LIFE LOVE AND INTEGRITY

"Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you." ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr. 

#boom

So I haven't blogged in a loooong while, and I changed the name of my blog because I'm going to start sharing more DIY projects I work on, but I had to share my musings over this beautiful quote I came across today!  SHEESH, when I read this quote it hit me the same as that feeling a person might get when walking and looking down at their phone, then accidentally running into a parking meter, leaving them stunned and wowed at the same time! (I can neither confirm, nor deny, being said person above) 

How we choose to live our lives always starts with the thoughts we entertain and eventually they come to fruition through our behaviors and habits which evolve into a level of character.  That's a mouthful, but true!  #deepstuff  The character you develop can be a powerful model to those around you, especially your little ones.  As a mother, a sibling, a boss, a friend, a co-worker, or any other role you might fill, how do you handle fairness?  Is honesty displayed in your daily interactions at home, at a restaurant, the grocery store, at work, on the playground with your child, with family and friends?  How do you react to someone that has wronged you?  How do you act on a tough situation in order to progress toward a more positive outcome?  What behavior patterns are you developing for your children to observe that reflect your level of fairness and sound character?   

As a Mama, I have the opportunity (which is an honor) to model a life of love, loyalty, and fairness and exude strong traits of integrity.  I've been taught that integrity is choosing to do what is right, even when no one is looking, and to always share the truth with love, no matter what the outcome might be.  that.builds.trust.  (Side note...Part of me wishes I would have soaked in these lessons fully when I was younger (I love you Mama & Daddy!), but mostly I'm uber full of gratitude for who I am now, for the people in my life, and for the opportunity I have to be a strong model of integrity to those I cherish and love on this beautiful journey of life.)  Nickelbugs little eyes and ears that I have been gifted with will mimic those that she reveres the most, so I don't take this lightly.  So far, she is everything that defines love and integrity, so I must be doing something right!     

Nickelbug and I's Saturday Morning Snuggles :O)  
(#soakup even the seemingly small moments)

Keep an open heart and be willing to inspect your daily choices.  Try to keep things simple by choosing to pour love and gratitude over your little ones no matter how sour the day might be.  This will bring so much peace into your home and each of your hearts.  Give your children a legacy of a solid foundation from which to grow their character and faith for their future.  Then sit back to watch them bloom!  :O)

Sending you lots of Light and Laughter,

~Cassie

P.S. Stay tuned for some fun, easy DIY projects that I will be posting about soon :O)

FROSTY FROLICKING FAVES

Aside from the obvious joy of celebrating Jesus being born to rock this world in all future history for time in this life and after...here are a few things that tantalize my senses once Texas changes from a melting pot to an ice rink: 


warm coffee shops; holiday tunes; cinnamon apple scents; movie cuddles with Nickelbug; smiles; fresh baked goodies; putting up the Christmas decor; eggnog w/whiskey; holiday gatherings; vanilla chai tea (decaf, of course); tapping into my creative noggin to make gifts that peeps may not even use (its the thought that counts though, right?);  A Christmas Carol put on by Dallas Theater Center; a good read in front of my fireplace(I have one now!); hoodies; deviled eggs; being iced in and can't drive to work; loads of laughter; nights in with pinot noir and the bestie; my sage green heating blanket; cinnamon tea; yoga hot room; fluffy snow (if we're lucky); watching Nickelbug open her presents; new years resolution dreams; getting cozier for NYE; twinkling white lights; window shopping; buttery knuckles; The Rat Pack Christmas show at Majestic Theater; special soiree's; etcetera,  etcetera, etcetera...


The list goes on and as the seasons are beginning to alter I can't help but become googly-eyed & giddy thinking on these!  Always the simple things in life that can take your heart to the next level :O)


If you're low on energy today, think on moments you enjoy when seasons begin to change in your life.  We can learn so much from each season and know that when you cover it all with gratitude: you will see, the best is right in front of you!

 Uber big hugs to you all from Nickelbug and I :O)

Sending lots of love and light!

~Cassie

Lucky in Slumber is the Sleep Number Tonight

 

 

 

Sleep.

Solid, heavy leaded sleep.

Uber full of Zz's.

The kind of sleep where you wake up and your eyes and face are puffy yet your body is so relaxed you fear moving the distance of a fine tipped ball point pen will shatter this blissful feeling. 

