Live.

"The world is full of people who will go their whole lives and not actually live one day. She did not intend to be one of them." ~curly girl

SOooooo...what have you done today to live a little? Hmmm? I know, it's Monday. It's likely a work day. It's likely "just" another day....but what did you do to make today special?

I did a couple of things....

I dressed up...even though I didn't feel like it....a little leopard skin does a girl good. Try it. You'll agree. It's guaranteed.

I cleaned up my work area...straightened up a little, organized a little, added a few things I like to my work space (if I have to live in it 8 or more hours a day, I should like it, right?), and I still have some organizing to do. I laugh...I've organized and reorganized about once every 2 weeks, but when I finally figure out what works for me, that will all end. I just have to get there. The more I teach myself and the more I know, the more I can get myself together. I'll get there. Today, someone told me that my work space looked like I'd scrapbooked it, so I must be getting there. :) (I don't think it was necessarily a compliment, since most things said by some poeple no matter WHAT they say, it's the WAY they say it, and are normally not, but that's OK, too.)

I went for a walk. For me. For my health. For my well-being. And that was after I painted my nails. Speaking of....I thought I was an OPI 'ho...but really, I'm an NYC kinda 'ho...that stuff dries QUICK! Now, in defense of OPI...it lasts, as Anna would say, "Shore-Ebber," but NYC gives it a run for its money for, oh, a quarter of the price. Who can complain about that? by the way, in case you're wondering, I still amaze myself when I think that I bit my nails to a nub for 29 years, no matter the bribery, no matter the will power, and then up and quit one day without realizing it and never bit them again. Weird, eh? Good for me.

And here's my next "She" quote to end this post with.....

She brought her own sunshine.

(OK, so I TRY to always bring my own sunshine......)

Happy Monday.

Right around the corner......

there is a MONDAY coming. And I decided that MONDAY is a good day to think that it is a new day, with a new opportunity, and for new, GOOD things to happen. So I am choosing to be HAPPY about MONDAY this week.

This is a quote that was in my inbox this week, and I saved it to share:

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. Ralph Waldo Emerson

So again, here's to Monday......remember....it's all in the outlook and the attitude. CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY.

Here are some photos of a happy time that I had on Friday night after work....I didn't have my camera, so I didn't get to take as many photos as I wanted (actually, I took none, and I stole these from Brooke), but I was happy to get to be there when I wasn't sure if I was going or not. And...I had a good time. I always wrestle with doing things outside of home and work because I always feel guilty about not being at home. I'm really glad I went.

Here is a good friend-type quote:

When it hurts to look back and you're afriad to look ahead, just look beside you and there will be your friends.

And here is another thing that makes me happy these days:

OK, so maybe not this book so much, because I drooled over it and didn't purchase it....but style, clothes, pattern, color.....those are things that make me happy. I am coveting this book....I will be watching for it at the thrifty stores. I bet I can find a copy....if I'm lucky. You know I'm a sucker for quotes, and there were several in there. I like this one, but it's not from the book: It is better to be looked over than over-looked. ~Mae West.

Happy Sunday.

She sees things.....

color and pattern and design....they always catch my eye. These are not the best photos of the pattern and color I found last night....I only had my cell phone with me, drat, but still....aren't they lovely? Me likey.

I am hopefully going to get to recharge my batteries this weekend. I miss my family. I feel like I haven't seen them in ages. Both of my "big kids" are back home now, mostly for good...at least no more week-long trips for a while. Work's biggest week of the year (sort of) is under way, the preparation as complete as it's going to get.....while I have lots to do to catch up from that and will no doubt spend plenty of time doing catch-up next week, it feels good to see that I made it through the prep for the other stuff, and that I'm still alive to tell about it. I'll be happy to get things done next week, to play as much catch-up as I can, and keep moving. But this weekend, I'm happy to have my kids all in one place, to be at home, doing home-y things, and to (hopefully) get to spend some time with the hubster....because I miss him, too. I am often amazed at how much one person can rely on another person for their survival and well-being....and that I found that one person who I can rely on and survive with, that cares as much as he does about my well-being. Wow. I've had two random people this week tell me what a good man my husband is....I couldn't agree more.

Here is my pig-a-pancake thought for the day:

When do you do your best thinking? Am I the only person that thinks in their sleep? I was laughing this morning because I do....and I wake up, and my eyes pop open, and that's when I know I've had a good thought, a good idea, what have you. Now, the challenging part is remembering it from the eye-popping moment to getting to where I can act on it....which doesn't work so well for me a lot of times. Ah, well.....

