Celebrate Beauty Everyday.

Jack Kerouac : Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

98.6 Degrees.

Life is for living: taking my life-temperature.
Took a little break from posting the last few days - a little break from the computer in general. Kind of a make-sure-I-am-really-"living"-my-life reality check...and a chance to get some things done around here that have been on my list for way too long.

Taking my personal life-temperature is always a good measure of my overall happiness. And as usual, my realization is that it is all about balance.

What I realized as I reflect back over the last few months is that I need to get myself into a more consistent work/life schedule. Things are changing around here. I have a real opportunity to find a nice life/work balance (did you notice that I changed that from earlier in the paragraph - hello, it MUST read life first and work second).

In so many ways I am incredibly lucky that I love my work (and that I continue to love it). It is because I love it so much that I really need to be taking my life-temperature regularly. How am I doing? How is the product of my work? Do I feel healthy in body, mind, and spirit? What do I need to add & what do I need to subtract?

Spring feels like a good time for a taking my life-temperature. This week as I work on assignments I am going to set up an actual time-schedule for myself. It has been a long time since I created an hourly schedule and I am thinking about testing that out this week. Initially it feels way too rigid, but starting out that way may prove beneficial as I get into the swing of things.

It's nice to have a bit of breathing room to be able to take a look at my lists and prioritize my life and work projects. Before this point I was just way too busy (not a great excuse, but a realistic one). I have grown weary of that continual feeling that I am constantly putting out fires...reacting rather than being proactive.

My goal for myself right now is to make sure that I am doing something every day where I feel truly alive. That deep-breath I am here in this moment feeling that energizes me for the next challenges. Part of what I plan to include in my schedule is some time for exercise, for getting outside. For me, being outside is a great way to literally feel alive.

Want to join me in taking your life-temperature this week? Do you feel balanced? Do you feel alive? What small changes can you make to feel more alive and present? I'd love to read ways both big and small you have addressed these issues in your own life.

Note: It is totally possible that you are in the place I was over the last few months - in the middle of crazy life/work stress without a moment to breathe or think about something outside of the next fire needing to be put out. My suggestion (and one of the things that helped me through) was to simply make lists. Make lists of where you want to be and what you want to do (have it be an ongoing list - one that can be added to as things come to you). Let it percolate while you are dealing with what you need to and when you have a bit of time to breathe, take your life-temperature in a more in-depth manner.

Tic-Toc.

We all have as much time as we MAKE.

What DO you MAKE time for?
What COULD you make time for?
What NEEDS your time and attention?
WHO needs your time?
WHOSE time do you need more of?

Great Things.

People who stand out from the crowd have always said that with purpose in our lives we can accomplish great things.

I have to believe......
I can make a difference.
My life can have purpose.
I can decide on that purpose and make it happen.

I have also discovered that successful people have a secret! They know where they're going, how they're going to get there...and when! Because they considered their options and constraints in decision making, then decided where and when to go!

See I'm following my own plan, not someone else's.
It has taken determination, time, and effort.

So decide where you want to go, what you need to do to get there.
And
JUST DO IT!
DO IT NOW!


Henry Ford:Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't.....you're right!

Hello Tuesday.

An overcommitted, out-of-balance, sleep deprived woman, constantly trying to weed out the good from the great so that I can be, experience, give, share, teach, learn and soak in all that is best and needed (and even wanted) for my soul.

Beauty & Joy.

John Burroughs : The longer I live the more my mind dwells upon the beauty and wonder of the world… I have loved the feel of the grass under my feet, and the sound of the running streams by my side. The hum of the wind in the treetops has always been good music to me, and the face of the fields has often comforted me more than the faces of men. I am in love with this world...I have tilled its soil, I have gathered its harvest, I have waited upon its seasons, and always have I reaped what I have sown. I have climbed its mountains, roamed its forests, sailed its waters, crossed its deserts, felt the sting of its frosts, the oppression of its heats, the drench of its rains, the fury of its winds, and always have beauty and joy waited upon my goings and comings.

365 Days.

That is how long Lily Belle has been here on this earth...so that means, it's her birthday.
I {heart} my Lily Belle.

Baby Girl Trei.

So it's a baby girl!
A baby girl Trei!
A Trei girl!
All girl, All Trei!

I {heart} Flowers.

I was the talk of school on Friday.....yeppers, I got flowers from that certain someone. They smelled so good and yummy. What a way to make a girls day! Thanks!

