Good-bye 2013... Hello 2014

 As the sun sets on 2013, 

my wish for my friends and loved ones is that we can all find and stand in our happy place in 2014.

Here's to a Healthy, Happy New Year full of joy and love. 

MB

I heArt Fridays... Del Mar Love

My cousins and I went to Del Mar Beach on Christmas to play Bocce. I just could not help but spot this beauty.

 Happy last I heArt Fridays in 2013!

Merry Christmas 2013...

Wishing everyone a Very Merry and Loving Christmas.

Love, 

Nina, Rocky, MB, Mario and Dante

I heArt Fridays...for the Love of Construction

The contractors have been busy working on the upstairs bathroom renovation for the past month. This pile of sand was outside and I noticed the heart when I was leaving one morning. They are hoping to finish by the end of 2013. 

It will be so nice to have all new plumbing and fixtures and finishes. 

We can't wait!

I heArt Fridays... a puddle of Love

I found this puddle of love last weekend in one of my favorite places...

Balboa Island, California.

I heArt Fridays... 

Happy Weekend Everyone.

I heArt Fridays... I Would Love to Stop Worrying

I have been reading this book that I bought awhile ago at an estate sale. The first edition was printed in 1944 and my copy is from 1950, its 12th printing.

HOW TO STOP WORRYING and Start Living

(this is exactly how the title is written too)

by Dale Carnegie

 I have always been a worrier. 

I have to really practice hard on a daily basis to stop the worry. 

I happened to be sitting in the sun a couple of weeks ago reading this book and I set it down for a moment to go back inside to get something. 

When I came back to the book I found this little heart sitting right on the cover. 

I would say that is a pretty clear message.

 This week I am throwing back to one of our first "family" Christmas photos. Duke and Armani... they were our kids until Nina came along.Duke took a liking to Jingle Bear and it eventually became his toy.

 The following year, Nina was part of our family - wasn't she the cutest? We had lost Armani to a hit and run, Jingle Bear lost his hat and scarf and became Duke's pacifier.

Where did the time go?

I heArt Fridays... Thanksgiving Love

This was my view during Thanksgiving dinner yesterday as we ate outside on my cousin's back porch in Carlsbad with a view of the ocean and beautiful sunset. 

Not to shabby.

I noticed the greyish heart shaped clouds in the upper left corner. I perfect sign of love from above.

And be thankful.

And be thankful.

                                             Colossian 3:15

At the beginning of 2013 I heard these words during Mass and I decided to say these 3 words during times of struggle. There is always something to be thankful for and this year I have really tried to practice gratitude. Practicing Gratitude can really change the way you look at life and help to get through each day.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I heArt Fridays... A Walk in the Park

A cousin from back home sent this to me. She found it during a walk through Como Park in Lancaster, New York.

I love receiving hearts...

Keep them coming!

Throwback Thursday... My First Dance Recital

Little did I know that when my Mother signed me up for dance lessons at 3 how much enjoyment dance and movement would bring me for the rest of my life.

This Throwback Thursday photo is my first recital to the song: 

“I’m a Little Teapot” 

I started dancing again about 18 months ago and I thoroughly enjoying myself. 

I have a post brewing about dancing and life and leading and following, 

but for now...

"Here is my handle and here is my spout!"

I heArt Fridays - Cold Heart

The first snow of fall in Buffalo created this week's heart.    

My friends from Buffalo sent it to me. 

I love it... 

especially that the snow is there and I am in here in 85 degree weather.

Throwback Thursday - Missing Old Friends

I miss these two so much... 

This is a throwback to 1985 when my College roommate Heather and her boyfriend John came to visit us. We had gone to Niagara Falls for the day and we saw this sign. John was from the Bronx and absolutely loved New York's Burroughs. When we saw this sign we knew we had to have a picture of him under it as he really thought he was New York's gift to the world.

It was 21 years ago this week that Heather died from AIDS given to her by John, who had died a few years before her. A tragic love affair to say the least. I think about her often, especially this time of year.

So call a friend today.. just to say hi and hear their voice... I so wish I could hear her voice again and we could sit and laugh for hours about stupid stuff and silly joke books and walk to get a slice of pizza.

