The Family Bookshelf – My Memory Box

July 2, 2015July 2, 2015 / Jodi / 27 Comments

Do you have a favorite place or space in your home?

One of my favorite spaces in our home is the family bookshelf.

It’s kind of center stage in the great room commanding half of one wall measuring about 8 feet wide by 9 feet tall.

Hubby custom built this a few years after we built our house.

My “usual” seat on the couch directly faces this “memory box,” and sometimes I just stare at all the memories while hubby is staring at the television or the latest book he is reading in the evening.

It’s filled with so many favorite things…

There are a lot of family photos – some from a long time ago and some more recent…

Like our oldest son at 4 years old playing a toy saxophone and then a framed newspaper clipping of him playing a saxophone solo in the high school band. There’s one of him and his beautiful wife – our beloved daughter-in-law. There’s one of him and his Dad with a cake they made for a Cub Scouts competition and one in his “cap and gown” at his preschool graduation.

There are photos of our youngest son dressed in his favorite Halloween costume that he wore two years in a row when he was Peter Pan at 4 and 5 years old, in his football uniform for midget football, sticking his tongue out with his Dad and brother on a summer trip to Cedar Point Amusement Park, grinning at me at his preschool graduation, with me at a Kindergarten party where I was his homeroom mom, and with his sweet girlfriend now.

There is a photo of my hubby with his sister when they were young children… a sister and aunt who we loved dearly and lost way too early from cancer.

And there is a photo of my father-in-law taken on his last day on this earth when he was blessed with a surprise visit from a favorite niece from far away who he hadn’t seen in years. It is such a sweet memory to see him so happy just hours before he left us. We will never be able to express enough gratitude to this sweet lady for the joy she brought him that special day.

There are photos of friends and fun times, like a trip to Hawaii with our besties and holiday celebrations with all of our kids.

There are a few books, some significant, some not… There are high school yearbooks, photo memory books, bibles, favorite children’s books – like our very favorite bedtime read-aloud story book – “Bob and Jack – A Boy and his Yak.” There are baby books for each of the boys and a special memory book made by my cousin Joyce and given to me at Christmas featuring my first year blogging at LifeinBetween.me. There are books read at book club and business books and bird books and favorite fiction authors. There is a copy of the book I wrote and had bound as a gift to my Dad for our second Christmas together after reuniting. Our wedding photo albums sit on one of the shelves.

Then there are other sweet memorabilia, like our youngest son’s stuffed animal “Curious George” who he loved so dearly as a child and slept with every night.

There is the birthday bear my Dad sent me on my first birthday after we reunited after too many years apart with a sweet note saying, “Happy Birthday Jodi, My Little Girl. Love you, Dad.”

It was my 48th birthday.

And there is the little trinket box he gave me that says, “Daughter – With all the Beauty on the Earth, there is nothing more Beautiful than you.”

There’s a statue of a yellow lab that was my father-in-law’s sweet memory of his beloved “Brandy.”

There’s a cruise ship trophy our oldest son won singing Karaoke on a cruise with his now wife on a family vacation he went on with her family.

There are “Friends” blocks given to me from my BFF.

There is a photo album of our Cleveland friends wearing Pittsburgh Steelers shirts and poses too explicit to share here after they lost a family bet during a rival football playoff season.

There is a gorgeous painting from a faraway friend who suffered from a life-altering traumatic brain injury that completely changed her life and turned a corporate CEO into an artistic genius and a genuinely beautiful creative inspiration. I bought her very first piece of artwork, and I treasure it so dearly.

My heart is smiling as I type and recall these memories.

You see – a home is not brick and mortar. It is not plaster and paint.

It is the memories.

It is the family and friends and people you share it with.

My favorite little plaque hanging on another wall in our home says it all….

“The thing I love most about my home is who I share it with.”

So that is my special home “space.”

What is yours?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Who Needs an Office with a Window?

June 11, 2015June 11, 2015 / Jodi / 40 Comments

…when you are fortunate enough to work from a home office.

I often start out early in the morning on the back deck where the morning sun is bright and warm.

But when it gets too hot there, I move to the side porch for some shade,

or the front porch to swing a bit while typing.

Sometimes it’s necessary to work in THE actual home office…

but I also might sit at the kitchen table,

or more often stand at the kitchen counter,

or even curl up on the couch.

And though I so terribly miss my little four-legged co-worker, buddy, and pal, Mikey who was constantly by my side,

many of you have asked about our new neighbor, the baby cardinal.

Well – she visits often. She has learned to eat from the feeders and is growing fast.

Isn’t she cute?!

She hangs out with the menagerie of other cardinals, goldfinches, grosbeaks, woodpeckers, orioles, and all the others that flutter about in our backyard.