Joe.

Prayer.

Prayer

I believe prayer is a gift to those who pray. A gift of limitless strength when we have not enough in the moment.

{Happy} Friday.

Laugh. Cry. Dance. Dream. Reflect. Imagine. Hope. Believe. Love. Live......Truly Live.

center clarity
peace
serenity

Really, It Is.

It's is all about capturing, collecting, reflecting, and then creating.

Bomb Threat.

All Lawrence public schools were on partial lockdown for several hours Thursday morning after the nonspecific bomb threat was received.

Authorities said Douglas County Communication received five calls to the 911 center starting just after 5 a.m. No one was on the line. At 6:46 a.m., a male caller told a dispatcher there was a bomb at a school and at City Hall. The caller did not specify the city or the schools. School district officials said that in response, they initiated their crisis response plan. Thursday afternoon, police said the threat was not credible. Police said a 47-year-old man from Lawrence has been named as a suspect in the case.

Read More...

High On {Life}

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has! been answered and now it is time to move on. Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season! LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

This Says It All.

THIS SAYS IT ALL: Time passes. Life happens. Distance separates. Children grow up. Jobs come and go. Love waxes and wanes. Men don't do what they're supposed to do . Hearts break. Parents die. Colleagues forget favors. Careers end. BUT.........Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim,cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. There are more than twenty angels in this world. Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds. Nine are playing. And one is reading this message at this moment. :)

Books.

You may or may not know this about me but I love books....children's books, novels, idea books, non-fiction books, old books, new books, design books, art books, creative books, resource books, teaching books, parenting books, uplifting books, inspiring books, and of course scrapbooks....

{Stronger}

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger......
Seems that statement is being put to the test for me right now. I've faced many relationship disappointments of late and albeit likely my approach and sheer vulnerability to certain situations and because I remain hopeful that happiness exists for me out there somewhere. Now, instead of seeking it.... it's time that I let it come to me. I've done my bit. I've tried and I've failed. I've been hurt and taken advantage of. Have I tried too hard - you bet! I have never been one that hasn't given my all to something. I don't do things half assed. Not one to sit back and complain about something not happening - I get out there and try to make it happen. Obviously, this isn't the way it's going to come to me. It's just made me all the more useable in some ways. Being one that sees the best in people no matter what - I'm a prime candidate for the users out there. Unfortunate but true.

Smile.

What makes you smile?
So in love with life today!

The sun makes me smile. Yup...it's shining...it's warm...I am wearing bermuda shorts and wedge sandals today!
How can you not smile!

{Yes}.

Yes, Exactly!

"Do I like smiles? Yes, but only if they are real and filled with life. And I also like tears. You see, truth is beautiful, no matter what the expression." Randy Bacon

Big Girls Don't Cry.

All Good & Warm.

What a great "warm fuzzy." I just checked my school mail and received a wonderful 'thank you.' Just a teacher trying to make a difference!

Amanda,
Thank you very much for allowing me to observe in your room today. It was a fun group to observe. I appreciate the time that you spend preparing lessons for the varied needs of the students you serve. It is a challenge with the varying reading levels and individual skill needs. I hope to observe again some day.

K. Young
Specialist- Federal Programs and International Students
Reading First Grant Project Director
USD 497 Lawrence Public Schools

Be Cute.

How cute is Simon. I just love this little guy. Simon completely tuckered out. One crock on and one crock off. Legs crossed. Totally passed out on the floor from all that excellent bike riding (which he did ride the whole way there and back - a lot of work for those little legs). Love that kind of tired. That "I just worked really hard in the fresh air" tired that all little kids should experience regularly.

{I} Am.

I am
unique.
smart.
fun.
important.
beautiful.

I Know.

Kurt Vonnegut: Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.
  

Pay Attention.

Redifining.

Being a firm believer in paying attention to what you do when you're not paying attention... I looked at when I started this blog-thing and then I looked at the things that were changing in the rest of my life, too... Work. Life. Love. Art. Seems there's been change in the works for sometime - and it seems that maybe this blog is a way to pay attention to the changes that we aren't always paying attention to.

So, here we go. Let's start at the beginning. I'm a teacher. I'm an artist. I'm a designer. I'm a girl, but probably more accurate - is that I'm a woman. I have lots of friends - so I'm a friend, too. I'm a sister, and I have a friend that I feel I might be the long-lost-sister to.

