food, crochet, merriment
1) Baby secrets
2) Bags to cut up to make more…ahhh…bags.
3) Random things popping out of the ground
4) A box of new bows
5) New hubcaps!
6) An evening cloud burst
7) Huge, strong, gentle hands
8) A cute new book to read
9) Our mountains
10) A new daddy
~~~~~~~~~~~
Your turn—
Let’s add to our “Million Things To Be Happy About” page.
So, what makes YOU happy—right this minute?
Tell me in the “comments” and I’ll add it to the Grateful list AND the quote rotator.
GO!
Otherwise known as: The Great Picture Project of 2009
If you’re anything like me and have been collecting photos for the last couple of decades, then maybe your closet looks like this too. Hopefully not.
There are, of course, photo boxes sorted into whichever child is the main focus of the picture, but then there are scads of miscellaneous packages, stacks, bags and piles of ones that haven’t been categorized–or that don’t fit into the boxes at all.
I even have some in dusty old albums and baby books, and some in old frames or outdated collages. And perhaps we shouldn’t mention the file cabinet that I inherited from my mom with a century and a half of old family photos–you know–the priceless relic kind. I’m not brave enough to open that drawer yet.
Now, I’m not entirely brainless. I know that this is not the right way to treat your pictures and that I need to do some kind of acid-free, archival-type adventure and eventually scan and save them all on discs–or something. I even realize that the “Proper Preservation of Family Photos” police could be pounding on my door at any moment–but honestly—I just can’t think that far ahead.
This could all be a wee bit daunting…if taken in one massive chunk.
For that very reason, my plans will be much more modest. I just want to get these pictures sorted, organized and–most importantly–all in one place–so that I can find what I’m looking for without a bunch of crazy packages landing on my head.
That’s the extent of my big ambitions, for now. The acid-free-scan-and-disc-stuff will have to wait for another day…when I’m more mature.
I’m off to Wal-mart–with 30 bucks…not a penny more.
I’ll be back.
Wish me luck…
One year at Christmas time my little, then three-year-old Lyndi, wanted to help me wrap some presents for Daddy. Seemed harmless enough, so I let her do all the easy stuff–you know, “hand Mommy the tape,” and “pick which paper,” that sort of thing. The whole time I carefully explained to her that all these presents were secrets until Christmas morning and to be sure not to tell Daddy or it would spoil his surprise. We even practiced. Oh, how she promised to keep the secret.
Then Daddy came home.
She ran up to him and grabbed his legs and said, “Guess what? We wrapped your Christmas present today.”
Uh-oh, I think.
“It’s a secret…”
Good girl, good girl…
“…so I can’t tell you…”
That’s right, good job!
“…what it is…”
Well done!
“…but it ticks.”
…sigh…
If you’d have known this particular little sweetheart, you wouldn’t have been able to be mad at her, any more than I could at the time. Especially, since–from what I’m told, I was the very same sort of kid. Apparently, Christmas secrets or any other kind were just not safe with me. I don’t remember being the surprise spoiling blabber-mouth, but according to my siblings…I was.
Having lived a million years, since that time–I think I’m a little better at it…but sometimes it’s still really hard. I love to share surprises more than anything, which makes keeping a secret for very long–a trial. Probably why I have the “Secrets” tab on this very blog. I need to tell someone!
Then this very cool thing happened. Our household recently discovered a notebook stuffed full of “secret” famous recipes–just waiting to be tried and shared. And what-do-you-know, I’m really good at both things! This could be the healing enterprise that I need…and the cool, famous restaurant favorites that you need! Hee hee hee.
So stand by. I’ve got some great recipes coming. Some from the “Secret Notebook” and some serendipitous finds from other places.
In fact, we’ll start with Brazilian Limeade, served at places like Tucano’s, from my sweet friend Susette.
What you choose to do with the secrets….
…is up to you.
PS—You are welcome to request a restaurant favorite and I’ll go on a hunt for it as well. ;}
The Bare-bones year supply!
Yes, you’d survive–but you’d be so bored!
“When the seas of life are stormy, a wise mariner seeks a port of peace. The family, as we have traditionally known it, is such a refuge of safety. ‘The home is the basis of a righteous life and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfil its essential functions.’ Actually, a home is much more than a house. A house is built of lumber, brick, and stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. A house can be a home, and a home can be a heaven when it shelters a family. When true values and basic virtues undergird the families of society, hope will conquer despair, and faith will triumph over doubt.
“Such values, when learned and lived in our families, will be as welcome rain to parched soil. Love will be engendered; loyalty to one’s best self will be enhanced; and those virtues of character, integrity, and goodness will be fostered. The family must hold its preeminent place in our way of life because it’s the only possible base upon which a society of responsible human beings has ever found it practicable to build for the future and maintain the values they cherish in the present.”~Thomas S. Monson