Quincy | A Healing Presence & Gentle Spirit

My family & I have had Saint Bernards for a little less than a decade & one of the many things I have fallen in love with is what amazing therapy dogs Saints make. When my husband & I decided we were ready for a dog we knew we wanted to rescue a Saint. A few months after we brought Quincy home he & I completed his training & certification as a therapy dog. 

 :: On our most recent therapy visit children had the opportunity to visit & read to Quincy  ::

Quincy & I work a lot with children & the experience has been incredible. One of the programs we participate in is an after school program for children who do not live with their parents, they may be in foster care or living with a guardian. My job is to simply hold Quincy's leash,  his job is to provide unconditional love & support. 

 :: Our swet boy ::

On average our visits are about an hour in length & Quincy will usually visit with somewhere between 6-8 children. I've witnessed all ranges of emotions from the kids as they spend their time with Quincy, some have barely noticed him, others have gently pet him, some like to talk to him & one sweet girl just wrapped her arms around him and wept. It was so touching to watch this little girl, who very clearly was struggling & yet Quincy seemed to provide her with such comfort and peace. It was like he knew she needed him. I am continually amazed by the positive impact our visits seem to have.

 :: Quincy loves to snuggle! ::

Our therapy program has been wonderful in so many ways. I look forward to our visits & I feel so grateful that our sweet boy is able to give back & help others simply with his presence & gentle spirit. 

xo, 

A Last Minute Meal...

Let's be real, I've never pretended to be Martha Stewart & as much as I love being a wife & taking care of my husband I'm not really all that handy in the kitchen. Last night was yet another comical endeavor...it was nearly eight o'clock & I finally decided that I should just dash to Whole Foods to grab something for dinner. You might be surprised with what I came up with...

Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans & Sweet Corn

I simply steamed the green beans...

And then peeled & cubed the sweet potatoes & boiled them...

While the sweet potatoes were cooking I tossed the sweet corn into a pan until it was golden brown...

After about 10 minutes at a rolling boil I placed the sweet potatoes into a bowl & used a fork to mash them together with just a touch of butter & a bit of salt & pepper...

A dollop of sweet potatoes, fresh green beans & sweet corn topped with a little Parmesan cheese :)

I made this last night and I had it again tonight, it's so yummy! I also really love how easy it was to make & it didn't take long at all. Best of all I didn't feel too guilty about dinner because it was packed with fresh veggies. 

Hope you all had a great week!

xo, 

The Healing Power of Tradition

I began this blog, as I am sure many of you began your blogs, as a creative outlet & also as a way of documenting my life. I've never been good about keeping journals or scrap booking but blogging has allowed me to easily document & share my life with pictures, memories & experiences. I've always been careful when selecting what I posted for a variety of reasons, however never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagined that my blog would or could be used against me or my family in any way. Well, news flash it has been and to say that I feel betrayed is an understatement, to say that it has made an already exceedingly painful situation even more hurtful does not even begin to scratch the surface of the damage these actions have caused. 

What has become crystal clear is who has been there to support not only me but my family as well. For all of these people, for their love, strength, kindness, decency & respect, there are not words strong enough to describe my gratitude for the positive contributions you have made and continue to make in my life & the lives of those I love. Thank you. 

Obviously, from past posts as well as what I have just explained above my life has been a little complicated to say the least. I had hoped that things might have begun to settle down just bit, but apparently that is just not in the stars for me at the moment. I have always believed that when we are in pain, be it physical, emotional or spiritual, there is a lesson to be learned, there is insight to be gained & there is growing to be done. This latest turn of events blindsided me & while these actions were both hurtful & infuriating they have already taught me several lessons, but more importantly they have reminded me of what is most important & sacred to me. 

:: Family :: Friends :: Love :: Loyalty :: Authenticity :: 

:: The Healing Power of Tradition ::

Last year my husband & I started the tradition of going together & selecting an ornament for one another. There is only one simple rule, we each must choose an ornament that reminds us of each other.   I just read last years post & it reminded of how lucky I am to have such a truly remarkable man as my husband and best friend. This year, due to the general chaos our lives have been in, we got a bit of a late start. Our selection was a bit more limited but we still managed to come up with some pretty darn cute ornaments.  

