Far from a "typical" day in my life, but February 18 was the day I had scheduled for "A Day in the Life" so there you have it :) It's kind of nice to have something completely different to look back upon. And so much better than more photos of snow, ice and cold which have plagued our every day after every day of this past winter.
A DAY IN THE LIFE 2014:
January | February | March | April | May | June
July | August | September | October | November | December
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My ONE little WORD journey continues this month with writing assignments. There were two parts: reflect on the month just past; and, complete action cards for the year ahead.
My JANUARY REFLECTION:
My ACTION CARDS:
Materials: Templates by Ali Edwards, provided in class | Polka Dot Paper by Katie Pertiet | Louisiana font
And with that, everything is all out there! Wow. Lots of good stuff. Tough and real, and oh so good!
Interested in the Desire Map? Head over to Danielle LaPorte's website. The resources are incredible. Be sure to watch the videos! Fierce, gentle and encouraging. I am enjoying how this OLW project is helping me understand the Desire Map process better while fostering some creative contemplation and action. Funny how my choices are now flowing in a similar direction. Maybe not funny as much as the result of consistent effort and my stubborn belief that my life has a purpose.
ONE little WORD is a 12-month workshop created by Ali Edwards. With monthly prompts, I use photos, text and other good stuff to record how my guiding word has shown up in my life through the year and my personal growth as a result. Keep your word visible with me, join in here.
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hello thermostat. holy smokes it's been cold in my home. it finally occured to me to look at the thermostat - it read "low battery" and 15C! new batteries and we have warmth.
hello temagami. cole has gone camping for the week and i'm relieved the forecast looks good! well, good for winter camping. crazy!
hello living my passion. and thank you to the beautiful voice and mind of mike rowe for this, his brilliant example of how and why.
hello paper inspiration. i love how we can all use "scrapbook" supplies and make it modern and brilliant. there has to be a better name - one that is recognizable but less "crafty" than scrapbooking.
hello distraction. it's always interesting the you tube videos my kids choose to show me. sometimes i don't know if i should be startled or proud.
hello choices. we all make them, every day. i measure mine - big and small - with great consideration. i can rest assured that they all come from a position of kindness and honesty. sometimes those two ideologies are in conflict. i have little problem dealing with the "elephant in the room" and become increasingly frustrated with those who err on the side of fake polite. a diplomat i am not! :D
hello handwriting font. i've been thinking about making one of my writing for a few years now. time to start doing rather than thinking :)
hello temporary beauty. this beach art is spectacular. i don't know that i could let it be washed away!
hello february. traditionally the month of chocolate and hearts. well, maybe not so much around here :) i believe this is more often the month of managing expectations.
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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All months are full and January is no exception. It may be even more full than most.
Most of the month was spent re-establishing good habits and introducing some new ones. I decided my new year should start mid-January, there is just too much chaos in my house before the kids are back in school. My search for an accountant continues. I used my new Daily Planner and put on paper my goals with soul. I feel like I've got a good handle on the year ahead because goodness knows the universe does not allow real control! I got Claire back to Queen's in one piece though the ice gods did conspire against us. I made an blog writing plan and put it on the calendar. All but Cole are signed up for base/softball starting this spring. The Desire Map Book Club got off to a fantastic start and I'm thrilled to learn from the participants. I started back with my life coach, Helen, as there is always more work to do. Four weeks of Project Life 2014 have been completed, I'm off to a good start! I went to my reformer Pilates classes and am so happy for the increased flexibility - Jackie is even increasing the weights. I started a reading challenge and am enjoying the challenging material. I ate breakfast (whether it be left over Chinese take-out, Greek yogurt with almonds or simple oatmeal) every morning. My amarylis bloomed - and then fell over! I cut my wine consumption in half or more as things got a bit out of hand during the holidays. I had a new crown fitted. The garage door, not clearing the roof rack of the Suburban - was fixed in a few seconds, a quick twist of a knob resulted in a $150 bill. A mindful morning was enjoyed at iGita with Lisa Forwell and friends. A meeting was held at Appleby to promote the idea of a digital portfolio for each of the students. Semi-formal prep was enjoyed (?) at Oakville Place mall getting Cole a new sport coat and tie and a few things for Chloé. Helped out a friend and drove her daughter to the semi-formal, held at school. Plans made and tickets booked for the Bahamas, Florida, Arizona and Cape Cod. Mapped out plans for summer camps and started booking a few - Caden is actually on a wait list! Watching playoff football with Caden is a joy - he is such a rabid fan. A morning was spent at the school judging the Interpretive Reading competition for the Upper One students - so good. Big mid-week drive to Kingston to visit with Claire. Thank goodness for my sister who kept me talking over the bluetooth most of the 3+ hours there and 3+ hours back! Lunch was enjoyed with Robin and our project plans are fun to discuss. Dad's who step up for men who won't are endearing. A Pampered Chef evening was spent up at Elaine's place. I introduced Jill to Yame. All signed up for Life Organizer Navigation course with Jennifer Louden. Some personal maintenance to offset the onset of midwinter cabin fever: cut, colour, wax, pedicure - the works! Caught a wicked cold. Sadly had to give into my cold and postpone a meeting with someone who may supply product for the store, listening to the universe - and my body. In the most polite - though honest - way possible, I turned down a volunteer opportunity keeping in mind the addage: "when people show you who they are, believe them the first time." The electrician came and gave an estimate, I accepted, and he showed up and did the work. This is a miracle! We went out to our favourite restaurant to celebrate Cole's birthday. We finished watching all five seasons of "Chuck", such a wonderful show, it will be missed! I enjoyed the New Moon Goddess Celebration up at the new Zenbar studio.
In the lives of the kids:
Claire | Enjoyed her time at home and returned to Queen's with a new sense of purpose. In Kingston, we went to the mall, Loblaws and enjoyed dinner with mama and friends. She took a quick trip to Ottawa to see a friend in a production of RENT at Carleton. Lesson learned: taxis are unreliable only when you need them to be reliable. Claire sourced and signed a lease for a house next year with six friends - her priority was a washer and dryer in the house. No laundromat for my girl :) Lots of learning is happening for Claire!
Cole | Varsity rugby training has started in the bubble at school. The Semi-formal was enjoyed - with a before party at PJ's and after party at Nick's. Not sure how much time was actually spent at the dance? As much free time was spent with Hanne as was humanly possible either at her house or ours. Preparations and purchases were made for an upcoming trip to Temagami - brr! Cole just turned 17. We enjoyed a lovely mid-week dinner at his favourite restaurant. As is his way, plans are already underway for a new sport for first term next year: volleyball.
Chloé | On Chloé's behalf a meeting was had with Dr. Fasken and Dr. Aliki and it has been decided that the braces will be off a year early. Dr. Mungar took her through her paces and Chloé now have a 6-month supply of "daily" contact lenses. The semi brought with it some unkind girl drama and I'm proud of Chloé's response. The Upper School Cabaret was wonderful - even though the "mime" makeup was a "pain"! Play rehearsals keep the school days long.
Caden | Rep volleyball is keeping Caden busy outside of school and squash is his co-curricular choice for this school term. Summer camp plans are made and confirmed, with one camp already having a wait list - he's #8, it's not looking promising! Science Fair experiments were started and finished. With his buddies, Caden participated in a Leadership Workshop - in his onesie, as it was the required attire. Trip to London with Braeden and his family for a volleyball tournament that ended up cancelled due to blizzard conditions. In preparation for braces, the spacers have been installed. He ended the month with Service Day which took him to the Metro Toronto Zoo - a nice day away from desks and computers.
Life in general:
Weather | Flipping cold. The ice and wind kept us in the deep freeze for the first week of the month well into the second, third and fourth. I think we had three days of relief all month, though the cold temps has brought much sunshine. The phrase "polar vortex" is now part of our daily language. Canadians enjoy talking about the weather, but it was truly dangerous and the top national news story for weeks! I am beyond tired of the cold.
News | The weather. Pearson shut down and people waiting for days to collect their luggage. The upcoming Olympics and terror threats. PM Stephen Harper made historic trip and speech in Israel as part of a Middle East trip. Heartbreaking fire at seniors home in L'Isle-Verte, Quebec leaves 30+ dead. Value of our loonie (dollar) is sliding - this is good and bad. Justin Beiber - deported? not?
Sports | Everyone is looking forward to the Olympics. Much discussion about the Canadian hockey team being sent to the Games. Super Bowl! I'm watching golf in an effort to at least feel like I'm warming up! Eugenie Bouchard made it to the semi finals of the Australian Open, the first for a Canadian woman in 30 years.
Discovery | Cigdem Kobu has been very inspiring and I've joined her Progress Lounge. And, it looks like the year ahead should be active and illuminating. Zenbar is a lovely new spa, making plans to return.
Looking forward, goals I want to keep at the forefront include:
Work | I have to find a good accountant to clean up my taxes so I can start fresh moving forward. I also have to get a business tax number so I can get the online store all set up. I'm all signed up for a writing workshop and hope to focus on novel writing in the next few months.
Health | I'm getting a bit off track and have to start getting more sleep each night - a consistent 8+ hours. I also have to make a more mindful menu to follow each week. A menu that works in our schedule and not one I wish I could make if I had a better after school schedule.
Home | Sort through and organize all of the kids papers, files and ephemera into the boxes purchased for the purpose. Everything is in piles in my bedroom and they just have to get out of there! 100%.
Fun | Most of the supplies for the Kal Barteski class were picked up at Curry's and the rest ordered from Dick Blick. Class starts tomorrow! I am so looking forward to learning this process!
Me | I am feeling content and fulfilled. Completely calm and accepting. I have clearly defined expectations and desires. It is a strange juxtaposition of being present and engaged while still feeling somewhat "out of body" - lovely, scary and real. I am incredibly joyful and at peace for the first time in a very long time.
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A couple of years ago I consistently wrote up posts summing up the month that had just past. Then life got both complicated and overwhelming, so much so I was just going from day-to-day in complete survival mode. With this new year I'm getting back into the practices of my past that I have missed.
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52 LISTS | Week Three | List the things you should be proud of
I show up. For me. For my kids. For my friends. For my family. Every day.
I started a practice of meditation and movement in September. I am still going twice a week. This is so good for me!
I faced my past and moved on.
I foster a home filled with communication, tolerance and love. Some days are better than others, but I wouldn't trade one day, even a bad one.
I am leaning into resistance - and fear - and saying "yes" to many scare-the-crap-out-of-my-introvert-self opportunities.
I gave myself permission to feel again.
I embraced a bit of "woo hoo" and am now a proud owner of many oracle card sets and a pendulum, or two ;)
I have opened my heart and my home to people I have come to trust and enjoy in my life. Connection is a wonderful thing.
I listen more.
I am building a positive life in alignment with my values and beliefs.
I have set boundaries. I recognize situations that do not serve me and extricate myself as quickly as possible. I am not interested in hurting the feelings of anyone, but I am no longer making others happy at my expense.
I reserve judgment while looking for the best in everyone and every situation.
I have released the need for perfection in exchange for excellence.
Self-doubt is no longer my default.
I have (finally) realized that I am worthy of acceptance and love.
What about you? Of what in your life are you most proud?
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Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.
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The 2014 collection:
1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52
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trucks were outside for a few hours. i wonder what was going on?
hello sleepovers. they're wonderful - especially when they're not in my house :)
hello evenings with friends. sometimes it's okay to take a break from being mama 24/7/365. good for me to go out with friends. good for the kids to go out with friends.
hello spacers. caden is getting prepared for braces.
hello maintenance. no, not the truck - me! this brittle cold has not been good for my skin. time to indulge in some pampering.
hello temptation. i love it when my friends know me so well and send me links to tempting retreats!
hello new moon goddess ceremony. i'm trying to stay open to new things - expecially when they feel like things i've known forever. sweet resonance.
hello business meetings. i hope i remember how to manage one of these!
hello electrician. maybe the fourth time is the charm? let's hope so! i'm tired of living in the dark, it's time to light things up around here :)
hello newly minted seventeen year old. yep, this week. time flies!
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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Last June I moved my Project Life to a private blog* which made a lot of sense, and continues to make sense. Now that I'm starting a new year of Project Life, I considered just putting it back here on the primary blog but was reminded that the process had become inauthentic as I was not comfortable sharing all of the people and intimate details of the lifes shared by me and my children.
For me, Project Life is exactly what it is - representative of my life. In fits and starts. Better than nothing and far from perfect. Sounds about right!
There are a few things I'll be updating this year:
A new private blog for 2014 pages is set up. If you're interested in reading it, send me a note at linarstudio dot lc at gmail dot com and I'll get the password off to you. Anyone interested will have access by clicking the navigation bar ^ above.
I've decided, after a few successful experiments though this past year, that I'll be printing my book at the end of the year via Blurb in a 12" x 12" format. No muss, no fuss. Even better? No glare of page protectors, no lumpy bumpy, no elements to organize. Less time wasted on stuff and more time focused on recording and creating!