So who needs an office with a window – eh?

I am so fortunate to have my office at home tweet home.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

(Some of you commented about enjoying my “behind the scenes” photo the other day, so I thought you might enjoy a few more behind the scene photos.)

Buttermints and Besties

May 31, 2015May 30, 2015 / Jodi / 22 Comments

How to Identify a True “Bestie”

When you are in about the sixth hour of and on the twelfth pound of powdered sugar making a couple thousand homemade butter mints for a friend’s wedding, and you have sugar sticking to awkward parts of your body and every square inch of your kitchen…

a true “Bestie” (who you haven’t seen for three months) shows up, washes her hands, washes the dishes in the sink, cleans your Kitchen Aid Mixer cleaner than it has been in years, and then starts rolling butter and sugar with you…

even when you insist she just sits and keeps you company……

That, my friends, is what you call a “Bestie!”

Jodi & Janet – Sanibel Island, FL – February, 2015

I am blessed with a few of the best besties ever, including my sweet Janet, who has put up with me since we were 12 years old. Her parents have adopted me as their daughter, her sisters have made me their sister. My hubby and boys love her as much as I do.

What more could I ask for?!

Yep – Buttermints and Besties – that sums up my Saturday – doesn’t get any better…

Love you, Janet! Thank you!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

His Love Will Live in our Hearts Forever

May 19, 2015May 19, 2015 / Jodi / 80 Comments

In my job as a Director of Corporate Communications for Hospice and Home Health, I know all the right things to write… to say… to do… when explaining the journey at end of life and the experience of loss and grieving.

But when it is your own grief, it is quite different.

Yesterday, which was a day that filled my heart to overflowing with all of your kind words and comments and love on my One-Year Blogiversary, we also experienced a great deal of grief. We lost our best friend, our furry son, our first mate, our floor cleaner-upper, our company greeter, our deer chaser, our lap warmer, our walk companion, our dinner moocher, our tomato caper culprit, my first watercolor portrait inspiration, my sweet guest blogger….

Mikey – you have forever changed our lives. Your spirit will live within us always.

You taught us unconditional love and exuberance over the little things. You brought us humor and warmth and showed us the joy in a simple walk or a brief ride.

Your eyes had been telling me for a little while now, but I didn’t want to admit that though your heart and mind were strong, your body was ravaged by that ugly “C” word and causing you more pain than you deserved to endure.

From the moment your eyes locked with your Dad’s at the animal shelter that rescued you from being destroyed well before your job on this earth was done, to the day your eyes pleaded for relief, you were loved and you gave more than you received.

We are a better family, and I am a better person for having you in my life.

As your big brother Jake said, you are now in the ground giving back again. Your beautiful cells and spirit will nourish the grounds you tromped and protected and frolicked in and create the beauty that was you.

Dad said you can now chase all the chippies and deer and squirrels you want without pain.

And brother Nick finally admits you ARE a GOOD boy… the BEST boy… the BEST Dog we were privileged to have as part of our family. (You always knew he was just teasing you, and you simply loved him back!)

We are so sad, and we miss you so much, but we are happy for your relief.

Thank you, my sweetness, for all that you gave us.

Rest in Peace, Sweet Mikey…

Or run like the wild wind.

Your love will live in our hearts forever.

Love,

One Lucky Momma

April Showers – Celebrating with Charrie

April 13, 2015April 12, 2015 / Jodi / 15 Comments

You might remember I shared the card & gift wrapping I made for our family friend’s shower yesterday.

Well, today I invite you to experience a little “taste” of the shower. Charrie and her mom and the lovely hostesses gave me permission to shoot away and then share here with all of you.

The weather was sunshiny perfect, the hostesses smiles were just as bright, Charrie was beaming, and the details were amazing. Enjoy the little visit to the party.

And you may notice I was ~~completely~~ slightly obsessed with the petit four and cupcake display! 🙂 I can’t wait to get the petit four recipe, and if successful, share them with you here. They were TO DIE FOR! (I know hubby will love them! Layers of raspberry and apricot yumminess!)

Add to that blueberry pomegranate sangrias, pickled marinated asparagus, chicken salad, fresh fruit kabobs, and chocolate galore – oh my!!

Here is the lovely bride to be with her sister and maid of honor. Aren’t they beautiful?

Click on any of the photos to enlarge. Hope you enjoy as much as we did.

Cheers & Hugs to Charrie and Corey! Looking forward to celebrating your big day with you soon!

Jodi

Seeking Sole Mates

March 4, 2015March 3, 2015 / Jodi / 31 Comments

Most chores around the home are enjoyable (baking)… or at least tolerable (vacuuming because it gives me more steps on my Fitbit) … or there’s a way to make it more fun or interesting (trying new recipes for dinner, taking photos and blogging about it)… or you can hire someone to do it (bless you Karen and Lori for spit shining my house to perfection once a month!).

