a Bit a Bout a Bunch

14 years ago...seems like yesterday {most of the time}.

2008-09-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

14 years.

4 kids.

a home.

a business.

good times.

friendships.

love.

happiness.

joy.

comfort.

YOU and ME.

together.

you've treated me like your new bride...

all these years.

thank you.

happy anniversary.

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The Song Refrain - I luv it!

...."hard days, good times, blue skies, dark nights baby, I want you to take me ... wherever you're going to maybe say that you'll save me ... a seat next to you..."

I just can't get OVER IT!...and a song worth memorizing...for all of us!

2008-09-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

No I am not loosing it. I know I JUST POSTED this photo....

HOWEVER

I was stunned when I took some time to clean up the little chips that fit in my camera and found the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2007.

One teeny tiny year ago....SCROLL DOWN and prepare to be amazed!

LOOK AT LUKE in the TOP Photo - Now look at him ONE YEAR AGO right below!

What in the world!

Like a different KID!
The boys all changed, but I would have to say LUKE wins the DRASTIC DIFFERENCE award!

I wish that would happen to me! As each year passed I would get taller and skinnier. Wouldn't that be FAB!?

Thought this was a song worth sharing.

A song for my boys.

May you always know...with certainty that I am behind you 100%, irregardless.

Family & Friends....Life can't be any better!

2008-09-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

It's Fall!

This calls for Friends & Family gathering at the "Hunting Shack"!

{One of my FAVORITE PLACES in the WORLD!}

Nic and his Nanny getting dinner ready. Beer "Butt" Chicken. I am sure there is a better name for that, but the kids really liked this one!

Campfires and Brothers.What a priceless memory this will be for the boys....
"Remember when...." is how the conversation will start in the years to come.

Luke measuring up the length of the NEW SHOOTING RANGE DECK!

Papa gave the family an automatic Clay Pigeon Thrower...

{I know there is a more technical phrase for that, but it escapes me}

So of course a SHOOTING DECK needed to be made!

I got to watch....:)

Chris had to work...but he LOVED every minute as he built is with his BOYS....

He was so patient and gave the boys the entire class on deck building in ONE WEEKEND!

Persistence...Almost Finished....

Putting the final touches on the NECESSARY Uniqueness of the deck via Papa!

James learning "Screw Gun" Basics. They were all SO MUCH HELP!

Little Superman just played with his army guys all day, but IT WAS NECESSARY to put him in the PHOTO, of course! He WAS part of the day after all!

Voila! Ready to spruce up the SHOOTING SKILLS!

That will take place THIS WEEKEND! Stay Tuned!

Sawyer.First Grade. Adorable. I think.

Luke looking a WEE BIT OLDER this year, don't you think?
Nic still holding out the HEIGHT award, not to mention the boy has some STYLE. Love it!

James, my little FOOTBALL STAR.

...and Sawyer, finally running with the big guys!

More Hunting Shack Memories.

These are my girls.

Some friends are missing in the photo...but there are a ton more weekends to come!

What a sweetie! Love those baby BLUES!

Classic "Angela" move. Bumping Broman's Drink all over the front of his shirt! Some "Boss"!

Love these memories!

A day on the lake....the 5 of us! WE MISS YOU NIC!

2008-08-09T10:19:00.001-07:00

Can you see why it is called GREEN LAKE?

It is not because it is dirty and dingy I can tell you that much!

It is a beautiful GREEN color and it matches this boys eyes just perfectly!

This is James UNDER the Pontoon.

Due to the fact I am spending a TON of time at Unity this boy is pretty much attached at the hip to me ALL WEEKEND. I don't mind.

Those two on the left look NOTHING like each other.......NOT! Chris and the boys had some "fun in the sun" together. The water was warm and wonderful!

The infamous HAT! Here is Luke just hanging on the pontoon while the other boys were hanging out in the lake. Eventually he laid on the back of the pontoon soaking up the sun. James had to poke a little fun at him saying: "Luke, you are such a girl". Too funny!

James full of energy!

It took a little convincing, but once the little guy was in the water, there was no getting him out!

My Guy and Me. I love these summer days! Right in my back yard is the best summer vacation EVER! We are so blessed!

Enjoy your day. May the simple things bring you happiness!

Time to start UPDATING...DAILY! Take a peek!

2008-08-01T15:09:00.001-07:00

So much to be proud of....

Look at my Nic! His FIRST big Salmon, and guess what the boy did? He sent it to his dad! For his BIRTHDAY! How FABULOUS is that? He is coming home in only 2 weeks! He has been gone for a month! Ahhhh....ALASKA....I am so proud of him!

Nic and his Salmon....HOORAY!

Where did he get those GREEN EYES? Love Em! This is our boy James at his very last baseball game of the summer. He is a champ, the kid has an arm - I'm telling ya! This was not his night - he injured it a bit...When you golf for 8 hours a day, it could get a little difficult to throw a fast ball in the evening. GEEZ! The kid is busy....

Life is not slowing down - the days are melting into one another, although you won't hear me complaining. I love every moment {well...most of them anyway}....

