Fall Leaf Wreath | Easy Kids Craft
11 hours ago
Is it wrong that I...
1. talk to myself?
2. sleep with a teddy bear?
3. am addicted to coffee?
4. don't wear makeup?
5. haven't worn pantyhose in years?
6. skip meals if I'm not hungry?
7. voice my opinions?
8. play nerdy Suduko?
9. am tired of "green" being trendy?
10. eat cookie dough?
1. talk to myself?
2. sleep with a teddy bear?
3. am addicted to coffee?
4. don't wear makeup?
5. haven't worn pantyhose in years?
6. skip meals if I'm not hungry?
7. voice my opinions?
8. play nerdy Suduko?
9. am tired of "green" being trendy?
10. eat cookie dough?
Brother Bear Andy Boy had a birthday the other day. We all went out for a yummy dinner and then over to the folks' for birthday presents.
Here are some photos.
Like my wrapping paper?
CD's, etc. 
We really just like to have a lot of silly fun.
Except me. Doing more work. Party pooper...
Here are some photos.
Cute wrapping paper from Mom
I so love this sweater he got!
Aren't they cute?
Like my wrapping paper? I gave him this fun t-shirt (he loves fun t-shirts).
I wasn't very much fun that night. I was completely exhausted and stressed from work that week.
The fun card I gave him
CD's, etc.We really just like to have a lot of silly fun.
Except me. Doing more work. Party pooper...
D'oh! Who was the 11th hour voter who said I should be Wonder Woman?!? Now it's a tie between Wonder Woman and Sarah Palin!
Funny!
Funny!
Junglewife was the lucky winner in my recent contest, guessing correctly that I am the one in red! That's my brother on the left (the only guy in the picture!); on the other side of me are sisters Jenny, Amy, and Tammy (their mom is on the end reading, and Namoi is behind us trying to get in on the fun). The 5 of us kids have been friends for over 22 years!
And here we are last weekend back in Wisconsin, along with our former teacher Mrs. K. whom we all adore!
And here we are last weekend back in Wisconsin, along with our former teacher Mrs. K. whom we all adore!
Can you tell who is who??
The other day my parents’ church kicked off fall with a fun Ladies Night. We enjoyed yummy fall snacks, watched a fun cooking demonstration (seriously, I NEED to try making those cinnamon sugar tortilla chips!!), and had our hearts encouraged by the reminder that the Lord cares for us, giving us what we need.
Mom & Gloria
Me and Jen (it's always fun with the 4 of us going to these together)
I was the lucky winner with a blue sticker on the back of my chair.
I won our beautiful centerpiece! And knew immediately I would give it to my mom since she liked them so much!
I liked my outfit that night. Necklace courtesy of Ginny and shirt and shrug courtesy of Target!
What can I do to fight off fall & winter blues?
For me it’s all about enhancing my life with simple things. I allow myself little treats so that I don’t feel as miserable and deprived. And it helps me to appreciate the good things that the season has to offer. Take a look at what I came up with:
1. Listen to (and sing along with!) Christmas music.
2. Indulge in a warm beverage – hot tea, hot apple cider, flavored coffee, pumpkin latte, peppermint hot chocolate, etc.
3. Stay in, sit at home cuddled up in soft blanket watching a movie or reading a book and enjoying a scented candle (I especially like seasonal scents like pumpkin, cinnamon, apples, etc. to help me embrace the current period of time).
4. Decorate your home for the holidays – it’s a fun activity and the festive decor lifts your spirits.
5. Choose to actively look for the positive & make a list of your blessings, for example, notice the beauty in the changing leaves and in the pure white snow.
6. Physical activity – anywhere from a brisk walk around the block to joining a gym – has proven health benefits, physical and emotional. And it will keep you warm.
7. Get domestic and bake. Use the season’s bounty and make apple crisp or pumpkin bread or something even more creative. Share treats with friends, co-workers, and neighbors.
8. Pamper yourself with a hot bubble bath, using rich, fall-scented bath and body products.
9. Find some cute stationery or notecards and send a letter to a friend.
10. Dig out classic Christmas movies (inexpensively obtained from the library) to get in the mood.
11. Plan a weekend getaway if you can (to a warmer location is even better!). Set the date now for mid to end of winter so you know you have something to look forward to (so important!). Use the time now to research your destination, plan your activities, and save up so you’ll have some spending money.
12. If you don’t have a fireplace, befriend someone who does! Or find a hangout with a fireplace (cafes, Panera Bread, Centre library…). There is something very peaceful and comforting about just sitting in front of a fireplace.
