Fishing the Sky with DragonFLY

Reason #22 Why I love the Happiness Project

2012-01-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2011!

2011-12-27T20:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning...like 12 midnight for the cousins and gifts!

My sisters with Baby girl and MJ.

The cousins in a sort of Modern Family pose.

And so it begins...Team Angel to the Rescue!

2011-12-14T21:49:00.000-08:00

Love this time of the year...My family and I love volunteering at the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. We've been spending the last several days when we have spare time to help get things ready to go for the families to pick them up. We have only one goal - to ensure every single child receives a gift of clothing and of toys through the Angel Tree program.

The program has become an amazing team effort and one that has taken a life of its own. There are so many reasons to be thankful this year...For me, it's the kids and the families who are uplifted in their time of need through the generosity and the love of others.

Good Sky Chatter

2011-12-13T08:19:00.000-08:00

“One of the mostimportant lessons I have learned over the past few years is how important it isto have time and space for being with what’s real in my life — to celebrate thejoys, grieve the losses, shed my tears, sit with the questions, feel my anger, attendto my loneliness.”

Ruth Haley Barton, SacredRhythms

For more, leap over here.

11.11.11 11:11

2011-11-11T17:33:00.001-08:00

Today is special...It's 11.11.11 and lots of people were talking about what they were doing on 11/11/11 at 11:11 or making a super wish. I was at the office...Not wishing, Not talking. I totally missed this once in a lifetime moment of all ones. So instead of focusing on the exact hour and minute of the day, I will celebrate 11 great moments of today (and maybe I'll still get a wish granted, 11/11/11 11:11 style):

1 - waking up at 4:45 a.m. and realizing that I still had 15 minutes until my alarm went off
2 - driving to work without any major traffic along the way
3 - walking outside and the temperature was a cool 60 something degrees
4 - wearing my red cashmere sweater for the first time this fall
5 - eating a cuban sandwich, guilt-free
6 - drinking a chai latte
7 - picking up my baby girl almost before the sun went down
8 - laughing at a video called "ninja cat"
9 - almost cleaning out my email inbox (so close people!)
10 - enjoying leftovers for dinner. (keeping it simple)
11 - staying in and watching movies with my family (ahh...just perfect.)

So what moments are you celebrating on this number one super-special day? You have one more chance tonight to make that wish...May it come true.

Happy Blogiversary to me! #6 Baby!

2011-11-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Today, this Sky Fishing Dragonfly blog turns six years old! Hard to believe More than 1,000 posts about life, love, family, friends, ups, downs, curves and stops have all been shared here...This tiny corner of the world where this Dragonfly is perched upside down for all to see.

In the last six years, I've learned a lot about what I know and what I didn't know that I knew. (cue James Taylor's "Fire and Rain") So, in honor of this blog turning six, here are a few lessons I've picked up along the way...(Only six even though there are more like six hundred):

1. Be thankful every single moment.
Living with a grateful heart will open life to so much possibility.

2. Be nice.
No matter where you are, live with compassion and kindness for the world around you.

3. Good friends are good for you.
I am here in this very moment because of amazing friends.

4. Place meaning on taking responsibility especially when it counts.
No one is perfect. Everyone fails. It's important to admit it, apologize and move on.

5. Sometimes I just don't know that I know.
It's true. We're smarter than we think.

6. When in doubt, WRITE through it or blog it.
The power of writing has never failed me. Not once.

PRSA International Conference 2011 in Orlando, Florida

2011-11-03T08:16:00.001-07:00

Opening Night Reception
Originally uploaded by PRSA National

Had a great time this year at the PRSA International Conference in Orlando. This is my fifth year attending and by far, it was one of the best professional development experiences I have had to date. The networking, sessions and keynote speakers were all fantastic. I got to see many close friends and colleagues from across the country and connect with new ones. It was truly everything you'd want a conference experience to be. So glad I didn't miss it. How could I? It was in my backyard.

Via Flickr:
PRSA, International Conference, Orlando

Reason #376 There's a Fork in My Eye: Always a Critic, Never a Writer

2011-08-31T17:40:00.000-07:00

image source: girlfromthehills

The problem with a lot of people talking about out there is that it's so much talk and less, or in some cases, NO writing. If you know how to do something better than everyone else, I respectfully request that you do it. Stop tearing down others, and participate!

Ahhhh...That feels better. Moving forward...

10 Reasons Why We Love Our Pool

2011-08-09T22:51:00.000-07:00

1 - summer days are cooler
2 - endless fun from may through october
3 - it's pretty to look at all year
4 - it makes me happy
5 - after a day of canoeing, it's so refreshing
6 - mr. wonderful fixed the light...pretty at night
7 - the baby girl enjoys it
8 - it's the gift that keeps on giving to us and friends
9 - i love that i don't have to drive to it...it's right there
10 - it's ours, it's all ours

the plan and a hello..i missed you too.

