tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42996117617586407072024-03-06T15:01:06.469-05:00Lifetime Memories PhotographyChristine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-85339082114603934802019-04-27T07:51:00.001-04:002019-04-27T07:54:46.522-04:00No Body Is Perfect ... Models Needed<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Does this sound like you? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNX4ztBxSd1UriwbLaocKelJ-IkiOhs97XDqM_Vo-pxN91UgK4leeA8_VgZ4mbT9BKuFitAxhyphenhyphen0UZkQpFH_BG_KpLK-qV-LTN6g4txwo_6ZBX83_og-xBfqfJ7VZgdE33SMwxTPz5ShPD/s1600/negative-self-talk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="460" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNX4ztBxSd1UriwbLaocKelJ-IkiOhs97XDqM_Vo-pxN91UgK4leeA8_VgZ4mbT9BKuFitAxhyphenhyphen0UZkQpFH_BG_KpLK-qV-LTN6g4txwo_6ZBX83_og-xBfqfJ7VZgdE33SMwxTPz5ShPD/s200/negative-self-talk.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I'm fat." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I wish I could just lose those last 10 pounds."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I'm ugly."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I wish my face would stop breaking out."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I hate my legs."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I hate my arms." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.. the list of things we hate, wish we could change about ourselves or think about our own self-image is on-going and usually not very positive and anxiety can get the best of some of us at times. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Myself included. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Too often, from my own mouth, do I hear words similar to those above; </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am on a journey to heal from the negative words that I hear come out of my mouth about my body, you know the ones when I say them, my husband looks at me like I've got 12 heads, because they just aren't true, but the psychological torture that we put ourselves through is very real and often times, unnecessary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If this sounds like you, please read on...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfuQY1K2zWeRBa6uih6Rs-J-dminkXv8Y0GuLCs2FihEzEuUFejdS9iGLhmr_OatXb1xL5uoK4V802BI_-R7RqMWd8uetP1M2h6sAtnyKqQ8oup4wh3Ofd_2lcWf8UBkJ2B-RXwQnPaYQ/s1600/self-loathing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="800" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfuQY1K2zWeRBa6uih6Rs-J-dminkXv8Y0GuLCs2FihEzEuUFejdS9iGLhmr_OatXb1xL5uoK4V802BI_-R7RqMWd8uetP1M2h6sAtnyKqQ8oup4wh3Ofd_2lcWf8UBkJ2B-RXwQnPaYQ/s200/self-loathing.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">A few years ago, I began thinking about a project that I wanted to do, and am finally in a place where I can get it accomplished and prepare for a gallery show: </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">"No Body Is Perfect"</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxScwhKWZbFthlyiGqYkmqmdUIlb5p3sWuWxMyYWwCrFkGxI50D2qF6LyzEcYc1XB3lRzRxZmEgdfsdHIMNUwuhlsXCmfVs6xjm3ZqG7z5r9RvGdLGGkQU-m43f6y_f6RR-Und3Muo4ng/s1600/Dying-to-Self-in-an-Age-of-Self-Worship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxScwhKWZbFthlyiGqYkmqmdUIlb5p3sWuWxMyYWwCrFkGxI50D2qF6LyzEcYc1XB3lRzRxZmEgdfsdHIMNUwuhlsXCmfVs6xjm3ZqG7z5r9RvGdLGGkQU-m43f6y_f6RR-Und3Muo4ng/s200/Dying-to-Self-in-an-Age-of-Self-Worship.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">Details: </span></b><span style="color: #666666;">I am looking for <b><i>volunteers</i></b> to help me on a project of healing to include in a gallery show. It is all about the body. Your body. The part of you that you wish would just disappear. Whether it is a literal or interpreted representation (ie, the mind), I want to capture it. This project is for women and men over the age of 18 only; i</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">mages can be taken showing your face, or without, while the purpose of this is to complete a project, the context is completely up to you. The photos will be displayed with a brief story about the person in the photos (names can be excluded if requested).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you would like to participate, are willing to sign a release to have the photos printed and displayed at a gallery show, please contact me at christine@lifetimememoriesnwy.com, call or text 716-608-5539 to schedule your session. I will begin shooting in May. All participants will receive a printed copy of the photo chosen and story after the gallery show. Participants will be able to help choose which photo is selected for the show, as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Love starts with yourself, from there, you can go anywhere. </span></div>
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Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-72275355934371436772019-04-21T14:08:00.000-04:002019-04-21T14:08:44.830-04:00Lifetime Memories Photography Grand Opening<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0ZKj8L2EBA6zaKNPDlvEpWHiI2b7P7EA-eWVfJOZks4X98K5DgDg5A7XoHQ7dmHL8YwOziKkTdu03R5DxSdaC7q_tQbVyIjXOZCP2Qvhs8cEbNJeqXgiQci7m791j93VpS0YGoSGjNLz/s1600/GOBuiling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0ZKj8L2EBA6zaKNPDlvEpWHiI2b7P7EA-eWVfJOZks4X98K5DgDg5A7XoHQ7dmHL8YwOziKkTdu03R5DxSdaC7q_tQbVyIjXOZCP2Qvhs8cEbNJeqXgiQci7m791j93VpS0YGoSGjNLz/s320/GOBuiling.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
After taking a sabbatical for a few years, Lifetime Memories Photography is coming back full force in 2019! <br />
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Owner Christine Pilarski is excited to announce that Lifetime Memories Photography celebrated their official grand opening on 4/13/19, 4/14/19 & 4/20/19. <br />
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After many years of being an on-location or home studio, we are happy to announce that we finally have a studio to call our own! <br />
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We are located at 1840 Clinton St., Buffalo, NY 14206, in the heart of Kaisertown, where we were warmly welcomed by the <a href="http://kaisertownfriends.com/" target="_blank">Kaisertown Friends Association</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PilarLandscaping/" target="_blank">Pilar Landscaping</a>, <a href="http://www.houseofhips.com/" target="_blank">House of Hips</a>, and the Easter Bunny! <br />
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You can find our building by the mural on the side (when coming from Bailey Ave.), painted by the amazing Vinny Alejandro of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UrbanInspirations" target="_blank">Urban Inspirations</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxd9S0z2TZI6QwtTNf3P2ObFGPyOpzuOmH9I7mHt-NGhPBYhQdyq7N8FHPj_g9n-Q2rJYP1jlIg0TlkU8OBkLJ-Y0Y_d1TgrSMGLILWj29cLCwMTDJRycIiNKKq6V8eN4dwywb15uPZHw/s1600/GOBuiling1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxd9S0z2TZI6QwtTNf3P2ObFGPyOpzuOmH9I7mHt-NGhPBYhQdyq7N8FHPj_g9n-Q2rJYP1jlIg0TlkU8OBkLJ-Y0Y_d1TgrSMGLILWj29cLCwMTDJRycIiNKKq6V8eN4dwywb15uPZHw/s200/GOBuiling1.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Our goal is to offer photographic services at an affordable price! We know that everyone loves professional photos, but cannot always afford to break the bank just to get them, that's why we are excited to say that our prices start at $75, and we are currently offering a grand opening special of $25 off mini and half sessions and $50 off full sessions through the end of May.<br />
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You can book your session today by visiting our website <a href="https://lifetimememorieswny.com/appointments">https://lifetimememorieswny.com/appointments</a>. A $25 non-refundable booking fee is required at the time of booking. You can also call our studio at (716) 608-5539 to schedule your session. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfGGoBzZs9F6l4Gdw_VXpET-ko9jh9fqjYFkGNvMYg0866jfgEAMSAVfnNoaPpuAAOTLXz0yCRAWzOWDEyb_XPcgg-CRU5-8fr0kt0_vH7dU3sNZdUiAPrhcxAbnyrvaWjCdr4vJUh8rN/s1600/GOMe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfGGoBzZs9F6l4Gdw_VXpET-ko9jh9fqjYFkGNvMYg0866jfgEAMSAVfnNoaPpuAAOTLXz0yCRAWzOWDEyb_XPcgg-CRU5-8fr0kt0_vH7dU3sNZdUiAPrhcxAbnyrvaWjCdr4vJUh8rN/s200/GOMe.jpg" width="200" /></a>We will also be offering classes that show you how to use your camera on the manual settings, studio lighting basics, using photoshop and many other classes. Visit our website to secure your place in one of our classes. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF8NdIG2X5E6EuFukhgVePfq7J9BUY2B2F39lAQokanjcYyyyaJqPC8C6DtOc0ykamrgpCccV3MFFVExPsq2NplOhKQGjNaPRyYWm3NIWTidKq4XWDYQA7h-e6QywIizLV5_1hYtmv-zF/s1600/bunny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF8NdIG2X5E6EuFukhgVePfq7J9BUY2B2F39lAQokanjcYyyyaJqPC8C6DtOc0ykamrgpCccV3MFFVExPsq2NplOhKQGjNaPRyYWm3NIWTidKq4XWDYQA7h-e6QywIizLV5_1hYtmv-zF/s1600/bunny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF8NdIG2X5E6EuFukhgVePfq7J9BUY2B2F39lAQokanjcYyyyaJqPC8C6DtOc0ykamrgpCccV3MFFVExPsq2NplOhKQGjNaPRyYWm3NIWTidKq4XWDYQA7h-e6QywIizLV5_1hYtmv-zF/s1600/bunny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>Lifetime Memories Photography is officially an LLC, filed in the state of NY in March of 2019. We've got our business insurance tucked away nicely in our back pockets and are ready to get back in the saddle! <br />
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During our grand opening, we saw many smiling faces, which we hope to be photographing REALLY soon!!! See some of our visitors below!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF8NdIG2X5E6EuFukhgVePfq7J9BUY2B2F39lAQokanjcYyyyaJqPC8C6DtOc0ykamrgpCccV3MFFVExPsq2NplOhKQGjNaPRyYWm3NIWTidKq4XWDYQA7h-e6QywIizLV5_1hYtmv-zF/s1600/bunny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1326" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF8NdIG2X5E6EuFukhgVePfq7J9BUY2B2F39lAQokanjcYyyyaJqPC8C6DtOc0ykamrgpCccV3MFFVExPsq2NplOhKQGjNaPRyYWm3NIWTidKq4XWDYQA7h-e6QywIizLV5_1hYtmv-zF/s320/bunny.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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A big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Kathy Sullivan who was the winner of our Grand Opening Raffle for a free half session!<br />
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We hope to see you soon smiling in front of our camera!!!!<br />
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Lifetime Memories Photography<br />
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<br />Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-36450778521947112702013-04-24T21:45:00.000-04:002013-04-24T21:45:12.865-04:00Lifetime of Hope Session - Grace: Congential Heart DefectMeet Grace, born in 2011 with a congential heart defect. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-RatDDn-tAKcS7Chq7dFFDZA-4TXF-yb19rwzkj7thwB5K08VVy6Fkig7HsrP14cViO3Gj7OuAyO_MeTHUQzmriFm_iOUg5Tp2QM8K1n1svFY2i4MR8XC_L-Bd0zG79qV4e66yadFA06/s1600/blog+storyboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-RatDDn-tAKcS7Chq7dFFDZA-4TXF-yb19rwzkj7thwB5K08VVy6Fkig7HsrP14cViO3Gj7OuAyO_MeTHUQzmriFm_iOUg5Tp2QM8K1n1svFY2i4MR8XC_L-Bd0zG79qV4e66yadFA06/s400/blog+storyboard.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Grace is about the sweetest of little girls I've ever met and if you didn't know she was born with this defect you would never be able to tell!!!<br />