13. Get all bundled up head to toe – double layers of clothing, and don’t forget the scarf, hat and gloves. Then go play in the snow for as long as your body can take it. Warm up with hot chocolate afterwards.
For me it’s all about enhancing my life with simple things. I allow myself little treats so that I don’t feel as miserable and deprived. And it helps me to appreciate the good things that the season has to offer. Take a look at what I came up with:
1. Listen to (and sing along with!) Christmas music.
2. Indulge in a warm beverage – hot tea, hot apple cider, flavored coffee, pumpkin latte, peppermint hot chocolate, etc.
3. Stay in, sit at home cuddled up in soft blanket watching a movie or reading a book and enjoying a scented candle (I especially like seasonal scents like pumpkin, cinnamon, apples, etc. to help me embrace the current period of time).
4. Decorate your home for the holidays – it’s a fun activity and the festive decor lifts your spirits.
5. Choose to actively look for the positive & make a list of your blessings, for example, notice the beauty in the changing leaves and in the pure white snow.
6. Physical activity – anywhere from a brisk walk around the block to joining a gym – has proven health benefits, physical and emotional. And it will keep you warm.
7. Get domestic and bake. Use the season’s bounty and make apple crisp or pumpkin bread or something even more creative. Share treats with friends, co-workers, and neighbors.
8. Pamper yourself with a hot bubble bath, using rich, fall-scented bath and body products.
9. Find some cute stationery or notecards and send a letter to a friend.
10. Dig out classic Christmas movies (inexpensively obtained from the library) to get in the mood.
11. Plan a weekend getaway if you can (to a warmer location is even better!). Set the date now for mid to end of winter so you know you have something to look forward to (so important!). Use the time now to research your destination, plan your activities, and save up so you’ll have some spending money.
12. If you don’t have a fireplace, befriend someone who does! Or find a hangout with a fireplace (cafes, Panera Bread, Centre library…). There is something very peaceful and comforting about just sitting in front of a fireplace.
13. Get all bundled up head to toe – double layers of clothing, and don’t forget the scarf, hat and gloves. Then go play in the snow for as long as your body can take it. Warm up with hot chocolate afterwards.
14. Treat yourself to a new sweater or scarf to help welcome the colder weather. You can look to the positive then because when it gets cold, you will get to wear your new apparel!
That’s what I have for now, but please share your thoughts and add to the list. I think we could ALL use some help to beat the winter blues every now and then!
It's a tight race in my latest poll. If you haven't yet voted, be sure you check it out. Polls close soon!
I was at Meijer last night, and I felt like guys kept staring at me. I’m trying to remember what I was wearing. Was I dressed provocatively? Was I wearing makeup? No. No. Was I dressed slobbishly and were they looking at me in disgust? No. In fact, they couldn’t even see my outfit. I was bundled up in my winter coat with a scarf revealed at the top.
They were looking at me as if they knew me. Well, this one guy in particular as I was leaving the store. And I thought maybe he’s one of my matches on eHarmony!
Here's the deal: I took the personality test and can review my matches, but I’ve been too cheap to join, so I cannot communicate (I can’t respond when they email me), and I cannot see their pictures. But they can see mine. I have a few photos on there. I figure there’s no point in trying to hide who I am. So, it is possible that that was the case. Who knows? It’s pretty unlikely that he’ll see me again at Meijer. I rarely get groceries there. But last night I just didn’t feel like driving all the way to Super Target for my handful of needed groceries. Plus, two items on my list I can only get at Meijer. Here’s my random groceries from last night:
They were looking at me as if they knew me. Well, this one guy in particular as I was leaving the store. And I thought maybe he’s one of my matches on eHarmony!
Here's the deal: I took the personality test and can review my matches, but I’ve been too cheap to join, so I cannot communicate (I can’t respond when they email me), and I cannot see their pictures. But they can see mine. I have a few photos on there. I figure there’s no point in trying to hide who I am. So, it is possible that that was the case. Who knows? It’s pretty unlikely that he’ll see me again at Meijer. I rarely get groceries there. But last night I just didn’t feel like driving all the way to Super Target for my handful of needed groceries. Plus, two items on my list I can only get at Meijer. Here’s my random groceries from last night:
- Meijer brand diet grape soda (a staple)
- Meijer brand apple cider (this stuff is AWESOME!)
