There is beauty in the most unlikely of places sometimes. Following a random link on a weather site, I came across this photographer’s online gallery and there is something wonderful, peaceful and enchanting in his pictures of deserted French chalets and castles. Check them out at: http://www.thomasjorion.com/category/ilots-intemporels-thomas-jorion/italie These images make me want to buy a ticket to France just so I can go exploring in these abandoned places of beauty. The juxtaposition of man-made beauty and encroaching nature is entrancing. They make me feel like a little girl in a fairy castle!

<img src=”{filedir_2}house.jpg” alt=”places of beauty” height=”964″ width=”640″ />

These incredible pictures sent me on a treasure hunt of other images of beautiful, abandoned places. And in my search I came across the blog of Francesco Mugnai. http://blogof.francescomugnai.com/2013/01/30-of-the-most-beautiful-abandoned-places-and-modern-ruins-ive-ever-seen/ It seems as if I am not the only one who finds these images awe-inspiring. He has collections of abandoned spaces and separate ones of castles from all over the world.

<img src=”{filedir_2}castle.jpg” alt=”castles from all over the world” height=”963″ width=”640″ />

This picture is actually of a ruin in the woods of our dear own New Hampshire! Even though I know some are photo-shopped they still bring light and wonder to my day. So whenever you feel like life is too ordinary, go on an image treasure hunt. You will be amazed at that you may find!

<img src=”{filedir_2}church.jpg” alt=”wonder to my day” height=”959″ width=”640″ />

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? We are Boston, we are strong. Our people are fighters, always have been. Bostonians are known for being a little rough around the edges, a little heavy on the language, and a little pushy and crass. We love our sports, we love our chowdah, but over all, we love our city.

The events that happened this Boston Marathon Monday shook us to the core. But we are Boston. We rocked a little, but it only made us stronger. As I sit here and wait to hear the President talk about our steadfast hometown, I know I will be moved to tears. I have seen an out pouring of love and support from those all around the country.

Text messages, emails, phone calls, and Facebook messages flooded my life on Monday afternoon, friends from far and wide checking on me and my family. My brother sent out a family text message, making sure we were all safe. Everyone knows someone who was there, who was affected, who was going to go, who walked those streets the day before, like my mother and my sister did.

I have seen pictures of those runners, spectators who ripped off their shirts and held them against those who were injured… Store owners in the area who pulled people in from the streets to safety and used brand new clothing off their shelves to cover those in need… Police, military, fire fighters, hospital staff, off duty workers, and common every day people, running towards the explosion and helping to carry people to safety.

My heart has been broken, touched, moved, over and over again. Now we need to heal. We need to help all of those that were there that day. All those who were injured, witnessed the horror, helped those in need, ran for their lives, watched from their homes, they need our help now. To those runners who were diverted, stranded, finished, involved… I tip my hat to you and we are proud of you. Your day was over shadowed by a black cloud created by cowards. Your hard work will not be forgotten.

My words can not do much at all. They can’t bring back lives, they can’t heal bodies, they can’t help nightmares of that day be pushed away. What they can do is be there and remind us not to forget. They can remind us all in a month, six months, a year, why we all became “Boston.” I hope this blog serves as a reminder, despite whatever we find out in the next few days, to stay strong, to stay connected, to pray, to be kind, to love.

We are strong, Boston strong. All of America has become Boston. To those who are hurting and scared, we love you and we will help you heal. To those who are loving us right now, Thank You, we need your support more than ever. I am proud to be from this town. I am proud to call this place my home. I am proud to be Boston.

Our beloved city of Boston is going through heartbreak after the horrific incidents that occurred on Patriot’s Day. A classmate of mine I’ve known for over 20 years was one of the victims who was critically injured in Monday’s attack. I ask that all of you keep Jeff Bauman, the courageous victim from my hometown of Chelmsford, MA in your thoughts as he recovers from losing both of his lower limbs. If anyone is interested in giving back and helping Jeff and his family, a fundraiser called “Bucks for Bauman” has been set up by his close friends. Below are two links where donations are being accepted (the second link doesn’t require Paypal)!

