Box Puppy!

Box Puppy, Mykelti is very pleased with her new hangout!

Today we received a shipment of dog food in the mail, so I thought I would put the leftover box out for the cats to play in before I toss it out for pickup on Friday. The cats wanted nothing to do with the box, but a certain little Aussie sure did! Mykelti hopped right in, and has been sitting in it all day long lol! 

Look how happy she is!

Never Forget...

Please take time out of your day to remember all of the precious lives that were lost, and those that were forever changed on today's 11 year anniversary of 9/11. ♥

While we are remembering those precious lives today, lets also not forget the bravery of the men and women who helped others during our nation's darkest time, the soldiers who volunteered their lives and service to defend our country, the Search & Rescue animal/handlers who worked around the clock to pull bodies out of the rubble, or the therapy/handler teams who counseled the grieving. They all taught us that EVERYONE can do something to help. Even in the darkest of times, there is always hope.

Below is a link of the 12 living SAR dogs that were at Ground Zero on 9/11. 

9/11 SAR dogs today: http://grendelreport.posterous.com/911-dogs-today

World Suicide Prevention Day

Yesterday Was World Suicide Prevention Day. 

(I'm a little late posting this)

Some call it National Suicide Awareness Day,etc. Whatever you might call it, it is an important day to acknowledge and support. My father is a survivor, by the grace of God, of multiple attempts. I have known others in my life who did not survive however. People who felt hopeless enough to end their lives, rather than to find hope; it really breaks my heart. The first time I learned about what suicide was, I was a small child. The hairdresser that my mom always took my sister and I to ended his life one day. My mom had to sit us down and explain what happened to him. (And to her credit, she told me exactly what a child my age needed to hear, and nothing that went over my head.). Years later, my mom and I both woke up in the middle of the night to screaming police and ambulance sirens in the neighborhood we lived in. One of our neighbors had shot himself to end his own life. He had a wife and a newborn child. I'll never forget the sight of paramedics putting him into the ambulance (he passed away en route to the hospital, so when they wheeled him out on the gurney, you could see everything.) It was horrible.

I remember working for animal control and having a precious volunteer I had the pleasure of getting to work around confide in me one day. She told that her father had ended his life when she was younger. She lived with that memory and heartbreak every single day because of the decision he made to end his life. I'll never forget the words she spoke to me, or the way my heart ached for her family's loss. No family should ever have to bury their loved ones, and certainly not at the hand of suicide.

My most recent memory of someone taking their life occurred over a year and a half ago when I lived at my old apartment complex. My neighbor on the floor above me took his life. Once again, I saw another neighbor being wheeled away on a gurney...only this time in a body bag. It was so somber and numbing to watch that unfold, knowing that only the day before we had spoken in the hallway. Sometimes, you just never know how much a person is struggling or hurting because they camouflage their pain and hurt so well with a fake smile.

It breaks my heart that one of the most precious people in my life, my father, tried to take his own life twice. (We were estranged at that point and he didn't enter into my life until I was older. Now we have an amazing relationship.) He is doing well now, and will talk candidly and openly about what he did and why he felt that was the answer to his problems. Thankfully, he knows it's not the answer now. Nonetheless, I still talk to him on a regular basis and go out of my way to make it known to him just how much he is loved and needed in my life and the lives of those around us. I think it's also a positive step that he recognizes he has PTSD now and doesn't feel shame in talking to someone when he has bad thoughts. (He witnessed some pretty awful things during the Vietnam War.). I am so proud of him for sharing his story with others, and continuing to chose hope each day that he wakes up! I am so blessed that he was not "successful" in his suicide attempts and that he is in my life. I don't know what I'd do without him around!

 Suicide not only takes the lives of those who commit it, it takes the life right out of those they leave behind. Please, if you're thinking about hurting yourself or just feeling blue, don't be afraid to talk to someone. Silence is the true beginning to the downward spiral. If you don't feel that you can talk to someone in your family, school, or circle of friends, then there is a fantastic number that you can call: The National Suicide Prevention Life Line: 1 (800) 273-8255. I've personally called that number before out of concern for a loved one that I thought was going to harm themselves. They gave me some great advice on ways that I could show support and love to try and make sure my loved one did not try to harm themselves. Those hot lines are also for concerned families and friends too, so if you are concerned about someone like I was, they are a great resource for you too. They can teach you what to say and how to try and make a positive difference. You never know just how much your words might impact someone...please try to make sure that you always leave them with words of hope...

