A Gift for Me and Something Extra for Another

Check out this video:

We had a family celebration on Sunday and part of that was an early celebration of my birthday. I have been wanting a pair of TOM's shoes for awhile and so my family gave me $ to put toward them. I am super excited to own my new TOM's shoes....plus I love that when I put them on, somewhere in the world a child will also have a new pair too. I love this concept of making a quality product and then making a difference albeit small in the life of someone else. If you're interested in checking out these shoes go here.

The Power of a Sixth Sense and the Power of Contentment

A few weeks ago Mr. M and I went on a quick date. We have been trying to go out weekly. Which can actually pose many challenges. This particular week I had scheduled a babysitter for a week/school night and so we had about 1 hour. I thought maybe a yogurt and a trip around the block and back home again. Mr. M had another idea...the library. It was such a fun date, even though we ended up spending most of our hour individually perusing books in different sections of the library. It was on this library date that I found a golden treasure. It is a book called Hannah Keeley's Total Mom Makeover: The Six-Week Plan to Completely Transform Your Home, Heath, Family and Life. It screamed at me to pick it up and I have been working on my total transformation for the last few weeks. I could go on for several blog posts about how much this book as truly benefited my life and helped me to create a clear vision for my career choice of motherhood.

Today however I want to share one of my exercises for today because it was powerful. She was talking about including your 5 senses in your home and increasing the beauty and peace you find. Then she came to what she turned her "Sixth Sense" " More information is communicated through your sixth sense than through all your other sense combine3d. Your environment can look taste, smell, sound and feel great, but if you don have a spirit of gratitude, something will feel a bit off."

And here is my favorite part..."You bless your home in powerful ways when you first consider it a blessing to you and your family. Even if it is not your "dream house," begin right now to appreciate those wall that enclose you and the roof that keeps you sheltered.....Let your gratitude permeate every nook and cranny of where you life, and it will light up your home with beauty."

I sat reading today and realized how powerful this statement truly is. I can decorate and fill, beautify and improve my surroundings but until I can recognize the blessings and focus on my gratitude I will not truly be comfortable or content where I am.

For me this rings true. I have a small home with many people. I often view this as a challenge instead of being thankful for the opportunities my children are learning to share and become closer together. Of the skills I have learned in organizing and simplifying. Of the considerably lower mortgage payment we have which will hopefully help us to better achieve our financial goals. I live on a busy street and don't feel comfortable letting my kids play in our front yard by themselves and because of my location we do not readily have lots of kids nearby. Again I realized I could see the blessings in my children learning how to work on friendships and find creative things to do in our home and our backyard. They are diligent about not going in the road and have learned how to be observant when they are out in the front. All skills that are useful and will benefit them in the future.

There is great power in using our sixth sense. Power in finding contentment even in not so desirable circumstances. How do you find gratitude in your surroundings? I would love to hear your input.

For more information on Hannah Keeley go here.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Emily

Jane Eyre a book and movie review

When I was a sophomore in high school one of the books required for my English class was Jane Eyre. I started it, but didn't make it past Lowood school. I read the cliff notes, and watched a movie I found at the library and did my best to pass the test. As a junior in college I started realizing that I really wanted to read the classics. I hate to admit it but I had never even read a book by Jane Austen at that time. So I started to compile a list of the books I should read. I am still working on that list.

But I started out with Persuasion, then Pride and Prejudice, and fell in love. The summer I graduated I picked up Jane Eyre again. Only this time I could hardly put it down. I read it in a few days and enjoyed every single page. Over the years, Jane has become one of those characters that no longer exists in my mind as fiction, but seems like a friend, a real person who I value and who has made a lasting impression in my life.

A month ago I again picked up my now favorite book. I finished reading on April 15th, just in time to go see the new Jane Eyre movie out in theaters, with my sisters. I love the book Jane Eyre for many reasons, most of all because Jane is a strong woman of Great character.

I love as Mr. Rochester describes what he reads in Jane's face..." I can live alone, if self respect and circumstances require me so to do. I need not sell my soul to by bliss. I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only a price I cannot afford to give. Reason sits firm and holds the reins, and she will not let the feelings burst away and hurry her to wild chasms. The passions may rage furiously, like true heathens, as they are; and the desire may imagine all sorts of vain things: but judgement shall still have the last word in every argument, and the casting vote in every decision. Strong wind, earthquake-shock, and fire may pass by: but I shall follow the guiding of that still small voice which interprets the dictates of conscience."

I have to say I enjoyed this new movie. It was well cast and although they skipped and abbreviated several sections, to fit it into a movie time length, I thought it was well done. I thought it captured the essence of Jane Eyre and beautifully portrayed this timeless story.

My favorite version remains the Masterpiece Theater version of Jane Eyre (below). However I think it is definitely a close second. If you haven't seen either of these movies they are worth making the time to go see them. If you are in the Salt Lake City area, Jane Eyre is showing at the Broadway Theater.
Most of all if you haven't read Jane Eyre or haven't read it in awhile. I highly recommend adding this beautiful book to your list of "To Reads" Jane is who I strive to be like. Strong, kind, determined and most of all true to herself and the beliefs she holds dear. She is able to see real and true beauty and to understand love at a deep and intimate level. I could go on forever about Charlotte Bronte's masterpiece. I hope you get a chance to let this story into your heart.

