Do you Like Wine?

If so, this joke might make you laugh.. It cracked me up.  Then again, I am easily amused.

How to enjoy a good bottle of wine:


1) Open the bottle to allow it to breathe.


2) If it does not look like its breathing. give it mouth to mouth.

On a serioous note, for anyone looking for a great bottle of wine that is inexpensive, I suggest Liberty School. It is about $12 or so.  It is a fantastic wine that won't break the budget.  If you are looking for a really inexpensive glass of wine, then I  suggest Barefoot.  Barefoot has been on sale a lot lately and the large bottle can be purchased (sale price) for $10.  It is a very good wine for the price.  

Hope you are all having a great day and gearing up for spring!!

Treasury Challenge Typo

Hi all,

Fo anyone participating in the A.C.M.E. Treasury challenge, my post had a typo.  The image is supposed to come from the 1st page of my Etsy Shop, not my blog.  I apologize for the inconvenience.  Good luck :)

My Orchids Are in Bloom!

TGIF~ Hope you all had a great week!

Magic Markings Art

I would like to send a special thank you to Magic Markings Art Blog for featuring my surf soap! If you love the beach, her blog is the one to check out.  It is full of not only her own fantastic work, but many other fantastic coastal artists as well!  Here are a couple of the amazing pieces of art that Magic Markings Art has at her Etsy Shop:

Hope you are all having a fantastic day :)

Wild Crocus In February

What a nice surprise!  Yesterday, we found a few wild crocus in the yard yesterday.. amazing as today we woke up to an inch of snow.  I wait for these crocus to cover my lawn every year as I always know spring is on its way :)

Free Books For You

A few weeks ago I happened upon a blog (I can't remember which one) that talked about a website called Read It Forward.  At this site, you will find all sorts of reviews and recommendations for good books to read.  They also regularly have a book you can "enter to win".  I remember the blogger who was discussing the site said she always "won" & had already received several books this way.  So I figured I would give it a try.

 I signed up to win a book a few weeks ago, and sure enough, a book arrived for me last week.  The website was even kind enough to send me an email to let me know there was a new book up to enter to win.  I am hoping in a couple of weeks I will have a new book waiting for me!

We all know times are tough & we are all looking for new ways to save money.  Getting a book for free is a really nice treat.  The great thing about these books too is that you are getting the book before it hits stands, kind of a cool treat.

So, if you are a book lover like me, you may want to check out Read it Forward.  Hope you are all having a great day :)

A Saturday Treasury List of Goodies

Kyocera Ceramic Knives

I was given a Kyocera ceramic knife several years ago as a Christmas gift.  I was a little wary of the durability and sharpness of a ceramic knife~ boy was I in for a surprise!  They are now all I use and here are a few of the reasons why:

1. They are amazingly sharp.  I have (literally) a drawer full of supposedly great knives that I have not touched since getting my 1st ceramic knife.  There is just no comparison.  Wether it is cutting a flank steak or a tomato, this is hands down the sharpest knife I have ever used.
2. The ceramic knife keeps sliced fruit from browning and does not leave a metallic taste of your sliced fruits and veggies.  This is a huge on for me.  I love the fact that you can slice up an apple and it does not brown.  Until getting this knife, I did not even realize that it was the reaction of the metal against the fruit that caused that slight browning to occur so quickly.  I was also very pleasantly surprised by improved taste of fruit when using a ceramic knife.  Metal knives do leave a slight metallic taste on the fruit.  This does not happen with a ceramic knife.
3. There is now a sharpener available to sharpen your knives at home!  Until recently when the ceramic knife dulled (I had mine for a couple of years before I noticed any dulling), you would send it back to Kyocera and they would sharpen it with a diamond cutter.  This was the only slight pain to me about these knives, which is now resolved thanks to the sharpener that you can use at home.

I cook all the time and these knives (I have 4) make the experience that much more pleasurable.  These are the best knives I have come across and given how exceptionally well they work, how long they last, and even how light they are in the hand, they are well worth the money. 

1st Week of Special Needs Pre-K And A Great Quote

My son is rocking it at school!  He has made it through day two, and so far seems to be loving it.  (He had one meltdown today, but the teacher called me so I could talk to him & he calmed right down..)  He is so excited for school, I could hear him yelling form his room this morning (at 6am!!) "Get up! Time to get up!" Right now he is watching his favorite show, Jeopardy, (yes, I said Jeopardy), and then he is off to bed.
Tomorrow I will be doing a review of another one of my kitchen essentials.  For anyone one who loves to cook, tomorrow's post will contain a couple of great must haves!  They are by far on of my prized kitchen possessions.
And finally,  I wanted to share another great quote from Dr Seuss....