REDEFINING. I have an art project - that needs more life. I have a big, fat mess of ideas that had a really beautiful voice for a long time - and they are not singing as loudly as they were a couple of months ago.

Creative STUMPING - is not something that I'm okay with. So, I'm going to explore it and push through it and figure out why this change of living arrangement - life - is clarifying the changes in the rest of me that have just been waiting to happen. What ideas are trying to connect themselves?

Neko Case.

Words of Today.

A World Where....

Awesome video. Some of the most creative children I have ever taught were autistic. Let's make room in our hearts and our schools...what'dya say? ; > )

Autism Speaks...the time is now. Help make autism a word in the history books. Tell your friends to watch this video and help spread the word. Together we will find the missing pieces to autism!

Click Here for the Link

Crazy.

So many cool things happening these days on the internet. Love this opportunity to do good in this crazy medium of connectivity.

Deal.

Holy smack. Friday snuck up on me and here it is. SO much happened this week - it was incredible.

I like craziness.
I l ike imperfection.

It took me a really long time to realize and sink into just letting what happens - HAPPEN.

Love-o-matic.

Cool. FRIDAY. Seems like every week is a race to Friday. Today - I want to change it up.

It's Friday.

TodayAlan Cohen : It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.

Earwig.

Avril Lavigne Lyrics

I {heart} Hair.

My kiddos now love these books...so do I! Read. The real message is so real. It's adult reading!

Nappy Hair
by Carolivia Herron, Illustrated by Joe Cepeda
The cover painting of a little black girl with an impressive if not amazing head of hair will certainly attract attention, but the free-flowing, conversational narrative written in the African-American tradition of call-and-response also exerts a pull. The text touches on such topics as God, family, Africa, slavery, and, of course, hair: "Them some willful intentional naps you got all over your head. Sure enough. Your hair intended to be nappy. Indeed it did." The artwork, too, is energetic. Cepada's vibrant, folk-art-style paintings have a strong sense of color, form, and design.

I Love My Hair!
by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Every night before she goes to bed, Keyana sits down between her mother's knees to have her hair combed. But no matter how gently Mama pulls, it sometimes still hurts! Keyana doesn't feel lucky to have such a head of hair, but Mama says she is because she can wear it any way she chooses. "I can spin you hair into fine, soft yarn, just like our grandmothers did at their spinning wheels," she tells her. "Or I can part your hair into straight lines and plant rows of braids along your scalp, the way we plant seeds in our garden." Soon Keyana, too, finds reasons to love her hair, and she wears it any way she chooses with pride.

Thanks.

THIS IS PARAEDUCATOR APPRECIATION WEEK
April 9-13 is Paraeducator Appreciation Week! Thanks to the hundreds of paraeducators who assist classroom teachers and help our students achieve.

Powerful.

We all know that we are supposed to be good role models for our kids in the hopes that they will be good people, too.

Here is a great video that reminds us what can happen when we fail that responsibility.

Children see.
Children do.

Books.

I LOVE BOOKS. This one is called the Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander. It jumped off the shelf when I walked by so I took it as a sign!

Are U?

The Treasure With Tuesday.

{I} love life.
I'm taking the colourful path, leaving a colourful trail...
It's Tuesday and Tuesdays are A-O-K with me when they are the first day of the week.

The Fam.

Rach & Lace.

Visual DNA.

Read my VisualDNA™     Get your own VisualDNA™

Be Inspired. Pass It On.

HAPPY MONDAY!!! and no groaning...mondays are good!! I had a fabulous weekend and am in a fabulous mood!!!
Find something beautiful today!
Capturing Life and Creating Joy!

Happy Easter.

Peace to you and yours.

Ne-Yo - Because of You

Tank.

I'm going to see him on Thursday......hot pics!
PLEASE DON'T GO.

Today.

Alan Cohen : It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.

Look. See. Imagine.

I have been feeling truly blessed. I have come to see things in my life for the lessons they are providing me, it's really altered my outlook and I believe that I am at my strongest mentally, spiritually and working on physically.

These words helped change my perspective, gave me strength, encourages me to keep growing, and enjoys the blessings in my life. {about the pic}

Magical Elixer.

Because this little bottle says it helps me focus I totally think it does. I need help in the focusing department. It makes me wonder what else do they make these beverages for....? Maybe one called patience would be another good beverage purchase for me. So if you were in the magical elixer business, what kinds would you make?

Happy Friday.