Soooooooo beneficial. 

So long as you don't hit the snooze button six more times than you've allotted. Forced into throttling yourself out of bed is anticlimactic to the high you just experienced in your fully rested, meditative state. 

I don't wish the rattled start for anyone's day, however if it happens, fill your heart with gratitude that you've been gifted another day. This will restore that high and overwhelm you with peace to continue your day with fullness of love and light. 

 

 

Cheers to today's gift, you.

 

Sending lots of Love & Light,

 

~Cassie 

 

 

Today is Going to be a Good Day (Beautiful Thing You)

 

 

 

 

 

SKIPPIDY-DO-DAH ...

I've been in transition the past 6 months or so in several areas of my life.  I used to be surrounded by people all the time, every day on my calendar booked with social fun, church events, yoga, bestie time, etc.  Most of those have subsided as I'm entering a season of working  hard to become physically healthy and to make my dream a reality.  By clearing my calendar I can focus better on my journey.  For a gal that loves to be in the middle of social gatherings it has not been the more enjoyable part of my journey.   One thing my God showed me the other day was to not mistake His quietness and peace for loneliness.  That just because things are quiet in my world and my calendar relatively empty of social "stuff", doesn't mean I am alone or that it will always be like this. 


He has put a quietness and peace in my life that I am learning to appreciate more and more.  I can view it as being alone and remain stagnant and make it a plateau that is exit-free, or I can view it as a blessing and act on it by using my time wisely to work toward accomplishing goals.  I believe sometimes God remains quiet and hovers a peace on us to allow us to make the next move.  I view that as having His favor, of Him trusting me as I take the next step into the decisions I make.  And that, my dear friends, gives me warm fuzzies in my soul :O)  


The past couple weeks have been busy with having a long time, dear friend of mine in town and then Nanny came for a visit.  SO great having them here!!  Then I got the news that Nickelbug Designs was admitted into the White Rock Local Market at the Lakeside Baptist Church location YEE-HAAAW!!! (yes, wow, I actually just did that)   Needless to say, we've been busy bees getting ready for it (when I say "we", I really mean me and the mouse in my pocket).  Feels so great to be working, doing something I love and accomplishing goals...dreamy sigh....


This year is full of wide open spaces!  Definitely with lots of room for mistakes (insert credit to Dixie Chicks here) but I am putting my heart and soul into what I love, believing full well that all of it will be worth it!


Lots of Love and Gratitude,

~Cas


P.S.  The other night I woke up to Nickelbug mumbling in slumber...I listened closer to hear if she was having a nightmare...She lifted up her hand and said "Awesome, that's awesome" hahah must have been a good dream!  Has nothing to do with this post. Just sharing, it made me smile, even at 3 AM


Hello, Helllloooo, you beautiful thing......(insert music notes here and enjoy :O)
 

HAPPY TO BE

Everyone is well aware that Valentines Day is around the corner with the sweet aroma of Love growing or blossoming between two special people.  Some are consumed with what they might, or might not, get and/or whom they might spend it with.  Some gals obsessing for the right outfit and most original, thoughtful gift to give their special person.  Then there are some gals that are prowling for a date, period.  There are guys overcoming the tickles in their tummy to ask out the potential gal of their dreams to spend the National Day of Love with, trying to figure out how to do it big to sweep her off her feet.  Then there are some guys mobile polling to figure out how much needs to be spent in order to get lucky.  Lastly, there are also those of us that are on our journey single and soaking up every good bit of it that we can :O)  Either way, the special day has become overly commercialized and that kinda sucks the magic out of it. 

I believe each day (not just on Valentines Day) should be about growing your love for every person, animal, or situation you encounter and for life in general.  It all starts with growing Love in yourself.  Life changes when you can grasp that.  When you discover how to love yourself, right where you are at, then you can live in freedom to Love others without holding back.  An uninhibited Love that swells the joy in your own heart when you pour it over others and spread a big smile on their face.

 

(Painting by my fave: Katie Daisy)

Remember...being single and happy is far better than being in a relationship that is wrong for you. You can choose to feel love by tapping into your own self worth and doing what you love daily. To cultivate an expression of passionate love...you must first practice loving yourself, fully. This is something I remind myself on a regular basis and my growth of gratitude expands more and more for being in the place I am in today  :0)

 

Cheers to many beautiful days to spread Love to whomever you encounter and wherever you journey to! 

