Sunsets for Amanda

Have you ever seen a story unfold and it just feels surreal? That's how I feel about Amanda. She isn't one of my best friends, but I've known her for four years.  There have been laughs over birthday parties, shopping, mexican food and wine expos; comments on Facebook statuses and pictures.  She was, I believe, the soul sister to someone I hold near and dear.

Amanda was a nurse. A mom. A daughter. A sister. A friend to many. A lover of sunrises, Disney and running.  Amanda was chosen to represent her prominent Boston hospital in April's Boston Marathon.

By now, you've noticed that I'm speaking of Amanda in the past tense.

Two days before Christmas, Amanda was out for a run and was hit by a car. Despite the news stories online with fuzzy details - I won't speculate as what precipitated someone hitting Amanda and then striking a telephone pole so hard that it broke.

It goes without saying that she fought to stay...she would never choose to leave her little boy. But her injuries were just too much to overcome.

Five days after getting hit, Amanda passed away.  But not before making one last gift to humanity; she was an organ donor. While I will miss hearing of her adventures; seeing her beautiful sunrise pictures from the vantage point of her hospital; seeing her name pass across my Facebook or Instagram feed, I know that she will live on through those organ donations.

One of Amanda's very best friends captioned this image. Amanda would understand the sad joy so many of us feel in her being the Oprah of organ donation.

The sun has set on the life of a woman who loved sunrises so very much.  Hug your friends and family.  Tell them exactly how much they mean to you.  And maybe, watch a few sunrises and think of Amanda.



P.S. I've had a few people ask...so you can donate to Amanda's Boston Marathon fundraiser HERE or the GoFundMe account for her son and assorted needs HERE.

Thirty Days of Thankful - Family

One of the things I'm most thankful for is family.  They are the people who encourage me, make me laugh, support my crazy addiction to rescue, and occasionally, give me the reality check that I need.

While I have some wonderful genetically related family, I view family not only those people but also the friends that I've chosen to be my family.  Some of the folks that I count as family I haven't met in person - and maybe I never will.  But I know that if I'm having a bad day, that they are no further than a comment, Facebook message or email away.  And I can't thank them enough for that!

This group of people from blogging, rescue, selling Jamberry, work or being related to me are amazing and I hope they know how much I love them. <3 p="">

Thirty Days of Thankful - Knitting

By now, you've all figured out that I'm a creative type of person who, despite being painfully shy, likes to express myself.  What better way to do it than in a form that is totally reusable?!

I was lucky enough to learn to knit under the tutelage of my mom, aunt and grandmother.  My cousin Kristin and I learned early; I'm going to say somewhere around kindergarten age.  While we all had projects going most of the time, it's the holidays where we were all together and knitting that are most meaningful to me.  Over the years, our particular knitting specialties ebbed and flowed... mom and my grandmother (until alzheimers took away her ability to knit) love the large less intricate projects, while Kristin and I seem to excel with the smaller, very detailed work.

Found a nice variegated yarn at the #cromer yarn shop (stop in and say hi to Lola the spaniel!) and think someone will get this beauty when it's done. Who needs a scarf?! #knitting #leafpattern #uk #vacation #ilovetoknit

A photo posted by Nicole Fowler (@cole711) on Oct 22, 2015 at 2:58pm PDT

While I was on vacation last month in England I started this project.  Life has been a bit busy, but I'm hoping to get some quality knitting time this weekend so I can either give it to a friend - or maybe one of you - for Christmas!

Thirty Days of Thankful - Travel

Am so grateful for travel and a family that has a bit of wanderlust as well.  Because my parents loved to travel, and because we had lots of out of state family, I was a roadtrip kid.

I thought everyone got put in their grandparents RV and drove from Massachusetts to New Mexico or California and back.  Or that that all the kids had been to both Disneyland and Disney World, and some of the other larger theme parks before they hit kindergarten.

Let's also take a minute and talk about the fact that my parents put me on a plane ALONE at almost 5 years old from Boston to San Diego and no one thought twice about it.  It was a different, safer world...but I felt like such a grown-up flying all by myself! (Yes, I flew back to Boston on my own too.)

I find travel so joyous and energizing - sometimes even more so than the time spent at the actual destination.  I LOVE TO FLY!  While I still have more countries I want to explore, I feel so blessed to have visited Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Wales, France and Belgium. (And I feel like I'm missing a country or two...)

The Long Goodbye...

If you have a friend or family member that has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia - you're familiar with many doctors calling it "the long goodbye".  Today, on my grandmother's 93rd birthday; the first one we're celebrating without her, I can't help but reflect on that phrase.

The truth is - her decline was the longest and shortest years of our lives. They dragged out but were over in the blink of an eye, and the journey brought many of our family members closer together as we fought to get through it.

At her 90th birthday party!

We saw signs shortly before her 90th birthday.  But we threw her a HUGE party.  It was her one request...and how do you say "no" to that?!  She had an amazing time!

