BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME...

After more than two years I am returning to BLOGGER! 

Today, Sunday, October 20, 2013 I am beginning a new plan. All I can really say about it is that it takes just TEN MINUTES A DAY!

My plan involves being consistent with this 10-minutes every single day for 365 days. 
My hope is that I will also stop in here and write something about it each day.

But enough of that... 2 years is a long, long time in the life of a blogger. There's not room enough, nor time enough to fill you in on everything that's happened in the last 2 years.  It wasn't what I wanted (most). It wasn't what I planned (at all). It was exciting (lots of times). It was full of life-changing events (quite often). It is now in the past (thank goodness)!!! 

Sometimes, many times, we can learn from our past. Yes, I did learn a few things. Will I share my new-found knowledge with you, dear readers?  Only time will tell. ;-)

Since I'm more or less starting over and I expect new readers to stop by I will share a little of myself in this post.  The biggest part of my life is taken up being a MOM... of six grown children now ranging in age from almost 22 years old up to 31 years old. Five girls, one boy; none married yet, no grandkids yet, 2 seem to have possibly found their "one true love" and 4 are or have been to college.  Not bad for a mom who's done it solo almost all of their lives (but that's for another time to tell). :)

For now, so long, see you tomorrow!

andee365

Purpose - Schmurpose!

Purpose – schmurpose! LOL 20 days down and I've spent most of it rather down … but not quite out... due to some of life's unexpected troubles. :( The damages are reversing, healing, returning to normal, slowly. But, as usual, it's not going to stop me from moving toward my goals!

And I am still moving ahead WITH PURPOSE! I am determined that even starting my business month 33% behind (so to speak) will not keep me from building my business!

Same for SPARKnEarthlyBest – no progress to report, but no backsliding either!

On the green front... we are doing LOTS BETTER at eating REAL FOODS! I found a few new blogs to follow in this effort of avoiding processed foods more:

100daysofrealfood.com and foodformyfamily.com and eatingrules.com

If you have any interest at all in eating less processed foods, more organic foods, or more local foods you may find one or all of these very helpful! :)

And with ANDEE365 – Wow! Have we been 'thru the ringer' and then some! It wasn't fun. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. :( However, we have had some extensive family discussions about the things that have happened and the things that could yet happen. These have resulted in a number of things improving around here. But there are still some “issues” to resolve ~ aren't there always such things in large families? LOL So, we move ahead! We go forward WITH PURPOSE! We take stock of where we are at; where we want to go; and which path(s) we want to take to get there.

I do have to say this: In the last 20 days I've talked to a number of locals and met some really nice people! This makes me look forward even more to what's ahead as I seek out more and more of the people of my little town and help them understand what a wonderful thing I have for them with my company! :) There are lots of hard-working folks around here who are barely getting by and really struggling to find that “something” that will help them get to the next check, help them get to feeling better so they can do more to meet their families' needs, and give them hope for a brighter future. Before long they will all know! I can't wait to share what I have with all of them!!!

I close with this:

"Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

~ Steve Jobs (Feb. 24, 1955 – Oct. 5, 2011)

049 ~ Perfect!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

(a little behind...)

One of these days I'll figure out the how's and why's of photography!

Same everything but they came out different - WHY?  HOW???

I like both of them!  I just want to know how to make sure

I'm getting the look I want, when I want it!

Is that so much to ask?

There are so many things I want to know more about:

Why do some people seem to always get all the "good stuff" in life?

Why do others seem to always get all the "leftovers" in life?

Do they each do something, anything different?

Why is it that whatever it is you think you want, 

when you finally get it, you want something different?

If you're one of those people who always gets the leftovers,

is it really possible to change things in your life somehow

so you can start getting the good stuff instead?

Wouldn't this world be wonderful if everyone was content?

Wouldn't it be nice to know that whatever you desired, you'd get?

Wouldn't we all be better people without so much stress over 

getting the good stuff,

not getting the leftovers,

being able to meet our needs 

and then some

without a lot of hassles?

In a perfect world ...

there would be no want,

there would be no pain,

there would be no sorrow,

life would be all we want it to be, 

in every way possible!

Wouldn't you love a perfect world?

038 ~ Grasshoppers

Friday, November 26, 2010

(it's late - lol - see day 037 for an explanation)

Same cookies, different camera options.

If you don't recognize them, these are the 

Girl Scouts' Thin Mints Cookies.

They happen to be a favorite in our house. 

However they are also available year-round at most grocery stores (probably a little cheaper too) under the Keebler label with the name of Grasshoppers!

A few other Girl Scout cookies are out there too!

You can't get all of them anytime you want but several are available if you search them out.  You should be aware though, not all stores will carry all that could be available to you.  So it may take some tough tracking to find your favorite!

