Category Archives: happiness

fabulous friday #12

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Happy Valentine’s Day, friends! I hope each and every one of you feels loved today. If you’re still looking for inexpensive + creative ideas to make those around you feel loved, here’s a post I did a couple weeks ago on the topic!

valentines week

Here are 5 things I’m loving right now:

1. Valentine’s Day cards & texts. My sweet parents both sent me cards, and I’ve received so many thoughtful messages from friends today. I feel very loved!

valentines cards

2. New Girl. My brother and I are both hooked on this show — it’s sort of become “our” show! Even when we’re apart, we watch it and laugh about it together. I’m a few episodes behind, but I just watched the “Birthday” episode last night and I was laughing so much, I nearly fell out of bed.

Greg sent me this photo of Schmidt and it made me bust out laughing. Even without context, I think it’s still funny! Why is he holding a giant bowl of grapes??

crying Schmidt

3. My church community. This is my first time really being involved with a spiritual community, and it is such a joyous and comforting feeling. One of my church friends had an operation yesterday, and I drove her to and from the doctor and stayed with her for the afternoon. I was blown away by how many people from church called or texted to check in on her, including our minister. And our young adult group has organized a whole schedule of people to drop by and check on her and bring her meals while she is recuperating. It warms my heart and makes me feel very grateful to have found such a supportive and genuinely caring community.

4. This moving blog post by Single Dad Laughing. I could not agree more. Every dad — every parent — should read this. And reading it made me realize, more than ever, how lucky I am to have won the Dad Lottery. {And the Mom Lottery, too!}

mom & dad anniversary

{And happy Valentine’s Day, lovebirds!}

5. The song “Pompeii” by Bastille. Whenever this song comes on the radio, I turn it waaaay up and start rocking out! I love it.

Now I’m off to bake a batch of red velvet crinkle cookies to deliver to the nursing home … Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Sending lots of love your way today and every day ❤

red velvet cookies

Questions of the day:

  • Are you doing anything to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
  • What are you loving right now?
  • Any fun plans for the weekend?

gratitude jar

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Hi, friends! A quick post today about a new habit I’ve started this year that I’m really loving so far. I’ve kept a gratitude journal in the past, which is a terrific way to cultivate awareness of the many blessings in your everyday life. As I learned last year doing my kindness challenge, gratitude is such a major component of happiness. I sincerely believe that a grateful heart is a happy heart.

This year, instead of keeping a gratitude journal, I am using a gratitude jar! Every time something large or small happens in my life that I am grateful for, I write it on a slip of paper. Then I fold up the slip of paper and drop it into a glass mason jar.

This is a wonderful visual reminder of all the blessings in my life, and I know it will be such a fun and moving exercise at the end of year to dump out the contents of my jar and relive all the happy memories.

Here is a neat website where you can virtually share what you are grateful for, and read the gratitudes of others: http://www.thegratitudejar.com/

gratitude quote

Questions for the morning:

  • Do you keep a gratitude journal or gratitude jar?
  • What is something you are grateful for today?

goals for the week of 2/9

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Happy Sunday, friends! Hope you’ve had a fun weekend! We’ve finally been getting some rain here in the Bay Area, woo hoo! I’ve never seen so many people overjoyed for gray, drizzly skies.

So far, my weekends of 2014 have been absolutely jam-packed with good times, good food and good people who fill me up inside. This weekend was no exception! On Friday I had a slumber party with The Coolest Middle Schoolers On The Planet, my cousins Makena and Bianca. We baked chocolate-chip muffins and watched scary movies {predictably, I was way more terrified than either of them!} Yesterday I went to a social justice meeting at church, grabbed lunch with Dana, and then got together with some friends for a movie night. Then this morning, I’m off to church and afterwards I’m meeting up with an old college friend for lunch, who I haven’t seen in far too long … so excited to catch up with her!

