Winter Beach Party GIVEAWAY!

Today it’s a balmy 35 degrees. To my dear friends in Florida and California, this may not seem like a sunny day to you, but believe me after weeks and weeks of wind, ice and subzero temperatures…this is as good as it gets.

So in honor of my favorite activity and warmer weather ahead (I hope!), I’m having a “Day at the Beach” party and you’re all invited.

And there’s more…a free GIVEAWAY! It’s a day at the beach in a box (from the life in miniature series). Just leave a comment and write about your favorite beach experience and I’ll toss your name in the sand bucket.

The winner will be drawn on February 1, 2009.

Here’s what you will receive: sea shells, sandals, white sand, sand container, beach chair, beach umbrella, beach ball, and floating ring. Sorry, but you’ll have to bring your own picnic lunch. All of this is yours to enjoy without the added risk of a sunburn.

And just in time for spring, I'll include an autographed copy of The Ultimate Mom by Chicken Soup. But you'll have to wait until April 1, 2009 for that one!

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite beach photographs...

To warmer days ahead!



P.S. Deena the PINK is for you sweet friend!! Here's hoping your day is a blessing. When I need encouragement, I run to "Can I be pretty in pink?"

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beach party, summer fun, free, giveaway

Moms of Sons

As moms of sons, we get left out of a lot of things, like “Mother/Daughter Banquets” and shopping sprees. I remember when we were in ministry, I had to “rent” a daughter to take to the banquet every year (usually from a mom that had more than one to spare!).

If I’m honest, I have missed having a daughter—you know…dressing her up in pink, going out to lunch, and doing “girly-girl” things.

That’s why I’m so thankful to be part of Extreme Diva Media that is on a mission to celebrate friendship in 2009. You can read all about it on the website Jean Ann Duckworth has created so masterfully. But the premise of a “diva” has nothing to do with Britney Spears or “Jaylo,” but rather to create less stress, more joy, develop simplicity, and to honor relationships.

And how do we do that? By spending time with our girlfriends (of course!). My author friend, Kathy Pride, is putting more “margins” in her life right now because her kids are scattered in ages 9 to 27. Mine have just about flown the coop. In fact, today I received Jon’s graduation pictures in the mail (and sobbed). He is graduating summa cum laude and looks so handsome in his cap and gown.


I just wrote out the check for his yearbook and included a photo with a caption (more tears!). I reminisced how Jon was my “slow” to talk little guy. But he loved reading from Richard Scarry’s Dictionary at naptime. We started with the A’s and by the C’s, Jon was asleep (always!). I caught this picture of him developing his pre-college study habits (book open, eyes closed, and sunglasses on).

As I thought about those times of rest (reading to my “babies”), I have no regrets. I treasured every moment of “mommyhood” and wouldn’t change a thing!

And now that Jon is graduating in May 2009 (and “yes” he has a job already). He signed on with a major marketing firm on January 7, 2009 (so he’s officially on “summer break”). We figured out that he could make straight D’s and still graduate with a 3.40 average! But knowing Jon, he will never be late for class (and will probably show up a few minutes early), and won’t take anything less than an A.

We’ve had some great times over the past six weeks of vacation: watching DVD’s, talking and having leisurely breakfasts, celebrating Jon’s new job, thinking about the future and what a move to Cleveland will entail (that’s where his new job is located), and wondering what furniture he can take from our house to set up his new apartment. How did these four years pass so quickly? What was I doing?

I know, I was thinking about what I missed about not having a daughter. Well, guess what? I would be passing out more pink ribbons, and so it’s with a thankful heart that I will not have to pass on this disease to my daughter. It’s already touched too many lives in our family.

Instead, I will celebrate the joy of “renting” daughters, loving my “daughter-in-laws,” and adding my name to the book, Moms of Sons by Extreme Diva Media.

Boy, do I have some stories to tell…

Living Life Passionately,




P.S. I have some giveaways coming up. Several books are coming out that I have had the privilege of being a part of, including The Ultimate Mom by Chicken Soup (they are including three of my stories). Due out on April 1, 2009 (no joke!).

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moms, sons, pink ribbons, family, gratitude, college graduation

Ice Capades

This morning I awoke to “crunching”—the sound of ice being scraped off windshields. Unlike snow—where the world is hushed under layers of white—ice is noisy!

I peered out the window and it was spectacular…an ice palace had formed overnight. I grabbed my camera, my clogs, and “rain” gear and headed outside (treacherous, but it was worth it).

The grass sounded like broken glass beneath my feet as I held onto the neighbor’s fence to guide me to the berry trees. There are no safe spots in an ice storm and only a small window of opportunity to catch the ice crystals before the rain washes them away.



