Rosie's Ramblings

Five ways to make adventuring with children easy

(I received this bag compliments of Mominside, however, all thoughts and opinions are mine alone)

This post contains affiliate links

I love going on adventures, and I especially love going on adventures with my children. It's a wonderful way for us to spend time with them, and I love watching them learn and explore.

That said, it's not always super easy to go on adventures with children, especially when they are small. It's taken me a few years (and two children) to prefect our outings so that they work for everyone, and we all have fun.

I'm going to share a few of my tips for having a successful adventure with small kiddos in hopes that it might help you while you go exploring with your own small ones.

Five ways to successfully adventure with children:

1. Make sure that everyone is well-rested. If the kiddos are tired, or I'm tired, nobody has fun. I always make sure that we go out early (we are morning people) or after Piper naps. The more well-rested the kiddos are, the more fun they (and I!) have.

2. Keep low expectations. This a key to making exploring work. Except to have fun, but not relax. If I want to relax, I stay at home with my kids. Going out is an adventure, and we have a blast, but it's a lot of work for me and is not relaxing.

3. Bring snacks and drinks. The worst time is if we have hangry little people. I always, always have water and snacks on hand when we go out. That way, everyone is always well-fed and happy.

4. Dress for the weather. If it's raining, we wear boots; if it's cold, we are bundled up. If I'm cold, or Adam, or the kids, it makes us much more likely to call it quits and leave. I always have a spare change of clothes on hand for each of the kids, too, in case of an accident.

5. Keep your hands free. I'm a BIG fan of using a backpack to store all your stuff. Nobody with small kiddos has time to be holding a bag in their hand, am I right? This diaper bag that Mominside sent me is just perfect for our adventures. It fits a ton, and I mean a TON of stuff. My wallet, changes of clothes, snacks, water bottles and more. It's also really comfy, so even when it's packed full, it's not uncomfortable to wear!

Other tips that I have include not having an agenda, keeping things super simple and asking the children what THEY want to do. If you are planning on doing something that is in a busy location or a touristy area I recommend picking a weekday or going off-season so that it's not crowded with people.

Lately

Hello and happy Sunday!

We've been busy here, getting into the swing of the holiday festivities. We are celebrating Thanksgiving with my family, and Christmas will be up north with Adam's family (Adri is super excited to meet some new little cousins that were born over the summer!).

Here's a little of what we have going on lately:

I went Christmas shopping yesterday and almost knocked out all of it (just a couple gifts left!), and it feels SO good to know that I can just relax and enjoy the holiday season without having to worry about gifts.
We don't get our tree until the day after Thanksgiving when our Elf comes out, but I have been slowly introducing some Christmas decorations here and there, and so far, I don't think Adam has even noticed!
Poor Adam has been sick with a fever all weekend and is feeling terrible. It seems to have finally broken, and hopefully, he's feeling better by the time heads to work tomorrow morning.
I have some fun content coming to the blog later this week, so stay on the lookout for it (I'm working with a brand I really like, and that's always fun).
The girls and I are heading over to my dad's later for family dinner (Adam is going to stay home and feel sick), and that means I should probably dress my kiddos at some point today.
We pulled out all our Christmas books the other night, and that's always super exciting. It's fun to re-read books that we haven't read in a year!

Have a great Sunday!

15 Favorite Amazon Items Under $5 (perfect stocking stuffers!)

{this post contains affiliate links}

Every holiday season all the bloggers pull out their Gift Guides, and, to be honest, I find it a bit overwhelming. Not to mention, I miss seeing their regular content. Anyway, that is the reason that I, as one such aforementioned "blogger" don't usually (well, more like EVER) post gift guides.
That said, I do LOVE Amazon, and stockings are always a pretty big deal around here for us (we go all-out with them) so I thought I'd compile a little list of some of my favorite Amazon products that are under $5, all of which make great teacher or neighbor gifts or stocking stuffers!