But before I go … time for goals!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on
– go to two yoga classes {unfortunately only made it to one this week because of other obligations that happened to be during yoga class time}
– mail Valentines
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– start final fellowship application, due Feb. 28
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox and Orientation by Daniel Orozco
– connect with three friends

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on
– go to two yoga classes
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– submit to the I Am: Twenty-Seven project
– send in final fellowship application
– finish reading Power Ballads by Will Boast
– connect with three friends

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?

fabulous friday #11

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It’s TGIF! You know what that means…

Here are 5 things I’m loving right now:

1. Independent bookstores. I could spend hours wandering through a bookstore, and have a special place in my heart for cute little independent ones. My new favorite: Rakestraw Books in Danville. Look at this framed quote they have on the wall {so true!}

book quote

And this book made me laugh out loud. Poor pups!

dog book

2. Walks with Dana. Exercise always flies by with this girl because we talk and talk about anything and everything. {Don’t you love friends like that? I’m so blessed in my friendships!} This past weekend she took me on a beautiful path by her house, and we saw chickens and this super-cool birdhouse display.

birdhouses

chicken

3. My amazingly supportive hometown community and incredibly kind friend {and fellow writer} Ken McAlpine, who interviewed me for Our Ventura TV a few weeks ago … the interview is now available to watch! Here’s the link: http://ourventura.com/empowering-kids-through-writing-and-reading/2737/

4. This Broccoli Slaw & Kale w/Chicken Salad from Trader Joe’s. I know I already gave a shout-out to TJ’s in last week’s fabulous friday post, but this salad deserves its own spotlight. You guys. I could eat this salad for days on end and not get sick of it. {Actually, that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing this week… LOVE it!}

broccoli salad

salad

5. My friend Shane’s blog, Day by Yoga, that chronicles his experience as a budding yogi. Shane is an “old soul” … super wise, super inspiring, super down-to-earth. His blog posts always brighten my day!

Questions of the morning:

  • What are you loving right now?
  • Any fun plans for the weekend?
  • What is your favorite Trader Joe’s find?

Thirty Days of Love

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Many members of my church are taking part in a social justice movement called “Thirty Days of Love” hosted by Standing on the Side of Love: Harnessing Love’s Power to Stop Oppression. This is a wonderful community of people from all religious backgrounds, faiths, and spiritual practices who are united in the common belief that love is the ultimate guiding force of our world. The Thirty Days of Love is “a period of intentional action, service, education, and reflection to focus on this essential work.” You can sign up to receive an email every day with essential questions to consider and reflect upon.

I found yesterday’s message by Alex Patchin McNeill, the Executive Director of More Light Presbyterians, to be particularly moving. I wanted to share his words with you:

“As you move through your day today, I invite you to practice an act of radical love: strive to see the beauty in all people, especially those you struggle with. Part of this practice is recognizing that whether or not we show it, each of us moves through the world hiding scars, covering up what we think the world [would] deem ugly if we were truly seen. It is easy to see beauty and practice compassion toward those we like or enjoy the company of; it is far, far harder to see beauty and practice compassion in the face of people who frustrate us, or, worse yet, actively hate us. Practicing love in the face of oppression is incredibly difficult, but it starts small, with practicing love every time we struggle with another person for any reason.”

Questions of the morning:

  • How do you define true beauty?
  • Have you ever had the experience of practicing love or kindness in the face of oppression, anger or meanness?

goals for the week of 1/26

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First off…

arianna bday

Today is my dear cousin’s “sweet sixteen” birthday and we are all getting together as a family tonight to celebrate. Last night I got to help chaperone/drive a bunch of her friends as part of her birthday party. It was a blast and I felt happy to be a part of it!

