Life in Focus

10 things :: summer playful list

Happy June 1st!

I'm back and can't tell you how excited and happy I am that I turned the page of my planner and I'm now looking at the wonderful month of June!  A fresh new month full of possibility and promise and lots of summer fun!!  I'm spending some time getting ready before the kids get out of school and making a list of productivity and playfulness with emphasis on the playful part. :) Here's some fun things I'm planning on doing this summer...

1. Day trip to Meijer Garden :: This place is so beautiful and I can't wait to take my kids to experience it!

2. Friend day at our house X 3 :: Each kid will get to plan a full day with their friends at our house.

3. Firefly party :: A summer get together on the deck with cold drinks and firefly fun!

4. Pajama day and read in :: Picking 5 books that I want to devour this season and making time to do it.

5. Strawberry picking and make jam :: Definitely NOT missing strawberry picking this year!

6. Make poodle skirts :: My parents are celebrating their 50th anniversary with a sock hop party...FUN!

7. A day at the wave pool :: A sun soaked summer tradition and so much giggly fun!

8. Camp Scrap! :: Getting ready for lots of summer scrapbooking fun with May!

9. Family vacation to Utah :: A trip that we've been looking forward to for years...so excited!

OK..I'm now off to make my summer productive list and will be back tomorrow to share.  

Hip hip hooray..here comes summer!!!

10 things :: happy list

Although I've been away from my blog the last few days, I've had an incredibly productive and playful week so far and it is truly making me happy. 

1. Yesterday, I went out on a photo shoot to practice my photography skills and came home with this little treasure! My very first bird photo...she makes me smile BIG! And..I just mailed off my first photo project to NYI and that felt so good!

2. I am loving May's blog and seem to always find inspiration when I visit her.  She's real and fun and totally creative and...I just found out that she's having a summer camp via Big Picture!  How fun and happy is that?!  I can't wait!!  

3. I've been making plans for Christmas, believe it or not!  I'm super excited to be directing our community youth theater in the fall.  We're performing my all time favorite Christmas story..."A Christmas Carol."  My script has been approved, the administrative stuff is in order, and now I can start playing with my creative vision.  It's going to be so much fun!

4. I recently came across this very cool site called Pink Persimmon.  It's full of super fun, versatile, unique, and inspiring stamps! I love so many of them that it's hard to choose so I have a  wish list.   Below are two of my favorites..that vintage cupcake reminds me so much of my childhood birthday parties and I've got tons of ideas for that banner stamp!  I can't wait to create with them!

5. I recently went on a solo picnic with my lunch, journal, and camera in my backpack.  I hiked about 2 miles listening to good songs on my ipod before I stopped to just take it all in next to the lake.  It was pure joy.  Don't get me wrong, I love being with my family and going on such adventures with them but there was something really therapeutic about spending that afternoon on my own.  I honestly came back refreshed and happy and feeling like I did something very good for myself...and that made everyone else happy too! :)

6. Have you seen the Hello Sunshine collection from Lily Bee?  Oh my.  That's all I can say...the colors and designs make me want to jump up and down.  OK..so maybe that's slightly dramatic but seriously, I need this collection of papers because they make me happy!!

7. Last weekend, we celebrated my young guy's 11th birthday and had a blast!  We took 5 of his favorite friends out for a day of geocaching and swimming and then followed it up with an ice cream/candy buffet and an overnight in the big 12-man tent!  At 11pm my husband and I were putting up the tent in the basement and the boys were so excited.  It was young boy bliss over here and we enjoyed every minute (although I think I ate a few too many gummy worms)!

 

8. I'm enjoying doing something that I haven't done in so so long. I'm the kind of reader that usually reads feverishly for information so it's mostly non fiction that fills my bookshelf.  Rarely do I take the time to just sit and read a story just for fun.  So, I'm currently reading this book and it's making me happy...and laugh too.  

