Happy Wednesday everyone. I don't know about you but I just realized we are half way through July! Goodness where did June go? I think I need to slow down and smell the roses more often.
I have been in an organizing mood lately. I rearranged all the furniture in my family room. I actually organized our homeschooling supplies. I tell you it's amazing how fast our family room can get disorganized. I have one of those IKEA wall units with lots of cubbies. I have baskets in some of them. I arranged the contents of those baskets by school subject, and I feel like a new person. I can't believe how many opportunities I missed to teach my kids wonderful things this year, just because I didn't keep the family room organized. I also got rid of many things that I didn't need or were severely outdated. I figured if I have less things, I have less mess. When I have less mess, I have less stress. I can't live a simple life if I have a chaotic house.
The other thing I have been doing each day to help myself toward living a simple life, is having morning worship. It is my time alone with God. I pray and read a chapter from my bible. I ask God to help give me focus for my day. I ask for wisdom and understanding with all that I have to deal with in the next twenty four hours. It is really helping me. This fog, of stress and confusion that used to plague me is being lifted. I actually feel like I can take charge of my day and my life. It also helps me to focus on the important things. What is it that I really need to do today?
Sometimes when I look at my TO DO list I feel overwhelmed. Now I am prioritizing. I try to pick three things that absolutely need my attention that day. Then I do them. If those three things are done I am satisfied. If I have time to tackle a few more off my list, I do it. If I am too busy then I don't stress out about it because my goal has been met. It is very satisfying to know that you set out to do something and then it actually gets done.
I remind myself that my To Do list does not define me. Sometimes I actually put unattainable goals on that To Do list. For example these are some of the things in my present list. Paint the garage door, make six different doctor appointments and do all the laundry. Let's take paint the garage door for example. I would have to clean, prime, assemble all supplies, tape off all the areas I don't want painted. Then hope that I have the paint necessary for the task and actually do the painting part. What seems like just one thing to do is actually about ten things to do. So something of this magnitude should not even be on my daily To Do list.
My advice to all you overachievers out there is do not measure your self worth by what you have not accomplished. Instead concentrate on what you HAVE accomplished. So here is to looking at ourselves in a new light.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
This Weekend
Friday July, 13th was our 20 year wedding anniversary. It's funny how just a couple of months ago I thought we would be in Italy for our anniversary. It has been a dream of ours to vacation in Tuscany and Umbria. Doing as the locals do.
We've always wanted to explore those regions on our own. I never wanted to do the tour where you follow the guy with the flag. A bus drops you off for a couple of hours at some tourist attraction and then takes you back to your hotel. That feels so cliche.
I've always wanted to stay in a farmhouse with a host family. Eating in their dining room with their family and friends. Enjoying each others company and some good food and wine. I even thought about going during the olive harvesting time. (I think my dear husband and I like Olive Oil more than wine.) I thought it would be great to help bring in the harvest. Maybe learn the art of pressing the olives and making our own olive oil.
We dream of going to the local town square and getting fresh bread, cheeses, fruits and wine and going on a hike to find the perfect spot to sit and enjoy our treasures. Life's beautiful moments are often found in the simple things. Too often we let life get in the way of enjoying our blessings and actually living.
I want to live and enjoy this life that was given to me. I want to see the beauty in people. I want to see the beauty in nature. I want to see how someone else, someplace else, can be so different than me but so similar at the same time. I want to learn new things. Most importantly I want to share it all with my husband. We were brought together on this journey called life.
The memories that stay with us are the ones that we make when we slow down and take time to enjoy one another. So don't forget to laugh a little today. Say hello to a neighbor you've never met. Go on a walk with your husband, wife, children, dog, any of the above or all of them. Take your camera with you and let the lens capture something your eye has missed.
Previously I posted that we were going through some changes in our household. I wanted to try to find a way of living frugally and more Eco-friendly. Now that I think about it, what I really want is to find a way to live simply. I don't want to miss my life because I am too busy not living it.
We've always wanted to explore those regions on our own. I never wanted to do the tour where you follow the guy with the flag. A bus drops you off for a couple of hours at some tourist attraction and then takes you back to your hotel. That feels so cliche.
I've always wanted to stay in a farmhouse with a host family. Eating in their dining room with their family and friends. Enjoying each others company and some good food and wine. I even thought about going during the olive harvesting time. (I think my dear husband and I like Olive Oil more than wine.) I thought it would be great to help bring in the harvest. Maybe learn the art of pressing the olives and making our own olive oil.
