I Want To Be A Cat!

I need more than 24 hours in a day. I need more Fridays and Saturdays in my week. I need more money! Serious. I need more money so Man With A Drill can slow down. And more than anything else, I need more lives than just one. I wish I were a cat. I want NINE lives! One for every dream in my heart!

Did I tell you I love life. Every fiber of it. I haven't had a chance to sit down and write for sometime and I gotta say, I love breathing and living. And I love writing about it all. And for me it's not enough to just go about each day living mundanely. NO,  I want to live  and breath pasionately, with heart and soul. Yes, passion, the kind you can feel right down to your toes. I want to taste and feel and experience all the good life has to offer up.

There are so many things I want to do, so many things I'd like to see. And I want to be good at something before I die! Not just OK, but GOOD, GREAT infact! I have always hated average. I want to really excell at something in my life. I want to leave my mark in this life. I want to leave footprints that can't be erased. The kind that are so big all of my posterity can fit inside.

I have so many things left to do in this life and I'm already 55! This is where I write, good hell!  I don't know what is wrong with me but I didn't really know what I loved until now. I didn't know what I wanted to do until now. I suppose it's because I wanted to be a mother first and foremost. And I did that. I'm still doing it, but now I finally have some time to do the things I'm personally dreaming of. I guess I've finally realized, I didn't dream past motherhood. Here I am and I'm just starting to dream of all the things I want to do before I die. And now I'm old. Gotta say it, good hell! So, I wanna be a cat. Please, God, please can I have nine lives? I love the one you've given me right now! You've given me the greatest life. And now, I don't want to sound greedy, but I want nine more, cause lets face it, I'm more than half way done in this one!

I hope Heaven is going to be fun. I'm worried. Some people are so serious when it comes to religion. You gotta admit it can be a tad boring. I hope Heaven is going to be earth life without the emenities of the hell that sometimes surrounds us here, cause sometimes this life can be pure hell. I hope when I travel from this earthly sphere and I land in the next heavenly one, I hope it's fun there and I can go on dreaming and doing all of the things I wanted to do here. And if not, then I'm going to need eight more lives to spend down here. Even that is a scanty number for all the things I want to do!

The picture you see above was taken in California on Deserey's graduation trip. I took that picture. I can't tell you how one single photograph speaks to my heart. My soul is in those waves, churning with a desire break into life and roll up on a million differnt shores.

And since I doubt I'm ever going to be a cat. I have to say, God has given me more blessings in this life than I ever deserved. So I'll be content, grateful for everything He's blessed me with and I'll pray I can make the most of my time I have left here. I hope it's a good long while. I pray he'll bless me to use my time here wisely. It's so precious. And then maybe, just maybe, someday when it's all over, I can stand in some line up in Heaven and request a re-visit ticket so I can come down here and do it again.

I love walking, living, breathing and experiencing the greatest journey ever!

Happy New Years

Today is March 19th and I haven't posted my New Year's Motto.

Last week I found this in my journal. Things I wanted to do in 2011

Revamp my blogs.

Pursue my photography, take classes, improve.
Work to get out of debt.
Organize my pictures.
Organize my life.
Clean out my house.
Get a new roof.
Tare out the water stained carpet in Seth's old room.
Finish the New Testament.

I finished two out of nine. How's that? Well, I'm working on my blogs. I'm still working on my photography, my life long goal. I'll get out of debt when I die... maybe. I am always organizing pictures. Organize my life? Ok, that's a life long goal too. Clean out my house? Another continuous goal. Hey, I did fix the roof. It's not new but it's repaired. I am sad to say, the disgusting stained carpet in the bedroom is still there. And I gave up reading the New Testament in order to go back to reading the Book of Mormon. Only because it's the choice of scripture study this year in Sunday School.

New Years Eve, I started the following post. I wasn't going to post it. But then after reading it I want to remember it. I want to remember that I changed my attitude.

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"New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights." ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

Today is January 3rd, 2012 ---the beginning. Here I am typing on a blank page. 363 days await! It's leap year.

Every year I pick a motto. Something to inspire improvement in myself. Tonight I really sat down and looked over six years of motto's that were meant to foster change and in doing so I was sorely frustrated. I suppose it is that realization and frustration that has really inspired my motto for this up coming year.

2006- Just Do It

2007- A thing done when thought of needs no more attention.

