Little Lemonades: Intro and Haircuts

It's simple, but puts a smile on a face....


First One: Haircuts

I love getting my hair done. It's a dose of relaxation. Plus you get to change a look or be surprised if your like me and let your hairstylist do what they want. It's the one part of fashion where size does not matter and has the most options! So back to my relaxing time I go!

Reality Moment: Introduction and One

Sometimes we have these moments where real life hits us and lemonade is not always easy to find, I am sharing mine in hopes that others realize we are all human and not everything can be blissful 24-7....

Crazy weekend full of fun (no sleep, but I am awake the whole time) and even a relaxing Sunday filled with a nap and major work completed on Cousin Cousin quilt. Blissful. Monday. Work. Day full of negative people and things mixed with realization of the fact I only have a week left before I am unemployed for a month and half. So many to do lists. Oh and did I mention I have eaten nothing but junk food for the last almost 5 days. Go home. Headache forming at the edges of my head. Watch TV and cook a few healthy meals for the next few days. Impressed with my preparedness. Ouch. Feeling daggers in my temple. Oh no, I suddenly remember and realize whats happening. Migrane. Its been at least 5 years since my last. What do I do? Sleep. Nope thats not working. Watch TV. Oh gosh, now I need to vomit. Meds. Dulls it a bit, but man the pounding is getting worse. You know its bad when there is a ton of noise around the house and it does not even phase you. (Side note: in the past I would have exploded about the noise, but that is another post in the making). Just want a dark room and ice pack. Not happening. Old Fashion Doctors Call. New med combo. I hate taking meds but willing to do anything. Stupid headache and so random! I just want to go play Hungry Hippos with the house guests downstairs. Finally a break. HEAVEN. Must have fallen asleep at some point. Wake up. Still dull pain that doesn't seem to want to leave. Doc sends me note for work, but no way am I missing out on some pay. Oh real life moments.

Lemonade (Because there is always a silver lining):

Glad to know that bad days happen to serve as a reminder that I am

not indestructable and need to slow down a bit! Oh and there is a reason

people do not live off fast food and worrying.

Monday Mania: Introduction and Turning the Phone Off

One the biggest lemons in my life and I know others, is very simply stress. We stress about this and that and everything in between. Why I would love to solve everyone's problems, I can not and will not even begin to try. However, I can give some suggestions on how to take steps to live a simplier less complicated and stressed filled life.



Remember the old days when cellphones
did not exist?
(Pinterest)



Night Time Phone Off

I am a phone addict. I love to text, facebook, email, take pictures, Instagram, and Pinterest at all times. I feel lost when my phone goes missing and probably check all of the above at least a few times a day. Its a problem. Does this sound famaliar to you? Well I am sure I am not the only one out there with a phone addiction. I really thought about it one time and realized, I am addicted, because I love knowing what is going on and use it as a way to curb boredom/feel included. But what I have found, is that social media makes me feel left out (another blog post in the making), pinterest/craft boards make me feel less worhy/creative, and texting makes my friendships inpersonal and have lead to conflicts which really should not happen. AKA STRESS!!! Plus staring at that screen all the time can not be good for you! So I have started to take measures to eliminate this stressful item from my life at least a little bit.

Lemon:

Phone Addiction

Lemonade Idea:

After realizing the errors of my ways and the fact that phones actually take up more time then people think thus resulting in stress for the fact that you are losing productivity time. I decided to take action by TURNING THE PHONE OFF. My phone goes off by 8PM every night unless I am in the middle of a conversation or know that someone needs to contact me. I hate the excuse- well I use it as my alarm. Guess what... Turn it on airplane mode and it works just as well! Ever since I have praticed this, I go to bed less anxious and also find that I am more motivated to read or just plain sleep. (I have begun to apply the same rule to my computer unless I watch a TV show, which I also try to limit) It seems so easy, but making a change is hard. It will make you realize things you never had. This may seem like a litte change, but you will be surprised the effect it has on you. I find during the day I am also less reliant and more interested in doing other things, like my work ;) So give it a try and see how it goes!

