It’s a brand new day!

It is a Monday. It is the 1st day of October. It is the beginning of fall.
As I turn the calendar over to a brand new day, week, month & season…..I can’t help but feel that in a small way today is a new beginning, a fresh start, a chance to do new things in a new way, [...]

A bit of inspiration

For almost a decade I have been writing motivational messages on a Monday.  Why?  Strangely, it began because I was not feeling very motivated to accomplish much of anything.  My home based business had just taken a few disappointing turns, my household seemed to be in a constant state of chaos (I can’t imagine why [...]

After this day

In honor of the bright, talented, goal setting, driven, intense, persuasive, strong willed, lovely, going to change the world  #4 Lambdin lady  – Rebekah – who is turning 12 years old tomorrow, I am posting an updated Monday Motivation that I wrote seven years ago shortly after her 5th birthday. It is very timely in my own life as I am currently saying [...]

Live, Love & Laugh

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
from Casting Crowns song – “Who am I?”
I have spent the past few days pouring over photos of a mans life in preparation for a slide presentation for his memorial service today.  He lived 64 years and [...]

The apple of His eye

Wow! Am I ever “it” …”the one & only”…”the living end”…”the love of his life” and “the apple of his eye”……
Being a mother to a precious new baby is certainly good for ones self esteem.  When I walk into the room he simply can not take his eyes off of me.  A contagious smile spreads across his face and [...]

Lesson plan for life

Can someone please tell me when the month of August ceased being summertime?  
Isn’t August still a time for “floatin’ fools in the swimming pools”, mouthwatering backyard barbecues with friends, carnivals & state fairs, baseball games, enjoying ice coffee & conversation on the patio in the cool of the evening after a sweltering day. (Ok, ok…so I live in [...]

File under: What was I thinking?

 What was I thinking??
Have you ever muttered those words or had them flash across your brain like a neon light?  I have had a knack for doing a few not so brilliant things in my life where those words were not just said or thought by me, but by many others as well.  A few examples (at [...]

First day of high school – letter to Amy

 Life is flying by…at an increasing speed!
Tomorrow morning my fun loving, beautiful, crazy, blonde baby….my “Amy Girl” will begin her first year of high school. As she opens up her lunch bag she will find this note (along with some homemade cookies!)….may it inspire, encourage & challenge you today in whatever season of life you are speeding thru. (and [...]

Choosing the Best

It was one of those days….
….the “to do list” was overwhelming, the papers to shuffle were stacked so high they toppled over on the floor, there were emails & voice mails to answer and I had spent the day “running” – running errands, running to the store (and back – because it never fails in [...]

My “beautiful” bathroom

It’s all a matter of perspective.
You see, the “master” bathroom in our 50+ year old home is not usually my favorite place to be.  While I dream of having a large beautiful bathroom complete with a jacuzzi tub, a huge waterfall type shower with a place to sit down to shave, “his & her” sinks and a [...]

Camping Colic

I love going camping!  Really….I do!
I love the fresh air, the open space & the “getting away from it all” of the great outdoors at the mountains or the beach, hiking to see waterfalls, lazy days sitting by the lake reading a good book and munching on snacks, the family togetherness singing silly songs by the campfire while roasting [...]

Uncharted Territory

I remember the day clearly. 
I was sitting in the “pristine” living room (ahhh…can you remember when your “pre children” home actually stayed clean for longer than two minutes?) of our small apartment as the summer sun streamed through the windows. Next to me on the couch was another soon to be first time mother, several years [...]

Schools Out!

Schools out for the Summer!
Yes….it is the time of year that I have always relished, ever since getting off the bus after completing my first year in school!  Ahhhhhhhh, yes! That incredible feeling of FREEDOM after nine long months of being on someone else’s schedule, doing work others wanted me to do, a bit of [...]

What do you really want?

I had to chuckle yesterday morning as I overheard (and I was not eavesdropping….when you live in a small 1400 square foot home with 8 people…nothing is private) the conversation three of my daughters were having as they were in the bathroom getting ready for church.  It went something like this.
Amy: I really want to [...]

Swimming Success

What a difference a year makes!
We just finished our second season on the recreational neighborhood swim team.  (and do I ever love the swim team…..it forces me to go to the pool every day….which gives me an excuse to “live” in my bathing suit and get my hair wet!)Last year at the beginning of [...]