We now know that was her "line in the sand".  She staved off the disease by sheer will until that party.  Two weeks later, confusion had taken hold.  As with many people, as the disease progressed, she started seeing people, we got stories/memories never heard of before and started slowly transitioning her away from the freedoms (unlocked doors, ability to cook, etc) that she had before.  None of us wanted to; the progression of the disease became an undeniable truth. My mom and aunt held off putting her in a nursing home as long as they humanly could...but for their sanity and her safety, it just had to happen.

In the last year of her life, she became largely non-verbal, lost the ability to walk and swallow.  As much as we loved her, she was a shell of the woman that we knew.  Her essence; her vitality; her personality and sense of humor...all gone. I can tell you the exact date she last recognized me without being prompted.

At the end, we endured a long five days as her body finally gave in and shut down.  These days were punctuated by snow storms, tears, stories from my mom and her remaining siblings of their favorite memories and whispers of reassurance to her that it was OK to go.

So, on her birthday, I choose to shed a few tears - knowing she's somewhere feeling whole and healthy again; eating cake, drinking Kahlua, and laughing.  I look at the rings left to the women in our family and know she left a little piece of herself behind for us to cherish.

This.  This is how I choose to remember her.  With horrible polyester '70's shirts and an easy smile.

Tuesdays at the Table - Zucchini and Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo

Happy Tuesday!  Oh, and happy September too! :-)  I'm not a mom...but I have to say that I'm secretly a little happy to see all the kids going back to school.  It's totally selfish, but I worry about some of the neighborhood kids who seem to be out WAY after dark, in dark clothes and RUNNING in front of cars.  I don't want to be the one that doesn't stop quick enough.  :-(  If they're back at school, they need to go to bed early-ish, right?!

Thanks to everyone that has participated in Tuesdays at the Table.  I love cooking for others and am thrilled when you respond to the recipes that I share and/or share one of your own!

This week I'm sharing a recipe that my uncle taught me as a pre-teen. He was a chef for a while before becoming a corrections officer and has some fabulous recipes that I've stolen through the years! (Sorry for the less than gorgeous picture.  I thought I got a good one...then by the time I realized I didn't, dinner was over and my subject matter disappeared!)

Zucchini and Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo

1 box (a pound) of fettucini
1 pint heavy (or whipping) cream
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 cups mushrooms (sliced)
1 large zucchini (cut into 2 inch wedges)
1 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil water, cook pasta, drain, and set aside.
2. In saute pan, melt 1/2 cup butter on medium heat. Add garlic. Let simmer for 30 seconds.
3. Add sliced zucchini and sliced mushrooms. Let simmer until both completely cooked. Add whipping cream. Simmer on low heat until the mixture begins to boil. Add parmesan or romano cheeses (or a blend). 

1. Toss with  fettuccine. Salt and pepper to taste.  Sauce will thicken if you let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
2. What's cooking in your kitchen?

Five on Friday

Happy Friday, everyone!! It has been a busy week and I am looking forward to the weekend so much!

This little lady turns ONE today!!! I can't wait to shower Vivian with gifts at her party on Saturday.

I only joined a gym a week ago and I already feel the need to say something about pool etiquette.  Somehow, I thought it was common knowledge that you're going to get splashed in a pool.  Darned if I didn't watch someone get all riled that they just had their hair done and didn't want it to get wet - all while she stood in water up to her shoulders BEFORE everyone in the pool started exercising.  Um, really?!  And two the two ladies who I watched put on perfume in the changing room before class, please don't.  Just, don't.  Mmmkay?!

I've decided that I am bringing back "Tuesdays at the Table", my weekly recipe link-up.  I loved hosting it and getting to try all those wonderful recipes!  I'm still working on a button.  Stay tuned for the button and more info soon!  I'm already getting excited to visit everyone and try some new recipes.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about getting another tattoo.  I already have two - a Celtic cross on the inside of my left ankle, and a heart on the inside of my right ankle.  Predictably, I really think I want a dachshund on me.  Obviously, I won't have anything inked on me until I find the perfect design, but here are a few of my favorite designs right now.

ICYMI:the knockout punch of SHIELDvsCARTER #SDCC15 #dubsmashwars #DontMakeMePutMyLipstickOn

A video posted by Clark Gregg (@clarkgregg) on Jul 12, 2015 at 5:08pm PDT

Little admission here...I am a total geek.  As in, "wow, I'd really like to make it Comic-Con someday" kind of geek.  As Comic-Con has gone on in San Diego this week, I've been entertained by the Marvel Agents of Shield vs. Agent Carter dub smash battle on Instagram.  If you don't want to scroll through a boat load of Instagram messages, you can see the progression of their battle HERE.

What's on your agenda this weekend?

Eight Photos of Happiness

I have been nominated for the ‘8 Photos of Happiness Tag’ by Bridget over at Expat BS.  I followed Bridget back when she was an Atlanta blogger.  Now she's "crossed the pond" and started a whole new blog.  :-)  I'm really enjoying reading as she and her hubby-to-be get settled into their new life!

Here are the guidelines for the tag:
1.Thank your nominator/s and link them in your post.
2. Link the creator Ariel's Little Corner of the Internet
3. Post your 8 photos of happiness
4. Pop in a brief description of the photo, why you chose it, or let the photos do the talking!
5. Spread the happiness and tag up to ten other bloggers!

