Okay, so I guess an update is in order since its been 2 1/2 months since my last blog! So much for staying on top of it! :) So, here's what's new....
I am happy to say that my "word" for the year, HAPPY, has more than defined the last couple of months. I have made a lot of efforts to do what I said I would do and man has it made a difference. A few changes that I have made include, starting a "life group" with me and my closest girlfriends that meets twice a month for girl time, bible study, eating and catching up. It has been awesome for more than one reason. First, we are all married and busy with work or family and what not, so to have it on the calendar, set in stone, ahead of time that we are going to take the time to get together has made a huge difference. (Special shout out to our amazing husbands for watching the kids to let us have a couple hours to get a way.)
It has definitely added to the HAPPY factor by giving me time to talk with other people going through the same things that I am, take time to give each other support and get closer to God in the process. We have also decided to do the March of Dimes walk in April so fundraising for a good cause definitely makes you feel good.
Another change is, Daniel and I have been making working out and eating well a priority and I can totally feel the changes. I really don't care that the changes haven't been drastic because we are working on an overall lifestyle change. (Me especially) Most of you have heard me rave about Lysa TerKeurst's book "Made to Crave" but it was exactly what I needed at this phase in my life and it has really changed my perspective on health for the better. And, just because, I have been a vegetarian for about 2 weeks now (mostly because I don't like that meat that much anyways) and I feel so much better and weight has been coming off a lot quicker. Weird, I don't even miss it! I'm not dead set on being a vegetarian but if I don't miss it and I have been eating a ton more fruits and vegetables than I figure, why not?
What else? Oh yeah....I AM GOING TO SPAIN!!!! Woohoo! If you don't know this by now than you probably don't know me because the whole world has been notified (a few times) of our trip to Spain in April that I won through my company. I CANNOT wait! An all expense paid trip to Spain for me and Daniel for a week....trip of a lifetime! I have been to Europe before but never Spain and I have always wanted to! I will definitely post lots of pics and details of our trip when we get back.
Overall, I think the last few months have really shown me that when you make a conscious effort to be happy and make the neccessary changes in your life, good things inevitably happen. I have decided to let the day to day stress of life and work just not penetrate my soul and effect me the way it once did. And there are always those things that you can't change but I really try and change the way I think about them as in more positively and what do you know, they don't bother me as much. It seems like such a simple philosophy but as I said before it wasn't that simple. I was just letting the everyday stress pile up on me, not taking time for me, and not making the best of the time I did have.
So far I can honestly say that my word for 2011 is ultimately shaping my 2011 and I am loving the changes it has brought into my life.
xoxo,
Happy Busy B
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
My Word...Happy
When I read Elizabeth Gilbert's book, "Eat, Pray, Love," I loved how her and her friends discussed picking a word that described them and thought that I should do that too....I never did. This New Years, I tried to jumble all of my resolutions into one motivating word...and I haven't. So, last week when I finally watched the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" I was once again reminded of the quest to find my word.
In "Eat, Pray, Love," Liz's word is attraversiamo which is Italian for "let's cross over." That's a GREAT word! It rolls off the tongue beautifully and has SO much meaning behind it. Okay, I had to find a word. A REALLY good word. After much thought....I had nothing. Randomly, I was reading on a blog that I frequent, http://marybethwhalen.blogspot.com/ and she was making reference to a past entry she had written in regards to her "word" describing her goal for 2011. I thought, geeze is this a sign or what?! I am destined to find this one word apparently.
I loved Mary Beth's take on it that the one word should describe your focus for 2011. This is kinda what I had tried to do with my New Years resolutions but this gave it a little more focus. As I toyed around with some previous ideas that I had had, I scrolled through her January blog entries where once more she had mentioned the word for 2011. She mentioned that a good idea was, once you find the word, to put it on a necklace to aid as a reminder for the year and she had a link listed. When I clicked on it I was surprised to see it take me to a link I know well http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/ ! Lisa Leonard makes handmade jewelry in San Luis Obispo, CA and I was first introduced to her when my friend Amber sent me a beautiful necklace when I was pregnant with Gianna that said "Gianna" with a little pearl hanging next to it. I LOVE it and I wear it all the time. When I thought of the necklace and Gianna I immediately thought, "happy!" True, Gianna makes me happy but that's not exactly why that word came to mind. Happy, its such a simple word but it literally makes my day every morning when I go into Gianna's room and I say, "Good morning! How are you?" and lately she answers in the sweetest imaginable voice that just melts your heart, "happy!" And that chain of events and memories led me to my word for 2011...Happy!