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Upon learning of the diagnosis, Grace's parents were overwhelmed, but became very hopeful as their knowledge of the defect increased. Grace's symptoms were enough to scare any parent, trouble feeding, growing and maintaining weight, but despite these terrifying symptoms her parents were very satisfied with the overall health care that she received.<br />
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Grace is a year post surgeries and all the scary stuff that surrounds her diagnosis, however, she still has follow-up care, but is doing well!!!!<br />
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A life threatening diagnosis can change anyone's outlook on life, Grace's parents are simply thankful for every minute they have with her. They found their strength in having faith and when asked what their advice to others who may find themselves in a similar situation they said "Have faith and find the best doctors you can!" A little piece of wisdom they wish to pass along is "God does not give you more then you can handle! We have learned this!"Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-63206247643284174832013-01-01T20:43:00.000-05:002013-01-01T20:43:28.922-05:00Parting is such sweet sorrow ... not really. <span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know the scene in Romeo and Juliet where they both die, or rather Romeo thinks Juliet is dead, drinks poison and kills himself but then she awakens only to find Romeo dead? Well that was a little how the beginning of 2012 felt for me. Let me explain ...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In December of 2011, things in my personal life were simply horrible. I had no idea how to end a relationship that I had been faking being happy in for several years and I felt helpless and hopeless. I had started hitting a bottom that I really did not want to hit. With choices made by another, choices were forced on my part. Only to be halted briefly with what January brought. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In January 2012, I came to realize that I had become a bigger part of a co-dependent relationship. Me. Miss Independent is now co-dependent. I couldn't wrap my head around it. I allowed lies, deceit, cheating and selfishness to become and overwhelm me. I started to feel, once again, that I deserved to be treated this way. With one more lie, a change I had hoped for ended. Only I didn't realize it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February is pretty much a blur, all I really remember is feeling like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders again and not a single person to trust by my side. But, I started to make plans for me and my girls, plans that did not include this other person in my life. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March was the beginning of the end of a chapter of my life, actually it was more like a volume in my encyclopedic auto-biography, but alas, it was the beginning of an end and the start of a new beginning. I finally found my way out of this toxicity I had been involved in, and it was a lot easier then I imagined. I also learned that I had developed a cyst again on my ovary, a fairly large one too, which was a large part of some other issues I was having, which I had attributed to just being caused by stress.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April, May, June and July were spent working on me, on my own happiness. I needed to find a place where I felt whole again. A place where I knew who I was again. It didn't take long, but it took a whole lot of courage on my part. I was battling with becoming an improved me. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">August hit me hard, both in a good way and a bad way. I'll explain the bad part first. I had this looming feeling that another chapter of my life was coming to an end. I had been working in a job that I thought I loved for nearly 6 years, but just wasn't happy anymore. I wanted a way out without actually quitting or having to find another job. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for, because you will, eventually, get it. It wasn't so much that I needed to be careful with what I was wishing for, but rather, that I was ready for what I was wishing for. At the end of August, I had been informed that I was losing my job, corporate America had come in and taken over the small company that I had loved working for and shutting down the department I was a part of. I was both happy and sad upon hearing this news. I was happy because I can finally do what I love without having to worry about the effects of quitting a job. But sad because this was something I could rely on, a job with benefits and was very flexible when I needed it to be. I had also started really talking to Al, literally, the man of my dreams, also someone I didn't think I would ever find. But from the very minute things "got real" with him, I embraced every moment of it, I feared nothing. Which leads me into September...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">September brought me to a whole new volume in my encyclopedic auto-biography. My best friend and I took a weekend trip to Gettysburg to visit a very dear friend and celebrate our birthdays. I can honestly say, it was one of the best trips I have ever taken. We laughed so much and had so much fun. I turned 35 and got one of the best birthday gifts ever ... Al. We had our first "official" date the day after my birthday and we've been together since. Then, on September 10th, I received some news that practically devastated me. I not only had a cyst on one of my ovaries, but now on both of them. This would mean surgery. I had to have my tubes tied, my right ovary removed, the cyst taken off my left ovary and have a uterine ablation. This means no more kids. Not that I really wanted anymore, but it's still felt a lot like my womanhood was being ripped away from me. In the end, I also had to have my appendix out because it was twisted up with the cyst from my ovary ... can you say OUCH! It was also confirmed that I had stage 4 endometriosis, which was no big surprise, I had known for years that I suffered from it, just not the severity of it. Back to Al, when I say that I literally found the man of my dreams, I really mean it. I have forever said that I just want a man who will take care of me, not necessarily financially, but more in the terms of emotionally, physically and mentally ... and that is exactly what I have with Al!!!! He completely amazes me and I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world to have this man in my life!!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rest of year has brought nothing but increased happiness in my life. I finally feel like I am where I should be and I got to experience NYC and cross off two of my bucket list items with the man of my dreams and we had an amazing time!!! So, goodbye</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 2012, you were good to me, but I have to make room for new and exciting experiences in 2013.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you all have a wonderful new year filled with positive change and love.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Peace, Love and Light, </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Christine</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></span>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-32635804453274887382012-12-24T22:41:00.000-05:002012-12-24T22:41:16.872-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Finale.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;">Over the past 20 days, I have been on a quest to bring the magic of Christmas back to my heart and life. I somehow lost the spirit of my favorite time of year over the past few years and I am very happy to say that I have re-ignited that flame and this has been a most wonderful Christmas for me. This final edition is dedicated to family. Not just any family, but my family.</span></div>
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I honestly don't know where I'd be without my family. My girls and parents, especially. My girls are my world. My everything. Christmas probably wouldn't even be worth the craziness if I didn't have them. My parents, have been two of the few people who have been by my side, supported me through every crazy decision, moment, and turn of my life. I don't know how I'd get through just a normal day, let alone Christmas if I didn't have my girls or my parents in my life. </div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;">I don't want Christmas to be over tomorrow. I wish it weren't going to be here for a few more days. Just so I can have a few more days of the anticipation, the preparations, the craziness. Christmas is hard for a lot of people. I tried to explain to Caitlin, just yesterday when she had a huge breakdown about her grandfather not being here this year for Christmas, that it is important to remember the good times, and keep them present in your heart, rather then dwelling on the fact that they aren't here. This is very hard, I know, but it makes hard times that much more bearable when you can stop yourself from falling into negative thoughts and bring the positive ones forward. </span></div>
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This year, Christmas has been amazing!!! For the first time, I did what my mom use to do with me, I took Caitlin shopping for her presents, but still have a few tricks up my sleeve. I also have started to teach Laurana what the true meaning of Christmas really is, that isn't not just about presents, but about family. She's so cute when she goes through her list of family. I have a man who is simply amazing, he treats me with love and respect and thinks it's cute when I sing (he must be deaf!!! LOL). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM9UA16eoJ21dYbLt0wY7EMFKHZQkl8p6psVcc0xAq0pdJxL1P8l9f0l0iTVGSkesiQ50KKUAZQ9zESzTCDFVKUJHpy2aBn2Z6NRh7vXT9mlsNgeOMfk6aIGjcsrJFYn1zzeaqzEj_N4h/s1600/Merry_Christmas_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM9UA16eoJ21dYbLt0wY7EMFKHZQkl8p6psVcc0xAq0pdJxL1P8l9f0l0iTVGSkesiQ50KKUAZQ9zESzTCDFVKUJHpy2aBn2Z6NRh7vXT9mlsNgeOMfk6aIGjcsrJFYn1zzeaqzEj_N4h/s320/Merry_Christmas_1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;">For the first time in a LONG time, I feel like how I use to at Christmas time. I don't feel like anything is missing, in fact, I'm so happy, I could cry!!!! I hope you enjoyed reading about my journey, but even more so, I hope, more then anything, if you were like me and unable to find the magic of Christmas, that this helped you, even just a little.</span></div>
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Merry Christmas!!!!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Peace, Love and Light, </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></div>
