Noe News is Good News: lists

Did you know that stress causes about 75% of all illnesses and diseases? I truly believe this... stress can have such a negative impact on your health. Which is why I'm thinking of ways to eliminate all the harmful stress from my life.

Since all this time to myself has led to a little soul searching, I've been thinking a lot about the things that make me truly happy. You should try it- it's refreshing. Just thinking about all of these things puts me at ease and brings an actual smile to my face. And my goal for today is to not think about ONE THING that makes me worry or feel rushed. I think as mothers, we start to forget about ourselves sometimes. It's so easy to get wrapped up in taking care of your family, church responsibilites and other demands placed on you. I falsely thought that certain things were giving me the break I needed from my every day life when in fact it was bringing in the extra stress that has caused me to get sick. That doesn't work. We seriously need to give ourselves time to slow down in life... to enjoy the things that truly make us happy without any concern for anything else.

So here's what makes me TRULY happy.

-Fresh cool air. I think of times I've been in nature during the spring or fall times when there is coolness in the air and you take a deep breath and it just feels so good. I remember walking through the Lexington Cemetary during the spring and feeling such peace.

-A slow paced walk around the block with my family.
-My children laughing. There is no sweeter sound
-My children smiling- There is no sweeter sight.

-Hugs from Adam. They are the best- I've always believed that since he gave me that first hug. He has such strong arms and shoulders that make me feel so secure.
-Hugs from my children. They are so pure with unconditional love.
-Hearing my children sing, play together or talk to themselves
-Landen or Joselyn grabbing my hand with their little ones
-Saying or hearing a heart felt prayer
-A clean organized space. When I was in my teenage years I was very clean and organized for the most part. I think I understood that I was happier when things weren't chaotic and messy. With kids, there is little control over messes and I've let myself learn to live in choas. Dishes pile up in the sink and toys scatter the floors. My doctor mentioned this specifically. Instead of living in a mess (which causes stress) do what you have to do to get it out of sight- even if it means putting things in a box out of sight- until you have time to sort through it.
-Old distressed finds at the flea market or antique store
-A Good two-way conversation. There's nothing better than talking to someone who really cares about you. You like to listen to what they have to say and they return the sentiment.
-Beautiful Flowers inside my home. I love a vase full of fresh flowers sitting on our kitchen table or somewhere visible. Especially if they are fragrant. I remember Adam used to bring me at least 1 rose to work a week at Lowes and it brightened up my day. I would literally take time to "stop and smell the roses." and it was wonderful! I especially love peonies, tulips and spray roses.
-Good Music. Music has always been something that affects my mood. I need to spend more time searching out music that makes me feel good and actually get it playing in our home during the day. Jack Johnson is one artist who can always cheer me up without fail.

-Doing something nice for someone- I don't think there is anything that can change a mood quite like service to others.
-Planning Parties
-Reading something inspirational- I think I've figured out why I've never been a big reader. I don't like books that pull me in emotionally that I don't get much from. If I'm going to read, I want it to be a good inspirational story that makes me want to be a better person, or a book that I can learn about being a better person. When I look back at all the books that I've actually enjoyed reading, it's those kind of books- not books about fictional characters. I'm not saying I think they are bad, I just don't enjoy them that much in the end.
-Self-help type books- I love learning about how to be a better person/wife/mother. Those kind of books make me feel "normal" and help me to understand more about my life and relationships with those I love.
-Memoirs- history about family or interesting people. I am captivated by people in general. I love stories about real people with real accomplishments.
-Blogs- for the same reason as above, I love reading about the lives of my friends or other interesting people with good ideas
-Magazines and catalogs with beautiful photography - see "beautiful photography" below.

-Photographs- Since I was young I was drawn to pictures. My parents scolded me for taking out all our baby pictures so I could look at them. I love the nostalgia and the way memories make me feel. I love seeing myself with my family laughing. I think out of just about everything, photographs mean the most to me. I think that is what pulled me into becoming a photographer. I love seeing photographs of my family hanging on the walls of my home much more than any piece of artwork.