I am going to try to update this thing daily! Check back soon!

"Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same loving Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and everyday. Either he will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings."

St. Francis de Sales

LOVE THAT!

Weekend ahead looks YUMMY!

Join us!

We will be out Saturday Evening!

GOOD TIMES!

OH! Happy Birthday Big Brother!

THE BIG 39 Today!!!!

YOU ARE THE BEST!

LOVE YOU TONS!

one moment long....

2008-06-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

I was in my forum at Splitcoast, there is a conversation going based on a sweet mother that is so tired because she was up with her little one in the middle of the night. Bless her - those are long nights. I think someone could easily write a parenting book called "3 am". These days I don't miss 3 am, but I am grateful for 12 am. That is curfew. I am consistently in awe of the comfort the door opening and closing at that hour brings. (typically) I don't worry while Nic is gone, my faith is strong and I stay in a postive state of mind...but I will admit I am always relieved to hear his voice say "I'm home, mom...goodnight."

These days life doesn't slow down. Each time my children leave the house I swear they come back 1 inch taller. Luke arrived home from camp yesterday. The door to Unity opened and in he walked after a week at Bible Camp. He gave me a big hug - and proclaimed the enjoyment of his week looking down at me as he spoke. I stepped back , listening to this tall handsome 13 year old tell of the memories he had made, I fell in love with that moment. I felt so proud. That boy...I adore him.

James has left our home for the week as well. He is full speed ahead, that one. He is not content unless he is movin and groovin. He camps this week with friends, next week with bible camp, and the week after with his family. Dare I think he may appreciate being home after that? It is highly unlikely. Livin it up, that kid is. I won't stop him for a moment though. What a gift to be that in love with livin life. Takes after his Dad. Social. On the move.

Then we have the little one. He still is around keeping his mama company. This may be the very reason I appreciate the Independence of the older boys. Sawyer = 4 children. I never knew 1 small boy could have so many questions, stories and thoughts to share. He never stops talking.

I know that this lifetime really is one moment long. All the memories will be tied up into one simple moment one simple feeling. Love. I am so filled with that emotion I sometimes feel as though my heart may burst. To have been given so many opportunities to love. I can't even believe it! The very best part? It will only get better. I just can't wait!

The CAMERA did not come out BUT...

2008-06-16T20:09:00.001-07:00

The food, laughs and golf clubs did! We had a story book Father's Day. Who gets to do that? We are so blessed. Our day consisted of being surrounded by ahhhhh....family. It was pure comfort, pure fun, perfect memories. The good Lord has definitely blessed us immensely. To top off the celebration we received the wonderful word that the Magnuson Family is growing by yet one more....NO! It is not me! I should say the Mateja Family so as not to scare anyone! Chris's sister Jessica is having a NEW BABY in December. Does life get any better?

So Father's Day arrived and departed in perfect fashion. We enjoyed life. We enjoyed one another. We took a moment...all together in prayer and pronounce how amazing this life really is. The simple miracles that are found in simple moments are nothing short of splendid.

I watched my husband's face, decorated with a handsome "perma-grin" all day long. What a blessing to share my life with a man who enjoys life so very much. You can sense it. Just being in his presence it is simply evident. His eyes sparkle. I love that. I love him.

To the amazing men in my life that call themselves DAD - Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

A bit of rambling....

2008-06-12T21:19:00.001-07:00

I am watching my son put chicken patties on buns for his buddies. Several of them have taken over my basement. He gathered the assembled sandwiches, set them on top of one another and passed them out accordingly. They are all waiting patiently for The Hulk midnight showing to begin, and I am wondering why in the world I told them they could go! Now I have to prop toothpicks in my eyelids and manage to stay awake till the movie is complete.

Nic comes home from Lake Beauty Bible Camp tomorrow. He has been there since Sunday. I miss him terribly and I have no idea how I will cope with the boy leaving us for the summer. He is going to be working at a fish camp in Alaska for 6 weeks. He is the sort of child that will take every moment out of that experience that he can. It will be amazing, his mama will just need to learn to cope. He is beyond excited to start his adventure. Nothing like bidding farewell and taking on the adventure of a lifetime at a mere 16 years of age.

Life is as I have always dreamed. Sure we still take our bumps along the road but as I sit and ponder the circumstances that surround us, I feel extremely blessed. We all have our health, we all have our dreams, yet we are content.

Enjoy your life....make sure you add that to your "To Do" list, because really - THAT is what it is all about!

Ahhh...to turn 6 on the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!

2008-06-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

My baby boy is 6.

The freckles, the look of excitement and wonder, the part in the hair, the knowledge that indeed the entire world DOES revolve around just YOU for an entire day?

So this is the year I used to contemplate in my mind. One leaves kindergarten and becomes officially in GRADE SCHOOL, one leaves GRADE SCHOOL and enters MIDDLE SCHOOL, one leaves MIDDLE SCHOOL and enters JUNIOR HIGH and one leaves JUNIOR HIGH and enters SENIOR HIGH! Wow, am I seriously the LUCKIEST gal in the world or WHAT?!