After much flip-flopping, the format will continue to be 12" x 12" and I'll be using Cathy Zielske's new Life Basics Minimal templates as I prefer the straight edges for the photos and journaling.
I enjoyed Museo Slab as my font last year as I like the readability. I think I'll continue with it, in different weights, through the project this year. I'll have to figure out a script font - maybe - if I need it.
The big decision? I played around with the idea of changing the dates to have the weekends included from week to week, having the weeks run Monday through Sunday but the reality is my life runs from Sunday through Saturday. If there is a special event that takes place on a weekend there is absolutely nothing stopping the idea of putting it in between the weeks as a 2-page spread. Indeed, that might be fun keeping a few 12" x 12" spreads of non-Project Life ideas in the finished book. This seems to be the big internal argument each year.
A few years ago, in my wildest imaginings, I'd never have thought I'd go 100% digital - in anything memory-keeping related. At best I thought I'd be a hybrid scrapbooker. Things have changed so much and access is so much easier in Canada to digital product whereas traditional product is so much harder to find and the premium for shipping (and counter space) is becoming absurd.
I still have oodles of goodies and hope to use them in smaller projects - maybe A Week In The Life, Recipe Books and Gratitude projects. I can't forget to get my latest December Daily put together!
I love memory keeping. My kids enjoy it too. Over the years they have learned it's value. Even Claire, who used to give me such a terrible time about posing for photos, now returns home from university on occasion and is far less grumbly about having her photo taken. I love that they "get" it and also know that I'm not going to stop, so they smile nicely the first time and then we don't have to keep at it shot after shot!
Since I am an "everyday" scrapbooker, they have plenty of opportunity to smile nicely for the camera - and me, too!
* This decision had much to do with the divorce proceedings and my not wanting their long-absent father to portray himself as anything more than who he is. You can't parent via blog post at the same time acquaintances should not know more about what is going on than a parent. So awkward. By removing access, I had hoped I could have forced the concept of parenting by direct communication and engagement. It did not work. The second reason was to protect private extended-family things: big newsworthy events and proud moments, sad happenings, big group photos of people we love. I figured it was best to maintain the privacy of those who don't live here on the internet.
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our boys played the #1 seed at the tournament - and won! they were so crazy proud of themselves and should have been. it was a tremendous tournament!
hello day with claire. and her friends. so much fun :)
hello mindfulness. with a couple of events last week, i suffered from a mindfullness hangover. i found myself drained in the most positive way possible. zero negative energy anywhere around me. what is mindfulness? i found a good article via lifehacker.
hello semi formal. before party. after party. semi-formal (aka, excuse for having a before- and after-party) in between. it was a fun event and i'm happy cole and chloé enjoyed their time.
hello goals with soul. it is so nice to see the concept i believe celebrated in other places with other consistent messages in unexpected places.
hello rabbit hole. i took a bit of a journey. i can't even remember where it started! i ended up (as i often do) at jennifer louden's site reading finding your way back to yourself and ended up signing up for her life organizer navigation course from 22 january through 26 march.
hello volleyball. tournaments have us in welland one weekend and london the next. they seem to be getting further and further away from home! i wonder what's next.
hello conversations. i love spending time catching up with my friends. in this case she is a woman i spend a lot of my summer with at the ball diamond but never talk to when the snow flies. a quick check in turned into a 75-minute catch up. yay!
hello creative block. it is inevitable. creative people get blocked. i've learned to quiet my mind when it goes 100 directions at once by just getting it all out - in the form of writing or creating - and then fall back into the inevitable exhaustion of it all. i'm now preparing for the upcoming block with less fear and more understanding.
hello lunch. there really isn't much better than going out to lunch with a girlfriend to discuss everything and nothing.
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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Just a regular Thursday:
For more than a few years I participated in a 12 of 12 project which was a fabulous way of quickly flipping through scrapbook pages to see how my family has grown and changed, month by month, for five years. Grow and change it did! Something happened last summer/fall and I abandoned that memory keeping practice, though months before I had abandoned making pages from the photos taken.
I've decided to do "A Day in the Life" as a part of Project Life instead. It's more flexible with no set number of photos to take and I like the format set out by Ali Edwards in her templates.
My calendar for the year ahead:
What about you? Do you participate in a structured "in depth" monthly project? Tell me about it!
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* I have been asked to explain the significance of the lemons. Well, it's simply a reminder that life is full of lemons and it's better to just choose to make lemonade!
Last year I participated in the 52 Lists Project at Moorea Seal and really enjoyed it through the 20 weeks it lasted. The project has been resurrected this year and I am happy to repeat the prompts. Not only will it be a nice guage to see how far I've come - it'll let me know how far I have yet to go!
52 LISTS | Week Two | List your greatest comforts
my children are healthy, happy and kind . a clean house - top to bottom . bamboo sheets . my music collection . quiet evenings . answering the phone to the voice of a friend on the other end . cashmere . cheesy, ooey, gooey, comfort food . overhead fans . my living room lined with bookshelves overflowing with journals, books, photos and scrapbooks . displays of love . lemonade . when my kids check-in after a night out . always having something to do . water views . folding laundry . real molasses cookies, heated . the first cup of coffee in the morning . hugs . walks along the perimeter of the school campus - in any season . reading a book by a roaring fire . lists . a happy and welcoming entrance to my home . big pieces of wood furniture . the sun rising every morning and setting each evening . the sound of the ocean when visiting cape cod . sauvignon blanc . burning muscles after a reformer pilates session . large bouquets of like coloured flowers . my big dslr camera in my hands . thick white bath sheets . meditation . medium-rare rib eye steak with sautéed mushrooms . fog rolling off the lake . twinkling lights . eileen fisher tops . flats . sleeping in my bed with the window cracked and the ceiling fan on . when i press "send" and a week later a finished project arrives in the mail . hardwood floors covered with plush area rugs . the expression of genuine happiness at my unexpected presence . books . deep resonant voices . quiet time .
What about you? What are your greatest comforts?
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Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.
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The 2014 collection:
1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52
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Unlike past years, the next 8 weeks will be logistically different, if not outright challenging! You see, my kids are now on different schedules at different schools and it may take me a while to get used to it. I expect, this being our first year, there may be a few bumps along the way! Hey, that's the fun part, right? The journey :)
I'm doing my best to leave our plans as open and flexible as possible. While they were all little it was great to have a lot of structure and routine. Now it doesn't work as well with all of them pursuing different interests in all different directions.
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I have been actively participating in Ali Edwards' One Little Word practice for a few years now and I am so pleased to have another year of choosing a guiding word. I have found them to be so much more impactful and encouraging than resolutions!
2009 BALANCE
2010 FOCUS
2011 DO
2012 OPEN
2013 NOURISH
This year, the course has been moved to Ali Edwards blog and I'm participating there and within the Facebook group. So far, so good. Well, it's only January so let's hope so! Every year, the January assignment is dedicated to getting to know our word better and deciding what we want it to bring into our lives in the year ahead.
My word for 2014 is GRACE
Through my "Desire Map" work, one of my four core desired feelings is GRACE. It is, to me, the toughest of all my choices. I figured I could use a bit more *umph* so made it my guiding word for 2014. I'm glad I did. I am very intimidated as well as comforted by it - especially after completing this initial assignment!
Until my page protectors arrive, I'll be creating my assignments digitally. They will be printed and cut up and rearranged to go into my album, with all of my previous assignments later.
OPENING PAGE:
B-SIDE:
MAKING IT REAL:
INTENTIONS:
ONE little WORD is a 12-month workshop created by Ali Edwards. With monthly prompts, I use photos, text and other good stuff to record how my guiding word has shown up in my life through the year and my personal growth as a result. Keep your word visible with me, join in here.
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one of the things that make me happy: lists
hello re-entry. as much as i like the company of my children 24/7, i've enjoyed getting back into my routine. this is my first full week with all of my kids back at school and all of the businesses and shops i need to visit are open regular hours. i love a productive week and look forward to the one ahead.
hello wellness challenges. given that this is the first full week of routine and to start it off right i'll be joining in this inspiring challenge to find my centre for the next 10 days. i'm delayed, but starting move more eat well jumpstart with cathy zielske. even though january 1 is as good a time as any to start anything, it is also really inconvenient. from now on i'm starting all january 1st activities on the 12th or beyond.
hello garage door. hoping to have it fixed today.
hello breath. i hold my breath when i'm feeling stress or fear. sometimes i don't even realize i'm doing it until i have to take in a large breath to recover. i have been trying to take 10 deep breaths as a regular practice and it has been wonderful. such a simple thing to do.
hello letter. this is a very interesting idea: send an email to my future self. i sent one to my self to open in early november - a reminder of all the things to do - and not to do - over the holidays 2014!
hello inspired photography. i was bemoaning the lack of inspiration for my photography and was rewarded with much to consider. this article was just the inspiring kick in the pants i needed!
hello science fair. this is my seventh consecutive year as a parent of a child in middle school. caden completed his science fair project over the weekend for presentation in february. the only thing left is crafting the board! this was the most entertaining of all experiments. just listening to him questioning the why of it all. maybe i have a scientist!
hello semi formal. oh the preparations!
hello desire map book club. i was thrilled to meet the ladies who managed to deal with the weather and join the group last week. i'm expecting a few more this week. so nice to find a group of like-minded supportive women focused on making a better life for themselves and those they love. good stuff.
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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hello cold and ice. wow. here in the bubble things have been consistently chilly. i'm already thinking about escaping to warmer climes!
hello kingston. with the latest mega-storm being forecasted for days, we decided it was best for claire to head back to school by way of the train first thing this morning. by first thing i mean catching the 5:30 go train to toronto. it's going to be a long day for my girl. i'm thinking it's going to be a long day for me too!
hello desire map. i'm getting very excited about our first meeting! if you're interested in attending our local group, send me an e-mail to: desiremapoakville at gmail dot com or join the facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216241078557214/ i'm ready to map my desires and set goals with soul!
hello 52 lists. let's try this again. hopefully this year will yield more than 20 prompts :)
hello detox cleanse. considering something like this, soon.
hello consolidation. i found some interesting infographics confirming what i already knew but it is still shocking to see the scope of it all.
hello writing. it's amazing to me the number of my friends who have, over the holidays, told me i should write a book. i have no idea what i would write about, but, um, okay. i'd better get my writing muscles toned up starting with this writing challenge.
hello questions. even after an exhaustive reverb13 project, i'm still finding provocative and interesting questions to answer.
hello photography projects. not sure if any of these ideas appeal to me. i want to get back behind the lens but not sure how. sounds ridiculous, but i'd like to find something to kick start my enthusiasm. ideas are welcome!
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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Last year I wrote up a "year in review" post. I enjoyed it enough that I'm doing it again! Even with a full reflect and manifest project, it's fun to do a quick summary.
Dateline: Oakville, Ontario on Monday, December 30, 2013 at 7:23PM
1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
I started to put me at the top of the list. The safety of my children was put first and Caden was pulled out of football - and I didn't give in when he begged to go back this spring. I went to, and enjoyed, guided meditation. I recognized old patterns and course corrected, immediately. I encouraged my kids to test themselves and face their fears. Reformer Pilates classes are a cornerstone of my new practice - a "skinny bitch" activity I never thought I'd enjoy but have to admit I love! When you appreciate someone, tell them; better, when you love someone, tell them. My home is smudged - what an incredible difference happy energy makes! Don't keep your positive and constructive comments to yourself! Share the good stuff - get comfortable in the goo.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
For a long time now, I have elected to choose a word to guide my year rather than making resolutions. I'd rather set myself up for success than deal with the inevitable failure found in a list of resolutions I'd never keep. Goals are always set, but they are often within the framework of my "one little word". This year I chose "grace".
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My step-sister had a baby boy! In my family that makes him grandchild #12. Wow.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Fortunately, no, no one close to me. Though, my children lost their paternal grandfather. The hard part? They had virtually no relationship with him and we had to navigate their feelings of abandonment, antipathy and longing. It was a difficult time. My step-sisters also lost their father. It was a very sad time and my heart hurt for them.