Today, people across the world sported "Love" writings on their wrists in support for those who have struggled with thoughts, committed, or thought about ending their lives. It is also a day to remember how important it is to rally around the families of those who have lost loved ones to such a terrible tragedy.

Life is precious. Life is a gift. Life is worth living.

Below are some links with info that might be helpful to you or a loved one in your life:

Out of the Darkness by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

http://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-suicide-prevention-day

http://www.national-awareness-days.com/world-suicide-prevention-day.html

Clumsiness

Do you ever have a day when things just are not going your way? Not so much a bad day, but just one of those days when you should really stay in bed...for your own safety! This has been my day today.

Everything was going terrifically well until lunch time. After Ranger and I got back home from the park, I decided to feed the animals and fix some lunch for myself. Suffice it to say, I should have gone out for lunch!

So today's menu included a turkey burger, sweet peas, and a few sweet potato fries. Sounds like a pretty safe lunch, right? Not if you're a klutz!

While I let my grill heat up (one of those knock-off George Foreman grills; I think mine is by HG. I use mine almost daily and LOVE it!) I decided to separate the turkey burger patties from one another. (I like to keep a box of the Jenni-O ones in my freezer because they're super quick to make, and are a lot healthier than running out to grab fast food. After today though, I might switch brands! My gripe about the Jenni-O burgers is that you can not let them thaw before you cook them on the grill, otherwise they'll fall apart. So, you have to quickly get them on there so they cook well (I season once I place them on the grill). They are packaged in sets of two with a little white piece of paper between the two patties. Today, they were frozen so badly that no matter how much I tried to pry them apart, they wouldn't budge! In the midst of my frustration, I thought it would be a fanfreakingtastic idea to grab one of my Cold Steel steak knives to separate them. I've done this so many times before and have never cut myself. (As a florist, you learn REALLY quickly about the safe way to use a knife for cutting.) Today, I was not so lucky though. My fingers slipped a bit while I was separating the patties, and my right hand that was holding the knife slammed the knife right into my left thumb (at the cuticle line). OUCH!!! Needless to say a lot of cursing ensued! I grabbed a paper towel and put pressure on my thumb quickly. Then, like a moron who was still in pain, I hopped and danced around my kitchen a bit while cursing in an attempt to distract myself. (Don't judge me, my thumb HURT!!!)

While I was running around the kitchen like a mad woman, I somehow managed to stub my right big toe into the oven! OUCH!!! Double the pain, double the fun...right??? No!

It was at that point I decided to take a cooking break and bandage my finger up. (Thankfully, once I looked at it, I decided that it just HURT a lot worse than it really looked. For a brief moment there though, I really thought I might need stitches, but once I cleaned it up and got a better look, that wasn't the case! It doesn't look bad at all really. It definitely hurts though!)

So, once my finger was all bandaged up, I decided to return back to cooking. It was at that point I realized I had scorched the sweet potato fries. (Once again, I should have gone out today!). While taking them out to toss them and put in another small batch, I somehow managed to burn myself. Yes, burn myself.

At that point, I decided that tonight I should definitely go out for dinner if I value my life!

Once I finished cooking lunch, I sat down to eat (new batch of sweet potato fries on my plate) and took a bite into one of the fries....not cooked all the way through! Ugg! (I HATE soggy fries, so those went right back into the toaster oven!) Once they were finally crispy, I took them out and enjoyed the rest of my hard-earned lunch! I literally worked, slaved, and even bled for that meal hahaha! Once I finished eating lunch, I went to toss the rest of my scraps into the trash...and somehow managed to throw away my spoon as well, which unfortunately was not of the disposable variety. So, I had to conclude everything by digging in the trash can to salvage my spoon. (I only have four teaspoons, so leaving it in the trash was definitely not an option!) Once I got the spoon out of there, I decided to call it a day with my kitchen. I will do the dishes AFTER I get a nap. I have a feeling if I attempted them right now, I would probably harm myself again.

So to recap: today I have: stabbed my thumb, stubbed my toe, burnt my arm, and had to conclude the fun by trash can diving for a lost spoon...

Tonight, I will be eating out! (If it doesn't storm! Looks like we might have a third night in the row of stormy weather.) 

Things Girls Lie About

Ten Things Tuesday

1. I have a doctor's appointment in a little while. Let's hope I'm finally over this pneumonia crud once and for all! 

2. I need a better organization system for all of my mail, papers, etc.

3. I like to drink my orange juice with ice cubes and a straw. I think it tastes better that way! Also, I may be the only person left on the planet that prefers the "high pulp" orange juice! (Simply Orange is the best!)

