{Monday Happiness}

Well Hello! How are you!?!?

I am fantastic! We just got back from a long weekend in Knoxville, Tennesse!! We went to see my step-brother and his family!!
Had a blast....
Knoxville is such a cute town! Very artsy and fun:)
And it's close to everything....we spent a little time pub crawling, driving through the Smoky Mountains and just plain laughing and having fun!
It's so nice to do that:)

And boy was it beautiful there! The sun coming up over the mountains was just spectacular~
I couldn't wait to get up each morning....pour a cup of coffee....snuggle up in a blanket and head outside to the patio...
So magical.
Made me really take some time to reflect. To really stop and think about life. To stop and think about the direction I want to take my life. Right now...I really feel that it's starting to head in the right direction!
Everytime I get an order for Simple Daisy...I do a little happy dance....

I make a pretty little piece of jewelry that makes you happy and in turn...your purchase moves me one step closer to my dreams .... it's the circle of happiness!

Spending time watching the sun come up over the mountains....made me know for sure that living a creative life and making a living out of it is what's in store for me:):)

Do you ever take a little time to reflect on your life!?!? Where you're going...where you want to be!?!?
It's never too soon or too late to live the life you imagine!! The power to create the life you imagine is in your hands!

Here are just a couple of photos of some of the downtown areas!
So very cute:)

And my favorite shop......
Bliss!

It made my head spin with the possibilities for Simple Daisy:)

One step at a time! But you have to have goals, right!!!!!

And I bought the cutest little book just full of inspirational quotes!!!
The book is called...Be Happy! How could I not own that book:):)
We all have down days and I thought it would be the perfect book to turn to during one of those mid january....down days:)

Next photo is my step sister in law and I ...having some fun! Do you know we were best friends in high school! That's how she met my step brother. Over time we grew apart......still not sure why. But with my step-dads passing we have grown closer again. And I couldn't be happier! She is such a motivating, inspiring, beautiful person! And she makes me laugh so hard.....my stomach just hurts from laughing so hard!

It's so strange.....we are all still so sad about my step-dad's passing.....and we talked about it while we were there....why...why...why..... he was only 58.

But I really feel that we aren't supposed to have all the answers...and when we lose someone we love...we feel angry....we can't see them anymore...we can't pick up the phone and call them anymore...

but if you think about it....that's really a selfish way to be.

Maybe......he is having the time of his life. Maybe he is just so happy. Life is a journey.....and going to the next level is part of the journey:) At least I think so......

We just need to open our hearts, ears and minds to listen and communicate in a new way.

When we lose people we love...they are still there...they are in everything we do...

When we ask questions...they answer....we just need to learn to listen a little bit differently.

That's my share a feeling moment:):) I think we're all still just trying to piece it all together.

As we move through life....we're going to encounter all kinds of situations that will allow us to learn and grow. I really think every situation....good or bad really is a learning opportunity!
We just need to open our hearts to listen and learn:)

What are your biggest learning lessons in life!?!?!!?

 

Oh and while we were at one super cute little restaurant....I couldn't help but to doodle on the paper covering the table! I love doodling!
and do you know what else....while we were there....the music that kept playing was some of step-dads favorite kind of music! He was there!
He is on the magic carpet ride...all around the universe...seeing the most beautiful things that we can only imagine:):)

Everything is all how you choose to look at it!

I was in total bliss while we were there!
And look at the wine I found there......

My heart was very happy there and I came back motivated, rejuvinated and ready to get even more serious about following my dreams and living the life I see in my mind!!!!

What are your hopes and dreams!?!?!? Are moving closer to following the path leading you to them!?!!?

Well....I better get busy making all of your pretty things!!! I was thankful to get a lot of orders while I was gone. Thank you so much for all of your support! I am hoping to get those bangles listed very soon in my shop.....just need a little sunshine to photograph them:)

Have a really fabulous...happy...inspired week!!!!!!

"Fill your life with as many moments and experiences of joy and passion as you humanly can. Start with one experience and build on it." Marcia Wieder

{Puerto Vallarta}

Well Hello!
Guess what....
I am finally feeling much better!!! WOOHOO!!! I can say...hands down...i've never been that sick before!
I am still waiting for word on what bug I caught on vacation but the important point is....I am MUCH better:)


I thought i'd share a few of my favorite things from Puerto Vallarta! I know I always love it when you share your beachy photos on your blog! You know I live for soaking up your beachy photo when it's in the depths of winter here in the Midwest!


But now I am SOOO happy to be able to share my very own beachy pictures with you in January!
Hope you enjoy:)

Puerto Vallarta was just beautiful!

Have you been there before?!!? It was my first time and it won't be my last time.

We stayed at Krystal...all inclusive! {not 5 star and not 0 star..} Nice ..very nice and we stayed in an oceanfront room and loved it! But we actually didn't hang around there long....well except for our daily game of Uno complete with lots of cocktails! It got pretty intense at times....our game of Uno that is:):)

Every evening we enjoyed a fabulous dinner somewhere overlooking the ocean! Amazing views...Amazing views and definitely not touristy areas!

If you ever go to Puerto Vallarta I can help you out with some fabulous dinner recommendations! I don't think we were dissapointed once!

Here were a few of our favorite places:

Chez Elena

{i'll add more later when I figure out the names of the places we ate at:) }

There is just so much character in Puerto Vallarta! Everything was just so beautiful.
The streets were all cobblestone in Old Town.....makes for an interesting cab ride with wine in hand!

But to really see everything...you just have to get out there and explore! There is so much to see...I would definitely stay away from the touristy areas like the Malecon {which is part of Old Town but a different part} and head straight to old town kind of behind the Malecon.

