Sevenly

A few years ago I was inspired to bring my love of design,

fashion, and charity together.

I haven't given up on it, 

but I've restructured how I'd like to build that dream.

The dream included a boutique that would

have several levels of helping people.

My heart wants to helps so many people 

and causes that I struggle with getting all passionate

about just one.

I wanted a boutique where we could help

tons of them

while not neglecting the needs of our own community.

If I go into too much detail,

this post will sound like a business plan

"yawn"

but one part of the vision 

included T-shirts.

People would design a cool shirt, pick a charity,

the shirt would be produced in a size run

and 

the designer would get a little,

the store would get little,

and the charity would get most.

So, 

I stumbled upon a company that

is sort of doing that,

but they are doing it REALLY WELL!

I want to introduce you to:

SEVENLY

(hopefully I can pull some pics from their site- fingers crossed)

Basically,

each week there is a new shirt

that raises awareness and funds for a specific charity.

I bought my niece and nephew one for their birthdays.

The website displays a tally/counter of how much has been raised for the charity within that week.

I LOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!

Brilliant!

I also love that they are very outspoken about the fact that

the t-shirts are $22 and 7 bucks goes to the charity.

I love the transparency

because anyone who has ever tried to start any

kind of charity or business knows 

that it costs money.

The shirts I bought Sophia and Matthew

went toward Voice a charity of musicians who raise money

through their music and other endeavors to 

free children child soldiers in the Congo.

This week the shirts raise money for safe drinking water for 

children in Peru.

Also, I love their mission, purpose and vision.

Here's what I grabbed from the website

which you will jump to immediately I know.

Mission: 

To raise capital and awareness for the world's greatest causes.

Purpose:

To learn the issues that break God's heart,

engage with the people who are called to the issue,

and create awareness & a funding movement that supports them in their efforts.

Vision:

To see thousands of lives changed through the efforts we enabled.

I'm in love!

It's like a piece of my heart right there.

I'm so glad that there are people out there with similar visions 

as mine, but have the resource of time to live it out.

I think they are doing an amazing job and my heart is truly

even more inspired.

Plus, 

I look forward to each week to see the new tee, the new design,

and another charity doing the hard, adventurous, rewarding work

of changing the world.
I just realized how many sentences I started in this post that begin with
"I love". The old writing teacher in me is shaking her head and pointing her finger,
"tsk tsk".
However,
there's a lot to love about Sevenly
and I'm hoping, hoping, hoping
that by the end of this post that you have fallen in love too.

Please make this company one of your favorites

especially if you or your teens enjoy graphic

tees that have meaningful messages.

I'm on Day #3

I'm on Day #3 of my 

30 Days to Feeling Fit cleanse!

And surprisingly!

Feeling a little fitt-ER!

Call it a Honeymoon period,

beginner's luck,

or 

flat out desperation to reclaim my health

and youth

and the smaller, swankier version of myself.

I promised my peeps that this blog would not 

turn into an all things Arbonne space,

and I want to say,

I mean it!

However!

This 30 day thingy is 

ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT RIGHT NOW!

And since,

several of you who read Olio! are toughing it out with me,

I will be blogging about it-

recipes, confessions (hopefully not too many), ups & downs,

"the good, bad and the ugly"

as my TuesdayMorningCoach used to say.

So far,

it's blissfully nice.

I popped up a photograph of some

wonderful veggies that make

the cut.

I am mostly loving that my fizzies and chews,

call me if you want these babies,

are really curbing my munchy cravings

and maintaining my energy levels.

So, hopefully my FellowFeelingFitters are experiencing 

this pleasant Honeymoon period too.

And!

I ordered me some carmel chewies 

because why on earth would I not enjoy that?

Here are some things that don't make the cut:

wheat

dairy

sugar

coffee

beer

wine

gluten

mindless snacking

Well I added the last one.

Brian Regan, favorite comedian, does a bit on giving up Dairy.

Watch it on YouTube if you can.

And then, call him a "sissy" because dairy is just one of the "happiness"

on our naughty list this month.

What's on our list besides Carmel Chewies?

feeling great

losing weight

breaking addictive food cravings

kissing goodbye allergens that make us feel like fat, bloated Zombies

younger looking skin

better muscle tone

financial success

spiritual enlightment

secrets of the universe

Oh sorry.

I think you can figure out where I trailed off!

Anyways,

I'll be updating you on this fabulous adventure.

For now.

I feel GREAT!

La Bicyclette ReliveIt!

