38-34...

bonjour!

been away too long...life had me tied down for the week.

school, kiddos, house, yard, car, activities etc...

i wish there were more time in the day, to do all that i can...

my countdown for the last week has to be a shorten version...

i chose a few images that depict some of the special things

that were happening this year...

i think what coco chanel said is so wise:
"it's not the houses i loved...
it's the life i lived in them"
no matter how many homes you've lived in, no matter where your home has been,

no matter how big or small,

how grand or plain...

it's how you lived in them, that counts...that truly matters.

it's how you brought life to it.

it's how you share your life with your loved ones in it.

it's the memories...

to me that is home...

home is where your heart is.

that's where part of my heart is...

thank you for sharing your life with us...

mahal kita...xoxo

41...

bonne nuit

xoxo

Sorry for being MIA...life is too short...

(image + phrases created by me via images from clipart)

when tragedy hits, how do you react?

i do apologize for my long abscence + unexpected break.

it's been a whirlwind these past 3 weeks.

with so many events + emotions, i truly have been exhausted.

death, mourning, life, love, celebrations, projects...

this past April 22, 2009, a very dear friend unexpectedly + tragically left this earth

and hopefully has found peace.

i on the otherhand, have been silently grieving.

my inner peace has been shaken up and

i've been trying to pick up the pieces to keep moving forward.

my friend's wake+funeral was not what we expected and we know deep in our hearts that

our dear friend would have wanted it differently.

this recent loss has reawakened my senses.

to re-evaluate my path in life.

to hold my loved ones closely.

to feverishly love my dear ones + to not take life for granted.

please bear with me as i need to write a few words about my dear friend and to give her the final respect she truly deserves...

her name was Valerie Rodriguez. we went to highschool together. she helped throw a bachelorette party for me. she was at my wedding. we would see each other downtown. we would go out + have lunch. she would make you smile a mile long. she always lit up a room. she was always very fashionable. she loved her children. she was full of life. she had a hard life. she enjoyed so many things. she loved life.

she was searching for something. i hope she found it.

about a month ago or so, she remarried. she went to Wisconsin Dells for Spring Break with her new husband. they were coming home + were riding a motorcycle. she was the passenger. it was raining.

she wasn't wearing a helmet. she was thrown off.

she was in a coma. she was taken off life support. she left this earth.

just. like. that.

gone.

(this was taken years ago at my surprise bachelorette party that Val helped coordinate with another dear friend, Kathy and my sis, Bobbie. please excuse the poor quality of the photos and my poor fashion sense back then...yikes!)

you just don't know why, how or when life ends.

all you do know is that life is too short.

i still can't believe Val is gone.

i will always miss you, Sweet Val.

hoping you are safe + get a chance to hold my lil' girl, Sinead's hands...

may you rest in peace + hoping you have truly found happiness...

until we meet again...

love you...

xoxo jo ;)

(will try to post as soon as i can of all the things that have been happening + what i've been working on...there's been A LOT...

hope you are all loving life to the fullest!!!)

Indian Summer + catch up...

Wow...where has the time gone?! September already? I am truly sorry for not keeping up with this sweet blog and all of you...the last couple of months have been busy but believe it or not, I've been trying to create in the midst of such chaos. Here's a recap of what I've missed in Creating in the Midst:

Week 3: Embrace You Now
Been busy connecting with the creative side of myself while raising a young family. Went on vacation to Door County with my family and connected with my inner self through meditation, walks along the shores/forests, participating in an art seminar and meeting more kindred spirits. Accomplishing one of my longtime goals, was a sure treat when I created a dress form journal with new found objects like wire, fabrics, steel etc. at the Assemblage Studio. (will post pics of this amazing project soon)

Discovered so many new + interesting things: Absolutely charming and breathtaking French bakery shoppe called La Patisserie. Met a sweet + creative soule, Joni Stock (General Manager), while tasting delectable French pastries that even a Queen like Marie Antoinette would've loved...also listened to soothing French love songs in their lil' outside garden while dreaming of Paris, which I will have to post pics soon...you truly can sense the loveliness in this classy, sophisticated yet cozy and charming lil' bakery...je'taime!

