Wordless Wednesday - Nature In Our Own Backyward

This is what we found in our backyard. Can you see it in the tree? The Hawk. What great camouflage!

Get Outside and Soak It Up

Today was simply just a gorgeous day. I could smell spring in the air. The sun was shining and it was just balmy out. The kids kicked off the boots and slipped on the crocs ( no socks). How great was that. If you are like me and live in a place that gets snow and cold temperatures during the winter you know what I mean when I say it is great to finally shake off the winter.

I had to keep reminding myself today to stop doing the housework and get outside to enjoy the beautiful day with my kids. I just needed to breath in the fresh warm air and feed my soul with a little bit of nature, even if it was from my from porch. I shouldn't need a reminder to get outside and enjoy life but sometimes we all need to be reminded. So here are a few things to enjoy outside that will feed your soul, make you feel a bit happier and just bring you a bit more bliss in your life.

1. Soak up the Sun.
And I don't necessarily mean slip on the bathing suit and fold out the lounger. I am just get out there and enjoy the sunshine. A little bit of Vitamin D will do your body good.We all need a little bit of sun to be healthy so get outside and enjoy it.

2. Smell the Roses
Get outside and just soak up nature. At this time of year there is so much great stuff coming up. Just today I was out with my youngest daughter and we both marveled at home many little crocuses are coming up. It just takes a moment to enjoy the amazing nature all around us.

3. Take a Walk ( or a ride)
Today I needed to go to the bank and since it was so beautiful outside I decided to walk so that I could really enjoy the day. My youngest daughter hopped on her bike to come with me. It is a great way to get a bit of exercise and enjoy the weather. It felt great to spend the time with my daughter, the two of us alone and time to talk.

4. Just Relax
Weather like today is perfect for sitting with a good book on the front porch. Add a coffee or tea and it is a great way to spend some time just on me.

5. Just Play
What a great day to get out and play with the kids. They know how to really soak up a beautiful day like this. We adults could learn a lot from our kids when it comes to getting outside, really enjoying the beautiful weather and just forgetting about the housework.

Guest Post by Ruth Kaiser a.k.a The Smiley Lady

Love is a Verb 

By Ruth Kaiser
a.k.a. The Smiley Lady of www.SpontaneousSmiley.com

Beatles Smileys

It’s easy to recognize that love is a feeling, a really, really good feeling. Poets write rhymes, musicians sing songs and we all can recall the intense surges of emotion that accompany feelings of love.

Clarinet Smiley

Yeah, so that’s easy. We all get that. What a lot of people don’t get is that love is also a verb--a thing you do and with the doing, you give someone else the feeling.

Drum Smiley

When you say, “I love you” it can either mean: I feel [insert song lyric], when we’re together OR it can mean because you make me feel [insert song lyric], I do things to you/for you that are motivated by my desire for you to feel [insert song lyric].

Sourdough Toast Smiley

Love the verb takes work. One chooses to behave in loving ways. I am loving you when I run to the store just to get you fresh sourdough. I am loving you when I don’t interrupt your umpteenth telling of that same old story. I am really loving you when I laugh at that old story. 

Ooops, I Forgot to Wrap & Refrigerate the Rest of the Smiley Onion

But, yep. I'm Still Lovable!

I am loving you when I remember a thing that bugs you and then try not to do it. You are loving me when I forget that thing, but you smile instead of being bugged. One of the ways we can best love someone is to accept them as they are 24/7 

Aw, You Drew Me a Bubble Bath Smiley

Loving someone is a job, with a job description. Here’s a cool assignment, write that job description thinking about the people you love. How about if you wrote that job description as if you were seeking someone to love you? I’m not talking personal ad here, rather the things you’d like someone to do to actively love you. This second list, is not one to be kept a secret. Don’t suppose others know what it takes to make you feel loved!!

I'm So Grateful You Always Help Me Find My Smiley Cell Phone, and hardly tease at all.

And when you feel like you might not love someone anymore, ask yourself if you have been doing your job. When you stop doing loving things for the other person, they feel it and respond with less for you. If you tried to once again do the love, you might once again feel the love. Sometimes when they’re most driving you crazy, making yourself do a loving thing for them, reminds you (and them) of how much you feel love for each other.

A Gentle Goodnight Touch by a Smiley Hand

I make it a practice as I first snuggle into bed at night to ask myself, did I act lovingly today? On a good day I can recall lots of little things. Other days what I remember is missed opportunities and I vow to be better. And since it’s never too late, and my lovable husband is right there beside to me, I do something loving. I simply reach out for one last gentle touch.

Did you act lovingly today? Will you tomorrow? It’s a choice.

Smile. Be happy!

Ruth

Ruth Kaiser blogs as the Smiley Lady.  She shares her observations about choosing to view life more optimistically. Ruth is a teacher, author and  mom. The next time you or your child need a giggle break, check out the Smiley Gallery or sing along to “Smile. Be Happy!” or “Do You See What I See? A Smiley! A Smiley!” songs Ruth co-wrote just for kids!  Ruth has taken her message to TED as a speaker. She is also the creator of the popular online art project SpontaneousSmiley.com. Thousand of people find, photograph and share Smiley Faces they find in everyday objects. The Spontaneous Smiley Project is a joyful community of people of all ages from all over the world.
 The project is as much about finding happiness as it is about finding Smiley Faces.

Just Imagine

What do you see in the clouds in the picture?

Just imagine you are lying on the soft green grass on a small hill at the park staring up to the beautiful sky. What do you see?

Well I see a turtle in the clouds above. Do you see it too?

When was the last time you took a few minutes to wonder at the sky and use your imagination? If it has been months or years then you need to change that. Children are great teachers when it comes to using your imagination. They do it every day, several times a day. Can you remember a time when your children weren't using their imaginations? They dream of grand castles, far off lands, fantastic machines, special friends; you name it they can imagine it. And they get so much joy from it.  Take a page from their book. Or take a page from your own book. You were a kids once. Remember when you used to get on your bike and travel to great lands in your neigbhourhood by just peddling? Or sailing off to great lands in your backyard?

Once we grow up we seem to lose that ability to take time to imagine great things. We get stuck in the day to day stuff of our lives; work, bills, cars, dinner, chores.  It is sad we forget to use our imaginations for fun, for good, to help us live a joyful, happy life.  We forget the power of imagination. It can change your mood in an instant. Think about how happy you feel when you imagine a great vacation to some warm sunny beach? When I do that I can feel the sun on my face, the sand between my toes and I feel a lightness of spirit. Ahh, what a great feeling. But why do we save that for those times when we are awaiting a trip? Or a special occasion? Just IMAGINE if we could use that every single day. How happy would you feel every single day?

It doesn't take a lot of time to use your imagination either. If you have just a few minutes every day it can help. I am trying to do this every day. Your imagination can take you a million miles away and make you feel great all at the same time.  It just makes you happy to let your mind imagine all the great things that are out there for you.

And one other great thing about using your imagination? It doesn't cost you a thing! Yup, another one of those great things in life that are FREE. So why waste it.