Something Magical is Happening around Here

It seems like lately, everywhere I turn, someone who has been married for 20+ years is getting divorced.  It also seems that it is about the time that they are about to become or have recenltly become "empty nesters".  How sad.  They are just getting to the point of focusing back on themselves for the first time in like 20 years.  

I feel Michael and I have a very solid marriage but I recognize that it takes committment every day to ensure that solid foundation.  In the rush of the day with all we have on our plates, it is easy to take each other for granted and to only talk about the neccessary stuff that keeps our lives running. 

As part of my One Little Word of 2011 project, I was searching around the blogosphere and found a cute date idea on The Dating Divas for a "Minute it to Win it" challenge with other couples.  While looking at the site, I found a reference to the book "101 Great Nights of Romance".    I promptly ordered the book for Michael as part of his Valentine's Day gift.  The premise behind the book is that the "dates" are sealed and each week one of us picks one and then plans out the romantic evening.  When we go out, we tend to do the same thing each time....dinner, maybe a movie or a trip to the bookstore sans kids.  With this guide, we have some creative, inexpensive ideas at our fingertips and the secrecy makes it even more fun.

Michael took the challenge on with the first date and it was so fun.  We did not even have to leave the house and worry about the hassle of a babysitter.  It was called "Off the Charts" and the ideas was that Michael was supposed to serenade me with a song.  It gave different ideas, including karaoke.  Michael ended up buying a karaoke machine and we had a fun time singing as if we were auditioning for "American Idol".  Really glad he planned this date for home as I would have been way too embarrased to have sung in public. 

It's my turn next and I am looking forward to being creative with my "Countdown Challenge".  So, if you are in the need of some creativity in the dating department whether you are married or not, I highly recommend this book. 

Finish it Friday Check In

What a whirlwind of a weekend without much down time.  Here's how we did on the to do list:

Fun Stuff:

Date night with hubby (kids at Grammy's)-Check, went to PF Changs for dinner.  However, I was so exhausted when we got home I was in bed and asleep by 9.

Bare Escentuals make-over with Kelley- Tons of fun...helped make my wallet much lighter too.

Attend PINK (local fundraiser for Mary Ellen Locher foundation)- Great time getting all dressed up for an evening with friends. 

Christmas at Mom's (finally, it better not snow again)- Check.  Good food and great gifts.  Thanks Mom!

Have to Do:

Laundry- It's all clean but some sheets....just not all put away yet.  Plan to finish up tonight.

Meal plan/grocery store-m Check.  Found new site called e-Mealz. Love it.

Hang picture in the office- Not done...looks like it will be on the list again this weekend.

Start gathering tax return documents and fill out info from accountant- Not done either...however, on to do list for this week and hoping to have wrapped up before the weekend.

 How'd you do?

Finish it Friday

Following Aby Garvey's lead, here is my weekend to do list:

Fun Stuff:

Date night with hubby (kids at Grammy's)

Bare Escentuals make-over with Kelley

Attend PINK (local fundraiser for Mary Ellen Locher foundation)

Christmas at Mom's (finally, it better not snow again)

Have to Do:

Laundry

Meal plan/grocery store

Hang picture in the office

Start gathering tax return documents and fill out info from accountant

 

So what about you, what's on your "to-do" list this weekend?

One Little Word: 2011 Edition

RENEW

Re·new: to make like new, restore to freshness, to make new spiritually, to restore to existence, to begin again, to do again, Regenerate, to make extensive changes in.

(defined by Merriam-Webster.com)

Ali Edwards (whom I just adore, though I do not know her personally) has a yearly ritual of picking “one little word” to focus on for the year.  I love this concept.  It is so simple, yet can be a powerful reminder of our intention for the year. 

I thought long and hard about my word for this year as I think about where I am.  I am just coming out of the first year of my second child.  This means we are now falling into a rhythm as a family of four, we are finding our place, and I am finding my “zone” again.  I am starting to feel “normal” again.  However, along with this, comes my normal feelings of striving to find balance and wondering if I can work outside the home in a demanding career and balance  it ALL.   I also start to realize that the time has come to get rid of the baby fat (and then some).  Time to make some changes.  Oh  yeah, and I want to get to running again.  I miss it. 