I am launching a HUGE new business, watching my boys grow by leaps and bounds, loving each and every step of the way.

I will be honest, in my weakest of moments I wonder "Who I think I am" to handle all of it, but that normally only happens when I am informed I have one child going to TWO different bible camps on the SAME DATES, or when MY FAMILY is one of the ONLY ONES that are not pictured in the church directory, and then sometimes I get a little overwhelmed when I am shopping for BIRTHDAY gifts 1 hour prior to the 6 year olds arrival home from his last day of kindergarten....other than that (and the condition of my laundry room) I typically have it ALL TOGETHER! What can I say?

Hope you Enjoy your Day!

Brand New Boy....GUY?

2008-06-02T17:59:00.001-07:00

Before....
...... AFTER!

This kid is not looking like a "kid" so much anymore! Saturday we were sitting in the back yard of our friends house watching the guys build a garage. Luke walks outside, sits in the chair next to me and says..."OK, it's time to cut it ALL OFF." My friend Sabrina just HAPPENS to be a hair dresser and without hesitation the scissors came out and the cutting began. This boy has not had hair this short since he was in 4th grade! He is now going into 8th grade looking like a Senior. Standing nearly 6 ft tall, he is literally shooting up before my eyes. I am so proud of him. Luke is amazing! The kid (guy, whatever) has a heart of gold and I am consistently proud of the person he is becoming day by day.
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"Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of person's character lies in their own hands."
Anne Frank

No Accidents...

2008-05-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

Love this!

My friend, Sabrina sent it to my inbox - Thanks Sabrina!

If it's appeared on your life radar, this is why: to teach you that dreams come true; to reveal that you have the power to fix what's broken and heal what hurts; to catapult you beyond seeing with just your physical senses; and to lift the veils that have kept you from seeing that you're already the person you dreamed you'd become.

And believe me, that was one heck of a dream.

Memories for a year on the 25th!

2008-04-24T13:34:00.001-07:00

Christi Snow, Design Team Member for Unity had this on her blog. It intrigued me so I followed the link. I found this SPLENDID idea here. Shimelle is a genius and I am all game! Take a peek at her blog, she will even send you a reminder when the 25th is approaching! If you are in, leave a comment below so I know who's blog will have some eye candy around the 25th of each month! FUN STUFF!

After 40 years....

2008-04-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

You can eat like a King & Queen courtesy of the children you have cooked for all your life....
.....you can enjoy grandchildren that ADORE you but may be a teenie bit jealous of one another(Sawyer was eyeing cousin Jackson on his brothers lap.)

...you love one another dearly

...you inspire, and in return we love you dearly

...you are used to the bear hugs of my hubby

....you make us look forward to our future together.

simple love

so much appreciated

thank you dad & mom.

Why am I cleaning cupboards?!

2008-04-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

We are on the verge of releasing at Unity...10 days to go...why am I cleaning cupboards?! Maybe because there is Tupperware, color crayons, play dough, pans, plates and dish towels in cupboard #1 - and as I open the next we have grape nuts, coffee filters, red hots, plates, bowls, a Hershey bar and coffee saucers. What in the world?! THIS is what happens when you find it important that the entire family "help out" - even the 5 year old. Laugh. I sometimes wish that kicking things to the side DID qualify as suitable means of clean up - or how about the whole "out of sight, out of mind I'll just stick it in ....HERE" thought process? Anyone have individuals in their home with that mode of thinking? My personality tends to be on the laid back side and I can live with a little dis-order - but when I decide to clean, I clean. Nothing half hearted about it. When I was little, I remember being sent to my room to tidy up, and I literally would pull everything out of it's place and start FRESH. I still do that. It's a lengthy process, but when I am finished things sparkle! So as I sit in my "sparkly" living room, I have a keen little sense of accomplishment - it will last all of 2 days. The female to male ratio in my house is 6 to 1 - A consistent tidy environment is nearly impossible, I have been brought to the "dark side" of messiness. I often refer to my house as a snow globe that has been shaken and set down. I beg you, call before you come.

Life at Unity is exciting! I am being contacted by so many significantly relevant people in this industry with support regarding our new mounting system. I am going to stay silent with specifics. I can tell you it is BIG and it is EXCITING - our dreams are manifesting on a daily basis. As I look through my journal & even go back to the beginning of this blog I note all the quotes, and words of inspiration that I have been drawing from for months. I am a devout advocate of positivity, faith, and taking responsibility for the life you are living. I have been studying faith & spirituality from every angle for years - I love the place it has brought me in this lifetime, each and everyday I wake up with warm sense of contentment with where I am, yet excitement for where I am going.

I have a request in on my Unity blog for people to leave RANDOM or AMAZING facts about themselves. I thought I would take a moment to list a few "randoms" about ME.

3 of my 4 babies were born nearly 10lbs & every single one was 23 inches long.
I love to FiSH! Sunfish are my favorite. On any given warm sunny day a fishing rod, nightcrawlers and a fishing boat is considered prime entertainment.
Last March we became the "Cub Foods" family. Television showcased the Magnuson's in a local grocery store commercial filmed in Minneapolis. My kids still get grief at school...not to mention the slack we take when caught grocery shopping at Super Walmart!
I move my furniture around about every 3 months, DRIVES Chris NUTS! (thanks for the reminder Susan, i guess that is a little random - not EVERYONE does that, do they?)

