Happy 4th of July

This is just a quick post.  I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July.  I hope you had a great holiday weekend and maybe even got to spend time with family and friends.

I was up north with my parents and daughter.  It is one of my favorite times of the year.  We just forget about what is going on and spend time with each other.  I hope you had that same type of weekend.

A Trip To The Zoo

Yesterday we decided to go to the Detroit Zoo.  It was a great day to go.  It was the perfect temperature so you were not hot or cold.  We got to see a lot of different animals that are not at our local zoo.  They did have the over head viewing tunnels so we got to see the penguins, sea lions, and polar bears swim overhead.  That was fun to see. The sea lions were playing and swimming upside to look at us.

It was a fun day getting out of the house which with all the stuff that has been going on we definitely needed to get out and have fun.  We have not been doing a whole lot of anything lately so for the most part it was really nice.  I am not an out in public type of person so that is a little hard for me.  Not that I am afraid but I get frustrated with rude people who think the world revolves around them so they just do what they want.  Like in the snake exhibit there was a lady that literally kept leaning on me to look over my shoulder because she felt the line was moving to slow.  There were a ton of children so I had to fight the urge to make a scene and say something though.

The other thing is I do not walk that much anymore.  So after 3 hours of walking around I was in great pain.  I could barely make it to the car.  Then after sitting in the car when I tried to get out and walk to the restaurant it was horrible.  Today I am still quite sore so I doubt that I will be getting a whole lot done.  My feet are so sore and my back is in massive pain.

Oh well I guess it is the price I pay to enjoy my friends and make sure my daughter has a great summer.  Plus I got some exercise to say the least so it was worth it I am guessing.  I hope you are enjoying your summer!

Another Year Older

So my birthday was Sunday and now I am a year older.  I am in my late 30's and so much has happened in my life.  This last year has been a complete roller coaster.  Though I have figured out that each year I worry less about the number my birthday brings.

I am more happy with spending time with my family.  For the last 3 years I have used my birthday weekend to go with my daughter and my parents to Uncle John's Cider Mill.  I am in Michigan in case you didn't know and it is a very popular place during the fall.  They have a pumpkin patch and make their own cider and donuts.  When we get there we take the ride to the patch to get started.

We stroll through looking for the perfect pumpkins, then we load them in the car and head into the mill and get cider and donuts.  We pick out a table and eat and drink for a moment.  Before we go we hit the gift shop to see what new stuff they have that year.  It is a small trip but one I enjoy.  Why do I enjoy such a simple birthday?  Because it is with people I care so much about.

Sure I could have a huge party and invite a ton of people, but would it mean as much?  Would it create the great family memories that I now have.  Not at all.  My daughter will soon be grown herself and the childhood memories will be just that, memories.  She will have things of her own to do and ultimately have less time for these types of things.  I want to do things that make me happy.  Having my little quiet birthday does just that.  One year older and another year of joy.

Just Because

So this weekend has been very relaxing.  My daughter and I decided to visit my parents for the holiday weekend.  My mom's birthday is Monday and it is not often we get to just come up here for the weekend.  So we decided to use our free time this time to see family.  My parents moved two hours away so it can be challenging to see them some times.  We all have different schedules and then this time of year with the weather it makes it more challenging.

It is crazy how fast time goes and then you realize it has been more than a month since you have visited some one.  I realized it has been over a month since I last saw one of my friends and I actually drive by their house every week for other stuff.  It is crazy how time goes by so fast and we are so worried about getting things done all the time, we don't actually have time to enjoy life.

It seems more as the time goes by I get more used to not seeing people.  It is sad that we put more value on what we are getting done than the people in our lives.  It seems that being with the people we care about the most should be our bigger priority.  We get so caught up in getting a pay check or what we have to do around the house that we push the rest to the side.  I mean really, if you don't do the dishes today what is the harm they will still be there tomorrow and most people now have a dishwasher so it isn't like it is an all day chore like before.

It amazes that with ll this stuff we have to make our lives easier, we have actually complicated it more.  We are jam packing more things to do each day.  We make it almost impossible to just sit and enjoy life as it is.  Just spend time with our family.  Enjoy our time with the people we care about the most.  When you think about it when those people are gone are the dishes going to be that important?  The day of their funeral are you going to not go because there are dishes to do, or are you just going say heck with the dishes I am going.  So why wait until their life is over to see them.  Why not have today be the day that the dishes can wait and you go spend time with important people now.

Different kind of Day

So this day started off on a not so awesome note.  My daughter needed blood drawn for her Dr's appointment so we went.  When we got there they said there was no order.  Mind you we set this appointment up in November and were told that we could go anytime.   We even got up at 550 AM so she would not miss school.  The lady found her last one in the computer and was able to draw based on that but because they didn't talk to the Dr's office in time the results were not ready for our appointment, which we still had to go to so he could send refills to the pharmacy.

