Christmas Tree 2012 {And I'm Back...}

Hello, hello!!!  I did not skip town...I have had the craziest, most un-fun 3 weeks.  I had my first migraine ever along with complete facial numbness on the right side of my face.  Scary, right?  This crazy thing is just now finally going away.   3 weeks with a numb face, horrible headaches and dizziness is about enough to make someone nuts!  I've had lots and lots of doctor appointments, medications, tests administered,  and time on the couch.  I missed several days of school (never an easy thing for an elementary teacher!) and many fun times with my family!  Thanksgiving was mostly spent on the couch.  Thank goodness the doctors don't think anything is seriously wrong.   I have developed total empathy for people that struggle with illness much of the time or cannot function normally for extended periods.

Let's get to the tree!  Throughout this time, I had been able to do very little around the house to doll it up for the holidays.  Hubby and the kids put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving and we got some of the other festive stuff out.  Luckily before my illness I had started making some little DIY projects.  I was able to work on some of those this weekend now that I am feeling somewhat normal and I can't wait to share them with you later this week.

When my family went to put up the tree this year many of the white lights were out.  In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter?  I had a lot of thinkin' about life to do on that couch, I tell ya.  ;)  We had plenty of colored lights on hand so we decided we'd go against our regular tradition of white lights.  Color us happy, we think it looks great.

Most of the ornaments on our tree have special meaning.  Each year since my husband and I have been together I have bought a matching ornament for each of our 4 kids.  (Riley wasn't born yet, but when she was, we went from 3 to 4 matching ones to get) I write their name of the back of the ornament and the year.  So now we have 25+ ornaments on our tree from this tradition, which I love.  We also have silver stars that we got a few years ago that say "HOPE", "PEACE", AND "LOVE" and silver reindeer in different poses.  My hubby and I picked these out together.

A new addition this year is a collection of hand-painted ornaments that my hubby's mother painted years ago.  She did an amazing job and they are a cute addition to our tree.  Since she is gone now, they are especially meaningful.   We all agreed that this is our favorite tree yet.   Downstairs in our finished basement we have a smaller kids tree that has Disney and kid ornaments and handmade treasures that the kids have made through the years.

Make sure to stop back this week to check what I've done in other areas of our house.  I am giddy about how some of my easy-DIY projects turned out and I hope to inspire you!

Day 28: It's Okay When Life Gets in the Way

Just joining in?  Read the entire series {HERE}.

Here I am posting for today at 7 PM.  This weekend we were able to go up and see my sweet step-daughter, Kaitlyn, up by Cleveland where she goes to school and is a senior.  It's about 3 hours away from us.  She plays soccer for her college team and today was Senior Day.  We had a nice visit with her yesterday, went to see a movie, then out to dinner and our littlest, Riley,  got to spend the night with big sissy at her apartment, while the boys, hubby, and I stayed in a nearby hotel.

Today during the game today it poured freezing rain.  We huddled together in the stands to cheer for our girl, fighting over umbrellas, grumbling when the neighboring umbrella dripped water on us,  yet giggling and cheering with numb, shaking fingers holding umbrellas and hoods up.  I have no idea how Kaitlyn and the other players played so hard in those conditions.  It was wicked-nasty out.  Riley kept saying, "I don't like that Sandy," referring to the incoming storm.

Now home, a little bit ago I was in our laundry room, sorting all of our weekend getaway items, wet clothing, blankets, gross, rolled-up socks, and winter coats.  

I could have gotten stressed and overwhelmed by those wet piles but I didn't.  I could have worried that I hadn't thought ahead about what I was going to write about for today but I didn't do that, either.  Because when life happens, those fun, memory-filled, proud moments come, you need to be 100% present and grateful and not worried or you'll miss the important stuff.  Being with family is about the most important stuff there is.

