Just Say No! Being In Charge of My Own Time

In an attempt to simplify my life, which was my focus for this year (although I think it is really a lifelong challenge), I have been learning to say no. If I am too tired to go to a movie, I won't go. If I have errands planned to get done on my lunch and a friend wants to go to lunch, I'll say no. When I am asked if I want to join another committe, I say no. I would rather stay home and play with my daughter and husband. Is it a bit selfish? Maybe. But I am living the life of my choosing. And enjoying (almost) every minute of it.  I will see that movie later when I am well rested; I will suggest another lunch date with my friend; and we give back to our community in many ways. The most difficult part of saying "no" is the guilt. Especially when you just plain don't want to do something. It is ok to say no without having a reason. "Because I said so" is an acceptable answer.  I don't want to look back and wish I have done things differently. I make time for what is important to me.
From the book I got from my husband She by Kobi Yamada:

via

Does this mean that I don't make time for my family or a friend when they need me? Of course not! But for the first time in a long time, I feel like I have a balance in my life, which came largely in part from creating some time to myself. I love to give and had a hard time saying "no" before,  which meant I taking on more and more. I was busy doing a lot of things, but I wasn't doing any of them well.

I found a great resource at one of my favorite websites Real Simple- you enter how you spend your time and it displays a pie chart to sum up how you spend your time. I realized I was not happy with the way I am currently spending my time. You can also enter your fantasty information how to spend you time.

I made this GOAL pie chart (because I am that type of nerdy person) and it is in my craft room (AKA: Mom Cave) as a reminder of my priorities. My pie chart is not the right way for all, but it is for me.

I am still busy (what does that really mean anyway? Everyone says it...people are always in motion...some people are busy making memories...some people are busy working...some people are busy being at home with their family...some people are busy watching TV...some people are busy thinking- there isn't a right or a wrong, that word sometimes annoys me, but I digress...) but I am "busy" doing things I enjoy.

~Angela

The Simple Things ~ Wall Art

On a recent family shopping trip to Kohls, I stumbled across this adhesive wall art and I just KNEW I was meant to have it.

My husband so graciously (and very meticulously) installed it for me, and even took pictures along the way. I quote him as saying "I figured you would want to blog about this and since I follow you, I figured you'd want photos." Ah, he knows me all too well.

So, here I am writing about a project I didn't even really do, but I love the finished product. The wall is what you see as you descend the stairs to our basement so we see this all the time. It serves as a reminder of what I firmly believe.

~Angela

Puddle Jumping

After an unusually warm spring, we took advantage of the melting snow to jump in puddles...

~Angela

Aware Bears! Guest Post by Sher of Day Dreams

I am pleased to introduce Sher as a guest poster on The Simple Things. Her blog focuses on a lot of the same principles I do so I think you will enjoy her post - I did:) Be sure to check out her blog after you read this post.

~Angela

  Thank you Angela for having me guest post with you today! Your posts are so lovely and inspiring – particularly those of your family.  I am Sher and I make my home in Nebraska with my husband.  Our children and grandchildren are scattered about the area – they are each a source of strength and inspiration to us!  DayDreams is my small at home business inspired by my passion for sewing, crafts and advocacy.  How does advocacy fit into all this? Through inspirations captured after seizing the day.  I am a dedicated family member who wanted to find  a unique and comforting way to raise awareness of so many causes youth and their parents are challenged with; specifically children’s mental health http://www.daydreemz.net/aware-bears.html .   Aware Bears were originally designed and made as a fund raiser for Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and have since grown to be comforting bears for all causes.   With all that said, I was inspired on this first day of spring to write about where my inspirations come from and ask that you share some of your favorite inspirations with us! 

The Simplest Thing: Listening to the Whispers of Inspiration

There is a small inner voice that whispers to my heart; sometimes softly singing familiar lyrics in my ear, until those lyrics have found their place in yarn, soft pastel fabrics, bright and bold prints or delicate aromas of essential oils.  My Muse - some call it an inner voice, other’s intuition.

