Living Life To The Fullest
I’m just wishing you well. I wish so many good things for you.
And in case nobody has told you recently….
you’re pretty wonderful.
I also know you’ve probably been through some really rough moments that nobody even knows about.
But I see you. I know that you are strong. I know that you can overcome what you may be battling.
One day at a time is my own little mantra.
Just know that a strangers got your back, a stranger is sending you some good vibes.
You aren’t alone.
With love,
Marie
We live in a world that is constantly asking for our attention.
Not always loudly. Sometimes it’s subtle. A quick glance at the phone. A habit of filling silence. A pull to stay mentally “on” even when nothing is actually happening.
And slowly, without noticing, we can start living more reactively than presently.
Same world, deeper view… but only when we pause long enough to actually see it.
Most distractions today don’t feel like distractions in the moment. They feel normal. Even necessary.
But if you begin to observe them closely, you start to notice a pattern—they pull us out of direct experience and into constant stimulation.
Not to label them as bad, but to simply become aware.
Our phones are often the first and last thing we touch in a day.
None of this is unusual anymore. But it does something quietly—it fragments attention.
Even when we’re not on our phones, the mind continues the movement.
It’s not wrong. It’s just busy.
And sometimes, busyness can become a way of avoiding stillness.
We’ve learned to equate movement with productivity.
But depth doesn’t grow in rush. It grows in space.
Not all distractions look like technology.
Sometimes it’s:
Even “growth” can become a distraction if it keeps us from actually being here.
You don’t have to remove everything.
You just start noticing.
And in that noticing, something quiet happens—you begin to return.
Return to:
This is where perception starts to deepen.
Not because the world changes…
but because you are no longer moving through it on autopilot.
Same world.
Deeper view.
Maybe the goal isn’t to escape distraction completely.
Maybe it’s just to notice when you’ve been pulled away… and gently come back.
Over and over again.
Not perfectly.
Not forcefully.
Just consistently.
Because life is not happening in the next scroll, the next thought, or the next moment of stimulation.
It’s happening here.
Always here.
First of all, nothing is wrong with choosing to be a stay at home mom.
However I feel prompted to write this blog post to just get it off my chest.
I have been a stay at home mom now for almost 10 years. I have 4 kids. Ages 10, 9, 6, and 3 currently. Two biological and two adopted; that part to me truthfully is irrelevant but it helps others to connect more and have possibly a better perception.
As I was saying, I have chosen to do this. And I am so incredibly grateful to have a very supportive husband.
I have lost count with comments like –
“I could never do that….”
“So, what do you do all day?”
“I work because staying at home is just not me”
“I don’t know how you do it.”
“Just watching your kids and taking care of your home and husband…..there is no way.”
It’s not just these phrases or words, but it’s how they say it.
They don’t understand that in a way those remarks are insulting. The stigma that stay at moms have is honesty mind boggling to me.
That we do not contribute because we are fully immersed in the role? I would argue that.
Now I KNOW that I do not have to explain, but I am saying these words to relieve myself from the years of these remarks.
I understand and deeply know how important my role as a mother is. This is not putting down working mothers. I am expressing that I deep down know that the children that I AM raising need a deeply present mother.
My husband also needs a deeply present wife, especially for the work that he is in.
And that matters to me. The presence matters to me. My inner self matters to me. Because I know if I am fully loving and caring for myself I am giving back so much more to my family.
I view where I am right now, in this season, as a calling. I am helping to establish a family foundation which by the way I did not have.
I am embodying how I want my children to live. That does mean to be a stay a home like myself. But that means to be present, to live out their dream, to love, to trust, to experience joy, to have inner peace, to understand that who they are impacts others.
May be hard to believe……but to some, like myself…….having a family to care and love for is a dream come true.
Flies are easy to dislike, but they’re actually doing a lot of quiet, essential work in the background of life. If you shift the lens just a little, they start to look less like annoyances and more like tiny recyclers keeping the world moving.
First, they’re nature’s cleanup crew. Many flies, especially species like the housefly, feed on decaying organic matter. That means they help break down dead plants, food waste, and even animal remains. Without them (and organisms like them), the world would literally start piling up with decay.
They’re also surprisingly important for pollination. We always think of bees, but flies visit flowers too, transferring pollen as they go. Some plants actually rely heavily on flies to reproduce.
Then there’s their role in the food chain. Flies are a major food source for birds, frogs, spiders, and other insects. So even if they feel small and insignificant, they’re supporting entire ecosystems.
And here’s one people don’t think about much: flies help with nutrient recycling. By breaking things down, they return nutrients to the soil, which helps plants grow. It’s like they’re part of this invisible loop—nothing wasted, everything transformed.
If you want a more metaphorical way to see them:
flies are reminders that even the parts of life we resist have a role. They move toward what we avoid—decay, mess, endings—and turn it into something that feeds new life. There’s something almost poetic in that.
You don’t have to love them hovering around your food—but maybe you can see them as little workers in a much bigger system, doing a job most of us wouldn’t want to do.
1. Open the “exit door” strategy
When a fly gets in, open a window or door and turn off indoor lights if it’s daytime. Flies naturally move toward light, so they’ll often find their way out on their own.
