Christmas Classics

What genre of music do you listen to during the holidays?

Classic Dean Martin, sassy Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis tunes all play in our little home. Once Thanksgiving nears,  I itch to play my Christmas classics! I think I cherish these oldies because our family used to listen to many of them while trimming the tree. It plunges me back in the 70’s and 80’s, a time when my world was innocent, the way it should be for a young child.

What is your favorite Christmas melody and why?  

My favorite Christmas song is Silent Night. I love the Bing Crosby version but listen to Elvis’s version. The modern Stevie Nicks version is beautiful as well. I don’t know when I fell in love with it, perhaps in my twenties. My sister and I attended a Christmas Eve service in our hometown church. I remember the lights, the lit candles and the angelic melodies filling the church with joy. When I heard Silent Night, it brought  me to tears. It was so beautiful and brought me such joy that ever since it still speaks to my soul.

What are you presently listening to and have you discovered an old ( but new to you) tune? 

The other day I was listening to my generated Christmas song playlist on Spotify and when the list plays in its entirety, a new recommended song follows it. The deep and soulful voice of Nat King Cole was artistic beauty to my ears! He sang O Holy Night with such a graceful presence that I had a need to replay it again and again!

Hopefully you have a music library that you resort to during the magical holiday season. I find that music calms me and most importantly brings me true joy. What do you listen to in December and do you have a favorite song?

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤️

Staying In Your Power

You have the power to build your life into what you wish it to be. No one else can do this but you. It’s deep inside you waiting to surface up, exactly like it’s been hidden in me.

This post is about staying positive and happy and feeling fulfilled with your life. Exercising is one key to positive thinking and feeling good. Movement boosts Seratonin levels as well as your confidence.  For the last few months I exercise everyday in some form or another. Three or four days a week I exercise to my Denise Austin dvd with weights. It’s customizable to you and you choose which parts of the body to work on, five minutes each. The other days I walk, ride my stationary bike or do an exercise or yoga routine from my iPad. Soon with winter coming I’ll be snowshoeing as well.

My advice to stay in your power is to do what you love, always! Obviously we humans have to do things and chores we don’t wish to do and that just is the way it is. But you have the power to choose activities, hobbies and attending events that you empower you, make you feel alive and feel the joy of life. Don’t do something if your heart isn’t in it….focus on making yourself fit and fulfilled. You won’t regret it!

If there is valuable personal lesson I have learned the last few months it is this…that I have power within me. Maybe most of my life it remained deep within coddled but now I’m aware of its presence. With Gods guidance and my generated confidence, I intend to plow forward with a steadfast pace taking on life’s everyday challenges.

I feel the best that I have in a long time…losing weight and investing in myself has nurtured the whole me. Instead of raising children and focusing on that most of my life, I’m focusing on building myself up as I turn 50 in June. It’s also time for cementing my marriage and spending valuable time with my husband. 

I wish you all these blessings as well. Enjoy life. Savor every moment and most importantly, invest in yourself and your happiness.

All My Best,

Heart and Soul 💕

Sparkling Lights Aglow

My old nativity scene ( handed down from my mom, the barn was my grandfather’s as a child) invaded by my old girl Katy.

My lil village of lit houses, something I look forward to displaying every December!

Kitchen bar in luminescence 

December is a joyous season of light and hope. Glowing lights seem to be everywhere I roam, from home to downtown. They instill a sense of tranquility in me while I think of the starry night in Bethłehem with the North star lighting the way for Mother Mary, who would give birth to a king.

This Sunday morning I am still and pensive. The glow of the lights is calming and sets a stage of meditation.  There’s a profound peace in sparkling lighting, whether it be by candles, strung lights, quaint little village houses or beautiful Christmas trees.

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Our Christmas tree 2018 

My favorite lights in our house adorn the Christmas tree. By spinning my comfy chair towards it, I can sit and enjoy and bathe in the colorful mosaic of beauty. I’m beyond grateful for these moments!

I hope you can bask in the serenity of your lights and that you have many in your corner of the world!

All My Best,

Heart and Soul 🎄

An Owl Sighting

From all about owls.org

Sometimes Tom and I take night rides around our town gawking at deer or whatever wildlife is out and about. A few days ago we were traveling up steep King Hill Road when an owl swooped over our car and landed on a nearby tree branch. It’s wingspan was quite expansive and at first it was quite hard to figure out what type of bird it was!

Tom put the truck in park while we watched the owl in the twilight. It stood absolutely still, probably about ten feet away from us. It was too dark to take a picture but it’s image is burned in my memory, it’s small stature, it’s wide alert eyes, it’s calm demeanor.

There’s something special about owls. When I see one I feel that magic is around me. It’s absolute beauty and composure amazes me, sometimes bringing me to tears.

It was a special wildlife moment that happens, taking my breath away! We were instantly mesmerized and what was really a minute or so, seemed like ages.  I thank God for these creatures in my town and the opportunity to see them!