2011-07-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

so the plan was to share pics and fun moments of the last few months...since my baby girl turned three i guess you could say i've been on a bit of a hiatus. the plan was to give you just a glimpse of how this summer has been an adventure full of vacations, celebrations, changes, racin' and good talks with close friends.

BUT, instead, i just want to say hello. hello to my one reader or maybe two out there. you understand how life happens faster than can be explained sometimes or blogged about. you totally get that i wouldn't just fall off the edge of the web without letting you know where i was heading.

with that said, my inner writer and let's-talk-about-it-lorelie self wants to over-explain and let you know what i've actually been doing is journaling the old fashion way...you know...with a book full of blank pages and a nice rollerball black pen...sometimes colorful markers will jump in the mix. most of you know that it's a passion of mine...to write, to journal and lately, the ideas have been flowing. no. scratch that. POURING out of me. mainly ideas of what my next writing projects will be...outlines and characters. it feels good to get it down rather than letting it slip through my mind like so many other possibilities.

in addition to journaling, i've been cooking more which in the past, i would loathe but i'm stretching outside of my comfort zone and trying to warm up to the idea that it's a little fun to make delicious food that is fresh and healthy for my family. (having a flashback to the last time i went to a cooking class...i was miserable but even four years later, there is hope.) i'm even using cookbooks that have been bought by me at a bookstore...with my own money. miracles DO happen every day.

so tell me, what have you been up to this summer?

Vacation on the Mountains

2011-06-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

Baby Girl and I at Grandfather Mtn.

We enjoyed a fun family vaca up to the mountains of North Carolina. It was our second trip to Blowing Rock and our first to Highlands. Blowing Rock was amazing. Very relaxing and this time, we got to try some new places like the Village Cafe and Proper (actually that was in Boone). We visited Grandfather Mountain and Tweetsie Railroad. What we initially thought would be a few hours here and there, turned into full day trip. The baby girl did great.

Mr. Wonderful and Mr. Perfect playing golf in Cashiers, NC

Baby Girl with her YiaYia and Papou in Highlands, NC

Off to Highlands and I was pleasantly surprised by how incredibly gorgeous it is up there. The drive over was in the midst of a torrential downpour so I started thinking it wasn't worth it. I was so wrong. The town was quaint and full of plenty to do without too many things to do. Love that about vacation spots. We visited the waterfalls and sunset rock. We shopped a little bit and my new mother-in-law and I walked a lot. It was so relaxing.

Of course, all good things come to an end AND mine came to a screeching halt when I got so sick on the drive home. I was so sick I could barely keep my eyes open or enjoy reading or do anything that exterted more energy than sleeping. Being sick sucks and you never quite get it until you feel so yuck again.

Dinner with a Couple of Top Chefs

2011-06-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

Kenny Gilbert and the Johnson gals

Vino!

Eli and Chef

Beth's Birthday at Blank Space

2011-06-02T22:09:00.000-07:00

A few of the VooDoo and I

Birthday girl and I

Thanks Tony for joining me at the last minute

Another Season of the VooDoo

2011-06-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

the VooDoo, Summer 2011

"Gooooallll"

Memorial Day and Shark Shoes

2011-06-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

The beach is amazing. So many treasures to be found.

Family Golf Day

2011-05-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Studios...Photo with Winnie

2011-05-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

Ouch mommy...This is tight on me.

First pic with a character and it's the sweetest, Winnie the Pooh!

Pure Fun

2011-05-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes all you need is a tire swing.

Stampin' with Lisa and the Gals

2011-05-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Lisa knows I love ribbon on every card. ;-)
I also loooovvve baby blue.
My favorite detail on this card was making the magic
happen with the embossing tool.

This was a cool card to put together.
One that I kept in mind for my friend, Ross, since he's
a professional cruiser. (Not sure if that's a real term - "cruiser"
but even if it isn't it applies to Ross.

Loved this card and the colors. Layering is so fun to put together
and usually makes the prettiest cards.

Love this card too. Even the little piece of ribbon.
So quaint and together.

Congrats to TJ! The Graduate (of Pre-K)

2011-05-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

Love this cake and of course the color AND that it's
in celebration of my nephew and his special day. Way to go TJ!

Josie and her baby boy...All graduated!

Cousins!

Celebrating Ron's 75th!

2011-05-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of being a part of my Uncle's dad's birthday party. It was a wonderful gathering of friends and family. Great food, great people and a great memory for my cousin's Grampy!

The older you get the bigger the cake :)

My cousin Lanie eating...It's a reoccurring theme.
There may even be a book about it.