5. What countries did you visit?
United States - Arizona, Florida, New York and Massachusettes. Bahamas. St. Thomas. St. Maarten.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
This has not changed one syllable from my answer from last year: A more organized home, focused exercise, engagement with other people, fewer but better clothes, a book outline, adult male companionship.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
When Claire made the decision to change all of her plans and re-apply to universitites to go for an Arts degree rather than Kin. The day my sister decided to move back home. Receiving the official paperwork confirming that I am sole custodian of my four children - legally as well as obviously. Watching Claire grow up with poise and grace: graduate from Appleby, head to prom and the drop-off and first term at Queen's. Cole on stage, both as Perchik in "Fiddler on the Roof" and when he recently earned his music scholarship. Listening to Deepak Chopra - and actually understanding much of what he had to say, certainly not all! Chloé having a blast on stage as The Genie in "Aladdin" and enjoyed a first summer of softball. Caden as fierce rugby player - even without glasses on the middle school team and now as fierce volleyball player. The day I had to cancel a much anticipated trip to attend something frivilous. Being chosen to lead the Desire Map Book Club here in my town. The start of our Dad & Daughter lunches. The official seal on my final divorce papers.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I reinstated long abandoned boundaries and a belief system that serves me and my highest good; one that does not destroy or sabotage me. Within that context I remembered my sense of humour, to trust my intuition and instincts, and rediscover my imagination which had been so long away. Sticking to and practicing meditation and pilates and still going strong. Finalizing my divorce. There is not one single achievement other than simply coming back to myself which was made up of many small victories.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not keeping on top of Project Life, again. Not always staying true to myself to accomodate the feelings of others - or maybe it was simply my not willing to deal with the fight or guilt.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I overdid the 10,000 steps a day and, as a result of compensating, hurt my foot and my hip - on opposite sides! Sigh. After weeks of going to the osteopath with short-term results each time, I was super frustrated. Jill got me to go to reformer Pilates and I discovered relief through stretching. I've decided that until we can figure out the chemical reasons for my weight issue, I'd rather be fat and flexible than just fat - so though I still suffer illness and injury, I've changed my attitude toward it and will do the best I can with what I have, now.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new mattress for my bed - and bamboo sheets! Bliss. That "best thing" is closely followed by my Life Coach sessions, weekly meditation and private reformer Pilates classes.
12. Where did most of your money go?
This was a second year of unsexy spending - and the kids are not cheap!
13. What did you get really excited about?
I was excited to witness Claire start her life. I was excited to join the Oakville Club. I was excited to become more proficient at Photoshop Elements. I was excited to discover Danielle LaPorte's Desire Map. I was excited to take cooking class to realize all I need are my Barefoot Contessa cook books. I was excited to organize and host parent gatherings for the middle and upper schools. I was excited for all of my kids to explore their independence by traveling to downtown Toronto via GO train - without me. I was excited for Claire to get her G2 and for Cole to get his G1 - and motorcycle permit, too! I was excited for a trouble- and drama-free U1 trip for Chloé to Temagami. I was excited for Cole to discover NYC - THREE times! I was excited to receive my new "Cape Cod" inspired living room rug. I was excited to make my very first dream board. I was excited for Caden to challenge himself by joining the school swim team. I was excited for Chloé to get her braces. I was excited to watch Cole perform as Perchik in "Fiddler on the Roof". I was excited to take the kids on their first cruise - maybe the last for some! I was excited for Claire to go to see her much loved JT with her friends. I was excited and grateful to be back in Arizona at Canyon Ranch. I was excited to share time with many girlfriends over lunches and dinners and walks and coffee. I was excited to watch my dogwood bloom for the first time. I was excited to watch all of my kids participate and learn new things. I was excited to have a new bathroom installed - no more leaks! I was excited to visit Claire in Kingston. I was excited for Caden to make the volleyball team - town and school. I was excited to host Thanksgiving for many! I was excited to attend Optimates dinners - plural! I was excited to make my first book of my own creating. I was excited to experience meditation and life coaching and all that came with it through the year. I was excited to have a big party at my home to thank all of the women who have been supportive of my kids and me over the last couple of years - it was a blast! I was excited to have a weekly format to foster smart investing. I was excited to get a functioning range before Christmas. I was excited to smudge my home and purchase my first pendulums. I was excited to develop my first product for sale in my new shop, opening soon! I was excited to have all of my kids at home for our low-key Christmas holidays.
14. What song(s) will always remind you of 2013?
Hold On To Your Heart | Man Man
Royals & Team | Lorde
Same Love | Makelmore & Ryan Lewis
Temple & Wait for Me | Kings of Leon
Babel, I Will Wait & Lover of the Night | Mumford & Sons
Best Day Of My Life | American Authors
Unbelievers & Diane Young | Vampire Weekend
Let It Go & Sweater Weather | The Neighbourhood
Pompeii & Bad Blood | Bastille
Hurricane | MS MR
Feels Like We Only Go Backwards & Elephant | Tame Impala
You, The City & Chocolate | The 1975
Come A Little Closer & Ain't No Rest For The Wicked | Cage The Elephant
The Wire | Haim
The Mother We Share | Churches
Little Talks, King and Lionheart & Dirty Paws | Of Monsters And Men
All I Want | Kodaline
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? Happier. So much happier.
– thinner or fatter? Exactly the same :(
– richer or poorer? Richer - in spirit!
Seems to be the status quo as my responses were the same last year :)
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Slept. Paced myself. Took more "artsy" photos.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Lose my patience.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
We have our big family dinner in Toronto with the Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Grandparents. We've been doing this since my kids were in high chairs. It is a wonderful tradition. To me, that is our big Christmas. The morning of the 25th is simply a nice lazy day spent with the kids. This year we changed it up a bit by being hit with an ice storm which made things a bit wonky. We followed thorugh with our plans to go to Toronto for Christmas Eve dinner and in the process forgot to pick up our dinner for the next day. No traditional roast - we had pasta instead!
19. What was your favorite TV program?
I am enjoying Hostages and The Blacklist and even though they have both been on for years, I've started watching and really enjoying Person of Interest and Scandal. I haven't been watching much of the others, though the DVR is filled with episodes of The Good Wife, Elementary and Grimm just waiting to be watched. I keep thinking I'll watch them during the day, but I never do! I'm considering just watching via Netflix a season at a time. The kids and I just finished binge-watching Chuck. Fantastic!
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
I enjoyed "The Desire Map" by Danielle LaPorte. While on the cruise I caught up on all of my unread Barbara Erskine books - too heavy to carry so I had them on my Kindle. By far and away the best book I read was "The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion - I smiled through every page. As always, I didn't read anywhere near as many books as I'd have liked to - but managed to collect a bunch!
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
I am a fan of alternative rock - which I find is a fun mix of folk and edge. I did find it distracting during the day when I was creating and writing so I discovered on Cogeco Galaxy, Channel 327 "The Spa" which is all melodic instrumental with the occasional ocean waves or thunderstorm. One Sunday in early December, while the kids were studying for exams, they each commented separately on how they enjoyed it and we left it on.
22. What were your favorite films of the year?
I have to admit, as much as I thought it might be possible, I did not go to one movie - in a theatre - this year! I have a list, though. I'll have to catch up over the holidays - or while I'm in Cape Cod this summer.
23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
We had a full house - of kids! Pizza and vanilla cake :) It was my favourite kind of birthday, filled with friends and laughter.
24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A bit less teenage angst and attitude would have been lovely. Other than that, I can't say anything could have made my year much better than it was. I'm happy for all of the connections and lessons it contained.
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Laura Plus sale rack. I need new clothes and (until recently) I refused to buy anything at full price until I have a body that can wear it well. My recent purchases included a dress for Christmas - yes, a dress! And a couple of Eileen Fisher tops that are fabulous!
26. What kept you sane?
As always, my sanity depends on: My children. Photos + Words. My sister, Beth. Music. TED talks. My friends. Wine. My Life Coach. Trips to Cape Cod. Walks. Lunches with friends. PC Power Fruit Blend Smoothies. Meditation. Reformer Pilates classes with Jill and Jackie. Always having something to do.
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
Never settle - keep your personal standards high.
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dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 9:31pm on november 20, 2013
weather outside: winter is on it's way!
mood inside: frazzled and a bit out-of-sorts
drinking perrier with a slice of lemon. in a wine glass. today has been a long, lovely, day!
eating steel cut oats every morning, i prefer it with raisins and walnuts. yum. thinking about adding in some cranberries, too.
embracing new ideas. this is exciting!
enjoying the challenge involved with dreaming up a new business and plan.
cooking lots in the crock pot and bbq while waiting for delivery of the new double oven range.
trying to stay focused and avoiding the temptation to go down the technology or pinterest rabbit hole.
missing what happened to 2013. blink. it's almost gone!
feeling proud of myself for attending regular (2x) weekly reformer pilates classes. i can really feel the difference. it's great!
listening to the silence of my house. my kids are studying or sleeping.
watching our local news. oh rob ford - put the city of toronto first you narcissistic buffoon! what a nauseating display.
reading about all that is required of me as a leader of danielle laporte's desire map book club: the biggest book club ever. i can't wait to get started! what are you doing on january 7th? join in here.
wearing layers. always layers. my body is currently going through some wonky temperature fluctuations! hormones, phewy.
packing scrapers, blankets and emergency supplies into the truck. it's that time of year, for sure!
planning how to decorate for christmas this year. i'm thinking it's time to change things up a bit and have a more "grown up" feel to the house. including pretty breakables! pottery barn? crate & barrel? restoration hardware? inside? outside? big? small? whole house? living room/dining room only? i might be talking myself out of it altogether!
feeling relaxed and calm. i'm finally in a groove. just in time for the end of term! it figures. just in time for things to change up again!
stopping the habit of busy. some of the meanest people i know describe themselves as "busy". i do not want to be that.
wanting to have a fun conversation with an adult - preferably one with a deep, masculine voice who enjoys football :) caden's crackly baritone is enjoyable, but a change might be nice ;)
needing to be a bit more patient with myself on so many levels.
wishing for healthy, active and engaged days ahead.
waiting is not something i'm very good at doing. but i am trying hard to be patient and use my time constructively :)
thinking of going away with claire in february for her reading week - someplace hot and quiet. now where should we go? ideas?
enjoying learning how to use my new pendulums. this is becoming a fascinating journey and i'm learning so much!
paying for too many years sitting at a desk. i've been moving and stretching but have to realize it took years to get this creaky. it's going to take some effort to make everything move like it should!
encouraging my kids to be calm as they prepare for their upcoming exams. breathe in - 2 - 3 - out - 2 - 3 and again. and again.
celebrating how uncomplicated our lives have become. wonderful.
cultivating a practice of self-care and meditation. daily. my priorities are shifting and it's a good thing.
marveling at how quickly time flies and how my kids are growing into lovely and thoughtful young adults with lives of their own.
anticipating a lot of hard decisions ahead. on the lighter side, what creative projects will i choose? #reverb14? one little word? still life photography? desire map for life? project life 2014? week in the life? revive 12 of 12? the biggest book club, ever? keep up with the blog? join the circle of fire?
and tada, a photo from my week:
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I have a few flaws - some louder than others. I am doing my best to take a good look at them and change what I can or maybe just change my outlook and some of those flaws might not be "bad" after all.
The first thing to do is admit you have a problem. Right? Well, okay: I AM A PROJECT JUNKIE. To be honest, one of my biggest most consistent flaws is that of the "the unfinished project". I am REALLY GOOD at starting things. There are so many good ideas, I jump from one to another - to another - to another. Sometimes they are just started and I drop them because they didn't turn out to be what I expected. Sometimes there is that one "perfect" element needed to finish it off. Sometimes they are just waiting to be simply uploaded and/or printed to be completed and yet they sit in my computer. Very few meet the stage of finished. 100% done.
Today, I celebrate a triumph! I am sharing a 100% finished project.
This was a simple get-it-done, a 100% no-brainer project. The brilliant Cathy Zielske has her annual Thirty Days of Thankful project available over at Designer Digitals. I LOVE this project - it was one of the projects I finished last year: Thankful 2012.
I have so much in my life for which to be grateful, it is important for me to recognize and express it. The best way possible is via my favourite format: pictures + words.
Of the three options available, I chose the 6"x8" template and went so far as to order the Handbook Album System from Studio Calico. Then it occured to me that I've always wanted to order a bound book - a real honest to goodness printed book rather than an album. Could I do it? Could I "get over" my gutter issues?
I did!
This envelope arrived, only 5-days after the book was ordered:
WOW. Anything arriving completed, to Canada from anywhere is outrageously wonderful!
The pages are stunning. I am so pumped about this book!
Just click on any of the images below to make larger.
Do you participate in a Gratitude Project? Which one? For what are you most grateful this day? month? year? Could you, like me, have written pages and pages, or do you keep things pretty tight - maybe a top three? How do you honour those you feel fortunate to have in your life?
Spill!
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Isn't it funny how
day
by
day
nothing changes
but when you
look
back
everything is different ...
C.S.Lewis
Blink. Here I am, in my late 40's with four kids, one divorce and countless changes and experiences collected. I've read an overwhelming number of books. Taken good and not-so-good courses. Purged much bad, embraced much good and I'm in the process of deciding on what to do with the rest.
In that decision is the status of my scrapbooking.
Scrapbooking made me a better person. It certainly made me a better mother. In order to write stories about my kids I had to be there, fully; engaged, fully. It would have been so easy to go down the open rabbit hole of despair but in order to be authentic I had to be engaged and you can't be engaged when you're not present. For years scrapbooking was my refuge. I could focus on the people who brought me joy. Our stories. I could hide behind the camera and take photos of my four adorable children and focus on a life worthy of being recorded in albums.