9. Wild flowers are blooming all over the place and I just want to stop, appreciate,and photograph each and every one of them..and catching a bug in mid flight is a pure happiness bonus! :)

10. I just looked at the calendar and there are only 35 school days until summer vacation. 35 days!! Yay!

What about you...what's on your happy list right now?  Share the joy! :)

ten things :: living inspired

 

I've spent lots of quality time thinking about my new word for 2010, inspired.  More than simply declare this my word, I want to fully embrace it with action steps. So, to celebrate this 100th post on my blog (hooray!), I'm giving myself 10 things to concentrate on this year that will help me absorb inspiration into my everyday life. Here they are...

1. Keep life in focus :: continue to open my eyes to gratitude which can only be accomplished through a concentrated awareness of all that is good in life.  With camera in hand, I'll be documenting what I see each week.

2. Get out and about :: two times per month, I'm scheduling inspiration dates with myself or a friend where the sole purpose is to seek out and find inspiration and renewed excitement.

3. Read good stuff :: I love to read and if I read the right stuff, it can invigorate me for days.  So, first thing in the morning and just before bed, I will take 15 minutes to read something that inspires me in some way.

4. Experience nature :: It never fails, when I'm surrounded by nature, taking in deep breaths of fresh air, I am completely inspired. I know that I need to do this more often in 2010.  My plan is to get out at least once a week and experience what's outside my windows (no matter the weather). Every single day, I'll make it a point to look out my windows, where I can see and appreciate some form of nature's beauty in front of me.

5. Listen to music :: I've been listening to the same play list on my ipod for too long now.  In this new year, I'm going to put together a new inspired collection of songs that speaks to me and makes me want to dance, sing, and create!

6. Create something by hand :: To put it simply...when I'm creating something, I'm happy. The act of creating something by hand invigorates and energizes my mind and spirit and it inspires my entire life. I'm giving myself persmission to take the time needed to nurture this activity with many wonderfully fun projects!

7. Celebrate something :: Celebrating the little and big stuff in life is exciting and just plain fun.  I want to do more of this in 2010 and will look for things to celebrate with family, friends, and even by myself.

8. Keep on learning :: I am an enthusiastic student of life and will never, ever stop looking for opportunities to learn something new.  This year, I'm going to study. learn, and practice the things that fill me up with inspiration and teach me to see new perspectives.

9. Have an adventure ::  By stepping out of routine on occasion and "going for it", I'll add more adventure, fun, and ultimately inspiration to my year!

10. Sit still and breathe :: This is probably the hardest of my action steps...for me. Sitting still has never been something that I've done well but I know it's essential to my body and soul and will clear my mind to allow inspiration in. I'm determined to learn how.

That's it!

Throughout the year,I'll be posting my inspired discoveries, plans, progress, and results on my blog. It's going to be a fun journey and I hope you'll join me along the way!

Here's to living inspired! Ready?  Let's go!

10 things :: Celebrating the season

It has been an incredibly busy week here as I'm sure it's been at your house too!  When I woke up this morning to realize that...oh my goodness, how can it be Thursday already....a little bit of panic set in!

I'm still hobbling around with a leg brace and trying desperately to remain calm and mindful of what really matters this season...while letting go of the rest.  That's difficult.  I haven't gone upstairs to my kids bedrooms in quite a while because of my knee injury and last night, I finally made it up there for  tuck-ins.  When I saw the countdown on my daughter's (very artistic) door, I just had to snap a picture of it.  It made me stop and realize that it's time to put the "work" of the season away and start celebrating.  I quickly made a list of the things I want to be sure that we experience this holiday. For me, it's all about spending time together having fun and making happy memories. 

Here's my list:

1. Drive to see the neighborhood Christmas lights.

2. Bake snowballs and Christmas cut out cookies with the kids.

3. Pop popcorn and watch Christmas Vacation.

4. Sit by the fire with Kevin and toast our blessings with a pomegranate martini.

5. Make Eggs Goldenrod for Christmas morning breakfast.

6. Decorate the gingerbread sleigh.

7. Cuddle up in front of the tree and have a Christmas "Read In".

8.  Have a family game night and play Christmas Trivia.

9.  Go to lunch and see a matinee of A Christmas Carol.

10. Pack a winter picnic and go Sledding at the park.

What's on your celebration list this year?

