howdy, ho!

how is everyone?
just want to give a shout out to everyone getting slammed with ice right now...hoping you are safe and warm!

I have a sneak for feb 15!

Also wanted to let ya'll know i am putting a slide together for last months prompt. thanks so much for the inspiration! i loooved seeing what everyone did..it is pretty amazing what you want, isn't it?

i saw some of us used the word "selfish" and that is one of the reasons i wanted to do this challenge so badly b/c we are not selfish for wanting our own lives, our own dreams and our own wants. don't ever let anyone tell you different.

this is how i think of it...do i want my kids growing up seeing that i sacrificed what made me happy? no way. discovering what we want will help us find BALANCE.

BALANCE. my word for this year.

p.s....here's to next month! cheers.

What I want, Prompt #3

Do you ever think about what you want? It could be anything from wanting chocolate right here and right now, to wanting a better future for your children that you might not have had.

It is a new year, a time of resolutions...but let's be serious...do we stick to them? What is it that you really want? Do you want lose 20 lbs or do you want to just be generally more happier with who you are? Do you want more time in the day for the things that are important? Or do you want a new camera?

you get the idea...have fun with it...or be serious...just be honest.

so...with that being said....our prompt for January is to tell us What you want.

This is what we have to say...

Staci's:
Journaling:It’s a simple question, really. Yet it’s one that took me awhile to figure out. I’m so used to defining my desires by my family – what I want is for my husband and my children to be happy, etc. I guess there within is my answer. I want to have my own hobbies and skills without neglecting my family. As much as I love being a mommy and wife, I need to have interests and skills beyond changing diapers and kissing boo-boos. It isn’t easy to make myself part of my priorities while still taking time to play with my kids, snuggle with tony and keep the house in order. Clearly balance is what I need. Balance is what I want.

Elizabeth's


Journaling: To continue on this journey I've recently started with the piano. To always have patience with myself while practicing. To enjoy the beauty of the notes and the instrument. To always know that it took guts and strength to start lessons at this age. To know that i can be amazing at it.

Sasha:



journaling:
I want ....

...to make better choices
...to continue to grow for me
...to forgive and forget
...to do everything that makes me happy

Greta's:


ellen's



journaling:

i don’t care if you smoke. i admit to craving a cigarette here and there,
i am not perfect. But don’t throw your cigs on my lawn & don’t throw
them out the window so they hit my car and lie on the side of the
road. And don’t throw your trash in my yard either.
How hard is it to wait til you get to a garbage can?

Making it Count

Just some thoughts as we are approaching our next prompt. Don't forget that just because we aren't posting layouts every time we post, doesn't mean you can't find inspiration in our posts...we will be adding thought provoking quotes and tidbits to help keep the inspiration going b/w the 15th of each month.

Here is something to think about:

"The beginnings of all things are small."
Marcus Tullius Cicero


"Imagination is the best beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.
George Bernard Shaw


So whether you are starting fresh this year or building on 2008, 2009 can be whatever you choose, whatever you desire, whatever you will create.

Hints!

Want a hint for our next prompt coming up in in less than two weeks?

Think....ME, MYSELF and I.

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.