The Universe is a BULLY!

The word “bully” has a negative connotation… so I guess I should use a different word to describe the way I’ve been treated by the Universe. In reality, recent changes are very positive, and, in fact, I’m grateful for the shove. I didn’t fall down so much as just get moving. The Universe was that kid behind you when you’re standing in line for lunch and get distracted by the pretty pictures hanging on the wall outside the art classroom… it had to get my attention. Had to say “HEY!! It’s lunchtime – go get some FOOD!”

Okay, that’s enough allegorical description, don’t you think?

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago it became very clear to me that I needed to stop talking about being a full-time writer and creator, and just do it already. So, I did. I resigned from my very satisfying yet predictable job with a local organization that I am passionate about and that does amazing things in our community, and became a new person. This person is eager to get out of bed each day and tackle that day’s to-do list. This person happily tidies up the house as she goes from task to task, and spends quality time with her son after school. This person went grocery shopping and was actually excited about the idea of planning meals!

I know, it’s ridiculous. But there it is. I am so excited about the prospect of getting projects knocked out during the week rather than having to cram as much as possible into my weekends and then go back to work exhausted, with half-completed projects waiting for me until the next weekend. I’m not saying I’m thrilled about having to cancel the housekeeper we had coming every other week (oh, how I loved the way the house smelled every other Wednesday!!), but being home more during the day means I can keep things looking presentable with very minimal effort. I really don’t mind cleaning if I can do it along with the other things I want/need to do. It’s only frustrating when I have to do it in the evenings after a long day at work, or on weekends when I’d much rather be on a river, or my patio, or a road trip.

My garden is celebrating with me…

 

But, alas, I’m not married to a Rockefeller, so I am not allowed to be an idle woman. Not that I would be happy being idle anyway… I have already lined up one free-lance writing job locally, and have been putting out feelers with other connections I have. I’m confident that I will be able to replace my income with my writing and my creating, I just have to make it happen.

And just a note on that… over the last year or so I feel like I have been able to create some fantastic relationships with others in my area who are making a living from their artistic or creative endeavors. Artists, other writers, bloggers, and “slashers” who cobble together several of their talents into a career that suits their family, their experience and abilities and still allows them to live the life they are comfortable with. I’m so grateful for those people in my life – and the family I have who supports me.

Five years ago, when I got the job I just left, I was eager to embark on a new adventure – working as a fundraiser and communicator for a non-profit organization. Four months later, my beautiful mother was diagnosed with brain cancer, and the people I worked with became my support system, my shoulders to cry on… I was exactly where I needed to be during the year she was ill, and the years after she died. Now I’m headed down a different road, and again I am confident that it’s the one I need to be on. My mother always encouraged my creative pursuits, and was one of the biggest fans of my writing. I guess that’s a mom thing, right? I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s the one encouraging the Universe to bully me. Thanks mom. For everything.

I love this picture of my mother working on some kind of craft. She taught me so much about living creatively.

 

Simple Service on a Saturday.

We are Razorback football fans, as are most people in Arkansas. It’s just the way it is when there are no professional teams in the state to cheer for and only one NCAA conference university. So, we enjoy doing anything that combines family time and cheering on the Hogs. That explains why a beautiful Saturday that included the annual Razorback Red & White game and the Champions for Kids Razorfest event inspired us to get out of the house.

I don’t think we’ve attended this event before, even though I’d heard of it. I knew it was kid-centered, and there were autograph sessions with ball players other Razorback personalities and such, but I had no idea how much was going on at this event. We had heard that a local news station was taking donations of non-perishable food, so I loaded up a tote bag with some cans of beans that were never going to be eaten at my house (much to my chagrin…) and a couple of cans of tuna (same as the beans…) and we headed out.

We parked and started walking… and walking… and walking… uphill… to the stadium. Did I mention that the hubs picked the parking spot?? When we entered the south end of the facility we were immediately met with activities and booths and such. There were vendors galore who support the work done by Champions for Kids to serve and support kids’ health and active lifestyles. And lots of people! Seems we weren’t the only folks who thought it was a great day to get out of the house with the kids.

