From Chaos Comes Happiness

Am I the blog commentor who never leaves? When you see my comment on your blog, do you cringe? I'll tell you why I'm asking. Because recently, I'm beginning to think that Blogger has it out for me. Seriously. Now, I don't know if it's the long day I had that is causing me to think that ... or paranoia ... or perhaps the glass of wine I had with dinner ... but I really think that when Blogger sees me commenting, it decides, "Hey, it's that Leanne chick .... let's mess with her!" You see, the past few computer jaunts I've taken have brought me to some really awesome blogs ... (none of which I can recall at this very moment, again, that must be the glass of wine's fault.) But I visited some wonderful places. And I commented. Lovely, witty, charming comments (of course). Now, being the obsessed person I am, I have RE-visited some of those blogs, to see if the owners of said blogs had anything lovely, witty, charming to say in return ...

Do you remember the Calvin Klein add campaign back in the 80's for Obsession perfume? I just watched an old commercial from 1989 on You Tube and it cracked me up. Back then I remember thinking that if I actually wore the perfume I would be as cool as the people in that commercial. (I'm so glad I grew out of that phase.) (image from Calvin Klein Obsession commercial) What's funny is that I never really had my own bottle of Obsession. My sister did, though. That's probably another reason why I liked the perfume so much. My sister is 8 years older than me and I have always looked up to her. If she liked Obsession back then, then I must , too. Yes, Obsession was my obsession. These days, my obsessions range from seltzer to hair products. Still, I have those "things" that I can't live without. Here is a little list of things that I must have every day (or pretty close to it): CANFIELD'S SELTZER Seriously. I CAN NOT LIVE without Canfield's Seltzer - ...

This week, our Katie Girl is turning 7... Wow. I can't believe that this baby was once this little girl, who has, before my very eyes, turned into this big girl.  This weekend, as we enjoyed some special snuggle time on the couch, I asked her to stop getting older. I did. And I meant it. Because if I could have stopped the clock and hugged her forever, I might have just done that.  "Honey, would you please stay just the way you are ... just for a little while?" I asked her. "I can't," s he answered, "I am going to get older, Mom."   I bent down and kissed the top of her head, just as I have done so many times during the past 7 years, and I thanked God for sending me this beautiful little girl. "What am I going to do when you are old enough to have a house of your own?" I asked her. "Oh, don't worry, Mom," she said, "I will always love you." And with that, she leaned up and kissed me, just as she has do...

When I was 16 years old, I had a job working weekends and holidays as an Admitting Clerk for a southside Chicago hospital. It was a great job for a 16 year old to have and it really helped me in building some great morals and a strong foundation for the work force. I am very blessed for the lessons I learned at that job. And believe me, I was constantly learning. My Mom was the Business Office supervisor of this same hospital (yes, that was my "in"). Mom was very well respected, and there were very high expectations put on me to do my job well because I was "Carol's daughter" . I worked with a great group of ladies who were ALL my "Mom". There were about 8 women in the Admitting Department alone, plus an additional 25 to 30 women at the Business Office, and they ALL looked after me. I was educated on the fine art of registration and insurance verification, and then moved on to learn the ins and outs of the "Bed Board" (the actual board that ...

I’ve got issues . . . They say that admitting you have a problem is the first step in recovery, right? Well, I’ve got issues. And I’d like to tell you about one of them. . . Wednesday evening we were in the midst of a crazy rain storm here in Chicago. It was BAD. It’s as if the heavens opened up and the angels threw a party (or poured at least a gazillion gallons of water) down on all of us. Trees limbs were flying through the sky, lightening made it look like it was Studio 54 outside the window, and the thunder … lordly, lordly … the thunder ... it was bad. PG was driving home from work in the middle of all of it. I was nervous and really worried about him. I wanted to call and check in, but didn’t want to take his focus off of his driving. We had the local news channel on, which dedicated its whole broadcast to the storm. There were tornado and flash flood warnings everywhere. It was a doozie . In between pacing, calling PG to find his whereabouts, and keeping myself calm ...

No, don't worry. I'm not about to break out with a medley of Cher songs right now, although I've got a pretty awesome long blonde wig that I .... WAIT ..... STOP!!!! Ignore that! ; ) This post is actually going to be a serious one. Well, somewhat serious. Because right now, I'm feeling pretty awful. You see, I'm fairly certain that I have ruined my child. Ok, let me start at the beginning . . . if you don't mind - I'd like to bounce this one off of you. Every parent I know thinks that their children are the best in the world, right? Well, I am no exception to that. If you know me, you know that I absolutely adore my daughters. They are pretty amazing girls who are full of joy and fun. They mean the world to me. For real. My eldest daughter, Katie, is . . . incredible. She's definitely an old soul - a smart thinker with amazing problem solving skills. She knows me so well, and loves me anyway. She believes in me, when I don't believe in myself....

