A sure cure for my overwhelmedness

I found this article at zen habits that is very appealing. Go there to read the whole thing, but here is the short list.

Do one think at a time.

Do it slowly and deliberately.

Do it completely. (This is not a fly lady essential. I think this must be one of the reasons I can't follow that program. Who wants to stop making the bed when the timer rings if the pillow cases aren't on?)

Do less.

Put space between things (I don't think this means evertime I finish a chore I get to play a round of scramble. Because we all know that you can't play JUST ONE!)

Develop rituals.

Designate time for certain things.

Devote time to sitting.

Smile and serve others.

Make cleaning and cooking become meditation.

Think about what is necessary.

Live Simply.

Wow. Pretty common sense stuff, huh? Sounds like a Jesus way to live, too.

I think I will try to post about each essential as I'm working on it.

I sort of feel like I have to get everything in order before I can begin my more zen-like but I just read a C.S. Lewis quote through the bunny trail of blogs that says something to the effect that successful people are those who seek knowledge while conditions are still unfavorable. Favorable conditions never come. (Go to pink sneakers for the full quote).

Anyone out there have this under control? I'm wondering what your life looks like.

For Today

Todays weather: Snowing. Again.

Todays breakfast: Apples, oranges, banana and a string cheese. String cheese is a very convenient take-along food.

Todays lunch: Hopefully eaten out if a friend calls back. If not, I have a package of ground turkey just waiting to be turned into taco meat.

Todays quote: A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult. (I'm thinking this must be from Proverbs).

Todays big chore: The bathroom scrub down/springtime makeover (I will not let the snow beat me) and organization of the linen closet.

Todays beverage of choice: Starting with hot black tea, then moving on to Coke Zero.

Today I will say good morning to every person that comes into work with the hopes that they will have a good day and be blessed in a special way that is obvious. The kind of thing that's out of the norm, that will make a person actually think, "Wow, I've just been blessed"!

And I hope you are blessed in some amazing way, too!

Do you SEE where she's sitting??

Death to Bunnies

Happy Easter, my peeps

May you find in Jesus Christ, our risen Lord, a companion for your journey, a sure ground for your hopes, the peace that passes understanding and the joy that life is eternal.

Getting to know you, 4x4

I love meme's and learning trivia about people. So I'm doing this one!

Four jobs I have had: Waitress (lots of times), Sign Language Interpreter, Wedding dress salesperson (eek), Library Clerk (presently, LOVE IT!)


Four shows I watch: Survivor, Lost, The Office, America's Best Dance Crew


Four places I've visited: Hawaii, Vancouver BC, Disneyworld, Washinton DC


Four foods I like: Taco Salads, Chops Americano from Blue Mountain, Burger on Greens from Red Robin, Double Beef Cheeseburgers from Burgerville



Four More:


Four scents I like: Vanilla, Thanksgiving Dinner, Banana Bread, kids who have just eaten graham crackers.


Four sounds: That first snow falling quietness, my kids singing, when hubby laughs really hard, the first time the ice cream truck comes through the neighborhood, but not after that!


Cars I've had: A cute little Honda Accord that my brother destroyed when it was his turn to drive, A Ford escort, a Pontiac 2000 - old and ugly but heated up really fast, and currently a mini-van.


Four things I'm good at: Baking cookies, doodling, knitting stocking caps, french braiding.



Another Four:


Songs I like: Here we go again, OK GO, Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur... (mom's shouldn't like that one, eh?) The Revelation song, The Mom Song


Books I've enjoyed: The Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.

Food I hate: Capers, curry, divinity... And how sad is it that I can only think of three?

Food that hates me: French Fries, Red Vines, Butter, Chocolate. One bite and I gain five pounds. Not fair.

I should have another four, to finish the 4x4, but it's been a long day and I need a rest.

Everyone is tagged who cares to carry on the meme!

Inquiring minds want to know

Is it rude to ask people about their obvious physical traits?

Can I ask people about how they came to have their crooked noses, glass eyes, limps, smashed fingers, etc?

Or is it only okay to inquire if the physical difference seems to be only a temporary malady, like a cast or crutches or pregnancy or a zit.

I am extremely (EXTREMELY) curious about people, but I rarely ask.
When I do ask, I never ask to be rude or make a person feel bad. I honestly want to know. Come on, it's not like it isn't obvious. Maybe it would put a person at ease to know they are actually being seen and looked at straight on.

There is a very nice gentleman who comes into my work with only one leg. I always want to ask if the cold hurts his stump, or have him tell me his story. But I don't ask. I'm sure I could, he's a very nice person. But I hold back because I don't want to embarrass him if it is a touchy subject.

I consider myself to be a pretty nice person. I like to consider the feelings of others, but does that trait make it harder to get to know people? I don't want to step on toes, or cause someone to be uncomfortable.

I think those bad haircuts, crooked eye-liner, tattoos, painful shuffles, black eyes, scars and missing limbs are unique and it makes me think you must have an awesome story to tell.

So don't be mad if I start asking.

A little spring at the end of winter

I've been knitting hats like crazy.

And I learned how to make little knitted flowers, too.

Do you ever look at your kids and think how lucky you are? I just want to eat these girls up! I love them so.

This makes me laugh

Long time, no post

Weekend away! Yay!