Celebrating Friends...It's What I Love to Do

2011-05-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

happy birthday to our friend janice!

Three is a Magic Number

2011-05-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Happiness is...celebrating my family!

Happy Birthday baby girl!!!

Aquatica or SeaWorld...Why Not Both?

2011-05-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

My two loves at SeaWorld AFTER spending the morning at Aquatica. Yes, that's right! It can be done in less than six hours. Mr. Wonderful and I decided to take our annual passholder privileges to one of the two parks but decided to do something different and go for both. First on the list, Aquatica! We arrived fairly early (never as early as we think we're going to). We played in the water and the baby girl went down the pink and yellow slides. After a few hours, we headed back to the car. In the parking lot, we quickly changed and ate lunch that we had packed in the cooler on our way over to SeaWorld. We got there and immediately went to the Shamu show and then caught a few others. So glad we decided to go for it and enjoyed the parks as a family which is what it's all about. So as much as I like both the parks as separate places to go, I could see how both can be a lot of fun for everyone. My only other thought about the parks is that I wish there was a way to get from one park to the other a little easier rather than getting in a car.

Jen's Writer's Retreat: I want it! Please help me get it!

2011-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

HELP!!! I just entered a chance to win a spot to The Luscious, Nurturing Get Your Writing Done While Laughing Your Butt Off and Maybe Crying a Little Too Writer’s Retreat and really, really, really want to go.

You can like my submission to win a spot to Jen's World Famous Writer's Retreat on her Savor and Serve the World blog (awesome stuff!!!):

My heart is screaming "Go and Get This For Us!!!" Thank you Jen for this glimmer of hope that I could actually be at a Writer's Retreat not next year, not "later" or "when I can afford it" but possibly in a few months from now! It's hard to describe how I am so ready for this opportunity. The chance to be able to write, laugh, learn, connect, be inspired/ing, cry, do cartwheels and let all the "stuff" that gets in the way every day just go. It would be life changing and huge for those who love me in the world. For years, I've been reading about the Writer's Retreat, imagining what it would be like to be a part of something so special, so re-energizing. Since I can remember, I have journaled my way through the good, the bad and the ugly (I'm talking monster ugly). It's how my heart processes and moves forward. For the longest time, I believed everyone did this and soon enough I discovered that not many people that I know write down their feelings and thoughts because they're afraid. But in Taos and the way I imagine it...There are others, like me, who are searching for their truth and for what they were born to do. By embracing the power of words, the power of writing and supporting one another we (writing to myself mostly) can do some serious good-changing in the world. To savor and to serve, that is my possibility.

Help me, Help YOU! You know I love to write. You know I love to celebrate whatever helps my spirit grow! Well, here's a chance to do all of those things and more!

Celebrating Shari!

2011-05-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

Genius and his bride and birthday girl, Shari

Happy Birthday to our friend, Shari!

Happy Easter! Cristos Anesti!

2011-04-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

DSC06634
Originally uploaded by ljohnson9

Enjoyed a beautiful Easter weekend in Jacksonville with family and friends. The baby girl attended her first Greek Easter service and did very well despite the midnight start time and not getting to bed until almost 4 a.m.

Once again, I lost the red egg contest. It's what I specialize in. The good news is that the baby girl appears to be more blessed than I so she did well going up against YiaYia Teala in the final round. I can't remember if it was a tie or if it was her win. Either way, the girl's blessed and she takes home the non-cracked egg on both sides.

Here's to those perfect moments that I'm so thankful for and for the One who makes it all possible for my family and I.

Celebrating FIVE Years Later!

2011-04-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

Receiving my FIVE year plaque from my boss at our office social.

A Reason to be in Celebration - PIE FEST 2011!

2011-04-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

It's on...PIE FEST baby!

Chix With Stix (My Second All Ladies Golf Group)

2011-04-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

Patti B., Laura, Lucy and I at Wekiva Golf Course on a very hot and sunny day.

We made the best of it. So glad I have a few ladies who don't mind getting out there with their clubs and laughing along the way. This golf thing with the right people is so much fun!

Baseball with the Fam

2011-04-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

With less than 24 hours notice, my Mr. Wonderful and baby girl were on our way to Tropicana Field to experience our first Tampa Bay Rays baseball game. As a family, we've visited Turner Field with BeFrie and her fam a few years ago when they opened it up to the public but we hadn't ventured out to an actual game together. We ended up with some fantabulous seats...Not necessarily for watching the game but for hanging out with the opposing team and socializing with some really fun people. So, wait, I take that back. The seats were awesome for experiencing our first game together. And, considering Baby Girl does prefer to be free to run around vs. sitting in one place for a few hours, I'd say it was the best way for all parties involved to enjoy the entire game. We did it all. We cheered the home team on, ate popcorn, admired how nice the field was and wondered if the top of it opened up. Overall, we had a great time and definitely want to go back very soon. Go Rays!

