Surviving 2020 The good, the bad, and the funny!

 Well, they say that Hindsight is always 2020 vision. This year started out so promising! A new Year, a new Decade! 20 Years removed from the fear that was “Y2K.” So Full of Hope! But what happened certainly has been unprecedented. None of us could have seen it coming or predicted what took place. But if you are reading this, than like me, you survived the year that was 2020! Each of us has walked through the muck and made it out the other side. The whole Human Race, collective, together and alone. It’s a lot to process. I know. But I’m going to try. To put into words the Good, the Bad, and the Funny of 2020! This is the story of this year, as it happened to us; Buckle your seat belt!

 

The Bad:

1. My Husband had a Heart Attack. In February. He was only 53 and a healthy eater. But has a family history of heart disease.
2. COVID 19. A global Pandemic, like nothing we’ve seen in our lifetime.
3. Nation wide Shut-down.
4. I was furloughed from my job.
5. 3 of my Kids’ jobs shut down.
6. I had to have oral surgery during all this.
7. Grocery store shelves were scarily empty, and you couldn’t find toilet paper.
8. They stopped making Caffeine Free Diet Dr. Pepper due to an aluminum shortage! I mean come on! This is one of life’s necessities!
9. I received a lot of hate from friends and family for speaking out against an immoral President and speaking up for Black Lives Matter. 2 things that I would deem worthy of speaking out for. I really do try not to post too many political statements, but sometimes I just have to say something! My husband doesn’t like me to, because of course it’s hard to see someone you love be attacked. But A. If Immoral behavior was wrong when Bill Clinton was President, which it was! Than it is wrong when Donald Trump is President, who is even worse! Leaders should be held to a higher standard! And B. Yes, All Lives Matter, but that can’t happen until Black Lives Matter! Love always champions others! Saying Black Lives Matter does not take away from any other life. The strong have to speak up for the hurting. Make America Kind Again!
10. Our Refrigerator went out, in the middle of the shutdown. Yay!
11. And the our Oven stopped working.
12. My Daughter went through a tough break up.
13. Tiger King! The worse! If 2020 was a T.V. show!
14. Both my Daughters in Law’s Fathers faced Health Crisis’! Which of course affected them, my sons, and my grandbabies.
15. Many people I know lost their parents and other family members to the Corona Virus. Having lost both my parents and my In Law’s, I can’t imagine going through that when you couldn’t even be with them as they past, or have a proper funeral. Or gather with your family and loved ones for comfort while mourning your loss.
16. My Sister in Law lost her only sister on Christmas Eve. My heart breaks for her, as I know what loosing your only sister feels like. There are just things a woman can only talk about with her sister. I miss mine terribly even still.
17. People I know and love got the virus.
18. A lot of people lost their businesses and their livelihoods.
19. My brother’s cancer has come back with a vengeance. And other people I know and care about were diagnosed with cancer this year.
20. My Daughter was diagnosed with some Health Issues.
21. My Daughter admitted to us just at the beginning of the shutdown, what we had suspected, that she has been dealing with an eating disorder. So we had to try to get her help remotely.
22. We couldn’t see our Families.
23. We couldn’t go anywhere!
24. Survived the Hottest Summer ever on record in Phoenix!
25. I have to work, sometimes for 8 hours or more wearing a face mask.
26. More that 1 member of my family dealing with Anxiety issues during all this.
27. I had to give up, among other things, my Black Friday Shopping Extravaganza this year. As my husband, due to his heart attack, is high risk. It just isn’t worth it!
28. No big Family Gatherings. Like making my mom’s Christmas Cookies all together. Or having our annual Family Christmas Party!  
29. My BookClub couldn’t meet!
30. No Gatherings. No Christmas or Birthday Parties. No New Years Eve Party! 
    

 

You know this has been a tough year, when it can turn an eternal optimist, like me, someone who always sees the glass as half full, who can always find the silver lining, and look on the bright side, to get discouraged. I have said repeatedly this year (to God, and to those closest to me) “I can not handle one more thing to worry about!” I need this to end! Enough is enough! I can’t handle anymore! But it is not in my nature to let evil win. I am determined to have the good out weigh the bad! And I have so much to be Grateful for! We all do. So here is my Silver Lining. The good things I could find in this otherwise horrible year.