Sometimes it's hard to put things in perspective, ranking them in order of importance.  Listening to my daughter read is more important than looking at Pinterest.  Having a good conversation with my hubby is more important than folding laundry.  Showing my boys that I care by stopping what I am doing to help them or really, truly listen to them is more important than blogging.  

I hope you let life get in your way and put things in perspective.  You'll never look back and wish you had folded more laundry or were on your phone more. 

Day 24: Simplifying the Holidays {What Really Matters}

Just joining in?  Read the entire series {HERE}.

In today's post I wanted to talk about how we can simplify the holidays.  So many times we don't because we worry what others will think and that we will let people down.

Think about that.  How many times do we keep up a tradition, whether it be using our best China or making 20 different kinds of cookies, just because that is what our family or friends or colleagues expect?  I think that most of us actually love traditions, for they give us those warm, fuzzy feelings that are familiar and loving for all ages, young and old.  But at the expense of our sanity?  Or budget?  Or health?  Now if you love a tradition, and it truly brings you joy, then, by all means, keep it up.  I'm talking about the ones that are a lot of work and you're doing them because you don't want to disappoint, feel guilty, or not meet others' expectations.

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Keeping up the image of a perfectly decorated home, the perfect meal, 20 different kinds of handcrafted and iced cookies, different, unique gifts for each person, IS EXHAUSTING.  Stressed is not how you want to spend your holidays.

Source

No one ever looks back on a holiday and says, "Boy those matching serving platters she had were amazing." They think about how the holidays made them feel, the sounds of sweet laughter they heard, the smells of food that were made by loving hands, and the coziness that, when spent with loved ones, enveloped them.

This year, I do plan to be more organized and on top of things.  And I do plan on making some cookies, making my house pretty, and buying and making gifts for others.  What I don't plan on doing is  rushing, worrying, procrastinating, and stressing.

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What are your plans to simplify and enjoy the holidays more this year?

Sharing With:
The Inspired Room, Fall Nesting Party

Day 13: It's {Going to Be} a Good Day

Just joining in?  Read the entire series {HERE}.

My post is a little late today...I haven't felt tip-top (yucky cold) and have been extra sleepy.  Our littlest had her soccer game this morning, and BRRRRR, it was cold!  Made me want to come home and sniffle under the covers, lots of them.

I had intended to post today about a little project I had been working on, but instead shifted my gears to just enjoying the day, the weekend, the beautiful fall weather, and my family.  It's going to be a good day.

Days don't always work out in your head how you think they will.  Last night in bed I lay thinking of all of the things I was going to accomplish, cleaning, projects, blogging, all of the things I wanted to do with my hubby and kids, pumpkin patch-ing, playing a game all together, taking a walk.   Then my step-son came home from a football game he went to this morning and says he's going hunting with his uncle.  My son, who is 12, wants to go to the school's playground  in our neighborhood with his friend, and my daughter is perfectly content reading to her imaginary students (and has been for almost 2 hours!  I was her "student" last night--so fun).  The hubby is watching college football, our bellies are happy and full of lunch where we all had different remnant-type leftovers and such, and me, I am in a sweatshirt and jeans on the couch (also Riley's classroom, oops).  When I have other plans, while well-intended, I realize they may not always happen like I thought they would, and that's okay.  We switch gears, move things around.

I guess instead of stating that it's going to be a good day, I need to say, it is a good day.  God is good.  We are healthy, content, and enjoying a meaningful Saturday.   The sun is out, the leaves are crisp, and the nest is cozy.

How about you?  Are you in the frame of mind that it's a good day?

Day 11: Taking Things for Granted

Just joining in?  Read the entire series {HERE}.

I am a little off the organizing/project posts for a couple days but will hop back on the wagon in a day or two!  I am excited to show you labels on the cabinets, fun little projects I am working on, and other ideas to help our nests be less stressed.

But today..... my twin sister and I turn the big 3-9!!!  I am even two minutes older.  So hard to believe.  I still think of us as twenty-somethings.    In honor of our birthday, we are going out to dinner together with our spouses, kids, sister and family, and of course our sweet Dad.    I am so grateful for that time together!  My twin and I have not spent enough of our birthdays together as adults, and I am so happy we get to see eachother.

