Year old worries do fade

If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today. – E. Joseph Cossman

Okay, to confess, I went back and looked at pictures to see what it was that I was worrying about a year ago.   There were plenty of worries a year ago.  Looking back doesn't necessarily make you feel better.  That is, unless you look back to remind yourself of how you did make it through the things you were worrying about.  The situations may not have been easy, maybe they aren't totally resolved, or maybe they are replaced with bigger worries.  It seems as though life can always present you with things to worry about.   For those of us lucky to have family and friends to support us, the worries in life are easier to endure.

Whenever I'm worried, I remember that worrying doesn't change anything.  If it did, I wouldn't need to look at pictures to remind myself of what it was that I was worrying about.  It's the getting through it that counts.  Getting a plan of action, taking the steps and making things happen lessen the worries in life.  We are resourceful human beings.  Decisions, decisions, decisions are always the driving force for getting past worry.

I know that if I decide today is the day to decorate (i.e., Cram in too much stuff before the dinner party.), the cats will be happy.  Who do I want to be happy today??  Me or the cats??   The Chef might not be happy if I add in decorating on top of meal prep!   I'm deciding not to worry about the cats not being happy!

So there...no more worries!

Tizzie loves to be under the
Christmas tree (de-decorating it)

I'm secretly anxious to see if Dessy
can do this again...she's put on a
few extra pounds and doesn't look
like this would be possible!

Another year older, you bet, bring it on!

Thirty five is a very attractive age; London society is full of women who have of their own free choice remained thirty-five for years. – Oscar Wilde

Thrifty Thursday - if it is your birthday like it is mine today, how do you spend it being thrifty?  Maybe like the women in London who trim off a few years?  Or maybe it's like me...saving the coupons and the "Kohl's dollars" to buy a "free birthday gift" for myself.   Somehow, I always end up buying something for someone else.  (Confession time, cuz' duh...how do you think I got the Kohl's dollars in the first place.  You have to spend it buying stuff in the first place!)  

Maybe the women in London have it right - just cutting off years is way cheaper?  But is that really fun?  If I did that, I would have missed my two daughter's growing up years.  No way would I give up those years!   I would have missed working with the awesome team I have at work.  I wouldn't trade that time and moments of laughter shared!  I would have missed all the get-togethers with my dear friends, I wouldn't trade those moments.  We help each other grow graciously!  I would have missed discovering bifocals.  Well...I could trade that if I could see without them!  I would have missed my every 5 week therapy session with my awesome hair dresser friend!  I wouldn't give that up, if you do the same, you know why.  I would have missed every awesome meal my husband has cooked over the years.  No way!!  I would have missed a bazillion free "I love you's" from my family.  Nah...there's no trading of years for me!  I'm thankful for every single one of them!  I'm thankful you are part of my life too!  Birthdays are a great way of celebrating memories.

Look....Google even knew it was my birthday today!  There's no way of hiding it, might as well celebrate another year of discovery!!   I did double check and the lottery winner wasn't me, so I'm on my own with my coupons and Kohl's bucks.  I'm off to plan my strategy!  I'm sure I'll find a deal!!!

Now...someone needs to explain how this works?

Light to Darkness, Darkness to Light

A sensible man will remember that the eyes may be confused in two ways - by a change from light to darkness or from darkness to light; and he will recognize that the same thing happens to the soul.  ~Plato

Today I woke up thinking about all the people in my life who are struggling with decisions, the unknowns and the possibilities of the future.  How one approaches changes in life is like how light bounces off of things from different angles.  Each person has their own soul touched by experiences and we all come out of those experiences differently.  Whether we perceive where we are at as darkness looking for the light, or we know there is light at the end of the darkness, either way, we know we will be okay.   Getting past the confusion and choosing a direction or simply knowing directions can change helps you get through it.  It is okay to take time to really look at both directions, recognize where you're confused or stuck and enjoy the possibilities in the changes.

Wishing you moments of discovering lights and possibilities!

I love the lights of the season!