-Beautiful photography- Besides pictures of people I love, I really love beautiful photography of objects, scenery, horses and people in their natural elements documentary style. I love soft images with muted tones like images from Elizabeth Messina. Clayton Austin and Jose Villa. I also love photography of children laughing and being children like images from Barb Uil and Stephanie Rassuer. They seriously bring so much happiness to my soul. I also think that is why I love Anthropologie and Pottery Barn catalogs. Always such beautiful photography of beautiful things.
-Children's clothing- weird thing to make me happy, but I do. I love looking through my kids' closets every morning to pick out their clothes. I love their colors, patterns and tiny-ness. There is also something about dressing my children cute that makes me feel better about myself. Which is probably why I love...
-Laundry. It's my favorite chore. I could fold clothes all day and hang them up in closets. It's the one chore I never get sick of.
-Creating things. I love to create- I love crafts of all kinds, painting, refinishing a piece of furniture and what not. It brings me so much satisfaction
-Decorating. I just love looking through interiors that are well put together. I love trying to decorate my own home, and I am constantly changing things.
-Date Nights with Adam. When there is nothing but just me and him having fun, I am the happiest person in the world.
-Watching my husband play with my children
-Looking out a big window. Just observing. Snow falling. People walking their dogs. Leaves. Hearing the wind blow. Sprinklers. Cars passing by. It's relaxing.
-A Warm drink- hot apple cider, herbal tea and hot chocolate. You're forced to take slow sips so usually this is so relaxing.
-A warm bath surrounded by only the light of candles flickering and soft piano music playing. And one of those blow up pillows covered in terry cloth with suction cups. I think this has only happened a handful of times in my life, but I dream of a relaxing spa-like bathroom one day where this can be an every day moment if I want it to be.

-Lunch with my mom. Whenever we go to lunch together, we mostly talk about things that make me in a better mood. I always leave a happier person.

Some things need no explanation...

-Rays of Sunshine. Beautiful.
-Rainbows.
-Running horses.
-Playing with puppies or kittens.
-Beautiful packaging or wrapping paper.
-Letters in the mail.
-Long drives through the country side while I sing at the top of my lungs to songs that I love
-Slowly eating a piece of delicious cheesecake and savoring every bite
-The flicker of candle light
-The smell of cinnamon
-The sound of the ocean, the feeling of sand between my toes
-The sound of an accoustic guitar (especially when my husband is playing)
-Pretty Paper
-A beautiful flower garden
-Singing with my family in harmony
-A nicely made bed

and...

-Making lists.

"...If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
-The 13th article of faith

I have always been a "Lists" kind of a person. I love making lists of all sorts of things... to-do lists, wish lists, shopping lists, goal lists, you name it. I would almost be embarrassed to admit this but I know that there are many others out there just like me. I had a missionary companion in Thailand who also loved lists and I remember making them with her. It was so much fun! Adam and I even started a list while I was on my mission of things we wanted to do together when I got back. A few years ago I also started a list on this blog of things I wanted to accomplish. Things got busy though and accomplishing those lists got put on the back burner.

But THEN! A fellow photographer here in Lexington, who also happens to be a super really nice guy who has helped me out with a few things here and there came out with a kind of cool contest. Part of the contest included registering at a website called the Day Zero Project and creating a list of 101 things to accomplish in 1001 days. It's a pretty cool site for list lovers! I thought it was a great time frame to work with- not a year, not a week, not 10 years but 1001 days. Just right to accomplish many of the things I want to accomplish. So I did it! And I am going to really work hard to accomplish these things- print it out in some cool way and display it in my office so I don't forget to work on the things. It took a lot of time and effort, but I think it was worth it.

So if you're NOT a list lover like me you may think this is a little silly, but I dare you to try it. It's fun :) Here's my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days!