The art of photography escapes me it seems.  I know I pushed different buttons to effect the differences in these two pictures but it's not something I really took note of, so I've no idea what it was that made each result come out like it did.  My photographer friends would think me silly for not knowing.  Oh well, not my sort of expertise!  ;-)

I do however love the difference in two things that I know, since I arranged the cookies and took the pictures, are exactly the same things!  In an abstract way it shows how two people might see the same thing completely differently!  Or it could show how two identical twins could be so completely different in so many ways from one another!

So much of what we observe in our lives is unique to our perspective!  If we have the belief that our dead loved ones will be one day resurrected with all their ailments and imperfections removed, then the death of our loved ones is not a sad nor painful thing but it is joyful because the next time we see them we shall all be totally healthy and happy and ready to fully enjoy living!

Not everyone agrees with me.

Friends of mine who also believe in this resurrection are deeply saddened when a loved one dies.  They can be inconsolable at times.  They spend a lot of time mourning.  They have a hard time focusing on living.  They feel like a part of them is lost and gone forever and they don't know how to move on, to move ahead with their lives because this person is no longer a regular part of it.

I am truly empathetic of all they are experiencing.

I have been all these things; many times; too many times.  But I have come to see that there is no benefit to me, nor to the one who died, in all my sorrow and mourning.  I will cry still each time it happens.  I mourn the loss of their company.  I mourn the loss of their friendship.  I mourn the loss of their smile, their laugh, the way they made me laugh.  Yes, I mourn too.

But I will still be filled with joy because I know their suffering is over.  They will now not have to struggle to survive these difficult times we live in.  They won't have to live in pain all the time anymore.  They won't have to have someone always around to care for them or just help them do things they used to do but can't anymore.  They will be whole again the next time we meet.  They will be in paradise, where Jehovah will satisfy their every desire.  Who wouldn't be happy, even overjoyed to know that their loved one's next moment in life would be like this?

037 ~ Topsy-Turvy

Thursday, November 25, 2010

(yes, I know it's late - very late - but I'll explain that...)  ;-)

TOPSY ~ TURVY

or

WELCOME TO MY UPSIDE-DOWN LIFE!

This picture is taken with the camera upside-down while my niece is also upside-down over the side of her couch reaching for something on the floor.

:)

We took several shots that day, but this one stands out to me.

It seems to show a lot of effort going into the reach.

That's how I feel in my life right now; that there's a lot of effort going into it. While there may be lots of effort, there doesn't seem to be much to show for it yet.  I expect that will change and eventually there will be something to see for all the hard work.

Which brings me to the reason for the delay in posting this.

For 36 posts I've put out pics of various things that have in some way related to our life - the life of all those who are regulars in my life.  But I got to thinking about the whole 365 thing - maybe too much, but here goes. lol

Many people I know doing a 365 type blog are in it for the pictures.  Quite a few of them are photographers, as in building a business taking pictures of people they are not related to. :)  Some are doing one just because they love to take pictures. :)  Either way is fine, makes no real difference to me, but neither is a real part of my reason for doing this.  Sure, the picture part of this is fun and it will be cool to see what a year's worth of pictures say about my life, or this life of my family & friends.  But what I expect or expected to do with this venue is more journal-like than that.  Don't get me wrong, I do love to take pictures.  But I love writing more.  I'm a writer and always have been. What would a year's worth of pictures be to me without written words of commentary?  What benefit would they have without some analyzing of life and how we reach our goals in life?  And why not throw in some history behind the picture or the people & places in the picture?  It might not be a thousand words each day, but it will certainly be a lot more than it has been!

As I contemplated these thoughts, I held off posting anything new here.  So I will catch up now... posting for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and today all in one day... bringing us up to 40 days... but look for the format to change up some. 

;-)

034 ~ Blues

B-L-U-E-S

B
L
U
E
S

Blues are the theme of today.
Peace be with you all.

032 ~ Heavenly

Heavenly Moon

I love this snapshot of the moon so perfectly framed in the bare branches of this tree.

This was a totally random shot taken in an attempt to capture the iridescent ring around the moon last night.  The colors didn't come out as well as we would have liked but it's still pretty.

Gazing up at the moon I often think of my Heavenly Father and all of his many creations.  How thankful I am for His many gifts each day, and each night.  Tonight especially I pray to my Heavenly Father to give whatever it is that my very dear sister Carolyn is in need of to get her through the night and into the day tomorrow until we can manage to visit her.  She is recovering from surgery, with complications now, and suffering from a terminal lung disease now compromised by all the stress of this surgery and it's complications.

Jehovah God cares for His People so lovingly and so tenderly, I find it hard to comprehend how some people can think He does not exist or does not care about us.  One has only to learn what it is that God wants them to do with their lives in order to see all that He does for them and gives to them each and every moment they are alive.  My friend Carolyn is certainly one that Jehovah God shall not forget and shall reward her for her love and faithfulness.