What do you do to stop your cell phone addiction?



Newsworthy Discussions: Introduction and History Education

There are many things in the news that need a little lemonade. They are the issues we are constantly being bombarded with, but people do not seem to discuss. As a history teacher, I feel it essential for all to know what is happening in the world around them and have an opinion about it. I hope with this part of my blog to identify an issue in the news, give my opinion, and then spark a conversation or even just a thought. 

To begin, I thought I would choose a less controversial topic, but one that I think highlights a major concern especially in this country: EDUCATION.

A HISTORY TEACHER'S BRILLIANT IDEA

CNN.com

Direct Link: 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/21/opinion/bennett-teacher-innovation/index.html?hpt=op_bn4

Pinterest

Synopsis: 

This article is about a history teacher who was tired of seeing his students more interested in March Madness then their education especially when it comes to history. The teacher, Mr. Hoekstra, decided to take action and created a lesson plan around the idea of the tournament. Each student choose a person in US history and had to immense themselves into the persons life and history. He then created a bracket and the students had to defend why their person was the greater person in history. The class would vote at the end of the debate. What Hoekstra found was that kids instantly were intrigued and became extremely involved in the debates. 

Lemon: 

Students lack of interest in history and well America's lack of interest in history education.

While this may be far stretched, I believe the partial problem is that we as a society have devalued history and its place in the education world. It is true that it is not math or science and many do not believe it gets you far in the "real" world. Well here is the thing, have you ever really thought about what skills you do gain that are just as important? How about critical thinking, writing, problem solving, philosophical discussion, debate, mathematical analysis, and inquiry amongst others? These are skills, yes you gain in the traditional core of subjects as well, but are in fact applied and enhanced in history classrooms.

Lemonade: 

What this article shows is that students will in fact enjoy history and see its importance when a teacher does not simply give up and get pushed aside, but faces the students and their lack of interest. I think history teachers are constantly faced these days with these dilemmas and its so important to prove that the subject is in fact important and can be appreciated. I love the creativity that was used as well.  I just wish that "entertaining" did not always have to be the answer, but that students already come knowing that history is just as important as math and science.

Central Question:

Do you think history is an important part of education? Or do you believe that in order to stay competitive in this world, the essential math, science, and english classes should be the focus?

Photography Moment: Cameras

I love photography. Lemonade is about loving.



Pinterest



I got my first camera when I was about these kids age.

I can not wait to pass on the tradition to other little ones!

I also love this picture because I have started collecting

vintage cameras. Its amazing how they have progressed

and the art has changed.

Lemonade Fashion: Intro and Cluttered Closet

We all struggle in some way to find that perfect outfit. I am sure I am not alone in saying that I have worn sweats more times then not. It has come to my attention though that you dress as you often feel and so thus comes this blog post idea. Why not turn this lemon of a fashion dilemma into a lemonade. I abosolutely hate when people say they dislike something, but can not provide a solution. I am not saying I am a fashion expert (far from it), but I am willing to share advice along the way and hope to feature some other bloggers and people too! So here goes nothing...the first fashion related blog post! 



I am not a huge fan of huge closets (wasted space and money),
but love the organization here! Thank you Pinterest for sharing.



Lemon: 

I have so many clothes and never know what to wear so I just end up wearing sweats and t-shirt.

Lemonade:  

The best thing I would suggest is to pare down and clean out the closet. I used to open my closet and be overwhelmed by the pile that had formed. I would become discouraged looking for an outfit becuase it always seemed I was grabbing the things I never really wore anymore. A good friend (who I hope to feature one day) of mine suggested cleaning out the closets and man oh man, it has made such a difference. My options are limited, more age approriate, and intentional. I also made restrictions on the space I want to use as my closet so that I am not filling it, just to fill it. In the long run, I have saved so much money, because I never buy anything now that I can only wear with one other item or if my closet is full and the piece is really not neccessary. Another tip, is to color and type code your clothes. It sounds OCD, but is really helpful in the end. I seperate my clothes in half (work on one side and outside work on the other) and then group colors. This way I take the guess work out of what I am looking at. I know I need a work outfit and I feel like wearing green so BAM there are my options. No longer need to go through the WHOLE stack. The next step I will be taking is working with my friend to make outfits with what I have and taking pictures so I can look at it for reference to cut down on time as well. (Her Idea) So look for that update soon. For now, baby steps. Take out the Goodwill bags and start eliminating!