2008- 2008 Will be great.

2009- Rise above it.

2010- Be happy.

2011- The year of great relationships.

Just for the record. I hated my New Years Motto for 2011. When I picked it the two one's standing side by side reminded me of a great relationship, the kind I'd like to have. Maybe some symbolic example of two people who move through life as if they are one. 2011's motto is a motto I will never pick again. Why? Because I am only half of any relationship. I repeat, only half!

I'm a sour grape today. Snarky would be a good description of my present attitudes. Not a good day to pick a motto. None the less, gotta keep up the tradition. In looking over the last six years and given my present snarly disposition. I've chosen something really appropriate. And I'm sticking by it.

My motto for 2012... "To Hell With It!"

Yes, you read that right. "To Hell With It." How's that for a New Year's Motto? I'm telling you it's really growing on me. Yup, this year I fully intend on taking the entire year off. In 55 years I'm giving myself a much needed break. Don't you think I deserve one? I've had my head in a self help book since I was old enough to read. I forgot to buy the one on perfectionism first. Maybe if I'd bought that one to begin with I could relax a little.

In the year 2012 I'm not going to buy one single solitary self-help book or set one single solitary goal. How's that for making sure I reach my potential. It's going to be the hardest thing I've ever done, but I'm going to deliberately by pass the self-help section of any store and I'm heading right over to the fiction and romance shelves. Maybe since I can't seem to produce great changes in my own life I can read about some fictional character who does.

So there you have it, I have no intention of working on myself one bit this year. There's going to be a lot of disappointed people. I'm really excited though, and I feel a great sense of relief. Self-improvement is hard work, excruciating, grueling, labor intensified work. This year I'm going to give myself full permission to be a down right slacker. Goal setting is over rated and only for those who want to succeed. I'm sorry, besides being sour I'm also sarcastic today.

This year I'm going to embrace my imperfections. Maybe even shine them up for people. I'm going to fully be accountable to myself and myself only, well, and God of course. Some how I think He understands where I'm coming from more than anyone. He knows my heart.  I know it's sad, but this year I'm not going to get my self all in a fix over the billion and one things I need to improve on. Nope, I'm sitting this year out. I'm going to give it a rest. I need a rest. I'm tired.

So here's to 2012 and being a down right imperfect human! I know one thing, you might want to stay clear of me for a bit. This year I'm taking a sabbatical. Hallelujah, a complete year of rest from stressing over improvement. I can't wait to see how this goes. I am embarking on territory I've never seen before.

I'm also moving my writing to my own personal blog. Oh I'll still post family stuff on the family blog, but that's it. You can see where that's headed can't you?

One thing I want to do more of this year is write. I love writing! I love writing about life! I love finding a way to give the high's and lows meaning with descriptive honest words. And I want to get better at it, so I'm going to practice in my own persoanl space, a place where people can participate if they want, share opinions and insight. I love blogging.

So that's it.

Happy New Year!
Yours Truly,
Despicable Me

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I've decided to improve my attitude today. So here it is my real 2012 New Year's Motto.

Henry David Thoreau said, "To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts."  So that's it, today I'm going to live artistically. Draw my day out and live it colorfully in an artsie kind of way. I'm going to strive to make each day count. I'm going to be present in the moment because today is really the only time I have. That's it short and simple. I'm going to take life one day at a time right now. I'm going to improve how I look on life ...TODAY. I'm going to concentrate on makeing each day a good day. Sounds near impossible doesn't  it?

Don't Forget The Vinegar

The other day I was on Facebook. One of my friends asked if vinegar was really a good cleaner. Oh my! When I read that question, wild horses couldn't hold me back. I went off like a rocket scientist and quickly answered her post on how I love vinegar!

I use Vinegar all the time and for so many different things. I keep some under every sink in the house and I have a bottle in the laundry room, I keep it in the garage. As far as I'm concerned, vinegar is a little wonder product.

Now, May is officially National Vinegar Month. It's true, mark your calendars! I'm not waiting till May however, to brag about it. I'm going to brag about it right now in the blessed month of March. Come May, you'll thank me.

First of all, let me start by putting in a plug for "Windex with Vinegar!"