More pics from RAYS game

2011-04-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

Another Soccer Season Complete!

2011-03-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

VooDoo - March 2011

Happy Birthday Soluna! (2nd Annual Lunch at Hillstone's/Houston's)

2011-03-30T22:30:00.000-07:00

delicious lunch on the patio with mr. wonderful, matt, birthday girl and me

Baby Girl's Art

2011-03-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

C'est magnifique!

A Wicked WICKED Night

2011-03-26T22:50:00.000-07:00

Pre-Wicked Celiberations
Intermission

We HEART Wicked!

Meeting up with the boys at Ember

Birthday girl and her hubs

Matt happy to be downtown at Baby Grands

Baby Girl's Day with Horses (Thanks Super Mom!)

2011-03-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

My First Purse Strings Event benefiting Credability

2011-03-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

Jilene, me (first year committee member of Purse Strings) and Michelle

Kristi and Kena
Mandy and Soluna prom posing
Jackie (Purse Strings Queen and 80's music lover) and I

Cousin Shell is all Married!

2011-03-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

All grown up and married,

Mrs. Michelle Whitfield-Bye

Justin Bieber in 3D...Oh yes I did with the Three

2011-03-22T23:13:00.000-07:00

Me: "Thinking about taking the girls to the Justin Bieber Movie?"

S: "Ok. Well that would be great."

Me: "Yea, it should be fun!"

S: " Uh huh."

Road Trip to Hollywood (Florida)!

2011-03-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

The Hollywood portion of our trip was not originally planned. Of course, based on my prior post the reason we were down there was to hold that sweet little baby girl Estella for as long as her sleeping schedule would allow. Because Mr. Wonderful and I used to frequent the Hollywood area back in the dating days, we called our friends who lived, worked and recently sold their house there to say we were thinking of them. As it turns out, they were in Hollywood at the Hard Rock. Yup...The HARD ROCK. To make a short story short...We ended up visiting our friends poolside and got to see why we could never actually hotel at a Hard Rock with the kids while we walked through the lobby/casino of cigarette smoke. Got over it (sort of) once we saw the pool. The visit was short but extra sweet. Baby girl had her first Strawberry Daquiri (virgin, to clarify for you judgers). We swam and laughed all the way until she fell asleep in a pool chair. What a great way to kick off our 3 hour drive back home. The trip was a pleasant surprise to us. It felt like vacation which I have to admit, I haven't been able to really, really take in what seems like forever. So here's to Hollywood and surprise vacations!

Welcome Baby E!!!

2011-03-20T22:55:00.000-07:00

New parents of beautiful baby girl Estella!

My baby girl loved, scratch that...LOVED!!!! holding her.

My baby girl with their baby girl.

Sweet!

So glad I had this moment with you Estella!

How old are you? How old are you?

2011-03-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is me. All 35. Smiling and well-loved.

partyin' it up at the landis'... again

2011-03-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

the cool kids on my soccer team striking a pose

victor and the girls

ash and i - brunettes of voodoo

the landis' aka party central couple

Cousin Shelly's Getting Married...But not before we have a fun night out!

2011-03-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

bride-to-be, shelly, and me

party shoe people!

cousin e and shelly

me and cousin e ... just like old times.

All Aboard the Party Train

2011-03-05T18:34:00.000-08:00

Thanks J. for such a fun party!

Loved the choo choo!

Another Soccer Season Complete.

2011-03-03T22:31:00.000-08:00

VooDoo right after a great playoff game.

We almost won but as always, we had lots and lots of fun this season.

explore.dream.discover.

2011-03-03T07:40:00.001-08:00

"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

Happy Birthday to Mr. Wonderful - Bahamian Style!

2011-02-27T13:05:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday song and a Boston creme cupcake

Mr. Wonderful with his friend from highschool and his wonderful sister.

S. baked the cupcakes. She's the sweetest!

S. brought the party up from south Florida

Celebrating Mr. Wonderful

2011-02-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

happy birthday my love.

i am so glad you were born.

Cafe 118 -- all raw food and all delicious!

2011-02-24T20:59:00.000-08:00

Hummus and chips

Summer rolls

traditional italian

pad thai

lasagna

5 Reasons Why We Shouldn't Have Gone Outback on Friday Night

2011-02-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

So, it was a normal Friday night. And the typical question was posed, "What would you like for dinner?" Mr. Wonderful replied with the olive branch approach - "Well, what would you like?" As usual, I start throwing out restaurant options within a 5 mile radius since it was alreay dark outside and we do have a toddler. On this night, Outback wins it! I quickly reminded the Mr. that Operation Outback will include at least an hour wait.

