Day 21 ~ My Favourite Posts

For day 21 in the

blog every day in May challenge

"share a list of your favourite posts from your archives"

I sat down over the weekend and picked out some

of my favs

ironic since it was May 19th that I sat down for the first time

and hit publish on my very first post

that was 2009

back then I was not really sure what I was doing

lots of rambling ~ not much different than today I suppose

last year on my bloggy anniversary

I posted here

and it is one of my favourites

I started my Friday Potpourri posts in Nov 2010

and I love putting these together

finding the best pics ~ in season ~ to go along with my posts

My Women that Made Me series

was fun to put together and I am so glad I got to introduce

these ladies to you ~ they truly did make me who I am today

I used to put together a Wordless Wednesday post

and I loved picking a theme and running with it

I will still do one here and there as I love pretty things

I also like my causes posts ~ Breast Cancer & Ovarian Cancer

awareness are close to my heart

along with the Heart & Stroke Foundation

pretty pictures with a serious message

I have also done a few posts on some special people

one of my popular posts was

"For the Girl on the Swing" written for Lisa the "Bumpkin"

I still miss her friendship

I was quite proud of myself as I had not missed a day in the blogging challenge

until yesterday and I did not miss it ~ I chose not to write on the topic

so I did not miss it ~ I skipped it!

Day 19 ~ Favourite Blogs

On day 5 of this blogging challenge

I introduced you to

2 of my favs ~ one I have read since I started

and one I just started following this year

so since I have already introduced you to

Farmgirl Paints

& Gwen Moss

I was to pick 5 more of my favourites

and I will tell you ~ it was hard to choose

so of course ~ there are more than 5!

The Bottom of the Ironing Basket

is written by my sweet girl Simone

this is almost like a little but of cheating because I have been with her since the 

beginning ~ we knew each other before the land of blogging

but I still love it when I see a new post up from her

she is like a long distance sister

to me and I know in my heart that one day we will meet in person

Lou, Boos and Shoes

is another Brit in the form of Louise

I love how she lays it all out there ~ her writing makes me smile

and she finds the prettiest photos to accompany her words

The Lettered Cottage

is written by Layla and Kevin Palmer

and they are the cutest little couple ever

they just bought a new house and are making it their own

the work they did in their old place was swoon worthy

and they are in the midst of adopting a baby ~ so much going on for them

visits to their blog and IG feed are eye candy

Flower Patch Farmgirl

is written by Shannan

and don't let her fool you ~ she is a writer

some of her posts I snort laugh through

then others I sit back and go wow

Kimberly Taylor Images

Kim is the person that encouraged me to start blogging

I have proclaimed my love for her in the past

and she is a dear dear friend as well

 Bite by Michelle

I love finding local blogs and I found Michelle through a recipe on Pinterest

I will tell you ~ I have not been disappointed

Everyday Adventures of a Curious Gal

I have been reading Cathi

since I first starting blogging ~ it is one of my go to places

and there are so many others that I love

even when life takes over and blogging takes a back seat

I get excited when I see a post from Mikal, Jane, Jackie or Lissa

Where are your favourite places to go?

Care to share?

Day 18 ~ Childhood Memories

Every summer from the time I was about 8 through to my early teens

we would pack up the camper and the car on Friday night 

and head out on the highway.  

There was always a beach or a pool and friends ~ lots of friends.  

We would ride our bikes and run through the woods

collecting things for a scavenger hunt 

and getting fried clams or an ice cream cone as a treat.  

Life was simple ~ after supper we washed the dishes in a pan 

out at the picnic table and took off for the alders looking for the perfect stick.  

A bonfire was a nightly occurrence and there would be guitars playing, 

marshmallows roasting ~ happy campers for sure.  

As I got older I wanted to bring a friend ~ and also got choosy 

about which camp ground we wanted to go to.  

Our favourite was the one with the drive-in theatre next to it 

because Dad would take the car over and park it 

just us kids all jammed into the car ~ watching movies and eating popcorn.  

The adults would be back at the camp site and would take turns 

every now and then and wander over to check on us.  

These are days I remember so well and I think 

I became a better person for not only having the time spent with my family, 

but travelling around to different points, 

making new friends and experiencing life.  

Friday Potpourri

OK ~ I know I must sound like a broken record

and I really am not wishing my life away

but today could not have come soon enough

you see today is the Friday before a long weekend

and this is our official kick-off to summer

AND I start vacation

win ~ win for me!

so yes ~ I was more than a little anxious this week

via

I am so looking forward to this coming week

a time for...

digging in the dirt

hanging shelves

cleaning the house from top to bottom

lunch date with one of my girlies

pedi appointment

via

so tomorrow we load the truck

with cleaning supplies and head to the cottage

open the windows ~ strip the beds

clean clean clean

so the next nice weekend we can be cape bound

without a worry in the world

via

via

via

I am ready for a little R&R

and no alarm

via

Blog Every Day in May ~ Day 17

A favourite picture of yourself and why

I was sifting through photos this week

looking for one that brought back memories

and even though this one is not perfect ~ I smile a big smile when I 

remember this time.  It was New Years Eve 1999

Trev and I had just celebrated our first Christmas together

New Years we went out to dinner with some of our closest friends

and then back to our place ~ our first home we shared

it was a year of new love and new beginnings

it was being surrounded by loved ones

we were happy ~ and looking forward to what the year 2000 might bring

we partied like it was 1999.....

oh wait ~ it was!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend

full of sunshine and smiles!

Day 16 ~ Difficulties

Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it

I am blessed ~ I really am.  

I actually googled the phrase “lot in life” to get some inspiration 

for this post and I realized how lucky I really am. 

Trev may have lost him job after 27 years ~ but he got a good severance package 

and is now working part time.  

Talk to me again in December 

and I may be whistling another tune.  

I am using the extra money we are earning to pay down the car 

we had to buy in January 

after ours went to pasture.   

I have not bought anything extra ~ taken an exotic trip 

we are just living life and trying to do the best we can 

with what we've got. 

My brother and I have a strained relationship now

but I had to let it go and stop stressing over it 

 it is what it is and it’s not going to change.  

I have accepted that. 

Mom’s health scares me ~ she is back in the hospital next week 

for a hernia operation and I worry.  

She has COPD and high blood pressure 

I know she will have to go on the vent and I wonder how long she will be on it this time.  

I know that her body will not be going through the same trauma that it did last year, 

but are we not programmed to hope for the best and expect the worst.  

Sounds pessimistic of me doesn't it ~ so unlike me! 

So you see ~ I am blessed ~ life is pretty good here 

and I really have nothing to complain about.

Day 15 ~ A Day in the Life

One of my weekdays is like being a hamster on a wheel

but I guess we are all a little like that ~ aren't we

7:30 alarm ~ snooze ~ alarm ~ up

feed and water kids ~ coffee ~ computer ~ Today Show

breakfast ~ shower ~ ready ~ out the door

coffee ~ work ~ break ~ work ~ lunch ~ eat ~ read 

work ~ break ~ work ~ car

6:30 home ~ make supper ~ eat

catch up on the day ~ chores ~ walk ~ talk

play with Molly

it's her birthday today ~ 6 candles

sit ~ relax ~ computer ~ tv ~ bed at midnight

and repeat.....

except for my monkey's birthday that is!

Day 14 ~ Ten Things That Make Me Happy

this is more than 10

but it has so many of my loves....