Happy Holidays

first, i wanted to thank everyone for our all of your support on our new venture. it has been fun and we are looking forward to some great things in 2009!

we have been busy behind the scenes working up prompts and fun stuff for everyone and as we come into a new year, we can continue our journey towards a better self and focusing on our hopes and dreams of tomorrow.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone and thank you!

You are 20 years in the future. Write a letter to your today self! {Prompt 2}

How many times have you ever said "If I only knew then what I know now"?

Or have you ever wished that you could have let yourself know how the future would have worked out for ya?

Let ya know that it would all be okay?

Or that the one thing you've been wishing for finally did come true?

Well, break out that pretty stationary or design your own and have the 20 year older version of yourself write a letter to the current you!

What would she tell you?

Can't wait to see what you gals come up with :)

Elizabeth's




Greta

Staci's:

Journaling:

Dear Staci,
I wanted to let you know that life is good. Sure, there have been some bumps in the road, but I have gotten through them, and they have made me appreciate the good in my life even more. While on this journey, there are some things I have learned along the way:

1. Embrace the every day moments in your life. I know it is hard to do with two small children when your days are often chaotic and they sometimes all run together, but try to sit back and take it all in. Breathe in these moments and truly let them surround you, as before you know it, they will be gone.
2. Speaking of moments being gone, don’t live in the past. I know you have a hard time of letting go of each passing phase – your babies no longer being babies is a big one for you. Remember that life goes on and with each new phase, new amazing memories will be formed. Try not to linger so much on the goodbyes but instead embrace the hellos of a new stage.
3. Worrying gets you nowhere. I know it is easy to get lost in all of the endless possibilities out in this big, sometimes bad world, but worrying changes nothing. The only thing worrying does is alter your quality of life in a negative way. So many things that you worry about are out of your control, so breathe in, and let the worries go.
4. Nurture yourself. It is easy to consume yourself with being a good wife and a good mom, not to mention being good at your work. But remember that you are important, too. Don’t let yourself feel guilty for taking the time to nurture hobbies and things that you enjoy. If you live your whole life for others, you are cheating yourself.

I know that a lot of these things you already know, but sometimes a good reminder is important. Please know that in staying true to yourself and living the life you want to live, your life continues to be good to you. Oh, and by the way, you have aged very gracefully :-)

Love always,
Me at 53 (your twenty-year-older self)

Ellen

journaling:

Hello me. It is 2008, actually we are approaching the end of it as the holidays are approaching. I am 32 now& henry is 10 mos old and owen just turned 5. life is good, as it generally is for us. I have a few goals I want to accomplish well before I re-read this in 20 yrs. I want to pursue my doctorate and I have my MBA but I want to use that and what I do working with kids and combine it. somehow/someway there is a place for me to be 100% happy in my job. I am almost there. My job is important to me and I want to work, I like it. it is much more acceptable in today’s society, it will be neat to see how it is in 20 yrs. As for the boys they are great, totally cute and fun. I had no idea motherhood would be so great, why did I fight it? I hope that our life with brian will always be this great, it gets better and better. I had doubts getting married so young, I guess 27 isn’t that young to some but I wanted to be sure I lived before I settled down. Travel, go where I wanted to and I did & now we do it as a family. This is one of the reasons I am writing this letter. To continue to free myself of some of the things in the past and to continue to move forward. Don’t keep looking back b/c every minute you lose part of your future. And you have the power. Only you.

Bucket List Slide {Prompt 1}

Thank you to everyone who has submitted to this prompt. Each one of us has loved reading your lists and loved looking at your work.
New prompt on the 15th so there is still time to play with us on this one.

Food for Thought

"The best thing about the future is it only comes one day at a time"

-----Abraham Lincoln

Stay tuned. 4 more days until the new prompt is up and it will sure make you think ;)

Just some thoughts...

we are approaching our second prompt quickly and it seems to get me thinking lately. then i ran into this book at the library about Maya Angelou and her life and i read this quote from her:

I believe that the force that created life is betting that human beings will do something quite wonderful-like live up to their potential.

until the next time...