 

The Good:

1. The timing of my Husbands heart attack. If it had happened just weeks later, none of us would have been able to be with him in the hospital.
2. My sweet Granddaughter was born! This will forever be the absolute best thing to come out of 2020!! She has brought so much Joy into our lives!
3. My Daughter in Law, a Nurse, was on Maternity Leave, so she didn’t have to work during the unstable, frightening beginning of the Pandemic.
4. Both of my girls thankfully still live at home. Had they been out on their own, having to deal with all this alone, it would have been devastating.
5. Husband now works from home!
6. I got a new job! Even though my hubby’s heart attack happened on the day I was there filling out my new hire paperwork, which postponed my start date, and it shut down a month later I still had it.
7. All through the shutdown my other job, a Law Firm (essential) even though we stopped seeing clients in person, allowed me to get out of the house. I need that!
8. My Daughter got a second part time job, now like her mother, works 2.
9. We never ran out of Toilet Paper!!
10. My Daughter started as a Youth Leader at our Church, once they opened back up. And is doing really well.
11. Daughter met a nice new guy to start dating!
12. Our oldest son turned 30!! And though we couldn’t celebrate it, how we would have liked to, Friends and Family from all over sent Birthday Cards for a Socially Distanced Party!!
13. We saved money not using as much gas, not shopping or eating out, Etc.
14. We found a really good Therapist, Dietician and Group that specializes in eating disorders for my daughter! She is doing really well! We are so grateful and proud of her!
15. We had the extra money to do all that! Other years, that might not have been possible.
16. We, our Kids, and Grandkids have all stayed mostly healthy!
17. I started having regular Zoom meetings with all my Brothers and Sister’s in Law, as well as with our Small Group, to stay connected.
18. My girls thrived during quarantine! They found very creative and crafty new hobbies! From Knitting, and Crocheting to Painting and Plants. They played games and put together puzzles.
19. I discovered coloring is very therapeutic. Doing puzzles, for me, not so much! I’ll stick to Reading!
20. I had lots of extra time to read! I had set a goal to read 27 Books this year, but ended up reading over 35!!
21. Was able to get caught up on shows we’d been wanting to watch, but never seemed to have the time before. 
22. Thankfully I don't have school aged children at home that I had to home school! That could have been a disaster! 
    
23. Found new local businesses to support in our community.
24. Met a lot of our neighbors while out for our daily walks, since more people were home.
25. I was still able to get my hair cut whenever I needed to, as my stylist lives with me!
26. My Husband got lots of opportunities to lead Worship! Plus we got to watch him live from home! 
27. We celebrated 33 Years of Marriage this year! 
28. With more free time and nothing to do, my Hubby's been online shopping! Surprising me with a Kindle for Reading and a new Kate Spade Bag!! #Score 
    
29. We voted in a new President!
30. Dress for Success found new ways to help women in the community!
31. Churches were forced to look outward rather than inward and find new ways to be!
32. Teachers, Nurses and other Essential Workers became the Heroes! And it’s about time!!
33. People put up Christmas Decorations early! And more houses than ever decorated this year! And we all needed it!
34. My favorite Radio Station started playing nothing but Christmas Music early, and kept it going longer that other years!
35. 2020 Memes! The whole world found something that united us! Disdain for 2020!
36. We each got a Pod! The group of people you still saw and got together with. For us it is our kids and grandkids!
37. Hamilton!!
38. Jimmy Fallon at Home!
39. Drew Barrymore’s new Talk Show.
40. Of all the people in the world, who would have thought it would be Dolly Parton who saves the world?! A children’s book needs to be written about that! At the very beginning of the Pandemic she had the wherewithal to donate a million dollars to COVID research. And they are saying it’s greatly due to that that we have a Vaccine so quickly. Dolly, you forever have our gratitude!
41. A Vaccine! My Daughter in Law got it the day after Christmas! And my Husband get’s his January 7^th. Thank you God!

 

So, you see, the good outweighs the bad! Even in the most horrible of times! Grace abounds! I don’t know what all you have lived through this year, but I do know that it was hard. You are not alone. 2020 was unlike any other year. But it is ending! Thank Goodness! And we survived! We made it through! And I am Praying 2021 is very much different than 2020. That Blessings Abound! I am Wishing you, and all of us, Health and Happiness! Prosperity and Purpose! Gifts and Goodness! Love and Laughter! Tenderness and Togetherness! And a much Happier New Year! Here's to 2021! 

Ode To Joy!

I'm not talking about the song Ode to Joy by: Beethoven. Joy was my Word Of The Year for 2016! When I originally choose that word I knew Joy might be hard to come by. As 2016 had my Girls' Graduating from High School, which I realize is a Joyful occasion, but as a Mother, it's a sad reminder your kids are growing up! Especially when it's your youngest! Plus our best friends were moving out of the Country. It had the potential to be a year of sadness, so I thought I'd better seek out Joy! But I had no idea just how challenging this year would turn out to be.

