How I won Thomas the Train tickets

March 3rd, 2010

I am so thrilled!  I won 4 tickets to take a ride on Thomas the Train!!  I’m excited for my little guys, but I’m super excited because I actually won something, and super duper excited about how I did it!

It’s a pretty cool story about how it all came about.

I have this video downloaded on my computer and it’s been sitting on my desktop for months and months now (maybe even years), but I hadn’t viewed it.  So last week, I realized it was there (for the 100th time) but this time I decided to check it out.  I had no idea what it was.  So I hit play and began listening to this 83 year old woman named Helene Hadsell (I had to google her to find out who she is!).  She blew me away.  She actually sorta kinda reminded me of my grandmother…Nanny B!  Anyway, she had my full attention.

She is known as the “Winning Sage“.  Her whole life she has been winning contests, sweepstakes, whatever you want to call them…she wins!  Here’s how she does it (and how I did it): S.P.E.C.

S: Select it.  (What is it that you want?  Pick it out.)

P: Project it.  (See yourself with the thing you selected.  How does it feel?  Visualize yourself wearing it, using it, riding on it (Thomas the Train), whatever it is, you have to project it out there.)

E:  Expect it.  (Have complete faith and trust that you will get what you want.)

C:  Collect it.  (It’s yours…go get it!)

This was taken in 2008 when we drove to Rusk, Tx to see Thomas.

So I watch the video, google her to find out who this amazing woman is, and then I decide to go to a site that I frequent called Moms Like Me.  Right there on the home page is a contest to win Thomas tickets.  So of course I enter!  I wanted to take the boys on this awesome train ride.  I saw us riding the train and visualized the reaction on my kids faces when they see it’s a real live Thomas.  I expected to win.  I would have bought tickets, but I just knew I was going to win so I didn’t.  Then yesterday I get an email saying I won and my tickets will be at will call for whatever day I want to go!!

HAHA I would say I can’t believe it, but I can!  I knew I would win.  I did exactly what Helene (my new grandmother, by the way :) told me to do.

I am just so thrilled by this!  You know, she’s really just using the Law of Attraction to get what she wants.  She never mentioned LOA on the video I viewed or anything that I saw online about her, but that’s exactly what she does.  I just love it!

——————————————————————————————————————————

Unfortunately the file size is too big for me to post the video.  I really wanted you to watch it, but doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to get it on here.  (I’ve been trying to get it to upload for some time now, but my server isn’t allowing me that space…my computer knowledge doesn’t extend beyond that :)

And as a side note…this picture of my family in front of Thomas was when we drove to Rusk, Tx in 2008.  Since the boys are older now and Miles (my little one) is totally diggin’ Thomas I think this time will be even better!

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Art from the Heart…Truly!

February 23rd, 2010

Firsts are always exciting, always fun, and always eye opening.  This is my first blog post where I’m featuring someone.

I love it when I find people that are living their passion, and Gina Marie Dunn is doing just that!  She is an artist living in Dallas and I ran across her work at a cool little (affordable!) art gallery called Artisan Style (where my jewelry is being sold as well).  I noticed her art earlier this month at the gallery…she has an awesome heart collection that I just love (no pun intended!).  It’s not only perfect for Valentine’s month, but perfect for when you need a splash of red on your walls!

Gina Marie sells online through Etsy and does custom work.  Check it out!  She’s truly fantastic.

*Education: BA in Communitcations/Public Relations from Loyola University New Orleans, Minor inStudio Arts

*Current City/Hometown: live in Dallas, originally from Brooklyn, NY

*Tell me about your work in one sentence: With the subject matter of my paintings varying from cellular abstractions to modern landscapes, there is a dreamlike, organic aspect to my work that is always apparent.
*Describe your normal day. What would your *ideal* day be like? On a “Normal” day, I am up at 6:00 a.m. to get in a run before my husband and three kids are up at 7:30 (I am training for my sixth half marathon), then hubby is off to work and the kids and I spend the morning either hanging out outside if weather permits, playing with toys, or going to and from activities.  If the planets aligns and everyone takes afternoon naps at the same time I usually get some time to paint out in my studio. Painting time has been very limited lately with the arrival of our third child just three and a half weeks ago, but I look forward to painting more when the baby gets on a more regular schedule in the next few months.  Right now I am just enjoying my kids as much as possible because they grow so fast.

