37 Things Before 38

Over 2 weeks ago now I turned 37. We were on vacation at the lake and it was perfection. Just me and all my boys, I couldn't ask for anything more. As I tend to mentally age myself early (I've been calling myself 37 in my head for a few months now) I was already adjusted to the age change.

One of my goals on the 36 Things Before 37 list was to write my 37 Things Before 38 list ON my birthday. And I did it!

I can't say the same for everything else on the list. I didn't make it to half of them, but:

• as a weak excuse, I created the list 6 months away from my birthday and didn't have a full year to complete them.
• I didn't put a lot of thought into all of them and they weren't what I truly wanted.
• some things made it onto this year's list as I still want to do them.
• I am okay with all of the above.

37 Things Before 38

1. Take a pottery wheel class
2. List 100 items in my Etsy shop
3. Do the de-clutter challenge (I started this on August 1)
4. Create a blogging schedule
5. Take pictures with my DSLR every week.
6. I need to listen to my doctor and get down to my ideal weight to help with my diabetes and high blood pressure
7. Try my hand at some Fair Isle knitting
8. Go to yoga once per week
9. 5 new date night adventures
10. Sign Connor up for the babysitting course
11. Take boys to Whistler
12. Book dentist appointments (done, we go this month!)
13. Make my bucket list
14. Play new song on the piano
15. Print out the family mantra I created
16. Sleep outside with the boys
17. Go thrifting with Gabi
18. Organize the playroom
19. Make new kick-ass workout playlist
20. No snacks after dinner except on family movie nights
21. Work through all my old personal training plans
22. Drink 4L of water per day (this is going well 2 weeks later)
23. Finish my first Project Life Album
24. Climb Golden Ears
25. Go to the gym 3 times per week 
26. Refinish the filing cabinet I scored from work
27. Go for a family bike ride on the dykes
28. Book our 4th Shuswap trip
29. Donate all the clothes I haven't worn in a year (be brutal)
30. Organize my craft desk (that new filing cabinet will come in handy)
31. Paint my bedroom side tables
32. Get my piano tuned
33. Buy a paddle boat or kayaks for item number 28
34. Brush off the children's stories I have written and start submitting them again
35. Send in queries to magazines for some new articles
36. Create and implement a chore schedule for the boys
37. Write my 38 things before 39 on my birthday

 It's a good sign that I'm exciting about this list. It is going to get DONE!

Here and Off Again

Swimming.
Hiking.
Laughing.
Eating.
Reading.

Check, check and double-check!

And most importantly, a week of family connections.

Now I'm off on a solo trip to New Jersey via Philadelphia for some Project Manager training. This time my laptop is coming so I can blog.

Have a great Sunday all!

P.S. Sunday Links will return next week.

The Lake 2014

I have such fond memories of going to my grandparents cottage in New Brunswick every summer. Ahhh, the familiarity, the routine the swimming (I could do without the leeches though).

It makes my heart burst that we are providing these same memories for our boys even though it is across the country and at a different lake.

Here's to our 3rd annual week at the lake. I can't wait to share our new adventures.

See you in a week!

A Jumble of a Post

Here's an assortment of odds and sods to catch up on from the past week.

• I cannot wait until these are ripe. Our long driveway is lined with blackberries and they are my perfect summer berry recipe ingredient. 
• We are beyond excited for our week at the lake. I have already started to gather the important stuff for packing (books, games and yarn).

•  I have harvested most of my garden and when we get back I plan on reinvigorating it with some mid to late-season veggies. The weeds right now are winning but I am coming for them. (this sunflower is 5 feet tall!)
• I functioned on less than 4 hours sleep and went to work. Not something I want to make a habit of.
• Cleaning out your fridge makes all the food inside look more appetizing (or is that just me?)

• I am not a big fan of devices for kids but if you are going to sit outside under a tree with your iPod, I can manage that - for a while anyway.
• None of my cucumbers made it. I need to buy some as I still want to make pickles.

• Going outside still in your PJ's and on the front porch I guess still qualifies for my "You can play on your iPod as long as your are getting some fresh air" rule.
• I plan on bringing my laptop to the lake and working from there today so life is good.

Where do you Find the Time?

When everyone says "I don't know how you find the time to do everything you do", I don't always have a great response. But the other day while driving home I was thinking about that statement and I recorded my answer.  So here it is.

Well I make time for it, but most times it is at the expense of other things, whether it be spending time with my husband or with my kids or doing the laundry. But let's be honest, most time the laundry loses the attention battle when I'm really into one of my projects.

So that's just it, you can't do it all. But you have to pick what you want to do and that is where a lot of people come from when they're saying, "I don't know how you do it all". They're putting the items on their to do list that really aren't that fun and that they don't want to do first and then they don't have time for the things that fill up their cup.

But for me, I'm okay with leaving the things like the laundry and the dishes. Sometimes I do feel guilty if my boys want to play and I'm in the middle of something that is inspiring me and I say no to them. What I do to balance this out is that I make time for them a bit later. This helps them learn as well that I have passions and goals and it encourages them to entertain themselves (an important skill for kids as they get older - my boys are 12, 8 & 6). I love myself enough to make sure I'm happy and when I do that, my time with the boys is even more fulfilling  because they get a better me.