The boy and his dad were grabbing some cotton candy (not quite what I would have expected to find being sold at an event geared toward healthy kids… but whatever) and I checked out a kiosk that looked interesting. Turns out, Champions for Kids promotes these things called Simple Service projects that people take on in their communities. Everything from packing snacks for kids, to helping them learn to read, or teaching the importance of good oral health… all with major corporate partners like Colgate and Disney. According to their website, Champions for Kids has served 132,000 kids through 800 community service organizations that have received donations resulting from these projects. They each have four simple steps:

• GATHER your friends, family, and co-workers.
• LEARN about the needs of children in your community.
• GIVE items to help kids enjoy happier and healthier lives.
• SHARE your story with us to inspire others.

Elmer’s supports Simple Service Projects with Champions for Kids.

Pretty easy, right? I’m  looking forward to finding out more about these projects and getting my kids involved. My son has been having a hard time understanding the value of working for an allowance and we’ve had to cut back on impulse buys. Maybe spending some time showing him how important it is to give will help me drive the point home that life is not all about what we can get.

When we exited the concourse on the north side we were pretty blown away with all the activity in the parking lot affectionately known on campus as “The Pit”. HOLY MOLY. It was kids’ activities and information and music and people as far as the eye could see. I was starting to regret not getting there as soon as it opened. The boy-child had a ball game in a couple of hours, so I already knew we wouldn’t get to do much in this area. We dropped off our canned goods (which fulfilled this Simple Service project, it turns out), watched some of the kids singing on stage, and collected a few freebies here and there, but didn’t have time to stand in the SUPER long lines for the really exciting activities like that “giant rubber-band jumping thing” (I’m sure that’s the technical term).

JDRF was one of dozens of booths sharing information highlighting ways to keep kids healthy in our community.

The boy and I left the hubs with his buddies – they were going to the game – to head back down the hill to the car. It only took 20 minutes to get to it on the return trip. Next year, Razorfest will definitely be on our calendar again, but we’ll be sure to be at the gate as soon as it opens, and to not have anything else planned for the afternoon.

What kinds of projects have you taken on to support kids in your community? For a ton of great ideas, check out the Champions for Kids Pinterest board. You can also get great information year-round by following Champions for Kids on Facebook and Twitter.

 

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Champions For Kids. That said – all opinions and views are my own and I can say whatever I want. #cbias #SocialFabric

Be Like Me

I’ve been told twice in the last week that I “always look so busy”. The first time I heard it was from a good, but distant friend who only keeps up on Facebook and by an occasional email. He’s also single, which leads me to believe that if you put our schedules side-by-side, I probably would look pretty busy.

The second time was from a sweet new friend, Olivia. She’s the mom of a couple of small children, and she’s growing a business making handpainted signs. She is constantly posting pictures of new inventory and talking about custom orders she’s filling… so if SHE thinks I’m busy, I guess I really must be. She assured me that it was a compliment, and that it seems like I’m doing so much and doing it well. I laughed out loud and assured her that I am definitely doing a lot, but usually feel like I’m just barely doing everything well enough.

Olivia joked that I should offer people tips on how to be like me, which was ridiculously flattering and made me laugh again. I considered creating a Twitter account called “BeAwesomeLikeMe”, thinking it would be a great platform for some funny buy semi-serious advice about managing the crazy of life… but the name is taken (by someone who doesn’t appear to be all that awesome, I might add). Instead, I’ll share a list of tips with you! Don’t you feel special!??

Laurie’s Valuable Tips For Those Who Want To Be Like Me

• Do Unto Others. There are people in your community who would love to help you be successful. Seriously, there are. I have found that the more I reach out to support other local artists and crafters and writers in my sphere of influence, the more often I am offered opportunities to be on the receiving end of support.

• Take Notes. I carry a note pad in my purse at all times. The more I use it to jot down notes when I have and idea for a project or a blog post, the more easily those ideas come to me. Creativity is like a lovely creek through a wooded landscape (with dogwood trees hanging over the water, preferably). The water is always there, but you have to keep it flowing to appreciate the full impact it can have on the life that surrounds it. If it’s dammed up, it gets stagnant. It might take a little while to get into the habit of pulling out the notebook, but keep it on you anyway, it’ll happen.

• Be Ready. When an opportunity to collaborate with someone on a project or attend a workshop or take on a new task presents itself, sometimes the biggest obstacle to making it happen is simply that you’re kind of blindsided and feel ill-prepared to take advantage of it. You might end up saying no because you’re afraid that it could create a problem in your schedule. Or maybe you’re just not sure what you have to offer in the scenario that’s presented. Remember that if you are being asked to participate – no matter whether it’s something huge like speaking at a conference or just meeting a friend for coffee because they want to bounce a couple of ideas off of you – you have built yourself a reputation that you should be proud of. Be honest, be approachable, and be enthusiastic. Those attitudes plus your inherent talents will make you ready.