~Cas

TREE POSE....GO!

My love for living au naturel is an interesting and fun journey.  Learning to love myself right where I am, precisely as I was created, and the desire to take care of this vessel that I have been gifted with is growing :O)  It’s been a joy to try new raw foods and products to soak up all the good nutrients I can to feed me energy to live life well.  Exploring my yoga practice and expanding my knowledge of it to strengthen my body, mind, and spirit gives me a confident boost into the future, healthily.  

I was eating an apple one day and decided, instead of throwing the seeds out, I wanted to plant them.  So I did, HA!  And eureka, 3 of the four seeds I planted are actually growing :O)  Fast forward a few weeks:  one day I had a gut-hunch to use The Google to find out how to grow an apple tree from seeds…I was amazed at the personal involvement required to raise a fruitful offspring of apples (or any other fruit).   Grafting is the key.  You plant the seed into soil, water it, and love the little seedling until it is about 30 – 60 cm high then it undergoes a process of grafting it to a healthy parent tree in order to produce good quality fruit.  (Some of you might already know where I’m going with this).  If you desire to grow deliciousness-in-your-face quality fruit, you choose which species of apple (or other fruit) you want to produce (scion), then cut a stem of it at a steep angle.  You do the same to the seedling’s rooted stem that you raised.  Once you have them cut at steep angles that will fit like a glove, you then align them together where the thin greenish plant layer just under the bark of the scion and your beloved seedlings stem touch each other.  You then use cling film and masking tape to keep them in place.  Within 10 – 15 days, if aligned properly, you will see little shoots starting to bud from the grafting seam. If they are not aligned properly, the graft will fail and chances for fruit production are slim.  If you choose not to graft it might be 5-6 years up to 15+ years before seeing any fruit and if so, the fruit will more than likely be bad, whaaaaa!

My “Wow!”, “Ah-ha!” and “Thank you, God!” moment came when I was thinking about this whole process the other day while watering my little seedlings (that are growing nicely, by-the-way).  I was reminded how important it is to choose what I am grafting myself to.  If I choose to graft myself to what others expectations (or put-downs) are over me, pop-cultures do’s and don’ts, or past events in my life that I have chosen not to release,  then the fruit I produce in my life will taste awful (insert crinkle face here).  I’d be reeking of bad fruit and I’d be releasing confusion, frustration, bitterness, anger, jealousy, etc.  But if I choose to graft myself to be one with God, then the fruit that exudes from my core will be so much tastier!  I will be releasing into my sphere of influence a heart of service, joy, peace, confidence, direction, and encouragement, etcetera, etcetera, and etcetera!  In my humanness I tend to default to the former, so this visual helps me to remember to be proactive in what I choose to graft myself to.  

 

 

I’m highly enjoying exploration in my yoga practice to keep myself centered with God, learning how to release anything that I need to release, so I produce better fruit now and onward.  Hoping to encourage others along the way to do the same :O)

Ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat?”   Yah, me too!  I’ve been experiencing the beautiful benefits of eating raw, fresh veggies, fruits and other wholesome goodness.  Incorporating more raw/natural products into my everyday routine has been UBER rewarding!  Thankful for food and products that have greatness oozing from my happy, healthy being :O) Chow! 

Lots of Love and Gratitude,

C

SEW NICE TO MEET YOU

I have a thing for birds.  Not sure really where the liking to them came from, but like them, I do.  The short/small/pudgy ones that hop in their cute way are my fave.  When I sit in the Square of Thanksgiving to journal and reflect Dtown, I like to take pictures of them.  Heck, I even have one tattooed on me :O)  I was reading a Chick-Fil-A book about birds to Nickelbug the other night and it stated that you can find so many places to eat when you can fly, pertaining to the many different places that the different types of fowl find good eats.  Nickelbug related to it by sharing, "Yeah, you can find food at Starbucks, and at the mall, and at the store, and at the desert!" hahahah I love how she makes me chuckle and smile proud!

Enjoying an opportunity to share that tid-bit of Nickelbug and I's time together :O) 

So, on to what has been rolling around in my cerebrum...I've been pondering a lot about the course of events in my life. Choices.  Plans.  Events.  Some controllable and others out of my hands. 

Past.

Future. 

Presently. 

