Yesterday I wrote about an opportunity to see the signs and roll with it. It changed up what I had planned for the day but it went well. I wrote how I was grateful for that opportunity.

Well, the Universe was listening. It has offered me ample opportunities to roll with it today. I am laughing as I write this because that had not been my intention yesterday but that is what I drew in.

Our science project didn't quite go as planned but there was enough eruption of mess for the girls to deem it a success. We didn't end up having a friend over which changed up a couple of our activities but we made the best of it. We created a new game instead, called Lava Hopscotch, where you can't touch the spaces that have lava flowing over them. And despite planning to spend the whole morning outside before the rain moves in, we headed the little ones meltdowns and moved inside to play.

Today's opportunities to roll with it were pretty easy. We had a lot of fun and I had to give myself some credit for manifesting a shift so quickly. Maybe tomorrow I'll just manifest smooth sailing. 

I'm grateful for the cosmic laugh. I'm grateful to see how my own words created today's reality. I'm grateful I rolled with it in greater ease today. I'm grateful tomorrow will be smooth sailing (see, see what I did there). I'm grateful to share lots of laughs with my girls today. I'm grateful for my vast creativity that can come up with new ideas easily. 

What are you asking for today? How is your language creating your future? What words would you like to focus on and which would you like to shift?

May we remember our power in creating our reality. May we laugh at our misdirections and gently correct course. Have a beautiful day!

Taking the time to connect with someone can make all the difference in our lives. Whether it is spending time with a loved one, listening to a friend, hugging a child, or even giving your dog a little pet; just a couple minutes can bring a shift. 

When I woke up this morning I did a small workout. I hadn't been at it very long when I heard my dog sigh. Rather than keep at what I was doing, I went over and laid next to her bed. Working out is important to me. It is good self-care. But my dog's days are numbered and I know she is feeling it. During the day I am busy with my kids and she sleeps on the nearest dog pillow. So this quiet, peaceful time was the perfect chance for me to renew my connection with her and feed both our souls a bit. 

As always, she enjoyed the attention. I lay there stroking her fur, feeling how soft it is. We stayed that way for ten or fifteen minutes before she needed to move positions and I got up to research an idea I had. 

I'm so grateful I listened to her sigh. I'm grateful to give her this special time and focus. I'm grateful for the comfort it brought me to snuggle her. I'm grateful for all the years we have had together and for the time we have left. I'm grateful to read her cues. I'm grateful to connect with my kids through some fun games this morning. I'm grateful to have connected with my husband last night through a great conversation we shared. I'm grateful for all the wonderful people in my life and meaningful connections we make. 

What connections do you cherish most? How much time to you commit each day or week to keeping up those connections?

May we take the time for what is most important to us. May we share deep, loving connections. Have a beautiful day!

What if I told you there was a treasure box hidden in your house? What would that mean to you? What treasure would you want to find?

Often it seems treasure is synonymous with money or gold or jewels. But what if treasure was so much more? What if treasure boxes could be filled with love? Then what would that treasure look like to you?

For me it would be moments like yesterday with family. It would look like crafting and playing in the sandbox today with my kids. It would look like a nice soak in the tub with some soft music for myself. It would look like kisses and hugs and joy. It would look like a nice dinner with my husband. 

Maybe it would be filled with notes of gratitude. Maybe my treasure box would be the sounds of my kids when they are saying "I love you, Mommy." It could even be filled with all the kind gestures people have done that help this world be such a beautiful place. 

My treasure box may look very different from yours. We may have different treasures. Even in different stages of my own life, my treasure box would look different. There is no wrong or right to what your treasures would be.

I actually have a small wooden purse that I use as a treasure box of sorts. It has a handkerchief of my grandma's. It has a rosary of my other grandma. It has a worry doll a friend gave me when I was going through a tough time. It holds my most cherished little stuffed elephant from when I was a child. It has a special momento I collected on an inspiring walk I took. 

Perhaps you have little treasures like this of your own. Perhaps your treasure box is stored just in the beautiful memories you have made. Whatever your treasure is; I hope you find it close to home and often.

