Just Pure Lovely

On Owning It and Restarting It

On February 8th, I wrote that I was going to walk (or kayak) 15 of the next 30 days. Remember that?

Well, if you don't remember that, God bless you, because I've been a f a i l u r e at following up with that declaration. I have many excuses! But I will spare you those excuses, because I'm old enough to know that excuses are not good enough. "Own it," I say to my children, and today, I say it to myself.

So I will own it....I have not been walking for the past two weeks even though I said I would. That's the honest truth.

Today, I make a new declaration: I will walk every day for the next 14 days! I. Will. Walk. I will trick myself by saying, "it's just to the mailbox." Once I'm out there, I'll feel like going much farther, don't you think?

Tell me you have better news. But if you don't, please don't feel bad, for I am right there on this journey with you.

Do you want to join us (please?)? Quaker has challenged all of us to join the MapMyFitness Quaker Challenge. It's a great way to be kind to our hearts, limbs, and husbands by being as healthy as possible. It's also free, easy, and rather fun!

February is National Heart Health month. Even if it’s only 5 more minutes a day, what extra step will you take to stay fit?

For your chance to win $750 complete these two steps:

1.Share the challenge with your friends

2.Tell us that you’ve invited your friends to join the challenge AND share the extra step you’ll take to stay fit below (in the conversation box)

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats Company. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.

Baby Needs a New Pair of Hundred Dollar Shoes

 

 

 photos from my iPhone, last week

She is one expensive child.

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3°: On Accepting an Invitation to Play

She's 8 today.

And I'm ridiculously sad about that.

You see, today is her last day to be eight years old.

I've gotten a bit too busy with the "shoulds" again. Lately, I've done what I "should," doing what is right in front of me (the dishes), what is on the calendar (the ballerina's lessons), and what is urgent (guests visiting). I've also spent more than a bit of time on my little business.

"Mama, do you want to play Legos with me?" she asks. "Do you want to take a picture of me in the tree?" "Do you want to make something with me?" And, most often, "Mama, I got some paper ready. Do you want to come draw with me?"

Sometimes I do those things, but most of the time, I only stick around for a minute or two before dashing off to do something more important.

This evening, I grumbled to a friend about our little girl asking me to play with her.

I grumbled. about playing. with my little girl.

What in the world am I thinking?! Here I have the blessing of a beautiful little girl, a bright, healthy one, who is artistic, and funny, and giggly. I only have her for a moment, really, then she'll be grown and gone and....

....too busy for me.

Tonight, she wanted to chat before bed, but it was already midnight and we'd been out past ten at the parades and I was t i r e d and so I said, Baby, please. Please let me just say goodnight. "But I want to talk to you," she said, "I don't get to talk to you at night like [our teenagers] do."

And it hit me that she's feeling a bit neglected. Mind you, we homeschool and so we are literally with her almost every minute of every day, but she wants something more than physical presence. She wants a bit of attention, a listening ear, a mommy or brother or sister or daddy to play for a while.

Today is our little girl's last day to be eight. She said "people should always have the last day before a birthday be a special day, since you'll never be that old again."

So today shall. So it should be!

 

~Lori SeaborgAccepting a child's invitation to play is the 3rd degree of my 360° Project. I hope you'll join me on this journey!

 

2°: Living Life on Purpose, with Memory-Making in Mind

Honestly, I've had a pretty hard time with this writing assignment. "My most meaningful moment in the last year?" I cannot think of any one thing that stands out.

2011 wasn't, honestly, a very memorable year. There were beautiful moments in it -- our trip to North Carolina where the kids found a tiny patch of snow (aMaZiNg to Southern kids), our beach days in May with college buddies and their 7 children, river parties in the Summer, the holidays -- but no one moment stands out.

I spent much of the year in an analytical frame of mind as I built my other blog into a thing that helps my husband stay home with us (what fun to have him!). I'm really happy it is doing well for us, and that definitely was a meaningful project, but I missed so much of what we used to do in our days.

 I missed spontaneous beach days, reading on the couch, nature journaling, knitting more with our daughters, asking the boys to teach me something manly like slinging their shot. I missed the freedom of a loose schedule, but more than that, I didn't choose to live my days memorably. I missed the mom who would make sure a memory moment was stuffed into each day.

This year, 2012, I want to live more meaningfully. More on purpose.
My schedule cannot be quite as loose as it used to be, but it can be managed to allow for plenty of 'free play.'

Choosing to live this year with meaning and purpose is the 2nd degree of my 360° Project. I hope you'll join me on this journey!

Are you living your life on purpose, making memories each day?

In the conversation box below, tell me what your most meaningful moment was in the last year and how you're going to live this year. When you tell me, you'll be entered for a chance to win one of 10 complete skin care Anti-Age Systems from Meaningful Beauty.

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And keep your skin looking great in every moment with Meaningful Beauty- Cindy Crawford's break through secret for younger looking skin.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Meaningful Beauty. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest Rules.

1°: 15 Days of Walking Toward Better Health

In my last post, I wrote about my 360° Just Pure Lovely Project, where I'm making 360 decisions, one degree at a time, until I have completely turned my perspective around, 360°. When Quaker told me about their Quaker Heart Health Challenge, I knew it was the perfect motivation for the first degree.

 
I have reached an age where staying fit and healthy is no longer a happy subconscious occurrence, but something I actually have to work on and think about. Over the past decade of child-raising, I've let the priority of my health slip while I worried over the health of the kids.

I recently read, "You cannot give what you don't have."  I cannot give motivation, if I am not motivated.  I cannot give inspiration if I'm not inspired. I cannot give love if I do not have love.  And I cannot give me, if I have no energy or health in me.

It's time for me to become healthy! For the next 30 days, I'm committing to something simple:  I will walk or kayak at least 15 times in the next 30 days.  Hold me to it!

Would you like to join me in the Quaker Heart Health Challenge?

Joining the challenge is my first step toward becoming a healthier me.   I hope you'll join me!  Start by telling us what motivates you to stay healthy?

To encourage others and earn a chance to win $750, complete these two steps:

1.Share the Challenge with your friends

2.Tell us that you’ve invited your friends to join the Challenge AND share what motivates you to stay healthy below

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats Company. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.