A moment running away

A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away. – Eudora Welty

Tuesday Photo Tips - I'm almost through all of the settings on my camera.  I'm waiting patiently for the snow to arrive.  Until then, Sarah thinks that I'm ready to move on to a more complicated camera and discover even more settings and greater capability.  I'm a bit intimidated.  So far, I've take a few pictures, but for now, I've just taken a picture of the camera as it sits just waiting for our discovery sessions.

Intimidating...time to learn something new!

But...I'm not done with the little camera yet.  So, first things first...my camera has video capabilities.  That's correct, the camera does.  The photographer is a whole different story!  I've been trying to get a clever video of the pets.  Sometimes they can be so darn entertaining.  It's just like when I pull out the camera to snap a picture, they either turn or run away and I miss the moment.

I guess I can just show you how my "moment" from this morning ran away into the dark!   Gotta love bunny chasing, it is way more important than me trying to catch him going to do his business!  

Oh dear, no awards will be won with this one!  Happy Tuesday!

It is Monday, yes it is

On Monday, when the sun is hot, I wonder to myself a lot.  Now is it true, or is it not, that what is which and which is what?  - A.A. Hodge

Wow...that little holiday break flew by very quickly.  I feel as though it was a blur?  How about you?  Maybe you didn't cram in as much as I attempted to?  Today is Cyber Monday.  Maybe all the people who wait and shop on Cyber Monday are very excited about today?  For me, I'll be heading back to work and remembering fondly the fun had while physically shopping this weekend.  Maybe I'm missing something not waiting and cyber shopping instead?  I just have to wonder, where is all that merchandise stored?  I'd like to see the warehouses and the process of handling all the cyber purchases.  Ah...that's just me and my random thoughts for sure!!

Oh well, it is what it is.  It's Monday...and back to work I go!

Super Saturday ads - we had more sleep
and we were more prepared for the trip!

So this is what it is like shopping in the day light!

The ad says the store is open...
where are all the other shoppers?

Oh well...we're here, let's go have some fun!

Traditions worth continuing

Tradition simply means that we need to end what began well and continue what is worth continuing. – Jose Bergamin

What a great way to reduce the little bit of holiday stress that pops up at this time of the year.  End what began well and continue what is worth continuing.  If you ask my family they would agree.  For some reason this time of year always makes me melancholy.  I don't know if it is the stress of trying to keep up traditions, or if  it is the letting go of the traditions that just aren't appropriate anymore.  I like the newness of trying something different mixed in with a bit of an old tradition.  Each year has been a new journey for us at holiday time.  If you've been married for a bit of time maybe you can relate?  Remember back to your first holiday season together.  Remember how you morphed each of your family traditions into yours "together".  When you add a child or two (or more) or a pet or pets to the mix, you have to change the traditions to make it yours together with the new addition(s) to the family.  You can never really go back to the original tradition but you can mix it up with the new.  Looking back, bringing forward what is worth continuing, and holding on to the memory of what was treasured helps build upon your traditions whatever they are.

Aren't we lucky that the marketing world helps us do just that?   Is it luck or do they just know that's what happens, traditions keep coming back around just at the right time.  Look what I found in my treasure of ornaments and decorations.  The Elf on the Shelf!  I so wish I had the book, but then again, I don't know if we ever had the book.  I just know this little elf was always part of the tradition of decorating.  I'm going to bring him back out, set him around the house, and remind myself that it's okay to morph traditions, relax and just enjoy what's worth continuing!

My mom would be proud of me to bring him
back out and set him on the shelf.

The collar is all faded, but the face is
still adorable.

Still sits up right after all these years,
wonder if he can help the cats behave
this year so we can add back some other
decorations???? 