I remember one day, at a crop, listening to a woman declare how she had purchased some new trendy paper and was going to go out to buy her children matching clothes and take them on a "photo shoot" to the park so she could scrapbook the photos to match the paper. To that point it never occured to me to take my kids on some clothes-match-paper-photo-shoot and I have to admit, I was kind of happy it hadn't! What memories are those? "Mama made us wear these strange clothes and then she took us to a place we never go to have photos taken." That would be just weird. No doubt it would be followed with "and then she got mad when we didn't cooperate" NOT experiences I was willing to risk making memories about.
Rather than creating an illusion, in that moment, I decided to live it - for real.
At the time there was a vast chasm between the mother I had always thought I would be and the mother I was. It was time for me to make an focused effort to become my ideal version of myself for my children, for me. I couldn't write, let alone publish, something patently dishonest, so I decided to make my life completely genuine and true.
Within all of my albums are authentic stories which were rarely influenced by the need to be "perfect" or *gack* fake! I am proud of my albums and that my children will be able to visit their history without any fear of it being contrived, made up, or overly-influenced by some crazy trend or celebrity dictate. Maybe they won't be thrilled that the albums are somewhat myopic, written from a singular point of view - mine - but they'll have a simple recording of their every day existence.
How can I give up the one thing that saved my life?
The reality is, I can't. It is a practice so fully ingrained in my life it would leave far too big a gap to fill. Even when I'm "behind" or didn't do a project "right" there is still joy in the process, in the organizing and collecting and writing and photo taking. The crafting and creation of something tangeable. And, wholly ours. The stories are ours and ours alone and within those every day moments our lives are celebrated. Through those stories my children are validated. They are enough. Within those albums is evidence that I showed up.
These days it's just different. Like the quote above: but when you look back everything is different.
My albums have evolved. I'm now almost 100% digital in my approach to memory keeping - with the occasional hybrid project thrown in for variety. I really want to just publish them in book form and I am in the process of finding a printer and really need to deal with my "gutter" issues! Some things stay the same - so much creative choice!
Nowadays my favourites (continue to) include:
Some old, some new, some combinations of both.
Scrapbooking is like an old friend. Always there when I need it. Though sometimes I waver and wonder if it's all worth it, I'll never give it up. It will simply change and evolve with time and experiences.
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this kid can serve! and block. and bump. volley? working on it!
hello optimates dinner, part deux. now it's chloé's turn. another proud mama moment comes up this week!
hello clean choices. i am a huge fan of "clean eating". fortunately in canada our food system is highly regulated, not perfect but certainly safer than other areas of the world. i was happy to find this list so that when we are in the states i can have some guidelines. it's so hard to figure things out while away!
hello biggest book club ever. danielle la porte is an inspiration rock star! weeks ago she announced the start of her book club and i applied to be a club leader. guess what? i'm now a club leader! i'm beyond excited. send me an email: linarstudio dot lc at gmail dot com and join in!
hello blink and she's gone. it was fabulous to have claire home for this, our canadian thanksgiving weekend. well, technically she's still downstairs sleeping at this hour, but soon enough i'll be taking her to the train station.
hello photo days. i'm hoping the weather stays as brilliant as it has been for the last little while so all of the individual school photos - and grade photos - can be taken!
hello parent lunches. wow. what an awesome response! i think it's really important to foster relationships with other parents at the school - not just the parents of my kids friends, but everyone. i've set up a lunch for the middle school and for the upper one class parents and i hope to have it filled with like-minded mums and dads. so far, so good!
hello self care. i have to remind myself of this and that taking care of myself is not selfish. it is actually one of the most selfless things i can do for me and my family.
hello oprah. on xm radio (107). yay!
hello pain free. i woke up one day and the debilitating pain in my foot was gone. seriously. gone. i've been tentative, but i think i can get backt to my walking routine. this, my friends, is exciting news.
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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Pinterest can be exhausting with all of it's inspiration! Like many of us, I was struck by a printable I found and though it was good, I wanted to make one more suited to me. And then I decided to take it further ...
my MORE
&
my LESS
I've come to learn that sometimes you need to see both sides in order to get what you want in your life. I know "less" is perceived as negative, and I'm doing all I can to keep that out of my life, but in this case I think it gives some balance to what I want and need right now. I want to have all of my bases covered through the end of 2013!
What are you hoping for more of - and less of - going forward?
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family favourite: lemon garlic chicken, mama rice and roasted broccoli
I love lists. I love order. I love schedules. I love my calendar.
I dwell in structure.
As far as that nasty seven letter word - control - I've pretty much given that nonsense over to the universe, but there are some things that are still within my domain. What? That would be my daily schedule.
As much as things change, some things stay the same. This summer was pretty spontaneous with the kids very much in charge. I went to a talk during our last school year where the speaker emphasized the acceptance of painful non-catastrophic mistakes made by our children. Well, I made room for plenty over the last few months! I have to say, my kids were (and still are) pretty remarkable. We learned a lot from each other. Lots of growth, understanding, acceptance and love. An enjoyable feat given that there is just me and four children between the ages of 13 and 17!
But, as always, I digress ...
Moving forward, I'm embracing the idea that I can only organize my days in a loose enough way to allow for change. I suppose my life has evolved to include "guidelines" as opposed to rigid plans. We're off to a late start this year as the school trip to the Northern Campus started the first week of the school year. Now that all of my kids are back and we can settle into the school year, this autumn brings with it a Morning Routine, an Evening Routine and (for me) a Write & Create Routine.
I ask a lot of my routine. It has to take into consideration four things:
The yin and yang of it all - tight schedules leaving enough time for self. Tough.
My days start at 6:00AM and end at 10:00PM.
MORNING ROUTINE
06:00 Alarm set to go off & Coffee maker programmed to start
Brush Teeth & Wash Up
Put on walking clothes & lace up sneakers
Make smoothie, take meds & supplements
06:30 Write morning pages
07:30 Take kids to school and go for walk
10:00 MON: Errands, Appointments, Bills, Calls & Correspondence
TUES - FRI: Write & Create
EVENING ROUTINE
10:00 Shut down everything: computer, television, lights
Fill dishwasher and empty sink (if not already done)
Head upstairs and wash up
Set alarm & fitbit
Settle in by 10:30
within all of that is my
CREATIVE ROUTINE
MONDAY: Morning Pages, Life Coach Session, The Next Chapter & The Desire Map
TUESDAY: Morning Pages, Writing
WEDNESDAY: Morning Pages, Creative Pursuits
THURSDAY: Morning Pages, Writing
FRIDAY: Morning Pages, Artist's Date, Blurb Project, Photography
SATURDAY: Morning Pages, Read & Research, Project Life
SUNDAY: Morning Pages, Read & Research
Though everything has been simplified it has not been reduced. There is a ton of content and I'm excited to start all of the creative challenges.
DINNER ROUTINE
Ah, the bane of my existence: "what do you want for dinner?" is being answered with a very simple:
MONDAY: Crock Pot
TUESDAY: Chicken
WEDNESDAY: Pasta or Pizza
THURSDAY: New (a chance to experiment!)
FRIDAY: Fish or Seafood
SATURDAY: Take Out or Go Out
SUNDAY: Beef
I am very fortunate that my kids are provided a good hot meal for lunch at school, but I want to make sure they eat well while at home, too. There are a few favourites and within their schedule I'll make sure they get them as often as we can manage.
And with that, order is restored!
Until it's not ...
Guidelines ... guidelines.
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last week i went to my first meditation class. i plan on returning this week!
hello chloé and welcome home! tonight marks her return from a week away at the northern campus. i've missed her so much and look forward to hearing the stories of her adventures. well, the one's she is willing to share. i hope she had a blast!
hello photo walk. i'm joining in on the 2013 clickin'walk. i'm looking forward to bringing out the big camera for a change. i enjoyed this write up on approaching a photo walk. it was the reminder i needed that i really miss these adventures.
hello shero's school for revolutionaries. with jennifer louden for the whole week! this is something i plan to enjoy.
hello facebook purge. it all became too much - i couldn't maintain authentic relationships with over 400 "friends" on facebook! after reconsidering my own personal criteria, i went from 418 to 242 "friends". purged were anyone i should "follow" rather than "friend" as doing both is redundant; i purged anyone who does not provide me with positive energy and inspiration, i purged anyone who i have not interacted with in the last six months. i can't even tell you how blessed i feel to have such an incredible group of people who bring joy to my life every day.
hello sore back. the culinary class is fabulous - but wow, four hours of standing is tough! i think i have to set up some massage therapy on fridays for the next 11 weeks!
hello cleaning ladies. after a couple of weeks of drywall dust and painting i am looking forward to my house sparkling again. i love bernice and her team. they make the start of my week so calm and pulled together.
hello suburban. and goodbye ford whatever-it-is. i have definitely missed my big truck even though it's tough to park in the garage, it's a great thing to drive.
hello fresh paint. no more electric green or slaughterhouse red! our rooms are filled with soothing grays and blues. now the real work begins with deciding what stays and what goes. now. what else needs painting?
hello new television season. it looks like it's starting this week. hmm.
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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autumn is in the air. jeans and comfy shoes. happy me!
hello second week of school. the first week was survived. indeed, they thrived! my kids are thrilled with just about everything: classes, teachers, classmates, lunch periods, class trip, co-curriculars, all of it. yay!
hello new camera. after the unfortunate dropping of my g12 - who's fault: the child who threw it, or the one who didn't catch it? sigh. i'm slowly getting used to my new g1x and the week in the life project was the perfect time to try it out. over 60 photos a day taken every day for a week!
hello sensory deprivation tank. have you ever tried this? it looks fascinating. as much as i'd love to head to seattle, or the dead sea, i'm hoping to find some place local to experience it. have you?
hello e-squared. the first experiment (of nine) is underway!
hello anna magazine. something is wonky with my subscription, but i do love this magazine. a happy discovery is that i can read it online!
hello elephant journal. i receive this via my facebook feed and have really enjoyed the first couple of weeks of articles. it feeds my need to discover things new to me.
hello culinary school. starting on thursday nights for the next 12 weeks, i'm signed up to learn how to cook. well, i know how to cook, but i want to learn how to really cook. actually, truth be told, i want to learn how to enjoy cooking. we'll see!
hello volleyball team. this is going to be a fun season. a great group of boys. a lovely group of parents. a knowledgeable and kind coach. it's all about development and learning this year. i got a call (after being "warned" by the coach's wife) and now i'm signed up to be team manager. i figure if i have to be available for every event i might as well participate as more than just a fan and photographer :)
hello temagami, part deux. this week it's chloé's turn to visit the northern campus. i have 24-hours to wash all of caden's gear to make sure most of it is usable for chloé's trip! i can't wait to hear all about it. caden had a blast!
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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Last week I posted a TED talk I had never seen, from the response received I was clearly one of the few! In case you missed it: Shawn Achor TEDxBloomington. He spoke on the happy secret to better work. Of course, I was fascinated by the education examples given as it speaks the most clearly to me right now. Given his examples, I wonder, now that Claire has survived frosh week and almost through her first week of classes, if she will fall under the same spell that maybe Queen's (some call the Canadian Harvard) is no longer "enough". Will the blush wear off and have her focus on the negative? I would hope, given that she has been raised a bit differently than her peers, that she will still be thrilled at her choice and all the opportunities it opens to her - if she has the willingness and enthusiasm to go after them.
Certainly, in my home, she has been exposed to a method that I've been following - and Shawn Achor has validated for me that these practices do indeed create lasting positive change.
What are they?
Among other things like reading as much positivity I can; and, reducing the negative influences in my life (well, those I can reduce!) I regularly practice the following:
3 Gratitudes | Once I wake up in the morning, after I stretching my aching left hip and excruciating right ankle, I remember at least 3 things for which I am grateful. I say at least because even after my four children - see, a bonus! - I am grateful for my health (aches aside), my independence, my friends, my home, my choices, my life in general. I am indeed very fortunate. Not only do I wake to my 3 Gratitudes, I often go to sleep counting them - much like sheep. It leaves me with a smile on my face and pleasant dreams. Some days, when the daemons are after me, it's harder than others to come up with 3, after my children, but once I start it's hard to stop :) It's a mindset. I'm grateful for the shift. It took just the 21-days and I now scan for the positive.
Journaling | I'm always writing something - either 750words.com or in my Moleskine Journal to record my "morning pages" practice as outlined in The Artist's Way. I am also back writing here on the blog. There are lists in all manner of paper pad in the house and plenty of files in the computer. There is mindful journaling and nonsense journaling. I have to get into better touch with my nonsense self. Since hearing the talk, I journal one positive and playful thing each day.