I'm grateful to help my daughter make a treasure box today. I'm grateful to have a wider view of all the possible treasures life holds. I'm grateful for the joy opening my own treasure purse can bring. I'm grateful for a box of positive notes I wrote myself that is a treasure box of it's own accord. I'm grateful to know treasure can be found anywhere. I'm grateful to seek out the little treasures in each day.

May today ignite our quest to find our own hidden treasures. May they be simple and fill our hearts. Have a beautiful day!

It's National Random Acts of Kindness Day and I will admit I feel a little stumped. Other than sending out a few texts and trying to be extra kind to my family, I'm not really sure how best to celebrate this day. 

In past years I would hold the door for someone, compliment an outfit, maybe surprise a coworker or someone with something small I popped in and grabbed from the store. Between the pandemic's changes to my shopping, work schedule, and just being out in general and the addition of six inches of snow in the last couple days it has been a bit trickier this year. 

I've tucked a couple little treats in my purse in case I do happen upon a coworker that isn't busy with a client. I fed the dog early. I gave my daughter a little extra time before nap. 

The truth is it doesn't really matter what is going on, there are things we can do for people to celebrate. It doesn't matter if we can't do twenty things, even one random act of kindness can make a difference. The more important part is that we try and do at least one positive thing. But why limit it to just one day? Especially right now when statistics are saying more people are struggling with stress and depression than ever reported before; now is the time to do what we can to boost each other up. 

Boost up the people you know. Boost up the people you've never met before. Do nice things for anyone you can and you will most likely find that it boosts you up as well. It feels good to do kind things for others. So why hold ourselves back? Why limit it to one day or one act? Let's let go of the how and just do it.

I'm grateful to see a silly mental block limiting me because of things looking different this year. I'm grateful to Mario punch right through that silly block and pumped up about all the possibilities. I'm grateful for a day of random acts of kindness. I'm grateful to be reminded how even simple little things can make a difference in someone's day. I'm grateful for my mom's text this morning as part of her acts of kindness. I'm grateful for the ability to stay connected to people over text and share positive messages of love. 

What will you do today? How will you make a difference?

May today remind us how easy it is to lift each other up. May we do small acts each day to boost the people around us and feel boosted ourselves. Have a beautiful day!

Today provided a nice little gift of time. My littlest woke up early giving me well over an hour of extra time, which was mostly spent as priceless one-on-one time with her. The beauty of this gift is that it also allows one-on-one time with my older daughter when the little one inevitably needs an extra nap. My heart is overflowing with the individual attention I got to give each today. 

I also had an unexpected change in my work schedule, clearing my afternoon and evening. I was able to run a big errand that I was struggling to fit into the child-free allotted schedule. It was a huge relief to have that done.

As icing on the cake, I was able to get my car up our driveway and into the garage for the first time since Sunday. More snow is predicted today and tomorrow and it is nice to know my car is out of the way of the plows.

I'm grateful for these little gifts. I'm grateful to know each day offers gifts if I am paying attention. I'm grateful for time with my daughters, together and individually. I'm grateful to get to do some baking with my oldest today. I'm grateful to get my most important errand run. I'm grateful to be back home in the warmth with my family. I'm grateful for an unexpected night off. I'm grateful for the winter wonderland outside and to not have to be out in the snow tonight. 

What little gifts did you notice today? What would you do with the gift of a little extra time?

May today remind us to say thank you for each gift. May we use our time wisely. Have a beautiful day!

In the modern, privileged life there is a lot that often gets taken for granted. Things like fresh water to drink at the turn of a handle and a roof over our heads are so used that we can forget that there are people that do not have these luxuries. There are other things that we may not think of too.

Last night I parked on the street. It was supposed to snow a couple inches overnight again and I had an early doctor appointment for my daughter. Our driveway is very steep with the electric boxes seated right at the outside edge. Not knowing if I would be able to get out and shovel the driveway early enough, it made more sense to park on the street. 

This morning as I stood outside scraping my windows and allowing extra time for my car to warm up it occurred to me how spoiled I am most days. There are people that have to scrape and warm their car every time it snows. Being able to park in the garage is often something I take for granted. Today reminded me what a huge blessing it is to have this option. 

