Big Family Dinners

Most holidays everyone gets crazy about creating large family dinners. Sometimes one person does all the cooking, sometimes other members bring a piece, sometimes the pieces are brought and prepared together, and sometimes the members eat out.
I enjoyed the big family dinners for the holidays but the stress of making sure the dinner was good and there was enough to feed everyone was not fun. For the last few years, Thanksgiving has been the one holiday I have been blessed to not have to cook. Our family has started a new tradition for Thanksgiving which gives my mother-n-law, sister-n-law, and myself the ability to enjoy the time with family without the stress of preparing the food.
With every holiday the key ingredient is family and the point is to enjoy that ingredient. So, no matter what your traditions are don't forget the point of the get-togethers, the main ingredient, "FAMILY" is the reason.

Happy Holidays to you all!

Feeling thankful

I can't believe how fast this year has gone by, it is only a week until Thanksgiving and four weeks until Christmas. I haven't even started my shopping for gifts. I can't say I am not a procrastinator at times but when it comes to shopping I am a big procrastinator for sure. This year has been a true whirlwind. There have been good things and sad things but all in all, it has been a good year. I stepped outside my comfort zone and ran into the sky and joined the ranks of other women who became paramotor pilots. I have met some really amazing people whom I am honored to call friends and family. I spent more time with my family than I have in many years. I spent a lot of time traveling to FL, a couple of those trips were for sad circumstances but I got to spend time with family members I had not seen in a very long time. Looking back it seems like I crammed so much into one year but it felt good. It actually reminded me how much I don't like staying still. The downside to it is that life doesn't always allow for that amount of activity or even a fraction of the activity I got this year. I have a lot to be thankful for and not just for the events of this year.

 

 

It's Friday y'all

Happy Friday everyone!
I  have been here in Ridgeland, SC for a couple days. It is our second trip down here in three months. It has been a really busy summer off and on. We started out our summer coming to Ridgeland to learn how to be paramotor pilots but we came away with so much more than just learning how to paramotor. On our first trip down here I only got in 2 flights and 2 taxi practices. I learned to kite a wing and collected some awesome new family members, who I will cherish forever. I also became a part of a much larger family of pilots.
This time around I was able to get a couple more towing sessions in and this morning I got my third flight in. Since I am still a baby pilot I was being instructed so I was listening very closely to what I was being told to do I wasn't realizing I was doing things right. After I was up in the air I hear my instructor say what an awesome third take off I had just preformed but since I am piloting myself I could see what I had done so I smiled to myself at his words of encouragement and took in the scene unfolding in front of me. The wide-open sky in all its glory. I was one with the wind and using my very own wings like a bird.
To say it is surreal is such an understatement. It is a rush like I have never felt before doing this and it is a feeling I want to experience more. I followed the pattern and did a flyover (with my instructor's permission, of course) and flew the pattern again. I was under my own power and making my flight count. I took in the sights this time and looked around at the world below me as I passed by above it. I got a little too in a hurry to land and had to make a couple attempts to land before I actually came in and landed.
As they say in flying, takeoffs are optional, landings are required.
Happy Friday y'all, I hope your Friday is your kind of great as mine is for me!!! Keep your heads up and your hearts soring, may your feet never touch the ground.

Appreciating life's lessons...

It is so very true people come and go from our lives through the years. There are those who make a big impact on our lives and those who only make a small one. The question is do you know what kind of impact you make on others life.
I have met a lot of people, some have passed through and others have stayed. I treasure all who have come and gone as well as those who have stayed around. Some taught me what I needed to learn from them and moved on to others who needed those lessons too. Those who have stayed are still teaching me the things I need to learn.
I have often wondered what kind of impact I make on those who come into my life while they are a part of my life. I do try to make a positive impact but since we are always our own worst critics I am sometimes doubtful. I make sure no matter how bad my day is going to smile at those who pass me or speak if they speak to me. Kindness is sometimes the only way you impact someone's life.
To those who are still apart of my life, I want you to know how much I appreciate your presence in my life. It isn't always easy to remember to tell those in our lives how much they mean to us but it is always the right thing to do. Take a moment and make sure you tell them because as the saying goes, yesterday is the past, tomorrow isn't promised, but today is a gift and it is the only thing we are guaranteed. Always be kind, it is healthy for you and for those around you.

