Inspiration from Loa with a GIVEAWAY

Meet my friend, Loa. Truly an inspiring woman, Loa is now sharing her knowledge of mind and body health with the world in her new book,

"All Health's Breaking Loose".

And one of you will have that book in your hot little hands next week!

Let me tell you how inspiring Loa is.

She's had her fair share of bumps and hurdles. But you'll never hear Loa talking about them. Instead, being with Loa is like being on vacation in the most relaxing atmosphere you can imagine. When I'm around Loa I feel the same as I feel sitting on a comfortably cool beach, all alone, watching and listening to the surf. It feels refreshing, cleansing and relaxing. That's what it's like to be near Loa.

So for Loa to share not only her in-depth knowledge of all-things-healthy, but also her soothing personality in this book ... well, that's something everyone should have immediate access to!

So here you go. To enter:

Check out Loa's website (great name!) GoToLoa.com

click on one of her tabs and tell me in a comment what you like about it

(she has recipes, inspirations, tips ...)

This is mandatory

Extra entries:

Blog about this giveaway and share with me your link (3 extra)

Facebook about this giveaway (3 extra)

Tweet about this giveaway (1 extra each tweet .. may tweet once daily - let me know each time you tweet)

Good luck to all.

OH .. I almost forgot!

Loa will autograph this book for you! HooRAY!

make a wish monday

This week I wish for enough energy at the end of each day to read.

My goal is to read every single CLASSIC that I have in my library.

Do you read the classics? What's your favorite?

Will you share with me your wish for this Monday?

Come Stroll With Me

It wasn't so hot when I headed outside today ... And there was a faint smell of rain in the air ... LOVE THAT!

I was only outside a few minutes when a breeze picked up, clouds blew in and the smell of rain took over my senses ...

So glad I made it in time to pull the clothes off the line. Anyone else think there's no scent quite so nice as line-dried clothes? (except the smell of a newborn baby of course!)

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby."

Langston Hughes

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Inspiration from Nick Vujicic

I guess he's got the right to tell us that it's all about attitude!

You can bet the next time I'm feeling bad about my circumstances, I'll think again and count my blessings instead...

1st blessing I'm counting today:

I'm SO grateful for modern technology so I can communicate daily with people I love.

How about you?

What's one of the blessings you're counting today?

mom update

So many of you have asked about my mother and continue to send well wishes, so I figure it's time for an update.

Mom just had her 4th Chemo treatment (only 2 more to go!)

and although it's yucky and weakens her like crazy, she's handling it quite well.

My middle daughter has been with her these past 3 weeks.

Just as my experience has been, Sierra tells me that she feels like she's the one getting all the blessings even though she's there to help bless the lives of her grandparents.

My Mom with my daugher, Sierra

Our 1,000 Crane project has meant a lot to my mother.

As each crane arrives, she feels your love and support. Thank you so much. Current count is 699! Can you believe it?!

We're still hoping for 1,000, so if you'd like to help out, please make a crane or two ... or 50 ... and send to my mother:

Connie Call

2612 Ashwood Lane

Bedford, TX 76021

This is Dad & Mom playing a round of 5 Crowns ... LOVE that game! But when I played with them I was usually the big loser ... that is, until we played Ticket to Ride. I'm dang good at that!

From my mom:

"Thank you to everyone for your kindness and generosity in making and sending cranes with your love."

and from me:

This quote from William Penn reminds me of all of you ...

"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."

You all have been such great examples to me, and I thank you!

like-minded women

Yesterday I promised to tell you about Karyn.

But first let me say that this whole blogging thing is a gift from heaven. Truth be told, if someone were to ask me who my "best friend" is, without a doubt I'd be picking from my pool of blogger friends. Truly.

I've known Karyn about 4 days. But just like I feel about many of you, I can honestly say that Karyn is my friend. A while back, Karyn had an accident that put her out of work (not to mention the pain). It was a few months into recovery when Karyn had a stern talking with herself. In her own words:

"I knew I had to put my “Big Girl” pants on, switch out my cup of coffee for a big cup of COURAGE. I had to find a way to pull myself out of this slump and use this solitude to rediscover myself and find out what it is that I REALLY wanted out of life. Just after that thought, a beautiful BUTTERFLY flew in front of me and paused to flutter for a tiny moment. Ah-Ha…yes, I am a caterpillar about to transform in to a beautiful and free butterfly."

Most of us have had caterpillar stages in our lives. Now here's something I really believe: The sooner we realize that being a caterpillar is joyous in its own way, the sooner we get our much needed rest in the cocoon and the sooner we emerge as a free butterfly. But the trick is that we really need to find joy as a caterpillar. It's doable. It really is.

Karyn's blog is up solely for the purpose of bringing like-minded women together. There is no other motive. Although it causes pain for Karyn to spend much time at the keyboard, she still writes, reads comments, and then gets to know those who read her blog. She is an inspiration to me.

Karyn's self revelation has brought her to

PROJECT BUTTERFLY.

Still in the early stages, Project Butterfly's aim is to empower women and to lead us each to our own personal discovery.

