One of my moms friends husband was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. He is currently in the hospital recovering. My mom's friend (Jessica) posts updates on facebook every few days with her husbands status. Jessica's posts are so incredibly encouraging and positive and faithful and brilliant all at the same time! Im so inspired I couldn't help but to share one of her posts. It's listed below:
"I want my husband back. Body and mind, I want him back. I am contending today for his speedy and FULL recovery. He'll be undergoing PEG placement procedure at some point in the day (stomach feeding tube)which should help him regain his strength and muscle mass more quickly. The goal is to have him off the monitors and taking baby steps by next week. If all goes well, he will be transferred to the full-time rehabilitation unit at Mercy General Hospital for about 5-6 weeks.
Chris really challenged me last night. He told me his goal was to be out of the hospital and at the Steelers vs. 49ers game on December 19th. I poo-pooed him. How ridiculous! With weeks of recovery and months of healing ahead of him, what an absurd plan! But God put a check in my heart! "You think I can do this?" I heard him say. "But God! It's ridiculous! I know You CAN do it, but I just don't think You WILL!" Then i realized where Chris is putting his faith. He is simply thinking and living Phillipians 4:13! "I can do all things through Him who GIVES ME STRENGTH!"
True, God is famous for making rules for our own good and benefit, but God is also desperate for a RELATIONSHIP with us. Not A one sided affair where He does all the work or we live by our won strength only, but a give and take relationship where BOTH are involved. Chris knows that he can get up and out of the hospital bed because Chris knows God. He knows who God IS. They are friends! They have been in a relationship for years.
My prayer today is that you experience the God of RELATIONSHIP, who gives you strength to do ALL THINGS. Lean on Him. Trust Him. Talk to Him. And let Him give you HIS strength TODAY!"
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Arbonne? Ever Heard of it?!
Arbonne means “good things from the earth”. It’s also the name of a health and wellness company that sells safe skin care and wellness products. I began using Arbonne products a few months ago and I love love love the products for the following reasons.
All products are:
•Botanically-Based
•Hypoallergenic
•Dermatologist Tested
•Never Tested on Animals
•Formulated without Animal Products or By-Products
•Formulated without Dyes or Chemical Fragrances
•Formulated without Mineral Oil or Alcohol
•Glutton Free
•Vegan Certified
One of my other favorite things about Arbonne, there’s something for EVERYONE!
•Skin care
•Hair care
•Baby care
•Men’s Line
•Acne Line
•Cosmetics
•Healthy Living
•Detox
I love the products so much I decided why not try my hand in selling them! :)
So I took a leap of faith and jumped in 2 feet first!
I’m officially an Arbonne consultant and running my own little business! With my own skills and person effort, Arbonne is able to provide a fantastic income potential. It doesn’t limit me to a set schedule or long commute. I can work when and where I want on my own terms. It fits right into the nooks and crannies of my life. My goal is to have Arbonne help me achieve my personal and financial goals so that one day I can wake up in the morning, walk 10 steps to my office and be my own boss! :)
So excited for this new journey!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Planning for the future and taking control
College- Check!
Job- Check!
Wedding- Check!
I’ve been looking into the future wondering what my next BIG step in life will be. At this point, most of my friends are starting to have babies and some of their babies are now toddlers! I’ve been trying to determine what exactly I want out of life. For me, there’s no way I could live an entire life time and not experience having a child or being a mother.
Am I ready yet? I think so.
Could I be more prepared? Absolutely!
Are there a few things I want to do first? A few.
However, I know exactly what I don’t want.
I think about being a kid and how busy my parents were. I remember my parents seeming like they accomplished something when all us kids were off to school wearing matching socks, and they made it to work barely at 8am and got the bills paid before they were 30 days overdue.
It seems like we get so busy that we’re desperately trying to keep one thing or another from crashing and burning. While I know there’s no way to completely avoid being “busy” I don’t want life controlling me. I don’t want my kids to grow up before my eyes, I don’t want to NOT get up for work every day and I don’t want to say ‘NO’ because I’m too busy to add another thing to my plate.