I heArt Fridays... A Walk Outside

     My friend and walking partner from back home sent me this heart the other day.

She was on her walk and found this beauty. Thanks Trish... I heart Fridays and I heart you!

Throwback Thursday - Adorable Harry Potter

I know that Halloween has passed, but I just love this photo of Dante when he was "in to" Harry Potter so I had to use it for this week's Throwback Thursday.

I am so glad that I made the kids pose for as many photos as I did... I certainly enjoy looking back on these great times in our lives. He was so adorable, wasn't he?

I heArt Fridays... Love in an Elevator!

Dante and I were on a quest for the perfect holiday costume and I found this heart in the elevator of the parking structure. It is a bit blurry but elevators are not always know for the best lighting. 

He found this costume from the Morph Costume Co... digital dudz. You download an app and you  can have a beating heart or maggots or snakes. Dante cut his shirt and did the blood spatter himself. I guess it could be consider another heart find but just a bit different than his Mom's usual post!

We had a great Halloween night. He had some friends sleep over and play dungeons and dragons and watch Back to the Future as they had the today off from school.

Throwback Thursday - Wendy and Peter

Happy Halloween. I chose this photo for this week's Throwback Thursday post of Dante's first Halloween, thirteen years ago, when he was Peter Pan with his proud Big Sister as Wendy.

 I am so glad my sister taught me to sew when I was 13. I made many of the kids costumes and I know they have good memories of those times.

Have a Happy and Safe night and make some memories this Halloween 2013.

I heArt Fridays - Stumped

I found this on my run last Saturday. 

Stumped.

Throwback Thursday - The Pumpkin Patch

I have seen so many photos of people bringing their kids to pumpkin patches and farms these past few weeks. It reminds me of the fun we had when the kids were little.

This week's Throwback Thursday is about 12 years old, from our favorite farm, The Kelkenburg Farm in Clarence, NY.

 So many good memories of those days when the kids were small.

I HeArt Fridays...Rock Love

Last weekend I was invited to a beautiful ranch in Rancho Santa Fe, California for my Cousin's 50th Birthday. We also went to look at the beautiful piece of property they own and have plans to build a ranch. 

You know MB... always looking for hearts.

I found this one in the middle of the picture, but I also see a heart at the top edge of the lighter colored rock at the top right of the picture. Do you see it?

   We had fun picking Lemons and Kumquats from their trees and then I spotted this heart just before we left.

I had a great weekend catching up with my cousins and finding these rocks for this week's I heArt Fridays post.

Throwback Thursday - My Little Pea Pod

I love this photo.

My Throwback Thursday for this week is Nina as a pea pod at 4 months old with our smiling "volpini" pumpkin. It actually snowed that year on Halloween. She was such a trooper as her Mom propped her on the pumpkin for the photo!

I heArt Fridays - Nina Love

Nina found this one for me yesterday... I love receiving hearts.

send me your finds...

mb at drawntocolor dot com

Authenticity, Fear and Safety

This post is part of a brave blogging link-up that's part of Liv Lane's How To Build a Blog You Truly Love ecourse. As a participant, I was challenged to step outside my comfort zone and share something with you that felt especially brave.

"On the Street Where I Live" ⌐ © mary beth volpini 2011

I grew up in an alcoholic home. I never really felt safe and I was not protected by those who were “supposed” to love me.  I did not reveal a lot about my true self until I entered therapy in the 30’s. The secrets came out, well most of them and I could start to heal. I was able to share my true story and be authentic in small groups and one on one when I felt safe that they could handle the information.

My then husband started this blog for me in 2008. I tried to be authentic and honest, but there was still so much that I could not share. Fear stopped me. I guess it was easier and safer for me to tell my story through my art. I have so many blog posts that race through my head, but then the fear stops me again. Will someone read it and not like my art, or will I lose my job, or think I am a bad Mother. It is so much harder to feel safe in the world wide web, once the information or post is out. It . is . out and you have no control who reads it.

