Lehrerin die Tochter - Teacher Daughter

Paige and I had some mother daughter time Friday night. We shopped for others, so we could create together and give 'at risk" girls a homemade pillow case. Her confirmation class will write letters, create cards and fill the pillow case with a personal gift. It is their service project and part of Modern B*a*g Ladies and Enchanted Makeovers Project Traveling Sanctuary. Check out the How-to instructions on how you can also be the fuel.

Paige taught me some German last night. She is taking German as her foreign language in high school. My grandparents spoke German, so I am excited to learn as well and connect with my heritage. Grandpa Longenius Hochstein, how's that for German. Grandma Walter and I will have a new language for our late night talks.

Paige is my teacher (Lehrerin die Tochter) in her young view on the world. She loves flowers. To me she is a flower. I treasure moments with her.

Fruity Tuity (Tooty) - Compliment?

Mom, "You are so Fruity Tuity any more." I am not really sure where my 13 year old daughter got the term fruity tuity and I am still contemplating its degree of compliment. She's not completely comfortable with how mom expresses her emotions freely. Its like if mom is so open that means I have to be open and I am not always comfortable with that.

Let's take FRUITY....... Tart but sweet...Nourishing.....Aromatic....Colorful

Here is the definition from Urban Dictionary and I will highlight the adjectives that suit me:


"Fruity" has a precise meaning, but is difficult to define. Loosely speaking, the word refers to something which is cheerfully and perkily saccharine, naïve, generic, corny, banal, innocuous, un-self-consciously dippy, sexually neutered (or, conversely, having perverse subtexts), or just plain dumb - and is amusing because of it. Dorkiness which doesn't even know that it's dorky, but celebrates its own dorkiness anyway: that which is flamboyantly and happily retarded. Closely synonymous with gay, in the not-necessarily-homosexual sense.

Now let's take Tuity or Tooty?

Here is the definition from Urban Dictionary. I am quite surprised with this definition.

something or someone that defines perfection. usually refers to a person.
Not only does he make me feel special in a way no one has, but he is just all around tooty.

Paige gave me a compliment and didn't even know it. How special is that. She just called me the perfect dork. LOL!!! She agrees with this summation and so do I.

The picture posted is Paige's Fruity Tooty picture entitled, "Peace Begins with Me". I love it. Look a curvy girl, a stick boyish figured girl and an athletic girl. They all agree, If it's to be it's up to me. Go be who you are even if its Fruity Tooty.

A Picture of "I'm" Perfection

Much is being said about Oprah "coming out" with her weight gain. You know, we've all been noticing it for a little while now. It was especially apparent after watching a re-run of one of her shows lately. Did I think any less of her? "NO!"

In a weird twisted way I was glad. It made me feel like I could do anything and I didn't have to appear to be or be PERFECT. I have actually given up that illusion a long time ago, in theory, but in my tricky little mind (no, let's rephrase, "big and beautiful brain) images of perfection linger. Ah ha I got it, now my BBB (big beautiful brain) matches my BBBBB (big beautiful body, boobs & butt).

OK now I'm really going to go out on a limb here a let you in on a little secret. I have something in common with Oprah. We both weigh 200 lbs. I think I am little taller than Oprah, but if I can carry 200 lbs (metaphorically) as well as she does I guess it's not so bad. On a more serious note, I am on round 4 of up and down weight gain and loss. I had held off my last 20 lbs for over a year which is quite an accomplishment for me. And its not really about the weight its about my health. I pray I can do better in this category.

Young ladies these days seem so obsessed with their bodies. A product of society, media and grown ladies' influences. I hope I can be a good example for my daughter and her young friends, even at 200 lbs. This is a picture of my daughter. She does some cool things with her photoshop. Her and her friends take so many picture of themselves. I guess I would have too if I had had a digital camera back then?????

