It's a Dog's Life!

Ever see a dog hanging his head out of the window of a car? I'm sure you have! Have you ever thought...wow! that dog is sooo happy!!...and then felt a little jealous!!?

My daughter Lindsey was here last weekend and, of course, had Cosmo, her long haired chihuhua (I refer to him as my grandpuppy). He's adorable!

So we took him out in the backyard and he does this thing where he rolls around in one spot, not sure what the excitement is, but he loves it! Check out his tail in one of the pics...what a great feather duster it would make! It picked up all those things that come out of the trees-not sure what they are but they always fall at this time of year..quite funny! (Don't worry, we were able to brush all of it out and he was good as new!).

Okay, so my point is...try thinking like a dog! Be happy in the moment! Be excited about the little things in life! I am not saying you should hang your head out of the car window, especially if you're the driver. Just get that "hang-your-head-out-the-car-window" feeling!

So you too can have a "dog's life"...have a "treat", go for a "walk", oh...please do not hang your tongue out of your mouth and pant. Please do not roll around in one spot in the grass either. Leave that stuff for the dogs, that's their job.

Have fun..happy weekend!

Jen

My Birthday Quilt

I am now the proud owner of not one, not two, not three...but four of the loveliest handmade quilts, all made by my lovely daughter Lindsey!

I just received my 4th gorgeous quilt (as a b-day gift), of course in pink! It's my fav shade of pink too! This fantastic quilt is huge, at approx 74" x 90"! Done in a deep rich pink, with a zillion other colors incorporated in it!!

I just love all of my quilts! There's just something about a handmade quilt, especially when it's made my your own daughter! Lindsey has made plenty of quilts as gifts, for her dad, her boyfriend Derek, and a baby quilt for a friend!

Lindsey has two great shops on Etsy, http://www.deerlyneeded.etsy.com/ and http://www.lindseymarcella.etsy.com/ -unfortunately, they're down at the moment because of some jerk hacking into her paypal account...but hopefully she'll have them up and running again soon!

Thank you so much Lindsey for all of my quilts...I will always cherish them!

We just got back from a fun clothes shopping trip...always fun when Lindsey's here!!

Happy Memorial Day to all! Thanks to all that are involved in keeping our country safe!

Jen

Amendment to my Birthday Blog

Not sure how I could forget my dh (that's twitter talk for dear husband)! Bob..my husband..wow! I think I would have kicked myself out! All this stuff everywhere! But guess what he did? He made me shelves...and more shelves..and yes, more shelves! (and he's not really considered a handy man!). And he found out recently that he will be laid off in October from the same place I worked at!

So...what you all need to do is marry a "nerd"! Bob is a fantastic man, father, son (my Mom always said, watch how he treats his Mom!), husband...and who would have known...he started out as a quiet nerd!! Oh if his high school mates could see him now!!

Thanks Bob!!

Jen

Happy Birthday to Me!

I guess it would be a cliche to say I've been reborn within this last year! Sorry..but it's true! Wow! Without going into negative things that have happened, I'll just say, I've certainly learned who my real friends are, and I would rather have just one true friend, than a billion pretend friends!

Last May 20th I was fresh off a layoff from a job I had forever (off and on between children and other things!) I had just started my Etsy shop and not sure what I was doing! I knew a few things; I have always had a fondness for antiques...okay..it has always been a passion! Even as a child visiting my wonderful great-Aunt Esther in Rye, New Hampshire, in her 250 year old home! What a glorious place! What a glorious hostess she was too! That was actually our homestead, and the city of Rye purchased it as a museum. I haven't been back to see what's happened to it, but I think I should!

I am going to ramble as usual, and go back to the friend thing! Friends..guess who's still here!? My family! My best friend/daughter drove here 2 1/2 hrs from Columbus on the day I found out I was laid off to be with me...how is that for a friend!? It still brings me to tears when I think about how sweet she was..thank you Lindsey!

So...that night I decided I could be defeated...or...maybe, just reinvent my life. Go for what I ws truly passionate about! Now looking back, I think this entire year was meant to be! I will not say it's been easy! I'm...well...I'm a little over 40 (!), but I feel like I've been reborn and have actually never been happier!

