category: life



Mar 01
2012
 

share the good

Tell people the good

Tell people the good...

[source: heidiburton on etsy via pinterest]

I came across this on pinterest the other day and it stopped me. This is something I have been thinking a lot about lately. I have been considering how often I celebrate and cheer on my children but how little I do that for friends or people in my life who make a difference in some aspect of my life or others.

And I really want my kids to learn about how to treat people by my actions on not my words. If I want them to be good people, I have to be a good person. So this thought that has been churning around and around in my head had started to have an effect on the way I respond, thank, smile, engage and talk to people.

And I keep thinking. I am surrounded in my life by AMAZING people. Seriously AMAZING. From my immediately family to those who I have a purely digital based relationship with. Have I told them? Do they know how their actions, reactions, thoughts and words have impacted my life in a positive way?

We are so quick to judge. We are SO quick to judge ourselves, to take in negative comments and place those on our hearts. In the great classic film “Pretty Woman” ;P Julia Roberts states that “the bad stuff is easier to believe”. Which is true and sad. So we need to put MORE good stuff out there. Say MORE good things about people. Destroy the bad stuff before it takes hold.

So in that direction, I want to say that for you who read my words (whether you comment or not) and support my little blog, I am so FREAKING grateful for you.

Lastly, here is an awesome video (from a TED Toronto talk) of how we can affect someone’s whole life with a small gesture and not even know it:
Leading with Lollipops.

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Posted by Janet under happy list, life, musings
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Feb 02
2012
 

finding art

I have been so busy with work these days, that I haven’t had a chance to do any fun projects around the house. I haven’t had any time to even blog (except today because I have a sick kidlet and therefore am not working but cuddling with child AND my laptop) That is ok though. I expected January and much of February to be this way. But the one thing I can still do is look for art.

I have always loved having inspirational quotes and words around my house. Sometime I think I am addicted to words. And now with the beauty of pinterest I am pinning so many great quotes and phrases. And often they are pretty to look at too.

So I have been following my pins back to the source and purchasing prints from other artists/designers to put up in my office and around the house. When I see something I like I can usually click on it a few times and get back to the source. Sometimes (like with the Julia Child quote) I have to really search and then contact the owner directly to see if they sell the print. But it is worth it.

The first two have arrived and one has been framed and hung.

Here is a couple sneak peaks of what I found (and bought):

I love this Julia Child quote!

[find it here: unraveled design on flickr]

grateful for this day

[find it here: vol 25 on etsy]

Not sure where they will all hang yet but will show you when they are. :)

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Posted by Janet under happy list, life

Jan 13
2012
 

mini resolution: do not repeat

no more repeats


[source: vintageadbrowser.com via Tony on Pinterest]

I was going to do a mini resolution a week and then post about my office organizing updates in between.

But I haven’t got any updates to the office yet (too busy with work) and I did decide on a new mini resolution. No more repeats.

I like to watch tv. I won’t give up tv. There are a few shows on this year that I really enjoy watching and would be upset to miss. There are a few that I like to watch but am not upset to miss. And there is a WHOLE lot of other. This is about all three.

From now on I will make a concerted effort to choose sleep (or anything else really) over tv if the following applies:

  1. It is a episode I have already watched, whether a favourite or not. (sorry old episodes of Friends, we will always have the 90′s!)

  2. It is something I found on tv because the show I wanted was a repeat and not something I would have sat down to watch in the first place. (no more housewives, bachelors or overly tanned people.)

  3. It is a movie I have seen or, worse, that I own the DVD to. (Yup, I do that! Damn the W network and their RomComs!)

  4. It is on after 10pm. (I will PVR it.)

At the end of the day I will often find myself just chilling in front of the boob tube, tired from the day. And that’s probably going to keep happening. But if I find myself staying up for one of the above four scenarios (which happens more often than I like to admit), I will drag my butt to bed.

Because that is probably the best place for me anyway.

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Posted by Janet under life, musings

Jan 09
2012
 

small resolution #2 – be real!

yes I would.


[source: middlechildcomplex.tumblr.com via janet on Pinterest]

So the water drinking has been going awesome. I have to admit (sadly) that I am amazed at how easy it has become to down 10-16 ounces of water before I drink my morning cup of joe. The last few days actually, the minute my foot hits the bottom step of our house, I am thirsty. Like Pavlov’s dog I am now conditioned to WANT the water.

So I thought about what item to add to my mini resolution list. I had many ideas that were too big, or I didn’t feel quite ready for. But there was something I have been slowly trying to do and would be willing to do more consistently.

Avoid fake food.

Last year we as a family gave up margarine for butter. I just felt better about eating butter (something my grandmother ate daily) over margarine. I want to continue to make those types of small changes and allow my food to be what it is.

May my sour cream be creamy and my yoghurt have fat. Bacon shall be porky. And let coffee dance once again with cream.

When I have the chance to purchase something that hasn’t been modified over something that has, I will ignore the hype. The low fat, no calorie disguise of “healthy-ness” and go back to the beginning. To where the food began and pick THAT option.

I don’t expect to only eat whole & healthy foods ALL the time. Who are we kidding? This is not a I shall “only eat fruit that falls off trees” kind of thing (name that movie). I know our lifestyle will have some cans and boxes and bags. And I am o.k. with that. As I mentioned last week. This is a small change. Something easily adopted into a habit.

And see where we go to from here.

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Posted by Janet under life, musings

Jan 04
2012
 

starting small

I have already written about how quiet and simple Christmas ended up being. And I feel like the new year has arrived with a “pop” and not a “bang”. I am motivated to get a lot done around the house but not so gun ho on the big resolutions this year. This year I decided to take a different approach and start small. I have picked one new habit I want to integrate into my lifestyle (a relatively easy one) and once I have successfully made that part of my routine, I will add another.

To start, I have added this:

a glass of water

I know in the winter I don’t drink enough water. So my new routine consists of pouring a 16 oz. glass of water first thing in the morning while I wait for my coffee to perk.

Now I am not looking for any tangible results from this. I just know that it is good for me and probably a better way to start my day than straight to coffee. And we all know that there is NO way I am giving up coffee. That would just be WRONG! :)

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Posted by Janet under life
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Jan 02
2012
 

planning my office

So I am sitting amidst the mess. Right now. Trying to focus on work yet really wanting to deal with the mess behind me. The one I have already posted:

my office - the "before" picture

It is frustrating to say the least. But one thing I have thought over and over about in regards to this mess is how the solution is not what I have it set as. That I am going to have to spend some money to create an office that I would enjoy showing off. First things first, I am going to need more hidden storage. I want this room to feel calm when I enter it every day. Easy to hide things I don’t want to see at that moment. :)

So this is my new plan:

layout for new office bookcases

I will replace what I have with a Billy Bookcase layout from Ikea. This will almost be the exact width of the upper cabinets I currently have. And then paint the above cabinets to match. This will create a whole wall of hidden storage. Except the small shelving in the centre where I plan to store my cd boxes that I use for work daily.

I also plan to purchase this desk for the kids area:

kids art desk

This is because the desk I have in their currently only fits one chair at a time and often it is both kids who want to be working with me in the space and I like the idea of a wider, simpler desk that will allow them the room to work side by side.

Beyond that I plan to also:

  • create a gallery wall of inspiring images and quotes

  • organize my paperwork using a document sorter instead of a file cabinet (does NOT work with my personality!)

  • get an easel & create a painting space

And I think that is it for now. Hopefully I can get started this week and start the new year off in a space that inspires me!

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Posted by Janet under decorate, life, organize, our house
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