Tag Archives: love

Family Photos 2011

Posted on by Run DMT
11

Just as I had expected, she did it again.  Kelly captured some gorgeous shots of my family for our Christmas portraits.

Funny thing, we didn’t have to travel far for our portrait session.  All of these photos were taken at the North Pointe Village in our neighborhood.  Upon a closer look, you may notice the Pasco office building, Residence Inn, Carrabbas, International Beer Garten or an abandoned Up the Creek Mongolian Buffet in the background.

If you love these photos as much I do,  please leave a comment on Kelly’s blog so I can win an 11×14 print.  Thank you in advance! :-)

30 Days of Giving 2011

Posted on by Run DMT
13

30-Day Giving ChallengeFor the third year now, I participated in the 30 Days of Giving Challenge.  The act of giving may not seem like a challenge, but it actually requires quite a bit of scheduling and planning.  Even with all the planning, situations pop up to cause a bump or two on the road to giving.

Some gifts are simple, like a mailing a card to a loved one.  Some things require more work, like preparing a meal for friend.  In the end, no matter how small or big, it’s the thought that counts and that gesture means so much to someone else.  The smallest gift can have the biggest impact on others.

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.”  – Aesop

Our gifts

    • Donated canned goods to a food drive.
    • Donated items to Goodwill.
    • Recycled my old running shoes to benefit the homeless through Fit Niche.
    • Filled shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

    • Brought gifts to a local animal rescue shelter.
    • Dropped spare change in the Salvation Army red kettle.
    • Donated items to Toys for Tots.
    • Bought a coffee for a frequent play date host in my moms group.
    • Sent coupons to a military base in Japan through Overseas Coupon Program.

    • Added a love note to my kids’ lunch boxes.
    • Planned a picnic lunch for my kids and enjoyed a “special” lunch together at school.
    • Planned a lunch date with hubby.
    • Baked cookies for the firefighters.
    • Volunteered at my children’s school.
    • Arranged guest speakers for the Great American Teach-In at my kids’ school.

    • Spent an evening with an old friend to catch up to give the gift of time.
    • Baked cookies for my running club and tossed $5 in the coffee fund.
    • Welcomed new neighbors of a 16 month old with a baby safety kit.
    • Sent a “thinking of you card” and Publix gift card on behalf of my moms group to a friend in need.
    • Mailed a set of hand drawn Angry Birds by Allana to Stacy Uncorked for Princess Nagger’s birthday.

    • Mailed a Thanksgiving card to my grandmother.
    • Mailed a get well card to my ill uncle.
    • Brought a home cooked meal to a friend at work.
    • Purchased meal vouchers for families in need through Groupon’s Feeding America program.
    • Sent $10 gift certificates to several friends via Restaurant.com’s “Feed It Forward” program.

Pssst!  Speaking of gifts….Don’t miss this one!

Photobucket

In My Life

Posted on by Run DMT
9

For the past year, I’ve worked extremely hard on repairing some broken relationships.  It took a lot of patience, trust, honesty and understanding to rebuild those relationships, but it was so worth it.  Now, my life is full of laughter rather than pain.

Or so I thought.  As I expended my energy into one relationship, other relationships unraveled because I hadn’t been as plugged into some big events as I should have been.  My lack of presence and support was perceived as a lack of empathy.

When I heard I let my sister and friends down for various reasons, it stopped me dead in my tracks.  Somehow between running around after my family and running in races, I had missed some important events and it’s not like me to not be there for loved ones.  However in these incidences, I wasn’t and I hurt them terribly.  When I heard I let them down, I cried for weeks.

Even now, the pain I know I caused brings tears to my eyes. I live a rich life because of my family and friends. Their relationships are bountiful blessings. Without them, my life would be empty and lonely.

Somehow I have to find balance between my own family, my extended family on both sides and my friends.That’s why I am so grateful for the 30 Day Challenge, because it forces me to stop and remember everything and everyone that is important in my life, whether it’s spending time with them or sending them a note to say, “I love you. I appreciate you in my life.”

Of course with schedules, it’s hard to coordinate time to spend together, but we’ll make it happen.  And for that, I’m thankful.