Ideally I’d prefer not to work a full time job. Get up, get ready, feed the kids, get kids ready for school, drop kids off, work 8 hours, pick kids up, play with kids, feed kids, bathe kids, go to bed and get up the next day to do it all over again! Yikes! Props to working moms! If I HAD to do it, I would. But I’m not sure I’d be the prime candidate for ‘the working mom’ job. I know how I function and instead of being ‘super mom’ I’d be ‘barely hanging in there’ mom.
Although being a stay at home mommy doesn’t sound all that appealing. I’ve heard the story told time and again that women get so caught up being a mommy that they forget how to be themselves. I'd like to avaoid that crisis as well! So, I’d like to have a part time job and be a full time mommy! Even though kiddo #1 is not even a ‘bun in the oven’ I’d still like to prepare myself.
So to all the people asking ‘when are you and Mike going to start having kids’ the answer is, when I can work a part time job. I’m currently working on that part time job behind the scenes in hopes that in the next year or so I will earn enough to replace the income from my full time job. In the mean time I’m simply enjoying being married. Enjoying my family and friends and enjoying the flexibility of a life without kids.
Life doesn’t have to be filled with BIG steps. They can be filled with little steps too! And that’s what I’ll be doing for a little while.
Job- Check!
Wedding- Check!
I’ve been looking into the future wondering what my next BIG step in life will be. At this point, most of my friends are starting to have babies and some of their babies are now toddlers! I’ve been trying to determine what exactly I want out of life. For me, there’s no way I could live an entire life time and not experience having a child or being a mother.
Am I ready yet? I think so.
Could I be more prepared? Absolutely!
Are there a few things I want to do first? A few.
However, I know exactly what I don’t want.
I think about being a kid and how busy my parents were. I remember my parents seeming like they accomplished something when all us kids were off to school wearing matching socks, and they made it to work barely at 8am and got the bills paid before they were 30 days overdue.
It seems like we get so busy that we’re desperately trying to keep one thing or another from crashing and burning. While I know there’s no way to completely avoid being “busy” I don’t want life controlling me. I don’t want my kids to grow up before my eyes, I don’t want to NOT get up for work every day and I don’t want to say ‘NO’ because I’m too busy to add another thing to my plate.
Ideally I’d prefer not to work a full time job. Get up, get ready, feed the kids, get kids ready for school, drop kids off, work 8 hours, pick kids up, play with kids, feed kids, bathe kids, go to bed and get up the next day to do it all over again! Yikes! Props to working moms! If I HAD to do it, I would. But I’m not sure I’d be the prime candidate for ‘the working mom’ job. I know how I function and instead of being ‘super mom’ I’d be ‘barely hanging in there’ mom.
Although being a stay at home mommy doesn’t sound all that appealing. I’ve heard the story told time and again that women get so caught up being a mommy that they forget how to be themselves. I'd like to avaoid that crisis as well! So, I’d like to have a part time job and be a full time mommy! Even though kiddo #1 is not even a ‘bun in the oven’ I’d still like to prepare myself.
So to all the people asking ‘when are you and Mike going to start having kids’ the answer is, when I can work a part time job. I’m currently working on that part time job behind the scenes in hopes that in the next year or so I will earn enough to replace the income from my full time job. In the mean time I’m simply enjoying being married. Enjoying my family and friends and enjoying the flexibility of a life without kids.
Life doesn’t have to be filled with BIG steps. They can be filled with little steps too! And that’s what I’ll be doing for a little while.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
I Have a Decided Heart
A wise man once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Knowing this to be true, I am taking my first step today. For too long my feet have been tentative, shuffling left and right, more backward than forward as my heart gauged the direction of the wind. Criticism, condemnation, and complaint are creatures of the wind. They come and go on the wasted breath of lesser beings and have no power over me. The power to control direction belongs to me. Today I will begin to exercise that power.
My course has been charted. My destiny is assured.
I have a decided heart. I am passionate about my vision for the future.
I will awaken every morning with an excitement about the new day and its opportunity for growth and change. My thoughts and actions will work in a forward motion, never sliding into the dark forest of doubt or the muddy quicksand of self-pity. I will freely give my vision for the future to others, and as they see the belief in my eyes, they will follow me.