New Year's Day

was about basking in glorious sunshine, gorgeous blue skies,

white fluffy sand, and icy blue ocean waves

creating the ambience for 

friends frolicking 

with a volleyball

and 

making giant fanny prints in the sand.

This was a gorgeous Carmel-by-the-Sea day

displaying postcard weather that is rarely

enjoyed on this coastal town.

There was not even a breath or wisp of fog in the air.

(I just stuck this pic in because it was taken the night before

on the very same beach in front of a magical sunset,

in the company of lots of lovers saying goodbye to 2011

and it's my favorite picture of TrueLove and I that we took ourselves.)

So we were all working up an appetite.

It's not easy to accommodate 11 people for

a lunch in these tiny quaint 

restaurants

but

the boys rounded us up a perfect spot

at 

La Bicyclette.

This little European style cafe 

holds a special memory for me for it is where

my SweetFriendsAndAllThingsFunAndCelebratoryFriendsTodd&Jill

treated me to a birthday dinner a few years ago.

And during that dinner 

I ordered a Chimay beer.

And yes,

I am blogging about beer.

Even when their food is so fresh and fantastic.

Confession.

Love beer.

Especially a delicious Belgian beer.

They served it to me on a sweet silver tray

that looks like an antique

and they served it with

celery salted cheese.

This was something new!

And wonderful!

I am such a sucker for ambiance and the fine presentation of food.

I was so dazzled by giving beer a special presence and moment on the dinner table.

Every time I've ordered a Chimay since

I would remember my happy thought 

about my first Chimay at La Bicyclette.

So.

Weee!

Here I am again at this magical place

where beer gets it's own little stage.

I ordered one!

With enthusiasm.

Yes,

it was a little embarrassing since all the

healthy-health nuts were ordering

water,

remember we had just been bouncing around at the beach

bumping volleyballs into the picture perfect sky,

sounds like a beer moment to me!

and so there it was.

I was so happy! 

See the cheese and the beautiful friends in the back ground?

See how happy I am?

It even came with a story.

Very very happy!

I am reliving my happy moment and thinking

about how special I am with my special beer, and special cheese chunk,

and special little tray and I'm going to write about it on

my special blog, and specialy-special-special- and then.....

Insert

sounds of shattered glass

WANH-WANH-WANH

the shifting of a musical rift that indicates something 

is not right in Paradise after all-

sound of balloon popping

Why?

What caused this?

reality!

What's that picture?

Oh noooo!

TrueLove's diet coke served on the specialy-special platter!

Well,

there went my little moment.

We all need this once in a while when we start

feeling a bit too specially with ourselves.

Anyways,

it was still very lovely.

I have replaced the happy Chimay moment with

the Chanterelle Mushroom wood fired pizza 

with truffle oil and paper thin lemon.

There is not a flavor like it.

Pairs nicely with the Chimay.

And no more pictures.

Too busy eating.

On our specially special special La Bicyclette plates.

And

then we said our goodbyes after some more

frolicking in front of the cafe.

It's funny that in the picturesque town of Carmel,

with all of it's sweet architecture, blooming gardens, and 

trees that grow right in the middle of sidewalks,

that we'd photograph our giant love fest

right in front of a stop sign.

I love it.

But then we can hassle a few more

passerby's on their romantic walks and 

shoot for a better background.

Why not?

It's New Year's Day and

we were making memories!

Best Christmas Gift EVER!!!!!!!!

"gasp." 

no air

"gasp"

no air

"oh my gosh"

hands cover face

tears

(not the pretty kind)

tears

sob-sob-sob

tears

"   "-yeah, trying to talk is useless.

sob-sob-sob-sob-sob

Calli: "Everyone said you'd do this."

hands still covering face, no way to stuff the tears back in 

or stop them.

Calli: "I've been working on it in my art class, since October."

sniff, sniff, sniff

snot everywhere

I told you

(not the pretty kind)

Calli: "It's our picture from Almanor this summer. It's been so hard to keep secret."

Aahhhh!

There are no words for what happens when your child

gives you this kind of an epic gift.

Gorgeous.

Art.

From the heart.

Sacrificial in time and creativity.

She anticipated the moment

I'd open it.

She had video rolling.

(darn it. I cried when I watched it again for more than one reason.)

But she knew.

She knew me.

She knew my language.

She's only 11.

And she pulled it off.

I've never had that kind of a reaction to a gift.

I'm easy to please.

I grapple with the words even still 

for how special and lovely

this gift made me feel.

