A Happy Announcement.

So I have some news....

We're having another baby! We are over the moon and can't wait to meet our little miss or mister this Spring!

Thoughts on Thirty.

How gorgeous was my 30th birthday cake?

I turned 30 yesterday. 3-0. It is bananas. I guess I've never really thought of myself as a "real" adult before because I still feel like an awkward teenager so much of the time. But now I'm entering this new decade with somewhat fresh eyes and more determination than ever to make my life what I want it to be. 

For the last month or so, I've really been regretting things I did and didn't do in my twenties. I found myself beating myself down about chances not taken, trips not taken, friends not kept (or kept too long in a couple situations), career paths forgotten, dreams not chased, and everything else. I don't believe in having no regrets, but at the same time I can't focus on the things I would change. I had all these visions of myself at 30: put together, skinny, a perfect mom with a perfect house. I'm not really those things. My house is a disaster, I'm chubby, I often doubt my own parenting, I make mistakes but I'm happy and I'm learning. I'm not beating myself up because I'm not perfect. Every day I'm learning how to be the person I want to be and live the life I want to live. Me and my life aren't perfect, but they are pretty fucking great. 

Some goals I'm bringing with me into this new decade:

Make Space for Good, Not for Blah

This is a constant goal, working toward make my life 95% full of wonderful, positive things and people that I love with only 5% of the obligations that I'm not that into. I'm learning to say no to projects if they don't seem right for me, to carve out time for people who make me a better person, and generally choosing to do the thing I love over the thing I dread whenever humanly possible. 

Get Organized

 I'm trying my best to get things in order with my house, my career, this blog, our finances, and the like. I have to do lists upon to do lists that will help me to organize everything. I used to be so great with keeping everything in check but then, you know, work and new motherhood. When things are in order, I feel more at peace so this is vital. I think once my house isn't so daunting I may actually, *GASP*, love it again.

Keep the Healthy Momentum Going

 I've been doing a lot of research and reading about nutrition in an effort to create the healthiest diet for me. I'm continuing on this track to make sure my family and I are eating the most nutritious diet possible (with treats and indulgences here and there, too). I'm hoping to get back in the habit of making things from scratch and cooking really healthy dinners every night. 

 

Do All the Things

I have a terrible habit of pushing things off that I really do want to do. I always make an excuse to not plan a trip or buy that really bright dress or make those complicated cookies. I want to stop just "pinning" things and actually start doing them. One of my greatest regrets is that I've made excuses or procrastinated on doing things that I really wanted to, I'm working hard to leave this regret in my twenties.

But Give Myself Some Wiggle Room

I'm done with the "busy wars" where everyone has to shout from the roof tops how TOTALLY CRAZY STRESSFUL AND BUSY LIFE IS. I'm totally guilty but it's not a competition and business is no prize. I'm learning that it's a-okay to take one night a week after the baby is asleep to skip chores and read a book instead. Relaxation is just as important as productivity. 

So here's to my thirties, I'm diving in with big plans and making more and more positive changes. Cheers to 30 years!

The Weekly Blooms: A Love Story.

If you follow me on any form of social media (in this case Instagram) you know that I am a lover of fresh flowers. Since I was a kid, nothing makes my heart quite as happy as a fresh bouquet of beauts. I can remember thinking that when I was an adult I'd always get paper bags at the grocery store and I'd always have flowers in my house (I also thought adulthood rocked cause you could drink as much pop as you wanted...).

Since I moved out on my own (and even a bit in college) I've always made a point to have fresh flowers in the house whenever possible. With two cats who like to destroy plants, it has been an exercise in creativity when it comes to keeping the blooms somewhere safe. A couple of years ago I started a formally informal routine called the Weekly Blooms--a weekly love letter to myself in the form of petals and stems. During a rocky year full of loss, disappointment, work woes, and my dad's cancer diagnosis I decided to make my weekly bouquet (sometimes bi-weekly depending on how long I can keep them fresh) a major priority. Even when money was/is a bit tighter, there's something beautiful and sunny about a small $3 bouquet of daisies on my entryway table. Over years, I've found myself really looking forward to picking out the perfect bouquet and have really come a ways in creating floral arrangements. It's nothing super fancy but it's a reminder to myself that I am wonderful. Every week. All the blooms.