Some people believe that they will be happy when they graduate; when they get a job; when they get promoted; when they retire, and so on. Happiness, to them, is always an elusive goal that is expected to arrive some time in the future. But happiness is not contingent on things or events; it is not a destination, but a state of being. It is not meant to be experienced in the future, but at this very moment, NOW. Our past is dead and our future is unborn. The only time we live is now. So, the place to be happy is here; the time to be happy is now, and the way to be happy is to make others so.

Done.

Learning From the Past
Ok, so everything in my life is finally on track. The past is the past and the furture is here! We can learn from the past, but only if you are not stuck in the past, maybe with feelings. I think a lot of people want to give their hearts to make everything all better. Sometimes the person that you were with in the past makes it so hard for anyone else to love you. NOT anymore!

Set Me Free.

Cool Slideshows

Autism Speaks.

The Launch of a New Public Service Ad Campaign and a Series of Special Events Highlight Autism Speaks' Efforts During Autism Awareness Month


NEW YORK (March 20, 2006) - Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research, today announced a series of special events – from an exclusive Dennis Miller comedy performance to the introduction of a new Build-A-Bear Workshop teddy bear and a nation-wide fundraising initiative with TJ Maxx – for National Autism Awareness Month in April. April will also mark the launch of Autism Speaks' ambitious public service advertising (PSA) campaign in conjunction with the Advertising Council.

The new three-year PSA campaign, which was created pro bono by BBDO, is targeted at the general public and stresses that autism is more common than people think. It encourages families to learn the signs of autism and talk to their doctor if they suspect their child is not meeting developmental milestones. The campaign launches on April 6 and will run across all media channels including print, broadcast, cable, radio and Internet.

A month of special Autism Speaks events begins with a party at the New York City flagship store of Build-A-Bear Workshop, where the siblings of children with autism will gather to design special bears for their brothers and sisters. The event kicks off a unique Autism Awareness Month collaboration. Throughout April, Build-A-Bear will sell its special edition Nikki III bear in its more than 200 stores across the U.S. and Canada, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Autism Speaks. The special purple bear will wear an Autism Speaks ribbon (the ribbon will be placed on the bears after they are purchased). Additionally, the sale of purple satin hearts ($1) will also benefit Autism Speaks during this period. Last year, Build-A-Bear's partnership with the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) resulted in a $40,000 donation. Stores will offer customers printed information about autism, and Bearemy, the Build-A-Bear Workshop mascot, will attend several Walk for Autism Research events.

On the evening of April 2, Emmy award-winning comedian Dennis Miller will headline a benefit comedy night at The Improv in Irvine, California, with all proceeds from ticket sales benefiting Autism Speaks. Tickets for this event, which will begin at 7:00 PM and will also feature performances by other top comedians, are available for $50.00 by calling (949) 854-5455 or logging on to http://www.improv.com.

Autism Speaks' volunteers will ‘take to the Hill” on April 4 with more than 75 visits to senators and representatives. These volunteers will be asking their elected officials to support the Combating Autism Act as well as appropriations from the Department of Defense for autism research.

Also in April, Autism Speaks and national off-price retailer TJ Maxx will partner on a month-long fundraising and awareness program. Beginning April 9th at 800 TJ Maxx stores nationwide, customers will be invited to purchase an Autism Speaks puzzle piece at checkout for a donation of $1. No purchase is necessary to make a donation, and all proceeds will benefit Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks and TJ Maxx will also host an online auction of celebrity-decorated and autographed wooden puzzles. Those interested in bidding can visit www.tjmaxx.com/autismspeaks from April 24 to May 3. All proceeds from the auction will also go to Autism Speaks.

More than 26 Walk for Autism Research events are scheduled for Spring 2006, including several kickoffs and walk events in April, including walks in Palmdale, CA , Abilene, TX, Phoenix, AZ , Cumberland, MD , and Broward County, FL . The first Orlando Walk for Autism Research will be held on April 29. The Walk for Autism Research is the signature fundraising event of the new Autism Speaks. Established by NAAR in 2000, Walk for Autism Research events have attracted hundreds of thousands of walkers worldwide who have raised tens of millions of dollars for autism research. Forty-three walks will be held in forty-six locations throughout the year. Click here to find a walk in your area.

A feature article in the May issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, hitting newsstands in April, will explore the challenges facing the families of children with autism. Its focus will be the story of Katie Wright, the daughter of Autism Speaks Co-Founders Bob and Suzanne Wright, and the Wrights' collective efforts to change the future for all who struggle with autism spectrum disorders.

