Winter has arrived in Colorado.

Should make for an interesting golf game this weekend! :)

A cup of tea.

Does the state of the economy, quite possibly the recession we are in, have you down?  Me too.  People around me are losing jobs, losing their savings in the stock market, 401K's are turning to 4K's overnight.... it's much too close to home.  The news is sad, the stories are tragic and the near future is not looking up.  Maybe my hearts too wide open in this moment.... it all just makes me sad, makes me worry, makes me scared.  It's got my tummy in knots, a lump in my throat and pounding in my head.

The hubby reminded me tonight that "We are fine.  We will be fine.  And all will be okay."

Goodness, I hope so.  I'm off to enjoy a cup of tea and find some comfort in the hubby's hopeful spirit.

There is no trouble so great or grave that 

cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.  

~Bernard-Paul Heroux

 

An open letter to Banana Republic.

Dear Banana Republic,

I am your number one fan.  I visit you online almost every day.  I talk about you incessantly.  I wear you too often.  I force my husband to visit your store and buy excessive amounts of clothing.  I hear you are having a sale and I am there before the day is over.  Oh why, oh why, do refuse to email me your secrets?

I'm giving you one more chance.  I'm signing up for your fabulous emails for the third and final time.  A day just might come where I boycott you forever.  Please email me soon.

All my love,

What a way to start the day...

I barely had my eyes open this morning and the hubby was in the kitchen warming up a piping hot, gooey, frosting slathered cinnamon roll.  AND, the best part?  He brought it to me in bed!!! Now that's a great way to start the day!

Happy Sunday! xoxo

Democracy has spoken.

Ohhhhh boy...  I'm biting my lip tonight, but here goes.... 

We are so blessed to live in a country where we get to use our voice, be heard, and choose our Leader.  The country has spoken.  And through the power of democracy, we have voted into office Barrack Obama.

Please pray that his "change" is the change that will heal our country.  Please pray that our country is in good hands.  Please pray that we are safe.

Goodnight,

Election Day 2008. A moment in history.

Today is the day.  Be an American.  Let your voice be heard.  Go cast your vote today for the next President of the United States.

So many individuals feel the need to sway you to vote one way or the other.  Me?  Not so much.  Voting is personal, it's private, it's deep.  It's based on personal morals and ideologies.  It's our right as a citizen of this great land.  

The only thing that I WILL ask of you is to be smart.  When questioned on the major viewpoints of each candidate, many people do not know why they believe in their choice candidate.  Not kidding.  

Stop listening to the media and celebrities who think they have a right to tell you how to cast your vote.  Exercise your personal right to make your own decision.  Take the time to learn the key issues, each candidates position and how their viewpoints will affect the current economic conditions.  Vote on your values, vote for you, vote for your country.  Voting for the next president is not about a "feel" for the right candidate.  It is not about being popular.  It is not about being trendy.  It certainly is not about being a celebrity.  It is about choosing the right person for the job.

Vote today, but please, please please, ONLY if you know what you are voting for.

This girly girl loves golf.

TOP 10 REASONS WHY WOMEN SHOULD GOLF

1. It is a total escape from reality and therefore, a total stress reliever and source of relaxation.  No cell phones allowed.
2. It does amazing things for my marriage.  4 hours, together, uninterrupted.  That just doesn't happen in REAL life.  Some great conversations have taken place on the golf course.  And heck, it's cheaper than marriage counseling.
3. It is a family affair.  My mom is one heck of a golf cart driver and my dad is a great coach.
4. It is a life long sport.  We are so going to be that cute little old couple golfing into our 80s.  I hope.
5. Ryan and I  have mastered the art of squeezing in a quick 18 holes during the dog days of summer AFTER a full days work.  The best.
6. Golf = Resort Destinations.  I love to travel and the hubby is obsessed with golf.  Think, Palm Springs, Florida, The Carribean, Ireland, Hawaii, Colorado... sounds nice right?
7. It never gets boring because you never, EVER master the game.  Ask Tiger.  One personal goal quickly replaces the next.  Day after day, week after week and year after year.
8. It is beautiful.  Mountain courses, desert courses, ocean courses... the options are endless and the serenity soothes your soul.
9. Networking.  You never know who you might get paired up with.
10. Fun.  Golf can be incredibly challenging but once you learn the fundamentals, you will crave it just as much as your golf nut of a husband does.

Home sweet home in 3 short weeks!!

Secret ambitions.

It's no secret I love to relish in good memories, I hold them dear to my heart and I also love a spare hour in my day to spend going through old relics of the past... old letters, cards, photographs, ticket stubs, old notes.... the list goes on and on.  I keep EVERYTHING.  It's the closest you can get to feeling that moment again.  I love that feeling.

What you might not know is how I secretly envy people with an eye for photography.  I have a few close friends and cousins who are talented beyond words when it comes to this art.  The art of capturing beauty and emotion in a single photograph.  There are a couple of reasons for this lust.... #1, I love the feeling  you get when you can relive moments through photos of past vacations, family gatherings, etc.  It's no wonder we come home from a 3-day weekend with 300-plus photos.  I'm nuts for capturing every single moment on film.  #2, Since we have been getting settled in Colorado and we are thinking about making choices for really getting settled, I am heavy with anticipation of the many amazing, happy, picturesque future moments I hope to capture through the lens of a camera.  I guess suburbia does that to you?  Seeing all the cute, adorable, gleeful trick-or-treaters last night made me giddy for those days.  I secretly think Ryan's head was right there in the gutter with yours truly.  I just need a couple of years (Note to Parents: Don't get too excited. Couple of years.) to fine tune my photography skills before those moments unfold.  And that my friends, that clock is a tick tocking.  :)  I digress.

Moving on.... for many months, I've been lusting after a fancy camera.  I've read the reviews, I've done my research and without breaking the bank entirely, this is my recent obsession.  

The Canon EOS Rebel XSi 12MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55IS Lens.  That sounds like a bunch of nonsense, but I totally know what that means.  It's lustworthy and a good choice for a beginner with a dream such as myself.  I'm creative, I'm crafty, I'm artsy and I'm filled to the brim with projects and ideas I'd love to execute.  This particular venture has been brewing for a while, so I'm seriously considering taking the plunge.  Now, if it weren't for this whole recession, stock market plunge, economy tanking-thing... I'd feel a little less guilty.  I guess a girl can dream for today.