4. I can't wait to start decorating for Fall soon!

5. I've been out of milk for the past few days. For the last two days I've woken up, poured a bowl of cereal and chopped up fresh fruit into it... only to remember that I'm out of milk. (I really should go to the grocery store lol).

6. My dogs are getting SO fluffy right now! (Their winter coats are coming in.) Ranger is especially fluffy since he's from bench (show) lines, although males in general tend to have a more showy coat to attract the females. (Mykelti is a mixture of bench/field lines, so her coat is much shorter). Even little Rosie who is a different breed, is getting more fluff to her coat and her tail.

Look at how fluffy Ranger's butt is; this cracks me up lol! 

(You can see Mykelti in the background for comparison).

7. I'm really enjoying the Boots no.7 line of beauty products that Target is currently selling! (Boots is a UK drugstore that puts out really nice products). I plan to do a review on the items I have from this line soon!

8. For those of you who follow my YouTube channel that are wondering why I haven't made an August review for GlossyBox, BirchBox, or EcoEmi: I never received them! I have gone through about five different departments to try and address this issue and have filed a complaint with the Office of Inspector General. (I suspect my postal carrier has sticky hands!)

9. My cats like bologna. Yesterday I was making a sandwich when I noticed ALL of the dogs and cats starting at me in the hopes of having a little bite. I still find it funny the cats actually like bologna! (No worries only had a minuscule bite).

10. Last night my best friend and I decided to enjoy a Labor Day dinner at The Melting Pot. It was more like a melting pot of disaster! I'm not sure either of us will be going back there anytime soon! There was a bug in Renae's menu when she opened it up, they sat us in a very awkward booth so the pot was blowing smoke into our faces the entire time; the waitress ignored our request to be moved to a more open table (even though there were  plenty open.) We got no silverware or drinks despite sitting at the table for an eternity, and finally the waitress was even so incredibly rude that we had to ask for the manager! (We've never complained in a restaurant before, so you KNOW it was bad if we spoke up!). Thankfully, the manager was awesome and got us a new waitress who was super sweet! They comped our food without us even asking for it, so we thought that was nice.(We left the sweet waitress a good tip, since our dinner wound up being comped by the manager). The food was delicious, but the ambiance and the atmosphere was a bit of a disaster to start off with. Even the ladies room wasn't well kept; there weren't even paper towels to dry your hands on, or a blow dryer. (I expect better from a nicer restaurant!)  I was happy the manager and the new waitress were so kind and resolved everything, but I don't plan to go back there anytime soon. It's honestly just not worth it! There are much better restaurants out there with a less expensive menu.  We thought the whole fondue thing would be fun, but when we got there we found out that we essentially had to order the exact same for everything since there was only one pot at our table that we had to share out of (we wanted to try different items so we could mix/match.) So I also thought that was a bit weird. I noticed them sitting other people at different tables that were able to order the exact things they wanted when we first arrived, so I think part of it was we just had a horrible waitress to begin with. Also, those fondue pots are NOT for short people! I could hardly reach the thing to dip my food into the sauce without being burned, even with the long fork. (I think part of it may have been that were at a table that was in a weird corner booth, but it was still pretty awkward!) I think Renae and I will stick to normal restaurants next time we're out, and we'll and leave the fondue for a girls night in when we cook it ourselves! Oh well, live and learn!

Renae and I still had a good time though, and took a few pictures while we were there. :)

The Script - If You Ever Come Back

Please Read...

Today, President Obama declared September to be "National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month." Regardless of anyones' political affiliations, I strongly believe that this is a step in the right direction! Please, take a moment to read the legislation: HERE

My precious Aunt Joanne lost her battle to childhood cancer (leukemia) before I ever had the opportunity to meet her. (She was diagnosed as a teen/young adult, and bravely fought her battle with Leukemia for as long as she could.) She never had the chance to truly know the joys of the simple things in life so many take for granted: falling in love, getting married to a man that loved her, having children. Although my Aunt Joanne missed out on many things, she is always near and dear to our hearts, and her legacy lives on. I never was blessed with the opportunity to meet her (leukemia stole her away from my family much too soon), however, Aunt Joanne has blessed and touched my life by the legacy she left behind. Every time I hear a family member or a friend tell me about what an incredible young lady she was, I smile. She left an amazing legacy of positivity and hope behind for all of us to follow. Even in her darkest hour, Joanne embraced life to the fullest; she clung to her faith, and the motto of, "The Optimist Creed": Read it here. 