I loved the people of Mexico....so friendly!

and they love to bargain with you! Well...some might like to take advantage of you...but not most!

You could buy the most beautiful things right on the beach!
I didn't come home with anything...well unless you count my stomach bug. But I saw lots of things that I wanted:)

OH fine....I wanted to come home with one of these....but didin't:(

 

If you go to Puerto Vallarta...make sure you spend a day/evening pub crawling at the marina! FUN!

Oh and I think my {step} sister-in-law and I decided that this house would make an amazing bed and breakfast {see....always dreaming}! The place was abandoned....it was up in the mountains and across the river from the zip line tours. We snuck up and looked in all the windows! AMAZING! Too bad it's just sitting there in ruins:(

I think it had four floors with tons of patios! I know I would more than happily move the Simple Daisy studio to Puerto Vallarta!

See....it's beautiful! Lush...Pretty...In the mountains...and on a river! Would you come stay in The Simple Daisy Bed and Breakfast!! heehee:)

Geesh with all this talk dreamy vacation talk I need some.....you guessed it...
WINE! Too bad I can't have any for the next 7 days while I am on my tummy bug medication:(
Pictures will have to do for me!

Well and you have to go see Los Arcos! Next time we go...I want to kayak around them! Beautiful!

but really ....even on vacation...i'm just a simple girl who LOVES the beach the most:)

and notice....I carried my happy little bag that I made! I also collected some driftwood! If the people from Puerto Vallarta only knew what they could do with driftwood ! There is TONS of it on the beach! I mean you could take a pickup truck and fill with with driftwood! I will definitely pack differently next time we go!! A driftwood collecting I will go!

We had so much fun and I am more than thankful to have such fun people in my life!!

Next time you're planning a vacation to Puerto Vallarta send me an e-mail if you have any questions:)
and I have a sneaking suspicion we'll be back with everyone next Christmas!!!!!!!!!


Stay tuned for a Simple Daisy give-away!!! Yippee!!! Do you have a favorite you would like to win!?!?

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.
- Napoleon Hill

{dreamin' of the sea}

Happy Humpday.
Once again.....I am sitting here dreamin' of the sea!

I am starting to think about where we'd like to vacation next winter break.....i'm a teacher...so I have to plan ahead:)

Here's what i've come up with so far.
St. Thomas or Tulum, Mexico! We've been to Cancun once and really enjoyed it...

but let's see what you think.......

Tulum, Mexicogorgeous...beautiful...happy:)

maybe staying here....

Dreams.....

Or....

St. Thomas, USVI...... gorgeous...beautiful....happy:)

Staying here...

Geesh...how do I chose?!?!?

Well....the Dreams in Tulum is all-inclusive and we like cocktails! So maybe:)

Oh....and I thought you'd enjoy the beachy images too:)

What's your pick?!?!?

Do you any other reasonably priced beachy picks?!?!?


You were born an original. Don't die a copy. ~John Mason

{vacation mode}

I am officially getting excited for VACATION!! We fly out Friday for KEY WEST!! Woo frickin Hoo:)

I really hope I feel better by Friday...

I am home sick with a terrible stomach ache from taking antibiotics. Who knew they could tear up your tummy so much??!??

Anywho...let's see what I am looking forward to...

Just relaxing on the beach~
Taking the time to simply watch the day go by..

Having my morning coffee while looking at the ocean...
Sleeping in a nice clean bed that's not covered in DOG HAIR!! And being able to actually sleep in without 2 dogs barking at me at 5am!!! Watching the sunset over the ocean~ Taking a ride on a party catamaran~Enjoying cocktails at the local corner bar~ I just can't wait until we get there!!! Let's see....right now it's

and in Key West it's
I know where i'd rather be:)

"Sounds of the wind or sounds of the sea, Make me happy just to be" June Polis

{Key West}

I am getting ever closer to this....

flickr

we are going to Key West in December and I am starting to get so excited:)

I am really looking forward to having lots of these....coastal living

definately going on one of these at sunset....furycat

and maybe even treat myself to one of these....coastal living

oh and double pillows....maybe my husband and I could enjoy it together!

Definitely want to fit into a new one of these....Victoria's Secret

Every since I completed the ride, i've been working hard on this.....

maybe it will help me fit into that new, cute swimsuit.P90X

I am so sore in every muscle in my body ...... now I just need to cut back on enjoying so much yummy food all the time!! Darn food~

I can't wait to go!!! If you have any insider secrets about great places to go....i'd love to know:)

“My life is like a stroll on the beach...as near to the edge as I can go.” ~Thoreau

{saying farewell}

As I say good bye to summer....I feel lucky to have enjoyed one last warm and beautiful weekend in one of my favorite places in our neck of the woods~
Saugatuck, MI

It's just such a happy place~

I always feel the most at ease anytime I am near water! And even though it's not the ocean, it's still a blissful place!

They even have Bliss Street~Which is near the cute cottage with watermelon shutters~We don't have pecans.....but we do have seagulls~

What child wouldn't want to enjoy a swing on this swing set~

That's how you can tell the season is winding down....A pretty empty beach! Although it was a little early in the morning.

Saugatuck is the kind of place that really makes me want to own a boat~

We were super happy~

Even if I am still not used to my hair!

I don't think I could have been any happier this past weekend~My heart was happy~

Where is your favorite place by the water?!?!?

"To find your own way is to follow your bliss. This involves analysis, watching yourself and seeing where real deep bliss is- - not the quick little excitement, but real deep, life-filling bliss." Joseph Campbell