With the New Year, and trying to figure out what I’m supposed to do with this new season of my life, as two kids have left the nest. I just happened to be looking up something on Dr. OZ website when I came across this article on happiness, and I want to share this you.
Week 1: Keep a Daily Diary
Can you easily identify the daily activities, interactions and occurrences that make you happiest? Keeping a daily diary will help you identify the situations and people that make you happiest. Take note of these occurrences, which can be as small as listening to music while working, talking to a good friend, or spending time with your family - and slowly begin to increase the frequency of those tasks which make you happiest.
This step is about self-awareness and thinking critically about your daily reactions and emotions. Only by understanding why we feel the way we do can we expect to make lasting meaningful change.
Week 2: Fake It Till You Make It
This week, you are going to put a smile on your face even if you're feeling blue, grumpy or burdened. A response called facial feedback indicates that when you smile, you send a signal to your brain that says, "I am happy." Additionally, if you're smiling, you're likely to seem more approachable and happy to others - and people are more likely to smile back. We experience positive emotions more frequently than negative ones, but negative emotions are unfortunately stronger.
It's important to remember that you aren't attempting to eliminate all your negative emotions - such a task would overwhelm anyone. Instead, try to increase the instances of positive emotions (remember your daily dairy!).
Week 3: Create a Diversion
When you find yourself drowning in a sea of negative thoughts - "I'm overweight," "I'm unlikeable," "Why am I even at this party?" - you need to find a strategy to stop ruminating. This applies to social situations and when you are spending time alone. It may seem like an overwhelming task to divert your attention from issues swirling in your own mind - but all you need are 1 or 2 escape mechanisms.
If alone, put on your favorite song and sing along or go for a long walk. When in a social setting, try to concentrate on what others are saying in the conversation rather than what's going on in your own mind.
Week 4: Random Acts of Kindness
During the fourth week of your happiness action plan, you are going to commit 1 random act of kindness a day. By feeding a stranger's parking meter, sending someone a thank you note, or paying someone a compliment, you give yourself a burst of positive emotion. By practicing small acts of kindness, you will perceive yourself and others more positively. You'll also appreciate your good fortune in comparison. Give yourself a self-worth, self-esteem boost by helping others. (End of article.)
Well, I started the daily list of things that make me happy. So every now an
Santa Claus and Christmas at the North Pole
This is actually the home page for the site I just posted. Sorry. I always say I have a P. H. D. in computers, because it means 'Push Here Dummie', Seems I'm always trying to figure out this darn ole computer thingie.
So try both links to see which one you like better. Once again click on the link.
My brother sent me this email. I wish the whole world could see this, there are so many things to be learned from this young man. THIS VIDEO WILL TOUCH AND PULL AT YOUR HEART.
Two little Iraqi boys are born with birth defects in the midst of the chaos of war, and thrown away in a shoe box. They are found, somehow; and an Australian woman goes to Iraq, adopts them, and brings them home. Now, about 17ish years later, the older boy Emmanuel lives his dream by appearing to sing "Imagine" on the X-Factor audition. Talk about staring unbelievable adversity in the face and climbing above it!!! WOW!
CLICK ON THIS LINK BELOW.
Click on http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=W86jlvrG54o&
Canned Cinnamon Roll Waffles: Heat up your waffle maker and grease it with a bit of non-stick spray. Separate your rolls then place them into a Belgian Waffle Maker. Close the lid and press down slightly. Set the timer for 2 1/2 – 3 minutes.
ahensnest.com
I found this on Pinterest, it looked so darn good, so last night we tired these for dinner. Oh my goodness they are soooooooooo sweet! We tried them with sryup on top and some with icing. Either way it is a sugar rush.
Great Christmas gift ideas for those you love, like, or just have to give a present to? Here is a link to one of my favorite blogs. She has some wonderful ideas and projects on all kinds of things. But, I love jars and just about anything you can do with them.
So please hit the link and go check out all 50 recipes.
Because I had my first child at 32 and my last at 39, it has created a new challenge. You see, at my age I should be a grandma by now.
I really want my kids to have their college years and time to go out and live without the responsibility of having their own families. Because we all know once you have that first baby, your life is never the same. But, for me I sooooo loved having my children that I would love to be a grandma now.