Big day of cooking tomorrow! It is not every day your parents celebrate 40 years together!

Inspirational Quotes that I love, courtesy of Mr. Albert Einstein:

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science."

"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous."

"If at first an idea isn't absurd, there's no hope for it."

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

Time for an addition....

2008-04-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

This very minute we are sitting in our living room. 7 of us. It's cozy, we will just put it that way. Bringing Kyle into our home has been nothing less than pleasant. He is still a little distant and I can see there is some deep thought going on, but overall it has brought the best out of everyone. The boys are all sincerely happy that he is here. He can stay - as long as he wants. He is a great kid. I am proud of him - he has managed to keep his flair AND follow our rules. He is respectful and kind, and fits in with the rest of the Magnuson clan. Now it is time for an addition. One more bedroom, and a dining room is in order. Looking forward to accomplishing that in the near future...it is beyond time.

We are SUPER busy at Unity! Our pad printer has arrived and the images that it imprints on our stamps are incredible. We have some tuning up to do and within days we will be able to consistently complete each and every order that comes in. We are running a small night shift to keep up with the demand. We have 9 saws running, cutting our images with perfection. High quality is key for the success of Unity - our product is beautiful. I couldn't be happier with the way everything is coming together.

Now, the only thing missing in my life is MY MOTHER. That little absence will be filled tomorrow. She is FINALLY coming home from Florida. I miss her terribly and it will be splendid to have her back in Minnesota. Sunday my parents will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. How fabulous is that?! Chris and I are going to cook a gourmet dinner in celebration of the occasion. Hopefully we will get through the day without a hitch. He cooks in a neat cleanly manner and I am complete chaos. He measures, I dump, He stirs, I whip, He cleans, I toss, He has a plan, I just dig in. We could easily do a reality cooking show called "Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen". He tolerates me fabulously...I give him a ton of credit.

Loving Life...looking forward to each and every day! I actually heard myself say this out loud yesterday...something I NEVER thought I would say - " I LOVE MONDAY" - Is that weird? I am surrounded by unbelievable people each and everyday. My design team, our help at Unity, our family, our friends, even the random interaction I have on a daily basis. A huge THANKS to each of you for making my life a fabulous place to exist everyday!

Story time for Sawyer - He is ready for "Winnie the Pooh Adventures", it is calling our name!

"We find greatest joy, not in getting, but in expressing what we are... Men do not really live for honors or for pay; their gladness is not the taking and holding, but in doing, the striving, the building, the living. It is a higher joy to teach than to be taught. It is good to get justice, but better to do it; fun to have things but more to make them. The happy man is he who lives the life of love, not for the honors it may bring, but for the life itself."

R.J. Baughan

6 + 1 = 7

2008-04-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

We were given an opportunity this past weekend, and it was a doozy. Isn't it amazing how the good Lord gives you all kinds of chances to feel Joy? It is just a matter of what perspective you look at it. Our opportunity came in the form of a child in black. Black clothes, black hair, black fingernail polish, black eye makeup (which you would only notice if the hair is slightly moved away from his good looking face) He is now part of the Magnuson clan for a bit. He has been in the lives of our boys for as long as we can remember...his big brown eyes used to greet me at the front door several times a week, but in the past year the visits were much less. He has a
"flair" - let's just put it that way. I am all about individuality, but some guidance is what we hope to offer. We are opening our home with the hope of giving him some support, some perspective and some security. Perhaps he will take a new direction. His choice. So our lives have been sprinkled with some diversity to say the least, but our family is happy to have it. That's what livin' is all about. My hope is that this 13 year old boy realizes that life does not have to consist of drama and being the victim. He has a choice now to take what is being offered and find some way to turn things around. It is going to take some sacrifice, but he is smart...he'll figure it out!

'My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,' the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky. 'Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity.'

Paulo Coelho

If your reading this........

2008-04-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Say a prayer...a prayer for his family - he was young. He left too soon. Cancer.

Lance helped us. He was smart, determined, & motivated. He was kind, intriguing, and quiet. We liked him...a lot. We are grateful for his part in Unity. He passed away this week - I told him how smart I thought he was, but I never told him Thank you. I hope he knows how much I appreciate the part he took in making our dreams come true.

sym·pa·thy;
1 a: an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the other

Tagged - 7 random & weird facts

2008-04-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by Lori! http://www.sentimentalmomentsintime.blogspot.com/

1. When I put on my boots, consistently one pant leg goes to the proper place around the bottom of my boot - yet the other is always scrunched up at the top of the boot. Several people call this to my attention, and I simply don't see the need to fix it! Originality is good, right?

2. I love the smell of rubber stamps cooking in the vulcanizer just as much as I love the smell of fresh laundry! How weird is that? Perhaps because if we cook enough rubber stamps I can HIRE someone to do my laundry!

