The ABC's of Life...B is for Believe

"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe." ~Earl Severs


"There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do." ~Freya Strark


"Believing in yourself is not for you; it's for every person who has touched your life in a significant way, and for every person your life will touch the same way...five minutes from now or five centuries from now." ~Jaye Miller

Believe in something with all of your heart...believe in yourself. Believe in the Golden Rule. Believe in Love and in Family. Believe there is something greater in the universe...never lose faith. Believe in Miracles. Believe in your dreams with everything that you have. Believe in Integrity and in having a moral compass. Believe that kindness and "being nice" matters. Believe in smiles and in hugs and in laughter. Believe in nurturing your body and your soul. Believe in the beauty and wonder of nature. Believe in gratitude. Believe in Hope. Believe in endless possibilities. Believe in Magic.

Just Believe.

The ABC's of Life...A is for Attitude

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” ~Charles R. Swindoll

In the months leading up to my birthday I've been thinking about the many things in my life that I'm grateful for. Now that I'm 50 (which means I must be wise, right?) I've been looking back on some of the important lessons that I've learned about life over the years...things that I'd like my kids to know. The first, and in my opinion the most important, is attitude. Having a positive attitude is everything! It can determine how you wake up in the morning or how you sleep at night...it can make the difference on your performance in a game or on a test...it can affect your mental & physical health...and it also has an impact on your relationships. Listen to music that makes you happy (anything from Glee) . Get out in the sunshine and take a walk around the block. Watch a funny tv show or movie (Miss Congeniality). Find out what fragrances uplift your spirits (all I need to do is smell a tangerine or a clementine and I perk right up). Find what works for you and, if you can, always make the choice to live your life with a "glass half-full" attitude!

50 things...no. 24-50

"Happiness is a journey, not a destination. For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin- real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be a paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one." ~souza


"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every moment with love, grace and gratitude"
~ unknown

It's hard to believe, but today is my birthday...not just any birthday, but my 50th! I know I must sound crazy, but I love saying that. I've had a great life (not perfect, not free from troubles) but it's been wonderful and I am thankful for every single moment.

I wanted to list the rest of the "50 things that I'm thankful for"...I'm doing these all together because I didn't have pictures to go along with many of them (and I couldn't do a post without a photo or two). I hope you've enjoyed counting down (or up to) 50 with me...thanks so much for being a part of my special celebration!

24- teachers...love them!

25- caller ID...makes life so much easier

26- sunscreen

27- music, music, music

28- police officers and firefighters

29- my cell phone

30- modern conviences...microwave, dishwasher, washer/dryer

31- libraries and bookstores...they make me happy

32- the navigations system in my car...I'd be lost (literally) without it!

33- organizational products...they bring me joy (I know, I'm a geek)

34- Target, Costco & Ikea...

35- Doctors & nurses...anyone in the medical profession

36- all creatures great and small

37- office supply stores & stationary supplies (love a good journal)

38- Disneyworld :)

39- friends (old friends, new friends, internet friends, friends I haven't met yet)

40- words that inspire (in case you couldn't tell, I love quotes)

41- creative artists

42- my faith

43- sunshine

44- dreams

45- memories

46- laughter & joy

47- kindness

48- my postive attitude towards life

49- a beautiful, sunny 80 degree day for my birthday

50- for being me!

50 things...no. 23

"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have captured on film is captured forever...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything." ~Aaron Sussman

"A camera is a "save" button for the mind's eye" ~Roger Kingston


"We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us."
~Ralph Hattersley


"Life is short; this is why I make pictures." ~Carlos Dominique




One day last spring I was taking a walk around the lake...and of course I had my camera with me. It was a beautiful day and the flowers were in bloom. I had stopped at a group of purple flowers along the path and was taking a picture of a bee buzzing around one of the flowers.
People were jogging by and others were walking past at a quick pace. One of the walkers saw me with my camera taking a picture and she stopped and watched. After I took the photograph she wanted to see what I was taking a picture of...she wanted to know what she had been missing. I don't want to be one of those people who go through life at such a fast pace that they miss seeing the beauty in the everyday, simple, ordinary things.

For me, photography is a way of capturing a moment in time. It makes me happy...and allows me to make others happy too. It brings out my creativty. I love learning about photography...I enjoy taking classes and reading books & blogs about the subject. I enjoy looking at the work of other photographers...they inspire me to grow and improve as a photographer. The only thing that I can think of that I don't like about photography is the price of the new lens that I want!

50 things...no. 20, no. 21, no. 22

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


"You don't chose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."
~Desmond Tutu

"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there."
~Barbara Bush

"...and thank you for a house full of people I love. Amen." ~Terri Guillemets


I am so very thankful for...



This boy.

This girl.

This guy.

I can't imagine my life without them, and am so blessed to be their mom and wife.

50 things...no. 19

"I like to listen. I have learned a great deal by listening carefully. Most people never listen." ~Ernest Hemingway



"The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach."