Do you have any little routines like the Weekly Blooms?

A Thought.

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I stumbled upon this quote on Pinterest and it spoke to my dang heart.

Just a warm thought on this freezing Wednesday morning.

2014/2015.

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It's a brand new year! How crazy is that? With a still relatively new baby in the house, Rhyno and I decided to stay home last night and quietly bring the new year in together. We watched movies, played some killer games of peek-a-boo, ate delicious food, and ushered in a new year as a family of three. It was quiet and low-key and kind of really wonderful.

Last year as I reflected on 2013 there was so much uncertainty in my life and wishes for good things to happen. The morning of New Year's Eve last year, Rhyno and I clinked coffee cups and swore 2014 would bring big changes for us. It was going to be our year and boy was it ever!

2014 has been a real beaut--it was the year my dad beat cancer and I became a mom. There will never be another year where I hear my first baby's heartbeat for the first time or hold Rowan in my arms for the very first time or see his gummy little smile for the first time. It was a year of magic and firsts and love and feeling whole. The year had it's challenges, of course, with work stresses and the challenges of being new parents and my dad kicking the crap out of cancer for the better part of '14 but I wouldn't trade in those 365 days. Where 2013 felt like a punch in the gut, 2014 felt like victory. I have a sneaky feeling 2015 is going to be even better, too.

I've seen a bit of a change in tide regarding New Year's resolutions recently, people "rebelling" and not setting goals for the year ahead to avoid the pressure, the cliche, the whatever else. I'm definitely not one of those people. I am excited to make some (very attainable) goals for the year ahead and work toward them in the next twelve months.

Do More of What Makes Me Happy

This is pretty general, I just want to focus on being positive and doing more of what makes me happy and less of what makes me a grouchy beast. Whether it be at home, at the gym, at work, what have you I want to love what I do. I also am making a bigger, better effort not to let life's annoyances and toxic people drain me of my good energy. Basically, I don't give a rat's ass about being around things/people/situations that damage my good vibes so I'm pressing the mute button on them. Life is too short (and sometimes feels too long) to allow bitter hags to rule your mood.  My life is mostly rainbow colored unicorns and cotton candy clouds and I have really wonderful people in my inner circle, if you aren't on my happy level you can GTFO. There will always be stressful things and crabby nights of no sleep and unavoidable bad situations and days where I'm just a raging bitchface, that's part of life and I have people I can vent to, but I'm going to smile and be happy as much as I can. It's like the proverbial "they" say: you can't control what happens, you can only control how you respond.

Take Care

I'mma take care of everything! Post-pregnancy my body felt like a mess and I have had a hard time fitting in exercise (especially with the bitter cold barring me from even walking the neighborhood with Ro-Boat in his stoller). I spent a bit of last night finding work outs that can be done at home, without equipment and some even WITH your baby. After some breastfeeding challenges (more on that in another post) I've also cleaned up my diet. Since I felt like a schlub after having the baby I relied heavily on maternity leggings and nursing tank tops, never putting on makeup and piling my hair in a messy bun. Now that I feel a bit more comfortable with nursing and I'm working on gettin' my bod right, I want to take better care of my appearance again.

This one also applies to my relationship--I want to take care of the bond between my husband and I. People aren't kidding when they say the first few months of being a parent are hard on your relationship. Rhyno and I made a pact to make a better effort to be good to one another and reserve one evening a week for date nights (thank goodness for grandmas who love to babysit, am I right?).