Part of my 2010 TaDa List was to improve my photography skills - not only in the actual picture taking department, but in the whole photoshop (and doing fun things with the pictures) department as well. I feel as if I have been lagging behind in that whole creative venture. So last night was the night. I sat at the computer for what seemed like hours and worked in photoshop, trying to make something creative from this shot . . . I do think the photo above is a lovely, but it's pretty much the subject that makes it so. These are some absolutely beautiful hydrangea's that my mother-in-law gave me from her garden. They really are as beautiful as they look. But I had a vision to do something more with the picture. So, here is my attempt at layers, texture, and Adobe photoshop . . . I have to tell you - I kind of like it. I am not a computer guru. I haven't taken a class or been schooled, at all, on this stuff (which, by the way, had me thinking that I really shou...

The other night, while grocery shopping, I had an epiphany. It was an amazing moment. I felt peace. REAL peace. In the produce section of a grocery store. If you don’t mind, I'd love to tell  you about it  . . . I think they play the best music in my local grocery store. I really do. I’m not sure if it is a tape that they change out seasonally, or some CD that their corporate office mails to them with the orders to play it, or both. I’m certain there have been millions of tests and surveys done to determine the very best music to listen to when buying onions, or perhaps the very best music to play when deciding between Frosted Mini-Wheat s or Cheerios . I imagine some Board of Directors sitting in a big conference room listening to Barry Manilow while eating Cocoa Puffs and saying, “Hmmmm… this goes well together! Yes, Barry Manilow makes the list!!” But, what I’m sure they don’t expect is for someone somewhere to have a break-through regarding their life’s journ...

My dear blog friend Melissa over at Miel et Lait is starting a new online bloggers group called, The Blogger's Concierge ! How exciting, don't you think? I think the whole blogging network is filled with pretty amazing people, and I am proud that Melissa (and Gigi from KludgyMom ) is taking this opportunity to form a new network of folks to connect with. It's pretty cool to me, and I like it . . . (did I say I was proud of Melissa? Yep, I guess I did. And, I'm not her mom, I'm not her sister, I'm not her aunt. I'm just someone who reads her blog . . . and I think it's cool when you get to see someone growing in the blog world. I think what she and Gigi are doing is really fantastic. So, yes, I'm proud!) SO, right now The Blogger's Concierge is on the look-out for their A-List Bloggers. And, heck, I want to be on that list! I mean, I hate to miss a good party, really, I do! And I have this unhealthy Mary Tyler Moore fear of having a party a...

Ok, I have a problem. I think I upset PG yesterday. Yep, on Father's Day of all days. (Ok, not really. But close.) Because, as we were driving home from my in-laws (remember? The most magical place on earth?) I came to a realization that kind of upset PG. What was this realization, you ask? I, lady of adventure and happy chaos and lover of life and experiences, really really really hates the heat. I do. I hate it. It makes me cranky. I don't like being cranky. Once my crevices start a'sweatin' and my hair starts a'frizzin', that's when I call on the almighty air-conditioning Gods to come and do their things. You see, I am a firm believer that crevices just shouldn't . . . sweat. Seriously. And yesterday, it was a hot one. So as we drove back from the in-laws, PG started talking about what adventures we want to take the kids on this year. . . and he mentioned the possibility of heading back to Wisconsin for their State Fair in August. We ...

One of the little things I had to do for Katie, when we first put up a "park" for her in the backyard, was a make a sign declaring it what it was . . . "Katie's Park". While the little swing and slide play yard might not have been the biggest or best on the block, it was SO special to her because it clearly WAS hers. All hers. Here's a little photo of "Katie's Park", circa 2006: Today, the park is still the same, only the baby swing has been replaced with rings, and there are a few coats of stain on the wood. It is one of the best investments we've made in our backyard, and the kids still play on it daily. While it has taken me a few years to re-do the sign, this weekend we proudly changed it to "Katie & Ella's Park". Here are a few photos from the project before, during and after. . . It starts with a simple piece of wood . . . and some paint . . . add a couple of beautiful names, and a flower or two . . .  d...