I am very grateful for the gift of my hearing. To be able to listen to all of the different sounds that I love...sounds like:

the whinnying of horses in the field

birds chirping in the pre-dawn hours

the rustle of autumn leaves

music from an old fashioned merry-go-round

the splash when someone jumps into the pool

the hushed silence in a library

flip flops on the boardwalk at the beach

crickets & tree frogs on a summer's evening

the far away rumble of thunder

ocean waves gently breaking on the shore

the whack of the bat when it hits the baseball

my yoga class saying 'ommmmmmm' in unison

and my all time favorite...the sound of laughter of the people that I love

50 things...no. 18

"Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains." ~Diane Ackermann


"If we breathe the scent of goodly grass, the fragrance of spices, the aroma of good fruits, we pronounce a blessing over the pleasure." ~Shmuel Y. Agnon

These are a few of my favorite scents that bring me happiness & can make me smile...just a small whiff of some of these can transport me back to my childhood days.

lilacs in bloom

freshly cut grass

salt air blowing off the ocean

spring rain on asphalt

puppy breath

the turkey roasting in the oven on Thanksgiving morning

leaves burning on a fall day

coffee brewing (even though I'm not a coffee drinker)

clementines and tangerines

cinammon

babies (it must be the combination of the shampoo & the baby powder)

Old Spice aftershave (reminds me of my Dad)

sweet honeysuckle

What are some of your favorite smells that you love?

50 things...no. 17

(quotes ~unknown, ~unknown, ~Pam Brown, ~Pam Brown, ~Marion C. Garretty)

"She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion. Someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent...even your shrink. Some days she's the reason you wish you were an only child." ~Barbara Albert

I have 2 youngers sisters...one is 6 years younger than I am, and the other is 11 years younger.

We don't look alike, we don't act alike, we don't think alike...but we love each other & we are friends. I can't imagine making it through life without them.

50 things...no. 16

"Lack of activity destroys the good conditions of every human being, while movement and methodical exercise save it and preserve it." ~Plato


"Wholesome exercise in the free air, under the wide sky, is the best medicine for body and spirit." ~Sarah Louise Arnold


"True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are united." ~Alexander von Humboldt

I am thankful that I have the capability (the ability) to exercise. I probably don't do it as much as I should, but it's important to me to get out there and "do something" every week. I go to the trainers twice a week with three friends. Not only is it good for my physical health, but it does wonders for my mental health...although we probably should spend more time actually working out and less time talking & laughing!

For the past 8 months I've been taking a yoga class once a week...and I love everything about it!

I am just one of those people (can you say 'procrastinator') that needs to take a class to stay motivated. I would like to start walking a couple of times during the week...and I also have a goal to run in a 5k race that's being held in October of this year.

Physical fitness has always had a place throughout my life so far...whether it was tennis or gymnastics or running or racquetball or skiing...and I hope that it always will.

50 things...no. 15

"We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only...sorting the laundry." ~ EB White

"After enlightenment, the laundry." ~Zen proverb

Now don't laugh, but I'm really grateful for my laundry room! We've lived in our current home for about 10 years, but prior to that every house that I've lived in has had the washer & dryer located in the basement. In this house the laundry room is on the main level and I love it. It's nice and bright...we painted it yellow and there is a window that lets the sun shine in. If you open the cabinet above the dryer you'll find one of my favorite things about the room...a laundry chute! It makes life a whole lot easier. Across from the washer and dryer is a wall of cabinets and a sink that I use when making flower arrangements.

I don't know about you, but it seems like we do laundry just about every day of the week....and my least favorite part is matching up the socks! Whenever the dirty clothes start to pile up or there is another load in the dryer to fold I just tell myself that this is the evidence of a life well lived...a life filled with 2 teenagers and a husband that go to school and work and play sports.

50 things...no. 14

"Time stands still best in moments that look suspiously like ordinary life."
~Storypeople

"Don't fret about copping life's grand rewards...enjoy in it's tiny delights"
~Unknown

Ziploc bags may not seem like something to be thankful for, but until I became a mom I never realized just how invaluable they are. They are so very ordinary, yet they can hold amazing things. I have bags filled with tiny treasures...with rocks & sticks that my son gave me when he was small (he's now 14 and taller than I am)...and with seashells collected while on walks down the beach with my mother and my daughter. The memories and stories that come to my mind whenever I hold one of these bags is, well, priceless.

Of course, there are the everyday uses of the ziploc bags...like using them to pack school lunches or for putting toiletries in when going through the airport for a trip...and even these events bring to mind things that I'm grateful for. Although some mornings it can be a pain, I relish the time spent making lunches with my kids...before too long they'll be at college and I'll miss this routine. Also, as a mom, I don't think I've ever left the house without a ziploc bag full of snacks in my car!

I try to use ziploc bags responsibly and reuse them whenever I can (unless they've had raw meat or fish in them) and I recycle the box they come in. Even before recycling became "popular" both my mom and my mother-in-law would wash out the bags and dry them (inside out) before using them again. You can also check online to find out if your area recycles plastic bags.

What are some things that you use ziploc bags for...do your bags hold any treasures or memories?