Filed under: goals | Tags: accomplishments, challenge, goals, half-hearted attempts, ideas, Kathryn Thompson, life, resolutions, to do list
I just came across this post written by a fellow mom, Kathryn Thompson, and am feeling better about my own half-hearted attempts.
Sometimes my intentions just don’t reach fruition.
Some days I manage to cross a few items off of my To Do list; sometimes I’m super productive, but it seems like I don’t have enough hours in the day for my Want To Do list. So many ideas and projects I’d like to work on, but I’m either out of time or out of energy (or both!!) once the kids are out the door or tucked in for the night.
The author says: “…people talk about doing a job halfway as being a negative thing. What gives? Every job is done halfway. Then the other half is done. And if you stop after the first half, that’s one half more than you would have completed if you’d never tried at all.”
Perhaps I’ll just set my sights on accomplishing half of what I want to do; odds are, once I start, I’ll finish! Photo books? Archiving kids’ art? Sewing projects? Train for a triathlon? So many options. . .
But first, I think I’ll go half-heartedly clean the kitchen and taste the blueberry scones I just made with my son.
PS. they are delicious!
Filed under: 365, challenge, food, life, photography | Tags: challenge, fresh, life, Photograph, postaday, tri-color veggies
I’ve been busy with fun in the sun and missed the recent weekly photo challenges, but this one caught my attention.
So many photo options: swimming in a lake, a newborn baby, a delicious-looking cocktail, muffins just out of the oven, but I chose these two:
What’s “fresh” in your life?
Filed under: challenge, ideas, life, photography, travel | Tags: challenge, life, look at the world, Photograph, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge
I love these weekly photo challenges. Have a look at the world through my eyes. Where does your eye go?
Filed under: challenge, food, kids, life, photography | Tags: challenge, food, from above, kids, life, Photograph, photography, postaday, weekly photo challenge
My take on the WordPress weekly photo challenge: From Above
I hadn’t realized that I take so many pictures from above, but I love the view from up here. Family. Food. Feet.
Which one is your favorite?
Filed under: family, goals, gratitude, ideas, kids, life, resolutions, Uncategorized | Tags: family, goals, Is the glass half empty or half full?, kids, life, lifestyle, mental-health, Parenting, Pinterest, postaday, resolutions
The age-old question of the glass being half full or half empty is sometimes used as an indicator of your views on life. Are you an optimist? A pessimist?
Or perhaps you don’t care either way and are just happy to have the glass.
Since I became a mom, I found another glass metaphor – the one that measures my energy level. I remember talking to a friend about parenting young kids and how demanding they are with constant questions, needs, and wants. She replied ” your kids will drain you all day long; they suck the life out of you, so you have to make sure that you start each day with a full glass” (no, not of wine). And then she forwarded me a link to a blog post about nurturing yourself while nurturing your child.
After reading this article I realized that, at times, I was too impatient with my kids and frustrated by the lack of time for myself. I chose to leave my career in finance to stay home full-time with my kids, but I wasn’t the mom I wanted to be. So this year, as I approach 40, I have made an effort to put myself back on the never-ending to-do list. I decided that I needed to take some time every day to do something that is just for me. Something that makes me happy.
I exercise. I make a cup of tea (and try to drink it before it gets cold). I treat myself to a great pedicure. I read. I savour a square of sea salt Lindt dark chocolate.
If I had more time, I would sew, paint, make jewelry, garden, but until my youngest is in school all day, I will keep pinning great ideas on my Pinterest boards for future reference; even this makes me happy!
What do you do to fill your cup?
Filed under: challenge, goals, gratitude, ideas, life, resolutions | Tags: goals, Gratitude, gratitude journal, Happiness, happiness project, Health, life, quotes, resolutions
I came across this article on the subject of Happiness and thought it worth sharing:
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/9-daily-habits-that-will-make-you-happier.html?nav=pop
How many of these do you already do?
How many can you work into your daily routine with all of the competing demands in your life?
My personal favorite is “9. End each day with gratitude.” How do you know if you’re happy unless you acknowledge all that you have already? Every night I write in my calendar, 3 things that I’m grateful for and I find myself more grateful, more satisfied, and in the moment than I used to be.
But there is always room for improvement.
Filed under: goals, resolutions | Tags: 39, Birthday, challenge, clutter, cycling, date night, declutter, Duathlon, family, goals, happiness project, healthy-living, ideas, kids, life, marriage, organized, photography, resolutions, Ride to Conquer Cancer
I’m a little behind on posting and have been getting some attitude about it. Truth be told, I have 16 drafts started and a few that are almost ready to publish, but I’ve been busy. I could name all sorts of reasons, but let’s just call it “life”. Time to get back on track.
My 39th birthday was in October; yes, it’s been four months, but a busy four months they were. This year, after my annual birthday resolutions were made,
I also made a vision board to keep me focussed, but, I didn’t post my goals for all to see. If you’re new to my birthday resolutions, check out last year’s post: Happy Birthday To Me.