I wanted to write a short post today about what I take for granted.  Little things, big things, many things.  I take for granted I have a car that will start every morning.  That I have a job to go to, a warm bed to sleep in, and a hubby that loves me.  I take for granted that I can go into my kitchen and turn on a faucet of clean water, take hot showers, and have the dilemma of what to wear tomorrow.....

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As I celebrate another year, I realize, like yesterday, how blessed I am, how short life is, and how I really have nothing to complain about or want for...everything I need is right here.  Oh, happy day to you all!  When you start to complain or stress about little things, read that quote again and it puts it all in perspective.

Day 10: Blessed by Stress

Just joining in?  Read the entire series {HERE}.

Oh Happy Day!  It's 9:00 pm and Mama is tired.  I am just now sitting down to write my post for tomorrow after being at school all day, picking up my Dad to bring him to my home for supper, taking my son to football, eating dinner, cleaning up, doing my Dad's bills and checkbook for him (which I am solely responsible for since my Mom passed away last year), taking my Dad to pump gas in his car for him (81 and has never pumped gas!), then picking my son up from football, doing laundry, reading baggie books with my daughter.....

BUT, I am going to practice what I preach.  I could get all whacked out stressed about how busy life can be, or, I can be grateful for the beautiful, blessed life that I have.

I decided to turn my stresses in to a list of blessings:

I get to pick my Dad up to bring him to my home for supper.   I miss my Mom so much I can't put it into words.  Someday I will miss him, too.  He eats dinner most nights alone.  It's a blessing that he can come to my home, play poker with my kids, and eat with us.  I love sending leftovers home with him.  He is the most grateful man I know.

I am blessed to have a son healthy enough to play football.  I love watching him get excited and be part of a team.  All of my children play sports and it makes them happy.  That makes me happy.  Someday they will all be grown and I won't have practices or games to take them to.

We have plenty of food to eat in my home.  We can make dinner and have a nice kitchen to clean up afterwards.  My sweet hubby makes more than half our meals and cleans up most of them.  I am lucky to have him.

I can help my Dad pump gas...it means he can still drive and come and see us.  Being responsible for his finances means I get to do what my Mom always used to do.  I use her same checkbook cover that sat in her purse for years.  I see her handwriting on the ledgers.  I know she would be proud of me.

Laundry, let's see.  A blessing?  Yes.  It means that my family can buy clothes and have our own washer and dryer to keep them clean.  Many people don't.

Reading with my children.  One of my great loves.  I am blessed that my kids don't struggle with reading.  I work with students with reading disabilities.  I see how hard it is for them.  I think about parents of these children and how helping them read can be so frustrating.

I could go on and on.....but want to go kiss my blessings good night.

How can you turn your daily little stresses into blessings?

Using Old Books: {Meaningful Pieces}

When at my parent's house today I spied some books that I've had my eye on.  The books belonged to my sweet mom, who passed away last June.  She was an avid reader and had books for as long as I can remember.  Paperback novels, mysteries, old classics, you name it, she had it.

We have this giant set of bookcases in our great room (see past post about those HERE).  While I do love them and they nicely fill out our huge wall, they lacked, well, books.  I have accessories and pictures and other things to fill the shelves, but really no books.  Kinda embarrassing.  You see most of the books I have are paperback or not bookcase-worthy.  I have a few nicer, large "coffee table" type books, but not many.  So when I was looking through a bookcase at my parents' house today, I asked my Dad if he cared if I filled up a couple bags of books.  Of course he said "yes" so I went about sorting the types, sizes and colors I wanted to use in my bookcases and filled 2 paper bags. When I got home,  I set about finding spots for them in my bookcases:

I am loving the yellow horse head above, by the way.  It's this weird quirky thing that is sort of out of my comfort zone, but fun.  I found him on clearance at Marshall's.  I knew the hubby would give me his "look" when he saw him for the first time, but he's grown to love him.  At least that's what I'm sayin'.

