His sense of adventure is much greater than mine, the kids and even the dogs!


So down this bumpy road we go, and go, and go, and at the end is a private property!  


"Oh this must be the wrong road", said DH, so we try each and every road within the area.


2 hours later, I am pretty sure all the jiggling around has worn my gall stone down small enough to pass!  But in the process my anxiety levels had risen to a point of a new one forming!  In other words, I was NOT having fun and neither were the kids!


DH dropped us out of the car so we could gain our composure, and the dogs could have a run in the bush!  Now our old dog LuLu is 13 years old is going blind and deaf, plus her back legs have almost no strength left in them!


So we nearly had a fatality when the dog could not outrun the 4 wheel drive and instead of turning away from it, turned to it, and after alot of screaming, the car stopped within a millimeter of LuLu's back legs!  Phew!  It was very close and had shaken all of us up!


Talk about stella moments!


After hours of NOT finding this secret swimming hole, we had more than had enough, and were on our way home when DH said "Lets just try this last track", which happened to be the right one!  YAY...we went swimming, but were well and truly over it by then!


So we did end up swimming but the sun had gone down by then and it was an eerie place to stay, I am sure it looks different during the day!


To cap off, what I thought was a waste of an afternoon, in which I could have had 4 quiet hours on the couch to myself (stupid stupid me!) was another stella moment.


In the driveway, late late at night, when we finally arrived home, the car accidentally rolled slightly back in the driveway, right where my 12 year old daughter was standing....and there were ear piercing screams, around 8pm at night, enough to get all the neighbours out of their houses (oh stella).


My poor DD (Dear Daughter) had her big toe run over!  So all hands on deck, another adrenaline rush to see what damage had been done!  Lots of ice packs and panic, and luckily (and I don't know how?) there was no damage done, no bruising, just a shaken up 12 year old!


So next time people, if your DH asks you if you would like to take a leisurely family drive one afternoon......run for your lives and don't look back!


STELLAAAAAAA!

Taxi!

Taxi!






I am about to round the thirties corner in say the next 2 weeks, and I have noticed that as I am arriving, my transport in which I am arriving is, lets just say, is in need of an overhaul....if you get my drift!


That's right, the vehicle which I transport myself around in, has somehow gone from a twenty something to mid life, and it's in need of an oil change, gaskets, brakes done, and brake fluid, wheels aligned, washed, and vacuumed...and I don't mean my car!


What happened in the twenty something years?


I had dreams of turning 40 and being at my ideal weight ready to get my well deserved tummy tuck....I have been talking about it for years now, when I reach this and when I do that, I will get it done!  40 Has snuck up on me, and I am still in the talking mode!


My health has taken a real battering over the last few years, mostly self inflicted, and it's not until it stares you square in the face, that you are forced to make some life altering decisions!


For example, change or die!


Hmmmm, extreme perhaps, but true.  My poor old body has gone through the ringer having 4 kids, and neglecting myself, to slowly contracting diabetes and having some serious complications arise because I have chosen to ignore them, or not take them very seriously!


(who me?).......


It wasn't until I was laid up in hospital 2 weeks ago, with the agony of gall stones and very high sugar readings, that the Doctor really put it to me to change or die!  Wow.....talk about honesty!


Sometimes that's what we need to hear in order to make these changes!


One last food fling in Bali, and I stepped off that plane with a changed heart and mind....(isn't that where it all starts from?)


I guess we don't really know what we are capable of until we really face up to ourselves!  Don't get me wrong....I really don't have any vices per say...


But I am a lover of coffee and lots of chocolate...and have slowly become a couch potato over the years....a lot of us mums do that!  We get so busy with kids and our family that if there is not enough time or energy left over, we miss out.....time is like currency....we only have 24 hours a day, and if it is spent on others, then we slowly cook on the back burner.....


Ha Ha....that's what happened to me,  the water dried up and I am burnt and crispy.....sort of!


So, instead of reaching 40 with trepidation and an unhealthy body, I am approaching it with a new heart, and attitude!  A newer, healthier version of myself, someone who will still by the way, have her embarrassing moments, her frustrating moments, her tired moments, her angry lady moments.....


Her Stella Moments!


But done with more energy and better health!


It is never to late to change.....and......lettuce is my friend not foe!

Money For Jam!

One of the things I like to do to make a dollar stretch is make my own jam.


In Australia, summer has come to an end, and so has the "stone fruit" season.  Which means, we can pick up this end of season fruit really cheap!  Especially if you buy from a local market.


So I decided to make some strawberry and plumb jam.


Making jam is a very easy process.  Although it is readily available from the supermarket, home made jam tastes better, and you control how much sugar or additives go into it!


The recipe is as follows.