This weekend has been filled with lots of great friends & family time and lots of time spent outdoors taking advantage of the gorgeous sunny weather we’re being blessed with {even though we are all praying for rain … California needs rain very badly!} Yesterday I went hiking and out to lunch with new friends Emy & Sam, and today I checked out a food truck fair with some old friends I hadn’t seen in a while. Have any of you been to a food truck gathering before? It was my first time, and I was impressed by the variety and quality of the offerings! I had gourmet spaghetti & meatballs and a decadent s’mores cupcake. Then stopped by Trader Joe’s on my way home to pick up some nom noms for the week … and now here we are, Sunday afternoon already!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– go to two yoga classes {I made it to three!}
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox {I underestimated how many stories I had in my inbox! Got through quite a few, but still have more to go! These are some great reads.}
– connect with two friends {It was a terrific week for feeling connected with friends, by phone and in person! I’m always happier when I make this a priority in my life.}

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on
– go to two yoga classes
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox
– connect with three friends

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?

MPM-Winter
This post is linked up with Menu-Plan Monday!

celebrating martin luther king, jr.

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Today we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I’m celebrating by participating in a community service project and by doing as many random acts of kindness as I can fit into my day!

I’m also spending time today reading the words of Dr. King and reflecting on his wisdom. I was especially moved by this passage:

“A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our present policies. On the one hand, we are called to play the Good Samaritan on life’s roadside, but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho Road must be changed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life’s highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth with righteous indignation.” {Source: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/pacificaviet/riversidetranscript.html}

My dad’s wonderful column this past week was about Dr. King and I want to share it with you as well: http://woodywoodburn.com/column-let-service-ring/

I’ll be back tomorrow with this week’s year of Wooden post. Hope you are having a beautiful day filled with service, compassion and reflection!

Question of the day:

  • What are you doing to celebrate MLK day?
  • What are your favorite words of wisdom from MLK?

fabulous friday #8

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Happy TGIF, friends! It’s been a beautiful sunny week in the Bay Area, though the weather has been drier than ever — which means wildfires are a very real danger. Please send your thoughts & prayers for rain!

Here are 5 things I’m loving right now:

1. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 20th. I can’t think of a better way to remember Dr. King than a national day of service in his honor. I’m excited to get involved with a community service project on Monday. Here’s a wonderful link about the Day of Service with a helpful guide to find projects happening your area! Or, do an act of kindness!

2. Morning yoga. I’ve started going to a yoga class that meets every Tuesday & Thursday morning. I may not be the most talented yogi in the land {a not-so-nice instructor once told me, “You are the least flexible young person I’ve ever seen!” Ummm, thanks? At least I’m trying!} … but I always feel way energized and refreshed after yoga class. And I’m improving, little by little, day by day. I’m even contemplating adding a morning Saturday yoga class to my routine!

3. Big ol’ salads. {Which always makes me think of this Seinfeld episode!} One of my health goals for this year is to eat a salad or a green smoothie every day. My body just feels better when I feed it good fuel. Right now I can’t get enough of crunchy toppings like fresh bell pepper, celery and edamame. YUM.

big salad

4. My aunt’s two poodles, Lucy & Rocca. This week I’ve been writing at her house during the day to keep her dogs company so they don’t get too lonely. Mr. Mur-dog will always hold the key to my heart, but these two dogs are pretty dang sweet and adorable, too! {Just don’t tell him I said that.}

poodles

5. This “revamp my spirit” playlist by Heather Waxman. My current favorite playlist, guaranteed to start my day off on a great note! I especially love the first track, “Riptide” by Vance Joy.

Now, your turn:

  • What are you loving right now?
  • Any fun plans for the weekend?
  • Are you going to participate in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on Monday?

5 thoughtful gift ideas for valentine’s day {or any day}

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Today I was browsing Target while waiting for Charley’s routine service appointment to be over, and one thing was very clear: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Yes, people — hard to believe, but it’s officially less than a month away.

valentines-day

I LOVE love and I love Valentine’s Day. I’m single this year, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be celebrating my little heart out. I don’t know about you, but I think the scope of V-day is often presented too narrowly. Why just focus on romantic love? To me, Valentine’s Day is a holiday that celebrates love in all its forms; an excuse to let all of those special people in your life know how very much they mean to you.

So today I’ve rounded up some thoughtful gift ideas for Valentine’s Day — or any day, really!