I'd love to say its as cool a word as attraversiamo but plain and simple happy is what is my underlying desire of 2011 when I really looked at what my goals were. And I love how basic it is because one of my resolutions was to just keep it simple!
I have so much to be happy for but the honest truth is that I found myself lacking in the happy department in 2010. I constantly struggled with this feeling too because I have SO much to be happy for! I have an amazing husband who makes me happier than I ever thought possible, a beautiful and healthy little girl who makes me SO happy, a good job, a home, great family and friends so why was I always finding myself not happy? It drove me nuts and honestly made me feel guilty.
Over the last couple of months I have really tried to dissect what the problem is and it seems that despite all the good in my life there is just a lack of ME time and I am lacking majorly in the areas of faith and health.
Recently, I have had more than one event smack me in the face and say get it together, stop making excuses and find the time to get healthy...mind and body! My first step was buying an elliptical machine and, ugly as it is, put it right next to my bed. I can't get out of bed without getting on it...literally. When I make myself do it...what do you know...I feel happy! I imagine after months of eating better and using it I will ultimately feel happy with what I have accomplished, how I look and more importantly how I feel.
I read a book last week called, "Heaven is For Real" and I LOVED the reminder of Mark 10:15 that if you live with a child like faith you will enter into His kingdom. It was such a simple story and such a powerful message. And it had me thinking of what is missing from my faith life. I have made it so complicated that I have confused a lot of things like the fact that God knows the real me...he knows I'm not perfect and so its okay that my relationship with him isn't perfect, its a work in progress as am I. My goal is to just uncomplicate things, live with a child like faith and aim to make everyday, as Gianna so perfectly puts it, HAPPY!
Finding time to really enjoy all that makes me happy instead of what I need to do to make every body else happy is high on my list of priorities for 2011. I find I run myself ragged all day, doing all that is required of a working mom, wife, etc. and at the end of the day I think, what the heck did I do for me and me alone? I know I have mentioned this in past blogs and truly, making others happy makes me happy too but to complete the happiness puzzle I can't leave myself out...and this year I don't plan on it. :)
So, while it's not as fancy a word as Liz Gilbert's, I think happy is the perfect word to describe my goals for 2011...and I must say finding my word has made me....happy!
xoxo,
Busy B
In "Eat, Pray, Love," Liz's word is attraversiamo which is Italian for "let's cross over." That's a GREAT word! It rolls off the tongue beautifully and has SO much meaning behind it. Okay, I had to find a word. A REALLY good word. After much thought....I had nothing. Randomly, I was reading on a blog that I frequent, http://marybethwhalen.blogspot.com/ and she was making reference to a past entry she had written in regards to her "word" describing her goal for 2011. I thought, geeze is this a sign or what?! I am destined to find this one word apparently.
I loved Mary Beth's take on it that the one word should describe your focus for 2011. This is kinda what I had tried to do with my New Years resolutions but this gave it a little more focus. As I toyed around with some previous ideas that I had had, I scrolled through her January blog entries where once more she had mentioned the word for 2011. She mentioned that a good idea was, once you find the word, to put it on a necklace to aid as a reminder for the year and she had a link listed. When I clicked on it I was surprised to see it take me to a link I know well http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/ ! Lisa Leonard makes handmade jewelry in San Luis Obispo, CA and I was first introduced to her when my friend Amber sent me a beautiful necklace when I was pregnant with Gianna that said "Gianna" with a little pearl hanging next to it. I LOVE it and I wear it all the time. When I thought of the necklace and Gianna I immediately thought, "happy!" True, Gianna makes me happy but that's not exactly why that word came to mind. Happy, its such a simple word but it literally makes my day every morning when I go into Gianna's room and I say, "Good morning! How are you?" and lately she answers in the sweetest imaginable voice that just melts your heart, "happy!" And that chain of events and memories led me to my word for 2011...Happy!
