Thoughts of the Day
My life has qualified me as "experienced" on such topics as Army life, parenting, mental health, loss and grief, multi-tasking, and adapting to all things new (good, bad, or indifferent). I will share my thoughts on these topics and hopefully you will find some calm in the chaos knowing that others have been where you are.
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10 on the 10th: November 2022-10 Memories of the Holiday Season & Link Up On the Edge #321
I know that I have been saying the same thing each month, but seriously, how quickly the time is passing by! How has another month already gone and we are a third of the way through November? I cannot answer those questions for myself, but I can answer Marsha’s 10 on the 10th questions! 10 on the 10th is a monthly series with Marsha of Marsha in the Middle, Leslie of Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After, and Gail of Is This Mutton? Each month, we are presented with 10 questions about a common theme and asked to share our answers in blog post form. This series is such a wonderful way to share…
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A Wabi-Sabi Worldview & Link Up On the Edge #320
Decades ago, I was introduced to the Japanese art of kintsugi, which is the practice of repairing broken pottery with a lacquer made of powdered gold, silver, or platinum. It is similar to the maki-e technique, which is a Japanese lacquer decoration used in all sorts of mediums from paintings to vases to decorative boxes and other trinkets. Kintsugi (“golden joinery”) or kintsukuroi (“golden repair”) is not just a practical art form for repairing damaged pottery, it is also a philosophy which views breakage and repair as an important part of the history of an object. The philosophy of kintsugi highlights rather than disguises where damage has occurred. By filling…
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Transition & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #297
Merriam-Webster defines transition as “a change or shift from one state, subject, place, etc. to another.” The Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as “the process of changing, or a change from one form or condition to another.” And Dictionary.com describes transition as “movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another.” These seem like simple enough definitions to explain a rather profound concept that permeates the entire human experience. Life often seems like it is an endless series of transitions. We are constantly changing from one state to another on the most basic levels as well as on the deepest levels of our existence. We learn from each experience whether it was a planned…
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You Deserve to Be Seen and Heard & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #296
Last week I was doing a yin yoga class with affirmations for healing and one of the affirmations really struck me as something that needed further investigation. The exercise of using affirmations during meditative yoga practices is not meant to convince ourselves of the truth of any one affirmation. Instead, the practice is focused on finding which affirmations make you feel uncomfortable and then exploring the reasons for that discomfort. The affirmations are simply meant to prompt further self-examination and introspection. The affirmation that really struck me during this particular yoga session was I deserve to be seen and heard. When working with affirmations in yin yoga, it is important…
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10 on the 10th: October 2022-All About Birthdays
Oh boy, how quickly the time is passing by! Another month has come and gone and we are already a third of the way through October which means it’s time for the next 10 on the 10th with Marsha of Marsha in the Middle, Leslie of Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After, and Gail of Is This Mutton? Each month, we are presented with 10 questions about a common theme and asked to share our answers in blog post form. This series is such a wonderful way to share more information about ourselves and to learn interesting new things about others. Anyone is invited to join and answer the questions. It is a great…
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Historic Church Tour in Clayton, New York & Link Up On the Edge #315
A few weeks ago, I mentioned in my travel inspired Thrifty Six post that we went on a historic church walking tour in Clayton, New York, to celebrate the town’s sesquicentennial. I had intended to share this post a few weeks ago, but you know how life can intervene and quickly change our plans and intentions. In the three and a half weeks since sharing my thrifty travel outfit that I wore for this walking tour, I had three Style Imitating Art posts, two Songful Style posts, one Good Buy/Good-Bye Book post, a room makeover post, a paid post about toys to boost kids’ imaginations, my Reiki certification announcement, and…
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It’s Official! I Am a Certified Reiki Level II Practitioner & Link Up On the Edge #314
I had the most extraordinary weekend two weeks ago and I have been so excited to share it with you all. But then I caught the Back-to-School Crud and skipped my post last Friday altogether, pushing this one out another week. I did allude to it earlier this week though. You may have caught the Reiki reference in my crud poem… “...I used yoga and Reiki And resorted to prayer. No matter what I did The crud still made its way here..." It was a very intentional reference and I did use this cruddy sickness as an opportunity to practice my newly learned Reiki healing techniques on myself. While my…
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10 on the 10th: September 2022-My 10 Fall Essentials
Another month has flown by and here we are again at the 10th which means it’s time for 10 on the 10th with Marsha of Marsha in the Middle, Leslie of Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After, and Gail of Is This Mutton? Each month, we are presented with 10 questions about a common theme and asked to share our answers in blog post form. This series is such a wonderful way to share more information about ourselves and to learn interesting new things about others. Anyone is invited to join and answer the questions. It is a great way to start new conversations and make meaningful connections with new people. Since September…
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7 Ways to Surprise Your Disney-Loving Friends & Link Up On the Edge #312
Do you have any Disney-loving friends who seem impossible to shop for? If you’re struggling to find the perfect gift ideas for them, never fear. I am here to offer some out-of-the-box ideas that are sure to put a smile on the face of any Disney-lover. Walt Disney once said, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” And that is precisely what I intend to show you how to do today – how to surprise your Disney-obsessed friends with magical gifts they will never forget. Check out these 7 Disney-inspired ideas that are sure to delight any Disney-loving friend on your gift giving list. 1. El Capitan Theatre What…
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The Essential Back-to-School Checklist
Some people love when it’s time for back-to-school shopping because they get excited about the potential and opportunities that lie ahead with each new beginning. Others, however, may not be so thrilled about getting everything together all at once especially if you have waited until the final hour to start your back-to-school shopping. But with growing children and changing curricula, we can’t avoid the necessity of the school shopping experience. Our kids need all the things to start each new school year so they can stay abreast of their academic studies as well as their budding social lives. While back-to-school shopping can sometimes feel overwhelming with confusing supply lists and…