- Cinnamon raisen English muffins (on sale)
- Cinnamon swirl bread (also on sale; I'm on a cinnamon kick. Can you tell? I figure I'll make yummy french toast with it, mmmm!)
- Milk (but not just any milk. I'm experimenting with soy milk. I chose light vanilla soy. You can see it referenced in my previous blog. It's kinda scary so far,)
And that's it. Bread and beverages. What more do I need? ;)
I don't...
- get people who aren't wearing coats when it's 30some degrees.
- know how I'm gonna survive winter.
- know why my light soy milk is more tan colored rather than white. Is that normal?
- like how cold the office is now that the boss installed a new temperature control unit.
- know how long my cold will last.
- know how I get so busy.
- have cable or PBS.
- want you to forget to vote this Tuesday!
- like cleaning my apartment, but I do it anyways.
- know if I will join eHarmony or not.
- know how I lose important things like receipts.
- know what to get my mom for her birthday (suggestions?).
- find fulfillment in my career.
- have a happy tummy currently.
- want to have to give up my guest bedroom.
- know if last night's 90210 was a rerun or a new episode. Anybody?
SNOW in October?!? This is just wrong!!! I KNOW for a fact that the last 2 years we've also had snow in April! I don't know if I can handle 6 months of winter! Ick!!!
This was on the south side last night. Driving home in it was like driving in a blizzard. But once I got to downtown there was hardly any snow here. Crazy!
Nobody was prepared for this because WHY SHOULD WE BE?!? in October!!! I didn't have my snow brush, so instead a broom was used, ha ha!
I am NOT a fan of winter (in case you couldn't tell by the photo above). Seriously all of the next 6 months of posts could easily be me complaining about the cold. But I'm trying to actively find the positive rather than settling for the negative. So, we'll see... It will be hard, but I'll try my best.
I'll be interested to know what kind of response they get on this now that the AP has picked up the story & it was featured on msnbc.com.
Sign me up; I just need the fiance!
Sign me up; I just need the fiance!
Guess which one I am! If you KNOW (mom, etc.), don't give it away.
About 21 years ago...
This old gang of friends will be reuniting this weekend! Rock on & watch out, Fort!
So, I'm sitting on my great green sofa with amazing sunlight shining in the window. It's early afternoon, and I'm home on my lunch break. I'm not eating. Not hungry. Don't feel good. I've had a tummy ache for the last couple days off and on.
I'm doing laundry. Waiting for the washer to finish so I can transfer it to the dryer.
I'm going out of town tomorrow. I'm excited. Going back to Wisconsin. To my old town of Fort Atkinson. I think this will always be home to me. That's really funny because I was only there three years. I guess it just made that much of an impression on me.
Wisconsin is a great state to call "home." I guess I say it's where I'm from. I really never know how to answer the question "Where are you from?". That IS my answer. My response is usually:
"I never know how to answer that question." If they don't interject, I continue with, "Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Bend, L.A., South Bend."
For some people, actually a lot of people, that seems like a lot. To me, it's not. It's just what I know. To me it seems weird to live in one town your whole life.
A lot of my family is in Wisconsin. I guess my roots are in Wisconsin. My memories. My childhood. It's been 1 1/2 years since I've been in Fort. I always love to see all the changes. It's exciting to see all the development downtown along the river! I go back to the places that hold my memories. Of course everything seems different now from the eyes of an adult.
No doubt I'll go back and visit my old houses and my old haunts this weekend. I'll reminisce about what it was like 20 years ago. And I'll wonder what it would be like if I returned for good.
They say "You can't go home again." I know you can.
It's just home as it is now. Not the home you knew as a child.
I'm going home this weekend, and I'm excited. I know I'll be warmly welcomed.
I'm doing laundry. Waiting for the washer to finish so I can transfer it to the dryer.
I'm going out of town tomorrow. I'm excited. Going back to Wisconsin. To my old town of Fort Atkinson. I think this will always be home to me. That's really funny because I was only there three years. I guess it just made that much of an impression on me.
Wisconsin is a great state to call "home." I guess I say it's where I'm from. I really never know how to answer the question "Where are you from?". That IS my answer. My response is usually:
"I never know how to answer that question." If they don't interject, I continue with, "Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Bend, L.A., South Bend."
For some people, actually a lot of people, that seems like a lot. To me, it's not. It's just what I know. To me it seems weird to live in one town your whole life.
