Gratitude Monday

It has been a full week since my last post and blogger has made a few changes.  I will start by saying I'm grateful I figured out how to write a post with their new design because I'm not too computer savvy.  I'm also happy I figured out how to restart my IPhone 4 after it locked up on me today.

My daughter broke her wrist last week at track practice after jumping a hurdle.  We almost made it through the season without an injury, but I'm thankful it was a clean break.  It could have been a lot worse and I'm grateful it wasn't. I should also add I'm grateful my husband got the call from the school before me.  He is more level headed and not as reactive as I am in stressful situations.

I'm grateful for the show Game of Thrones.  I just finished watching season one with my husband on demand.  We rarely watch television series together. He likes to channel surf and we don't always like the same shows.  I love the story line of the show and the acting.  However,  I could do without some of the graphic violence and sex scenes.  They don't leave too much to the imagination.

Although I've started making it a point to list random things I'm grateful for on Mondays it was pointed out to me by my daughter that I could use the book 14,000 Things To Be Happy About.  I guess it's time to start a daily gratitude journal again.  

Gratitude Monday

I haven't been very good about writing posts lately.  I'm sort of in an inspiration lull and my parents are visiting right now.  I'm grateful that my parents are still living, and I've had the opportunity to spend time with them.  I've also been busy planning a surprise birthday party for my daughter.  I'm grateful for the book Celebratori by Tori Spelling. The book has some great ideas.  More than anything though it has motivated and inspired me to pay attention to the details.  If you are in need of motivation to jump start your party planning process I highly suggest checking it out.  The allergy season is in full force, and I'm grateful my symptoms have been improving since last week. 

I received some sad news over the weekend.  A friend from high school's 15 year old daughter was killed in a car accident.  She was wearing her seat belt and sober, but the person that hit her was going 80-90 mph in a 30mph zone in the pouring rain.  As a parent of a 16 year old, I worry whenever my son is driving.  It makes you realize how precious life is and things can change in the blink of an eye.  I am grateful for life and every day I get to spend it with my family.

Must Do

I consider myself a pretty loyal person.  I don't change friends, doctors, hair stylists or dentists on a regular basis.  Someone either has to move far away or offend me repeatedly before I make a change.  To be honest I don't know if you'd call that loyalty or stupidity with a side of laziness.  For years I have been unhappy with my primary care doctor.  There have been signs along the way that made me think I should look into changing doctors.  Friends even encouraged me to make a change.  She doesn't have the greatest bedside manner and she made comments about my weight if I was up 5 pounds even though I'm in a healthy weight range.  She also dismissed any questions I had when it came to being proactive about my health.  I have gone to her for roughly 20 years, and she delivered both of my children.  We have a long history, and I guess I imagined some close bond as well.

As I grow older,  I have questions about menopause and taking supplements.  I am wanting to take more of a preventative approach rather than just treating the symptoms. This last visit I was told to save it for my next appointment.  God has given me signs all along, but this time I finally decided to not just take notice, but take action.  I'm grateful for her lack of enthusiasm to answer my question because it caused me to finally make an appointment with a new doctor.

I watched Oprah's interview with Tony Robbins on the OWN network shortly after my doctors appointment.  Tony said, "If you want to take the island you need to burn the fricking boats.  If you want to make real change you need to switch from saying I should to I must.  I'm notorious for being a I should person.  My doctor situation finally became frustrating enough for me to finally say I must.  I must make sure my health needs are being met.  I hope by sharing my experience it will help you change your should to a must.   If there is something you know you need to change get rid of the things standing in your way.  For me it was the fear of starting over with someone new, laziness and that I was being unloyal.  

Gratitude Monday

• I am grateful for blue skies and 70 degree weather and that we weren't in the path of the tornadoes that came through Kansas over the weekend.
• A good doughnut even though I often regret eating it later.
• Random acts of kindness.  My neighbor gave me a picture she came across that she bought me awhile back. 
• Hydrangeas.  I just love them and I bought myself one today.
• The wonderful cheese aged in balsamic vinegar I sampled at Hen House.  It's called Balsamic BellaVitano Sartori.   Now all I need is a glass of wine and some Italian bread! 
• Spell check on my computer.  I am a horrible speller.

What's something your grateful for today?

