Welcome to the {One Little Word} Blog Hop! All blog hop posts go live at 8am Pacific Time March 1st.
My word for 2011 is {simple}. Life this year has been everything but {simple}. With that said, I am listening, watching, and learning. I strive to take the steps needed to simplify anything I can.
A while back, Ali Edwards posted about her daily routine. The entire post was amazing, however this stood out to me.
~ Ali Edwards"I want to live a full life. Busy does not equal full."
I have been reflecting on that quote the entire month of February. With this, my thoughts have been around a few things.
1) Find areas of my life that could be {simple} and work to make them {simple}.
2) Look for {simple} things that inspire me.
3) To allow myself to get caught up in the moment, not worry about my long to do list, but just enjoy the {simple} things.
My photos this month give a visual representation of those three things.
- My away from home job/office is the first photo. I love my job, however as you might be able to see from the photo, there is a complete mess going on. Awhile back, the pile on my desk started tumbling to the floor. That pile now lives on the floor, and another has sprung up in it's place on the corner of my desk.
- Books - I haven't been reading as much as I would like. There is something about reading that seems so sincere and {simple}.
- Dakota and Jaffery in photos #3 and #8 - I have been making a better point to run around with them outside. It takes up time I seem to lack, however I never regret playing.
- I love baking. Again, it is the simplicity of it. I want to return to baking, cooking and enjoying.
- The leaf - pure {simple}.
- Alan's hot cocoa - Finding time to spend with Alan. With us both working 40+ hours, Alan being in school, and us both having extra activities, it is sometimes a challenge. I don't want us to get caught up in life and not enjoy the {simple} moments, like having hot cocoa on weekend mornings.
- The Snow people - Check out that explanation here.
- The last photo is where my home office
explodedexpanded! ;) I have a scrapbook space, however with a couple of the projects I have been working on, I set up tables in the basement, and have stuff everywhere. I would love to get this under control again.
I am hoping to write on the large snow people and snow dogs photo, however haven't decided on what exactly. I might write more about the day we made them, however I'll see how it all plays out.
You can keep up with my One Little Word project on Facebook at Forever Daisies on Facebook!
I am also participating in the One Little Word Captured Challenge at Life... As I See It. If you are interested, my posts are here:
Next stop on the blog hop, Kats Wonderings at www.katswonderings.blogspot.com. Go over and show Kat some comment love!
Here is the entire list, in case you missed one, or need to start from the beginning!
2. Monica B http://scraplifters.blogspot.com/
3. Jill http://jillconyers.typepad.com/
4. Miranda http://mirandasscrapsite.blogspot.com
7. Stacey http://www.TheAcornGarden.com/blog
9. Cassie http://craftycassiescorner.blogspot.com
11. Nicky http://seejanebake.blogspot.com
12. Holly http://lovingrobots.blogspot.com
13. Karen http://breathenowsmile.blogspot.com
14. Claudia http://creative-moms.com
15. Rebekah http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com
--->16. Kimberly http://foreverdaisies.blogspot.com
17. Kat www.katswonderings.blogspot.com
18. Kristina http://ciqis.blogspot.com
20. Nikki http://www.inkyart.com.au/
21. Amanda www.scrappnbee.blogspot.com
22. Lisa http://luluoz.typepad.com
24. Maureen http://cookingmylife.blogspot.com
25. Kristi http://theprojectofme.wordpress.com
27. Karen http://womenontractors.blogspot.com
28. Katrina http://k84mansramblings.blogspot.com
29. Monica Bergler http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com
30. Mandy http://captureandcreate.wordpress.com
32. Chrissy http://getcraftywithchrissy.blogspot.com
34. Jen www.byjen.com
35. Sylvia http://baxtersmom1.blogspot.com/
36. Christianne http://christiannemarra.blogspot.com/
37. Cheri http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com
38. Joy www.undiscoveredjoy.blogspot.com
39. Beth http://justbebeth.wordpress.com/
40. Jennifer L www.studiojenn.blogspot.com
41. Kathryn www.katlodesigns.com
42. Heather www.scrappyhare.blogspot.com
43. Cindy http://seriousplay.typepad.com
I really like that Ali Edwards quote! And I am in complete agreement. I think you will like this blog entry:
ReplyDeletehttp://tarawhitney.com/justbeblogged/2011/01/kind-of-life/
Being busy is overrated. I mean, we're all busy. We all have things to do. But time is not on our side, and nothing has made me realize this more than having children. They grow up so fast. And life goes by so fast. I realized I have no desire to spend it rushing around. Like the blogger I linked to above, I spend a lot of time at home these days. And while that's hard sometimes, it also means that I get to spend a lot of time with just me and my boys. As they get older, they won't want to spend time with me. So the time is now, you know? These moments won't last forever, and that is sometimes a real tragedy. That is a hard lesson to learn.
I don't have a perfect life and I certainly don't have all the answers, but one thing I do know is that it's good to just sloooooow down.
Also, here are some of my favorite "simplify" sites:
ReplyDeletehttp://zenhabits.net/
http://rowdykittens.com/
http://unclutterer.com/
Simple should be simple but it's not as you and many of us are discovering. I love the links shared above, they are some of my favorites too!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your journey :) Thanks for sharing your thoughts ... shared by so many of us!
ReplyDeleteThanks for highlighting that quote by Ali, it is a powerful thought.
ReplyDeleteThanks for highlighting that quote by Ali, it is a powerful thought.
ReplyDeleteI have to second the zenhabits website. It's wonderful. Best wishes on simplifying your life.
ReplyDeletesimple is so nice but so difficult sometimes. LOVE that big snowman photo. Love all of your photos.
ReplyDeleteLove the Ali quote - I think it may have been the same post where she said "being busy does not give my life meaning" and that thought has stuck with me ever since. But I can't find it again. I hope you find lots of {simple} on your journey!
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love that Ali quote too. So true! :) Love your big picture of the snowmen too. I think you have great goals for your word this year. Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteI think I have my word for next year now :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI had considered simple for my word this year, too, but ultimately I ended up with clear. Clear still seems to have helped me find my way to some of the same concepts and websites.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed looking at your photos and your notes on each one. Ahhh, simple is what I long for. :) Blessing on your journey...
ReplyDeleteYour post is so very true. My life is actually fairly simple right now and I don't always appreciate it. Thanks for the reminder to do just that while it stays this way. Thanks for participating. I am so inspired.
ReplyDeletei love that snow pic!!! how fun!!! love what you have done with your feb pics!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the quote and your thoughts.... we're trying to live simply, really want to not get caught up in the busy "rat race" kind of life, especially for our children!
ReplyDeleteVisiting your blog from the SITS Cocktail. Just now getting to some for comments (2 young children at home... have to pace myself on some things... okay, well, probably EVERYthing!). :)
I see that you blog about recipes, too. :) If you have one that has been your "most popular" I'd love for you to come link it in our Star Recipes Collection (just started this week).
Enjoyed visiting your blog!
Love your pages and the thought you're putting into your word. So glad you're in the hop, even though it's taken me so long to get here: )
ReplyDelete