My “trees of Tuscany” looked like the twin leaning towers of Pisa. I chuckled at the weight they were carrying and wanted to say, “It’s okay, you’ll stand straight and tall once again—maybe!” Actually their branches reminded me of my hair when I scrunch too much mousse into it.

This is our fifth—maybe sixth—ice storm of the year and not my favorite type of weather pattern. You can’t play in it, build snowmen, throw snowballs, or even make snow angels. It’s only good to look at—much like the "icing on the cake." So this morning, I “basked” in the splendor of the gift that only nature can bring.



Enjoy my “ice capades” and be thankful that you live in an ice-free environment, which is why we are moving to California (in just 13 short months); they just have fog, rain, and sunshine.

Ahh...that will be "berry, berry" nice!






P.S. Did you notice the new pink on my blog? There's a reason why everything is coming up PINK! More on that tomorrow...

Here's a sneak peek! See if you recognize the pink boa in the EDM Magazine (hint: page 2-3).

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ice storms, Lancaster County

What's In and What's Out for 2009!

I just read the Washington Post’s article on “What’s In and What’s Out for 2009”? I guess it’s no surprise that Jon and Kate Plus Eight is out! They actually moved from our quiet little town, so they are no longer our “neighbors.” Having the street back to normal is a great relief to all; no more traffic jams in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.

But I was disappointed that Rick Warren was voted out! C’mon…I just bought the “Purpose Driven” office calendar for 2009. Personally, I don’t think that Rick is ever going away (or the principles that he stands for). Don’t they know he’s giving the invocation at the inauguration? I'm still waiting for my tickets to arrive in the mail (if you know of their whereabouts please let me know).

The greatest disappointment of all was “Mamma Mia!” is out. No way, no how. My hubby is watching it downstairs right now as my little fingers dance on these keys. Jon can’t stand it, so he fled to the basement to escape the “noise.” I for one will never, ever depart with my DVD. It’s here to stay…at least in our house (sorry, Jon!).

There you have it…what’s in and what’s out for 2009! I'll let you know what's "on and off" my list for 2009 next time we "talk."










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New Year

Blessings for 2009!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!


Blessings and Joy,

Christmas is Over!

Christmas…it’s over!

No more gifts to buy, no more long lines to wait in, no more hustle and bustle, no more watering the Christmas tree (letting it die of natural causes), and no more cooking (just a refrigerator full of leftovers)...

It’s bittersweet.

Christmas 2008 will go down as one of the best in the Pombo family history books. We started the morning off with a huge breakfast made up of homemade cinnamon rolls (thanks to Pillsbury Pop ‘N Fresh) and fruit (strawberries, cantaloupe, grapes, pineapple, and kiwi). Afterwards we opened our gifts—covered with a thin layer of pine needles—thanks to our cat, Bianca, who staked out the tree weeks earlier as her new hiding place.

On Christmas morning, Jeremy delighted all of us with his unwrapped gifts carefully placed in a Gap drawstring bag (nice touch, sweetheart!). I told him, “You’re off the hook for the rest of your life!” I received the DVD—Mamma Mia! I don’t remember anything else after that, except there were oohs and ahhs and a lot of hugging and kissing.

Mamma went to work in the kitchen and the guys watched videos. The organic turkey (those aren’t cheap) was in the oven at 1:00 p.m., after still plucking out turkey “hairs.” I guess organic now means that you get to finish what they started (no preservatives means you have the honor of pulling out the rest of the feathers).

After not cooking a "real" meal in quite some time, I realized that it all boils down to the last half hour…timing is everything.

Jeremy and I jockeyed for position in our small kitchen as he mashed potatoes and I popped the baby quiches and crescent rolls in the oven.

While Jeremy carved the turkey, I took out the green bean casserole. We did the “turkey dance” trying to get everything out simultaneously without stepping on each other’s toes.

Finally, Jon said an ecumenical prayer as we held hands around the kitchen island, so I could keep an eye on the crescent rolls so they didn’t disintegrate into lumps of coal.

I didn’t disappoint in the baking department either, I made a Mrs. Smith pumpkin pie. Okay, for you who need to make a homemade pie, forget it! Mrs. Smith’s Hearty Recipe is outrageously good. Only my mom can make it better. We enjoyed dessert after the movies (yes, it’s a tradition—not to be missed). It was a tossup between “Benjamin Buttons” and “Marley and Me” (but the doggie movie won out—“paws” down).

Spoiler coming…you need to get out the Kleenex for this one! Jon later commented, “I knew there were going to be tears when the doggie started to die!”

Tears?

I cried—no, sobbed. Then I hiccupped cried through the rest of the movie—sopping up tears with my single-layer popcorn napkin and faux Burberry scarf. It was such a relief when the movie was over, because quite frankly I don’t think I could take any more torture.


Thankfully, Jon’s girlfriend—Kim—made me feel oh so much better because her sobs equaled mine in both length and intensity. Jon later commented, “It’s was just a dog?”