My green Welly's!

Once again, my husband could not have selected a kinder or more thoughtful ornament. When I was a little girl by Gran & Grampsie would come back from London with Welly boots for my sister and I. I used to wear them & nothing else! In fact I used to wash the car naked but wearing my boots. Needless to say I began wearing them as an adult long before they became trendy. When my husband and I first began dating if I wore them & he saw a puddle he would stop the car & was incredibly amused by the simple joy I took in stomping through & jumping in the puddles. He even picked an adorable green pair, just like my favorite Welly's :)

"The higher the heel the closer to God" & it sparkles!!!

We are only supposed to select one ornament for each other but my sweet boy said he could simply not resist this one as well. It's an adorable high heel that is entirely sparkly. When he showed it to me it made my heart swoon :) 

 For my handy man, who can fix or build just about anything!

When I saw this one I knew it was for my boy. His tools are like my handbags & shoes & I absolutely love that about him. This little tool box says, 'There is NO such thing as too many Tools! It is perfect, & considering this is our first holiday in our new home & the moving and rearranging we've been doing  I will always look at this & think about this time in our lives. 

I love this tradition for so many reasons, but this year it really helped me to refocus on what matters, it made me count the abundant blessings I have in my life daily & it made me cherish & value my authentic friendships even more. 

Happy Holidays!

With love, 

An Epic Opportunity Gone Horribly Awry

What a letdown! I guess I could have written this post earlier having previewed the new Neiman Marcus - Target Collection, however it just didn't feel quite right. Today this hybrid line launched & to  I could not be more disappointed. There are roughly 60 items from some of the most notable names in fashion, however not a single designer maintained their brand identity or created a piece that made me swoon! 

My original post was titled, "The Odd Couple" I think "Oppsy" migh be more apt

I knew the Missoni for Target collection would be exceedingly hard to top. Missoni created & delivered high quality pieces that exuded the brands essence. From dresses, to tops, skirts & shoes Missoni successfully introduced their brand to a demographic that would not generally be their typical customer. The Missoni collection for Target looked & felt like Missoni whereas this latest collection feels as though the designers were somehow convinced to lend their names to Target & Neiman Marcus but were secretly promised that they would not have to design or prouduce anything similar to their actual products & lines.  

One of my favorite Missoni for Target pieces

As a lifetime admirer & consumer of fine products I have always appreciated the exceptional quality and beautiful lines of Oscar de la Renta & Carolina Herrera. These fashion icons have & continue to captivate & create some of the most classically stunning pieces of all time. Oscar de la Renta is one of the few designers who still sketches each of his couture creations personally. Obviously, I was not expecting to see couture pieces, however I had hoped to see pieces that still embodied the essence & heart of the participating designers. 

Some of the exquisite signature detailing that is Oscar de la Renta 

Tory Burch is known for shoes & clothing, especially her trademark tunics, but she created neither of these. Instead her contribution was a cosmetics case and a thermos??? Brian Atwood has recently become one of the hottest names in women’s shoes & instead of delivering a divine pair of shoes he created a pair of leather-studded gloves??? I don't think Mr. Atwood needed to come up with a pair of stunning heels but some fun flats, an outlandish pair of slippers or even a creative pair of trainers would have been more appreciated & appropriate in my opinion. Alice + Olivia made a piece of luggage. I don't really even know where to begin with that one?!?! And then the legendary Diane von Furstenburg has given the world a designer yoga mat. WTF.

Diane von Furstenburg for Target Yoga Mat

Disappointed does not even begin to describe the letdown of this launch. What surprises me even more is that these designers lent their names to this line. I get that any press can be perceived as good PR, especially with the current state of the economy but had I been in the position of any one of these designers I do not think I could have conscionably participated nor would I have felt comfortable placing my name on any of these items. 

An exceptionally executed partnership - high quality items that represent the essence & integrity that is the luxury brand Misson

I will be very curious to see what others think of this partnership & its execution. I know this post may feel a bit on the negative side, however having been a thrilled & satiated consumer of the Missoni for Target launch I am truly shocked & disappointed as I think the original concept had incredible potential. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend; I would love to hear your thoughts on this as well!

