JanineThrossel.com

 Some days, work is work. Some days, work is bliss. Such a fun writing assignment, requiring some research and development. :) 

Each time I see these photos, they make me smile! William Lawrence is so precious! He also happens to have an extra chromosome. His dad, Alan, is a photographer, who created these (and other) fantastic pictures of Wil flying. Alan says they are a reminder to him that his son will be able to do anything he sets his mind to as he grows. Alan is using the photos to create a calendar to raise awareness about Down Syndrome and gather money for two related organizations. "Ruby's Rainbow" helps provide scholarships to higher-level education for men and women who have this genetic condition. "Reece's Rainbow" helps fund adoptions of children with Down's. Sadly, studies show 90% of parents who are told their children will be born with extra chromosomes choose to abort them. Reece's Rainbow has helped with over 1,300 adoptions so far! I hope you will take three minutes to watch the beautiful, inspiring video at the link below. I think you w...

The sun is coming up on this beautiful day after Christmas, golden rays through cloudy, cold windows.  I have a heater going in the bedroom where I'm typing and a fire in the fireplace downstairs.  Our little Daschund, Jack, refuses to give up his bed yet, even after I put a sweater on him. Christmas didn't go quite as I expected this year.  A bad cold kept me from the Christmas Eve party and Christmas Day dinner that I had planned to attend with loved ones.  It's threatened to keep me from my family's traditional tea party this evening as well.  My sewing projects and reading plans were hindered by runny eyes.  A broken oven sidelined the holiday delights I tried to cook for my husband and children. Not quite as planned. Yet, it has been a beautiful time with my guys, who chose to stay with me instead of going out.  My oldest child filled our stockings and read us the Christmas story from Luke 2.  We opened lovingly-chosen and lovingly-wrap...

"Happiness is a warm puppy." --Charles M. Schulz

I love the beach.  I've been from the rugged coasts of Northern California, to the inlets of Washington State, to the warm white sand in Florida and the sparkling black sand of Costa Rica.  LOVE the beach.  Perhaps that is why these 17 beaches caught my eye.  Check out   www.boredpanda.com/unusual-beaches/ Here is a preview, before you click the link! Look at that purple sand! (picture from www.boredpanda.com)

Watching our male tortoise pace the yard, then stop at random points and turn a different direction with a serious look on his face. . . and then do it over again and again while I laugh and wonder what he is thinking inside that little tortoise head!  Also trying to feed our new female tortoise and NOT having her hiss at me. Making homemade raviolis for the first time--from scratch--with homemade potato-garlic-spinach-chicken filling.  Okay, so the pasta dough turned out less-than-fantastic. . .  The filling was awesome.  And I had fun. Hearing one of my children say thank you, he loves me and--with a hug--tell me that I'm awesome and no one has a better mom than he does. Walking outside to see a garden full of tall and leafy plants that aren't weeds. Talks out on the deck chairs with my handsome husband. A bright moon in a cloudy sky. Rain.  Thunder and lightning. Talks about video games and school and art with my eldest. Music l...