Clip of the Day: Cat-tastic!

Oooh, the things I stumble upon whilst perusing youtube. If you love animals (especially cats) and music (especially on piano), then you will be sure to adore this video. I know I did! Happy Joy of the day!

PS. If you think this is wild, guess what? She had her own website! She's more famous than most of the people I know! Check it! http://norathepianocat.com/

Song of the Day: Keep Your Head Up!

I've just disscovered this artist named Andy Grammer and I am in musical love! He is fantastic! He's got a great soulful sound and fab lyrics. This is my #1 summer jam!! Check it!

Quote of the Day:

"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Clip of the Day: Guitar Greatness

So, let's talk about talent...actually let's just watch this video which should be the dictionary definition for talent.

Clip of the Day: Proof that Women are Born this Way

Ladies, we're all talkative, loud and proud...right from the beginning. Watch this...

Clip of the Day: Don't blow your nose in front of babies...

This little guy's expressions are sure to bring you joy today!

 

Quote of the Day

 

“They can't order me to stop dreaming.” - Cinderella

Quote of the Day

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." 

~ Dr. Seuss

Clip of the Day: The Cat in the Hat

26 seconds of pure cat hilariousness!

Quote of the Day

“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day it is today. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves.

~ The Bishop of London's Sermon for Prince William and Princess Catherine

Today's Joy: A Royal Wedding

As we all know, today was the royal wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate (yes, I know that the title is Duchess something or other, but whatever, she's a princess now!). As much as I would have loved to watch the spectacle live, there's no way I was waking up for 5am. I love my sleep too much. I barely woke up in time for my own wedding! But luckily, I caught the highlights later on.

It was a lovely cermony and Kate made a beautiful princess bride. It really was a fairy tale moment as Kate walked up the aisle to meet her prince. And let me tell you, that walk up the aisle was not a short one! I think I would have freaked out and ran the other way!

 I had both of my parents supporting me as I walked to meet my handsome prince, and I still shook and cried the whole way!

 
Kate was so elegant and calm and so was Prince William. It's easy to forget that even though they are "roy-als" they're still normal human beings, just like we are. This came through when Kate was just about all the way up the aisle and Prince Harry (the daring rascal he is) turned around to get a look at the bride. He then nudged his brother and mouthed "Wait till you see her!". Prince William tried to keep it cool, but he evetually gave in a turned around for a sneak peek at his bride. When she finally reached him, he leaned over and whispered "You're beautiful". It was such a lovely moment.

 
I didn't realize how emotional I would get as I watched this momentous occasion in history, but it did bring me to tears. There were, literally, billions of people sharing this moment together to celebrate love, joy and hope. The ceremony touched me as it brought back memories of my own special day, which was not too long ago (July 17, 2010...we're almost one year old amor!) There were so many stresses and issues surrounding our wedding, that I couldn't be sure exactly how our day would turn out. But God had it all planned and the day was beautiful and perfect, my dream come true. 
 

 
So here's to the new Prince and Princess! Let us continue to celebrate the promise of love, the hope and dreams of a young bride and groom and the joy that is marriage!

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

~ Matthew 6: 25-34

Clip of the Day: I guarantee this will make you smile...

This is one of the sweetest videos I have ever seen! What a beautiful voice coming from such a little child!

Clip of the Day: Grey's Musical

because this was amazing...

Quote of the Day

"He who has not looked on Sorrow will never see Joy." 

~ Kahlil Gibran

Today's Joy: Lists of Joy

Lately joy has been hard to come by, so I've decided to create a list of the lil' things in life that make me smile:

1. Babies!!

2. My cats (or cat babies)

3. My puppy

4. The smell of spring

5. The ocean

6. Classic Films

7. Jazz 

8. Condensed Milk (thanks to my husband)

9. Vanilla scented candles

10. Orange creamsicles

11. Handmade soap

12. Watermelon

13. Painting

14. Finishing an excellent book

15. Listening to my jams

16. Taking photo walks

17. Vintage clothes

18. Celery with peanut butter

19. Jewelery (especially the shiny kind)

20. Singing real loud when no one's home

21. La Rocca b-day cake

22. The feeling after you clean your room

23. Naps

24. Audrey Hepburn movies

25. The first spring robin

26. Disney characters

27. Swimming in the lake

28. The smell of clean sheets

29. Playing super mario

30. Hugs and snuggling

Just a few things to help me remember to stop and focus on the happy things in life.

Quote of the Day

“Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”

~ Mark Victor Hansen

Photo Entry: My fat boy in his pink house

Let me first introduce you to my big fat baby, Nipper.