2013 Birthday Resolutions
To Do: a road bike event
To Have: a regular date night with my husband
To Be: clutter free
To Give: my undivided attention
To Learn: how to use my digital camera settings
Happily, I can report that I’ve taken steps to help me achieve these goals. We have interviewed new babysitters to watch the kids so my husband and I can exercise and socialize together plus we have both registered for the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer in June. You can make a donation here: http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Vancouver2013?px=3156646&pg=personal&fr_id=1441.
To get more comfortable with my road bike, I am planning to do another Duathlon in March. And to work toward being clutter free I am following a “declutter calendar” for the year which I stumbled upon (http://www.mysimplerlife.com/decluttercalendar.htm).
To give undivided attention is aimed at having more “quality” time with each of my kids and my husband as well as cutting back on multi-tasking. Focus, focus, focus! Which brings me to my camera; I haven’t yet made a formal plan here, but am confident I’ll get this one done, too!
Now, to check my 40 Before 40 list to see what other goals I can achieve this year!
Have any tips or advice you want to share?
Filed under: family, goals, ideas, kids, life, resolutions, Uncategorized | Tags: family, friendship, goals, gratitude journal, happiness project, Home, ideas, kids, life, marriage, resolutions, Thanksgiving
Since I started my gratitude journal last year, I have been more thankful. More appreciative of the little things. The smell of my sons’ hair when they come in from playing outside. The lingering embrace at the end of a quick hug from my husband. A perfect cup of tea. A relaxing foot massage. The simplicity of everyday routines.
But today is Thanksgiving (in Canada) AND my 39th birthday . . . I have much to be thankful for:
- a husband who does more than most
- two boys who inspire me to be better and do better
- true friends who remember my birthday (without the help of Facebook)
- old friends who are still there despite the passage of time
- new friends that have come to me through my children
- a family that has supported me whether they agreed with my decisions or not
- grandparents that are still around to teach their great-grandchildren the joys of baking and the many uses of a magnifying glass
- being able to stay home with my boys until I decide what to do next
Filed under: baking, books, family, gratitude, kids | Tags: baking, batter, books, family, favourite recipes, food, Gram, great-grandparents, Home, kids, Lake of the Woods, life, memories, patience, pyrex bowls, pyrex nesting bowls, raw eggs, recipe, wooden spoon
Those were the days. You could lick the spoon, clean off the beaters and no one ever said “No! You’ll get sick from raw eggs!”.
I used to spend a month every summer at my grandparents house in the Lake of the Woods region. They would take us to the beach, fishing on the lake, blueberry picking and I loved it! Now that I have 2 kids of my own, we travel there every year to visit their great-grandparents. I look back fondly on those days and hope to be able to create memories that my boys will cherish, too.
Some of my best memories of those summer days are the times I spent baking with Gram. 
She taught me how to make pies, cookies, muffins, and butter tarts. I remember her original cookbooks, all worn, yellowed and sometimes sticky; the hand-written recipes for some of my favourites. The coloured Pyrex nesting bowls and the well-worn wooden spoon. She always wore an apron and made it all seem effortless: mixing the ingredients, timing the baking, even the cleanup. I would help measure and stir and then lick the batter off the spoon, mixers and out of the bowl! Delicious goodness. (I still prefer uncooked batter to the finished product and my recipes never seem to make a full batch!) I was never told to “just eat one” or “save some for later.” It was pure pleasure!
Over the years, I collected Gram’s recipes and must admit, they are still my favourites.
Now that I have kids of my own, we often bake together: muffins, banana bread, cookies, weekend waffles or pancakes. But only recently have I given them the utensils to lick clean! There’s a lot of deep breathing involved as I’m not as patient as my Gram was – the flour all over the floor and counters, the fingers always reaching or grabbing for something – but I try to relax and enjoy our time together. It’s great to have home-made treats for lunches and snacks, knowing love was an essential ingredient.
I hope my boys will look back fondly on these times spent together or at least think of me when they order pancakes at a restaurant or buy a muffin to go with their morning coffee!
Filed under: 365, goals, gratitude, ideas, life, resolutions | Tags: challenge, goals, gratitude journal, happiness project, healthy-living, ideas, life, mental-health, resolutions
My thought for today as quoted from my Yogi tea bag. I love it!
As part of my Happiness Project, I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal, but I’ve fallen behind. So today, I am picking up the pen again. It’s great to be reminded of how lucky I am and to keep things in perspective when I’m facing a challenge!
It really is the little things. A hug from my boys, tea made by my husband, ballet class . . .some days I have so many moments that I want to remember, I don’t even get to write them all down. But I do spend the day trying to be mindful and appreciative.
Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m cheerful and perky all day – my kids still don’t listen to me when I ask them to stop bugging each other, there are still terrible drivers everywhere and petty annoyances, but focussing on the best of the day seems to make it easier to forget the rest.
Yesterday . . . my dishwasher. I am lucky to be able to turn it on when I go out and come home to clean dishes – allowing me to spend time with my family instead!
Today . . . I’m grateful for a much-needed morning shower and clean hair!
And you??
mypostcardsfromhome 