3. I WANT my children to travel across the country after they graduate and THEN decide what to do with the rest of their lives. College is important, I know! Don't email me! I hope they go to college, but I want them to dream BIG and know why they are there when they go!

4. I would love to be an advice columnist - but after the statement I have made in #3 I don't know that any level headed person would ask my advice!

5. I WILL NOT be told what to do, HOW to do it, or what to think. Let me figure it out and then let me ask questions. I think this makes me a bit of a free spirit. (My poor mother...although I am pretty sure she loves me dearly regardless)

6. I don't like wind. Ticks me off. It blows in my ears and I can't hear anything, nothing stays in place and if it is blowing in just the right direction every one's belongings on the entire block ends up in MY BACK YARD!

7. My lip twitches when I do public speaking. I am like Elvis Presley reincarnated on stage with that twitchy lip. The right corner...it is uncontrollable!

I am now supposed to tag 7 people - therefore I am picking on my DT, artist, and talented friend. Once you get my tag, do as I have done - pick 7 people to tag yourself and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they are UP!

I will now tag:

Brooke Lien - www.brookelien.blogspot.com/
A.J. Otto - www.thewillowgarden.blogspot.com/
Amy Bass - www.littlefishdesigns.blogspot.com/
Karen McLaughlin - www.karenmclaughlin.blogspot.com/
Jen Erickson - www.shut-up-its-true.blogspot.com/
Christi Snow - http://www.alteredambitions.blogspot.com/
Robyn Weatherspoon - http://herebygrace.typepad.com/here_by_grace/

Smooth Sailing...My Hope for You.

2008-04-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

I read this quote - by Abraham Hicks, and pondered it:

If you are ending up where you want to be, what difference does it make whether you went fast or slow? Or what difference does it make whether it was painful before it got really good?

Isn't that the point of free will? You get to choose.

We do get to choose, that is SO GREAT! Life does not have to be full of heart wrenching tradgedies to learn what we are meant to learn while spending time on this earth. This life is "termed" as a gift from God - live in abundance, live in joy, live with gratitude and LIFE is what it was meant to be.

You have choices. They can lead you onto rough road till by messing up so much you finally see the light OR you can choose to sail the smooth waters and only have the wind blow enough to keep you on course. Smooth sailing is what I wish for you. Small mistakes along the way to keep you on the smooth path. Learn fast, Love life, and Enjoy the ride.

A few of my favorites, today:

"The person who sends out positive thoughts, activates the world around him positively and draws back to him positive results."

Norman Vincent Peale

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles....but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."

Budda

"Your true passion should feel like breathing;it's that natural"

My Friend: Oprah Winfrey

Off to breath! Loving Life!

These small hours....

2008-03-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Listen to this song:

"Let it go, Let it roll right off your shoulder - Don't you know, the hardest part is over. Let it in, let your clarity define you - In the end, we will only just remember how it feels. Our lives are made - in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists & turns of fate, time falls away, but these small hours, these small hours still remain...."

Without going into a ton of detail, my day yesterday was filled with moments, small hours, twists and turns that changed my emotions from moment to moment." Life - it never seizes to amaze me.

A run down of my day: business plans and discussions(feelings of hope) - new fun opportunities for Unity Stamp Company (feelings of excitement) - life altering news(feelings of sadness) - birthday parties (feelings of appreciation) - news from a DT member that she has new opportunities (feelings of happiness - yea Jen!) - black belt test for my olderst (feelings of nervousness) - early evening dinner (feelings of contement) - state tournament home town game with 1 point lead(feelings of excitement) - MORE news from another DT member of publication (more happiness - yea A.J.!) watching a Disney movie with my littlest ( again, contentment) teenager breaking curfew (utter TERROR) teenager arriving home safe and sound (relief and ANGER!) heart to heart with my boy (exhausting combination of every emotion I had already experienced ALL DAY tossed into one!)

I sure was tired when my head hit the pillow late last night! Goodbye FRIDAY! Loved you for all those "twists and turns of fate" just like this beautiful song teaches us - however - I am ready for a new set of small hours!

Snow on Easter....Proof.

2008-03-21T09:56:00.001-07:00

do you see this snow? - poor little easter bunny....

schools out for spring break?

spring break? is that some sort of joke?

i was going to stay home today and work....

ARE YOU KIDDING?

due to the weather change, my boys are like super bouncy balls in an empty gym that hit the floor with the force of a jet.

going to unity, see ya ....bye, bye! be home later...much later.

in all reality...

the boys like me here so they don't have to hear their mama plead with them to play uno.

if you are somewhere that actually has tulips please bid one hello from me.

love this...

2007-11-06T07:07:00.000-08:00

True religion is the life we lead, not the creed we profess.

-- Louis Nizer

new concept to me....

2007-10-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

Never face reality unless your reality is just the way you want it to be.

Jerry and Esther Hicks - Excerpted from a workshop in San Antonio,TX on Saturday, May 17th, 1997

Wow – That is something you don’t hear very often! Any thoughts?

dream it....

2007-09-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

We grow great by dreams.

