A good heart is better then all the heads in the world.
Edward Buliver-Lytton

It is always so hard to say good bye to those we love. It is equally as hard watching loved ones say good bye to a treasured family man.
Today we went to the memorial of a great Man. Ken will be missed so dearly here on earth. Those he loved are left behind to morn him. Yes, they will, but they will remember him and continue his legacy each and every day as they continue their journeys with his teachings.
The Porter family are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Good people I always say. That is what the Porter family are to so many.
I have always counted myself blessed for being able to call them friends. They are the kinda friends that are always there no matter what you need…true friends. They help make the world a great place. They also live their lives with good morals and values taught to them by their parents and now being taught to their next generation.

During the memorial a man spoke of a title of a new CD which was ‘ Life short call now’ and how it reflected on how Ken lived his life. I must tell you I really think more of us could take this as advice for our own lives. Take the time to say I love you. Make the time to speak with those who you truly treasure. Schedule time with your kids and make memories! Love the life you have and live it well! Laugh often….treasure the memories~

PS I love you all~

Life is a journey and a journey must come to an end. It is so sad to say goodbye to those we love. My husbands oldest (yes he is turning 40 this year but I do not mean old in age but years together LOL) dearest friend lost his father this week. It has our hearts sad for them. Ken was a wonderful man and a great father and grandfather. He will be missed.

When your heart is sad you get thinking about the meaning of life and your journey.

It brings me to a thought that has crossed my mind a lot the last few years-why is it that it takes a crisis or a holiday to get together with those who truly matter to us? This question is actually something that makes my soul hurt. As the stores open more and the jobs go 24 hours people spend less and less time together. We see the suffering all over the world and we hear all the time how rich we are in this country yet I think we are poor at heart. Sure we are rich in wealth but we lack the sense to do what is truly heartfelt and good for us. We are so busy making money for all the material things that we forget to laugh and play. My brother came back from a trip to Europe a few years ago and he told me we sure do things wrong over here. He said their society works yes but they know how to live. He said they do not work themselves to death and take way more holidays then us. They had better health because of it too.
I know Andie and I have fallen in this category too lately. Last year we went the whole year with out seeing his sister and I do not even think we had made it for a visit with his best friend and his family. It really makes me sad. My own father saw the kids less then a handful of times because of our different schedules. (It is not that we do not try)I know that some of this can not be changed over night but Andie and I have been aware of it for some time now. We have moved in a direction with our lives to try and change some of this. We want to look back at the end of this year and smile knowing that yes we had to work but boy did we play…with our kids, the dog,  family and friends. That we truly lived!

Here is a little something a friend emailed me last week. I am not sure its origin but I thought it very appropriate:

I love the ocean. In fact I love it so much that even though we could not head down and camp beside it last May, we headed down for the day and played. After playing at the beach we stopped and had some clam chowder at a seafood hut. The kids thought it was the best day despite the 3 hour wait to cross the border for home.
These layouts are just a few of my favorites.

I did scraplift some of the one with Jessica at the beach. I saw a layout using the 8×12 at the bottom of the page from a Scrapbooks Etc. Magazine.

What a fabulous day we had today. We spent the day up at Manning Parkhttp://www.manningpark.com/ with the Lengerts celebrating the twins 11th birthday. The day was a surprise for the last few weeks for the boys(their dad spoiled it last night-lol). Jessica and Derek kept the secret so well. It was terrific. The boys were very excited.
The sun was shining and the air so crisp with a nice amount of fresh snow. The roads were good(which makes me happy). We just couldn’t have asked for a better day. The kids all had a marvelous day.
We spent most of the day on the Polar Coasterhttp://www.manningpark.com/winter.snowplay.html but at the end we watched the twins try out their new snowboards. Soon behind them and helping them all the way was little Derek. He has been busy practising on Tony Hawk skateboard for the Wii and will soon be trying out snowboarding on the slopes. He just moves so well. Not far behind him was our Andie who could not wait to talk one of the twins into letting him have a go with their boots and boards. Andie just itches to get into all sports. We love that. Kris gave it a good whirl as well and I can see that it won’t be long until Niki and I watch the kids and the men on the slopes sipping our Baileys and hot chocolate from the sidelines. LOL.
Well that is all for today…this mom is beat and ready to snuggle in with her hunney!

Will post more pictures soon!

