Live, Laugh but most of all LOVE

Life is brief to say the least. Things really can change in the blink of an eye. This summer has been about enjoying the small joys in life for me. It has opened my eyes to falling in love with everything around me. We live such fast-paced lives that sometimes we forget to stop and really relish in our surroundings. This post is dedicated to some of the small things that I love and some of the big things that we often forget to notice.

5. Soft surroundings...

Whether its a bed full of soft beautiful pillows or the grass beneath your feet, I love soft things. There is nothing like running your fingers through your dog's coat or the soft touch of the person you love. And let's not forget the joy of fresh, soft, clean bath towels after a hot shower.

4. Things that smell yummy....

No matter where I go, I always try to find something that smells yummy. Soft clean hair and skin is probably my favorite thing to smell. As everyone on earth knows my favorite scent is anything coconut! I must also say the smell of apple pie baking, fresh flowers and clean clothes are top on my list.

3. Food that alters life...

There is no picture in the world that can do justice to what I am talking about. When I say "food that alters life", I mean food that changes the way you think or feel or exists. We speed through meals in front of the TV on most nights. Meals that make you slow down, enjoy company, and delight in the sensation of taste are few and far between. This is the kind of food I love to celebrate. We should love our food thoroughly and passionately until the very last bite.

2. Adventures to far off lands...

There never seems to be enough time to explore the world. Whether its just picnicking at the local park or taking a 2,000 mile road trip, we need to get out more. Take in the sights of everything around us. We have been given this one body, with wonderful senses, to help us enjoy new places and all their wonder. Take the time, spend the money, enjoy a trip out of town every once in a while. We don't get a redo in this life, so don't miss out on this beautiful world we call home.

1. People to love....

I love being in love. There are plenty of things to love on earth, but loving the people in my life is by far my favorite kind of love. Whether those people are your family, your pets, your friends, or strangers you have never met, make it a point to show someone love today. Love is often misconstrued as agreeing on something, having the same belief or complying to what your loved one asks of you. This is not love at all. To me love is simple. You do it unconditionally, even when you don't agree. You do it because you can't help yourself. You do it when its hard. You love even when you aren't receiving that love in return. When you open your heart and love even when it hurts, you become a better person and you will change the lives of the people you are sharing that love with. Tell them often, daily even. Tell the people that mean the most to you just how much they mean. I forget sometimes to say it, but its important. You never know when it could be your last chance to say those three little words.

Falling for Niagara

My parents took me on a 7 hour road trip from Wilmington, Ohio to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada during my visit to Ohio this summer. Our goal was to get them packed up and moved home to Houston. We may have procrastinated an itsy bitsy amount. During our trip I experienced some of the most incredible views one can imagine. I was able to photograph over 200 flowers at the Niagara Falls Botanical Gardens. In addition I took way too many pictures of the falls leaving me with nearly 600 pictures to edit. We encountered many breathtaking moments while on this trip. I hope some of these pictures will do it justice.

Welcome to Canada! When we went through customs, the guard asked my dad what he had in his truck. My dad replied "My wife"... duh. The guard snickered and said "No Sir, what I meant was what contents do you have". My dad looked at him and said "My wife and my daughter?". Oh, Daddy, you are silly :)

Our hotel was beautiful as was the entire city. They had gambling, shows, shopping, and food galore! It was quite the party city. We joined a tour group in the lobby and boarded a bus. In a matter of 5 hours we would see more than 8 historical and tourists sites. The best part of the tour was skipping all the lines.

The falls are always changing and yet always amazing! When all of the gates are open that water is flowing at 47 miles per hour. The falls are as deep as they are tall, making this an extremely dangerous place to be. Only 2 people have ever survived the falls with no protection device.

This is the Bridal Veil.
Its located on the American side.
Its is much easier to see as full

view of the falls from Canada.

This is a full view of the American falls. Down in the right hand corner you see some little yellow dots. Those are Americans climbing endless decks to try to get a better view of the falls. It does not look like fun to me. GLAD I had a passport!






These are the Canadian Horseshoe Falls from the tower in Niagara. The mist was intense. If you look closely you will see a small boat called the Maid of the Mist. We actually boarded this boat and went to the base of the falls. There was so much mist and we were so close to the falls that we ended up soaked!







We also got to sample some of the local wildlife. This was my 2nd time to see a beaver but my first to photograph one. He was very sneaky and did not want to show me his tail.












Even though we were only there for one short weekend, we were able to sample the local wine and food, enjoy the beautiful views and take in the elusive wildlife. I would highly recommend this trip to newly weds or anyone looking for a historically rich, fun-filled vacation. I can't wait to take Ryan one day!

I think I really "captured" the falls... hehe...

Wow, I have a blog!

During the fall and spring I am a school teacher, but during the summer I am just plain bored. While all other grown-ups go and do adult things during the day, I will be posting anything that looks pretty, smells nice, sounds pleasing, taste delectable or just catches my attention. I hope other people will enjoy this blog and all the fun things I plan to post on it! This blog is a dedication to all the things that bring me bliss during these long, lonely days I spend hiding from the 112 degree weather here in Midland, Texas. Thank you for visiting my bliss...