1 kilo of fruit...eg strawberries, plumbs, figs, peach, etc
1 kilo sugar (or less, around 800g)
Pectin (bought in supermarkets, and only if needed)


* I don't usually use pectin, but you can add if you like *


Method


Cut fruit up into small pieces.  Add to a deep/heavy based saucepan.
Add 1 kg sugar, and put over low heat till sugar dissolves.


Then raise temperature slightly until you get a rolling boil "continuously bubbly" but not boiling over.


Stir every couple of minutes, and cook this way for around 40 minutes.  The jam is ready when you put a blob of it on a plate and within 20 seconds, it feels thick to touch.


Make sure you store in jars (steralised, by boiling in water for 5 minutes).


When you fill the jars, place the lids on them tightly and put all the jars upside down.  If you do this, the lids will pop back down again, forming a seal, and will be airtight, as if they were on the supermarket shelves!


Then you have jam all year round.


Now sugar for a kilo is around $2.  And fruit is around $2 a kilo on sale.


Buy up and make jam when this happens, as you can fill around 4 large jars and it will cost you around $1 a jar, plus it tastes so much better!


I save my jars from pasta sauces, condiments etc.  Wash them out, take off the labels, and the "pop" lids will seal again and again.


Happy Jam Making :)


PS....not all jam making sessions have been perfect, coming back from holiday, I decided to make jam and forgot it was on the stove, and had a stella moment.  Burnt the jam and had to throw the jam and the Pot into the bin!
My advice, do one thing at a time, don't multi task on this one!!!


STELLAAAA!

Reality Bites!

I never really paid much attention to the term "reality bites".


I've heard it many times before, but have only just had first hand experience of what it really means.


The holiday came and went....and now back to life....


Yep.....REALITY.....and it bites!


I love coming home, don't get me wrong, there is no other feeling than walking into your home sweet home after a holiday.  The familiarity of it all is sooooo
comforting.


But I always feel like a truck hits me right between the eyes.


Maybe is the travelling that starts it all off.....put's you out of whack.


Maybe its 4 kids at once talking to you and asking questions, that you are not quite ready to answer.....Whatever it is, it can be overwhelming!


So when I get home, it takes me a while to adjust to it all again, and this time the adjusting has taken me 2 days!


Is it my age?  (no of course not....maybe?)


I seem to go slower now.  A day to organise the washing.  A day to think about putting a meal together.  A day to get my brain into gear for the week ahead.


Hmmmm, Reality is the 4 x 2 that hits us squarely in the head after our unrealistic week away....


That's right....a holiday is one of the most unrealistic things we could do...with tid bits of reality thrown in during that time....


For example....I woke everyday to someone cooking my breakfast...whilst this was going on, someone was making my bed and cleaning my hotel room.....at the same time someone was serving me coffee whenever my cup got half empty (that is bliss!).


Twice a day I would have someone rub my feet and back, yep you heard me, twice a day!


I was ferried in a taxi wherever I wanted to go.  People helped me with my shopping.


My whole experience for 1 week was tailored to suit my wants and needs....


Ahhh, it takes me back to being a kid.  That's exactly what mum used to do for me...bar rubbing my feet everyday....(love you mum).  As kids our mums did stuff for us, and maybe that's why I love these holiday's so much.
I remember what it felt like to put Kelly first!


After having kids, Kelly becomes, 2,3,4,5, and 10!!!


No wonder I can't adjust when I get home.  Every cell in my body is screaming to go back for that "UNREALISTIC" experience...I wonder if I would ever get sick of people waiting on me hand and foot???  Hmmmm, nice thought!


STELLAAAAAA!

Pretend Terrorist!

Don't you just love going on a romantic holiday with your DH (Dear Husband)?

We were well on our way to a relaxing week in Bali.  Two (not so young) lovebirds in the car on the way to the airport!  Excitement building as our holiday lay before us!

One whole week without the "cherubs".  All those things lay out before me.

"What do I want to do?"  "What do I want to eat?"  "Where do I want to go?"

A whole week of Kelly and DH (Dear Husband) doing exactly what we feel like, when we feel like it.....bliss!

So at the airport, we did the usual.  Bought me a coffee and trashy magazines, bought the old boy scotch and coke, looked at Duty free, and proceeded to go through customs!

Now, what is about to happen next, is unexpected!

You hear about these things, you know they happen, but you don't think they will happen to you!

Going through customs in Australia is pretty straight forward, especially if you have done it before!

I pack light and carry light, so for me I go through the metal detector without any problem, and my handbag goes through ok....apart from me explaining diabetes meds, (needles etc!)...but usually straight forward...

I make it through no problems.

But just as I am through, sirens wail, lights flash and security all come running from out of nowhere, to grab the guy behind me!

As I turned around, I noticed the guy behind me was DH(Dear Husband).

OH STELLA!

Was he a terrorist?   Did he have explosives attached to him?  Was he a drug mule?

Hmmmm.....as far as I knew, he was my DH.