I'd love to say its as cool a word as attraversiamo but plain and simple happy is what is my underlying desire of 2011 when I really looked at what my goals were. And I love how basic it is because one of my resolutions was to just keep it simple!
I have so much to be happy for but the honest truth is that I found myself lacking in the happy department in 2010. I constantly struggled with this feeling too because I have SO much to be happy for! I have an amazing husband who makes me happier than I ever thought possible, a beautiful and healthy little girl who makes me SO happy, a good job, a home, great family and friends so why was I always finding myself not happy? It drove me nuts and honestly made me feel guilty.
Over the last couple of months I have really tried to dissect what the problem is and it seems that despite all the good in my life there is just a lack of ME time and I am lacking majorly in the areas of faith and health.
Recently, I have had more than one event smack me in the face and say get it together, stop making excuses and find the time to get healthy...mind and body! My first step was buying an elliptical machine and, ugly as it is, put it right next to my bed. I can't get out of bed without getting on it...literally. When I make myself do it...what do you know...I feel happy! I imagine after months of eating better and using it I will ultimately feel happy with what I have accomplished, how I look and more importantly how I feel.
I read a book last week called, "Heaven is For Real" and I LOVED the reminder of Mark 10:15 that if you live with a child like faith you will enter into His kingdom. It was such a simple story and such a powerful message. And it had me thinking of what is missing from my faith life. I have made it so complicated that I have confused a lot of things like the fact that God knows the real me...he knows I'm not perfect and so its okay that my relationship with him isn't perfect, its a work in progress as am I. My goal is to just uncomplicate things, live with a child like faith and aim to make everyday, as Gianna so perfectly puts it, HAPPY!
Finding time to really enjoy all that makes me happy instead of what I need to do to make every body else happy is high on my list of priorities for 2011. I find I run myself ragged all day, doing all that is required of a working mom, wife, etc. and at the end of the day I think, what the heck did I do for me and me alone? I know I have mentioned this in past blogs and truly, making others happy makes me happy too but to complete the happiness puzzle I can't leave myself out...and this year I don't plan on it. :)
So, while it's not as fancy a word as Liz Gilbert's, I think happy is the perfect word to describe my goals for 2011...and I must say finding my word has made me....happy!
xoxo,
Busy B
Friday, January 14, 2011
Time
Once upon a time, in an island there lived six feelings and emotions: Happiness, Knowledge, Love, Sadness, Richness and Vanity. One day they discovered that the island began sinking! So all of them built boats and canoes and left, one by one. Except for Love. Love wanted to delay abandoning her beloved island as long as possible.
When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a boat. Love asked, "Richness, can you take me with you?"Richness answered, "Sorry, Love, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat, so there is no place here for you. With both of us in here we will sink for sure."
Love next asked Vanity who was also sailing by, but Vanity offered the same answer."I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by, so Love asked, "Sadness, take me along with you.""Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!", sadness said in a gloomy voice.
Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so preoccupied with her happiness that she did not even hear when Love called her.
Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder with a tattered head scarf. An overjoyed Love jumped into the boat. When they arrived at a dry land, the elder went her own way. Love looked around and saw the Knowledge who was the first to have landed there a while ago."Who Helped me?" Love asked. "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time? Why time?" Love was surprised. "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."
The Knowledge smiled.
By, Akiane Kramirik
I love this poem, this artist and this painting. (The painting can be found in her online gallery www.artakiane.com/gallery )
When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a boat. Love asked, "Richness, can you take me with you?"Richness answered, "Sorry, Love, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat, so there is no place here for you. With both of us in here we will sink for sure."
Love next asked Vanity who was also sailing by, but Vanity offered the same answer."I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by, so Love asked, "Sadness, take me along with you.""Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!", sadness said in a gloomy voice.
Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so preoccupied with her happiness that she did not even hear when Love called her.
Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder with a tattered head scarf. An overjoyed Love jumped into the boat. When they arrived at a dry land, the elder went her own way. Love looked around and saw the Knowledge who was the first to have landed there a while ago."Who Helped me?" Love asked. "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time? Why time?" Love was surprised. "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."
The Knowledge smiled.