Bargains, bargains, bargains

A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist.  ~Franklin P. Jones

Silly Saturday project pausing due to shopping excursions!   A new twist to shopping this year - Black Friday started at 8:00 pm on Thursday.  I'm still trying to figure out if it was a good thing or not?  It's a family tradition to head out for shopping on Black Friday.  Since we started the tradition, each year it gets earlier and earlier.  We headed out at 8:30 pm on Thursday (after a 1 hour nap).   The sales at each store were staggered enough to get to all the places we wanted with time in between.  We started out at Target.  What a way to kick off the fun.  The line was wrapped around the building in the freezing cold wind.  Most shoppers, including us definitely dressed for inside the building, not outside.  After the long line and shock to the system at Target, when we saw the line outside at Kohl's, we rerouted our shopping trip to the inside of the mall - quick learners, eh?  Just the walk from the car to the mall was enough for us. There's nothing like some cold wind to wake a person up and get that adrenaline moving for shopping until you drop mode!

I personally enjoy being with my daughters the most out of the day.  Next on the enjoyment list is the people watching part of the event.  Overall, having spent 12 hours (8:30 pm to 8:30 am), most shoppers were very pleasant and very courteous.  That was until...Scheel's.  Scheel's is very precise in their schedule, they do not open the doors any sooner than 6:00 am.  This year, one of us stayed outside the doors in the mall hallway to "hold" our spot in line while two of us continued shopping and the much needed restroom break(s).  When we reconnected in front of Scheel's, the perception of cutting in line was not well received by a fellow line stander.  I'm curious though, what is the difference between going to the movie, getting your seats, put out your coats on the chairs and then one person stays there to "hold" your spot versus someone holding your spot in line while two others continue shopping?  To give the onlookers the benefit of the doubt, I guess if you didn't know that someone was holding your spot, it could look like you're "cutting in line".  For most people, it would be human nature to say to yourself, "how rude" and then continue waiting, maybe stewing a bit, but you get over it.  This particular person wouldn't let it go.  Even after 6 minutes of straight, out loud, "they aren't even listening to me say how rude they are" comments.  I just had to say something.  Even after offering this lovely shopper my spot in line, the "grudge" didn't leave.  Eventually, the person turned their back to us to get some more sympathy from other line holders.  (Okay, I gotta let it go!)  I'm guessing maybe sleep deprivation and or the thrill of the hunt for the best bargain gets the best of us no matter who we are.

All I know is...it is still a fun event with my kids, and this year, I'm extremely proud of them.  They kept the rules of the Silly Saturday project - if you don't want it, don't need it, or don't love it, - DON'T BUY it!  If you break the rules, the stuff only turns into clutter for you or for the person you're buying it for!   The bargains are plentiful during this shopping weekend!  Careful shopping is what it is all about.

Oh...it's Super Saturday (off we go again - hopefully well rested shoppers will be in the crowds today!)

When you shop in the dark...it's hard to
remember what you've bought and why!

Shop for only what you need, what you want,
what you love - then it is truly a gift to
treasure (a little daylight and sleep helps too)!

Happy Thanksgiving

Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude. – A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Happy Thanksgiving!  Wishing you a very blessed holiday full of "piglet" moments of gratitude!  Enjoy your families, friends, and fixins!

I love getting out the "childhood"
creations and the thankful memories
written on the scroll.

Looking forward to replacing the paper
turkey with the real thing later today.
I'm guessing it will be a "piglet"
moment in more ways than one!!
Enjoy!

  

Kindness, beauty and truth

The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been kindness, beauty and truth. – Albert Einstein

As I confessed on Monday, I was happy that it was a short work week.  So here I am on my first day of "vacation" on one of the busiest weeks of the year for our family.  With preparing for Thanksgiving (thanks to my awesome husband who has done most of the work), hosting Thanksgiving, and then Black Friday shopping with my two beautiful daughters, it doesn't appear as a relaxing time off.  You know what, it is one of my favorite times of year.  I'm a little melancholy as it is the first time my mom won't be part of the festivities.  I'm missing her a bit today, fondly remembering how much she loved this season.   She could always find a way to pause and enjoy what was going on.

The quote above helps me pause and remind myself to look for the beauty of the crazy moments.  If you plan too much, rush too much, and don't enjoy what it is that you're doing, what's the point?  You only make yourself and everyone around you miserable.

