Seven Ways to Make the Most of a Moment - Week 9

Life is made up of many moments.  

Getting the very most out of your life starts with how you use each one. 

Here are this week’s suggestions:

1. Hang on to that booster seat!  Most people don't have enough storage space to keep a high chair after their kids outgrow using it. But, if you own a small portable booster seat that fits onto a chair, it may be worth finding a place to keep it.  We did - and when a family with a toddler came to our house for dinner last night, they appreciated being able to use it. 

I'm glad I kept this little booster seat

2. Change your furnace filters.  Regular replacement of your furnace filters can extend the life of your furnace, reduce your energy bills and circulate cleaner air through your home. I have always wondered how to know when they need to be replaced.  According to The Family Handyman, you should check your filters monthly by pulling them out of the furnace and holding them up to a light.  If the light does not shine through them, they should be replaced.  The Family Handyman website provides clear instructions on how to change them.

3. Freeze overripe bananas for smoothies.  None of my family likes bananas after they have gone soft - which seems to happen a lot.  No problem. I just peel them, break them into several pieces and keep them in the freezer in a zip lock bag.  It is nice to have a supply of frozen bananas to make smoothies with - and they work well in baking too.

Breaking bananas into pieces makes them easier to use after they are frozen.

4. As the weather heats up, remember to protect your pets. Don't forget to provide your animals (dogs, cats, horses, goats, ...) with plenty of water to drink and shade.  

5. I haven't seen a movie in quite a while.  My husband and I were going to rent Philomena last weekend, but we ended up with other things to do.  This movie is based on a true story of a mother searching for the child she was forced to give up for adoption.  Judi Dench plays the mother, and I always enjoy her films.

6. I have a favorite spring-time book.  Have you read From the Ground Up: The story of a First Garden by Amy Stewart?  I've read this amusing memoir several times.  If you are not a gardener, it will inspire you to be one.  If you are a gardener, it will inspire you to be a better one.  I discovered today that in addition to writing well Ms. Stewart also paints ... and she has a blog! 

7. Even though summer is coming, there are still days when hot soups sounds good.  I recently made a Broccoli Cheddar soup which turned out very well.  Tomorrow I will post the recipe!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup is colorful and tasty.

Have you ever read anything by Amy Stewart?  

Do you recognize the tulips in the top photo? I'm so glad they were not eaten by the deer!

An Organized Photo Collection - I WISH!

At this time a year ago,  I was making a photo collage of my daughter for her high school graduation party.  I spent hours rooting through boxes and files on my computer, to find the photos I knew I had somewhere.

Lately, I have been spending time searching those same boxes and files for pictures to accompany articles and blog posts I have written.

Just part of my photo collection!

Perhaps the time has come to finally get my photo collection more organized ... doing so would surely would help me make better use of my future moments!

I am officially committing to having this done before my son graduates in 2016.

Please hold me accountable!

What are some of your suggestions of how to organize a photo collection? 

A Sleepy Sunday

I sort of wish I could lie down and take a nap!!  Unfortunately, that's not on my “To Do” list for today at all.

The dog will just have to take an extra nap for me!

  What's on your list for today?

Has Spring in Montana Finally Sprung?

It feels like Spring may finally have arrived in the mountains of Montana - at least until the next May winter storm!  It was even warm and sunny at the soccer fields this morning.

Last Monday I posted a photo of the daffodils in my flower bed.  Weighted down by frost and snow, only one was blooming and it was very droopy.  I am happy to report that this cheery little crowd brushed themselves off, and have been making me smile every time I look out my kitchen window.

Daffodils or narcissus?  I really don't know the difference.

Two years ago I planted 50 tulip bulbs.  Well, I planted about 35 of them.  Tired of trying to dig holes in the rocky soil and with snowflakes beginning to flurry, I just buried the remaining 15 in one of my fenced, raised beds. Last fall, wanting that garden spot for something else, I moved all those tulip bulbs to another part of our property.

These tulips bloomed in spite of my efforts!

Or so I thought!  Apparently, I missed four.  When I walked around the corner of our house yesterday, I was surprised to see these vibrant blooms.  They are poking up through the tomato fencing I had stored on top of the raised bed for the winter.  I couldn't help but laugh.  These are the only tulip flowers on our property this year - the deer demolished the rest!  

