Inspiration

It is true that inspiration can come in many shapes and sizes. It can come when you least expect it too.

It's easy to get caught up in the day. I feel like once the kids get home from school, I'm either looking at the clock hoping for bedtime, or it is bedtime and we haven't even began to prepare for it. But in the hustle and bustle of my daily life, I've tried to make it a point to really observe and listen to what things inspire me.

My Inspirations (in no particular order):

1. Pinterest
I'm a pretty creative person, but I rely on the people in cyber world to help get me started. There are so many blogs, forums, and of coarse, Pinterest that help me create my own artsy stuff. Thank you Cyber World!

2. Web Articles
Yes, another cyber inspiration. I don't get the newspaper and I don't have regular TV to watch "normal" shows including the news. So, when something pops up on my homepage that interests me, I'm all over it. Today I read two articles. One was about the habits of highly productive people. Of coarse I opened it and fully intended on sharing it with the Mr. but really learned some great things and No, I never was able to share it with Patrick *sigh*. 8 Habits of Highly Productive People included: 1. Making sure to take breaks. (Really? It's allowed?) 2. Starting your day off on the right foot not upset or mad at the world. (If only my alarm clock would just shut up!) 3. Making mindful food choices. (What? cookies and Diet Pepsi aren't "mindful" food choices?) 4. Keep a FLEXIBLE to-do list. (Story of my life.) 5. Use technology with intent.(Define Intent...) 6. Balancing your work load. (You mean like, in the washing machine?) 7. Putting perfectionism in its place. (Sorry, this is where my OCD kicks in.) 8. Learn to say "no". (NOOOOOOOOO!!!)

3. Art Docent Program
I love being an Art Docent. It is really fulfilling. I enjoy preparing and learning about different pieces of art and the artists who made it. I love it so much that I am even doing it for Raya's old teacher. I guess she loved me enough and asked me if I would do it again this year. Today I was able to teach in Malia's class. the theme was about trains. So I looked on YouTube (another place for inspiration) and learned how to draw a train. A few weeks ago, YouTube taught me how to draw a feather for another class. That = AWESOME!

4. Fall
The other day I was putting up our Christmas tree. The curtains were open and I watched leaves fall from my neighbors tree. I sat and watched for awhile. I just love everything that fall brings. Cooler weather, a colorful earth, beautiful sunsets, apples, the end of soccer season...oh, and Apple Hill...

5. Friends and Family
Having friends and family around leaves much room for inspiration. You know that saying "With age comes knowledge"? I cannot express how true it really is. I am learning so much more and understanding so much more through my family and friends. I've learned acceptance. I've learned unconditional love. I've learned service and many many more good quality traits all through the loving people around me.

6. Photography
The past year my photography has really just boomed. I am constantly trying to better myself with this talent I've been given. So much inspiration comes through my work. I mainly shoot families and children, but recently have gotten inspired to document the world around me sans people. Maybe fall has given me the inspiration. It's hard to pass by a beautiful red and yellow and green leafed tree and not wish I had my camera with me.

7. Mexico
Well, it's kind of that back and forth inspiration. Mexico has inspired me on and off since Patrick booked our trip a few months ago. I've lost some weight and would get into a rut. Mexico would get me back on track and I'd be good for awhile. I wish I could say that Mexico is a constant inspiration, but I'd be lying. At least it is helpful...sometimes.

8. Sunday School
So we have 3 amazing Sunday School teachers, but one in particular has been inspiring me to be a better person. His lessons are absolutely amazing, to say the least. I leave his class inspired to do some good not only in the world, but in my own life.

I'm sure there have been many other things out there in the universe small and large that I've failed to mention here. Again, inspiration is all over. We just need to open our eyes and see the greatness speaking to our souls. I am a true believer that one can find inspiration in anything. Where have you found yours?

Me Among the Crazies...

Let's face it, People Are Crazy!

I have always said that people are crazy in their own way. Everybody has something crazy going on with their life, their selves, their heads. Some just hide it better than others. I was recently asked who the most crazy person in my life was. I immediately started thinking about it...

I have my own definition of crazy but I decided for the sake of this post I would look it up and get the real meaning of crazy.

CRA-ZY [krey-zee]adjective

1. Mentally deranged; demented; insane.
2. Senseless; impractical; totally unsound

Although I have used the words "deranged, demented, and insane" many of times while describing people, I don't think that they are truly crazy. Definition number two is more the type of crazies I hang with...

Because this is a public blog and who knows what family/friends are reading it, I will not dig myself a grave and call out any of you. The older I get, the more my mind is opened and I see things for how they truly are and not what I just think they are. I will be the first to say that I am crazy...at least I feel that way. Perhaps it is just the daily requirements that are slowly moving me forward to a padded room or perhaps I am truly having some sort of mental thing going on. I can go on and on about how awesome I am about showing the world how perfect I am on the outside, but read further and you will see that my mind is not as perfect as my show is.

