If it makes you happy...

So I just picked up this book from my coffee table, where I thought if I put it there, it would make me pick it up and read it.



But usually when I sit down there, I already have a book in hand, or a laptop, lol.

Well, out stumbled this little paper that I had written on. Each chapter has an exercise, and this one was to write in freehand, without letting your pen lift off from the paper, all the things that give you joy. For 3 minutes. This is what I had come up with, hmmm, probably a year ago....

What brings me joy...

Ocean waves
Silence
Friends
Clean houses
Ken next to me
Looking at beauty in homes
Architectural Digest, etc.
The Color Red
Shopping
Peace
Bargains
Yard Sales
Girls
Time Together
Movies that are good
Soul Searching
Happiness
Money
Or Having Enough
Not to Have to Worry
Connecting with Others
Learning
Reading
Growing
Discovering my Potential
Other Mothers
Warmth
Sunshine
Nature
Fresh Air
Food that Fills you up
Family Gatherings
Past Memories
Creating
Moments of Grace
A good book....

So what about you, what brings you JOY? The next question the author asks is, What prevents you from having that JOY? Can you think of some things that prevent us from having joy?

The Future ME!

Awhile ago (okay back in May) a friend posted this blog post

CLICK HERE TO GO TO HER BLOG

all about what she wanted to be in the future, after all, our thoughts become beliefs, which become actions, which become results....

I wrote this down that very night....

Masters Degree Holder
Gym Lover
Good Cook
Organized Household
Charity Involved
World Traveler
Good Mother
Fun Friend
Loving Spouse
Dedicated Employee
God Lover
Peaceful
Helpful
Accomplished

So, how about you, what does your list look like?

Jet Blue and Park City!

Jet Blue celebrated their 10 year anniversary at Park City, it was pretty awesome as we got to have the Park City Mountain Resort to ourselves and go on the Alpine slide, rollercoaster and zipline all for free(but the zipline was completely booked up). They also had carnival booths and lunch for everyone, it was quite the event! What an awesome company I've had the chance to work with!

Discovery Museum

AND Back in April Ken's sister came out to Utah to visit, here's some pictures of our trip to the Discovery Museum:









And I had to take a picture of this quote in Tagalog which upon searching on the internet Ken says means something like this:

You notice things concealed from your attention if you describe it or paint it...



Sounds appropriate for such a place....

More catch up!

I realized the last pictures I took were from Christmas...ok. So, I KNOW I've had 2 childrens birthdays as well as Ken and I's.

So here's some pictures from Zane turning 4, we took him to Nickelcade for his birthday and watched our nickels disappear quicker than you can say Happy Birthday!



His favorite games are always those whack them games!





We came home and had pizza afterwards!



And I had to google what the heck these Bakugan's were that he wanted!



Had to take a picture of him sleeping that night! He's still my baby!



The next day Grandma made this fabulous cake!







And he got to open even more PRESENTS! So spoiled!



And here's some from Keilani turning 14! Yes, a decade apart!

We took the whole family to Red Robin to celebrate that night, here she is coloring with Kalel, love that she's so good to her brothers.



Yeah, and don't compare the cake with Zane's, lol. (There WAS a second dessert to eat that night) It just goes to show the older you get, the less exciting your birthdays get to be. I can't even remember what I've done for mine lately...



And for her gifts from us, she got $14 GC's to places like Aeropostale and Claire's



Love you both!

6 months!

So today is August 1st! Time to share what I've been reading the last 6 months. Lots of 4 stars, but only a FEW 5 stars! I like to keep track of things like this...books are like part of my life, and when I go back and see what I was reading, I remember what I was going through at that time....what I thought of the book, and how it influenced or shaped me...or if it didn't. all of my reviews are on Goodreads, so if you're not my Goodreads friend yet, what are you waiting for! (link is on my blog and on my facebook)

Oh, ratings go from 1-5

1 didn't like it
2 it was ok
3 liked it
4 really liked it
5 it was amazing

January:
Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea 4 stars
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan 2 stars
Me Talk Pretty one Day by David Sedaris 4 stars

February
The Peacegiver: How Christ Offers to Heal our Hearts and Homes by James Ferrell 4 stars
Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall 3 stars

March
By the River Piedra I sat down and Wept by Paulo Coelho 5 stars
The Art of the Moment:Simple Ways to Get the Most from Life by Veronique Vienne 4 stars
Open House by Elizabeth Berg 4 stars
The Secret Lives of Men and Women: A Postsecret Book 4 stars

April
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 3 stars
O Zahir by Paulo Coelho 3 stars
A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke 2 stars
Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh 4 stars

May
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson 3 stars
Blue like Play Dough by Tricia Goyer 4 stars
The Help by Kathryn Stockett 4 stars
Offworld by Robin Parrish 4 stars
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks 3 stars
The Bread of Angels: A Memoir of Love and Faith in Damascus by Stephanie Saldana 4 stars
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haldon 3 stars

June
The Kommandant's Daughter by Pam Jenoff 3 stars
The Stranger by Albert Camus 1 star
Believe Me: A Novel by Nina Kilham 4 stars
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella 2 stars
The Absolute Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie 2 stars

July
Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella 4 stars
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri 5 stars
Blue Like Jazz: NonReligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller 3 stars
The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead 4 stars
Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland 5 stars
When I was Peurto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago 4 stars
If I Stay by Gayle Forman 2 stars