•The latest on Gretchen Rossi and Jay Photoglou

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This is simply amazing. It tugs at my heartstrings in so many ways. My love for the ocean, my love for sea life, my once in a life time experience with both mentioned.
It will put a smile on your face.
I promise.

So PROUD to announce Rocky & Rosie finished in 2nd place with 697 votes!!! They will receive a 16″x20″ mounted, textured, retouched, and lacquered wedding portrait from Imagery Concepts Photography. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU!!!!!!

My son’s wedding picture is in a contest. They have been in 1st place until this morning. A very good friend posted this on FB and asks in return that I share it with others! One VOTE can make a difference…it could be yours!

***Contest expires tonight at midnight and they’ve fallen to second place! We need 100+ votes ASAP! If you haven’t already will you vote JUST ONCE and SHARE this post?*** If you read this heartwarming story, you’ll FEEL GREAT to help!!! xoxo-Di

CAN I BUG YOU??? I need a favor. Not for me. For someone else. A “Pay it Forward” kinda thing. (One of my favorite movies of all time, BTW.) This favor won’t cost you one penny. You only need to do it ONCE. It will take literally one minute of your time. We’ve all got one minute for a RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS, right?

My friend, Heidi Ward-Mitchell’s son was diagnosed in 2006 with two types of testicular cancer, both rare, both aggressive. He’s been through so much and so has Heidi, as his mother. The GOOD NEWS is in October of 2008 he was reunited with his high-school sweetheart via Facebook. She stood by him during some really tough times and has helped him feel “whole” again. Loved again. Wanted. Worthy.

They were just married in November 2011. The link here is to a photo of their wedding and a CONTEST they’re in to get their wedding photos FOR FREE. THESE TWO DESERVE A GOOD TURN, A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS… will you help?

You ONLY have to “Like” this ONCE. ONCE. Then I’ll NEVER EVER bug you again (about this – tee hee.)
They’re currently in SECOND PLACE. We need YOUR HELP to get them up by about 140 votes – ASAP. PLEASE… please please please… will you? Just ONCE! This will mean the world to them… and we need EACH and EVERY one of you. The contest ENDS January 15th!

Thank you for making a difference… giving a wonderful gift… to a young couple that deserves it. ♥ Blessings to you for helping! ♥

(click on image and “LIKE”)

Thank you!!!!

Have you ever felt pain you couldn’t get past
Have you ever wondered how long it will last

Have you ever taken more then you give
Have you ever questioned wanting to live

Have you ever known a love to be true
Have you ever hurt someone close to you

Have you ever failed knowing you tried
Have you ever counted the tears that you’ve cried

Have you ever felt alone and betrayed
Have you ever regretted choices you’ve made

Have you ever just wished that time would stand still
Have you ever found words to express how you feel

Have you ever cried in the cold, dark night
Have you ever looked fear right in the eye

Have you ever walked alone in the sand
Have you ever felt pain you didn’t understand

Have you ever felt you have reached the end
Have you ever mistaken someone for a friend

Have you ever felt you just didn’t belong
Have you ever found comfort in words from a song

Have you ever wondered how your life would be…
if you had all the answers
to set you free

Have you…

A small video I did of our my son and daughter in laws big day. You can feel the love between these two and it absolutely makes my heart melt to see them so happy. They married 10 days after my son celebrated his 5 year anniversary of being cancer free. It would be an understatement to say we had much to be thankful for this year!!!
(someone get me another tissue please!!)

I know!!

They were high school sweethearts…

Reunited on Facebook after 8 years…

They soon became engaged…

A couple years later, they were able to finally set a date…

Yesterday, they said “I Do”…

…and will live happily ever after.
Congratulations to my son and his beautiful bride…my daughter in law!
I ♥ you both!!!

Today my son will marry the love of his life, his best friend…
his high school sweetheart. They had not spoken in 8 years
and were reunited on Facebook.

If you love someone, set them free. If they come back
they’re yours…if they don’t they never were.
~Richard Bach

Congratulations to my son and his beautiful bride…my daughter in law! ♥
I love you both,

Blast from the past…
Originally posted October 2009
(ya, I so meant to post this last week!)