Water Beads. My kiddos LOVE water beads, and they provide hours of fun. In the summertime I like to add them to the kiddie pool for them to splash with.
This Maybelline Lipstick Color is so pretty!
Water Wow. My kiddos love using these, especially in the car when we travel.
This Harmonica is a great fun gift for either a child or an adult.
Reuseable Straws (these come with a cleaning brush too!). We use reusable straws all the time around here.
Silly Putty. Adri LOVES silly putty and begs to play with it. I actually prefer it to slime (which she managed to get in her sister's hair not once, but twice).
Mrs. Meyers Cleaning Spray. This stuff smells SO good!
Dishwashing Pads. These last way longer than regular kitchen scrubbies.
Mini Wild Animal Set. The kids both love stuff like this.
This key chain is the perfect gift for a dad!
Everyone loves a game of Go Fish!, right? Here's one for only $2.99!
A fun fact about me. I'm a massive fan of Sharpies. Maybe I'm a dork, but I'd be THRILLED to get some new Sharpies for Christmas. These Metallic Silver ones are really pretty too.
Mugs are great gifts too. Here's one for a teacher, one for the special guy in your life, and my favorite, a copper Moscow Mule Mug (the bummer is that with shipping it's more than $5).
This Wine Bottle Stopper is beautiful and would make a nice gift paired with a bottle of wine.
My Pony. This is one of Adri's favorite books, and we read it all the time. I think that I should make a separate, books-under-$5 gift guide though since I have so many good ones!

Recent Reads

{this post contains affiliate links}

It's been a while, but I'm back again with some book recommendations! I've got some good ones here this time; especially My Valley (how have I never heard of that book before?).
We are having a lazy Friday over here and are ready for the weekend! Tomorrow we are celebrating two of the brothers' birthdays before one of them takes off for South America for 6 months.

Have a great weekend and happy reading!

Something in the water: a novel. Written by Catherine Steadman (another successful thriller)

Flying away. Written and illustrated by Heather French Henry

The queen is coming to tea. Written by Linda Ravin Lodding

My mom is trying to ruin my life. Written by Katie Feiffer

Make your own puppets. Written by Anna-Marie D'Cruz (easy crafts!)

I am Otter. Written by Sam Garton (a cute little picture book)

It takes a village. Written by Hillary Rodham Clinton (beautiful illustrations by Marla Frazee!)

My valley. By Claude Ponti; translated from the French by Alyson Waters. (loved, loved, LOVED this book!)

The winter dragon. Written by Caroline Pitcher

Day of the dinosaurs: step into a spectacular prehistoric world. Written by Dr. Steve Brusatte.

weekend things

Just a few snapshots of our weekend. On Sunday, we went over to my Dad's house, and Adam went hunting while the rest of the family went for a hike.

We hiked one of the highest points in the area, and Adri did the whole thing with only a little help (being carried past some steep spots by her beloved Auntie Pig)!

The time change is throwing me for a loop, and instead of getting more sleep, I seem to be getting less (thanks, kids). It being dark outside at 5pm isn't helping much either, come to think of it.

Anyway, we are pushing past it, and I've pulled out more candles and am trying to embrace the season.

Today it windy and rainy outside. The kiddos and I are going to work on a painting (well, I set it up and they "help" me), and I have some work, and other than that, it's probably going to be a slow day. We have some new books from the library that I'm going to read aloud to them, and I'll try to finish mine.

The girls have been REALLY into dress-up lately, so that keeps them pretty occupied (as well as keeping me in stitches as a princess in a diaper passes by. Piper even slept in the Cat Boy costume last night!).

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Halloween 2019

Happy Saturday! What a week! I feel like having a kid-centered holiday (that is primarily celebrated at night) on a week night is one of the worst ideas ever. I'm still recovering from the other night today. Oh, and then we have the time change tomorrow!

Okay, enough complaining. It's Saturday, and we have some plans!

Adam is working all day, so the girls and I are going to hang out with the sisters. I need to take a trip to Old Navy, and we'll probably hit up the thrift store too.

We had such a fun Halloween! It was raining all week, but it cleared up at the last minute, and it was SO warm. It was also windy, which lent a nice "spooky" element to the night.

The kids had a blast (we went with a bunch of my family), and they got enough candy to last a year!

Below we have photos from this year (Baby Shark and Twilight Sparkles) but also the kids sporting their last year's P.J Masks costumes.

The next day we walked down to the park so that they could get all their energy out (they ate a lot of candy when they woke up).

Have a great weekend!

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“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”

“Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."
"I don't much care where –"
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go.”

“Curiouser and curiouser!”

“Alice: How long is forever?

White Rabbit: Sometimes, just one second.”

“Take some more tea," the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
"I've had nothing yet," Alice replied in an offended tone, "so I can't take more."
"You mean you can't take less," said the Hatter: "it's very easy to take more than nothing."
"Nobody asked your opinion," said Alice.”

“And what is the use of a book," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversation?”

“The Mad Hatter: "Would you like some wine?"
Alice: "Yes..."
The Mad Hatter: "We haven't any and you're too young.”
Lewis Carroll.