 My Loving Husband, bought me a "Joy Journal" for Christmas last year! And I determined to find something every single day of the entire year that brings me Joy & document it. So on all 365 days (after tomorrow) of this year I have written down something that I find Joy in. There are big and Wonderful things, as well as little, simple things! Some days I had to look harder than others to find something, anything, to put in my Joy Journal! No one could have predicted just how much we would need a little Joy this year! With it's terrible election season, and heartbreaking outcome. Along with the number of great musicians, and beloved celebrities we have lost this year! (Doesn't it seem like more this year, than ever?!) We've also had personal tragedy, loosing my sweet Mother in Law. She was our kids' last remaining Grand Parent. Yes, 2016 was a heartbreaking year all around! Making Joy hard to find!

But find it I did. My greatest Joy in life is my Family! And how we stick together when times get hard. All my kids were able to be home for Christmas. I loved it. My Home and Heart Full! We took a walk up to the park & took this fun shot with my new Selfie Stick! :) Here in Arizona, this is as close to snow as we get! One thing I've learned this year is that Joy isn't what happens to, or around, you. It's something you Choose! And sometimes you have to look hard to find it. The key to Joy is found in Gratitude. No matter what kind of situation you may find yourself in, if you can find something, anything, to be Thankful for, you will find Joy! I have tried to cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude, looking for something, no matter how small, or hard it may be, everyday this entire year. Things like my Girls' are thriving in life after High School! Our friends are loving life in Aruba! My Year of Joy! And I hope you have found some Joy this year as well. And that we all remember to be Thankful, always. For in that, you may find Joy. Happy New Year to you and yours. And here's hoping 2017 is a little easier! :)

Mamma Mia!

If you know anything about me, you know I love all things Broadway! And I have tried my best to impart that love onto my children.

Last night my girls and I got to see Mamma Mia! Touring as part of Broadway Across America, and it is sadly on it's farewell tour.

We all love the Movie version, but if you've seen it; not all the actor's are great singers. :0 (I can relate to that as I'm not a great singer myself! Though I don't usually let that stop me!) ;) But Broadway actors are amazing singers! And with the awesome songs of Abba, you know it's good!

 This is such a fun show! At any given moment, you can look around the audience and see patrons singing, clapping along, and dancing! You laugh and leave feeling happy and up beat!

 And Bonus! We got to see some old friends of ours; another mother with her two amazing daughters that we used to go to Church with. They are Finnish, and love Abba maybe even more than I do!

Sadly Mamma Mia! is on it's farewell tour. And as the "Dancing Queens" we are, we are so sad to see it go, but so happy that we got to see it together! And say along with everyone else; "Thank You For The Music!"

Thankful Thursday: EmPOWERed Women

Last week I had the Honor of attending the Dress For Success Gala. For over the past year and a half I've been volunteering, every month at my local chapter of Dress For Success here in Phoenix. I first heard about it when the company I work for, Vanity Fair Brands, held events to promote donating to this great organization. This year alone, Vanity Fair will donate up to 50,000 Bra's to Dress For Success! I am so proud of that fact.

If you are unfamiliar with Dress For Success they help disadvantaged Women get back into the work force. They teach them how to find and apply for jobs, how to build a Resume', Interview Skills, and more! When they get a job interview we Suit them, they receive an entire outfit; Pants or Skirt, a Top & Jacket, Shoes, handbag & Accessories, make-up and more. Then when they get the job, they came back in and are given a weeks worth of work clothes. I, as a Personal Shopper, get to dress them. It's fun to see the change in some of these Women, when they change their attire!

The Gala is their biggest event and fund raiser of the year. Held at a Resort in Scottsdale, you enter by walking the Red Carpet! There was a cocktail reception with silent auctions, raffles and more.

I found this picture on Arizona Foothills Magazine. My dress looks black in some pictures and really bright here, it's actually Navy Blue! :) The Lady I was talking to here I believe was there with GoDaddy. Many companies donated items or hosted a table. I love talking about Dress For Success, sharing how I'm affiliated with them and how they can get involved.

During Dinner and the Program, we heard from Vice Mayor Kate Gallego and her husband Congressman Ruben Gallego, about how grateful they are for all the work Dress For Success does in our community. Sharing how when you elevate a woman's position, you elevate the community! 