We hear so much about authenticity and that is what people want. BUT do they really want that, the good the bad and the ugly or do they want life tied up with a pretty bow? Positive Polly. The goal of my blog is to inspire people, especially women and children. Inspire to look at the world more creatively. Inspire people to find hearts and love around them. Inspire to get back up and persevere when life knocks you down and to know that they are not alone in their struggles.

My son has an assignment this week in Language Arts class and he has to read and then comment on various quotes. I love quotes and read through some of the selections. Two of them struck a cord with me:

“Write what you know.” Geraldine Brooks

“Write hard and clear about what hurts.” Ernest Hemingway

I know pain, I know being an adult child of an alcoholic, I know abuse, I know infertility, I know financial infidelity, I know emotional infidelity, I know deceit, I know cancer, I know divorce. 

BUT 

I also know Motherhood, joy, healing, survivorship, honesty, gratitude, perseverance, friendship and love.

I will strive to be authentic and to share as much as I can while still feeling safe in the hopes of helping others know they are not alone as we navigate our path in life.

I heArt Fridays - for the Love of Clouds

This week's I heArt Fridays post is brought to you by clouds: 

Dante and I were in the car yesterday, while we were waiting for the light to change I noticed this beautiful cloud. He snapped a shot for me.

 This photo was taken by my cousin last week on her drive to New York City. She posted it to Instagram and I noticed the heart right away.

Love was in the air this week... ha ha

Throwback Thursday - Do the Eyes

 These Throwback Thursday photos are part of the reason that I am happy I am a bit photo crazy. Last week when Dante and I were looking through photos, we came across these...

I had forgotten this stage he went through when he would do this silly pose with his eyes. We eventually would say "do the eyes" and he would make these faces and we would crack up... which of course would only make him do it more.

When Dante saw these last week he said "why was I always doing this with my eyes" as we both laughed. 

 I just cant help but smile when I see these... what a character.

 What are some of the silly things that your kids did when they were younger that you have caught on film... or I should say digital now!

I heArt Fridays... Heart Stain

 My friend sent me this heart stain that she found on one of their office chairs. It makes me so happy when people notice hearts around them

Throwback Thursday - Climbing the Walls

Dante had to write a story for school this week about a certain point in time in his life. If they had a picture of the event they were supposed to bring it in. If they did not have a photo of the event they were asked to bring in a photo around the same time frame.

The event that Dante wrote about was when he was 3 or 4 and his pj's got caught on the post of his bed and he was hanging in mid air. He remembers me saying "Let me get my camera" but I could not find the photo of that time.

BUT... 

while I was searching through a ton of photos I found this one of him around the same time:

OMG... 

That smile and those blonde curls.... He has loved Spiderman since he was 2, (obviously Batman was not too far behind) and he would climb up the door frames and balance. This photo brought so many good memories back. 

I just can't help but smile.

I heArt Fridays... for the Love of Bacon!

 I was making bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for Dante and I the other day and this little beauty fell onto the counter.

 

Who doesn't love a Bacon Heart?

Throwback Thursday - Two Strands

This week's Throwback Thursday post is when I was sporting two strands of pink beads at the Komen Race with the kids by my side. 

This Sunday is the Race in Orange County and I will be proudly wearing seven strands of pink beads.

Seven. 

Cancer is not at the forefront of my mind every minute of everyday like it was back then. But this Sunday is a day when I will wear pink and proudly show the world that I am a survivor. I hope I am as much of an inspiration to those newly diagnosed as the women who are wearing 10, 15, 20 and more beads are to me.

Keep fighting... stay strong..

survive and thrive.

I heArt Fridays - more found hearts

 I saw all of these hearts this past week... this one was a teeny tiny one on a table.

        This was a twisted straw wrapper. I completely missed it until Nina         pointed it out to me.

A sign of Fall

Throwback Thursday - RMS Queen Mary

I had the pleasure of staying aboard the RMS Queen Mary whose maiden voyage was in 1937 and was then retired in 1967. Walking aboard the ship is truly a Throwback in time. The ship  is apparently haunted and known for it's Spirits. I was not visited, that I know of anyway, but when I went to bed I could not seem to set the clock, all it would display was a '2'. Mysteriously when I woke up in the morning it was set to the correct time.