All big men are dreamers.

They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening.

Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.

Woodrow Wilson

28th US President

Now is the time to dream. Today. This moment. Don't wait. Take your souls deepest desire and dream it till you feel it. Live it like it is happening, and before you know your life will become the what you have longed for. It is within your reach - all you have to do is believe it!

love what you are doing?

2007-09-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

"Chance can allow you to accomplish a goal every once in a while, but consistent achievement happens only if you love what you are doing."

Bart Conner: Olympic Gold-Medal gymnast and entrepreneur.

"Love what you do and an amazing byproduct is born — Passion. When you’re passionate about what you do, your career soars. Watch the clock, arrive at eight, and leave at five, and you’re destined to be like everyone else. Or, set yourself apart by waking each day with an unbridled level of energy and passion to achieve vastly more in your business and life than you could possibly fathom. Live every day embracing this philosophy and there’s no limit to what you can achieve."

Taken from Nightingale.com

abundant stream....

2007-09-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

"There is a Life Stream that flows to you, and this is a Stream of clarity, a Stream of wellness, a Stream of abundance... and in any moment, you are allowing it or not. What someone else does with the Stream, or not, does not have anything to do with how much of it will be left for you. This Stream is as abundant as your ideas allow it to be."

Excerpted from a workshop in Phoenix, AZ on Saturday, April 4th, 1998
All Is Well

Jerry and Esther Hicks.
Abraham

just don't think about it....

2007-09-13T06:27:00.000-07:00

"Do you have to change your vibration on a particular subject in order to let it in?" No, you don't. You could pet your pet and let it in. You could sit with your feet dangling in the bay, and let it in. If it is a subject that you often think of in an attitude of resistance, it is really worthwhile reaching for some thoughts that feel better. You could launch an intention and never think about it again, and the Universe would yield it to you. You don't have to clean up your vibration relative to anything, if you can just not think about it any more. That's why we teach meditation. It's easier to teach you to have no thought than to have pure positive thought. When you quiet your mind you stop thought; when you stop thought you stop resistance; when you stop resistance--then you are in a state of allowing.”

-Jerry and Esther Hicks
Law of Attraction

the main event...

2007-09-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

"The main event has never been the manifestation; the main event has always been the way you feel moment by moment, because that's what life is."

Excerpted from a workshop in Syracuse, NY on Thursday, October 17th, 1996
All Is Well

Jerry and Esther Hicks
Law of Attraction

friday inspiration....

2007-09-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

"Make a decision of what you want, give your attention there, find the feeling place of it -- and you're there instantly. There is no reason for you to suffer or struggle your way to or through anything."
-Excerpted from a workshop in Kansas City, MO on Sunday, August 29th, 1999

"Whatever you have the ability to conceive, this Universe has the ability to provide. Anything, without exception. So your work is on the conjuring of the idea, period. The Universe has the stuff to deliver the goods, and will."
-Excerpted from a workshop in Phoenix, AZ on Saturday, April 4th, 1998

All Is Well

wanting...

2007-08-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

"The entire Universe is set up to produce wanting within you! You cannot squelch wanting. You are born wanters. Wanting is a good thing. Write that down in big letters: WANTING IS A VERY GOOD THING!"

-Jerry and Esther Hicks

Excerpted from a workshop in Tarrytown, NY on Saturday, May 15th, 1999

All Is Well

another normal day...the best kind of all

2007-08-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."

-Mary Jean Iron

This quote is one of my favorites. It always gives me a bittersweet feeling. All four boys, Chris and I went to my parents home last night to eat dinner and play a little poker. Of course, with my poker playing skills, I lost my pile of chips immediately. This left Sawyer and I on the outskirts of the game as the rest of the boys, Chris, Papa and Nanny continued their pursuit of the $16 at stake. Sawyer was getting very sleepy so I bundled him up in a soft blanket and cuddled him in my lap on a rocker near the corner of the room. As I sat there holding my long 5 year old boy, the realization hit that it would be one of the last times this might happen. My heart leaped with anxious helplessness as I silently bid farewell to that "time" in my life. A small tear of appreciation for all I have experienced in raising 4 small boys touched the corner of my eye - before losing myself in my emotion I turned my attention to the game table. I listened to a roar of belly laughs arise in the favor of my father, and a sense of calm was present. A new phase is on the horizon. Each one of my children is manifesting into individual masterpieces. Seperately they have their own sense of style, humor, likes, dislikes, dreams, and personalities. All is well. I have put my heart and soul into them, and I see clearly that this does not go unappreciated. They are boys of substance - and they continue to be a source of true joy for so many. Much of my drama side would like to sit and mourn the days gone by, yet, the sensible side tells me to be extremely privy to the treasure of today. I do not wish for the return of the past, I wish to cherish each and every "normal day" that comes our way.

more on the "art of allowing"...

2007-08-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

we all get caught up in judgement. we are human. as i study the LOA i am beginning to understand how damaging it is to judge others. in using my precious time thinking about what others should or should not be doing i am only taking thought away from what it is that i want to accomplish in MY life. this is a small part of the "art of allowing" - one of the 3 significant steps in making the LOA work in your life.

