These people above with me are just the coolest of people and I am blessed beyond measure.

My precious friend posted this verse today.


‎"my soul magnifies the Lord, for He has done great things for me!" Luke 1.46


It was given to her heart today, it's hers today, but I knew I needed to see it. 
As if God was like. "Hellooooo girlie, pay attention to this." So I did!
I knew I needed to speak this verse. I knew I needed it somehow to be laid gently and written solidly on my heart. I needed to be thankful and count my blessings one by one.


I see these people, my niece Gabrielle and my nephews Zachary and Jake and my heart somehow gets overwhelmed with how awesome I think they have turned out, but also what they mean to my soul.
That must be just an ounce of what it feels like to be a parent to a child.


I could easily sit and boast of their accomplishments which individually would be MANY, but as of late, kind of overwhelming in one good thing after another that makes me want to sing their praises! 


But....


It's not their accomplishments I delight in. It's just NOT.  Certainly I applaud their great accomplishments, but what I love is their souls and the cool people they have become. Not perfect people, but in every way, great people and I just love being around them.


So, I just wanted to say I am thankful for each of them and that I simply love them. They are my blessing and I am grateful.


Have a blessed and amazing day!

The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world,

 who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. 

The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world,

himself a light.

Felix Adler


image: Mine. Morning view off my back deck.

{Ahhhh, this looks nice!}

I know I read in the good book that God rested on the 7th day, 

but I think I I must have missed that memo, {wink}!

So, this image might do me well to find a happy place today beyond this girlie that is just tired to the point that tears fall to the site of a tender Christmas car commercial at 3am. Never mind that I have lost site of how to dry my hair after pulling it up for two weeks to work in the trees. I laughed as I looked at my hairdryer with a question of how do you use this thing again? Ha ha ha... and seemed to find some humor with myself, so all is good. Christmas installation will be complete this coming Saturday. So very excited about this!!!!!!!!! Goodness, everyone stayed safe and that is no small task seeing that at any time we often find ourselves dangling like monkeys up in some tree lighting away at 1am to make the season merry and bright. Every property turned out beautifully and we are so fortunate to have this business. I returned to my real full time job Wednesday after this working-vacation of mine. I thought to crawl under my desk for a moment of zzzzzz's, but seriously it had to have been God alone that found a way to keep me awake even without a Starbucks fix. Is it me or is it so very hard to stop that little expensive addiction? It's my struggle. I love to start any morning by greeting those happy people in the green aprons with the starbucks logo and say "I would like a Grande Non-Fat Latte" to their reply..., Oh my, what is going on with you, "Kristin...are you OK? You usually get a Triple Venti bla bla bla"...(yes, they know my name and a few might add me to their bestie list, wink!). I have to giggle, but seriously people to have a cup of their coffee nestled in my hands and in my tummy...well, it doesn't get much better than that other than being in the company of the ones I love much.

At any rate, I am needing the beach and sunshine after we installed 78+ trees up to 30 feet in height and more lights, boughs and wreaths than I can even fathom to count. Who am I kidding...I might need one of those drinks too with the cute umbrellas! How can one install all that Christmasness, but still be trying to find that Christmas feeling? So, on Sunday I will take an intentional mind break, a place to sit for a moment and be thankful and breathe.... and find my own home fa la la and laughter this weekend and put up a real tree, hang some sparkly things and cozy up by the fire, play  Michael Buble Christmas music and just smile.

Today I am thankful that God finds me as his own and that there is actually a reason for this season beyond all the sparkly Christmas decor. I am thankful that I am strong and whole and well, can I add in ...full of energy too. I am thankful that my family and friends are healthy and safe. I am thankful for Faith. I am thankful for a sense of humor. I am thankful that I have been and am blessed and prosper even through hardships...yes, God has well done this for me and I don't have words. I am thankful that I am courageous and confident. I am thankful that I am capable and successful. I am thankful that beyond all of my weaknesses that God is complete, strong and pretty amazing if I don't say so myself. I am thankful that God has knitted me and my life perfectly together for His good and I pray to be a bigger giver than taker and blessed to give a glow, a smile and be a blessing. I am thankful that I am clothed in strength and dignity and can smile over the days to come. Oh, and so very thankful for the gift of laughter too. Amen.

Hoping your day is perfect in every way. Hoping you find smiles in the smallest of details and praying you peace beyond measure!

