Living Life to it's Fullest....

My intention was to blog last night since it's been a while, but it was a wonderfully full day and I was beyond tired. Still am quite frankly. It is a curse. Moving on.

I was thinking about the phrase "Live your life to the fullest" yesterday and rolled it around in my head like a marble. Which is ironic since I thought I had lost them all. That phrase could mean many things to different people. Here's what I figured out it means to me.

To take *each* day and fill it with as many things that bring you joy. Right now, my job does not bring me joy, but the people I work with do, and I am working to change jobs soon! (Job interview on Sunday morning. Wish me luck!) Anything I can get my hands on creatively brings me joy and when I am inspired to create I am beyond happy. Dance brings me joy. Singing brings me joy. I breathe IN music and breathe OUT dance.

My children bring me joy. Every day I learn from them. They not only teach me how to be a better Mom but to never let go of my inner child. I'm not sure that's possible anyway given that it took me years to find her again and now that she's awake she's not getting snuffed out ever again.

Spending time with my bestie brings me immense joy. There is laughter and light and the time spent with her fills my heart and fuels my spirit.

Twitter, for the most part, brings me joy. I learn a lot about people there. My timeline is 95% drama free and that makes it a pleasant place to be. I am who I say I am. Period.

(Note: Dear Future Boyfriend, don't expect me to give up Twitter. Not happening. I need witnesses to my life. I need people to know I was here....that I lived, I loved. So if you love me, you'll have to accept that part of me. Love, your future girlfriend.)

A perfect example to me of living life to the fullest was yesterday. I woke up, well, twice. Once REALLY early *slow wide smile* and then again around 8am. Showered, dressed, packed up my laptop and headed for my bestie's house, stopping for coffee on the way. We spent the day in what we refer to as "Storytime". See she's a brilliant writer and is currently working on Book 2 (First book is finished and she will write her queries soon) and anytime she has reworked or written something new she reads it to me. I absolutely LOVE being read to. What kid doesn't?

We laughed, we ate lunch we bounced ideas around as to where to take the storyline. While there I got a phone call from the place I had submitted my resume just a few days ago and set up an interview for Sunday. I then went home quite happy with the day, kissed my kids, changed and headed to the studio to teach my Adult Tap class. Afterwards, I ran to the grocery store to get the things I needed to make dinner. Got home, unloaded groceries, began preparing dinner while listening to my daughters power point presentation. Got dinner into the oven and finally had a chance to take my shoes off and get out of my dance gear.

With dinner ready, I sat down and watched the last half of the Celtics game while I ate. Then, I tucked my kids into bed, grabbed my nightly cup of hot tea and crawled into bed with a good book.

While I didn't win the lottery or find a cure for cancer or walk down the red carpet at a movie premier-don't worry I'll get there ;) - I *did* fill my day with the things that bring me joy. I try very hard to do that EVERY day. Some days it's a challenge but for the most part, I do not shy away from LIFE. Every aspect of it. Good, bad, heartbreaking, heart mending. ALL of it. We are put here for a reason and although it may sound silly, we MUST learn to pay attention to the small things. The little parts of our days. A smile, a laugh, a misstep, falling flat on our asses. The hugs, the tears, the frustrations. Every ounce of it. Because one day, we will realize that it is in the little things that make our lives full.

Cream Cheese Cupcakes....

A departure from my normal blogs, a request has been made for my Cream Cheese Cupcake recipe with Cream Cheese frosting. The scent of the Red Velvet Cupcake candle my bestie gave me for Christmas had me wanting cupcakes. So.....I made some.

Enjoy!


Cream Cheese Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 8oz block of cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup half and half

Cream the butter and sugar. Add block of cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to the first mixture. Alternating with the milk. Fill well-greased muffin pans or paper baking cups 1/3 full. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen

Frosting:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.