Exercise | I enjoy exercise: walking, tennis, swimming, volleyball. I despise sweat. It is a constant battle but one I'm determined to embrace and just get on with it! I have a new Fitbit but it's not getting much use. I'm warring with myself over the pain in my hip and heel. I need to take off the weight, in order to do that I need to move more. I can't move because of the pain. It's a catch-22! Argh. I'm thinking of taking some Aleve, embracing the all-Canadian "suck-it-up" attitude and just keep moving ... I am reinforcing that indeed, I matter.
Meditation | I didn't get it. I didn't get it. I didn't get it. I get it. The old Buddist belief "when the student is ready the teacher appears" is true. I've always believed that you don't "get it" until you need to "get it" even if you've been surrounded by the information. When your heart and mind are still enough and you are able to give yourself, your comfort, your control, away then you settle into who you are meant to be. A little woo-hoo for me a year ago and just a simple part of my every day now - like breathing. The best part? Learning that meditation does not mean sitting on a pillow with your legs crossed and palms up - it can be folding clothes, ironing, washing the dishes - those many mindless chores that can be so routine and calming. For me, driving is my meditation. For my sister, cooking is her meditation. I am not one of those who needs the longest list or do the most things at once. I'm not a deciple of "busy". For years I've been a dedicated unitasker. Meditation is a simple reinforcement of that practice. Where do you find stillness in yourself?
Random Acts of Kindness | Definitely on the bottom of my list. I don't know how effective it is, but I know as a regular participant it makes me feel good to provide a surprise for someone. Some big things, some small things - usually the order for the guy behind me at Tim Horton's or something similar. I don't know about the "random" aspect and how effective it is, but I'm keeping my options open :) I just don't know the impact on the recipient. I do hope it makes them happy! After listening to the talk I have a new (and inspired) attitude. Every morning I am sending one e-mail to one person to let them know how they positively impact me and my life. They're not huge involved notes, but they are genuine and heart felt. I'm enjoying the conversations!
I'm delighted that I landed upon each of these five happy secrets prior to hearing Shawn Achor's talk, and they have provided subtle shifts with HUGE impact in my everyday life. No, they didn't happen all at once. Hardly! But, now they happen every day, in different ratios - a lovely intermingled flow. I enjoy that these practices keep me in a wonderful space. A place of flow.
Sometimes my flow gets a bit jammed up with the occasional negative outside influence which interrupts my day, but often, when I get back into my practice, I'm able to pick back up pretty quickly without any anxiety or feelings of being adrift.
My lens has been changed. I am grateful, indeed.
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another one in the driver's seat. heaven help me!
hello 21 rules for everyday senseless joy. some silly. some brilliant. i'm so happy to have stumbled upon this list over the weekend. it was a must share!
hello school books. they arrived just in time. you'd think there would be no more to purchase and i'd have a bunch to hand down! i've discovered that after grade 9 the kids don't take the same courses. ugh. and if they do, they've changed the books.
hello uniform. oh, how i love uniforms! they're all pressed and ready for the start of school today. i wonder what kind of uniform claire will find for herself? it's her first year out of a kilt since grade 6! jeans and a sweater is my bet.
hello friends. so many of my kids friends have been away at camp or overseas or elsewhere for much of the summer break. i'm looking forward to hearing their stories of catch up when they get home today!
hello routine. and order. and all those things that make my heart sing.
hello temagami. this year the kids ship out on the early trips. finally chances are good that the snow will not be flying! each year i send them to the northern campus with my breath held for the duration of the 3- or 7-day stay. please, no hypothermia, drama or mean this year.
hello e-squared. i really hope it's as "beyond spectacular" as it claims on the cover. as of page 23 it's looking good.
hello workflow. each year brings with it a number of changes. it's time to re-work the flow. google is a wonderful thing. though totally impractical, i love how this is all set up.
hello week in the life. 2013 version. the camera battery is charged. memory card is cleared. calendar is full. there will be no dull day this week!
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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For the last few years I've participated in the Ali Edwards-inspired Week In The Life project, with varying degrees of success through each effort. I enjoy the project as it really gives me a here-and-now look at my life and gives me the focus I need to really realize what I want to keep, what I don't need anymore and where I want to go with things for me and my kids.
As with any creative endeavour there are tons of ideas when projects start.
So many choices!
This year, as in the last couple, I am hoping to keep things simple:
You know the Arthur Ashe quote: "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." That seems to be my motto and I shall continue to embrace it.
My past projects look like this:
2012 :: 23 April - 29 April 2012I'm looking forward to documenting my week! What about you?
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move-in day at queen's went surprisingly well! this is a quick pic of the kids waiting outside of chown hall before the doors opened at 8am. one full suburban was delivered into one very small room :)
hello labour day. the last long weekend of the summer. ahh. wishing all of my friends driving up and down the highways much patience and safety!
hello 30 days of lists. a quick way to get back into writing and back into myself!
hello bonus week. while most of the kids in our town head back to school, we have one more week left of the kids' eleven weeks of summer break. it was a full holiday! i am happy for them to all go back to school and engage a new routine!
hello dribs and drabs. discovering all that i'm missing for the start of school. fingers crossed it's nothing big like a blazer - or socks! so far, so good. only caden needs a couple of more dress shirts.
hello school books. i ordered the books while we were away in cape cod - weeks ago. no sign of them yet. fingers crossed they arrive soon!
hello mama maintenance. this week brings along with it plenty of plucking and painting and primping from one end of town to the other.
hello volleyball. caden's baseball coach is running a volleyball team this season and has asked him to come to the tryouts. actually, he's asked repeatedly. we'll see if all the volleyball camps over the last few months were worth it. caden is nervous. i've told him it is up to the coach to keep him or not so go and give it his best!
hello new student orientation. cole, chloé and caden are spending a full day at their school on friday. they'll get a few volunteer hours, find out who is in their classes and get to meet a bunch of new students.
hello 49. well, this birthday arrived quicker than i expected!
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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weekend crossword puzzle - with aid of google, of course!
hello friend list. sad to realize a friend, one who took ages to find, is now off facebook - completely! :( we were supposed to connect in october and now i have no way to follow through. note to self: in future get email addresses and don't depend on facebook.
hello body. listening and responding. lots of sleep. lots of water. lots of food - good food, only when i'm hungry. lots of movement. really? that's all i can do.
hello morning pages. slowly getting better with practice. they still take up a whole ton of time to write. enjoying the whole "stream of consciousness' concept. not enjoying the every morning cramps in my hand!
hello teenagers. even with cole still away on his service trip to british columbia, i enjoy a home that manages to be filled with teenagers. excited for his return. then the full house will be complete.
hello outlet mall. i'm not much of a shopper, but i'm sure to head up to the new mall pretty soon. i'm excited about restoration hardware, ralph lauren and levi's.
hello baseball playoffs. the season is (sadly) winding down. both teams have been so wonderful on and off the diamonds. the season is over for claire's blue jays and caden has a couple of weeks left. we'll definitely miss this season when it's over. i don't know the last time i was able to feel that way - and twice in one season? Crazy!
hello english lavender. two huge containers full as you walk up my front steps. such a happy, beautifully scented and simple idea!
hello deepak & oprah. more meditation. this time the theme is miraculous relationships. this should be an elightening month! love learning all of this new-to-me practice of self-care and awareness.
hello holiday. around here today is a holiday. i think it's country-wide though the grocery store is still open. around these parts i think it's called simcoe day. it's not terribly well recognized. can you tell? just a greatly appreciated day off in the middle of summer!
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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flowers found in my neighbour's garden
hello joy. real, unquestionable, whole-hearted, joy. i earned a hard-won gift last week and i'm still in a state of bliss.
hello photography give-away. if you haven't checked it out, let me know your favourite and you might win a print! Deadline is this Wednesday at noon!
hello artist's way. i've collected a crazy number of books on writing and creative flow. then it dawned on me that i didn't have the original, quintessential tome on the subject. i do now and find myself immersed in week one!
hello sleep. i am exhausted. i've been keyed-up for so long i never realized what a toll it was taking on me. now i can barely keep my eyes open. so i'm giving into it: early to bed, naps during the day, sleeping in. listening to my body and giving it what it needs.
hello golf. caden is off with a buddy to golf in toronto this week. i love that he enjoys the sport. definitely going to have to consider bring the clubs on future holiday choices.
hello steak. my kids laugh at me, but i made the best steak of my life last week. this new process does not include the bbq. my life has been radically altered!
hello kitchen disasters. on the other hand - thank goodness i'm not preparing food for gordon ramsey. he'd have tossed me. other than the steak all other foodie experiments were a big fat fail!
hello spoiler updates. it just wouldn't be summer if i didn't get regular morning updates on what's happening on big brother.
hello playoffs . it has just occurred to me that i will miss baseball at the end of the season. i don't know that i've been able to say that in the last couple of years. testament to a couple of great teams!
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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I haven't been absent on purpose. I find the "dog days" of summer arrived early this year and it has sapped me of all my strength! I woke up this morning surprised to realize it is Thursday. The temperatures have been in the mid-30s and feels in the mid-40s. Not ideal.
So, I've cranked up the AC and playing catch up on line!
What have you been up to lately?
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Last week I was asked about the oodles of books I've collected to read this summer. The reality is they are to be read through Christmas and beyond because I don't know that I could get through them in a mere few weeks!
This recent curation started with a few events: the summer reading list that came out for my kids and then a creative writing course I signed up to explore, then there was the influence of Brain Pickings, Hay House, Danielle LaPorte, Susannah Conway and conversations with my friends and I was overwhelmed with the need to read.
YOUNG ADULT READING
Mandatory Summer Reading:
THE GLASS CASTLE Jeannette Walls (Claire)
IN COLD BLOOD Trueman Capote (Cole)
LORD OF THE FLIES William Golding (Chloé)
THE OUTSIDERS S. E. Hinton (Caden)
Hopeful-Mama's List of Summer Reading for her children:
ELEANOR & PARK Rainbow Rowell
LOVE IS A MIX TAPE Rob Sheffield
THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO Patrick Ness
THE ASK AND THE ANSWER Patrick Ness
MONSTERS OF MEN Patrick Ness
THE SUMMER PRINCE Alaya Dawn Johnson
HIS FAIR ASSASSIN: GRAVE MERCY Robin LaFevers
HIS FAIR ASSASSIN: DARK TRIUMPH Robin LaFevers
CODE NAME VERITY Elizabeth Wein
THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER Megan Shepherd
MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH Bethany Griffin
DANCE OF THE RED DEATH Bethany Griffin
Pre-ordered:
THE UNIDENTIFIED REDHEAD Alice Clayton
THE REDHEAD REVEALED Alice Clayton
THE READHEAD PLAYS HER HAND Alice Clayton
I love that my kids enjoy reading. For every book on the list that has a counterpart on Audible, I order that version so Caden can read and listen at the same time. This has proven to be very good strategy for him. He is no longer frustrated and his attention is held through more than a few pages at a time. The list includes a good mix of girl-focused and boy-focused fiction. Like me, the kids read anything.
FICTION - AKA, IT'S TIME TO START READING MORE OF WHAT I WANT TO WRITE!
THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED Jonas Jonasson
SKYLIGHT CONFESSIONS Alice Hoffman
A BEAUTIFUL TRUTH Colin McAdam
THE FEVER TREE Jennifer McVeigh
THE AGE OF MIRACLES Karen Thompson Walker
VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Jacqueline Susann
SUMMER AT TIFFANY Marjorie Hart
THE ROSIE PROJECT Graeme Simsion
THE AVIATOR'S WIFE Melanie Benjamin
HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON Crockett Johnson
I want to write fiction. I have many stories inside just waiting to be told. I've spent a great deal of time trying to supress those stories and for a while I succeeded. They were lost to me. It's time to be quiet and not "busy" to simply dwell in that creative space again. The best way to write what you want is to read what you want to write. There are thousands upon thousands of great books and I hope to spend a great portion of my life reading them! And re-reading the really good ones. Suggestions are always welcome :)
INSPIRATION & LIFE LESSONS - NON FICTION
ON BECOMING FEARLESS ... IN LOVE, WORK AND LIFE Arianna Huffington
SOULSPACE: TRANSFORM YOUR HOME, TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE Xorin Balbes
STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST Austin Kleon
DO MORE GREAT WORK Michael Bungay Stanier
SHIFT HAPPENS: HOW TO LIVE AN INSPIRED LIFE ... STARTING RIGHT NOW Robert Holden
LOVEABILITY: KNOWING HOW TO LOVE AND BE LOVED Robert Holden
THE FIRST 20 HOURS: HOW TO LEARN ANYTHING Josh Kauffman
FOCUS ON THE GOOD STUFF: THE ART OF APPRECIATION Mike Robbins
BE YOURSELF, EVERYONE ELSE IS ALREADY TAKEN: TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH THE POWER OF AUTHENTICITY Mike Robbins
ZEN UNDER FIRE: HOW I FOUND PEACE IN THE MIDST OF WAR Marianne Elliott
THINK: STRAIGHT TALK FOR WOMEN TO STAY SMART IN A DUMBED DOWN WORLD Lisa Bloom
MANAGE YOUR DAY-TO-DAY: BUILD YOUR ROUTINE, FIND YOUR FOCUS & SHARPEN YOUR CREATIVE MIND Jocelyn K. Glei, Editor
MAKING IDEAS HAPPEN: OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES BETWEEN VISION & REALITY Scott Belsky
This is where I've been for the past couple of years - finding inspiration through the life lessons learned and shared by others. When I wasn't strong enough to take care of myself, I depended on the strength of others to provide me with hope and inspiration. I've grown a lot and now I read to have those feelings of independance, authenticity and growth reinforced.
