Loving Life

“If we look at the world with a love of life, the world will reveal its beauty to us.”
 ~Daisaku Ikeda



Reflecting on my life and what it has given to me and what I have taken from it hasn't all been great, but I have no regrets. I believe that everything we go through happens for a reason, weather it is good or bad, it changes us and we should embrace everything. I have been thinking about what I love about life, and these are a few of my thoughts...


I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. 
~Mother Theresa

LOVE

1. My husbands kiss.

2. A hug from one of my children.

3. The friendship that lies within my marriage.

4. The pure innocent love of a pet.

5. The trust that comes with true friendship.

6. Snuggles. 

7. Those moments when you look at someone and your heart and mind instantly fill with love.

8. The little things that people do that say "I love you" far louder than any diamond ever will.

9. Giving gifts to those you love, far more gratifying than receiving any day.

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?” 
~AA Milne

FEELINGS

10.  A warm bed on a cool day, especially when you know you don't have to leave it!

11. The heat of a summer sun on bare skin.

12. A swimming pool on a hot day.

13.  Crawling into a freshly made bed.

14. My husband's gentle touch

15.  Feeling my husband snuggled up on one side and my dogs snuggled up on the other when I wake up in the middle of the night.


Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the highroad to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction.

~Margaret Thatcher


SATISFACTION

16  Setting a goal and reaching it, no matter how unimportant it may be to the rest of the world.

17. Knowing I have helped someone else find a small amount of peace in their life.

18. Watching my children choose to do the right thing... And knowing I have done my job.

19. Putting a smile on someone elses face.

20. Being there for someone in need, at the very moment they need it most.

21.  Facing fear head-on 

22. Doing the right thing always feels better than doing the easy thing.

23.  Taking just a few moments to speak to a stranger, and finding in them a new friend.

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
~Walt Disney

SIMPLE THINGS

24.  There is nothing like good food.

25. Starting a new book is like setting out on an adventure.

26. When my husband looks into my eyes, life is wonderful.

27.  My children give me these simple gifts, a painted rock, a carefully chosen flower, and those mean more to me than the world.

28. A few moments of silence after a long and hectic day.

29. Just saying "I love you."

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
~DR. Seuss

SMILE

30.  Newborn babies, they are so small and innocent and they smell so good! 

31.  Watching kittens and puppies play.

32. Watching my kids play. 

33.Singing Broadway tunes and watching my kids laugh at me.

34. Watching my dogs play with each other.

35. Writing something and knowing that people actually read it!

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.
~Lou Holtz

NATURE
36.  Listening to the wind move through the trees.

37. Sunrises and sunsets.

38.  The way the air smells just before it rains.

39. Waking up to a fresh blanket of snow laid across the landscape, and not having to get out of bed.

40. Seeing the first flower of spring peeking it's head out of the ground.

41. Sleeping under the stars.

Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.
~Oliver Wendell Holmes

HOME

42.Quiet nights at home with my family.

43.Cooking on the grill, there is just something about cooking outside...

44.  The scent of fresh baked foods filling the air.

45. Watching my family accomplish something through teamwork.

46. Watching my kids all get along.

47. Spontaneous hugs!

48. Seeing my kids smile.

A place for everything, everything in its place.
~Benjamin Franklin

Phrases

49. "I love you mommy."

50. "Thank You."

51. "I really needed that."

52. "You are a good friend."

53.  "Thank you for listening."

54. "Thank you for being here."

I think one's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.
~Florence Nightingale

Feelings

55. Being the first one in the shower after a week of camping.

56.Finally pulling the car into your driveway after a long road trip.

57.The first bite of a dinner that took all day to make.

58. Coming home to a dog that has missed you.

59. Waking up on a holiday morning with a house full of children.

One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.~Gilbert K Chesterton

Things

60.  The companionship of friends and family.

61. Knowing you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

62. Becoming part of the solution.

63. Finally finding your passion in life.

64.The ability to dream.



I know this...In My Life I will have times of joy and times of pain, but I will embrace it all because I am loving life!

The Martini

I like to have a martini,

Two at the very most.

After three I'm under the table,

after four I'm under my host.

Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)

Alright here it is...the long awaited post about The Martini.

A friend of mine made a comment about how she couldn't wait until I blogged about it. So here it is...
I needed to do a little research about the history of the martini, so here goes nothing...

There are a number of differing theories on who invented the martini and when. It has, however, been agreed that the martini was most likely invented in America and is one of the country's many invented cocktails.

There are a number of people who claim to be the inventors of this favored drink. But none of their recipes are like the Martini we know today. There is record of a drink called the Martinez from all the way back in 1962. The recipe for this drink included 4 parts red, sweet Vermouth to 1 part Gin, and was garnished with a cherry. This might be the first version of Martini.

There are also a number of legends attached to the birth of the Martini. Some of them include the following:

Among the number of people who claim inventing the Martini, there is also a place that claims to be the birthplace of this drink. There is in fact, a plaque on the north-east corner of the intersection of Alhambra Avenue and Masonic Street, in Martinez, California which commemorates the birth of the Martini. Legend has it that in Julio Richelieu's saloon in Martinez, California, around the year 1870, Julio was requested to make a cocktail for a visiting gold miner. Julio made a concoction and dropped an olive into the drink before serving it to the customer. When the drink was well received, he named in after his town.

A similar story is also attributed to Jerry Thomas who worked as a bartender in the Occidental Hotel in California. Apparently, the Occidental Hotel was a favored watering hole for visitors who took the ferry from Montgomery Street to Martinez. Supposedly, Thomas created this drink for a visitor and named it after his destination. The recipe can be found in The Bon Vivant's Companion: Or How to Mix Drinks (1887 edition) which was authored by Jerry Thomas himself. The recipe included one dash of Bitters, two dashes of Maraschino, one wine glass of Vermouth, two jigs of ice and a pony of Old Tom Gin, served with a slice of lemon.

Current tastes prefer vodka instead of gin, but some say this is not a true martini but a vodkatini or a kangaroo.

I enjoyed doing some research about the martini, it is pretty interesting...but what about the classic martini glass? Here's what I found...

In a martini glass the long stem is a design element that will keep the martini cold without the addition of ice which would water down the drink. It also allows for holding the cocktail without allowing the heat of the hand to warm the drink, the wide brim was a design element that allows for surface tension which enhances the natural bouquet of the juniper berries in the gin.

OK enough about history of the martini...the glass it's put in...how about some favorite flavors.....I have to admit I had a "classic" martini once and didn't really like it, I will have to try it again soon.

But for now here are 2 of my favorite flavors......

Snowball Martini (my winter favorite) there are several variations of the recipe


2oz White Chocolate Godiva liquor
1oz Amaretto
1oz Malibu
Splash of cream


Directions
Pour all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake and strain into a martini glass.

Italian Wedding Cake Martini

2oz vanilla vodka
1oz cranberry juice
1oz pineapple juice
1/2oz amaretto
1/2oz creme de cacao

Directions
Pour the vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, amaretto, and creme de cacao into a cocktail shaker over ice. Cover, and shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain into a chilled martini glass to serve.






I know this...In My Life having a cocktail is great, but sharing is better.