Making real changes...

I spent most of the day yesterday working on things for my business and my books. I also watched a youtube interview of a friend who I consider part of my family now. I realized I had not turned the tv on at all. Normally I have the tv on for background noise but yesterday I was so focused on other things going on around the house I didn't even miss the noise from the tv. Even though it was only one day I now know I can focus without the need for the background noise.
I also did my first day of my 30-day health change choice. I am eating healthier and more frequently rather than just three times a day. I am also drinking more water and because of the water drinking, I have learned some of my headaches are happening because I haven't had enough water. I do still have caffeine because I love my tea. I also still indulge in sweets. The one thing I have figured out, I can still be healthy and still enjoy some of my guilty pleasures.
I am also taking the time I need for me when I need it and not apologizing for taking it. For my own mental health I have to take the time. I know what makes me happy so I take the time and do it. What I choose for the time I'm taking can vary. It is an awesome feeling to just let go of the everyday stress and let my mind go blank for a little while.
I am taking toddler steps, cause baby steps are just too small, and I am determined to make these changes stick. I just have to keep my mental state going in the right direction so these healthy changes permanent.
Even if you choose to change only one thing, make that change and stick to it. Be a happier and healthier you. When I say healthier I am not just referring to your physical health.

Seeing the silver lining...

As most of you know it has been a rough couple of years for me. I have shared my journey thus far, of losing the eyesight in my left eye. You have traveled with me on the ups, downs, twists, and turns this roller coaster has taken. The multiples of injections I endured, the laser procedures (which left permanent scars, only I can see), the cataract surgery and then glaucoma (which I still have flare-ups on occasions). I have always accepted what was and what would come. For the most part, I have tried to stay positive and see the silver lining. I have stopped the injections as I had previously said I was going to do because they were inherently causing more damage than they were actually helping. My life has changed in the manner of what I am physically able to do has become limited. Now when I say physically able I do not mean my vision prevents me from lifting, walking, talking, etc...I simply mean things I took for granted I miss, driving at night, being able to see in the dark, you know the simple things. However, I am grateful for the fact I can still see using glasses. I am still able to (with limitations, of course) be creative, write, read, watch movies, basically still live my life.
The one thing I wanted to do was get my pilots license so I could share in the world of flight with my husband. I truly thought I would only get to share in that world as a passenger, but he found a way for me to share in a different way and still be part of the world of flight. I have shared some videos and pictures as I took my want for flight and made it a reality. I did not allow my lack of sight to stop me from taking full advantage of learning how to have my own wings. Does my lack of sight make it more dangerous, no, because I know to follow what my body is telling me and to listen to my inner voice and be mindful of making the choice to stay on the ground and wish I was in the sky then to take a risk and be in the sky wishing I had stayed on the ground.
Everyone has a bucket list, even if they don't call it a bucket list, of things they want to do or accomplish in this one life we are given. With my story, I am showing you, even if you have something which limits your abilities don't give up, make it happen. There are always ways to make what you want to happen even if you don't see it, there is someone else out there doing it a different way which just may be the way you need it. If something is worth wanting and having, then it is worth the fight and the search to make it happen. Do what is going to make you happen in this life and help you live your life and not just let it pass you by as you watch.
Take that bull by the horns! Find the silver lining! Don't be the wall flower, be the rain which makes it grow!

Learn before you do...