A lot of my family is in Wisconsin. I guess my roots are in Wisconsin. My memories. My childhood. It's been 1 1/2 years since I've been in Fort. I always love to see all the changes. It's exciting to see all the development downtown along the river! I go back to the places that hold my memories. Of course everything seems different now from the eyes of an adult.
No doubt I'll go back and visit my old houses and my old haunts this weekend. I'll reminisce about what it was like 20 years ago. And I'll wonder what it would be like if I returned for good.
They say "You can't go home again." I know you can.
It's just home as it is now. Not the home you knew as a child.
I'm going home this weekend, and I'm excited. I know I'll be warmly welcomed.
What will increase my blog traffic?
What will make my readers return?
What will make my readers leave a comment?
What do my readers want to see?
What will make my readers return?
What will make my readers leave a comment?
What do my readers want to see?
Temps in the 20’s? I don’t think I can get away with sandals today.
I had to pull out the winter coat today – boo!!
If I would’ve had more time I would have found a scarf too.
Good thing my windshield wasn’t frosted like my neighbor’s; I have no clue what I did with my ice scraper last spring!
I’m bundled up clutching hot coffee with my glove covered hands, hurrying between car and office when I see a bicyclist go by. Wearing shorts…
I had to pull out the winter coat today – boo!!
If I would’ve had more time I would have found a scarf too.
Good thing my windshield wasn’t frosted like my neighbor’s; I have no clue what I did with my ice scraper last spring!
I’m bundled up clutching hot coffee with my glove covered hands, hurrying between car and office when I see a bicyclist go by. Wearing shorts…
Suddenly it's fall!
My car surrounded by leaves
Jen & Andy's place
Crazy beautiful
Close up
The view from my hotel room on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington (last weekend)
Me being a tourist in sunny Nashville, Indiana (last wknd)
Columbus, Indiana (last wknd.)
Driving home from Beverly Shores, Indiana (2 weekends ago)
Same as above
Nashville, Indiana
Isn't it gorgeous?
In case you have noticed a comment of yours missing ever, sorry. I am paranoid about internet stalkers and such, so I keep my last name off of here. If you ever want to refer to my last name, you can just use "G". :)As my license plate says, "It's a G Thang".
Ok, that's not really my license plate. Just one I saw around town. :)
Q:
What's been going on the last couple of weeks?
A:
Trying Burger King coffee for the first time
Thinking more about tattoos and nose piercings (nose ring was the official winner in my blog poll)
Being completely appalled by the behavior of certain people and trying to decide what a proper response should be
Wondering how I’ll survive winter
Wondering how I’ll survive work related craziness
Writing and loving it
Being creative and loving it
Hoping Sarah Palin appears on SNL; that might be a reason for me to tune in.
Loving Sarah’s knee-high kick-butt boots at the very end of the show
Spending a weekend on Lake Michigan & appreciating the serenity of the water
Ignoring phone calls
Fighting a cold
Loving my blueberry coffee
Exploring Southern Indiana – Bloomington, Nashville, Columbus
Exploring online dating sites
Realizing how blessed I am
Researching venues for my big birthday party
Dreaming about my plant
Dreaming about being a mom
Returning to reality
What's been going on the last couple of weeks?
A:
Trying Burger King coffee for the first time
Thinking more about tattoos and nose piercings (nose ring was the official winner in my blog poll)
Being completely appalled by the behavior of certain people and trying to decide what a proper response should be
Wondering how I’ll survive winter
Wondering how I’ll survive work related craziness
Writing and loving it
Being creative and loving it
Hoping Sarah Palin appears on SNL; that might be a reason for me to tune in.
Loving Sarah’s knee-high kick-butt boots at the very end of the show
Spending a weekend on Lake Michigan & appreciating the serenity of the water
Ignoring phone calls
Fighting a cold
Loving my blueberry coffee
Exploring Southern Indiana – Bloomington, Nashville, Columbus
Exploring online dating sites
Realizing how blessed I am
Researching venues for my big birthday party
Dreaming about my plant
Dreaming about being a mom
Returning to reality
Perhaps you are still pondering over the question I asked the other day. I know I am. I have a couple ideas, but I want to give it more thought.
I am realizing how simple little things can enhance my mood by so much! It's good to be aware of these things so that I can take these simple little steps to keep my spirits up.
Quality of life
...
Keep thinking about it, and share when you have thoughts.
I am realizing how simple little things can enhance my mood by so much! It's good to be aware of these things so that I can take these simple little steps to keep my spirits up.
Quality of life
...
Keep thinking about it, and share when you have thoughts.