The other day I was out shopping and I saw this darling aviator outfit and just could NOT pass it! Remember when girls would buy and save things for the day they got married and would save them in a "Hope Chest"? Well, after seeing this adorable outfit, I decided I would start my own "Hope Chest" but this one will be for my future grand babies.
As I was going through the little outfits I had to chuckled at myself. Then in my head I just imagined my grand kids in heaven saying "Oh look, isn't that cute, grandma is already buying clothes for us".
My sister in law gave me some of the best advice I have ever been given on how to be happily married. At the time she gave it to me she had not even been married yet, and is also almost 15 yrs. younger than me. So what was this advice? She told me to accept my husband who he was.
Now I don't know about you, but as a woman that was SHOCKING to me. Try not to improve the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with?
We had many years of fighting and trying to figure out how to get along. We tease now that the only reason we don't fight like we used to is because we are just too tired and old to fight anymore. But the truth is I kept hearing those words, "Let him be him." The more I tired to back off and try to understand why he said or did certain things the more I began to understand and appreciate him. In fact, it was only then did I realize how really funny and wonderful my husband was. That he actually could handle life on his own without my input and that he was a better human in ways I had never thought to be. Seems I'm not always right! Go figure?!
Have you heard? Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean. And so between the two of them, they licked the platter clean. Or even the saying "opposites attract"?
Recently we have been stocking our new camp trailer, getting it all supplied with the necessary equipment needed for our new adventures. My husband was looking for the camping fold out table, when he asked me where it was. I replied, "you mean that one we won at the company Christmas party yrs ago. The one we never even used yet?" He says "yeah". I had to remind him that HE HAD GIVEN IT AWAY! As we continued to look for things I had to keep reminding him that he had gotten rid of the items he was looking for.
Now instead of getting upset about having to go out and buying these things again, I stopped and thought about who he was. He was a man who came from a home were his mother kept everything, and things where not always put away or even kept in an organized way. Me? I had a mother who NEVER kept ANYTHING! She didn't even have knick-knacks in our home because they were considered clutter. So for me I keep things around like the camping stuff because even though we don't use it everyday, I know we will use it when we go camping. But when my husband decides to clean he starts throwing everything away.
This made me realize we really balance each other out. He keeps me from collecting too much, and I help him have more toys and things to play with. LOL.
So you see, if I tired to make him change to my way, we'd probably need a bigger house, and garage. But, if he tired to change me, he'd have no toys and things to play with.
Being opposites is a good thing for us. We compliment each other, we keep each other balanced, and definitely we keep each other guessing.
 |
| This is my son at about 3 wks. old. I was 32 when I had him. |
 |
This is that same boy at 22 yrs. old with his dad.
|
When my son was born I bought him a journal, I even had his name engraved in gold leaf on the front of it. Inside, I wrote my thoughts and my love for him, even how we named him after my father and his father, so he would do good deeds and follow in their footprints of good works.
I have sat and read this journal today. My eyes are full of tears at how time has flown and what a wonderful child he has always been.
I remember how when he was little and still on a bottle, how he would take me by my hand, and walk to the couch then crawl up in my lap for his nap. This was done EVERY DAY!! Being an older mother nothing else seemed important enough to not stop everything I was doing, and sit down and cuddle with my little guy.
Now, that little guy is about to go off into this big ole world and finish his college degree. Where did all the time go?
This was truly a labor of love making this. I now have one more quilt to make for my son's dorm room. I just want my kids to feel like mom and dad are with them, holding them when they curl up in their blankets.
 |
| The color of the blades look brownish here, but they are actually red with gold in them |
 |
| Each end of the quilt has a red strip of material and I placed four stars in each panel. The white pattern here is the star I used to trace around. (I pulled the star off the Internet.) |
 |
| I also added anchors to the boarders. This is actually the same anchor pattern Katie used for her Navy fondant cake. I just pulled it off the computer then traced around it also with tailors chalk. |
 |
If you look closely at the curved piece of binding I used a decorative stitch
to sew it down to the quilt. |
 |
| Isn't this just the cutest |
.
 |
| Here are the ingredients. |
 |
| Tah Dah! You have Acorn Donut-holes. |
One of my daughters favorite sweets is donuts, so when I saw this recipe in a magazine, (Sorry, I forgot which one.) it was a "doer". We made some today, and I swear it only took 5 minutes to do this. Plus who doesn't like the ingredients!