By, Akiane Kramirik
I love this poem, this artist and this painting. (The painting can be found in her online gallery www.artakiane.com/gallery )
Thursday, December 16, 2010
And in Rolls the Fog
Overall, Fresno isn't a horrible place to live. It has all the shopping and fast food chains a town can handle and is centrally located to all the greatest things California has to offer. If you can get over the severe allergies and smog it's not a bad place. I actually love the super hot summers and the extended spring and fall but those 2 1/2 months in the end of December though the end of February are so.....blah. I hate the fog and the layer upon layer of cloud cover that make it impossible to catch even the slightest glimpse of sunlight. Snow has its downfalls, this is true but at least its pretty and rain is well, wet, but fog and gloomy clouds...so ugly.
The fog seems to just bring everyone down and not to mention how much I worry with Daniel commuting to Kinsgsburg everyday in it. People who aren't from here may think they know what fog is but as far as I am concerened you haven't seen fog until you have spent a winter in the central valley. Of course some years are worse than others but there are times when you can't even see your own hand in front of you. As a kid we actually had foggy day schedule at school because the fog was too thick for the busses to drive in.
I remember when I was in high school I helped my brother with his paper route in the mornings and we would split up and then have the hardest time finding each other again. We would have to run to a house get really close up to see the number on the house and then yell it out. And with the way sound travels in thick fog my brother used to scare the crap out of me by saying creepy things like, "I see you..." and being no where near me but it would sound like he was right at my ear. Thankfully the last few years haven't been that bad but the gloomy aspect of it still bums me out. Winter just started and I can't wait for it to be spring again!
This is the time of year that I miss living at the coast the most. It got cold and rainy here and there but hey, I could see the ocean from my apartment...what can be bad about that?! One thing I do like is seeing Christmas lights through the fog...that is definitely pretty. So, Christmas is for sure the high point of the winter. But after Christmas its just waiting for Groundhog Day to see how many weeks of winter gloom are left. Don't laugh, my family is from Pennsylvania so of course I hold Punxsutawney Phil's opinion in the highest regard. Crossing my fingers for a short winter this year!
Fogged in in Fresno,
Busy B
The fog seems to just bring everyone down and not to mention how much I worry with Daniel commuting to Kinsgsburg everyday in it. People who aren't from here may think they know what fog is but as far as I am concerened you haven't seen fog until you have spent a winter in the central valley. Of course some years are worse than others but there are times when you can't even see your own hand in front of you. As a kid we actually had foggy day schedule at school because the fog was too thick for the busses to drive in.
I remember when I was in high school I helped my brother with his paper route in the mornings and we would split up and then have the hardest time finding each other again. We would have to run to a house get really close up to see the number on the house and then yell it out. And with the way sound travels in thick fog my brother used to scare the crap out of me by saying creepy things like, "I see you..." and being no where near me but it would sound like he was right at my ear. Thankfully the last few years haven't been that bad but the gloomy aspect of it still bums me out. Winter just started and I can't wait for it to be spring again!
This is the time of year that I miss living at the coast the most. It got cold and rainy here and there but hey, I could see the ocean from my apartment...what can be bad about that?! One thing I do like is seeing Christmas lights through the fog...that is definitely pretty. So, Christmas is for sure the high point of the winter. But after Christmas its just waiting for Groundhog Day to see how many weeks of winter gloom are left. Don't laugh, my family is from Pennsylvania so of course I hold Punxsutawney Phil's opinion in the highest regard. Crossing my fingers for a short winter this year!
Fogged in in Fresno,
Busy B
Saturday, December 11, 2010
I miss my crafts!
I have always been a lover of crafts. From scrapbooking to crocheting and everything in between I have always enjoyed filling my free time with various craft projects. And I still love to do crafts its that free time that I am lacking. Just thinking about bringing all of my scrapbook supplies out sounds like way too much work. Isn't that sad!?
I used to do a lot of stuff late at night once Daniel went to sleep since he goes to bed early and I am such a night owl but nowadays I'm either exhausted from the day or trying to pick up the house once Gianna goes to sleep. So, I have closets and drawers full of craft supplies that just stare at me longingly (or maybe its me staring longingly at them) and I have come to a point where I'm wondering when I'll ever have time to use them again?
