The Lemonade Connection

Oh my gosh! I'm so adding this to my Life's Lemonade!

Ok so if you were with me recently in the Vlog about some of my "Life List" items (View that HERE) - then you also know I am rather obsessed with the idea of a Flash Mob and hm...not so secretly want to be there and even more...kinda want to be IN ONE.  Oh yea!  Why not?  I can't think of any good reason. 

Thinking...(humming that tune from Jeopardy...)

Nope.  Still not one good reason.

Watching this inspired me even MORE: 

 

Now do you want to be a Flash Mob geek too?  Add that one to your "Life Lists"!  I'm sooo in.  

I'm ....SOOOO IN, ya hear me?

If you're ready...I found THIS website - Woot, woot, woot and more woot!!

 

And that's one more way to make your life into Sweet Lemonade!

My "To do while I'm alive" list ....and one Grand Central Flash Mob!

I have a "Life List" - you know,  a list of things I want to do while I am still alive on this earth.  My husband, Mr. Lemonade, thinks that its cool to take those things off my list by doing them..you're about to meet the Mr. - he's a complete camera ham.

Over the weekend just before Valentine's day, he took me to NYC to knock off a few of the items on my list.  This is where it went, well...in a shorten version, very geeky vlog sort of way...

 

Ok now that you've watched us dork it out on camera...I want to hear what's on your "Life List"? Inspire me!

 

UPDATE:   Ooohhhh I was right!!  There WAS a flashmob! Holy Christmas...we missed it by like 1/2 hour  because we headed off to Dinner Reservations.  (bummed face - but then again...happy face cause it WAS dinner with Mr. L after all...rationalization always helps.)

Recuperating from being "Swept away by my Lemonade Valentine..."

I wish with all my heart that I could give every single woman in the world...a weekend like the one that I just returned from.  My husband...truly the most romantic man I have ever met or have even heard of to be exact...swept this girl away to Manhattan for three whole days.  Simply to fulfill bouquets of things on my "To do before I Die" list.   

It was so amazing that I doubt I'll ever forget the little precious parts of each and every little detail he conspired to shower me with. (it was sooo that "wow"!)

Frankly, I don't understand how a girl like me received such goodness.  I do not deserve it.  Yet, I can honestly say I am STILL reveling in the fresh, electric and oh-so-grand feelings that just held me captive for three days straight.    And I can only say now that I will be back up and running as soon as I catch my breath!

I'd love to hear your Valentine's day stories!  Can you share them?

It's snowing again in Lemonade country... And I can handle it.

I woke up to the sounds of rain this morning.  The feeling was profoundly wonderful. "Rain!" I thought, "It's only raining...not snow!"  And in my heart I felt a tiny voice say, "I will never give you more than you can handle...and I'll always give you a way out."  I smiled.  God loves us so much.

Perhaps that seems a bit mellow dramatic for anyone to think or say about the arrival of rain or snow.  But to understand this, you'd have to have lived somewhere this winter like New York, where we have been hit with I believe 11 storms now.  There has been so much snow that we have not had a week without disruptions of epic proportions.  We are exhausated from shoveling, salting, trudging through the thick, treading carefully over the ice slicks...and shoveling again. 

The thing is, as the little voice from above spoke in my heart, I knew He was right.   Yesterday for the first time in over a month, because of warm 40 degree weather, we actually saw a few sections of grass peeking out where the plows had been closest to the ground on the driveway.   Portions of the snow mounds had melted away, just enough to show off slices of grassy ground.   And it was enough to make the Lemonade family exclaim, "I see grass!"

As I woke up to the sounds of rain and heard in my heart those precious words, I couldn't help but smile because I knew that our God...the one who controls the store houses of snow, truly wouldn't let me suffer "too much".   He understands we are tired.   Afterall, He sent me 40 degree weather yesterday and made rain fall to melt away some of that treacherous ice and snow.  He even showed me some grass, as if to say..."It's coming, the spring time will come and release you again...there is still hope."

I held onto that thought as I began my day.  And when I went to open the curtains at the window, I gasped... the rain had turned to snow.  And the snow was sticking.  Again.  

I wanted to yell, "Hey God, what about not giving me more than I can handle!!?"   But then, quietly.  Somewhere in the silence of that moment, I remembered humbly...  He won't give me more than I can handle.  This snow will stick for a moment, a day, maybe a week...but He will make a way out.   Spring will come.   There will be warmth down the road...again. 

It's snowing again in Lemonade country.  He says I can handle it.

"Max the Cat" at the Lemonade Connection - fuzzy goodness!

Our sweet Lemonade cat on a cold winters night....what a life.  He just looked so great and honestly, we're smitten with this boy.  He's priceless!

The Lemonade Connection...(sigh)

Sweet friends of T.L.C. where do I begin?  We were buzzing along for quite some time here and then this Lemonade Mama just fell off into the some sort of fog...yes?

I could spend a lot of time telling you how and and why this absence has been there.  But someone (namely Lemonade husband) has been sharing insight about me, to me...that has me thinking perhaps all the chatting about why I haven't been here, is nothing more than one big excuse. 