So after pulling him aside, and running their metal detector over him, he had alot of explaining to do....to them....and me!

It turns out, in his laptop bag, was a very long, very sharp Knife!!!!

Yes, you heard me.....KNIFE!

What the?   How?  When?  What the?

"Woops" was his answer to the big burly officer!  "woops"!!!

"I use it to cut up my fruit at work, and forgot to take it out"!!!

FORGOT TO TAKE IT OUT.....THE LONG SHARP KNIFE......BEFORE WE GO THROUGH CUSTOMS....FORGOT!!!

How can you forget to take out your knife before you go through a very stringent pat down and screening before you board a flight.  That's like saying you forgot to strap the bomb on properly, or I forgot to disarm the gun, or I forgot to pack underwear!

(that has happened by the way)....

So after much embarrasment, and a little explaining, the officers had a good laugh and let us on our way....!  Thank Goodness.

Now if that is not a stella moment, I don't know what is...

I told you Stella Moments even occur on romantic holiday's!

Grunt Season!

Ever wondered what planet your DH (Dear Husband) is living on?


Women and men speak a different language, we think differently, we act differently, we handle things differently....usually the balance is good...sometimes it is strange....sometimes it's a "science experiment", like adding oil to water!


On the weekends, men are not always responsive to us, especially if the football is on....


If we are feeling insecure or down, and need to express that...not much response is offered at that time.....Ugg Ugg....Hmmmm...Huh?


No eye contact, just a grunt!  


I call it "grunt season", the time of year (in Australia) when most men come home on a Thursday night, go into their man cave, and don't come out until the "ritual" of football has been performed (usually 4 days)....What a strange and wonderful ritual!

It lasts from about March through to September.


Now ladies, those of you who have never noticed this phenomenon before, I want you to try this experiment....You are going to observe....that's right, the Grunt Season is coming, and your job is to watch and learn....


You will notice some strange habits!


If you try and talk to "man" during the football, your response will be limited!

A grunt, a nod, a 'huh'....and no eye contact, sometimes a shaking of the head while the mouth gapes open...


BUT


When the advertising comes on.....a half hour conversation, can and will be crammed into 3 minutes!  You watch, whilst getting up for his beer and pie, he is answering your "thoughts" and "statements" with Mr fix it answers, like he is reading down a list.




You may think at that time of talking to him previously, that he actually was not listening or taking it in.....Here's where the phenomenon begins.


He reels off all those things you mentioned, along with "mr fixit" answers.


"you should have said this", or "you should have done that", or "yes book the car in if it needs a service", or "get me another beer love".....

You know, that sort of thing!.....It is like a 12 minute "hybernation" with bursts of "3 minute awakenings" inbetween.....


Now don't be upset girls....its a natural occurrence that happens, just like summer and winter!  It is one of those things we must brace ourselves for!


If you love the football season, all the better, you will still notice this phenomenon though!  Just watch it all unfold.


Now,  if things are not going well in the man cave, it is not a pleasant experience.  There may be a lot of shouting at the television.  A lot of slapping the couch.  There may be channel changing.  And the worse case scenario, they may even turn off the television!  I know, I know, that is very extreme, but I have seen it done before!  There are some games, that make your man so frustrated that he doesn't have any other choice, but to turn off the game, get off the couch, and start doing stuff around the house....!


Or worse still.....Pay you attention!


Stellaaaaaa!!!!!

Wrap..Pack..Stack!

Isn't it exciting when packing for a holiday.  


You could be going to your mums for the night, but the fact that you are packing a suitcase is exciting.


Packing a suitcase symbolises that there is hope!  Some kind of new thing that distracts us from our "ground hog" experience.....


Life can become somewhat "Treadmill" or "boring" and to throw a stay into the mix, can be like lifting you from one planet, and plonking you into another.


Just last weekend, I found myself having a 2 night stay in the local Hospital..........Ok, not quite what I had in mind!  But the point being, after those 2 days, as soon as I got home, I felt like I had been away forever!


I could tell by the way the house looked!  (Get my drift?)....Bless the family!


But altering ones existence into another existence, can be a circuit breaker, and bring us to a new place.


My packing experience this time feels like "Gone with the Wind"....


Rhett and I jet-setting over to Bali, lying 'round the pool, drinking cocktails...I can see it now!  And it really is like gone with the wind, because I am taking my DH (Dear Husband), so literally I am going with the wind!  (Hmmmm, not romantic!)


But you get my point, we are having an experience together.


Life is like a box of chocolates!  Hang on a minute, wrong movie!


Life is like a string of experiences!  On our death beds we are not wishing we had spent an extra day in the office, or earned that extra $1000 dollars...NO
We will remember all of our life's experiences in that moment.


So start thinking that way.  Life is to be lived.  Life is our experience.  Life is the moments inbetween the moments!


Every second counts...make it count!


Woops!!!!




I just fell off my soapbox!


Stella!