What exactly are the dog days of summer? Are they gone already? I don’t know about where you live, but fall showed up this past weekend. As I sit here in my sweat pants, hoodie and a blanket on my lap, I welcome the heat from my laptop on my lap. Strange, when just two weeks ago, I couldn’t stand it!
Lately, I’ve been weeding through the boxes that contain the memories of the past 20-something years. Boxes and boxes of photos, and it’s so fun to take that walk down memory lane. I’ve come across countless pictures of my kids when they were little, but also of nieces and nephews, good friends and family at important life events. And also the every day moments that fill in the gaps. Those are the most fun pictures. The ones where my kids’ faces are lacquered in pudding or dirt. The one where my daughter, who must have been 5, tries ice skating for the first time and fear is the only expression on her face. The one where my son crawled under the dining room table to take a nap with our dog… And the one where my other son mastered the art of blowing a triple bubble with his bubble gum; a bubble inside a bubble, inside another bubble. While I love the big family reunion shots, it’s the every day ones that make me smile most. Like the one above… We once drove to Lexington, KY to visit my husband, where he was filling in at a different office for a couple weeks. He walked out of the office and this is the shot where he and the kids saw each other for the first time in several days. I love how happy they were to see him, and how happy he was to see them too.
Little moments…
In perhaps my 200th epiphany of the same thought… it’s the little moments that make a joy-filled life.
If you haven’t yet today – I know it’s early still for some of you – take a breath, look around you, and let your heart be glad for all of the blessings in your life. Be mindful today of each person that you’re grateful for. Notice the things you normally take for granted.
And then don’t take them for granted.
Live today with purpose and joy, friends! Be blessed!
Here are your Monday links:
- Is this sea glass candy not amazing? Now, if only it would last and I could fill glass bowls with it!
- Great post about how social media is affecting and changing the way our children navigate growing up
- The difference between night owls and early birds explained
- Why HOW you write is more important than WHAT you write
- Dark Chocolate Caramel Date Tart with Walnut Crust (what’s not to love in this?)
- 3 ways to know if you’re stuck in the hustle of life
- Good news indeed… independent bookstores are thriving!
- Rethink what Jeremiah 29:11 means
- What to use instead of corn syrup in recipes
- 10 packing mistakes – why I never thought of #7 is a mystery…
- Wondering how to help Syrian refugees? Visit this website for ideas
- For parents with teenagers, this article puts it in perspective
- Does reading “good” literature really make you smarter?
- Baked Risotto with Roasted Winter Vegetables – perfect comfort food for the cool days ahead
- 7 secrets retailers don’t want you to know
- Ice cream that doesn’t melt is soon coming to a store near you
- Skinny Honey Lemon Chicken
- 7 signs you need more sleep
- The best thing to eat in every state
- DIY barn wood serving tray
- The problem with following your passion
- Similarities between 1997’s “monster” El Niño and this year
- How to set boundaries for healthy relationships
- How to add color bursts in your home for under $100
- Call me crazy, but this Nori (seaweed) granola looks yummy!
- Speaking of which, algae is about to be the next big thing
- Stephen King on writing mistakes
- Better than Caprese salad? Ina Garten’s roasted Caprese salad!
- I want to be these people… they saved $40K and traveled the world for a year
- The physics of vulnerability
- If you hate brusselsprouts, are you a super taster?
- Last surviving hero 9/11 rescue dog has a 16th birthday party – how sweet is that?
- Curiosity might’ve killed the cat, but it might get you a good job
- To celebrate Rosh Hashanah… honey cake, a Jewish tradition
- Something I struggle with… self-promotion… 8 ways to overcome putting yourself out there
- Infographic for 16 Ways Exercise helps you
- Easy inexpensive DIY upgrades for your home
- I might even eat brusselsprouts in this French Lentil Vegetable salad
- Flexible solar cells could provide millions with electricity