I'm a believer in a Heavenly Father who knows and loves each one of us. I believe that he puts others in our paths as answers to our prayers. I have no doubt that Karyn has been an answer to many prayers - prayers that have been uttered, and those just felt in hearts. This quote by Jeffrey R. Holland describes Karyn beautifully:

"... when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods... Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."

May we all be an angel to someone in need today.

HOLY SCHMOLY!!!!!

My new friend, Karyn, from French Charming has featured Silver Strands on her blog. More about Karyn and her amazing Project Butterfly tomorrow ... but for now, please go take a look!

And please check out

Make a Wish Monday

and share with me your wish this week.

oxoxoxoxo

Make A Wish Monday

My wish this week is for everyone to feel the light, carefree joy that 3-year-0lds feel every day!

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head from Trevor Chapman on Vimeo.

What's your wish? (remember: it doesn't jinx it to tell!)

friday pretties

After reading my friend, Marla's, blog today, I realized that there is nothing prettier than a way to stay cool! (Our a/c broke down completely last year, and drained us of everything cool for 3 days this year) So, in celebration of a/c, cool showers, garages that open by themselves, and refreshing food, this "friday pretties" is truly heartfelt! (for more friday pretties, hop on over to Joyce's blog)

Disclaimer: My kids would have you know that we bought the house with a clear shower in it - we didn't choose it :)

What's keeping you comfortable this weekend?

stroll with me

I'm back in the desert ... and yes! it's over 100 degrees every day (but hey! it's a dry heat!) and with the blazing sun in the cloudless sky everything seems muted. But look! Just outside my front door, there's color ... vibrant color amidst the muted desert rocks:

(yes, these are ants)

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir

Ok ... here's the challenge: go for a walk today.

Escape, even for just 5 minutes ...

leave the office, the babies, the paperwork, the computer ...

everyone can get away for at least 5 minutes!

Rain or arid heat, the walk will do you wonders.

My walk pushed away the "must-do" things from my mind and brought me to thinking about truly important things (people).

I'd love to hear what your walk does for you!

light

"The sun shines and warms and lights us and we have no curiosity to know why this is so; but we ask the reason of all evil, of pain, and hunger, and mosquitoes and silly people."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you."

Maori Proverb

Make A Wish Monday

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Mine included joining up with family for my granddaughter's blessing (I'm LDS ... A baby blessing is something like a christening) ... Which leads me to my wish this Monday:

I wish to someday own acres and acres of land with lots of little cottages on it where our entire family will gather often. We'll play a whole lot outdoors (truth be told, I'm terrible at any sneaking, hiding or sleuthing night games cuz I get so scared I laugh uncontrollably), then spend the cold months inside playing board games, card games and snuggling. It's usually right here where I tell you how I'll help this happen ...

But this week it's FREE wishes.

We just get to wish, and daydream and not do a bit of work toward making it happen :).

So, I gotta know: what's your wish this Monday?

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winner announced

Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend!



Congratulations to Renee for winning the r house couture FAITH COURAGE LOVE necklace! (please email your address to me, Renee)


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Friday Pretties

Reminder: this is the last day to enter to win the sterling silver handmade necklace from the r house couture ... Scroll down to see the post. Sorry, I'm traveling and cant figure out how to post a link from my iPad.

Now for this weeks Friday Pretties ... I couldn't help it! I know my husband wouldn't want me to use the word "pretty" to describe him. but PLEASE!!!! Just look at him!


This is Brad, giving one of his magnificent tours.

"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years."
Simone Signoret

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Enjoy it while you can

If you haven't already, please enter my giveaway for this beautiful, handmade, sterling silver pendant, FAITH COURAGE LOVE, from the r house couture. And check out their site for other inspiring jewelry. the r house couture began as a way for Mrs. R - the r house - to make money to help pay legal fees for the contested adoption of their 2nd child. the r house is a blog about all-things-adoption.

Although I consider myself a cold-weather person (I hate to sweat, love jeans & a sweater, and my all-time favorite activity is curling up in a quilt with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate) I do recognize there are some really nice things about this time of year .....

I took these pictures at my in-laws house while on a work trip last week

"The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses"

Hanna Rion

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the r house couture GIVEAWAY

Dear, dear blogging friends:

You KNOW I love you because this is the giveaway you've all been waiting for!

To celebrate our 200 followers (YES!)

the r house couture is giving away their handmade

FAITH COURAGE LOVE necklace.

This is what the r house couture has to say about it:

there could not be three more powerful words. it seemed the perfect combination for a special necklace to honor those that are fighting cancer.

What Cancer Cannot Do

Author Unknown

Cancer is so limited .

It cannot cripple love,

It cannot shatter hope,

It cannot corrode faith,

It cannot destroy peace,

It cannot kill friendship,

It cannot invade the soul,

It cannot silence courage,

It cannot steal eternal life,

It cannot suppress memories,

It cannot conquer the Spirit.

Truly inspirational, I know. Please check the r house couture ... you'll be smitten with their wide array of hand-made, inspiring, absolutely beautiful jewelry.