</span>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-85139454285143746962012-12-23T09:10:00.000-05:002012-12-23T09:10:47.453-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 19.<br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"At Christmas, play and make good cheer, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for Christmas comes but once a year."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Thomas Tusser</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part 19 is dedicated to singing and dancing. I LOVE dancing, almost as much as I love singing! Neither of which I do very well. LOL BUT, it doesn't stop me from enjoying myself. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday, while picking up all of the food for Christmas dinner, Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree came on in the grocery store and Laurana was singing it, so I started singing it with her and then I started dancing. She was laughing so hard, then she kept trying to spin me. So there we were, dancing in the dairy section of the grocery store. It was a good time. I didn't even care if people thought I was going absolutely insane. It's a memory that we will have for many years, and who knows, maybe it even put a smile on someone's face. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my bucket list items is to take ball room dancing lessons, one day, I'll do it. I took singing lessons, a few years back, I'm not sure it really helped any, but I had fun and it made me appreciate singing even more. Next month, I hoping to take a few Scottish dance lessons before attending the highly regarded Burns Supper.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Singing and dancing fill the heart with joy, take time today to dance and sing, even if it's in the middle of the dairy section! ;) </span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace, Love and Light,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Christine</span><br /><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></div>
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Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-59847021281513570712012-12-21T23:45:00.000-05:002012-12-21T23:45:22.092-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 18.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Norman Vincent Peale</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part 18 is dedicated to Christmas Lights. So pretty and colorful, they twinkle and give off a soft glow of fun light. I love driving around seeing houses lit up with all the pretty lights!! They are just so beautiful, even more so in the snow. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Growing up my parents use to take us to the Festival of Lights up in Niagara Falls, NY. I can remember being so mesmerized by all the lights, it all seemed to be so huge to me at the time! I loved walking around and seeing all the light displays and being surrounded by trees and plants, it was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Festival of Lights has since changed and the last time I went (probably about 10 years ago), it didn't seem as </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">grandiose as it did when I was a kid, but I still enjoyed it just the same. I am hoping to make it out to one of the lighting displays in my area this year, we will have to see how the weather holds up this weekend!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have any fun memories of Christmas Lights?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Peace, Love and Light,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span><br /><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></div>
Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-34010689386747166242012-12-20T14:25:00.000-05:002012-12-20T14:26:45.243-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 17.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Look Doris, someday you're going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn't work. And when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">~</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Fred Gailey (Miracle on 34th Street)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Part 17 is dedicated to Believing. There is a very large part of me that believes in things like Santa Claus, fairy tales lives, happily ever afters and love at first sight. I've been told that my beliefs are unrealistic and silly, even. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">As silly as it may seem, believing in these fantasies allows me to keep my inner child, well, young. Think about how a child's face lights up when he or she sees Santa at Christmas time, the innocence of believing that one man is so powerful and magical, that never ceases to amaze me. I love that innocence. I love feeling that innocence. It's not something that too many adults stop to experience. I think that this is one thing that I inherited from my gram, her passion and love of the feeling of innocence. Growing up, I never really seen that but since I've been on this journey of re-igniting the magic of Christmas in my heart over the last 17 days, she's been on my mind ... a lot. I realize just how much I miss her. I realize just how empty my grandfather must feel every single day he lives to see another without her. And, most importantly, I realize, even more so then ever before, just how important it is to appreciate making memories built on those of the past.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass but rather about learning to dance in the rain ... so let's dance, and sing and sit on Santa's lap even tho we are "too old". Who dictates what the age limit is for visits to Santa, anyways?</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljvCaqR5dGzbq90NbdYJmQ97nx1IexTMmDMVokkIkaIPUfSHdXy9QfbDyl_6Sj6PJD3b7eL2MkBc5-Jzb-h8tM2NOLuaa_aAIdnw73QuPAwcDOGz5WcAd1mtjLuHv44oJsyMMJ2L0_Tbt/s1600/xmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljvCaqR5dGzbq90NbdYJmQ97nx1IexTMmDMVokkIkaIPUfSHdXy9QfbDyl_6Sj6PJD3b7eL2MkBc5-Jzb-h8tM2NOLuaa_aAIdnw73QuPAwcDOGz5WcAd1mtjLuHv44oJsyMMJ2L0_Tbt/s400/xmas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">And just for the record, I will always believe in happily ever afters and love at first sight. You see, a happily ever after does not necessarily mean that your relationship is perfect, made of butterflies and warm and fuzzy slippers under a canopy bed, but rather a relationship where you are perfect for each other and you mean enough to each other to fight for what you believe in. That is my happily after. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Do you believe?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Peace, Love and Light,</span><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span><br /><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></div>
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Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-36552522089577023382012-12-19T11:39:00.000-05:002012-12-19T11:41:38.761-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 16.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Warning ~Jenny Joseph</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="color: red;"><b>When I am an old woman I shall wear purple</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And run my stick along the public railings</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And make up for the sobriety of my youth.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>I shall go out in my slippers in the rain</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And pick flowers in other people's gardens</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And learn to spit.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And eat three pounds of sausages at a go</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Or only bread and pickle for a week</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>But now we must have clothes that keep us dry</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And pay our rent and not swear in the street</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>And set a good example for the children.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>But maybe I ought to practice a little now?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Part 16 is dedicated to originality. The poem above isn't the least bit related to Christmas at all, but as I sit here editing photos and listening to Christmas songs I've not heard before, it hit me how nice it is to hear new and original songs of the season. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">The poem you just read was one my Granny loved, it is a true testament of how important it is to have fun, dare to be different, and go against the norm just because you can. One thing I've always said about myself is that I am the epitome of my own self, meaning, I am the perfect example of myself and no one else. I feel it is important to just be yourself. Why try to be something you are not? Life is ever changing, which means, we, too are ever evolving. You never know what that next corner will have around it, so I try to live life to the fullest and to enjoy even the most mundane of moments.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Life can be so much fun if we just stop worrying about what's going to happen next and start to live for the now. It's hard to do all the time, I understand, we all get caught in the web of tomorrow. but just for today, give it a try, stop worrying about tomorrow, and just have fun now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Go sit on Santa's lap, ride on the </span><span style="line-height: 14px;">carousel, go sledding ... answer the call of your inner child!!!! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">Peace, Love and Light,</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></span></div>
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Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-30700807839299686282012-12-18T08:29:00.000-05:002012-12-18T08:29:41.698-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 15.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">"Remember, if Christmas </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">isn't</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;"> found in your heart, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">you won’t find it under a tree."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">~ Charlotte Carpenter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Part 15 is dedicated to random acts of kindness. The other day I seen a post on Facebook where someone was participating in completing 26 random acts of kindness in honor of the recent tragedy in Connecticut, so I thought,well, what if, instead of committing to 26, why not go for an entire year. I really think that this is something that people do regardless, and just don't realize it. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">A random act of kindness can be something as little as holding a door open for someone, or even a smile at a stranger to brighten their day. It doesn't have to be anything major, just something small that you are doing for someone else that is completely selfless. I know, I, personally, feel absolutely wonderful when helping to make someone else's day just a bit better, and I'm sure you do as well.</span></span></span></div>