*What are your passions? my family and friends, art, yoga

*What are your goals? to become an internationally recognized artist and to raise a happy family in a loving home

*Who are your creative influences? Marc Chagall, Vincent Van Gogh, Joseph Cornell, Frida Kahlo

*Are there any other relevant experiences that shaped who you are today and what you do? It is in my blood to create. My mother is an amazing artist who has taught me so much about painting. I still have so much to learn from her.  She’s the only one in my family who will give me an honest critique! :)

*Is there anyone (celebrity, dead, alive, in your life) that you really look up to as an inspiration? While pregnant with my third child, I have painted more than I ever have in my life. The pregnancy was a very difficult one, full of concerns and worries, and to process all of the stressful news we received I took the term “art therapy” to a whole new level.  I painted through bouts of insomnia and turned them into productive hours in the studio. Luckily our prayers were answered and our son was born perfect and healthy, but the experience of carrying him has changed me forever, and I lovingly call him my little muse.  I feel some of my best work has been created in the past nine months.


*What motivates you on a daily basis?  Do you have a “guilty pleasure” that you can’t miss out on to get you going? On a daily basis, I am motivated by fresh air, sunshine and the laughter of my children. My “guilty pleasure” comes at the end of the day when the kids are in bed and my husband and I cuddle on the couch and indulge in our favorite TV shows and nightly dessert of chocolate chip cookies or an ice cream sundae.  I would rather run five miles every day mainly so I can enjoy dessert at night!
*What’s your working style?  Do you work for 12 hours straight nonstop, or do you take lots of breaks? Although I could easily work the day away if given the opportunity (I have too many ideas for my own good sometimes),  being the mother of three children under four simply does not allow for that.  My family is and always will be my first priority. Instead, I work in spurts, whenever I can carve some time out of the day, whether that is late in the evenings, early mornings, on Fridays when I have help at home, just whenever.
Website: web.mac.com/utopiapkwy
Art Blog: http://utopiapkwyarts.blogspot.com/
Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/UtopiaPkwyArtStudi0
Twitter: @lvartmom
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32300883549&ref=ts

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Choose To Be Optimistic…It Feels Better ~The Dalai Lama

February 18th, 2010

STRESS.  A 6 letter word that is used so frequently…”I’m so stressed out”, “I’m sorry I yelled at you.  I’m just stressed right now”.  Really?  Is stress that prevalent in our world today?  I know it is, but sometimes I wonder if it’s just an overused word.  I wonder if sometimes the word stress is used instead of “busy” or “beat”.  Is stress used just because that’s what we’ve been taught or because we hear that word so frequently that we want to be part of the “stress crowd”?  Is it cool to be stressed?  Does being stressed mean we’re successful?

Absolutely NOT!

I rarely use the word to describe myself.  I guess mainly because I just don’t stress.  I may have a lot on my plate, or I may be under a time crunch but I wouldn’t say that I’m stressed.  I just know what I have to do and do my best to get it done.  But really I believe the secret to not being stressed is to believe in well-being, to believe that everything will be okay, to trust that it’ll all work out.  And this is what I do!

When we’re stressed, we’re basically feeling and thinking negative thoughts, our confidence is low (“I can’t do this”), and we’re dreaming up what an awful future we have.  And when we do this, we feel terrible.  We have anxiety and nothing is right.  If we continue this pessimistic view, what we will see is more of the same…more shit to be stressed about!

But it doesn’t have to be this way!  There’s really no need to stress, no matter what your situation is.

To believe in well-being is to be optimistic, and when you have optimism you have hope.  When you change your perspective to seeing the glass half full, it is!

So I’m not saying that you should look at something that is dark and yucky and call it light and shiny.  I’m just saying shift your gaze.  Instead of looking at your problems and stressing over them, look for the solutions.  When you take your focus off what you don’t want and focus on your well-being, then the Universe will bend over backwards to give it to you.

Next time you start to utter the word “stress”, or you feel stressed and overwhelmed just remember to look in another direction.  Think back to the last time you were stressed.  After the stressful situation ended, didn’t everything work out?  You’re still here, you’re still alive, and you have so much to be grateful for.  It really is okay.  No matter what happens, it all works out in the end.  It may not work out like you had planned, but it did work out and may actually even be better than you planned.

Have Faith.  Believe.  Have Hope.  Live Easy.  Now these are cool words!

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An Interesting Growth Opportunity

February 4th, 2010

So I’m reading the book, “Committed” by Elizabeth Gilbert.  She’s the one who wrote “Eat, Pray, Love“, and I ran across a passage in her book that I just love.  I want to share it with you!

“I’d learned enough from life’s experiences to understand that destiny’s interventions can sometimes be read as invitations for us to address and even surmount our biggest fears.  It doesn’t take a great genius to recognize that when you are pushed by circumstance to do the one thing you have always most specifically loathed and feared, this can be, at the very least, an interesting growth opportunity.”

Like she says…”it doesn’t take a genius to recognize”, but I wanted to share this with you because while it doesn’t take a genius, it’s always something good to be reminded of.

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Why would you want to be realistic?

