A Village...

There is a saying ~ "It takes a village to raise a child."~ this could also pertain to raising a creative idea.  My idea for a meal planning business doesn't happen on it's own. It has the support of my family and friends ~ my village! I was thinking about that and how most if not all great ideas and creativity are born with help from others. Leaving me with overwhelming gratitude. Thank you...ALL

SURPRISE!!!

I always thought I liked surprises, but a couple of times lately people have come over to my house without warning. And my reaction ( without trying to show it) is like this picture. So I was pondering this thought as to "why" I have this reaction. I'm not sure only to say, I feel like I need to prepare myself ( whatever that means) and then it's all okay. But it is something I want to explore about myself more. Am I too protective and guarded of myself or is it just a part of my personality? Either way it is interesting to observe and decide how I feel about this part of me. 

A Song...

My oldest son is getting married this October and he called me the other day and wanted me to pick a song for the mother~son dance. My first thought was the song "I Hope You Dance", which always brings me to tears. But with a little time to reflect I feel a bit overwhelming and honored all wrapped into one. Overwhelmed to find a song that will incapsulate all that a mother could feel for her son and honored that we have a relationship that offers the opportunity to to even have a beautiful mother~son dance. And as the months drift by I will enjoy the process to find "just the right song" that will hopefully bring joy and happiness to his special day and our special dance. 

Love to you my dearest son ~ Matthew

Beautiful...

http://you-are-beautiful.com

I hope you know today in this present moment
 ~ YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL ~

The Meal 2013...

My friends and I participated in this today. We gathered together, brought food to share and then we took a picture and ate together with all the others around the world who participated. Food is a great connection to each other. It is something we all have in common. Don't wait for a project to celebrate a meal with someone you love.

THE SKETCHBOOK PROJECT

We build art projects and communities.

The Meal 2013

One moment. One meal. One photograph. Let's eat.

Last year over 4,000 people from around the globe sat down together to share a meal. Not only did we help to raise awareness about world hunger, but we also shared a community experience the Art House way. Join us this year on February 22nd at 12:00PM ESTfor the 2nd annual The Meal. Whether it's breakfast in LA or a midnight snack in Beijing, let's take a moment from our hectic lives and share it with strangers around the world.

Perspective...

When I saw this picture I wasn't quit sure what it was. But it got me to thinking about perspective and when i can't figure out something in my life maybe I should look at it from a different angle. Use a different approach or step back and find a new way to see. When my kids were little there was a book I got out of the library and it would have pictures in it like this one and you had to guess what it was. Sometimes that's all it takes is a change in perspective.

Virtual Walk...

I'm working on my meal planning business today and my brain needed a little stretch, so I'm going on a virtual nature walk. This picture looked so inviting and intriguing as to what beauty lays around the bend. I can just feel the sunshine, as my mind drinks in the scenery. Nature always restores my spirit.

Showers...

"Expect the unexpected"

Yesterday brought me showers of goodness. I was out doing a job for someone and all day it just happened - goodness dropping all around me. I keep a journal of random everyday goodness and I had a lot to write yesterday. It is the little things that stand out ~  money saved, a check that came, kindness offered ~ all unexpected. And the day ended with a beautiful shower of snow. I see that as awesome too because it was picture perfect, causing no hazards and I was able to go out today and do what I needed to get done. 

Valentine's treat...

Yesterday was Valentines day and I gave myself the gift of self-love. My bedroom is like an indoor garage. All the stuff I don't know what to do with or those "get around to it" piles end up in my room. After while my room is just a maze to move around in and it drives me crazy. So yesterday I took the time and decided to clean my room. This is also significant because I usually spend my time cleaning up other areas of my home but avoid my own. It felt good to love myself enough to feel like the time I spent was "well spent." And it feels SO good to look around and see "love." 

P.S. thank you self, for the love!

A sweet memory...

I was out with two of my children today running an errand to the library. My youngest is soon to be eighteen so it was a sweet memory of all the days we use to spend at the library checking out more books then we could carry. We participated in a lot of programs and enjoyed hanging out together. My children aren't avid readers but they do have a love of a good book. The library holds reminders of all the stories we read together and is a place of comfort and good "sweet" memories.

Change...

Change is hard sometimes, even in the smallest of things. I've had to recently change banks and I'm trying to get use to the new system. It seems like a small thing and I know once I get use to it, a year from now it will seem easy. But right now I just want to scream " I don't want to change, I liked it the way it was." Not so much because I loved where I was banking but because it was familiar. Good reminder that familiar is not always the best place to be. I guess I feel like I have so much stepping out of my comfort zone right now in my life I didn't welcome this unexpected change. But life, if nothing else, is about change, and I can either go kicking and screaming or allow it to be. So today I allowed myself to kick and scream a little and that's okay.

Seeds and Garlic...

I'm getting spring fever so today I'm going to plant some seeds. I already have garlic growing from when I planted it in the end of Oct-Nov. If you've never grown garlic you should try it. You don't need a garden, you could use a fair size pot of dirt and take the cloves ( don't even need to take the skin off) and put them, one clove at a time ( because each clove is a new plant - plant pointed side up) in the dirt. And in the spring you have garlic! Just know that you may want to plant more then you think. I use a lot of garlic and I thought "surely a dozen would be enough - nope." This year I planted twice as much and I'm not sure that will even be enough. But none the less I am excited about it. So easy ~ So yummy! Happy Planting...

Dream...

Welcome to the entrance of my dream home!

Laughter...

Laughter is the best medicine...

 This picture reminds me to not take life to seriously. I use to have a dog that would smile like that!

Today I'm going to allow myself laughter, to be light hearted and practice grinning from ear to ear.

Inspired...

Today I decided to let a picture inspire me. This one struck me as what I want to do everyday ~ To get up every morning and say " welcome world, I'm ready." I want to wake up excited about my life and all that it holds within that day ~ in that present moment! To have childlike wonder, that anything is possible, if only I believe!

So today I offer to myself - a gesture of self-love... To believe, to be excited and to just ENJOY this present moment I am in.

Love...

February is know for the month of love. So my thought was how can I for the next twenty eight days ~ Self - Love

Today I allowed myself to just sit and knit in the middle of the day while watching something inspirational to my spirit. Thank you self  - for your love today.

A Writing Kind of day...

Today was my second time going to a writers group that meets once a month. It felt good! I actually felt like a writer today. Everyone loved my fiction story I've been working on, on and off for years. And it was nice to visit the story again. I've been nurturing my story for about 10-15 years in my mind and on paper. I found out though someone today that it doesn't cost anything to publish a book on Kindle, and my thought was " Oh maybe someday I CAN send my baby ( my story) out into the world through an e-book." For some reason that excited me and it really doesn't matter why ~ it's a good thing!!! I may actually call myself a writer...

Simple...

"Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple."

Simple - is what I felt like I was. But I am finding out as I'm constructing a business of making cooking  simple, my brain is complicated. I struggle with trying to convey what I've learned in simple terms but it's not coming out that way and I get overwhelming and ends up getting nothing done. So my goal is to see if I can break my ideas into small pieces and FOCUS on just that. As my cooking style has changed over the years it has granted me wisdom and a lot of pleasure which I'm looking forward to sharing with others.  If I could just open the hatch of my brain and dump it on the paper I'd be making head way. But it's a challenge that I'm willing to work on because it will produce amazing results.