In Love with Florida...

On this rainy, cold night, here are a few photos from this Summer...

Naples Pier

Such a beautiful place...

Is it time to go back yet??? 

Wordless Wednesday - Familiarity

The Chimneys

“It never pays to walk blindly. Especially not in your own castle where familiarity hides so much - even when we have the eyes to see.” 
                         ~Mark Lawrence

3/13- A More than Normal Wordless Wednesday-Change

Time

This past 3 weeks sick in bed has given me a lot of time to think.
It made me realize time is a funny thing and how easy it is to let life pass you by saying you'll do things 'tomorrow.'
How often do you hear people say "I don't have time" or "when I have time...?"

The past 2 years of my life, I find I want to be constantly busy - to keep my body and my mind occupied.
I find, the more I have to do, the more I want to do- it's like a drug. While, if I have a few quiet days, the less I want to do and the more I will use the " I'll do it tomorrow..." excuse.

Granted, we have 24 hours in a day, and we need to dedicate a few of those to sleeping, we have much more time to do things than we think. Yes, it might require some organization, it might require a bit less sleep, or it might require you to sort out your priorities, but the time is there, if we just look for it - if we want to find it.

While lying down with the room spinning around me, or on those lovely occassions I have spent lately with my head over a bowl, it is then when you need the time of the people you love, and who you hope love you.
You wish, even if at no other time, those people dedicate a bit of their time to you. You hope they have got their priorities right, re-organized what they need to re-organize and sleep just that little bit less in order to make time for you.

How many songs are written about people letting time slip by, without doing/saying them things they meant to say?

In The Living Years -Mike and the Mechanics
Martha -Tom Waits
The One That Got Away- Katy Perry
Nobody Knows - Paul Brady
If Tomorrow Never Comes - Ronan Keating
If Ever You're In My Arms Again -Peabo Bryson
Candle In The Wind-Elton John
To Love You More- Celine Dion

...And these are just from the first page of my YouTube playlist.

There must be some good reason all of these people (and millions more) talk and sing about doing/saying things when they have the chance... and a lot of it begins with finding TIME!

Find the time, and if you can't find it, create it!

So? Why am I writing this?

~Make time to do fun things~
~Make time to share experiences~
~Make time to pick up the phone to someone you miss~
~Make time to reply to emails / texts~
~Say the things you want to say~
~Do the things you have always wanted to do! NOW! ~
~Tell people how you feel when you have the chance, because your chance will not always be there~
~Work hard to keep the people you love close to your life!~

Wordless Wednesday: A New Member of the Family

Welcome little Benjamin Cole :-) You are going to be a heartbreaker!

Wordless Wednesday- Through The Eyes of a Child

Pic from my first ever photo shoot 

"Seek the wisdom of the ages , but look at the world through the eyes of a child."

      ---Ron Wild

Wordless Wednesday - Jar of Memories

2013 Jar of Memories

{My 1st} Wordless Wednesday- Patience

100 Things One Year Later

Just over a year ago, I decided to start making note of the important things I wanted to do, or accomplish in my life. It was at a time when I had a lot of personal things going on and I realised life is too short to just let it pass you by. Writing this list has really given me some direction, and a stronger focus to do the things I want to do.

Exactly 1 year ago today (August 18th) I published my 100 Things I want to do list. Although I have not conquered much of the list, I am pleased to say I have crossed off 11 things and the next couple of months should see a few more gone hopefully!
Unfortunately though, some of my priorities have changed (had to change) over the past months so there have been a few edits.  It doesn't make me happy to give up on my dreams but...I will have to make new ones... Throughout the year, I have kept note of new experiences I would like to add so they are now there too!

In no particular order:

1. Go on an African safari
2. Get married
3. Have my children
4. Travel around Asia for 3 months
5. Travel South America for 3 months to Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico
6. Have breakfast in Paris with my other half outside the finest bakery in the sunshine
7. Make my parents and sister proud
8. Live in the States again
9. Live in Tunisia
10. Travel around North America for 2 months, visiting Boston, New York, Chicago, California, Colorado, Seattle and DC.
11. Take a romantic trip to NYC
12. Take photography classes
13. Become a semi-professional photographer
14. Learn how to bake and do it a lot! . . .
    
15. Own at least 3 different properties around the world
16. Learn how to use Photoshop
17. Get my Irish drivers licence
18. Be promoted in the Four Seasons . . .
    