January 29th, 2010

I just love Will Smith.  This is an awesome compilation of his wise, wise words!

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Cards 4 Cancer

January 25th, 2010

As I hope you know by now, I contribute to a great non-profit organization called Spirit Jump.  Their mission is to give hope and comfort to the many men, women, and children battling cancer.  They do this by sending cards and inspirational gifts to lift the spirits of those experiencing that difficult time.

c4clogosj1I sent many cards and Self Symmetry jewelry to cancer patients in 2009, but this year I want to step it up a bit!  I’m leading a team in the 1st annual Cards 4 Cancer Day, which is April 10, 2010.  What I’ll be doing is gathering cards from now until then.  Then on April 10th, I will be delivering all the cards to Texas Oncololgy – Medical City Dallas.

So, I need your help!  I’m looking for team members.  All you have to do as a team member is gather cards.  These cards don’t have to be anything fancy.  They can be homemade or store bought.  They can be scribbles from a 2 year old, a fun drawing from a 5th grader, or an uplifting message from your coworker.  It doesn’t matter.  I don’t know who will get what card, so it doesn’t have to be addressed to anyone in particular.  The only requirement is that the message be positive!  It would also be great if “Spirit Jump” was somewhere on the card so the recipient will know what organization it came from.  If they find the card helpful and it lifted their spirit then they can log onto Spirit Jump’s website and register to receive more cards and gifts.

If you’re a team member all you have to do is help me gather cards.  You can gather 5 or 500, I don’t care!  You can ask your child’s school or classroom, your coworkers, church, family, friends….basically anyone you can think of.  Would be fun to have a card making party too!  Or, if you don’t necessarily want to be a team member but want to buy or make a card you can do that as well.  Just send me the card and I’ll get it to a person battling cancer.

I don’t have a number for a goal in mind, but let’s just say this…I want to gather a ton of cards.  This is so easy, so thoughtful, and it can mean so much to someone.  Just think how cool it would be to go to a radiation treatment and have a card or two waiting for you.  The thought of knowing that people care about you and are praying for you right before you have a procedure or right after you get some news about your disease.   It really can make the difference in someone’s day.

Let’s show those battling cancer how much we love and care for them.

If you’d like to be a team member, let me know!  Leave a comment, email me, let me know on FB, tweet me…just let me know!  If you just want to send a card that would be awesome too.  Again, just let me know.  I’ll get you my address.

I’m looking forward to gathering cards and doing some good.  Thank you SO much!

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Open Your Mind & Be The Change

January 7th, 2010

imagine blog

Just a rambling thought (on this frreeeezzzzing cold day)!

So I’m thinking about conflict, mostly religious and political, and why our world is so caught up in it.  What if we were all to let our mind open a bit more and expand.  Some of us get so stuck in our ways, thinking that those who disagree are foolish.  Really all arguments are about who’s right and who’s wrong.  That ego of ours can be a bitch!

I think that the more our mind opens, the more we realize that it’s okay to have different opinions.  It’s okay to want different things.  It’s okay to have different beliefs.  Having choices, being different, and having the freedom to do what we want is what makes life so awesome.

It’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong.  Can’t we just be okay with having our own opinions?  Ideas are born from an open mind, from the thinking that we can expand on what we have.  We can have bigger and better if that’s what we want, but it takes an open mind to dream of something different.

If we all conformed and had the exact same beliefs then we would really be limited.  We would have no new inventions.  No one would be thinking outside the box.  We would basically be like robots.

So next time you disagree with someone or go to a different church or have an adamant view of the president and think that everyone else is crazy for not thinking the same as you — just remember…it’s okay.  In fact, it’s good!

So it starts with you.  It starts with me.  As Gandhi says “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

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Who Needs a New Year? My Intention Now and Always

December 31st, 2009

As I sit here on the eve of a new year I think about all the people making resolutions…lose weight, quit smoking, no caffeine, be nicer, get a good job, work less, work harder, the list goes on.  And then I think about all the people in Feb (or sooner) giving up on those resolutions.  We’ve all done it, right?  We all do it, which is why I don’t make new years resolutions.

newyearsresolutions

I totally respect those that come into the new year with resolutions, and I’m blown away by those that actually follow through…although come to think of it, I can’t recall ever meeting anyone who has. :)

As I’ve grown over the years I’ve learned the value of the present moment and how every moment is a brand new one and it’s okay to start over at any moment, so January 1 doesn’t really mean much to me other than it’s another moment!

So with that in mind, here’s my very simplistic intention for this moment, the next, the next and the next moment:  TO FEEL GOOD AND TO HAVE THOUGHTS THAT FEEL GOOD!  I truly believe that if in every moment I can feel good, then all will be well.  I will have anything and everything that I want and I will be living my dream life.  Period.  It’s that simple.