WRITING & CREATIVE INSTRUCTION
THE NOTEBOOKS; INTERVIEWS AND NEW FICTION FROM CONTEMPORARY WRITERS Michelle Berry & Natalee Capel, Editors
WRITING LIFE: CELEBRATED CANADIAN AND INTERNATIONAL AUTHORS ON WRITING AND LIFE Constance Rooke, Editor
WRITERS GYM: EXERCISES AND TRAINING TIPS FOR WRITERS Eliza Clark
WRITING BEGINS WITH BREATH: EMBODYING YOUR AUTHENTIC VOICE Laraine Herring
344 QUESTIONS: THE CREATIVE PERSON'S DO-IT-YOURSELF GUIDE TO INSIGHT, SURVIVAL, AND ARTISTIC FULFILLMENT Stefan G. Butcher
BIRD BY BIRD: SOME INSTRUCTIONS ON WRITING AND LIFE Anne Lamott
WRITING FICTION: A GUIDE TO NARRATIVE CRAFT Janet Burroway
IMAGINATIVE WRITING: THE ELEMENT OF CRAFT Janet Burroway
NAMING THE WORLD: AND OTHER EXERCISES FOR THE CREATIVE WRITER Bret Anthony Johnston
COURAGE AND CRAFT: WRITING YOUR LIFE STORY Barbara Abercrombie
WRITING FOR MY LIFE ... RECLAIMING THE LOST PIECES OF ME: A POETIC JOURNEY Nancy Levin
THE WAR OF ART: BREAK THROUGH Stephen Pressfield
TURNING PRO: TAP YOUR INNER POWER AND CREATE YOUR LIFE'S WORK Stephen Pressfield
THE WRITING LIFE Annie Dillard
WHY WE WRITE: 20 ACCLAIMED AUTHORS ON HOW AND WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO Meredith Maran, Editor
Of course, in addition to the above, I have shelves lined with books all through my home. I have no doubt I've forgotten more than I've remembered with all of the brilliance - and drivel - I've read over the years, but it's all good! I'm looking forward to learning new things and challenging myself to new opportunities. Oh, if only my English-major -self had been as enthusiastic as my middle-aged-writer-wannabe-self has turned into being.
Though the stacks are uneven, I'm looking forward to absorbing all of those words and stories and emotions and plots and highs and lows.
I expect my posting here on the blog to be somewhat uneven as I focus my energy on this little endeavor. BUT imagine how much better - creative and articulate - my efforts will be once I'm in a state of inspired flow?
Me? I'm looking forward to finding out!
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I've had the Ali Edwards' Day in the Life templates and the coordinating photo collage templates since they came out and I've wanted to do this project for months now. It is much like my 12 of 12 practice, but more flexible as there is no limit to the number of photos. Kind of liberating that way :) Something clicked last Thursday and I remembered my camera - all day long!
Before the day started, I thought it was going to be hard to fill. As it turns out, even my lazy days, with three out of four kids (Cole was still away at OELC camp) can be pretty full. Life is good and gets better every day.
Do you participate in this #dayinthelife project?
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The last day of school arrives today with exams soon to follow. We are entering big-time study mode around here. By the 18th we'll be done with this school year and looking forward to Closing Ceremonies and Claire's prom at the Boulevard Club.
After that?
Summer holidays! Whoot :D
Last year, I had hoped to participate in Ali Edwards' Summer Manifesto album and even bought the templates. I never got around to making that leap from intention to album, though all of the things planned to do last year were thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes it has to be enough to simply enjoy the every day. Right?
[ETA: Coincidentally, Ali Edwards has a post up today with an updated 2013 cover for the album!]
I recently read my friend Katrina's summer manifesto and it jolted my memory. I do like the idea of setting forth an intention. A manifesto. For this summer 2013, this is the plan:
HELLO SUMMER
There will be a lot going on. I expect many concerts, parties and sports events to be attended with many teenagers (mine and others) walking in and out of my house on a regular basis for the next ten weeks. No doubt I will be busy keeping the fridge stocked full and asking (er, yelling) for the screens to be shut tight. No doubt there will be a few arguments about who gets the keys to the truck. Along with late nights will be lazy mornings with a lot of sleeping in - the kids, not me. I will enjoy the mornings with a cup of coffee and quiet time to journal and reflect, followed by a nice long walk.
In essence, I will spend my summer ...
1. making every effort to keep up with my kids
2. remembering to say yes as often as possible - summer is about them
3. making an effort to keep a routine for myself so I don't go wiggy!
Wish me luck!
How about you? Big plans? Small plans? Big changes? No changes? How do you manage your summer?
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drinking earl grey tea. definitely in the mood for something warm.
eating lots of lentils. i am obsessed. love them!
cooking on the barbeque. it's super quick to roast veggies and so easy - my favourite way to cook.
listening to chloé singing in her bedroom. it's directly above the living room and it has become a routine that she sings at the top of her lungs before going to bed.
watching nhl hockey playoffs. at the moment the penguins are winning 5-2 over ottawa.
reading inferno by dan brown. it was only $15 at chapters - i couldn't pass it up!
wearing jeans and a long sleeved top. flip flops and my favourite pantone scarf.
packing a "tickle" file to get my upcoming activitites organized.
planning a dwindling number of household projects: column removal, room painting, pot lights. so pleased to have so little left to accomplish!
feeling a bit sunburned.
stopping to take stock of all that i have accomplished in the last couple of years. i've realized i should be more than a little proud of myself.
wanting a little bit of quiet in this insanely busy time of year. but that's just not going to happen. everyone is "itchy" with the arrival of the warm weather.
needing to focus on my plans - including my attitude - for my future!
wishing walking 10,000 steps every day would become easier - or at least not as time consuming.
waiting for nothing. not any more :)
thinking about which "big" project to start first. which needs more research? which needs more thought? which just needs to get done!
enjoying my morning smoothies. i can make them faster than the coffee drips. that works perfectly for me.
paying and paying. emotionally and financially, but thinking it might just be, fingers crossed, almost over.
encouraging the kids to bear down and avoid any and all distractions these last few weeks of school. june 22 will be here soon enough!
celebrating my recent ventures into uncomfortable situations. i've met some wonderful people and enjoyed the rewards of leaving the house - and my comfort zone :)
cultivating boundaries. the kids are very clear on what they want and don't want. i am encouraging them to honour themselves and give voice to their boundaries, with respect and grace.
marveling at how bright my life is, right now, in this moment.
and a picture of my day:
Today was wonderful. It was FULL. I took over a thousand photos! We had two rugby games (won), an away softball game (lost) and two soccer games (split, they lost the championship game) and a thunderstorm. Chloé has not played soccer since she was 4 years old. I'm so proud of her for trying new things! I've enjoyed attending the games and I appreciate the patience of the parents willing to explain to me the sport. It is still not my favourite, but it doesn't have to be to enjoy watching my girl! (Note: it is an awkward crop only because the look of the players with their faces blurred just looked awful so this was the next best choice.) This is exactly where I was today. Appleby Main Field. Appleby East Field. Go Blue!
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WEEK 25 | Swim Meet
It never occurred to me that Caden would ever swim. My immediate response, when the school coach came up and asked if he would consider it, was an emphatic "no". After all, this is a kid who almost drown when he was two years old! He does not swim. This instinct to protect him warred mightily with my natural inclination to let my kids discover for themselves their own passions. It looks like he does swim after all.
WEEK 26 | eBook Sacrilege
Imagine! Someone with shelves lined-to-bursting with books buying an eBook! I never thought the day would come, but it has. Caden had purchased a Kindle but the front was cracked when it arrived. I returned it and he said he wanted a "full colour" eBook which this one was not. So, I got to keep it. What was I going to do with it? Well, after filling up two boxes of books to donate to the school, I had a pretty good idea. I'm now purchasing most of my non-reference, big (heavy) novels, directly onto my Kindle. I have to say, I've read plenty of books on it and don't see me stopping anytime soon! So much lighter and portable than the paper-and-print version.
WEEK 27 | The Cruise
This goes in the never-say-never category of my life. In the late-'80s I went on a corporate trip, a cruise to the Caribbean. I had a great time - except for the boat part. I got so sick, it was just awful. I thought by going on the biggest Ocean Liner in the world sea sickness would be avoided. Alas, my children are not sailors! For the most part, we enjoyed ourselves, but I don't know that any of us would do it again, I know Chloé will have to be dragged on a boat - kicking and screaming!
WEEK 28 | Solo GO Train Rides
Chloé is a great kid and generally fearless. With my four kids usually going in four different directions, sometimes they have to fend for themselves - even if it scares me more than it scares them! In this case, Chloé had her acting lessons in downtown Toronto. Cole takes the train every Saturday and I drove Chloé down on Sunday and waited the three hours then drove her home. One weekend it just wasn't going to work. This kid does not like doing things she doesn't want to do. Eventually she capitulated and went on her way. We texted the whole way there - and back. After a couple of weeks of the same routine Chloé became a pro. Now there is nothing stopping her! She faced her fear and the world will have to look out!
WEEK 29 | Baseball Training
In a million years if you'd ask me if I'd sign up my kids for baseball training, you'd hear a "no" garbled somewhere in the groan. Claire had a hard time tracking the ball last year - that comes with missing two years where everyone learns to throw, and hit, a curveball. She struggled and it was painful for her to experience and for me to watch. (Gotta say, some parents are plain mean.) When it was suggested that she head over to Field House Athletics for training I was surprised at how quickly I agreed to take her. Clearly an indicator that I'll do all kinds of things for my kids - aka, it's not about me :) The best part was during her first game she got her first single in ages. So happy - and proud of herself! Thanks to Ryan and Field House.
WEEK 30 | Smoothies, etc.
It never occured to me that I would enjoy smoothies. I see them in the mall and they just never appealed to me. Perhaps it is my dislike for bananas - which, until recently, I believed to be the primary ingredient. Or, that the few I've had were so sweet - not my thing. The fact is, I don't eat breakfast and I have to. I read Harley Pasternak's Reset Diet book and *bam* I GOT IT. So, once that was done, the fitbit charged, the blender purchased, the protein powder researched and now I'm selling, I was on board. At least once a day I have a red, white or green smoothie. This has been such a healthy epiphany on so many levels. I feel so much better! The best part? I can make a smoothie in less time than it takes the coffee to drip - and that includes clean up!
WEEK 31 | Queen's University
So the joke is that since the kids were babies I've told them they can go to any university in the world except for Queen's in Kingston. The reason is simple. Every jerk - of the collossal variety - I've ever met had one common denominator - they graduated from the Queen's business program sometime between 1982 and 1988. I don't want my babies exposed to such d-bags. The problem is, Queen's and Kingston is perfect for my girl, Claire. Then I started paying attention to some of the lovely people around me. My friend Dayna graduated from Queens. Our new principal, Innes, went to Queen's. Then there were a few more people - of the lovely variety. I was judging a place based on the intake/output of a six year period in one program. Guess what? I'll be driving to and from Kingston a lot next year as Claire has chosen, out of her options: Laurier, UNB, McMaster, and a few others, to attend Queen's.
WEEK 32 | Embracing my Inner Nonconformist
The neighbourhood has standard lilac trees in the front of each property. They are old-fashioned and not particularly attractive - especially the one that I had removed as it was totally not nurtured by the previous owners and was well beyond saving. To replace it was too expensive - like $500 too expensive. Why replace an ugly, old fashioned plant when you can put in one that is beautiful? Last fall, Cudmore's came over and pulled out the old tree and replaced it with my preferred (and much-missed) flowering dogwood. I know, what a rebel, eh? Ha!
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ABOUT THIS PROJECT | I followed New52 with awe and a bit of envy. My plate was so full I just couldn't join in but it was something that piqued my interest. Not that my plate is any less full, but it is more manageable and I hope to fill the wrong side of my 40s with a positive challenge. Let's see where it leads. Thank you to Peppermint and Christine for your weekly big and small inspiration! I love the idea that "it isn’t about making a life-altering change every week, it’s about keeping an open mind and embracing little changes in your life." Life is good.
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Like most of us, I spend plenty of time on the computer. Between blogs, Facebook, TED, Pinterest and various other sites, there is plenty to learn without ever leaving home :) For someone who is very curious, this can prove to be quite a distraction!