Tulips are my favorite flower, but if I plant any more spring bulbs, it will not be tulips.  Apparently, the deer really love them too!

Can anyone tell me the difference between a daffodil and a narcissus?

Words to Live By - Week 8

This is the 8th in a weekly series of this topic.  If you are new to my blog, this is what it is all about:

The cover of one of my notepads suggests ways we should live more and live less.  Inspired by this message (on Friday, March 28th, 2014), I wrote a post about "Words to Live By."  I have decided to make weekly updates to this post, until I start repeating myself!  I promise each weekly update will contain more information than just the five new phrases though!

Readers are invited to use the comment section below, if they have new ideas of "words to live by" which would complete the phrase _____________ more. ______________ less."

 (Any time I use an idea that is not mine, I will credit the contributor and their blog, if they have one. Just keep it family friendly, please!)

HERE ARE THE IDEAS FOR THIS WEEK :

(There’s a laundry and self-care theme to the suggestions this week.)

1. Fabric softeners more. Static cling less.

I have tried all of these!

• To soften clothes and remove wrinkles, you can choose from dryer sheets, liquid fabric softeners, environmentally friendly dryer balls - or chose to use nothing at all.

• There are a number of pro's and con's to consider before using fabric softeners and dryer sheets.  Household tips, a FunTimes Guide site, provides a thoughtful essay full of information regarding this topic. 

2. Use hair conditioner more.  Suffer tangles less.

Tangle free!

• I remember using hair conditioner for the first time as a young girl - right after deciding I was too old for baby shampoo. The product I used was called TAME. For some reason, I thought of a horse's mane whenever I massaged it into my hair -- maybe because I thought a LOT about horses in those days!  I have since tried many different detanglers and conditioners, but brushing out my hair would be a challenge without one of these products.

3.  Use hand lotion more.  Have chapped hands less.

This sample size is perfect for a purse or airplane carry-on baggage! 

• I love Carmex Everyday Healing Cream.  It would have been great to use when I was working shifts as a hospital nurse, and washing my hands a billion times a day!  It really heals my hands when they are chapped, and it is great for nails, heels, and elbows too. The purse sized sample bonus provided with the 4 oz. tube has been pretty handy too!

4. Use the permanent-press cycle more.  Iron less (or not at all!)

I iron some things - but only what I have to!

• Choosing the right cycle on the dryer is not the only way you can ensure wrinkle free clothes.  For more great tips that save time while doing laundry, click here.

5. Brush teeth more.  Decay less.

BUT - did you know it is possible to brush too much?! I have been told by my dental hygienist that I brush too often and too hard. (I use an extra-soft toothbrush because of this!)  Also, if you brush too soon after consuming acidic foods it can damage the tooth enamel. 

Please click on the page tab “Words to Live By” at the top of this blog to view the SUGGESTED PHRASES from PREVIOUS POSTS.  The list has grown too large to include here!

This notepad is from the Eccolo World Traveler "Lofty Thinking" collection.  The author of the words is unknown.

I'm trying to live more, not less.  How about you?  

What suggestions do you have?

Goal-Setting Advice from an Unlikely Source

I got some sound advice last night.  My yogurt spoke to me.

Yes - you did just read that right.  My y-o-g-u-r-t spoke to me.  Now, before you decide I have lost touch with reality, I should point out that it didn't actually speak - not aloud, anyway. But it delivered a message that I received, loud and clear.

Actually, it was a container of frozen yogurt.  100 calories in a 4 oz. cup.  There was a box of 12 of them in my fridge - Healthy Choice Greek Frozen Yogurt.  (DISCLOSURE: No one  paid me to write about this yogurt or requested that I do so, and these ideas are entirely my own.  I simply want to share this experience with you!)

I pulled one of the cups of frozen yogurt out of the box without even looking, not really caring whether I consumed Vanilla or Strawberry. Then I looked down to peel the foil wrapper off the top.  WHOA!

IT SPOKE TO ME! 

I took a picture, so I could prove it!  Would this have spoken to you too?

This yogurt container told me to “MAKE A PLAN AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!”