What do you think? Do you get this statement a lot, or perhaps do you say it to others? What can you do to balance your life and fill up your cup?

Oh, Hi There!

I've been up to:

• lots of family time
• lots of knitting
• lots of work
• and feeling totally exhausted

Taking it easy and recouping (from I'm not sure what) is just what I need.

Over Here

Over here I am breathing a contented sigh of relief that the parties are done and everyone is satisfied and feeling appropriately loved on their special days.

Over here I have taken 3 days off to just "be".

Over here I am so grateful for everyone who has visited my new shop and have left me encouraging comments.

Over here I have committed to focus on my health.

Over here I feel loved.

I Love Being a Mommy Because of...

I love being a mommy because of:
Kisses & Hugs
Story Time
Nurturing
Adventures
Laughter
Discovering
Learning
Love

Happy Mother's Day this weekend to all you moms out there. 

30 Days of Happy

30 days ago, I shared that I was going to start the #100happydays project. Well actually it has been 31 days, I counted number 7 twice.

Shortly after joining the project, I read an article in the local news bashing the challenge. You can read it here, but essentially it says how unrealistic it is to be happy for 100 days in a row and that we are setting ourselves up for unhappiness trying to achieve this goal for such a long period of time.

A friend asked me why I was participating because, in her words, "You are happy!" And my response was that I like the idea of being mindful of what makes me happy and documenting it.

I don't believe we go through life in a cloud of happiness everyday. We feel the range of emotions, some fleeting some longer, on a continual basis. But why not make an effort to seek out and recognize the moments that bring you happiness?

If you want to follow along with me, you can find me on Instagram.
User name @harmonyc

experience

On Monday night I came home to an empty house. I was home early and all my boys were out at the park or activities (with my husband transporting them). I wandered from room to room not knowing what to do with this unexpected free time, not sure what to do with myself.

It was a strange predicament, in the mornings I love my quiet time; I drink my coffee, read my blogs and am still. In the evenings, after the boys are in bed, I putter and tidy or I will work on my "day" job. And I fit in creating when and where I can.

It was early in the evening and the sun was just setting, it was a photographer's magic hour.

I decided to really experience this found time and took my camera on a front yard exploration. I felt awkward at first as my camera is usually pointed at one of my boys or purposely taking pictures for this blog. And then I let go and was in the moment.

This is my response to the prompt experience on the Focus on Everyday blog. Please visit the blog to see the rest of the team's interpretation of experience.

Emerging in Spring Time

If I were to change the time of year for new goals and resolutions it would be to Spring Time. Everything is fresh, new life is beginning and it is a time of renewal. There is nothing fresh or new about January 1 other than a new calendar - there is still dormancy afoot.

I have gone through many renewals myself, pushed myself to reach new goals and try new things but I seem to fall short of getting to my ultimate goal. I relapse into old habits, stop pursuing that result I am craving.

I know this isn't because my goals aren't attainable, they totally are, it is more from my inability to see myself past the process of reaching a goal and living that goal. This isn't a concious decision like:

• "I am getting articles published on some big-named websites, I'm going to stop writing now and delete my blog"
• "I went from hating running to running a 1/2 marathon, I'm going to stop training and not run at all"
• "I've been focusing on my health and have lost weight and gained so much energy in the process. I'm going to go back to my old habits and gain the weight back so my new clothes won't fit me"

They weren't conscious decisions but all of those are decisions I have made.

Spring is here again, I am going to move forward and push through. I am going to work on my goals and include a maintenance plan to keep living the goals I worked hard to reach.

This video from Danielle LaPorte is a good pep talk to start me on my way (and yours too).

What I'm Growing in my Garden

That little sprout up there makes me giddy. I love taking a little seed and turning it into food. I've had really good gardening years and then some that really were a lot of work for nothing. This year I'm gunning for a great harvest.

 My end goal is to make pickles from cucumbers and dill that I grow myself. Most of the seedlings above are cucumbers and there are some tomatoes coming up there on the right. I am simplifying, trying food I know works for my gardening skills and the soil/sunlight combination we have.

Giant Russian Sunflowers are going to be planted too, mostly for looks and because if they work out, we can eat the seeds. If the birds don't get them first.

I've started a Pinterest page, To Garden, come check it out.

Make Your Own Photo Booth

I volunteered to make a photo booth for the Spring Carnival at my boys' school. It is a new fundraiser for the school and I wanted to help out (we're raising money for a new playground).

I was going to make one using a refrigerator box but visions of the box falling over as multiple kids crowded into the booth had me searching for more ideas. Can you tell I'm the mom of 3 boys?

Here are the supplies I used:

1. a king-sized white sheet (I cheated with this, and used the sheet for our back-yard movies)
2. a pack of 60 photo props on a stick from Michaels
3. a thought-bubble chalkboard
4. a fairy wand
5. a wood frame that I painted
6. craft paper that I cut into triangles and sewed onto ribbon to create the banners

Now I need to decide if I am going to man the booth on my own with my camera for 4 hours or if I can get enough grade 7 volunteers with their iPads to take the pictures. I am definitely leaning towards option 2 so I can enjoy the carnival with my family and I won't have to worry about keeping track of pictures to e-mail to people. Plus, it's a great experience for the kids, right?