   I feel lost without her and there are times when I become filled with anxiety thinking my muse is gone.  Those times I have fought for control have produced some interesting choices in crafts (and some hilarious fails!). There are times my thoughts drown out the delicate voice of my Muse until I tell myself to stop, look around me and notice the colors and designs of what my senses perceive. I journal these impressions into ideas, busy myself with other tasks and wait for her to inspire me again with impeccable timing.

When It’s Dark Enough, You can See the Stars.  As I fill out my profile on various sites and SEO’s for building Day Dreams, I find the self description is quite simple: I’m a passionate seamstress, advocate and crafter who is 50 something and rethinking the plan.   Several months ago the original plan apparently wasn’t entirely where I was to be and it wasn’t working out as I had intended. I nearly lost out on this specific moment today of writing this guest post simply because during that time I was trying hard to ignore my Muse and the opportunities she was placing before me.  Had I not listened to her Day Dreams would not exist, Aware Bears would not have been created and perhaps this post would not have been written.  We may work for years at laying out the blue prints for our future, all the while forgetting we don’t control what lies ahead.  If we ignore our inner voices and try to fight for total control we miss the opportunity to open doors to where we should be at the time we need to be there.   

 Carpe diem! Seize the day! Listen to what your

 inner voice, your heart or your Muse tells you. The simple things in life, as Angela beautifully illustrates on her site, are not (always) material; they are those moments that make us smile; they fill our hearts with overwhelming love; moments that lead us to think critically about a picture, person or something we have read taking the moment to watch your child or grandchild examine with wonder and great curiosity the bug crawling in the grass. Some of my best inspirations and creations have come from listening to the songs of spring or the whispers in winter or a memory of my now adult children.  Are these moments planned by us in our best laid blue prints for our future?  No.  I don’t think I’ve ever woke up one day and told myself, “I’m going to study the lines in my loving husband’s face.”  Instead, a moment may come when his eyes meet mine and as I gaze across the lines of work, worry and love in his face, I am transported to the time he first said I love you.  These are the moments we may miss them if we don’t seize the day. 

   Writing inspirations in a journal can be the first step in seizing the moment (or day).  Many great works of art in all forms, philosophy and more started with a pen and paper – sometimes a piece of scrap paper.  My journal is not your typical “write it all out” kind of journal.  It’s everything I think about, it’s messy and it’s the keeper of the lyrical voice of my Muse.   The beginning pages for Day Dreams inspirations are messy; a lot like the rapid thoughts were when I was in the launch stage.  I look back at the pages and see where I arrived at the Aware Bears idea – what an exciting day! The inspiration for Aware Bears is an extension of my passion for advocacy for children and teens with mental health and/or behavioral disorders. I wanted to find a unique and comforting way to raise awareness of so many issues youth and their parents are challenged with; specifically children’s mental health http://www.daydreemz.net/aware-bears.html  Aware Bears were originally designed and made as a fund raiser for Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and have since grown to be comforting bears for all causes; it all started by my listening to my Muse and putting the ideas to paper.

What inspires you?  Carpe diem!             

Wishing you beautiful inspirations,

Sher

Manis & Pedis with my Bundle

My little girl loves to have her toenails painted. Lately we have also been trying out painting the fingernails. She loves it!

Daddy even decided to help out when they needed to be redone.

Ah, the simple things...

~Angela

Bookcase gets a facelift

I bought this bookshelf at an auction in college for $2.50 and have used it for mutliple purposes over the years. It housed college textbooks back in the day (obvious choice), photo albums, serving dishes in a previous dining room and a TV/DVD player in a workout room. It has been painted several colors as its purpose changed over time, but most recently it has been in my art room to hold scrapbook supplies and other crafts. Although it was not expensive, it is such a sturdy piece of furniture since it is sold wood, that I can't bear to part with it.