 

For the next four Music Mondays, I’ll be counting my blessings through song.  Each week in November, I will be singing my praises and giving thanks by sharing a song that symbolizes one of the many blessings in my life.  Come count your blessings with me and link up while you’re here.  What a blessing that would be!



Visit Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.

A Beautiful Thing

Posted on by Run DMT
17

PhotobucketI’ve expressed my love for all things Italian on this blog many times before so it should come as no surprise that hubby took me for an Italian meal for my birthday.

At Bella’s Italian Café, we enjoyed a delicious three course meal starting with Bella’s Famous Chopped Salad, a finely chopped chicken breast, crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, red cabbage, gorgonzola, ditalini pasta and romaine all tossed in a dijon vinaigrette.

Although we should have split our entree, we each ordered the Salciccia Al Forno , Italian sausage tossed with penne pasta, mushrooms and ricotta in a creamy tomato sauce, then topped with mozzarella and baked.

 

Of course, we made sure to leave room for dessert and selected Tiramisu (a classic Italian dessert with layers of lady fingers, zabaglione – Marsala flavored custard, espresso whipped cream and mascarpone topped with whipped cream and warmed chocolate sauce) to top it off.  Much like restaurant’s name, our meal was simply beautiful.

 

Whereas others would be tired of eating Italian food, this past week we’ve been piling on the cheesy pasta dishes.  Per my request, Iron Chef Allan concocted a baked penne casserole and it was better than I hoped for!  This stringy cheesy layered mess really satisfied my craving.

Iron Chef Allan’s Baked Penne

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 cartons of Pomi chopped tomatoes

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cup fresh basil , finely chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

1 lb pasta

1 lb shredded part skim mozzarella

3 cups whole milk ricotta

1/4 cup grated parmesean

1 egg

Directions

Prepare penne according to al dente directions on box.

In a saucepan, soften onions in olive oil for about 10 minutes.  Add garlic to onions and cook for about 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, 1 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, red pepper flakes, basil and oregano.  Simmer for about ten minutes or until warmed through.

In a large bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, egg, parmesean, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper with half the tomato sauce.  Pour mixture into a 9 x 11 baking pan.  Top with remaining sauce, mozzerella and parmesean cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown at 350 degrees.

 

Now link up and see what If I Could Escape and Gone Bananas are serving for this week’s Friday Food Fight.


*Also submitted at*

PhotoStory FridayI am a Food RENEGADE!friday potluck guest host girlichef

Join the VCA Pawfect Twitter Party!

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VCA Animal HospitalI swore off owning pets for years.  Then we rescued a lost dog in our neighborhood and we found ourselves pet owners when our girls begged us with their own puppy dog eyes to get a dog.

For weeks, I hunted rescue sites, called the local animal shelters and then searched through Craigslist until we found our Lucy, a black Pomeranian.  When we adopted Lucy, she was a fluffy disaster with dandruff, knotted fur and a scruffy coat.  We changed her diet and within a week, she had sheen to her coat and a spring in her step.  Of course, being responsible pet owners, we had her chipped, spayed and groomed.

These days, our filthy Craigslist outcast looks like a completely different dog.  All due in part to the quality care and love she received.

My belief about feeding our pet the best quality food and providing her with best possible care is no secret. I only feed my family the best foods and give them the best care therefore, our pet ( an extension of our family) should only receive the same treatment.

In fact, my strong opinions on the matter are what prompted Stiletto Media to contact me to participate in their first Twitter Party.

Latina on a Mission in part with VCA Animal Hospital will be hosting a Twitter Party on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

As stated on the VCA homepage, their mission is the same as mine with regards to my pet: “Where your pet’s health is our top priority and excellent service is our goal.”  More about VCA Animal Hospitals:

VCA operates more than 540 animal hospitals in 41 states across the nation. These hospitals are staffed by more than 1,800 fully qualified, dedicated and compassionate veterinarians to give your pet the very best in medical care. Over 200 are board-certified specialists. Our hospitals provide a full range of general medical and surgical services as well as specialized treatments.

Visit VCA Animal Hospital to learn more about their services and to find a location near you.

As for the VCA Pawfect Twitter Party, pounce on Latina on a Mission  to RSVP and enter to win some pawfect prizes.  Then, be sure to follow yours truly, @denisermt , our party panelist, @VCApethealth and…

Also, “like” VCA Animal Hospitals on Facebook.

