Dream Big Day

OK, so I've decided, through much banter, conversation and dialogue with friends and family that if I am ever going to make my dreams come true, I need to take some serious ACTION.

I know, sheer brilliance, right?

However, knowing my penchant for procrastination, my remarkable ability for over-scheduling myself, and my less than stellar self motivation skills, it has become painfully obvious that if I want to find the time to make this happen, I need to MAKE TIME.  I actually have to carve out a piece of my week (every week!) to focus purely on taking baby steps to get my goals off the ground.  Granted I have many goals (freelance writing, photography, Etsy) but I have to start somewhere!  So, I am marking off Mondays in my calender to avoid overbooking (which I'm notorious for) and will use this time, or Dream Big Day (DBD) as I shall call it, to actually focus (after work, of course and depending on what the boys' cooperation will allow, that is) on getting my photos published, my writing noticed, my Etsy store stocked, etc.  I have a general plan for steps I want to take, but some research will be required.  I will now have DBD set aside to accomplish that, too :)

Wish me luck!  Maybe you'll see my name in print or a photo I took hanging on your wall someday!! 

Monkey Power!

Our precious Brie brought the boys rings over the weekend that fit each of their personalities to a "T".  Nate got a fire dog (Dalmatian) and Alex was given a monkey.  Because, well, he IS a monkey. 

 

Today I got to wear Alex's monkey ring to a doctor's appointment (and ultimately to work) because it matched my outfit.  I don't know what it is about this silly ring but it's seemingly given me "monkey power" today.  Everywhere I have gone people have lightened up simply upon seeing it, commented on its cute factor, and in response I've been in such a good mood wearing it that its quirkiness is downright infectious.

It's like having a piece of my Monkey with me all day and I can't help but look down at my hand (even as I type this) and smile.  So, today, I wish you all your own version(s) of "Monkey Power"! 

Dream Come True...

Growing up I had the annual opportunity of trekking out into the back 58 (acres) of my parents' homestead and picking buckets full of fresh, delicious, blackberries and black raspberries throughout the Summer.

I loved dressing up in long sleeves and jeans in 80 degree weather, strapping a belt on my waist to string an old ice cream bucket to and coming out of the woods covered in scratches, with purple fingers, and smacking my lips from all the berries that "accidently fell in my mouth" while I was picking.

It was always my hope to have my very own picking patch someday.  At our last house in the City, I talked about planting some raspberry bushes along our back fence.  However, in nearly 6 years I simply never got around to it.  

Now that I've lived in our new house (which sits on 5 acres) for a whole year now, I'm learning some of the perks of having land out in the middle of farm country.  For the first time I have my very own berry patch in my back yard.  

I was so excited to be able to go out back tonight (with my little helper) to pick blackberries.  Many of them were dried up and/or too small so I took a lesson from my Mom and picked and scattered them to increase our crop in the years to come.  

 Of course between the "helpful" eating and the "oops!" spills from a clumsy 2-year-old, we had less than a dozen berries left by the time we made it back into the house, but it was so worth it.  Next year we'll have an even larger crop and I'll continue to grow it until I, too, have a bumper crop and can pick buckets full just like the good old days on the Homestead.  

10 on 10 : August 2011

Wordless Wednesday...Boys will be boys