What was I thinkin?

Life.in.Lists.

It's time to change fear into fun! I am inviting you to conquer journaling in 2012 using one of my ultimate "take the hard out of Journaling" discoveries.

WEEKLY DRAWING: Participants will be entered in a weekly drawing for a $15 Coupon good for Mosaic Moments™ products on Snapncrop.com. (To participate simply add your list to our comments on daily posts - the more days you participate the better your chances to win.)

Endearing Words on Wednesday, February 1

Terms of Endearment

The month of February begins today and with with St. Valentines Day just around the corner I am thinking about love and romance. One way we express our love for each other is with personalized terms of endearment.

Our family words of endearment:

1. Sweetie - Kevin started calling me "Sweetie" after we were married. (I call him "Sweetie" too.)

2. Pumpkin Pie - this is what we called our oldest daughter when she was a little girl.

3. Princess - our 2nd daughter is still called our princess on a regular basis.

4. Handsome - "Good morning Handsome" is the way I greet Cole each morning.

5. Beautiful - "Good morning Beautiful" is how Kevin often greets me in the morning.

 

What are your terms of endearment? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Take me for a ride! - Tuesday, January 31

Take me for a ride!

When I was a kid I had to walk up hill both ways to get to school!

For some this is a funny proclamation made by their grandfather. I tell this to my kids to be funny and the really funny part is, it was true! (When I was 11, I lived on a hill, I had to walk down our hill and back up another to get to the bus stop about a half mile away.)

Things I remember about travel as kid...

1. I did a lot of walking. When I was age 4 - 9 I lived in the city and traveled by foot almost everywhere.

2. When it was too far to walk, my siblings and I rode the city bus.

3. When my parents drove, I traveled in the "way back" of a green Chevy station wagon. It looked a lot like this one:

image source -jalopnik.com

3. The first time I rode a school bus was for a field trip - on a tour of the city. (In the middle of 4th grade we moved to a rural location. I had to ride a bus to school everyday - I didn't like it.)

4. It was very exciting to ride (usually just around the block) on the back of my brother's Kawasaki motorcycle. (No helmet.)

5. I rode an elephant at the zoo once.

6. My first train ride was also at the zoo.

7. For recreation my family purchased a boat. I got to ride in it occasionally; but, I spent most of the outings on the shore, watching my older siblings ski.

8. I didn't own a bicycle; but, my best friend was a twin so I borrowed her sister's bike a lot.

9. There are lots of sidewalks in the city so, I also borrowed her pair of roller skates.

10. I never rode in an airplane as a child.

How did you travel when you were a kid?  Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Remembering Winter - Monday, January 30

 

Remembering Winter

 

10 Winter Memories I've preserved...

1. Our first "Christmas" at Disney World - December 2003 (This wonderful and relaxing week in Florida lead to #2)

2. Snow Day Surprise - We're having another baby! - January 2004

3. Cole's first trip to the ocean was in the winter - January 2006

4. Trip to Chincoteague with BFF Jaime. (It was FREEZING!) - February 2006

5. Winter CHA in California - January 2007

6. Our home covered in snow - January 2008

7. A late Snow Storm - March 2009

8. A very cold New Years Day in NYC - Jan 2010

9. Snow Day Sledding -  late January 2010

10. White Winter Wedding - December 2010

 

What winter memories have you preserved? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

 

Be Prepared - Sunday, January 29

Before Hitting the Road 

The Boy Scouts have a great motto. I like to be well prepared when I travel. Before each trip...

1. I get on the internet and purchase flights (if traveling by air) and I map quest the driving directions. I like to know what route we will take - to make sure the GPS isn't steering us into a cow patch in the middle of no where. (It has happened before.)

2. I look for the best hotel options before making a reservation. Kevin and I made the mistake many years ago of not making a hotel reservation in advance. It wasn't a pretty situation! never ever again!

3. I research the educational and entertainment opportunities in the area. I look up things like museums, science centers, botanical gardens, historical sites, parks, shopping, restaurants... Every area has wonderful things to discover!

4. I put all the information, reservations, etc. together in a binder that we take with us on our trip.

5. I have my suitcases/travel bags pre-packed with basic toiletry items. (Solves the issue of frequently forgotten items, like tooth brushes.)

