Monthly Archives: June 2015

Beauty and the Beach

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Today we enjoyed the latter part of the day in Santa Cruz, exploring, walking and playing.
I loved watching the light change as the day began to settle. I love this time of day.

I loved playing with Jeff and Charlie, kicking this BIG ball around.  If you’re looking for a big beach ball like this, I found this one at Target for $9.99 and its been loads of fun.

Happy Father’s Day tomorrow to all the Papas. Thank you for loving your kids and their mamas and making this world a better place. 

Love this life.  Life is good.

xo

Practicing One Love

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I am so sad about the shootings in South Carolina. I don’t understand hate and I acknowledge it exists. I just don’t understand why we have to hate those that are different from us. 

I love everyone and want to know everyone’s story and culture and history. I want to celebrate our differences and learn from each other.  I want to celebrate each others’ rituals and live it up together and lift each other up.

I want us all to learn how to get along and to see our connected humanity.  We are one love, BeLoveRs. It’s really not all that complicated.
Today was our family’s last day of volunteering all week at Vacation Bible School. I know we don’t all believe in the same faiths, but what I do know is that we love our communities and what brings us together.   We shared a common experience this week and practiced one love and I hope that our practice makes a small difference in our one little world. 

  
nAMaste BeLoveRs

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

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Along with the change your mind theme, sometimes you just don’t feel on/right/happy/up/positive/etc. That’s okay! It’s actually normal. 

What do you do when you’re having an “off” day?

I woke up with one of those moods for no apparent reason. I was like, uh-oh!! I saw it. I felt it. I wanted to zap it right away. But the feeling was just there and didn’t want to leave. 

What did I do?

1.  Acknowledged the off feeling.

2. Decided I didn’t want to be off, even though I felt it.

3. Faked it until I made a difference.

4. Went through the motions, even though I felt resistance. I didn’t stop and kept going, even when I wanted to just take a nap.

5. Enjoyed my day anyway, despite the lingering negative feelings.  I was happy with my experience even though I was unhappy on the inside and waited patiently for peace to arrive.

6. Made jokes about being mad and laughed at myself.  I was pretending I was mad and saying funny things.  This made me laugh.

7. Spoiled my daughter.

8. Did my chores.

9. Dressed up and met a friend for dinner and drinks.

10.  Went for a long walk with my BFF.

Guess what?  Love, laughter and determination wins. I came home happy again and the negative feelings were gone. But it took awhile!!

Finally. 

I think the walk and laughter and time with my family and friends made a big difference in my day. I think knowing I didn’t feel good and not acting on that feeling was key too. 

How do you handle stress? What makes you feel better?

Change Your Mind

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The mind is so powerful and impressionable. It tells us what we like and how we feel and helps guide us to do what we choose to do and so many other things.  And once we make up our mind, usually we follow the direction we’ve decided.

For example, I used to not like cats. I told myself I didn’t like cats and therefore I didn’t. I didn’t make any effort to like them or enjoy them and didn’t give them a second glance. I  cared very little for their presence.  I was happy for people who had them, but I had no desire or interest to share in their joy.

That is until I decided to like them and let them into my mind. I reluctantly granted my children’s wish and agreed  to have cats at our house. It was a slow process, but I changed my mind and accepted them. 

I decided they were actually cute and fun and allowed myself to enjoy them. I really surprised my husband, my kids and even myself as I find myself sneaking into their room to hold them and let them out. I love watching them play and I love the life they bring to our family. It feels like we have joyful fur babies!! 

Who knew I could change my mind and find joy?  Have you ever changed your mind for the better when you never thought you would?  So curious and very cool!

   
   Aren’t they cute?? Life is good!

Here I Am Another Year Older

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I still love birthdays. I think I always will. I love the excitement and anticipation of celebrating life, can you tell?  

Today was the first time I had limited expectations of how I wanted the day to unfold and having limited expectations created huge amounts of joy.

I was content and at peace and so very thankful.

I did everything I wanted to do. I enjoyed friends and family in several ways.  I loved all the phone calls and texts and cards and gifts and Facebook celebrations. 

Each member of my family made a homemade card. They decorated the kitchen and had coffee and breakfast ready for me when I got up along with very thoughtful gifts.

I got to play dodgeball and keep away, enjoyed lunch out with my kids, pedicures with my daughter, happy hour with friends,  being spoiled, watching the Warriors win, and having more friends come back for cake! 

 
   

I am happy and filled with gratitude for this one, beautiful, imperfect life I am living, perfectly imperfectly. 

nAMaste BeLoveRs

  

Helping Others 

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My day was filled with helping others and my heart is full. I think it’s true what they say about how when you help others you actually create happiness for yourself. It’s counterintuitive but it works and I’m hoping I can teach this life skill to my kids.

This week we are volunteering at our church’s Vacation Bible School. Charlie is working with me and Juliana is helping with our special needs ministry team. Christian was helping in the office, providing administrative help as needed.  I loved seeing them in action and hearing their stories. I didn’t hear a single complaint, not even the one that required them to get up early. I think they enjoyed serving as much as I did and found a bit of happiness. Who knew?  I think they are  learning a life secret through practice.

Life is a practice. Today practice was good!

Do you find happiness by helping others? Do you encourage your kids to give of their time? Just curious.

Summer Love

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Today I enjoyed my baby love. 

  
We had a busy day and enjoyed a delicious BBQ with new friends. 

I loved sitting back and watching my little “big” one having fun, climbing trees and holding his breathe under the water and splashing me. 

These are the best days of my life. 

I know. 

I am thankful.

Hope you enjoyed your Sunday and are ready and refreshed for the week ahead.

nAMaste

The Girl That Loves

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 I am the girl that loves.

I love this life, even the struggle when I don’t have all the answers.

I loved being part of PEO and being with sisters this morning for an initiation and shared brunch.

I loved being a witness to a Mormon baptism this afternoon.

I loved being invited to dinner at a friend’s house this evening.

I loved enjoying drinks, dinner and dessert together with my family and friends.

I am the girl that loves this life right now. How about you? Are you that girl or guy too?
nAMaste

Live Love Laugh

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My birthday is coming up and I received this birthday gift today from one of my BFFs along with a pair of silver dangling earrings and salted caramel chocolates. She knows me well and more than the material gifts, I loved the gift of time with her. She makes me smile and is a good listener and story teller and I just admire her so much.  I wish I had half her ability to remember details!! 

Thank you M for coming to spend the day with me. 

How did you live today?

Who did you love today?

When did you laugh today?

I lived it up by hiking and having friends over and playing with the kittens. I made Vietnamese Banh Mi Chicken sandwiches and spring rolls for dinner as requested by my husband and snuggled in with my family to watch the Warriors win tonight. 

  I loved my friends and my family today and I loved my mama on our phone chat this morning.

I laughed when Charlie snuck up from behind and startled me.

Today was good.  Hope you had a good day too, living it up, loving and laughing out loud!

Namaste