"Defend the weak, protect both young and old, never desert your friends. Give justice to all, be fearless in battle and always ready to defend the right."

"Armel shrugged. "I suppose so, Brother, but why do creatures have to fight?"
Demple picked Mudge up and placed him on his shoulder. "Because there's always good and bad in the land, and goodbeasts have to protect their friends an' families from evil ones who want nothing but to conquer an' destroy."

"I will not stand here to be insulted by you, hedgepig," Mangiz fumed.

"Then stand somewhere else and I'll insult you there, featherbag!!"

“Even the strongest and bravest must sometimes weep. It shows they have a great heart, one that can feel compassion for others.”

“You will find joy, frustration and sorrow in your quest. Never forget that friendship and loyalty are more precious than riches...Happiness can be brief, but it knows no time in the land of dreams.”

“Sometimes the gift of an inquisitive nature to the young can be greater than that of the wisdom which comes of age.”
Brian Jacques

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation."
Habakkuk 3:17-18

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Philippians 4:8

"This above all:to thine own self be true,

And it must follow,as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man"

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”

"No, I will be the pattern of all patience; I will say nothing.”

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none; be able for thine enemy rather in power than use; and keep thy friend under thine own life's key; be checked for silence, but never taxed for speech”

“Love to faults is always blind, always is to joy inclined. Lawless, winged, and unconfined, and breaks all chains from every mind.”

"Like the painting of a sorrow, a face without a soul".

“But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again.”

William Shakespeare.

"She took off her wet coat, sat down in front of the fire and her mother brought her a large, ornamental bone china cup of soup. She warmed her hands on the cup and then she set it on its saucer, balanced it on her lap and ate the soup with a bouillon spoon. The dog, a weimaraner, lay dozing at her feet. Outside the rain clattered. Inside that pretty living room was all safe."

Laurie Colwin.

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."

C.S. Lewis.

" Do not part with your dreams or aspirations for when they are gone you will still exist, but you will have ceased to live"

Thoreau.

"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds In a believer's ear It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds, And drives away his fears."

John Newton.

"Read and you will be educated."

Anonymous.

"Happiness quite unshared can scarcely be called happiness; it has no taste."

Charlotte Brontë.

“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”

Laura Ingalls Wilder.

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever"

John Keats.

"Then you ought to!" said Margaret. "Discussion keeps a house alive. It cannot stand by bricks and mortar alone."
Howards End.

"To a young heart everything is fun."

Charles Dickens.

"Canned life is not agreeable to me"

N.C Wyeth.

"As to matters of dress, I would recommend one never to be first in the fashion nor the last out of it."

John Wesley.

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting- a wayside sacrament.

Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing."

Ralph Waldo Emerson.

" My idea of success" he said " is personal freedom".

" Freedom ? Freedom from worries ?"

" From everything-from money, from poverty, from ease and anxiety, from from all the material accidents. To keep a kind of republic of spirit- that's what I call success".

Edith Wharton.

"Fairy Tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they teach us that dragons can be defeated."

G.K. Chesterton.

"I...have never met any such thing as Luck. There is something about all this that I do not understand: but if ever we need to know it, you may be sure that we shall."

C.S Lewis.

"The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it."

John Ruskin.

“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”

“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”

“It is the job that is never started that takes longest to finish.”

“I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”

“I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend”

“He who breaks a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom.”

J.R.R Tolkien.

“Elizabeth continued her walk alone, crossing field after field at a quick pace, jumping over stiles and springing over puddles with impatient activity, and finding herself at last within view of the house, with weary ancles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.”

Jane Austen.

"Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others. "

Robert Louis Stevenson.

"I can't imagine a man really enjoying a good book and reading it only once".

C.S Lewis.

".....it is still more true that there is no kindness of heart without a certain amount of imagination."

Joseph Conrad.

"It is not easy to walk alone in the country without musing on something."

Charles Dickens.

"Don't be afraid of death, Winnie. Be afraid of the un-lived life."

Tuck Everlasting.

". . . the primary duty of a woman in a home is to see that her family is well-fed. . ."

Grace Livingston Hill.

"The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible."

Oscar Wilde.

"Don't refuse to go on an occasional wild goose chase - that's what wild geese are for."

Author Unknown.

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."

Sherlock Holmes.

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."

Jimi Hendrix.

"Never mistake motion for action."

Ernest Hemingway.

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

Albert Einstein.

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important"

C.S. Lewis.

"The glow of one warm though is to me worth more than money"

Thomas Jefferson.

"If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy, I can only conclude that I was not made for here."