It is hard to get up on dark rainy mornings and head on into work. I think of good books, movies, and scrapbooking days in PJ’s and under flannel blankets. I listen to friends all booking holidays to warm vacation spots and as much as I would like to join them, I think we will stay home. I am thankful for my life. I love to plan vacations too, even the ones that stay locally.
This coming weekend we are headed to Manning Park http://www.manningpark.com/for the twins birthday. All the kids are excited to go tubing up there. They have great tubing runs. I look forward to the time together with family and friends in celebration of a special day. Then at the end of the month Niki and I are headed to an all day crop with Terri Fisherhttp://www.mycmsite.com/sites/terrifisher my CM rep. She always hosts such nice events with good people. On to February, Andie and I celebrate 20 years together. Hard to believe isn’t it? This valentines day marks the 20th anniversary from the week we got together as a couple and so our story began. After that is the girls weekend to The Falls http://www.thefalls.com/for many hours of scrapbooking and fun! We are all anticipating the enjoyment. Oh and the pages we will create!
They posted holiday booking names today. I love planning my weeks off with the kids. I think Spring Break around home sounds pretty good this year. Jessica wants to move her bedroom downstairs and redecorate the downstairs bathroom. It just might be a good girls project. I am also tossing in the idea of a weekend camp trip that week since it looks like we are going to have a mild winter we just may have some decent weather in March. At least this mommy is hoping for some. We also plan to head to Deception Pass http://www.visitwhidbey.com/camp-grounds/Deception-Pass-State-Park.htmlfor the May long weekend and we just found out that we are spending July long weekend with my Dad and Cathy and Duane and hopefully Alison too. The kids can’t wait. They love the Lynden KOA where we are all staying plus they really do not get enough time with this part of our family due to schedules etc.http://www.koa.com/where/wa/47157/

I am already looking forward to the year ahead and it has only just began. I wish you all the very same!!!

I am a passionate person. I love life. It is hard not to find one thing to be excited about in my day. I love to feel this way.

I have so much fun in my job in the personal care section at PriceSmart Foods Chilliwack. I wanted to share some of my recent favorites with you.
I have fallen in love with the Burt’s Bees shimmers and lip gloss…champagne and caramel and berry. So beautiful and with a little minty feel when you first put them on your lips. Terrific!

In this cold weather you can not go wrong with the Nivea Pearl and Shine chap-stick. So pretty with a hint of pink and your lips feel moist and like a million dollars.

Then there’s your fingers and toes….Revlon has these new addictive colors for my toes….passion purple, silver screen, creme brulee, frankly scarlet, midnight blue, and the coolest posh pink. I can not get enough…soon Andie will be asking me if I am planning to open a spa..LOL
I am hooked on Goats Milk with Shea butter. In fact I am finding I love the feel of products with Shea butter…silk to the touch.

As soon as I am finished with my current skin care line I am planning to try this new line from Avalon-Vitamin C. It has a great price point and has an amazing review. The Vitamin C in the skin care line does so much good for our aging sking plus the product is more natural.
As for candles I am enjoying the Iced Wine from Time and Again while anticipating the sent for next month which is incredibly yummy-Velvet Cake. I can not wait to open the new shipment next week filled with all the new scents they told me about. It just makes my days feel(smell) so good.
Well thats all for now…off to bed I go.
Night all!

What a wonderful day for a drive to Hemlock. We took the kids tubing with the Lengert’s. I love watching the kids go up and down the tub runs with perma smiles on their faces. It is an incredible feeling.” ”

Memories are made by each little moment….these will make great scrappages!!

I received this story via email. Sometimes these stories are so worth the read. What would you have done?

I arrived at the address where someone had requested a taxi. I honked but no one came out. I honked again, nothing. So I walked to the door and knocked. ‘Just a minute’, answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90′s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets..

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

‘Would you carry my bag out to the car?’ she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, and then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. ‘It’s nothing’, I told her. ‘I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated’..
‘Oh, you’re such a good boy’, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, ‘Could you drive through downtown?’

‘It’s not the shortest way,’ I answered quickly.
‘Oh, I don’t mind,’ she said. ‘I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice’.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. ‘I don’t have any family left,’ she continued. ‘The doctor says I don’t have very long.’ I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

‘What route would you like me to take?’ I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, ‘I’m tired. Let’s go now’

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

‘How much do I owe you?’ she asked, reaching into her purse.
‘Nothing,’ I said

‘You have to make a living,’ she answered.

‘There are other passengers,’ I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

‘You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,’ she said.

‘Thank you.’

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift?
What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life….
We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

Just my thoughts for the day. Thanks for stopping in.