I'm 33 today...33...

My life is almost opposite of what I pictured it to be when I lived in the land of la-la in my teens/twenties...If you ask most girls, I'm sure they wouldn't daydream about becoming a blogger, risking it all opening a business and raising two babies back to back, one with special needs. 


But I have to say my life is something else...Something pretty damn special...


And after this past year seeing my little girl face surgery after surgery, finding out my best friend's little guy has cancer and having a friend get murdered, I am nothing but grateful to be given these 33 years...


And with that I leave you with...






  1. Be honest. 
  2. Kiss your babies every night and as much as you can...Even though by bedtime they are driving you mad, snug them, love them, just be with them.
  3. Say thank you - It means a lot to people and you should appreciate what others do. Even if that is passing you a coffee in a drive-thru window - Thank people.
  4. Cherish those you love - Maintain friendships that are important, call your parents, love your siblings.
  5. Have an open mind to ALL things...Trust me, life is so much more interesting that way.
  6. Be silly - If riding the grocery cart like a skateboard to your van makes your two year old laugh outrageously, who cares what the woman parked next to you thinks.
  7. Make things happen - Take risk - You only have one life to try.
  8. Read novels - Get lost in a book, it's good for your soul.
  9. Be interested in people...Really interested - Barbara Walter's them so that you hear their story.
  10. Apologize if you need to - If you're a twonk, recognize it and fix it.
  11. Drink wine, beer or gin.
  12. Flirt...Not in a sexual way but in a charming way.
  13. Realize life is never going to be what you pictured it and that's a good thing, a really good thing.
  14. Get angry, mad, sad or whatever at God/Fate/Karma or Whomever...Shout if you have to, cry if it helps...It's okay to grieve things before moving on.
  15. Help others...Do things for other people...Try to be the change the world needs in simple ways.
  16. Eat dessert...ALWAYS!
  17. Be genuine and real.
  18. Realize you're body, those wrinkles, that baby ponch is all a part of you now...It's not going away so learn to embrace every wrinkle as a laugh line, dress to fit your body so that you feel good & if ya can do a crunch here and there.
  19. Do things that you normally wouldn't or that make you uncomfortable - Live abroad, join a new group, do something creative - Sometimes the very best of things come when painting outside the lines.
  20. Embrace, recognize and celebrate the differences within yourself and in others .
  21. Believe....Whether that's in God, Miracles, People, the goodness and hope that's out there - Whatever it may be just believe in something greater than yourself.
  22. Trust your momma gut when it comes to your babes...From how you parent them to how you fight for them medically...Trust what's inside to be the best momma you can for them.
  23. Be grateful for the life you've been giving - Live thankfully everyday.
  24. No Judging - EVER- literally...Who cares what other people do, love, believe, etc? Focus on living your life and that alone.
  25. Find your purpose...It's life changing when you do.
  26. Love your Home Team more than anything else on the planet...Work to always be the best Home Team you can be.
  27. Realize life can change instantly - so chillax, take each day, each moment one step at a time.
  28. Fight for something - stand up for something you believe in, advocate for people who need it or join others in a cause that's dear to your heart.
  29. Work hard at whatever you are working at.
  30. Let go sometimes and just be.
  31. Laugh...Laugh...Laugh...At yourself, others, anyway and time you can.
  32. Dream Big....Why not? Strive for things outta reach - A book, Ellen, more projects why not?
  33. And lastly be the type of person you'd like to be friends with - Be Awesome Today and Everyday... 



That last one pretty much sums up everything I try to teach my hooligans on a day to day basis...Our amazing team Tricia & Sara from our Painting Outside the Lines Collection made me this sign and I simply, absolutely am in love with it. 




We have in proudly hung above our front door so that every time you leave our house you are reminded to go out into that big, bright world and be awesome today...