Let's turn Imperfection into I'm perfection no matter what shape or size. I'm perfection within my strengths. I'm perfection even while in my imperfection. I'm perfection without striving for perfection. I'm perfection when I am ME!

Old Spirit Reading Some New Material

I feel whole when surrounded by OLD things. Chairs, pictures, repurposed junk made into beautiful mobiles, knotted wood with worm holes and old true stories. I think I'm an old soul.

The Traveling Princess B*A*G Lady suggested that I ditch my standard non-fiction, self help, spiritual journey kind of books and venture out a little. Just finished Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott. Quite good. Really my kind of book.

Well, went to the bookstore tonight and picked up, Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen. I'll let you know how it turns out. Fiction, villians, mystery and idiotic characters I'm told.

I'm forging into a new kind of book with an old soul. Boy do I know how to have an adventure. HA!

The Nose Knows

Your nose knows, my nose knows and my dog's nose knows. Scents have an uncanny ability to trigger memories because they are the only sense that directly connects to the part of the brain that stores emotional memories. Oh to be a dog.

My nose diary:

I love the smell of rubber. I can't walk through Wal-Mart's automotive department without taking a deep breath. I had the hots for a guy in high school who was a gear head and we probably made out next the stack of new tires at the auto shop????? I like the power of an 8 cylinder muscle car too. Boy that Chevy had some power.

I love walking to Marien's Deli over my noon hour to have lunch. I walk in and instant comfort. It brings me back to my grandma's kitchen. Homemade bread, rhubarb jam, dill pickles, ham. We lived 7 hours away from my grandparents. Grandma would make ham sandwiches with butter for our trip back home. Mariens makes ham sandwiches with butter and other really good comfort food.

When I was a little girl I got scared a lot at night and would go to my parents room. I knew which pillow was my dad's.

I carry Bath and Body Works Instant Aromatherapy Headache Relief. Peppermint and Geranium. I'm not sure how it works but it opens up something and must let oxygen flow. Oxygen is good for the brain you know.

Corn beef hash, not so good.

NOW GO SMELL YOUR ROSES WOULD YOU? GO ON A SMELLING SPREE. IT'S PRETTY MUCH FREE.

Pure Love of a Child - Grandpa and Grandchild

Grandpa Longenius Hochstein came to me in my dream last night. They called him Long for short. I don't recall ever dreaming of my grandpa before last night. I came across this photograph of him weeks ago. It reminds me to love today with the pure love of a child. Unassuming, grateful for just the time together. I shouldn't let adulthood pollute the purity of my inner child.

The cousins posing so playfully. Pigeons. Pets one hour and target practice the next. The farm. Oh what a great place to be. Here's my chance. Standing on the picnic table. Just at the right height to give Grandpa a kiss.

He was a quiet thoughtful man. There was nothing better than a ride in his Chevy pickup. Brown with a topper. Always Certs in the door pocket ready for the stealing. And don't forget that monkey that lived inside the air conditioner. Strangely enough the monkey would only squeal when Grandpa turned on the fan.

There is so much more I could write about my Grandpa, but no need. It is all visible to me looking at the pure love I have for him in this picture.

What's Your BAG Age? - Oh Those Summer Days

Ditch your dog years and act like a child. I like to think I am at my best when I am acting my Believe Act Go ages of 12-17. I discovered my true self during those years. I hadn't fully buried my Born Beliefs with Bought and Borrowed Beliefs. THINK ABOUT THOSE SUMMER DAYS FROM YEARS PAST AND DITCH YOUR DOG YEARS and unearth your Buried Born Beliefs.


Friendship, teamwork, road trips, goofy times between games. I had these experiences and so is my daughter. Watching her play sports with her friends and being herself with her friends is a source of great joy for me. She is so much like me and as I have been looking deep inside myself these days the more I feel, I need to be more like her (me). The more in touch I am with myself the closer I am to her.

