Prompt 13-Who inspires you?

This prompt asks the question who inspires you? My momma. Not because I want to be like her, unfortunately our personalities are so different, but because she is awesome in her own way. Through the years I think we've learned to agree to disagree and through the years we've grown in love and respect. 

She is awesome for her unconditional love for her family. She would do anything for any one of us. 

She is awesome for being a great role model. She raised my brother and I well and now has a huge impact on raising my kids. I think they're turning out well too. ;-)

She is awesome for her talents ... cooking, sewing, knitting and gardening. 

She is awesome for her sense of adventure. She lives to travel and will keep going till the end. 

I am inspired by my totally awesome mom. Thank you for who you are and all you do. 

Challenge idea came from here.

Prompt 11-How do you love?

Journal Prompt from i heart run with scissors:  How do you love?  Through dating, and marriage, I had always heard talk about the five love languages.  I never thought much about it because I was pretty sure I knew exactly how I loved :)  Once, I read the book, it made so much sense to me!!!  What is your love language, how do you love?

I personally have not read the book but today's journal prompt makes me want to. I took a quick quiz on the website and discovered I love first through quality time. I need to know the ones I love want to just be with me hanging out and enjoying each others company. Quality times are the best times. Not a lot of fuss.

A pretty close second for me is acts of service. I never expect kindness or favors but when a loved one does something nice without being asked I feel loved. Clean the house? Cook dinner? Play with the kids? All rank high in my book.

What's also true for me is that receiving gifts is the lowest. Maybe that's why it never dawns on me to make a big fuss with birthdays, anniversaries or holidays. I really don't love through receiving gifts. I'm a romantic huh? Or a cheap date!

Some of the other ways people love are words of affirmation ... being told nice things. And physical touch ... those couples we see in public who can't keep their hands off each other. Problem is ... how you love may not be how your loved one loves. It would be wiser to love the way they need you to rather than the way you need to and vice versa. I think this book is worth a read.

Curious to know how you love? Take the quiz here.

Challenge idea came from here.

Prompt 9-Scream it out!

If you could scream something at the top of your lungs right now what would it be?

THIS is what I want to scream at myself all day long. Frustrated at work? Disappointed by someone? Irritated with the kids? Stop and assess the situation for what it really is. Usually when we want it to be something else we hurt ourselves with that thought of how it should be. If we learn to accept what is and let go of the thought (shoulda coulda woulda) our unpleasant feelings will also go away.

I'm reading a book called Loving What Is by Byron Katie that talks about just that. Techniques, examples, real eye opening and hitting home for me right now. I want to love what is and be at peace more often. I want to scream this quote to myself over and over again.

Challenge idea came from here.

Prompt 7-Happiness ...

... is living life to the fullest. And what a life I've been blessed to live. Filled with ups and downs, adventures and simple everyday routines life has made me who I am today and every place I've been and every experience I've had remains a part of me.

By far the biggest influence is summertime all year long, aka life in da islands. The carefree attitude of living local style by the beach in Hawaii brings me happiness. I feel most content when I'm just hanging out in summer clothes, with summer weather and long summer days. One day we shall meet again ... I can't stay away forever!

Growing up with a seamstress mom, I am very happy being crafty. I love to sew, to scrapbook and to make things pretty. I remember recycling junk into "art" in elementary school for GATE, sewing classes all through high school, decorating my teeny tiny apartments during college and beyond years and discovering scrapbooking with motherhood. Happiness is creating absolutely anything.

Happiness is shopping ... actually traveling and shopping. I'm not fond of just shopping itself but to explore a new city with its many boutiques? Happy, happy, joy, joy! Memories of Japan (cuteness), Paris (sophistication), Venice (artsy), Chicago (food) and New York City (everything) are memories of shopping and citified adventures.

And I'm pretty happy in a bakery. Not for the sweets but oh for the crusty breads. My year in Paris was often spent buying a baguette in the morning and then carrying it around in my bag all day long. Those were the best (most simple) sandwiches. Now, I usually rate a good restaurant by its bread. Give me sourdough crusty french bread any day ... with some brie and I'm extremely happy.

Happiness is so many things ... these are just a few of mine. And to illustrate, one of my blog finds, Inslee Haynes. She does these wonderful fashion illustrations by watercolor. Pretty and happy!!!

What does happiness mean to you?

Challenge idea came from here.

I won! Time to start training ...

... Ella Publishing is a great inspiration for scrapbooking and photography. I am (sort of) doing their 12 for 2012 where I take 12 pictures on the 12th of every month this year 2012. Every month there's a theme and you only have to commit one day a month. I've taken all my pics, just haven't gotten around to scrapping them and blogging it yet. Oooops!