• Take a Break. No matter how flexible or enthusiastic or talented you are, you will need some down time. I try not to beat myself with a guilt stick too much when I get home from work worn out and brain dead, and just need to watch Dr. Who reruns and let the family eat take-out. Your sanity is an important part of your success, and being exhausted and stressed will only make decision-making and opportunity preparedness more difficult.

• Don’t Take Too Many Breaks.
  

• Let Some Things Go. I spent a good number of years wanting to work in theater and film. I blew my best chance to actually pursue a career in that industry in my 20s, but now a fledgling network of agencies and talent is really taking off here in NW Arkansas. I have been really itchy to get head-shots done and see if I could give it a go now, in my 40s. I have already let go of doing theater because the weeks of rehearsal involved simply would be impossible with all the other things that require my attention. But shooting a commercial… or doing some voice over work or a one-line role in a film… I’m still a bit conflicted about it.

• Hire (or barter) it Out. You don’t have to do it all. Really, you don’t. If you can’t pay for someone to do your yard work or clean your house, you could consider bartering for it. Trade your talents with someone who has different talents. Craigslist has a barter section, and there are a few other websites out there to help connect people who want to trade services. Try looking in the local paper for services people are offering as well, and contact individuals to ask if they’re willing to trade

• Just Get Up. You can make lists, buy supplies, search for inspiration on Pinterest, and read articles and books about making your life what you want it to be all day long for weeks… but until you get off your butt and start doing something, you’re not going to be like me. You won’t be busy, and you won’t have lines drawn through your “to-do” items. Get up and get BUSY.

Cheaper Than a New Car

Maybe it’s a natural result of having kids. Maybe we’re just a lazy family. It doesn’t really matter what behavior leads to the smell… it turns out that on any given day my car and my husband’s truck may just have a funky odor. I’ve frantically thrown everything out of my car before looking for THAT SMELL, and rejoiced upon finding a half-full container of orange juice. If you don’t know what spoiled orange juice smells like, believe me when I say it’s not something you want in the 8×6 box that is the interior of your car. Nasty.

So the other day when I climbed into my husband’s truck for an afternoon drive and immediately thought “what’s that smell??” I knew it was time to do something about this apparently chronic issue. We just paid our last car payment, so a new one was out of the question. I was going to have to settle for a #FresherCar. I ran by my local Walmart supercenter at lunch the next day to peruse the air fresheners, and came across air filters. Did you know that the interior of your car is called a “cabin”… just like a boat or a plane?? Yeah, neither did I! More importantly, I found out that there are air filters in our cars that are made to be changed regularly to keep the air inside the cabin clean. I have owned lots of cars, and this is a fact that somehow eluded me. I hope I’m not alone here… feeling like a girl.

So I found these FRAM Fresh Breeze cabin filters, and they claim to clean the air 6 times better than standard cabin air filters because they use Arm & Hammer baking soda. Just like grandma used to put in the fridge. If grandma used it, it’s gotta be good.

There was a little catalog hanging off the shelf to help analog users look up the make and model of their vehicle… but do you see the little QR code there on the box? Yeah, I whipped out my iPhone and pulled up my ScanLife app… I feel all hip and tech-savvy when I have a chance to use it. It’s the little things, people.

And what do you know – that little code took me to the FRAM app and let me look for the correct filter number right there. And even better – it included an installation video! We were in business – and that filter was in my cart. (For a complete ride-along of my shopping trip to Walmart, check out my Google+ album here.)

The box promised a 15 minute installation, and of course I’m assuming that’s an optimistic prediction. But seriously, it only took me 12 minutes to pop that thing in. I had to un-hinge the glove box (easy), and pull out the old filter… gross… it might be hard to tell, but the one behind is the original (which had probably been in there since we bought the truck) and it was full of grit and bits and nastiness. Can you see the sparkly shine on the new one on top? Maybe it was late and I was hallucinating a little…

Just slide it in and close her up, and we’re done!

Have you used the FRAM Fresh Breeze filters? Go check out the FRAM Facebook page and let them know what you thought. And if you’re shopping for filters, be sure to take advantage of this rebate offer! They’ve got my DIY-friendly vote, for sure. And I am definitely looking forward to my next Sunday drive.