Accomplishments.  Mistakes.  Learning curves.  New horizons.  What-if's.  Dreams.  Freshness.  Tomfoolery.  Blushing moments.  Emotional roller coasters.  Travels.  Surprises.  Challenges.  Funnies.  Faces: past, ones I have yet to greet, and ones still here with me now...

All part of my journey.   

My God is pretty big.  Caring more for my hearts condition than what I can do, or not.  Now realizing He gives me the OK to focus on my inward journey, there is no need for me to worry about what others may think.  Nor should I worry of being incapable or lacking in any area of my life cause He fills in those gaps for me where I humanly can't.  My past does not surprise Him. My present does not worry Him. And my future is certainly not a mystery to Him.  I have come to a place where I can love myself, just as He made me.  Quirks and all(and I have many).   This inward journey has taught me that meditating is important.  Meditation does not mean you have to always sit in repose, stating in unison with others, "Ohmmmmmmm" for hours on end.  You can meditate while you walk, draw, drive, gather firewood, mime, whatever, so long as you aren't consumed with thoughts about your past or lost in some made-up, fairy tale future.  Meditation is no different than prayer.  For me it's about getting centered with God, listening, asking, learning, loving, and letting go.  Letting what God created shine!  How I choose to project my light onto others is entirely up to me and learning to love myself, as is, has become my starting point. Finding love for myself; what I do in love to work through life and what I do in love when it's time to let go, no matter what the situation may be.  People are fallible; many have come into my life, and many have exited.  I'm okay with that.  God doesn't go anywhere and even when I tried to shut Him out, He was still right on the other side of the door, standing guard to protect me.  He is showing me to love, starting with me.  Who am I to be so bold?  Do you love yourself enough to be okay in every situation?  So much so that no matter what you say you can have no attachment to how it and you are received?  Be non-attached to the outcome.  All results are good.  Know this and you will be fine.

Coming to where I have arrived thus far, I can honestly share that I am a very happy woman :O)  Sure, I've made plenty of mistakes (and still continue to make them as I'm only human) but I am thankful for them all for I am the woman I am today for them AND they have brought me the most beautiful little girl, EVER.  For her, I desire not to ever change anything that has been done if it meant she would not be here with me now.  A sentiment I believe that can (and will) be shared no matter where I am on my journey!

So, can you hear the birds singing?

"There is only love.  Everything else is our resistance to it." ~Terces Engelhart

THOUGHTS THAT COULD...

It's amazing how many faces inspiration can have.  

Some serene, some stunning, some scary, some perplexing, some breathtaking, some peaceful, some that leave you speechless (in the “I don’t know what that is” kind of way)...name it, someone, somewhere in the world is being inspired by just that...

I have a BIG God and when I observe the world around me I have moments of breathtaking awe at how meticulously thought out and how perfectly detailed every object (animate and inanimate) around me was brought to fruition by the sound vibrations of One persons spoken words.  He is a flipping creative genius!  And this all came to be starting with thoughts.  Certain thoughts entered His mind that urged Him to speak them into existence and then propelled Him into action to then do what He was created to do.  He thought everything through, first.  That's what makes Him so great.  For that, He deserves uber loaded rounds of kudos snaps for sure!

For some of us choosing what is allowed into our minds is a harder process depending on what stage of our journey we are in.  Filtering my thoughts is always a challenging process, but it's a must in order to get aligned and stay aligned with where I need to be headed.  


Purging.
  
Renewing.
   
Refocusing.
   
Redefining.


(I'll allow you the priviledge of putting meaning to each of the above in relation to where you are at on your journey)


Taking every thought captive and testing to see if it's truth.  It's not a doom and gloom process, it's revitalizing and freeing!   Allowing the right thoughts into my mind and saying NO to the wrong thoughts that try to take over; regularly filtering in order to keep me focused, to shape me, and help me be doing what I am inspired to do each day, little by little, to remain on the path that I'm supposed to be on, continuing to grow and learn in the mix. 

We are all created for greatness and inspired to pursue it differently.  I truly believe that.  Question is...are you willing to entertain the creative thoughts that enter your mind that will propel you into becoming great?  Even more so...are you willing to actually do what those thoughts inspire and challenge you to do in order to grow you into that greatness?   


Or...if you prefer...you have your right to lounge back and watch life pass you by...like this squirrel :O)

 

THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEPY TOWN

i.am.falling.asleep.