Quite the looker, ain't he? And, well, what can I say? He's huge!

All the more to cuddle with! He also likes to wear hats.

And on rare occasions, has been know to wear tye-dyed t-shirts.

Not many could pull this look off, but it's slimming on him don't you think?

Now let me introduce you to the Queen of Sheba, fondly know as Nickels.

Yeah, she's gorgeous and she knows it. She likes to use her queenly powers to get away with everything.

Yeah, that'd be her lounging on my piano.

And later playing my brother's X-box when he's not looking.

She's also quite dramatic.

Her famous guillotine impression.

And playing cat casserole. 

So here's why I've introduced you. First, cause they're awesome. Second, because you have to know them in order to get why these next two pics are so great. My babies were recently given a new present. It's this little cat house.

When Nickels is inside, we can hardly even see her.

But when Nipper gets in there, well...

Half of him sticks out!! He's so chubby!
I just love them. And they love each other.

Alright, you can say it now. All together...
awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

Today's Joy: J+R=LOVE4EVER

Yesterday I finished reading Jane Eyre, well really it was today at 2:30am. (SPOILER ALERT: Don't read on if you don't want to know the end!) It was such a beautiful book written from a time gone by. After reading it, you want to start speaking just like Jane. And finally, FINALLY, in the end Jane gets her happily ever after with Mr.Rochester. Then to make my joy ever more complete, I find out that they're making a new Jane Eyre movie that's coming out this March! Just in time for my birthday! Happy early Birthday to me! Jane fans, take a look at the trailer. It looks amazing!!!



Mia Wasikowska looks to me to be the perfect Miss Eyre. First Alice and now Jane, Mia is well on her way! Can't wait to see this!

Clip of the Day: I hope my babies do stuff like this...

This is my all time favorite YouTube video. If it doesn't make your heart smile, then you must not have one...........or at least not a smiley one. 

Clip of the Day: Bazinga!

This is for my sister. Makes me laugh every time!!!

Song of the Day: Firework

This song is currently my anthem. It encourages me and makes me smile every time, almost involuntarily. So horray to Katy Perry who for once goes against the grain and sings an uplifting song rather than singing about getting naked and having coitus.

Annnnnnnd just for randoms, someone once told me that Katy Perry has a cat named Kitty Purry....bizzare or ingenious? You be the judge.

Today's Joy: My Lifelong Companion

These last few months have been hard; very difficult for me personally, spiritually and health wise. That's why I'm writing this blog. My super sister told me that I should do one thing everyday that brings me joy. I'm taking that to a different level by keeping this journal of little everyday things that bring me joy. Sometimes finding the good things in life can be very hard when all seems dark, but that's why we need to try even harder to find the light. My joy today (and everyday really, but just really gushing about today) is my husband. Through everything I've gone through, he continues by my side. And when I say I'm high matinence, I'm being modest. Yet he remains. God gave me my perfect mate and when I dwell on it, I couldn't be more filled with joy. Today my lovely man brought me breakfast in bed, and this isn't even a one off kind of thing. He often brings me breakfast in bed, makes me tea when I'm not well, sits up and talks with me all night when I can't sleep. So this is me stopping to realize what a blessing I have in him. Thanks Jesus for making my best friend my life long companion!

Today's Joy: I heart Sheldon Cooper

Today I caught up on two of my fav tv shows, Grey's Anatomy and The Big Bang Theory. So after being dramatically moved by Grey's I was then comedically relieved by the Big Bang. I love that Sheldon always offers someone a hot beverage when they're feeling down (it's a social convention, of course). Oh Sheldon, you make my heart happy when the world makes me cry.

Today's Joy: When babies say I love you...

when babies say i love you by HollywoodBride on Polyvore.com

I have been taking care of this little18 month old boy for the last couple of weeks. He's such a cutie pie and very smart. On Wednesday when I went to watch him, his Mom had told me that she wanted to share something with me. She proceeded to tell me that on the Saturday after I had last watched him, whenever he heard something that sounded like the door or the doorbell, he would run to the door and call out "Maaannnniiiii". At first they thought that he was calling for his Mom but when she went to him, he continued to call out. They figured out that he was actually calling out "Mandie"! It was the first time that he had called for anyone other than his Mom or Dad. It was a lovely way to start the day! Then, to make my heart melt even more, later on he turned to me and said "I la lu" which is his super cute way of saying I love you. You know it's pure and heart felt when a child spontanseously says I love you. Such a special moment. Definatley, my joy of the day.