Sunday Sentiment

I have really neglected these Sunday Sentiments so I will try to keep them going.

Here is a good one for me today, it really worked for me yesterday too...enjoy!!

" We have the right not to tolerate the intolerant. We should tolerate them whenever we can do so without running a great risk; but the risk may become so great that we cannot allow ourselves the luxury."
~Karl Popper(1902-1994), Austria/England~

Thankful Thursday

Kind of busy today so this won't be a long post. I was talking with a friend and she really got me thinking about something I had read in my book. That is an emotion that I carry with me daily that I wish I could let go of forever....Worry. I worry about everything and it is not healthy or fun. I am missing out on other great feelings because I hold on to this worrisome mind set. My dear friend pointed out that I am not living in the moment, the right now in life, I am always thinking "what if". Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not here yet so why not just enjoy today and the right now of it all. I'm taking this to heart and really going to try and keep this in mind the next time I start to worry about the silliest things. So today I am thankful for my friend who point blank told me to stop worrying and live in the right now;) Love Ya Friend.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for the willpower that has come over both my husband and myself. Michael has now been smoke-free for 3 weeks!!! I am so proud of him, I know how hard it is for him he was probably born with a very addictive personality. I'm not just talking about the cigarettes either...Hunting, Fishing, and Golfing are very addictive for him too, can you hear the sarcasm in my words? Really though I am very proud of him. I am also proud of myself I guess because I have been smoke-free for 3 1/2 months. I am more proud of the fact that I have not gained any weight, actually I just noticed yesterday that I have lost 5 lbs!!! I guess all of those walks, the yoga, and using the dumbbells is finally paying off. Now back to poor Michael who has gained about 10 lbs! He is laughing it off, me too sort of. I keep telling him to watch it or those 10 lbs will turn into 20. Men are lucky like that, as soon as the weather is nice and he mows the grass once it will all just magically melt off, more sarcasm.

So thank you God for giving us both the willpower we both needed to stop that terrible nasty habit. We both feel great and are getting along much better too!!

Thinking Spring, Big Time!!!

This is our backyard now. The view here is looking towards the back of the house.

This is looking from the back deck out into the yard, same side of the yard though.

This is the big plan for this years yard work. Work it will be but isn't it pretty. I'm sure ours won't look like that for a few years but since we are not going anywhere for a while this will help ease the discomfort of the cramped space inside. If you click on the picture you will see that there is a shed back there, that will be where the playhouse is now.

Well what do you think, like it?

Thankful Thursday

I love a new box of crayons. Coloring gives me a sense of peace and relaxation. It brings me back to those more carefree days of being a kid again. Coloring to me, seems more appealing when there is a new box of crayons to use. Maybe it has to do with the sharpness of them, being able to color in all of the tiniest details, or maybe it is the sense of a fresh new start filled with all colors imaginable. How about the memory of getting new crayons as a child, the excitement and question of which page to color first,what picture deserves the vibrant colors and detail that only new crayons can give? Since becoming a mother I have had the pleasure of using new crayons more times than I can count. Each time brings a new experience with my children. As they grow they are able to appreciate those new crayons a little more and the special times that coloring together can bring. Our crayon collection is quite large but so are the memories of us all coloring together, even daddy finds the child within on occasion. I have even been known to color a picture or two for my dear(grown) friends if the picture is fitting. So this week I am thankful for new crayons and the memories they can produce and the ones that I hold dear to my heart. Thank you Crayola for such a wonderful and inexpensive treasure.

The secret of happiness

I am currently reading this book and really enjoying it. I am excited to start putting these exercises into practice. I want , not only for myself but for my girls and husband too, a sense of thankfulness for what we have. A sense of feeling like this is what our lives are meant to be right now and not expecting or wanting more. Sounds nice huh? This is going to be very challenging for us, I admit we have been roped into the material world. A material world that is so domineering that even the littlest ones are hypnotized by it. I find myself wanting all of the new beauty products, clothes, shoes, home furnishings, clothes/accessories for the girls, and on and on. Where does it stop?? I'm hoping to figure this out while reading this book. I'll leave you with a few good thoughts from this book, Enjoy:)

The richest among you is the one who is not entrapped by greed...The miser is the poorest of all.
~Mohammad~

Satisfaction isn't so much getting what you want as wanting what you have.
~David Myers, author of The Pursuit of Happiness~

Love that last one!!!

Thankful Thursday

I have been thinking lately about life in general, the everyday things that are sometimes taken for granted. I have really been trying to connect with myself, God, and my family. I am amazed at how easy it has been, at least to reconnect with myself. I have been walking almost every night after dinner, sometimes with friends and sometimes with God. Yes I walk with God, he is right there beside me while I thank him for all of the wonderful things in my life and in my surroundings as I walk. So today I am thankful for the life I have been given, my children, my husband, my home, and every thing and everyone else that is a part of my life.