Renew

It just sounds right.

 I am excited to see where this year goes.  It has already started off crazy with the biggest snow in 70 years causing me to miss a week at work and the kids to miss school.  And some interesting goings on in the office.  We will see where the journey takes us.

I signed up for Ali’s One Little Word on-line workshop via Big Picture Classes to keep me focused for the year and have some creative fun.  Here is a sneak peek at my album:

 

 

Gratitude

I read this today and thought you all might enjoy it too..

Why Gratitude Makes You Happy & Wealthy

by Christine Kane

Gratitude is more than being thankful one day a year. Gratitude is a practice. For some, it's a way of life.

Why do some people swear by the practice of gratitude? Why do these people have joy-filled and abundant lives?

In other words, why does gratitude make you happy and wealthy?

• Because gratitude is about presence.

It's about waking up in this moment and being here - really being here - and noticing what's around you. Most people are so busy thinking about the next thing, or about their horrid past, that they don't wake up and look around at their present moment - the only moment there is.

• Because gratitude is about honoring YOUR precious life.

Do you ever compare your life with someone else's? Do you ever wish your life were better and more like [insert famous person's name here]? Sometimes we can lose ourselves in wondering how we "measure up" to some standard set by our families or by the media. Comparison is the mind killer. The antidote is gratitude.

Gratitude requires that you validate your own life. (And you really don't have any other life, do you?) It forces you to say YES to the gift that is you. The choices you've made and the changes you've gone through -- they have brought you here. Even if here is a place that needs a little adjustment, that's okay. There are always gifts in any present moment.

• Because gratitude is about attracting.

It's difficult to attract abundance and joy if you are constantly saying "no" to what IS. You say "no" each time you focus on the future or past, or when you criticize something that is in your present moment.

Attraction is about saying Yes. When you say Yes, you shift.

Gratitude says, "Yes, I love this!" And then more of this is attracted, because the this is what you're focusing on.

• Because gratitude is about choice.

How you translate any situation is the situation. What you choose to see is the truth (for you).

This isn't proposing that you live in denial or phoniness. It's reminding you that your translation of any life situation is your choice. We've all heard stories of people who have ignored others' translations of their talent, their projects, their art, their looks, their lives. These people chose their own translations and succeeded. You always have a choice when it comes to how you look at things. Choose to choose gratitude.

• Because gratitude is about wisdom.

I think people believe they're being smart if they criticize, complain, and focus on the problems of the world around them.

Smart? Maybe.

Clever? Sure.

But not wise.

It is wise to look for and find the knowing place in your heart. It is wise to choose joy. It is wise to honor your riches. It is wise to focus on and grow the blessings of your life.

• Because gratitude is about recognition.

Use your power of focus to hone in on beauty and on what makes your heart sing. Recognize the spirit in your life. It's all around you waiting to be noticed. In the words of Franz Kafka, "It will roll in ecstasy at your feet."

• Because gratitude is about receptivity.

Gratitude makes you receptive. It makes you a vessel, waiting to be filled.

I carry a tiny notebook with me everywhere I go. In it, I write down song ideas. I write down quotes I hear. I write down ideas for stage stories. As I do that, I become more receptive, and more ideas and songs come to me. It's a tool that says to my subconscious, "Send more my way!" And the subconscious always responds.

Gratitude is the same way. It says, "I am receptive! Send more!" And more arrives.

• Because gratitude is about creativity.

Creativity is really all about attention. (So is genius.)

When I write a song, I build a relationship with that song. I spend time with it. I get to know it. I pay attention to it. Artists do the same thing with drawings. They spend time in rapt attention, and the drawing is born.

Gratitude is how we Live Creative. It is a creative act to notice and pay attention to the moments of your life. Some days it's an enormous act of creativity to find things for which to be thankful.

Start today.

And have a Thanksgiving of presence, creativity, and gratitude!

 

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.