I hope every parent gets a gift like this.

If you are a parent and you know

this feeling that I'm doing 

a lousy job describing,

then I want to hear it!!!

These are the moments to embrace in, bask in and share!

Enjoy!

And thank you Calli for touching my heart so deeply 

with your amazing gift of making everything

even lovelier than before.

oh

and she made each of us look

babe-a-licious!

Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

For all of you who read this regularly,

I want to apologize because I wanted to wish you 

Merry Christmas

and post a gorgeous family portrait.

However, as Murphy's Law would have it,

I forgot my password (yet again),

which I took as a sign from the heavens

that maybe I needed a little tiny break

from blogging to holiday it up

with my family.

And,

you didn't get a gorgeous family portrait,

because,

1) I was using the self timer on my camera which I've only in the past used by accident 

and needed to get familiar with, and determine which spot to run quickly too and 

act normal and fabulous (that didn't happen).

I had to make sure my big boots cleared the tripod and that I didn't 

trip on the Christmas lights I wrapped everyone up with.

Which is hilarious because you can barely see them in this last pic.

2) I was still figuring out where Jake needed to go so his melon would hide the security gadget on the wall.

3) Jon had to hold the dog who sleeps all day long perfectly still,

until I round up the family for a picture.

(Had to crop the dog out-he looked like a blurry version of the alien pug in Men in Black).

4) By the time I figured it all out so that we didn't look entirely like dorks tied up in 

Christmas lights- the battery on my camera died.

And with it, 

went my window of opportunity to 

make that stellar photo.

After that is was like herding cats.

This was the very last shot.

We were almost there.

It was supposed to be our Christmas card,

then it was going to be our New Years card,

but we never reattempted the session.

So you get this awkward photo

but the wishes and warmth

are the real deal!

I wish you the best,

very best 

for 2012!

And a special warm thanks again for 

visiting me here and

giving ear to my thoughts,

silliness, randomness, and 

hopefully once in a while cleverness,

but usually, most often,

nonsense.

I will resume regular postings after the new year!

We'll talk soon.

Christmas Caroling

Every year we go 

caroling at

the

Danville Nursing 

and Rehabilitation Center.

It's my favorite.

We've been doing it for so long that we've

lost count of how many years

it's been since our first visit.

I used to have to hide behind my big

camera because I would cry 

the entire time.

I'm now able to come out from 

the camera, visit with people and 

sing along.

Without much preparation

we bust out a few carols,

do some sign language,

and

actually we sound quite

nice too.

MyDearWorshipLeadingLovelyFriendPeggy

always smiles the entire time.

We start in the lunch room where a few of our

fans are usually waiting.

This sweet fan was so excited about our

song that she began directing.

Probably she also saw a 

little need there,

but it was so

much fun.

MyTalentedStageLovingVocalistFriendGina

stepped out and led a few songs of her own.

Which was also tons of fun!

I love this picture of my BeautifulFriendBarbie

helping a lady find her place so

she could follow along in songbook.

I also love the face on the

little boy in the back.

Priceless.

And my most favorite part

and the part where my heart usually melts

all over the place-

is when we take the 

Christmas spirit down

the halls.

We visit all the 

individual

rooms. 

Sometimes the children will go

right in the rooms and talk to people

handing them handmade gifts

or cards, as we did this

year.

We had a request this time

to visit a room where someone was

especially down and in need

of encouragement.

As we sung 

outside the room

one of our vocalists was

compelled to go in and sing a

spontaneous song of blessing 

over the residents.

It was so sweet and precious.

From the spot where I stood I could 

actually see the atmosphere of the

room shift into one that was

lighter and sweeter.

As their spirits were lifted there

was a visible change.

How cool is that?

It's because a bunch of us

decided to go singing in a place where

people long for visits, companionship,

and joy.

Don't you want to join us next year?

decorating chandeliers

Most of you know how much I love

decorating chandeliers.

Since my ladder copped a big

attitude and decided to

become faulty and unsafe,

I have had to neglect

my chandelier

for the 

holidays.

So,

you see how

happy it made me

when I was visiting my

UberTalentedDecoratingFriendJill

and saw that she took the opportunity

to dress up her lighting for Christmas.

It made me so happy I had to snap a picture.

It's very pretty

and since it's natural,

it also smells lovely.

So I thought I'd 

share it with

you.

Jill's recipe for 

Christmas decor:

A few sprigs of pine,

A pinch of lilies,

Sprinkled with some Ginger!