A little turkey and a lots of thanks.....

 After all the cooking, cooking, cooking, spending time with friends, and shopping; things have quieted down enough to have time to reflect.  With Christmas around the corner and the year hurrying to an end, I am happy to say that I made it through a challenging year and have a lot to be thankful for. 

A loving family, friends, and a job.  It's easy to take employment for granted, when you have a job to go to every day.  Sometimes it's even easier to not like your job or to not always enjoy the tasks that must be done,  but all of that aside.....I am still thankful.  I recently read this and realized just how thankful.  So I hope & pray that all who read this are blessed to be around loved ones, have had your share of turkey; but most importantly- you have had time to reflect and give thanks.

Requiem for fall

The last few weekends I have been volunteering with Free Arts of Arizona . I have been partnered with a Professional Artist, who has been teaching different styles of poetry to a group of girls .  A couple of weeks ago, we did Requiem poems.  Here is mine-

Requiem for fall

Every year I long for you

Cool breezes, rustling of the leaves

Rainbow of colors, painting the gray cement

As I walk, I remember kicking the light paper, hearing them crackle & crunch underneath my feet

I remember wearing coats & sweaters, that were packed in boxes that carry the perfume scent of moth balls

Smell of hot cocoa, waffling through the air surrounds me, while the heat of my cup warms my hands like gloves

The taste of melted chocolate soothes the bak of my throat with sweet bitterness

I long for your return to a part of the state that you have never visited,in a way that I remember.... I long for you, I long for fall

My Fall.......

Every year during this time, I long for Fall.  The leaves cascading down to the cement and the crunch you hear when you walk over them.  I miss the cooler temperatures that make you want to buy a steaming hot chocolate to warm your hands; along with the outer wardrobe of hats and gloves!  Instead, my Fall is different. Last year, I went searching for the Fall that I long for and this is what I found.....

A Promise.......

I was on my way to a volunteer event and not overly excited because it was raining, actually down pouring. Right before I was turning into the location, I saw this.......

Please do not judge this picture on the technical or creative aspects but for the pure simplicity of being at the right place at the right time....and having my camera with me.  

Enjoy!

Pinwheels for Peace

Tomorrow, September 21st is Pinwheels for Peace.  This pinwheel's original purpose was not for peace. 

It started as a volunteer activity for Free Arts of Arizona.  Free Arts of Arizona is nonprofit organization whose mission is to spark the creative spirit in abused, homeless and at-risk youth and their families to inspire and transform their lives through the power of artistic expression.

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Dance Theater West performed a dance production of Don Quixote.  A group of children from some of the partnering Free Arts facilities participated in a portion of the dance performance. Just think, many of these children have never been to a theater or have had the opportunity to dance on a stage with a professional dance ensemble.

After the performance, there was a Free Arts Day Reception, allowing children to create pieces of art based upon the Don Quixote story.  There were tables where children could create art projects. The project consisted of shields, fans, and pinwheels- just to name a few.

Here is my pinwheel........

 .......& here were my supplies!!!

Visit the Pinwheels for Peace if you would like to create a pinwheel for peace or to see other pinwheels from around the world.

Remembering......

This weekend was the 9th anniversary of 9/11.



If you talk to anyone, New Yorker or not; they can tell you exactly what they were doing when they heard the news of planes hitting the Twin Towers. I remember as if it happened yesterday. I was getting ready for work, listening to TBN as I was rushing about to gather some last minute things before I was to head out the door.  I was working for an airline during that time and I was supposed to be on a plane headed to Texas but at the last minute my trip was canceled. I forgot to update my family and my Dad called me wondering where I was. Unaware of what was going on - my Dad says turn on the TV....... the rest we know.

It was important to me to take time to remember.  I visited a memorial this weekend. Although it was not Ground Zero in New York, it still had quite an impact of how many lives where lost as a result of that tragic event. Each flag representing a life lost.  

Here is me remembering......

The Spread

What more could 2 girls ask for on a Saturday night... a newly decorated scrapbook room, lots of scrapbooking activities and a fantastic spread for the late night munchies!

Oh San Diego.......

I know, I know, I know
It's been a loooooooong time since I have posted anything. I went to CA recently and visited the beach and I thought it would be a nice post to re-enter the blogging world. I wish I had some awesomely wonderful excuse as to why I have been missing in action for long time but honestly- life happened.....changes in the workplace, a broken heart, and me trying to get back to my old routine in a new way. Hopefully that makes some sense. As a result, I am struggling with how I want my blog to progress.

So please bear with me as I creatively work through.....in the meantime. Enjoy my most recent visit to the BEACH!