Keep Turning this House into a Home

Our house is really cute. I mean, seriously, it is really cute. But over the last year or so, we've noticed more and more things that need work (#homeownerproblems, for real). When I was eight and a half months pregnant Rhyno noticed the shower in our master bathroom had cracked and now the entire room needs to be gutted (someday remind me to tell you how hilarious it is showering in our tiny basement shower when you have a belly for miles and can barely bend over). Our kitchen has been a disaster area (it is still my least favorite room) and we have plans to begin renovations on that as well. Rhyno and I made a list of the big home changes we'd like to work on this year--the bathroom, kitchen, making a berry patch in the backyard, fixing up our back patio, working on some of the landscaping. As I slip more into the homeowner role, I realize how important curb appeal is. 

Aside from BIG changes, I also have plans to re-organize our digs and cozy up some rooms (on a budget, of course). For instance, Rowan's nursery could also use some organizational magic--that kid has a lot of stuff! My angel of a mother has also been staying over in our guest room/my office once a week so I'd like to make that space a bit more inviting for sleepovers while still being conducive to a productive work day. I've also made a full time transition back to our bedroom with my tiny co-sleeping babe (again, another post on how I jumped into being an accidental vegan and my accidental attachment parenting) and I want our bed to be a sanctuary of sorts. I want to be able to comfortable nurse Rowan at 2am without having to reorganize 845 pillows in the dark with a crying baby waiting to eat.

Make it Rain (on my bank account)

 Changes are a' comin' and I want to be prepared with a fully loaded bank account. With plans for our home updates and my own demand that we go on vacation this year (see below), I want to make sure that we are saving as many of our pennies as possible without missing out on things we want to do. I was pretty good about saving money and getting on a budget last year when I was couponing and really paying attention to our bank account. Since having a baby I paid less attention to spending money (Rowan needs cute booties! I need a hands-free pumping bra! Who needs coupons or sales?) and I need to change that. I'm jumping back into couponing, making our own cleaning supplies, looking for sales on big items, being mindful of when we make big purchases, meal planning, and keeping baby items as low-cost as possible. Instead of going out to eat or ordering in, I've made a resolution to actually use our cookbooks. I have an entire cabinet of cookbooks ranging from all chocolate desserts to gluten free to vegan homecooking. Once a week, on a night we'd normally order pizza or Chinese, I plan to use a cookbook recipe instead. We get to try something new without spending a ton of money.

Until now we've been cloth diapering about 10% of the time and using disposables 90%. To help save money and the planet and keep our house as cruelty-free as possible, I am hoping to reverse that ratio (basically only having disposables on hand for babysitters or days where we're out and about) and introducing re-usable wipes. Yes, it'll be messy but it'll be worth it.

Get Out There

My biggest goal in 2015, and in motherhood in general, is to get out there and try new things and see new places. I've done a bit of research about free programs and classes and events in our area to check out with Ro. I also made a rule that we have to take a family vacation every single year without exception, even if it's short or on a really tight budget (we are already pricing out a trip to visit family in Florida for a long weekend this summer--Ro will see the ocean for the first time!). 

Bring it on, 2015, I have a feeling you are going to be so rad...because I'm going to make sure you are rad.

What are your resolutions for 2015?

The Last One.

It's my 29th birthday!

The last birthday of my twenties, the last birthday before I become a mom. This is kind of a big day. 

I'm a "birthday person" by nature. I am that friend who will text and connect via ever social medium to wish you happy birthday and I'll send you a funny picture of my dog wearing a birthday hat. I set my alarm on Rhyno's birthday a half hour earlier than his to make him breakfast and be downstairs to greet him when he wakes up. I will bake you a cake that is four tiers high and in your favorite color and shape. Birthdays are a big deal. This one feels like the biggest deal to me.

I've never been someone to worry about getting old. As friends of mine hit their 25th birthday and started short "quarter-life crises," my 25th birthday was amazing (to be fair I got married 3 days after and then went to Disney World for a week so the last thing on my mind was being an old bag of bones). Now on the day that officially begins the last year of my twenties I feel....happy. I feel calm about getting older, getting (hopefully) wiser, and starting a brand new chapter in my life. No, everything isn't totally figured out for me like I thought it would be at this age and I still question a lot of my decisions but today I feel calm with ending 28 and beginning 29.

