Manic Monday - 01.07.13

Trust yourself. 

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Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. 

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Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement. 

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~ Golda Meir 

a Sunshine-y Matilda-y post!

Happy one day past Halloween!

So much is going on and I really haven't been blogging as much as I would like to.  But I wanted to pop in here and share somethings that make me really happy and bring sunshine into my world!

So I am gonna link up with my girl Summer and spread some SUNSHINE!  Join in, won't you?

Do you wanna know what brings me sunshine?  {that is the point of this project}

****My Matilda Jane online Trunk Show I am having RIGHT NOW!  {It's not too late to order.}  I ordered this outfit this morning and it makes me giddy.  If you wanna join my Trunk Show, follow these short steps...

...and I promise it will bring you sunshine.  {shameless plug}

1.     Go to http://www.matildajaneclothing.com/

2.     Click on "Shop the Collection." 

3.     To view exactly what is available in your or your child’s size, click on the “Search by size” tab on the left hand side of the page.
4.     Add your favorite pieces into your wishlist (just like adding into your shopping cart) and email my trunk keeper, Stacey at staceyg@matildajaneclothing.com, and also to me, melifaif@yahoo.com

(It is best to send a copy to yourself and then forward to me and Stacey to ensure we receive the wishlist.  Stacey will have an auto-reply set for November 1.) 
5.     Before submitting your wishlist, please add your billing and shipping address and Stacey will call you to get your payment information. Matilda Jane accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. If it's on file already make sure to note the last 4 digits of your card on your wishlist.

6.     Also before submitting your wishlist, make sure to include that you are ordering through Melissa Faifer's Trunk Show.

7.     Stacey will call you if she needs payment information or if you ask her to call you.  Expect a phone call by 10 am est on the 2nd.  If there are no questions or concerns, your order will be placed and you should expect to get an email invoice by the end of day November 2nd.

****This girl brings me sunshine.  She has helped to take my 1st online Trunk Show off to a great start!  Love you lady. 

{That's Summer Sunshine!!!  Read her story...she is amazing.}

****Family Reunions make me happy!  My dad's, Aunt Florine - who helped raise my dad and uncle (left and right) when their parents were both killed by a drunk driver when my dad was a young guy.

{Ripple Family Reunion 2012 - Victoria, Texas}

{We are family!} 

****And you all know this girl brings me sunshine.  All the time.  So let me share a few pics that have helped me over these past few months that have been a tad trying, to say the least. 

{it was a pumpkin massacre!} 

{she's so hard! lol.}

{My spider witch...scary, huh?} 

{and this morning - rockin' the Matilda Jane Clothing!} 

Meli Monday - Red Hot Chili Peppers!!!!

I had a fabulous Saturday night!!!  A very special friend of mine called me up and invited me to go with her to the Red hot Chili Peppers concert with her in San Antonio on Saturday night.  VIP, backstage passes!!!!  I'd be a crazy b*tch to say no....I mean, I am a crazy b*tch but not when it comes to this.

Seats?  Ahhhh-mazing!!!

No zoom lens required....we were just that close!!!!  :)  

Concert?  Ba.nan.as!!!!!! 

A memory to last a lifetime?  No doubt.

Could I watch Mr. Anthony Kiedis dance around on the stage in "his" cool way alllll night?  Yessir!!!! 

Still on a concert high?  But of course...

The only downside...those backstage passes?  They were good.  We got back there after the show.  But they were in the hospitality room before the show.  #majorfail

Buuuuut.....I still had an amazing time!  Mind blowing. 

This is what I looked like before the concert.  

After the concert?  Ummm....I'll pass on the pic.  Just picture sweaty, elated....all with a RHCP shirt on.  Like this....

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slacking and lacking....but now it's time for super DOOPER sunshine!!!

Yes, yes I know....if anyone is still reading here, I am honestly amazed.  To say that I have been slacking in the blogging arena, is a pretty gross understatement.  And lacking in visting my favorite blogs and leaving comments like I usually do.  No good excuse there.  I, myself, am just lacking. 

But, Super Sunshine Summer has kicked me in the arse and got me back to writing.  Even if it isn't anything that interests you much....I am back!

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Me!?!  I feel okay.  I still struggle daily with physical pain.  But, I push through and try to enjoy life as much as I can.  No one is promised tomorrow.  And Summer helps me remember, we are in charge of our own attitude in life.  We can sulk.  Or we can SHINE!  I CHOOSE TO SHINE!!!!

