New Layout

I've decided it's time for a change in the way my blog looks. I liked the quilted effect, but it seemed over powering on the page and I wanted a simpler look. I will possibly be tweaking this look for a week or two because I'm not 100% sure I like it. Especially the title needs lots of work. I want a more updated picture for one, since the one I have up there is over a year and a half old. I see all kinds of cool titles and layouts out there. How do you decide your layout with pictures, etc? I'm curious if anyone has any cool tricks without getting too involved. What do you think of the pink of this new layout? Too much? Not enough? I would love some constructive feedback or if there is something you like. Well, that's it really, just a warning of layout changes and a plea for suggestions. Hope you had a great Monday.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

I'm going to be honest. This has been sort of a ho-hum week. Not a bad week, just sort of blah. We all have those days, where you don't really care if it began or when it ends. It isn't a good feeling.

Every day should be taken by the hand and danced through. That is something I believe. Carpe Diem, right? SEIZE THE DAY! No matter what you are doing, whether working, staying at home, running around like a crazy person or like me doing laundry and taking care of a two year old day in and day out. We have to make the most of it and find joy, even in the mundane. That is another thing I truly believe.

However, just because I believe it doesn't mean I always succeed at the follow through. I sort of work up yesterday when I looked at my daughter and saw her laugh. Like most kids, I suppose, Zoey has a wonderful, infectious laugh. Ever since she was a baby her smile just lit up her entire face, like you could see the joy behind her eyes. It has always been one (of many) of my favorite characteristics of her.

Well yesterday we were playing and she started laughing. I don't even know what now honestly, my mind was somewhere else, probably thinking of all the dirty dishes piling up in the sink. But her laugh really got my attention. And I started laughing too. We just sat looking at each other and laughed for at least 5 minutes. Let me tell you, I felt so much better.

Laughter really is the best medicine.

Today has been so much better. My mind has kick started thanks to my daughter reminding me what is really important in life: each other and laughter.

Proverbs 17:22 says "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones" (NIV). Even God wants us to find the fun in life and laugh often. By letting ourselves get into passive moods we crush our spirit and dry out. Life is too good to waste...so Seize the Day!

Vivi Bene, Ridi Spesso, Ama Molto
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

I Never Got the Hang of Thursdays...

I first want to say that if you've never read "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams, you should. That is what the title quote is from.

Secondly, I will say that this is mostly a rambling post, so beware.

This week has been long. It already feels like Friday. I think I'm just so excited about seeing our family next week for Thanksgiving. I can't wait!

I haven't been blogging very much. I sort of miss it actually. I've been writing on my novel for November writing month and I haven't been doing a whole lot else. I haven't been scrapbooking, keeping up with my pictures well or most of my other hobbies. I am finding success in the writing challenge though because I have written at least around 800 words everyday, most days much more than that. I'm really enjoying getting lost in my story and even found inspiration to lay foundation to another one. Who knows, maybe I will become a novelist after all. So far I have managed to write almost 25,000 words, which means I am almost halfway to my goal of 50,000. My concern is that with Thanksgiving coming up I won't have even as much time to write as I do now. I suppose I'll just have to buckle down a couple days to get the average up.

The only other thing I have made time for myself apart from my family is to read. I am reading Twilight: Breaking Dawn...again. Yeah, yeah, I know. It is so my guilty pleasure though. And the movie, part 1, is coming out in theaters this Friday and I can't wait to go. I started reading because of that and I just couldn't stop. I thought I would get the first half of the book read before seeing the movie this Friday and it turns out I am already almost finished with the entire thing.

Zoey is growing so much. She can now count to twelve, but a lot of times after ten she will say "liftoff!" She is talking very clearly and has so many words and phrases now. It is fun to talk with her now. Today, she used her stool to get a piece of candy (which we allow in moderation) and strolled into the living room. I asked where mine was, and you know what. She had two in her hand and immediately handed me one. I was impressed. She constantly surprises me with how much she understands and is able to do for herself.

One morning this week I asked her what she wanted for breakfast. She said eggs. She pointed them out even though they were in a different place. I set two aside for her and she cracked them in a bowl, scrambled them with a fork and then poured them into a pan. I was right beside her the entire time. She even scraped them in the pan some. I finished up the cooking part while she gathered her cup and got a plate for me. She ate both the eggs and enjoyed her special breakfast.

So that's probably enough rambling for now. I'm still here and even though I still have lots to talk about I'm focusing on my writing not blogging right now. Even this post is a good 600 words that aren't going to my story. So I will bid you farewell. But have a great day! And I will be back in full sometime soon.

NaNoWriMo Update:
Nov 15: 886
Nov 16: 1488
Total: 24,634

NaNoWriMo Update

I haven't written much on my blog the past week or so. I suppose I've been too busy doing and writing. I'm been meaning to put this update up for a while, but I'm doing fairly well in the NaNoWriMo challenge this month.

Here's my progress so far...

Total Words per day:
Nov 5...650
Nov 6...1134
Nov 7...1331
Nov 8...1172
Nov 9...772
Nov 10...2439
Nov 11...1148
Nov 12...801
Nov 13...3408
Nov 14...1594

My words total for the whole month is...22260!

Almost halfway through the month and halfway to my goal of 50,000 words!

Zoey Playing Mommy

I believe that us taking care of our friend's daughter and meeting their new baby yesterday had an impact on Zoey too. This morning she woke up and kept asking, "Where's the baby?" It was the cutest thing. I tried to explain that they were at their house and reminded her how we went to see them last night. She seemed to understand that fairly well.

She went and found her baby doll and tried to but her in the crib. Zoey said "baby go night night." I got our boppy out so Zoey could lay her baby in it and cover her up with a blanket. Zoey gave her baby doll a kiss on the forehead and sang her a lullaby. She talked to her baby and held the little hand, and my heart melted. She is going to make a wonderful big sister when the time comes.

Of course, Zoey is still two and the baby doll is not real so inevitably she picked the baby doll up by the feet and inadvertently banged her head on the side of the crib, but hey, the sweet moments were priceless. And it's cool she understands the idea of a baby at least a little and she definitely knows how to have fun.

Zoey Playing Mommy with her Baby doll

Giving Baby a kiss

Tucking Baby in

Singing Baby a lullaby

Playing Pat-a-cake with Baby

Cuddling with Baby in the crib