There's a new sheriff in town!

No, he's not packing a 6-shooter; although his mom says he can pack "a load". This is Charley: our newest member of the Rubi J's models family.

Charley is Mikey's baby brother. You all remember Mikey.

 Mikey turned 2 last November. He is currently preparing for the next Rubi J photo shoot with the new Rubi J's products. ("Sit still, Mikey, Please.")

Back to Charley. He's the baby of the family. With three older brothers and one older sister, Mom and Dad stated Charley will remain the baby of the family.

We'll see.

To celebrate Charley turning "pro", Rubi J has a special offer only to our readers. Starting now thru this Saturday, May 22, all organic plain onesies will be 50% off. Choose any or all of our 5 colors in the 3 different sizes. To receive this savings:

At the checkout, enter charley in the code box and 50% of the purchase of onesies will be deducted.

 We will be seeing a lot more of Mikey and Charley at http://www.rubij.com/.

A mother's reflection on Mother's Day.

My Mother's Day present from daughter Stef came early this year. In April, she treated me to "An Evening with Deepak Chopra" in Omaha. I couldn't have asked for a better present.

But wait we're not done.

Yesterday, she stop by the house with a flower. She just couldn't let the weekend go without saying "I love you" one more time. (She doesn't know that everyday being her mother is a gift to me.)

Let me show you the flower: it's a Phalaenopis Dalmatian Orchid.

Now, is this awesome or what. My husband, Ron, even noticed it. If you knew Ron, that's quite a feat.

I put it right above my sink so I can enjoy the beauty. The beauty. How simple to enjoy the beauty. How lucky I am to be able to enjoy beauty.

A perfect "Organic" Weekend

It's Sunday night, I'm reflecting. Don't care if this is the end of the weekend and soon it will be Monday morning. If we didn't have Monday through Friday, Saturday and Sunday wouldn't be special.

You remember (I hope) what my meaning of organic is: living harmoniously with the earth. Well, this was my perfect organic weekend:

Saturday: All day shopping and bonding with my daughter and two grandchildren. Husband, Ron, spent the day in heaven up to his elbows in grease, working on motorcycles. (Win, win situation for everyone.)

Sunday: Visited Ron's mom at the rehab center where we were amazed and thrilled at her progress. In the P.M., we went the symphony pops concert and a tribute performance of the Motown Sound. For baby boomers like us; it doesn't get any better.

In the evening, I fixed one of our favorite heart healthy meals:
Walnut crusted lemon chicken, roasted potatoes and asparagus.

Oh, I don't want to forget the two other members of the family. Ron took Clifford and Lucy for their morning walks and I took them for the evening walks, along with my iPod; totally enjoying the spring air.

So there you have it - my weekend. Probably won't make any newsline and also probably I have bored you to death. Sorry. I'm just happy for the things and people I have. I hope you are too.

My grandkids at Easter.

It's "Earth Day" Don't throw away your "butts"

Another Earth Day is almost over. What it means to me is more awareness besides action. I noticed today two separate incidents of people throwing their cigarettes out their car windows. Ouch!

First, let me tell you, I'm not being self-righteous. I smoked for years; tried to quit also for years. How I finally kicked the habit (I had become a closet smoker); no, it was not will power or ability. It was bacteria pneumonia and a two day stay in the hospital coughing up blood by the cupful that pervaded me. As I told my daugther "It had never been explained so well before".

 I never smoked again.

But when I did smoke, I never litered. (There's a little good in all of us.)

So, on to my next point. If you must smoke (I understand) don't litter with your butts. It's bad, bad, bad for the environment.

Fact:

"[Cigarette butts] also present a threat to wildlife. Cigarette filters have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales and other marine creatures who mistake them for food ... Composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic, cigarette butts can persist in the environment as long as other forms of plastic."

--Clean Virginia Waterways

Do us all a favor. Don't throw it out the window.

Thank you.

A gift: The capacity to love.

A few years ago, I read a wonderful little book: "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl. He and his wife were Jews sent to separate camps during the horrible Third Reich's terror of WWII. He did not know if his wife was dead or alive (she was murdered). He realized one day in his misery and suffering, it did not matter. What matter was he had known love. What a gift!!! I still draw from that passage to help me appreciate the things that truly matter in my life; the capacity to love.

You're looking at the picture above of my mother-in-law, Shirley. I really should say my "other" mother and a true friend. Shirley had colon cancer surgery over 1 1/2 years ago. It was recommended chemo at that time; but she refused; saying she'll take her chances. Well, it returned - lungs, liver and bones. With treatment; 2 years. Shirley's response: "O.K., I was wrong. Let's do it your way." Treatment starts Monday.

Between Shirley and me, we decided the 2 years given her wasn't enough; "Let's go for 5". Her four daughters don't live close, but they are a loving family. They keep thanking me over and over for being there and for my hardship in caring for Shirley.

Here's the payoff. I'm the lucky one because I am close by and I have received the capacity to love. There's no inconvience. I'm the one that gets to spend time with the one I love.

We're planning now on how to spend this time. So, instead of saying "We should" we are saying "Let's go".

Join my "Earth Day Club". It's free!!!!

I totally love this picture of an Iowa roadside. What mades it special for me is the wildflowers with the pickup in the back ground. It doesn't get more earthy and organic for an Iowan gal like me.

April 22, 2010, is the 40th anniversity of national Earth Day. Let's make a difference. Let's leave all the politics behind us; and the science, whichever side you are on. Let's just give graditude for the spirtuality that this world has given us. Let's give back.

What I'm proposing on this day is not earth shattering; just join my little "club".

Mark the 22nd of this month to pick up one piece of litter and dispose. How simple!!!!

Pass it on. There's 300 million of us in the U.S.

We could be the start of something big.

We all need a vision.

This last week has been so inspiring.

Tuesday night I spent an "Evening with Deepak Chopra" at the Qwest Center in Omaha. His book "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" has been by my side for several years. I reread it whenever I need to get my life back to balance. I give it away to all my friends. It was a wonderful night.

The next day was awesome. I went to the ICAN Leadership Conference; again at the Qwest Center. A day of fellowship, inspiration, motivation and networking for women. The speakers were amazing, the vendors interesting and the food plentiful. I came away refreshed, renewed and rewarded.

But, what stayed with me the most was the new friend I met during the lunch.

I sat down at the round table for eight, sitting beside a new person from the morning session. I introduced myself and she did also. (This is what we do at conferences.) Her name is Beth Katz and I want everyone to meet and know her. This lovely young lady is a jewel.

We all should have visions. My vision to keep pecticides out of children's lifes. Her vision: (my words, not hers) "harmony in the world". Beth is the executive director and founder of Project Infaith. Their mission statement:

"Project Interfaith grows understanding, respect and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs, and cultures."

How refreshing. Instead of barbs, ridicule and mistrust; compassion and the want to understand. 

Want to be a better person?

Please go to http://www.projectinterfaithusa.org/.

You'll thank me.