Summer shines in an unbelievable way.  The disease she is fighting would bring most to their knees.  Make most stop a lot of things they do.  Not her, she pushes through.  And through it all, she comes up with the SUNSHINE PROJECT, which I am taking part in for the first time.  Summer....this one is for you! 

Join in and link up!  Basically, you post a picture, a story, anything that brings SUNSHINE to your world.  I can do that. 

And I will start with a silly little word and phrase that my almost FIVE year old said to me the other night right before bed.  Ya'll will most definitely not thinking it is as funny as we did...but it is something I never want to forget and since my Lindsay said, "you need to blog that, for real!" I will!!! 

Layla:  "Mommy?"

Mommy:  "Yes, baby girl...."

Layla:  "WHEN I WAS TWO, I POOPED IN MY DOOPER!"

Us:  *Bust.Out.Laughing!!!!!*

{we giggle alot!}

{Naturally Beautiful shirt via Cotton Laundry which also brings the sunshine!}

Girlfriend, meant to say diaper, but got tongue tied and DOOPER came out!  One of our favorite sayings now.  SUNSHINE!!!

We recently returned from a week long trip to Oklahoma for Layla to visit her SEVEN cousins and for Richard to see his brother and sister.  SUNSHINE!!!

I will post in more detail about that later, because BOY! there is alot to say...and lots of kids, so I will space that one out.  But I did snag a few heart warming pictures that scream SUNSHINE!!

On our way back to Houston I needed to stop and visit with my Honey in San Antonio.  Life is precious, and this sweet soul is slowly withering away.  It breaks my heart. I wish life wasn't cruel like that, but I can always count on her to....bring the SUNSHINE!!!!!

Have a sunshine-y weekend.  Hope to see you 'round these here parts a lil more often.  Cheers!

my life. and blinks of it.

I have always found blinks.of.life to be a blog that I can simply "fall into."  If that makes any sense at all.  It's like she feels what I feel and can produce the thoughts...put them to paper...in such eloquent words.  When, I, am simply lost. 

I love one of her recent posts....so I thought I would partake.

I was…breaking.  And then realized that I just don't have time to do that.  Big girl panties back ON!



I am…stronger than I give myself credit for.  And I am allowed to break at times. 


I think…that life is not fair.  But, it won't stop on account of my thought. 


I wonder…what a stress free life would really feel like!?


I wish…for great health for me, my family and my friends.  Riches would be nice, but not at all as important. 


I save…it all!  I hold it together for as long as I can and then BAM!  I save all the emotional breakdown shit for about once a year.  It just happened.  So I should be good for awhile.


I always…hope for a better day!


I can’t imagine…my life without those who help pick me while I am down.  You know who you are, and I thank you.


I believe…the children are our future!  Teach them well and let them lead the way.  ha!  No, but seriously...kinda. 


I promise…to love more.  Practice patience and be kind.


I love…with my whole being.  Heart, soul and mind.

sh*t happens...and it's happening NOW!

I am in the midst of a breakdown.  I do this.  It's what I do.  Every year, I break.  It all comes out.  Life becomes overwhelming and just all too much for me to process....I could go into detail, but like I have time!?!?  I'm currently busy breaking....

But, I also have enough since to know...that life goes on.  Pick yourself up...carry on.  It's what I have to do.

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It's time to spread those wings of mine...and JUMP!

music is my solace

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I know this is truth.  There are so many songs that come to mind right now, but I am too busy to type them all out. 

Work is still insanely busy.  That's a good thing, because I have a job to come to, that pays me.  Not complaining, I just miss my outlet here.  I miss you...

You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness

Like resignation to the end, always the end.

~ By Gotye: Somebody that I Used To Know

Quotography - Sunshine

My "baby" girl is graduating Pre-K today.  And this quote seemed quite fitting. 

 This is her this morning...proud and anxious!  And loving her "straight" hair. 

Update to follow.  Cap and gown, the whole nine yards!  Momma and Daddy are proud.

for all the mommas and those like em....

While I started typing up this post on Thursday before Mother's Day, it just never received that "publish" botton.  I hope you all had a glorious weekend full of love, hugs, kisses and more.

Now I want to share this with you....The Love of a Mother Poem...

A Mother's love is something

that no on can explain,

It is made of deep devotion

and of sacrifice and pain


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It is endless and unselfish

and enduring come what may

For nothing can destroy it

or take that love away


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It is patient and forgiving

when all others are forsaking,

And it never fails or falters

even though the heart is breaking


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It believes beyond believing

when the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty

of the rarest, brightest gems


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It is far beyond defining,

it defies all explanation,

And it still remains a secret

like the mysteries of creation

A many splendor miracle

man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence

of God's tender guiding hand.

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