</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I created a Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/497178986971666/" target="_blank">group</a> for those who wish to share their experience with this project. This may seem like something that is unnecessary, but I feel this may give a little bit of hope back to the people who have lost all hope in humanity. Also, it makes it a conscious thought and makes you think about how you are affecting others lives. It may seem like something trivial, but if I can consciously do something to help make the world just a tiny bit better and help restore faith in humanity, I'm all for it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Would you commit to doing one random act of kindness every day?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: red;">Peace, Love and Light,</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Christine</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-21054610041462665682012-12-17T06:21:00.000-05:002012-12-17T06:21:17.911-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 14.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"One of the most glorious messes in the world is the </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">mess created in the living room on Christmas day. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Andy Rooney</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part 14 is dedicated to Last Christmas. No, not the Wham! song, well, not entirely. Ya see, last Christmas was a tough one for me. I had mixed feelings about a lot of different things ... well, really, about everything. I mentioned in an earlier post that I hit my rock bottom earlier this year, but the bottom started to become clearer and clearer sometime around October of last year. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An end was coming to my almost 5 year relationship and it was not even remotely close to getting any better, despite efforts to try harder, on my end. The thing about trying harder is if it's not a two way attempt, it doesn't work. And this didn't work. Not for me. There was no trust, no affection, nothing that any good relationship should have in order to survive. So around the end of October (2011), I started to be realistic about my reality. In January, I had given one year for things to get better, by Thanksgiving, things were so bad, I didn't even want to be in the same house, let alone the same room as this person I had been with for so long, but, for the kids, I stuck it out till after the holidays, telling myself that, maybe, just maybe, if we could make it through Christmas things would start to get better. (As a side note, I knew they wouldn't be getting any better, I just had to lie to myself to make it through, yes ... LIE TO MYSELF???!!!!???) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The spirit of Christmas was so far away from me last year that I was sooo happy when it was over!!!! I couldn't even believe myself when I had a sigh of relief that Christmas, my favorite time of the year, had ended. With the spirit of Christmas gone from my heart, so too, was the love. I had had enough of my heart being ripped out and handed to me on a flimsy used paper plate and the day after Christmas, last year, I realized that I had spent the last 3 Christmas' with someone I didn't know, and no, not him ... ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beginning of the song, Last Christmas, is a very important piece to this puzzle "</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Last Christmas </span><span style="background-color: white;">I gave you my heart </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the very next day you gave it away </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To save me from tears </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll give it to someone special". I didn't realize this is where I was until I heard it FOUR times on Saturday while shopping with my daughter then again TWICE yesterday. I thought, "Seriously, I rarely hear this song at Christmas time, why the hell have I heard this song SIX times in the last two days?" (I also realized that I have not heard, not even once, "Snoopy's Christmas" by the Royal Guardsmen this year - to which, I rectified that situation this morning, thanks to Spotify!!!) Now, if you know me, even just a little bit, you know that I am all about signs and everything happening for a reason. You may have also gotten the drift that I'm the happiest I've been in as long as I can even remember. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Christmas, I had given my heart (again) to someone who wasn't as careful as he should have been with it and after several, long, hard years of fighting, struggling and smiling through the pain to cover it up, he, quite literally, made a choice the day after Christmas which crushed me and was the very beginning of a 3 month ending. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">This year, however, I have been able to give my heart to someone special, someone who appreciates it and takes very good care of it and me. I have such an overwhelming happiness in my heart that I have not felt in such a loooonnnnggggg time!!!! I feel like me, again, finally!!! Spunky, playful, loving, passionate, fierce and strong ... me, in a nutshell. It feels so good to have found, not only myself again, but someone who loves me and truly appreciates me, for me and doesn't feel like he can't be himself around me. The fact of the matter is, however, if I hadn't endured what I did for just over 5 years in my previous relationship, I honestly believe that I wouldn't be where I am today. There were lessons I had to learn, things I had to experience in order to know how to be happy. I was in that relationship to help me, though I didn't realize that until earlier this year. The two things I learned that made all the difference in my life are living one day at a time, even one moment at a time when necessary and this, very simple set of words: "God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAdw3ftV4TDOqDzNq957Zn4o6uo50rycLqzjt5xW_TQTJqyw6QkzKZK56zr60GcvvB8mzDVnvmhi81-4mPMd6iiKvMCUdGnqAdn2IvqMMLbJ9HQD1IQ82fDozenqBLt70Zf0Ne-WiUTXu/s1600/kisses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAdw3ftV4TDOqDzNq957Zn4o6uo50rycLqzjt5xW_TQTJqyw6QkzKZK56zr60GcvvB8mzDVnvmhi81-4mPMd6iiKvMCUdGnqAdn2IvqMMLbJ9HQD1IQ82fDozenqBLt70Zf0Ne-WiUTXu/s320/kisses.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Al & I in NYC This Year<br />Photo by Tom Schopper</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The moral of this story, I had to hit my rock bottom in order to have the spirit Christmas reignited in my heart again and also, to be </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">genuinely</span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> happy again. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What was your "Last Christmas" like and how did it affect you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Peace, Love and Light, </span></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span></span></div>
<a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #6666cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</span></a>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-37002439567402635962012-12-16T09:10:00.000-05:002012-12-16T09:10:40.791-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Parts 12 & 13.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">"To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">gleam of hope to the world."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">~ Calvin Coolidge</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Parts 12 & 13 are dedicated to Giving and Receiving. They go hand in hand and when executed properly, they fill you with all the warm and fuzzy feelings of the holiday season! It is my personal preference to be the one giving gifts, rather then receiving during the holidays. If you are asking why the answer is simple, I enjoy seeing people smile and the anticipation of opening the gifts is wonderful as well. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">The gift giving part of Christmas, to me, is all about the kids though. I don't buy many gifts for adults, I would much rather spend the money on the kids just to see their HUGE smiles when they see all that Santa has left for them. There is really nothing more exciting then to see a child on Christmas morning. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">My youngest has only really asked for one thing this year ... the Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle. I will feel bad when she doesn't get it at our house on Christmas morning, but when she opens it at my mom's house, she will be ecstatic!!!! I really cannot wait to see the look on her face when she gets it! My oldest pretty much knows everything she's getting this year, which kinda takes the fun out of it, but I have a few surprises up my sleeve that she doesn't know about :) </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Receiving presents is always nice, but I think that a lot of people expect to receive just because they are giving. In my family, we have this thing where we see who can make who cry with a card or gift and that person gets to hold the bragging rights till the next gift giving time. It's all in good fun and makes finding that perfect card or gift a bit of a challenge. But the only thing I ask for is to have family together. I don't need anything physical to open or anything like that, just a happy gathering of people to make memories with, that we will have to hold in our hearts forever. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caitlin in 2009 opening her Wii</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laurana's 1st Christmas - 2009</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red; line-height: 20px;">Do you have any fun giving or receiving traditions? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Peace, Love and Light, </span></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span></span></div>
<a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #6666cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</span></a></div>
