Life in Focus

In Focus Friday

Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul.        -author unknown

 

Happy Weekend!

Make something Monday

I love Mondays.  There's just something about a fresh start to a new week that makes life exciting and full of so many wonderful possibilities.

I love making things. Very simply, it makes me happy and fills my heart and soul with inspiration.

I was thinking...what better way to celebrate this special day of the week than to share something handmade.  So, I declare Monday on my little blog "Make Something Monday" where I'll send a slice of handmade goodness from my home to yours. 

I also love that I'm not the only one in my family that enjoys making things.  It truly is a family affair. My kids and husband are equally involved in the process and watching what they do to fill their creative souls totally inspires me.

I thought I'd start this week by showing off one super cool ,totally inspiring, very creative, award winning cake!  My very sweet and talented cub scout and his equally sweet and creative dad spent some quality time together creating this masterpiece for their annual cake auction.  Check this out...

One (completely from scratch with no special pans) campfire cake that won first place in the contest!

There was some talk of mama taking over the cake making assistance this year due to dad's very busy schedule...but they were both disappointed with that idea and about 10 minutes later, it was back in dad's hands.  The annual cub scout cake auction is something they look forward to every year and has become a much anticipated tradition for them. They had so much fun together in the kitchen and were both very proud of their creation...

and I was so very proud of them!

What handmade treasures are coming from your home these days?

In Focus Friday

One of the secrets of happiness is continuous small treats.  -Iris Murdoch

This is my very special stash of my new favorite chocolate.  Each one holds an inspiring message and they are so so yummy!  It's one of my continuous small treats that makes me very happy. :)

today

I'm listening to a sweet little bird chirp a beautiful song outside my window.

the sun is trying hard to peek through the clouds.

I'm finding inspiration everywhere.

I'm planning birthday surprises.

my house is a well loved and lived in mess.

I'm pushing through the pain of physical therapy.

my puppy is following me wherever I go.

I'm longing for a hike in the woods.

I'm making salmon for dinner.

I need to go to the grocery store.

it feels so good to walk without a brace.

I'm taking a deep breath.

I'm grateful for this ordinary day.

In Focus Friday

The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.   -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sitting still long enough to appreciate glimpses of blue skies amongst these cold January days.

Wishing you an inspired and sunny weekend!

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!

In Focus Friday

As I express my gratitude, I become more deeply aware of it. And the greater my awareness, the greater my need to express it. What happens here is a spiraling ascent, a process of growth in ever expanding circles. -Brother David Steindl-Rast

There's something quite special about pulling blueberries from last summer's picking adventure out of the freezer on a cold January day....and feeling very grateful for it.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Inspired to....bake

If you are reading this blog post, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's your lucky day!  Seriously.

I'm about to share something that I've never, ever shared before...

These would be the Kert Family's top secret super duper delicious (and I'm really NOT kidding) chocolate chip cookies! I wish you could be here in my kitchen so that I could give you a taste but since you can't, well, I've decided to share the "top secret" recipe so that you can make them yourself. 

I have to be honest and say that I haven't felt real great the last couple of days.  I'm still recuperating from knee surgery (which has brought about some challenging days) and the weather here has been rather gray...and cold! There is something about weather like this though that inspires me to play in my kitchen and bake something yummy....and I was really feeling the need for a "pick me up". Following through on that inspiration was just what I needed and I really did feel better!

OK...here it is!  Write it down quick because this post could self destruct at any minute!

Super Delicious Top Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies

In a small bowl, combine the following:

3 1/4 cups + 2 Tablespoons of flour

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

In a large bowl or mixer, combine the following:

1 1/2 cups shortening

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons of sugar

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

3/4 teaspoon of water

3 eggs

Gradually add the flour mixture to the large bowl until all ingredients are combined. Stir in 3 handfuls of chocolate chips (or whatever looks good to you!)  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.  Watch them and don't over bake!! Definitely eat one right out of the oven....my oldest son tells me that right out of the oven it's a "molten lava of happiness."  This recipe makes a lot of cookies so you can freeze half for later and put the rest in your cookie jar or even bag some up for a special friend. They do tend to dry out quickly if left out, so freezing is a good option.   If you want that just out of the oven taste later, just heat them up for a few seconds in the microwave.  YUM!

I hope you are inspired to create something sweet for yourself or a friend soon....good feelings guaranteed!

My Word 2010

I love my new word for 2010.

I thought long and hard about what my new word should be and this little word was the winner amongst many contenders.  It is a word that made me light up inside each time I whispered it to myself.  More than just a feeling, this word embraces the lifestyle that I want to enjoy every single day.  I know that I am happiest when I have this giddy little feeling inside that motivates, empowers, and helps me to dream with wondrous possibility...in all aspects of my life. I know that with this word I can greet challenges and opportunities with strength, motivation, and conviction. With this word, I feel like I can climb the highest of mountains. I want to live inspired.

What does this mean exactly?  Well, for me it means that I will create awareness in my life while I seek out inspiration in my routine. In doing so, I will wake up my senses with creativity and will be much more energized as I go through my day.  Out of the ordinary I will learn to see the extraordinary....and I will smile a lot.

So, how will I achieve this?  It's my intention to make my word a priority this year and I'm hoping that it will soon become a habit for a lifetime.  This week, I'm carving out some quiet reflection to think about my word and compiling a list of the action steps to living an inspired life.  I'm not rushing through the process, but giving myself the opportunity to fully embrace the concept and make it real for me.  I'll be back to share my action steps with you soon. 

Until then, I hope you enjoy an inspired and happy day!

In Focus Friday

Appreciation can make a day, even change a life.  Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary. -Margaret Cousins

One of my most precious gifts this holiday. A handmade picture frame carefully crafted from sticks found on a secret treasure hunt through the woods...and his sweet words of appreciation.  The smile on my face when I received this gift showed how he made my day and the tears in my eyes showed how living as his mama has changed my life.

Wishing you all a new year full of wonderfully grateful "in focus" moments!