It isn't just stuff we have that gets taken for granted. As I look out the window at the paw prints in the snow I am reminded that our sweet dog is getting older. There have been several times in the last couple years we thought we were going to lose her but she has held on. It is easy to take for granted that she is over sleeping on her dog bed (what she does most of the time these days) and just let her be. Yet when I think about a day in the future when I won't here her soft snores or be able to snuggle her; I wonder why I am taking these moments for granted when she is right here to pet.

What gets taken for granted in your life? Is it your spouse that does something to help your day go a little smoother? Is it your pet running to greet you when you come home? Is it the kids banging on the door while you try to use the restroom? 

Even the things that may seem annoying at times can become something we miss down the road. If you can, take five minutes today to truly look around you. Think about all the things in your life that get taken for granted. If it is a person or pet, let them know. Take a moment to just be in awe of all the blessings you have each day.

I'm so grateful for soft dog snores. I'm grateful for the way my dog grinds her head on my leg to claim me. I'm grateful for my kids and these precious moments of them being young. I'm grateful to get the opportunity to scrape my car windows this morning to remind me how privileged I am. I'm grateful to my husband for getting up early to shovel the driveway so I could walk to my car a little safer. I'm grateful for the million things he does every day to make like go a little smoother. I'm grateful for my car and my home. I'm grateful for my laptop. I'm grateful for the soft old sofa that I like to sit on to unwind in the evening. I'm grateful for so many things I couldn't possibly write them all out in a blog. But I'm grateful to take more time to just sit and bask in the beauty of them all.

May today remind us of our blessings. May we take a moment to see what we take for granted with fresh eyes. Have a beautiful day!

Today has been full of little giggles. Perhaps it is my commitment to try to be positive or perhaps it is a product of lack of sleep but my children say the funniest things. On top of them giving me lots of laughs, they are learning what makes each other laugh too. It is really fun to watch these interactions!

I'm grateful for a day of laughter to lighten the mood. I'm grateful for things my daughter says even as she does not understand the adult humor subtext. I'm grateful to laugh. I'm grateful to hug. I'm grateful to witness them sharing and laughing and playing. I'm grateful for these glimpses of what good friends they can be. I'm grateful for how much they adore each other and how much I cherish them. I'm grateful for the little things that went awry today that gave me opportunity to laugh. I'm grateful for silly mistakes that I can model to my daughters that mistakes happen and it's no big deal. But mostly I'm just grateful to giggle a bit more.

What things have gone sideways for you today? Did you accidentally double order some of your groceries and end up with a ridiculous amount of something? I did! Whatever little hiccups come your way today, try to find a way to let it be okay. If you can, laugh it off. It really feels so much better than grumbling. 

Who in your life makes you laugh? Who makes you feel a little more carefree? How can you spend more time with that person? How can you shift to be more like the people that make you feel great? Then you can make yourself and others feel great too!

May today bless us with laughter and humor. May we giggle at the little mistakes and cherish the people we can laugh with. Have a beautiful day!

Every day history is made in one way or another, some days we move forward while some days feel like perhaps we are going back. Not every moment of history is momentous but it writes history and paves the future either way.

Today I was hit by an unexpected wave of emotion as I watched Kamala Harris being sworn in as the first woman to hold the Vice-Presidency. I sat there with my two daughters watching as Sonia Sotomayor voiced the oath for VP Harris to vow. 

While I tend to be an emotional person, I am not usually emotionally moved by important moments like these. I am grateful and pleased most definitely, but rarely emotional. 

I watched Christina Koch and Jessica Meir perform the first all female spacewalk in 2019. At the time my daughter asked why hadn't girls done that before and that resonated with how I generally feel about such events. It is great that it is happening but why has it taken so long and why is it still so rare for these special events for women that we have to make note that it is a woman? 

Something about watching these two amazing and powerful women today though, made me well up a little. These are the barriers I want to watch crumble. I want my girls to grow up in a world where truly any dream is possible. I want them to shoot for the stars, for whatever their hearts desire and not be held back by something so simple-minded as being born a woman. 

I'm grateful for the emotion I experienced today. I'm grateful to get to witness so many amazing women in my lifetime. I'm grateful for my girls, young as they are, watching this process with me. I'm grateful to see them enthralled by the beautiful young poet Amanda Gorman and I'm grateful for her powerful words. I'm grateful for a peaceful process today. I'm grateful for the sun shining. I'm grateful to feel like a new leaf is being turned over and while there will always be some days forward and potentially some back I am grateful to feel a new hope for love and unity. 