What? Man’s best friend—just a dog?

No, it wasn’t just about a dog…it was about the relationship man has with his four-pawed companion. And that’s all I’m going to say about that!

Later that evening, Kim and I consoled ourselves by eating “homemade” pumpkin pie with blotchy faces and puffy eyes.


Christmas is over and I’m both sad and slightly relieved. Christmas 2008 definitely had all the makings of a truly perfect day: family, food, God’s blessings, laughter, tears, warm memories, and a smidgen of drama.

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Marley and Me, Christmas Memories, Mrs. Smith Hearty Pumpkin Pie

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas full of love, joy and peace!

I'll be taking a "blogging holiday" to enjoy some time with my family, but I'll be back after Christmas to share with you some exciting news (don't you just love suspense?!).

Remember the best gift of all isn't found under the tree but in your heart!

Blessings!

Grab a Calendar!

Today I turned the page on the calendar and realized I didn't have one...after December comes January (right?).

There was no January (we're almost all done with 2008)!

On Monday during our shopping spree, I came across a gorgeous "Italy" calendar, and Kathy said, "No, don't buy one now because they'll be on SALE in January!"

That's a powerful word to any woman...SALE!

"Good idea, Miss Kathy. I love saving money, but I need a kitchen calendar now!" I screeched.

I was a good "girl" and walked away from the calendar aisle.

But I came home "calendar-less" with a full January spilling into December's squares. So I surfed the Internet to find a suitable calendar in the meantime.
Voila!

I found it--a stress-reliever and calendar rolled into one. It's made out of bubble wrap (my favorite thing to do on a snowy afternoon!). I had to create my own, so I rummaged through a few boxes and found just the right size "squares."

Are you a bubble-wrapper-popper kind of person? If you are, then go grab some bubble wrap and make your own stress-free calendar for 2009.

While you're grabbing things, check out my "picture" on the sidebar. It was taken at my brother's wedding in Del Mar, California, which is where I want to be after scraping two inches of ice off my windshield this morning.


That's why I love calendars...I need the pictures to look at (so go grab yourself a picture...what are you waiting for). Believe me, I popped a few bubbles of my own trying to crack the HTML code for those two items.

I'm rethinking my career at this point!

HUGS!





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stress relievers, free stuff, calendars

Coffee and Destressing

Today I spent the entire day at Panera. There are over-stuffed chairs by the fireplace, free WiFi, food, and did I mention—coffee?

I wrote five stories (first draft), wrote the rest of my Christmas cards, and managed to clean out my inbox, all while slurping cappuccino and eating a pumpkin muffie (that’s the top of the pumpkin muffin only). In my opinion that’s the best part, so why eat the extra calories.

There’s just enough distraction to keep me focused (I guess you figured me out already), but that’s okay, it took me a while too.

So if you want to de-stress and have your coffee too, then head to the Panera. I met folks just like me who write and have their coffee too.

"Sanguinality"

Do you know what two sanguine personalities do when they get together?

They have fun—lots of fun! My writer friend, Kathy and I made the town of Hershey kisses turn into a mega shopping spree, lunch, and—of course—Starbucks. Is there any better way to spend the day?

Yesterday, it hit a balmy 60 degrees and we saw one woman in a red sleeveless dress, high heels, and sporting a red Coach purse (with sunglasses). I thought I was on the “Miracle Mile” in Miami.

Today we’re having a major snowstorm and everything is a wash of white.

Yesterday, however, it was all about PINK. Kathy and I enjoy the same interests: coffee (she gave me a notepad that read, “coffee is my blood type”); shopping, shopping, shopping, and—of course—great food, and CHOCOLATE (one of the major food groups!).

Did I say chocolate?

Try combining the two into something called, “mini cappuccino cake,” and you’ve got “heaven on earth.”

We have more planned in the future to help others enjoy what comes naturally for us: enjoying life to its fullest—one coffee, one chocolate, one shopping spree at a time. Mix a little laughter, “serious” talk, and MORE coffee and you’ve got a day of pure “sanguinality.”

You have to read more about my “sanguine” friend, Kathy. You’ll love her!

HUGS!

Lipstick Personality?

As a personality trainer, I pay special attention to what people say and do. Watching people waiting in line at the department store is my favorite activity. I get a hot cup of something, sit down with a piece of paper (usually a receipt!), and write about people's actions and reactions. Who knows, I just might show up in your neighborhood and start taking notes, so watch out!

Yesterday, I was at the make-up counter at the Bon-Ton and this well-coiffed woman pulled out six tubes of lipstick and said, "I want one of each!" I don't know about you, but I only wear one color (one lipstick tube at a time). These tubes were all the colors of the rainbow. But what really struck me was their appearance. They were all worn down, halfway, and completely straight across. It's as if she came to a "point" where she said, "No more of this; I'm changing colors!"