C.S. Lewis.

"The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what it was, nor forward to what it might be, but living in the present and accepting it as it is now."

“I must write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living.”

"If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments."

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.”

Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou.

"The pain I feel now is the happiness I had before. That's the deal."

"This is one of the miracles of love: It gives a power of seeing through its own enchantments and yet not being disenchanted."

"Spiteful words can hurt your feelings but silence breaks your heart."

"I sometimes wonder if all pleasures are not substitutes for joy."

"Eros will have naked bodies; Friendship naked personalities."

"Like a good chess player, Satan is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop."

"I have learned now that while those who speak about ones miseries usually hurt, but those who keep silence hurt more. "

"When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over"

"He sees because He loves, and therefore loves although He sees."

"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become"

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."

"God can't give us peace and happiness apart from Himself because there is no such thing."

"It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between."

"The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to support the ultimate career. "

"What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it."

"Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably."

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."

"Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else."

"The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become - because He made us. He invented us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be. . .It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own."

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

C.S Lewis.

"Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good plays, good company, good conversation - what are they? They are the happiest people in the world."

William L. Phelps.

"I know what I should love to do - to build a study; to write, and to think of nothing else. I want to bury myself in a den of books. I want to saturate myself with the elements of which they are made, and breathe their atmosphere until I am of it. Not a bookworm, being which is to give off no utterances; but a man in the world of writing - one with a pen that shall stop men to listen to it, whether they wish to or not."

Lew Wallace.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

Dr. Seuss.

"A room without books is like a body without a soul."

Marcus Tullius Cicero.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Mark Twain.

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

Oscar Wilde.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."

Robert Frost.

"Without music, life would be a mistake."

Friedrich Nietzsche.

"The secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life, and in elevating them to art."

William Morris.

"Everyone, at some point in their lives, wakes up in the middle of the night with the feeling that they are all alone in the world, and that nobody loves them now and that nobody will ever love them, and that they will never have a decent night's sleep again and will spend their lives wandering blearily around a loveless landscape, hoping desperately that their circumstances will improve, but suspecting, in their heart of hearts, that they will remain unloved forever. The best thing to do in these circumstances is to wake somebody else up, so that they can feel this way, too."

Lemony Snicket.

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent"

Victor Hugo.

"I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way (s)he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."

Maya Angelou

"What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."

Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings by the number of words they exchange."

Milan Kundera.

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."

Aldous Huxley.

"A house without books is like a room without windows."

Horace Mann.

"Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all."

Emily Dickinson.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."

Winston S. Churchill.

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Martin Luther King Jr.

"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."

Dr. Seuss.

"Without music, life would be a mistake."

Friedrich Nietzsche.

"Men profess to be lovers of music, but for the most part they give no evidence in their opinions and lives that they have heard it."

Henry David Thoreau.

"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter: therefore, ye soft pipes, play on."
John Keats.

"Love truth, but pardon error."

Voltaire.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Martin Luther King Jr..

"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."
Dalai Lama XIV.

"Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see."

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."

Robert Louis Stevenson.

"The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It's the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows & the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years."

Audrey Hepburn.

"The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies."

J.R. Miller.

"A loving heart is the truest wisdom.”

“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts."

“A heart well worth winning, and well won. A heart that, once won, goes through fire and water for the winner, and never changes, and is never daunted.”

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness . . . it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair . . . in short, the period was so far like the present period . . . .”

“Her heart--is given him, with all its love and truth. She would joyfully die with him, or, better than that, die for him. She knows he has failings, but she thinks they have grown up through his being like one cast away, for the want of something to trust in, and care for, and think well of. . . .”

“To conceal anything from those to whom I am attached, is not in my nature. I can never close my lips where I have opened my heart.”

“Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.”

“There is a wisdom of the head, and... a wisdom of the heart.”

“Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.”

“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.”

“A day wasted on others is not wasted on one's self.”

Charles Dickens.

"What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow."

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh," he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?"

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”

“If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever”

“If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.”

“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together. There is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. but the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you.”

“Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave.”

“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”

A.A.Milne.

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

Thomas Alva Edison.

"To sit alone with my conscience will be judgment enough for me."

Charles William Stubbs.

"Sometimes it is not enough to do our best; we must do what is required."

Sir Winston Churchill.

"If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"

Will Rogers.

"After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one."

Cato the Elder.

"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something."

last words of Pancho Villa.

"The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense."

Tom Clancy.

"Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame."

Benjamin Franklin.

"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."

Sir Winston Churchill.