The snow made it almost impossible to go anywhere so I canceled most of my other plans today.  I even tried to male my phone calls and that got me nowhere.  I was very frustrated by the time I brought my daughter home from school.  We almost got stuck on the road because of the snow.  I have not parked in my driveway for over a month due to not being able to shovel.  I have an injury and the plows packed way to much snow up for me to clear on my own.

After we left the office we came home and I saw my neighbor on his 4 wheeler with a plow.  I was pointing it out to my daughter telling her we needed one too.  As we parked I noticed the guy coming down the road.  He ended up plowing most of my driveway so for the first time since the January storm I parked in my driveway.  I even backed in which I never do in hopes that I don't get stuck again.

Then I had a great idea!  Me and my daughter had movie night.  We watched two different versions of Gulliver's Travels.  We both decided that the one with Jack Black was way better.  It was very funny.  It did have a little language that surprised me because they are  watching at school.  Over all though it was great and we got to enjoy a nice evening together with no stress in the end.

Moral of today= just because the day does not start out so awesome does not mean it can not end awesome.

New Year New Day New Ideas

So it is 2014 and I am excited.  I have so many things to get done this year.  I have a million ideas to do my business.  A ton of new ideas for how to make products for my daughters business.  I am determined to make this a great year regardless of how 2013 went, it is over and fresh starts are possible. 

My divorce happens in March and while I am sad I am also relieved.  I no longer have to worry about it.  I can just focus on mine and my daughters futures and make our lives as awesome as possible.  What are you putting behind you this year? Are there reasons you are happy that 2013 is over? 

I know I am going to be really busy this year but it is all going to be good stuff.  I also plan on getting my daughter back into dance so I will have to get ready for all the practices and recitals and maybe competitions if she is still good enough for the dance team.  Then work on business stuff as much as possible.  I have also found a survey company that makes it easier to earn money.  I have only been doing it a couple days now and almost have enough points to cash in for $10.  You only need to earn 100 points for that and there surveys generally pay decent points for each one.  I am using another one that is taking a little longer but still better than when I tried it last time.  So at say $10 a month I could earn a minimum of an extra $120 this year so I can put that toward my $5000 goal or use that specifically for Christmas.  You can turn it in for other stuff that is decent but I am just more interested in the money.

Well I just wanted to drop in with a quick chat tonight.  I go back to work in the morning and I only have about 6.5 hours to sleep.  It is going to be a great year so lets get together and make it fun

Time for Goal Planning

So with a new year coming it is time to assess what it is that we want to accomplish.  We start planning out what we will make out of the new year.  What kind of amazing things will we do this year that we have never done before?  It is a time to get creative and dream big.

Although if you have not had the best year you may just be trying to plan how to survive the next year too.  Sometimes it is just the hope that the new year will be better than the one before that gets people through this time of year.  It is the dream of great things to come that helps one hold on.

Then there are people like me.  I am going with both.  I have hope that with this difficult year ending I am headed for a great year ahead.  I have changed the way I think about things, I am practicing better actions and trying to look past peoples flaws to really feel compassion for them.  I have big goals for this up coming year.  I want to save enough money to redo the house I am living in, start my own business, and pay off my bills.

How do you achieve big goals?  First you have to have some.  Sometime people get so down that they just give up working toward anything.  when you stop dreaming you are really just coasting through.  Start thinking of things you have wanted to do.  What is something that has always been an interest to you but you just never did it?  Is there something you wanted to do but as you got older and started a career or family you set it aside?  Well it is time to get back to those things.

Next put it in writing.  You have to make yourself see it.  Make a to-do list so to speak.  Just like you have a list to check off each day you can make a list for the year.  Put down everything you would like to accomplish this year and put it somewhere you can see it on a regular basis.  If you can see it you can do it.  It will help you stay on track if you can see what it is you want to do.

Then prioritize.  Put the items in order of which you want to get them done.  What is most important to you should go on top of the list.  Then continue down the list and whatever you can handle doing last should be last on the list.  Don't just go random in listing.  really make this list important.  Make it so it is something you will check in on regularly to accomplish.

So now that you are thinking about it get going.   Start the yearly to-do list.  Make it fun too.  You can even make it a family thing to have even more fun.  What ever you decide just make sure you do it.  Then remember like any list, if you don't finish it this year it can roll over to the next.  So lets get listing and see what we can accomplish this year!

New Year approaching, Proceed with Caution

So this year is almost over and that means a whole new start again.  This year has definitely a struggle so I am ready for a new beginning.  On the other hand I worry that I will bring this year to the next and that is not a good thing at all.  I want to start 2014 clean. 

