The Party's Over

If you don't like something change it;

if you can't change it, change the way

you think about it. ~ Mary Engelbreit

My portion of the Summer Blog Party 2008 is over. The Par-Tay with Attitude! contest is officially closed. Thank you to everyone who entered.

But this doesn't mean people can't continue to post about how attitude makes a difference when you're trying to make positive changes in your life. It's a subject I find fascinating, so I hope you'll let me know if you decide to write something. There may not be a prize involved for focusing on the positive, but the personal rewards are immeasurable.

That being said, there are three more entries in the contest that you've gotta check out!

Nana Karen at Never 2 Many Quilts posted about how attitude made a difference when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Wow! She's a seven-year survivor so I think she knows what she's talking about!

Manuela at A New Decade took time out between running and gardening to write a thoughtful post about how a positive attitude has made a huge difference in this new phase of her life. Happy Canada Day to you, girl!

And finally, dear Rebecca at Ready Maid got in under the wire last night with a great post about why her attitude is making a difference in her weight loss journey this time around. "My body manifested my thoughts." I love that phrase!

Now comes the hard part: choosing a winner. I'm going to take a few days to read over each post again before I make a decision. That also gives me time to work on the runner a bit more (sneaky, eh?) I spent time on Saturday with friends, who helped me pick out the fabric for the borders. Wait until you see it: no one will ever be able to say the runner isn't bright and cheerful!



Happy July, everyone! I'm kind of a patriotic sap, so I love this time of year. Back home in Utah, it's a month long celebration of spirit and pride. We'd start the month with the traditional Fourth of July festivities, but the 24th of July marked the arrival of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake valley. It was (and still is) a huge celebration (whether you're Mormon or not) of statehood, country, mom and apple pie!

I know things are rough right now in our country: high gas prices, high food prices, the mortgage mess, flooding and/or wildfires (depending on where you live) not to mention a divisive presidential campaign. Let's all do what we can to help one another get through this, and continue to focus on all that's good in our lives. I believe with all my heart that if we seek out the positive, that's what we'll find because attitude really does change everything!


Until next time...

Projects

When you go the extra mile,

you are seldom delayed by a traffic jam. ~ Zig Ziglar

The deadline is fast approaching for the Par-tay with Attitude! Summer Blog Party contest, but there's still time to enter. The rules are simple: write a post on your blog about why and how attitude makes a difference when you're working to live a healthy lifestyle. Link your post back to my blog, and you're entered: it's that easy!

My favorite entry will win a quilted table-topper I'm creating out of the fun fabrics pictured above. Talk about a bright reminder to eat your fruits and veggies every day! The last day to enter is Monday, June 30th, so put on your thinking caps and and answer one question: does attitude really change everything?

* * * * *

As you can see by the photo above, I've just started on the table runner project. I've been busy the last two weeks working on an altogether different kind of endeavor. This is what my back yard looked like for a few days...

No, I haven't gone into the hardware business! I've been creating awards to thank my fellow Master Gardener volunteers.

Last night was our annual Volunteer Recognition dinner. I was approached by the organization's volunteer coordinator to think up and create some fun awards - light-hearted things that would still make note of each person's valuable contribution to the program. She and I sat down and did some brainstorming over her list of people she wanted to recognize. There were about two dozen awards in all. The spray-painted items above turned into the following:

The Golden Trowel Award, for service above and beyond.

The Sterling Communicator Award, for the people who handle all our internal email.

The Golden Nozzle Award, for a couple of folks who faithfully water the gardens at the farm where the Master Gardener program is based.

We shared a yummy dinner in the big red barn, did a little organizational business, then heard a fascinating talk about the revival of Victory Gardens around the country (given the high price of fuel, which is driving the cost of food sky-high, their resurgence makes perfect sense, doesn't it?) We then handed out the awards. I think everyone was pleased: it's always good to be recognized for going the extra mile. And I was thanked with a gift of darling tote bag. That was a nice surprise!

I have to be honest, though: I'm glad that project is behind me. Now I can go back to what I love doing most: quilting!


Until next time...

You Go, Girl!

Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples,

don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~Bill Meyer

Well folks, Deborah over at A Mountain of Weight to Lose has thrown down the gauntlet! She's the first to complete a fabulous post about the ways attitude makes a difference when trying to get healthy. She's come up with a clever way to work it around the term ADHD.

And she knows what she's talking about. Check out her weight loss stats and see how far she's come. You're doing a great job, Deborah. YOU GO, GIRL! -- and thanks for entering the Summer Blog Party contest.

Who's next? :-) For details, click here.