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and FRAM #cbias #SocialFabric

A Sunday drive.

We’ve been looking around for a parcel of land that will provide a little place to go camp, hike, stargaze, hang out and listen to birds and breezes… all for under $20,000 and within an hour of our house. High hopes much?? So every now and then the hubster finds a couple of contenders and we head out on an adventure to find the listed property and decide if it’s worth keeping in the contenders column or if the description is highly creative.

Most of the time the places he finds are off a dirt road (always a good sign!) and often the map online doesn’t quite match the roads we have to travel. Today was one of those days. One of the properties had some breathtaking views, but we had to put the truck in 4WD and low gear to get up the road to reach it. While it would be a great place to hike, and there was a cleared area to pitch a tent, we’d really like to find something that we could invite friends to, and all of our friends don’t own 4WD vehicles. So, it’ll be on the “it’d perfect if…” list.

While we were walking the property I got a little melancholy, thinking about the land my grandparents owned. It was wooded, with some pasture where they raised cattle and grew a gorgeous big garden. The spring breaks I spent there were full of wildflowers, fossil hunting, and learning about the bird calls and plants we found on our walks in the woods.

On the property we visited today there were trilliums growing, and shelf fungus… wild violets and lichens. As we drove down the dirt roads I lusted after large flat rocks that had recently been unearthed by the road grater. They reminded me of drives I took down the roads near my previous house (built on my grandparents’ former clover field that they grew for their honey bees). I wasn’t too proud to throw rocks for my garden into the back of my Subaru.

I also smiled at the sight of mayapples in the understory that are just starting to pop up. When my daughters were small we walked in the woods that I walked as a kid, and we told stories about the fairies who lived under the mayapples and played in and around the tree roots in the dry creek bed. I’m still dealing with unresolved feelings about having to let my mom’s house, which was formerly my grandparents’ house, go back to the bank after mom  died. Some days, not being able to take my son and grand-daughter for walks in those woods really burrows deep in my bones and makes me angry. There’s no one to be angry at, of course, so I have to let it go. But a walk in the woods brings those feelings up out of my bones a little.

Maybe we’ll find our own property covered with mayapples and trillium… peppered with perfect flat rocks just begging to go into my garden. My son can learn the difference between the hoot of a barred owl and a barn owl and understand that “No Service” is a blessing, not a curse. We’ll just keep taking drives on Sundays and hiking the back roads until we do.

Tools to keep us sane (relatively).

I’ve shared before that my husband and I have been making some changes in our diets and activity levels due to my husband’s brush with high blood pressure and diabetes last year. I’m happy to report that the Hubs has been super-committed and has lost over 40 pounds just by exercising more and cutting back on his portion sizes and intake of starches. He’s been using an Atkins-inspired diet plan and I’m so proud of his progress so far. His A1c level has gone from 10+ last year to just over 5 in January.

I doubt I’m the only wife who feels like they have to be prepared at any moment to step in and rescue our husbands when they have neglected a Very Important Thing. Sometimes (most of the time, probably) the Very Important Thing isn’t potentially life-threatening… picking up milk on the way home, or scheduling an oil change. But sometimes the Very Important Thing is, in reality, VERY IMPORTANT.

Now, any given day at my house, we’re looking at this pile of laundry… (yes, that’s a pool table underneath… we’re busy around here!)

… and this selection of medication on my husband’s side of the bathroom vanity (yes, that’s the 9th Dr. overlooking the scene – we’re busy geeks around here!).

So, you can imagine that when I find an app that I can load on my phone and that will make a Very Important Thing in my life a lot easier, I’m all about it.

One particular panic moment occurred soon after my husband’s diagnosis with diabetes. He was already headed out of town on a business trip and realized that he hadn’t ordered a prescription he couldn’t afford to miss. He was kind of freaking out, but I remembered that I had the Walgreens mobile app loaded on my phone. I told him to just get on his flight and let me take care of it.

The Walgreens app allows users to load prescriptions for other people – perfect for parents, spouses, or caregivers who are taking care of someone else’s prescriptions. I pulled up my husband’s prescriptions, found a Walgreen’s near his hotel, and sent the Very Important prescription he needed there. He picked it up after dinner that night and never missed a dose. I think he was fairly impressed.