Some things that have been showing their crazy face lately...

1. Anxiety
I have never had anxiety issues before. I remember my grandma needing some sort of medication to calm hers and I thought that was just nuts. We should be able to calm ourselves down and get through whatever the anxiety issues are about. I have found that recently everything seems to give me anxiety. From the daily chores to getting to places on time. From what to make for dinner to helping the kids with homework. I am ready to get rid of this feeling and I am hoping that medication is not the answer. Perhaps I need to take up yoga...

2. Claustrophobia
I have always been claustrophobic. I've never liked large crowds of people or blankets tightly woven around me. Small spaces aren't fun either. I feel like lately I have been claustrophobic everywhere I go. Driving, line waiting, kids laying on me, etc. etc. More and more the walls seem to close in on me and I so am not diggin' it!

3. Patience
I know, I know, patience is a virtue especially if you can exercise it with four kids! Unfortunately, I lost all of mine when I got married and now I have a negative balance of it...Please someone send me some patient vibes.

4. Lack of time
Everyone wishes there is more time in a day. I am the same. I really feel that I am barely keeping my head above water. I guess it is better than drowning, but still...I have a cramp and I'm tired.

So, back to the question...who is the most crazy person I know? I am going to have to say ME, MYSELF, AND I...of course it doesn't help hanging out with all you crazies either...

Kid Quote of the Week

Ethan: "Carly is going to be the bad guy."
Me: "Why is Carly the bad guy?"
Ethan: "Because she is the only bad guy I can trust."

The Average Mom

A few months ago I was asked to write an article for Ethan and Malia's school newsletter. I honestly don't remember what they actually wanted but I took the challenge into my own hands and created "The Average Mom". My first article was about childhood obesity (at the Principal's request). My second article was truly from my heart. I enjoyed reminiscing about my childhood. I got many compliments on it and for my posterity's sake, I'd like it to be posted here for them to read...

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

I recently inquired about the Pershing ware I ordered at the beginning of the school year for my kids. I was told that the PTA had just ordered the clothing and there will be a special design to celebrate Pershing school's 50th year. While thinking about how long 50 years is, I started reminiscing about the good ol' days. You see, I was a student at Pershing Elementary School. My journey there began 29 years ago…

I have many fond memories of my childhood at Pershing school. Some of which I will never forget. I remember rushing out to recess in hopes that I would be the first one to the bars so I didn't have to wait in line. I loved jump roping too and I was good at it. I remember being in choir and having a huge performance at Arco Arena. I remember being the Pershing Generals instead of the Panthers. I remember when the school didn't have portable rooms and the library was where the computer lab is now. I remember listening to books being read to me by Mrs. Williams, the same librarian who is reading to our children today. I remember playing Oregon Trail in the computer lab on an early Macintosh computer that had a floppy disk drive. I remember being lucky if I got a colored screen to play it on. One of my earliest memories is making bug catchers out of tuna cans and screen material when I was in kindergarten. I remember clapping erasers because we had actual chalkboards in the classroom. I remember dissecting a squid and the smell that accompanied this activity. I remember that all the kids would go to Mrs. Houston's class when they had a loose tooth. She would pull it out and we'd get to go and pick something out from a huge drawer of toys. I remember getting sent to the Principal's office for the first time ever when I was in 6th grade. I think it scared me straight. I remember my dad with his tool belt on while helping to build the cover over the picnic benches outside the cafeteria that many of us parents sit under each day when picking our children up from school. I remember Jerry, the custodian, who would create pieces of personalized woodwork for the students and parents for 25 cents a letter. My all time favorite memory of elementary school was when I was in third grade, my class did a play. I remember the hours we spent practicing for it and being excited we didn't have to do math or reading. I remember forgetting my lines in one performance and making something up in its place. I still sing the songs I learned from that play today. That same year, my teacher, Miss Heise, got married. Our entire class was invited to her wedding where she took on the last name of her husband and became Mrs. Bhatti.

I didn't plan for my children to attend Pershing. Who would have thought that I would purchase a home 3 houses up from the one I grew up in? Imagine my surprise when I enrolled my oldest in kindergarten and found out that there were a few teachers still teaching at Pershing that I remembered as a child. Through the years I've run into past classmates whose children were being taught by teachers who taught them. I was excited to hear that even a past teacher (Mrs. Houston) has grandchildren attending Pershing! I'm pretty sure that there are many more students that I am not aware of whose blood rings with Pershing Pride as well.

Pershing Elementary School has been making childhood memories for 50 years now. That's a lot of memory making! Many things have changed over the years, like my perception of the stage in the cafeteria. It's a lot smaller than I remember, but the goal to educate and help teach children to become amazing members of society has not. I often wonder what my kids will remember about their childhood when they are grown adults and then I am reminded that they are making their memories NOW. I know that it is a hard job raising children. Trust me, I have four, and I'll be the first to admit how easy it is to get wrapped up with the necessities of each day and being worn out by day's end making sure that everything that's required has been taken care of. But again, our children are making their childhood memories now. What are we doing to make those memories positive and fun? I challenge you to think of some ways to help your children make some awesome memories now and then do them. They don't have to be large and expensive. I have found that many memories I have as a child required no money, only time. Time is something that never ends and before we know it, our Panthers will be grown adults raising children of their own. What memories will you make with your children today?

