A really great date

Today I have felt a sudden urge of creative energy. I feel like I could write the next great American novel. 2010 has been so very good to me so far. The goals I've set for myself are happening. I'm doing what I said I would do. I'm building momentum.

This photo reminds me that I CAN do hard things. I CAN reach my goals, make my dreams come true. It was taken minutes after I ran my 2nd marathon in 2001 in Duluth, Minnesota. It sits in my bedroom, right next to my Dream Board.



Tonight my husband and I went on a very long date. We sat in our favorite restaurant for over 3 hours, enjoying a fabulous dinner, great conversation and we set goals for the next year.

*business goals
*personal goals
*couple goals
*family goals

This was something new for us. I mean we've always set personal goals but to sit down and share them then to create family, couple and business goals...we hadn't done that before. Very cool. I highly recommend it!

Tomorrow I'm taking our goals, typing them up in some fun font then putting them in a frame. I want to make sure we see our goals daily so we can be reminded of just what direction we are going this year.

What about you? Do you set goals? For you, your family? Let me know!

My Word

It's Wednesday and I'm just now posting my WORD from last week *sigh*. Yeah, pretty pathetic-huh? I'm trying not to spend every waking moment on the computer so I've limited myself a bit this week...however, I should be HERE!! (and not all those other places I get sidetracked on but man, there is some really inspirational stuff out there, ya' know?)

So here ya' go my WORD from last week...

SUPPORTIVE

–adjective
1. giving support.
2. providing sympathy or encouragement: His family was supportive of his attempts to be a writer.
3. providing additional help, information, etc.; auxiliary: manufacturers of supportive materials.

There are several reasons why supportive describes the week I had. I'm being supportive of others. I have two friends that are trying to lose weight, workout and clean up the clutter in their homes (just like me!). Last week I met one of my girls at the gym most days, worked out with her and gave her my full support. My other friend has a blog I read daily and comment on. Along with my support I give them they give me so much, too!

Towards the middle of last week our life became stressful with business stuff. By Friday I was a complete wreck. My husband and I were receiving death threats and talking to the police. It was a LONG day to say the least. Through it all my wonderful husband and I gave each other lots of love and support. What a comfort we were for one another!!

Another way my week was supportive was all the love I show my family daily. Each time I prepare a meal, drive someone to practice or an activity I'm showing them my support.

How are you doing? What was your week like? If you could describe it in ONE word which one would you choose? I would love to hear all about it!!!

Thanks Leanne

First a BIG Thank you to my Blog friend Leanne!! I dropped by her Blog today (please check it out because I LOVE it!!) for my daily dose of some "chaos" and read her latest post. Like me, Leanne loves artist Kelly Rae. Not only did she purchase Kelly's book BUT she treated herself to a piece of Kelly art-how cool is that?!

Soooooo...her purchase got me to thinking about something I've been wanting...not just wanting really but longing for...."Project Life" by Becky Higgins. This kit looks amazing and the more I read about it the more I want it...so I BOUGHT IT-just moments ago and it will be here this Friday...WHOO HOO!

So Leanne...Thanks for the inspiration girl! I will let you know how I like it when it arrives and I'll post pics, too:)

Check back tomorrow for my WORD as well as a list of my words since October.

What Can I Do?

When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses. ~Joyce Brothers

driving home from the gym this morning I drove by our old house on North Buchanan. We loved that house. It was HUGE and old and had so much character. The thing is it needed lots of updating and we just didn't want to put that much money into it...so we moved nearly 3 years ago. Don't get me wrong...I ADORE our new home. It's brand new and marvelous...it's just the memories from that old place...

Driving by I noticed the front porch first. Many summer nights we spent swinging on the old porch swing and playing the "car game". Jackson was just 8 when we moved there...Em just 5.

Now, here they are 15 and 12. Where did the time go?



Anyway, as I drove by I thought about time and how fast it was going...then I thought about what is it I can do to make my family happy? Am I doing enough? Is laundry, cooking and cleaning what they really want or is it playing games, catching a movie or just hanging out? I made a promise to myself this morning. Starting today, right now I'm gonna be on the lookout for ways I can make my family's day better. Maybe it's listening to Em go on and on about her friends and all the drama at school. Maybe Jackson wants me to play Call of Duty with him for a bit (who are we kidding though...Jacks would never ask me that!!LOL!) Maybe I can make sure that each and everyday my husband comes home to a clean, fresh smelling enviroment with peace and quiet when he needs it.




