Fairytales are more than just silly stories to tell children to pass some time. Fairytales are a great way to share a belief, lesson, or moral code in a way that is entertaining. And if you are wondering where this topic came from in the vast network of my mind, today is National Tell a Fairytale Day.

I will admit that I truly loved this day when I was nannying. It was a fun and creative day of coming up with stories related to sharing or siblings or trying again when something was frustrating. Today I am not really sure how I will celebrate my story making abilities without children around. But never fear, I'm sure there will be someone to share a fairytale with today!

My favorite fairytales to make up have woodland creatures or mythical elements. I particularly liked one I came up with several years ago about a magic dragonfly and how even though it was her choice on who she would sprinkle her happy dust on, she learned that it was better if she were kind and gave some to everyone and in the process found herself happier as well. 

Today I am grateful for a creative imagination. I'm grateful to have not lost that playful spark. I'm grateful to share it with the children in my life, and the adults as well. I'm grateful to be returning to work today just in time to share this great day with coworkers and clients. I'm grateful for editing software that helps me take a picture and make it magical. I'm grateful for all the opportunities I find to express my creativity and I'm grateful for holidays like today that provide such opportunities.

What was your favorite fairytale growing up? Have you ever made up a fairytale of your own? 

​May today bless you with renewed magic and creativity within your lifestyle. May you find fun ways to celebrate today. Have a beautiful day and weekend!

Morning is so sweet after a night of sleep! Yes, my sweet Pippin slept through the night. 

I'm so grateful for the Serenity of a silent, dark room.
I'm grateful for the Lengthy night of no interruptions.
I'm grateful for the renewed Energy that this night of sleep has gifted me. 
I'm grateful for the Enthusiasm to face a new day now that I am rested.
I'm grateful for Pippin's healing and her finally beginning to feel better.

There is not much more to say. The gift of a night of sleep is something many people, from new parents to insomniacs dream of and last night I was blessed. 

When was the last time you got a good nights sleep? How do you celebrate a day of being rested?

​May today bless you with the energy to complete your tasks. May you feel refreshed and receive the sleep needed to live your best day. Have a beautiful day!

The last couple days have been full of great lessons. One of the most important perhaps is the reminder that I cannot give from an empty cup. 

While I want to help Pippin feel better from her surgery and let her know she is not alone I also have limits on how many hours I can stay awake. I made it from Monday morning until nearly eight pm last night with barely more than a couple intermittent hours of sleep. Something had to give. 

Luckily, Pippin had reached the same exhaustion level and slept for nearly four hours before starting her crying again. And when she woke around midnight we made a compromise. Rather than me lying on the floor next to her dog bed listening to her cry all night and keeping the whole family awake, Pippin and I went to the basement. I laid on the sofa with her next to it on the floor so I could be a little more comfortable as I comforted her. I even managed to drift off a few times. 

I'm so grateful for that old, soft sofa! I'm grateful to have gotten some sleep. I'm grateful to be able to send my husband off to work more rested today. I'm grateful to not have to work until this evening so that I can be here as Pippin continues her recovery. And I'm grateful for our compromise last night that helped me stay semi-rested while being there for her. I'm grateful that the next dose of pain meds has kicked in and she is once again resting.

How do you take care of yourself when someone is relying on you? How do you keep your cup full so that you have something to give?

May today bless you with balance. May you remember to care for yourself. Have a beautiful day!

The surgery is over and, according to the vet, things went well. Pippin disagrees. Between her shaved, swollen booty and the lesser dose of pain meds she can take because of a raised liver enzyme she is one sad puppy. 

It has been heartbreaking to lay with her listening to her cry all night. There were two, one hour patches of sleep from our sheer exhaustion I think. Hopefully the vet will have suggestions today to assist me in easing her distress.

But even within a rough night and the heartbreak of my crying fur-baby, there is gratitude to be found. I'm so grateful to have my Pippin back home with me. I'm grateful her surgery went as well as it could. I'm grateful to have today off to be with her. I'm grateful to be able to stay awake with her last night and lay next to her to comfort her. I'm grateful to know my own discomfort from laying on the floor all night will pass. And I'm grateful to know that her pain will be temporary as well. 

What helps you find patience and inner strength? What do you do for your four-legged friend when it is not well?

May today bless all the fur-babies with health and ease of pain. May the simple pleasures be enough to rejuvenate us all. Have a beautiful day!
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My precious Pippin is going in for surgery today. While her sister has had to have surgery twice in the last two years, this will be a first for Pippin who has really never been sick or injured. It is already proving to be a rough morning for her.

Pippin is always hungry and the idea of being unable to eat or drink since midnight last night is throwing off her routine. In her world, this is catastrophic. My heart aches knowing it is only going to get rougher for her as I have to drop her off at the one place she hates to go, the vet.

But Pippin is a trooper. She has been quite the addition to my life for the last nine years and I'm sure she will continue to be a pistol once she has recovered.

Pippin came into my life a gangly 6 month old puppy on Valentine's Day nine years ago. I picked her up in the middle of a snowstorm because the shelter said she was ready and I was home from work due to a snow day. From the moment I brought her home, I know life would never be the same.

She was a smart puppy... just not quite smart enough to not get in trouble. Pippin would sit and unscrew the doorstoppers then bring them to me, so proud of herself. If I was reading instead of playing with her she would stand on her back feet and flip the light switch on and off with her teeth. "I'm over here! Let's PLAY!" 

As the years have gone by she has mellowed in regard to everything but her feeding schedule. She has become one of the most loving and hilarious dogs I have ever met. Pippin is more than a pet, she is family.

