THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM GIVEAWAY

Happy Black Friday, friends!

Take a moment from the crazy shopping and check out David Blasucci's new CD:

The Christmas Album

One of you lucky bloggers will win this!

Just go to iTunes and check out the songs on his album.

Leave a comment below telling me which of his songs most gets you in the Christmas mood.

Haven't heard of David Blasucci? You're in for a real treat ... he's amazing. And guess what? If you win this album, the one you receive will be autographed just for you!

So, happy shopping and good luck!

PS: I'd love to hear the best deal you got today ...

I LOVE the Christmas crowds

(as long as there's not something specific I'm fighting through the crowds to find ... just shopping for fun makes me think of: "City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style ... children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile .. in the air there's a feeling of Christmas")

You'll Love This!

Hi Friends!

It was my intention, this week, to make all my posts about gratitude. I'm sure I could tweak this - Oh, actually, I can. I am GRATEFUL that this brand-spankin'-new blog is up and that I can share it with you. I lived for 12 years in Sitka, Alaska ... one of the incredible women of Sitka has started a blog that promises to be amazing:

RealWomenAreAlaskan

Now, don't feel left out if you're not Alaskan. She didn't say ALL real women are Alaskan. This blogger (like so many of you) has a great way with words. Just a few posts into her blog, and I'm already hooked. (of course, I know her and love her - but even if I didn't, I'd love her blog!)

So, please check it out. Let me know if you choose to follow her, and on tomorrow's post of mine, you'll get an extra entry in the giveaway I'm hosting.

Wanna know what it is?

(hint: It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING friends.

xoxoxoox

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Make A Wish Monday

Today it's all about health and lookin' good!

I figured after Friday's post all about chocolate, it's time to balance my posts :)

If you know me, you know I'm somewhat of a health-nut. I rarely take into my body disgusting waste: soda pop, preservatives, etc (chocolate excepted!) And I eat organic, including making my own juice and grinding my own grains. I believe our bodies are temples and should be treated as such. I exercise 4-6 days a week to help keep strong.

I tell you all of this as a prelude to what follows:

For me, it's health FIRST and looking good SECOND. If I can do something to look better while maintaining excellent health, I want to know about it.

My grown kids are NuSkin distributors. They've introduced me to 3 products that are plant-based and all natural. They aid in weight loss / weight management by strengthening metabolism, better burning fat and decreasing unnecessary food cravings. I like these for two reasons: they are working for me AND there's no added preservatives, sugar, caffeine, or anything disgusting.

Duolean is a patented extract from Opuntia Ficus Indica Cactus which is known to extract fat.

Metabotrim provides vitamins important for proper insulin function which is vital for good weight management.

AC Complex supports a healthy metabolism, promotes lean muscle mass and keeps energy levels where they should be.

Want more information about these products, or want to purchase them wholesale? Let me know and I'll put you in touch with my kids. Unlike some other companies, there is no cost to become a distributor (thus affording you the wholesale price) and there's no monthly minimum to purchase to keep your status. It's really an easy program to participate in.

So my wish this Monday:

I hope this week I see continued improvement in my body shape! WOO HOO ... great wish, isn't it?!!!

What's your wish this Monday?

friday pretties

I could give up chocolate but I'm not a quitter

Enough said.

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

Little Things Mean A Lot

The coolest thing:

I was walking past a looooooooong line of women a month or so ago, when someone said my name. It was our first meeting in person - but we'd met over TheRHouse blog quite some time ago when we were both guest bloggers about adoption. I love, Love, LOVE these types of things ... more evidence that there's really no such thing a "coincidence"!

If you have a "silver strand" you'd like to share, please let me know!

HAPPY THURSDAY everyone.

Cherish the Child

"Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them."

Richard L. Evans

Oh how I cherish my grandchildren!

(little Gage is absent in this pic)

I believe children need love from all of us, whether we're their parents, teachers, grandparents, friends, etc ... Our love will make a difference!

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Make a Wish Monday

"Regret and anger are toxic to the body."

Loa Blasucci

photo by Alice Cornelia Kopp

I had an incredible weekend! How about you?

So, if you haven't yet checked out Loa's new book:

All Health's Breaking Loose

now's the time to take a peek.

Loa was in town this weekend to present a workshop. Her book is all about total health - the base of which is being emotionally and spiritually healthy.

My wish this Monday is that I will live this entire week with no regrets and that I will be able to dispel any anger before it infiltrates me.

(deep, I know. I have the occasional moment ...)

What is your wish this Monday?

friday pretties

It was November, 1999.