Flu! Ick.

Raising kids is sometimes hard. Sigh.

That about sums up the last few days.

Stuff

The computer is not quite back to being fully loaded, so I don't have any of my own pictures to share.

I thought I would share a couple of my favorite things, though. To tide us over.

Have you used this stuff? It's fabulous. Especially when you live in a place where winter will never, ever end and you are destined to be cold and flaky for all of eternity.
My favorite lip balm is actually called 'My Favorite Lip Balm'. Worth every penny. I keep it on my night stand and use it every night before bed. Also great for the forever winter environment in which I am now dwelling.

I have just a slight lip balm addiction and usually have some sort of lip product in every room. I keep one next to my knitting (lip smacker) One in my purse (aquafina) one in a drawer at work (blistex silk and shine) along with many, many others.

This is the only medium cheddar cheese we like. Yummy! Nice and hard and very easy to grate.

In other news... I am learning a latin chant for my part in the Sound of Music. Very challenging. And I also have discovered I get to sing one of my favorite lines... 'I would like to say a word in her behalf, Maria, makes me laugh'. Makes me very happy.

Hopefully we are coming to the end of the revolving sicknesses around here. We have not all been at 100% for some time.

TTFN, friends!

Cute!

Lost!!

My big list of favorites.

All gone.

It took me a really long time to collect those favorites. Only some I read daily, but lots I check in whenever the mood strikes.

I hope I can find them all again!

Saved!

My fabulous, smart, wonderful, creative husband has rescued all of our photos!

Just in the nick of time too. The computer is on a slow crash, but crash it will at any moment. He's going to wipe the hard drive and we will start again. It's an old thing, and I wouldn't mind a new computer, but, ya know... Money doesn't grow on trees.

Last night we began practice for our local production of Sound of Music. I am in the role of Sister Margaretta. I can't wait to wear a habit. My youngest daughter was one of seven children out of 152 to be chosen to play one of the Von Trapp children.

My two youngest girls are close in size. Actually, my second grader looks older than my fourth grader, which meant they were up for the same part. So sad. To be so happy for one and so heart broken for the other. Ah, well. Life isn't fair, is it?

Off to work! I've been doing lots of crafty/knitty stuff that I'll show you soon. Some with success, some without, but it's all good practice.

Ack!!!

My computer is breaking, or is broken.

If it's just breaking, then there is hope to get three years worth of photos off of it before it is officially dead.

My husband is super smart, so I have faith that he will be able to rescue our photos.

The other stuff on there is mostly kids reports, a couple of starts on about three different novels that I will probably never finish, lots of knitting patterns and my resume.

I am willing to sacrifice it all just to get my pictures off.

Please send happy thoughts! And go burn your photos to a disc right now.

Have you discovered the Pioneer Woman?

If not, please check out this site. This is one of the most fun blogs I've seen in a while. (Not that I don't like yours, too. You know I love you!)

This is my favorite post. Please click on it. You won't be sorry.

Also, look around the site for Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. It's the story of how she met her husband. Serial reading at it's best.

Go over and then come back and tell me what you think.

Homesick

This is a picture of my home town on the Columbia River. This is where I grew up and where my husband grew up. We had two of our kids there.

My mom and step-dad still live there. My mother-in-law lives three hours north of there. My husband's grandparents are there. My brother, his sister. Our nieces. A church we love. An awesome Farmer's Market.

Right now it is 48 degrees and overcast there. Here it is snowing at the same time it is -3. I didn't think it was possible to snow at that cold of a temperature.

I'm mopey right now. Tired of snow. I haven't seen the ground since Dec. 1. And I'm afraid that we haven't even reached our snowiest month yet.

I miss the steady, small trickle of rain. They say it rains so much there, but it's not that it's really SO MUCH, but just a little bit, often. It never stopped us from playing outside when we were kids. Not like this frost-bitey weather keeps my kids in.

Snowy weather was always a treat for me. It would snow enough to make a snowman and then be gone in the next day or two.

Now it's too powdery to stick together and is all gray from the sand sprinkler. With frozen dog poops on top of it. Not a magic winter-wonderland at all.

Of course, there are blessings here, too. I'm just missing the other place today. I'm done whining, now.

Things I know about Vicks

Vicks feels better on the chest if you lay a heated wash cloth over it.

You should always take your contacts out first before using Vicks. It can sting up to four hours later, no matter how much you wash your hands.

I don't know who started this lie, but slathering Vicks on your feet and sleeping in socks does not magically make a cough go away. It's just gross.

Children will do almost anything to avoid being rubbed down with Vicks. I never show them the jar. I just goop some on a finger a hide it behind my back and then accost them with it. Of course, as soon as I lay that warm cloth on them, they are thanking me.

Vicks stains everything.

Using Vicks is not very happy-making. It means that sickness is abroad.

Out on 'tetanus'

He forgot the 'a'

But there were 32 kids out before him, which was a sizeable chunk.

So proud of my spelling bee-er!

In which I play Barbie with my teenage daughter

Take some really straight hair...

Add a few curlers, hot chocolate and make-up...

Then take a picture of pretty hair and glam-rock make-up.

Unfortunately, there was no place fancy to go. We settled for emptying the dishwasher and taking out the trash.