<a href=”https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Y8FDWV553VW8N”>https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Y8FDWV553VW8N</a>
<a href=”http://www.gofundme.com/BucksforBauman”>http://www.gofundme.com/BucksforBauman</a>

In continuing with my favorite movies and books theme, the movie <strong>Pretty in Pink </strong>is another favorite.

As in <strong>The Outsiders</strong>, the story is told of teens divided by social status, trying to become friends with each other, without losing their current circle.

<strong>Pretty in Pink </strong>was released February 28, 1986, written by John Hughes and included such stars as Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Annie Potts, James Spader and Andrew McCarthy. Under John Hughes some of these actors became household names in the 80’s as the “Brat Pack” took hold.

Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald) had really cool fashion sense, inspiring many an outfit among me and my friends. The soundtrack had songs like, “Pretty in Pink” by The Psychedelic Furs and “If You Leave” by Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark. Cool clothes, great music and a timeless storyline about friends trying to find their place amongst each other… makes for a great movie that I still watch today when it comes on TV.

It’s that time of year again…..time to attack those dust bunnies and wipe down furniture. So as we begin the ritual tossing of unwanted items into donation bins, here are a few tips to help make the process a little less painful.
Tip #1 Dryer sheets aren’t just for making clothes soft, they are also great for wiping up dust from tables, bookcases, ceiling fans, and getting pet hair off the couch.
Tip #2 Newspapers. If they are just sitting around taking up space, use them to clean your kitchen sink. Just crumble some of the dry newspaper and rub it against
the stainless steel basin and it will soon sparkle like new.
Tip #3 Get containers! Plastic or cardboard containers are easy to stack, label, and create an organization system that will benefit the whole family.
Tip #4 Year rule! If you haven’t used it, opened it, worn it, or moved it in a year’s time, it’s time to get rid of it!
Don’t forget – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure- so donate all that unwanted stuff!

When I was little, my friends and I would make pretend our weddings. I used to imagine my wedding to be the picture perfect Cinderella story. I would be announced in riding on a horse and carriage, wearing a huge puffy dress (glass slippers and all!), and there would be a castle full of people waiting to see me and prince charming being married. I dreamed that I would marry the love of my life and have a whole bunch of children. Now that I am older, I realize how unrealistic that is, not to mention my idea of the perfect wedding has changed…. A lot! Im still searching for “Mr. Right”, and when he shows up I already have it planned out! Call me crazy but law of attraction has got to kick in sooner or later! During my weekly daydreaming session of what I would want my wedding to be like, I decided to look up what others have done for their big day. I found out that June the biggest wedding month, hence the reason of this blog seeing that June is just around the corner. I’ve used a few different websites that I searched on google to come up with a list of some of the “top tens” for planning a wedding

Top 5 Places in the US to be married:

1. The Inn and Spa at Loretto- Santa Fe, New Mexico
2. The Plaza – New York
3. The Hawks Cay Resort- Duck Key, Florida Keys
4. Paris, Las Vegas – Nevada
5. Grand Wailea- Hawaii

Top 10 first dance songs:

1. “Alison” (Elvis Costello)
2. “All I Want Is You” (U2)
3. “As” (Stevie Wonder)
4. “Blood Of Eden” (Peter Gabriel)
5. “Crash” (Dave Matthews Band)
6. “Everything I Do” (Brandy)
7. “Forever in My Life” (Prince)
8. “Heroes” (David Bowie)
9. “Ice Cream” (Sarah MacLachlan)
10. “If I Was Your Girlfriend” (Prince)

Top 10 Guest Complaints:

1. An inconvenient date.
2. Invitation confusion
3. Seating Snafus
4. Cash bars
5. Climate Crisis
6. Inedible Food
7. Never ending toasts/ Photo montages
8. Dj Please stop the music
9. Ungracious hosts

