Life: Right Now

I stumbled upon a random blog post that I had done 6 years ago today. Facebook has a nice memories section that reminds you of what was happening in your world or what you posted about on this day however many years ago. I had kind of forgotten about this blog and was pleasantly surprised when I could still go back to all my old posts. What a great way to capture life.

Life now vs. life then...What's changed?

One word: Mari!

Our almost 18 month old daughter is now the highlight of both of our lives. What a blessing that we waited and prayed for so long. More about that in a different post.

I started journaling in a notebook when I became pregnant and have continued. I don't want to forget anything! There may be a few months in between posts, but I want to capture what is happening at the moment in words and not just pictures. One of my favorite things to write about are things that I want to remember about life right now--what words she is saying, what she eats, how her personality is developing and little details that have a tendency to get lost in life's chaos.

Right Now

Mari loves scrambled eggs, cheese and spinach. She also still loves blueberries and has added raspberries and oranges to her favorite fruits.

She knows what she wants and is even able to express that to us sometimes. Little minds are amazing!

She recognizes people (other than mom and dad) and will sometimes call them by name: grandma and papa love this!

She's a little ham! When we pick her up from daycare or Skype with family, she tries a headstand, bear crawls, tips over and rolls on her back, poses with her legs in the air and then scoots across the floor. She likes being the center of attention. Oh boy...

Brian and I are working on being present with each other and being more than just mommy and daddy. It's work. It's easy to focus all attention on our little one and let the rest coast.

Ok...I'm done procrastinating! Off to write a paper for my BSN and work on some household budgeting.

Happy

By definition, happiness is:

1. the quality or state of being happy.

2. good fortune; pleasure; contentement; joy. 

People show their happiness in many different ways; smiling, laughing, dancing, singing, hugging, etc. 

People find happiness in many different things. Happiness for me is:

• spending time with my husband and our families. I absolutely LOVE family time. I crave family gtherings, reunions, holidays, weddings and any reason for family to gather.
• accomplishing a goal
• finishing a good book
• catching THAT shot with a camera. I could take thousands of pictures, only to have the one shot that makes it all worth it.
• cooking a good meal (this doesn't happen that often! Thank goodness Brian is a great cook!)
• hosting a great party
• being able to really be there for someone.

One of my current goals is to continue to find things that make me happy.

Caribbean Cruise 2012

Wading into crystal clear turquoise waters that looked like they were dyed that color, I just wanted to take it all in. The water, the sand, the warm air. It's our honeymoon! 

We took a cruise out of San Juan, Puerto Rico and ported at these islands: St. Thomas, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Maarten. Each was so amazing in different ways and the cruise itself was wonderful!

It's true that pictures tell a better story than words sometimes. It's hard to describe the fun and the beauty we experienced and all the memories that were made. It was simply amazing.

Random...

I love photography. I love taking pictures and looking at pictures. I vow to get better. Brian got me an awesome camera last Christmas!!! love it! love him!

I have ALOT of freckles!

I love my family.

I love surprises.

I love birthdays and love making a big deal out of them...more for other people than for myself.

I could eat pizza every day.

I love mornings and the possibilities that they bring. That being said, I also love evenings and reflecting on the day. Sunrises and sunsets...what a beautiful pair of bookends!

I hate using flash when I take pictures. I use natural light whenever I can and love morning light and that golden glow before the sun sets.

I love having a clean kitchen before I go to bed.

Being Present

I sometimes have a fear that I'm rushing through life so fast that I will come to a screeching halt late in life, look around and say "what the hell just happened?"

A conversation that my sister and I had got me thinking. We are a culture of trying to do so much at once. Multi-tasking is looked at as necessary and something to strive for. While it is true that multi-tasking is inevitable, our culture takes it to the next level. I want to really try to be more present. Stopping for a moment to just be. Be in that moment that will never happen again. Be present with the people that are with you. Be present with the thoughts that surround you. Breathe.

Smell the coffee that is brewing, enjoy a great sunset, breathe in the crisp January air, give someone a good hug...a really good hug,

"Life is what we make it. Always has been, always will be."  --Anna Mary Robertson (Grandma Moses)

Reflections of 2011

2011

This truly was a big year...

During all the big stuff that happened--wedding, selling the house (a lot of sleepless nights), house hunting and moving, we managed to find time to enjoy each other, spend time outside, raise a litter of kittens, road trip to New Mexico, and spend time with our families. What a great year!

streeeeeeetch

The farm. 

Brian's gift to me of a Canon Rebel ES T2i camera certainly helped me capture many moments beautifully!

We had record snowfall in the beginning of the year. Stunning.

As always, I am amazed by the sky and the colors that it can produce. Never ceases to impress. 

Sisters! 

 Along with the sky, a great fire to sit around is a must. Our new home has a west-facing patio with a fire pit. Perfect for enjoying a fire and witnessing amazing sunsets. 

Surprise bridal shower. I love my family!

Dad and his fishing boat. Many hours were spent refinishing and rebuilding. 

Preparations were made for our wedding. We chose to have the ceremony and reception at our home--the Moe Homestead. It was amazing. We couldn't have asked for a better day and couldn't have planned anything to go better than it did. So many things and people made it memorable. 

Twin Lakes, WI--The Lake House

Wine tasting with Mom for her birthday at River Bend Winery in Chippewa Falls, WI. 

Christmas 2011...the year of matching jammies and the horse-drawn wagon ride. 

We are looking forward to what 2012 has in store for us...

First things first...moving into our new home!!!

New clothes rack

The elliptical has officially become a clothes rack. My running shoes haven't seen pavement in a few months. Even Molly, our black lab has been gaining weight due to our inactivity. blah. Intentions of working out have succumbed to hectic schedules and major life decisions. Now (along with the rest of the world), I  am resolving to make use of the equipment that I have and MOVE MORE! Planning our upcoming honeymoon is giving me much needed motivation. We decided to take our newlywed vacation during the winter months and escape to somewhere warm while leaving wind chills, snow banks and salted roads at home for a week.

What is it about a new year, a fresh start that leave us optimistic and revived?

Now...time to get off this couch.