1. Personalized gifts. Anytime you can personalize something, I think it makes the gift that much more thoughtful. For my cousin Julie’s bridal shower, I ordered this beautiful blanket for her and her husband-to-be from Personal Creations. The company embroidered a corner of the blanket with their names and wedding date. It turned out beautifully and I could tell that the personalized touch made the gift even more special to Julie.

2. Homemade cards. As attested by my massive stash of stationary, it’s obvious that I love browsing stationary and greeting card stores. {I sometimes need to put myself on “probation” from buying anything, my habit gets so out of control!} But, for every adorable Taylor Swift greeting card I have saved up to send to Holly, there’s something to be said for homemade cards. Knowing that you put in extra effort to craft not just the personal message inside, but every aspect of the card, makes it extremely thoughtful.

valentines cards

3. Creative gifts or craft projects. Use your imagination and have fun with it! Pinterest and blogs are a wealth of ideas for homemade gifts and creative scavenger-hunt-type gifts. I discovered this clever poster idea last year on Peanut Butter Fingers and thought it was so cute, thoughtful {and easy to do, even if you don’t consider yourself very craft-savvy!}

valentine sign

4. An experience that you can share together. Try something new like a painting class, wine tasting, disco bowling night, a local concert — any fun new experience that you can share with the recipient is a sweet gift that builds awesome memories.

5. Homemade baked goods. Okay, maybe I just love baking! 🙂 But in my opinion, you can never go wrong with homemade treats. Last year I made red velvet crinkle cookies for the nursing home and they were a big hit. Here are some other recipes you might try:
– peanut butter cup brownies
– white chocolate pretzels
– chocolate-covered popcorn
– strawberry coconut cookies
– carrot cake with coconut cream-cheese frosting
– butterscotch pudding cookies
– classic chocolate chip cookies

red velvet cookies

Questions for the evening:

  • What are some of your favorite thoughtful gifts? {That you’ve given or that you’ve received!}
  • Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

fabulous friday #7

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Happy Friday, friends! I am writing this at my grandparents’ kitchen table; we arrived back up north late Wednesday night. I miss my parents and brother and friends in Ventura, but it is nice to be back with my family and friends up here. I always try to think of that ache in my chest of missing someone as a blessing, because it means I just have so many people in my life to love and care about!

It’s always hard leaving Mr. Mur-dog because he doesn’t know why I’m leaving or when I’ll be coming back. Poor guy always gets upset when the suitcases come out of the closets. Apparently he’s been sleeping on my bed ever since I left. I’ll see you again before too long, little buddy!

Murray on bed

Here are 5 things I’m loving right now:

1. This gorgeous painting that my amazingly talented and thoughtful brother made for me for Christmas. It’s of the constellation Cassiopeia, a constellation featured in one of my favorite movies ever, Serendipity. This painting makes me think of watching that movie countless times with Greg {he’s such a sweet brother, watching chick flicks with me!} and the beautiful shades of blue night sky make me feel content and at peace.

20140108_125610

2. Speaking of thoughtful gifts, Holly sent me this beautiful bronze sunflower barrette. I smile and think of her whenever I wear it!

sunflower barrette

3. My Grandpap’s iPod playlist. This morning, Frank Sinatra serenaded me as I ate my oatmeal. Doesn’t get much better than that! {Especially when my Grandpap sings along. Such a cutie pie!}

4. Running into familiar faces around town. I stopped by Starbucks to do some writing after yoga class yesterday {I’m hopping back aboard the yoga train after some time away and it feels SO great!!} … I was sitting there typing away at my little table when I noticed three women sit down at a table nearby. I recognized them immediately: some of my grandma’s friends! I waved hello and we had a nice chat. After living here for five months now, it’s exciting to finally be at a point where I run into people I know around town.

5. Inspiring bloggers. In particular this amazingly empowering body peace manifesto by Heather Waxman. And these helpful budgeting tips by Whitney @sometimes.always.never.

Tone-it-up-heather-waxman-love-your-body

Questions of the day:

  • What do you have planned for this weekend?
  • What are you loving right now?