Against Separatism

" When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a European, or anything else, you are being violent. Do you see why it is violent? Because you are separating yourself from the rest of mankind. When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition, it breeds vilolence."
~Jiddu Krishnamurti~
I really love this. If more and more people would just give this a little thought, I believe, the world would be a better place. Anyone agree??

Another inspiring Yoga moment

I am seriously hooked on Yoga, love it!! Amazon is amazing too because I found this for $2.00. So moving on with some more Yoga wisdom. At the end of the sunset session it says to not think of how sweaty we became from doing this workout because after we shower the sweat is gone and it is the serenity we look for in our daily lives.....Wow!! Aren't we all looking for that serenity to just consume us in our daily lives? I know I am and this just seems to make it easily attainable for me. To know that no matter how many "things" we think we need, or how hard we search for the "perfect" solution, it will never be as tranquil as reaching inside for that great feeling of serenity.

Sunday Sentiment

Better late than never right?? It is 11:52pm Sunday night, so here goes....

"Cheerful patience is required both for naughty children and your own mind"
~The Buddha, India~

This just fits perfect for me right now and I will be referring to it often throughout my days.

Happy Valentine's Day

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

"I claim there ain't another Saint as great as Valentine"

~Ogden Nash~

Oh how I love Valentine's Day.

Not quite sure how to get these photos in here the way I would like to

so I am just putting them in how they will fit;)

I like them, they are serene, romantic, happy, and old fashioned.

All of the things that I love. I hope you all have a wonderful Valentines day

filled with lots of love and affection.

"Love is the greatest refreshment"

~Pablo Picasso~

Just one more.....

"Love is an irresistible desrie to be irresistibly desired"

~Robert Frost~

Sunday Sentiment

Seriously.........

"Agenda for today: breathe out, breathe in, breathe out."
~The Buddha (c.563-c.483 BC), India~

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful that our little Bella is now out of diapers!! She woke up dry one day last week and went on the potty, wanted panties on , and is now on her way to being a big girl. Kind of sad in a way, I feel like all of my babies are not babies anymore. That longing for a baby comes back, then quickly I tuck it away again. Not possible right now at all. So Big cheers for Bella and big sis who cheers her on everytime:)

Sunday Sentiment

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
~Anonymous~

Surrender

Here are some wise, meaningful words that spoke to me in a way that changed something in me. They are from a yoga dvd lent to me by a very good friend.

" Be active.....Surrender".

I love that!!! Sometimes it seems that we are all so active that we forget to surrender. Surrender our hearts to God, our children, and our mates. We skip right over all of the surrendering moments that come and go throughout the day. Moments when our children ask us to play hide and seek, play go fish, or get all fancied up with them. Moments when that favorite book is calling us, or even the couch for a 15 minute rest. Whatever it may be I've realized that it is important to surrender at moments like these. Take these moments, cherish these moments and just surrender, the rest will get done, when you are done.

Life is full of all that is good
if that is true than life to me is misunderstood
Good things are there yes that is true
but lately the life I live leaves me feeling blue
Find your rest in God, great advice I agree
I try and try to find that love from him to me
Is the prayer I pray not enough
To carry me through the challenging stuff
More prayer each day that is my goal
To see me to my inner soul

Thankful Post

I know this was suppose to be done yesterday and I tried, really tried and I was having technical difficulties...yeah that's it. So now I will try this again.

I must admit that I have the baby bug. Now I don't want all of the grandparents that read this to start buying baby clothes, there is not going to be a new baby any time this year, but I have been thinking of it and a way that it might be possible for next year.

I miss those little "quiet" sleeping babies and all of that cuteness that comes with them. I miss rocking a nursing baby to sleep, I miss all of those first milestones....first smiles, first coos, first, teeth, and steps. For those of you who know me personally you will remember this:

And this:

I am thankful for the sweetness and innocence of these little tiny creatures of God that I have them in my life. The sweet and always loveable qualities that were once a given are now a give and take chance to grab whenever possible at least in our house right now. The sweetness can trun to this in an instant: and this: But at the end of the day it's faces like these that just make my heart melt with love and thankfulness that God thought so much of me to give me two of life's greatest gifts.

Update

Here is an update on the big quit, suggested by Yellowmama. It has been 16 days smoke free!! I have now started to exercise to keep at least an even weight for now. I want to lose 5 lbs by my birthday in one month and then another 5lbs by Bella's birthday in 2 months. Overall I would love to lose 20 lbs by November, 15 year class reunion. I really will benefit from this and it is not just for the class reunion, it is for life.

Thankful Thursday, even though it's Friday.

I was going to do the Thankful Thursday with Ruth but I had to unexpectedly work so here it is today.
Not really that thoughtful but important to me especially this week. I am thankful for the willpower and new found energy I have gained when I quit smoking this week. Today is day 4 and the energy that has come from this is what is keeping me going. I love having all of this energy. Michael is still smoking so that makes it harder but I feel an extra ounce of pride in knowing that I can resist that temptation that is right in front of me. So there it is, my Thankful Thursday I promise that next thrusday will me more thoughtful:)