"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.  Some come from ahead and some come from behind.  But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"

~Dr. Seuss

Penguin Goes Shopping

You have to see it to believe it.. I only wish they explained how this little guy came to live in this Japanese town...

What's In A Name??

Have you ever thought about what your name means? Where it comes from? Why your name was chosen for you?  I have been giving this a lot of thought lately, as I am starting to think of names for my future child.  It seems more difficult this time around.

My first born was easy.  I came across the name Dylan and loved it for several reasons.  One reason is that it is an old name and has been through the ages of time.  As a surfer and someone who loves the ocean, I loved the name for what it means.  Dylan is the name of the Welsh sea god & translates to "the sea".  The story goes that Dylan was a twin, and the sea loved him from the time he was born.  He swam like a fish, and waves never broke across his back, and he spent much of his time at sea.  When Dylan was older, he was killed by his uncle while he was on land. The legend goes that the ocean missed hi so much that it began pushing itself towards land, calling him. This is the sound of the crashing waves on the shores we hear today, the sea calling its beloved Dylan home.

My second child is named Hope.  It is another name that has stood the test of time and has a beautiful meaning.  One of my all time favorite quotes about the word hope is this one:  "Hope is an island and an oasis where we keep our dreams. Hope is a place we guard when storm clouds rise and a candle we cover when ill wind blows and threatens the light in our lives."


So now I am left pondering choice my name choice for child number three...

This is Hysterical :)

F

Family Feud at its best... I did not even know it was still on the air!

Surfing On Skis!!

I had to share this amazing shot of Chuck Patterson surfing BIG waves on skis! Unreal!

The Countdown Begins.. And A Drumroll Please!

What a crazy week it has been!  I missed getting my post up yesterday, which is unusual for me!  For those interested, I did create a new post on my other blog concerning my son's IEP Meeting in order to be accepted into Special Needs Pre-K.  He starts on tuesday! (After going back and forth on the matter, I have decided to give my Never Give Up On Us blog another shot.  I had a lot of mixed emotions when I started it, but after a lot of consideration, I feel like I should give it another go and share what I have learned with other parents and guardians of special needs kids.)

Ok, onto number two (number 3 gets the drumroll!).  For anyone interested, I will be putting a ton of items from my Etsy Shop on clearance. I have a couple of large wholesale orders coming up for this summer (yay!) and have decided to change up my shop a bit, especially since we have quite a few new products to introduce.  So, if your ready for a sale, stop by the Wave of Life Surf Studio Store this weekend!  Here are a few of my newest listings, more are going up in the shop shortly:

Beer Bottle Opener and Bottle Cozy/Koozie Combo

Glass Lampwork Bead on Red Silk cord.  Can be worn as a bracelet or a necklace.

Our Beer Drinker's Survivor Pack. It's a jungle out there~ are you ready?

We also have a whole new line of coffee cup sleeves coming~ reusable and ecofriendly!

And finally, the drumroll please......  The final reason things have been a little extra exhausting and crazy around here.... I am pregnant!  (I'll admit it, I thought I had an ucler. I was sure I had an ulcer.  And then that I learned my "ulcer" is steadily growing and due in about 6 months... :)

Hope you are all having a fantastic day!!!

P.S.~ If anyone has an extra second to click on my "On the Fence" button on the top left of this blog, I would LOVE it :)  I finally made it into the top 100.  Don't ask me why, as I am not sure myself, but I really want to find my way into the top 10!

From the Mouths of Babes

A friend of mine got into a discussion about religion with his  2 children while driving in the car.  After speaking for 20 minutes or so on the subject of being agnostic and different religions from around the world the younger son (5 years old), piped up and said "So Dad, your a non-stick? Does that mean you don't have to stick to any one religion?"
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also wanted to add another fabulous photo by Kathleen Spivey (I added my own caption!)

"Hey, Bob, is that you?"

Did You Know This?? Warning: May Make Your Head Spin ;)

This year we will experience 4 unusual dates.... 
1/1/11

11/1/11

1/11/11   AND

11/11/11 ...   
NOW go figure this out....  

take the last 2 digits of the year you were born plus 
the age you will be this year and .... it WILL EQUAL TO 111.

A Fun List of Goodies

Buy 4 for 3 At Amazon~ Get a Product For Free!

I love a good deal, especially One that comes with free shipping!  (Which makes sense, since I have to do most of my shopping online since I don't get out much and live on an island!)