Brush off the stress, be kind, enjoy the beautiful people in your life, be truthful with yourself and have enough courage to light the way to a cheerful holiday season.

Enjoy the kick off week to this year's holiday season!

Last year at Christmas - I still have the dog sitting
here by my desk to remind  of mom and the joys of
shopping on Black Friday!

Accomplish something by leaving an image

My photographs are not planned or composed in advance, and I do not anticipate that the onlooker will share my viewpoint.  However, I feel that if my photograph leaves an image on his mind, something has been accomplished. – Robert Frank

Tuesday Photo Tips - As an amateur photographer I think that's a great quote.  When I look back at the pictures I've taken while discovering how my camera works, I have to wonder what the heck anyone would think about some of the pictures.  I have to wonder myself why I took some of the pictures in the first place.

Hmmm...leave an image on the viewers mind then something has been accomplished.  There's a sense of "freedom from the rules" if you approach photography by not planning or composing.  Just play with it and discover different angles, different poses and you might just accomplish something.

Busted - Tizzie can never resist
a new perch or helping me
mop the floor.

What did I accomplish - a new
perch for Tizzie and a clean floor!
Now doesn't that leave an
image in your mind???  

What would excite you?

“The question you should be asking isn’t, “What do I want?” or “What are my goals?” but “What would excite me?” – Timothy Ferriss (Author 4 Hour Workweek)

Okay, here's my secret for today.  I woke up excited this Monday, especially since this is a short work week!  I'm probably not the only person who is feeling that way.  My week will only be two days long as I have Wed - Fri off.  It is a nice break in the working world to have shorter work weeks once and awhile.  I find that having something to look forward to always makes life a bit more interesting.   What if every work week was only 4 hours long?  I'm thinking I should pick up that book and see what the author writes about it.  I do think his message is a cool one.  "What would excite me?"

As a parent, watching our two children make their life choices, I love the moments when they break the traditional rules and really go for what would excite them in life.  Rachel absolutely loves her little three year old classes.  Her excitement rubs off on the kids and they in turn love their classes too.  She followed what excited her for her schooling.  Sarah's love of art and French will take her somewhere.  She's just at the stage of applying to schools.  I remember how scary that was to "decide what I wanted to do" especially when I hadn't figured out "what I should do".  I never thought about what would excite me, it was more about staying out of debt.  What would it be like if we as parents coached our kids to do "what would excite their creativity"?  There's a lot of doom and gloom in our economy.  Unfortunately it puts generation after generation in debt following their dreams of higher education.  The dream of becoming someone that will "make a lot of money" or "doing something you know you're going to be good at".  Maybe, just maybe, something that "excites" them would do a better service to them and they would be happier in the long run?   The shoulda, coulda and woulda's of life can be overwhelming.

Just for today...dream and ask yourself "what would excite me?"  See how many moments you are smiling throughout the day!

Dare to dream outside
of the remote controlled black
and white world.

Throw in a splash of color!

See who's peeking around the corner.
They might have new words of wisdom.
Remember who's got your back
to support you along the way.

Take a closer look at
WHAT WOULD EXCITE YOU!!

Conserve your energy for worthwhile things

Be master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big, worthwhile things. – Robert Service

Yesterday was a pretty productive day.  Starting out with organizing my desk drawer really kick started the day.  A five mile run with my hubby topped off the great morning.  I had so much energy.  I was able to get through paying bills and some filing.  I hung my pictures from the contest I had entered earlier this summer.  In crept annoyance #1.  As I was putting the pictures into the frames selfishly admiring the picture I really thought should have won.  I realized, based on where they had the tag on the picture, they had displayed it upside down.  How incredibly petty of me to think that is why I didn't win!  Ha, ha, ha!  I got over that petty annoyance and hung the picture "the right way" on my wall and moved on to filing papers.