And, instead of listening to our grumbiling stomachs, we both telepathically approved and mind-talked the following, "Ok. Let's do this."

Soon enough, it became abundantly clear why going to Outback was a bad idea (even with the awesome mind-talk). And here I give you the five reasons why Operation Outback was a big fat fail:

1 - It all started with the hostess assigning us a rogue pager. As mentioned above, we knew there would be a long wait and we were fine with it anyway. So for the first 30 mins of our 60 min plus wait, the baby girl and I sat in the car while she watched a movie. We joined Mr. Wonderful and then after watching two different parties similar to our size get sat before us, we went up to the hostess stand to ask if we were next...Their response (never the one you want) -- "Ummmm...What number pager do you have?" Basically, they didn't have us on the list. We didn't know that since our name was given to get the pager. Oh and we were sitting right next to the stand where they could see us the entire 60 plus mins...Since they didn't record it properly, they scurried to seat us.

2 - Free soap water while you wait. To back up a bit, while we were waiting to be seated, there was a nice water cooler...I turned to Mr. Wonderful to see if he would get me a cold glass. Immediately he informed me that he had a glass before I came in and the stuff tasted like dish soap. Meanwhile, the baby girl has now heard me say that I want a glass of water and she now wants one too. Why does the free water have to taste like soap? IMHO, that should be the best darn water ever iced BUT instead, it's like licking the inside of a dish soap bottle. Oh and my toddler thinks I'm a meanie because I won't give her her own dish soap water.

3 - Seating us next to the entrance. After waiting for over an hour and now getting a table, they seat us in the first table behind the soapy water. At that point, what are we going to say? We're certainly not going to complain. We've waited a really long time and we're "lucky" to have a seat since we were not even on the list. Grrrr...

4 - So, then as if forgetting about us and dehydrating us wasn't enough, after being seated, we're now being asked where the pager is. The hostess came over to ask if we had taken the pager. Ummmm...No. We gave the pager back to you so it should be there unless like our name, you've forgotten where it is.

5 - Ordering an appetizer and it arrives after the salads. This does happen but with everything else at this point, my tolerance for non-perfect service was not okay.

NOTE: We've been to Outback a number of times and had perfect experiences but in this case, there were a lot of small yet significant moments that added up to a thumbs down experience for us.

Just in case you're wondering (I really was that night), we were not compensated for any part of our meal. I don't normally expect that, but as a former server, it's all about the offers that can go a long way for customer retention. Nope, we were just highly annoyed.

Do you have any Friday night at a restaurant where the universe seemed to be against you type of experience? Sharing might make you feel a little better.

Suds + Sponges = Good Family Fun

2011-02-19T22:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, those are pink gloves and yes, she is washing a car. It's one of our many chores that she enjoys doing with both of us. She doesn't get bored and she loves the bubbles and the water and yes, the pink gloves. So, this time around we scrubbed all three vehicles and she worked on them all. When we finished up, she proudly shared with me what a "good job" she did helping to get them all clean.

It makes my heart so happy to spend time together like this because no matter what we're doing when you are a family you enjoy helping each other in the fun times and even while we're doing something as non-exciting like washing cars.

If I haven't told you enough today...I love you Mr. Wonderful and baby girl. I love our family and the opportunity to grow with you every day wherever we are and whatever we're doing together.

the baby girl has revived my love for the neighborhood park

2011-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

Seahorse rider...Ready for the race!

Who is your Lionel Logue?

2011-02-09T12:02:00.000-08:00

1937 portrait of Lionel Logue

Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue in King's Speech

After watching the King's Speech, I couldn't help but ask myself the question --

Who is my Lionel Logue?

Logue was a rich (meaning several layers, not big money man) character in the movie and challenged the soon-to-be-king who he coached through a speech impediment so he could speak publicly in an eloquent, stutter-free and memorable way.

I loved his character. I loved the way he challenged his patients. I love that he stood up for his knowledge not because he was a real doctor from formal education but because he shared his insight from life experience with real value from a place of wanting to make a difference by being who he was born to be and sharing that gift with others.

Happy Year of the Rabbit!

2011-02-04T22:46:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year - Ladies in red!

Shrimp balls - Really delicious!

For good fortune

Hello Silly Rabbit!

Kickin' Off 2011

2011-02-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Play date with Cy's Besties

EPCOT with two of my nearest and dearest college friends

Dinner with some old friends and for Baby Girl, making a new one.

M-I-C-K-E-Y!

Monkey Bar

Magic Game!

Puppet Show at the library with friends

Holiday celebration with our chosen family

Mastering the Playground

Football Party next door. Baby girl was in charge of the beads.

Date night!

She loves her friend/pony! Yeehaw!

