Posts

Wanna hear about my crappy morning?

Wanna hear about my crappy morning?  So, John and I are driving down Central Avenue in North East Minneapolis, and are stopped by a train at 37th & Central.  Okay, no biggie.  But....the train isn't moving.  At all.  There is a semi to the right of us, the median on the left, car in front of us, truck behind us.  We can't move.  We sit in this position for AN HOUR.  The train never moved an inch. Finally, The car in front of us and the semi beside us moved, so we were able to turn around and seek alternate routes. Whew.  ding....ding....ding.....low tire pressure alert  Really? Okay.  Pull in to a gas station, put in 4 quarters to get air for the ailing front tire. Air machine doesn't work.  We drive a mile down the road to another gas station, and after driving in a circle in their lot, they don't have air.  Drive another mile down the road and finally fill the tire.  Neither John or I are in a good moo

Ten Thoughts to Help You Avoid Discouragement.

  1.  Look at life as a journey and enjoy the ride.  Get the most out of the detours and realize they're sometimes necessary. 2.  Do your best, but if what you're doing has caused you discouragement, try a different approach.  Be passionate about the process, but don't be so attached to the outcome. 3.  Wish the best for everyone, with no personal strings attached.  Applaud someone else's win as much as you would your own. 4.  Trust that there's a divine plan, that we don't always know what's best for us.  A disappointment now could mean a victory later, so don't be disappointed.  There is usually a reason. 5.  Ask no more of yourself than the best that you can do, and be satisfied with that.  Be compassionate towards yourself as well as others.  Know your calling, your gift, and do it well. 6.  Don't worry about something after it's done; it's out of your hands then, too late, over!  Learn the lesson and move on. 7.  Have the attitud

Your Time is Coming Soon

I know sometimes you feel like giving up.  Every new day there’s seems to be no change in your life.  All the troubles of your heart and worries keep on worsening!  You wonder why everything is happening to you.  You keep on asking yourself why you’re not lucky like other people.  You keep on praying to God but so far He hasn’t answered your prayers.  Now you have started losing hope.  You now think that maybe you were meant to be like that or maybe somebody cursed you. But I tell you what my friend? You weren’t meant to be like that and you weren’t cursed.  God is silent but He watches you day and night.  He listens to your prayers and He has something special for you.  Just stay strong, focused, and hardworking and keep praying to God.  Bear it in your minds that you’re not alone in that hard situation, we are all in the same boat.  So don’t give up my dear friend.  Your time is coming soon. ~Unknown.

Lend me a pup

I will lend to you for awhile a puppy, God said, For you to love him while he lives and to mourn for him when he is gone. Maybe for 12 or 14 years, or maybe for 2 or 3 But will you, till I call him back take care of him for me? He’ll bring his charms to gladden you and (should his stay be brief) you’ll always have his memories as solace for your grief. I cannot promise that he will stay since all from Earth return, But there are lessons taught below I want this pup to learn. I’ve looked the whole world over in search of teachers true, And from the fold that crowd life’s land I have chosen you. Now will you give him all your love Nor think the labor vain, nor hate me when I come to take my pup back again? I fancied that I heard them say, “Dear Lord, They Will Be Done,” For all the joys this pup will bring the risk of grief you’ll run. Will you shelter him with tenderness, Will you love him while you may? And for the happiness you’ll know forever grateful stay? But should I call him back

God loves you

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Purple rain

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The Osbourne Family Stick Lamp

So, John and I moved in to our 1st apartment together in October of 1995. Around that time frame, we also bought our first set of furniture together. The one piece of furniture we still own, is this stick lamp.  We bought it at Home Depot for $14.95. We have changed the bulb in it once since we've owned it. Wednesday this week, the bulb burned out again.  Now if you think about it, 2 bulbs since 1995 isn't bad.  Here is how the conversation went when it blew out:  April: Hey....John the stick lamp isn't working! John: What?? (he hurries to the living room to inspect it) April: See? (clicks it on and off) John: Well, its probably the bulb. We changed it once before...remember?  April: (Blank look) ....yeah John: To be honest, I'm ready for a new living room lamp.  April: John, we've had this lamp since we moved in together in 1995. We aren't getting rid of Sticky. (just named it that second) John: (Hesitates)  Well, we

Capricorn

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Fake smile

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All work and no play make Jack a dull boy

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.      All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.       All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.      All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.           All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.           All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.            All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. All work and no  play make Jack a dull boy.

Bones wedding vows

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How to act like a Boston Terrier

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15 Random Things about April Osbourne

15 Random Things About Me:  1. I hate talking on the phone. I do it all day long at work, so when I am at home, I have all I can do to NOT turn my phone off. I've gotten rid of my land line, and only have a cell phone. Yes. I am one of THOSE people. (hangs head). I prefer to communicate via email, text or in person.  2. I am not a morning person. I have never been a morning person. I can say with complete confidence that I will NEVER be a morning person.  I admire people who can get up and exercise in the morning. It takes me a good hour to be communicative. My Mom told my husband the best advise on being married to me: "Don't talk to her for the 1st 10 minutes she is awake".  3. I am an introvert. I may come off as cool, or even rude, but the truth is, I am just quiet. I don't talk a lot unless I am comfortable with the person or people.  4. I am a home-body. I love just being at home, hanging out with my husband, John and Boston Terrier, Ozzy. 