"...you allow it by recognizing that it is not part of YOUR experience. in most cases, it is truly not any of your business. it is not your work. it is the creation; it is the attraction; it is the experience of the others. rather than trying to control the experiences of all others (which you cannot do no matter how hard you try) instead, intend to control your own participation within those experiences. and by setting forth your clear image of the life you want to live, you will prepave a smooth and pleasant path for yourself. "

Law of Attraction
-Esther & Jerry Hicks

this weekend i read these words and they made a monumental impact on me. i am new to this concept so it will take awhile before my practice of this viewpoint flourishes. i have wasted entirely to much time with my analogies of how others should think - or what others should do to improve their lives. i am a self-help guru. that is me. that is my passion. what a wonderful piece of knowledge the paragraph above lends me. i will always be the kind of person that wants to help...but from here on out - i know, that what works for me does not hold true in the lives of others. their reality is that of the thoughts they hold. that is truly a beautiful thing!

"If man understood that "what I create has nothing to do with what anybody else
is creating", then he wouldn't be so afraid of what others are doing."

-Abraham
Law of Attraction

satisfaction.

2007-08-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

"A man who finds no satisfaction in himself will seek for it in vain elsewhere."

-La Rochefoucauld

i have been one to seek in vain elsewhere for years. i am guilty. constantly in need of reminding. realization is key...and at that moment things can turn around. growing is the continuous pursuit of finding happiness within. satisfaction is finally coming to terms with who you are and not fighting it....

what do you want?

2007-08-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

"You have to be able to identify what you really love and what you really want, before you can get it."

-Oprah Winfrey

As my studies of the "Law of Attraction" hit the 6th month, I have been inundated with information. I have now read over 6 books on the subject and continue to study everything I can possibly attain. My life is heading in a new direction with all this new knowledge. I remember when I started my job with CINTAS I was asked about my "goals". I didn't even know how to answer that question...I really had NO goals. A little over 1 year later that has changed. My goals are clearly described in a beautiful leather bound handmade book my mother gave to me on my 32nd birthday. It contains within the pages every dream and every goal...holding me accountable and reminding me of where I am, and where I am going. I am a huge believer, and will continue to study it for a lifetime. The unbelievable words of so many that have discovered and lived by the law of attraction in their lifetimes lead me to a daily feeling of contentment and joy that was rarely felt prior to understanding this grand concept.

In Happiness and Joy...
Angela

"If you want to remain always happy, always perfect and always fulfilled,then always keep inside your heart a pocketful of sweet dreams."

-Sri Chinmoy Indian Philosopher and Teacher

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

right or wrong...well, how does it feel?

2007-08-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

Everything is valid and everything is truthful, because Law of Attraction lets everything be. The question is not whether it's right or wrong, whether their approach is right or wrong, or whether my approach is right or wrong. The question is: Does their approach feel good to me? And if it doesn't, then I choose a different approach.

- Abraham
Excerpted from the workshop in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, August 2nd, 1998

yours...dedicated...in love...

2007-08-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

long slow drive down an old dirt road -you've got your hand out the window, listening to the radio -that's where I wanna be... on an old park bench in the middle of December cold hard rain fallin', can't find no cover -that would be alright with me... hard days, good times, blue skies, dark nights baby, I want you to take me ... wherever you're going to maybe say that you'll save me ... a seat next to you -in the corner booth of a downtown bar, with your head on my shoulder smokin' on a cheap cigar...that would be alright with me -in the back row of a movie or a cross-town train i wanna hear your voice whispering my name...that's where I wanna be -life is like a ferris wheel, spinnin' around when you get to the top it's hard to look down just hang on ... we'll make it through save me ... a seat next to you -when you get to the gates and the angels sing go to that place where the church bells ring -you know I'll come runnin' ... runnin' to find you baby, say that you'll take me ... wherever you're going to maybe I want you to save me ... a seat next to you

-Bon Jovi

Lost Highway

once again...happy.

2007-08-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

This was on one of my favorite websites as the "Daily Quote"

We are really advocates of just getting as happy as you can be—which takes care of everything. Even if you don't have reason to be happy—make it up. Fantasize it. Make a decision that you're going to be happy one way or another—no matter what. "No matter what, I'm going to be happy! If I have to ignore everybody; if I have to never watch television again; if I have to never pick up a newspaper again, I'm going to be happy. If I never have to see that person's face again, I'm going to be happy. If I have to see that person's face, I'm going to find something to see in that person's face that makes me happy. I'm going to be happy. I'm going to be happy. I'm going to be happy."

- Abraham

i am so excited!

2007-08-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

according to my poll...at least 3 people actually look at my little blog...wow, that is really nice.

Art of Allowing

2007-08-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

Art of Allowing: I am that which I am, and I am pleased with it, joyful in it. And you are that which you are, and while it is different perhaps from that which I am, it is also good.

"....I have not come forth into this physical world to get everyone to follow the "truth" that I think is truth. I have not come forth to encourage conformity or sameness - for I am wise enough to understand that in sameness, in conformity, there is not the diversity that stimulates creativity."