Filing papers is a big project that requires lots of energy.  In enters annoyance #2 - an envelope came in the mail that really irritated me.  It's not so much what the letter was, it was the fact that it annoyed me so much.  At least I was able to redirect and  use the energy to be ruthless in sorting out junk papers in my filing pile.  I kept at the filing so long I was distracted from how annoyed I was.  I guess that's a good thing!  Seeing my clear desk and having room to work made it worthwhile.

What is it about human nature that turns unresolved issues into insomnia?  In enters annoyance #3 - all of a sudden at 12:30 am, my thoughts about annoyance #2 woke me up and kept me up the rest of the night.  I even got up for a while, let Copper outside, admired the stars, logged into Facebook, went back to bed, and tossed and turned, tossed and turned, tossed and turned...what the heck?  That's so not worthwhile!

When there is an unresolved issue or problem - I'm reminded of these four steps to finding a solution.

1. Determine what is it that I'm really worried about? 
2. What can I do about it?
3. Decide what to do.
4. Get busy doing what I decided to do.  

See, isn't that easy???  Time to work through my unresolved issues about my #2 annoyance.  I think I'll also  plan my nap time for the day, of course it will have to be worked in around the Packer game.  As Copper always reminds me - a nap is a worthwhile thing!  Petty annoyances are not...all they do is create cloudy thinking and sleepless nights.

A nice reminder of the "amateur
contest"- there's always more to learn!

Awe - he's always ready for an adventure.

Crazy afternoon clouds!  Nature's creativity with
lots of energy going in so many directions!

Copper can even nap standing up!

Not so pretty late afternoon clouds!
That's how ugly my night of sleep was
thinking about petty things!

Ah...a nap sounds good!
As Mother Goose rhyme goes -
For every ailment under the sun,
There's a remedy, or there is none;
If there be one, try to find it;
If there be none, never mind it.

One drawer at a time

If you look at your entire house as one unit of junk, you’ll never do anything because the job is too overwhelming.  Take it one drawer at a time.  – Janet Luhrs

SILLY Saturday 8 of 12 - whew, almost done with this project!  I don't know why I didn't take on a drawer first in this project.  One small area at a time is easier to deal with than the whole room.  I was able to take care of this in one small setting and I'll still have time to conquer more areas today.   Sometimes a quick little kick start project is all you need to get you into action.  A straightened drawer might be just what you need to quickly feel a sense of organization.  An added bonus is when you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, all you need to do is pull open the drawer for a quick reminder you can organize.  Just look how wonderful it is to have everything you need readily at your finger tips!   The tricky part is to be ruthless and keep it organized.  Drawers definitely have the reputation of being the "catch-all" and easily overcome with items that needed quick storage when you didn't really know what to do them!  Don't do it!

Remember the SILLY rules - Don't love it, Don't want it, Don't need it - out it goes!  There was quite the pile of stuff that met the "out it goes" criteria in my drawer.  Wow, I feel like I could run 5 miles with all the energy I feel just getting rid of stuff!  Wonder if my running partner is ready to run in the cool morning fog?  My other rule when working on sorting and organizing - reward yourself with meaningful breaks!

Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy your Saturday and your organized moments!!

Messy, messy, messy - I never really want
to go in this drawer, it's just a catch-all from years
of throwing stuff in it.

1st step - sort the top layer into like items.
Looks like I have three of the letter openers and
lots of odds and ends.  Love the cute little
tennis shoe eraser (dried out and ready to go in the trash)

2nd layer - time to sort this too and then
remove the dust and paper particles.

Look I even have stamps I rescued from envelopes
32 cent, 33 cent, 34 cent...how many years
ago...current price is 45 cents.  SILLY yes!

All organized (a little OCD on the paperclips, sorted
by color my favorite type, then small, then large,
then on to the binder clips).   Never in my
lifetime will I go through that many paper clips,
but they do fit and look nicely organized.

The stuff that has to go elsewhere or be thrown.
There was quite the pile of rubber bands that had
hardened and  are no longer useful.  Two letter
openers can go in the donation box!  The rest of
the stuff was either thrown or stored in their
proper home!