Happy Weekend to Ya!

image via//botib

{Just WOW!}

I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.

Let's see....how does one describe this video?

Invigorating
Amazing
That's a whole bunch of CRAZY
Breathtaking
That could leave a ouch-mark!
Seriously?!

Beautiful

Wow

...did I say Wow?

Eeeeeek
Oh My
Perfect
Of course, a girl like me that loves adventure might be tempted.
Free...to say the least!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

....and well, what is that saying that parents tell their children?

No, just because so and so asked you to do that doesn't mean you should.
"I mean, if they asked you to jump off a building, would you?"

I guess with these flying frenchie people, the answer is simply, yes.

Just praying you have moments in your day today that make you say, 
"Wow - that moment was and is so very awesome!"

via//sprk

{Just A Thought...}

So Shine Please!

via//tumbler

{Let me introduce myself...}

Hi there! My name is Liberty.

I would wave but having hooves and all it's a bit difficult if you know what I am saying {wink}.

So, I thought I would go this route of a closeup for ya using my owner's iPhone to take a self-portrait while she went to get me some sweet feed. So, hurry smile and wave back please

before she gets back!

Let's see what is there to know about me?

I was born on 9/11... Hence my name.

My Mama and many others saw me and immediatley said I looked like a Liberty.
Plus the name Liberty would hold meaning, being that I was born on 9/11
and just what America stands for in honor and freedom.

I mean, I am all about the wind in my hair while I run across the field. 

It's a freedom kind of feeling that I love and do often, very often.

My Mama calls me, "My Sweet Liberty".

I kinda like it. soooo I think I'll keep letting her call me this! 

 That Mama is a person {So very confusing to me, as I have a real Mama with fur that looks a lot like me...the person, Kristin, not so much, but we share the same love for adventure type personality. Yes, she possibly needs more timeouts than me because as sweet as she is {Kristin} can have a rebellious-feisty side beyond her sweet side, however, I am trying to tame her of this. Really I am! 

See the image of my person-Mama {Kristin} and I {Well, part of me.} below.

Someone might need a photography course. Just saying they might, wink.

So, I guess a picture of my neck will have to do.

Oh, and below this is me and both of my Mama's.

This is my person-Mama {Kristin} letting me lick the remnants of 

the sweet feed she just gave my Mama {Maggie}.

How could you not love someone that gives one sweet feed?!

Which is like a candy bar in human speak! 

Mmmmmmmmm!

Awe, below is on 9/11 my first day experiencing the world. I loved that day!

Here are just some images of me and my Mama, Maggie.

Yes, my Mama is big boned, but don't tell her I said that, smile!

I still think she is very beautiful.

She is a Belgian, which from what I hear is very much like one of those Budweiser horses

minus the bunches of fur on the feet. My Daddy is a Haflinger, which if Fabio was a horse

well, he would look just like my Dad.

Which gives no premises for my curly tail and mane.

This was the day {above} I learned about gnats {yucky}. I really don't like those things. Can you tell? 

I hear humans don't like them either. Or, was it watching my owner quickly running across the field away from them that gave that away? It was kinda funny to watch her.

At the end of the day some horse-bug-type spray came my way! 

Yay me....so sad for the gnats. 

Lastly, below is a family video. Kristin thought we were coming to see her,

but seriously, we are all about that stuff called sweet feed! Just saying we are!

Gotta run, I see my person-Mamma coming back.

Bye for now!

Yes, all kind of silly in Liberty's words, but

I feel like I won some sort of out of the blue, once in a life time chance

to own a new unborn, site-unseen baby horse. I am smitten with her and feel blessed.

I am kinda the adventure type and love horses, so off we go, a city girl like me, 

with a bit of country and adventure in my soul to say yes to caring for this sweet and funny girl.

I don't want to claim her as mine. I want to just facilitate many being able to just enjoy her much.

I mean, I was considering getting a dog for a long while now, but who needs a dog, right?

I'm certain to post more images. All of these images were taken off my iPhone.

Hopefully, I will get down there and use an actual camera, but having too much fun 

just running in the field along side her, or sitting in the field watching her. 

Just a very peaceful and free feeling.

Have a great day ahead.

Make your moments count!

Fa La La? Yep it's here.

Our seasonal corporate Christmas decorating company {Holly Productions} has begun.