Rev. 21:4

030 ~ Spirals

The spirals in my life go down and then up

they spiral around and again go down.

The tears in my life overflow from my cup

they come more and more from all around.

It seems I never know when it will hit me - those tears slipping down my cheeks.  The day can be fine, even full and happy, busy with many great and wonderful things.  And then BAM! I'm crying!  It may be simple sobs; or hearty howls; or tender tears.  I never know.  Today a dear friend is having surgery.  I'm not able to be there waiting for her to be done, be through recovery, and finally into a room of her own.  I can't afford to send her flowers or balloons or other such cheerful things to let her know how much I'm thinking about her, how much I'm praying for her, and how much I wish for this time to be successful and help her to regain some of what she's lost since the problem(s) first came about.  I can send her a card - or a few.  I can call her - when she's finally awake and able to talk a few minutes.  But I can't do anything at all right now - except to pray for her.  Today I've cried heartily, I've cried softly, and I've cried silently.  The worry can overtake me - if I let it.  I won't let it.  Peace comes to me when I pray.  So I pray, and pray some more.

028 ~ Thought

Such an amazing promise!

027 ~ So Long

So long country garden...

Farewell country creek...

Goodbye long walks in the open country...

Adios wide open country spaces...

Adiau^ little country forest...

Shalom big red barn...

It's unofficially official (spoken from a reliable source but not directly from the person who knows) that we will not be moving out into the country this year.

:(

Yes, it's sad.

But, in the end of things now, it is what is best for all involved.

:)

So, we're OK with it.

For now, we stay where we are at... no savings with the budget this winter. 

Life, with it's twists and turns, goes on ~ so they say ~ and we will too!

Increased earnest effort will continue on toward growing our Melaleuca income. If we stay on target by this time next year we'll be able to move out to the country, into a nice, big farmhouse, with plenty of room for a huge veggie garden, lots of fruit trees, plenty of edible landscaping, and maybe even a good creek or freshwater pond abounding in all sorts of nutritious fare!

024 ~ Hearts & Flowers

Hearts and Flowers are today's pic.  :)  Last night I had to search my button jar for replacements on one of my favorite winter tops.  The original buttons have been falling off; and I really should have just reinforced all of them as soon as the first one fell.  The most recent washing cost me two buttons, only one of which I have found.  Thus the search for replacements.  This was my favorite!  It's a metal heart, sort of an old tarnished gold.  The design within the heart is flowers with leaves and stems intertwining.  With these shining buttons my favorite thermal top seems all new! 


Funny how such a small change can make such a big difference!


Have you ever thought about that?


One little change... how much power it holds... amazing!!!


I am making small, little changes in my life these days... little by little they are affecting bigger differences. :) :) :)

021 ~ Clouds

What does this picture make YOU think of?

With full credit and acknowledgement to Joni Mitchell I have to say, regarding this picture:

Bows and flows of angel hair

and ice cream castles in the air

and feather canyons everywhere

I've looked at clouds that way.

I see a face in these clouds, I just can't quite figure out what's going on with the mouth and/or chin area. LOL

Everything has more than one side, at least two sides, but usually more.

And again, with credit to Joni...

I've looked at clouds from both sides now

from up and down, and still somehow

it's clouds illusions I recall

I really don't know clouds at all.

One can look at many sides of something and still not truly understand it. 

One can look at something one time and see one thing, then look at it again a different time and see something completely different (not necessarily better or worse, just different).  Sorting out the illusions others want us to see versus the reality of what we are seeing isn't so easy.  My life is like this!

014 ~ Haircuts

Today was an interesting day!


We had appointments in La Crosse... so six of us left about 10 a.m. and didn't get back home until almost 3 p.m.  Then we had to split up as each had other appointments to get to.


At some point during the day in La Crosse I noticed my niece had taken scissors to her bangs (again) since I saw her last (on Monday).  She's been wanting to go back to "Wild Hair" salon and have her hair cut and styled.  They charge only $1 per year for kids.  They managed to tame a bad haircut (another do-it-myself-job-of-Dany's) and make it look decent for the start of school.  Dany's been saying she wants to go back there a lot the last week or so.  Monday night she decided to "do-it-herself" again thinking that would make us take her there right away!  WRONG!!!

I may try to get a better view later... but the 2/3 of her bangs that she cut were cut almost to the scalp way at the top of her forehead.  I'm thinking we're going let it grow out the whole month before taking her in to get it "fixed" and hope she will choose NOT to do it herself in the future.  But we can't reward her for doing this now by taking her in ASAP to get it looking better and give her the cut and style she's wanting.  (Reward her bad behavior? NO WAY!!!)