Photography Season

Oh how I miss blogging... When photography season AKA Christmas season slows down, I will return. I have some great posts rolling around in my head.

Halloween!

Boo!

Scared ya, didn't I? If not...well then maybe this will:

We had a great Halloween and we are still enjoying the benefits from the 3 times we went trick or treating (yes, 3 times!)

This year I organized a Halloween Craft Exchange with four of my friends. We each created five crafts (all the same) and then we exchanged them with each other. It was fun and I really loved getting cute Halloween decorations. For Halloween being my favorite holiday, I suck at the decorating and getting into the spirit of it all thing. BUT, I got better this year. Here are some pictures of my decorations:

I spent a lot of money on that Durling pumpkin...shhh, don't tell Patrick. When I got it, I was a little disappointed because I realized that I probably could have carved it myself for half the price. At least it is a fake pumpkin and I will be able to enjoy it for years to come...I look at it this way...in 20 years, that pumpkin will have cost me $1.75 per year...I guess it's not THAT bad!

I borrowed my friend's Cricut Die Cutting machine for a different project and I had these cute little monster patterns at my fingertips so I decided to make some new friends...they were cute hanging on my "Look What I Did" wall. Hey, a mother can show off her work too!

The blocks were part of the craft exchange...LOVE THEM! They are actually double sided and are currently still on my piano with Thanksgiving sayings on them. The candy jar was also part of the craft exchange. It came with a bunch of candy corn and a cute little pinwheel in it. The candy corn didn't last long nor did the two other types of candy I used to replenish it with. I bought the "spooky" sign at Michaels for $5. It was cute and worth the money.

This table runner was from the craft exchange as well. It too was double sided, but I preferred to keep it on the side with the witches hat and wand with the saying of "something wicked this way comes!"

On top of the table runner sat what I had made for the craft exchange. I couldn't for the life of me get a good picture of it. I gathered sticks from the local park and using the Cricut die cutting machine, I cut out leaves of different types of Halloween paper. I used wire and attached the leaves to the sticks. I filled a vase with black and purple marbles and VOILA! A fake dead Halloween tree thingy.

This looked really good on my door. It too was from the craft exchange. It just matched my screen door so well. I know that sounds weird, but whatever.

While picking up children from school, we drove by this house:

Yes, that Jack O' Lantern is bigger than the house...just thought I'd share.

Speaking of Jack O' Lanterns...I hate carving pumpkins. I really do, it's messy and slimy and I am always the one who ends up cleaning the mess up...AND the seeds really aren't that great either. So, I found these awesome no carving - Mr. Potato head like things to plug into the pumpkins and the kids seemed to be just fine with decorating their pumpkins this way:

Apparently after awhile, these Mr. Potato pumpkins weren't good enough so Raya asked if she could carve another pumpkin she got from a church activity. I told her as long as I didn't see any traces that she did it when she was done, she could carve her pumpkin. I knew it wasn't going to be 100% clean when she was done, but I was pretty confident that it would be pretty good...that is, until the neighbor came down with like 3 of his home grown pumpkins and asked to carve them with Raya:

Of course, they didn't clean up the mess, and I...once again, cleaned it up! Well, Raya did help, but I'm a perfectionist ya know.

Don't be scared at the above photo! It's just a huge spider web that Ethan and Carly made in Carly's room. Oh and the mess...that's part of the trap...ok, it wasn't and yes, my kids' rooms "occasionally" get THIS messy. I do have to say that it was pretty creative on their part and as much as I would have loved to keep it up, when both Malia and I tripped over some of the string, it had to come down...I couldn't even get to Carly's bed safely...so, I had to do what I always do and take the cobwebs down.

My sister invited us to her work to go trick or treating. After getting lost (while using my GPS...imagine that!), we made it there and the kids filled a bucket full of candy...They had a little party room where we went after trick or treating and there was more treats including this:

Can you say "disgusting"??? This is cake...yes, cake...I took a picture because I am going to make this one day...I just won't eat it.

Later that day, we headed over to the Trunk Or Treat at the church where we filled up another bucket of candy...Here are my kiddos in all their Halloween glory:

After all these festivities, we still had Halloween to go. Because we already had a ton of candy, I just took the kids around the block. Raya didn't even go with us because she ended up going to a Haunted House with her friend Sierra. She really is growing up...no more trick or treating...I guess it's haunted houses and hanging out for her from now on.

Halloween was great. Now on to Thanksgiving and Christmas...Wow, I can't believe it's almost 2012!!! Where does the time go?