thoughts....

Crazy weather here lately......it snowed on Monday and today it is almost 7o degrees!! It is beautiful outside today and I am trying to savor it b/c tomorrow it is back to the cold, rain, snow, etc... I can not wait for Spring to finally arrive and stick around for awhile. I got in the Springtime mood today at Target picking up little goodies for the kid's Easter baskets. I have been thinking a lot lately about 2 things (1) Living in the Moment/Being Present and (2) Presentation/Putting Love into the Details

I have been reading "A New Earth" by Echart Tolle thanks to Oprah's suggestion and it is really interesting...although pretty tough to read when you are already sleep-deprived :) I've been trying to read a few pages before bed each night and it has given me a lot to think about. I also heard him talking with Oprah today on XM radio about the importance of consciously being "in" each moment during the day. He suggested that we stop throughout the day and ask "Am I breathing?" and then really just focusing on that breath. He also suggested taking the time to "be" during our normal, everyday tasks such as washing our hands, taking a cup off of a shelf, brushing our teeth, changing a diaper, etc.... Instead of doing something while thinking about doing something else, really notice the present moment you are in. Notice the feel of the water on your hands, the smell of the soap, etc....

This is something I know I need to focus on. I've noticed lately that I am often thinking about what I "should" be doing instead of what I am actually doing, or thinking about what I could be doing if I didn't have to be doing X,Y or Z. So today I am going to practice just being Present...noticing my breath throughout the day and really being aware of each task I am performing.

I've also been inspired lately to truly focus on the details and the way I present certain things. It could be as simple as the way I arrange the food for Sienna's snack or the way I set the table at night. I ordered some fabric on etsy the other day and although I can't sew and don't really have anything in mind for the fabric, I just love the way it looks sitting in a stack on a shelf in the kitchen. I also brought my scrapbooks downstairs and put them on a shelf in the living room so that we can all enjoy them. They look really pretty all lined up and labeled, and it's those details that bring me joy during the day. While I was thinking about this, I realized that some of the things I really remember from my childhood have to do with the loving care that people put into the details. A friend of mine has a mother that used to go all out in decorating her Easter basket..they were so beautiful and over the top and I just remember thinking it was so great that her mother went to all that trouble just to present her with an Easter basket that was beautiful. I want Sienna to have that same feeling of excitement when she gets her Easter basket.

I also remember taking a trip to New York in the 4th grade with my family and I was allowed to take my best friend with me.....we took a train there, and my friend's mother packed us both a "treat" bag for the ride. It was loaded with all sorts of toys, games and things to keep us busy and I still remember to this day how much I loved looking through the bag and opening all the treasures. I remember being so fascinated with those little capsules that you drop in water and then watch them grow into some sort of insect or animal :)

So my intention is to really focus on the details of our life...to make seemingly small moments more special by putting love into each detail. Beautiful Easter baskets, Writing letters to friends, setting a pretty table, bringing flowers home from the grocery store, presenting Sienna's snack in a creative, artful way....just bringing more beauty, simplicity and creativity into our life. Love this idea!!