My Journal

First and Foremost. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the states celebrating on Thursday. And if you aren't, it doesn't hurt to take a minute and be thankful for what you have, and well, if you had past boyfriend's like i did, what you don't have.


Now onto today's order of business. You know me, work, work, work, work. :)

I have decided that some of our prompts, at least for me, are going to require some kind of journal {hint hint hint} So i made this one with some Webster's Papers, recycled cb and my bind-it-all, my first project with it. I don't want to put it down now. I considered using less pages inside so i could make another one soon, LOL!

Our next prompt {hint hint hint} oops, i already said that...;) i will be using this.
front:


some close ups:



the back:
scraps, woot woot!

WOW! it is so exciting to see everyone and their own bucket lists! Click here for the original post in case you missed this month's prompt.


Here are a few of them so far! they are so moving and inspirational. and i could not have said this better myself, Holly, wrote this comment on Darlene's blog about her bucket list and it is exactly the reason why we chose this prompt:

You put yourself into perspective, but I think you're also helping some of us realize that we need to raise our head and look beyond our current day-to-day struggles.

Darlene's



and Deanna's



Thanks so much for doing the challenge! And don't forget to check out their blogs, great inspo guys!

Your "BUCKET LIST"

Our very first prompt is based on the movie "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. While I was watching this movie I was so moved by the two characters that i decided it is time to make my own "Bucket List" If you have not seen the movie you should...but be warned you will need a kleenex.

The Bucket List is a list of things you want to do or accomplish before you "kick the bucket"

What are some of the things you want to do?
It can be a list a mile long or just a few.
Can't wait to see what you come up with.

My suggestion is maybe make you a book (whatever size you choose is up to you) and keep all your forward progress prompts in one place. You can mix it up..just have fun with it.

Greta's:

My bucket list consist of things like
travel to all 50 states
travel Europe with my camera
tandem jump/skydive
finish college and get at least a bachelor's degree

Elizabeth's:


My list consists of:
Own a Bakery
Learn to Play the Cello
Learn Sign Language
Visit Fiji
See Dave Matthews in Concert

I really hope that one day I can cross off at least one of these things! But hmm...which one? :)

Staci's:

Journaling (warning: it's long - I got deep on you all, lol):

I was reminded tonight how unpredictable life can be. That no matter how much we plan, we simply do not know our destiny. We do not know the course our lives will take, and we do not know how long we will be here. This reminder helped me to realize something when it comes to my bucket list – what I want to accomplish before I die. You see, there are plenty of experiences I would like to have in this lifetime…I’d like to finally go parasailing, travel through Europe, go back to Australia, go on many more cruises, own a boat and live on the water. But with the reminder that life is short and should not be taken for granted, my true desires for my bucket list have changed. Sure, I’d love to have those experiences I’ve listed above, but what is really important to me…. What is most important to me is the way in which I live the remainder of my life. Because although those big experiences are fun to strive for, they are not my every day. However, the person I am, the way I live my life… that IS my every day, and the type of person I am is what will be most important to me as I take my last breath in this world. I want to live a life of integrity. I want to have more patience. I want to be kind. I want to do more to help others, and I want to do my part to help the world. I want to continue to make genuine connections with people and surround myself with love and laughter. I want to be a good mother. I want to live a life of peace. I don’t know how much time I have left in this lifetime. I do know, however, that I want my life to have mattered.

ellen's:
here is my bucket list. i need a 6 & 7& 8! so i better get a move on it. as i am reading the other girls, it so cool to see the ones we have in common {apparently we all need to go to travel together} and that i want to do some things on their lists too! i want to learn sign language, i want go back to school and get my doctorate, and i want to be a better person too. I have learned so much from this, for sure.

Here's my lil sneaky*peeky :)

AND mine too! ;)

Another sneak peak!

Whoo hoo, now we've got only 1 week left until our first prompt reveal! Is everyone out there as excited as I am?? :-) Anyway, just to keep you interested, I am following Greta's lead and dropping off my sneak peak, too. See everyone back here in a week!

-Staci

8 more days!