</span>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-13676403187660808322012-12-14T08:13:00.000-05:002012-12-14T08:13:31.383-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 11.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child,</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a good example. To yourself, respect."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Oren Arnold</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.5px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part 11 is dedicated to best friends. I have a few besties, but one very best friend who I lost for a while but am lucky enough to have her back in my life. Quite obvious, but best friends are those in your life who know EVERYTHING and are still there for you. They are the ones we call first when we have exciting news, are sad, heart broken, scared, happy and when we just need someone to listen. A true best friend will be the one to give it to you straight and won't sugar coat it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.5px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My bestie, Lynn, has been in my life since we were kids, I want to say maybe 7 or 8, maybe younger, it's been soo long that I don't even remember. She's literally 6 days older then me, and yes, I make sure I taunt her for that! LOL Lynn and I had a falling out sometime around age 13, when I was dating a boy that lived on her street that she TRIED to warn me about. Needless to say, she was right, and I had lost my best friend. So, we both struggled through the next 20ish years without each other. I thought about Lynn frequently over the years of her not being in my life anymore. Tried to locate her on social media, then one day, it happened. I guess the time was right for us to be back in each others lives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.5px;">Today I couldn't imagine another day of my life without her in it. I would be devastated if something happened and she was no longer a part of my life. We keep each other going. We build each other back up when we get knocked down. We laugh and cry together. Lynn is the one person, who, above anyone else, knows EVERYTHING about me. I know she will never judge me for a single thing that I do and I know that I can count on her for anything!!! We recently got matching tattoos of a Celtic friendship knot and a quote that says "Friendship is a knot tied by angels hands". She is so much more then a friend, she is a sister to me, and having her in my life is one of the greatest gifts I could ever ask for.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lynn and I at Def Leppard 8/2012</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.5px;">I</span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.5px;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.5px;">should also make a few honorable mentions here as well, as I have a few other people who have really stuck by my side over the past few years and have helped me get through some of the toughest times and decisions that I've had to make.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.5px;">Brian - I'm not even sure what to really call him, he's so much more then a friend and even more then a brother to me, he's like my </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.5px;">siamese</span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.5px;"> twin who was detached at birth, a part of me no matter how far away he is. Brian has been there for me in ways that I didn't even know about until just recently. If the day ever came that he was not in my life, a very large part of my soul and heart would be gone.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.5px;">Jen, my soul mate, came into my life in 2009 when I first photographed her family for the holidays. The moment we met, we were instant friends! Jen is an amazing woman who I also do not know what I would do without her in my life. We walk on many of the same paths, which helps us keep each other strong when the path gets a bit rough.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.5px;">Nichole, my sister from another mister (and mrs, for that matter LOL). Nikki was another friend that I lost contact with for a while, but now that she is back in my life, I don't want to go a single day without her. We may not talk as much as could or should, but I know, without a doubt that if I needed her, she'd drop everything in the blink of an eye to be there for me and I would do the same for her.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.5px;">Linda, Georgette, Dave, Kim, Jeff, Amanda, Ashley, Sarah, Jess, Diana, Theresa, Jerry, Henry and probably a few others that I left out (sorry in advance!!!!) - friends who support me and push me to keep going when I am losing hope. All in my life for very different reasons, but all just as important to me. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.5px;">Who are your cherished friends? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace, Love and Light, </span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christine</span></div>
<a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #6666cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</span></a>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-50466063720251594952012-12-13T08:42:00.000-05:002012-12-13T08:42:25.703-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 10.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Before I draw nearer to that stone, tell me! Are these the shadows of things that must be, or are they </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~ Ebeneezer Scrooge</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part 10 is dedicated to "Father Time." I totally thought yesterday was Tuesday. It wasn't until about 6:30 pm when I realized it was actually Wednesday. I sat there trying to figure out how I lost a day. It seems that time just passes us by sometimes, leaving us wondering "where has the time gone?" Also seems to happen more frequently as we get older. Maybe it's because life gets busier as we get older, we have more to worry about and feel like there just isn't enough hours in the day. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my opinion, this is why it is so important to appreciate the life around you and those in your life who you love and care for. All too often people get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we forget to stop and appreciate. Recently, I have been trying to be more attentive to everyone and everything around me. I'm still learning about this thing called life and as each day passes me by, all too quickly, I strive to just be in the moment, to not worry too much about what is to come in following hours, days, months and years. It takes a lot of stress out of your daily life to truly live in the moment. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you ever seen or heard people talking about how they are going to hug their kids tighter that night they hear of a tragic accident? I really just want to say to these people "Why wait? Why does it take another person's tragedy for you to realize that you have, perhaps, gotten just a little bit too busy to just stop and appreciate?" I rarely ever leave the house without giving my girls a kiss and telling them that I love them. Each night before they go to bed, I tell them good night, kiss them, hug them and again, tell them that I love them. I am CONSTANTLY telling my girls that I love them. These are memories I am making with my girls to ensure they will remember it, not just some nights, but every night they are home with me and not just some of the time when I leave, even if I'm just running to the store, I do not leave the house without at least telling them that I love them. So, I ask, why wait till you hear of something horrific to get you to hug your kids tight EVERY NIGHT? Do it anyway, do it every night and tell them that you love them often, even if you are not a family that expresses this much or very well, perhaps now is the time to make that change. It is also VERY important to laugh with your kids, just as it is important to cry with them when they are hurting and talking to them about life in a matter of fact manner so that they can make the best decisions possible.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The same thing can be said about that special someone in your life. There's a few things I've learned over the years that are (or, rather, should be) important in any relationship. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First and foremost, if you love that person with your entire heart and soul, don't just tell them, show them, every day.</span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Live each day you spend together filled with as much passion (intimate and non-intimate) as possible. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Laugh. Often.</span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Snuggle. Frequently. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kiss. Passionately.</span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Hold hands (I'm a sucker for that cute old couple who still holds hands as they walk down the street together - that is what I want to have when I am old, someone who will still hold my hand as we walk together). </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understand each others morals and values. If they differ, find the common ground where you can meet in the middle so you don't lose yourself and begin to harbor animosity. </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Know each others d</span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">reams and goals. Share them and help make dreams come true and support each other so goals are more obtainable rather then seemingly out of reach. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NEVER fight over money. EVER. Money is the purest root of all evil, it is a necessity, but not worth fighting over.</span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If you happen to find yourself in an argument, NEVER go to bed mad. Communication is key in every relationship. You need to understand where the other person is coming from, so stay awake to hear the opposing side, be Switzerland until it's your turn to plead your case, it's a good way to ensure your significant other will extend you the same courtesy. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And last, but certainly not least, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trust each other. I cannot express how important trust is. Once trust is lost, it is VERY hard to get it back and it's up to you to decide whether or not you think you will able to trust the other person. </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok, so maybe that's more then a few things, but they are all very important in a relationship, in my opinion.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5v4Gm6bPrkTe7vd50HHzCBByf_urjXSqW5AjIX9YzuAlVofJ5294nCx5x_JLA1gq4UWsv3INhZFqPLV2Sdg5xN3imNGXah9ZiZ7zfPjhT7rtVg_mRrVtPkQ0b3Np4IWNaMHaB0TZ0I0k/s1600/NYC0921bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5v4Gm6bPrkTe7vd50HHzCBByf_urjXSqW5AjIX9YzuAlVofJ5294nCx5x_JLA1gq4UWsv3INhZFqPLV2Sdg5xN3imNGXah9ZiZ7zfPjhT7rtVg_mRrVtPkQ0b3Np4IWNaMHaB0TZ0I0k/s320/NYC0921bw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life moves so fast and it's easy to forget to take care to do these things and one day you wake up wondering where the time has gone and how things have gotten to be where they are. It's never too late to start taking the time to stop and appreciate. Take life one day at a time, each moment at a time and make the best memories you possibly can.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When was the last time you took the time to just stop and appreciate?</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace, Love and Light, </span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christine</span></div>
