Remembering My First Christmas Married

kenneth cole boots

Have you all had a good holiday season ?  I hope so!  I’m posting this a little late, as I started writing it Christmas Eve, but fell asleep.  A peek into my holiday this year though.. It’s after midnight on Christmas eve and I am about to go to bed. I have been sitting here in the cozy garden room with the candles glowing, the colored lights lit up on Matt’s bachelorhood dollar store tree, the nostalgic toys and ornaments I’ve saved my entire life (that are from Christmases past when I was a child), a cup of peppermint tea and 2 kitties on my lap.  I just finished watching one of my favorite holiday movies, “White Christmas”, with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. I had a wonderful Christmas eve.  … Continue Reading

A Pug Named Toast and How He Got His Name

A long time ago I wrote a post about the new addition to our family– a little boy that just happens to be a black pug.  We named him Toast!  There is a story behind this of course. So, this is the story of a pug named Toast and how he got his name. P.S. Toast has his own Instagram account. You can follow him or see all his photos there. His handle is @apugnamedtoast (click HERE to get there).   We actually had the name before we had the dog.  It was something Matt and I had talked about, laughed about and dreamed about for years.  We got the idea for a pug probably over a decade ago when we were watching one of the Men in Black movies … Continue Reading

The Time I Cooked My Daddy Corn Syrup Burgers

There is this wildly popular thing on social media called “Throwback Thursday”.  Since today is Thursday, I thought I’d share a funny cooking disaster story from when I was in the 5th grade.  I’ve had many kitchen foibles over the years, as any experienced cook has.  The time I cooked meat in corn syrup is the very first cooking disaster I ever remember having.  As far as how this relates to living inspired- I’d put it in the category of being bold and trying new things you’ve never done – all by yourself (like a big kid -HA!).  Of course trying new things you aren’t sure you can do is always inspiring-even if you fail.  Failure means you tried it so that is a GOOD thing!     I grew … Continue Reading

Cell Phones-A Funny Poem About Technology and Modern Times

It’s Friday Night which means it is time for poetry in Five!  The word this week is Patience (note, I went to the FMF facebook page to get the word and I guess Patience was the Tuesday word, which I didn’t notice until now.  I already wrote on Patience so, my apologies fellow FMFers for having the word wrong).  My 5 min. ran out about halfway through the poem today, but I was having fun with it so I continued on.  Hopefully my readers have a sense of humor and will laugh at this (I love making you guys smile!), because this week’s poem is meant to be funny, satirical and a bit hyperbole.  I went the direction of relating patience (or lack thereof) to the challenges of living in a modern … Continue Reading

The Time I Fed My Family Coreopsis Mashed Potatoes!

Ah, it’s been awhile since I welcomed you all in to a sneak peak at my cozy cottage life, as part of my cozy cottage weekends feature!  Today I am taking you back to my first Summer at the cottage when we first became home owners (just a year ago).  Open the cottage gate, grab your cup of tea or coffee and come sit with me for a spell as I tell the tale of “The Time I Fed My Family Coreopsis Mashed Potatoes” !       I had always wanted to own a garden.  I had always wanted to grow herbs.  The Summer of 2013 I got my wish, as God provided a home for us that came with both already built right in!  I felt I must … Continue Reading

The Mess-A Funny Poem About Conquering Clutter

In case you were wondering what happened to last week’s Friday poem, I got extremely busy and so this is coming to you a bit late (sorry about that!).  The word of the week was MESS.  This is another one that may just go in the children’s poetry book I am writing, but it’s meant for adults too ;).  If you have ever seemed to lack time or energy to clean and have found yourself overwhelmed by the mess that ensued as a result, you may get a kick out of this one! GO   The Mess:   It started with a single sock Flung on the floor without a care, A towel here, a towel there- and THEN a pair of underwear!   “The room looks fairly clean, I’d … Continue Reading

My Favorite Irish Blessings to Inspire You on St. Patty’s Day

  Top O’ The Morning to you!  The above quote is one of my all time favorite Irish blessings simply because it makes me laugh!  I have a bit of Irish in me and I love Ireland and all things Irish.  I have a few books of nothing but Irish folklore and blessings and I thought it would be fun to share a compilation with you today.  Altogether there are 41, (including images) and I have split the list up in to funny ones and sweet ones for you.  My favorites are in green.  Enjoy!   Funny/Cheeky Irish Blessings:   May the saints protect ye – An’ sorrow neglect ye,  An’ bad luck to the one that doesn’t respect ye!  T’all that belong to ye, An long life t’ yer … Continue Reading

Happy Little Accidents-Or the Surprise Lump Loaf I Cooked Up

I thought the start of a new week would be a good time to write about turning life’s mishaps into fun adventures!  A shout out to one of my first painting mentors, Bob Ross, who called these “Happy Little Accidents”!  Living Inspired people…these things are a big part of that.  It’s all in the attitude and what we do with the curveballs.   My last mishap happened in the kitchen a few days ago.  Have you ever started a recipe assuming you had all the ingredients you needed on hand, only to find part way through that you are missing several things?  Do you say “Oh crap!” and abandon ship (wasting all those ingredients you have already mixed)?  Or do you say “Well now, let’s see what kind of concoction … Continue Reading

Warning: Encouragement May Have Side Effects

Five Minute Fridays are back for the new year!  It’s been awhile since I have done one, and I know some of my readers really enjoy my 5 minute poems.  Today’s word was ENCOURAGEMENT.  I decided to go the humorous route and it is not a poem, but I know you will smile.  I hope you enjoy’s today’s funny 😀 !   Go Are you rundown, tired, listless?  Do you poop out at parties?  Are you unpopular?  The answer to all your problems is in this little bottle.  And it is not called VITAMEATAVEGAMIN.  This bittle lottle is called Encouragement.  😀 (side note, click the vitameatavegamin words to see the classic I Love Lucy clip).   WARNING Encouragement can be very contagious and may cause the following side effects: Causing … Continue Reading