2. Use a simple catch-and-release
Grab a cup and a piece of paper. Gently place the cup over the fly, slide the paper underneath, and carry it outside. It’s quick, and once you get the hang of it, surprisingly easy.
3. Make your home less inviting
Flies, like the housefly, are drawn to food smells and moisture.
4. Natural scent deterrents
Flies dislike certain smells. Things like basil, mint, lavender, or eucalyptus near windows can help discourage them from coming in.
5. Gentle airflow
A fan near entry points can help—flies aren’t strong fliers, so moving air makes it harder for them to settle inside.
Optional:
1. Build your base
In a large pot, melt the butter or heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and celery, letting them soften for a few minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant. (5 minutes)
2. Add the vegetables
Add the potatoes, carrots, and broccoli. Stir gently, letting everything coat in the warmth of the pot.
3. Let it simmer
Pour in the broth.
Add salt, pepper and additional seasonings. Season lightly and taste.
You can also drop the bay leaf here for a deeper flavor.
Bring it to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
Let it cook for about 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
4. Blend to your liking
For a creamy soup, blend all or part of it.
For something more rustic, leave it chunky.
( I blended half of it)
5. Make it creamy
Stir in the milk or cream (optional) Let it warm through gently. I placed the cream in a little glass so others could add it if they wanted to or not when I served it.
6. Taste and adjust
Add more salt, pepper, or cheese if you’d like.
Serve with delicious French bread with butter or garlic bread.
Sometimes the best meals aren’t complicated—they’re just made with what you already have, a little intention, and a whole lot of ease. This ratatouille is exactly that. Simple, nourishing, and quietly beautiful.
This is where you quietly turn something store-bought into something that feels like your own.
There’s no rush here. Let this part feel calm.
It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.
Your kitchen will start to smell like comfort.
This is where everything comes together.
This dish isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating something warm, simple, and nourishing with what you already have.
Just like most things in life.
“How can you walk away from something and still come back to it?”
— Coraline
I used to think this meant returning to a person or a place.
But I think it’s about life itself.
We spend so much of our time believing happiness is waiting somewhere else. Somewhere bigger, louder, more exciting. A different house. A different body. A different stage of life. We quietly assume this ordinary day cannot possibly be “it.”
So we mentally walk away.
We chase improvement. We chase identity. We chase the feeling that something is missing.
And maybe we even reach some of it — the goals, the recognition, the change.
But then something unexpected happens.
It doesn’t fill what we thought it would.
Because stimulation is not the same thing as peace.
Slowly we begin to notice the small things we once overlooked — morning light in the kitchen, a familiar laugh from another room, simple meals, quiet routines, the people who were beside us the entire time.
You only understand the value of water when you’ve been thirsty.
And sometimes we only understand the value of our lives after we’ve tried to outgrow them.
We come back.
Not because life became smaller,
but because our sight became clearer.
We didn’t actually return to the same life.
We returned with understanding.
Sometimes the journey away is necessary, because it teaches us how to finally see what was already enough.
We didn’t come back to less.
We came back to what was real.
This post is inspired by yesterdays sleepover that I hosted. I had 9 girls here at the house and there was so much laughter and giggles and a little bit of chaos.
It was very nostalgic and took me back to their age of being 10 and 11 years old. Such a time to embrace!
It was fun being on the other side of it. Made me happy that they will have these memories to reflect on when they are older.
They are in a moment right now and don’t fully know that yet.
I feel so incredibly grateful that I get to be apart of it.
Dirty sodas are simple and fun to make. They usually include soda, cream, and flavored syrup or fruit.
Coconut Lime Dirty Soda
Ingredients
1 cup lemon-lime soda 2 tbsp coconut cream 1 tbsp lime juice Ice Lime slice
Instructions
Fill a glass with ice. Add soda, coconut cream, and lime juice. Stir gently and garnish with lime.
Raspberry Vanilla Cream Soda
Ingredients
1 cup cola or Dr Pepper 2 tbsp half-and-half 1 tbsp raspberry syrup Ice
Instructions
Pour soda over ice, add raspberry syrup, and slowly stir in the cream.
Orange Creamsicle Soda
Ingredients
1 cup orange soda 2 tbsp vanilla creamer Splash coconut milk Ice
Instructions
Mix everything over ice for a drink that tastes just like the classic creamsicle popsicle.
Peach Ring Dirty Soda
Ingredients
1 cup lemon-lime soda 1 tbsp peach syrup 2 tbsp half-and-half Ice
Instructions
Add soda over ice, mix in peach syrup, then stir in cream.
Blue Raspberry Dream
Ingredients
1 cup lemon-lime soda 1 tbsp blue raspberry syrup 2 tbsp coconut cream Ice
Instructions
Combine over ice and stir for a bright blue treat.
Tropical Cream Soda
Ingredients
½ cup pineapple juice ½ cup lemon-lime soda 2 tbsp coconut cream Ice
Instructions
Pour pineapple juice and soda over ice, then stir in coconut cream.
