Taking a Moment to be Thankful

How often do you pause and take a moment to be thankful? I'll admit I don't do this often enough. Sometimes I let my life get overrun with seemingly important things, that at the end of the day are not all that important. I find myself busy, too busy in fact to step back and be thankful. Luckily for me, I always seem to realize the error in my ways, and come back to a place of gratitude.

The other day I was taking a stroll with my daughter and stumbled upon the scene pictured above. It made me thankful. Thankful that I live in a nice neighborhood that's relatively safe with beautiful gardens. In Baltimore, there are many people living in neighborhoods that look like this

And here I was walking around my neighborhood so many times, not remembering to thankful for my surroundings.

Later in the day I began to notice other things to be thankful for. It was amazing how one moment of gratitude could become contagious and begin to illuminate all the other things I had to be grateful for, that often go unnoticed. Do you take out time to be thankful? What have you been thankful for lately? Please share.

"It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich." ~Deitrich Bonheiffer

Work as a Gift

Many of us hate our work. Whether it be our 9 to 5 (or more like 9 to 9 for some of us), or household duties, work is something many people resent. I must admit, I used to be in the aforementioned camp, particularly when it came to running errands and cleaning up around the house. I felt like housework was tedious and never ending, not to mention thankless. I mean how often do you hear your spouse or kid say, "Thanks so much for scrubbing the toilet spotless, or I really appreciate you paying that medical bill on time"?

Recently,  I've begun to look at work differently. I recognize the importance of housework in maintaining an efficient, safe, and peaceful household. Now instead of resenting doing work around the house, I am thankful for it.

I use the time I do chores to be consciously grateful. I remember to be thankful for the financial ability to pay bills, for the physical ability to clean up, for a great family to clean up after, and for the mental capacity to organize.

On days when I am particularly fortunate, I get a moment to quietly sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labor. Like the other day when I had a chance to stop and look at my first ever homegrown floral arrangement. It's amazing how something so small, can feel so big. Hard work and gratitude will do that for ya.

What about you do you enjoy your work?

"In everything, give thanks." ~1 Thessalonians 5:17

Goodnight My Love

When I was a little girl my father used to sing me a lullaby before bed. He wasn't much of a singer, but there was no doubt his tunes were filled with love. I can still hear him singing.....

"Goodnight my love, pleasant dreams

Sleep tight, my love

May your tomorrow be sunny and bright

And bring you closer to me"

Just think I have a little girl to sing this song to now. I can hardly believe it.....life is good! :-) 

What tunes do you remember from your childhood? Do you sing to your kids?

"How long do you wanna be loved? Is forever enough? Is forever enough? How long do you wanna be loved? Cause I'm never, never givin' you up." ~Dixie Chicks

Happy Halloween!

Baby Z and I wanted to wish you all a Happy Halloween! Enjoy yourselves :-)

The Greatest Push Gift in the World!

Introducing.......Baby Z. Isn't she lovely :-)

"I thank you for choosin' me to come through unto life to be, a beautiful reflection of his grace. See I know that a gift so great is only one God could create and I'm reminded every time I see your face, that the joy of my world is in Zion." ~Lauryn Hill

Simplifying My Wardrobe

In an effort to further simplify my life, I'm downsizing my wardrobe. If you're anything like me you find your closet littered with clothes you no longer wear, and have days where you scramble to find something to put on even though you own a buttload of stuff. Due to limited space and my frustration with this situation I've decided, no more! It's time for me to pair down and gain some sanity and closet space back. To complete this challenge I'm participating in Courtney Carver's PROJECT 333. If you haven't heard of project 333 it's an initiative that encourages people to downsize their seasonal wardrobes to 33 pieces. Here are the rules:

When: Every three months (It’s never too late to start so join in anytime!)

What: 33 items including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes.

What not: these items are not counted as part of the 33 items – wedding ring or another sentimental piece of jewelry that you never take off, underwear, sleep wear, in-home lounge wear,  and workout clothing (you can only wear your workout clothing to workout)

How: Choose your 33 items, box up the remainder of your fashion statement, seal it with tape and put it out of sight.

What else: consider that you are creating a wardrobe that you can live, work and play in for three months. Remember that this is not a project in suffering. If your clothes don’t fit or are in poor condition, replace them.