10 things :: gratitude

I'm spending a few quiet moments today in between cooking and celebrating to be mindful of life's blessings. My heart is feeling a great fullness and I've been reminded that life really can be so good.

I am grateful for...

1. a supportive and loving family that stands by eachother always.

2. the caring and kind hand of friendship that seems to reach out just when I need it most.

3. one good knee, excellent doctors, and the promise of two good knees very soon.

4. all of the heroes in this world that make it their everyday practice to look out for the rest of us.

5. the opportunity to learn, grow, and live inspired on a daily basis.

6. every few minutes of joyful creativity in my day that makes my heart sing.

7. the life experiences that bring with them a new perspective.

8. fun times of laughter and play with those I love most.

9. my dreams that I hold so close and the time to nurture them.

10. the choice of happiness.

 What are you feeling grateful for right now?

Wishing you and your family a day full of blessings!

ten things :: inspiration

Today I'm feeling inspired so I thought I'd celebrate by sharing a random list of what's on my mind and making me happy right now.

1. Long walks in the woods enjoying every minute of being outside with my camera and my thoughts. It never fails that I come home refreshed and inspired.

2. Operation Write Home :: I love this idea and think it's a wonderful opportunity to give thanks to all of our heroes out there that are away from home.  I'm planning a card making night with my kids very soon! This site is also a great place to go to help support the cause.

3. This book is on my nightstand and I'm reading it now for the second time...reminding myself of the details of this kind of lifestyle and remembering that it's a process. I'm paying particular attention to the chapter on simplifying the holidays while still making them a meaningful and tradition-rich time of year.

 4. December daily.  I'm really looking forward to giving this project a try this year. The idea of setting up a system ahead of time is so smart....then capturing each day as it unfolds with a daily photo and story sounds so fun! 

5. These words :: If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be truly fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have;rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. -Lao Tzu

6. This web site and their very cool gallery wrapped canvases.  I can see one of my favorite photos on a canvas like this to hang on my wall and also to give as a gift! Thank you Stacy for sharing!

7. This handmade advent calendar. It is adorable and looks like a perfect project to share with my very
creative daughter who loves to make things for others. I'm thinking that her little cousins would love these!

8. Pumpkin spice pancakes and all kinds of other delicious goodies! She makes me want to get out the flour and sugar and get creative in the kitchen. YUM!

9. Fall nesting tips. This is such a great site for all kinds of decorating and home ideas.  I love it and have started an inspiration notebook for my "home of dreams".

10. This stash of vintage goodies from my last flea market adventure just waiting for a new life.

 

I hope you have an inspirational and happy day!

                                   

10 things

10 things I'm working on right now:

1.washing, folding, and putting away a mountain of laundry (with a helper!)

2.preparing for the winter with a cleaned out and organized coat closet

3.sewing cozy pj's and putting flannel sheets on the beds

4.writing a fun, new class for Big Picture Scrapbooking

5.teaching our puppy how to walk next to me on her leash (not so easy!)

6.thinking about our Christmas list and the gifts that I want to make

7.making a scrapbook of last summer's family vacation to Washington DC

8.baking homemade chocolate chip cookies (by request)

9.making food and decorating for my *almost* 14 year old son's Halloween bash

10.creating a cool birthday gift for my dad

Whew!  Time to get off the computer and get in gear! :) 

Make it a great day!

June = Happiness

                                                                          

10 Things to be happy about this month:

1.  Freshly mowed grass
2.  Father's Day celebrations
3.  Blue skies
4.  The ice cream man
5.  Fireflies
6.  Impromptu water fights
7.  Bare feet
8.  The last day of school
9.  BBQ dinners
10. Beautiful gardens in bloom

So much to look forward to, appreciate, notice, and celebrate this time of year.........June = Happiness!