Enjoy the little things in life...
For one day you'll look back and
realize they were the big things!
I loved this thought. It definitely made me sit and think about the little mundane things that I often took for granted. Let me list a few that came to mind. Maybe you'll find several that come to yours.
The smell of baking bread. When I was a girl, my mom made homemade bread several times a week. I loved coming home to the smell of her fresh bread right out of the oven. Mom's been gone now nearly eight years, but the smell of hot bread still takes me back to some wonderful memories of my childhood and my special mom.
A brilliant blue sky. Twinkling stars in a clear night sky. When I moved to Washington, D.C. that was one of the things I missed the most. Most days there the sky was kind of a fuzzy gray and at night just a darker fuzz. I soon realized how much I love the Utah Rocky Mountain area with its beautiful clear days and inky black skies full of millions of tiny twinkling stars.
Sloppy kisses from my grandkids. I've been very blessed to have four wonderful grandkids. But they're growing up so fast that sometimes I kind of miss the little chubby hands giving me a hug and a fat sloppy kiss on my cheek.
Time spent with a loved one. My husband said one of the things he took for granted was the time he was able to sit and talk with his mother. He lost her when he was nineteen and he'd give anything to be able to spend a little time with her again.
Sleeping in a tent hunting. Today we have a nice motorhome and I just love it. My husband does too, but he still likes to talk about the times his whole family got together hunting, sleeping in a huge tent, laughing and talking, just being together. Today his parents are gone, he's lost a sister, and those little things are such special things to him now.
As I write my stories, I try to draw from these special memories. Whether it be a clear, night sky or a flitting hummingbird, they're things I enjoy and hopefully they'll enhance your enjoyment of my stories.
What little things come to your mind?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year 2010
As the new year approaches everyone starts to think of things they want to do or change in their lives. Goals seem to be made and sadly, very shortly are broken.
I sat here watching it snow and thought about my journey to becoming a published author and realized I, too, mentally made some goals. But instead of calling these things goals, I call them dreams because I seem to always let my goals go out the window. Let's give ourselves the okay to dream. A dream is easier to think about, even if what we're dreaming of isn't fanciful. The word dream makes me feel good. For some reason when I think of making goals, it puts me on edge and I soon push it from my mind. I hate it when someone asks me to write down my goals. I'll write things down because, like everyone else, I have things I want to achieve or "goals" I want to reach, but it doesn't take me long to push the thoughts away.
Instead of setting a goal, I'm dreaming about where I want to be next year. I know I have to take steps to accomplish my dreams and to strive to make 2010 a success. I'm not going to list all the things I'm dreaming of, but instead urging you to dream your own dreams. Do what you need to do and accomplish your dreams. Be kind to yourself even if all your dreams don't come true. Take small steps and most of all, be happy for your accomplishments.
May the new year bring you the very best and put you closer to making all your dreams come true.
I sat here watching it snow and thought about my journey to becoming a published author and realized I, too, mentally made some goals. But instead of calling these things goals, I call them dreams because I seem to always let my goals go out the window. Let's give ourselves the okay to dream. A dream is easier to think about, even if what we're dreaming of isn't fanciful. The word dream makes me feel good. For some reason when I think of making goals, it puts me on edge and I soon push it from my mind. I hate it when someone asks me to write down my goals. I'll write things down because, like everyone else, I have things I want to achieve or "goals" I want to reach, but it doesn't take me long to push the thoughts away.
Instead of setting a goal, I'm dreaming about where I want to be next year. I know I have to take steps to accomplish my dreams and to strive to make 2010 a success. I'm not going to list all the things I'm dreaming of, but instead urging you to dream your own dreams. Do what you need to do and accomplish your dreams. Be kind to yourself even if all your dreams don't come true. Take small steps and most of all, be happy for your accomplishments.
May the new year bring you the very best and put you closer to making all your dreams come true.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Holiday Season
One thing I love about the holiday season is getting together with friends and family. I just went to a lovely Christmas luncheon with my Romance Writers Utah Chapter where we ate delicious food at Marie Callenders, shared gifts, and shared exciting news of the successes some of our members are enjoying. This week I went to lunch with one of my best friends, a lovely lady I've known and worked with for years. We went to Red Lobster and ate too much, laughed and talked and promised to get together more often. Next week will be a time to get together with family and laugh and enjoy each other's company.
I'd like to share with you a recipe that my mother called white cracker pie. She always made it at Christmas. I don't know where she got it, but it's one of my favorite pie recipes, easy to make, and I think it's yummy.
White Cracker Pie
3 Egg Whites
12 Soda Crackers
1/2 Cup Nuts finely chopped
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar and vanilla.
Fold in crackers and nuts that have been finely ground and mixed with baking powder.
Put into well-greased 9 inch pie plate.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Cool at least 4 hours.
Makes 1 pie.
Can be frozen. Thaw before eating.
Put whip cream on pie before serving.
As each of you enjoy this lovely season, take time to appreciate what you have, take time to enjoy your family, friends and those you associate with. Most of all be happy.
Merry Christmas and I wish you the best in 2010.
I'd like to share with you a recipe that my mother called white cracker pie. She always made it at Christmas. I don't know where she got it, but it's one of my favorite pie recipes, easy to make, and I think it's yummy.
White Cracker Pie
3 Egg Whites
12 Soda Crackers
1/2 Cup Nuts finely chopped
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar and vanilla.
Fold in crackers and nuts that have been finely ground and mixed with baking powder.