My divorce will be official in March so i can finally move past all this drama.  My finances seem to be looking up so that is very relieving and mine and my daughters health have improved so I am super happy.  I am excited by all the blessing we are receiving.  It is hard to get too excited since I have been at this point before and then got sent all the way back to the start again.

I am very proud of myself for hanging in there and keeping my faith even when everything looked like it was over.  I still have a ways to go to be back where I was but the fact that I am on the right path is very exciting.  I feel that 2014 will be the year of recovery.  I see things getting better and better from here.

I encourage anyone who has been struggling to really reach deep.  Know that if you keep strong and keep your faith you can get through what ever is holding you back.  It may take some time but do not give up.  There is a bright side that will come through.  Please stay positive and just be true to yourself and it will work out.

Make sure that you pay real close attention to the people in your life too.  They can have a real impact on what happens.  Make sure you are trusting the right people and staying for away from the wrong ones.  Having positive people in your life that help you reach your goals can get you far.  You need people that will help you when you have nothing.

It is going to be a great 2014 just make sure you pay attention to what you are doing and don't give up.  Stay blessed and you will be impressed with how far you go.

Holiday Busy

With the holidays here it has been so busy.  I have been making to do lists and really trying to stay organized so I keep on task.  It is not easy when you have to fit in your child's scheduler either.  We are doing pretty good though.  I have all of my Christmas shopping done.  I just have to wrap them.  I am very excited about the gifts I found for my daughter this year.  I found some great deals early on.  I got an $80 item for $35 by watching sales and having some killer coupons and such.  It is going to be so fun watching her open them. 

That has been one of my time consuming events.  Going from store to store to get things I need on my list at a good price takes a good chunk of time.  You have to go with a plan to really optimize your time.  I have my list for each store and stay on track to those specific items.  This really saves time instead of just wondering to look for things.  Know what you want from each place and go.  If you get of track then you will waste precious time. 

The next problem I have is I had to have all my gifts for others now.  My daughter has to go to her Dads on the 20th so that cut time short to have our celebrations with other families.  We have one each day starting tomorrow through Thursday.  So I work then go to the parties each day.  So Friday will be a day to finally relax.  That will be different I don't even know what I will do with the time.  I am sooo busy that it will be crazy to have nothing to do.

There is also the work schedule.  It is all over the place and then sometimes Saturday so I have to work my time around that too.  I am happy to have a job but sometimes the hours make it hard to get stuff done this time of year.  Luckily one helpful thing is there is a Walgreens right in the same parking lot so I have been able to utilize them for some things as well, which has been nice. 

I can hardly wait until Christmas day when we get to relax and just enjoy each other.  It will be so nice to just hang with my parents and my daughter and enjoy each others company.  Which frankly is what it is really about.  I just cant help myself during the holidays

So what is your struggle during the holidays and how do you handle them.

Winding Down

We are back home now that is one of the reasons I did not post yesterday,  we were traveling home and getting reorganized.  We always seem to come back from my parents with twice as much as we went there with.   We had a good time though and it was nice to relax.  It is still weird being on vacation.  I feel like it should be the weekend already but it is not even Friday.  We still have three more days before we go back to a real schedule.

Although our schedules are anything but normal.  I work part time so my hours change all the time and I have a child so I am doing different things all the time with her or for her so it can be different each week.  It is a situation that has two sides really.  I enjoy having more time and freedom being part time but being full time I could have a set schedule and guaranteed what my pay check would be each pay day.

Pay day is always more like mystery day.  I never know what my pay will be since it is different every time.  This can be hard considering I have also had to adjust to one income.  I am currently working on ways to make some extra money.  There are a lot of different ways to do it but the hard part is making it work for you.  You really have to be patient with some of the opportunities or you will get too frustrated to make the money.  I am going to make that a future post for others who need to earn extra.

 

Vacation Is Going On

So I am officially on my vacation.  I get this week off.  I am spending most of it with my family then me and my daughter will be going back home to do house work and get ready for a yard sale the following week.  We are working on getting our home more organized and efficient.

We are currently in Up North, MI.  It is sooo peaceful here.  It is nice to just do nothing and be where life is still so simple. No worries or busyness to get in the way.  Just simple living at it's finest.  I have been enjoying up here since Friday when I got out of work.  It has been so good to get away.

My daughter enjoys being up here because she gets to spend time with her Grandparents and I like that she gets outside and just does kid stuff.  There is no crazy world influence pushing her to be too grown up or to get her in trouble.  I enjoy seeing her just be a kid.

The world is so busy today that some times even children get caught up in it.  They are moved around from this to that and school for part of the year.  Then they have friends pulling them on either side.  It is good for them to just have time to relax and experience a relaxed day.

I am still up dating the blog and will be for a while so please let me know anything that would make it better or just leave comments in general.