ABOUT AUTISM
Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by extreme behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 166 children, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

ABOUT AUTISM SPEAKS
Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of the growing autism epidemic and to raising money to fund scientists who are searching for a cure. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright. Bob Wright is Vice Chairman and Executive Officer, General Electric and Chairman and CEO, NBC Universal. Autism Speaks and the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) recently combined operations, bringing together two of the leading organizations dedicated to accelerating and funding biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism spectrum disorders; to increasing awareness of the nation's fastest growing developmental disorder; and to advocating for the needs of affected families. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.


Autism will be the subject of Thursday's Oprah: The Faces of Autism.

Deal-Breakers.

Relationships are not 50/50. That's just some politically correct thing we decided to start saying in the 80s when we decided to fix the marriage plan, and it led us to these double digit divorce rates. Relationships are 100 percent/100 percent. And I say that because you are responsible for yourself in the relationship. You are responsible for what you bring, what you elicit from your partner, what you maintain or allow with your partner. You need to look at you. Relationships are fixed from individuals healing from the inside out.

Relationship deal-breakers...we all have them. What's a real deal-breaker, do you to spot it early, and walk away so you don't waste time and get a broken heart.
These are mine:



1) “I don’t believe in dating just one woman” Not wanting to date just one woman is also code that they believe there is someone better out there, and that you just don’t make the cut. Are you willing to settle for that?

2) “Woohoo! Saturday night! Let’s go party!” I am all for going drinking and partying with friends every now and then, but if you’re over a certain age – let’s say 21 for argument’s sake, then getting plastered every weekend is just not cool anymore. If you’re with someone whose idea of fun is drinking tequila shots till they’re comatose every Fri and Sat night, then the relationship will probably not go very far. Let’s face it, not only is this an expensive habit, how much hair holding can you put up with? Do you want to have a fun, loving relationship that can go somewhere, or get stuck babysitting the drunk guy vomiting in the gutter? Your choice.

3) “It was only once. I’ll never do it again.”
While I can understand the intense temptation to take back a cheater (they are, after all, generally very charming), DON’T. There are very few people who truly change, and cheaters usually don’t. Rebuilding trust in a relationship also takes a lot of time and hard work, so unless you think that you guys are really something special and belong together forever, there may not be any point in going there when you risk getting hurt again. There are other men out there who have never hurt you. That's got to be a better bet.

4) “Where are you? I’ve been calling for an hour!”
Let’s get this straight – if you’ve promised someone you’ll be somewhere, they are within their rights to be pissed off when you don’t show up. But if you’ve made other plans and informed your partner, and they STILL call you several times and get mad at you for not being there, it’s a deal breaker. It is not only demanding behaviour, it also means they have unrealistic standards for a relationship and too great a need for control.

5) “Tonight? Nah, I’m busy.”
Someone who doesn’t have time for you now will never have time for you. I don’t mean they should drop everything just to rush to your side, but neither should you have to book them a week in advance for a date. If you feel like you’re always begging or waiting for their attention, then one of you is clearly not into the relationship.

6) "Soulmate fantasy."
You believe that there is only one soulmate out there to complete you... and that when you meet them, you’ll know right away. Well, this may seem like a harmless fairytale fantasy but can also be the path to self-destruction. There are many people that can be considered your ‘soulmate’, it just depends on how you look at it. If you keep waiting for that one true love to show up, you will either keep ending up in disappointing relationships because you fall too hard, too fast, or become bitter when you don’t find them.

7) "He calls your dog Whoopi"
…and didn’t understand when you dissolved floods of tears. Nor did he apologise. Boys just don’t understand how important our pets are! This heinous crime is definitely worthy of an “it’s over” call.

8) "Bad Kisser"
....enough said!

My Stress Level.

Your Stress Level is: 54%

You are somewhat prone to stress, especially when life gets hard. When things are good, you resist stressing over little problems. But when things are difficult, you tend to freak out and find it hard to calm down.

How Stressed Are You?

Be Aware.

April is Autism Awareness month. My plan is to bring you some additional infomation on autism throughout the month.
In addition, there are a couple awesome stamp companies I want to highlight that have put together stamp sets with proceeds benefiting Autism Speaks. Check them out here:

Gina K Designs
Stamps for a cause

{Enjoy}