Leading Men in the Love Stories of Our Lives

I love to read. I love to read Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte...two of my most favorites. One of my favorite books of all time is Jane Eyre. As I await springtime and try to make it through the gloomy days of January, February and many times March I try to choose books that are "Old Friends." These "old friends" bring me happiness, and help still my restless soul. I enter a world where life always ends happily, and strong people conquer all. I have been spending my reading moments this month with Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Let's face it one of the reason's I love these books are the leading men. I love how all my favorite leading men are Mr.'s. Mr. Darcy(Pride and Prejudice), Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre), Mr. Knightly (Emma), Mr. Thornton (North and South) the two exceptions would be Captain Wentworth (Persuasion) and Gilbert Blythe (Anne of Green Gables). As I read these books as a younger woman, I found myself caught up in their words and visualizing them as perfect men. As I read these books now I see that they are men with flaws. They are strong willed, and proud, often they don't know how to say things correctly the first time..hello Mr. Darcy's first proposal. They really struggle to understand the women in their lives. And they often times say and do dumb and stupid things. They also rise however to the occasions placed before them and become the men they need to be. I think this is what Real Men are. Flawed at times and yet they rise to the occasions of life. My favorite leading man of all time is my own Mr. McAllister. He is most definitely a Real Man. He is flawed. He has never written a love letter like Captain Wentworth, but he does leave me notes on the backs of receipts or on scrap pieces of paper that say , "I Love you. And hope you have a good day." Or silly pun's that make me laugh. He doesn't always remember to whisper sweet nothings to me, but he always rises to the occasions that make him a leading man in our lives. Last night Mini B. started puking in the middle of the night, really the early morning. He ran to her room and was already holding her hair before I could get there. He lovingly rubbed her back and told her everything would be okay. While I helped her clean up he cleaned her entire bed and room which were literally covered in a horrible stench of vomit. He didn't complain or go back to bed. He took on the task and came to check on her and I with positive and caring affirmations. I can't imagine even the worthy Mr. Darcy doing that. We spent most of our evening in separate parts of the house. I comforting Mini B. and he trying to get Thing 2 back to bed, since he had woken up in the commotion of the sickness. Yet I felt so close to him, so loved and so blessed to be married to my own leading man....Mr. McAllister who always rises to the occasion,to show real love. I look at the world around us and realize that their definition of love is so different than the real stuff, which is really to go above what one wants...to be in the service of someone else. Real leading men are hard to come by. As I read about Mr. Rochester again and my beloved Jane I realize how real love seldom comes packaged in the perfect package. Some time it is wrapped in plain and simple wrapping and the gem lies waiting inside for us to discover. So here is to leading men. Real men, who look their best in pajama's holding their little girl's hair while she pukes. Have a wonderful day.

Some Luck and Spring

I have a few decorations up and thought I would share them with you. I didn't really have anything for St. Patty's day and so I made this little sign with green paper on my silhouette cutter. I taped the cut out of the clover to my vase. The bunny was my Nan's and the watch was my Great Grand father's.

I love fresh flowers. This yellow sunshine was $5 at the Grocery store and I have had them for two weeks now. I just have trimmed and changed there water every couple of days. They make me feel so happy.

We had a little Leprechaun visit the homestead and left us some of his gold. This is just a cookie cutter placed on top of gold chocolate coins. Perfect for adding a bit of Irish spark.

Bulbs are pushing through here at the homestead and glimpses of spring are on their way.

Have a lovely Thursday....the sunshine has just burst through all the rain. Ours is looking up.

Mindy Gledhill - Whole Wide World (Official Music Video)

I love Mindy Gledhill's music. It is uplifting and soothing. Beautiful and thoughtful. It makes me smile and cry. I have her new CD and I seriously listen to it ALL the time. I wanted to share her newest video with you. I love the windmill's in the back ground. I'm pretty sure they are the one's at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon. We drive past them on our way to our beautiful Mt. Pleasant and they make me smile too. Plus I totally dig her glasses and am thinking I might be sporting something similar soon. Hope you enjoy this and are smiling at the end. Happy Monday.

A Little Birdie Told Me Baby Shower

On Saturday we had a super fun Baby Shower for my sister in law. She loves birds so we did a Little Birdie Told me....for our theme. Our colors were pink, yellow and gray. My other sister in law B made his darling banner.

B also helped me with this beautiful table scape. She used clear parfait glasses with yellow and pink carnations. I sewed a grey table runner, with pink flowers on the ends. I found this darling ribbon with flowers on it at Walmart. So easy to add onto things. The nests were made by my sis AL and are no-bake cookies with yellow, white and pink Cadberry Mini Eggs in the center... we added the nests and some moss covered rocks I picked up at the Dollar Store.

We had a wonderful Pasta Spinach Salad...veggie tray with a Greek Cucumber dip, Mushroom Sausage tarts, and Zucchini boats with feta, and tomato mixture. It was so delicious.

AM made a super yummy pomegranate/grapefruit drink...it was so tasty. We used the cherry blossom sticks from the Japanese Dinner Party and cut out birds on my Silhouette machine and hot glued them to the sticks.

We filled vases with rocks, and moss and then added the sticks. I found the bird at Michael's for 40% off.

Finally for the shower gift we put all her items into a wreath that we made look like a nest. We found these cute chick bags at the Dollar Store and put the items inside. It was a fun way to giver her a gift.

It was a perfect way to welcome the newest little member of our family.