Oh my gosh - what good advice!  I immediately began to wonder, “Does this mean making a better plan for producing my blog?  Maybe this refers to our family reunion I am trying to organize for this summer.  Could this be about ...”

In a split second, the practical part of me realized - “Oh, wait ... this was entirely random that I was the person to get this cup of yogurt.  This message wasn't actually directly intended for me.”  But that is the beauty of it.  It is good advice for anyone - and we can each apply it as we best see fit.  

Thanks Healthy Choice, for this delicious message! I peeked in the box, and the remaining yogurt cups have lots of other fun inspiring things to say as well!

Making a plan and making it happen is truly a great way to make the most - of all our moments!

Has an inanimate object every spoken to you?

Are You on Facebook?

This blog, the most - - of every moment, now has its very own, brand-new Facebook Fan Page!

Here's a glimpse:

(This is a screenshot I took of the cover of the new Facebook Fan page, just after it was created.)

Some easy ways to view the Fan Page:

• click on the link provided in this post.
• click on the phrase “Facebook Page” under “My Other Links” in the right sidebar of this blog.
• go to: https://www.facebook.com/ofeverymoment.

I have been considering creating this page for a while, and now the time just seems right.

 If you are a Facebook user, I hope you will ‘like’ this page, follow my blog, and visit often.  

I'd love it if you would leave a comment there or here, and say hello!

You’d Be Surprised What Goes On Behind-the-Scenes

In honor of this blog being two months old, I'm providing a glimpse of this blogger at work.

The other day, my son picked up my camera and said, “Mom, don't move.” He took this photo: 

This is how we write this blog

Routinely, I can be found balancing on the front part of the chair at our computer - while the cat lounges in the back half. He seems to believe it is his chair.  It would make sense for me to just push him off and settle back. This would be much better for my posture! That thought, for some reason though, rarely occurs.  Perhaps because I know that in a matter of moments, the cat will just be back.

When my son pointed the camera in my direction, I assumed he just wanted to document this absurd inconvenience I endure.  It wasn't until he showed me this photo that I became aware that the cat had also assumed a ridiculous pose!  I'm not sure what possessed him to prop himself up this way - I certainly didn't encourage it.  It is hard to say which of us was less comfortable. I wonder how many other times he has draped himself over the arm of the chair this way without me knowing.

Don't you wonder what he is thinking?

Seven Ways to Make the Most of a Moment - Week 8

Life is made up of many moments.  

Getting the very most out of your life starts with how you use each one. 

Here are this week’s suggestions:

1. Read your local newspaper every day.  I enjoy the paper version, but if you prefer, read it on-line. This is a great way to remain up-to-date on major news stories, local happenings, and achievements of people you may even know.

A week's worth of our local paper!

2. Remember to VOTE in every election.  An absentee ballot can facilitate this, if you find it hard to get to the polls.

The envelope for my absentee ballot

3. Take your dog for a walk.  My dog is recovering from knee surgery, and her “rehabilitation orders” for this week require four-15 minute walks each day.  Finding time for this many walks can be a challenge  - but it is the highlight of her day, and good for me too!

Our dog's fur is really starting to grow back since her surgery on her right hind leg.

4.  Keep an assortment of greeting cards on hand.  It will make it just a little bit easier to show friends and family that you care.

Boxes of cards I have accumulated over time

5. Have you read The Help by Kathryn Stockett?  It made me laugh, cry, and rage as it provided some insight into life in Mississippi in the early 60's.  I enjoyed the movie too.

6. Despite a remarkable lack of dialog, All is Lost kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the film.  Robert Redford, 77 years old at the time of filming, apparently did most of his own stunts in this film about a man struggling to survive in the Indian Ocean.  In an interview by Terri Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air, he talked about what he liked about the film.  

7. Need some portable healthy snacks ideas for road trips or picnics this summer?  I found some great ideas by blogger Nike at Choose to Thrive.  Check them out here. 

Nike's directions said to use a jar, but I found this wide-mouthed plastic container worked well.

Which of these seven tips did you find most interesting or helpful? Why?

