5 things

Before I fortunately opened my very own child care center, I worked at a job that I didn't particularly like.  There were some parts of it that were okay but I do remember crying in the car when I would hit the exit ramp to begin my day at my job.  To brighten my spirits I came up with "5 Things".  I would take a post it note or a small piece of paper each Monday morning and write down 5 things that I was thankful for.  I posted the list in plain view so that I could refer back to it all week long.  Amazingly enough it did make me feel better several times during the week or whenever I would look at it. 

After the week was over I would take down my list and tape it into my journal.  I have enjoyed looking back at the 5 things I was thankful for each week.  The lists remind me of times that I may have stored somewhere in the back of my mind. 

Just in the last few weeks at the day care I have begun this routine again.  I am not currently unhappy with my job.  I simply remembered glancing at the lists throughout each week and thought I'd bring it back into my life.  And now I am sharing it with you.  Try it.  You may find that you have a ton to be thankful for and smile at your life more.

My messy Monday morning.  I taped the list right on my cabinet door at eye level.

literally on the library hold shelf

A list of random items I have requested from the library. 

I do hope you enjoy this series as much as I do!

Melanie Shankle's Sparkly Green Earrings first book came from an interest in her third book as reported by The Pioneer Woman as a friend of hers.  I figure she's good if PW likes her but really... .I have to be honest here.  When I requested the book from the library on a split second whim I didn't even look to see what the book was about which is musings from motherhood and sorts.  I seriously try to stay away from the motherhood subjects even when looking at blogs because I can't be a mother myself and it makes me feel sad and not included.  Then I think "well... you're a mother to the kids at the day care during the day" and it makes me feel better for a minute but really... I don't know if I will read this book once I get it just to avoid possible depression.  I really never know how my mind will react.  So this may be a book suggestion for someone else and not me.  Booo Hiss... I should have looked before I leaped.

And then..... From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman as a suggestion to go along with a craft for the day care that I found on a wonderful little blog called BuggyandBuddy.com.  The craft looks like this...

I know.... how cute if that AND it has a free printable for the center part!  I have cheap paper plates on my Walmart list for this week already and luckily one of the pick up parents here brought me a bag of craft supplies that has striped, thick pipe cleaners!  Oh what luck I have!!!

I found the cookbook Power Foods while searching for more Martha Stewart cookbooks and noticed that the forward is by Martha so it must be pretty good if she's endorsing it right?  I hope so.  I've been stuck on Martha cookbooks for a couple of weeks now and am at the end of the line of available books from her at the library sadly.

Dumb & Dumber To.... I have to admit that I have watched the first Dumb & Dumber movie a hundred times and laughed at all of them.  I even have a couple of funny lines I will pull out of my hat and use from time to time that came from the movie.  Shaun actually took me to see the second film over this past winter.  I think it's good to see a movie multiple times if it makes you laugh even once during it!  It's healthy to laugh, remember?!?!

And now on to the weekend!  Katie Bug and I are both getting our hair done today.  Mine colored and hers shaved off.  I think we would both say "glad it's her and not me"!  I think we have a bon fire tonight, with yoga and the library pick up of the above listed items tomorrow and in the mean time I plan on starting to pull out junk upon junk to put together a yard sale soon and totally plan to include some mushroom hunting in the woods.  Wish me luck!!  

What are your weekend plans?? No one ever answers my questions here so I can only imagine that you will all be having too much fun in the sun to tell your old internet buddy here!  Whatever you do... do it with love and kindness in your heart!  

literally

i've not forgot.... i just haven't had that much to say... but I am still doing this....

I am a library lover.  I belong to a library that I have to pay to be in because I live outside the county.  It's ok because I use the absolute fire out of it and I guarantee you that they spend more on fuel delivering my uncanny requests for books and movies that I could never gripe about the yearly charge to me.  Yes there is a library in my own county and I have been a member.  But my card is expired and they don't have near the selection and I find myself back again and again.  Currently I have ten items checked out and eleven on hold, none of which are actually ready to be picked up yet but will be by the time my yoga class rolls around on Saturday that is happily located on the block in front of the library (insert my greedy smile), and the total count of twenty one is very low for me.  Oh... I forgot about the winter curriculum kit that has twenty five children's books and five dvds about winter that I have at the day care.  

And here is a quick word about my presently awaited items.

Physik  continuing my reading in the series.  I am really enjoying these as I have gotten to know the characters and enjoy the story line and even feel I know my way around their world.

The Pigeon Needs a Bath  kid book for the dc and because it looks funny.  Also interested to see if I have a new author of children's books to add to my favorites.

The Kinfolk Table because I am into easy and laid back entertaining.  Not the I "entertain" often but when I do it is quaint and I can't wait to look at the recipes.