I've spent this year working on my two shops, http://www.jenscloset.etsy.com/ and http://www.mymilkglassshop.etsy.com/ and...working on myself. That includes working out like crazy, not to be some 20-something girl..that won't happen! I did it more for the mental strength it gives me. If I can motivate just one person...just one..to take that step to their local rec. center or gym (believe me I know it's hard to do), I will be happy!

I guess if I would have just continued on at my job, I would be just fine, but now I'm more than fine! Who would have believed it! I was devasted (it was actually on Valentines Day that I was given then axe by a woman eating a cupcake!). Here I am! I'm still alive...oh...more than alive! I am reborn! So...

I don't care what age you are, what your circumstances are (believe me I know there are woman out there with worse circumstances than mine that have made it-and those are the true women to admire)...you can do it!

So Happy Birthday to me..I am One Year Old tomorrow!

Oh...and thanks to my twitter friends...I don't care how silly others feel about that-you have given me support and encouragement and I love all of you!!

Best wishes to all...remember to try to be kind to others, it's actually pretty easy! Smile at a stranger! You never know what they're going through, and that smile just might help them!

Jen

Time Goes By So Quickly

My baby, Katherine, is now 16! Tonight she is going to the prom!

In 1989 I divorced my first husband, and my oldest daughter (Lindsey) and I made the big move from Denver (where Lindsey was born) back to Ohio, since my Mom and Dad were there and could help out. Lindsey was 6 then. We've always been very close, I think because we went through a lot together.

In 1991, I remarried, and had two more children, Mark & Katherine. When I divorced my first husband, I knew that I wanted more children. Mark & Katherine were only 14 months apart, so needless to say...there were a lot of hectic times! Plus...I was a little older than I was when I had Lindsey (I was 26).

I was fortunate to be able to stay home with all 3 of my children, although I did continue to do some work (mostly at home). I truly love being a Mom and believe that is the most important job in the world!

Why am I saying all of this? Well...I was thinking about how time goes by so quickly! When my kids were little, and was practically pulling out my hair, at times...and someone would say that, it would drive me nuts! I'd think, yeah, right...it didn't seem to be moving to quickly at the time! But they were right! Here I was taking pictures of my baby...my youngest...going off to the prom! It was the same feeling I had when I dropped off my son, Mark, at preschool! I had a big lump in my throat and just couldn't help but cry.

I'm so proud of all three of my children! They're wonderful, thoughtful, and caring people! They've grown up right before my eyes!! Enjoy your children...you have the most important job in the world! I know there are a lot of trying times...lack of sleep, whining (whether it's you or your little ones!!), lack of time to yourself, but before you know it, they've grown up and you'll wonder where the time has gone.

Jen

It's Friday!

Who doesn't love Friday!? Everyone is just in a better mood on Friday! Friday means the weekends almost here!

If you really want to have fun on Friday's you must join Twitter if you haven't already! It's one big party all day and night! And there's this fun thing called "follow friday" where twitter friends will have they're suggestions on twitterers to follow! I've been very lucky to have wonderful twitter friends adding me to their follow friday's (thanks guys!).

When I was working (laid off last year), I worked Monday-Thursday..so my Thursday was kind of like my Friday! Come to think of it, I still love Thursday's! We have what we call "treat day" on Thursday! My husband (who works very close to our house), brings home some yummy lunch, from one of several of our fav places! Thursday is also the best night for tv for me! I love Ugly Betty, Greys Anatomy, The Office, & 30 Rock. What makes Thursday even more fun is the "Vintage Vixen" thread that starts up on Thursday nights (anyone is welcome to join in!), headed by SurrenderDorothy (on twitter you can find her under surrendrdorothy). What a fun group of people!

Okay, so what was I talking about? Oh yeah, Friday! Yes...I love Friday! My daughter and her boyfriend, Derek, and their adorable dog, Cosmo (long haired chihuhuah-I know I spelled it wrong), usually come from Columbus at least one weekend a month! So that makes Friday night even more fun! Lindsey and I usually end up doing lots of fun shopping on Saturday and spending more than we should, but who cares..it's fun!

So..I hope everyone is enjoying their Friday! If you're not...well you need to!