For years now, I've received random paper clippings from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Globe & Mail from my dad. Sometimes there is a note, sometimes not. They are always something he thinks would interest me. Fortunately for me I have a Dad who knows me well enough that usually he's right :)
As a result, one of my favourite things to do is find internet nuggets and share them with my kids. No stamps required! I do love technology and the ability to share things with them quickly via e-mail. I even have Pinterest boards dedicated to the olders and their interests. I enjoy how these things keep me connected with them - and them with me.
Lately we've shared:
A TED Talk that might turn every man who watches it into a feminist: Jackson Katz, PhD and another that seems very topical around here: Rita Pierson.
22 Amazing Places - and they're right, it's hard to believe they exist!
A lesson on on how not to say the wrong thing everyone should learn well.
Sad news that our favourite sportscasters are moving Stateside!
The latest subjective list of the world's greatest restaurants.
"Slash" as slang not a simple punctuation mark. Sigh, this is my life.
Pinterest board for Claire and for Cole. There will be one for both Chloé and Caden - once they get Pinterest accounts!
There is always something interesting and fun!
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hello family. i am the eldest of five sisters and mother's day is a big deal in our world. i am so happy for what has become one of the best days of our year.
hello dogwood. the only things i miss from our old house is the view of the lake and the beautiful, if flawed, dogwood in our yard. i can't do much about the view, but a new dogwood is enjoying it's first spring blooms in front of our home.
hello sore feet! i had forgotten how tough it is to wear heels for hours on end. thinking it might be nice to indulge in a soak and a pedicure.
hello concert season. it has begun! claire is off to the killers this week. love that she enjoys concerts as much as i did as a kid. good choices in music, too!
hello breath. hoping to exhale. soon.
hello long weekend plans. weird spring. it feels like the snow just melted and now we're heading into the start of summer party weekend! oh yeah, that's right, that's exactly what happened.
hello birthday. my baby boy will be a teenager next week. i'm hoping to cook up some plans for his big day. this should be good!
hello bathroom. almost done. whoot!
hello universe. thanks for all of the great tests lately. i do believe i'm passing. with flying colours. can we dial it back for the summer? thanks!
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week.
i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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And my catch up continues! Lots getting done, for sure :)
WEEK 21 | VISION BOARD
Vision boards have been around forever and I've considered making one - and have made a digital one ages ago - but never did I tear apart 50+ magazines to come up with a board that appealed to me. The One Little Word prompt from Ali Edwards for February was to make a vision board (full post and blog hop tomorrow!) and I did. I like how it turned out! It really does represent where I am right now - and where I want to be, soon.
WEEK 22 | RUG
For my birthday, last September, I bought a rug. A 10' x 12' rug for our living room. I have to say, it's a bit staggering to order a hand-knotted rug for a couple of reasons: it's expensive and the choices are many, too many! All I knew is, though it goes against the principle that dark colours go on the bottom, my experience with dark rugs has been the constant need to vacuum - I had to buy a lighter rug. The minute I saw the pattern I knew it was the one. When it arrived in early February, I was pleased that each of my children, separate from one another, exclaimed that it reminded them of Cape Cod. Mission accomplished!
WEEK 23 | PRINTED E-BOOKS
I take a lot of online courses. I have been taking them for YEARS and have accumulated quite a number of e-books as a result. They reside, quietly and unopened, in my computer. Well, they did. I took them up to Staples and had my favourites - 15 of them - printed and bound. Now they are being used!
WEEK 24 | DNA TEST
I have a pretty good idea of my own personal DNA, or at least I think I do! The same cannot be said for my children. Since Claire is going off into the world next year, I thought it was important to give her all of the information available so she can make solid decisions with regards to her health. I ordered a DNA test from www.23andme.com. She and I spit into the tubes, shook it up, sealed the bags and sent them in for evaluation. Now we just have to wait.
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ABOUT THIS PROJECT | I followed New52 with awe and a bit of envy. My plate was so full I just couldn't join in but it was something that piqued my interest. Not that my plate is any less full, but it is more manageable and I hope to fill the wrong side of my 40s with a positive challenge. Let's see where it leads. Thank you to Peppermint and Christine for your weekly big and small inspiration! I love the idea that "it isn’t about making a life-altering change every week, it’s about keeping an open mind and embracing little changes in your life." Life is good.
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I'll be doing a 2-day catch up with this project. It seems I've been busy doing things rather than sharing them! Today, my new-to-me activities: 17-20, which was supposed to be posted at the end of January, is below. My 21-24 will be up tomorrow!
This is my sixth straight year having a child in our Middle School with this year being unique with both Chloé and Caden in Middle One and Middle Two. I have always found it to be an uncomfortable situation where the parents are treated like some necessary evil and not really engaged in the happenings of the school as a larger community. Most of the parents are nervous and unsure with little effort made to assure them, as a group, that the school is a good fit for their child, and for them. I kept waiting to see if something would happen, there was some talk about a lunch - or even a morning coffee, but nothing transpired. In November, I gathered as many email addresses as I could and with the help of many I was able to organize a lunch in mid-January at Alice Fazooli's for 50+ parents. It was a lovely time and I for one am happy to have met a number of new people.
WEEK 18 | BETTER THAN TAKE OUT
I love Chinese Take Out but know it is filled with all kinds of things not good for me - unnecessary fats and MSG. I found some really fabulous recipes via Iowa Girl Eats and a new family favourite is the Easy Chicken Lo Mein (pictured above) which includes noodles - a favourite of my kids as they are not fans of sticky rice. I've been doing my best to make a lot of recipes at home when we are not pressed for time in the evenings.
WEEK 19 | PRE-PAID CAR WASH CARD
It might sound ridiculous, but I am so happy to get this card. It took me a while to find a car wash I like, the one closest and most convenient is really awful and way too expensive for the poor job it did. After driving around town, I found the one at the Petro Canada at Iroquois Shore Road and Trafalgar had the best car wash. Now with a quick tap of the card I can just go for a wash and not have to have a fill at the same time. I loathe driving around in a dirty car (inside or out) and the winter weather has been so sloppy, this really has made me feel fabulous! I know, it sounds silly, but it's true :)
There is going to come a time when my my life is my own again and my kids will have lives of their own and won't need daily interference from their mama. I'm not looking forward to it, at all, but it is inevitable! I've embarked on a few ventures over the years and know that my biggest failing was in the preparation and anticipation of issues - and my poor choice of business partner. I believe that in our biggest mistakes are our greatest lessons so I'm taking those lessons and I've hired a Life Coach to help me figure out what I want to be when I grow up. By the time Caden is old enough to head off to University, I should have a plan together. Clearly there is no rush, but I have to do something.
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ABOUT THIS PROJECT | I followed New52 with awe and a bit of envy. My plate was so full I just couldn't join in but it was something that piqued my interest. Not that my plate is any less full, but it is more manageable and I hope to fill the wrong side of my 40s with a positive challenge. Let's see where it leads. Thank you to Peppermint and Christine for your weekly big and small inspiration! I love the idea that "it isn’t about making a life-altering change every week, it’s about keeping an open mind and embracing little changes in your life." Life is good.
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I am a fan of lists.
I am a fan of calendars.
I am a fan of clocks.
I manage every minute of my time, with varying degrees of success, and celebrate order wherever it can be found. When it comes to time management, there are a few lessons I've learned:
If history serves, I'm about to hit a big "change" period with the end of the school year closing in far more quickly than I'd like. Once the good weather finally arrives in a few weeks time, I'll be happy to kick routine to the curb, but I really have to bear down and focus. This is the time to re-evaluate how to more effectively spend my kids-in-school free-time before summer arrives and all routine and structure disappear and chaos takes its annual reign!
I am also in the midst of a number of Life Coach-inspired projects and courses; I am trying to structure my days to find time to dedicate to planning my future and not simply survive my present. Now is the time to be more purposeful with that goal in mind.
I do not believe in "doing it all" and I certainly do not believe in "organize it all".
I do believe in "do what you can" and "everything in it's place" - and if there is no place, there are options: garbage, recycling and donation. This simple shift in mindset has really opened me up and gives me permission to make quick decisions with regards to stuff. With four kids always coming and going, there is always plenty of stuff!
Without that stuff, I'm able to better focus my time and be productive.
No clutter = more time.
Amazing.
I've been inspired by a few posts, notably this one over at Pink Ronnie. Because of it, I decided to put together some "pretty" schedules that I can include in my Project Life - which is decidedly lacking in evidence of my OCD tendencies!
WEEK DAY TASKS
Aside from the usual cooking, laundry and cleaning, this is pretty complete.
KEY: In order to maximize my wait time: in parking lots, in doctor's offices, etc, I have a bag packed with projects, magazines and activities. I do a lot of waiting and I was feeling that time time of Facebook and Pinterest was just too much!
I am always doing something. It is my prefered state of being. Then, inevitably, the phone rings or someone is at the door and it takes me a while to get back in to my much preferred state of creative flow. Having a plan gives me a quick way to get back on track.
WEEKLY TASKS
Each week, in addition to the schedule above, I write out a detailed "to do" list. I no longer just write an endless list, my new system has my chores and errands divided into a few categories:
Errands to RunNo category every has more than five items in it. I don't want to be overwhelmed or defeated before I start. By doing this, my time is used more effectively as a number of chores can be completed at one time or at least in one area of town. It really has been effective and tons gets done.
I live in a town where most mums I've met judge their worth by the depth of their lists: the minutia and details. I've learned to judge my worth by the completeness and effectiveness of my list.
Epiphany: Done is better than busy.
I have used a Fly Lady-inspired Control Journal for at least a decade now and it has proven to be an invaluable tool for keeping us on track and organized. As my electronic calendar, I use the iCal program that came with my Mac. It communicates with my iPhone and with iCloud I'm able to have it communicate with all of the kids so we're all on track and know where we have to be all the time.
QUARTERLY & SEASONAL TASKS
My seasonal activity chart is a chart of all the kid activities that I made up ages ago. It is a simple table I made up in Word that I update regularly as activities are added and deleted through the weeks. I keep it on the fridge as a physical reminder of what we have to do that day.
ANNUAL TASKS
I have to say, my annual task list is very low-key and I'm happy to not be as crazy busy as many of my peers. It's by choice. I'm sure I could have a ton of other events but my days are so full, I like to pace myself when I can.
With all this I should be the most organized mum around. And you know, I think I am!
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I am really enjoying this project - even more than last year.
I suppose I needed that time to work out the kinks and figure out what was important enough to be included. I am really getting a feel for how my "style" is evolving - and learning to be happy with it! I find there is a lot of pressure (self imposed!) when looking at the oodles of beautiful projects on blogs, forums and on the dreaded but lovely Pinterest. I've felt like I wasn't doing it right if I didn't do this project the way everyone else was doing it with cute pocket fillers and tons of ephemera. But that style doesn't reflect my life. There is just too much with all four of my kids going in all four directions at once to leave things out in order to make room to include lumpy-bumpy filler. I'll try to keep the pretty and consistent esthetic, but I've never been one for tons of ephemera or fill, for myself.
What appeals to me about Project Life is that I can get it done quickly. I've learned to use some organizational tools and scaled back my handling of pictures and stories to streamline my process. I spend an hour or two during the week making sure to record stories and take photos then put it all together on Sunday afternoon. I spend an hour choosing photos and mapping out my week. After those two hours of prep work, If it takes me more than an hour to get the spread finished - and photographed - then I've taken too much time. I want to live this life, not just record it.
WEEK TWO
WEEK 2 | LEFT SIDE
WEEK 2 | RIGHT SIDE
WEEK 2 | INSERTS
Wrapping up YEAR FIVE of 12 of 12 :) Best project ever because, for me, it was so do-able. I'm so glad to incorporate it into my Project Life last year and now this one, too!
I definitely needed this validation this week!
WEEK THREE
Week 3 | Left Side
Week 3 | Right Side
There is a back side, but I've elected to keep it in the album, unshared :)
* * * * *
What is Project Life? Developed by Becky Higgins, Project Life is a memory-keeping system which I use to document, with words and photographs, our very full life, each week of the year! It is really flexible and has made it so much easier to save our stories.
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Well, not really again, just a continuation of a wonderful project. After all, life doesn't really stop to start all over again. I have all of the components - photos and stories - to finish off 2012, I just haven't done it yet! I'm about a quarter (13 weeks) behind.
Alas, it has been put on the back burner, until I carve out some dedicated time.
Right now I'm fully engaged in keeping up with my life - and doing my best to record as much as I can to include in weekly layouts. Along the way, I've made a few tweaks to how I've approached this project. I'm hoping these changes will result in more finished weeks. I live forever in hope!