Owls

Owl purchased from Z Gallerie

Owls have made a comeback over the last few years.  I'm a big fan of owls.  I'm not sure if it's because they remind me of the 70's and the tootsie roll pop commercial or because they are often associated with wisdom.  It's probably a little bit of both.  I can be nostalgic and wisdom is something I feel like I'm always seeking.

 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. [Proverbs 3:13-15] 

Falling

 
   
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall."
~Confucius~


I was at my daughters middle school track meet today.  It was the third one of the season.  At the first meet she fell at her first event, the hurdles.  She got back up, brushed herself off and kept running clearing the remaining hurdles with no problem except for a sore elbow.  Later that night she was upset and mad about falling as well as having her former confident ego bruised.  I have seen several falls since that first meet, luckily not by her, but by other teens.  Fortunately no one has been badly hurt, and they all get back up and keep going.  I overheard a parent say,"that must be humiliating."  To a middle schooler or even an adult for that matter I would have to say, "yes it would be."  However, my first thought was good for them.They got back up and they even had a smile on their face.  Quite often the victory isn't in winning the race, but rising to the occasion when you fall.    

Gratitude

There has been a lot written on the positive effects of being grateful.  I have tried keeping a grateful journal on and off over the years after reading about the idea in the book Simple Abundance many years ago.  Oprah has also talked about how being grateful every day has made a huge impact on her life. Oprah has said, "The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. And the more grateful you are, the more you get."  I also think gratitude helps you to live in the present.  Even though your present circumstances may not be your ideal wish, you can always find something to be grateful about.  I've decided to post a few things I'm grateful for on Mondays.  Monday's tend to get a bad rap since they are the start of a new work week for a lot of people.  There have even been song lyrics written about Mondays- rainy days and Mondays always get me down and manic Mondays to name a few. So moving forward I'm creating grateful Mondays where you can comment on what brings you gratitude.  

•  I'm grateful for a hot cup of coffee in the morning especially when my husband makes it.
•  I was able to cross off everything on my to do list today.  I hoped to get a few more things done, but I finished the priorities.
• I was able to finish watching the Ten Commandments this Easter.  That is one long movie, and I haven't seen the whole thing since I was a kid.
• My daughter didn't fall jumping the hurdles at her track meet today.

What brought you gratitude today?

Greeting Cards

Hallmark Cards

  
In today's world of emails and text messaging receiving greeting cards in the mail has become a lost art.  My friend Anne always seems to find the funniest greeting cards.  She sent me this one for Easter which gives you a child's perspective of the Easter Bunny compared to a cats.  A little cruel I know, but funny. I apologize for the blurry picture.  I'm still working on perfecting my photography skills.  While I enjoy the ease of emails, I think there is something to be said for actually receiving a card or hand written note from someone.  It just seems much more personal.  I also appreciate the time and effort that goes into sending a note or card by mail in spite of our fast paced technology driven lives.  I'm all for going green and saving trees, but I hope sending cards doesn't become obsolete.  To steal a line from Hallmark cards - sometimes people need to know you care enough to send the very best. Happy Easter!

Life is Like Coffee

 


 I thoroughly enjoy a cup of hot coffee in the morning especially when there is a chill in the air.  I just bought some new coffee cups at Target. My old mugs were made of stoneware and were no longer a crisp white on the inside. I finally got around to purchasing some white porcelain cups to match my new white dinnerware.  You know something is past it's prime especially when you husband notices.   As I sat admiring my new cups ( it's the little things in life that make me happy), I thought about an email my friend sent to me.  A video about how life is like coffee. It's message is a good reminder of how it's not what's on the outside that defines who are, but what's on the inside that counts. Click here to watch:

http://www.flickspire.com/m/RecipeSecrets/LifeIsLikeCoffee?lsid=bd50fa1dcb00e2c4bbdfbada3de97995

Easter Peeps

Marshmallow Peeps marked the beginning of the Easter season when I was a kid.  Their sugary sparkles glistened behind plastic packaging screaming the Easter Bunny is coming soon!  It's sad, but true.  You can find Peeps in the form of bunnies and chicks and in an array of spring colors.  They don't have quite the same edible appeal for me as an adult although I did indulge in a few of the extras.  I have discovered other uses for Peeps on Pinterest.  You can use them in smores, as drink toppers and in flower vases.  The photo above is my attempt at copying the vase idea.  The hardest part of putting it together was getting the last bunny to fit without disfiguring it.  You also need to find two vases where one will fit inside the other and allow enough room to fill the candy around it.  The bonus is there are usually a few extra left over for eating.