how are you spending your dash?

An angel was laid to rest today. She left behind a husband who adored her, a 2 year old daughter and a baby boy almost to his 4th month. Most of all she left behind the memory of a young woman with a heart of gold, strength beyond measure and a faith in God unfaltering. She won't be forgotten. Now she is in a better place, free from her pain.

Thank you to all of those who have offered up prayers, shared kind words and simply asked what was wrong. I appreciate you.

At the services today the poem below was read aloud -- I wanted to share it because it is filled with words we should have on our minds always, not just when a loved one is lost.


The Dash Poem - by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end
He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
©1996 Linda Ellis

all smiles...

Fill your days with things that make you smile. It's just that simple. I try my very best to jam pack my day with things that make me happy -- so even when I encounter a tough time -- it is inevitable that the good outweighs the bad.

With the kids we blare the music of our favorite songs in the car. We try to sit down as a family and watch TV shows like American Idol -- this always gets us cracking up about one thing or another. And we talk at the dinner table -- and kids really do say the darnedest things.

I've really began to adore our parish school. I've met so many people there that make me happy -- and that makes me want to get more and more involved. I attend Mops, which is filled with many, many amazing women. I am extremely involved in a church group there where I've manufactured friendships that you can't find anywhere else. And I fit in social functions and activities with fellow Kindergarten moms where I've found some really fun friends (and hope to find even more). There is something special about being close friends with your kids' closest friends' parents.

I enjoy my workouts. I have actually found myself smiling during my spinning classes (weird, huh). Not only because it makes me feel good about myself-- but it does, it really does! But also because I actually get some of my best thinking done during the class. To get past the pain -- my mind wonders somewhere else and to distract myself from the physical work I end up going inside mentally and I get to hash out in my head things that are weighing on me. So I'm shedding stress and calories.

I give myself "me" time. Whether it's a night out with the girls, lunch out with my mom or even just an hour of catching up with my Tivo. I need it. I deserve it.

And last...but far from least...chocolate. Chocolate makes me happy. And even though I'm working hard exercising and eating healthy -- I still let myself have some chocolate. Sometimes it takes a little more work to take in that chocolate in moderation (and sometimes I fail miserably, which makes me miserable) but living without it entirely would make me even more miserable.

So these are my "smiles" what are yours?

My lifelong friend Jenny at L.O.T.S of Love presented me with my very first award. Isn't she sweet! It's the LUV award.

Here are the rules and such to keep the LUV going!

1. Put the logo on your blog or post. (You can highlight the photo and text of this post and copy/paste wherever you need to...start your highlight from the bottom up to get the photo)

2. Nominate 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received the award.

I am not a huge blog reader -- so to keep the LUV going I am going to nominate 5 blogs that I think are very LUV-able!

1. The Queen B

2. The Simple Wife

3. I'm an Organizing Junkie

4. Andi's Perfect Gravy

5. The Token Fat Girl

another way to improvise...

Tweak recipes. Instead of frying foods, bake or grill. Use whole grain pasta and brown rice instead of white. Incorporate fresh vegetables whenever you can. Use egg whites instead of the whole egg while cooking. Use fat free or reduced fat cheeses instead of whole. These changes are do-able -- in my opinion, they taste just as good (sometimes you can't even tell) and it's amazing the calories it can save you. Baby steps....

today's tip

Pick a workout you can live with and put it on your calendar like an appointment...no like a job. This eliminates that question in the morning..."should I workout today, or not"...if it's in your schedule, you go. If something UNAVOIDABLE comes up, than you make up the work. It has become an obligation!

My torture of choice is spinning. Although, for me it isn't torture...it has become more like an addiction. And I don't like exercise. Spinning is fast-paced, exhilarating and the calories that I burn per class alone is enough to keep me coming back for more.

I spin on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings each week (then I try to throw something in at home on an off day to get 4 days in). On these days, I know what I have to do, and I do it. And even though some days it's a little harder than others to get myself to the gym (especially the freezing cold days), I go and feel great afterward. I pull on my cycling shoes, strap on my heart monitor and suit up for work. Hard work.

So I must go now, and psyche myself up for the cycle and put on my garb. Spandex...nothin' but spandex! I'm kidding.

one tip at a time

These days, I don't seem to have an entire blog post in me -- but I think about writing all the time. With my focus still being on my resolutions (which is pretty impressive for me way into the middle of January)...becoming more fit, organizing my home, making more quality time for the kids, putting more effort into my important friendships and being more efficient and resourceful with my money...I have a lot to think about.

Too much almost -- so I've been trying to focus on one small thing at a time. Once that is mastered I can move on to the next. I take tips from things I read, things I hear from other people or just tips I make up for myself that I know I need to do. So instead of trying to spew out a blog post, for now, for extra accountability, I will put my tips in writing.

My worst time of day for the possibility of over-eating is the afternoon (especially when my youngest is napping) so today's proposal is: For lunch always eat a fruit AND a vegetable first before allowing myself to have anything else.

I've been at this one for a couple of weeks and it does seem to fill me up a little to deter me from over doing it on something else that is not as good. Hopefully it just keeps getting easier...

wordless wednesday...