We had a Fashion Show of Women's Work Wear, and pay through the Decades. It was so Interesting! Arizona is better than most States as far as Equal Pay for Equal Work, but we still don't make the same as Men (Yet!) Then we got to see and hear Success Stories from the Women pictured above, who some came out of abusive relationships, poverty, or hard times, with little or no education. And with some Support from Dress For Success, found work and the confidence to get an education and turn their lives around! Some are now CEO's, Teachers, some work in Health Care, one fulfilled a life long dream of becoming a Pilot, after being told girls couldn't do that! It's Women like these who made this election so important to me. But it's also Women like these who are so unstoppable, I know there is Always Hope for the future of this Country! 

After dinner we received donations for this incredible organization. The Volunteers wore these light up bracelets, and anyone who donated $50.00 or more received one. It was exciting to "Light Up the Ballroom!"

 At the After Party, we had local R&B Artist Cece Peniston perform her Billboard #1 hit "Finally" & more. A good time was had by all, it was such a fun night!

These are some of the Amazing Women I have met through Dress For Success. I volunteer each month with Courtney, who's on the left. And Pat, who's in the middle, runs the Boutique. You too can help out your local chapter of Dress For Success by Volunteering or Donating: Clothing, Shoes, Handbags, Jewelry, Etc. They accept all donations, including Monetary! :) And if the clothing isn't necessarily Business appropriate, that's okay, they hold warehouse sales, where all the proceeds go back into Dress For Success! I truly believe Empowered Women, Empower Women! And am so Thankful they do!

BFF's

 We moved into the house we're in right before my girls started Kindergarten.  At our Church they met Maddie & her younger sister Morgan, and they became fast friends! Their Mom, Tammy and I became friends as well. We spent many afternoons poolside and on outings with our girls. Tammy & I ran a Mom's Group together at the Church. Our kids never went to the same school, and even after we no longer went to the same Church, we stayed close . . .

 

I love this pic of the little cuties!

 Here they are a little bit older.

It's great when you can be friends with your kids' friends parents! We all love hanging out together! Our families enjoy getting together. Over the years we all have spent countless Holiday's together, every Halloween & New Year's Eve among them!

 Ringing in a New Year Together

 Us at Maddie's "Sweet 16"

 One of the MANY Dance Concerts we all went to! 

Girls supporting each other, become Women who support each other!!

 Beautiful Girls and their first Prom! 

It's also great when you find "Couple Friends!" Too many times, you'll meet someone you might like to hang out with, but the husbands might not get along, or vise-versa. But, thankfully that's not the case here.

At our oldest Son's Wedding! 

 Daddy/Daughter Diamondbacks Date!

 Happy Birthday to me! 

Happy Birthday to her!

 Tammy and I do have some things in common; Besides raising Brilliant and Beautiful Daughters! :) We Both love Reality T.V., especially American Idol! And could Fan Girl with the best of them! And we Love Movies, and have seen too many together to count! And have stood in line for Twilight and Hunger Games tickets while our girls were in school! Yeah, we're the "Cool Moms!" Though like all Friendships, we've had to overcome some hardships; namely She Doesn't Like To Read! (I know, right?!) Yet, she will ask me what I'm reading and listen intently as I talk nonstop about Books! Now that's a true friend!

Here we are waiting for one of the Twilight Premiers to begin!

Here's Tammy having her Favorite American Idol, Danny Gokey, sign her Boob! :0

(Okay, it was really her VIP Name Tag, but what are friends for if not to tease you?!)

We really do Sparkle!! 

As do our girls! 

Jay taking the girls out 4 wheeling! 

So, why the Blog Post talking about our 13 year Friendship? Because as long as we've known Jay & Tammy, Maddie & Morgan, they have talked about a dream they have to live on a tropical island. Now a lot of people dream of leaving the daily grind and living on a Beach somewhere, but who really does that? Well, they sold their big house and their boat. Rented a smaller house the past few years till Maddie Graduated from High School. They sold just about everything they had, and actually did it! Yes, our good friends have moved to Aruba! 

 Hanging out together before they leave!

 

 These four little girls are so grown up now!

We are so Happy and Thrilled for them, but we are sad for us. We text (or Facebook Message) and Facetime, but It's hard not seeing them all the time. My boys used to house sit for them whenever they went away. We have dog sat each others pets. Shared Birthday's and Holiday's. Gone to each others School Events. After they shipped what they were moving with them & sold everything else, we had them over for dinner once a week. I've always loved their big square dinning room table that seats 8. Our little table sat just 6, and with us adding 2 Daughter in Laws, we'd have to squeeze around it. Well, that big beautiful table is now ours! We think of them every time we sit at it!

 Dinner in the Square!