A May Morning in Montana

Montana at 8:00 am on May 12th, 2014

It snowed last evening and temperatures were below freezing.  I thought we might be in for the Spring snowstorm hitting Colorado after all, but we awoke to minimal snow this morning.  Just a sparkling world of white! 

My daffodils which have just started to bloom
are a little droopy

Does it snow where you live in May?

Happy Mother's Day!

My Mother, My Hero.

In early March, I happened to learn of a Guideposts 100 Inspiring Mothers contest and I decided to submit an entry about my mom. From all the submissions, they chose 100 tributes (100 words or less) to display on their website.  My entry did not win - although my mom is the true winner as far as I am concerned - but her photo is displayed on their Honor Roll of Inspiring Moms.  Since I know she reads my blog, I decided to tell her about it here! 
  

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Though not published, this is contest entry I submitted: 

“I’ve always wanted to be just like my mother.  Her childhood was fascinating, adult years courageous, parenting skills unequaled, and her grace, strength, and spirit has always been remarkable. She set a standard of excellence I can only hope to achieve – as a mom, wife (married 54 years), registered nurse (I became one too), pet-owner, homemaker, seamstress, cook, traveler and competent, caring human being. She made our many houses a home (wherever we were, worldwide), and taught my twin, two younger sisters and me to live good lives. 

She is, and has always been, my hero.” 

My mother-in-law is wonderful also!

For the past 23 years on Mother's Day I have wondered just how I got so incredibly lucky.  Not only because I have the mother I just described - but also because I have the best mother-in-law anyone could ever hope for! She is someone I greatly admire and I really enjoy spending time with her.  

Happy Mother's Day to you too, Ruth! 

(By-the-way, my dad, father-in-law and husband are also pretty great - but more about them on Father's Day!) 

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms, and Happy Sunday to everyone else!

Are there ways in which you hope that you resemble an influential woman in your life?

How Are You Called?

¿Cómo te llamas?  How are you called?

To ask someone in Spanish what their name is, you might say, ¿Cómo te llamas?  Literally this translate into English as “How are you called?”  This used to strike me as a little awkward, until I realized it makes perfect sense.  What we are called depends on who is referring to us, and what they want to know about us.

My given name is Susan, the only name I was called by for years.  When I got married, I changed my surname to my husband’s.  Over the course of my adult life I have been addressed as Miss, Ms. or Mrs. - but still mostly just Susan.  Teachers used to refer to me as “a student of theirs.” My parents speak of “their daughters.”  Patients have introduced me to their family as “my nurse.”

When my children were born I assumed the identity of Mommy, later to become Mom. Somewhere around the time my kids were in pre-school or elementary school, my identity seemed to blur a bit, and I became “E’s mom” or “G’s mom.”  I have often introduced myself this way.

Parents of children involved in sports assume yet another identity.  Many parents proudly display this name, on a bumper sticker or a t-shirt.  We are often identified by the sport in which our child participates.

This t-shirt even defines the characteristics of a “swim mom”!

My children have been involved in many extracurricular activities, but “Swim Mom” and “Soccer Mom” have been my primary titles for years.  It is my daughter who swims, and my son who plays soccer - those athletic efforts are all their own, not mine.  Yet a “sports mom” (or “sports dad”) title is not acquired easily - it has to be earned.  This can be done in a variety of ways.  My own experience has included the following:

• Day-after-day, year-after-year of driving kids to-and-from practice and competitions (often hours before the sunrise). 
• Volunteering on committees and Boards to ensure that quality athletic opportunities are available for our kids.
• Providing an abundance of snacks and team dinners.
• Washing filthy uniforms and mountains of swim towels.
• Sitting on hard bleachers in hot, humid natatoriums during LONG swim meets to watch my daughter swim just a few races.
• Becoming drenched, cold and windblown on soccer fields while cheering on my son and his team.  

I have done all this - and loved every minute of it (sometimes even while I’ve hated being cold or uncomfortable!)  I’ve done it all willingly, because it is what makes my children happy.  This is how my husband and I, and countless other parents have earned the right to a “Sports Parent” title.

It takes a degree of stamina to be a Soccer Mom or Dad in Montana in May!

¿Cómo te llamas?  How are you called? 

If you think about it, I'm guessing you will come up with a list - not just a single name.