Friendship! Where to Begin??

Friendship. Where to begin? I can say that my first and best friend was my "Seester" T. My parents gave me T, but life has given us our friendship. Sure as sisters growing up you go through phases. Ups and downs. But throughout my life my sister has been someone I look up to and someone I admire.  A friend I can always count on. I put her on a pedestal and wish I could only be more like her in many ways. She has strengths where I have weaknesses. We balance each other out. She has taught me how to be a friend, and thats it's ok to lean on someone else in times of need or despair. T has taught me to try and be a better friend and person.



Life would be pretty lonely without friends, wouldn't it? There are many different friends that come and go throughout your lifetime. You have childhood friends. You have college friends. Your husband or wife becomes your friend. You have work friends. You have married life friends. You have parents of your childrens friends, friends. You have fake friends. You have reliable friends. You have instant friends, and you have friends who you never thought you'd be friends with upon first introduction. One of my closest friends is someone I met and upon first meeting, I thought we'd never be friends. We were too different, and believe it or not I now talk to her almost every day. On the other hand, I have some friends that I hit it off with immediately. You begin a conversation when you first meet and you feel as if you have known this person your whole life. It doesn't matter how long you have been friends, as long as they are there for you when you need them without a doubt. And vice-versa.



Starting out in elementary school, in my experience, everyone started out as friends. I think it was about middle school when kids started branching out and started their own groups or clicks. I hung out with a group of girls that I thought were my friends until 6th grade, when upon one lunch they informed me they didn't "want to be friends" with me anymore. Ouch. I carried that one around with me for a while and came to the conclusion that it was a valuable lesson in friendship. It took no time before I had starting becoming friends with new people and discovering how to determine who was a true friend and who
wasn't.



A romantic relationship can begin as friends, and for what it's worth I think it's a good base to have. My husband and I began as friends, which lasted for over two years before we became romantically involved. Considering we were able to get to know each other before the oogley googlies got involved, I think it has helped us to really enjoy each others company. We can do something exciting or do nothing at all and enjoy being together.



It wasn't until approximately 4 years ago that it hit me: a very valuable lesson in friendship. I became close friends with gal who married one of my husbands best friends. (Follow me, or was that too much like: My husbands, brothers, mother-in-laws, nephews sister?) Anyway, after several times of camping, dinners, car rides, etc it hit me that she was always complimenting and saying positive things when we were together or when we spoke. I thought about how I always knew she was there to lift me up and encourage, and made this fact very obvious. I had known her much less time than some of my closest friends, yet she had taught me this beautiful lesson. Why hadn't I thought of this before?  Not to toot my own horn but I had considered myself a good friend.  Here I was lacking in this area.  This was an "Ah-Ha" moment as Oprah used to say. A light bulb went off over my head. Since that moment, I have made it a point to not only assume my friends know how I feel and that I support them, but I tell them so. I also tell them in the appropriate moments that I love them. For some reason before I never did this, I think I was worried that they might think I was being weird or something. But all of a sudden, I didn't care. I wanted them to know and not wonder. Your friends are there to lift you up, and to teach you how to become a better person. I loved this lesson and look forward to many more "Ah-Ha" moments my friends teach me.  I will be forever greatful to my friend who taught me this, and she probably doesn't even know it.




I am a rather high maintenance friend, and I admit it. With the demanding schedule my husband keeps for work, sometimes he is unavailable and my friends are who I depend on for emotional support. I expect my closest friends to be available for a call if I have drama going on in my life, be there for me bawling my head off once and a while, listen to my boring stories, or be up to an adventure if something strikes my fancy. Oh and to definitely make me laugh and laugh at my jokes! I love to share recipes, stories about our children, margaritas, someone who will go exercise etc. I want my true friends to stay close to me and they better look forward to using our bedazzlers on our jog suits and hanging out playing Bingo when we are old! Is this too much to ask?

Of course I do have friends that I don't get to see very often, and we pick up right where we left off the year before, two years before etc., and this is pretty special too.



It's important to me to do anything for my friends. If I expect something out of someone, I will try to reciprocate the favor because I care for them. I will be there for them as much as humanly possible if they need me to listen, and make sure I am there for important milestones in their lives as well. I may sometimes offer unsolicited advice but my girls know I am always going to be a straight shooter with it. Even if you don't want to hear it...