In the most literal sense of the word

     

If you look up the definition of sleep online...you will see a picture of me with my head on my desk, mouth gaping, and drool dripping...

So what is a gal (or guy) to do?  

I like to refresh my mind and my heart with images, words, and activities I highly enjoy and that breathe life into me (and essentially overflows into others around me) and catapults me closer to my dreams for Nickelbug and I's future.   

If I am at work...The Google and I are pretty tight.  I use The Google quite often.  If I need to be refreshed I look up randominities from looking up words such as homeostasis pertaining to organisms, to browsing other artists work to be inspired by their freshness, to researching ways to improve my health so my stay here on earth is a little longer, to simple, fun DIY activities to share with Nickelbug, to gardening so we can learn how to grow our own food, to environmental health so we can learn to take care of our home planet better, to funny pictures just to have a random, good belly laugh out loud (really, even while at work to break the dead silence in the office and rattle everyone else awake).  Name it, The Google tells me about it at my command and most of which I share with whoever else is around at the moment to listen (or just listen to me snicker and laugh).  

If I am in my abode and needing to be refreshed I choose to enjoy a fresh glass of wine and draw, or paint, or work on Nickelbug Designs (feel free to click Like to stay up to date with fresh news and upcoming events on Nickelbug Designs Facebook page).  I also like to write in my journal and just make-up some stuff to get the creative juices flowing.  Nickelbug has taken to drawing and painting too so we can enjoy it together painting each others faces or work on puzzles of Fairytale Friendships (she really enjoys that).  Refreshing my Worth to solidify who I am as a woman of God by meditating on scriptures that stand out to me is greatly renewing inside/out while practicing yoga; it really flushes out a lot of negatives for me too (check out Bikram Yoga Dallas, it will rock your mind and make you smile, promise)!  

The last thing I want to happen is to fall asleep and remain stagnant.  Remaining stagnant is not okay in my life book...I enjoy being and doing and growing and pouring that energy into others.  Keeping my heart and mind fresh to grow the desires that have been planted  in me help me to keep positive feedback a regular visitor and keep me balanced  :O)

 

Have you been visiting Sleepy Town longer than you planned to?  Or, did you even plan the visit and it just sort of happened?  If you're wanting a different place to travel to then utilize The Google...start by searching something that turns you on and ignites movement in you.  That simple.  I believe your searching will snowball and you will be greatly inspired to move toward your calling in life and live happily ever after :O)

A FEW OF MY FAVORITES

Life is multi-faceted and absolutely amazing...there is so much of it that I enjoy...here are just a few...well maybe more than that heehee

I enjoy making art and admiring good artwork from fanomenal artists such as Katie Daisy and Sylvia Ji.  Riding on horses, raising health awareness (go vegan), action packed movies, reminiscing with friends & family, green lights, emailing myself reminders so I don't forget things (or waste paper by writing "lists" that might be lost), flowers, creating ripples in my small sphere of influence, good thriller reads, coconuts, yoga, journaling, good tunes, squirrels, and looong walks along the ocean.  Really,  I do love to frolic on the beach.  I have the privilege of introducing Nickelbug to the beach in about a week for the first time.  If she's anything like me she will fall madly in love with the sand between her toes, the smell of salty air in her nose and sticking her big toe in the water. 

I get uberly tickled when Nickelbug picks up a piece of her chicken nugget with her fork and holds it up to show me the heart shape she sees that formed from the angle I had cut it.  Completely unintentional, as I was in a hurry to feed a hungry 4 year old tummy.  

I enjoy being outdoors, letting the sun rays dance on my skin.  Watching and listening to the birdsongs.  I especially love to feed them and watch them flock, bobble their heads and peck.  They get so close they even eat out of my hand!  They encourage me to enjoy my personal fairy tale of being Snow White and one with nature...only minus the bugs...and the white part....more like Snow Tan.  

 

I enjoy surrounding myself with people who, just by them being themselves and the way they live on a daily basis, challenge and encourage me to pay love forward and serve those around me and help nurture the environment we live in. 

It's okay to smile at people more and you're allowed to not take yourself so seriously all the time.  :O)

Truly, love on others and you will in turn learn how to love and enjoy yourself, the right way. 

Here's a great tune to lighten your heart for the remainder of your day, enjoy!