1. Buy Joselyn a big girl bed

2. Wean Joselyn and Landen off their pacifiers

3. Finish Potty training Joselyn and Landen (have to re-train Joselyn!)

4. Plan and decorate the kids' new rooms

5. Re-visit Thailand

6. Plan a huge 7 year wedding anniversary party- renew vows

7. Print out personal/family blog into books

8. Make a book out of Love letters between Adam and me

9. Balloon Fest in New Mexico

10. Buy a small pool for kids

11. Make a list of fun things I want to do with the kids

12. Finish my OTHER to-do list: http://missnoeitall.typepad.com/noe_baby_news/my-evergrowing-todo-list.html

13. Throw at least 6 parties- other than birthdays

14. Make up my mind about Photography business branding

15. At least once a month, have an outing with each of the kids by themselves

16. Weigh 130 pounds- been there before, can do it again! Let Adam (a former personal trainer) help me!

17. Complete a personal photography project about people

18. 40 day love dare on Adam

19. Make a budget- business & personal

20. Take a ride in a limo

21. Go to Chicago for at least a weekend

22. see Wicked

23. Have a garage sale

24. Put on the cutest garage sale you have ever seen

25. Do something with all my dried roses that Adam gave me

26. Buy new table settings

27. Make an inspiration board in my office using all the inspiration I've collected over the years

28. Family picture every fall

29. Re-connect with old friends

30. Complete portfolio site

31. Re-make daily schedule

32. FLY LADY

33. Buy canvases of family pictures for our new house

34. Collage art project with kids

35. Complete family tree and have it made into artwork

36. Go location scouting at least once a month

37. Buy a porch swing

38. Finish reading the books I've started- namely 7 habits, 8th habit, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Between Parent & Child, First things first