We dream of going to the local town square and getting fresh bread, cheeses, fruits and wine and going on a hike to find the perfect spot to sit and enjoy our treasures. Life's beautiful moments are often found in the simple things. Too often we let life get in the way of enjoying our blessings and actually living.
I want to live and enjoy this life that was given to me. I want to see the beauty in people. I want to see the beauty in nature. I want to see how someone else, someplace else, can be so different than me but so similar at the same time. I want to learn new things. Most importantly I want to share it all with my husband. We were brought together on this journey called life.
The memories that stay with us are the ones that we make when we slow down and take time to enjoy one another. So don't forget to laugh a little today. Say hello to a neighbor you've never met. Go on a walk with your husband, wife, children, dog, any of the above or all of them. Take your camera with you and let the lens capture something your eye has missed.
Previously I posted that we were going through some changes in our household. I wanted to try to find a way of living frugally and more Eco-friendly. Now that I think about it, what I really want is to find a way to live simply. I don't want to miss my life because I am too busy not living it.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Happy Thursday. I hope that at some point today you can take a minute and breathe deep. Go outdoors. Look at all the beautiful things God created in this world just for you. No matter how hard things get, there is always something to be thankful for. Even if it's just feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin or feeling a warm summer breeze.
July brings so many changes to our family. For starters tomorrow my husband and I celebrate twenty (20!) years of marriage. It has been quite a journey thus far. It has been hard, sad, wonderful, easy, amazing. Marriage is by far the hardest journey I've been on. At the same time it has been the most rewarding. I have learned so much from my wonderful husband. It's funny how someone that is so very different from me, can bring out the best in me. He has taught me to take chances. He has taught me to relax. He has taught me that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Most of all he has taught me how to love unconditionally. If I could I would marry him all over again.
July also brings about an overhaul to our lives. The company my husband works for did some "restructuring" and there will be great financial changes for many in the company. My husband included. Our family is a one income family and I am so thankful that he still has a job. I know so many families out there have lost their income all together. I also know that God has always provided for us. We have never gone hungry. I believe in the power of prayer and in the promises God makes us in the Bible. At the same time I know that we have to do our part as well.
I am very big on educating myself every chance that I get. My new goal for education is how to live on less. I know there are so many websites that have so much amazing information on this subject. I have always tried to be frugal. I have always tried to be as "green" as I could be. Now I need to do more than try. I need to make living "green" our new lifestyle. Part of me is excited. Part of me is scared. All of me is willing to learn. I'm not sure how my husband and the kids are going to handle this new lifestyle we are about to adapt to. I'm sure in time it will be their new normal. For now I need to read, learn, and apply. I will pass on all the helpful (and maybe the not so helpful) information I gather. Here's to new beginnings.
July brings so many changes to our family. For starters tomorrow my husband and I celebrate twenty (20!) years of marriage. It has been quite a journey thus far. It has been hard, sad, wonderful, easy, amazing. Marriage is by far the hardest journey I've been on. At the same time it has been the most rewarding. I have learned so much from my wonderful husband. It's funny how someone that is so very different from me, can bring out the best in me. He has taught me to take chances. He has taught me to relax. He has taught me that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Most of all he has taught me how to love unconditionally. If I could I would marry him all over again.
July also brings about an overhaul to our lives. The company my husband works for did some "restructuring" and there will be great financial changes for many in the company. My husband included. Our family is a one income family and I am so thankful that he still has a job. I know so many families out there have lost their income all together. I also know that God has always provided for us. We have never gone hungry. I believe in the power of prayer and in the promises God makes us in the Bible. At the same time I know that we have to do our part as well.
I am very big on educating myself every chance that I get. My new goal for education is how to live on less. I know there are so many websites that have so much amazing information on this subject. I have always tried to be frugal. I have always tried to be as "green" as I could be. Now I need to do more than try. I need to make living "green" our new lifestyle. Part of me is excited. Part of me is scared. All of me is willing to learn. I'm not sure how my husband and the kids are going to handle this new lifestyle we are about to adapt to. I'm sure in time it will be their new normal. For now I need to read, learn, and apply. I will pass on all the helpful (and maybe the not so helpful) information I gather. Here's to new beginnings.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Welcome
Our family, our passions, our love of life, fuels us and encourages us to keep going each day. We are lovers of all things beautiful. We love to learn and experience what life has to offer. We have learned to roll with the punches and accept things for what they are.
Our hope for this blog is to encourage, educate, and enlighten all who share on this site. That includes ourselves. We love learning from everyone's experiences. We all have a story to tell. This one is ours.
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