But this Spring Training class is exciting. I'm hoping it will jump start my weekend scrapbooking into summer and beyond ... maybe all the way to Survivor Crop in April. I miss my late nights with girlfriends, I miss unleashing my creative spirit, I miss remembering all the "fun times".

I'm so excited that I won! Rebecca Cooper is a great photographer, scrapbooker, crafter and mom. I get so many ideas from her. This is also my 3rd time winning something from her blog. Can you believe it?!? What are the odds? I've been reading her blog for years ... winning prizes is not the reason but wow, how fun is this! Yay!!!

Can't wait for the videos, the training and the inspiration. Details here. Who wants to join me?

Guilty as charged ...

I've been off the Project 365 bandwagon as of late. After 2 years and my one little word for 2012 being ENOUGH, I thought it was best to take a break. But after reading this latest post, I think I am still VERY interested in capturing the everyday moments. When I only take out my camera for the special occasions, I am guilty of doing the "look at me" drill with the kids and they HATE IT. When I just take random pics of our life together, they are more inclined to participate and then I capture magical moments.

Imagine the little boy. Maybe two and a half years old. He’s at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, perhaps for the very first time. He’s discovered the kids’ area and is intent on scooping up the krill with the basket. He is being the whale. He tries again and again and again. You can see the intensity on his face. He is mimicking the big kids around them. You know he is hoping to fit in.

And there is his dad with his camera in hand. Ready to document the moment. It makes my heart sing.

And then…
My heart breaks.
Dad can’t see the moment. He doesn’t see the action before him unfolding in the magical way it so often does in childhood. Instead? He says the words. You can probably guess what they are.

"Look at me.”

And again.
“Look at me.”

Now he becomes more emphatic.
“Look at me.”

And then he almost nears anger as he holds the camera at the ready waiting for the bright eyed, smiling child to turn for THE photo of their trip to Monterey.

“LOOK AT ME.”

Exacerbated. He gives up. He puts the camera down. He’s done.
He grabs the child, still intent in his activity, and heads on to the next station. Camera in pocket now.

He missed it. He missed the magic. He became so involved in photographing the image HE wanted, he didn’t see the beautiful image that presented itself.

Story told by captureyour365.com

So now I'm thinking about this March Photo a Day from fatmumslim. Thinking of actually starting a Project Life album for this year from the many scraps I already have ... because I do have ENOUGH. Thinking of my gratitude for this blessed life I'm living right now because it really is ENOUGH. Kids are happy, marriage is happy, parents are healthy, family is growing by 2 more feet ... it really is more than ENOUGH. I want to be grateful and remember this.

What have you done to capture memories this year ... it's already March! Are you guilty of taking every special moment and trying to turn it into a perfect picture moment? How about just capturing life as it is?

One Little Word 2012

This time of year is perfect for making goals and new years resolutions. Usually I pick my One Little Word to focus on rather than making resolutions. The idea came a few years back from Ali Edwards. In 2008 my word was Simplicity. That year I pared down my belongings, my commitments and my life. In 2009 my word was Mindful. Learned to slow down, live more in the moment and eat more purposefully. Last year my word was Less.. Did less, cared less and wanted or needed less to live a more meaningful life. The impact has been pretty evident to me as I now reflect ... my life is right where I want it to be. Far from perfect but oh so perfect for me!

That leads to my word for 2012 ... ENOUGH. As I look at the hats I wear or the roles I play, I see the emphasis on this word being totally appropriate for this year. I AM ENOUGH!

1. Mom: I want to be sure I spend enough quality time with my girls. Not just together but separately one on one. I want them to get enough attention from me and feel special in their own right as I love them each on their own.
2. Wife and Daughter: I want to keep asking myself ... am I showing my love and support enough to my family? Sometimes the ones we love the most are the ones we either take for granted or are the most mean and impatient to.
3. Professional: Am I doing enough to add value to my team? I read a quote not too long ago that it is more meaningful to make your absence felt than to boast about your presence. Love the work I do, just want to be sure it's making a difference.
4. Scrapbooker: Getting the memories recorded is enough. Don't worry too much about the quality of the photo, the supplies being used or the process itself. Too many unfinished projects equals no real stories being told.
5. Individual: I am enough! Care less about what others think of me. Know that my intentions are there to live the life I was given the best I know how. Do not compare, do not want, just be and that is enough.

I'm sure as the year progresses, more layers of this word will come out as I go about making the most of this life we were given. I am grateful for the imperfect and genuine reality of life itself ... it is enough.

Do you choose a word for the year? Or make new years resolutions?

I just want to create something!

source

With the holidays around the corner, I am seeing way too much inspiration. (Even the blog is ready. hah.) Oh what fun it would be to just create beautiful things ... just have to remember that everything I've saved in my phone, starred in my blogreader or pinned on pinterest is not a to-do item. Fun ideas are fun! I guess this is one time where LESS need not apply.