The Selby is in your place... I like to look in people's homes... mostly online... and this is even of some famous people's homes.  Who doesn't want to see that.  Ideas can be found anywhere.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus I told Shaun last night after having him watch another on of my odd movies (odd to him meaning it's not old west... of sorts) that I like to get different movies to keep our minds fresh.  Especially after the one we watched last night which I adored!

a list

i am off work today and yet i got up at 530am to make breakfast for shaun.  not that i "have" to do so but because i "want" to do so and no matter my indiscretions from the evening i wanted coffee so much i decided to stay up.  it is all hallows eve and i have a list of things to do today... even though the sun isn't even up yet and it is raining.  the rain, of which, is bringing in cold temperatures that leads to lengthen my list.

since we mowed down and put the garden to rest, two of my herbs that i grew over the summer have come back.  the dill, which bloomed and went to seed, is clustered and scattered and came up after the clippers.  the parsley, grown from seed and is a precious sight as a young seedling, sprung back from it's hair cut to let us know you can't keep a good man down... apparently.  we have a temp prediction of thirty two degrees in nashville which means, up here on the hill, it should dip to around twenty seven.  so... on this... all hallows eve... there will be a cutting and hanging at the hulsey's.  beautiful herbs cut from their spots in the garden to being strung up on the pole above my kitchen window.  i love the smell of dill drying in my kitchen.  sometimes you can smell it when you walk into the room.

although our home is well insulated, that we made sure of when building, vintage, summer, dang-near-see-through bed linens won't cut it when.. (pardon me) baby it's cold outside.  i own two sets of the softest most comforting flannel sheet sets on the planet.  i petitioned kate this morning to choose between stripes or florals and although they were washed, and very well folded might i add, they are in the washer about to get a dousing of downy to freshen them up.  they were neatly packed away for the summer in the attic but actually never made it out of the floor in my crap room... which i have desperately tried not to clutter up but i have found that old habits like you are hard to break.

it is the perfect weekend to walk in the woods.  bow season is at a halt as juvenile hunt was last weekend and muzzle loader doesn't begin until next weekend.  dang it... and just as i was cleanin my muzzler and sharpenin my skinnin knife.... just kiddin... i don't have a muzzle loader.  i'm afraid that by the time rifle is open all the good deer will be dead already.  i'm not really picky.  i don't want a wall hanger, although it would be nice for my first, i just want meat in the freezer.  mmmmm deer chili, deer burgers, steaks... that's the stuff stockings hung by the chimney with care is made of.  still, if the rain doesn't cease i will be forced to leave my camera under covers on my walk which is not good because right now, outside, it looks like someone went crazy with an orange highlighter.  beautiful colors this year out.

i have much to do.  i do love to write early in the morning before my innocent mind is corrupted by worldly news and responsibilities.  back to the list.

good morning aunt dea.

birthday wishes

In my family... we have a lot of birthdays!  For almost each one we all get together and have supper or at least cake and ice cream and we get and give gifts.  Sounds pretty normal huh?  I feel it is easier on everyone to let them know what I've had my eyes on in case they need ideas.  Plus there is always something that I wouldn't mind having that I wouldn't go out and buy for myself.  It is already going to be a spectacular day spent with the ladies in my family at the BellBuckle TN arts and crafts fair.  Of which I already have my list of look-fors AND cannot wait to get turnip greens and white beans from my favorite food vendor!  I secretly already know what I am going to wear... weather permitting.

So family... here it is!  My birthday wishlist for this year.  

Yoga Blocks (or WalMart)

Yoga Blanket

Porch Hammock

Insect Display Box

On a Clear Day dvd

Book: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day

Book: Happy Herbivore Abroad

literally

These titles are literally on the library hold shelf for me.  As I was putting this collage together, and after I swiped the picture of Boogie Nights from Amazon.com, I thought to myself... this library list collage, in a way, sums me up.  The Libra balance... the music with possibly a bit of trash from the seventies, the tidbits of autobiographies from strong women, the interest in nature, witchery of sorts and old wive's tales from the people of the mountains, and my interest in animals and morbidly wanting to learn how to remove their skin and stuff them with whatever to make them hold their shape forever.  On that note... I plan to begin with a simple dove on September 1st and only mounting it's wings and tail.  I think it would be beautiful and simple to do because I watched a video on youtube... which I am also hooked on these days because you can find how to do anything.  Seriously... last weekend I removed the starter off of Black Rose and took it to the auto parts store and got a new one.  Youtube video confidence... it's dangerous and it will sometimes cause grease to get under your already short nails that won't come out.  My mind goes in so many impossible directions at the same time that it is really hard to keep up.  Most people wouldn't let others in to see their odd interests... or maybe not everybody has odd interests.  I love it and this list sums it up.

  

Our Garden 2013

I know!  It is only the third day in January but it's like an alarm goes off in me that tells me that gardening for the summer is just right around the corner!  I have already ordered some seeds!  I will be starting some of them at the end of next month (I always jump the gun). 

This evening I have created my first treasury list on Etsy.com.  It was pretty fun!  It includes seeds that I have already purchased, tools that I have and think are cool and I tell you what... I probably will have trouble going to sleep I am so excited. 

Here is the link to it. 

One tip of mine is looking for seeds is to sort by "Most Recent" meaning recently listed.  The listings aren't on there but for a few months anyway but I feel I am getting the freshest seeds.  Maybe not.

Oh and be sure and check the shipping prices.  Maybe it is because I am also a seller of seeds but it really doesn't cost three or four dollars to mail seeds that can be sent in an envelope.  Maybe I'm just cheap.