19. Transfer to somewhere else in the world, either temporary or permanently
20. Experience true human flight - see video! : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cs-zZ0Qu5Y
21. Be in the cockpit of an airplane for a take-off or a landing
22. See NYC by helicopter (As in the scene from 2 Weeks Notice!)
23. Travel around Tunisia for 3 weeks
24. Plan my own dream wedding
25. Take part in a photoshoot
26. Do a photoshoot (hopefully many of them)
27. Write an autobiography
28. Speak Spanish fluently
29. Speak Tunisian Arabic fluently
30. Move to a Spanish-speaking country for 3-6 months straight and study and speak ONLY Spanish, no English!
31. Write a successful blog and have over 100 followers
32. Buy an amazing camera
33. Join a gym and use it!!
34. Buy a small picnic basket
35. Have a picnic in Central Park, NYC
36. Buy a really expensive handbag
37. Open a restaurant
38. Visit the Sassis in the Netherlands or have them visit me in Dublin
39. Visit Asia in Poland
40. Visit Gloriana in Mexico
41. Be the best mum and wife I can be
42. Have a guest bedroom in my home, always with fresh flowers by the bedside and an open door for all visitors
43. Have a cinema system at home
44. Own one property with a lot of land
45. Go camping and roast marshmallows over an open fire
46. Get back into tennis
47. Take a course on interior design
48. Take up the piano again and learn at least 2 new pieces
49. Learn a bit about flowers and gardening and plant my own small garden
50. Build one of my properties from scratch, designing it myself
51. Visit the North Pole and go sledding with reindeers
52. Go to a music festival
53. Attend a film festival
54. Go to an opera
55. Do something with my teeth so I don't always have to wear a brace!
56. Swim again with dolphins
57. Snorkel again in a coral reef
58. Get my face drawn by a caricaturist
59. Visit a famous museum
60. Become GM of a resort
61. Own my own business and be my own boss at some point
62. Learn how to drive a stick shift
63. Go back to university to do a masters
64. Learn French again and speak is as close to fluently as possible
65. Redecorate my room at home
66. Help my family with money
    
67. Return to FL soon, at least for a visit and as much as possible
68. Visit Greece
69. Go on another cruise
70. Holiday in The Maldives
71. Holiday to Bali 
72. Holday to Bora Bora
73. Go to Friguia Park
74. Attend an arts and crafts class
75. Grow my own fruit and veg
76. Throw a themed party soon
77. Camp in the dessert
78. Dance Salsa - well! 
79. Win the green card lottery
80. Go on my first skiing holiday
81. Work some time from home
82. Help someone achieve their dream
83. Start a proper savings account!! 
84. Organize my old clothes, and donate to a charity and/or to someone that needs them
85. Open my own hotel
86. Own a boat
87. Take time off work or work part time for a while when I have my children
88. Invent a perfume and design the bottle
89. Invest in a small property and rent it out 
90. Take a life coaching course
91. Send my mum and dad on a surprise holiday
92. Organize a reunion
93. ***************
94. Find a job that I can earn some extra money from home (data entry etc) 
95. Explore a jungle or rainforest
96. Try Paragliding
97. Put a message in a bottle and throw it out to sea
98. Ride along vineyards on horses with someone I love
99. Go Tree Camping  LOOK!  
100. Go whale watching
101. Take a flight lesson(s)
102. Have the smell of Le Meridien in my home
103. Take a self-defense/martial arts class
104. Buy a horse and learn how to horse-ride
105. Do a diet/fitness challenge like Insanity (because of my work it would definitely have to be adjusted so I will make one up!) 
106.  Buy a new puppy (a husky/st.bernard)
107. **************************

Ok, I realise this is more than 100, but  who cares!!
I encourage anyone reading this to do something similar... it really helps you get things done, and writing things down definitely makes your aspirations more real and do-able!! And it feels awesome when you cross something out!! 

Here's to another year and to taking chances!

Outdoor Wednesday - Nature's Beauty

Sunset on the beach in Naples, FL - always amazingly beautiful.
Can't wait to move back for some time!!!
 Happy Wednesday! 

Feliz Dia De La Mujer!! Happy Women's Day!!

To all the lovely ladies out there:

Here's to all times we've been in love...
Here's to all the times we've shared our dreams
Here's to all the times we've shared secrets
Here's to all the times we've partied together
Here's to all the times we've cried together
Here's to the times we've complained about boys
...and to the times we shared our stories of love
.....to the advice we've given, and the advice we've received...

Today is our day! Be proud, be happy and embrace your dreams!!!

Happy Women's Day... 
  
Las mujeres han sido hechas para ser amadas, no para ser comprendidas...

