Sunday, January 1, 2012

Ring in the New Year the Right Way...

Doesn't it seem hard to believe we've passed through Christmas-time
and here we are at 2012?

For me it was all so fast this year.
Do you think it makes a difference when you're happy?

Only time will tell me that one.

But, for now we'll celebrate the fact that we all know & respect each other,
our virtual, but altogether real, friends in the blogisphere.

Today the ladies of
"By Invitation Only"
the invited group of international bloggers welcome you to join our fun
as we celebrate together in PARIS...
imagine...
lunch in Paris with all the girls?

At Pre Catelan Restaurant,
Murano chandeliers, white orchids, crispy white linen tablecloths, crystal and heavy silverware,
  ...in the lush gardens of the Bois de Boulogne.
One of the most girly girl places I know in Paris. 



(I hear it's thought by the locals to be "nouveau riche" but I'm from Texas
and everything here is new, and no matter, the place is a dream...even if for only one time).

Imagine arriving at this beautiful place, away from the city bustle, 
surrounded by beautiful gardens and a park.  
Perfection for a Ladies Champagne Luncheon, no?

I've worried about what I was going to wear (of course !!! ) because I know
everyone else will be gorgeously attired...but, in fact, I went back to an outfit
I featured months ago from Diane Von Furstenberg...I loved it then, and I still do.
What do you think?

add tons of Splenderosa necklaces, maybe jade, maybe
Peruvian opals with turquoise & gold ?

I adore these shades of the same color group, don't you?
Looks new, looks young, looks NOW.

But, on to important things, like my thoughts on
"going forward"

  • to realize how truly blessed I am with the friends & family I have
  • including blogland friends, whom I cherish
  • have time to actually smell the roses & enjoy it
  • travel more, learn more, embrace life more & enjoy it
  • go back to Italy, the place I love the most
  • to understand I know who I am & to trust my opinions/decisions
  • share my life's experiences with the younger generation by mentoring
  • understand my adult children's choices are their own, not mine
  • start dancing again, even if alone
  • stop worrying !!!!
  • concentrate on my jewelry-designing more. create
  • start painting again
  • trust my instincts (did I already say this?)
  • throw out all my old shoes, no matter how beautiful
  • throw out everything I will never wear again, except vintage
  • take a cooking class because dinner tonight was a disaster
  • do not suffer impossible people because I feel obligated, draw the line
  •  know I have a certain style and nothing else will do, fashion or not.
  • open my mail the day it comes & do not allow clutter on my desk
  • work hard in political situations this year as our lives may depend on who is elected
  •  workout
  • workout
  • workout
  • know I will never understand someone else's motivations or opinions & that I cannot change their incorrect behaviors or thoughts.  Believe me, this is gonna be hard.
  • have a dinner party once-a-month in my home, this is only 12x 's a year, I should be able to do this, right?
  • love the Lord as much as He love me, and show this love everyday



Welcome 2012, an entire new adventure awaits us.
I promise not to waste it.

Love to all of my girlfriends, and this means YOU !!!

If you are a member of "By Invitation Only" please link up below.

Preview
Mona @ Providence & a few others are having problems linking up, here's Mona's link:



Photobucket

35 comments:

  1. Dearest Marsh, I would like to wish you a magical 2012 filled with more magic moments and treasured memories than you ever imagined! Be blessed and happy. Thank you so much for the invite to join you today. I had the most fun doing the post and loved exploring the restaurant and menu! Can't wait to visit the other girls! Of course we are ahead in the time zones and so I have been chomping away ai the bit over here...lol!

    Hugs

    Veronica

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  2. Gorgeous restaurant how lucky you all are. Inspiring "go forward" I so agree with the adult children one I find it so hard and the No worrying. Cherishing friends is definitely at the top of my list as is the diner parties although not sure I will make the 1 a month. Good luck to you and a Happy and prosperous 2012.

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  3. Loved your description of the restaurant...so gorgeous & your outfit.