My appointment at 3 p.m. was a bust!  We, my triplets and I, were supposed to view an apartment we may be moving to.  Thing was, none of the keys that management or maintenance had turned in the lock!  They tried to reach to the present tenants, without success.  So we've rescheduled for 9 a.m. tomorrow.


The day ended with a certain 8-year-old climbing out her second-floor bedroom window onto the roof... resulting in grounding for the whole month!  What a day!

004 ~ Life Lesson #1

Four days into this 365 blog and already I've "missed" a day! :(


One thing that's constant in my life is that there is always so much to do!  Years ago someone actually took note of all I did in a typical day and all I needed to do and then tallied up how long it usually takes for such tasks.  The results?  All that I do - if I didn't multi-task or rush through it - would take me some 36 hours, and that did not include any sleep!  (just to give you an idea of how busy I am)


Even now, my life stays just as busy, only in different ways.  


These days I'm challenged by many "disabilities" that make some tasks take longer, make some need to be delegated more, and make for many unique solutions.  But this week I'm even more challenged by illness. :(  I got sick (like a semi-truck hit me - and I could tell you the exact moment, but my phone had died a short time before so I can't say the exact time) :-p on Monday, over a week ago.  At first it was like just a bad cold or something, but on Friday (a week from yesterday) instead of continuing to improve as I was, I suddenly got worse.  That night fevers went up and down, as high as 105, and I was seriously contemplating heading to the ER, but waited.  Come Monday I was really, really sick - but I still had so many important things to do.  I finally went into my doctor's office on Tuesday morning.  I left with 3 new prescriptions to treat a sinus infection, an ear infection, and pneumonia!  That afternoon the doc calls me to say that after reading the x-ray the radiologist, and her, are concerned this level/type of pneumonia usually require a stay in the hospital to recover. That will just not do for me - a stay in the hospital right now would make it so much harder for me to do all I need to do!


Today's photo is to remind me why I should take care of me first:

Apologies for the glares and the slight bend in the image.
This takes me back to when I was first learning that lesson!  
Newborn triplets will take a lot out of you... but if you put nothing back (by caring for yourself) you'll soon not be able to care for them either!
They are 'grown' (over 18) now but as stated above my life is still crazy busy and all things considered I think I need to really remember this lesson now!

003 ~ Friday, Oct. 22, 2010 - LATE!

Friday's photo is a day late because I spent nearly all my free time on Friday trying to find out who services THIS LP TANK!


There's no name on it that we can find.  The colors don't match any of the known providers in the area.  And none of the local providers have put any LP into this tank in over a year!


Why am I doing this?  Why did it take up so much of my time Friday?


All this week, even though I have also been very ill, I've been making phone calls to determine the cost of various utilities for a farm house we are looking at renting soon.  


This house first came to our attention about a year ago but things didn't work out then for us to get it.  Since then, Sis & Dany have moved out of our home and into a place of their own.  We're now down to five here (it's been as high as nine occupants).  Now, through an odd turn of events, it's back in the limelight and we are seriously considering moving into it by December!

002 ~ Abstract Music

Today's photo comes from my room.  It's a piece of artwork from my (very talented even if I do say so myself) daughter's many pieces left behind when she left home for college four years ago.

I intend to retake this photo someday as all the ones taken so far seem to miss a part of it on one side or another. :(


But I love this piece!


It was something she did during her senior year in high school ~ that was a very busy year for her ~ but it never was completely finished.  I don't remember why.  When you look closely you can tell what's not yet done but you're left wondering just how would it be done?  Which color would it be given?  Would some texture be added into it?  Or maybe it would be given a different perspective?


While those answers would be nice I like to look at what is there already.  The huge treble clef encompasses most of the piece in size but is tipped over far to the right as tho the top has fallen well below middle C.  The staff winding thru it: is it going up or coming down?  The flat (unseen is this photo) sits up in the far right corner in a black hole.  Flags from a hidden note peer thru the right side, waving toward the head of some unseen stringed instrument, perhaps a violin. In the bottom left corner (missing from this photo) are a quarter-rounded octave of piano keys with a twisting unpainted path leading from them up to the small flat in the black hole.


There are many ways to interpret this piece.  In my simplest form I'd see the many roads one takes in life, similar directions but clearly different paths to get there. Each full of various things to slow us down, or make us race ahead; things to stop us for a spell (to recover or to just smell the roses), or things to overcome in some way if we wish to move ahead.  Music is part of everyone's life in one way or another.  For some it is their life ~ everything is or become musical.  For others it's just a small piece, something to stop and pay attention to now and then.


I look at this abstract piece every night before going to sleep.  It's helps me to focus on the happier things going on in my life.  It makes me think of the artist, and then of each of her siblings. The ever expanding circle of people in my life (past & present) all come to mind in my prayers.  Amazing that so much can be found in this 20x30 unfinished painting!  Like this particular piece of art, life is never really complete, there is always more to come.