Despite the death sentence that was handed to her, she still lead a life with purpose, joy, and hope. She brought our family together, and still continues to do so. In my quest to put flowers on her grave several years ago, I was randomly reunited with family members that I had never met before. (That was such a special, incredible moment: to know that others had loved her so much and that she left such an impact on us all...to know that we were all united in remembering her...breathtaking!) I truly believe in my heart that Joanne had a hand in orchestrating that moment! Through that experience, I learned many amazing stories about her life. Joanne brought so many people together...people who remember her for the incredible lady she was, not just for what the leukemia took away from her. My sister and I even received an email about a year ago from one of Joanne's close friends that told us all about their friendship and the great legacy she left upon his life. I read that email often and truly cherish the heartfelt words in it. It is so amazing to learn about what an incredible person she was and the positive impact she made in the lives of others. 

I often wonder what other incredible things she could have done had her life not been cut so short by childhood cancer.

My family takes comfort in knowing that through Joanne's legacy, she has touched so, so many lives. You see, Joanne was one of the very first patients treated at St. Jude for her condition. Because of Joanne, and other children like her, there are now longer survival rates, and cures for many cancers that were once considered a death sentence. (My dad was one of the first people there to offer his bone marrow in an attempt to help save Joanne's life. It's not just about the cancer, donors (bone marrow and other) play a very vital role in research and saving lives! Please consider signing up to be a donor!). I wish that there had been a cure for my Aunt Joanne back then. I wish that I would have had the opportunity to have such an incredible aunt in my life with me today. Unfortunately, that wasn't in the cards, as a cure did not come swiftly enough.  Through Joanne's incredible legacy however, I've been impacted in amazing ways, as have my other family members, friends, and children who are now living longer from the research St. Jude has done. Because of the legacy that Joanne and countless other children have left behind, they will never be forgotten; their lives will live on! Awareness is the first step in the journey to find a cure for childhood cancers...and all cancers for that matter! These children are our future. Their lives are important! Who do you think will find cures in the future, and care for you when you are older: the very children we should be working our hardest to help! Imagine a world without these precious children for a moment...no birthdays, no laughter, no celebration, no joy...a world of loss and devastation. Well, imagine what the life is like for the families who lose their little ones to cancer. 

WE CAN DO BETTER! 

We can spread awareness and support those who are trying to find a cure so that no family ever loses a child again from cancer. 

I still find it astounding, the number of people who can automatically tell you what the pink ribbon stands for, yet they do not have the slightest clue that gold represents all of the lives touched by childhood cancers. Awareness is the crucial first step. Although I wish this legislation would have been passed decades ago, before my aunt and others ever became ill, before countless lives were lost, I am relieved that today, a positive step was made to bring awareness on the impact childhood cancers inflict on countless lives. I am happy that today people put politics and personal agendas aside in order to do what is right, and what is noble for these precious children! I am PROUD! Joanne, would be proud too! :)

If you want to learn more about childhood cancers, or offer your support, there are numerous venues that you can visit. A few include: St. Jude , The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , www.curechildhoodcancer.org , Children's Cancer Research Fund. You can also show support by volunteering with organizations that help families who are coping with a childhood cancer diagnosis. Pet therapy teams that work with the group Ranger and I are affiliated with, regally visit with patients who are undergoing treatment and bring smiles to the families who are enduring so much. We are ALWAYS on the look out for wonderful new team members! If you think you have a pet that would make an incredible therapy animal, please send me a message. I would be happy to start you on the path towards becoming a registered therapy team through West TN Therapy Dogs. We need more incredible pets/handlers to share smiles, hugs, and joy, especially at places like St. Jude! (Even if your pet isn't a good fit for a place like St. Jude, there are countless other opportunities for a good therapy pet in our community to make a positive impact. I would love to talk to you and help you one your way!)

Other great organizations that need volunteers and donations include: The Ronald McDonald House, and the Target House both are also great organizations who provide shelter and needs for the families seeking treatment. Make-a-Wish is another great organization that tries to provide a bit of joy and hope for the families who are struggling to cope with a fatal diagnosis. Please do not feel like you are unable to help if you can't donate money! Time is one of the most important things you can give! Consider doing a fundraiser at your work or school to help fulfill a child's wish through "Make-a-Wish". Or, ask one of the housing programs what items they are in need of, and ask for canned goods/boxed items on your next birthday/wedding shower/Christmas party  etc, in lieu of presents. Those items can go a long way in helping to fully stock a kitchen at the Target or Ronald Mc Donald House for families who are living away from their homes while their children undergo treatment. There are so many things you can do to get involved and help! If you're a photographer, offer to take pictures for the families impacted, if you're a graphic artist: offer to design a poster free of charge for the next fundraiser, if you're a musician: sign up to volunteer in the hospital once a month to teach a little music class. There are runners clubs that raise money through races, golf tournaments that raise money through sport, there are cute clothing items/etc for those who like to shop. My point is that there are numerous ways to get involved! Try to find one you enjoy, and pitch in; you never know what kind of amazing impact you might have! 