Some people say education is overrated. Then you have those who think they can teach themselves better. I have to admit there are some things you can teach yourself but then there are things you shouldn't try to teach yourself for your own safety. Paramotoring is one of those things you should not try to teach yourself. There are so many details you can't learn by watching a youtube video to learn. I learned so much during my eight days at Skyfield Flightworks. There is so much more to learning paramotoring than knowing how to get off the ground and return to it. The knowledge I gained from the years of experience, numerous flights, and training of my instructors is something you can not get from watching a video. This wonderful way of experiencing the sky is amazing and so freeing. However, without the proper education, just like flying a plane, it can be dangerous. Without the education of how to handle things which can happen unexpectedly or happen because you think you know it all will leave you making the wrong choice in a very serious situation. Just as with people who represent themselves is a lawyer who has a client who is a fool. So don't be a fool and go to school!
                         Learn the skill and keep the sport safe for all!

                   

 

Wishing I was in the sky...

 
I spent eight days learning to run into the sky and fly with the birds feeling the air against my face and to see the wide, wide world around me. I stepped outside my comfort zone and learned so much about myself. There truly is nothing to stop you as long as you are open to the experience. As you all know I am 80% blind in one eye, well to answer some questions I am sure are popping into your minds. Yes, depth perception is an issue for me on a daily bases, but because I had such amazing instructors my blindness was not a disability and I was able to not only fly, I was able to land without fear I was going to crash. I am so grateful to my husband for bringing this adventure into our lives and making it a full family affair. I look forward to the many adventures of flying together, feeling the wind, seeing the amazing world below us, and sharing it with our family (at least three of them for now). Looking to the sky is so different these days cause all I can think is, "I wish I were flying right now!" Don't let any limitation you think you might have stop you from going for what you want, nothing can stop you except your doubt, so don't let it!! Step outside your comfort zone and reach for your own sky!

Vacation recovery...

I am sure most everyone knows you always need a vacation from your vacation. Time to decompress, and get back to your regular routines. Most of the time we are on vacation right up to the last moment we can because we either only have so much time for vacation or we just push it to the limits.
I however for the first time have the time to actually recover from my vacation. I didn't take the first day to just relax like I thought I would, I jumped right in trying to get myself back into a positive routine in cleaning the house, doing the laundry, cleaning the carpets, cleaning the kitchen, and spending time with my dogs. Of course, spending time with my dogs should be relaxing but it was more getting them back on their routine.
Today I took the day off, I still did the things I couldn't take off from doing, and have spent the day catching up on my recorded shows. I did get up and do my thirty-minute walk like I had planned to do to make up for not doing it last night. I have decided I am taking the steps to be healthier and get my physical strength back on track so I can enjoy more time in the sky.

Vacation...

I spent the last four weeks on vacation. It has been a very busy month but fun and educational. When my week of learning and becoming a paramotor pilot ended, much to my dismay cause even though it was hard I really wanted to get another chance to get back in the air again. Unfortunately, other plans and the wind just kept it from being possible. However, I was looking forward to my visit to FL to see my nieces and my first granddaughter.
I spent a wonderful three days with my middle sister and her two girls. I got to meet my youngest niece for the first time. We took a trip to Epcot which was fun, even though it was really hot. We took in a couple country movies to escape the heat. Enjoyed a meal in Japan and escaped the rain while we ate. We also went to a dinner where a met a very interesting young woman, enjoyed some very delicious food, and witnessed a celebration of the close of Ramadan. The dinner we joined was created to share the differences and the similarities in religions. I am not sure if there is anything like it anywhere outside of Orlando but it was a very unique experience and I am glad I got to experience it.
I spent the following week with my other sister and her two girls. I got to relax a bit while I was with her. I even got to finish a chapter in my new mystery thriller. I got some new clothes which I really needed for summer. We had discussed and planned to visit our father but that plan didn't work out. I had gotten news my big puppy was not doing well, was on call for possibly having to return home to take care of him but was told he was doing better but not soon enough to still make the trip to our dads before my husband was on his way to pick me up to head back to the first sister's house to visit her a little more and meet and attend my first granddaughter's first birthday.
There was a lot of driving involved in the last part of our trip. It felt as though we were on the road more than we were at any one location but I enjoyed the time we did have at each place. I was so excited to get a chance to be a part of my granddaughter's first birthday.
So all in all, despite the amount of time in the car, the vacation was a great one. I did so many things I had never done or experienced before. The best part about it is I actually lived my life on these four weeks instead of letting it just pass me by. So, I am telling you now, the only way to experience life is to live it in real time and not on the sidelines. Don't just make your bucket list, live it now, don't wait for it to be done at a later date. Time is the one thing we always say not to waste.