Friends are the family we get to choose in life. Sure I love my sister, brother, mother etc. but we all have a wild card in the family right? Well friends are those who you choose to share your life story with.



Life is one big sequence of events. Mostly happy with a few melancholy things sprinkled in between. Choose your friends to share your life with wisely, those who encourage and make you happy. Maybe YOU are the sparkle and shine in a friends life, and you didn't realize it! After all, God may have given you to them and not them to you. Just a thought.

Embrace Your Sparkle,

B Pin It

Pinterest! AKA: "Porn for Women".

Ok, so I am supposed to be writing about friendship but I am going off on a tangent here.  It is not uncommon for me, so don't be surprised if I do it from time to time.   I start off focused and then I find something else more interesting or fun to do, and forget it!  The first thing is out the window.  You know, like when you set out on a Monday to clean the house. You are amped up to start the week with a clean house, and begin by cleaning the kitchen before the kiddos wake up.  Next thing you know you are taking your older children to school and get sidetracked on a shopping adventure?  Yep, that's what I am talking about!

Anyway, I thought I would share with you one of my latest addictions!  It is called Pinterest.  It is a website I just learned about a few months ago from a good friend.  I was at her baby shower, and she was talking about this Pinterest with some ladies, and something she had seen on there.  What is this?  I was completely out of the loop and hadn't heard of it!  She says, "You will love it, it's like porn for women!  It's everything women love: Fashion, Cooking, Home Decorating, Crafts, Kids..."  I'm pretty certain my eyes were getting larger and larger with excitement with each subject she mentioned.  Now for you with a dirty mind, it has no naked pictures!  No people doing the deed!  No  family jewels in plain sight, not unless you are talking about a fabulous diamond ring or earrings!  Just a bunch of old fashioned things that any woman I know would love.  Sorry to disappoint some of our readers out there, but if you take the time to check this website out I am fairly sure you will love this website and it's G-Rated qualities.

Pinterest is almost like a Facebook or a Twitter but you network with your friends and with complete strangers.  It is basically an online networking sight, based on a virtual "pinboard".  You begin by browsing the subject of your choice.  For example: "Dream Home".  You type this in and all of a sudden all of these photos of "Dream Home" ideas that your friends and others have pinned to their board are shared.  You create folders to save your pins in, and once you request an invite to join (yes, I said request an invite), you can go to town!  You can also tie Pinterest into a Facebook or Twitter account and every time you "pin" something it shares with our followers so that they view the ideas as well.

Make sure you request an invite because if you just browse without doing so, you are really missing out.  The day after the baby shower, I logged online and started to explore without being a member.  I didn't get it.  It only gave me a small peek into what is really on there, and I was thinking to myself, "Is this all?".  But once I became an official member, the possibilities are endless!  I stayed up one night after putting the kids to bed, until at least midnight "pinning".  I was hooked, and I had the bags under my eyes the next day to prove it!  (By the way if you have a miracle ointment or cure for eye baggage, please share, don't be stingy.)

Here are some of the things I have found, just to give you a peek into Pinterest:

Dream Home Idea:

Recipe:

Kids:

Quotes:


After becoming a member of Pinterest, I hope that you find it as interesting and maybe addicting as I have.  I know it can be a total time waster, but sometimes we need those to relax and put our mind elsewhere for a break.  Remember to take time for yourself once and a while...and you can incorporate the time spent on Pinterest as a useful tool for your family life too! If your "Mom Guilt" creeps in, make a recipe you find on there or do a DIY (Do It Yourself) crafts project with your children!



Check it out, I think you will be pleasantly surprised...and Happy Pinning!

Embrace Your Sparkle,

B

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Step Into The Spring Fashion Report!

It seems funny to sit here and begin writing a Spring fashion report since we haven't really had much of a winter but lets face it, Spring is closer than you think!  I was in Target last week, and they already had swimsuits!  I don't even want to begin thinking of this body in a swimsuit yet, I'm still exercising and semi-faithfully logging into My Fitness Pal!  Although, I may just have to keep my eyes open for one that catches my eye.  If I don't purchase one soon, they won't have any later when the actual season begins!  Reality is that stores begin placing new styles of clothing in the stores one season ahead, just like they do with holiday memorabilia, decor, greeting cards etc.

