One Little Word to Guide My New Year

2014 my word was HOPE, I was struggling with my health and I needed to focus on finding Hope! 2015 my word was Harmony. Trying to find Harmony with my business…work…family… making is all mesh and flow! We are just almost a week in and I am struggling to find my word… TONIGHT this IS my TASK!!!! (There when I say it put it out in the Universe I will find it or it will find ME!!!

Chris' Journaling Journey

If you could discover one little word to focus on for the next year, what would it be?  Think about it carefully, for the word you choose will create large changes in your life, if you allow it.

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Share Your World – 2015 WEEK #50

It is another Week and THAT much closer to the end of the Year!!!

Favorite thing to photograph? Write? Or Cook?

These are all three different things for me! I will give all three a whirl!

I love to photograph nature!

Lucky I work just outside of 135 acres of Pine Forest! There is LOTS of Nature to go around!

I love to write about kids and essential oils! Visit my other Blogs at

Confessions from the Whiteboard

Sunny Oils

And I love to cook dinner… Simply cause it is brings the family together. Usually breakfast and lunch we are all out on our own but traditionally in my house dinner has been the meal that brings us all together. Although with Hubby working night, daughter moving out and son being a teenager dinner is looking a bit different in my house.

Did you like swinging as a child? Do you still get excited when you see a swing? 

I LOVED swinging as a child! There was something SO comforting about swinging. When my kids were little I attempted  to revisit my childhood love by swinging along side my kids or putting them on my lap and joining for a whirl! The feeling was NO WHERE near the same! The last time I swung WILL BE the LAST time. My head did not recover so well and for days my body still felt off… In motion… 😦 I remember being glad I had a stroller to grip onto for the walk home. This was better left as a childhood memory! This is not something that gets better with age!

Google Image

What has surprised you about blogging?

I have been surprised by looking forward to reading other people’s blogs. When they don’t blog for a few days I truly miss them!!

In the writing aspect I have loved sharing my love of oils with people who are new to oils or seasoned people looking for a new way to use oils! Making and sharing new recipes is my favorite.

List at least five favorite desserts.

Hmmmm… My mouth is watering just thinking about this!

1. Tiramsu (Special OCCASION)
2. Chocolate Ice Cream
3. Dark Chocolate (the darker the better)
4. Pie-Pumpkin, cherry, apple, peach (if it is still warm it is EVEN better!)
5. Jello – I know BUT I LOVE JELLO
6. Carrot Cake!!!

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful for support of friends through some tough times last week and I am SOOOO Looking forward to Star Wars VII! Going opening night!!! (I know geeky but that is OK!)

The Eyes Tell All

Last night I had the honor of attending a candlelighting ceremony in honor of children who passed away too soon. I was there with my aunt who lost her son last year.

The room was filled with stories of tragedy. Murders, accidents, illness – loss. My heart was filled with sorrow and sympathy. Looking into the eyes of mothers who have had their children taken away just when life was beginning was heartbreaking. Each desperately wanted to share memories of their loved ones. Listening to dads tell the emotional, physical, spiritual impact was so difficult.

I could see the pain these parents have endured, I could see it in their walk, movements, gestures. They desperately wanted to put on their best show but most of all it was in their eyes.

Whether they were stories that made the headlines or ones that just became family stories I took a piece of their children home with me and that is the best gift I think I could give. 

 

Crafty

So I decided to get crafty and make diffuser bracelets to give as holiday gifts. I coupled them with small dram sizes of Orange or Lavender Oil. They are a big hit among my friends and colleagues! The school smells great! Back to the craft store I go!!! I see a weekend of crafting ahead! Also making Chest rub for my hacking school friends!

Share Your World – 2015 Week#49

What would be your ideal birthday present, and why?

Hmmm… Since we are dreaming here, I have to say my ideal birthday present would be a trip. Nothing ludicrous but I dream of visiting many of our National Parks… so I would LOVE to go to Yellow Stone National Park, the Grand Canyon or even Niagara Falls!

What color would you like your bedroom to be?

Right now my room is the color I like! It was just painted and is a seafoam green. Nice and calming!

Would you prefer snowy winters, or not, and why? 

I live in Florida… Hello!!! Nooooo snow!!! Brrr…

Would you rather go a week without bathing, but be able to change your clothes, or a week without a change of clothes, but be able to bathe?

