Monday, November 26, 2012

Best Day Ever?

Monday......Back to work after a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. Could it be? The best day ever? Well, I told myself that all day. I listened to classical music. I was kind. I enjoyed teaching my kids. I was out the door shortly after 3:00. We did some grocery shopping. You want to know what was so great about that? I can remember crying after going grocery shopping in Chattanooga because I didn't know the area, the store, anyone for hundreds of miles. Today I bumped into one of my closest friends here, my daughter's teacher, and a few parents. That is a feeling I relish after going through move after move. Knowing people. People I really like seeing or bumping into. It is a feeling of home when you bump into people, can chit chat in the grogery store, and go about your afternoon. I really liked that today. The feeling after nearly 2 years in this place-home. I got home really early 4:16. Was able to clean up the house do a little laundry, and sit down and relax for a minute. The kids decorated gingerbread cookies and I watched (and took pictures of course). Then we pulled out the workbooks and I worked with them. They did such great work. I was proud. Last we all ate dinner together and then actually had a movie night-yes on a Monday! Madagascar 3 is the perfect pick me up. So yes, it can and was the best day ever.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Fav Photo Shop Apps

Don't we all deserve a little photo shopping. When I see a great pic with awesome effects the first thing I want to know is what app is that?? Here are some of my favorites. For iphone apps I use these a lot: instagram, colorsplash, pixlromantic, Labelbox, LensLight (is really fun), Pic Stitch, Pic Photo Collage, Picture Effect Magic, aPhoto, Phonto My favorite free website that is awesome is Picmonkey It does everything.

Couldn't be Better

Today was the best day. It couldn't have been better if it was written in a storybook.

We got up, the kids had breakfast. We went to church to hear the second part of a message on FAITH.

Ahhhhh, the word that will save us all in good times and bad. Lately, I think of faith as a cool breeze.

The kind that is so refreshing you have to close your eyes and throw your head back to take it in. That is FAITH. It is the kind of thing that if it is raining you think it is the most relaxing rainy day or if it is sunny the brightest most beautiful day ever. FAITH is that God has a plan and you are IN IT right now. It doesn't blame. It doesn't condemn. It doesn't reassure you that you are the holiest or the most humble. FAITH just tells you you are HERE for a purpose through whatever conditions.

Here and now EACH of us is called. Not just your friends either. We are ALL called. And FAITH says you believe it and are living it and HE will carry you. Like a child who is tired and weary and mom or dad lifts them up and lets them put their head down and rest and they carry that child. That is FAITH. He is carrying me. I am letting him through FAITH.

So after church we went to the Opryland Ice. It was 7 degrees below zero. The best thing I loved about it this year was the wonder in Warner's voice and eyes as we watched the video about the carving and his wonder as we saw the ice sculptures. He kept asking, "How did they get the ice up there?" As if they placed it rather than carving a huge block of it. Ice slides, laughter, wonder, and lots and lots of smiles. We went to Monelles after to eat.

There's nothing like sitting at a huge dining room table with a family of strangers and asking, "Can you pass the corn pudding? The ham?" When you leave you feel as if you have just had the best meal of your life and the strangers you ate with feel like friends. Now that's a good restaurant! The next was an impromptu stop to the park. The kids played and soon we were all in a family friendly game of tag. Shoes and socks off running like crazy, laughing, and tagging, rolling in the soft cool grass. Perfect weather. Perfect day.

I am thinking about the best day ever experiment. What if I said everyday out loud or in writing, "This is the best day ever!" No matter what happens that day? I predict that everyday will bring treasures I couldn't even imagine. Isn't that what people do when they only have a few short days left? Don't they cherish every day? The rainy ones? The sunny ones? The sad ones? The happy ones? Yep, I started it yesterday or the day before and I am already noticing a trend.

Best Day ever experiment fueled by FAITH.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

2012

I have wanted to blog for so long because I am a reflective person. Working in an IB school I have had to identify my charachter profile and attributes, and I am definitely reflective. I write as cheap therapy, as art, as entertainment, as naturally as breathing. But I haven't blogged nearly enough to figure it all out yet. This year 2012 was the best year yet. I say say this because it is the year I am IN.

I have been reflecting on happiness and truly believe it is a choice. But if it is, why do some have such a hard time "finding it" "keeping it" "maintaining it". Well, I guess it is a state of mind. It's like a diet. You can't do it for a week then decide to go back to your old ways and still reap the benefits. No, you have to keep it up every day a way of life, a state of mind. So if you know loving yourself makes a happier more productive person that means everyday all day long-you love yourself. No pity parties, no weak moments where you tell yourself you are ugly, fat, unloveable-NOPE you must love yourself all. the. time. This means if you want to decide what was the best year of your life, it always has to be the here and now. It can't be years past or the future holds the best one yet. It must always be now. Right now.

I will confess....I don't think this way or ever have. But I think it is the new way of thinking for me. This year I made new friends. Friends that lift my spirits. I grew closer to old friends. I mader some serious mistakes.....I am learning from them so they served a purpose. I grew closer to the Lord. This year I was paralyzed with fear, but was strong enough to break free from it as well. I saw the Golden Gate Bridge. I went to New Orleans and flew on a plane for the first time in my whole life without my husband or children, just me with coworkers. This year I was employed! I worked where BOTH my children were. I joined pinterest :) I tried many new restaurants. I ran a half marathon with a new friend. I enrolled my children in swimming lessons, softball and baseball, basketball and cheerleading. I did stuff basically. New stuff. Stuff that makes 2012 the best one yet. And with my New line of thinking I can't wait to list the reasons why 2013 will be the best next year. The year we're in friends....That should always be the best year yet! I already know my new year's resolution and it isn't a long list as I have done the past decades.

IT's a phrase- The here. And Now. a new lifestyle. Don't beat yourself up about it just take it as it comes and remember THIS is the best year. This one-the one you're in. Right now :)

The Guardians

Today we watched The Guardians. I was worried that The Boogyman charachter would be too scary but he wasn't. It was a powerful movie I thought in the regards to believing in the unseen and fear. It seems that one message is that fear can take a hold of you and can take over if you believe in it. It can take your joy, your beliefs, your happiness and cover it all in a black cloud. Isn't that what it does in life? Doesn't it take over and engulf all that is you if you give in to it and believe in the fearful whispers. It takes over your days and creates nightmares while you sleep. But the beauty of the movie is that as powerful as the guardians were all it took was for one little boy to say I believe in you but I am not afraid of you. And poof! All the black turned to gold. Fun was back, laughing, joy, day to day life was back. The whimsy of the Easter Bunny, Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and Jack Frost. I loved this movie not because of the animation, or the comedy, or the originality. I loved it because I needed this message. If you allow fear to engulf you it will. If you don't-it won't. It can't. We have the power over our own fear. And we can make ourselves or break ourselves based on what we allow fear to do with us.