This Week

I enjoyed doing yoga outside for the first time this year!

I enjoyed a clean house for a few days

My visiting teachers were coming.

It's amazing how much I can get done when I have company coming,

or when I talk on the phone with a friend!

I enjoyed some yummy home made Greek yogurt. It's so easy to make!

Recipe here

I enjoyed, on my walk, this fancy tire swing. Well kinda, it wasn't very comfy!

I enjoyed taking pictures of mini wonders I encountered along my path.

I did not enjoy the $800 repair bill for Mike's car that broke down.
I had to pick him up and take him to work for 3 days...

I enjoyed, that today, on March 1st, Mike still had a job to go to!
They have extended him for another 2 months, and maybe more!?

Mike and I wrote every day in our little Valentine 'Like Book' during this lovers month!
We have decided to give it a rest and pick it up later.
It was fun.
I was always so exited to look inside, when I would notice the book on my side of the bed,
that ment my man had written something he liked about me! :)

I enjoyed helping Emric finally do his Eagle project!!!!
More on that soon...

I enjoyed clean sheets and a freshly, nice smelling, clean Chloe!
Again, she adorned herself of some very pungent something's-been-dead-for-a-while smell.

I enjoyed cooler weather, wearing scarves and jackets.

Over all this has been a lovely week, very busy, but a lovely week...

Oh, I almost forgot!
I did finish watching season 3 of Downton Abby and was very very very shocked,
in denial, angry, distraught, I just couldn't believe it!
It was not supposed to end that way!
It needs to be scratched and redone!
Seriously?

Still My & His Valentine

See me wearing my cowgirl boots! And I love love love this mint-polka-dot shirt!

 He still makes me laugh!

Our Valentine...

This Year Mike bought a little Black Book.
The 'Like Book'
It has a lot of cute quotes in it.
And every day we write something we like about our significant other.
Err... Mike says I should say 'what we like about each other'
It's been laying around our bed.
I write in it and put it on his side. He does the same.
We might write in it during the whole month of February or longer?
Or we could get it out every Febuary for the next 11 years...
That is part of the fun of it!

Notice my new 'Smile' cushion?
Saw it. Loved it. Brought it home.

I don't know what we are doing tonight.
Mr Valentine said he was getting off work early?
You think?

Update:
 He got home early alright!
(at 9pm instead of 11pm, his usual time this week)

He ate his nice Valentine, Steak dinner
with baked potato, and roasted yellow bell peppers with melted blue cheese,
all by himself! :(

We are now both on our laptops.
Mike is laughing about my typos on this post, that I now have fixed.

Happy Valentines Day!

CiRCLES iN February

I love circles, spots, polka dots & swirls.

You could say I am a circle lover.

I like stripes too, but round things tend to dominate in my life.

To me circles have a sense of infinity, continuity, wholeness, happiness and eternity.

They go on and on.... And are everywhere...

C i R C L E S  i N  M Y  W O R L D

C i R C L E S  A L L  A R O U N D

Can you tell it's February, and there is not much going on in my life?
Other than the day to day stuff...
I'm liking this month more and more.
I didn't use to.
I've always found it rather depressing.
But now I've decided I like February.
It's going to be the month I don't do much.
The month I recuperate from all the really busy ones!
The month I give myself permission to relax and not be always so darn productive.
The month that when it is gray and rainy, I cuddle up in bed and do mindless and enjoyable stuff.
Let's see, it's the 11th, I've done a pretty good job so far!

A Real Texan?

 I now own some (used) Real Cowgirl Boots!
You can't get more Texan than that, right?

Does this make me a real Texan?

A Frenchy-American-Texan...
No, I'm not getting the cowboy hat...
I draw the line and will stick with my berets...
Can you ware the 2 together?

How can you not love this?

She wants something...

Cell Phone Saga or Phone Envie?

I have to clarify some misconception that has been out there:

That I use all my kids phone upgrades to get the phones I want...

I've had 4 phones in the past year.

True.

But.

I did not use all my kids upgrades. Only one, Emric's.

For the record, here are the facts.

I had the Evo for over a year 1/2 and used MY upgrade to get the Samsung Galaxy 2

I gave my Evo to Alexi who used his upgrade for an IPhone and dropped it in the toilet.

(Apple is lame that way and does not cover water damage)

A couple months after that, Emric's phone died.

I used his upgrade, the only one, to get the newly released Galaxy 3 

(I really had my heart set on the Note, (I fell in love with it) but Sprint did not carry it)

I gave my Galaxy 2 to Emric, who was very happy for the upgrade.

Then Sprint got the New Samsung Note 2!

So I talked Mike into trading his Evo he's had for over 2 years for a Note 2 and give it to me. 

Come to find out, we can't do that since his phone is a company phone.

So I was very willing to wait for my next upgrade Oct 2013.

But then for Christmas, we got a phone line for Heavena. 

At Mike's suggestion, 

I got the Samsung Note 2, 

Justine got my Galaxy 3,

Hevena got Justine's Evo 4g.

And everyone lived phone happily ever after!

For a while anyhow... 

Well, except Mike who has a crappy phone...

Because he wants to please us more than himself...

He's just like that, he sacrifices so we have what we want!

Except when it comes to ice cream, no sacrifices there!