39. Start writing in journals for kids again

40. Start and Finish Landen's baby book

41. Learn to cook a turkey and host Thanksgiving dinner at my house

42. Design a playroom for Landen and Joselyn

43. Get a makeover

44. Explore downtown Lexington shops with Adam

45. Watch a movie at the Kentucky theater

46. Find an antique baby scale for cheap

47. Buy a cool antique chair

48. Buy a Gary Fisher bike to replace the one I sold

49. Buy a double jogging stroller/bike trailer

50. Weekend getaway with Adam

51. Get published in Kentucky Bride magazine

52. Get published on a well-known blog

53. Las Vegas

54.Trip to Nashville during Christmas with the family

55. Visit New York City during Christmas season

56. Take Joselyn to the dentist

57. Frame wedding photos

58. More meaningful gifts- handmade if possible

59. Watch "Babies" the documentary

60. Enroll Joselyn in Dance

61. Buy a sewing machine and learn to sew

62. Finish the quilts that I started

63. Get Landen's memory quilt made by Andrea

64. Make a big memory quilt for family to snuggle under

65. Have custom bracelet made with kids names on them

66. Get my eyes checked

67. Go through all my magazines/catalogs and tear out the pages I want to keep and file them

68. Convince Adam that board games are fun

69. Spend a day/weekend at the spa with girlfriends/sisters

70. Learn different ways to do my hair

71. Learn how to make my favorite Thai dishes (Somtam, Mussaman Curry)

72. Enroll Joselyn in Pre-school

73. Take the kids to the zoo as a family

74. Take Melanie to the Science Museum

75. Help organize a family reunion

76. Visit Grandma Jennirose in California

77. Visit Mesa, AZ relatives

78. Start a creative journal

79. Go through Google Reader and delete any feeds I really don't read anymore

80. Participate in a photo challenge

81. Start a quote book

82. Participate in a Talent Show

83. Go back to Longboat Key with family

84. Find a field of yellow wild flowers

85. See Jack Johnson in concert

86. Write a song with Adam, have him teach me how to play it on guitar and record with him

87. Go horse back riding with Adam at his family's farm in corbin

88. 4 Wheeling in Adam's Rubicon

89. Buy a new camera and CS5

90. Go Ice skating with Adam, eat at Applebees and watch "Remember the Titans"- like we did on our first date

91. Have Adam take me to New Jersey and show me all his favorite spots

92. Buy a Kereoke Machine/Game

93. Buy a Wii

94. Ride an Elephant (again)

95. Send a mystery package to someone

96. Write a list of creative date ideas

97. Make activity books for kids

98. Read a book/take a class on running a photography business

99. Read "Jesus the Christ" again

100. Enroll Landen in soccer when he turns 3

101. When this list is complete, make another 101 in 1001 list!

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I made this list yesterday and I already accomplished one of them and that was #11 (Make a list of fun things I want to do with the kids). What the heck- I was in a list making mood yesterday and today and have been thinking about a lot of fun things to do this summer. I went back and read the post about what to do with a 1 and 2 year old where so many people had some great suggestions, and started my list. What a perfect time to start- new house with more space and a yard of our own- and the long summer days :) I thought it might give some of you out there some ideas too, so I will post that here too.

It's LONG.

1. Make a collage on a large canvas with the kids and display it in our home as art
2. Play in Water Fountain at Fayette County court house
3. Plant a garden
4. Play with rolly pollies
5. Have a tea party
6. Build big block buildings and have fun knocking them down
7. Visit the Pet store
8. Treasure hunt in the house/back yard - complete with map!
9. Dance around to fun music
10. Create a fun reading corner with pillows and blankets and read books
11. Play hide and seek
12. Home made play dough
13. Make an obstacle course
14. Have singing time
15. Jump on our beds then make them!
16. Do chores together
17. Finger paint with pudding
18. Buy large legos
19. Newport Aquarium
20. Gymboree play and music open gym
21. Enroll Joselyn in dance class
22. Go for a walk and talk about what we see around us
23. Go for a walk with NO STROLLER (gasp!) and collect things we find- make something with everything.
24. Scavenger hunt
25. Play board games
26. Visit Toys R Us
27. Go to story time at the Library
28. Joseph Beth story time
29. Barnes and Noble story time then play with the train set!
30. Arboretum- find out about activities for toddlers
31. Kentucky Horse Park
32. Buy a bunch of helium balloons and tie notes to them- see if someone will get it by leaving contact info
33. Craft time with a big bucket of craft supplies
34. Start a play group
35. Puzzles
36. Use a prism to catch a rainbow
37. Wake up early to watch the sunrise in our PJs snuggled under a blanket
38. Dig in dirt and look for worms
39. Sidewalk chalk
40. Have a picnic in the backyard
41. Have a picnic in the kitchen when it's raining
42. Take a picnic to the park
43. For one day of a week, collect items in a certain color
44. Collect twigs and build something with them
45. Use rocks to build towers
46. blow bubbles
47. Make cookies
48. Look for different bugs
49. Lay in the grass and find shapes in the clouds
50. Play dress up
51. Build a little "town" and "roads" for little cars
52. Take Joselyn to get a manicure and pedicure
53. Buy and set up a hammock and lay in it with the kids- see if they will fall asleep?
54. Horse carriage ride
55. Ice Cream Store
56. Make home made ice cream
57. Bounce U
58. Chuck E Cheese
59. Use pots and pans, tupperware and wooden spoons to make a "band"
60. Bubble Wrap
61. Gatti Town
62. Every week get a picture made at a photo booth
63. Bake sugar cookies and decorate them
64. Bake a cake and decorate it
65. Visit a beach and look for shells
66. Sparklers
67. Make outlines of our shadows
68. Make noise makers
69. Sand art
70. Make macaroni necklaces
71. Make fruit salad and eat it
72. Disney World
73. Frisbee
74. Camping
75. Visit every Lexington "horse" and take a picture with it
76. Kereoke
77. Matinee movie
78. Put on a puppet show
79. Go to a play
80. See Yo Gabba Gabba live
81. Have a random Yo Gabba Gabba party
82. Have an Un-birthday party a la Alice in Wonderland- gift exchange

Anything else fun I didn't think of that I should add to this list?

I plan on taking pictures and documenting everything on the list- should be fun, huh?

If you decide to make a list on the Day Zero site, please share! I'm nosy that way. ;)

Noe News is Good News

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