Then there is laundry… and it’s not even about the throwing it in the washer and flipping it to the dryer dealio… it’s the FOLDING.

Oh the drudgery of it!

And most especially the whites… underwear, inside-out t-shirts (that sometimes go back that way just because), handkerchief after handkerchief (especially this time of year).

But most of all – I dread the socks.

I’ve tried various sock strategies throughout the years – like buying all the same kind so I don’t have to look for matches, color coding for the individual (son, hubby), rolling in a ball, folding, the one-two top fold over… Just haven’t found the joy in any of it….

And why oh why is there always one spare single in nine out of ten loads of laundry seeking a “sole mate?”

I’ve tried making it interesting…

Folding in front of the television
Folding while on the phone with a friend
Folding with music in my ears
Marching in place (for more Fitbit steps of course!)
Singing while folding (to the horror of my family or anyone nearby)
Drinking red wine while folding …

So yesterday morning, in an attempt to entertain myself while folding, I found myself making up words to the Meghan Trainor song, “I’m All About that Bass.” It started out like this:

I’m all about that fold
About that fold
About that fold
No wrinkles

I’m all about that fold
About that fold
About that fold
No wrinkles

Yeah it’s pretty clear
I’ve got no crease groove
but I can fold it fold it
like I’m supposed to do

Cause I got the bend and tuck
that all the clothes chase
All the right folds
in all the right places

Oh I could go on – but I think that’s enough – eh?!

So sock it to me friends! I desperately NEED your tips for finding the joy in the fold.

And until then, I’ll be boom boomin’ to the lavado.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Discover – Reaching for a Better View

February 9, 2015February 5, 2015 / Jodi / 22 Comments

As some of you may recall, my “One Little Word” this year is Discover.

This is the year for me to Discover… more about myself… and more about the world around me.

I am honored and privileged to share a very special piece of artwork with you today from my friend Jo Freehand at Daily Record 365.

Jo created #Two Hundred Two: Discover just for me and my word!

I have been slowly taking it in since Jo kindly created and posted it several weeks ago; and every time I look it, I discover something new.

Here is how I first saw it:

The microscope is mammoth and massive and complex (like life), and it is examining the hole in the record (the “in between” part – the part where we have the freedom to do and be what we want). The lady is REACHING – almost as if for the stars and then embraces and takes in that light. And the microscope reminds me of the Discovery Satellite too – exploring the universe – and that is what the lady is seeing and feeling and it is filling her heart, and she is happy and excited and fascinated. And it is saying that what you see with your eyes (or at least on the surface or at first glance), might not be the “be all /end all.” You have to look closer, you have to feel it, you have to let it fill you, and it will bring you joy. There is a better view if you reach, stretch to look closer or look at a different way, and you need to look “in between.”

Jo elaborated:

Discovery is an individual experience. However this image speaks to you is right for you. For me, the microscope is focused on a watch, an everyday object. Or perhaps it represents time or a moment. She’s “reaching for a better view.” Does she realize the view right there beneath her skin? The entire universe right there? (Or has she been focused outwardly, watching hands move around the clock.) Can anyone else interpret her universe?

Deep stuff – eh??!! 🙂

What do you see when you look at it? What does it say to you? I would love to hear your thoughts.

And I urge you to discover Jo’s blog. It is always fun to see each Daily Record and interpret what it speaks to you. Comments are usually as diverse as the people sharing them, which make it that much more fun and interesting.

I hope you are discovering more about yourself and the world around you – every day – because there is a lot of “good stuff” in and out there!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

The Little Things

February 3, 2015February 3, 2015 / Jodi / 30 Comments

Isn’t it true? It’s the “little things” that mean so much!

Next week at this time, I will be in (hopefully) sunny, warm Florida with one of my besties, Janet, celebrating “the little things” that have sustained our friendship for 40 years! And seriously – I’m not sure how that is possible when I am [ahem] barely past 40, but Janet is my oldest – really meaning “longest” together – friend.

I can’t wait to just spend time with my sweet friend doing the “little things” that have sustained our friendship through the ages, miles and miles, and extended periods of separation (Janet lived in Alaska for about a million years).

Janet is my sister and her family is my family.

My hubby, Marty, gave me the BEST birthday gift this year. He’s sending me off to spend time with someone I hold so dear. And I can still hear the squeals when I called her on New Year’s Eve (my birthday) to tell her the good news. And we are going to get to celebrate her birthday, which is just a few days after my visit.

We will talk, walk, laugh, likely cry, eat, drink, reminisce, reflect, discover, and just “BE.”

