Words of the Wise!

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Pioneer Day!

We both were lucky enough to enjoy the 3 day Holiday Weekend Together! On Friday night I went to the Secondhand Serenade Concert with my Friend Brittany and we got to meet the band

The concert was pretty cool! Alot of teenagers! The band was super nice and super genuine and super cool! After the concert we hung out at our house with Mateo & our other friend Cam! We always end up staying up way too late when we hang out with these guys! :)

On Saturday we went camping out at Sand Hollow with Neil & Tara and the Kids! I wouldn't recommend camping out there right now...WAY too many bugs as soon as the sun goes down...and besides that its freaking hot!!! Sunday we came home and lounged all day on our brand new couches! (which I love) all in all a pretty good weekend!

Our Summer So Far...

Our Summer So Far...

has been just work & play!!!

We have had a pretty relaxing summer since we got back from Hawaii! We finished the yard finally and I'm so excited about that! It took 3 years but whose counting? We have had a few bbq's and can now finally enjoy having a yard :) Here are a before and after pictures of the grass:

We haven't been doing much besides going to the lake w/ Neil & Tara on their boat or just hanging out at the pool or just hanging out w/ friends! Life is good! Our 2nd year wedding anniversary is in 2 days and we are headed down to Vegas to stay at the Trump to celebrate!

Allowing Our Loved Ones To Be Human...

Putting People on a Pedestal When we fall in love with someone or make a new friend, we sometimes see that person in a glowing light. Their good qualities dominate the foreground of our perception and their negative qualities. They just don’t seem to have any. This temporary state of grace is commonly known as putting someone on a pedestal. Often times we put spiritual leaders and our gurus on pedestals. We have all done this to someone at one time or another, and as long as we remember that no one is actually “perfect,” the pedestal phase of a relationship can be enjoyed for what it is—a phase. It’s when we actually believe our own projection that troubles arise. Everyone has problems, flaws, and blind spots, just as we do. When we entertain the illusion that someone is perfect, we don’t allow them room to be human, so when they make an error in judgment or act in contradiction to our idea of perfection, we become disillusioned. We may get angry or distance ourselves in response. In the end, they are not to blame for the fact that we idealized them. Granted, they may have enjoyed seeing themselves as perfect through our eyes, but we are the ones who chose to believe an illusion. If you go through this process enough times, you learn that no one is perfect. We are all a combination of divine and human qualities and we all struggle. When we treat the people we love with this awareness, we actually allow for a much greater intimacy than when we held them aloft on an airy throne. The moment you see through your idealized projection is the moment you begin to see your loved one as he or she truly is. We cannot truly connect with a person when we idealize them. In life, there are no pedestals—we are all walking on the same ground together. When we realize this, we can own our own divinity and our humanity. This is the key to balance and wholeness within ourselves and our relationships

Hawaii

and so here are just some of the pics from our trip to hawaii! we went to Oahu and stayed just right off of Waikiki.....We had a blast! I'm wishing I was still there...

:)

Memorial Weekend

so we all went out to Lake Powell for Memorial Weekend!!! Here are some pics............

We had a good time. we were there for 4 days and I'm now exhausted...the weather wasn't the greatest the whole time but we dealt with it! i even slept in our tent for all 3 nights - which is unheard of for me :) spending time with family is what its all about. We look fwd to hopefully going back out there in july and september for labor day weekend! Now its off to Hawaii for a week ;)

My Tanner Girl...

we had to put my tanner girl to sleep on monday...it was really hard and really sad. I will love and miss her always. She was such a good girl but I guess it was just her time to go. She was about 15 years old & we've had her since she was a puppy. I remember the very first day my dad brought her home to us! She will be missed...I love u tanner girl! <3