bee and rose

Well hello there! It's been a little while, but I've been a busy lady this year what with my international romance and all.  (more on that to come...insert wink wink here please!)  For the moment, I cordially invite you to scooty on over to my new place www.silverliningstoryteller.com ! I am spinning my usual tales of sarcasm (aka ramblings, mutterings and confusion) over there and would love for you to stop in for a visit:)  I just babbled a bit about my merry tale of how my Holiday Meltdown 2014 was averted.  If you feel one of those coming on yourself, please feel free to wander over for sympathy.  May you all navigate the coming weeks with candy canes, cocoa and Man-deer (a real thing, not an urban legend...I promise!  I saw one!)  And since "You Know Who" (no, not Voldemort) is watching, you better be good for goodness sakes!  xoxo,

Today there is a happy celebration in Heaven as it would be my beautiful grandmother Gigi's birthday.  Gigi was definitely the most important influence on my life and it became crystal clear to me how deeply when I was asked to write the eulogy for her memorial service a few years back.  I decided to send a letter directly to God explaining what amazing treasure was on it's way.  It is a letter meant to bring smiles and giggles.  Thanks in advance for allowing me to share that special letter with you today as we honor her memory:) Dear God, On the day I was born, you bestowed upon me a truly precious gift...my grandmother.   Gigi, Mimi, Gram, Grandma...she had many names, but one heart overflowing with love for her family. There's not a day that goes by that Gigi doesn't influence me in some way.     Sometimes it’s the crocheted potholders I use when getting Catherine's pizza out of the oven.  Some days, it's watching Catherine put on h

Happy St. Patrick's Day! How about a wee stroll down memory lane?  Thank you to everyone who messaged me about sharing this blast from the past again this year:)  (yes, Maureen...I do read your emails too!)  Even though it was originally posted in 2009, not too much has changed (says Dawn in her "I can't believe I have PMS every single year at this same time"   happy (think Pharrell singing "Happy") voice.  So grab a cup of Irish coffee, Jameson whiskey, Guinness or whatever suits your fancy on this fine St. Patrick's Day and let me share a tale of whimsy with you.  (and may the luck of the Irish be with you if you come my way today!  Don't say I didn't warn you!)    Oops! What's she doing here again? Wasn't she just here a month ago? UGH! The nerve! We had so much "fun" last time she was here, didn't we?  Well, since I have a full day of Irish activities planned, I guess I better be gettin' my Irish on....

March Madness has officially descended up on our world as we are just days away from St. Patrick's Day.  Irish Dancer Girl will be shamrockin' all over the city of Tucson (Irish Dance style) for the next week to spread leprechaun love amongst the citizens.  While going over the performance list this morning, my mind wandered back to a time in the not so distant past where my sweet girl gave me a lovely surprise just before her very first St. Patrick's Day March Madness performance.  Thought it would be fun to take a stroll down memory lane with ya'll and give you some giggles.  Sit a spell while I weave a tragic tale of the six year old Irish dancer and her incontinent mother. One fine March day in 2009, Cat and I began our school morning cutting out shapes and chatting it up like two old ladies at bingo night. I had to (ahem) “use the little ladies room” for the 400th time in 20 minutes, and in the interest of safety, (because I’m one of those annoying over-protectiv