Playing in The Rain

One of my goals this summer is to really spend quality time with my kids and make sure that we make lots of memories together. I have really been hit with the realization that they are growing up WAY too fast. I also have realized that with everything else that I need to do in a day, I sometimes forget to really stop and live in the moment of what we are doing together.

Today, my friend and I decided to start a summer tradition of "field trip fridays". We are doing this for two reasons...1. we both want to do fun things with our kids this summer and 2.We are trying to encourage others to do it as well as part of our website WNYKids.com. So, we headed downtown to a great event on the waterfront. The kids were able to make things with clay and play in water tables and sand boxes. They also got to see the waterfront that they love to visit. Of course, up until today, it has been sunny and hotter than hot here in WNY. However, today the rains came down...in buckets! The timing could not have been better...it started pouring as we were making the trek back to our cars. Yes, there we were...2 adults and a total of 6 kids (and only 3 umbrellas!!). Needless to say, we got soaked.

The greatest part of this was that we did not care at all! We actually walked a little bit slower to our cars laughing the entire way. By the time we got to the cars, we could have rung out our clothes and yet all we did was laugh and continue to stay in the rain. On the way home, the kids told me that this was "the best day ever!!" I asked them why and they said, "because playing in the rain is AWESOME!"

Now, I am not that uptight that I have never played in the rain before. However, I can say that I have not taken the time to do that lately and truthfully, probably was worried (for some crazy reason) that I did not have time to get wet nor did I have the patience to deal with wet kids in my car. But today, we did it..we survived...and we loved every second of it!!!

So, today I am thankful for rainy days and the time to enjoy them! I am so glad that I "let my hair down" and played and danced in the rain. I know, it sounds terrible that this is such a big deal for me, but it really was. I am also thankful for fun with great friends and a GREAT new camera! I am finally able to really get back to photography and making memories of these great days!!!

The Gratitude Project - 2010

Happy New Year!  I cannot believe that we are upon 2010.  Sitting her on New Year's Eve, it hit me how much has happened in my life over the past 10 year.  10 years ago, I was celebrating my first New Year's Eve as a married woman.  Who knew that in the 10 years to follow I would buy a great first house, give birth to 2 great children, continue to work at the job that I had just started, travel to Europe, get involved in 3 different businesses, open my very own business, close my business, start another new business with a friend, survive 10 years of marriage, met new friends, said goodbye to some people who I thought were friends, adopted my first pet, lost my mind, celebrated some of the greatest times in my life, found myself, lost myself, gained more weight than I wanted, laughed a lot and cried a lot.  In the midst of it all, I learned a lot about me (some things that I like and some things that I do not like).  

They say that as you get older, time goes by much faster.  Well, it is true. The past 10 years have flown by faster than I could have ever imagined.  I realize now that it is so important to be present in your own life.  No matter how crazy things get, we only have so much time, so we need to laugh and enjoy it.  I can say that I have really become a worry wart and many times forget to stop and smell the roses.

So, this year, I am starting the year feeling a little bit wiser and ready to face this crazy world.  I realize that I am very blessed and very fortunate and need to take more time to appreciate that.

I am going to be participating in something called "Project 365".  I will be taking at least one photo each day of something that inspires me.  I have LOVED photography since I took my first photography class in high school.  It has been something that has been a major part of my life for a long time.  By doing this, I hope to be able to stop and appreciate things more as well as document the year with some really great photos.  Attached is the first photo of the new year.  It is of my Christmas tree.  I LOVE Christmas and totally enjoyed sitting on my couch watching a movie after everyone was asleep.  There is nothing better than the glow of Christmas lights!  I live for this time of year!

I also plan to change this blog of mine into a bit of a "gratitude" project.  I plan to look around a bit more and learn to pick at least one positive in each of my days.  Over the past years, I have found it very easy to wallow in the days of being a working mom, wife, and friend.  I many times have found it easier to be a "glass half empty" kind of person (as I have mentioned in some of my other blogs).  This year, I am going to try to change this!  

I don't know if anyone out there will ever read any of this, but I am inspired to keep writing and to write every day about the good things in life.  I hope to see a gradual change and improvement in myself over time.  Happy New Year and cheers to 2010! 

It's Good To Be Me

I have to admit, I got the inspiration for today's post from my adorable daughter.  While I was looking for something for her to wear today, I found this shirt.  I immediately thought about how true this is for her.  If only I could be 3 again for one day!  Maybe I could forgo all of the laundry this weekend.  Maybe someone else would cook and clean for Mother's Day Brunch tomorrow and I could sleep as late as I want.  Maybe I could run around all day in clothes that do not match and not care a bit about what anyone thinks!  I could make mud pies in the backyard for hours and not care about who is making dinner or paying the bills or if there is enough milk in the fridge because someone else would be doing that for me.  AHHH!  To be 3 again!  Isn't it too bad that we do not appreciate enough the freedoms we have at that age until they are all gone.  (Wow do I sound like my mother now!) 

I also wanted to share a photo of the planner that I made using Heritage Maker's spiral bound book.  If I am going to have to b

e the adult in the family (sorry Jeremy, but you know it is the truth!)  I want to do it in a cute way!  I am such a sucker for anything that I can put pictures of kids on!  This was an answer to my prayers because I am always in need of my planner and always am being asked for photos of my kids.  Plus, I was able to make it the way I wanted even though I used an AMAZING template from the template gallery!  Check it out!

Great Gift Ideas For Mom

Mother's Day is one of those holidays that should last all year.  I say that not because I am a mom, but rather because my mom is THE BEST!  Now that I have my own brood, I appreciate my mother more now that I ever thought.  I find myself saying "mom I am so sorry for everything that I have ever done" more and more!  I feel that Karma will help me in my own journey of motherhood!

So, I want to give you all some ideas for spoiling your mom this year.  All of these projects can be created through your own FREE Heritage Makers lifetime publishing account!  If you are like me, I am always looking for something different.  Here are some ideas that any mother will love!

1.  Create a cookbook with the recipes you love the most from mom!  Add pictures of you with your mom to make it more special!

2.  Make a deck of playing cards with photos of you and your kids.  Mom will be the hit of her bridge club!

3.  Get her a gift certificate for her favorite hair and nail place.  Moms love to be pampered!  Include a heartfelt card with special photos of you together.

4.  Create a book that lists the 50-100 things that you love about mom.  Capture the great moments with photos from childhood on up!

5.  Make mom breakfast in bed (but let her sleep in too for an extra gift!)  

6.  Create a deck of "mom coupons".  Include things like "will do the laundry" or "will cook dinner" or even better "free hugs"!

7.  Create a wonderful gift sake for mom to display all year long.  Take a special photo and make it into 12x12 scrapbook page.  Then, modge podge the page to a 12x12 tile. Get a plate display stand and you have a precious keepsake!

8.  Make mom her own set of note cards!  Create the cards with her initials or photos of her favorite flowers, favorite quotes, or any favorite at all!

9.  Make her a personalized planner!  Include favorite photos so that she can show all of her friends her kids (and grandkids)!

10.  Give her a Heritage Makers gift certificate and let her creative juices flow!

Remember, Father's Day is also coming up!  Many of these great ideas can be made for dad too!  It is never too early to start thinking ahead!