Bones

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You'll meet me in the light

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Freakishly accurate Capricorn traits that fit me to a T

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Most dangerous

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Health

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Say, said

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Hard to trust

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Sad Songs

Isn't it funny how music can evoke certain emotions? Specifically, music that makes you cry.   Here are some songs that make me tear up every time.  How Great Thou Art   - it doesn't matter who sings it, be it a church choir, Elvis Presley, etc. If I hear this song, its guaranteed that I will cry.  When my Grandma Maty died, she wanted it sang at her funeral, all 4 verses. Just thinking about it makes me tear up.   Ashoken Farewell   - its an old civil war song my Dad found years ago that he just loves. I am able to make it through the song most days, some days not. He wants it played at his funeral, and he learned to play it on guitar.   Puff the Magic Dragon  - there is one part in the song, where the verse goes: "without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave...." this is how I felt when my Katie died.  As I type this tears are streaming down my face. Thus, I avoid this song.  Old Rivers  - a one hit wonder (I think?) from the 50's -

Wisdom Quote

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Talk Stephen King: The Stand Will Be An 8 Part Mini-Series

Talk Stephen King: The Stand Will Be An 8 Part Mini-Series : YES! yes yes yes!

For Katie and Rommy.

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Run or learn

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Sad, but true.

Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over But had me believing it was always something that I'd done And I don't wanna live that way Reading into every word you say You said that you could let it go And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know And I don't even need your love But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough No you didn't have to stoop so low I guess that I don't need that though Now you're just somebody that I used to know  

What comes around...

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Yesterday tomorrow and today

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They said

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What is Karma?

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Karma  (car-ma) is a word  meaning  the result of a person's actions as well as the actions themselves.  It is a term about the cycle of cause and effect.  According to the theory of  Karma , what happens to a person, happens because they caused it with their actions.

Doggy bedtime prayer

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Learn

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Don't

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Everything is temporary but love

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Lessons

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Five rules

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It's easy to judge

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Me

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Truth

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Its not the first chapter that matters but the whole story

Someday we'll forget the hurt, the reason we cried and who caused us pain.  We will finally realize that the secret of being free is not revenge but letting things unfold in their own way and own time.  After all, what matters is not the first, but the last chapter of our life which shows how well we ran the race.  So smile, laugh, forgive, believe and love all over again. 

Forgive ? Yes! Excuse? No.

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Being a good person

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Hm.

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When

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Toxic

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Never chase

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I am enough

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Ozzy extreme close up

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Good luck Rachel

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Anxiety

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Building a wall

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Thought of the day

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Old Fashioned Butter Cake

Old Fashioned Butter Cake (from  Reeni's Cinnamon Girl blog )   2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1  1/4 cup sugar 1  tablespoon  baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease and flour two 8 inch x 2 inch baking pans and set aside. In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter, milk, and vanilla.  With a hand mixer, beat for  2 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.   Add eggs and beat for 2 minutes more. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally between the pans.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then turn cakes out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Frost with your favorite frosting.  I used my favorite chocolate frosting, the one on the back of the Hersey's cocoa can.   "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate

Reflections

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Healthy thoughts

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You’re in charge of your happiness

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You’re in charge of your happiness This is your life, this is the only life that you’re ever gonna get and you’re in charge of your happiness. Don’t let anybody ever take that away from you. You go out there and you live your life and if you fall down, you need to pick yourself back up and you keep going because there’s always gonna be bad stuff, but there’s gonna be so much good stuff. So don’t ever forget that. If you change the way that you look at things, the things you look at change. Chelsea Handler If you really want to live your life to the fullest and realize your greatest potential, you must be willing to run the risk of making some people mad. People may not like what you do, people may not like how you do it, but these people are not living your life. You are! —Iyanla Vanzant

iPad

So for Valentines day, John, (to whom I affectionately refer to as: "King of the Husbands") bought me an iPad Air 2. In Gold. Previously, I had a Kindle he bought me a few Christmas' ago, so I am familiar with the "Tablet" craze. Loved my Kindle, LOVED. I almost felt guilty, like I was somehow abandoning my beloved Kindle for the new iPad. As soon as I started using the iPad, all feelings of guilty disappeared. I LOVE this thing, and because I have it on my Verizon account, I can use it anywhere and access the internet. Also, its linked with my iPhone, it displays any text messages I receive. You know what else rocks? When I work out on my elliptical, I can watch something on Hulu Plus, Netflix, or my new favorite - Youtube. I created a work out playlist specifically for my iPad when I work out. My name is April Osbourne, and I am a techy geek.

No matter how hopeless things seem, you will make it!

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Sometimes the door closes on a relationship, not because we failed, but because something bigger than us says this no longer fits our life. So, lock the door, shed your tears. When you are ready, turn around and look for the new door that’s opened. It’s a sign that you’re no longer that person you were, it’s time to change into who you are. It’s going to be okay.” — Lee Goff    All of the times you felt this anxious and this overwhelmed. All of the times you felt this level of pain. And remind yourself how each time, you made it through. Life has thrown so much at you, and despite how difficult things have been, you’ve survived. Breathe and trust that you can survive this too. Trust that this struggle is part of the process. And trust that as long as you don’t give up and keep pushing forward, no matter how hopeless things seem, you will make it.” ~Daniell Koepke

On a lighter note...

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