One day in the office this week. I could EASILY get used to that!!
Monday was recovery day from working 13 hours Saturday and 13 hours Sunday. I slept in and lounged around. It was a nice lazy day. Late afternoon I got to pick up my friend from the airport/train station in town. She had just run the Chicago marathon for the first time. I am amazed at her.
Yesterday was spent working around the house. I got up relatively early for a day off - 9 I think. I kept the tv off and the computer off to have fewer distractions. And I worked my butt off. I wore a pedometer, and did about 12,000 steps. Today after sitting on my butt back in the office, I'm at 6,000, and that included 2 walks in the afternoon!
I LOVED working at home yesterday. 3 huge loads of laundry, lots of folding and hanging up, kitchen cleaning and rearranging, doing dishes, changing the sheets on my bed and the guest bed, straightening up the guest bedroom, sorting thru a bunch of old junk mail and files... I decided I'd be happy working at home. Now I just need to learn how to cook and grocery shop well. Then I'm all set. Sign me up to be a stay at home mom, I mean wife, I mean, darnit. A stay at home woman. Yah... With no income...sounds great...
Today was back in the office, starting to play catch up from the last few weeks when this tour started taking over my life and still taking care of plenty of tour related things.
Tomorrow I have to leave my place by 6:40 AM (grrrr...) to carpool to Bloomington. I'll be in conferences through Saturday.
Last year's conference was in Richmond, and I had a good time (in spite of my credit card # being stolen and trying to deal with that from my hotel). This year I lose my autonomy and ability to explore the area since I will be carpooling, so I'm sad about that. I've never been to Bloomington, and I hope to still be able to see some cool things, even though I'll be stuck on the campus most of the time. Hmmm, not likely...
It's an off week for Notre Dame. Then Sunday I plan to go on a local home tour. Fun times! Busy times! I'll already ready for more downtime. Too bad next weekend I'll be on the go away from home again! Sigh...
What contributes to "quality of life"?
This is the question that came to mind a few minutes ago while I was sitting outside enjoying a well earned day off with sunshine, a light breeze, and temperatures in the mid 70's. I was sitting in my back yard in a comfortable chair (courtesy of my neighbors) sipping my favorite coffee and perusing my 2009 Ikea catalogue.
Wikipedia (our generation's go-to for any and all information) says that quality of life is an intangible degree of well-being felt by a person.
You can research it further if you like, but tell me please: What comes to mind when you think of quality of life? No need to write a complete essay; just brief thoughts or bullet points are fine. I suppose if you truly feel the need to respond with an essay, by all means, feel free. Maybe that contributes to your quality of life.
Please share your thoughts, and as always, if you prefer to remain anonymous, that is certainly an option. Thanks!
For the last 2 days I was working a home tour. It was a great time, but exhausting. Working as a "house hostess", I got to stay in the same house for the whole time. It is by far my favorite home of this block. But I think the reason it's my favorite is because of the people who live there. I adore them.
A married couple probably in their 50's. 2 grown kids, 2 grandkids. They've been together since she was 14!
I spent last year's home tour at their house too. I love being around them because I learn so much from them. I'm not talking about home decor or historic preservation or those of things. I learn about relationships and marriage and what I want in my potential marriage of the future.
Every time I am around these two, it is plainly obvious how much he adores her. You can just see it.
Over the last 14 months as I have battled and struggled to try to figure out my now past relationship, I often thought back to this couple and his obvious adoration for her. I realized I didn't want to be with someone who put up with me. I wanted to be with someone who adored me.
I think it goes the other way too. I should be with someone whom I adore.
On the drive home today in a quiet car in the dark, I again thought of these things. I thought about feelings, about love, about adoration. Remembering how I felt and realizing how I feel now. And this thought occurred to me:
I know I've heard that and thought that before. But it was suddenly so obvious - and in a personal way.
I'm still learning a lot. This series of break-ups have taken quite a toll on me, to be honest. In fact, this morning I arrived pretty early at the house, so the wife and I were lounging in the sun room chatting. And she said, after having met the boyfriend last year and not seeing me since, "I looked for a ring. I'm surprised you're not married yet."
Our conversing look a whole new level then as I talked about her husband's adoration for her and what a model it is for what I want. I couldn't stop the tears.
I say all this because these are my thoughts. Thoughts from a very sleepy girl, right? I'm not trying to be rude or scornful in any way. Believe me, I've seen enough of horribly rude public behavior over the internet after a breakup, and it's beyond appalling. I'm really trying hard to take the higher road and not do that.