I will lay my head on my pillow at night happily exhausted, knowing that I have done everything within my power to move the mountains in my path. As I sleep, the same dream that dominates my waking hours will be with me in the dark. Yes, I have a dream. It is a great dream, and I will never apologize for it. Neither will I ever let it go, for if I did, my life would be finished. My hopes, my passions, my vision for the future is my very existence. A person without a dream never had a dream come true.
I have a decided heart. I will not wait.
I know that the purpose of analysis is to come to a conclusion. I have tested the angles. I have measured the probabilities. And now I have made a decision with my heart. I am not timid. I will move now and not look back. What I put off until tomorrow, I will put off until the next day as well. I do not procrastinate. All my problems become smaller when I confront them. If I touch a thistle with caution, it will prick me, but if I grasp it boldly, its spines crumble into dust.
I will not wait. I am passionate about my vision for the future. My course has been charted. My destiny is assured.
I have a decided heart.
I am a person of action.
Andy Andrews~
My course has been charted. My destiny is assured.
I have a decided heart. I am passionate about my vision for the future.
I will awaken every morning with an excitement about the new day and its opportunity for growth and change. My thoughts and actions will work in a forward motion, never sliding into the dark forest of doubt or the muddy quicksand of self-pity. I will freely give my vision for the future to others, and as they see the belief in my eyes, they will follow me.
I will lay my head on my pillow at night happily exhausted, knowing that I have done everything within my power to move the mountains in my path. As I sleep, the same dream that dominates my waking hours will be with me in the dark. Yes, I have a dream. It is a great dream, and I will never apologize for it. Neither will I ever let it go, for if I did, my life would be finished. My hopes, my passions, my vision for the future is my very existence. A person without a dream never had a dream come true.
I have a decided heart. I will not wait.
I know that the purpose of analysis is to come to a conclusion. I have tested the angles. I have measured the probabilities. And now I have made a decision with my heart. I am not timid. I will move now and not look back. What I put off until tomorrow, I will put off until the next day as well. I do not procrastinate. All my problems become smaller when I confront them. If I touch a thistle with caution, it will prick me, but if I grasp it boldly, its spines crumble into dust.
I will not wait. I am passionate about my vision for the future. My course has been charted. My destiny is assured.
I have a decided heart.
I am a person of action.
Andy Andrews~
Friday, July 1, 2011
San Diego
So, this blog is way overdue. This year for my (our) birthday, we (Morg and Mal) flew down to San Diego to visit our very best friend, Brittany. Britt had a fun yet relaxing weekedn planned for us. Friday we started with pedicures. We made appointments at the cutest little spa called Mingle. The 3 of us enjoyed our pedicures with a glass of champagne! So relaxing and a great way to start the weekend.
Later that day we enjoyed walking around Pacific Beach. We had lunch at a little cafe called Zanzibar and shopped at all sorts of cute stores. We ended up on the beach where I have to admit was a little chili. That night Brit cooked us a yummy dinner at home and we spend the eveining drinking drinks and catching up with each other.
The next day we spend in Down Town San Diego. We started off at the Gas Lamp Tavern and had some yummy snacks and of course some yummy drinks. Then we headed to the coolest bar called Vin De Syrah. It's a Wine and Spirits parlor in down town SD. It has this very unique Alice in Wonderland feel to it. I've never been to such an interesting kind of bar before. It was so creative!
Later that evening we had dinner on the top of the Marriott hotel. The top of the hotel over looked the Padres stadium. It was so cool!
At about 10pm the top of the Marriot turned into a night club. We only last an hour before we left. LOL
Our flight left at about 5pm on Sunday, so we had a half day to play. We went to Belmont Park which is sort of like a mini carnival on the beach. We decided to ride the roller coaster which was SUPER fun! LOL I cant remmember the last time I rode a roller coaster. We did some more shopping and spend a little bit more time at the beach.
Then we were off to the airport to go home. Good friends! Good Times! It was a great birthday weekend!
Later that day we enjoyed walking around Pacific Beach. We had lunch at a little cafe called Zanzibar and shopped at all sorts of cute stores. We ended up on the beach where I have to admit was a little chili. That night Brit cooked us a yummy dinner at home and we spend the eveining drinking drinks and catching up with each other.