She conquered the happy harbor ropes course right out of the gate.

Thanks to the Super Shah's!

Family Photo at SeaWorld

ToJo and Baby Girl dancin' at PR's

Bridal Shower for Glenna (&Chris). Tying the knot on 3/19!

Bon voyage to two of the best and brightest!

Trouble times three - LOL

Baby girl and all her babies

Happy FIFTH Birthday to my wonderful nephew!

Jenny, Chris and I travel the "Fake" world

2011-02-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

Jenny and I in JAPAN at EPCOT

McWyatt and Jenny meeting in Japan

Morrocco

More Morrocco...

Jenny and Dragonfly - so happy together!

Mon ami. Je t'aime beaucoup!

Chillin' in Paris!

Stoppin' at the Rose&Crown in the UK

O Canada!

Jenny and Chris trying on new clothes in China

Norwegian humor

playin some drums at the outpost

Only Jenny...

Merry in Mexico!

Guess where? Geerrrmany!

The three amigos - Having fun no matter where we are.

Make You Feel My Love by Adele

2011-02-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But i would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong

I'd go hungry i'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
No there's nothing that i wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging on the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
Though winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing like me yet

I could make you happy make your dreams come true
Nothing that i wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
To make you feel my love

To make you feel my love

Celebrating the Day My Nephew Was Born

2011-01-28T06:23:00.001-08:00

Cutest Nephew Back in the day.

Well, he was actually one-day old here.

Now, he's FIVE!!!!!!!

(Here we are on Christmas eve)

Next THURSDAY is Chinese New Year!

2011-01-27T11:06:00.000-08:00

getting ready to part-ay like it's 4078!

Day 8: I'm a VEGETARIAN again.

2011-01-24T13:48:00.000-08:00

Well...It's happened again.

I say again because it has been at least 14 years since I've been down this path of plants. Back then, I had a part-time job at the library where I, similar to this time around, found a lot of disturbing information about what the food industry is doing to what we eat, and how they're hurting our environment. And holy cow, I am shocked and ready for a change.

So, with that in mind, I've turned a new leaf or really re-lifted it, and have decided to take a break from eating animals. After reading a few blogs like this, and an entertaining yet harsh truth book, I'm convinced that this is what I'm intended to do right now for the following reasons:

1 - Since I can remember, I've hated to cook with meat...The handling of it and the cutting...Sometimes cleaning (YUCK!). It makes me want to to vomit the way that my friend Heather (who was one of my college roommates) wants to puke at the thought of cleaning a toilet. And then the disposing of the packaging and any misellaneous pieces...what trash can to put it in so it doesn't attract the wrong four-legged animal to my garage door.

2 - Without even realizing it, I already go for days without eating meat. It's not the top of my list of food choices. I remember the line I'd give, "Well I only eat chicken, not beef." Come to find out and after actually EDUCATING myself, chicken is by far more disgusting in the way their handled through every step of the way to your plate. (Just thinking about it now makes me want to throw up on my laptop.)

3 - When not having to come up with a meat, a starch and a veggie for dinner, I'm actually thinking more creatively about what I want to prepare for meals, and there's a sense of consciousness (not sure if that word is spelled the way I'm thinking) that I have when coming up with what my family and I should eat. I can't just pick up fried chicken and call it dinner. Instead, I'm thinking of roasted vegetables and orzo pasta with some sauteed spinach. Honestly, that sounds so much better to me than a piece of fried chicken right now.

So, for now, I'm going for it. I'm not requiring Mr. Wonderful and the baby girl to jump on the bandwagon just yet. This is a decision that I made eight days ago for me. I have a feeling my family will get the benefits of it along the way.

I'm #2 - COO of Facebook

2011-01-21T07:07:00.001-08:00

Via: Wpromote

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2011-01-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to the Newlyweds!

Deck the Halls with Cindy....
The Boys to Men Christmas Choir

Three generations

Cousin Shelly and I with my Mommy Glowie

My baby brother and I

Cutest Nephew and I

My Auntie, Baby Girl's YiaYia

My Uncle Bob, Baby Girl's "NoeNoe"

Cousins!

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite teens!

2011-01-10T18:58:00.000-08:00

Enjoying some cake at ID.

Holiday Party - quick pics

2011-01-09T18:55:00.000-08:00

super shah all pretty in pink

mr. wonderful and mr. super shah

fio and i without our little ones...watch out!

posh, sporty and scary

(the spice girls and guy are back!)

mr. wonderful and i enjoying the holiday party.

by this point, i had danced, karaoked and talked to everyone at the party.

the after-party tradition. oysters anyone?

Baby Girl and J. Go to EPCOT

2011-01-08T18:52:00.000-08:00

Ready to conquer EPCOT together!