I still have some work to do on the bookcases, still have shelves to fill and re-arranging to do.   I also am working on a strategic way to hide all of the electronic cords before I reveal the whole thing to you all. Soon I will be putting some hints of autumn in there...can't wait.   Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

Linking Up to:
This Gal Cooks-Marvelous Mondays
Western Warmth
At the Picket Fence

A Mini-Vacation

After Riley's birthday party a little over a week ago, I needed a couple days to recover...stenciling my dining room wall and then getting ready for her party in the same couple days put me a mode of needing to just rest and not do a project or a post.  Also, this past week my twin sister, Dia, and her little sweet girl, Camdyn, who is almost 4, went with Riley and I on a girls-only long weekend to our sister Pam's house in Eastern Tennessee.

I could write many funny stories about our trip there, which with stops and two little girls was about 8 hours...but I'm going to keep to sharing some pics of the outside of my sister's house as well as some fun things that we did our on short stay.

First off, let me say that my sis Pam has amazing taste and her decorating is BHG-worthy.  That is why when I saw her home when we pulled up (I had not been to this house before) I about drooled.

This house has a wrap-around porch and it is HUGE!  I told her she could have a party of 200 out there.  There are 3 sitting areas, and in the back is this mammoth hydrangea bush.

My brother-in-law, Greg (who has only been married to my sis for a little over a year, and is a total keeper)  did a beautiful job on the landscaping around the house.  The trees cover the driveway and everything is lush and full.  (Dia and I were amazed at how GREEN everything was--here in Ohio we have nothing but brown lawns.)

Pam took us to a fun little town in Jonesboro, Tennessee, which is the oldest town in the state.   On Friday nights they have a live band playing on the front steps of their courthouse.  The town is full of history and charm--two of my favorites things in a small town.

The next day we went to a nearby lake and rented a pontoon boat.  SO FUN.  This lake is one of the most pristine in the country.  It was spectacular...so relaxing and scenic.  Our little ones enjoyed being the captains.

Is this gorgeous or what???

Thanks for letting me share our fun mini-vacation with you!  It was fun having some sister time and getting to be with family.  I missed my other kiddos and hubby a lot, but hopefully they can come with us next time.

So what about you, do you have relatives to visit in a fun or scenic place?  What are your favorite small towns that you have visited or secret little gems to visit?

Beach Birthday Party {On a Budget}

This weekend we had my daughter's 7th birthday party at our house.  Now I don't have a problem with birthday parties at bounce places, bowling alleys, skating rinks, or swimming pools because she has gotten to attend many of those in the past year and they are all always fun.  However,  since we had not had a friend birthday party for her before, I really wanted it to be more traditional and simple.  I also feel when kids have their parties in public places you lose some of the personal feelings you get when they are at home.  Some parents have shelled out over $300 to rent a place.  Plus, I have been at parties with her that she barely had any contact with the birthday kiddo because they are all running around bouncing or playing all over the place and they don't even see eachother let alone really talk or interact.

That being said, we decided on a simple birthday party at our house.  We wanted a summery, beachy theme.  Riley and I found some great pieces at a nearby Party City that had some great colors in them...pink, blue, and green.  We bought the large pouf balls and a few other small things.  Then we went to the Dollar Store and got lots of goodies...pink straws, shells, leis, headbands, and flowers.

Birthday girl and her favorite little cousin

We purchased a pack of 12 pink gift bags and some foam letters at Jo Ann's on sale.  I used the foam letters to spell out Happy Birthday for the banner (I loved how this turned out!  Scrapbooking paper + ribbon + foam letters)  and the girls also got to put their name on a bag with these letters to hold their things.  We had them do this when they got to our house to give them something to do while we were waiting for all of the party-goers to arrive.