Cherry Vanilla Float Soda
Ingredients
1 cup cherry soda 1 tbsp vanilla syrup 2 tbsp half-and-half Ice
Instructions
Add soda over ice, stir in vanilla syrup, then gently mix in cream.
Strawberry Coconut Soda
Ingredients
1 cup strawberry soda 2 tbsp coconut cream Ice
Instructions
Pour soda over ice and stir in coconut cream.
These drinks lean more toward the “fancy” side but are still incredibly easy to make.
Strawberry Mint Sparkler
Ingredients
4 strawberries (muddled) Fresh mint leaves Sparkling water 1 tbsp honey or simple syrup Ice
Instructions
Muddle strawberries and mint. Add ice, honey, and sparkling water.
Pineapple Sunset Mocktail
Ingredients
½ cup pineapple juice ½ cup orange juice Splash grenadine Sparkling water Ice
Instructions
Pour pineapple and orange juice over ice. Add sparkling water and slowly pour grenadine to create a sunset effect.
Cucumber Lime Cooler
Ingredients
Cucumber slices 1 tbsp lime juice Sparkling water 1 tsp agave or honey Ice
Instructions
Muddle cucumber and lime. Add ice, sweetener, and sparkling water.
Blackberry Basil Mocktail
Ingredients
Handful blackberries Fresh basil leaves 1 tbsp honey Sparkling water Ice
Instructions
Muddle berries and basil, add honey and ice, then top with sparkling water.
Watermelon Lime Refresher
Ingredients
½ cup watermelon juice Sparkling water 1 tbsp lime juice Mint leaves Ice
Instructions
Combine watermelon juice and lime over ice, then add sparkling water and mint.
Lavender Lemon Mocktail
Ingredients
Sparkling lemonade 1 tsp lavender syrup Lemon slice Ice
Instructions
Mix lemonade and lavender syrup over ice.
Apple Ginger Sparkler
Ingredients
½ cup apple juice ½ cup ginger ale Dash cinnamon Ice
Instructions
Combine juices over ice and sprinkle cinnamon on top.
Mango Sunrise Mocktail
Ingredients
½ cup mango juice ½ cup orange juice Splash grenadine Ice
Instructions
Pour mango and orange juice over ice and slowly add grenadine.
Make It a Mocktail Night
Instead of just serving drinks, turn it into a little experience.
Set up a mocktail bar with:
different sodas sparkling waters fresh fruit syrups creamers herbs like mint or basil citrus slices
Let everyone create their own drink.
Sometimes the best part of gathering with friends isn’t the drink itself—it’s the laughter that happens while experimenting with flavors.
One of the best parts about mocktails and dirty sodas is how customizable they are. Set out a variety of fun add-ins and let everyone create their own signature drink.
Here are some ideas to try:
Fresh Fruits
Chopped strawberries Lime slices Orange wedges Pineapple chunks Watermelon cubes Blackberries or raspberries
Herbs
Fresh mint Basil leaves Rosemary sprigs
Sweet Treats
Gummy bears Peach rings Maraschino cherries Cotton candy (it melts beautifully into drinks)
Fun & Fancy Extras
Edible glitter for sparkle Colored sugar rims Honey drizzle Chocolate syrup swirl
Ice Options
Crushed ice Fruit frozen into ice cubes Coconut water ice cubes
..
…….
……
…
……..
Which one will you try?
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
For a moment I really had to think about what word I don’t like and a few instantly came to mind – stupid, idiot, dumbass
do you notice the pattern? The words that make a person question their intellect.
I cannot stand when people call anyone those words. Those are such belittling words and words are so powerful.
But this is the word……
retard.
Ugh, I do not like even typing it.
When I was a kid I heard others use this word often. And when you’re a kid you ask what that word means and the typical response is, someone who is stupid.
And then later you find out that retard is a person with a disability. A special needs individual.
So people categorize special needs children and adults as “stupid”? It is so completely WRONG.
I just can’t stand it and I still can’t if I ever hear someone use that word in their vocabulary. I will instantly correct them. I will call them out instantly and say that’s completely inappropriate to use that word.
I would definitely ban that word.
I know that word can be used differently but for the sad part it’s used in a derogatory manner.
And here’s the even more SAD PART, there are parents out there who call their kids those types of demeaning words! It’s heartbreaking!
I would ban all those words actually that I listed prior. Because I wouldn’t want any children being called those words.
And if your parents ever called you (readers) any of those words shame on them. I hope they have grown and I hope that you have healed.
You are so intelligent and capable so many things.
Love and light friends! I got a little heated there lol.
What bores you?
A few years ago I read this in a fortune cookie and these words changed me.
“If you are bored, you are not being curious enough.”
Don’t you just love that! This is exactly what I tell my kids too every time they say they are bored.
“Mom we’re bored….”
“Well……if you’re bored you’re not being what?”
“Curious enough.”
*walk away and find something to do.*
I don’t get bored anymore. I can find something in anything.
For me, everything can be an experience.
Just close your eyes once in a while and let your other senses highlight your world and reveal something entirely extraordinary.
To avoid boredom is to strengthen your imagination. You don’t have to bored, you need to stay curious and not be afraid to be a little weird and different.
The Wild Gems 