<a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #6666cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</span></a>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-48535174882451156262012-12-12T08:36:00.000-05:002012-12-12T08:36:33.513-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 9.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"You see, Mrs. Walker, this is quite an opportunity </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">all so busy trying to beat the other fellow in making things go faster and look shinier and cost less that Christmas </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and I are sort of getting lost in the shuffle."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Kris Kringle (Miracle on 34th Street)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Part 9 is dedicated to making new traditions. When I was kid, I use to think Christmas would remain the same, see </span><a href="http://lmpwny.blogspot.com/2012/12/taking-magic-out-of-christmas-and.html" style="line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Part 2</a><span style="line-height: 18px;"> of this series to read about what Christmas was like when I was young. Then, all of a sudden, it wasn't. Something changed. I don't think I can really pinpoint the year it changed, but there came a point in time when Gram stopped making dinner, family stopped coming over and spending the day and it was just ... different. Everything changed, but didn't. Then we grew up, grew apart and now, if we see each other on the holidays, it's merely a coincidence.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So, Christmas traditions changed. But it never seemed to be the same. Then in 2001, when Gram died, Christmas would never be what she made it to be. Christmas, as we knew it in our family, died, with my grandmother. That first Christmas after she died was tough!!! And my own Christmas traditions really didn't start to become real traditions until 2007, when I bought my house, could have a real tree again and decided that I would be the one making Christmas dinner every year. The only thing that mattered to me then was that my daughter had a nice Christmas, and that she had some sort of tradition to count on each year just like I did.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">As stated in </span><a href="http://lmpwny.blogspot.com/2012/12/quote-of-day-1242012-taking-magic-out.html" style="line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Part 1</a><span style="line-height: 18px;">, in 2004, my oldest daughter and I began our own new tradition of buying a new ornament each year for our tree, which I now also do with my youngest. Their first year out on their own, they will both receive their ornaments as a set to remind them of our annual Christmas tradition, which I fully intend on continuing with them even after they are all grown up and beginning to make their own traditions. I have made Christmas dinner</span></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> for the past 5 years and my parents, aunt and uncle come over and share in a feast. This year is different, though. This year, the difference is what has changed during this year. A new beginning means new traditions will also begin. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD55EzdcE9VcXUh4rf3pH5CIinSTQ6YciEPqj1cDSiUdq_zbFQRUqmPzw7EYI_CbuCQ4ECiWqxXdQUJCnzb5BJHOTte1vb7c65T8eCSy2IiQZe-v0S0eeR-OzsBjUQD1hYxtsz3RCFsfXx/s1600/9896.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD55EzdcE9VcXUh4rf3pH5CIinSTQ6YciEPqj1cDSiUdq_zbFQRUqmPzw7EYI_CbuCQ4ECiWqxXdQUJCnzb5BJHOTte1vb7c65T8eCSy2IiQZe-v0S0eeR-OzsBjUQD1hYxtsz3RCFsfXx/s320/9896.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Now to get to my point of this post, as one tradition ends, it doesn't mean that Christmas isn't what it should be, it simply means it is evolving. Imagine if everything stayed the same, how boring would life be? But there are certain things that people want to remain the same, forever. Unfortunately, forever isn't, well ... forever. People get depressed around the holidays, they miss their loved ones who have passed, miss traditions of days gone by and this causes them to hate this time of year. Holiday shopping becomes a hassle rather then memories to be made and people just seem to be too busy to really see the true magic of Christmas as adults. It's time to wake up and smell that freshly brewed coffee you make everyday and realize that as one tradition ends, it is up to you to create new ones, with the people that are in your life today, they are the ones that are the most important and are the ones who will help make new Christmas traditions with you. Whether your new traditions are similar to those of yesteryear or completely different, one thing is for certain, they are YOURS. And they are IMPORTANT. Don't let the spirit of Christmas get lost in change, embrace that change and let the spirit of Christmas live within your heart and start making new traditions that can be carried on and shared with future generations. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">What has changed in your traditions and how have you made new traditions? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace, Love and Light, </span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christine</span></div>
<a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #6666cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</span></a>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-76008816055526717592012-12-11T08:10:00.000-05:002012-12-11T08:10:12.121-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 8.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Be sure to drink your Ovaltine. Ovaltine?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A crummy commercial? Son of a bitch!"</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Ralphie</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part 8 is dedicated to love. Love comes in so many different forms, it may be hard to come up with a short quip for this post, so forgive me if this goes astray and gets a bit long winded. And yes, I realize the quote may not be directly relative to love, but Ralphie soooo looked forward to getting his Little Orphan Annie Secret Society Decoder Pin in the mail for weeks and his excitement when it first arrived (prior to cracking the secret code) was what drew me to use this quote.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love is such a powerful feeling, an emotion that fills you with joy and excitement! When you find yourself in love you never want it to to end. You want to keep it, forever. Many say nothing lasts forever, promises are meant to be broken, blah, blah, blah ... yea, I know, sad, right? I am that dreamer who believes in love at first sight, fairy tales lives and fate. I will never give up on those things, because I still believe, despite everything I've gone through over the years, that a love that is cherished and respected does last forever and promises need not be made just to make another happy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've had a rough stint with love though. Now, I'm not saying that I'm not to blame for any of it, I am. I can say that because I had lessons to learn to become who I am today. Failed relationship after failed relationship, it probably seems like years wasted to most people, but not to me. I have learned that you have to take the good out of every situation, even the ones that bring you down to your complete rock bottom.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>So here we are and it's Christmas time. I hit my rock bottom this year in March, but since August, I can't remember a time in my adult life when I have been any happier in love. After a breakup from a very toxic relationship, I gave up hope on finding someone who would be a part of my happily ever after. Then, I met someone, who, at the time I didn't realize would be anything more then a friend, until August. Everything changed in August with a few simple words. Ya see, I'm a simple girl, all I really want is a man who will take care of me, who will be there for me when I need to bitch and complain, someone who will make me feel as beautiful as he tells me I am ... and mean it. Yea, I got that. And OMG! if I could have ever imagined it would feel THIS good, I would have thought I was over-rating it. It feels sooo AMAZING to be given back the same amount of love that you give out, to be with someone who shows you that he loves you, not just says it. Someone, who with a simple smile, makes your heart melt!!!! Love should never be taken for granted, ignored or under appreciated. It should be embraced and held in such a high regard, so if the road does ever get a bit rough, you know, with every ounce of your being, that you will get through it ... together, and that you will be stronger because of it. </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So what's this got to do with bringing the magic back to Christmas???? Well, everything. Love is the leading ruler of this world, aside from war, anyways. Marriages end in divorce because people don't take their vows seriously enough to fight for what they thought they once wanted. Prejudice and judging others seems to be a wave of the future again, rather then a death of the past and causes our children, the future leaders of this world, to grow up with hate rather then love, judgments of who they SHOULD be rather then endorsements for who they WANT to be, and the worst of all, the media, of all kinds, helps this get along further then any feel good news that would actually show mankind that there is still good in this world, rather then all of the drama, hate and despair that goes around. I believe that we need to make changes in how we show this world to our children. John Lennon had it right in his song "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRhq-yO1KN8" target="_blank">Imagine</a>" ... yes he was a dreamer, but so am I ... but I don't have the dream of a world of peace, that is impossible, war is inevitable, HOWEVER, if we can live our own lives with peace, love and harmony, perhaps we would have stronger family bonds, friendships and other partnerships, which, in turn, would provide for a world of a stronger humanity. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So, here's my unasked for advice ... if you have someone in your life who makes you his or her everything, loves you with their entire heart and soul and would take a bullet for you, and not only tells you but shows and proves it to you as much as humanly possible ... show your appreciation for that, because it can be gone, in an instant, leaving you with your heart in a billion pieces because you didn't take the time to slow down, respect a TRUE love and give it back the way it is given to you. Love is something that you should cherish EVERYDAY, not just when it suits you. Love should never be taken for granted, it should be respected and given back threefold. Make memories together and laugh often. Share emotions, secrets and scars that make you who you are, don't hide them or try to forget that they are there ... why would you want to cover up YOU? </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMNdJJtz-IjFBFbdTC6ITmMGORqEezjNfSX1puLMHkSmVBBD1m5Vv-bvtqq0Mq5xv1J2B2d4-JaRwTqeDnXovtm3L7IwXx2VQbuVx2_ki8E-xpuJJRJMjVQI4WTX89m4SwaKzeEZrEt68/s1600/DSC_2217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMNdJJtz-IjFBFbdTC6ITmMGORqEezjNfSX1puLMHkSmVBBD1m5Vv-bvtqq0Mq5xv1J2B2d4-JaRwTqeDnXovtm3L7IwXx2VQbuVx2_ki8E-xpuJJRJMjVQI4WTX89m4SwaKzeEZrEt68/s320/DSC_2217.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">"LOVE" Statue in Philadelphia, PA</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Have you found YOUR ever lasting love? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: red;">Peace, Love and Light, </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Christine</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></div>
Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-36890755173520664102012-12-10T08:08:00.000-05:002012-12-10T08:08:14.285-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 7.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Only one thing in the world could've dragged me away from the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Ralphie</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part 7 is dedicated to the Christmas Tree, another tie to my German roots. The Christmas Tree originated in Germany and </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">was traditionally decorated with edibles such as apples, nuts or dates.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">I LOVE a real, fresh Christmas Tree in the house this time of year! This may surprise some of my readers who personally know me, considering my hippie, tree-hugger ways, but the artificial tree just doesn't do it for me!! </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">The smell of Christmas as you walk into a house just fills my heart with so much joy and excitement!!! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">One of my dreams was to go see the Christmas Tree all lit up at Rockefeller Center in NYC, this past weekend that dream came true for me!! It was the most magnificent, magical and beautiful sight I have ever seen!!! It was even more majestic then I could have ever imagined!!! I felt like a little kid in a candy store admiring the tree, just taking in it's beauty and the energy of the tree and the MOBS of people that gathered in Rockefeller Center.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree 2012</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Do you have a favorite Christmas Tree story? </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Peace, Love and Light, </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-40412650867030790832012-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:002012-12-09T08:00:03.526-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 6.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"That son of a bitch would freeze up in the middle </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of summer on the equator!"</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Mr. Parker</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part 6 is dedicated to the first snow fall of the season!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE snow!!!!!! I can remember growing up waiting for the very first snow fall of the year!!! We use to pray for a White Christmas and I honestly cannot remember ever having a green Christmas when I was young! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love going to bed at night and then waking up to freshly fallen snow covering the trees and houses. It looks so beautiful!!! New and glistening snow is my absolute favorite to photograph!!!! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Snow reminds me of when I was young. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">I loved making snow angels and both of my girls enjoy it as well! I think this year, when it snows again, I will make snow angels with them! Laurana likes to eat the snow, I have to constantly remind her to not eat the yellow snow!!! And the brown snow!!! She also likes to make snow balls and throw at me! I miss the days of snowball fights over the bushes. Maybe if we get enough snow this year, we'll make snow forts and have snowball fights in the backyard!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-small;">My girls in 2010</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Do you have a favorite snow story?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Peace, Love and Light, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Christine</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span><br />
Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-38315602383229937182012-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:002012-12-08T08:00:08.312-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 5.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Deck the harrs with boughs of horry, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra"</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">~Waiters at the Chinese Restaurant in A Christmas Story</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Part 5 is dedicated to the songs of the season. I LOVE Christmas music!!!!!! My absolute all time favorite Christmas song is "<a href="http://youtu.be/crFQpOCDfEc" target="_blank">Baby, It's Cold Outside</a>" followed closely by "<a href="http://youtu.be/yXQViqx6GMY" target="_blank">All I Want For Christmas Is You</a>".</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">"Baby, It's Cold Outside" is a lovely account of a winter romance and has been my favorite since I heard it many years ago! And I can't even tell you how many times I've lost my copy of Mariah Carey's Christmas songs, but I'm pretty sure I'm up to 3 or 4 times. I finally bought a digital copy of it last year, because I, yet again, lost my hard copy. Ever since I heard "All I Want For Christmas Is You," I have LOVED that song!!! They both make me fall in love with being in love every time I hear them! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Every year I have my radio station tuned to the one that plays the Christmas songs the earliest, usually beginning in November. Then, the day after Christmas, it returns to normal programming. This year, however, I haven't really been listening to it, so in an effort to return to my normal crazed Christmas spirited self, I created a list of my top 19 favorite Christmas songs on </span><a href="http://www.spotify.com/" style="line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Spotify</a><span style="line-height: 18px;">. It includes my two favorites from above as well as several other classics, like "A Holly, Jolly Christmas", which is my dad's favorite song and "Do You Hear What I Hear," a church classic that I just LOVE to sing!!!!!! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Peace, Love and Light, </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></div>
Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-55087212177057912812012-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:002012-12-07T08:00:08.071-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 4.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"If Higbee thinks I'm working one minute </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">past 9:00, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">he can kiss my foot. Ho ho ho."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Santa </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">in A Christmas Story</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Part 4 is dedicated to the Big Man in Red ... Santa Clause!!!! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I can remember going to K-Mart when I was a kid to see Santa. We went to the K-Mart that was on Ridge Rd in Lackawanna, now a charter school, but there was a cafe in the back of the store and I can remember seeing Santa there. The only thing I remember really asking for was the big box of crayons, back then it was a measly box of 64, but to me, that was like hitting the lotto!!!! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">A few years ago, my oldest, Caitlin, was standing in line to see Santa at the mall (she's a skeptic) and said she was going to ask Santa for coal, so I dared her to ... tripled dog dared her, in fact!!!! She was a little nervous about doing it, but followed through and when he asked her what she wanted, she said "I want a piece of coal" and Santa YELLED at her!!! It was so funny!!!! He said "Oh, Don't say that!!! A nice girl like you doesn't deserve coal!!" She turned about 12 shades of red, it was a riot. Well, as you can imagine, she got what she asked for, a nice bag of coal in her stocking!!! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Laurana's First Christmas - 2009</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">My youngest, Laurana is now three and is really looking forward to Christmas this year!!! Her last 3 Christmas' were less then desirable for me, I couldn't wait for her to be excited about Christmas, Santa, Reindeer and presents!!!! I thought last year would be her year, but she could have really cared less, but this year she was picking out toys, circling them in the books and we wrote her very first letter to Santa. But now that she understands the material aspect of the holiday, she is also old enough to understand the real meaning of it as well. And so my job begins with her and instilling the values of what Christmas is really all about. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">What is your favorite Santa story? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Peace, Love and Light, </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: red;">Christine</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/" style="color: #6666cc; text-decoration: initial;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span></div>
Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-77372964179738787592012-12-06T08:00:00.000-05:002012-12-06T08:00:10.417-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 3.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"No! No! I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!"</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Ralphie</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Part 3 is dedicated to a tradition from my German roots. The Christmas Pickle. I don't entirely remember when this tradition began in my family, but it is something I have carried with me for as long as I can remember and enjoy with my girls. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The legend of the Christmas Pickle says that the pickle, a symbol of good luck, was the last ornament placed on the tree (hidden deep inside the middle somewhere). The first child to find the pickle on Christmas morning was rewarded with an extra gift left by St. Nicolas. This tradition encourages children to appreciate all the beautiful ornaments on the tree, rather then just rushing to see what Santa has left for them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can remember when we were kids, we'd go and get our tree, then we'd have to let it settle (so the ornaments didn't fall off when the branches dropped, or at least that was the excuse LOL) then when the tree was ready, we'd decorate it and the pickle was always the last ornament to go on the tree before we put our topper on. I was always so excited when we put the pickle on the tree. I think it was because it was just an odd ornament, a pickle. But still, a tradition that we shared together as a family. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few years ago, I handed out Christmas Pickles to all of my family and close friends (who didn't already have one) so that I could share a favorite family tradition with all of them. There are certain theories that this was not actually a German tradition, but one that originated in the USA, I still keep it in the German part of my heart ♥</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's your favorite family tradition? </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace, Love and Light, </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christine</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span><br />
