Snow Day

I wish I could show you tons of snow outside, but there's only a dusting. It's cold, yes, but not too bad. As you may know, my son's school is 30 minutes away so, as the snow gods would have it, the snow system dumped tons over the school! Woo-hoo for kiddo! There are no friends to call locally, though, as they still have school today.

This is so great, really! We'll have another day to work on the Panama project and it looks like kiddo's field trip on Thursday is a go. You kinda need snow for skiing, snow-shoeing, and sledding, right?

Source

Ahh, I love it when things work out.

Hope you're safe and warm where you are. 

Gratitude Journal Monday

Is there such a thing as too much gratitude? Only if you believe it's possible to have too many blessings in your life. Gosh, I hope that's not the case. You are worthy and don't you ever forget it! My own eyes get blurry at times while I squint to see the good that is in my life. But, simple declarations clear up the view quite nicely. When I'm having one of those days, I go for the simple.

386. I am grateful for all my working senses; sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, and common.
387. I am grateful for the feet I stand upon and the heart that guides my steps.
388. I am hopeful for the promised blast of winter this week (as I know an entire 5th grade class that would be most grateful).
389. I am grateful for a full refrigerator.
390.I am grateful for a cozy, warm abode.

When I began my Gratitude Journal, I started small, click here. I hope you choose to join in on the journey.

Happy Monday!

Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 78.

Goodbye short school week just when we were getting back into the swing of things.
Goodbye finding rogue Christmas decorations that have blended in too well with my clutter that I hadn't noticed to put them away during the big holiday clean-up.
Goodbye finally realizing that country life out in the sticks may not be for me.
Goodbye trying a new schedule that keeps my time on the computer to a minimum while being super-efficient - I'll share if it works 2-weeks in a row.
Goodbye scoring big at Target on 2 awesome cable-knit sweaters for $7.50 a piece!

Hello long, 4-day weekend.
Hello diving into Panama with my son for his school Spanish project - ay caramba!
Hello glue sticks, X-acto knives, scissors, tape, foam core, markers and poster board all weekend-long.
Hello wishing, hoping, and praying for snow, snow, and more snow so the school can go on a field trip that involves cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, and dog sledding - how cool is that, but it needs to SNOW!
Hello celebrating my family's Slava in honor of our family's patron saint, St. John.

There is lots of tradition and symbolism in celebrating Slava. Pictured: Slava bread.

The lesson I learned this week is how much of a suburbanite I am. Trust me, I'm not proud of this revelation; disappointed, really. I thought I longed for a country-life, one far away from neighbors, busyness, and down-right rudeness. Simplicity is my goal. I've been visiting my grandmother over the past several weeks. She lives out in the middle of nowhere. Not a Wal-Mart, Target, or even a fast food joint to be found. I've shopped at the local grocery store - bare necessities. Although their customers and employees are some of the friendliest people I've come across, there's not a gourmet item to be found on any shelf. Instead of a variety of coffees to choose from there are only two: Maxwell House and Folger's. Stores aren't open early, the banks around there are living in the 1980's as far as hours of operation, and even the post office doesn't open until 9:00 am - shocking to me!!!!

One day, just not today.

If I ever did up-and-throw the towel-in on my suburban life and actually fulfill my dream of more land, more space, more time, and more fresh air, I realize I'd have to make a ton of adjustments. I'm just not ready to do that just yet. I need my current surroundings in suburbia because it's those conveniences that make my life more simple right now.

Happy Weekend and Sretna Slava!

 

Out of Service

The qualities that make us great women are the same qualities that curse many of us, simultaneously. We give our whole-selves to our children, our husband, our parents, even the school PTA, when there is nothing left to give. Our unselfishness is snatched happily by so many, sometimes leaving us thinking whether or not we invited the mugging, holding our emotional purse open in some alley yelling, "Come and take it all!" Be forewarned, friends: not all thieves come in the night. Sometimes they pop up in car pool lines, grocery aisles, even corners of local coffee shops where you were sure no one would find you.

Time to take stock and take a break. See the picture above? If a police car can put an Out of Service sign on his vehicle, why can't you? It's not forever. I know you've got responsibilities. We are, afterall, public servants ourselves. But, every so often you've got to put up your Out of Service sign for all to see. That doesn't mean if you saw a bank robbery you'd just point to your sign and keep driving. It does mean that you'll be taking a breather for just a little while. Justice will remain in good hands, even while you are away.