I’ve added my husband’s prescriptions to my account on the app (easy to do – just follow directions on the app) and I can pull his list up on my phone with a simple drop down menu:

Once the prescription has been filled and is waiting for me, I get a text message on my phone to let me know – these alerts are easy to set up in the app as well:

You can also schedule reminders to nudge you to get your kids vaccinated on time, and even set a timer to remind you to take your meds every day. What do you bet someone’s wife came up with this app?? LOL! #Happy#Healthy

Before I headed to pick up my prescription I also used the shopping list available on the app to remind myself that it’s time to touch up my roots and I needed to pick up some sugar-free candy for my office (low carb, remember?).

But I’m not saying this wasn’t tempting… Damn you, Easter Bunny!!

I found these warmers at a ridiculous price and had to pick one up. I’m sorry, but less than $6.00??? Um, YES.

I checked my Walgreens Rewards Points and kept an eye out to see if anything I had on my list had points available. Most of the items that offer points do so by 1000-2000 at a time, and you only have to reach 5000 points to get $5.00 off your next purchase.

My youth-in-a-bottle didn’t have any points attached today, but it’s a couple of dollars cheaper than I see it elsewhere, so I’m still happy. Mission accomplished, and I’m able to check a few things off my to-do list. But of course, the laundry is still on the pool table…

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Walgreens. Even so, the opinions are my own and I use the Walgreens Mobile App for realz. #cbias #SocialFabric

Sugar-Free Basketball Anyone?

For the last couple of years, some of the folks in my office have filled out brackets for the college basketball tournament. It’s painfully (and hilariously) obvious pretty early in the tourney who actually pays attention to college basketball, and who picks the winning teams based on their favorite jersey colors and home towns. I may be in that favorite color group…  And of course, my FAVORITE team is always the Arkansas Razorbacks – GO HOGS!!!

I work at a nonprofit that supports cancer patients in our community, and we decided this year that everyone who participates can donate $5, which will then be donated to our patient assistance programs. We’ll be turning in brackets and turning over our cash tomorrow, and I thought it would be fun to have a few snacks on hand when we get started … some sweet treats (#SnackMadness!) to get us ready for some sweet dunks, so to speak.

Around my house we are trying to maintain a low-carb lifestyle, which can get in the way of having any kind of sweet treat, but when I told my husband of my plans he reminded me he’d picked up some sugar-free candies at Walgreen’s in the past, so I ran in this morning to get some goodies. Let me tell you, there aren’t just a couple of random, generic options – they have LOTS of sugar-free candy! There were Russell Stover varieties, and Werther’s hard candies… but I am all about chocolate, so I was immediately in love with the Reese’s and Hershey offerings. AND, they were on sale!

On top of the sale, I use Walgreen’s Rewards on my iPhone app and earn points on some selected purchases. The basketball tourney gods were smiling down on me, because they have a special running for Reese’s and Hershey’s candies if you buy them with Coca-Cola products. Done!

A word of caution for anyone trying sugar-free candy for the first time – you don’t want to eat a handful just because they are lower in calories and carbs than the originals. The sugar-alcohols used to make these lovely little treats can cause side effects that can be unpleasant… especially to someone sitting next to you on a crowded bus, if you know what I mean. Take it easy – you’ll thank me later!

I picked up a few bags of sugar-free for me and a couple of other folks at work who are working on losing weight  (but will probably keep some here at home!) and got some “fully loaded” candies as well. Then I headed to the drink aisle to pick up some Coke. We always have drinks in a fridge at work, but Coke Zero is my go-to and it’s not always stocked. I think it’s closer in taste to regular Coke, but with zero carbs. I really appreciate all the nice people in the snack and beverage industries creating products that allow me to pretend I’m not on a diet.

I have a recommendation for the folks at Coca-Cola: The refrigerator boxes need their graphics adjusted… when the box is shelved with the ends placed to be readable the handle that’s built into the box is on the side of the box. There’s no good way to get hold of the thing unless you dig around at the edges to pull it half-way out of the display first. Kind of odd.

So we’re set… got the candy, (and put it in some cute jars I picked up recently) got my own drinks to keep at the office, got my bracket set up on our online work team… now I just have to go look at all the uniforms and decide who’s going to win! Did I mention?? GO HOGS!!!!

To see my shopping trip unfold before your very eyes, take a little peek at my Google+ album here.

I am a member of the Collective Bias Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and Walgreens #cbias #SocialFabric. Regardless of this affiliation, all opinions are my own.