Over the course of the next 3 months I'll mix and match 33 pieces, and let you  know about my progress. I'm still deciding which items to keep, but should be finished soon. The rest I will donate, freecycle, and/or box up and put in the basement where appropriate. I'm leaving room for a few wild card items in case I want to do a little shopping to spruce up a few items I already own. This challenge should be fun! Anyone care to join me? 

"More possessions than you actually need burden you...our possessions possess us when we keep them after they are no longer useful to us." ~Peace Pilgrim

Simple Living: Why I Don't Follow the News

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. I don't follow the news, at least not frequently. I know it's unconventional, but it has done wonders to improve my life. The primary reason I don't watch the news is because the news is depressing. It's filled with stories of shootings, wars, death, scandal, political division, and a host of other negative crap. Following it takes up time and emotional energy I just don't have to spare. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if we all stopped watching the news?  What if instead of being watchers of the news we became makers of the news.....the good news that is. It's just a thought. What about you? How much news do you consume?

"Don't let them steal your happy." ~Jennifer Pastiloff

How to Get Rid of Junk Mail

If there's one thing that gets me mad it's junk mail. I hate the waste it creates, both in terms of time and materials. Just thinking of how much advertising paper I've had to dispose of over the years really gets my blood boiling. These ads feel like such an invasion to me. For once, I'd like to open my mailbox and only find useful items inside. Normally, I passively put up with my irritation with this situation as I grumble on my way to recycling bin, yet again. But not recently. No I hit a breaking point the other day, when not one but two, 17 lb. Restoration Hardware marketing packages appeared at my door step. That's right folks, 34 lbs. of garbage! I can only imagine how much these shipments cost companies, and how much of that cost is passed down to consumers.

I was incensed, and decided to take action. I signed up for CATALOG CHOICE. It's a free website that allows you to manage junk mail, and send requests to companies to remove you from their marketing lists. For those of you who are like me and wish to avoid mail advertisements, it's a great service. I feel like they've given me a small piece of my life back :-)

"Waste your money and you're only out of money, but waste your time and you've lost a part of your life. ~Michael LeBoeuf

Around (Another) Town: Assateague Island, MD

Over the weekend  the hubs and I had the pleasure of visiting ASSATEAGUE ISLAND. The island is home to Maryland's only oceanfront STATE PARK, and is about a 3 hour drive from both Baltimore and DC. One of the main attractions is of course the beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean.  Few things beat listening to the sound of the ocean and feeling the sand between your toes. It makes an incredible backdrop for reading a good book, taking a nap, or fitting in a little yoga.

In addition, to a phenomenal beach they also have wild horses, that you can find trotting along the shore and other park grounds. It's quite the sight to see.

The location makes for both a nice romantic getaway as well as a family friendly excursion. For an entrance fee of $4 per Maryland resident and $6 per non-resident (active military get in FREE) it won't break the bank either. I feel super fortunate to have discovered it, and can't wait to go back soon!

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." ~John Burroughs

Appreciating the Small Things

I find I get a lot more out of life when I learn to appreciate the small stuff. Little indulgences every now and again help to keep my mind off worrisome things and promote inner peace and serenity. Small items I like to spoil myself with that bring me great joy include: small vases filled with hydrangeas, a cup of rooibos tea, scented candles, a long hot bath, perfumed soaps, and a warm serving of brownie a la mode :-) What about you, what simple things do you like to treat yourself to?

“Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its counterfeit." ~Hosea Ballou 

Living Simply in the New Year

Living simply means different things to different people. For me, living simply is about:

• taking care of my home and those who inhabit it 
• taking time to appreciate and recognize the everyday miracles and beauty around me
• constantly being appreciative and happy with what I've got
• finding joy through giving and service
• connecting with nature
• not living beyond my financial means
• being self-sufficient
• staying mindful
• and truly realizing that the best things in life are free

These things combine to produce a balanced and fruitful life, the satisfaction with which is hard to put into words. It helps me to prioritize the things that are really important, and to live each day to the fullest. As the new year approaches I hope to simplify further by cooking more, shopping less, enjoying alone time, budgeting more, and learning how to garden. 

"He who is contented is rich." ~Lao Tzu