I use Windex with Vinegar to clean everything. EVERYTHING! Walls, doors, baseboards, counter tops, you name it. The only thing I don't use Windex with Vinegar on, are my windows and mirrors. You can use it on those things, but it streaks more than I like. I have a bottle in every room practically and I go through this product more than any other product I buy, even milk! Ok, maybe not milk, but almost.

Here's a few vinegar tips I've collected:

Cleaning drains: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda in the drain, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar; the mixture will foam as it cleans and deodorizes. Use every few weeks to keep drains clean.

Mildew on plastic shower curtains: Put the shower curtain in the washing machine with light-colored towels; add 1 cup white vinegar to the detergent and wash.

Soap scum on shower: Spray on vinegar, scrub and rinse.

Toilet hard-water rings: Shut off water at the tank and flush to remove as much water as possible. Spray vinegar on the ring, sprinkle in borax and scrub with drywall sandpaper.

Shower head deposits: Pour white vinegar into a plastic bag, tape to the shower head and leave overnight. Brush the shower head to remove remaining deposits.

Softening laundry: Fill dispenser with 1/4 cup white vinegar to soften laundry without leaving odors.

Cleaning vinyl floors: Add 1/4 cup vinegar to 1 gallon hot water for spotless floors.

Cleaning windows: Mix 50 percent white vinegar with 50 percent water in a spray bottle. Spray glass surfaces and wipe dry.

Neutralize pet odors: Mix 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Pour on stained areas and blot; never rub to remove stains and odors.

Greasy dishes: Mix 2 tablespoons white vinegar to liquid dish soap to boost its cleaning power.

Ice-proof your windows...with vinegar! Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing water from freezing! *


Laundry:
Prevent lint from clinging to clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the wash cycle.

To remove soap residue that makes black clothes look dull use white distilled vinegar in your final rinse.

Get stained white socks and dingy dishcloths white again. Add 1 cup white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring it to a rolling boil and drop in the articles. Let soak overnight.

Some stains on clothing and linens can be soaked out using equal parts milk and white distilled vinegar.

Before washing a mustard stain, dab with white distilled vinegar.

Attack spaghetti, barbecue, or ketchup stains with a white distilled vinegar and water solution.

Remove perspiration odor and stains on clothing, as well as those left by deodorants, by spraying full-strength white distilled vinegar on underarm and collar areas before tossing them into the washing machine.

Timely Quote

Sunday I was released from my Young Women's calling. I served as the Miamaid advisor. After hearing the news, I cried for three days. I get emotionally attached and I have to say emphatically, I love my young women. They are the greatest group of young women any Young Women's leader could ever ask for.

Sunday I taught my last lesson. Good thing I didn't know at the time it would be my last lesson. The lesson
centered on "Finding Joy Now!" As I was preparing it, I thought about the message the world constantly bombards young women with. I think that message revolves around an all out attack on young women and their sense of worth. I think the world constantly sends a message that is meant to make young women feel as if they are not good enough and that in order to be happy they have to be something they're not. This message simply isn't true and I wanted my young women to know that.

As I read through the lesson, I thought about the happiness that comes when young women trust in their own individual worth and their own divine nature. I remember what it was like to be young once and I know that this positive message can never be stressed enough. In fact, I think it's a message that is important at any age. 

Dr. Suess said, "Today you are YOU, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is YOU'ER than YOU!" I want young women (and old) everywhere to know ---YOU can find great joy in being YOU! You can find a deep sense of satisfaction in coming to know yourself, coming to like yourself and in being the best YOU you can be! There is great joy in being your own best self and in liking who you are.

This week the lesson instructs to "Be happy and find joy in your journey now." It gives a powerful quote to remind you, "Happiness does not depend on what happens outside of you but on what happens inside of you."

I think Joy is something we can have today! Our Savior wants us to be happy here and now and he has provided a way for us to live so that we can surely feel that happiness.

Today I'm going enjoy my journey. Time is so fleeting. I'm going to strive to follow this advice today. I thank the young women in my ward for being great examples to me. I love them and I'm going to miss them terribly. I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with them and all the things they taught me. I will forever think of them as my own. And I'm glad that the thought I walk away with today is one to be remembered.

Trust in your journey! Find enjoyment in it ---Today!

What Matters Most

Days pass by real quick in this life.

Today my daugher reminded me to notice the blessings that surround me. She reminded what those blessing really are.

Think I'll buy this song on iTunes today!

Thanks Kaedelly