I just wanted to share my honest thoughts with you and hopefully encourage you with whatever situation you happen to be going through. Maybe you need the reminder to love. Maybe you need the reminder to adore. Maybe you need the reminder that you deserve better. Maybe you needed to be reminded that love is a choice. Choose to love.
A married couple probably in their 50's. 2 grown kids, 2 grandkids. They've been together since she was 14!
I spent last year's home tour at their house too. I love being around them because I learn so much from them. I'm not talking about home decor or historic preservation or those of things. I learn about relationships and marriage and what I want in my potential marriage of the future.
Every time I am around these two, it is plainly obvious how much he adores her. You can just see it.
Over the last 14 months as I have battled and struggled to try to figure out my now past relationship, I often thought back to this couple and his obvious adoration for her. I realized I didn't want to be with someone who put up with me. I wanted to be with someone who adored me.
I think it goes the other way too. I should be with someone whom I adore.
On the drive home today in a quiet car in the dark, I again thought of these things. I thought about feelings, about love, about adoration. Remembering how I felt and realizing how I feel now. And this thought occurred to me:
Love is a choice.
I know I've heard that and thought that before. But it was suddenly so obvious - and in a personal way.
I'm still learning a lot. This series of break-ups have taken quite a toll on me, to be honest. In fact, this morning I arrived pretty early at the house, so the wife and I were lounging in the sun room chatting. And she said, after having met the boyfriend last year and not seeing me since, "I looked for a ring. I'm surprised you're not married yet."
Our conversing look a whole new level then as I talked about her husband's adoration for her and what a model it is for what I want. I couldn't stop the tears.
I say all this because these are my thoughts. Thoughts from a very sleepy girl, right? I'm not trying to be rude or scornful in any way. Believe me, I've seen enough of horribly rude public behavior over the internet after a breakup, and it's beyond appalling. I'm really trying hard to take the higher road and not do that.
I just wanted to share my honest thoughts with you and hopefully encourage you with whatever situation you happen to be going through. Maybe you need the reminder to love. Maybe you need the reminder to adore. Maybe you need the reminder that you deserve better. Maybe you needed to be reminded that love is a choice. Choose to love.
I choose to see the positive rather than the negative!!! For at least this moment...
I love...
I love...
- lemon slices in my Diet Pepsi
- 90210 (my current guilty pleasure TV show)
- having something to look forward to
- a man in uniform
- finding great things on clearance at Target
- laughing
- writing & journaling
- new jewelry
- life's milestones
- warm beverages for fall
- connecting with people
- planning a trip to Wisconsin
- sunny days
- waking up refreshed
- cinnamon raisin bagels with peanut butter
My 30th bday is coming quickly around the corner, February, 4 months away.
Any ideas on what I should do to celebrate?
Here's an idea to get you thinking: a just heard about a woman who had an 80's themed prom for her 30th bday.
Thoughts?!?
Any ideas on what I should do to celebrate?
Here's an idea to get you thinking: a just heard about a woman who had an 80's themed prom for her 30th bday.
Thoughts?!?
I've been faced with some challenging circumstances lately which skew my thinking towards negativity. However, all of the sudden all of these blessings came to mind, and I wanted to share with you things I am grateful for, in no particular order:
- homemade puppy chow (AKA muddy buddies)
- talking with friends
- bonding with friends
- praying with friends
- a common faith and common goals
- learning
- growing
- quiet time
- down time
- sleep
- reading
- writing
- getting organized
- meeting friends' families
- a clean apartment
- scented candles
- the amazing generous, helpful spirit of my friends and family
- random conversations with strangers
- my education - high school and college
- my experiences and learning from them
- learning from others' experiences
- God's protection and provision over me
- being reminded to forgive, even when it's not asked for
- brunch
- trying new things
- my abilities and talents
- out of town friends from far far away suddenly here in my town for a few days
- a kitchen full of fresh fruit
- freedom
- beauty
- second (and third) chances
- new purses and necklaces
- a beautiful day
- the weekend
- new fun underwear
- pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin donuts
- the fact that I received a raise
- good conversations
- advice from friends
- knowing the difference between "advice" and "advise"
- all the last minutes details finally getting worked out
- relief and weight lifted off my shoulders
- vacationing in New England
- reminiscing about Europe
- looking forward to Texas
- spending time at Target
- singing
- laughter
- confidence
- knowledge
- moving on
- looking ahead
- the best is yet to come