To enter:

MANDATORY - check out the r house couture and leave a comment about your favorite piece

for extra entries:

BLOG about this giveaway with a link to this post (3 extras)

FACEBOOK about this giveaway with a link to this post (3 extras)

TWEET about this giveaway with a link to this post (1 extra, for each tweet - may tweet once per day)

EMAIL your family and friends, acquaintances, bill collectors, etc. Include me in the email (lovely.silver.strands@gmail.com) about this giveaway and include a link to this post

THIS IS OPEN TO EVERYONE .. NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE!

Winner will be drawn and announced on Saturday, August 14th. Good luck to all!

Make a Wish Monday

This week I wish to reclaim my home. Yup. I'm sure that while I've been traveling, and while my family at home has been asleep each night, little imps have broken in and left sticky finger prints on the fridge, sucked all the water out of the plants (I can't imagine my family forgetting to water them), piled dirty towels and clothes on top of the washer, spread work papers all over my bathroom counter, stuck all kinds of junk mail into the mailbox so as to crowd out the very few important envelopes, emptied the car of every last drop of gas, replaced our very firm and yummy fruits and vegetables with ugly, rotting stuff that stinks up the fridge, filled up all the garbage cans in the house, and hung other people's clothes on my side of the closet. Don't know why those imps pick on us ... With the remarkably serene feeling in my home, I don't want to even suggest that any of my angels could have had anything to do with this!

To help my wish come true, I hereby promise to verbally acknowledge the wonderful things my angels did. For instance, there were the yummiest of homemade scones waiting for me upon my late night return; everyone was there at the airport with tight welcome-home hugs for me; and there really is a peaceful atmosphere here. So I will reclaim with a happy, grateful heart.

What is your wish this Monday?

whaaaaaaa?!!??!?

Yay Brittany from BusyB ... The Day Just Began Already!!!! You win the Hearts of Courage giveaway!! Email me your mailing address and we'll get your autographed book to you!

I just had to share this with everyone ... My grandson, Gage, grabbed my iPhone yesterday and snapped this picture of himself. I think the expression is hilarious! Looks like the caption should be:

"WHAAAAAAA!!!"

Everyone have a nice Sunday!

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Friday pretties

We spent 12 years in Alaska where my husband guided wildlife tours. He took these photographs ... I was always too giddy watching these magnificent creatures to get a decent shot!

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
Lao Tsu

What do you think? Is life too fast paced? Or are we sometimes like whales: who although they have a clear destination, come up for a breath every few minutes, and stop along the way to jump and play?

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pajama day

Nope, this isn't me ... but it could be!

(let's don't get nit-picky about it ... It COULD be me if I were 20 years younger. Oh - and 20 lbs lighter. and. and. and)

Anyway,

today is pajama day

I wish I could declare it a national PJ day for all women.

As a rule, we don't stop going when we've reached our limit. Men do.

So years ago (someday I'll tell you why) I adopted Thursdays as my PJ day.

For about 4 years I stuck to it religiously.

Here are the rules:

1- turn off the phones

2- turn on the TV (or whatever other mindless thing helps you to relax)

3- stay in your PJs

4- no leaving the house for appointments or anything else no matter how important (unless it's important enough for you to go in your PJs)

5- no making meals, cleaning up, driving carpool, etc.

6- sleep in as late as you like

Most Important:

7- this is YOUR day. Everyone else can either fend for themselves or find another mother/wife/friend to handle things.

(this actually is me)

I've found that it's best to have your weekly PJ day on a day when everyone else is generally busy. ie: kids at school, husband at work. Almost without fail, everyone I suggest a weekly PJ day to tells me how impossible it would be. Every excuse in the book. But I'm telling you: work, family, PTA, the parole officer ... EVERYONE ... really can do without you for 1 day a week. They really can. You just have to decide you're worth it. And you know what? Everyone will like you better if you do this because you'll be a whole lot nicer. Now, if I haven't convinced you, then will you at least try to have 1/2 PJ day weekly?

This is your mission, if you choose to take it.

(said in my most husky man voice)
Try it, then report back.

Come for a drive

I zipped out today to run a couple of quick errands for my Mom. what a drive! So pretty that I felt compelled to stop along the way for pictures so I could share the beauty with you.

these overhanging trees are on nearly every neighborhood road ... they remind me of "Father of The Bride" ... LOVE that show! And LOVE these neighborhoods!


"We may run, walk, stumble, drive or fly, but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey, or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way."
Source unknown



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make a wish monday

1st, be sure to enter my AMAZING giveaway this week.
This week I wish for
time to slow down

slow-motion photo from TheWondrous.com

Anyone ever try making that happen? Sometimes I think it's possible. And this is the last week I'll spend with my parents for a while, so I'd really, really like for it to go slowly.
To help this happen, I'm going to do all my work tonight and tomorrow morning, then have the rest of the week to chill. Also, I'm going to memorize the last paragraph of "Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant. It's something my parents had to memorize when they were in school ... and I think it's neat. Check it out!

What is your wish this Monday?