The End

Ps:
I'm planning on keeping my Note 2, we are very tight together!
Like inseparable tight and 1st-one-to-touch-in-the-morning-and-last-one-to-touch-at-night tight.
Unfortunately those relationships are not lasting.
One will come along better, faster, prettier, smarter, equipped with a to die for camera...
 like maybe a the Note 3?

I never thought I would be such a phone lover!

One of my Favorite Dinners

Had this for Dinner.

LOVE

Pan fried Talipa with quinoa

My Happiness Manifesto

I was inspired to make one of these from this blog I like a lot.

I will, for now, put it on my computer screen. 

Then print it out and place it where I will see it often.

Like the potty room or the kitchen.

 I made my own 21 keep joy and happiness inducers.

To use not all at once, but as needed... 

For when the 'D' words start to take over, like:

Doubt, discouragement, discord, downhearted, discontent, disillusioned, 

distrust, disgusted, depressed...

These are tried, lived and tested. They usually work for me.

They bring me joy and happiness.

(These are in no particular order.)

1. Rejoice and Live in the Now

Because that is all we have. The Now. Life is lived one moment at a time. Enjoy.

"Live in the moment and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering" 

Fanny Crosby

2. I can do hard things

With Christ all things are possible.

Hard things increase growth, faith, strength & stretches our soul.

3. Create Beauty

Make your environment beautiful.
Creativity enlarges the soul and mind. Make Beauty all around you!

4. Delight and feast upon the word
Seek, dig, ponder upon the words of Christ. They lighten up the soul. Give direction. Comfort.
Give Peace and Understanding.

5. Exercise the heart 
For longevity and well being. Find what you love. And do it. Move & stretch that body!
We only have one to carry us through our life journey.

6. Peace and harmony in the heart
Keep anger out of your life. When It comes, do not let it fester and linger. Forgive.
"For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of  happiness"
Ralf Aldo Emerson

7. Keep the Vision, This too shall pass.
Our life is but a moment. A Passing.
Everything will eventually pass, and change, and get better in the end.
'If it's not okay, it's not the end'

8. Look Up

Every day, look up towards heaven. Look at the clouds, the stars, the vast expanse...

How small am I? Insignificant. Yet, I am noticed and loved beyond measure. 
Feel the love of God!

9. Serve Someone

Nothing is quite like making someone smile, lifting an other's heart, giving a helping hand.

One cannot serve & love without feeling joy and increase happiness.

Find one in need every day. No matter how small or big the act of love is.

10. Rest

Rest your heart in the stillness of God
"Our hearts are restless until they rest in You."
Augustine.

A well rested body, makes for a clearer thinking head. 

Less grumpiness and impatience with those we love the most.

Sleep. Relax.

11. I am in charge of how I feel. Today I choose Happiness.

I have the power to choose how I feel. Things don't go my way? 

Rain. Clouds. Evil hearts. Wars. Unrest. Disasters.

Others may taunt, tease, disappoint, hurt, ignore...

I control my feelings! They do not control me. 

12. Count Gifts. Notice Tender Mercies

In All things give Thanks.

Gratitude turns everything we have into enough.

13. Listen. Smell. See. The World.

I believe there is beauty in Mother Nature everywhere. Look for it with all senses. Everyday.
A bird's song. A lady bug. Warm rain drops. Spring scents. Taste of a fruit.
It's all a gift to make our life more beautiful and enjoyable.

14. Clean space = Clear mind
De clutter, it invites sanity & clarity of the mind. Think better.
When we clean out things that don't matter, we make room for what does.
"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful" ~William Morris

15. Read
A good book. To expand the mind.

16. Stop and Kneel
When I forgot my morning prayer and it's 3pm.
When challenges arise and I need help from above.
When gifts & joys are noticed.
When prayers are answered.
Thank and Praise.

17. Keep a tender Heart
Soft. Loving. Forgiving. Full of the love of God.
Do not chase the spirit away...

18. Plan my work. Work my plan.
Monday Downton Abbey day. Wed Laundry day. Friday Date with my Man day.
Having a plan helps me not to get lost and get things done.
Whether it is work or pleasure.
Schedule it. It's more likely it will happen.

19. Joyful Music. Soundtrack your work.
Fill your home with good music. Especially on rainy dreary days.
It lifts and encourages to work on that chore you can't get around to do.
It helps me focus on the task at hand. And who can't use more focus?
If I'm on the net being distracted from what I really need to get done,
 I put on my-clean-the-house-playlist and oh, miracle of all miracles,
I get up and do it!

20. Breath Deep. Slow down.
Enjoy the moment, the season you are in.
When things get too fast, too overwhelming.
Breath Deep and Stay Calm.
Life is not a race, but a journey needing to be enjoyed.

21. I am Enough because He is enough. 
In Christ, I am Complete.
Remember that! No matter how much I lack, He is all and everything.
He will complete me and make me whole and enough.

Lunch at Panera

 One of our favorite places to eat. 

We Love Panera Bread!

We all have a favorite dish. 

Amelie: Brocoli Cheddar soup & baguette

Emric: Mac&Cheese

Justine: Chicken Chipotle Sandwich & Chips

Mike: Brocoli Cheddar Soup with any hot chicken/cheese Sandwich

Moi: Greek Salad and Brocoli Cheddar Soup with wheat baguette.