Stop. Simply. Be.

I do not believe in something without trying it myself. I began 40 Days of Thankfulness, asked people to join and continued doing it with them. 


I started 365 Days of Gratitude and am now on day 35. I did not think I would be able to keep that commitment at all. But now with 200 members in that group, a new blog site dedicated to it, and a new challenge to go along with our gratitudes, the idea is spreading. 


So the idea of Gratitude and Simplicity is in my head every minute of every day. Even in the sad moments, stressful moments, and moments of unexpected change. 


As I spend the day sitting with Jace, holding him, playing with him, feeding him, I'm reminded how fast my time with him is in this moment. This day my oldest turns 10. Just yesterday she was the same age and I was watching her try to crawl. 


So, I try at least once a day to stop and do something silly with my kids. We all need to take a break from being an adult for a few hours. Reading books, watching Justin Bieber videos, playing the Wii to WIN, making cupcakes or cookies, making a snowman or s'mores. . . .


The people you hold dear and near will thank you for it. 


In the chaos and craziness of the season, please, please, please stop. Take a simple moment to do a simple thing. In the simplicity we find authenticity, love and gratitude. 

My birthday gift to YOU!

Yes, friends. Today I turn 34. It's actually quite difficult to fathom that I've spent 34 years on this earth. Wow. #gratitude

To those middle school kids last week, I seem old. To those kindergartners, I seem ancient. To those mentors, I seem young. To my parents, I still am a baby. :) 

Age is all in your perspective. How you see it, is how it will be. 

If you've followed this blog for any significant amount of time you know things things to be true about your writer: 

1. Live simply. 

2. Love in all things.

3. Gratitude is the key to being able to breathe through your life. Being grateful doesn't mean life is perfect, it just means overlooking the "blech" parts and finding the "ahhhh" parts. 

4. Find simple things to pamper yourself and rejuvenate your day. 

5. Music speaks to my soul every day. It supports my emotion no matter what it is and gives me hope. It reminds me of love. It encourages me to dance. It bonds me and my children, my and my husband. I love every kind of music you can think of and jazz is one of my favorite things to listen to while sipping on some great wine! 

I could not live without any of these things. I would be miserable without them. 

So, for my birthday I'm giving YOU a present. 

1. Here is a great holiday tradition to start with your family at any time! You can readjust it to 10 days, 5 days. Remember that kids love simple things just as much as you do! 

2. A great friend (JL) has offered to giveaway one of her products! I've chosen to giveaway something to pamper your body!  You'll love it and it will force you to pamper that skin! 

3. A great musician agreed to giveaway his CD. Jonny Blu will send an autographed CD to you! 

So - the rules. 

Be a follower. 

Comment one thing you did to enjoy life today! 

You only have until 12 AM December 7 to post and enter! I'll pick a winner for #2 and #3 and notify you! 

big love and gratitude. . .