My Day in a Haiku
I’m the first to confess that I’m not much of a writer. It’s probably because I don’t really enjoy it. It also might be because I’ve defined myself that way. So let me rephrase that first statement. . .The more I write the better I become. I write every day in hopes to get better. I write to remember my day and show gratitude. I write to reflect. I write to get stuff off my chest. I write to help me be more intuitive. But the biggest reason I write is because I want to learn how to express my thoughts better and to inspire others with my words. I…
Why Do I Love the Color Red?
My favorite color is red, but I don’t know why. Do people really know why a favorite is a favorite?! I don’t just like any red, either. There are so many different shades and tones of red. If I had to pick one I would say cherry red—a red that is richer and darker than pure red. But, in reality, I like a different kind of red for a lot of different things. I like certain reds for vehicles. My dream car will be my perfect red, but if given a choice for a rental car, I will choose any red over silver or black. The red that Apple uses…
3 Things I Learned from Beauty and the Beast
On Monday, a couple of the kids and I went to see some friends perform Beauty and the Beast at a local theater. The actors did an amazing job. I loved seeing them use their talents to entertain others. I’ve seen Beauty and the Beast several times—the Disney version and the Broadway musical—but this time there was “something there that wasn’t there before.” Here are 3 things I learned from watching this performance. It’s OK to be different The opening scene of the play starts with Belle in the village square. As she goes about her business, with her nose in a book, the villagers sing about how odd she…
10 Easter Traditions to Do With Your Family
This Sunday is Easter, and I’m looking forward doing some of our favorite Easter activities this week. Do you have Easter traditions? Here some of the activities we have done over the years. EGG DECORATING Even as the kids have gotten older, this is an activity that we always seem to do. The old stand-by is dye in water and vinegar, but we’ve also decorated with markers and shaving cream. We might try something new this year or we might just do the vinegar dye. EXTENDED FAMILY EGG HUNT My mom and dad like to host an Easter party around this time of year. They hide a bunch of plastic…
6 Important Leadership Skills for an Emergency
Happy Wednesday, friend! I hope you are enjoying the nice spring weather. Recently, my youngest son wanted to learn about mines as part of his homeschool, so we picked up a few books from the library. One of the books was the rescue story of the 33 miners trapped in a mine in Chile. It was actually an interesting book and we learned a lot, but there was a paragraph at the end that made reading the whole book especially worthwhile. A little background first… The cave-in at San José Mine in Chile occurred on August 5, trapping 33 men 2,000 feet below ground. For 17 days the miners are…
3 Books You Could Read More Than Once
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” CICERO Even though I love to read, I will rarely read the same book more than once out of choice. I will sometimes read it again if it’s assigned for a class or it’s for of a book discussion. But there are a few books that I read every year or two that have been impactful and provide a good reminder. If you need a dose of inspiration or a change in perspective, then grab one of these books. 1.Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the box by The Arbinger Institute I first read this book while on a…
It Couldn’t Be Done
Jonathan, the kids and I decided to take a trip to Idaho to visit his sister’s family. Actually, we really wanted to see her new baby. He’s adorable and always super happy. We’ve had a great time so far. So because I want to spend time with family, I’m only going to share an inspirational poem by Edgar Guest. I’ll return to my regular posts next week. Have a great week! It Couldn’t Be Done By Edgar Guest Somebody said that it couldn’t be done, But, he with a chuckle replied That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one Who wouldn’t say so till he had tried. So he…
6 Lessons from Dr. Seuss
Did you grow up with Dr. Seuss books? A few of my favorites from childhood include “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” and “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket” and “Green Eggs and Ham”. March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’s birthday and elementary schools across America celebrate literacy and books the weeks around that day. When my kids were younger we celebrated along at home by reading and learning about Dr. Seuss. It has been awhile since we’ve participated in Read across America Day, but we enjoy his books and the lessons they teach in a fun and simple way. While hanging out with my nieces and nephews last…
Fighting Depression & Anxiety
What I am about to write is one of the most difficult things I have ever expressed publicly, but I feel called to do so. The idea for this blog post started off as a simple list of things that have helped me combat my depression and anxiety, and I think they will help many others. These things should be easy enough to share; however, to start talking about them I feel I must first pass through the ordeal of publicly admitting that I struggle with mental health issues. I’m not entirely certain why this is so hard for me to write. In part it is the stigma and shame…
Helping your Mental Development
We are taking the week off of school. (That’s one of the benefits of homeschooling.) It’s been nice. We’ve gotten a few projects done, had some time to volunteer, and spent time doing Christmas activities. It’s been a little hard on my oldest, though, because there isn’t a real schedule. She thrives on a schedule. I like schedules, too, but this week I’ve just been creating a to-do list and chuncking my time. Our morning routine has stayed the same. Meals and bed times are the same. But everything in the middle has been free time and project time. I’ve gotten a lot done. Her? Not so much. Because I…