No matter how much time or space has separated us, we have always enjoyed “the little things” that make life and our friendship so precious.

So this card I created is dedicated to my Janet.

It is made from the Stampin Up Sheltering Tree and Hello Life Stamp Set. It is clean and simple (CAS), because the message is so powerful: Love the little things – for they are what make up the greatest joys in life.

Wishing you a wonderful day filled with many reasons to celebrate “the little things.”

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

What I’ve Learned about Remedies for the Common Cold

January 22, 2015January 22, 2015 / Jodi / 33 Comments

I have been hanging out night and day on the couch for the past few days. Hit hard with what I’m guessing is the “common cold.”

I don’t get this down and out very often thank goodness, but I have been so grateful for all the well wishes and suggestions and advice on how to feel better.

Since it is that time of year and many of you might be experiencing the same, I thought I’d share some of the advice I’ve received. See what you think of some of these tips, and let me know if you have others! I think there is at least one that might surprise you.

Here are my TOP TEN TIPS to Remedy the Common Cold:

Stay warm and rested √
- Warm fire, soft couch, lots of blankies
Drink plenty of fluids √
- Coffee √
- Hot Earl Grey Tea with Honey √
- Water √
- Hot Chicken Broth (with leftover Chinese take-out rice) in same mug as coffee and tea √
- Fresca (in same mug as soup) √
- Apple Crown Royal Night Cap 🙂 (got out a new glass for this) √
Steam/Vaporizer √
- I don’t have a humidifier/vaporizer, but was told about a great way to create a steamer (note bowl of hot water and blanket on coffee table in photo). Yep – I’ve been boiling that bowl of water in the microwave and burying my face under that blanket to steam the congestion out of my head, ears, throat, nose.
Gargle with Warm Salt Water √
- Miraculously helps sore throat feel better
Cough Drops √
- Honey Lemon Halls – 2 bags down
- Cherry Halls – next best thing
Mucinex √
- Gave in and took one since Marty kept saying “Take a Pill!”
Hot Toddy √
- See “Drink plenty of fluids” above
Vitamin C √
- So happy Clementines are in season!
Steam Shower/Warm Bath √√
- Tried both!
Lime Jello √
- Yep – This was something I was really told is a tried and true remedy… and I’m desperate enough to try it and suprisingly had a box of sugar-free lime jello in the cupboard (from God knows when!!) – so it is chilling and “setting” now. I’ll have to let you know on this one!

BONUS TIP: Couch foot rest serves as a great computer “table” (see photo above) so you can lay on couch and read email, blogs, watch Amazon Prime (i.e. “Transparent”) and snooze in between. 🙂

Hot Toddy Cheers & Virtual Hugs Only,
Jodi

Happy Chinese New Year Party

January 20, 2015January 19, 2015 / Jodi / 33 Comments

We had a great time this weekend celebrating Chinese New Year! (a couple weeks early – but as our Host “Oh Rob” would say, “Who has more fun than us??!!)

Such yummy food… like these crunchy egg rolls,

the MOST AMAZING homemade dumplings and dipping sauces,

fresh crisp lettuce wraps, oranges (for good luck), and of course fortune cookies,

along with tender tangy teriyaki beef skewers to start of the festivities.

And after our bellies were satisfied with tasty treats and wine and Moscow mules,

and we all received our special hat and learned what animal our birth year represented (I’m a tiger in case you couldn’t have guessed – LOL!)

and we were wished good luck by our happy hostesses (Mimi and Ella) in matching smiles and attire.

We learned a new game that, though we all had heard of, none of us had ever played.

Bunco!

and though we don’t believe it has ANYthing to do with Chinese New Year,

we patiently listened to the instructions,

fought to hang on to the “Bunco Sheep,”

and had a great time.

Then, of course, it was time to eat again!

So fresh veggies got tossed into…

Chicken Stir Fry…

and Shrimp Stir Fry, with lots of fluffy steamed rice.

We visited some more,

hugged some more,

and ate some more,

and more…

until the end of the evening, when we we lit Chinese lanterns,

and made wishes,

while we watched them float away over the lake – carrying our hopes and dreams for good luck in 2015.

Thanks for a wonderful time Joyce and Rob! xoxo

Cheers & Hugs for a Happy New Year,
Jodi

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the creative life in between

cherishing the moments and exploring my passion for creativity… through art, photography, food, and writing

Lifestyle

The Family Bookshelf – My Memory Box

Who Needs an Office with a Window?

Buttermints and Besties

His Love Will Live in our Hearts Forever

April Showers – Celebrating with Charrie

Seeking Sole Mates

Discover – Reaching for a Better View

The Little Things

What I’ve Learned about Remedies for the Common Cold

Happy Chinese New Year Party

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