It's been a busy week and I haven't had much time for blogging.
Started a huge PC project. Trying to get all my photos uploaded to Snapfish. We're talking literally 1000s of photos, uploaded, sorted, dated, etc. OMG, I knew it was going to be bad, but I didn't know it was going to be this bad! I've been thinking about getting my pics sorted on my PC, but now my program that I've been using (HP) is not working so well on my PC and Uncle Mark says my motherboard is going. Can't just download all my photos onto a CD, like I had originally planned because my CD drives are not working. So I'm spending hours and hours uploading my photos and then sorting them. Hope my PC lasts the months this is going to take me to get done.
I've started watching Joey & Grace again twice a week. This was my first week doing this again on a regular basis while Carla works. Had a great day with the kids yesterday, spent a lot of time with them playing in their "fort" (blankets draped over the dinning room table). Here I am, 50 years old and playing under the dinning room table, who'd of thought? But the kids loved it! For the first time, when I was getting ready to leave and come back home, Joey got all upset and said "Don't go!" It was so sweet, we had such a good day together.
Miah & Stephanie came over for dinner last night and we had a good visit together. It was nice to just have time to sit and visit with him. Usually he just stops by on his was to somewhere else or he's got the whole crew (Lissa, Chad, Aiden, etc.) with him and we don't really get to visit one-on-one with him. It was a nice evening.
I talked with Charmaine yesterday, finally! I've been such a bad friend to her, haven't kept in touch like I should. She's been having a rough time but is doing okay. It's so hard to adjust to a new life after divorce, especially when you have kids. She's not going to be able to join us on Saturday for scrapbooking, which is really too bad. I love when she joins us, she is such good company. I've got to be much better about staying in touch with her and make sure I remember to call her when we have sb'ing days planned.
Finally finished reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It was a pretty good book. I got some good thoughts from it and it was beneficial as far as giving me the push I needed to get my life back on track (especially when combined with Ali's "Life Artist"). I'm still not sure how I feel about reading nonfiction. I've always used my reading time as "mind candy" just something to relax and not have to think about. This book went a lot slower and actually made me have to think more.
Well, guess that catches me up a little bit. I've got to keep at this blogging thing, don't want to get too far behind.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Eat, Pray, Love
This morning I was reading a little more in Elizabeth Gilbert's book and found this:
"...people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck,
something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't, you will leak away your innate contentment. It's easy enough to pray when you're in distress but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments."
I know that I have been taught this since I was a small child sitting in church every Sunday, but somehow reading it at this point in my life is like having a light bulb turned on. It is so fitting with my one word, my one resolution for the coming year.
This is my goal for 2008, to find the happiness within me and hold on to it forever.
"...people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck,
something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't, you will leak away your innate contentment. It's easy enough to pray when you're in distress but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments."
I know that I have been taught this since I was a small child sitting in church every Sunday, but somehow reading it at this point in my life is like having a light bulb turned on. It is so fitting with my one word, my one resolution for the coming year.
This is my goal for 2008, to find the happiness within me and hold on to it forever.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Playing with my Bug
I love playing with my cricut and the last couple days I've been 
creating some cards with 3D flowers. This is so much fun and my little bug makes it so easy since I can cut multiples of flowers in different sizes and shapes in just moments. 
I love this color combo of the purple and black with the touches of white. So pretty.
On the purple Thank you card I applied the 3D flower over a stamped image.
On this card I used a stem I had cut from my bug as a stencil and used lumiarte paints to fill in the stencil, then went over the leaves adding details with a silver pen. Once that was done I layered my flowers together, crinkling and folding the petals to add dimension then applying the flowers on the stem. A little ribbon, some silver dots and there you have it.
I love this little bleeding heart "Thinking of you" card. The colors are so great and the size is different than I usually do. It is 9.25 x 4, which was a really fun size to work with. I like to add a little touch to the envelopes to give just a hint of what is inside.
Had to do a card that celebrated my word for 2008. I think it would be perfect for any occasion!
In other matters, today I went to my LSS and got the Basic Grey Magnetic Cutting Board. I've been thinking about getting it because I've been using my old CM cutting mat for years and it is really getting "distressed" and I really was wanting something that was made for 12 x 12 pages. (I hate working on something and have it run off the edge of my mat. Just one of my pet peeves, so I decided to do something about it.) I'm not sure how useful the magnetic part of my new mat will be, but I love working on such a large surface and the black is very nice also. Another thing I discovered about it is that I can attach a LO to the mat with the magnetics and it works very well for photographing my LO.
While at the LSS I met a new friend who may join us at the LSS to crop next Saturday. New friends are good, they are a "happy" thing.
It's a happy day and I've got a new toy to play with (my magnetic mat).
creating some cards with 3D flowers. This is so much fun and my little bug makes it so easy since I can cut multiples of flowers in different sizes and shapes in just moments. 
I love this color combo of the purple and black with the touches of white. So pretty.On the purple Thank you card I applied the 3D flower over a stamped image.
On this card I used a stem I had cut from my bug as a stencil and used lumiarte paints to fill in the stencil, then went over the leaves adding details with a silver pen. Once that was done I layered my flowers together, crinkling and folding the petals to add dimension then applying the flowers on the stem. A little ribbon, some silver dots and there you have it.
I love this little bleeding heart "Thinking of you" card. The colors are so great and the size is different than I usually do. It is 9.25 x 4, which was a really fun size to work with. I like to add a little touch to the envelopes to give just a hint of what is inside.