This is my cousin Kristin and I at a wedding earlier this year. (The wedding story will be another post soon.)  She is one of my best friends and I'm so lucky to get to have her in my life. 

This little one is baby Vivie!  She's Kristin's little girl and will turn a year old just days after my birthday.  She has such a big, happy personality and I just adore her!

From my gram's 90th birthday party.  She was adamant that she get a big party when she turned 90 and so she that's what she got!  Gram was thrilled! This picture is bittersweet, as it's the last picture of gram with all four of her children.

It's not the best picture in the world, but I have such great memories of my first trip to the UK the summer I turned 16.  Here are my brother Josh and I getting chased by sheep...it was a recurring theme during that trip!  I can't wait to be in England again this fall.

As a little kid, my grandparent's had a summer home on the lake in New Hampshire.  So many awesome family summers!  Here's a picture of my dad and I when I was really little.

My herd.  They bring me such joy every single day.  So much personality, love, silliness and utter devotion in such TINY bodies!

These girls!  They are all absolutely beautiful inside and out.  We do a yearly group picture at Christmas and here's our 2014 picture.

Ok...so this isn't a picture of me, but it is a picture of the rag quilt I made for baby Vivie.  I love to craft and take such pleasure from it.  That counts, right?!

Now it's my turn to nominate some bloggers to take on this challenge. I'm still getting into the swing of blogging again so I don't have 10 bloggers to tag, but if you read this post and would like to join in  please do!

• Sara at Running from the Law - I've loved Sara's blog for years.  Even during my blog hiatus, I kept up with her and her adorable kiddos on Instagram.  :-)
• Karen at A Peek at Karen's World  - Another awesome blogger that I've followed for YEARS!  She just moved her blog from blogger to Wordpress on her own, which makes her my technology hero.
• Rachel from Countdowns and Cupcakes - I've only recently found Rachel.  Her blog is super cute and she's a fellow dachshund mom!
• Carolyn from Life, Love and Puppy Prints - Carolyn is another recent find.  I love her sense of humor.  She just might be one of blogville's cutest pregnant girls too.  :-)
• Jennifer from Crazy Shenanigans - Jen is another blogger that I've been following for quite a while.  Like Christmas or Elvis?  She's your girl!
• Dory and her mom at Dory's Backyard - Dory and her siblings are Lhasa Apsos and ShiTzus respectively.  They (with their mom's help) have lots of adventures and share life from a dog's perspective!
• Puddles and her mom at We 3 Doxies - Think dogs don't have a sense of humor?  You haven't met Puddles yet!  We know dachshunds are a huge part of my life - and Puddles (with her mom's help) shows all the personality in their little bodies!

Wordless Wednesday - The Hawaiian Diva

This little diva LOVES to dress up!  Yes, I'm serious... Paisley enjoys clothes.  :-)

Kristin's Wedding

As some of you may remember, I was one of my cousin Kristin's bridesmaids when last we spoke of her upcoming nuptials!  (In case you don't remember...here's a link to the post I did on her bridal shower)

Fast forward almost two years and now I need to catch you all up on what you missed - including Kristin's wedding!

This pretty lady indeed got married on August 2nd, 2013 to the love of her life with their (then) almost 9 year old son quite excited (as were everyone else in the bridal party).

Here she is with her mom!

The wedding was lovely and the country club that hosted both the ceremony and reception was absolutely beautiful.  Now, you all know that I'm a klutz.  And Kristin's wedding was no exception to my rule about tripping over my own feet.  I was the first bridesmaid "out of the gate" so to speak...and unfortunately did NOT count on the aisle we were walking down to be lush green grass that was horribly uneven.  People, I fell!  Flat. on. my. face.  It was mortifying!  I still remember all the faces that were turned towards me going from smiles to looks of shock.  Not fun...  It got hurt and tried not to cry during the ceremony. My goal was to make it through the ceremony and reception without drawing any further attention to myself.  For once - mission accomplished!

Unfortunately, I did have a super fun trip to the ER to have my knee looked at at midnight. I have to thank the hospital staff for taking such good care of me and the mess that I was - still in my hot pink bridesmaid dress (um..yeah.).

Stay tuned for my next foray into being a bridesmaid....

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's 65th birthday!  She may never see this post (she doesn't realize yet that I'm blogging again)...but I want you all to help me celebrate with her!

I've been blessed to have this lovely lady as my mom!  She's the reason I'm so fabulous...hahaha!  No, really.  Mom was a public elementary school teacher for 30+ years and a large part of my love of the written word, my respect for animals (fine... obsession with dogs!), the joy I find in travel and my moral compass whether I needed one or not.

Here's mom, with her older sister Janice, when she was about 9-10 months old.

And here's my mom on her recent cruise to Alaska.

Mom, I love you and I'm so proud of the strength you've shown through some very trying times in the past few years.  I hope this is your best year yet!

Memorial Day

I hope that you all are enjoying this beautiful long weekend and that it's full of family, friends and fun!

My heart and my thanks go to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so we can live in a country that allows us the freedom to be anything we want to be & express who we really are.