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering how I will feel good when something bad is happening and how feeling good will bring me anything and everything I want.  Let me explain — if something bad is happening it’s really just my perception of whether it’s good or bad, so if I can perceive it to be good, or at least see a bright side, then I’ll feel better.  Does that make sense??  AND, as you know I’m a HUGE believer in the Law of Attraction so the better I feel, the more things I’ll attract into my experience to feel good about, and I won’t be having “bad” things come into my life!

So there you have it.  My intention now, on Jan. 1, or any other day, any other moment is to feel good.  Wanna join me?

Happy New Year, Everyone!

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Marathon Runners Blow My Mind!

December 14th, 2009

whiterockmarathonSo yesterday I ran the last leg of the White Rock Marathon relay race…6.2 miles!  I must say I’m very proud of myself.  I trained a bit, but not as much as I would have liked to.  Yesterday was only the 2nd time that I’ve ever ran that far and the first time was on a treadmill!  So yes, I’m very proud of myself, but I’m also proud of ALL the runners, especially the marathoners…26.2 miles.  Wow.

Running is such a mental game.  For me, it’s goes something like this:

When I take my first several strides I wonder how the hell I’m even going to make it a half of a mile.  My body is trying to find a rhythm.  My breath is too.  And my mind?  haha “Let’s do this another day.  You’ve really got a lot to do.  You don’t need to run this race.  Please stop.  Please.”.  BUT I DON’T.  I keep moving.  I bring my awareness to my breath.  Ahhh, there it is.  I’m starting to hear a rhythm.  2 inhales through the nose, 1 exhale through the mouth.  (I don’t know if this is how I’m “suppose” to breath while I’m running, but this is what I do).  I keep moving.  Then I find the rhythm in my body, and I get a good pace going (I run a 10 minute mile).  Everything is going good, but then my mind wanders in…or maybe I should say my mind wonders what the hell I’m doing!  You mean I’ve only gone a mile?  What?  Ok, back to the breath.  I’ll enjoy my scenery.  But wait, my knee is starting to hurt.  I ignore it the best I can.  I tell myself to keep running, just don’t think about it.  Don’t think about anything, or wait, maybe I should think about something to get my mind off the running.  Okay, so what I am going to buy everyone on my Christmas list?  Okay, enough of that because my toe is numb.  Yep, I can’t feel my big toe.  That’s okay, just keep running.  You can do this.  Breathe.  2 miles.  That wasn’t so bad.  I can keep going.  I’m fine.  Just breath.  Enjoy the now.  Take this moment in completely (this is where I go into my yoga training), but damn this knee and toe (this is where I go out of my yoga training).  Should I stop?  Yes, I think I should.  No, nope.  I’m fine.  I can do this.

And then, out of nowhere I realize that I’m absolutely okay.  My body is amazing.  It’s almost like my legs and arms are just moving on their own.  You get to point (for me it’s about mile 3 or so) where it’s like you don’t even realize they’re moving.  They’ve been moving in that same motion for so long now, that it just happens.  You don’t have to make your legs move, they just are.  And I can feel that my heart rate is high, but I can hold a conversation.  My breath is great if I just keep my “2-1″ rhythm going.

AND THEN, it’s all mental!  Once your body and breath have acclimated the mind is the only thing left you have to deal with!  Now this is probably where wearing ear buds and listening to music would come in and be a great help, but I, 99% of the time, don’t listen to music while I run.  I know!  Crazy, right?  I just figure I’ll be thinking my crazy thoughts while the music is playing, so why not try to not think at all.  A moving meditation.  So this is what I do.  I meditate why running (at least I try…most of the time I run while pushing my 2 kids, so if they’re not talking to me, need a snack, want my iPhone, and not fighting with each other, I’m meditating!).

I go in and out of boredom a bit too, but I know that’s just my mind playing tricks on me.  I make it 6.2 miles, and I’m feeling good.  But ya know, I don’t think I have a desire to run anymore than that.  I’m good.

I’m in awe of the marathon runners.  Not only the physical strength, but the mental strength it takes to run 26.2 miles just blows my mind!

(Now if I can just get up from this chair with my sore thighs!)

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I’m going to be very, very, very happy…first!

November 24th, 2009

busy-ladyWe all get crazy busy with the holidays, right?  Remember this:

Just do your best to keep yourself in balance. One of the first things that causes Energy misalignment, is asking or demanding too much of yourself in terms of time and effort. In other words, you just cannot burn the candle at both ends, so that you are physically tired, and then expect yourself to have a cheerful attitude. So, the rule of thumb has to be: “I’m going to be very, very, very happy, and then do everything I have time to do after that.”

This is from Abraham (Ester & Jerry Hicks) at an LOA workshop in 2005.

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