Had to do a card that celebrated my word for 2008. I think it would be perfect for any occasion!In other matters, today I went to my LSS and got the Basic Grey Magnetic Cutting Board. I've been thinking about getting it because I've been using my old CM cutting mat for years and it is really getting "distressed" and I really was wanting something that was made for 12 x 12 pages. (I hate working on something and have it run off the edge of my mat. Just one of my pet peeves, so I decided to do something about it.) I'm not sure how useful the magnetic part of my new mat will be, but I love working on such a large surface and the black is very nice also. Another thing I discovered about it is that I can attach a LO to the mat with the magnetics and it works very well for photographing my LO.
While at the LSS I met a new friend who may join us at the LSS to crop next Saturday. New friends are good, they are a "happy" thing.
It's a happy day and I've got a new toy to play with (my magnetic mat).
Friday, January 4, 2008
Today's Happy Moment
This morning as I was cleaning up the kitchen I lowered my cold hands into the hot, soapy bowl of water I had sitting in the sink. This made me so happy! An hour later I can still feel the warmth on my hands. Such joy can be found in the littlest things.
Now I'm packing up to go scrap with my DIL at our LSS. Seven hours of happiness! Followed by meeting DH at Olive Garden for dinner, then home to spend the evening together, just the two of us, for the first time in the new year.
Happiness and bliss is mine today!
Now I'm packing up to go scrap with my DIL at our LSS. Seven hours of happiness! Followed by meeting DH at Olive Garden for dinner, then home to spend the evening together, just the two of us, for the first time in the new year.
Happiness and bliss is mine today!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
One Word for 2008
They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world. Someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. --Tom Bodett
I have choosen my one word for this year
Happiness is generic, and is applied to almost every kind of enjoyment except that of the animal appetites.
Felicity is a more formal word, and is used more sparingly in the same general sense, but with elevated associations.
Blessedness is applied to the most refined enjoyment arising from the purest social, benevolent, and religious affections.
Bliss denotes still more exalted delight, and is applied more appropriately to the joy anticipated in heaven.
O happiness! our being’s end and aim! — Alexander Pope
[edit] Translations
Croatian: sreća f.
Dutch: geluk n.
Esperanto: feliĉo
Finnish: ilo, onni
French: bonheur m.
German: Fröhlichkeit f., Glück n.
Greek: ευτυχία (eftikhía)
Hungarian: boldogság, vidámság
Italian: gioia f.
Norwegian: glede m., lykke m.
Old English: ēad n.
Polish: szczęście n.
Portuguese: felicidade f., alegria f.
Russian: счастье (sčást’je) n.
Scottish Gaelic: àigh m., sonas m., subhachas m., toileachas m.
Spanish: felicidad f., alegría f.
Swedish: glädje, lycka
Turkish: saadet f.
I have choosen my one word for this year
HAPPY
In doing a tiny bit of searching on the web I have discovered the following tidbits that support my choice of HAPPY for 2008.
In his book Authentic Happiness, Martin Seligman, one of the founders of Positive psychology, describes happiness as consisting of 'positive emotions' and 'positive activities'.
He further categorizes emotions related to the past, present and future. Positive emotions relating to the past include satisfaction, contentment, pride and serenity. Positive emotions relating to the future include optimism, hope and trust. Positive emotions about the present are divided into two categories: pleasure and gratifications.
He further categorizes emotions related to the past, present and future. Positive emotions relating to the past include satisfaction, contentment, pride and serenity. Positive emotions relating to the future include optimism, hope and trust. Positive emotions about the present are divided into two categories: pleasure and gratifications.
The good life comes from using 'signature strengths' to obtain abundant gratification in, for example, enjoying work and creative activities.
An agreeable feeling or condition of the soul arising from good fortune or propitious happening of any kind; the possession of those circumstances or that state of being which is attended enjoyment; the state of being happy; contentment; joyful satisfaction; felicity; blessedness.
Some beauties yet no precepts can declare, For there's a happiness, as well as care. — Alexander Pope.
[edit] Synonyms
Happiness, felicity, blessedness, bliss.
[edit] Synonyms
Happiness, felicity, blessedness, bliss.
Happiness is generic, and is applied to almost every kind of enjoyment except that of the animal appetites.
Felicity is a more formal word, and is used more sparingly in the same general sense, but with elevated associations.
Blessedness is applied to the most refined enjoyment arising from the purest social, benevolent, and religious affections.
Bliss denotes still more exalted delight, and is applied more appropriately to the joy anticipated in heaven.
O happiness! our being’s end and aim! — Alexander Pope
[edit] Translations
Croatian: sreća f.
Dutch: geluk n.
Esperanto: feliĉo
Finnish: ilo, onni
French: bonheur m.
German: Fröhlichkeit f., Glück n.
Greek: ευτυχία (eftikhía)
Hungarian: boldogság, vidámság
Italian: gioia f.
Norwegian: glede m., lykke m.
Old English: ēad n.
Polish: szczęście n.
Portuguese: felicidade f., alegria f.
Russian: счастье (sčást’je) n.
Scottish Gaelic: àigh m., sonas m., subhachas m., toileachas m.
Spanish: felicidad f., alegría f.
Swedish: glädje, lycka
Turkish: saadet f.
True happiness must be found within yourself, no one else can make you happy. By bringing a little happiness into the lives of others, I can find happiness within myself.
Look for the little things, those happy little things that are around you everyday, but may go unnoticed.
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