"Law of Attraction"
Abraham

"Never look down on anybody unless your helping them up"

-Revered Jesse Jackson

find your freedom...

2007-08-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hypothetically, people worry about everyone being selfishly oriented. "If everyone did exactly what they want to do, what kind of world would this be?" And we say, a really, really good one. Because if everyone did what they wanted to do, everyone would feel free. And if you feel free, you feel empowered. And every negative emotion that exists—hear this—every negative emotion that exists is because there is some sense of loss of freedom somewhere in there.

-Abraham.
"Law of Attraction"

reflections...

2007-08-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

"The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are. If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are."

~Thomas Dreier Author, Philosopher and Business Editor

happy, happy, happy

2007-08-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

The greatest gift that you could ever give to another is your own happiness.

-Abraham: "Ask and it is Given"

when asked what they want in life, most people will tell you that they just want to be happy. the problem lies in the criteria. i will be happy when....if only we realized that happiness is simply a conscious choice. it is not set aside for the rich, or the beautiful, or the fulfilled - it is plain and simply an emotion that anyone can access at anytime regardless of circumstances. this statement will pose some opposition. people say - how can i be happy when...i am broke, i am sick, i lost a loved one - life offers up all these challenges. happiness eludes those who don't seek it out. i will be the first to admit that for a very long time i was not a "seeker of happiness". drama seemed to bring me more attention. as the months have passed, i have done some soul searching and in that search my most treasured find is my happiness. my mornings start with a thought of gratitude and in those thoughts my heart is happy. nobody can take that away. it is mine for the taking and i intend to take it in huge quantities. when mama's happy the whole magnuson clan seems to be happy. it is a strange phenomenon, but i am not going to question it...happiness...who knew it was that simple!

decide....

2007-08-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

"Having the energy to pursue our passions will always come if that's our wish. Most of who we are, what we do, and where we are going relates to our attitude. Being tired, bored, scared, or unhappy are decisions, nothing more. Coming to grips with this reality has the potential for changing every aspect of what remains of our lives."

Author Unknown
But Very Much Appreciated!
http://www.inspirationpeak.com/

"If there is no wind...row"
-Latin Proverb

friday afternoon

2007-08-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

"The pleasantest things in the world are pleasant thoughts: and the great art of life is to have as many of them as possible."
~Montaigne

at·trac·tion (a-trăk'shun)

2007-08-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

1. The act or capability of attracting.
2. The quality of attracting; charm.
3. A feature or characteristic that attracts.
4. A person, place, thing, or event that is intended to attract: The main attraction was a CharlieChaplin film.
5. The electric or magnetic force exerted by oppositely charged particles, tending to draw or hold the particles together.
6. The gravitational force exerted by one body on another.

friendships = gratitude

2007-08-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

"When you spend time with people who appreciate you, this stimulates thoughts of appreciation, and you attract gratitude into your life. Why waste your precious minutes on those who feel the need to pass insignificant judgement...those who consistently put your very integrity to the test? Spending time with those who mock you or draw attention to your flaws will cause you to focus on discontented feelings. Cherish the friendships that show consistent appreciation and respect for your very being and in turn your time spent nurturing those relationships will attract into your life unlimited feelings of content and joyous moments."

Angela Magnuson
with the help of "Law of Attraction"

Ode to those who dare...

2007-07-31T13:57:00.000-07:00

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

~Jack Kerouac

"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7

2007-07-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

"When things are going wrong in our lives, we want to deny any responsibility for creating it. Yet, until you understand the power you hold and accept responsibility for everything in your life -- the good, the bad and the ugly -- you deny your true freedom in life! You are held hostage by the wants and desires and expectations of others. I've got news for you. There is no way possible to satisfy all the wants, desires, and expectations others project on you. It is a losing situation!
Simply put, the Law of Attraction means whatever you focus on you draw to you. So, if you are focused on something you do not want, you attract more of that to you. If you are focused on something you do want, you attract more of that to you. As thinking, feeling human beings we are in a constant mode of creating, whether we believe it or not."

-Jerry & Esther Hicks

a bit a bout....me

2007-06-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

mother of 4. wife. friend to beautiful women. emotional. i have a love story. i have a horror story. life is my novel unwinding. law of attraction. hate raisens. love sushi. love pizza. love food. can't lie to save my soul. loyal. messy. laundry stinks. reincarnation. jesus. spirituality. favorite sound: belly laughs. love my mom. admire my dad. adore my husband. couldn't live without my children. hate the wind. too serious. carefree...sometimes. insecure....somtimes. compassionate...always. analytical. pear shaped. working on it. volvo driver. bike rider. love dramas. passionate. open minded. very sensitive. bon jovi. rock. country. loud music. weekends. sunny fishing. novels. business minded. (thanks dad) dreamer. always late. deep thoughts. i am a believer. love a sale. shop. loyal. everything happens for a reason. kittens. puppies. anything fluffy. warm beach. love to listen. keeper of secrets. all of me....as I am.