Top Wedding Themes

1. Medival
2. Winter Wonderland
3. Seaside
4. 1920s
5.1940s
6. Arabian Nights
7. Japanese
8. Las Vegas
9. Butterflies
10. Football

Top cake flavors

1. Red Velvet + Cream Cheese Frosting
2. Devil’s Food Cake + Chocolate Ganache
3. Lemon Cake + Lemon Buttercream + Lemon Curd
4. Pink Champagne Cake + Raspberry Mousse + Vanilla Buttercream
5. Apple Spice Cake + Caramel Buttercream + Brown-Sugar Mousse
6. Chocolate and Vanilla Cakes + Chocolate Buttercream + Mocha Mousse
7. Sponge Cake + Vanilla Buttercream Topped with Coconut + Bavarian Cream with Fruit

I wanted to share this fun, easy, inexpensive, pretty and eco-friendly craft that is PERFECT for spring! It’s a teacup bird feeder 🙂 I’m planning on making this after we build our front porch this summer, and hanging it next to some windchimes

Here’s how:
First, you simply find an old teacup and saucer – there are plenty to choose from at any yard sale, local thrift store, antique store, or even HomeGoods!
Next, stock up on some E6000 craft adhesive. You can easily find it at Michaels, AC Moore or Joann Fabrics. A little will go a looong way.
Tip the cup on it’s side, glue to the saucer and leave overnight. Hang the bird feeder from a shepard’s hook, or suspend it from your porch ceiling with decorative fabric.
Lastly, fill the cup and saucer with bird seed and ENJOY!

I was born and raised in Salem, MA but never appreciated what a great city I lived in until I moved away. Now that I am working here again I am reminded of all of my favorite places to visit. One of my favorite places was and still is the Salem Willows. I used to ride my bike there when I was younger and would stay there for hours with my friends. Playing skeeball, arcade games, riding the carousel, having a tender steak with cheese (YUM!!) and eating Hobbs popcorn (YUMMMMMM!). Now that spring is upon us (well sort of) the Willows is starting to open up which means nice weather should be following soon! I’ve already had my first box of Hobbs popcorn and am looking forward to going there multiple times this summer. My daughter has been there a few times and now I am excited to bring my son. It’s a piece of Salem that I truly miss h

Having trouble sleeping? Sometimes when we first move into a new apartment or house it can take some time to adjust to our new surroundings. Here are five ways to help you get a better night’s sleep!

<strong>1. Skip the afternoon coffee</strong>- Sometimes when 2:00 hits we feel like we need a boost to give us a little energy. In order to sleep better at night try to avoid caffeinated beverages after noon.

<strong>2. Have a glass of milk</strong>- Eating a very light snack along with a glass of milk about an hour before bedtime can help you catch some z’s.

<strong>3. Prep for bed</strong> – If you are someone who has a hard time getting tired at night, create a routine for yourself! About an hour before you’d like to go to bed lower the lights, fluff the pillows and put on your slippers!

<strong>4. Have quiet time</strong> – Going out late at night or listening to the TV or radio can rev your engine instead of slow it down. Spend the last few hours before bed quietly reading or relaxing.

<strong>5. Lower your thermostat</strong>- Getting too warm at night is a culprit for sleep deprivation. Lower your thermostat several degrees before bed so you aren’t woken up abruptly hours later.

Hang your curtains as close to the ceiling as possible. This gives smaller windows the illusion of height and makes the room look larger

If you can’t paint your apartment paint your furniture. It is an easy way to add color without a lot of cost. Another great way to bring character to your beige apartment is area rugs. They add a pop of color plus they save the carpets when it’s time for your security deposit.

Use multi function furniture. Add a long table in your living room.; it can function as a work space and when entertaining it can double as a bar or buffet.

If your apartment lacks an official entry space create one using a bookcase and chair. Remove the top shelves and add hooks for hanging. Adding decorative baskets to the bottom shelves keeps clutter out of site.