We had a headband for each girl that we got at the dollar store (6/$1).  We took apart a couple of bushes of large pink silk flowers (also from the Dollar Store) and my step-daughter, Kaitlyn, hot-glued them onto the headband.  They turned out so cute and everyone wore the headhands and leis.

I kept the decorating simple.   Other than the banner I made (which I got the idea from Courtney at
 A Thoughtful Place--thanks Courtney!), the hanging poufs (Courtney had these exact ones too--I just realized that!) and a couple other little things, I used shells, starfish and other beachy things that I already had or that fit the color scheme we were going for.

To eat we made hot dogs on the grill, mac 'n cheese, fruit skewers,  blue jello cubes (to look like water of course!), and chips.

I scored the polka-dot platter with the fruit skewers on it for 75 cents and the shell platter for 62 cents on clearance!  I love when a plan comes together!  The "tablecloth" on the sofa table that we brought out to the porch from the great room is actually an extra flat sheet from my daughter's bedding set.

For dessert, we made Funfetti cupcakes with colored icing that we made to try to match our color scheme.  We found sprinkles to match too!

We put fun sour sugared candies on skewers that the girls got to take home with them.

There's my red cart!  Didn't quite go with the scheme, but I covered it up a little with scrapbooking paper and it was great to hold the sweets.

For games, we had all kinds of "beachy" themed fun.  Here are the games we played and a short description.  I have pictures of the girls playing these but since I forgot to get permission from parents to put their daughters' pictures on my blog, I left them out.  All of the games were fun, simple, and mostly free!  If you have any questions about any of them, just e-mail me or leave or question in a comment.

Games:

Musical Towels- same as musical chairs but use their beach towels.  We had beach-sounding music going and used that to start and stop for the game.

"Hot Potato"-but with a wet sponge-  The girls sat in a circle.  As music played the girls passed around the dripping wet sponge.  When the music stopped, the girl holding the sponge had to squeeze it over her head.  We re-wet the sponge after each time to get it really wet.  They LOVED this game!

Water Balloon Toss-Traditional water balloon toss where each girl had a partner and tossed, starting out close together.  They stepped back each time until their balloon burst.

Beach Bingo--I got my set at Party City for less than $3. All of the pictures were beach related--sunglasses, bikini, sailboat, etc.

(Another game that we ran out of time to play that is cute is "Shark, Shark, Fish"--played just like Duck, Duck, Goose.)

We also had a laundry basket full of water balloons to run around and throw at eachother, and hula hoops and beach balls to play with during any down-time---all from the Dollar Store.

Our party was super-fun and successful.  I loved watching my daughter's face and hearing her giggle with her friends.  I think it will be a birthday she will never forget.

Linking up to:

The Girl Creative-Just Something I Whipped Up
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia- Tuesday's Treasures
Take A Look Tuesday Craft Edition-Take A Look Tuesday
Trendy Treehouse Shutter Love Tuesday-Create and Share
Home Stories A2Z-Tutes and Tips
One Creative Mommy-One Creative Weekend
Hubby Made Me-Throwback Thursday
Bloom Designs

Traveling with Kids and Keeping Your Sanity :)

As you may have read in a recent post, we leave for our big trip to Disney World soon.  We are traveling from Ohio to Disney with our four kiddos, ages 6, 11, 15, and 21.  They usually do really well in the car. Oh sure, sometimes it seems like we are re-enacting a scene from Vacation (what parent hasn't threatened to pull the car over?), but overall they are quite content and treat each other with at least some sense of civility.  However, it is important that I ensure my sanity as the trip organizer, planner, and entertainment director.  WHEW.