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Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-18929671523883313462012-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:002012-12-05T08:00:16.709-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 2.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Aunt Clara had for years labored under the delusion that I was not only perpetually 4 years old, but also a girl."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">-~</span><i style="background-color: white;">Ralphie</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday, you may have read my <a href="http://lmpwny.blogspot.com/2012/12/quote-of-day-1242012-taking-magic-out.html">first part</a> of this 20 day journey of bringing the magic back into Christmas for me and it must have intrigued you enough that you have come back for more insight! Well, for that, I thank you!!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's edition goes out to my grandmother, Evelyn Wallace. The woman who made Christmas a family affair for many years!!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My grandmother passed away in Jan of 2001, 3 months before I was to get married. My grandmother LOVED Christmas!!! Every year, without fail, she would go all out with decorating, cooking, shopping, wrapping gifts all with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth! I remember, as clear as day, my grandmother standing in the kitchen cooking, cigarette in her mouth, ash as long as the cigarette itself, still intact, it was almost an art. My grandmother had a knack for singing out of tune, and usually not knowing the words, so she'd repeat them after the singer.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christmas Day at my house went a little like this when we were kids: Go to bed early, ya know, like 9 o'clock early, *maybe* sleep till 6 am (good thing mom always had the coffee on a timer to start at 5 am, so no need to wait for the coffee to be done!!!!), wake up mom and dad, turn on TBS so we can watch the 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story", start opening our presents around 6:30 am, don't forget the stockings!!!!!!!! Then after we were all done, we would wait *impatiently* to hear gram and gramps stirring around downstairs so that we could head down and open our gifts, usually sometime around 8:30 or 9. My aunts, uncles and cousins would start to pour in around then as well and we'd all play with our gifts while the adults would have conversations of whatever adults talked about back in the 80's (LOL). Meanwhile, my grandmother was in the kitchen, getting dinner ready. The dinner table was set for the adults and the kids had to eat at the kids table in the kitchen, we didn't care though. The best part of the day was when we all sat down for dinner, and everything seemed to slow down just for a bit. Then, as the dishes piled up in my grandmother's sink, it was over. And we would all go our separate ways. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My gram was a wonderful woman, her old German attitude was that of "I don't care what you think of me, it's not important, I am happy with who I am." And she was! I never understood my grandparents relationship, they always seemed so cold towards each other, then I seen that spark, at their 50th Wedding Anniversary, my grandfather looked at my grandmother like she the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. The day my grandmother passed away was the first time I had ever seen my father cry. I miss my gram the most at Christmas time, it's just not the same without her, but her passing brought us something that few people even take the chance to notice ... a grandfather with a new more light-hearted look at life. Yea, that spark I seen on their wedding anniversary, is now alive within a grumpy old man who use to yell at us for running down the stairs and jumping around like a bunch of fools.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have a special memory of your grandparents at Christmas? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace, Love and Light, </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christine</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</a></span>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-49771124276732937882012-12-04T07:13:00.001-05:002012-12-04T07:23:13.388-05:00Taking the magic out of Christmas ... and bringing it back. Part 1.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">"Oooh fuuudge!"</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Only I didn't say "Fudge." I said THE word, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the big one, the queen-mother of dirty </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">words, the 'F-dash-dash-dash' word!"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~<i>Ralphie</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrS6PsVgMiPQAvBRU-exYZJgCNfbSxSiciKYk1mBzRjm2HjogaPM3tWqk6I0MKjpQ8Ob5e3CQ8n41SYBkVM9vzFbqMH4EcplmHmCQ2OSNt8INzywJ7ZhJ2NIIB4fj-nhHVyGnoOvCBmP6S/s1600/100_0217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrS6PsVgMiPQAvBRU-exYZJgCNfbSxSiciKYk1mBzRjm2HjogaPM3tWqk6I0MKjpQ8Ob5e3CQ8n41SYBkVM9vzFbqMH4EcplmHmCQ2OSNt8INzywJ7ZhJ2NIIB4fj-nhHVyGnoOvCBmP6S/s320/100_0217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-small;">My oldest making Christmas Cookies in 2003</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's no secret that I am a Christmas fanatic!!! I love everything about the Christmas season, snow included. Christmas in our house is so much more then just Santa Claus and gifts. I encourage my children to believe in the spirit of a man who gave to those in need, and instill what the real meaning of Christmas is. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A real tree fills our home with the scents of the season and for the past 5 years I have cooked Christmas dinner, each year making a new traditional Scottish cuisine dish. We have turkey, ham and duck, stuffing, mashed potatoes (usually lumpy - I try, what can I say LOL), cranberries, the whole kit and caboodle. It may seem like a lavish meal fit for a king, but it's just one meal shared at my table among family. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since my divorce, my oldest daughter, Caitlin, and I have shared a tradition of buying a new ornament each year, we pick it out together and she hangs it on the tree each year. I started this with my youngest, Laurana, last year. Christmas has never been about the amount of gifts under the tree or the money spent on them. I have always tried to instill that Christmas is about sharing a special day and celebrating with family.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I feel that I lost a lot of my Christmas spirit over the past few years, without boring you with the fine details, let's just say I feel it was due to a period of needing to re-create myself. I lost my way because I was so wrapped up in someone else's pain that I barely enjoyed my favorite time of year. I felt very alone and without much love in my situation which is what took the magic out Christmas for me. This year, however, I feel soooo different!!!! I have that giddy, little girl feeling back again and I am in love with the feeling!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This upcoming weekend, I am fulfilling two bucket list items, to see the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center all lit up and to see a Broadway show, so what better show to see then my all time favorite Christmas Classic, "A Christmas Story"!!!!! I simply cannot explain how excited I am to go to NYC and enjoy and experience this magical place during the Christmas season!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next week, I will be preparing my home to put up a tree and decorate it and for the first time ever, I am going to decorate the outside of my home as well. So, what brought the magic of Christmas back to me, you might be asking? There are many things that have helped with this, keep an eye out for new posts as I unveil what re-sparked my Christmas fire.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace, Love and Light, </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christine</span></div>
<a href="http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com/"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.lifetimememorieswny.com</span></a>Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-86429526165686466882012-11-19T07:49:00.000-05:002012-11-19T07:49:09.074-05:00Quote of the day ... Nov. 19, 2012<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~Usman B. Asif</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am thankful for fear. Yes, you read that correctly. I am thankful for fear because fear helps you realize that you still have lessons to learn, that there is still life left to discover. When I was a kid, I was fearless, then as time passed I started to experience fear. I became afraid of one big thing that I still fear to this day ... heights. Although, I once heard someone say that a fear of heights is not actually the fear of being up high, it's the fear of falling. I suppose that's true, being up high doesn't bother me, but feeling like I could fall at any point in time, definitely does. I tried to overcome this fear this summer when my mother and I were lucky enough to find a fire tower that I have tried finding for years!!!! When I was younger, my pop took us to this fire tower and as he stood at the bottom rooting us on, I went right up to the top. This is one of my fondest childhood memories and to be able to see the fire tower, just as I had remembered it from 30 years earlier was quite the emotional experience, even more emotional to have shared this finding with my girls. I tried to make it up to the top again, but my fear took over and I couldn't make it past the 4th landing, that really didn't matter to me though, just finding the fire tower was the absolute highlight of my life!!! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are you afraid of? Would you be willing to face your fears to see what awaits behind the door you are afraid to walk through? </span></span></div>
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Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299611761758640707.post-15760245672500527272012-11-15T07:44:00.001-05:002012-11-15T07:44:53.338-05:00Quote of the day ... Nov. 15, 2012<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Broken hearts and dirty windows make life </span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">difficult to see, that's why last night and this </span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">morning always look the same to me”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">~John Prine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find it best to always start the day with a fresh set of eyes. A broken heart hurts, and each time it is broken it seems to get harder and harder to allow ourselves to be that vulnerable again. You begin to wonder if it is possible for your heart to ever fully mend. I have recently discovered that the secret to mending a broken heart is to love again, or rather, to allow yourself to love again. Keeping the pain and hurt attached to your heartache causes your "heart-windows" to become dirty. The only way to remove dirt from a window is to cleanse it, right? Well, your heart needs the same cleansing (just don't drink the window cleaner LOL), it requires a fresh start, a new chance at loving again. If you find yourself living day to day with nothing but pain in your heart, start to look within to see what you can do to cleanse your "heart-windows" to be able to see clearly through them again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love will wait for you. The person worthy, may not.</span></div>
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Christine Pilarskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391350371507358585noreply@blogger.com0