 Before the redo, there was a gaping hole in the back, courtesy of yours truly, when I ran a cord through for the DVD player I mentioned earlier.

 Supplies needed:  ruler for straight edge, double sided tape, exacto knife, scissors and wrapping paper

 This was super easy. Remove shelves and cut paper to the size needed. Attach the tape and press onto the back of the bookshelf:

I used the exacto knife to trim up the corners and put extra tape there

Voila! I am very happy with this inexpensive fix and I think the paper added some pizazz to the bookshelf as well.

~Angela

A St. Patrick's Day Love Story

It was eight years ago today that I asked my husband on our first date. It happened to be his birthday and I didn't think he had any plans as he was new to town). He did have plans so we went out a few days later to Taste of Saigon, a cozy little restaurant that has amazing Asian cuisine. We became fast friends, enjoying adventures together: exploring natures's gifts like the waves, sunsets and sunrises of Lake Superior, waterfalls as we hiked through state parks, went biking, running and inline skating, played sand volleyball, and met each others friends. After about a month I realized we were falling in love. Our adventures continued and we were engaged nine months later at a lighthouse in Michigan. We started planning our life together and were married 6 months later.

St. Patrick's Day used to be a holiday for me that was just an excuse to get out with friends for a green colored beverage. Now, not only is it my husband's birthday, it is a celebration of our love, our marriage and our family. All of which are worth celebrating.

My little girl helping to bring the gift she decorated to Daddy so he could open it.

The shamrock garland we made to decorate the fireplace

Reading the birthday cards together

We spent part of the day at the park

And on a day of record-breaking warm weather, we still enjoyed green beverages during dinner outside:

Happy St. Patricks Day!

~Angela

Super SIMPLE recipe: Wild Rice

I love wild rice, and I love how easy it is to make. I found out about this trick from one of my coworkers.

 You prepare the wild rice, go to bed, wake up and it is done. My kind of recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
2. In a glass baking dish, mix 1 C uncooked wild rice with 3 cups water and 1 boullion cube.
3. Cover.
4. Put the dish in the oven and turn the oven OFF.

The next morning, you will wake up to perfectly cooked wild rice:

NOTE:  I have left the wild rice in the oven for as few as 7 hours and as many as 11- it has turned out perfect each time.

It makes about 3 cups so I put the portion that I don't plan to use in Ziploc freezer bags for later.

The bags store so compact and are ready (quickly) for the next meal!

~Angela

Guest Post @ Day Dreams

Today I am guest posting over at my friend Sher's blog "Day Dreaming. I am honored to be posting over there and want to send out a special Thank You to Sher for having me. Take a look around her blog while you are visiting!

I do hope you will check out my post over there for a SIMPLE craft and while you are there check out her website with homemade gifts. I love her Aware Bears and they are such a great cause- plus you have a chance to win one! You all know how much I love homemade items!

One of Sher's Aware Bears

~Angela

10 Favorite Photos & Photo Contest Update: I got 2nd Place!

Earlier this week, I entered a photo contest sponsored by www.our-reflection.blogspot.com.

Click on this link to see the other winning photos if you would like.

Since I spent so much time looking through my photos, I thought I would share 10 of my favorite photos. As you can see they include my favorite things - family and nature:

I LOVE finding heart shaped rocks. This photo was taken during our vacation to Maine

My mom, my little girl and me, holding hands on a fall walk

My little girl when she saw her daddy come home after work

I found 2 petals in the shape of a heart. I love finding symbols of love in nature.

My little girl in a watermelon. Poor thing!

I love the footprints in the fresh fallen snow

I like this perspective as we were above the hot air balloons pictured, on our own hot air balloon ride.

Muir Woods, looking straight up

I like the foggy photo of the Golden Gate bridge.

Even though this hood covers up my little girl's birthmark (which is a part of her I do not try to hide) I love this smile, I love the eyes and I love the outfit, compliments of my brother.

I am super excited to report that I won 2nd Place with the above photo!!!!

~Angela