"Seek Magic Every Day"

I am extraordinarily thankful for the ability to work from home some days. It's such a pleasure to get the extra time with Zoey, my house, and whomever may be there to help out if, and when I need.  I love that I can put up a load of wash in between email correspondences-- I get to see my baby's happy smiling face when she first wakes up in the morning, feed her a bottle, prepare her dinner --all things I usually miss out on every day I commute to work.  On my "lunch break" I can walk to the park with her, build a fort (as we did yesterday, since it was raining), read a book, or just roam the house with her little hand wrapped around my finger. Those extra moments are just worth so much to me.  I love my little lady, she is indeed the sunshine in my life. I am away from my house for about 12 hours every week day, so having a balanced life isn't the easiest of tasks, so when the opportunity for some balance presents itself, I welcome it with wide open arms and a big smile on my face. Yesterday was one of those days, I even made time to paint on my easel that I just recently purchased. 

When I was pregnant with Zoey, I painted a couple of  whimsical pieces for her bedroom that had positive sayings on them -- You Are Our Sunshine and Dream BIG Little One.   A couple of weeks ago, I came across this saying, "Seek Magic Every Day" it stuck with me and I decided that I wanted to add that to the collection.  I started the painting yesterday, and while my husband sat with me as I painted the base to this painting, I started telling him my plan for it -- since I couldn't remember where I had seen the saying and if it were, "Seek Magic Every Day" or " Seek Magic Daily", I, of course decided to Google.  Upon Googling, I discovered that Katie Daisy had created a piece with this saying.  If you do not know who Katie Daisy is, check her out on Etsy here: The Wheatfield
It is all beautiful, whimsical, and positive works of art.  I love her style, it reminds me very much of my own.  So, now I am using it as part of the inspiration behind my own creation. 

Here are the beginnings:

Sneak Peak!

It's been a busy and quick spring into summer.  I can't believe my little bee is going to be turning 1 the end of next month.....And then summer will be over just like that.  Here's a little sneak peak into Zoey's 1st birthday invite photo shoot.

She inspires me to take more pictures and to tap into my creativity more often. I'm very thankful for that.  

Reminder

The Mind

I just have the urge to write. Creativity has been knocking on my door lately and I wish I had more time to answer.
Sometimes I play pretend in my head like I did as a little girl to make my days feel more important, interesting, worthwhile, I guess.  It helps me to get through some of the mundane tasks I sometimes must complete.  I believe in mind over matter wholeheartedly.  If you make yourself think positively, you will feel positively. If you think negatively, those thoughts will only make your days worse. When I feel down and out, and upset with the world, I try to take a minute to remind myself of all the good I have in my life and that there is so much worse that COULD be happening.  Be thankful for what you DO have, for the life you ARE living, appreciate the world around you.  I feel that with social media these days people are always comparing their lives to others, and trying to outdo each other.  The thing is, social media can be easily masked.  Someone may travel a lot, but they may be lonely and unhappy deep inside.  The couple that may seem so happy and in love could be on the verge of splitting up.  Remember to be present in your own life, and to enjoy everything you have, LIVE, put down the phone, step away from the screens, unplug, and enjoy a real conversation, make real memories, take in all that you can.  Just because you didn't post a photo on instagram doesn't mean that it didn't happen.  Matter of fact, most of the time, it means you are living in the moment and enjoying yourself too much to be bothered.  Our minds take the best photographs. Don't you think?

Sensory

Sometimes I find comfort in just touching, feeling, holding, and gazing at things that have belonged to me for a while. They bring back memories and feelings that evoke emotions inside me. Nostalgia is a friend of mine. I like to think back and remember both good and bad. Memories are important to me. They are what life is made of. 

It's in your head... in your head...

Do you ever feel like you spend too much time in your head?  I absolutely do, and it's a problem. It can be very debilitating.  I've been raised by a family that didn't always make me feel comfortable talking or expressing myself.  There was a lot of anxiety in the house at all times - living in fear of being scolded, criticized, someone snapping at someone else.  It was a terrible environment..... and I think it caused me to have quite a few mental issues.  I sometimes have trouble speaking my mind, doing exactly what I want to do, and even being who I truly am inside.  It's kind of sad.  It also makes me wonder how others perceive me sometimes.  I carry around a lot of anxiety and as much as I try to be conscious of it and let go of it.  It's not as easy as i would like it to be.  I wish I was stronger sometimes, more outgoing, FREE of the anxiety that sometimes control the person I display to the world.

Perhaps, I can keep this up...

For the longest time, I was unable to type here while sitting at my office desk.  It appears I can now do that again.  HALLELUJAH!
 It has been quite some time since I posted here and, although, I think about posting here all the time, I don't seem to follow through.  Inspiration seems to really hit me at the strangest, less convenient of times, and let's face it I'm hesitant to put some of my feelings/experiences/life out there.  It's been over a year since I've posted and WOW has my life changed.

I AM A MOM! AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! 

That seems to be the most exciting and maybe surprising change in my life.  I am also in the midst of some interesting and very exciting career changes. Additionally, I have been through some of the roughest, most stressful, heart-breaking, moments in my life.  It's been quite a year (as I like to put it)-- An emotional roller coaster for sure. I am not sure if I want to get into more detail about some of the experiences I have encountered this past year, you know because NOONE reads this (haha), but I would like to put it out there that life is not perfect and although I have been blessed in so many ways, there are struggles I am dealing with just like everyone else.  I just tend to like to keep some of those in my handwritten private journal.  - we will see, I am trying to work on opening up, and letting people in.  I know that I struggle with trusting people with my emotions, feelings, personal details.  I like to keep some things private, because people are sometimes way too judgmental, and don't JUST listen enough or they have their own problems, why bog them down with mine.  And sometimes some of the things that you complain about or want to say about someone are in the heat of the moment, and are almost meaningless.  Emotions can make you say and do things that you really don't genuinely mean.  Sometimes, people need an ear to listen to their rants and raves, and that's all -- or to hear that someone can relate. But too often, I find that everyone has their opinions and advice and even worse sometimes people barely listen and turn it around to be about them -- which in turn makes me even more upset. I like to think that I am that ear to some people and when people can't lend me that ear in return, it hurts.

Anyhow, I've been through a lot and that's the point.  Time flies, but a lot can happen and change in a year.  A perfect example of that are babies - look at how much they develop, change, and learn within that timeframe - it is amazing! My daughter blows my mind just about everyday. I'm hoping that I can find time to come here more often and unload a bit.  I need to write, I like to write, and sometimes I really wish my thoughts were being translated to a page somewhere for someone to read -- to be heard.