Saw so many creative and artful spirits in Door County. Met a vivacious and sweet shopowner, Angie McMahon of Viva La Cottage. Another magical French-inspired oasis filled with ultimate luxury, charm and sweetness anyone can imagine. (Her shoppe is exquisite and will post pictures soon). Angie spoke of so many topics and shared her wisdom of being a female entrepreneur and the success + hardships of owning your own business. More tales to be told at a later time...
Enjoyed a fun-filled week with my children, sister and mom. Laughed, cried, ate, discovered new + exciting things, saw beauty together and enjoyed even the simplest things life has to offer. To me, this was an important time in our lives...creating memories , making everlasting connections and enhancing our love for one another.

Week 3 touched quite a few nerves...family, children, creative expressions, friends and dreams...still working on self, body, values, partner, co-workers, finances and career...will work on them to try to answer them one day at a time...

Week 4: Collect your Joy and Week 5: Hone your Vision
These past few months I've been trying to awaken the creative passion in me. I've been participating in quite a few swaps and art challenges. Creating my blog has truly helped me discover so many interests that have been buried way deep down in the pit of my belly. I was reading a magazine one day, and it stated something to this effect: 'to be fully happy, you must not ignore yourself, your own interest...you must do what makes you happy...you must find other things of interests' All these years, I've been pleasing so many people and somehow neglected myself...this journey with Creating in the Midst and writing an on-line journal is helping me find passions that I've had and had to put on hold to raise a family. So week 4 comes at a good time...I've been so busy creating pages for lil' itty bitty book swaps that I've been participating in. My collection of these lil' books are growing...so it is just fitting that I've made this lil' house my lil' box of joy.

For now, this is where my collection of joy is...full of inspiration, love, dreams and hope for a brighter future...this is where I go to remind myself that success is nearby...to never give up. Books filled by creative artists from around the world...this is what keeps me going when there might be a lil' sadness or doubt......well, this is a full house...and if I'm lucky to see tomorrow it'll be a brand new day...and a new box of joy...to house more of the things I love and make me happy...aren't we lucky to experience this life?!



Week 6 Declare your Values
This week is a hard one because there's so many values+virtues known to man. We're only supposed to declare 10 of our values...this is tough.

For now these are what I value the most:
1. God
2. Family
3. Honesty
4. Kindness
5. Positiveness
6. Appreciation
7. Love
8. Accomplishments
9. Simplicity
10. Time

What I'm not being aligned with: positiveness, appreciation, accomplishments, simplicity and time. Because of time...I'll have to clarify what I mean about this week...really...this is a very difficult one to discuss...somehow, I'll find a way to communicate what I'm feeling..xoxo Jo ;)

Week 7 Count your Blessings

Why do I love life?

...Ian, Tim, Shioban

and one very special sweet Angel Sinead...

Thank you, God.

I count my blessings that I was chosen...
One day, we'll all be together...

but for now...
we continue to find beauty in all things...

right here and right now.

Week 8 Intend your Moments
This past Spring, I participated in writing in my niece's 'around the world journal'...I wish I copied those pages I created for her...to help her + guide her through this world. I wish I had an Aunt that took me aside and guided me. This is what I think Creating in the Midst is for me...that Aunt (or someone) to truly guide me to find my passions... I truly believe all of the 13 wonderful contributing artists in the 'around the world journal' gave my niece a little bit of insight to what she can do with this world. That's is what I hope my pages can do for her. I really wish I kept copies because it sorta had a floor plan to what I'd like to do in the near future for myself. If I get my hands on it, I'll have to make copies...y'know writing it down cements your dreams...
The only thing I kept were the following words of wisdom...can you guess who said this?...I really do take it to HEART:

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is Life, FIGHT FOR it.

~Mother Teresa~

Week 9 Explore your path
Whew...I'm almost caught up to this week's exercise...

Share your focus...to confidently catpure timeless beauty, simply+organized and to share it with others via some sort of media publication.

share a symbol of your focus...my camera

I want to move towards...being more confident in my creative thinking and processing.

Well...today was totally devoted to catching up with Creating in the Midst...now off to work on the ten trillion wips waiting for me, yikes...

Have a Beautiful Thursday! xoxo Jo ;)