What I Made Wednesday {Shares on Display IV}

Wow! Where does the month go? Time, once again, for another Shares on Display window case theme. Have no idea what I'm talking about? It's something I'm doing each month for my son's school. I've taken over a display case in the 5th grade hallway and I've developed themes for each month to which students can bring in items to share with each other while displaying their "shares" in the case. Here's some links to catch-up:

October

November

December

As many month's as there are in the school year, that's how many themes I came up with. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about all the lost time with Winter Break, Spring Break, etc. Just between those two holidays, I lose one month!!!!! So I had to get daring and creative. This month's theme is a melting of two themes: Hobbies AND Collections. Hey, if you're going to merge two themes into one, those seemed like the logical ones, right?

No, you're not seeing things. I added the buttons to cover up the kids' names. Not all items are displayed, yet.

We had already lost a week since we didn't start school back up from break until January 7. I had to think fast, create fast, and still have it be cool. What to do, what to do? Well, I found some old 8x8 scrapbook paper and I started stapling away. I think it looks a lot better in person (you'll have to trust me on that one).

After the holidays, Michael's had this mega-sale on these unbelievably adorable laser-cut picture frames. I bought 5 and pinned them to the back of the display. Each one reads "Hobbies and Collections" in different languages. The verse for this month: "5th Graders Are Interesting" (I had no room for the exclamation point this time around).

 
Kids are still bringing in their items, but so far we have Rock Collections, LEGO Collections, Baseball Card Collections, and some Drumsticks!!!! Man, these kids are busy and talented!

Another month down, 3 to go!!!

You Gotta Take a Chance

There you are at your local grocery store, standing in front of an intricate pyramid pile of crated clementines, longing for a natural dosage of vitamin C in the middle of winter. You close your eyes and can already taste the juicy goodness the package promises: "SWEET" - must be, it says it right on the crate! But you know better, now don't you? You know that even if you picked a good box the last time, this time you may not be so lucky. You make your selection, you put it back. You're as indecisive as a Taylor Swift song. You choose another box, prying your fingers through the mesh squeezing the deliberately placed clementines on top to ensure firmness. Ooo, too soft. Ooo, too hard. After about 3 crates have passed through your hands and the citrus doesn't sue you for sexual harrassment, you finally choose THE ONE! The one you will take home, the one in which you have so much hope in to be sweetly enjoyed.

Sometimes you choose wisely and the promised sweetness delivers. Sometimes you have regret and determine the promises are falling just a bit short of meeting your expectations. And sometimes, you find a couple rotten clementines hidden in the bottom of the crate, unnoticed by you under the glamour lighting at the store. Isn't this a lot like life? 

We can end up with a crate that holds just what we expected, or falls short of what we expected, or is absolutely inedible and we were tricked into buying it. It really doesn't matter, because when we're done with that crate, we'll find ourselves in the store once again, forced to choose another crate, blindly and without all the facts we wish we had. But, choose we will. Why? It's because the chance, the possibility, that this one DOES end up being sweet and delicious.

No matter what crate you end up with, know that you won't be eating the fruit it contains forever, no matter what it gives, and that you'll always be faced, once again, into making the choice. There's no sweetness guarantee. The only guarantee is that you'll find yourself in a position to choose again. Who knows, maybe you'll even choose to switch to apples?

Gratitude Journal Monday

I know you. You are a kind, grateful-hearted, beautiful person. You're not perfect, but you know the realities of perfection (dull and unattainable). You're not always in a good mood, but you know that's just part of life. There are good days, there are bad days, but, more often than not, there are in-between days. And, as you go about living those in-between days, you long to realize something. What's your something? Is it a dream, is it a certain number, is it love, is it putting away the laundry the same day you wash it? Whatever it is, I know who's in your corner, you just have to recognize it. Your cheerleader is more powerful than you could ever imagine: it is the Universe. And she's there, just waiting to help you make it happen. But, you have to do your part. Not sure where to start? How about with some gratitude? 

If I told you the more love you send out into the world, the more love you'll get in return, wouldn't you be more kind, generous, and understanding? If I told you the more of anything you send out, you'll receive double for your trouble, wouldn't you think twice about what you do, say, think, or feel? Really, the choice of what you want coming back to you is completely up to you. You're a smart cookie, choose and do wisely.

 
381. I am grateful for e-mail notifications from dentists reminding us of appointments (like the dentist appointment my son has this Monday morning- what?).

382. I am grateful I have Super Hubby to help in the raising of our son (I'm not quite sure how single moms do it?).

383. I am grateful my house is back in order and all the Christmas decorations have been put away (I'm still finding pine needles in obscure places, even after vacuuming a gajillion times).

384. I am grateful for my vacuum (saves the back and the knees).

385. I am grateful for a new week, filled with new possibilities and opportunities (I open myself to be wowed!).

How about you, friend? Express some of your own gratitude! I'd love to read where your heart is at. Not sure where to start? Click here to see my start.