Happy Friday...we should try to have a Friday attitude everyday, don't you think!?

Take care,

Jen

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...And the winner is....

Fairly picked from a computer generated number picking website....#6!! Which is....
Casual Cottage!!

Congrats to you! I will contact you to get your information so that I can ship these cute cute coasters out to you first thing Monday morning!

Congrats!

And thanks to everyone for enter the contest...another contest coming soon!

Happy Mom's Day!!

Jen

Happy Mom's Day To Everyone!

Being a Mom is the best, isn't it!? I am the proud mom of three absolutely wonderful children! My oldest daughter, Lindsey, is 25...and she happens to also be my best friend! My charming son, Mark, is 17. Precious Katherine is my "baby", and she is now 16! I really am lucky!

Today in the mail I received the sweetest card from my daughter, Lindsey. Inside she said "thanks for being my Mom"...okay are you crying yet!? I did! She also made me the most beautiful necklace...check out my pictures! Lindsey actually began her jewelry making career when she was only around 14! There was a gift shop in a nearby town that would purchase jewelry from her to sell. She received some pretty good checks from that!

For me, being a Mom, means you love your children, unconditionally. It means no matter what they do, what they wear, what they become, you love them! That doesn't mean you have to like everything they do and agree with all of their choices! We all need someone in our lives that gives us that unconditional love (okay, I know dogs do that too!!).

My Mom was also my best friend. Do you want to talk about the number one Mom in the world...well, it was my Mom! She grew up with not the best home life conditions. She was the oldest of 7 children, and she was basically the Mom to her siblings. She taught herself how to be a good Mom. To this day, I do not know how she was able to take care of 5 children, and still create the most fabulous meals everynight (she did get Saturday's off!). My Mom was the most compassionate woman I've ever known. She also had amazing 6th sense, before I could even tell her about some big surprise, she usually already knew! I think that comes from really knowing your children.

When Mark and Katherine were babies, she would come over every afternoon, same time everyday, to help me out and give me a chance to get out for a few minutes, and pick up Lindsey from school. We had so much fun together! And she would hold my face in her hands and give me that loving look of hers! Oh...and she would bring over these little treats for Mark and Katherine everyday too...and have "winter picnics" on the family room floor with them! I could go on and on! I was lucky to have such a role model. My Mom passed away very suddenly in 1994, and my heart is still broken. I'll always miss my best friend.

I don't want to leave on a sad note...that really was supposed to be an upbeat message! I just got a little carried away. My point is...Happy Mothers Day! Being a Mom is the most wonderful gift you can ever receive! It's a lot of trial and error, believe me, I know that...but we never give up, do we!!?

Happy Mom's Day...cherish the day!

Jen

Be Proud of Yourself!

I know it's tough, believe me! We have those darn negative voices...our own thoughts, trying to bring us down!

Just stop it! Right now, I want you to think of one thing you're proud of about yourself. I don't care if it's just that you were able to get up this morning, you did it, right!?

What prompted me to write this blog was while I was on the treadmill at the rec. center this morning. I was thinking back, quite a few years back, when I first started working out at the rec. center (and that alone can be nerve-wracking!). I would only be able to walk on the treadmill for maybe 10 minutes. When I would get off, I would feel dizzy. I, of course, had to act like I wasn't dizzy, while I was almost passing out!

I could also only last 8 minutes, yes 8 minutes, on a stepper we had at home. I would push myself to make it through that 8 minutes!

So I am here to tell you be proud of yourself! You're not as bad as the voice keeps saying you are! It's okay to have pride in your accomplishments!

Be proud of being a Mom..what a wonderful job that is! But it can also be frustrating! Pat yourself on the back for being there for your kids! For me, personally, I am most proud of my children, and I did have a little to do with how wonderful they are!

Be proud of your Etsy shop! Especially if you're also a Mom! You're juggling kids and a business of your own...wow!! That's fantastic!

So just pick one thing, or more!! Try this everyday! After all, if you don't like who you are, how can you expect anyone else to like who you are!? (I know you've heard that before, but it's true!).

So lift your head up high and smile! You are doing a great job!

Best wishes!

Jen