Amazon is offering a buy 3, get the 4th free on a huge selection of their  products. To view all items that qualify for this offer, CLICK HERE.    On the left hand side, you will be able to search the subcategories under 4 for 3 to make your browsing/search easier.

I found the following fun:

I like this beer maker, because they are also offering the accessories and beer pack refills in this offer. 

There is something for everyone~ kitchen goods, crafts, etc..

I Wish We were Going Too.. :'(

Our friend has left with his wife & kids for Bora Bora.  These are a couple of pics of where he is staying (literally- he is staying in one of the bungalows on the water).  I can't even begin to tell you how much I wish we were going~ our kids would love it there!!!  One of these days... :)

Special Coupon Code Offer For Our Blogging Buddies!!

Happy Saturday, everyone!!  I am excited to announce that Julie of the Julry shop on Etsy is offering you all 20% off your next purchase from her Shop :)  Julie makes gorgeous one of a kind bracelets & they make the perfect Valentine's gift for yourself or a friend.  Jewelry is so much better than candy~ candy doesn't last and who needs "a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips" anyway!  ;)

I also love that she has beautiful bracelets that are funky and age appropriate for girls.  They are fun, colorful, & a great reminder that spring will eventually get here!

So, if you are ready to treat yourself (you deserve it!) or a loved one, hop over to Julie's shop & remember to use the coupon code VALENTINES20 for your 20% off discount.

Below is a picture of my favorite bracelet (elegant with an edge in black & silver!) ~ which one from her shop do you like the best???

P.S   Julry now has a Facebook Page~ CLICK HERE to visit & "Like"

A Great & Rare Deal~ $100 OFF!!!

Anyone who loves to cook know how essential the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer is.  I have had mine for a couple of years and absolutely love it.  I also have the pasta making attachments & they are amazing for making homemade pasta!  There are a ton of different attachments available for creating amazing food.

These mixers are high quality, expensive, & rarely go on sale.  Until now!  Amazon is currently offering these mixers at a rare discount with a rebate.  They come in a variety of colors, but the biggest sale is on the red KitchenAid Artisan Mixer.  These mixers normally cost $300+.  The red one is now available for only $204 after sale & rebate~ a whopping $100 savings.  You will still get a great deal on the other colors, but the price will range anywhere from $10- $40 more.  I can't tell you how much money I have saved through amazon by purchasing the "sale color".  I personally love red & would buy this in a heartbeat if I did not already have one.  For those of you have been eyeing this up, now is the time to buy :)  I love this mixer & know you will too!  Feel free to let me know if you have any questions about it~ I use mine all the time.

**  Don't forget to use the rebate form for extra savings CLICK HERE FOR FORM****

When I purchased mine, I also purchased the Mixer Bible & was very happy with the variety of recipes it had.  It is a good book if you want to get comfortable with different ways to use the mixer, etc..

After I realized how much I loved it, I ended up purchasing the attachments to make my own pasta.  If you have never tried making your own, I highly recommend it!!  It is not difficult and the taste is amazing.  I only wish I had time to make it more often~ between the house, the Surf Studio, 2 kids, & 3 dogs, I find myself lacking in time lately!!  The next attachment I would LOVE to try is the Ice Cream Maker Attachment~ I know my husband & kids would love that one too :) How awesome does it look??

You Have To See It To Believe It!

This kid actually dunks the basketball and himself... he was fine :)

My Life In Holland

When my son (who has has CP and CVI) was about a year old, I brought him into our local Verizon store to get our cable box replaced.  At the time, Dylan was still having a very difficult time dealing with new places.  He would often curl up in on himself so he could close out the outside world he found so overwhelming.  We called it "doing the armadillo".

The person who waited on me smiled at both myself & Dylan in a kind & knowing way.  We quickly began talking about our children (which is unusual for me as I am a very private person) and I learned that she had a special needs child with a rare & devastating condition.  I found myself telling her not only all about Dylan, but also how I was feeling.  I had friends with children the same age as my son & I expressed the difficulty I was having relating to them and the lives they were living with their "average" children.  I told her I felt like I was living on a completely different planet than my friends & their children.  She smiled & told me "No, honey, you are just living in Holland."  She told me to hang on a second so she could explain.  She quickly printed out a sheet of paper for me & this is what was it said:

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

by

Emily Perl Kingsley.

c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am still so grateful to that incredibly kind woman who recognized a lost & confused newcomer to Holland & welcomed her to a beautiful world she no longer felt alone in.

Take TIme To Love The Life You Live

I love this photo.  Taken in Hawaii....