Ever heard something about yourself that, when pondered on, you realized, "yeah, I think perhaps you are right."  A moment of conviction can be quite good for the soul.  And there has to be some reason, why his loving input, combined with a few beautiful friends recent enthusiasm over this site, are coming together at this moment in time.  So, I think it's time to return to what this Lemonade Mama knows, couponing and sharing the goodness with others.

Thank you for your goodness to me T.L.C. friends.  I think you're amazing!

Breathing is so important...

I just returned from a two week vacation to California.  Breathing in the sights, sounds and air of the northern valley...frolicking with my children, husband and family for days in the crystal blue waters of my parents pool and soaking up the warm summer sunshine that darkened my skin for the first time in very long time.   No humidity.   No mail.   No home phone ringing.  Fruity pool drinks...ahhh, I was breathing. 

I realized somewhere on the second week, that I nearly forgot how to breathe. 

Going away was so important for reconnecting to my inner self and reestablishing my way of processing life.   To say that I am happy to be back wouldn't be really honest.  I am not.  While New York has been an adventure in my life, I fail to feel entirely at home here.   The culture and style of living hasn't really been what I dreamed that it would be.  I knew it would be a busy life here in NY but having lived in slower, calmer Northern California for most of my adult life I find myself longing to return to it.  

What I wish we could all do after a vacation is simply hold onto the calm that we came away with until the next vacation.  It would be marvelous to be able to keep the suntan, to hold onto the smiles..the lack of frown lines...the eased muscles and softer spirit.   Since I realize that is indeed a dream...I will simply say that for today...I am going to breathe again.  I'll press into business and life as usual but I'll try to keep the calm.  

Breathe with me...

This Lemonade girl has been ill but YOU rock!

So you've popped in...only to see nothing new.  Sorry all.  This Lemonade girl has been rather under the weather to be honest.   Since nearly a week ago, I've been so utterly fatigued and nausious...its crazy.  (Now don't go starting any rumors about adding little Lemonade babies to the world - Not the case I can assure you!)  I am starting to regain my energy...slowly.  But this flu-like thing has knocked me down to be sure. 

The amazing part is YOU all...with the kind notes and sweetness...who wouldn't feel all loved on.  So thank you dear Lemonade friends...you all simply...ROCK. 

I will try to get you all hooked up with the deals and steals asap!

In the meantime, I just want to say..."I so love you all!"

Our Lemonade Family is headed out to B-ball - Say hi on Twitter!

Hey all! 

You'd think that couponing is all we ever do around here....and sometimes it feels like that...whew!   But today is baseball day for the middle guy...and we're off to cheer him on!  I may Twitter from the game so come join me. 

I'd love to hear how your day is going and where you're off to.   Later on we'll be BBQing with one of these recipes...which completely sound amazing.   Aaaaamaaazing!

(<----this is our baseball slugger...)

Come by Twitter or leave a message on this glorious Saturday!

More posts later today!

UPDATE:  Well the RD Team won!  Nice...nice.  It was GORGEOUS OUT.  Great time talking to a few on Twitter! 

A girl gotta have her security...there is hope...truly!

I am a woman who likes clings desperately, to her security.   I like to know there will be ample abundance in every corner of my life. I like a cushion to fall back on...of some sort.   If there is money in my account, I want an extra amount stashed away...as a cushion, should there be an unplanned expense.   With the food in my home, I want to see extras stored away "just in case something happens and I need it".  

This need for a "sense of security" has been carefully constructed by me for many years, on the idea that I should always have something to spare.  There should be something in the wings, at all times.  Afterall, isn't a Proverbs 31 woman known for planning well?  (I see you nodding your head in approval..."Why yes, Jenn...you're doing what any Godly woman of her household would do!)  I'll admit that I do believe there is wisdom in planning and stockpiling, preparing for your family and providing a way to keep them secure.  Ok I said it. 

But I have a flip side to this security thing.   You see, when my security is shaken, like when I'm paying the bills and the income doesn't look like it'll match up...I begin to fall apart.   It's a crumble much like a tall tower of building blocks would take - at the mere rattle of vibration.  (See?  Not such a Proverbs 31 woman now..am I?)   I admit this sadly, but honestly.  

If there are no reserves in the bank account, the vibrations start to rumble, my nerves twitch and the tear ducts begin to swell.  My faithful husband Mr. G can tell you all too often this has been the scene with his wife.   Not a beautiful picture my friends.  And truthfully, the same thing can be said about almost any area of security in my life.  I simply HATE the idea that I could possibly not have enough.... enough food, enough money...enough.

Comfortingly, I read an article not too long ago, about the needs of a woman and I joy-fully confirmed that all this need for security, is actually built into me.  I read this paragraph and felt happy in my sudden sense of validation.

"Although security is a very broad term and general in meaning, nevertheless, it is a woman’s greatest need. Whether a woman is growing up with her parents or living with her husband, she has the genuine need to be secure. A woman needs to know she is safe and well provided for in every aspect."  - Marriage Missions International

No doubt, you probably think that I'd be high fiving women around me right now.  "See? See??!   It's part of my nature to crumble without my security!"   But this is where I don't high five.  I can't.   Because in the last couple of years, God has been working to help me discover something better, than realizing I have a valid reason for needing security.