I love, love, love this quote! At the beginning of each year we start to focus on all the things we need and want to improve. Which is definitely important but, wow, what a perspective change this thought is. As we look over the year and recount all the goals we didn't reach or the pounds we didn't lose or the changes we didn't quite make are we remembering the successes we did have? Are we celebrating the baby steps? If nothing else, are we at least considering the fun we had and the memories we made in the process? Don't stop setting goals and dreaming of conquering fears but also don't forget the things you are doing right today!...
There's something about a blank notebook, blank journal, blank canvas or blank sketch pad that has always appealed to me. I think it's the sense of possibilities. I like to take time and enjoy it. That's not a bad thing but then there's the part where it can be difficult to leave the "safety" of the blank page. I would be embarrassed to say how often I get caught in that trap. What if I make a mistake? What if it doesn't turn out the way I pictured it? What if...what it...what if? It's a dangerous place to get stuck. I'm happy to say that my book of 2018 turned out pretty good. One chapter is called Just Joy. A...
Traditions = Memories It's true in most ways that "you can't take it with you," but I'd like to think that our memories are something that will stay with us forever. As parents and grandparents, what an opportunity we have to create memories that tie us together for generations! I am blessed to have wonderful memories of Christmases when I was growing up. I'm extremely grateful to have grown up in a home where family was the everything. And, well, Christmas was right up there with it. My parents loved Christmas and provided us with traditions that now live on with my grandchildren. Christmas Eve was the very best night of the whole year. Let me tell you just a...
When our kids were quite young we started a tradition of doing the 12 days of Christmas for someone. Sometimes it was good friends and sometimes it was a family that we thought might need some cheering up. Each night for the 12 nights leading up to Christmas we would drop off some kind of a treat, or a decoration, or some item we thought would be useful to them. These became known as "sneak treats" as we would try very hard to not get caught. If we thought they were starting to suspect us, we would go to great lengths to throw them off, such as having a neighbor kid drop it off, or someone they didn't know ring the doorbell...
Wait! Stop! I have to tell myself this more and more. This ride called life keeps speeding up! And it kicks into overdrive with the holidays. My kids are growing up TOO fast and I don't want to miss it. I don't want to miss the rest of life as well. (And I don't want my kids to think that when you are a grown up holidays are just one big grumpy stress.) So I'm sharing my reminder with you. Pause as the crazy month starts. Breath for a second and ask yourself a couple of questions. Am I running like a chicken with it's head cut off? Am I enjoying this special holiday month or am I...