The practical side of me is telling me to just clean out those closets and make room for more useful things but a part of me is thinking that this can't go on forever! I will eventually have free time again right?! (Mom's across the world insert laugh here)
Oh well, I have yet to fully commit one way or the other. I feel like if I throw them out or banish them to storage I am admitting a defeat of some sort. It wouldn't be that bad if I didn't continue to hang out (read, buy more stuff from) Michaels and Joannes and what not. Its like a bad habit I can't shake! I haven't decided what I am going to do but bottom line...I miss my ol' crafty ways! :(
I used to do a lot of stuff late at night once Daniel went to sleep since he goes to bed early and I am such a night owl but nowadays I'm either exhausted from the day or trying to pick up the house once Gianna goes to sleep. So, I have closets and drawers full of craft supplies that just stare at me longingly (or maybe its me staring longingly at them) and I have come to a point where I'm wondering when I'll ever have time to use them again?
The practical side of me is telling me to just clean out those closets and make room for more useful things but a part of me is thinking that this can't go on forever! I will eventually have free time again right?! (Mom's across the world insert laugh here)
Oh well, I have yet to fully commit one way or the other. I feel like if I throw them out or banish them to storage I am admitting a defeat of some sort. It wouldn't be that bad if I didn't continue to hang out (read, buy more stuff from) Michaels and Joannes and what not. Its like a bad habit I can't shake! I haven't decided what I am going to do but bottom line...I miss my ol' crafty ways! :(
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Top 10 Tuesday: 10 Things You May Not Know About Me...Just for fun!
10. I was born on a military base in Germany.
9. I have been skydiving and loved it but I am deathly afraid of flying.
8. If I had to choose my last meal it would be my mom's "Poor Man Soup."
7. My first pet was a basset hound named Mumford.
6. I love writing research papers.
5. My favorite t-shirt is a Expo's shirt I got at a garage sale when I was 15.
4. I drink my coffee black.
3. If I could meet any dead person it would be Winston Churchill.
2. I tell everyone I am 5'7" but I am really 5'6 3/4".
1. I've lived in 3 states and been to 10 different countries.
Busy B
9. I have been skydiving and loved it but I am deathly afraid of flying.
8. If I had to choose my last meal it would be my mom's "Poor Man Soup."
7. My first pet was a basset hound named Mumford.
6. I love writing research papers.
5. My favorite t-shirt is a Expo's shirt I got at a garage sale when I was 15.
4. I drink my coffee black.
3. If I could meet any dead person it would be Winston Churchill.
2. I tell everyone I am 5'7" but I am really 5'6 3/4".
1. I've lived in 3 states and been to 10 different countries.
Busy B
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
When Hobbies Go Wild!
For as long as I can remember I have loved taking pictures. I used to dress my sisters up for hours on end and pose them in the backyard until they wanted to kill me. In high school, as I have mentioned before, thats pretty much all I was involved in....things pertaining to photo like newspaper, sports programs and yearbook. In college I took pictures all over Europe and was inspired by all the people and architecture. But when I got back from Europe, I kind of just stopped taking pictures for awhile. I missed having access to a darkroom and didn't really jump on the digital bandwagon right off the bat.
After Daniel and I moved back to Fresno a few years ago, a friend asked if I still took pictures and if I would be interested in taking his family portrait. I was flattered but I didn't really think I was the person for the job but it did sound fun so I did it for free refusing to be paid. A beer and dinner sounded like decent payment. But the feeling I got from being behind the camera came back to me, a rush of sorts. And I was hooked again.
Over the last few years I have invested in a new camera and what not and have loved taking pictures for friends and family here and there. Its such a fun escape for me from my normal 8 to 5 behind an investment desk. But over the last year, my hobby has started to take up a lot of my time and people I don't even know are calling me asking what I charge! Its comical to me in a way that people would pay me to do something that I love to do so much and I have by no means viewed myself as a professional.
Over the last few months, with the encouragement and support of friends and family, I have decided to cross the line from hobby to side job and actually make a business for myself and see what happens. And so, Bella B Photography was born. I have been working on building a website and getting things in order but I decided for the first time ever to give the world a snapshot of what I have done recently. I am excited about showing everyone what I have been working on and what I love to do so much! I hope you enjoy my photos as much as I do and if your interested in booking a session feel free to email me at bellabphotography@gmail.com. You can also check out my facebook page www.facebook.com/brianne.pearce82 for more pics.
xoxo,
Busy B....I mean Bella B :)
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