Yep, that's silly me above trying to find some lovin and my happy for this Charlie Brown half-lit tree.
In working much in life I can find that my attitude can be not so great. I can be really feisty actually.
That's the real of me that I don't want people to see.
I know I am very fortunate and blessed to have work, so I gave myself a swift talking to
and found my grateful place. I want to be a person that is grateful for the details.

Admittedly I am not always, but goodness I want to be. 

Why does this time of year ALWAYS take me by surprise? Hummm...leaves me perplexed!

I think, "Wasn't I just drinking some cold iced tea in the summer sunshine?".

This time of year came out of nowhere,

Like you know this "came out of nowhere" it is going to happen, 

but it pounces like a cat on the prey for a mouse and still takes me by surprise,
as if someone jumped out behind a door playing hide and seek and said, "BOO!"
I might still be in denial of this fa la la deal.


Well, denial (the Nile) ain't just a river in Egypt as they say. 

Yes, I said ain't, (smile). Being a southern girl this kind of talk is legal. 
Not proper by any means, but legal still, oh yes! Tee hee hee.
Kind of like people from the New England and surrounding areas, saying "Wicked",  
which doesn't mean wicked as in brouhaha or evil, but something "very" in the extreme 
and very good, cool and well, just awesome.
Oops. I seemed to vier off on a tangent for a moment. 
Back to Fa la la.

Since we began lighting trees and decorating behind the scenes last week,
and needing to jump in with both feet.

I smiled and thanked God for this crazy-beautiful business,
started trying to sing fa-la-la kind of music
and set my mind to serve Him somehow and bring great love on these 

Christmas lights and all our peeps working with us as we begin.

I want my heart to serve this year. To love on people well this year. To be able to offer a positive light.
I desire to remove my stubborn-feisty nature, be agile and bring great laughter and smiles.
To keep humble and remove pride in me that can be so prevalent.
I want to listen to understand and then be understood and keep an open mind to others ideas.
Please pray I do this adventure well and finish this season strong.

All things are possible to those that love Him. He said that, not me.

Praying it ahead of time to be a safe and see to fruition an amazing season full of all things bright!

Have an awesome Halloween weekend. 

Be safe and enjoy smiles much!

I needed a new goal and this fits somehow.


So, as they say in Nike world....JUST DO IT.


So I AM.


It's kind of great how it works, and falls in the beginning of 2012.
January 15, 2012 to be exact.
 I thought I would share if you wish to sign up too.


Nike Registration Link

"Your story, your life, and your journey
all involve what came before you and what comes after -
all hints of who you are."
and
"all of our lives we must moment by moment choose 
between what others define us to be
and who we are meant to be."


Have an amazing and perfect day!


image via nike...quote not sure and wish I knew but it fits today somehow.

I saw this today and smiled.

There are days I actually feel like this when I run.

Love the little girls eyes! Determined!

A girl's gotta keep trying!

{A LESSON FROM A LION FROM OZ...}

So simply say no to all things that bring fear or doubt and say, 

"I will have courage!" No other option will do!

Praying YOU to really be CORAGEOUS in your soul always 

and in all things today and everyday!


amen.


image via: Matchstic

{For Today and Everyday...}

image via: iht

Your Soul IS rooting for YOU and your moments today, so SMILE and simply SHINE!

image via: iht

{Today...}

Walk Strong

Straight Forward

Confident

At Peace

With GOD

Standing in Grace

Lastly,
Try Your Best, Smile and Make ALL of Your Moments Count!

image via: fif

{Believing This! Believe Along With Me Too..., Pretty Please?!}

{Just Me...not perfect, but real....just human, just me.}

I saw this random quote and posted well, just because it had too many
similarities to my heart and my silly ways.

However....

I only have one very best friend, but many dear friends that fall in the best friend category
that I would lay down my life for.

I don't sleep with a teddy bear! Ahem...but here is my random and silly thought concerning that fact...
I know, I am in my 40's, but also besides that fact that one should not sleep with a teddy bear at that age, I have never been one much for stuffed animals. I don't understand their purpose, but, I do have to say that I believe in loving someone and standing by him forever.

 That was weird to write but I mean it in the most respectful way.
It's just how I roll and how God made me.

Enough said from a moment of my being all introspective, smile.

Now time to get back out and serve the world, love on people
and off of my silly naval-gazing.... ; )

Have a great day!

"There is more in us than we know. 
If we can be made to see it, perhaps, for the rest of our lives, 
we will be unwilling to settle for less!"