Ah...a frosty morning, calm and just calling me
for a nice run!!!   Yep, a nice reward -
hopefully it will be nice later in the day to
sit on the deck and catch some Vitamin D too!

It's your path!

‎”If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path.” ~Joseph Campbell

What a neat blessing in life that a person can choose their own path.  The determination and tenacity to do what you want on your own path is your self confidence shining through.   It is YOUR path.  Deciding on where you want to go to school after high school.  Deciding what job you want to seek after you graduate.  Deciding where you want to live.  Deciding where you want to work if you're going through a business closing.  The decisions are plentiful.  There are many paths to choose from, and while that may seem overwhelming, I like to look at choices as opportunities.  When opportunities show up unexpectedly, they may just be the blessing you were looking for.  Sometimes someone you've crossed paths with in the past helps you along your new path.  Be open to changing paths.  When opportunities aren't showing up, what steps can you take to discover a new direction?   Keep faith in yourself, try new steps, and keep reminding yourself that you're choosing the right path for you.

Enjoy creating your path!

Sometimes the path seems faint and hard
to see.

Sometimes the path seems
downhill all the way.

Sometimes the path throws
you curves and twists.

Sometimes the path seems
like an uphill battle.

Sometimes the path feels
multi-directional.

Choose your path, you know
what guard rails you have and
where you really want to be!
Trust yourself!

Laughter is cheap

Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.

Lord Byron

Thrifty Thursday Tip - Imagine a day of simply looking at everything with a light heart, taking things less seriously, laughing at yourself if you make a mistake and just enjoying every moment?  Why not?  It's free to just laugh.  The healthy reward is worth it too!

Enjoy all the moments of laughter!  I double dog dare you!

Keep an eye out for funny moments!

What ya waiting for??  Smile, laugh and have some fun!

Destination Sunshine

Don’t confuse your path with your destination, just because it’s stormy now, doesn’t mean you aren’t headed for sunshine. – Unknown

Whenever I'm in the midst of a problem or situation that feels stormy I step back and take time to reflect on why I feel that way.  For every situation where I didn't do that, the storminess stayed with me much longer than needed.  I can look back on every time and see that I did always make it through to the sunshine, the destination was always worth the bumpy path taken.

Everything does work out in the end.  I tend to believe that the destination is always changing, thus making life more interesting and something to discover every day.  Sometimes you need to swipe the wipers to see the path more clearly.  Take a different path or seek out a new solution.  The sunshine does come out.  It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but it does come out and if you let yourself enjoy the discovery along the way, you will enjoy your new destination.

Enjoy the path to discovering new destinations!

Sometimes the path is blurry

Swipe the wipers and clear your vision

Take a new path or a different path

Relax and reflect, discover new destinations!

Making interesting mistakes

“Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make. Good. Art.” ~Neil Gaiman

Tuesday Photography Tips - I love Neil's quote.  Mostly the part about making mistakes.  Remembering back to when I first starting taking pictures with my camera, I tried too hard to capture what it was that I was seeing as the perfect photo.  Trying too hard didn't help.  When I just started trying different angles, different ways to hold the camera, and just taking pictures of random (yes...more randomness) things, I started to have more fun.  There are endless options if you take away the "rules" and just make mistakes.  Way back when you had to pay for the film, it was a different story.   Now with digital photos, you can delete as you go or delete as you review them and it doesn't cost you more than your time.  The more photos you take the greater the opportunity to discover what works and what doesn't.  Have fun, lots of fun!  That is the difference maker and the way to make the world you see more interesting.

I'm enjoying this stage of making interesting mistakes.  Dreaming of the day they will be amazing, glorious and fantastic.  Until then, I'm remembering the rule to just make it fun and see what happens!

Happy Mistake Making!

Not sure why I thought my hand
in the picture would add to it?

Better lighting, but still weird
with the table behind her.

One leaf with shadows with space above -
almost a "good" thirds picture

A bunch of leaves...pretty boring

One branch, maybe even closer
would have been better.

Backed away and caught more trees,
I think I like the close up better.
Nope nothing amazing,
Just some "interesting mistakes"!