You might be asking yourself, why do I consider myself qualified to write a fashion report?!  Well for starters, as long as I can remember (even back when I wore hoodies and jeans every day) I have made it a life long mission to follow the latest fashion in magazines, online, conversing with friends, and best of all shopping.  You might remember I previously mentioned that one of my dream careers would be a personal shopper or stylist for the stars.  Or to work on a movie set or sitcom, that would be amazing!!  I've also participated in more than my share of retail therapy, and I personally wonder why shopping has not been considered a sport yet! 

One fail proof way to decide if you like a trend, is to take a look around.  I am constantly assessing people around me (not judging by the way, I think there is a difference) and considering if their outfit will work on my body type, or the color works with my skin color.  If I see someone wearing something that I like together for example, I will go home and look in my closet to see if there is an outfit that I can put together that is similar.  Slightly fashion obsessed you ask?  Of course!

Yes ladies, I do realize everyone doesn't share the same style as me, and I do recognize everyone has different body types and preferences.  It doesn't matter is you are more like Samantha or more like Charlotte from Sex in the City!  You can incorporate a touch of the latest styles into your existing wardrobe.  Just by adding one or two pieces, such as a scarf or a pair of shoes can bring you up to date.  I suggest looking at stores like Target, Forever 21, TJ Maxx and Marshall's for the latest trends and a reasonable price.  Save your more expensive purchases for classics like a black skirt, dark jeans, or a classic pair of peep toe heels.

If you have any favorites for this upcoming season that I have missed, please enlighten me!  I'd love to hear your take on what is going to be in, or what the classics are.  Or maybe you have already chosen a piece of trendy clothing or an accessory, but you don't know how to make it work with your current wardrobe? Message me, I can help!  Until then, I hope you enjoy the eye candy I have chosen to share and you look forward to my next fashion report!  Whether you love it or hate it, fashion is forever changing and I can't help it, I LOVE IT and it brings me pleasure to share it with you!

Embrace Your Sparkle,

B

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Hot! Hot!  Hot! Gray and Yellow!  I love this color combo and you can utilize these colors in your wardrobe and/or in your home..both are IN!!





**Were you aware that a universally flattering color for all skin tones is turquoise?!  This one thrills me because it's one of my favorite colors!!**

Here's a trend including this color: Tangerine and Turquoise.





Be prepared to see the hints of the 80's coming back! Color blocking, bold bright colors and colored jeans! :




As well as 1950's fashion: Classics!:





Some popular patterns, and textures are going to be...Lace and Floral! So 80's too, but flirty and feminine:

And I will leave you with one last trend for the Spring: Neutrals!


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Suggestions for raising a happy child.

Hello friends and fans! I thought I would add to T's blog, "Here's the deal, 100- Just do it".   Although I agree with her 100, I had a few of my own to share:

Happy Reading!

Embrace Your Sparkle,

B



1. Allow them to lick the spoon when you are baking together. At least sometimes.



2. Have family game nights, one of our favorites is UNO.



3. You can never give too many hugs and kisses



4. Let them find pollywogs and revel in their amazement. (We found ours in a horse trough, couldn't get much yuckier than that, but we loved them!)


5. Let them build a fort in their room, or out of the couch cushions.



6. Let them sleep next to you once and a while.

7. Talk, Talk, Talk to them. In the car, at home, while together at the store, everywhere! Be their friend and their parent.



8. Pick wild berries with them and bake something together.


9. Go to the beach, you WILL get sand in your car, get over it!



10. Go for a walk, point out natures beauty: the leaves, the colors, the squirrels.



11. Hold them when they are sick or hurt.


12. Show them that some of the best things in life are free, and aren't "things".



13. Create a home environment where they feel loved and safe every day.



14. Listen.



15. Teach them to be aware of their environment and to say no to strangers, and drugs.


16. Teach them responsibility: Cleaning their room, helping with laundry etc.



17. Share with them memories of your childhood, and allow them to create their own.

18. Teach them that laughter can be the best medicine!


19. Take them to a drive in movie.


20. Show them how to be grateful and appreciate what they have & where they have been.



21.  Teach them how to make healthy choices for food, and drink lots of water.  You are setting a very important example now that they will either A) Carry for the rest of their life or B) Otherwise it's possible they may spend part of their life trying to reform into eating healthier. 



and last but not least...

22. Allow them to EMBRACE THEIR SPARKLE! (It could be writing, sports, taking care of others, etc.) Love them for who they are and not who you want them to be. We all have dreams and aspirations for our children, but also allow them to be who they are. Everyone has a special attribute, help them embrace it. Pin It