Mid-week

This week has been tough emotion wise with so much negativity swirling around cyber space. Between mean comments on a blog that brings beauty and peace to so many people; mean spirited words on various social networks; sad, negative articles on the news it's just getting depressing!

Part of my New Year's "resolution" is to try to find Joy in each day. I've joined Ann Voscamp's Joy Dare to count 1000 gifts in 2012. I need to focus on finding the beauty in each day and counting those in a little journal will hopefully help.

Life really is good. Beauty and joy is all around. Even when we need to search for it each day holds it. We need to focus on that instead of the depression and darkness that seems more prevalent then the beauty.

So only 11 days into this New Year and I'm renewing my resolution to look even HARDER each day to come up with joy and photograph at least once a day what has brought beauty into my life. It shouldn't be too hard...I've got a gorgeous 2 year old whose whole being brings joy into life!

This Weekend....

This Weekend we....

....played outside without our coats
....went on a family outing to the mall
....played wii fit together
....took pictures of nature
....built some shelves
....watched football
....took ornaments off the Christmas tree
....knit some socks
....knit a bit of a hat
....had fun with Rachel
....watched some more football
....ate lots of good food!

This Moment

.{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Joining Amanda at SouleMama for this week's "This Moment"

Thursday

These pictures were taken about 45 minutes apart just a little while ago. I like seeing the different afternoon lights around the house.

I didn't get as much done today as I had planned. Instead Ree & I went to dunkin donuts to get coffee & donuts. Then we had a tea party.

This afternoon I was going to bring up all my boxes of books to finally unpack them in the built in bookcases. I didn't feel like making umpteen million trips up the stairs with heavy boxes. 

So I made meatballs instead.

My husband will be happy about that! 

I found myself wishing for some snow this morning. Just a little bit. Enough to take Ree out & play in for a little while. Plus there's something calming in sitting and knitting with the snow falling!

Lattice Socks

This was my view New Year's afternoon. After a migraine all day on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day was pretty low key. A cup of tea, a new book and my knitting!

I love Amanda Soule's blog, SouleMama & have gotten each of her books as they are published. I got Rhythm of Family a few months ago and scanned through it. But I took it out the other day to go through it month by month this year. I want to actually DO the things she suggests in it.

And here's the 1st sock off the needles last night! You can't really see the pattern in the photo & even in person it's a little hard. I wish I had used different patterned yarn but oh well. I really do like it! And to combat the second sock syndrome I immediately cast on for the 2nd sock last night even though it was 10!

I'm joining Ginny at Small Things today for her yarn along!

Tuesday

I woke up this morning & couldn't stand all the "stuff" around anymore. I put the last of the Christmas gifts away; I put away all the Christmas decorations except the Nativities & the Tree. Those will stay up until Epiphany this weekend.

This afternoon Ree & I made a cake and colored pictures for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. 

It was a nice, quiet day. So far 2012 is off to a very nice start!

Happy 2012

On the eve before New Year's Eve Ree & I both were feeling a little out of sorts so at almost sunset I decided we needed to get out of the house for a bit.

The walk gave me just what I needed: a word. I've been seeing people on their blogs coming up with a "word" that will describe 2012 for them. 

As Ree & I walked around our front yard she kept pointing out small things to me, things I wouldn't normally see for myself. She started pointing them out & saying "picture, picture". 

She spent a crazy amount of time with those specks on the rock in the bottom picture. Another HUGE amount of time standing looking at the small speck of moon saying over & over "ohhhh. Wow. Look Momma"

And while we were walking I remembered reading a word on a blog just after Christmas (I'm sorry I can't remember where). And I've decided to adopt it.

Linger, v.

a) to be slow in leaving, especially out of reluctance

b) to proceed slowly; saunter

c) to pass (a period of time) in a leisurely or aimless manner

I want to learn the lesson from my daughter, to spend more of our moments together in a leisurely manner so as to be able to take it all in, even the small little specks on rocks. To be more present in the moment with her and learn all over again how truly wonderful the little stuff that makes up life is!