Kizmet poses wistfully in front of a basket overflowing with cat toys dreaming of his elusive, but favorite toy… the pom pom.

In our house it would be 100% impossible to hide the fact we have cats. Cat condos, baskets and baskets of cat toys, cat beds, cat pillows, cat blankets, cat food dishes – in every room and every where you look, there is something directly related to making sure our cats are well-loved and taken care of. Read more

For the past couple of years I’ve started New Year’s off by sharing some quotes that feel particularly relevant to where I am at my life and where I’d like to be moving forward. They’re not meant to be resolutions per se, but rather a roadmap to help guide my inner self down a road of personal growth, peace, and happiness (please click any of the images to enlarge). This year is no different and I found the overwhelming theme to what I want is to rid myself of as much as possible is negativity. Read more

~Angel Harley~

Happy Holidays everyone! Read more

When it comes to the holidays, I’m a big one for tradition. But with time, life changes and so what once was, cannot always be. It used to be after I decorated the Christmas tree (a real one) with glass ornaments and family heirlooms I would put my two boys to bed and shut off all the lights in the house except for the Christmas tree. I would put Silent Night in my cassette player and just bask in the simplistic beauty of it all. The true spirit of the holiday would course through my body, reducing me to tears, and it was a private moment just for me as I reflected on all I was blessed with.

I no longer have boys to put to bed, and the tree, well, now it’s artificial and it’s decorated in a leopard theme with non-breakable ornaments. After I’m done decorating (with lots of help from my furry gang) I still turn off the lights and reflect in the beauty of it all, but now I share the moment with Dan and the cats. We converse at the end of the day like we do every day, sitting together, me blanketed in a soft pile of kitty love as we binge watch whatever show of the moment it is… in this case, Nurse Jackie.

But regardless of time, one thing always remains true, the spirit of Christmas resides in the heart to be shared with those you love…

Have a lovely Wednesday all!

When you feel overwhelmed at the holidays, even something like a tangled strand of lights can be enough to cause tears to flow in frustration. At that point, it’s just best to walk away for a moment. Put on some music that calms you and come back to it when you are ready. Or throw them away and buy a new strand!

I do love the holidays, but I must admit with the joy, peace, and goodwill, along with it comes a strong dose of anxiety, sadness, and melancholy. Tensions flare, unrealistic expectations for perfection set by Norman Rockwell standards of days gone by unravel at the seams, the simplest of things can overwhelm you, and every day can be a quick trip into a dark hole if you don’t keep it all in check.  Read more