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Thankful Thursday

1/23/2014

Ok, so I need to make up for a month of Thankful Thursdays! :/

First of all, I am very thankful that I am not a graphic artist or IT person. I can't even figure out how to line 2 pictures up with this post!

Second, I am so thankful for a warm house...it's zero degrees out right now. The good news is that it's supposed to get up to twenty-five degrees tomorrow!

Third, I am thankful that I did not get into two accidents yesterday. Yes, it's been one of those weeks.

Finally, I am so incredibly grateful for DevaCurl hair products!!! I grew up with very straight hair, and now I have proof that God has a sense of humor: two beautiful curly girls! We have tried so many hair products, each one helping a little more than the last, but DevaCurl products are worth their weight in gold! (Almost literally...wow, those liters are EXPENSIVE!) The results are so amazing though. Both girls are very happy with the results. They don't have to worry about the dreaded frizz or having lots of knots. Great DevaCurl cuts (post-worthy on their own) and hair that is healthy, feels soft, and looks great!

The End (for now)

Thankful Thursday

12/26/2013

I'm so thankful for some down time with my girls! Christmas was nice, and we are very blessed...so many things to be thankful for, little and big. I'm making popcorn so we can sit back and enjoy some Netflix together before we crash. A nice, quiet evening at home...aaaahhhhh...

Thankful Thursday

12/19/2013

I'm thankful that I'm actually posting this on a Thursday!! :) I'm also very thankful for all the artistic opportunities in our community.

In this picture our older daughter is working at the wheel in her weekly pottery class. This week we have already had orchestra & choir concerts...and we'll finish out the week with a brief performance in a children's festival chorus at a local Christmas concert! These things can make our lives busy, but they also make our lives richer and fuller. The skills learned, and relationships built, during all these artistic endeavors are invaluable. So, today I choose not to focus on the busy-ness of our lives...I choose to focus on, and be thankful for, the blessings.

Thankful Thursday

12/14/2013

Once again, it's not Thursday...but, it's only Saturday this time! If I keep this up I might actually post on a Thursday some time soon :) This post is a hard one...I almost didn't write it. I realized, though, that this is life right now. Life isn't always pretty or easy, but there is always something to be thankful for...

I have been thinking about my mom a lot this week. She passed away in May of this year, and the closer we get to Christmas the more I think about her. She always loved Christmas. She always enjoyed yellow flowers too. (When she passed away, I received the flowers & card pictured above from friends.) I am thankful that she loved me, and did her best in raising me. I wish I could call her and talk to her right now...but, instead I will be thankful that she is no longer suffering.

Thankful Thursday

12/8/2013

Ok, so it's not Thursday...but I am thankful! I meant to begin a year of Thankful Thursday posts a few days ago. There was a time when I would have decided that I blew it. If I couldn't do it right, then I shouldn't do it at all. I have given up beating myself up over not being perfect...well, mostly. I want more grace in my life, for myself and those around me. Grace is an unbelievable, redeeming, loving gift bestowed on us by God. I want to get better at extending that grace to others. So, today, I am especially thankful for grace.

As I sit here looking out into our back yard, enjoying the peaceful scene of gently falling snow, I am overwhelmed by all the people, places, and things I have to be thankful for. I look forward to sharing some of them as t

Lessons From a Lost iPod

6/21/2013

So, I just realized that I never finished this post that I started months ago! Losing my iPod was a frustrating, humbling experience. I know people lose iPods and other small electronic devices every day...but it wasn't supposed to happen to me! I hate to admit it, but it was quite a blow to my ego...which just might be a bit inflated from time to time... I felt sick about it...so much information gone forever...or so I thought!

A couple of weeks ago one of our daughters lost her phone...again. I would usually get pretty frustrated with her, but this time was a little different. I started getting irritated, but when she started complaining that everyone always blames her when she loses things, like her phone, I recognized a teaching moment. I explained to her that her phone is her responsibility, and while we will not think she is a horrible person for losing it, she has to take responsibility for keeping it safe. I explained that I accepted responsibility for losing my iPod, as painful as that was. Moments later, after tipping an over-stuffed chair, in which her phone was stuck, I discovered my iPod on the floor! It had apparently been hidden deep within the chair, somewhere between the cushions and the bottom of the chair. Somehow a hole had been torn in the fabric underneath the chair, and the iPod slid right out when I tipped it to find the phone. It had been missing for a few months!

So, losing my iPod allowed me to be a little more humble, and a little more responsible. It allowed me to learn, once again, how to be patient with my daughter and help her learn a lesson that will hopefully pay off later. I was surprised to realize that I also needed to learn that I cared too much about my iPod, and all the information it contained. Painful, but very good, lessons.

Happy New Year?

1/7/2013

I have wished people "Happy New Year!" for many years now, but this year someone made me think about it. The familiar greeting began to sound hollow to me... I thought about it frequently as 2012 ended and 2013 began. Was that really what I wanted to wish people? Then a family member posted the following quote on Facebook:

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. Your're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever is is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever. ~ Neil Gaiman

So, "Messy New Year!" or "Happy New Mistakes!"...

OK...I feel better now :)

Christmas Traditions

12/16/2012

Do you celebrate Christmas? This time of year can be so busy, but it is wonderful in many ways. I try to focus on what is good about this time of year...like traditions. One tradition we have is that each year our girls receive a Christmas ornament that represents some aspect of the year. This year we vacationed at the ocean...and I had no idea how much I would enjoy it! So, we each put sand & shells in the clear plastic ornament of our choice.

Another tradition I have kept alive is giving each girl a new pair of pajamas to open on Christmas Eve. Well, this year it looks like this one will end. The girls say that they have enough pajamas and they don't really want to get more on Christmas Eve. So, what's a sentimental mom to do? I can't argue the fact that they have plenty of pajamas, but I really don't want this tradition to end. What can I replace it with? Please let me know about your family's Christmas trad

Coconut Oil

12/15/2012

I'm crazy for coconut oil...just ask my family! I rediscovered it recently...I'm not sure how...but I'm so glad I did! It is a great moisturizer, and many health benefits are discussed on various websites. It is working well on my very dry winter skin, smells wonderful, and adds a subtle coconut flavor to foods/drinks. It is one ingredient in the lotion sticks I made recently, and I have enjoyed a little bit in my morning coffee (with a bit of chocolate flavoring) and on my toast. I'm looking forward to trying it in more recipes...there are so many out there! If you have a great recipe you'd like to share, feel free to leave it in a comment...thanks!

Forgiveness

12/11/2012

"Genuine forgiveness does not deny anger but faces it head-on."
Alice Duer Miller

I never really thought about it this way before, but it's true. Forgiving someone, even yourself, cannot happen if feelings are denied or stuffed way down deep. In order to forgive, we must do the messy work of dealing with difficult events and feelings. Sometimes the choice to forgive must be repeated many times before tiny signs of healing begin to invade the space once taken by anger, grief, hurt...unforgiveness. It is often a very difficult choice to make, but I will continue to work towards giving, and receiving, forgiveness.

Welcome!

I enjoy being wife to Chuck, and mom to two beautiful girls. This blog is a record of family fun, thankfulness, mistakes, achievement, frustration, healthy living, unhealthy living, good ideas...in general life as I know it. I hope you find something helpful or encouraging...feel free to share your thoughts.

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