It reminded me of a "lipstick" personality test I took years ago, and I was tickled pink when I came across the test in a blog. I'm not sure if you can judge a woman by her lipstick ("personality" speaking), but it just might have a little truth.

Take the test, click here: Let me know your true "colors"!

And my special thanks to Flea (from Flea's World), who honored me with the "winning" personality! If you haven't visited her blog, you're in for a treat!

I'll share my "personality," if you'll share yours!




P.S. I just might throw in a few lipsticks for the fun of it (I'll return the favor by picking the winning personality on Monday!).

I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas!

This is my new color for the holidays—pink!

It all started when Kim and Dave, our next door neighbors (actually across the street neighbors), gave me a pink ribbon ornament for our gigantic Christmas tree. Since then everything has been coming up pink: pink ribbons, pink socks, pink fleece, pink… well, you get the idea!

I wanted to dress the entire Christmas tree pink (but there’s just too much testosterone in this family for that), and Jon is coming home from college next week and I don’t want to scare him away (yet!).

So we have one pink ribbon ornament—front and center—to remind us of the 12 Christmases that I have had (just like the 12 days of Christmas, but in years!).

Things will be back to “normal” after theholidays and I’ll pick a new look, but for now let’s just be thankful that everything is coming up pink!

Blessings and Joy,

A Simple Life?

What exactly does a simple life look like?

Here in Lancaster County, I have the opportunity to watch the Amish with their black buggies, admire their laundry—hung in straight rows on the front porch—in the traditional Amish colors of purple, black and blue; watch siblings play in the yard with wooden toys made by hand, and frequent their fruit and vegetable stands (in the summer!). There is an abundance of Amish farms within a five-mile radius of our home, so I don’t have to venture too far to get a slice of the simple life.

On Saturday, I went away to write my chapter on simplicity. After driving past several Amish farms, I realized just how far from “simple” my life has gotten. I went away to write (to get away from the chaos of my office), but unfortunately I wasn’t alone.

First stop was Starbucks at Barnes & Noble because I had a coupon for a free cookie (how simple is that?). Not really, because everyone had the same coupon and they ran out of cookies just as I got to the cash register, so I ordered a drink (not free!).

I slumped down in a chair (still thinking about the cookie that I didn’t get), and started writing (I work better if there is a little distraction). But soon the “little” distraction became huge. The two women next to me were talking about “writing.” Not just writing, but writing for money. My ears perked up! They were professional bloggers and they were using words like SEO (search engine optimization), wordtracker.com, texalyser, and how to write “keyword” articles that sell. Now some of this information I knew because I write articles for the Web (under a pen name), and do fairly well. But then one of them blurted out how much money she made last month and my green tea latte spewed out of my mouth!

Suddenly, I found myself in the Web optimization section of the bookstore looking for more information that I scribbled down on a brown paper napkin. After perusing the “Idiot” and “Dummy” books, I spent the next two hours reading on a subject I had little interest in and accomplished “zero” writing.

Suddenly my life became much more complicated and all the energy I could have poured into writing dissolved into a blur of terms and phrases that I didn’t even care about (or maybe I should as a writer?).

The chapter on “simplicity” is being tabled right now, but I did make some progress in making my life much more simple. I emptied all the junk drawers in the house (without looking at their contents), and placed them in boxes with the date: 12/6/08. In two years (if I’m still alive), I will throw them away without peeking inside.

Why?

Because if I haven’t needed something in two years’ time, then I probably didn’t need it in the first place.

How simple is that?





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Simplicity, Amish, writer's life

A Miracle in the Sky!

My hubby was driving home on Monday night and called me on the cell phone (he pulled off the side of the road first!).

“Look out the window now!" he said.

I’ve been sequestered with a writing deadline this week and haven’t seen much of the outdoors (except for our Christmas tree extravaganza on Sunday).

I was amazed—shocked really—at the sight in the sky. The moon, Jupiter and Venus lined up to form a smiley face! It was perfectly clear when I snapped a picture (although you can’t tell by looking at this photo!).

It’s a good thing I took the shot because it won’t happen again for another 40 years (that formation anyway!).

It was so cool (literally!).

I love moments like that as I stood on the back porch in stocking feet clicking away photo after photo, imagining what the earth will be like in 40 years? I’m just trying to live long enough to see my debit card expire in 2012. When I activated my new card yesterday, I nearly passed out; I’ll be 59 years old (jeepers!).

Our days are numbered and it makes me enjoy moments like the one I had on Monday night—gazing at the “stars” (I know they were planets, but they twinkled like stars)—and imagining how big our God is to place miracles like that in my own backyard to make me smile.

If you saw what I saw…let me know (and send me a photo).

Keep looking up and you just might see another miracle!






Click here for a better picture that I stumbled upon!