Wow, tough one here! Trying to imagine either and it makes me feel yucky! I guess I would have to go with bathing and wearing the same clothes all week! Either way I will appreciate clean clothes and a shower all week long!!!!

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am thankful I completed my website (click here to check it out! —> Sunny Oils !!!! This is a huge undertaking for me! The Member’s Only section is still being updated but the rest is COMPLETE!!!!!!!!!! Long time in the making!!!!

I am looking forward to being one week closer to winter break!!!

Behind the Badge

SO I get many friends asking me… “Aren’t you scared?”, “How do you let him go?”

My husband is a police officer and in these times things can be a bit scary. This is my hubby’s second career… You know that job you always dreamed of doing? The one you said,  “if I could do it all over again I would…” Well he DID IT! (That story is another post!)

Here is my thinking. I could fear every night he goes out, yep he works 5 pm – 5 am and be consumed with this fear quite easily… or I could resolve to know that his training, gut and men and women in blue have his back.I chose the second!

I encourage you to take the time to think about the fact that the men and women who go out each day to protect you are HUMANS. They are not “out to get you”. They are just doing their job and they have families to come home to.  Take a quick second to say hello! Believe me I know they love to be acknowledged! Know they are real people with real feelings and behind them is a loving wife, husband, mother, father, sister, brother and maybe even children.

I am third in from right, on second to last row.

I am blessed to be part of a really great group of women who provide support. They know what it is like to be the wife of a law enforcement officer. They are a “tribe” of women who stick together, chat online at all hours if need be, contribute back to the community, and do oh so much more!

If you are feeling isolated or alone I encourage you to reach out and find what you need. These women have taught me YOU ARE NEVER ALONE!!!

Hope

Those 4 letters carried me through my darkest times with fibromyalgia and being a parent of a bipolar son. I found a ring that held those letters and when my hope of being better started to fade I had that ring to remind me to keep going! And in turn, when I thought I could not take another belittling session from my son, or endure one of his rage episodes I knew that “Hope” would get me through.

Well recently I want to memorialize that word a bit more permanently. I began toying around with a tattoo. Now, let me tell you getting a tattoo was no light decision. My mother is probably rolling around in her grave, but this is what I needed to do for me! So, I thought long and hard about how to translate all I wanted into a tattoo, I came up with this…

SO… the infinity symbol is for the love between my hubby and I. He has been by my side even at the bottom! He did all the cleaning, shuffling kids and grocery shopping when they were just beyond my ability to get done for the day. He chauffeured me to dr appointments when I could not get myself there. He fought with the doctors for answers…22 years of marriage + 7 dating so I think we are set for eternity.

Hubby is a police officer so that is the thin blue line in the middle that ties all officers and their families together. AND HOPE to remind me that with hope I can face any challenge. (Even the parenting a teenager with bipolar challenge)

 

Second Blog… CRAZY

SO I recently started a second blog and am looking for feedback! I would love a view! Confessions From the Whiteboard This one is focused on my life in the classroom! It is a bit easier to write about as it has been my life for 22 years! 

At What Point?

As much as I try to keep myself positive some days the boiling point just feels low! I know I can’t be the only parent that has these days. If you have ever had a teenager you know my pain, if you have had a bipolar teenager than you really KNOW my pain!

I love to hear, “Well IF he were my kid…” It is so easy to throw stones but if you haven’t walked in someone’s shoes sometimes it is best to just listen and be there without judgement. In my case I say, “it is like stopping a speeding train.” You can WILL the train to stop but it won’t, you can yell and scream at the train for it to stop but it won’t, you can take away the train’s windows but it will still keep moving.  I have to believe that somethings are just out of our control. Otherwise I am gonna beat myself up! 

Today I am choosing my battles carefully because otherwise, I a bubbling over the top. Please tell me I am NOT the only one.  I am trying to see the silver lining. He is not into drugs, drinking, and other life dangerous things. He is not sick, (physically), He has some wonderful qualities. We are just going through a rough road. Although it has been a lifetime for him on this road.  I am working for a smoother tomorrow! Still learning how to parent a bipolar teen. Hoping tomorrow will be better!

 

 

 

Buildings and Trees-CFFC

My school is situated on 135 acres of pine forest. It is the biggest undeveloped track of land in our city. (West Palm Beach, FL) Just beyond that we have a 10 variety + bamboo garden. The students can take a serene nature walk through the bamboo garden. It is a picture perfect view from our school building!