Friday, May 28, 2010

Simple Pleasures

Baby Bathing Suits.


Wednesday, May 26, 2010

One Extra

I got some great feedback on the thrive post from last week.  One that stuck out was something my dad said in response.  

Now, if you know Tom, you will know that he is kind of a nerd (sorry Dad, but it’s true – and apparently it’s hereditary, because I got it too).  He is also a pretty big optimist (Mom! Stop rolling your eyes!)

I might have mentioned this on here before, but my favorite anecdote to tell of my dad is how when we were kids, he would stoop down to our level - on days when we were undoubtedly being little monsters - and tell us “Good attitude – good day.  Bad attitude – bad day.”  

To me, that sums up my dad’s attitude on life – and I truly know he believes in this kind of self-made success.


So after my thrive post, he wrote this to me -  
 When you are done for the day and work is over (work is not necessarily the office work), do one more thing that moves you towards your goal if you can.  It may only take a minute; it may take an hour, but do one more thing every day if you can.  The cumulative effect of this is huge.  Most people are content to accomplish an average day’s work, or tasks.  If you do one more thing each day, at the end of the year you will have accomplished 365 or so more tasks than everyone else.  That will move you ahead quickly towards your goal - it will help you thrive!

[The couch potato in me whines – “um, I would rather sit on the couch and then be disappointed in myself that nothing got done”…]

And I don’t think my dad is saying never sit down or rest or take time to relax.  Instead, he was focusing on doing something that makes you happy – big or small; working towards a goal - big or small.

Some days, doing chores I have put off is something that makes me happy.  Sounds strange, I know, but since I only usually have three hours from the time I get home and the time I go to bed – sometimes my home-work goes undone and I feel guilty about it – not to mention I can’t stand the mountains of laundry that build up and threaten to collapse on and suffocate
Curious George Roxy. 

And if you are Tony, you know I have a tendency to let little things build up into an insurmountable to-do-list in my head…making me feel overwhelmed and unsatisfied.  

On the other hand, it's easy to get bogged down in the monotony of doing tasks - and lose sight of doing things you truly enjoy or love or make you laugh or make you happy... 

 ***

So back to my dad’s advice.  Monday I changed the lightbulb in the office that has been out for a month.  It took 30 seconds.  Tuesday, I read a magazine I wanted to read.  You get the idea. 

Whether it’s for fun or for necessity – crossing one little thing off your list every day can be rewarding.  And like he said, at the end of the year, you will have done 365 more things than you otherwise would have done.  
Magic!

If you are a worrier or a little high strung like … me … then this daily adjustment can go a long way towards having the time, energy, and mental clarity to thrive!


[my dad and I are now available for motivational speeches – we can be contacted at the van down by the river]

Monday, May 24, 2010

Dancing Fools

2 years.  Crazy how it feels not that long, but so so long - all at the same time....

Tony and I have been married two years now, and I guess I will reevaluate the above statement after about 20 years and see how I feel then!

Last year, I showed you photos from our decorations, flowers, etc.  They are all so lovely to look at, but I figured this year I would show you the awesome shots of the horrendous fabulous dancing that took place.  I don't think there was a single person who didn't dance at least once.

My father-in-law danced to Lil John's "Get Low."  Unedited.  True story.


























Friday, May 21, 2010

Simple Pleasures

Explosive baby roses:


Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Adrienne & Adam



This weekend I had the pleasure of being a bridesmaid for my lovely friend Adrienne's wedding to Adam.  It was beautiful (I would expect nothing less!) and I had so much fun being a part of it!  (except for the part where I forgot to lose 30 pounds (skipped my mind!) and couldn't really breathe in my dress!)



Adrienne and Adam got married at the Maple Grove Inn - the same place Tony and I got married - and it was wonderful to go back to there and enjoy a wedding where I wasn't the center of attention!!  Pretty fun too that we got to revisit our wedding site just one week short of our 2 year anniversary.



oh geez, ugly cry...


There was lots of dancing involved (maybe because of the lots of wine involved too...) and regardless of the raindrops that started to fall, it was a party!




Adrienne was a beautiful bride (despite a little bit of panicking beforehand!) and her dress had amazing beading details.  Adam didn't look too shabby either.










These two have been together since high school (8 years together I think...) so it's awesome to see them finally tie the knot!  They are made for each other in every sense of the word. 




Congrats!!!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Simple Pleasures

Babies.


Ava was hungry, but Tony didn't have what she needed.  So instead she licked his neck :)

Funny side note: When I posted this picture on Facebook, Jon (Tony's brother and Ava's dad) commented: "Vampire baby attacks have increased 36% since 1998."

Made my day.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Thriving

I'm about to get all religious up in here (but not really*)   :)

I'm certainly someone who is not outwardly religious - and by that I mean, it's something that's personal, and internal, for me.  Not that that means I don't like people who are outward with it - it's just a personal thing with me.  So, that being said, it takes a lot for me to feel the need to blog about something like this.
I like religious messages that can be translated to real life situations... not just abstract, theoretical stuff.  Tony likes Joel Osteen for that reason, and gets his little email motivational thing for the day.  He passes them on to me when he wants to tell me what to do encourage me.
Here's one that really resonated with me:
Many people today are living in "survival mode." If they can just make it through the day, they've accomplished their goal. And, there are times when circumstances can seem overwhelming. There are seasons that are more difficult than others. But God doesn't want us to just survive, He wants us to thrive. He wants us to prosper in all things.
One definition of the word "thrive" means "to realize a goal despite circumstances." That means you can prosper in all things no matter what is going on around you. You don't have to settle for an average year; you can have an extraordinary year. You may be planning on just getting by, but God is planning on abundance. He's planning on overflow. It's time to get into agreement with God. It's time to walk in His ways. It's time see your dreams come to pass. It's time to thrive because God has a plan for you to prosper in every area of your life!

I can't say the part about living through a rough time in life is really applicable to me - we have a great life and have been super, super lucky in all areas of it.  But I do often struggle with this exact issue - surviving vs thriving.  I've hinted at it on here before.  I hate feeling like I count down the hours til the work day is over, then count down the (90) minutes til I'm home, then count down the days til the weekend.  By the end of all that, I'm left feeling like I'm wishing away my days towards some lofty, idealistic end that, in reality, isn't going to be there. 
The point is, it's not that I'm living in some tragic situation that I can't escape from.  Instead, I'm not making the active choice to thrive.  I choose to sit on the couch when I get home.  I choose to let the long drive get me down.  I (I!) am the one responsible for making this choice.  Life may not be 100% unicorns and rainbows, but that doesn't mean you can let it get you down sometimes.  You can choose to let life pass you by while you are surviving, or you can embrace it fully, be happy with what you do have, and thrive.
I'm working on it.

*see, told ya.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Dog Days

Our lake trip for Tony's Birthday - in pictures:

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