So run to the store and buy pretzels sticks, English toffee bits, chocolate bar, and of course donut-holes.
Break pretzels in half, melt chocolate, pour the toffee bits into a bowl, then dip away. It's that easy!
When my child who is in the Navy wanted more zucchini bread to be sent to her, I was delighted because her roommates wanted more also. In fact, they told her "We order your mom to make more". A plea to send two batches of them was the request.
Well, I also have a child away at college in a dorm room, and I knew this kid loved this bread too. So I thought o.k. I'll make a double batch and send some bread to to both of them. But, then my hubby and third child said they wanted some too.
Now I have only doubled this recipe, so I thought I'll just triple this recipe and give one to the Navy kid, one to the college kid, and keep one for us here at home.
I was so careful to make sure I had tripled every ingredient going into the mixer. Six eggs, nine teaspoons of vanilla, you get it, large amounts of each ingredient. When I got to the needed NINE CUPS of flour, only four cups fit into the mixer, still needing five more cups of flour and SIX CUPS of shredded zucchini! Now what? I looked in the pots and pan cupboard and found the largest kettle I had. Now I had to dump the mixing bowl of half made batter into the kettle and hand stir the rest of the flour and zucchini. Goodness gracious! Talk about wrist hurting,
arm pumping exercise workout in the kitchen. How did I not know how much this would make?! So for the next two and a half hours I baked bread and muffins.  |
| What was I thinking? This is where I still had another 9 cups of ingredients still to go. |
 |
| This picture does not really show how FULL and BIG thing darn thing was. |
If you'd like to make some of these yummy things here is the recipe. But! Remember only double if you have too.
Zucchini Bread or Muffins
3eggs 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup oil 1 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 c. sugar 2 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini
3 tsp. vanilla &nbs
 |
Can you tell the real pumpkin here? Yep, it's the one in the middle. How many of us mother's have not called our own sweet children 'our little pumkins'. Well, here is the proof they really are!
This is my niece who is due to have her first baby this month. She had her baby shower this last weekend, this is really a new and creative activity for the party. |
Halloween is upon us, and time to get ready for my annual party. This year I thought it would be fun to have an '
Alice In Wonderland' party. This will be my first time I'm not going to decorate each and every room with decorations, and I'm not even going to put out any scary stuff. Yes, for those of you who know me and have been to one of my parties you KNOW what a change this will be. Since this year has brought about a new life style (some call it those nasty words, "empty nester's".) I've decided I want to be a mad hatter-est! Be crazy and off the wall with some new things, including all new decorations for the event.
So of course that means 'off to the thrift stores", look what I got for FREE! The thrift store had thrown these away because no one would buy them. I of course saw the upcycled possibilities and the people who worked the donations area were happy to let me scrounge around in their trash.
"I'd like to interupt this blogging to give you the lastest. There will be NO party this year. I repeat there will be NO party this year." Why you ask? Cause we went out and bought us a lovely little 23 ft. camp trailer! So we will be going camping every chance we can get before we will have to winterize our new trailer. It is hard to want to party when your kids can't get home for it anyway.
 |
| Not for the faint hearted! Yes, I beheaded these dolls. |
 |
| I only needed their poor heads. The bodies will be kept for another Halloween when I will add a really scary new head to each doll. |
 |
| So here is the top of my piano. It is a Alice in Wounderland theme.... with a little of everything. |
I still need to decorate my living room for
.jpeg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/872
</p>
<div class="post-comments">
0 Comments on <em>ROSWELL, STONEHENGE, NOW ROW 19</em> as of 1/1/1900
</div> <!-- end post-comments -->
<a name="commentsforpost1116987target" id="commentsforpost1116987target" style="text-decoration:none;"></a>
<div id="commentsforpost1116987" style="display: none;" ></div><a class = "leavecomment" title="Click Here to Add a Comment" href="/redirect.asp?kind=3&value=3652&t=http://marjorysteeleskousen.blogspot.com/2012/07/roswell-stonehenge-now-row-19.html" onclick="window.open(){kind=small}
Add a Comment
Mnnn...interesting I had not read about the bearded business men. Have a wonderful weekend Marjory!