-- Kurt Hahn

{Because Smiles should be present in this Life!}

I needed a song to set my mind in a good place. Funny I know,
but I think music can change one's mood to happy, or inspire somehow...

...so this girl is giving it a go and finding her happy place and smile brightly...just because! :)

Life has just been too busy with work (Yes, I need work-life balance as I can get caught up in work and that is not healthy...honesty is the first step, right?!). I am so grateful that I have work and never wish to take it for granted...., ever, but I doubt a post of my office interior would "WOW" another's soul. {Wink!}. I realize that fun moments and down time should matter too. Life should matter and the people we care about should matter. So, declaring to find time to enjoy life too.

I'm posting this song, because is just a good song, and the words are worth listening to. They each smile much throughout this video and seem to be having just a great time and well, I love how their voices sound singing together in unison...., pretty amazing! I want to smile like that in life as life should be funky-cool-creative with others, and inspiring and happy like that. So, if this video brings a smile to your day too, well then, that would be really great.

Please turn off music below if you wish to listen and well, the concert version is at the end, so if you do listen and watch, do give it a chance to play it to the end.

Sending you Smiles and many bright wishes Your Way for a Wonderful Weekend!

Very true....

image via: found

In All Friendships...

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and 

let those few be well tried before you give 

them your confidence. True friendship is 

a plant of slow growth, and must undergo 

and withstand the shocks of adversity before 
it is entitled to the appellation. 

-George Washington

{Enough Said}

Have a great week!

A little Peachtree Road Race fun!

"i guess if you don't jump, 

you'll never know if you can fly."

 - miranda lambert

Where are my hair & makeup people? Ha ha ha!

No, no, that was not me up front running like an agile-cat 

with Sammy Kitwara from Kenya that ran the race in 28 minutes, 5 seconds,
which is something faster than a gazelle, or the speed of light I am certain.
I must say it is pretty amazing and beautiful to watch the group
of people in the front run in person.

Anyhoo...

 My number was somehow "misplaced" in my great city mail system.
After much coordination I got a new number sent to me.

But it was my original number that finally showed up.
They had me logged in the system finally. Yay me...
Or, so I thought....they still have me in there with the new number which means I ran it in 
"0-minutes/0 seconds"....so, even though I was a little back in the sections,
and not with a seated number this year, I won!  Yay! Not so much.
There is NO truth in my winning, and I am not even kidding you.


However, a guy friend of mine that I had not seen in a very long time,
came out of nowhere and clipped me with a huge "I am so gonna beat you" smile 
coming into the finish-line final stretch!
Yes, he is very athletic and a great runner, and a man, but
he started it so........
what was a girl like me to do, except totally leave him in the dust? : )
It was seriously great to laugh hard in the final part though
with my friend from long ago that is as competitive as I might well be.

After many emails, talks and giggles with a kind lady from the Atlanta Track Club,

here is possibly one of the only images they have of me running the race. 
It looks like the paparazzi once again caught an image of me sans makeup!
I have to giggle!


One would wonder if the guy behind me in this image has his hand up because he is flagging down an ambulance, or a taxi..., whatever it takes to get to the finish line is all I am saying!

Next year I plan on running with the Kenyan team (Insert giggle here, but speaking it no-less!).

If a girl wants to run like a gazelle, well then, a girl must have her goals!

Have a beautiful week!

Excellence can be attained if you risk more than others think is safe,

care more than others think is wise, dream more than others think is practical,

and expect more than others think is possible.

-author unknown

Be AMAZING! Own It!

No, no, these are not my calves, just inspiration.
Goals can happen! Just saying they can come to fruition if 
one keeps humble and willing to be determined enough to try!

...and I am so very game on! 

Image via: found. 

Is this normal? I do wonder!

Finding humor with things I do in life that make no sense,
but make me smile, still.

Everyday one can find approximately 5-7 beverages on my desk and yes, lined up just like this.

I will deny slight-OCD if asked (lol), but we all know the truth! What is that saying?

You can lie to everyone else, but just don't lie to yourself!

Isn't there some proverb about Cleanliness is next to Godliness?
No people that saying is not actually in the bible, nope not even in the tiny print!
However, I might smile if it were tucked in there somewhere.

My many beverages have been sidekicks of sorts for a long while now.
I never thought a thing about it other than just reaching

over for my beverage of choice for the moment while I worked. And yes, I drink all of them.