All I know is...starting today I'm gonna focus on my family more than ever. They are so very precious to me and time is fleeting. They will be gone way too soon.

I would love to hear what YOU do to make your family happy? Leave me a comment and win a prize!! (Yes, I'm still wanting to give something a way!!)

Is this a Word?

Here's the deal. Mondays just don't work for me when it comes to posting my Word of the Week. Usually I'm still thinking about the past week and trying to come up with just the right word. So, instead of trying to change the way I think I've decided that Tuesdays will be the day I post my Word from the previous week-got it? Good.

Last week I tried lots of new things that were a bit out of my comfort zone. I took not one but THREE classes at the gym-astounding for me! I also had my friend Kristen over for lunch and a visit. Now that's not really out of my comfort zone but it is something I've never done...cook a meal for a good friend on a weekday afternoon. We have decided to do that LOTS more! I also kept my word to myself...big deal for me!! AND I met some new friends at my Scrapbook Retreat which I hosted on Friday and Saturday. I was one busy girl.

As I've been thinking about my word I just kept coming back to this phrase..."out of the box". I know this is the Words of Me Project not the Phrases of Me...but really, couldn't it be? Sure! It is my Blog, my rules, right? LOL!!:)

Okay...so my word is

"out of the box"
Idiom
out of the box, Australian Slang. remarkable or exceptional; extraordinary.

I'm not sure my week was remarkable or exceptional but perhaps it was extra-ordinary. Keeping promises to myself, having a friend over, taking fitness classes...yeah...I'd say this word works for me.

I've been doing a bit of thinking about some new ways to jazz up this project and get you to really think about your life and how words can have a huge impact on it. I'll post these ideas within the next few weeks...stay tuned!!

Momentum

As the 2nd week of 2010 is almost done I'm feeling elated at the momentum I've got going in my life right now. I'm getting things done and boy, does it feel so very good.

I was pleasantly surprised to have 10 Followers as of this morning-Hooray!! My goal for 2010 was to have 50. I'm on my way:)

Been thinking so much about the poor people in Haiti. Please head over to Rebecca's Blog. Many of you might recognize her from Creating Keepsakes Magazine as she was an avid contributor to that magazine in the early 2000's. She even had her own journaling column and several books (which I own and LOVE). Rebecca was just in Haiti last week on a church mission trip. She had the chance to connect with many Haitians and has opened an Etsy Shop with pieces created by so many of the people she met. Like I said...check out her blog. It is very touching.

This weekend I'm having a Scrapbook Retreat in my town. Looking forward to hanging out with friends, making new ones and CREATING! Got up early this morning to get housework done and workout in so I can focus getting page packets ready for Friday and Saturday. Sure wish you could all come, too!! I'll post photos next week.


Speaking of photos...here are a few from Jackson's 15th birthday a couple of weeks ago. Jackson is headed out for the weekend to Liberty, Mo. for a Speech and Debate Tournament. His goal is to WIN! Good luck Jacks!!





How is your momentum so far this year?

Dream Board and My Word

It's Tuesday and here I am posting my Word one day late...Hmmmmmm...this is becoming a habit. Not good!! LOL! So, let's just get to it. My WORD from last week is-----

PRODUCTIVE

pro⋅duc⋅tive
  /prəˈdʌktɪv/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [pruh-duhk-tiv] Show IPA
Use productive in a Sentence
See web results for productive
See images of productive
–adjective
1. having the power of producing; generative; creative: a productive effort.
2. producing readily or abundantly; fertile: a productive vineyard.

With the first week of the New Year I went CRAZY getting stuff DONE! My family and I began getting up at 5:30 in the morning to do chores. A bit crazy perhaps but our home has never been so clean, our children so willing to work AND the change that has come about in me is spectacular. With everyone pitching in and getting the work done before the sun comes up is allowing me more creative time. It's great!! And you know whose idea this was??

My HUSBAND!! Yep, he thought we needed to live like he did waking up before the sun to do chores on the Dairy Farm. At first I thought he was a loon. But it has worked out better than I ever imagined. Who knew?!

Along with clean and organizing I've had quite the productive week of creating. I finished my Book of Possibilities along with my Dream Board. Here it is...



I belong to an AMAZING site called Transformation.com which was the inspiration for my Dream Board. I am so loving it. It sits right above my computer so I see it everyday. It's a wonderful reminder of where I'm going in 2010.