My first baby is due exactly one week from today and this last birthday of mine is surreal. As I was eating birthday cake at 4am (yes, you read that correctly, move on) I kept thinking about how this little, sugary tradition of mine might be different next year. Maybe I'll be tired from being up with the baby or maybe my body clock with change and it'll be the first year in forever that I don't automatically wake up super early on my birthday because I'm excited.

A few people have asked me if  this year is bittersweet for me since it's the last year of my birthday as the baby of my family and next year's birthday will start with a 3 instead of a 2. Truthfully? I'm excited. Sure, my life has some wrinkles in it but isn't that what this last year of my twenties is for? I've made a resolution to make a (small, undaunting) bucket list of things I'd like to accomplish before October 20, 2015. Number one on that list? I suppose it would be having a baby, any day now.

Happy birthday to me and goodbye 28. I'm ready to celebrate this last year of my twenties and begin the newest chapter of my life, baby and all. :)

What Makes You Happy.

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Just  a little Wednesday brain food for thought. Enjoy your day and do happy things!

Happy Birthday (tomorrow), Rhyno!

Tomorrow is Rhyno's birthday and I am still working on ways to make this whole weekend special. 

We're going out to Dave & Buster's with our closest friends tonight, Rhyno has a soccer game and then we're having my parents over for lunch (and tool shopping for Ry and my dad), and dinner with just the two of us. Plus, CAKE. 

A few weeks ago my mom asked for baby/toddler photos of Rhyno for our baby shower. Can I just say, HOW CUTE IS HE? He's a pretty cute adult too!

 

 

Happy birthday to my bubba, my Ryan, my Rhyno, my love. You make me the craziest and the happiest and love me more than anyone ever could. I can't wait to see you become a dad next month and spend so many more years going on adventures with you.

Happy birthday (tomorrow) to my love!

A Thought to Chew On with Your Brain Teeth.

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Sometimes you are perusing Pinterest and you see something that really bangs you on the side of the head.

So often I wonder about what will happen next and try to plan everything as much as possible. With so much that I can't plan happening right now and so many things in the future that are out of my control, I needed to see this. It reminded me to take a step back and breathe. For so long I stressed about getting pregnant and then when I decided to be patient, it happened. My guess is that most things will happen that way...I just have to remember to breathe.

Currently.

 A few of my 100 Happy Days. 

 (Clockwise from top left: a sweet handmade and made from recycled materials surprise from an old friend for Babysaurus, celebrating Grandparents Day & the Bears game with my parents, chalkboard paint on every dang thing, a delicious creme brulee milkshake, a gorgeous morning sky, and a big package for Babysaurus--this kid gets the best and most thoughtful mail!)

I am currently...

....eating whenever I can. I still feel like the desire to eat never fades but I get full so much faster than usual. This week I made chili in the slow cooker for dinner. After a heaping bowl, Rhyno was so full he could hardly move. After a heaping bowl, I was craving cereal and proceeded to have two bowls. I'm still on the fruit craze (hello, honeycrisp apples, you sexy bitches) and pumpkin granola is all I ever want. Also, hot chocolate or lemonde? ALL THE TIME. 

...making plans for Rhyno's birthday! He turns 32 next Saturday and I want to make his day really special as his last birthday with just the two of us. I had originally planned to hit up a Lucky Boys Confusion and Mest show (talk about throwback, right?) at a local venue but the doc let me know the loud volume may not be best for babe. I'm thinking maybe dinner and a movie or a trip to a museum. Rhyno is pretty low-key (for his last birthday his request was Taco Bell and episodes of The League). I'm also researching some local breweries since he's a bit of a beer nerd.

...listening to Centuries by Fall Out Boy.  I love them so much. I have listened to this song at least 3,874,978 times already.

