8 Easy Ways to Add Color to Your Home

8 Easy Ways to Add Color to Your Home

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things i'm thinking about

things i'm thinking about these days:

1. i'm thinking about writing about things that really might not go over well in the corporate world...but that would go over very well with an authentic audience.
2. i'm thinking about how well dark chocolate m&m's go with a good cabernet i'm thinking about my big sister having a child. i want her to be deliriously happy
3. i'm thinking about God...and how sadly i often only think of him in extreme good or extreme hard situations. i'd like to think about him a little more in the everydays of life. and am sure glad he's there during the hard times.
4. i'm mindful that people out there are praying for me and my family. that is a warm thought.
5. i'm thinking about completely and utterly and drastically simplifying my life---aka getting rid of massive amounts of stuff.
6. i'm thinking i want to live where love live.
7. i'm thinking about going blonde again. except i really don't want to pay for the upkeep.
8. i'm thinking about reading more and worrying less.
9. i'm thinking about my big dog...and how he's getting older and bumpier every day.
10. i'm thinking about NOT thinking at 2 am, 3 am 4 am.
    

what are YOU thinking about?

This makes my ears happy

I hope it makes yours happy too.

reminds me of this great moment with my kids last christmas:

Ways to Handle the Muck

What do you do when you really couldn't care less to do anything at all--
I'm writing from my hammock and my heart today and know that I am not the only one out there stuck in the muck from time to time. I pulled my computer away from my work desk, because really no work was getting done. A change of scenery and humidity and here I am on the hammock in the back yard. Not the most comfortable place to write...nap yes, laptop no.

As a coach, I'm used to supporting others who are in the muck and helping them create and implement a plan for getting through and out of it and on to a better place in life, work, etc. I know what the great thinkers and motivators and nlp practitioners say. I know what therapists would say, and what spiritual writers, doctors, and even scriptures say. I know many of the traditional and non traditional "prescriptions" for this kind of state.

As a human being, I'm vulnerable to the nothingness of a grey day, to the frustration of procrastination, to getting easily off track and to the deviation of the dreams that normally propel me in to action. Just as often as I give my help and coaching, I need it too.

Havi Brooks, of the Fluent Self discusess 3 of these traditional perscriptions in a blog post called Destuckification 101. At the end she talks about anotherway of "going deeper in to destuckification" that for today works for me and so I wanted to share what she talks about in her blog....she talks about:

About having a conscious, active, intentional relationship with yourself. About what happens when you’re allowed to drop all the shoulds.

Including the ones that say you should be able to push through it. And the ones that say you should be able to sit with it. And the ones that say you should be more grateful.

So that you can give yourself permission to not have to be there yet.

So that you can find out what you need right now. And find ways to give it to yourself. Or at least get better at being eventually ready to receive it.

Interesting I have so much in my mind in the way of all these methods for getting out of this muck. What about being attentive to the muck and what it is saying? It is uncomfortable for me to be in this state...and I'm reminded of the saying....get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Yesterday, my muck terrified me. Today I'm able to be slightly more comfortable with it. I'm finding kindess for myself along the way and staying in that kindess. Cool thing is, I know by tomorrow, that kindess will have filled me up and I'll be ready again, to pour out to those around me.

What do you do when you are stuck in the muck?

And thanks Havi Brooks, for writing in the "REAL"

Make Up Tip for Ladies on a Budget!

There is this little secret in the make up world, called primer. It is a silky step between your moisturizer and foundation. This primer step really does make a difference in smoothing on your make up and helping it STAY on throughout the day.

I've used 2 products before: Virtual Illusion Make Up Primer By Arbonne (A+) and La Base Pro Make Up Primer by Lancome (A-). Both of these are out of my budget right now. I asked my professional make up artist friend, Adrienne Pitkin with www.makeupbyaddriene.com about her recommendations for primer and here is her answer:

Hi Allison! Thanks so much for your question! For foundation primers, I have been currently using MAC's Prep & Prime Skin, but it's okay. I heard though that MAC recently came out with a new version of their primer called Prep and Prime Skin Refined Zone. It is a "light oil-free emulsion that helps cloak visible pores while controlling oil and shine." I can see this being a good product to review myself. Hmmmm.. Finally, Clinique has a product called Pore Minimizer Instant Perfector. That really helps de-shine through sweat and humidity. So try either out. I believe that both products are under $20 each and you only need a little amount so it should be a deal! Let me know what you think.

Being on a budget, I did a little lurking at my local CVS and found Revlon Beyond Natural Smoothing Primer for 12$. Another brand had a version too and was about the same price, but was loaded with unnecessary packaging so I went with the Revlon.

12$, one long walk in the downtown humidity, a 3 hour nap, and a hot date with my hubby, and at the end of the day, the Revlon primer proved perfect leaving my make up smooth, silky and still on!

The KING of my house

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List for a rainy day

1. Plans made for inside when it is raining ouside.
2. A day off when it is sunny and warm outside.
3. Macaroni and Cheese any day rain or shine.
4. A hot bath after a long day.
5. Clean crisp cotton sheets.
6. Friends from across the nation gathered to share great mindset and strategies for success.
7. Considering future self and getting to know her a little more every day.
8. My crackberry.
9. Freedom.
10. Knowing you made someone smile.

What is on your gratitude list today?
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photo by  St_A_Sh 

Hill Country Ride For AIDS 2009

 

Be a SMILE & MOVE kind of person!

Oh, I am SO in on this!

Drawing my affirmations this week!

Why you ask? Because it simply is more fun. More emotional and more creative. And because it takes more time and thought. The more time and thought we put in to what we D0 want, the better! I AM, I ALLOW, I HAVE and I hope you do too!