* * * * *

I also want to offer a YOU GO, GIRL! to my three stepdaughters. Each of them have made strides recently to move forward with their lives, either personally or professionally (or both.) The oldest will be moving out of our home and to a city five hours north of here on the 21st of this month. She's the last girl living at home... I'm feeling a case of empty-nest coming on! Katie, Lizzie, Megan: I am so happy for all you're doing, and am incredibly proud to be your stepmom!

* * * * *

Last, but far from least, a YOU GO, GIRL! to my sister Marilyn, who recently graduated as a Master Gardener in Salt Lake City. Not only did she pass the final exam, she aced it! Now she's working on getting in the required number of volunteer hours so she can become certified. She took her initial inspiration from my work at becoming a Master Gardener here in southern California, but she's far exceeded her little sister - and I'm so proud of her!

What about you? Is there a woman in your life today to whom you'd like to say YOU GO, GIRL! Life is too short: give them a shout out today!

Until next time...

When One Door Closes...

A light heart lives long. ~ Shakespeare

Tomorrow is my 51st birthday, and I can't wait!

Don't get me wrong: there's no huge celebration planned. In fact, I'll be doing my usual Friday grand jury duty in Los Angeles tomorrow. Listening to tax evasion, bank robbery and child pornography cases for one's birthday... quite the party, eh?

No, the celebration this time is more symbolic: I am ready to close the door on my 50th year. It fell short of everything I was hoping for, and was a year of two steps forward, five steps back --and then some.

First, the weight gain. After working so darn hard for two years to get those 45 pounds off, I let them come back with a vengeance. So rather than looking '50 and Fabulous,' which had been my plan, it was more like '50 and Frumpy.' Not quite what I had in mind.

Then there was the fact that I came face to face with my life-long dream of being in business for myself, and I couldn't do it. Maybe I was scared; maybe I was not driven enough. I've analyzed it to death and the only thing I know for sure is that it wasn't for me.

And finally, just the act of turning 50. Egad - I'm middle-age... more years behind me than in front of me... if not now, when? On and on and on.

So 50 was not a fun year, in many ways. But it's over as of tomorrow, and I've already begin making positive moves.

Since I wasn't cut out to be in business for myself, I decided to stop beating myself up about it. I applied for a wonderful position at our local library, one that I'd dearly love to have. I was one of seventy applicants and made it into the final nine. I'll know in the next few weeks if I got the job. Even if I don't get it, it's a positive step forward.

I've started walking on a pretty regular basis, which feels terrific on so many levels. It increases my self-confidence and lifts the blue moods when they attack. Now, I'm no fool: if I want to lose the weight I've gained, I'm going to have to exercise a heckuva lot more than I am now. My head is not at that place quite yet, although I am actually thinking of going back to the gym. I'm not there yet, but even contemplating it is a big step for me!

I've done some clothes shopping recently and have bought some new outfits in bright summer colors. Cute tops and capris that make me feel part of the world instead of hiding from it in sweats and a t-shirt. Yes, the clothes are in a much bigger size than I was wearing two years ago, but they are an investment in my self-confidence - and that's critical for any of us who are in the process of moving forward.

Finally, I'm feeling at peace with the idea that I'm middle-aged (actually, way past it since it's unlikely that I'll live to be 100!) I've stopped pushing so hard in all areas of my life and am cutting back so I can enjoy the activities I choose to do. If I want to live a long, healthy life, I need to lighten my heart, which means acknowledging that I do enough and that I am enough. It's time to enjoy my life.

So all in all, I think I'm giving myself some pretty terrific birthday presents including shutting the door on my 50th year. I'm going to take what I learned from these past twelve months and move into the rest of my life with a lighter heart, my stomach sticking out waaaay too far, and my head held high!

Until next time...

Happy St. Pattie's Day!

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time -
a day to begin transforming winter's dreams
into summer's magic. ~ Adrienne Cook

I decided years ago that St. Patrick's Day was MY holiday.

Am I Irish? Nah. Well, maybe a little. I'm what is fondly referred to as an American "mutt" -- a mix of all kinds of things. Some Danish, some English, so there's probably some Irish in there some where, don't you think? Plus they say that all of us are Irish on St. Patrick's Day.

I adopted the holiday as my own back in my college days. I mean, with a first name like mine, it's a natural fit! Those were the days of green beer and green vodka - crazy parties that lasted until the wee hours of the mornin'.

My, how things have changed.

We celebrated here on Saturday night, since two of my four kids were here for dinner. I made corned beef and cabbage, which these two adore. Their dad and I are pretty fond of it, as well. I was feeling very mature, very much like the grown-up woman that I am today... then Katie handed me a small glass of Bailey's Irish Cream (of course!) tinted with green food coloring.

It made me smile, and I almost (almost) danced an Irish jig. It's good to know that some traditions never change.

For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way-
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.

Happy St. Pattie's Day, everyone!


Until next time...