Need the VCA Pawfect Twitter Party details again?

VCA Pawfect Twitter Party
Date: Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. EST

Required Hashtag:  #VCApets
Language:  ENGLISH and SPANISH
Follow via TweetGrid:  http://bit.ly/VCApets

VCA Pawfect Twitter Party Prizes include:

Capturing Summer Fun with Your Pet (Grand Prize)
• $100 Amex gift card
• Digital Picture Frame
• VCA branded gifts for your pet

Beach Safety Kit
• $50 Amex gift card
• Beach cooler and towel
• VCA branded gifts for your pet

Pet Travel Pack
• $50 gas card
• Pet traveler’s seat for your vehicle
• VCA branded gifts for your pet

Cat Wellness Kit
• $50 Amex gift card
• Cat shampoo, vitamins, and feline dental chews
• VCA branded gifts for your cat

Dog Wellness Kit
• $50 Amex gift card
• dog shampoo, vitamins, and doggie dental chews
• VCA branded gifts for your dog

Winners will be chosen with random.org from those who RSVP and are answering Twitter Party questions, while using the #VCApets hashtag. 

*Disclosure: This is a paid campaign created in collaboration with Stiletto Media and VCA Animal Hospitals.*

Counting My Blessings

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5

In lieu of giving up something for my Lenten obligation, I decided to count my blessings.  To do so, I made a list of 40 items (one for each day of Lent) to which I am grateful for and consider a blessing in my life.

  1. A wonderful husband and loving father
  2. Three beautiful, bright, caring, kind children
  3. A roof over our heads
  4. My DH’s job that affords me to be a SAHM
  5. Chunky baby legs and dimpled knees
  6. Baby giggles
  7. Boisterous belly laughs
  8. A home filled with laughter
  9. A home filled with music
  10. A sense of humor
  11. A pantry, fridge and tummies full of food
  12. Gas in my car
  13. Loving parents/grandparents
  14. My sister and her wonderful husband
  15. My parents
  16. A good relationship with my MIL
  17. Loving extended family and cousins to play with
  18. Family living close by
  19. Fantastic friends
  20. Witnessing beautiful sunrises and sunsets
  21. Folders full of gorgeous photos
  22. Hubbie’s mack-daddy back-up system to protect our files and gorgeous photos
  23. Vacations and weekend trips
  24. My “Me Time” set aside for running
  25. A wonderful church to call home
  26. Our health
  27. Family get-togethers
  28. Moms on the Go, the ultimate moms group
  29. A mommy brain that can still hold the most magnificent memories
  30. A safe neighborhood
  31. Wearing flip-flops all year round
  32. A smiley tap-dancing dog and her wagging tail
  33. Doggie kisses
  34. Butterfly kisses and lullabies
  35. Cuddles
  36. The presence of God in my life
  37. Water under the bridge, repairing and rebuilding relationships
  38. Date nights
  39. The means to help others
  40. A blog that people actually read and leave wonderful, supportive comments (hint…hint)

Springtime

Posted on by Run DMT
23

Springtime

It has a nice ring to it.

 

 

Daisy, Daisy give me your answer do.
I’m half crazy all for the love of you.
It won’t be a stylish marriage,
I can’t afford a carriage.
But you’ll look sweet,
Upon the seat,
Of a bicycle made for two.

 

You Can Pick Your Peeps

Posted on by Run DMT
16

You can pick your Peeps.

And you can pick your nose.

But you can’t let your Peeps pick your nose.

 

 

Today is the last day to link up your purple post over at Gone Bananas for Kirsty’s Passionate Purple Day Giveaway. If the linky is closed, simply add your link to the comments section and you can still be illegible for the drawing.

 


 

Love Notes

Posted on by Run DMT
15

I asked Allan not to buy me flowers for Valentine’s Day.

 

 

So instead, he bought a pad of flower-shaped sticky notes and left me love notes throughout the house.

 

 

 

 

 

As I made my way through the rooms, my smile grew with each step. But the surprises didn’t stop there.  Love notes leapt out at me all day from inside the cupboards and the pantries…

 

 

in my wallet…

 

 

and on my steering wheel.

 

 

His lovely creative love notes kept me smiling all day.