I am going to end today's post with a picture of reality. It is a picture that absolutely breaks my heart. Below is a picture of what happens to children that are stricken with childhood cancers, when a cure is not found. If it upsets you, be thankful you still have tears to shed, emotions to feel, and a heart that's still beating. YOU are all able to do something about this: RAISE AWARENESS! Share your stories, make the decision to be the voice for those who no longer have one. Please do not speed through your September, through your holidays, through your upcoming year, and forget about this blog post. Please remember  that childhood cancer is inconvenient. Remember that on your most joyous occasions: your birthday, your wedding day, your holidays...all of your special moments....so many children will not get to experience your happiness and joy because there will not be a cure found quickly enough for them. Please do not go through life and forget about those who have lost so much from cancer. Remember them. Honor their legacies. Spread awareness.

This is what happens when a cure is not found in time. 

I know it's a difficult picture to look at, but I truly hope that it serves as a somber reminder of why it is so important to spread awareness and show support for childhood cancer research. My Aunt Joanne had her young life cut short because of Leukemia. No family should ever lose their precious loved ones from childhood cancer.

Oh Baby!

This week we had an exciting new development in my family: we found out my niece is expecting a baby:

BOY!

Needless to say, we are all pretty excited, and can't wait to welcome him into our family! He is going to be one very loved little fella! In typical great aunt fashion, I've already found several cute baby things for little RJ! If you think of my family over the coming months, please pray that my niece has a healthy pregnancy, easy labor, and that little RJ is born healthy, and happy this coming January! 

Here are two ultrasound pictures of baby RJ! :)

Mississippi Landmass Defended on FOX

I normally don't watch FOX news so much (I prefer to flip between different stations, websites, and news sources so  that I can get more well-rounded stories on the news) but this is absolutely hysterical and worth sharing with all of you! Enjoy your laugh of the day this Tuesday! (This guy is awesome in my book!)

(There's even a facebook page dedicated to this: https://www.facebook.com/TheLandMassBetweenNolaAndMobile )

Coldplay - Paradise Live in Madrid [Proshot] [Anton Corbijn] [HD]

Powerful Words...

Not Worth The Hype: NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in "Place Vendôme"

Today I wanted to share my review on a product that I just feel is not worth the hype! The product I talk about in the video is: NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in "Place Vendôme". Watch the video below to find out why I dislike this, and what products I think are better, at a fraction of the cost! Be sure to read the description bar for more information when you watch the video. :)

My puppy might just be an alcoholic...

The title explains it all...

I left Rosie alone for a few minutes tonight, and came back to find her in the living room floor...gnawing away at a bottle of Hpnotiq. I may need to check her into Puppy AA....

LOL

A while back, my aunt and I were in Hobby Lobby when we stumbled across this little gem of a painting. We were quite tempted to purchase this as a gift for my mom. Now, you might wonder why on earth I would give my mom a picture like this? Well, there's a funny story to it:

For the longest time, my mom thought that "lol" meant, "lots of love"... not, "laugh out loud."

We didn't tell her for ages because it was simply too hilarious! Every single time we received a text from her that was either very serious, or very grouchy, she ended it in "lol" and it just  cracked us all up! 

One of my favorite lol moments with my mom included receiving a random text from her one day about a distant relative that had passed away. She sent text messages to multiple people about it and ended each text in "lol." So of course, I'm sure some were wondering why on earth she was laughing at someones passing on, and why she didn't call instead (Since she's learned the art of "texting", we can't make her stop haha!) Now, death is not a laughing matter, nor is it funny....but in that situation....mom's text definitely made things a little laughable!

BUT, at that point I decided one of us HAD to tell her that "lol" really meant "laughing out loud" instead of "lots of love".  That was a hilarious conversation in and of itself. I'm not sure what was more funny: me telling her what it really meant, or her arguing with me that it meant "lots of love", and then calling someone else to confirm it...

   LOL