Tell me about your first week of the New Year? How are those goals coming? Is it time to tweak any yet? (It's okay, if you do ya' know).

Be sure and leave a comment. I want to give out a prize...but I need some comments!!:)

Have a great and productive day!

Little Book of Possibilites {update}

 **Note: This is a post form last January. I still have my Little book and love it! It's not filled out yet...but getting there. I wanted to re-post this for anyone who may not have seen it. I encourage you to create your very own book of possibilities for 2011. Enjoy:)

Here it is...MY VERY OWN "Little Book of Possibilities"!!



John Ruskin says...

"Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall at last unveil."

That's what I think about this book I created...it's a place to dream my dreams, set my "lofty" goals and grow and create myself in 2010. The possibilities are so very exciting to me!!

Here's an example of the inside of the book. You can see on the right I've already started listing and dreaming and hoping.



Here's a look at 2 of my favorite pages in the book...I adore butterflies and they are scattered throughout.


Another page...



The book has approx. 144 pages in it along with 12 calendar pages and 12 plastic "sleeves" for photos, notes, whatever. I put decorated cardstock in the sleeves. I will use for photos, lists, handwritten notes I receive, etc.

Here's the back of the book...



When all is said and done this project took about 5 hours total. I used rub-ons, scraps of paper, stickers and stamps. It was a REALLY FUN project!!!

Thanks for looking and let me know if you make one.

Twenty Ten Energy

The past few days I just have this energy...I am so loving it! Getting things done, feeling very creative. Spent a few hours on the couch last night watching my favorite show "The Biggest Loser" and cutting out words and pictures for my Dream Board I'm creating TODAY! So excited about this project. I'll take a photo of that as well as the cute little book of Possibilities.

What kind of energy are you having today? Have you noticed yourself doing things differently with the New Year? I'd love to hear about it. Leave me a comment...and remember I'm giving away a scrappy prize to one lucky person!!

My Goals, My Word and Prizes!!

A day late again for my Word. I do have a good reason which I'll share in a moment...

But for now....MY WORD from last week is...

re⋅fresh⋅ing
  
–adjective
1. having the power to restore freshness, vitality, energy, etc.: a refreshing nap.

With last week being the last part of 2009 I sat down, finished up my 2010 Goals, spent time with Dave and the kids and began purging and cleaning my house. It just felt so darn good! By the weekend I was well rested and anxious to get started on my new week. So happy it's 2010!

So, do you wanna hear my excuse for not having my Word posted yesterday? I spent the day in Kansas City at the hospital having tests done to rule out anything bad that maybe going on with my body. Lot of good news but one little scare I'm still gonna have to deal with. I have a lesion on my lung! And one on my liver and my pancreas. My doctor was concerned enough to call a pulmonary specialist. I see him in a few weeks. I've been short of breath for quite sometime now so they just want to make sure everything is okay. I would appreciate any prayers you'd like to send my way:).

On to my GOALS for the New Year. I am 100% in love with the whole process of goal-setting. This year I've really listened to my heart and KNOW that the goals I've set I'm gonna keep.

1. Finish my Transformation Challenge on May 10th. Be toned, lean and ready to get serious about my 1/2 marathon training.

2. My current bodyfat is 30%. By 2011 I'd love to see that drop to 20%.

3. Train for and run the Denver 1/2 Marathon with all my T.com friends in October 2010.

4. Do a bit on my book everyday. That includes ANY creative work I do as well as research, going through recipes, cooking new ones, etc.

5. Family Scriptures and prayer at least 3 times a week.

6. One verse a day from my Scriptures plus weekly Study of my RS book for 2010.

7. Keep up with my Words of Me blog

8. Take one day a week (I've picked Thursdays) to do nothing but write and create!!

9. Follow our family schedule this year along with our menus

10. Continue to Transform my mind with positive words and thoughts.

I would love to hear your goals for 2010!! Please post a few to share. AND I would love for you to start playing along with the Words of Me Challenge. It's easy and so fun and so enlightening!! Each and every week (I begin Monday and end Sunday) you choose a word that best describes your week. You can keep an on-line journal, a paper journal or scrapbook your word. My plan is that by next Otober (when my 1 year challenge is up for me) I'm gonna create one of those digital books. I think it will be so cool!!

Be sure and leave me a comment about your goals or about your WORD. I'll pick a favorite and mail you a fun, scrappy prize!!:)