...reading all the baby books I should have read back in my first trimester. Still. Can I make an addendum to this one to include what I'm writing? I started compiling the pregnancy pieces of our baby book and have had such a special time remembering finding out we were pregnant and announcing it and what I've been craving.

...watching Masterchef! We don't have cable so Tuesday nights are my "catch up on Masterchef via Hulu" nights. I don't want to pass out any spoilers but BOTH people I was rooting for were recently booted so now I have my fingers crossed for Elizabeth. I'm a huge fan of this show, you might remember my cousin-like-a-sister and I even had a finale viewing party with our own Mystery Box challenge last year (remember?).

...loving that Fall is just around the corner! We've had a few cold and rainy days that I soaked up. I can't wait to light apple-scented candles and turn on our fireplace and crunch around on some leaves.

 

 ...looking forward to our baby shower in just a few weeks! I've been trying my darnedest to find a really knock-out dress, that's my main project for the weekend.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

If you also partake in Currently posts, please link up in the comments!

Lovely Links.

Since I basically troll the internet for cuteness and laughter every day, a round up of lovely links for this lovely Wednesday: 

19 Pieces of Life Advice from Cute Rats

Fall is seriously the best.

This teddy bear is pumped to meet his new best friend.

Hello, nurse!

How good do these oat crumble squares look?

Any cute links, stories, memes I should know about?

A Very Happy Birthday.

Taking this Friday to wish a special birthday to a special person.

Though she's no longer here, today is my Aunt Joan's birthday. A vibrant, fiercely loyal, and warm-hearted woman who I miss every single day. Her love was tough and lasting and unconditional. Her voice was one of a kind and her laugh infectious. My heart aches that my husband and baby will never get the chance to meet her, but I consider every day I spent with her a lucky one.

 

Happy birthday, Aunt Joan!

In honor of this wonderful lady, I challenge all of you to do some acts of kindness this weekend--pay for the person in line behind you at Starbucks, leave a quarter taped to a gumball machine, put a nice note on a public bathroom mirror. Bring a smile to someone and pass along kindness. I think that's exactly what she would have done.

Enjoy your weekend!

A(nother) New Motto.

I love a good motto, a little something to propel me forward in a positive way. While perusing Instagram (when I probably should have been sleeping or doing something else) I stumbled upon this beaut:

 

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I love the idea of throwing a shit ton of kindness out there (to put it in basic terms, I suppose). I feel like there is so much negativity out there anyway with terrible stories on the news and grumps on social media that it doesn't hurt to smile at strangers, send care packages for no reason, or text people just to ask how they are. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has made me so happy because, despite an overwhelming amount of critics and nonsense complaints, people are doing something silly and ultimately so kind. 

I'm trying to challenge myself to do something kind at least once a day--whether it's leaving a sweet treat like cookies in my mailbox for our neighborhood's postal worker or donating a few cans of food to our local food pantry or just texting a friend to see how they are. No kindness is too big or too small, right?

What kind things will you do today?

Happy Weekend!

Happy (almost) weekend!

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This week has been a busy one! I spent most of the week working from the hospital and, as my dad would joke, "holding vigil." His surgery went well and he's in incredible spirits. I can't express how proud of my dad I am and so happy that things are going so well in his recovery. It has been a long 9 months since his initial cancer diagnosis and our family is so grateful and happy to have him nearly back at fighting strength. I can't wait til he's released from the hospital and back at home--things are a changin'!

I hope your weekend is filled with fun--we'll be visiting my dad, hopefully working on the last baby room details, going to a beer tasting/music fest, and I have a baby shower for another mama-to-be.

What are your weekend plans?

A Letter to Babysaurus.

Dear Babysaurus,

At 30 weeks pregnant, I can feel you move and wiggle at all hours of the day. It is the most joyous, exciting feeling. I think about what you look like in there--are you sucking on your hands? Are you being rocked to sleep when I move around? Are you a baby boy or a baby girl?