I was going to pop on here and just share a few creative Halloween recipes I found, but you know that’s not going to happen. I got a little sad looking at all the festive goodies and now I need to vent. Vent first, then the fun stuff.
I totally miss Trick or Treating.
I’m not going to lie.
If I thought I could get away with it this year, I’d be sporting a $19.95 K-Mart Special costume with pillowcase in hand (king size) and hitting up every damn house within a square mile of me. Actually, I’m not sure what part of Halloween appeals to me more, a) the candy b) showing up to school or a party in the best flipping costume (obviously we all know if I’m getting a K-Mart Blue Light Special this year, the priority is candy) there.
I’m not going to lie.
Sometimes these were hand-me-down costumes my sister had worn the year prior, nevertheless they were probably my idea to begin with. Who would not want to dress as a “Fig” handing out Fig Newtons whilst singing, “It’s rich and chewy gooey on the inside, golden flakey cakey on the outside….it’s the big Fig Newton, here comes the tricky part, it’s the big Fig Newton, ok one more time, it’s the…” Ingenious. Right? Another year I rocked “Big Bird”
I’m not going to lie.
I was actually a chicken, but a few everybody thought I was Big Bird so we’ll just go with that. Personally, I have never known Big Bird to wear big puffy yellow bloomers, yellow tights, yellow shower cap, short beak and strategically placed feathers, walking around bocking. But that’s just me…just saying. Elly May Clampett (this is the real Elly) was another big hit for me. Don’t act like you are to young to know who she was! She was the animal loving, chimp toting daughter on “The Beverly Hillbillies” Well, I love animals AND we do have a lot of the same characteristics, I was a dead ringer! Nice, I also came across this picture of what she looks like now. This brings us to (RELAX! I’m almost done. Remember. I’m. Venting.) the year of “Pixie Lake” a.k.a. the hooker.
I’m not going to lie.
It scared me that I had so much fun putting that get-up together. It scared me that I had the clothes to put that get-up together. Pixie was a short lived character, her “Trick or Treat” ideals were not acceptable.. Last but not least was Mary. Much to my surprise, I pretty much owned Halloween that year. “you are so creative…” “oh my gosh, I would have never thought…” “honey, come here, you’ve gotta see this…” “brilliant idea…” I know…even I was shocked.
I’m not going to lie.
As much as I’d like to take credit for being the master of all disguises, carefully planning each and every detail, I literally had an hour to figure out a costume. That’s not even enough time to go get a K-Mart Blue Light Special. I think Mary might have even been my favorite….there was just something about her.
I’m done venting, but I’m not going to lie
I totally miss Trick or Treating.

Look all all these creative goodies!!!!

Candy Corn Pudding Butterscotch pudding on the bottom, vanilla (dyed with yellow food coloring) in the middle, whipped topping on top. (you can make this kid friendly by using clear plastic tumblers.) Paper Jewels

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Apple Bites Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.
Family Fun

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Melon Brain Remove the green rind from a small seedless watermelon exposing the inner white rind. Carve narrow channels with a sharp paring knife to expose the pink fruit beneath the rind.
Family Fun

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Breadstick Mummy Dogs Made with Pillsbury Breadstick dough and hot dogs. Using mustard or ketchup for the eye. Visit Picky Palate for detailed directions!

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Adam’s Scary Apples Make red and black candy apples, finish them off with spooky twigs instead of sticks. Matt from mattbites.com will walk you through this process step by step

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Wormy Ice Cubes All you need are gummy worms or other creepy crawler candy, ice cube trays and fruit punch. Stick ‘em in a drink! (*note- I am making these with or without kids…maybe even year round)
Food Network

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Creepy Crawly Brownie Bite Spiders Cut fresh baked brownies, roll into balls. Cover in chocolate candy coating and decorate with licorice, raspberry candy and sprinkles. Visit Paula Deen’s Recipes to learn how! (NOT recommended for those who are Arachnophobic)

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Spaghetti and Eyeballs Perfect meal for the little monsters ones any time of year. Make your own or visit parentingteens.about.com to get their recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs. Use green olives stuffed with pimentos for the eyes.

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* updated Vampire Bloody Lollipops I know it’s after the fact, but I just came across these and had to add them. There’s next year, right? Head over to Tissuepapers and get step by step directions to make these delightful looking treats!

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