Paramotoring Adventure continued

The last days were hard and long but were so worth it in the end. I may have only gotten two flights in but my adventure into this new world of flying is far from over. Once you get a taste of the freedom and the views from above you just can't get from inside a cockpit or seat in a plan there is no way you can just say "okay I've done it and now I'm done." There is nothing like being in the sky like a bird and having the ability to feel the wind and coolness of the air on your skin and not be falling through it but staying aloft taking it all in at your leisure. The physical factors are easy to explain to someone, but the emotions there are no words simply because it is unique to each person.
I am beyond grateful to my husband for bringing this adventure into our lives and for the people who have become part of our lives through this experience. As my new parasister says, pay attention to those taps on your shoulder when they come and stay open to what is out there to experience. If you are unhappy, change one thing and keep moving forward away from the unhappy. Only you can change your unhappy. Grow your wings in whatever way you need, but keep growing and choose to be happy. Live your life, don't let it just pass you by.

Paramotor Adventure Continued...

Today was an amazing day, I got my second flight in this morning and the takeoff was beautiful. I was scored a nine out of ten score for my take off. Now I just have to get my landings to be just as beautiful. :) The flight was a quick one so I could practice the takeoffs and landings but when I went for my second takeoff for the morning I realized how fatigued I was and had to take a break. I know once I get the techniques down it won't be as physically draining to do repeated takeoffs.
I do feel the heat has a lot to do with it because as the morning progressed the temperature increased, I do believe it reached 102 degrees today. Very hot!
I am still waiting to get a copy of my first flight to share. If you want to follow and see the videos you can follow me on Instagram @authordmsimpson

Emotional Roller Coaster...

I previously started telling you about my adventure in paramotor training, what I did not mention was the emotional roller coaster. I have covered the range from emotional happiness to emotional angriness.
The night before my first flight, which is actually taxi practice my eyesight was too bad for me to participate other than to assist the others. I accepted this decision and watched as the others don'd the paramotors, attach the wings, and taxi towards our instructors. Every one of them ran into the sky while I watched from the ground.
The hardest one to watch, you would think was my son, but nope it was my husband. My heart was in my throat until he was clear of the ground kicking his legs letting us know he was okay. So in just a matter of minutes, I went from disappointment to fear to overwhelming excitement for him as well as for the others, my son, my learning partner, my father-n-law, and my son's learning partner. However, after we debriefed for the evening I felt this rush of anger at myself because I couldn't fly too.
The next day was my husbands turn to watch me leave the ground for the first time and here is where I went through my heart in my throat knowing I was about to take off and run into the sky. Unfortunately, this did not happen the first or second attempts. After the second failed attempt fear took hold and I was almost convinced I wouldn't be able to do it. I was so fortunate to have the best learning partner who got me past the fear and emotional meltdown.
I set up for the third attempt and I achieved my first successful run into the sky. I was so excited to have made it off the ground first then the scene laying out in front of me as I leveled out the wing was so breathtakingly beautiful filled me with such joy all I could do was let out a howler to let those below know I was not only good, I was over the moon. There really are no words to explain or describe the feeling being in the sky looking down over the ground and being able to see for miles with no obstructions, no noise but your own heartbeat, the wind, and the motor behind you. When I landed, not so gracefully I might add, I earned my call Happy Feet :) When I am able to upload my flight video you will see how and why I earned it.
Also while I was on my first flight I actually got to be in the air at the same time as my son and he got to watch me from the air take off. I am patiently, not, waiting for my second flight which will be tomorrow morning due to wind issues. I will explain those in the next post.