6. I use gallon ziplock bags to pack items such as bras and underwear. (Seriously, do you want random luggage checkers rummaging through your delicates!)

7. I make sure my camera and all of electronic gadgets are charged and ready to go.

8. I make sure we have our comfort items - such as travel blankets and pillows.

9. I get flight approved snacks (no liquids) or I stock a cooler with drinks and snacks for the drive.

10. I rent movies to watch on my iPad in flight or I take a binder with DVD's for the kids to watch in the car.

 

 Different lifestyles require different kinds of preparation. What do you prepare for? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Crazy about Creative People - Saturday, January 28

 

I am a big fan of...

1. Charles Shultz - (Peanuts - especially Snoopy).

2. Walt Disney - I admire his vision and all that has come from it.

3. Holly Hobbie - (especially her new work - Toot & Puddle).

4. Steve Jobs - he made computers etc. friendly and fun.

5. Jim Henson - yes, I own the entire Fraggle Rock series.

 

To whom are you a fan?  Do you find there is a common thread among them? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Today on Friday, January 27

My Simple. Ordinary. Everyday Life.

Today I...

1. Today I... Listened to Cole read a chapter of Robinson Crusoe.

2. Today I... had hot wings and celery with blue cheese dressing for lunch. I forgot to take a picture before I ate them - but they looked a lot like this:

image source wiskeygoldmine.com

 

3.  Today I... enjoyed two tulips left on my doorstep with a note from "the flower fairy."

4. Today I... took Alexis to get a hair cut at A Savvy Salon.

5. Today I... went to Target to buy "so he can sleep" cold medicine for Kevin (he's not feeling well) and when I checked out they asked to scan my ID - to buy the NyQuil. I was suprised. (I haven't bought cold medicine in long time.)

 

What did you do today?  Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

I Heart Books - Thursday, January 26

Are you a bibliophile?

Though our reading tastes are not the same Kevin and I can both spend hours in a book store. He likes to read novels, I like to read informational books, art & design books, and I love to collect children picture books.

Some of my all time favorite books are:

1. Who Moved My Cheese.

2. Fish!

3. Scott Kelby's 7 point system for photoshop

4. The Art of Holly Hobbie by Holly Hobbie

5. In and Out of the Garden by Sara Midda

6. The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear

7. Jennifer's Walk (see image above - a favorite since childhood.)

Do you have a list of books you "Heart"?  Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Words on Wednesday January 25

Celebrating Words:

It is 2012, a brand new year and we have much to look forward to. There will be holidays and birthdays, weddings and baby showers. 2012 will include championship games, elections, and graduations; so, how do you "Celebrate" in many different ways?

My Celebration Words:

1. Confetti

2. Festival

3. Fireworks

4. Shindig

5. Red-carpet

6. Balloons

7. Bash

8. Streamers

9. Parade

10. Surprise

What words make you think about celebrations? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

 

Dream Spot - Tuesday, January 24

The places we dream in

I lived in several places growing up so I don't remember just one bedroom, I remember many. Things that stand out in my mind:

1. My sister and I shared a bedroom most of my childhood.

2. When I was very tiny (around 2 years old) I remember having pink wall paper with ballerinas on it.

3. When I was about 7 my Dad constructed built-in beds for my sister and I. They each had one huge drawer under the bed to store our clothes, toys etc.

4. When I was 10 my sister and I were very excited to have our own rooms! I painted mine blue.

5. When I was 12 (back to sharing again) My sister and I slept on a bunk bed, also built by my dad. I slept on the bottom bunk.

 

Where did you sleep?  Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Hometown Winter - Monday January 23

Winter in Williamsburg, Virginia

 

Winter in my hometown brings...

1. Outlet Malls packed with Holiday Shoppers.

2. Busch Gardens opens for a few weeks of "Christmas Town."

3. After the holidays, College of William and Mary students fill the town.

4. Deciduous forests stretch out their bare branches.

5. Restaurants & Shops welcome locals in the absence of tourists.

6. Children wonder and hope they will get to use their snow gear that year.

 

What does winter bring to your hometown? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Crystal Ball - Sunday January 22

 Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

It's a common question heard on "TV" job interviews. If you were the one being interviewed, how would you answer?