Chocolate and Pink :)

10 Things I'm Thankful for and 10 Things I'm Hopeful for...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my American friends and family!

This is my first year in six that I have been out of the US for this celebration. I remember this time last year, panicking about how we were going to fit everyone into Sale e Pepe for the Thanksgiving Brunch.. but having a lot of fun in the process.. how much I miss those times, the celebrations afterwards,  previous years at university with all the girls, dinners, travels, creating memories. Now, here in Ireland, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, and even though it hasn't been the easiest year, I feel I should give thanks to some people and for some things that have happened to me since Nov 2010...

In no particular order and without getting too mushy...

THANK YOU X 10 :

1. To my sister, Jacqueline, for being the BEST sister a girl could ask for. She is my confident, best friend, and just the most amazing little sister.
2. To the Four Seasons, for welcoming me into an awesome company
3. To my parents, for their love and attempted understanding
4. To my best friends, in particular * , Maggie, Asia, Belu, Lydia, Lorena, Gloriana, Ali, Taoufik and Zied. These people are no ordinary friends; they have become family to me over the years of knowing them. My relationship with each of them is different, and has evolved over the times we spent together, but I have 100% trust in all of them, and love them, and hope they will always feel the same about me
5. To God for my health and the health of most the people in my life
6. To the people around me who have given me the inspiration to better my life in any way possible
7. That I was able to do some traveling (although not enough!)
8. That I visited Disney World a few times (seriously, it's my favorite place!!!!)
9. That I saw my Dutch family after 2 years (And will again in a few weeks:) and reuinted with 2 great friends, Grace and Sofie in London, after so many years apart
10. For the feeling of being 100% and totally in love. (and everything that goes with that)

I read a quote the other day .... all emotions are good. I think that makes sense. If you didn't care about something or someone, you have no emotion... it doesn't matter. When you feel, you know it matters.

Hopes X 10

1. To travel to as many places as possible to visit friends and family, and to experience new places&cultures
2. To accompolish as much as possible from my 100 Things I want to do list... http://labellavidaaa.blogspot.com/2011/08/100-things.html
3.Good health for EVERYONE in my life
4. To move forward in the Four Seasons
5. To  purchase a property
6. ...
7. To be physically and mentally fit
8. To celebrate my best friends wedding (a little after next Thanksgiving, but it's ok..!)
9. To see all of my best friends as much as possible (normally this would be easy, but mine are in every different corner of the world!)
10. ...

There are many many more things I could write in this section, but most of it is covered in my 100 Things list.

What are you thankful and hopeful for??

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Enjoy your day!!

The Search for Inspiration

Is anyone else in need of some inspiration?

A book I am reading at the moment has made me question my motives, my reasons for doing things and has made me realize I spend too much time coasting through life. Most people just do what is expected of them, fulfilling their requests rather than their dreams. It’s so easy to just sit back, and do what you’re supposed to do; fulfil your obligations, letting life guide you, instead of you guiding your own life.

In the middle of my book, just yesterday, I started to question what drives me, what is my inspiration?

Some people find inspiration through music or through beauty. Some people find other people inspire them. This can all be true, but I feel the real inspiration has to come from within. Those other factors can make you question yourself, or kick start you into action but it’s you that has to push yourself and keep that going when the idea of it is not so exciting anymore, and the realization that to get where you want to go may take hard work.

Sometimes your dreams of the future are your inspiration, but that can only get you so far, because as the future draws ever nearer, sometimes those dreams are just as far away as they were at the beginning. Sometimes that is because of choices, but also, sometimes because of circumstances which can’t be changed – linked to this, some people are motivated by God, but sometimes He has different plans, or shorter plans, for some people. That’s why I want to make sure I live life every day to the max. 

At the moment I find myself with SO many things in my head, my mind is racing from the moment I wake up till I fall asleep at night. For example, yesterday, on my day off, I wanted to bake, I wanted to take a bath, I wanted to join a gym, I wanted to buy a jacket and a pair of welly boots, I wanted to visit my Grandma ,I wanted to see my friends ,I wanted to make about 10 phonecalls, and I wanted to hop a flight to Florida, Tunisia, and Poland all at the one time! And the weird thing is, even though I am tired, I feel like I have the energy to do all of those things. 

Coming back to the book (and closing this rant!), it really is becomming clearer to me that not much is impossible. People around you may say it can't or won't ever happen,  but if you find the strength and motivation within, I think everything is achievable. 

Just a thought....

Go and find your inspiration!!! Have a good week ...