 Our last time together in their empty house

The Amazingly good news is that we will always have a place to stay on Aruba! :) It's been a huge undertaking to move out of the country. If you'd like you can follow along on their adventures and learn the ins and outs, and all the things you'd never think of, with a move of this kind on Tammy's Blog. Z Island Life. And we can all live vicariously through them together!

 Just hang up the phone! ;)

 Just don't forget where you came from!

So, now I guess I'll be taking applications for a new Best Friend! :)

Wicked Themed Graduation Party!!

 

On my girls' 18th Birthday, this past October, we took them to see the Broadway Musical Wicked. The untold story of the witches of Oz. It is so good! If you ever get a chance, go see it! Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were the first to play the rolls & both won Tony Awards for them!

 Well, my girls fell in love with Wicked! Singing the soundtrack constantly. It was Lexi's Halloween Costume and how she got asked to Prom!! So naturally, when thinking about our up coming Graduation Party, I thought of Wicked! If you know anything about me, you must know that I love Party Planning, and I love a Party Theme!! And with two girls, one who loves Pink & one who's favorite color is Green, this was perfect!

There are a lot of one liners & cute saying's from Wicked, so we started by making posters to hang around the house & back yard. And we incorporated The Wizard of Oz as well, since that is what Wicked is about after all!

Greeting our Guests at the front door was Our Welcome sign! Along with what happens to unwanted guests! ;) Watch out or we might drop a house on you as well! 

I pulled out my Scarecrows I decorate with in the Fall, to sit in the Backyard. Where we turned a Corn Hole Game into "Toss Toss!!" (How Galinda teaches Elphaba to flirt by flipping her hair!) ;) We also strung white lights around the backyard with about 25 Mason Jars with tea lights inside them. And placed candles inside our fire pit (since we live in Arizona & it's too hot to actually use the fire pit!) circled by chairs, which made for a nice outdoor space after the sun went down! 

 

I found this Tin Man cup at Goodwill for $1.99! I've had some little Wizard of Oz figurines since my girls were little, and once had a Wizard of Oz Birthday Party. I put them on a shelf in the entry way with a Playbill from the play! So cute!

Also in the entry way, I sat a vintage suitcase, like is used in the play, along with the Book. Yes, Wicked was a Book before it became a Broadway Musical Sensation! See, you learned something new today! :) Easy, but effective decorating!

Pinterest is a great place to get ideas! We started a Wicked Graduation Party Board awhile ago. You can see ours here.  One idea we got from Pinterest was to make little Witches Brooms out of Pretzel Sticks and mini Peanut Butter Cups. Easy, Cute and Yummy!

For the food, we of course, in Wicked Fashion, had Pink and Green; We had green vegetables, and pink fruit. Made Yellow Brick Roads out of Meat & Cheese trays, Put potato & macaroni salads in pink & green bowls. All served on Pink & Green Plates & Napkins. We ordered Pink & Green Cup Cakes, but no place had Wicked themed cake decorations, so my creative daughter, Erica made some Good Witch Crowns & Bad Witch Black Hats Picks for the cupcakes. They looked so cute!

 

I made a Poster board for the gift table, of pictures of them through the years, from birth through Graduation, that said "Follow Your Own Yellow Brick Road!" Perfect for Twins! 

 

I also found this idea for Party Favors on Pinterest; Changed For Good is one of the great songs of Wicked! So we made a sign saying "If knowing Erica and Lexi has Changed your life For Good, wear a pin." Then we had a Dorothy Basket with pins we'd had made, by my son's friend who has a pin business with one of their senior pictures on them. They turned out really great, and everyone loved them! You can find him here on Instagram.

 

 

Other party decorations included Pictures of the girls, and Their High School, along with sayings from the Play or Movie . . . 

 

We found little magic wands and wanted Ruby Slippers to set around, but couldn't find any. Maybe if it had been around Halloween time, we could have found more Wizard of Oz & Wicked stuff. But what we did find was little plastic Cinderella shoe pencil sharpeners at Party City, we bought like 12 of them and some Red sparkly spray paint & made our own! You can see them throughout some of the pictures. 

 

Our Party was Open House Style, guests could come between 6 & 10 pm. We had Family & Neighbors come. Some Friends we hadn't seen in a very long time, or not nearly often enough. And a bunch of our girls' High School Friends! Our little house got pretty full at times. It was loud & fun!!

 We are so proud of our Girls! They are both Brilliant, and Beautiful! And are each headed to Great Places, with Bright Futures!! Stay Tuned & just watch them Defying Gravity!

 Congratulations Erica! 

Congratulations Alexia! 

We couldn't be Happier! 

Or Prouder!!