I'm so excited for October 27th. I think about you all the time (I'm sure you know that given that I talk to you incessantly throughout the day). Little chores and ordinary moments are made magical because I explain them to you and I'm so excited to show you when you get here. In the mornings I love explaining to you where Violet's dog food is and how many vitamins she gets with her breakfast. I can't wait until you can walk and you can feed her in the morning. I love getting the mail because I picture having you snuggled close when I walk down our driveway to the box. 

Your daddy and I went to a baby prep class last week and I realized how calm I feel about all the changes about to take place. Lots of people have asked if I am scared or nervous, but so far I am only anxious about meeting you--I want to see your little face and if you have curly hair and I want to rub that little baby belly. But when it comes to having our lives change, I'm too happy to be afraid. I wanted and waited and wished for you for so long. I know there will be turbulent moments and when the nurses hand you off to me to bring you home I'm sure there will be that panicked moment of "Oh gosh, I don't know what I'm doing!" But rest assured, I'm trying to learn as much as possible about how to keep you clean and feed you and make your brain grow and how to make your transition from my belly to my arms as easy for you as possible. I've been practicing swaddling and diapering on your stuffed animals. I've been planning little diaper and feeding and napping stations around the house. I've been making room for your bottles and blankets.

I try to make mental notes of all the things I want to do with you and show you. If you're born before Halloween I already have it on my mental calendar to watch Hocus Pocus with you. And even though you'll be teeny tiny still, I have lots of ideas to make your first Christmas really magical. I dance around to the Muppet songs and hope you'll love them as much as I do. I think about the first time you'll eat avocados and if you'll like them as much as I do (or if you'll hate them like Daddy does). I wonder how long it'll take Violet to get used to you and if we'll have to tell her to cool it with the kisses on your face (she loves a little too much sometimes). I think about your first giggle and first smile and first steps and first word (I think you should lean toward "Mama" but we have time to decide on that). 

Everyone in my life (our lives, actually) is crazy excited to meet you--I'm pretty sure your grandma is going to have to clear out grandpa's office to make room for all the toys and clothes she's bought you and grandpa is already planning the fun things you'll do together. Daddy felt you kick for the first time and is now a belly junkie, he constantly reaches over to see if you are wiggling or kicking (he thinks you're going to be a soccer player but by the way you move I am 99% positive that you are prepping for the hockey rink). Your aunties are already planning to spoil you and steal you away for sleep overs. One of your future BFFs (who is two and a half) has been asking what you look like and if she can hold you since you were the size of a walnut. Everyone is wondering if you are a boy or girl and what your name is.

Only a little over two months until I get to see your tiny fingers and kiss your baby cheeks and snuggle you close to me. It'll be the longest two months ever but feel free to take your time in there getting big and strong and (I'm sure) cuter every single day.

 

XOXO I love you most, 

Mommy

 

My New Motto.

A couple of week's ago while, of course, perusing Pinterest I came across my newest and most favorite motto for my life. 

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Sometimes pregnancy hormones are a blast because they make you feel bummed about little things and you get moody when you normally wouldn't. Late last week I came across someone I knew years ago that I used to secretly envy and saw that she is successful, living in the city with a great job skinny body and cute hair. Normally I would have paused for a moment of jealousy (it happens to all of us) and then forgotten about it. Oh, no, hormones wouldn't have that. I sulked about what she has that I don't and I wondered if I wasted my youth--did I make the most of my time in college? Should I have applied for better internships or chosen a different school altogether? Why didn't I lose weight all those years ago so I'd have felt confident enough to do the things that I should have?

They aren't kidding when they saying comparison is the thief of joy. After a couple days of bumming about this and being a light shade of green with envy, I pulled up the image above and made myself really take it in. Have I made mistakes? Duh. A lot of them. Have I missed certain opportunities? Probably. Is my life any less wonderful than someone else's? Not at all.

Wonderful things have already happened to me. Wonderful things are happening all the time. Wonderful things are in both the near and distant futures.