 5 years from now I "see myself"...

1. "sitting in the stands" with Kevin cheering Cole in sports games.

2. holding new babies as a grandmother.

3. having plenty of time to share my passion for preserving personal history.

4. taking our Alexis to a University for her first year of college.

5. taking photos in places I've never been.

6. searching through millions of stories shared on Journella.com

 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Crazy Random Big News - Saturday, January 21

 

It's the Big News lately...

This is what I've been hearing a lot about lately:

in no particular order...

1. Costa Concordia Cruise Ship Wrecks off the west coast of Italy.

2. Zappos customers hacked!

3. Newt Gingrich - GOP candidate

4. Tim Tebow - NFL quarterback

5. Wikipedia shut down for 24 hours to protest SOPA

6. Weather in the Pacific Northwest (Snow & flooding)

 

What's the talk around your water-cooler?  Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Today on Friday, January 20

Today I...

When my mom was a little girl her family bought a refrigerator. The refrigerator required coins to be put in a slot to keep it running. This, she explained, was how they paid for the refrigerator. Someone would come by periodically to collect the coins.

Sometimes the most interesting things turn out to be the "ordinary" things we do. Our answers to simple every day questions might one day be a fascinating window to how life was back in the year 2012.

Here are a few simple questions I've answered for today:

1. Today I... wore the Mary Janes I purchased on-line from Zappos.com.

image source zappos.com

 

2. Today I... loaded and unloaded my dishwasher.

 

image source (L)- personal photo  (R)- boschappliances.com

 

3. Today I... listened to CNN news discuss politics on a flat screen TV.

image source - personal photo

4. Today I... read current news and my scriptures on my iPad.

image source - apple.com

 

 5. Today I... made a scrapbook page on Mosaic Moments Grid Paper.

 image source - personal images/Tami Potter

Additional supplies used: ribbon, Tami Potter Clearly Numbers Stamps, Impression Obsession Happy Birthday Stamp, and Basic Grey Patterned Paper.

What did you do today?  Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

 

I Heart Shopping - Thursday, January 19

I have a friend who once told me that she LOVED to go grocery shopping. REALLY? I thought. How can anyone love to shop for groceries? Years later I find myself enjoying trips to the grocery store (actually Costco) because it is something Kevin and I do together.

Shopping is a chore that I don't always enjoy but...

I Heart Shopping for:

1. Organizational supplies. I love bins, and binders, and baskets...

2. Small kitchen tools.  I love to look at potato peelers and nice wooden spoons...

3. Legos. I love to shop at the lego store - such a fun & creative place!

.

4. Scrapbook & Paper Crafting Supplies. ... need I say more?

.

5. Flowers. I love to go to the garden centers especially in the spring.

 

What do you "Heart" shopping for?  Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

Relaxation Words on Wednesday January 18

Relaxation Words:

We all have different ways to "relax" or ease the "daily stresses" etc. in our lives. Words that trigger calm or relaxing thoughts or memories in my mind...

 

1. Massage

2. Silence

3. Breeze

4. Sunshine

5. Meadow

6. Clouds

7. Peaceful

8. Walk

9. Nature

10. Nap

 

 

What are some of the words that trigger calm or relaxing memories in your mind? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.

The year I was born... - Tuesday January 17

What do you know about the year or decade in which you were born? Recently, on facebook, people were posting the song that was  #1 on the day they were born. It was fun for me to learn that Lovin' Spoonful's - Summer in the city was at the top of the charts the week I was born. What other facts could I look up about the year I was born?

I found a couple of websites with info:

info please

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/

 

There year I was born...

1. Lyndon B. Johnson was president.

2. The cost of a first class stamp was $0.05

3. A gallon of gas was 32 cents

4. The first Star Trek episode, "The Man Trap," is broadcast.

5. The Food and Drug Administration declares "the Pill" safe for human use.

6. Academy Award, Best Picture: The Sound of Music

7. Walt Disney died

8. Pampers create the first disposable Diaper

9. Color television sets became popular

10. Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" the animated television special adapted from the book is shown for first time on CBS

 

 

What are some facts you find interesting about the year you were born? Add your list to our comments for a chance to win our weekly drawing.