    What a great list for the New Year!
    xoxo DJ

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  4. Good morning Marsha and Happy New Year!!! Cannot believe its 2012...yay!
    LOVE your outfit, so chic, as I knew it would be....and for the things you are thankful for, I agreed with every single one of them, especially the throw out your old shoes....thank you for the reminder, I have plenty that have expired long ago:) Love the dinner party once a month, wish I lived closer! Go back to Italy...I am so there and I laughed about trusting that your grown kids make their own decisions (hard to swallow but true)
    Excellent post......and what a fabulous way to usher in the new year, celebrating in Paris with a bunch of chic blogging friends!! Cheers......to one ridiculously good year.

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  5. You look splendid Marsha and your outfit and jewelry are perfect for your trip. I had to smile at the "nouveau riche" comment. It's so true about Texas and if you've never lived there, it's hard to understand. Guess you can tell I miss Texas.

    Love all of your going forward ideas. Will have a hard time throwing out things though. I buy classics and only the things I love and unfortunately, I "love" a lot of things. (smile)

    Happy new year to you and your family.
    Sam

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  6. Happy New Year my dear friend! Enjoyed reading about your hopes and plans for the year....I will add to your list...time we try to get together, don't you think? i may just have to find an excuse to fly to Texas!
    Francine

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  7. Marsha....what a fabulous place for us to laugh and love and live together. I love your outfit and am hoping that you accomplish everything on your list....Happy New Year. Mona

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  8. Marsha, I don 't know what is happening. I left a comment for you. I come back and it's not here. I also can't get Mr. Linky to take my current URL for my New Years post. It keeps showing the url for the Christmas party. Can you help me? http://providenceltddesign.squarespace.com/home/2012/1/1/lunch-in-paris-on-new-years-day.html Thanks Mona

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  9. I made it! Can't wait to see everyone!

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  10. Marsha, here is my post, http://amidprivilege.com/?p=9554.

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  11. Marsha,
    Love your list and what a year this will be. Love the idea of work outs and dinner parties!
    pve

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  12. I love your style, I want to go to these elegant places. You Know sometimes I feel that
    I and two others give parties. Anyway the once a month dinner party sounds easy, Great Idea.
    May all your wishes and dreams come true.
    yvonne

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  13. Marsha..thought I had left you a message, maybe I hadn't had my coffee yet:) HAPPY NEW YEAR my friend! I loooove your outfit and all beautiful shades of the gorgeous green.
    Your list rang true for me especially going back to Italy, throwing out old shoes, trusting our instincts, letting our adult kids make their own decisions, and LOVE the dinner party once a month! Wish I lived closer....this was fantastic and our Parisian luncheon is the ultimate way to break in a wonderul new year...cannot wait to see what 2012 brings!! Wishing you lifes best. Cheers!!

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  14. Hi I am back to finish my comment from this morning!!! I loved your list Marsha. I am also an Italian lover and sooo much want to return to Florence, just a magical place! I also have a load of trouble with the grown up kids...sigh...must do that though! I think a dinnerclub idea is splendid then you have to only do it every other month..lol.

    Veronica

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  15. My link didn't publish either Marsha:(. Here it is. http://amidprivilege.com/?p=9554

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  16. What a beautiful post Marsha, such elegance!

    I wish you the happiest of new years my friend. I thank you for the support and for your responses to my comments which invariably make me smile - and occasionally hoot with laughter ;) I hope you know how fond of you I am, so glad that you write a blog, I really am.

    I love the list above, it made me smile, nod and laugh out loud - it gives me hope if even you have dinner disasters ;)

    A wonderful and very happy 2012 to you, you amazing lady XXXX

    PS Hope you get to Italy :)

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  17. Happy New Year! Love your Paris post!
    Teresa
    xoxo

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  18. Marsha, "your" outfit is divine! I would so wear those colors. I've linked up, and thank you for hosting this splendid gathering!