Rock your day, have fun in whatever you do and share that energy with every soul you contact today!
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14 things i love about living in the suburbs

as compared to previous post 13 things i miss about living in a central austin bungalow

1. a bathtub big enough for two and a separate shower. 
   
2. a kitchen that holds EVERYTHING, is big enough for a center island, and is open to the family room. 
   
3. a garage- this is my first time living with a garage and the first 3 months we lived here i always forgot to close it. my car is covered and always warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
4. the front sitting porch and the back hanging out porch.
5. our neighbors, (who called me whenever i left it open and asked if she should shut it for me). 
6. room for kids, kid friendly rooms, and kid friendly neighbors. 
7. planting trees and watching them grow year after year..
8. the wedding hot tub 
   
9. our neighbors--who gather most evenings for a visit on the curb while the kids run amok up and down the street. 
   
10. it was a completely blank slate when we moved in and i love to paint.
    
11. our neighbors and the neighborhood pool in the summers.  some days it is just us.
    
12. more house for less money, much more house and much less money. 
    
13. did i mention our neighbors and BOD (beer of the day).
    
14. bill and i started our life together here with the kids. 

13 things I miss about living in a central Austin Bungalow

as compared to the next post 14 things i love about living in the suburbs

1. the origional hardwood floors-  next to the real wood baseboards and the sound of a time before I was born that whispers when you walk. 
   
2. a long wide front porch overlooking a lush green lawn and yes, even the cars going by...a sitting spot for friends....wine with my girlfriends on that porch. 
3. screen doors.
4. wood windows all up in the spring and the layout of those open windows bringing a perfect breeze through the entire house. 
5. having a WHOLE bedroom as a closet. 
6. colorful flower gardens to piddle in after work and on saturday morning and the 3 rose bushes on the south side that bloom all year long. 
7. the 11$ cab ride from down town. 
8. sunlight in the family room with it's floor to ceiling walls.  the best spot for hanging out and my home office. 
9. the soft zen zoysia grass in the back yard surrounded by a perimiter of iris'.
10. being exactly 7 minutes from anything, everything, and everyone. 
11. color parties: The Fabulous Pink Party, The Blue Shasta, The Solid Gold Party, and countless dinner parties on the back deck. 
12. the doggy door.
13. falling in love with billy there in the spring of 06.

 

did you make a list today? here is mine

1. "I'm loving you on purpose today." Quote of the week from my fabulous and supportive husband.
2. Keeping the marriage a priority helps solve many of the problems that come up in life, and if problems do come up, keeping the marriage first makes handing the problems so much easier.  Thanks for the great chat baseball moms! 
3. I have 3 dogs. 2 of them are stalkers.  
4. The best place to allow sadness to wash over you is in the shower.  Get the release out, let it wash down the drain, and step out a new person. 
5. Blogging- love this little outlet. 
6. Ziz Ziglar and Brian Tracy's writings that help me every day of my life. 
7. My friends and family have way donated for the Hill Country Ride for Aids 09---thanks everyone for your support! 
8. My vacuum cleaner rocks----and sucks up my 3 stalker dog's hair!
9. Clean white sheets on the bed. 
10. Choices, Freedom and Dreams.  
11. The ressurection. 

These little lists really aren't for you except that maybe you will make a list of your own. A list of blessings, of smiles in your day, of things you are grateful for.  Focus on the good and be grateful. 

Happy Easter and may new life and grace bless you this week.  

it is just what I do.....explained for today.

There is a question I have asked many clients: “If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do?”

The answer is scary and fabulous all at the same time for many of us.  Our thoughts and beliefs and “everydays” are made up of so many pieces.  So many voices and influences, it is often hard to listen to the quiet dreams of our hearts.  I know the quiet dreams of my heart, as I am always engaging them and nurturing them. 

Recently, a moment of past pent up hurt flashed that dream as a better alternative than what that present moment was offering me.  In a sensitive moment of feeling completely misunderstood (one of trigger spots I’m working on healing), my reaction was to remove myself from the pain and move toward the pleasure of the dream instantly and without regard for a community I not only belong to but actually, love.  Even if the end choice is good, we still have to remember that there is a path to that choice…..and spur of the moment choices can be dangerous for the surrounding hearts.  Personal and professional collateral damage. 

Question: Is it selfish to --AT TIMES--protect my own heart and values from the damage? I think not.  A team is only as strong as the weakest link, they say, I’ve come to believe that being my BEST self helps not only me personally, also all those I come in contact with and those whom I am in relationship with.  I spent up to about age 24 NOT taking care of my body, my mind, my heart, my spirit.  That certainly didn’t work.  Is it really possible to put others first and protect yourself?  Aren’t adults capable of taking care of themselves? When does looking out for everyone else steal from one’s own soul?   

 It is about being true to self. It is about not tolerating a cancer in an otherwise healthy body of this being. Even more than that, it really is about being free to be ALL that I’m am capable and destined to be. It is about expanding my wings and soaring. As a master soul coach, Nigel, spoke with me in February--it is about what is in my heart.  

In my heart, I help millions find a deep love for themselves –exactly for who they are—and I help them use that love to become all that they were meant to be for blessing their businesses, for blessing their families, for realizing their dreams, for honoring their spirits—and maybe—for the blessing the world. 

It’s just what I do.

Oh and, It’s not about the money. 

AMAZING photo called"It takes a silly girl to lie about the dreams she has. (210)" by whatmegsaid under a Creative Commons License.

the other allison crowe

This is the other Allison Crowe..... she sings well. I sing. Not well.