"There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it."

Oscar Wilde.

"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know."

Abraham Lincoln.

"When I step into a library, I cannot understand why I ever step out of it"

Maroe de Sevigne.

"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook."

Julia Child.

"After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relatives."

Oscar Wild.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”
Mary Oliver.

“Harry, there is never a perfect answer in this messy, emotional world. Perfection is beyond the reach of humankind, beyond the reach of magic. In every shining moment of happiness is that drop of poison: the knowledge that pain will come again. Be honest to those you love, show your pain. To suffer is as human as to breathe.”

J.K Rowling.

"Finding success-in business, in family, in life- comes from somewhere deep inside. You have to work hard, apply yourself fully, do your homework diligently, but you also have to be true to your interests, your ethics, your ideas, your desires, and your passions. You can't breach your core values or overriding bliss, that deep sense of who you are. If you do breach your values, no amount of so-called success will matter, because it's the quality of the journey in life that really matters, not the destination. It's not about how many things you acquire or how much money you have when you reach the destination, but about how much fun and satisfaction you have along the way. That's what success is."
Sam Wyly.

"What are your choices? Whom are your choices for? Not just for yourself. Chose now whom you will serve, and that choice is going to affect the next generation, and the next generation, and the next. Choice never affects just one person alone. It goes on and on and the effect goes out into geography and history. You are part of history and your choices become part of history."
Edith Schaeffer.

“Anastasia reached the attic stairs, slowed down, and listened. She knew that the first step to asking about secrets is seeing how much you can find out by sneaking.”

“You can't buy history new.”
N.D. Wilson.

“Getting to the top of any given mountain was considered much less important than how one got there: prestige was earned by tackling the most unforgiving routes with minimal equipment, in the boldest style imaginable.”
Jon Krakauer.

“I hadn’t realized that music could unlock things in you, could transport you to somewhere even the composer hadn’t predicted. It left an imprint in the air around you, as if you carried its remnants with you when you went.”

“You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”

“Push yourself. Don't Settle. Just live well. Just live.”
Jojo Moyes.

“It is a horrible thing, money. But it is also horrible to be the only one who hasn't got any. One of my chief complaints against people has always been that they had no respect for animals. But many people have a great respect for money. Animals with bank accounts of their own will be in a position to insist upon respect.”
Hugo Lofting.

“The best way of travel, however, if you aren't in any hurry at all, if you don't care where you are going, if you don't like to use your legs, if you don't want to be annoyed at all by any choice of directions, is in a balloon. In a balloon, you can decide only when to start, and usually when to stop. The rest is left entirely to nature.”
William Pène du Bois.

“Well, any love makes us vulnerable. Whatever we love will give the gift of pain somewhere along the road. But who would live sealed in spiritual cellophane just to keep from ever being hurt? There are a few people like that. I'm sorry for them. I think they are as good as dead.”

“And whether rich or poor, well or ill, happy or sad, books can be a refuge, they do not change with changing circumstance, they are the open highway to yesterday, today and tomorrow wherever you will to travel.”

“But housekeeping is fun. It is one job where you enjoy the results right along as you work. You may work all day washing and ironing, but at night you have the delicious feeling of sunny clean sheets and airy pillows to lie on. If you clean, you sit down at nightfall with the house shining and faintly smelling of wax, all yours to enjoy right then and there. And if you cook—that creation you lift from the oven goes right to the table.”
Gladys Taber

“The only meaningful thing we can offer one another is love. Not advice, not questions about our choices, not suggestions for the future, just love.”

“Here's my hunch: nobody's secure, and nobody feels like she completely belongs. Those insecurities are just job hazards of being human. But some people dance anyway, and those people have more fun.”

“If you feel something calling you to dance or write or paint or sing, please refuse to worry about whether you’re good enough. Just do it. Be generous. Offer a gift to the world that no one else can offer: yourself.”
Glennon Doyle Melton.

“My dear Prue, we are the inheritors of a wonderful world, a beautiful world, full of life and mystery, goodness and pain. But likewise are we the children of an indifferent universe. We break our own hearts imposing our moral order on what is, by nature, a wide web of chaos. It is a hopeless task.”
Colin Meloy.

"I salute you. I am your friend and my love for you goes deep. There is nothing I can give you which you have not got. But there is much, very much, that while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in today. Take heaven!
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instance. Take peace!

The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take joy!

Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty . . . that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven.

Courage then to claim it, that is all! . . . And so I greet you, with profound esteem and with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away."
Fra Giovanni.

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Halloween 2019