Living in our future world!

Of course, we've gotta go to Nemo!
Unfortunately, the ride got stuck and we got to
hear the turtles talk all surfer-dude for five minutes.

DUFFY - the Disney Bear, Baby Girl and I striking a pose.
Thanks to J., she seemed fine with going over to see him.

Super Shah and I at EPCOT. Love that girl!

SeaWorld on Black Friday

2011-01-07T22:07:00.000-08:00

Baby girl loves SeaWorld...I think family time is far better than a day shopping at the mall for things that people don't really need. There's not a sale that could be more valuable than a day with the people I love. It's so true.

Love my nephew M!

All the J's at the Shark Restaurant...The name escapes me right now.

Shark Grill? (Can't believe I am forgetting.)

Trying to get a family pic before they head to football practice.

YiaYia, Papou and Baby Girl after Shamu Show

Catching up on Turkey Day...

2011-01-06T20:39:00.001-08:00

Ummm...Yes, please.

Mr. Wonderful's 2010 Turkey - Citrus Parsley flavored,

made on the grill. Deeeee-lish!

C and M enjoying the lazy boy after Thanksgiving.

This is their first year at our home for this holiday.

C's first visit to our house. Glad they could be a part of this year's Thanks day!

Fab Father-in-law, Mr. Wonderful and my new mother-in-law

making it happen in the kitchen.

My three words for 2011...

2011-01-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

Celebrate.

Breathe.

Dance.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

2010-12-31T18:24:00.000-08:00

From our Ginger Bread House to Yours

2010-12-27T17:49:00.000-08:00

Our first attempt at a family Ginger Bread House

I think it turned out quite lovely...especially the ghost in the front yard.

(Love you Mr. Wonderful.)

Stuffing Stockings for the Little Ones

2010-12-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

Three super moms at the 2010 Stocking Party

Rock Star Mom is a little excited about this closet.

Love these ladies! Had the best time catching up on how graceful I can spill a bottle of water on black jersey pants while touring a million dollar home and remembering how lucky I am when it comes to shaving. Yes, this is what some girls talk about when left alone without children or husbands to tend to. Yet another reason I love being a girl!

Updated pic of Super Woman A. Like the other ladies above,

they're all as beautiful as ever.

Thanks @PRsarahevans! #commentz

2010-12-14T10:01:00.000-08:00

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson <-- love that guy!

Party @ Universal with the House

2010-12-13T19:15:00.000-08:00

The wheelchair pushers --

Stevie B., Lynne, Nicole and Chris

Pink Monkey...He almost got it for the baby girl but

decided to just take a picture instead.

Stevie B. and Lynne -- Cute FISH

Me with the LORAX (Christmas-style)

Ringin' Again

2010-12-11T20:04:00.000-08:00

Never too young to start volunteering for

The Salvation Army.

First BUCS Game - Lost to the Falcons

2010-12-07T22:29:00.000-08:00

M.'s first NFL game and Mr. Wonderful's 50th (no, not really...close though)

Mr. and Mrs. Super Shah! Love the hats! Go BUCS!

We made it!

Loved our seats! Right in the middle of it all.

Mr. Wonderful and I love a good football game

My seat #! Coincidence? No way.

My little shopper

2010-12-05T23:24:00.000-08:00

Baby Girl and I brave TARGET the first weekend of December.

We took our time and found a few things for friends and family.

Happy 40th to My Fave Twins!

2010-12-05T19:11:00.000-08:00

Twin Sandwich with Chris (left) and Robb (right) -

I wouldn't want to play defense on my soccer team with anyone else.

Pushing Forward

2010-11-30T22:09:00.000-08:00

You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses. ~Tom Wilson

I think this quote sums up my thoughts on certain relationships. I hear my new mother-in-law saying, "it is what it is." True. But, I am human and find myself getting caught up in the scorecard of wrongdoings based on incredibly trivial acts that after time, absolutely do not matter. So, instead of being STUCK and holding on tight to the negativity, I push forward with the love and encouragement of what's possible sans the unnecessary drama.

Thank you November for your lessons and for reminding me just how grateful I am for every single part of my life!

Go Tigers!

2010-11-27T20:30:00.000-08:00

Matt-Dog participated in his first ever Pop Warner Regional Championship Game.

They lost by two points. Heck of a game!

Tigers getting ready for the play.

Baby girl entertaining herself on the hill.

and playing with Daddy's hair

Magic Beat the Heat

2010-11-24T23:47:00.000-08:00

Buh-bye 70's Wallpaper

2010-11-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

removing the wallpaper in our family room. FINALLY!

baby girl's helping to and mr. wonderful do the job.

picking up the wallpaper pieces with her pink gloves on.

it took hours of work and lots of help from family and friends but we did it.
pictures to come.