That’s my summer beverage of choice. It has been for a while. I am not a sweet coffee drinker. And in the summer, I love my coffee on ice . . . it’s so refreshing and brings an instant SMILE to my face when I have it. The order seems easy enough, don’t you think? No bells or whistles. No syrups or potions. Nothing special . . . just the coffee, some cream, and a few ice cubes. Easy. Right? Evidently, not . Because three times in the past month I have left my local Starbucks with the wrong coffee. I’ve left with SUGARY SWEET coffee. And that makes me . . . cranky. I don’t like being cranky. So, this week I went back into Starbucks with the wrong coffee, and asked for the right coffee. Because, as you know, this coffee is not free. I pay for it. (It’s my vice. My Iced Venti Coffee, cream only, NO Sweetener, coffee. That, and the Real Housewives shows on Bravo – but that’s a post for another day.) I digress, so today I became a little cranky upon my return to Starbu...

When I was down and out last week, PG made a pie. Seriously. A Cherry Pie. From Cherries that we picked at my in-laws. Seriously. My in-laws have the most wonderful, magical place on earth . . . I'm pretty sure of it (although, I haven't been to Disney World yet, and I hear it's pretty magical there. Until I get to Disney, I'm going to classify my in-laws home as the most wonderful, magical place on earth!) Especially if you are my daughters. . . because, at Nana and Papa's, life is . . . fanTAStic ! I mean, where else can you . . . drive a tractor? Throw stones in a River? Pick Cherries? Swing from a willow? Run and laugh for hours and hours? Here are some photos taken from the day (again, forgot the camera at home . . . augh! But the handy trustworthy camera phone was oh-so useful!) Ok, but back to the pie, right? Yes, the pie. Here is a close-up, just ready for the top crust . . .   And just out of the oven . . . Can you smell it? It was . . . DELICIOUS...

A few weeks ago, I purchased a lovely decorative binder to gather all of my creative materials from my "Flying Lessons" e-course. To help decorate the inside, I painted a little Kelly Rae inspired angel, reminding me to "Believe in the dreams of tomorrow!" and I included a little clear envelope where I could write a 'secret' note to myself with gentle reminders to "GO FOR IT!", to "BELIEVE IN YOURSELF" and a number of other little things to motivate me on my creative journey. I've been carrying this binder with me everywhere. I write notes in it, I keep copies of the posts from class, I doodle in it. It has become my very own creative bible, so to speak. Katie knows that I am taking a "class" on the computer to help me and my "Art" and that this binder has all of my special notes in it. She has asked to look at the binder a couple times, and I love to watch her gently turn the pages as her eyes light up to...

Did I tell you that when PG and I were visiting Washington DC last month, I visited Julia Child's KITCHEN?  Yes, I sure did. . . I've written many times before about how much I love the movie Julie & Julia . It was a dream come true to actually see Julia's kitchen! And it was as perfect as I imagined - so wonderful! I just love how very very practical it was. Everything in its place. Everything has a purpose, and is placed specifically with purpose behind it. How smart. I think she was the original kitchen organizer, don't you think? As I stood there in the Smithsonian , looking through the glass into this kitchen, I started to imagine what it would have been like to witness Julia herself cooking there. I imagine her moving like a great conductor would during a symphony. I imagine sitting right there, at the table, and watching her cook. How amazing that would have been. I wonder . . . If you could imagine yourself sitting in anyones kitchen and watchin...

PG took this photo while going on a bike ride with Ella this weekend. When I saw the photo, I cried. I can't believe I am a Mom. I can't believe she is mine. I can't believe how big she is. I can't believe that I am blessed with two daughters.  I can't believe that they love me, unconditionally. I can't believe that some day she will be big enough to leave home, and follow her dreams. May she always be happy. May she always laugh. May she always explore. And may she know that I will always be right behind her, in case she needs me.

I've been reading so much lately about starting a creative business, all due to the brilliant mind of Kelly Rae Roberts and this e-course I started at the beginning of the month. I am not sure what my goals are yet (and that's a big thing I have to figure out). But her words are so inspiring, that I find myself reading her daily class notes over and over, dreaming of living a creative life. It's funny how, when you throw yourself into a creative journey, you begin to notice things a little differently. You look at the ordinary moments in life and pull out something different from them. Kelly Rae has always looked for {hearts} in her surroundings and she often encourages others to do the same. However I have never played along in this "search for hearts" game, as my mind is usually focused on so many other things that I forget to STOP and take the little moments in. As a result of this creative journey I am on, though, I'm noticing things I wouldn't have ...