an irish prayer

May God give you...

For every storm, a rainbow,

For every tear, a smile,

For every care, a promise,

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends,

A faithful friend to share,

 For every sigh, a sweet song,

 And an answer for each prayer.

I miss you all so much...and I think you all know who you are! This is the first time I have had time to really sit down and get on here in quite a while.

Does anyone have any plans for St. Patrick's Day? I plan on finding some good corned beef and cabbage somewhere tomorrow, even if I end up making it! Come noontime, I hope to be living it up like an Irishwoman should. 

May joy and peace surround you,

Contentment latch your door,

And happiness be with you now,

And bless you evermore.

Oh, someday Ireland, I will see you. Someday...

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choose to love

I received a text yesterday which said, "When we carry unforgiveness, it's as if we move about dragging an anchor never getting anywhere. Let it go. It just isn't worth it.

Choose to love
                                   and experience love."

I thought it was a nice reminder and something that should be shared. I don't think we can love fully if we harbor unforgiveness, which applies to any kind of love, whether brotherly, motherly, or the "at 

  first sight" kind of love. No matter what kind, choosing to love means

                                   bearing all things and defending and holding others up.                                                                                      

           believing all things,                                               

               hoping all things and never giving up.           

                                      enduring all things, persevering and remaining loyal. 

And experiencing love....well that is just something that you'll have to do yourself!

And since it's almost Valentine's day AND I finally found one of my favorite photo shoots of all time (bookmarked this time so I don't lose it!), I just had to post these even though they've been around a while (from Shannon Nicole Smith). You've probably seen these, but either way, pretty much the cutest thing ever.

the art of balance

Henri Matisse, the famous French artist, once said, "What I dream of is an art of balance."

I think nowadays I dream of that too. With the kind of life most people lead, it seems that we are trying to find that balance of work and play, friends and family, chores and hobbies.

I think the ultimate balance is being able to do what you love for work, designating time to spend with the people important to you, and enjoying the journey that is made up of every minute of every day of your life. 

Balance is about being there for those in need and helping others. It's about using our God given abilities to bring that spark and joy, not only to our life, but to the lives of others that we may touch along the way. It's about taking adventures and experiencing new places. It's about the scary and unknown mixed with goals and security. It's the line between being driven and hardworking and relaxed and free. All good things lie in balance and the secret to all this is a bit of a mystery. I think managing our time correctly is important so that we don't end up working all the time and miss out on life, or vice versa.

How do you manage to balance your own life? Do some of you find it hard to blog in your busy schedules?

What are your thoughts or secrets on the subject? I would love to hear!

"Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them."

-Thomas Kinkade

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english love

"Missing someone isn't about how long it's been since you've seen them last or the amount of time since you've talked. It's about that very moment when you're doing something and you wish that they were right there with you."

-Unknown

This quote is exactly how I am feeling right now. Today I am missing my family that is in England, but how much more precious are the memories that I have of the times spent with them.

 

lots of laughs

lots of games

and lots of tea!

Does anyone else have family in another country? Now might be a good time to let them know you miss them. I know now is a good time for me :)

I used to send letters back and forth regularly with my family there. I would keep all the stamps from them, so I decided to make a little collage of stamps so I can always see it and remember special times. Love when art can double as sentimental value!

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a new year

Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! 

What a busy month! It feels like there hasn't been a moment to stand still...from getting sick multiple times and work, to preparing for the holidays. And now we are looking at a new year! It seems a bit typical to talk about a new start as we approach a new year, but something about a new year is too inspiring not to talk about it.

 Whether you can't wait for 2011 to end or it was a year that brought great opportunities your way, having a new year really is the best time to evaluate what you want for your life in the new year. I feel like setting goals is motivating. Today would be a great day to start evaluating how you may want to change this new year. It could sound small, such as truly taking a day off, or it may be starting a new business. Whatever it is, it will be big to you and the quality of your life. Don't be afraid to jump in and make those changes and follow your dreams.

 "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

-Maria Robinson

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.
-Joe Sabah

"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."
-Henry Ford

Happy New Years!

Snow Globe DIY

On a recent trip to Anthropologie, I came across these cute snow globes they had! I always love seeing how the store is decorated, oftentimes with every day items that create unique works of art throughout the store. So when I saw these snow globes, I actually thought they were just for decoration, then I picked it up and saw the price tag. That's when I knew I could just make my own!

The supplies:

Jar, little trees, glue, glue gun, glitter, paint brush, quilt batting (for snow. This is just what I had on hand. Any kind of fake snow would be great!)

I used the paint brush to add glue on the trees, then sprinkled them with glitter. I used a glue gun to attach the trees and snow to the lid. I had these cute little poinsettias that I thought would be a nice little touch. The possibilities are endless!

The result:

For the size I made, it would have cost $25 at Anthropologie. Some cost even more. So, $25 Anthro or $5 DIY?

togethery and remembery

"Christmas is a togethery sort of holiday," said Pooh. 

"That's my favorite kind," said Piglet.

"Togethery and remembery."

"Don't forget the love," added Eeyore.

I'm so excited it's December!! So many fun Christmassy things to do. I plan on making the most of each day this month. How about you?

What is on your Christmas to-do list?

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