It's easy to catch a case of the Monday's on Sunday evenings--years ago it used to happen to me all the time. I am making a conscious effort to focus on the wonderful things that are about to happen, both big and small, instead of the nuisances. Let's focus on the roses blooming in the garden instead of the long conference call during the workday. There are little bits of magic all over the place and (hormones be damned!) I make an effort to find them.

P.S. Thank you for the outpouring support about my plus-sized pregnancy post. I've so appreciated the outreach, tweets, and texts!

100 Happy Days.

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As a lover of life and a chaser or complete happiness, I am loving all these posts related to #100happydays. I've seen friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posting photos of family, baked goods, sunny days, and anything that makes them happy. The posts are infectious--I feel myself smiling while cruising through photos of things that make other people smile and I'm happy to join in on the fun. I plan to jump in with both feet sometime this week.

I am lucky to be surrounded by lots of happy things and I look forward  to documenting little moments that bring me joy throughout every day. I plan to do a round up here every couple of weeks--feel free to link up if you do too!

Are you participating in 100 Happy Days?

Everyday Magic.

I think there's magic in every single day. There has to be, right?

Beautiful sun rises, delicious food, great mascara, big laughs, perfect weather, everything. Life might be a little sunnier if we began believing there was real magic all over the dang place.

Happy Friday! Where will you find magic today?

Acts of Kindness & Good Things.

The last week has been a whirlwind of sorts. Dealing with a family issue and a terrifying emergency room trip for myself on Saturday night...life is just rough sometimes.

In a cranky mood the other day and upset about a myriad of things, I found myself fuming about the people who know things that I am going through and don't bother to reach out--you can call it selfish if you like. Friends who don't ask how things are going or if there's anything they can do though I would and have done the same for them. I wound up telling Rhyno that once life was settled again I was, "taking an axe to the people who don't give a shit and cutting them out of my life."

I am incredibly level-headed like that, especially when I'm Incredible Hulk-ing out.

It's easy, especially in times of high stress, to focus on the people that DON'T reach out. The people that DON'T ask how things are going. The people who, whether they realize it or not, show that they just don't care. I get that your life is busy, so is mine, but a text takes like ten seconds. Believe me, I wallowed in these muddy thoughts for a few hours before my mom told me to focus on the other half. For every asshole, there is someone amazing. There is my best friend who make vegan freezer meals for my family, my coworkers who text and IM to ask how things are, my bosses who are constantly supportive and understanding, the friends who reach out just to make me laugh, my family who is just the all-around best. In learning to better focus on the good in life, I also have to focus on the good people. 

How do you handle negative influences in your life or absentee friends?

Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you get hammered or eat cabbage or whatever it is you like to do to celebrate. :)

The Importance of Being Nice.

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Years ago I printed this out and hung it on my office door. Whenever people would get cattywampus in my space, I would just point to the sign, smile, and say, "That's a real rule in here."  or "Do you need to go away?" It always lightened cranky situations.

It's so important to be nice. I know I don't always live up to my own moral code but I try very hard. Sometimes people--whether they be popular bloggers, celebrities, or regular folk--act in such snippy, mean ways that it just bums me out. Like, I get it. Sometimes we're tired or cranky or just in a foul mood but let's all try to be a little nicer, mmmkay?

Sometimes it's so much easier to lash out. Believe me, I know, I have such a hot temper and I can be too quick to honk my horn or roll my eyes or give my husband a piece of my mind over something so  silly that I lose track of my point and start griping about irrelevant things.  But can we all try to take a second to react?  I have found that I sleep much better at night when I wait a beat before reacting to annoying situations during my day. When someone messes up a work project and I have to re-do an hour of work? When someone cuts me off in traffic? When my neighbor's garbage blows all over my yard and they don't pick it up? All things I could fly off the handle about but won't and shouldn't. It just isn't worth it.

Things you or I say in a moment of anger can cause days (or even weeks) of upset for the receiver. Why don't we all agree to just be nice?