Corn Mazin' in Zellwood, Florida

2010-11-20T22:38:00.000-08:00

this sign is only one part of the rules presentation

there was a guy who went over all of these before they released the group to "get lost"

the baby girl and i had a fabulous time at the corn maze

the daniels' corny crew (hahaha)

sara and the corn

bex and baby girl

josh in the corn maze...matching the ribbon too

the corniest crew of all

Happy FIVE Oh to My Sister To!

2010-11-10T20:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Tori! Love times 50!!

Showered with love, gifts and a red hat.

Fall 'n New York

2010-11-08T22:50:00.000-08:00

s. in times square. life is so good.

me at the metropolitan museum of art.

pure inspiration...so vibrant and color-filled.

love me some klimt. seriously. complete genius
and she is such a beauty without even trying.

enjoyed promises, promises so much!
molly shannon steals the show. sean hayes...appreciate him even more.

spice market. s. got this amazing dish. amazing!

good to be back! until next time...

FIVE years later...

2010-11-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

I started this blog in 2005 as most of my friends and a few colleagues were starting to test the water on posting thoughts, photos and whatever else online. This was actually my second attempt...My first was called "Raining Fish From the Sky" which was from one of my favorite Tanya Donnelly songs but I deleted it since I thought I had to write like an Encyclopedia or some really smart person which after two posts, I figured out was not going to work. So, I jumped over here to Blogger after going through a shift in the way I saw the world and certain people and decided to bring back "Fishing the Sky with DragonFLY." The name is a take-off from my college radio show. I had so much fun creating the show and researching music, topics and sharing life from a full-time college student who worked two part-time jobs' perspective, that I wanted to continue to capture that passion for connection in my blog. So, here I am...five years later and connected to you who I may or may not know. But, no matter where we are, I believe in the power of journaling and remembering the moments that brought me to this very moment. For each post, for each year, I am so grateful.

Thank you for reading with me along the way!

Family Camp was BOO-tiful!

2010-11-03T05:27:00.000-07:00

Reminded by (in)courage

2010-11-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

The greatest hurts always come from relationships.

But so do the greatest healings.

Thanks Alece.

"the horse broke the fence. need fix it."

2010-10-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

Meeting Abby

2010-10-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

Have you been to SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular? For the past two years, we've taken the baby girl and it is absolutely worth every minute.

The picture to the right is of the moment when the baby girl gave Abby a big kiss. (The one she wouldn't dare give last year out of pure fear.) This year, "she's pink mommy!" (the girl loves pink)

We love SeaWorld because it's cost effective, it's great for toddlers and adults and it's easy to get in and out of for the most part. The only complaint I have is the ticket gate. That's where I think their competition has the upper hand. So, improve the flow of the gate traffic and the park will become even more perfect than it already is for our family right now.

Baby Girl's First Mini Golf

2010-10-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

dupont circle with cousin tanya

2010-10-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

this is tanya

this is tanya in DC with me

this is tanya eating a delicious croissant

this is tanya with her husband justin and i before they leave for home

As always, I loved spending time with my cousin and her Mr. If only we can figure out a way to live closer to each other. Until our next visit!

#PRSA10 #PRSA_ic Washington, D.C.

2010-10-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my Fab Father-In-Law!

2010-10-13T10:33:00.001-07:00

Above is an impromptu bday celebration with his very

favorite chocolate cake. Everyone loves chocolate, except me...

I'm a total GLEEK and you should be too.

2010-10-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this show. Posting this video here for a few of my friends who've yet to check it out. If you're not sold after the season finale performance, then don't watch it. This clip gives me goosebumps. Plus, I love me some Journey. It reminds me of my two-daybus trip back to Florida after Spring Break in Atlanta, Oklahoma and New York.

GLEE is must watch TV!!!!

Happy Birthday to Jacob!

2010-10-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

Jacob's sixth birthday at the bowling alley.

Cake theme - Spiderman

Favorite Color - Red

She really, really wanted this cake.

Transformers...More than meets the eye.

Happy Sixth to My Mr. Wonderful

2010-10-09T23:48:00.000-07:00

for our sixth anniversary, we headed to the SWAMP in Gainesville to

watch the game we missed the night of our wedding six years ago.

the final score was a bit different than 2004 but the love i feel for my

favorite Florida boy is the same and so much more.

My cute little Leprechaun

2010-10-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

Maybe she'll eventually like green as much as me.

It looks so good on her.

Golf..FINALLY at ChampionsGate, International Course

2010-10-08T20:27:00.000-07:00

The SILVER Can Men and me. Team photo and individual shot that is as cheesey as it looks in this tri-fold photo holder. Oh yea...That's what happens when I'm outdoors in fresh air too long.