Put into well-greased 9 inch pie plate.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Cool at least 4 hours.
Makes 1 pie.
Can be frozen. Thaw before eating.
Put whip cream on pie before serving.
As each of you enjoy this lovely season, take time to appreciate what you have, take time to enjoy your family, friends and those you associate with. Most of all be happy.
Merry Christmas and I wish you the best in 2010.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Life Is A Journey
I came across a couple of thoughts I'd like to share with you.
Where you stand is not important -- it is in what direction you are moving that counts.
Sometimes I get discouraged and feel I'm not spending enough time writing or that I'm not finishing my stories, but when I realized that as long as I am taking one step at a time heading in the direction of reaching my goal, that is all that matters. It seems each day gets filled with things I have to do -- cleaning, laundry, time with my family, and now the holidays with the extra work they create, that I forget that this is my life and I need to make it the best it can be. As long as I take a step each day, eventually I'll succeed. If I can take more than one step - great for me, but if not, one step at a time is all that I need to and I'll get there.
Life is a journey - not a camp.
Keep striving to better yourself. Make each day worthwhile to you, and most of all take time to be happy. Live today and tomorrow will get here on its own accord.
Where you stand is not important -- it is in what direction you are moving that counts.
Sometimes I get discouraged and feel I'm not spending enough time writing or that I'm not finishing my stories, but when I realized that as long as I am taking one step at a time heading in the direction of reaching my goal, that is all that matters. It seems each day gets filled with things I have to do -- cleaning, laundry, time with my family, and now the holidays with the extra work they create, that I forget that this is my life and I need to make it the best it can be. As long as I take a step each day, eventually I'll succeed. If I can take more than one step - great for me, but if not, one step at a time is all that I need to and I'll get there.
Life is a journey - not a camp.
Keep striving to better yourself. Make each day worthwhile to you, and most of all take time to be happy. Live today and tomorrow will get here on its own accord.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
A Sense of Accomplishment
Isn't it wonderful to experience a sense of accomplishment when you've finished a big project?
This week I finished two projects (yeah for me!). First, cleaning the carpets in my home. Everything just feels wonderful and just in time for the upcoming holidays.
Secondly, I finished a novella I started in October. What a great feeling to write "the end" and send off a query to an editor. Cross your fingers for me that she'll want it. My critique partners say it's my best story yet.
I challenge you to work hard and feel the heady sense of accomplishing something you've been working at but just hadn't finished yet.
This week I finished two projects (yeah for me!). First, cleaning the carpets in my home. Everything just feels wonderful and just in time for the upcoming holidays.
Secondly, I finished a novella I started in October. What a great feeling to write "the end" and send off a query to an editor. Cross your fingers for me that she'll want it. My critique partners say it's my best story yet.
I challenge you to work hard and feel the heady sense of accomplishing something you've been working at but just hadn't finished yet.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Great Advice to Live By
A friend gave me the following and as I read through it again tonight, I found myself thinking it is so true. I don't know who wrote it, but I wanted to share the thoughts with you.
DO FOLLOW YOUR PASSION
Every super-successful person's gotta do what they love.
DON'T BE AFRAID
You'll never walk if you don't take the first step.
DO JUST DO IT
You can dream, you can talk, but at some point you have to do it.
DONT EVER GIVE UP
Tenacity: you're gonna get knocked down. Take your knocks and get right back up.
DO GET A YES
You might get a hundred doors slammed in your face. So go to door 101.
DON'T OVER PROMISE
You have to keep your credibility.
DO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SMARTER THAN YOU.
That's the Ronald Reagan School of Management.
DON'T LISTEN TO NAYSAYERS.
DO FOLLOW YOUR PASSION
Every super-successful person's gotta do what they love.
DON'T BE AFRAID
You'll never walk if you don't take the first step.
DO JUST DO IT
You can dream, you can talk, but at some point you have to do it.
DONT EVER GIVE UP
Tenacity: you're gonna get knocked down. Take your knocks and get right back up.
DO GET A YES
You might get a hundred doors slammed in your face. So go to door 101.
DON'T OVER PROMISE
You have to keep your credibility.
DO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SMARTER THAN YOU.
That's the Ronald Reagan School of Management.
DON'T LISTEN TO NAYSAYERS.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Life - Use It Wisely
Life is a coin
You can spend it anyway you wish,
But you can only spend it once.
----Unknown
I found this saying and remember writing it down because it really made me think. We have one life. We can only have each day, each hour, each minute once, and then it is gone. How did you spend yours? Did you do something to improve yourself or did you do something to help someone else? So often we wile away our days, putting off doing things until tomorrow, then wish we had the time back.
Each time I read through the above thought, I find myself thinking of all the things I'd like to do, all the love I'd like to give, all the happiness I want for myself and others, and then I realize I'm the only one who can spend my day doing just that.
Be happy. Live your life and spend it wisely.
You can spend it anyway you wish,
But you can only spend it once.
----Unknown
I found this saying and remember writing it down because it really made me think. We have one life. We can only have each day, each hour, each minute once, and then it is gone. How did you spend yours? Did you do something to improve yourself or did you do something to help someone else? So often we wile away our days, putting off doing things until tomorrow, then wish we had the time back.
Each time I read through the above thought, I find myself thinking of all the things I'd like to do, all the love I'd like to give, all the happiness I want for myself and others, and then I realize I'm the only one who can spend my day doing just that.
Be happy. Live your life and spend it wisely.
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