Poor quality picture from movie :)  It was 1983-can you believe that? -Pinterest

On a sidenote, my 6-old year saw the above picture and I told her when she asked that the car was called a station wagon.  She said, "Ohhhh, that's one of the cool cars."  :)

We are blessed enough to have more technology than we could ever need.  I Pods, cell phones, DS's, PSP's, and the rear entertainment system for movies. What more could we possibly need?  The problem is that when driving 17 hours the Tangled movie and same songs on I Pods can get old.  Tell me how on Earth most of us that are old enough survived growing up with no phones, I Pods or DVD systems in the car on long trips?   I rode in our string of station wagons we owned growing up with no air conditioning (except for the last one we had!) and certainly no DVD player.  I remember propping my ghetto blaster up on the side in the back seat and listening to WHAM! and Gloria Estefan.  My sisters and I would write in our diaries, look at Teen Beat magazines, drinking the usually forbidden can of soda and eating Little Debbies.  Ah!  Those were the days.

Any-whooo, back to our Disney trip.  I am on the search for the best ideas for traveling on long trips with kids.  I searched my fave Pinterest, and some other sites.  Very savvy, practical moms have already thought of everything for me!  I want to showcase a few of the best ideas I saw when doing some research.  I hope at least one idea inspires or helps you for any summer journey you may be taking!

One great site where I found a mega-list of travel tips for kids is We are THAT Family.  Here are some of my favorite tips I found here.

1.  Tape record (buy used at a garage sale or use an old tape recorder you have lying around)  your own voice reading stories that your kids can listen to.

2.  Take a dry erase board and marker.  This encourages drawing, writing, and endless games of tic-tac-toe.  One way you can also use dry erase markers is to use a plastic sleeve (like from an office supply store) and put any tracing paper inside.  You could draw a large tic-tac-toe board on a piece of paper, stick it inside the plastic sleeve, and write directly on the plastic.  When done, it just wipes right off.  You can use an old sock or a piece of felt as an eraser.  To have a flat surface, you can clip the paper/sleeve to a clipboard.

3.  Play Printable Car Bingo. (click for the link to this PDF printable) I love this idea!  Older kids can help the younger kids and it's fun for everyone as it passes the time.

Some of my own ideas that I always do on road trips:

4.  Take a roll of paper towels and a container of baby wipes for spills and messy hands.

5.  Take a few plastic grocery bags and use them for trash.   Each time you stop for gas or potty breaks, toss the bag.  I am a freak about having trash lie around in the car!

6.  Take paper and pens.  Everyone likes to draw or doodle to have something to do.

7.  Have each child take a special bag with all of their goodies in it--books, headphones, stuffed animals, games or music, etc.  Since I have a wide range of ages, this is necessary because they don't really use the same things.

8.  Pack an outfit for each member of the family in a small bag if stopping overnight on the way to your final destination.  This saves you from dragging all of your big suitcases into a hotel when you are tired and grumpy.

9.  Take a couple of garbage bags for dirty clothes or wet suits and towels that didn't have time to dry before you left.  Your nose will thank you later.

10.  And last, but not least...loosen up!  Vacations or road trips are a huge part of childhood.  Say 'yes' to the snacks or drinks you wouldn't normally approve (within reason, of course), be patient with each other, and remember that you, as the parent, have a huge impact on the whole trip.  If your attitude stinks or is less than positive, it effects everyone.  Make as many memories as you can and take lots of pictures.  They are only this age once!  Someday you will be wishing they were still in the back seat screaming at each other.

If YOU have some great travel tips or ideas, please share!!!  I look forward to hearing your ideas!

Mom

As I sit and try to think of the right words to write this post, I decide to make it short, not because I don't have enough to say but because my hands are shaking and my lips are quivering and I don't want to type the letters that make it all true.  The first Mother's Day without my Mom.  She passed away during open heart surgery in June.  We weren't expecting it.  We fully thought she would go into recovery and we'd all see her afterwards groggy, with a slight smile on her face.  Then the doctor takes us into the small room that families never want to have to go and the next few minutes are a blur of words and tears and ugly sniffles and my siblings and dad sitting in shock with faces I will never forget.