The next day we spend in Down Town San Diego. We started off at the Gas Lamp Tavern and had some yummy snacks and of course some yummy drinks. Then we headed to the coolest bar called Vin De Syrah. It's a Wine and Spirits parlor in down town SD. It has this very unique Alice in Wonderland feel to it. I've never been to such an interesting kind of bar before. It was so creative!
Later that evening we had dinner on the top of the Marriott hotel. The top of the hotel over looked the Padres stadium. It was so cool!
At about 10pm the top of the Marriot turned into a night club. We only last an hour before we left. LOL
Our flight left at about 5pm on Sunday, so we had a half day to play. We went to Belmont Park which is sort of like a mini carnival on the beach. We decided to ride the roller coaster which was SUPER fun! LOL I cant remmember the last time I rode a roller coaster. We did some more shopping and spend a little bit more time at the beach.
Then we were off to the airport to go home. Good friends! Good Times! It was a great birthday weekend!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Van Damme 11'
Every year the Costellos/Carrolls (AKA Cartello’s) gets together for a camping trip at Van Damme in the most charming town of Mendocino. This year there were about 30 friends and family members of the Cartello’s who attended. We rented the ‘Group’ campsite to accommodate such a large group.
On this trip, some of the guys went abalone diving in the ocean. The campground is literally right across the street from the ocean. The men return with the abalone and prepare it for dinner the next night!
While some of the men are abalone diving, the rest of us spend some of the day on the beach.
Not only were we camping, we were also celebrating the 30th birthday of my sister in-law and friend, Becky! It was a great celebration that included champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and gifts! It was a good time!
On this trip, some of the guys went abalone diving in the ocean. The campground is literally right across the street from the ocean. The men return with the abalone and prepare it for dinner the next night!
This was little man’s (aka baby Andrew’s) first camping trip! He was such a trooper and seemed to really enjoy the camping environment.
It was a great camping trip and we're always looking forward to next year!!
♥ morgiegirl6@blogspot.com ♥
♥ morgiegirl6@blogspot.com ♥
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Napa
Mike, being the social butterfly he is, made friends with our new neighbors, Drew and Ginny. One chat led to another and we found out our new neighbors were married, our age, did not have kids and were Christians. In fact, we they had visited our church a few times since they moved to the area! We all made plans to go to church together one Sunday. Since then, we’ve gone to church together almost every weekend. Mike and I were not able to make it to church one weekend because were visiting friends in San Fran. However, Drew and Ginny went and became aware of a marriage retreat the church was hosting in Napa. The 4 of us decided to attend the marriage retreat and make a weekend out of it! We went to several wineries and some super yummy restaurants.
Below is a picture of the 4 of us at Cosentino Winery.
Mike purchased a bottle of their wine and I enjoyed tasting their wine!
Right next store was this delicious restaurant called Mustard Grill. Mustards was named for the wild mustard flowers that bloom in the vineyards every spring. So pretty! Below are some pictures.
Then we went to the Robert Mondavi Winery which was absolutely gorgeous!!
Next we went to Cake Bread Winery. Unfortunately they were booked with reservations so we weren’t able to taste any of their wine. However, we did take advantage of their pretty scenery for some cute pictures!
Next door was Rutherford Grill! Yummy good food!
Then we headed over to the BV Winery for some more wine tasting. Lovely BV wine glasses for tasting.
Below is Drew pouring a glass of wine from a HUGE bottle! LOL!
Then we headed to the Castello di Amorosa. We didn’t have time to tour this winery but we did get to visit their gift shop and it was super cool! Very medieval like atmosphere.
Our final stop was at Sterling Winery. This winery was unique as we had to take a tram up to the actual winery. It was so awesome riding the tram and seeing the beautiful view of Napa.
We were greeted with a glass of wine to enjoy while we gave ourselves a tour of the winery. Along the way we followed the winemaking process as they had flat-screen TV at each stop that provided detailed explanations of how they make their wine. I was really fun!
Super fun and needed weekend away with good friends!
♥
Below is a picture of the 4 of us at Cosentino Winery.
Mike purchased a bottle of their wine and I enjoyed tasting their wine!
Right next store was this delicious restaurant called Mustard Grill. Mustards was named for the wild mustard flowers that bloom in the vineyards every spring. So pretty! Below are some pictures.
Then we went to the Robert Mondavi Winery which was absolutely gorgeous!!