My cover page for 2013 is simple:
The best part of coming up with this opening page was going back through all of my "flagged" photos and finding my absolute favourite pics of my kids taken in 2012. My how they make me laugh and the photos bring back such wonderful memories of wonderful times: Claire snorts when she laughs, Cole kind of let me take "headshots", Chloé loses herself on stage and it is an amazing transformation and Caden, well, he's just a silly goofy pre-teen :)
The first week of 2013 looked like this:
WEEK 1 | LEFT SIDE
WEEK 1 | RIGHT SIDE
WEEK 1 | INSERTS
I wasn't sure if I was going to include inserts this year, but with my clear addiction to Pinterest, I don't know that it will be possible to avoid them! Plus, with so much going on around here all the time, inserts are inevitable.
To be honest, I have no clue where I got this (the link on Pinterest is broken), but it is bright and colourful and in keeping with my attitude toward the upcoming year :)
I've saved this quote a number of times. Perfect for any time of the year, but it is certainly fitting for the first week of the year. The colour is in keeping with my current mood and the font is Museo Slab which I'm using in the project this year.
And with that, my Opening Page and Week 1 is complete. Whoot! Well, complete and shared. I'm actually all up to date. Not bad for 3 full weeks in ;)
Are you participating in Project Life? What lessons have you learned? What are you looking for this project to bring to your life?
and ...
Help!
If anyone knows what lens to use, or settings on a point-and-shoot, to get less curve when taking photos of a 12x12 page for sharing, your advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Finishing up! My December Daily for 2012 has been completed, but in the crush of Christmas and the excitement of the new year, I completely forgot to close out this project by sharing it here!
Wow! What a full month. I love that this December is the same but different from last December is the same but different from the one before. I really wouldn't know that unless I did this project which is what makes it special and worthwhile. It is a definite "must do" for next year.
Now that the layouts are done maybe I should get to putting the album together!
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I have been participating in this 12 of 12 project for what seems forever - but it's only been since February 2008 - thank you so much Cathy Zielske and Susan Keuter! This posting will be the completion of my fourth year. Of all the projects I've participated in through the years this has been the most consistent and ultimately rewarding. For me and my kids, this twelfth of the month event has become time capsule of sorts. Caden is now the age Claire was when I started. The kids are so used to it they all remind each other on the 11th that "Mama is going to be taking lots of pictures tomorrow" as a form of warning, but delight as well.
And with that, this was our January 12 of 12:
01. Like every morning, this one started with coffee. I drink it really strong. It goes into a travel mug with a teaspoon of raw sugar and some half and half. Mid-way through the morning I will top it up and add a bit more cream, but no more sugar. It's as refined-free as I've managed.
02. We discovered that there was no milk in the fridge. I couldn't send Caden off to his swim meet in Hamilton without breakfast. Fortino's doesn't open until 8AM. (Crazy) So we were off to the local Mac's convenience store.
3. After dropping Caden off at Appleby to catch the bus to Hamilton with the swim team, I stopped in front of the cemetery. It was so warm out and the snow melting so fast it was eerie with all of the fog that was produced. Fabulous!
4. The house was quiet upon my return so I spent part of the morning editing photos. The night before we had celebrated Jess' birthday. Love those girls!
5. The Moe was the first downstairs. LOVE her new haircut! She was filling me in on the drama of the night before. Sigh. Grade eight sucks.
6. Around 10AM Cole came tearing down the stairs talking on his phone. It turns out he has an audition for a feature film on Monday afternoon after school, in Toronto. The part? A hockey player. Made me - and him - laugh :) FIVE pages of dialogue was sent through for him to memorize.
7. Time to update his acting resumé. That includes height. As much as he might argue, he is 5'10". We confirmed it. We also confirmed that Claire is now 5'9 3/4". When did that happen?
8. Time to pick up Caden. He came in last in two races and second-last in the front crawl. He makes me laugh as those results do not deter him at all. He's looking forward to the next meet and that Ms Core is going to give him some more instruction. LOVE his attitude!
9. For about a millisecond I thought I'd lay on the couch and close my eyes. Ha!
10. The temperatures broke records today. The thermometer said 15*C but it really felt warmer. A perfect opportunity to gather up and pack away the outdoor Christmas garland and lights.
11. Lots of screens! Most of the evening was spent watching the Denver Broncos play the Baltimore Ravens. Wow. What an amazing football game. Truly a pleasure to watch.
12. Claire returned from her volleyball tournament in Kingston earlier in the day (no, that is not a good thing returning early on a Saturday!) and had contingency plans! I picked her up and took her to the movie theatre to see Django Unchained. (I have no idea how she can watch a movie like that - eek!)
And with that another 12 of 12 is complete.
How was your day?
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hello daily walks. some are harder than others, but i'm moving at least 45 minutes a day. filling up my jar with beans!
hello article. i posted this brilliant article on facebook, but in case you missed it: 12 things you should never stop doing is a must read.
hello choices. the best choices are hard to make, but once made you wonder what in the world took you so long.
hello support system. my family and friends rock.
hello reading glasses. a year ago they were forgotten in their case, used only occasionally. now i have to use them 100 times a day! scary fast decline. though, i love them in their funky green-ness :)
hello new mattress. it's about time.
hello new sheets, too! based on the promise i'd be cooler at night, i bought the sheets made of bamboo. i live in perpetual hope!
hello second term mandatory reading. all the books are in - hard copy and via audible.com - and i'm joining the kids in their reading this time around.
hello audition. taking cole to the city for his very first audition for a feature film. the part? a hockey player. oh, the irony if he were to actually get it :)
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week.
i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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Back in October 2011 I started this journey of hello monday. I found my inspiration, where I often find inspiration, Katrina's blog - who found it via Lisa's blog.
I have always been a fan of Mondays. I am a great starter so Mondays really work for me. I finish every Hello Monday post with:
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week.
i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
I plan on continuing this practice through this year. Join me!
hello 2013. i'm looking forward to only good things ahead.
hello bathroom. wow. white subway tiles. white and black hexagon tiles. black flooring. it is really coming together. now for the big wait for the vanity.
hello back-to-school (tomorrow). i really enjoyed the time away from the routine of school and after-school activities but it's time to get back to reality - and order!
hello university acceptance stress. oh my, how i wish i could protect my child from this time. i have no recollection of stress, just the fun of it all - the excitement of my future and the adventures that lay ahead. this is not fun, at all.
hello time. i am going to focus more of my time on my projects and my health. the social stuff is fun, but makes me feel guilty that i'm not getting anything accomplished.
hello scandal. where has this show been hiding? watched a "marathon" and it should be called scandalous.
hello lessons. i've told my kids that it's best to be honest. always. 'sparing' someone's feelings only delays things and ends up hurting worse in the end when everything comes out anyway.
hello barefoot contessa. your new book rocks! foolproof is the absolute right word for it.
hello lists. my computer is filled with those yellow virtual sticky notes - and plenty of the real ones too! lots to do.
hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week.
i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.
what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.
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Okay, so my 4 Simple Goals post of yesterday was supposed to be posted today - the 4th of the month. Below is the post for yesterday. A bit of a mix up but all fixed now :)
WEEK 13 | TIED UP WITH STRING
I have always wanted to have a simple Christmas. That includes simple wrapping, simple tags, simple presents. An event that takes place on ONE DAY (or close to it). We put lights out front for "the season" because I like twinkling lights covered in snow but beyond that our holiday was very low key filled with people we love, food we enjoy and brown paper packages tied up with string. Perfect.
WEEK 14 | CONNECTIONS
I have some of the best girlfriends anyone can have. The ladies above have populated my life for the last 10+ years and I admit they are better to me than I am to them. Even though we're all equally busy they are all able to remember me and make me feel loved and included, always. We don't get together nearly often enough, but when we do it is wonderful! When I met them - each of them - soon after Caden's accident, it never dawned on me that a decade in we'd still be friends, through good times, bad times, moves, divorces, breast cancer, proms, drivers licenses, career changes, trips overseas, graduations, university selections, sport seasons ... oh my. So much!
WEEK 15 | #REVERB12
I don't work on regret or in reverse so it came as a surprise to me when I realized sometime in mid-November that I wish I had completed a #reverb project in 2011. Or, at least some kind of project that reconciled the year that had just passed. Perhaps a little reflection is exactly what I need to make better choices going forward. This was a wonderful exercise and I won't miss another year.
WEEK 16 | CLAIRE'S 20.12.2012 BIRTHDAY
I was not willing to disappoint Claire ever again. Promises were kept and plans were made to celebrate her 20.12.2012 birthday. Over the past six months, we discussed a number of options and she finally settled on Barbados. With two friends. Never in my life did I expect to go on a trip with six children - okay teenagers and almost teenagers - but I did. Six days of sun, sand, ocean, and food. It was a lovely time and they were great!
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ABOUT THIS PROJECT | I followed New52 with awe and a bit of envy. My plate was so full I just couldn't join in but it was something that piqued my interest. Not that my plate is any less full, but it is more manageable and I hope to fill the wrong side of my 40s with a positive challenge. Let's see where it leads. Thank you to Peppermint and Christine for your weekly big and small inspiration! I love the idea that "it isn’t about making a life-altering change every week, it’s about keeping an open mind and embracing little changes in your life." Life is good.
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My 4 Simple Goals, to start off the new year, January 2013:
REWARD*: After taking my girls, I realized I really want to get my ears re-pierced. If I get these goals accomplished, I'll take myself up to Way Cool Tatoos and get my own ears done.
*I recognize that meeting the goals is reward in itself. This is a reward beyond that - a small tangible token.
What about you? Do you have a few activity-oriented goals you'd like to meet? If so and you participate, let me know! I'd love to see what you have planned!
In August 2010, Elsie Flannigan posted a simple and doable challenge. I've been doing it ever since!
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DATELINE: 01 December 2012 :: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
I am participating in REVERB12 this year. Through the whole month of December, I will be answering some thought provoking questions and some silly questions and some soul-searching questions. To find my entries, please head over to my new mini-blog by clicking the image above - or links to specific days and prompts below. Let me know what you're writing so I can visit and read what you have to say!
day one | one word :: day two | limits :: day three | remember :: day four | fear
day five | worthy :: day six | change :: day seven | 7 minutes :: day eight | reading
day nine | spontaneity :: day ten | accomplish :: day eleven | money :: day twelve | joy
day thirteen | try :: day fourteen | relaxed :: day fifteen | make
day sixteen | disappointment :: day seventeen | spark :: day eighteen | bouquet
day nineteen | cry :: day twenty | health :: day twenty-one | song
day twenty-two | discovery :: day twenty-three | alone
day twenty-four | photograph :: day twenty-five | gift :: day twenty-six | return
day twenty-seven | compliment :: day twenty-eight | space :: day twenty-nine | view
day thirty | year in review :: day thirty-one | moving forward
This post will stay here at the top of Embrace Life for easy access but don't forget that there will be some other content below - all month long :)
DATELINE: 31 December 2012 :: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Wow. That was a lot of reflecting and manifesting! 2012 held in it many lessons. As is my experience, mistakes and negative influences tend to teach the harshest but most resonant lessons. There were plenty of those. I'd like to invite some kinder gentler influences in the years to come. In spite of my sporadic posting - though the break was to engage fully in an unplugged holiday to Barbados - I think I'm in good shape for the year ahead. Indeed, though not much of a New Year's Eve celebrator, I find myself looking toward 2013 with uncharacteristic excitement. I anticipate many good things ahead.
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Reverb 13 | REMIX is Underway!
I will be keeping this post here at the top for easy reference through December.
If there is nothing new posted below, click the links to go to the Reverb 13 Remix blog:
PART ONE | REFLECT
1. ONE EVENT. | 2. QUESTIONS. | 3. PERSPECTIVE. | 4. CONNECTION.
5. VULNERABILITY. | 6. WELL-BEING.
7. 13 IN 2013. | 8. READING. | 9. YEAR IN REVIEW. | 10. ONE WORD | 2013.
PART TWO | MANIFEST
1. ONE WORD | 2014 | 2. EASE. | 3. GIVING. | 4. ORDINARY SPARKLING MOMENTS.
5. CREATIVITY. | 6. RITUALS.
7. DREAM. | 8. VOCABULARY. | 9. NO | YES. | 10. CONSCIOUS ENTRY.
Do you want to participate in your own #reverb13 project? Be sure to go to Carolyn Rubenstein's blog and download her REMIX workbook!
Here's to reflecting on 2013 and looking forward to 2014 and beyond.
What about you? Reflect? Manifest? Share!
CREDITS | Prompts: Carolyn Rubenstein | Digital Template: Ali Edwards | Article Template: Cathy Zielske | Digital Papers: Katie Pertiet | Digital Embellishments: Karla Dudley | Fonts: Helvetica, Aire Bold Pro, Bebas Neue | Content, Stories & Opinions: All mine :)
Posted on 03 December 2013 at 12:00 PM in celebrating the every day, embracing imperfection, inspiration, me, real right now, social commentary | Permalink | Comments (2)
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