To quote JoDee Messina..."it's a beautiful day, not a cloud in sight, so I guess I'm doin' alright..."

Happy Saturday!

She just loved words.......

.....and fast cars.

Babe Ruth....

This hangs on Kev's wall. I found it years ago at Goodwill (SURPRISE!) and it's among one of my favorite finds ever. I remind him about it often, but as I was looking tonight for a photo to share with you on here, this one was the one I came up with. Turn your head to the right, and you'll see that it magically rotates.

And here is a quote for you today, by the ever-wise Audrey Hepburn:

Pick the day. Enjoy it-to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come....the past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present and I don't want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.

Which leads me to think of my all-time favorite Bible verse: Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (12) Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I WILL LISTEN TO YOU. (13) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (14) I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity........"

and I can't copy/paste this photo...but here is the photo I liked for the verse in the Bible.....http://www.flickr.com/photos/mody_gryana/503180821/ .

And here are a few things I've learned lately, that sort of go with why I've picked the things I blogged about tonight:

1. As pertains to the Babe Ruth plaque: Good ole Babe mighta struck out 1,330 times, but do you realize what he did the REST of the time? Unless you're a pitcher, the K's are just learning experiences for all the stuff you're gonna do later....and if you're the pitcher, well, they count even more.

2. Laughing every day and being joyous absolutely cannot hurt anything. Ever. Period. It can only help your outlook....and that helps everything else. Period. You only get one life. Live it, and live it happily.

3. To continue the thought process of Thing Number Two.....don't ruin the happiness by worrying about the future....because God already has your future mapped out....why bother? After all, He certainly knows more than you do. :)

4. Sometimes, when you think no one is paying attention, or you are down and out, or you need encouragement, or you're questioning yourself....things come up sort of out of the blue that make you realize that you're not so bad after all, like an encouraging text from your dad that tells you he believes in you....not in those words, but in other words that I choose to keep to myself....but that make me realize that I'm OK after all....and I need to just keep on being me....because it's OK to be me and I'm good with that. Especially if my dad is. Thanks, Dad. I love you.

Nighty night.

This Kid.....

Is a very, very neat kid. Who has been through a lot these last couple of days....and who had an awesome time with his Memaw and Pepaw while in Woozy-Hannah. He's not allowed to leave hom again until he is 38.

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhielming obstacles." ....and I knew it already....but after watching him this week...I'm pretty sure others know it, too. (And they probably already did, really......)

It's Wednesday, Ya'll......woot woot.

Rainbows.

So, Anna and I got "trapped" in the garage after we checked on our puppies on Sunday. The rain was coming down hard. It was lightening. It was thundering. There were buckets and buckets of rain falling, I assure you. And then....it started lightening up outside, and the sun started trying to come out, and Anna said to me, "Look, Mom! The sun is coming out! When the sun comes out and it's raining, it makes rainbows! Let's look for a rainbow, Mom!!!!!" WHERE did my 3 year old learn that?!?!? Wowza. Now, time for a bit of a gripe. So, I had to take Kevin to Mary's funeral today. If there is such thing as a "good" funeral, I'd say this one rates at the very top of the list of greatness in all of the (less than 10, I think...) funerals that I've ever attended. And since probably 92% of the ones I attended were ones my dad has done, saying this one is up there as one of the very best is a pretty big deal. And it's NOT what I expected. In fact, I told my son on the way up there I wasn't sure what to expect, and to try not to be upset if it wasn't very uplifting. Boy, was I wrong, and boy, was I glad! BUT......oh, my!!!! WHAT PARENT, please...tell me....WHAT PARENT drops off their fifteen-year-old child at a FUNERAL and LEAVES THEM THERE?!?! Seriously, folks....this is a big deal. WHY would someone do that? In what part of the brain does it register that it is OK to do that? At any rate...I was a surrogate mom to about 3 other children besides my own, fed them, played with them, talked to them, brought them home with me, and really, all in all, considering the day, we had a nice time together. I'm really thankful I was there. I'm really thankful I was able to BE there....for MY kid....but also for others....and I miss my job with my "troublemakers" as I affectionately refer to them.

OK, I feel somewhate better now that I've ranted, and I'm happy that I feel like I was "used" today in a good way....that maybe I made a difference. I'm quite sure those kids each made a difference to me, too.

Happy Tuesday.