Much love, 

With Gratitude & Love

Today I am truly filled with gratitude & love.  

It has been a challenging year and yet through it all I have never lost site of or taken for granted the extraordinary people in my life.

For these special people, for their kindness, for their compassion, love & support I am truly grateful & blessed.

 May today be full of love, may you see the beauty in those around you, and may you have peace in your heart & lives. 

With gratitude & love, 

Champagne Rain

I am never indecisive. I always know what I like & usually I make decisions quickly, with little effort & without second guessing myself. Well not lately! With projects galore & more on the way, our home, backyard & lives are a little on overload. I've literally been wanting to paint my fingers for the past two weeks but between being exceedingly sick for over a week & attempting to get the house ready for Thanksgiving that didn't happen until tonight. 

:: Playing with Colors ::

When I was finally ready to sit down for what I had anticipated to be a quick manicure at 12:30am I suddenly found myself unsure of what color I wanted to paint my nails. I didn't even have an idea of if I wanted to choose a light color or a dark one? 

:: I literally painted ALL of my fingers before deciding on a color ::

Why not try them all & every combination in between? What I love most about fashion & style is the ability to take mainstream pieces or products & transform them into your own. I've always had a propensity for mixing & layering nail polish & tonight was no exception. I like to be different than others, not in a I need to dye my hair black and rebel against everything kind of way, more of I've just never been one to follow the crowd. And so tonight I finally settled on a color...

:: Champagne Rain | An Original by Lady Grace ::

:: 1st Color | Drops of Champagne | OPI Bring On the Bling ::

 I had painted my nails a soft gray earlier in the month and the tone suited me then but I either wanted to go dark or keep things on the lighter side. I'm kind of in love with this delicate creation. What I fancy most about it is it's depth. It completely changes colors with the light. In bright light it is exceedingly demure, appearing sheer and literally like the bubbles in champagne. In quieter lighting it transforms into a metallic heather gray. 

:: 2nd Color | Slick the Champagne with a Light Sheen of of Rain | Essie Mochachino ::

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Love, 

Friends

One of the things I cherish most in life are my friends.  I think to be a friend and to have friends is such a special relationship. I absolutely love sharing my life with my friends and being privileged enough to share in theirs. 

The past six months have been some of the hardest months of my entire life. I've been really hurt and disappointed by a couple of friends, especially because I felt like when I needed them the most in my life they just sort of disappeared. I know how busy and crazy life can be and I wasn't expecting much. But a phone call, an email, a quick text or just to have grabbed a cup of coffee would have meant so much. 

On the other hand I have some truly remarkable and amazing friends who have shown me more love, compassion and kindness than I could have ever imagined. Who check in and call or text just to say. Some days simply hearing their voices or seeing their messages made my entire day.  From boozy dinners, to great catch up sessions, crazy glitter art adventures, Skype dates from afar, and hikes in flip flops these friends have been and are incredible. It's truly hard for me to find words to properly express my gratitude, my love, my respect and the loyalty I feel for these beautiful souls who I am so lucky to call my friends. 

 Thank you for making my life better. 

Thank you for making me a better person. 

Thank you for making me laugh. Thank you for making me smile. 

Thank you for listening to me. 

Thank you for ensuring my glass is always full & for making nearly anything better with you & a bottle of wine.  

Thank you for loving me and showing me such kindness. 

I value you all, your actions and your presence in my life more than you will ever know. 

With love & gratitude, 

Looking Back..

1. What do you miss most about being a kid?

Ignorance, that whole saying ignorance is bliss, well I think it's true. I miss the time when I was unaware of all of the challenges of life and my biggest decision was what to play for the afternoon. 

2. Did you have a nickname growing up? What was it?

Not so much a nickname but my family has always called me a variety of names, Pumpkin Pie, Toots, Sweet Pea...

3. What was your favorite thing to do at recess?

Play four square

4. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I've always loved medicine and from very early on I thought I wanted to be a doctor. Once I got older I realized I didn't have the acumen to be a physician. I still love medicine and health but I'm confident that medicine, at least becoming an MD was not the path for me. 

5. What was your favorite toy?
My power wheels Jeep, boy did I love that!

6. What is the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still remind you about?
One time when I was very little and just learning to speak my Dad was driving and he told us he was going to went the  wrong way with my entire family in the car. From the back of the car in my car seat.