Living in Sitka, Alaska (a town of 9,000) whenever there were great things happening, the phone tree would start. Such was the case about 9:00 pm. "Check out the Northern Lights!" my friend said. We bundled up and ran outside. As the lights began dancing through the sky we knew this was something we didn't want to miss. So our family of 7 piled into the van and drove out to the end of the road where the sky was gigantic. We'd seen the Aurora Borealis before, but never like this. It caused the hair to stand up on the back of our necks and thrilled us so much that we hardly noticed the cold. As the lights danced (there is no other word to describe the motion) they'd change from green to purple, blue to an electrifying yellow, then back to flourescent green again. Breathing life into the sky, it was so magnificent that we laughed right out loud. Never had nature caused such involuntary excitement for me as this did.

(Aurora Borealis Photo: HickerPhoto.com)

Breaching Whale photo by my husband Brad Chapman

(Brad is a nature & wildlife lover [and expert] ... check out his blog for more amazing photos)

Still November 1999, the family joined Brad out on a wildlife site-seeing cruise. The whales must have caught the news that this was the month for nature to share the best: We watched, mesmerized, as a pod of whales put on the show of a lifetime. Between their frolicking, they gathered to bubble-net feed. We watched as they would swirl in perfect sync with each other, gradually rising until they reached the surface. Mouths wide open, they effortlessly lifted as their food filtered through the baleen filling their stomachs. What a day!

When I was thinking about what to post for Friday Pretties, I could think of nothing prettier than nature in November 1999.

Have a great weekend everyone!

oxoxoxox

Happy Birthday Dad!

First, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my amazing father.

I recognize that I am truly blessed ... that not everyone has a father like mine.

Thank you, Dad, for making my life so charmed and for teaching me to love people, live in the moment, and keep eternal perspective. I love you Dad.

And now, how better to celebrate Veteran's Day than by watching this:

Progress

I'm in Chicago right now attending an amazing 2-day workshop. Today I learned the phrase: Progress, NOT Perfection.



So I thought about our recent climb of Angel's Landing. We looked toward the summit for our goal, but it kept looking impossible to most of us. It seemed as if we would never get there, and really - scary and daunting. But when we'd take a quick break and look down where we'd come from ... Well, the obvious progress we made served to encourage and excite us!



Life and goals are like that. It's good to set our goals high and to keep them in sight. But if we never look back and notice our progress it is too easy to get discouraged and sometimes even give up.



Remember what Jim Rohn said:
"Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals."

oxoxooxx
Denalee


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Make a Wish Monday

I had an amazing weekend! I have to tell you that I thought I could never fully enjoy daily life with no babies or toddlers in the home ... But a house filled with teenagers is MAJORLY fun. We hiked Angels Landing in Zion National Park this weekend. Sort of made me wish I could live in a place that is perpetually autumn ... It was gorgeous!




























So my wish this Monday is for many, many more amazing weekends for my husband and me with our teenagers ....
What's your with this Monday?


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friday pretties ... some things I LOVE

This is really neat ... it's called your

SIGNATURE COLOR PRINT

and is simple and valuable. Using the amazing Color Hue, you generate your own personalized color analyses to help with picking out clothing, make up, home furnishings and more. LOVE LOVE LOVE this!

Who doesn't love a delicious cup of hot cocoa? It's fun to mix it up every now and then: try adding a pinch of hot pepper; vanilla; cinnamon; or for a really decadent cup - melt a half of a Hershey's chocolate bar in it!

Nothing like a good foot massage! I found a place nearby that offers a 1-hour reflexology massage for $35. Can't beat that!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

oxoxoxoxo

Stroll With Me

I keep thinking autumn is past and winter is here ... Sooooo looking forward to Christmas! But even taking Christmas into account, AUTUMN is still my favorite season. That's why I'm glad that most of the trees in Salt Lake valley still have their leaves ... Which brings me to my stroll today. I'm on a business trip to Utah and this morning I headed up to beautiful Bountiful.
So now let's begin the stroll:


















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Hahahahaha

"Laughter is the music of life."
Sir William Osler

So here are some jokes for your laughing pleasure (no groaning please!)

What has four legs, is big, green, fuzzy, and if it fell out of a tree would kill you?
A pool table.

What do you call a boomerang that doesn't work?
A stick.

What do Eskimos get from sitting on the ice too long?
Polaroids

How does a spoiled rich girl change a lightbulb?
She says, "Daddy, I want a new apartment."

How do crazy people go through the forest?
They take the psycho path.

Where do you find a no legged dog?
Right where you left him.

You'll notice I didn't put a single blonde joke in there ... It took a whole lot of self restraint :)
Ok ... How about you share one with me now?



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Make a Wish Monday

Anyone ever wish for time to slow down? Hehehehe ... I wish that daily! In fact, it's my wish today.



It reminds me of the lyrics from Cherie Call's song "One Good Woman"
"I know that I can never say that I'm the only one who's prayed
For pain to end or love to last or for time not to go by so fast..."

I'm traveling - currently in the McCarren Airport, so I'm really limited with how I can post from my iPad .... I'd put this next sentence really big and in bold if I could:
What's your wish this Monday?

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