Living With Gusto!

I am back from my week long trip to Pennsylvania where I spent a wonderful time with my daughter, son-in-law and precious grandchildren. Below are some of my favorite pictures I want to share with you.

My granddaughter, Ella and I in the pile of leaves.  Even with an injured knee, I couldn't say NO to this sweet and excited face when she asked the question, "grandma will you play in the leaves with me?"  There was just no way I was going to pass up making this memory with my granddaughter!  Not a chance!

And here is my adorable and handsome grandson, Ezra! One of my daughter's friends named Julie took this wonderful picture.  Isn't it just beautiful!! And those sweet rosy cheeks of his were soooooo kissable! For some reason every time grandma came around the corner to where he could see me, he would let out the cutest giggle you ever did hear!  I loved it!!!

After being with my beautiful daughter and family, I am ready to live life with gusto again.  I just needed my heartstrings Family-Fix first!  Being around my granddaughter who has such a vivid imagination (3 yrs old), I could'nt help but catch her exuberance for life attitude.  We adults often forget how to enjoy the small things in life that happen throughout our day and are cause for celebrations. Why do we do that?  Why do we forget how to find joy in simple everyday things?  Well, I hope you will join me this week in renewing that greatfulness and joy for life. Make a blessings list, and be a kid again. Try this while you are in the bathroom:  do a commercial for fun in front of the mirror and laugh at yourself afterwards, or spend some time with a child so you can let loose of your "adults don't do that" thinking.  Just have some fun.  I guarantee that in your presence, others will be smiling and maybe even laughing at life again because of your contagious spirit.

I recently read a story about Stan Toler, who grew up with his father reminding him to go out in his everyday life and live it as if

"SINGING ON THE TOP OF HIS TOES WITH GUSTO". 

I just love that word picture!  I can just see in my imagination a painting by Norman Rockwell, of a skinny and awkward looking boy, standing on his tippy toes, singing at the top of his lungs, with the expression on his face being that of pure JOY.  I hope you will join me this week in going out and living life on the tips of your toes and singing it with gusto! And if you do, sharing it with me in a comment would just make my day extra special! I might even do a cartwheel- ha! Okay, maybe not a cartwheel, but I'll be standing on my tippy toes and singing a song just for YOU!!