About Me

Not sure why, but I have been procrastinating putting up my About Me page. No longer though! It is done. Please come visit and tell me what you think.

Seeing Beauty No. 2 - My Basement

Almost a month ago I went around my yard with my camera with the intention of seeing beauty that I hadn't noticed before. I enjoyed the journey so much that I repeated the process, this time in my basement.

Honing in on the details, I found lots to love about my basement. A place I usually just pass through on my way to get upstairs.

  

I think I need to visit more often, as I also found areas that could use a good dusting.

 

I pass these birds each time I take my coat off in the laundry room. Today they got a bit more attention.

There are lots of reminders that we have little boys living with us, the basement is home to their playroom.

 Memories of toys that are outgrown and more than gently used. Ones that we can't part with.

In my next photo exploration I am going to visit my kitchen.

yes

A new post is up on the Focus on Everyday blog, this week's prompt is "yes".

Click through to see Gabi's picture and to read our thoughts on the theme. I so love doing this project each week. It gets me taking pictures, it gets my creative juices flowing and it is a way I can connect with a good friend when we can't get together as often as we would like.

We are also looking for guest posters, if you are interested in contributing to one of our weekly posts send me an e-mail! harmonycornwell at gmail.com

My Plaid Skirt - Memories

I remember this plaid skirt, or rather, I remember 1 event surrounding it and the feelings this picture evokes. (That's my little sister, we were pretty cute!)

I lived in rural New Brunswick growing up in a teeny, tiny town called Hartland, home of the Longest Covered Bridge. Even today, the population is a whopping 947.

We were at the dump, I was between 8 to 9 years old, and the garbage at the dump was on fire. My dad was throwing our bags of garbage from the car onto the piles and one of the bags ripped open. And there it was. My skirt. My favourite plaid skirt that I LOVED. In the garbage, it wasn't on fire yet but what was it doing in the garbage!?

There were tears, there was a hissy fit and my dad saved the day and reclaimed my skirt from the burning garbage pile.

My mom was surprised when we got home, I don't think she realized the meaning the skirt had for me. Or maybe she just couldn't take my crazy pattern pairings any longer.

Seeing this picture and recalling the event has reminded me how I felt and that I need to respect my boys and their belongings. I  will confess that I have snuck items into the garbage and donation bags when I have felt they have outlived their usefulness; but I won't do it again without their permission.

I don't have any memories of wearing the skirt again or whatever happened to it. But I did have good taste.

Seeing Beauty No. 1 - My Yard

 

I know we all have those areas of our home (inside or outside) that you look at and cringe and think, "I really should do something about that." But time, money or lack of motivation steps in and nothing changes.

I took my camera out this weekend (thank you Mr. Sun for coming out to play) and decided to take shots of all of the areas of my yard that need some extra love.

And instead of looking at these areas with criticism, I looked at them with the goal of finding art and beauty. Much more kind than thinking of a mildew covered birdhouse or a bunch of toys that were never put away.

I enjoyed it so much that I am going to do another photo shoot inside. Look for it in the coming weeks.

If you decide to take your own series of "Seeing Beauty", please let me know in the comments so I can come visit.

I Did It

Over a month ago I talked about being Scared, scared of starting a new job.

Today I started that new job and couldn't be happier. It was the right decision.

More to come on this new adventure and how it is going to bring my balance to my life and exciting new challenges for my career. But for now, my brain is drained from new information overload.

I AM

Via my regular reading of my friend Vivienne's blog, Be Your Own Beloved, I discovered Alexandra Franzen. And what a delight she is!

I have read pages of posts on her blog and so wish she would publish said posts in a book. I would read it and re-read it, lend it to a friend and then read it again.

When I signed up for Alexandra's newsletter she sent me (...but I am sure she would send you one too if you signed up as well), a copy of the great I AM worksheet. You can also find it on her blog here.

It is a fun exercise and one that I would like to do again to see how I have changed and evolved.

So for the record, here is who I AM (today):

I am a wife, mother and a Facilities Manager.

But really, I'm a dreamer, organizer, creator and idea generator.

I am amazing at loving my family and organizing the hell out of our household.

And I've devoted most of my life to searching for the one project I can sink my teeth into; the one where my mind, body and heart sing "yes, this is the one!"

When you work with me, you can expect encouragement and yes, lots of organization.

And you'll probably be surprised & delighted by my goal to smile and have fun while completing any task.

My work matters because I matter and I bring my own brand of optimism and problem solving to all things I work on.

And I am here to remind you that details and people all need attention.

My question for you is why judge when you can accept a situation or remove yourself from it when it doesn't fit in with your ideals?

To sum it up? I am an optimistic, friendly soul who has big creative dreams. I am a researcher and seeker of projects. I am a work in progress. I am Creating Harmony, one day at a time.