I must need liquid to perform my job tasks I am guessing....and so it goes;

Animate P&L Financial Report (check), Drink beverages (check, check, check, check & check!).

Kind of like being at a wine tasting of sorts, but not really at all! :)

However, the other day I happened to see all of

this liquid out of the corner of my eye while working and said....

"Oh my land, Kristin!"

I giggled at myself and well then, got shall we say a bit concerned if something might wrong with my need for this much liquid. I don't really think an image like this is listed on webmd.com, so I took an image and text my life-long precious friend and my sister who are both in the medical field to make sure all was OK?

Or, I am just really parched all the time I am guessing!!!!!

Between the daily kale/berry/coconut water protein drink,

7-10 vessels of sorts or more of water day and all of that caffeine in coffee/tea,

I am not certain if I am trying to be healthy or, just stay awake?
Awake indeed!

Do you ever do things in life that make you go hummmm?

Have a great day!

xoxo, A very thirsty me!

{Because It's Friday! Yay!}

I love this version of Adele's, "Rolling in the Deep".

And well, I am kind of partial to hearing a Man such as this,

sing with such a cool voice!

I have to giggle because Jimi Westbrook of Little Big Town

and I somehow became a great

singing duo

this morning

as I worked!

Thank you, LBT back up singers!

Just keeping it real here

, but it makes for a

happy

Friday driven by amazing work deadlines!

Enjoy!

Have A great weekend and laugh much, just because it's good!

{The Why's of Positive Thoughts and Wisdom from Tim Tebow}

Life is beautiful people.

Seriously, it really is.

Please know that I am not just throwing happy words, positive quotes,

or bible verses out to the world through this blog often

because I am all about the thought of...

If you think Positive well, you can BE Positive.

It's not that easy.
But, I do believe and learning daily that the words we think and speak make a difference.

I have known people through life that have walked through really hard challenges.

Visibly there was this sustainable twinkle in their eyes. Each person's joy, peace, demeanor and solid trust

were unmoved by their circumstances. I am certain they had moments of heartache, or frustration.

However, it is how they faced their storms with this brave faith and this positive light

that has always struck me as amazing.

I would state out-loud no less, "How do they do this? I think that is Amazing."

I think God heard me say this and is showing me how to stand solid in peace through any storm.

Just saying be careful what you might ask God, because God has a keen sense of hearing! :)

I think, why have this blog, or do this life

if you can't make another smile,

or see and encourage the good I see in another in real life? Or seriously,

just be real enough

in the face of my hardships to

make another see and know that they can have courage too?

I just know from life hitting hard that it is possible to think intentionally

beyond how we feel, or find funny and good courage in the midst of what we

wished looked differently in life circumstances.

Pain or Joy is no respecter of persons. (No news flash here!)

So, choosing Faith and Hope in the midst of either pain or joy is worth a go don't you think?

As I finished writing those words above, I thought of something

that has affected my thoughts this week.

I watched this interview and

much of what Tim Tebow said has held my thoughts in how I live my life, or wish to earnestly.

Why was I watching this video you might ask?

I really like watching sports, not that I always understand every detail, but I want to.

As I do this I get the added benefit of learning and understanding the intricacies

of what I have seen others spending time yelling

at the TV

over (Smile!).

I know you too have seen this. Or, are you a yeller too?

No, I have never yelled at a TV like I have seen many doing watching sports (lol),

but will tell you that I have my favorites that I might give a shout out quietly

with just a smile or quiet "What in Sam-Hill?-Rrrrrr!",

and would like to have enough understanding to have a reason to yell if I wanted to.

I'm just saying to yell at the TV might be cathartic! :)

Anyhoo....

Here is the interview below of Tim Tebow. Yes, it is worth the watch.
(To watch, please turn off the music below prior to hitting play.)

I hope you find so many reasons to hold solid hope and just good in your moments!

I pray and hope that your week is so full of success that you have to do a double take

to make certain it really happened and say well,

"This life really is beautiful!" with a grateful smile that comes from deep within you

and shines something so amazing, so another can see it and do the same."
That sounds sappy I know, but I mean it!

Trust me, I know this to be true from experiencing some of my
very own hard journey's in life. I just do!!!!!!!

Smiles can happen.

No matter what, they just can.

Have an amazing week!

Image: Hummm...I wish I knew? Video: Fox News