Several weekends ago we were busy with a soccer tournament and taking my daughter to church camp. It beaconed me back to unforgettable summer days that journeyed me towards womanhood. These days were some of the most fun and memorable days of my life. Reflecting on these days, as my daughter approaches teenage-hood, puts a huge smile on my face and in my heart.

Between soccer games we took the opportunity to relax under a small retractable tent. My son and husband were tossing a football, my daughter and her friend were recharging for the next game laying on the blanket listening to tunes and I was sitting back soaking it all in. Other games were being played; cheers, whistles and younger siblings were playing and laughing.
Rewind 25 years. Nothing wore me out like swimming with my friends on a hot summer day. I would retreat to my towel oasis to apply the sun tan lotion and eat a snack. The warmth of the sun made my eyelids heavy. I fell into a state, which couldn’t be called sleep and knowing what I know today, it could have been considered a state of meditation.


Back to 2008, I take my turn lying on the blanket under the tent. I close my eyes as my senses soak in everything and hearing a distinct sound seals the deal. I hear a plane overhead. Weird! I can’t pin point why that sound brought on this overwhelming feeling of days gone by. I just accept the power of all my senses and am grateful that they brought me back to reflections of these days.

Smell of Fun in the Sun

I am left wondering who invented the smell of sun tan lotion/sunscreen? On a side note, I have a strange attraction to the smell of rubber. The only thing I can think of is that I had the hots for a guy who worked on cars. My girlfriend and I would hang out with the guys at the car shop that stocked tires.

Feeling – JOY

All of this left with an overwhelming feeling of joy that weekend. I am so grateful for my children. I have much to learn from them. To be me I need to be more like them.

Let’s spread joy, shred fear and have more fun!!!

Your BB's - Born, Buried, Borrowed, Bought Beliefs

We carry different kinds of B's along with us in our Traveling Sanctuaries. We have a mixture of all these BB's.

• Born Beliefs·
• Buried Beliefs
• Borrowed Beliefs
• Bought Beliefs

What does a baby believe? Well at first probably just that they need food, a dry diaper and a warm blanket. Soon we notice they have their own special personality and as they grow they become so acutely aware of their Born Beliefs. And just as soon as they become aware, the world influences can turn those born beliefs into Buried Beliefs. Conform, conform, conform, conform, young grasshopper! Hey, I know it's difficult riding that fine line between guidance and conformity, but what a gift in nurturing a child's uniqueness. I have my own evidence that I was born with a belief in my true self, but that's a long story that I can share at a later date.
As I'm writing this, I'm listening to XM 70's on 7. 70's music totally unearths my Buried Belief that I am one funky mamma. Just give me a dance floor and disco ball. John Travolta has nothing on me! (random thought, as my daughter would say)

Your born beliefs may be just below the surface or they may be buried deep. If your parents didn't bury your born beliefs, you may have buried them yourself with Borrowed and Bought Beliefs the world was offering. Hey, they even hand out free B's, just look at the media. Too bad they didn't come with a warning. "By accepting this bought or borrowed belief you may need to surrender your born given right to your own B". It has been my experience that when I was afraid to be myself or afraid that what I had to offer wasn't enough, I bought and borrowed beliefs that were not my own.

Buying and borrowing is not all bad. There is hope for these B's. Buy and borrow things that fuel your own B and that you can afford. But, if the stuff (affectionately called cr_p) you buy distracts you from acting on your born beliefs, reassess and reprioritize. Here's an example. If we buy this camper we will spend time together as a family, we will enjoy the outdoors together and become a closer family. Well, the camper will not make this happen. Your born belief that family time is valuable, should be realized before buying the camper. The camper should be the fuel for that born belief, not the thing that robs the fuel.

We Believe we have born beliefs, buried beliefs, borrowed and bought beliefs. We will Act on our born and buried beliefs. We will fuel our Traveling Sanctuary with bought and borrowed beliefs that align with our true selves. Action will shred fears that disguise themselves as beliefs. And finally, GO GIRLS GO!!!

GIVE ME A "B"!