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  19. Happy New Year Marsha! I have loved being inspired by Splenderosa this year and look forward to lots more inspiration in the coming year!
    You are a doll and I always enjoy my visits..
    All the best to you!
    Jan

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  20. Completely fantastic! Spent the day with my husband....and would have loved to have joined in! We took the dogs to the beach!

    It was 67 or something and beautiful!

    Gratitude is my New Year thing! I just read about the guy who spent a year (maybe two) writing (not emailing) writing two sentences or so, on small cards thanking the people who help him.
    Then he wrote a book about it.....(now paperback)!

    Going to find that book; going to do that this year!

    Life-altering... "A simple somethingorother"?
    I will find it!
    Lovely!

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  21. I think it is: "A simple act of Gratitude"

    I'll get back if that is wrong! Going to do it! It geometrically fans out!

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  22. Happy New year Marsha... your list is one we should all take note off... and as for that outfit... perfection! xv

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  23. My dearest Marsha,

    How I wish I could have made the luncheon. I know it's divine. In fact, I believe it is underway as I write this. (You look beautiful BTW and I love the idea you didn't "buy" anything new, turned to something you loved.)

    Your "resolutions" (promises to self) are perfect. I think, if you don't mind, I'll appropriate some myself.

    Thank you for a wonderful year in every way and merci aussi to all our pals in the By Invitation Only group and, of course, the happiest of new years in all the ways you wish and dream.

    With love,
    Tishxo

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  24. Happy happy New Year dear Marsha!!

    Oh such a beautiful place to visit...gorgeous. Loved your outfit, perfect colour combination.

    Third from the end of your list, Wow, that's a really big one for all of us!! Thank you so much for your lovely words last year dear friend.

    Blessings to you and your family from me and mine.
    Jane x

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  25. OH, you look perfect...just the right outfit. With all of the cooking you are going to be doing this year the extra "workout" may be necessary. Sound like wonderful goals for 2012!!

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  26. Feel like I was there with all you lovely gals in your finest, chatting and laughing the afternoon away, amidst such charm and beauty there in the Bois de Boulogne. Your list of reflections was definitely inspiring.

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  27. oh dearest Marsha! all the best to you in 2012, thank you for making my days better with your glamourous posts and for always bringing that touch of fabulousness, you are adorable and i am so happy to have met you. All the love and success in the world to you and your family!!!

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  28. Oh,my dear,dear Marsha!!!

    Happy,safe and very creative year to you,my wonderful friend:-)*

    This list making me so smile and truly,I can understand you so very much....

    You are a very special person and I`am really happy to learn you via Blogland!
    You thoughts,ideas and style speaks me beyond much i ALL things,isn`t magic or reality?!....

    Much Love and mostly warm hugs,
    ***Violetta***

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  29. Gorgeous darling!

    I adore your 'going forward' list - so many things on there that apply to me too!

    I wish you a fantastic year ahead. How I wish I could attend at least one of your 12 dinner parties! :)

    Biggest hugs and all the best for 2012!

    xx Charlotta

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  30. I am so disappointed, some of our membership to "By Invitation Only" didn't link up with my post & I failed to realize I needed to do it for them...thus causing many ladies' posts to be omitted below. I'm trying to correct this now. Please forgive me for this oversight, I just shoulda checked on everyone who belongs to our group. Happy New Year, hopefully college football will be over on Thursday...I'm so sick of 3-4 games in ONE DAY I could absolutely go to Paris for real !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

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  31. Love this post and LOVE your blog. Thank you so much for sharing your list. Inspiring!

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  32. OK!! Marsha,
    I am wearing , CoCo and ready for lunch.
    Are you sending a cab or will your driver pick me up??
    yvonne

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  33. Oooh, what a GORGEOUS place!!!!! I mentioned you in my post today!

    Love, Kristin

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  34. Oh,yeeesss!!!
    Real in Paris................it would be huge great time,Marsha;-)))*


    Love to you,
    ***Violetta***

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