Next we went to Cake Bread Winery. Unfortunately they were booked with reservations so we weren’t able to taste any of their wine. However, we did take advantage of their pretty scenery for some cute pictures!
Next door was Rutherford Grill! Yummy good food!
Then we headed over to the BV Winery for some more wine tasting. Lovely BV wine glasses for tasting.
Below is Drew pouring a glass of wine from a HUGE bottle! LOL!
Then we headed to the Castello di Amorosa. We didn’t have time to tour this winery but we did get to visit their gift shop and it was super cool! Very medieval like atmosphere.
Our final stop was at Sterling Winery. This winery was unique as we had to take a tram up to the actual winery. It was so awesome riding the tram and seeing the beautiful view of Napa.
We were greeted with a glass of wine to enjoy while we gave ourselves a tour of the winery. Along the way we followed the winemaking process as they had flat-screen TV at each stop that provided detailed explanations of how they make their wine. I was really fun!
Super fun and needed weekend away with good friends!
♥
Friday, March 11, 2011
Dont worry about anything...
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:6-7
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Valentine's Day 2011
This year for Valentine’s Day, Mike and I laid low. We stayed home and Mike cooked a fantastic meal and then we watched the Gramies. As simple as that sounds, spending Valentine’s Day at home with the one I love is just as good (if not better) than going to a fancy restaurant (even though a fancy restaurant is great sometimes). Being home, in my jammies, arranging flowers while Mike cooked, was just right!
My pretty flower arrangement below:
Here’s Mike putting Blue Cheese butter on top of our New York steaks! Oh Heaven!
Yummy Veggies and bakers in the oven!
Shrimp sautéing in the pan!
Valentines dinner plate! Of course I could only eat half but it was amazing!!
And our wedding gift from Crate and Barrel for registering with them. Champagne flutes shaped like a hearts!
♥morgiegirl6.blogspot.com♥
My pretty flower arrangement below:
Here’s Mike putting Blue Cheese butter on top of our New York steaks! Oh Heaven!
Yummy Veggies and bakers in the oven!
Shrimp sautéing in the pan!
Valentines dinner plate! Of course I could only eat half but it was amazing!!
And our wedding gift from Crate and Barrel for registering with them. Champagne flutes shaped like a hearts!
♥morgiegirl6.blogspot.com♥
Monday, February 14, 2011
Kitty Hair Cut
My cat Kitty (yes her name is Kitty) was known to have really bad hairballs and would throw up almost every day. She has a very tender tummy…poor girl! We tried many things to prevent the hairballs such as a special food diet, extra grooming and this Vaseline type substance that’s suppose to help pass the hairball. We finally decided the most obvious solution was to get rid of the hair. So, we took Kitty to get groomed.
Grooming Kitty seemed to be the solution to her hairball problems! No more vomit or hairballs, EVER! We decided to get creative with Kitty’s grooming. We pretty much ask for all her fur to be shaved off. With the exception of her main and paws. Here is the final product! LOL Dont let the flowers in the background throw you off.
Below is a picture of her roaming aroung the car on the ride home. They even put cute little bows in her hair!!
And the bows were scratched off in a matter of minutes!
Below is a picture of her acting like a dog! LOL Can you imagine looking at the car next to you at a stop light and seeing a cat?!
In the winter time she gets a little cold, so we frequently see her all buddled up. :) Yes, she did this on her own! Silly girl!
Thats all for now!
♥ morgiegirl6@blogspot.com ♥
Grooming Kitty seemed to be the solution to her hairball problems! No more vomit or hairballs, EVER! We decided to get creative with Kitty’s grooming. We pretty much ask for all her fur to be shaved off. With the exception of her main and paws. Here is the final product! LOL Dont let the flowers in the background throw you off.
Below is a picture of her roaming aroung the car on the ride home. They even put cute little bows in her hair!!
And the bows were scratched off in a matter of minutes!
Below is a picture of her acting like a dog! LOL Can you imagine looking at the car next to you at a stop light and seeing a cat?!
In the winter time she gets a little cold, so we frequently see her all buddled up. :) Yes, she did this on her own! Silly girl!
Thats all for now!
♥ morgiegirl6@blogspot.com ♥
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