I'm grateful for the years of fun we have had together and the many more we will have after this successful surgery. I'm grateful for her silly expressions and the way she cocks her head from side to side at certain noises. I'm grateful for the way she can sneak up and give me a big disgusting kiss, and the way she loves to give kisses. I'm grateful for the endless laughter I have had watching her chase bubbles and eat the occasional spaghetti noodle. I'm grateful to know she is in good hands with her vet. I'm grateful for all the love and prayers for her safe journey today and a quick recovery.

Do you have a pet that is more like family? What is your favorite family pet memory or experience?

​May today be full of health and vitality. May you find joy in your four-legged friends. Have a beautiful day!

Today I would like to give some recognition and love to all the caregivers out there. It can be a challenging job at times and it takes someone very special to have the patience, kindness, and love to care for others day in and day out.

While there are many forms of caregivers including parents, grandparents, and teachers, today I would like to focus on those who help the disabled and special needs community. 

I worked with preschoolers with Autism and speech delays for about seven years. They taught me so much and fulfilled my life in a way no other job has so far. It was such a beautiful experience even within the most challenging moments.

I'm grateful to have been a part of that community and to help serve those amazing families. I'm grateful for all I learned about patience and love. I'm grateful for the simple joys of hearing a first word, first request, or first full sentence. I'm grateful for those who continue to do this work each day and pour their own hearts into it as I did. I'm grateful for those who work with people who have physical challenges as well. And I'm grateful for this day to recognize the amazing work and amazing hearts of caregivers. 

Who do you know that is a caregiver? How can you do something for them today in honor of all they do for others?

May today bless you with generosity and patience. May you find joy in your heart in helping others. Have a beautiful day and a beautiful weekend!

It's funny how a picture captures one moment in time but does not fully grasp all the other influences that may be going on. This picture for instance looks like a still and peaceful sunrise. It does not reflect the strength of the wind that is making the trees dance outside. 

Memory is much the same. It captures one moment from one perspective but often forgets the little details and idiosyncrasies that do not fit the memory. Memories are completely subjective.

There is a lot changing in my life right now. I've chosen to cancel some workshops and focus on my individual clients. I'm chosen to take a little more me time. And I've chosen to release my photography website. I'm making space for something new. I'm opening myself up for an opportunity that I have been waiting for for a long time.

When I look back on this, when I have created a memory of it, I will have a choice. I will have the choice to focus on all that I "gave up" and let go. Or I will have the choice to focus on the space I created. Many times we seems to wait until the result of those actions before looking back and determining if that moment was "good" or "bad". For example, if things do not turn out the way I think they will, my memory could reflect all that I "gave up". On the other hand if things go beautifully as planned or better that memory may become "see how great it was that I made space". But this doesn't have to be the case.

We always have the choice to create that memory no matter what the outcome. I am choosing mine to be that I had the courage to take care of myself and make space. In choosing this positive attitude it will allow me to find the positive no matter the outcome. It is a promise to myself. I am making space for something great.

I'm grateful to make these changes. I'm grateful to spend some extra time taking care of myself and reevaluating. I'm grateful to focus on my wonderful clients. I'm grateful to move forward in a positive way and trust whatever happens is for the best. I'm grateful for this opportunity and for all the opportunities that will come.

What memory will you choose to create of today? What changes are you making and how can you set those in a positive light? 

May today bless you with grace. May you find the positive in each situation. May you create beautiful memories. Have a beautiful day! 

It's one of my favorite days of the year! Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day. I'm so excited to see what opportunities will show up today for me to show random acts of kindness.

While I try to do random acts of kindness frequently, it is always fun to have a designated day for it. It's kind of like Thanksgiving. And hopefully with the memo being shared, many people will be participating today.

I'm so grateful for this excitement. I'm grateful for the energy and joy it gives me to do things for others. I'm grateful for this designated day of doing kind things. I'm grateful for all those who will choose to participate. I'm grateful for the smile that is already on my face just thinking about the different acts I can do today. And I'm grateful for all the opportunities that will present themselves that I haven't envisioned yet. 

What acts of kindness can you perform today? Is there something you could do for a coworker or for the person next to you at the store? 

May today bless you with lots of ideas to give kindness. May you find opportunities around every corner. Have a BEAUTIFUL day!

Today is Do a Grouch a Favor Day. On television grouches are usually presented as either a green furry character, like the Grinch or Oscar, or as a crusty old man that has been hardened by life and pessimism. In reality we all have grouchy days and people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and furriness levels can be caught up in that mentality.

Today is the opportunity to give them a break. Today is the opportunity to do something nice for them, whether it is acknowledged and appreciated or not. It is an opportunity to treat them different than they may be expecting and perhaps even interrupt the cycle of grouchiness, if even for a moment.

Today I'm grateful for this opportunity. I'm grateful to try to make an effort to go out of my way to be kind to someone that looks like they are having a rough day. I'm grateful to remind myself to share love and let go of anything that may make me feel a little grouchy. I'm grateful for this old picture of my rabbit that I found, who was perhaps a grouch sometimes, but was full of personality and spunk as well. I'm grateful to laugh and start the morning with a smile. And I'm grateful, after a late night road trip, to have woken fairly rested in my own bed. 

What could you do today for someone who is usually grouchy? Perhaps taking a small treat to the cranky neighbor down the street or open the door at a store for someone. If you are feeling grouchy, what can you do for yourself today to help dust off the funk and cheer yourself up? 

May today bless you with laughter to share. May we each make a positive difference in someone's day and shift this world towards joy. Have a beautiful day!