What moves you? What mark are you making in history today, even if it is seemingly that in "just" your own story? How do you imagine your life and your story impacting the world around you? How can you make a beautiful mark in history?

May today remind us we all have the power to inspire and bring change. May we use our powers to bring positive, loving change. May we take the time to consciously choose how we will make our mark in history. Have a beautiful day!

Sometimes I forget just how easy it is to travel without a care. Luckily I have a four year old to help remind me. In a few hours time we managed to visit a bear cave, have a snowball fight indoors, and go camping with about twelve animals ranging from hedgehog to unicorn. 

I have wrote in the past about the studies that show planning a trip can elevate your mood. In the studies it was found that while planning a trip increases happiness, sometimes actually taking the trip decreased that same happiness due to stress and logistics. It is sometimes more fun to plan the perfect vacation that actually take it.

This study suits me well as I do absolutely love planning trips. I enjoy researching what the best off-the-beaten-path activities are and imagining how fun it would be. Yet it is also true that I do tend to stress and overpack in the days or hours before the actual trip. It is always still well worth the getaway but skipping the stressing part is definitely a fine goal for me. 

My four year old has the solution. Even if we are camping on the moon and we forget something, we just grab it. It is like we never forgot it at all. Plus when I camp with her the s'mores are always perfect looking and I never end up sticky. It is no problem to climb a mountain and cuddle in with some hibernating bears. And if something better comes along, you just change the scenery of your mind. 

I'm grateful for a day of play. I'm grateful for our fun snowball fight that didn't even require a jacket. I'm grateful to get to go camping and even get to hold the special lantern. I'm grateful for the delicious s'mores that left no mess. I'm grateful to watch my daughter's mind at work as she spins the story for me and navigates me to which role I am supposed to play. I'm grateful to get to be the "kid" and let her handle all the cooking and camp set up. I'm especially grateful for sweet laughs and hugs shared. 

Where would you go if you were planning a trip in real life? Where would you go if just in your imagination? What wild activities would you dare to do in your fantasies? Which of those things would you be willing to push your comfort zone and try in real life?

May today open up our possibilities if even just in our imaginations. May we remember how important the mind is in creating our life and world. Have a beautiful day!

Today nature was calling. It is rare to get a day in the fifties in January. Even though it hadn't neared its peak temperature and the clouds were heavily in place, we decided to get outside and go to the park today.

My little one woke early so she was pretty tired and mostly observed from the stroller. My oldest cruised the whole time on her bike. Some places were still a bit icy where the shadow of trees hadn't melted it away but really that just added to the adventure. My preschooler really enjoyed trying to ride on the ice. And we all got to take in the beauty of Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, assorted other small wildlife, and even saw two trains up close! 

It was a so refreshing to be outside. Usually in the winter I am snuggled up in layers avoiding going out. I'm still not a fan of being cold but I made a mental commitment this year to see if getting outside more in the winter would also help the seasonal affective disorder. It really does seem to make a big difference! There is always a nice warm home to come back to, thankfully, to thaw in later. 

What elevates your mood? What invigorates you? What motivates you to try something new or do something you normally wouldn't? 

I'm grateful to get outside today. I'm grateful to be keeping my commitment to get outdoors this winter. I'm grateful my girls love being outside and the cold doesn't seem to bother them. I'm grateful for warm hats and coats. I'm grateful for a cute knitted hat. I'm grateful for a warm fuzzy blanket now that I am back inside. I'm grateful for strollers that allow tired little ones to cruise along and keep up. I'm equally grateful to slow down a bit when they want to walk and participate more fully. I'm grateful and proud for how well my preschooler is doing with her bike. I'm grateful for the multitude of questions she can come up with that make me slow down and really see things I otherwise would have missed. I'm grateful for so many beautiful parks to choose from in our area. I'm grateful for some that even have some flatter trails for beginner bikers. I'm grateful for the fresh air and feeling the coolness as it went into my lungs. I'm grateful to watch my breath as it curled and floated back out into the world. I'm grateful for these beautiful little moments.

May today be the breath of fresh air we needed. May we choose to push ourselves to grow and love each minute of the process. Have a beautiful day!