*FOR SOME REASON BLOGGER WILL NOT LET ME CENTER MY POST!?!?!?!

xo, 

Another great Sunday Social Linkup thanks to our gracious hosts, check them out below :)

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo...

I know I am a little behind the times on this show, however to say that I don't know where to begin is such an understatement! I guess I will start with their names, Mama June, Sugar Bear, Pumpkin, Chubbs, Chikadee & of course Honey Boo Boo. 

Holy hell! I don't think a show has ever caused me greater emotional conflict. I find myself disgusted, laughing to the point of tears, literally unable to grasp that people live this way and yet strangely attracted to the endearing love they obviously have for one another all at the same time. To top it all off I cannot understand a word these people say, and obviously TLC knew this would be an issue as well as they have wisely added subtitles. 

:: Lessons from Honey Boo Boo ::

::Vocabulary::

This old barn - Your face

S'mage - a facial or massage

Forklift Foot - "When you get your foot run over by a forklift and you get your toes all mangled, I guess?"

The BamBam Look - Apparently an outfit worn without shoes

Biscuit - A vajay jay

Shack 'em up dates - The relationship Mama June and Sugar Bear have had for 8 years

Guess Who's Breath - A family game where one member is blindfolded and the remaining family members take turns blowing their breath into the blindfolded persons face to match the breath to the person. * I simply do not have words, I am at a loss for them and cannot believe what I am currently witnessing.

Ew - poop

A Dear Call - When someone hits a deer with their car and the family then goes and collects the remains for food.

Sassified - How Honey Boo Boo feels when she is in her pageant dress

Bingo Face - What occurs when Mama June squints in an attempt to see the numbers called for Bingo

Uncle Poodle - A gay man who help Alana with the finer points of pageants who may or may not be her uncle? TBD

Smexy - A man considered to be sexually desirable when dressed in a Santa Claus costume

:: Words of Wisdom ::

"Alana thinks Elvis is an elf!" Not going to lie I just spit out my granola bar as I heard and watched Mama June utter these words...

"When June sat on my lap she didn't really ask for nothing but I couldn't feel my feet!"

"The girls did my makeup to begin with, I looked like a damn rodeo clown!"

"Ill be honest I don't brush my teeth except for special occasions"

"Kaylin's coming out of Anna's biscuit" Honey Boo Boo describing what will happen when her sister has her baby.

"We have a connection to deer cause we like roadkill, we like to kill it, clean it, grind it and freeze it up...June didn't like the deer but I actually like the deer...I gotta figure out a name for him." This was made in response to the gift of a bronzed deer Sugar Bear gave to Mama June

"June used a fork this time, I guess to try and be a little more romantic - but it didn't work!" 

"Anna starting having contractions and that's when you start to pull your baby out with your biscuit" Honey Boo Boo describing childbirth

" Mama I'm gonna look like a steetwalkin..." Honey Boo Boo to Mama June

"Mama better stick to cuponing and stay away from the makeup table." Honey Boo Boo to Mama June

"Bingo is Mama's sport." * I'm pretty sure Bingo doesn't count as a "sport'


"The table manners, I don't really enforce them." Mama June

"Alana's short and chunky and I'm short and chunky so who the hell cares it is what it is...she gets the short from me and the chunky from her Daddy." Mama June

"I love em, I hope we never take down the Christmas decorations,  for serious, when all the Christmas decorations are up it's easy to find your house." Honey Boo Boo

:: Recipes ::

Lemonade - 5lbs of sugar 2 gallons of lemon juice and MORE sugar!

Sketti - Butter, Sketti, Ketchup : "A little bit of butter with a little bit of ketchup melted in the microwave and poured over sketti."

Sugar Bear and Mama June Muddin it!

If you haven't had the opportunity to watch "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," watch it! I've never seen anything like it and the bottom line is they may lack manners, healthy eating habits or a strong sense of personal hygiene but one things is clear they all love one another very much and at the end of the day they seem to have exceedingly warm hearts and a great deal of kindness not just for their family but for others as well. 

Cheers to "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo!" I dare you to watch it and not laugh & cry at the same time!

Love,