Today is November 7th...soooooooooooooooooooooo....than means 8 more days until our reveal of our first prompt!

I work with kids that have behavioral issues & we were doing a therapeutic activity the other day & and a prompt came to me. I know, crazy! but that is how my brain works. seriously.

so i asked them, "I am going to tell you a word and you tell me the first word that pops into your head". They love these kinds of activities.

Here are their responses:

Future: the past, flying cars

Foward: to move, march

Progress: a goal being done, trying to achieve

INTERESTING!
and these are only kids!

My sneek peek

Here is a sneek peek of what's to come.
I am getting so excited for the 15th of November until i am just giddy.

See you in a few weeks with our first prompt!

xo
g

What does Forward Progress mean?

we have been getting some questions about what we are doing here and we like it! keep 'em coming...we are going to try and tantalize you over the next few weeks until our first prompt comes alive...{insert evil laugh here}!

if you haven't noticed we are super laid back here ;)

so, the photo question...are we gonna have to scrap a lot w/o photos...hmmmm, i say....

the answer to that is yes and no...

with the prompts we have for the next 6 months, you will be able to formulate some kind of photo with it. BUT a few of us have decided to take this on a journaling experience as well, so if you just want to do a journal page, that is cool. whatever you want. personally, i am going to make an 8.5x11 album with my bind-it-all (that is on my 8 page to do list} so that way i can do 8.5x11, 8x8, 6x6, 6x12..whatever size i feel like doing and embellish the cover of it as kind of a work in progress...

i hope that answers those questions for now! don't forget to shoot us an email if you want to.

so, with all that goodness, i leave with this..what does forward progress mean to you? here is something to get you thinking...until next time...


Forward
Pronunciation: [fawr-werd]
Function: adverb

1.toward or at a place, point, or time in advance; onward; ahead: to move forward; from this day forward; to look forward.
2.toward the front: Let's move forward so we can hear better.
3.into view or consideration; out; forth: He brought forward several good suggestions.
4.AHEAD (defs. 4, 5).
–adjective
5.directed toward a point in advance; moving ahead; onward: a forward motion.
6.being in a condition of advancement; well-advanced: It was quite forward in the season when we finished our planting.
7.ready, prompt, or eager.
8.presumptuous, impertinent, or bold: a rude, forward child.
9.of or pertaining to the future; for the future or forward delivery: forward buying; a forward price
10.lying ahead or to the front: Take the forward path.
11.radical or extreme, as persons or opinions: the forward trend in certain liberal thought.
–noun
12.to advance or help onward; promote: The training will help to forward your career.



Progress
Pronunciation:
\ˈprä-grəs, -ˌgres, US also & British usually ˈprō-ˌgres\
Function: noun
1 a (1): a royal journey marked by pomp and pageant (2): a state procession b: a tour or circuit made by an official (as a judge) c: an expedition, journey, or march through a region 2: a forward or onward movement (as to an objective or to a goal) : ADVANCE 3: gradual betterment ; especially : the progressive development of humankind
— in progress
: going on : OCCURRING



think about it.

Well, here we go! Scrap the future. Now. or at least get ready to.

ahem. is this thing on?

no seriously. one thing you will notice about us is that we like to have fun here so there will be a lot of thinking & creating going on here but well, on the lighter side.

so don't look for appropriate punctuation or spelling or anything like that. NOPE. just look for some serious inspiration and great prompts to get your brain thinking of you and what you want out of your life, your future.

i am sure you read the header, if not, feel free, and get a good grasp of what we are doing here. a few of us gathered together over the past month or so and have realized we need to look to the future more...to scrap the future, our dreams, challenges, changes, especially since we find ourselves scrapping the past so often.

so pull up & chair & a journal and look for inspiration from us.

elizabeth

greta

staci

ellen

and more to come within the next few days, weeks and of course, our first prompt coming in november but until then we will just tantalize you with some inspirational goodness. so please put us on your blog feeder b/c we will update often! and you won't want to miss what we've got to share.

AND, be warned, we are still under construction! you may have to blow off some dust as you come back in the next few weeks but it will be worth it.

woot.woot.