Paramotoring Adventure

Hi all, it has been some time since I posted last due to lots and lots of projects and no time to sit down to talk. This week I started paramotoring training with some of my family. I have been posting videos each day to Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter so yall can follow along with my adventure in learning how to go from being a flightless bird to an airborne flightless bird with assistance.
I originally was excited for my husband to do this as well as two of our boys, but circumstances created an opportunity for me to join in on the experience. I have to say after three days I am so glad it did. I have always enjoyed flying when I traveled so when I met my husband the desire to be the one behind the controls grew. Unfortunately, due to my blindness in the left eye flying an actual plane became something I knew I would not be able to do so him finding the paramotoring sport turned out to be my chance to actually get to fly and be in control.
We have been in training now for three days with some really amazing instructors who have in just a short time brought us from spectators to operators. I don't believe any other instructors could have clicked with our group as well and as quickly as these guys have. We are still their students but they have become family in my view, as well as have the other two students who were added to our class because with just my crew we made a class of four. So now our class is a class of six with three instructors.
To follow along and see me doing the different things we are being taught - Kiting, Lean-backs, Motorsims, Towing, Taxi practice, and finally First Flight go to my Instagram page and join in on the fun. You can find me @authordmsimpson

Yard Adventures...

We have started our work on the yard to put up a fence for our puppies. However, the hubby got carried away and has cleared the spaces for the concrete slabs for buildings as well. Which in hindsight, was a good thing since he had a bobcat to do the digging. This way we don't have to do the digging with shovels, I am all for that part. Unfortunately, he found the drain field of the septic so now we have to fix that before we can do any more work in the main part of the back yard up near the house. The joys of yard projects when you don't have an accurate description of where things are in your yard. Learning the hard way seems to be our way of doing things...lol
Despite the hard parts things are coming along really well for the lack of steady help since everyone else has to work outside the house and the hubby is on leave after returning from being gone for six months. I will keep showing the progress as we get there. :)

  

   

  

 

Kindness Surprise

The other day I was at the store doing my grocery shopping not paying much attention to much else as I walked through the store filling my cart with the items I needed. The main goal, as it always is, was to get what I needed and get out. I am not a shopper by any means. I do it because I have too. So, I finished my shopping and got into the check out line. I generally will use the self check out cause it is faster but since I had fresh veggies I didn't want to have to deal with the whole looking them up myself so I got in a regular check out lines and waited. It turned out I found myself behind a woman who had misplaced her debit card. She was so embarrassed and said to the cashier, please do what you have to do so I don't continue to hold up the people behind me. She also proceeded to apologize to me for having to wait on her. I told her not to worry about it, it happens to the best of us and wished her luck in locating her card. As I stood there with the cashier waiting for the front end supervisor to come clear the sale, I found myself asking the cashier how much the bill was and paid it. I have always believed in the mindset of paying it forward and have done it a few times. This time stands out to me more than others, not only because it just happened, but because of the reaction I witnessed from me just being who I am. The woman didn't realize what I had done for several minutes, however, the cashier was very touched and surprised by my action. She teared up but tried her best to actually hide the fact she was crying. She said she had never witnessed such kindness and my act made her day and showed her there are people out there who care. The woman who had lost her card was still frantically looking for her card, sitting a few feet away and still had not realized when I handed her, her receipt that I had paid it. I happened to look over and could see she was looking at the receipt in confusion and the moment she realized I saw her surprise. I went back over to her and told her I hoped she found her card. She looked up at me and asked, did you pay this, I simply smiled and say yes, and said all I ask is for you to show the same kindness when you have the chance and that is all the thank you I need, just pay it forward when you have the chance.
It truly is amazing to me how surprised people are when kindness is shown. It saddens me that when someone shows kindness others are so surprised by the action. To me, kindness is second nature. I am just so glad I remain who I am regardless of the negativity in the world. I refuse to give into it and let go of who I am and what I believe in. I have always tried to be the best human being I can be no matter what is happening around me. So this is the note I leave, be kind when you are given the chance and do it because it is the right thing to do. When the chance presents itself, pay it forward, the real reward is knowing you showed kindness.