She was the best mom ever.  She always called me honey.  She loved chocolate and hot fudge and only wanted the icing off the top of the cake.  She was an amazing grandma.  She lied and told the grandkids (all twenty-some of them) that her cookies were home-made and they never were.  She hemmed all my pants that were too long and I still look at those pants every time I wear them and think, "she touched these".  She made me stronger and wiser and more patient.  She made me frugal and (sometimes) funny and hard-working.  She taught me how to be a good mom, and step-mom, for she was that, too.

Pinterest

I could write on and on but I can't see the screen anymore and I wouldn't know when to stop writing.

My wish for all of you Mothers out there is to hold onto those babies, big or small, and if you are lucky enough to still have your mom, spend as much time as you can with her, ask her all the questions you've ever wanted to know, and about all the advice you've ever wanted her to give you, because someday you might not be able to.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom.  I love you.  xoxoxoxo

Make a Meaningful List

I'm going through a time, my friends.  I have not shared that my sweet, dear mother passed away last June during open-heart surgery.  I've still not totally accepted that, and with Mother's Day this Sunday, everything is especially raw.   I plan to write about her this weekend, so I hope you'll stop back and read how amazing she was.

For the past several months, I've gone through some heart-to-heart talks with myself.  Since Mom's passing, I've really been able to pinpoint what really is meaningful to me, what inspires me, and what makes me feel passionate and alive.   I decided to help myself remember what really makes my heart sing by making a list.  Losing someone makes you look at what your heart is feeling really, really closely.  While I have many blessings, a beautiful family, and much to be grateful for,  I know I have not put myself first and not done enough of what is meaningful to me.  That is one huge reason why I started this blog.  My list is kind of random, and full of small and big things alike.  Notice that most do not cost a thing, nor are they hard to do.  A common theme is nature.  I never realized until recently how important it is to me.  My goal is to refer to my list often, so I can remind myself how easy it is to make myself feel more whole and ignite those little fires in me that the little things in life can easily do.  Some may not be possible every day, but I can do at least one of these every day.

Pinterest

My Meaningful List

Being by water

Listening to water

Praising sunny skies

Looking at pictures of my children and family

Listening to music--especially solo piano tunes
Seeing anything in nature--flowers, trees, animals
Writing
Taking a walk, especially on a trail
Creating--decorating, organizing, making things pretty
Helping others
Getting fresh flowers, planting flowers

Pinterest

Now of course being with my family and friends is incredibly meaningful, but I wanted to make a list of things that didn't rely on anyone else.  How many people are unhappy and unmotivated because they are waiting on or blaming others for their lack of fulfillment?  It is up to each of us to have a meaningful life.  You just have to think about what makes your heart stand at attention.  You know that feeling.  Now, go make your list!

My Bathtub is a Hair Salon

Our master bathroom has your typical builder garden tub.  It's rarely used.  It's dusty.  It's like a big vast canyon that sits empty 99% of the time.  Until last weekend.

Meet Riley, my six-year old.

She told me she was going to go upstairs and play hair salon and asked if I'd be her customer.  "Sure," I said.  "In a minute."  When I made it upstairs, the hair salon was not actually located in her bedroom, like it had been the many times we've played this before, but in my bathtub.  Here was the setup:

I could have gotten annoyed that 897 items were sitting in my bathtub.  But they were arranged.  They were organized by category.  They had purpose.  There was even a cash register there, clear bags for my purchases, and a shopping cart.  And a little girl with her beautician belt around her waist and missing front teeth, a tilted head, asking me, "What would you like today, ma'am?" I couldn't resist. I got my hair done, makeup applied, and had more bangles and baubles on than Cindi Lauper and Mr. T.  combined.  I left that salon (hey!  it was much less expensive than normal--50 cents after all was totaled!) with a cart-full of goodies, fabulous hair and make-up, feeling totally relaxed.  Isn't that what the sign says?

And, best of all, I shared some fun and giggles with my favorite little girl.  Now that's Meaningful.