Lemonade Sunday Statements

Religious or not, these are all important parts of any type of relationship!

Lemonade Book Spotlight: The Happiness Project

I am in the process of reading for the second time, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. It is a book I recommend to anyone and everyone, even those that are happy. It is a tale of life and the simple things that we get tangled up in and end up consuming our lives making us feel somewhat unhappy and uncertain. In addition to the book, I have been following her blog as well (link located to the right).  The blog is a wealth of resources on the subject and a great extension to the book. I have even used her toolkit to formulate my own project...small hint.. it lead me to this blog project. No matter what this is an enjoyable read for all, don't be surprised if you are one of my friends it ends up in your stocking at Christmas! 

Below is a little sneak peak of her brilliance, and the best part is that we probably already know these things! 

Ten Myths About Happiness

(clicking the links will take you to the blog and explanation of the myth)

"No. 1: Happy people are annoying and stupid.

No. 2: Nothing changes a person’s happiness level much.

No. 3: Venting anger relieves it.

No. 4: You’ll be happier if you insist on “the best.”

No. 5: A “treat” will cheer you up.

No. 6: Money can’t buy happiness.

No. 7: Doing “random acts of kindness” brings happiness.

No. 8: You’ll be happy as soon as you…

No. 9: Spending some time alone will make you feel better.

No. 10: The biggest myth: It’s selfish to try to be happier."

Saturday Surprises

After waking up feeling incredibly restless I decided it was the perfect day for a random adventure! My choice was to hike up to Multnomah Falls so I packed some trail mix, a bottle of water, and little bit of excitement and headed towards the Gorge. It was seriously an amazing drive and day. You could see Mount Hood crystal clear in all its majesty and the Columbia was shiny blue. I was very lucky to have arrived when I did because when I left there was not a spot to be had in the parking lot. Needless to say I forgot that to get to the top you walk up hill the whole way, but I made it! It was a great little adventure out of town.

Lemon Highlight: 

A struggle that I have had to recently overcome is the idea of spending time alone and not feeling that its because no one enjoys my company or that I do not have friends. 

Lemonade Highlight: 

A part of growing up is realizing that the times of spending 24-7 with friends is over because well...real life happens (schedules no longer follow dorm life). One thing I have found is that I have to embrace my alone time as good time to work on me or just a good time to take a breath and do nothing. In this case, I woke up and instead of being moody/sad, I went out and sought adventure. It will probably be a highlight of my weekend and that weekend had moments with friends too. 

Bottom Line: 

Feeling lonely is completely natural at times because life is constantly changing and full of varying schedules, but instead of it being a bad thing, make it into something good whether that be taking a random adventure, picking up a book, tackling that annoying chore, watching a movie, or creating ideas of things you can do with your friends the next time their free! Everyone needs a little time by themselves because it really is good for the soul. 

What do you do to chase those lonely blues away? 

Blog Revamp Mission

While I wish I was 007 and had all the cool gadgets, I am not and can proudly say I am an unique individual who has something to give that is not all theatrics. I know pride is a word that many do not use, but I think in this case, I am going to use it because I am proud I have come through so much in the past couple months. Those that have been following my blog (so excited to say there were a few) are probably confused why all my posts have gone away and I have gone through a complete revamp. (Sorry...the drama is gone) Well the truth is that I really would like to put the past in the past, accept it happened, learn from it, and move on. To be fair though for my new followers, I will give you a quick recap of what happened since it inspired the idea for the blog in the first place. It is very simple, I lost the will to want to live a happy and fulfilled life. I was what they call, a lost puppy. I needed hugs and love (except pushed my friends far far away and got mad when they got angry with me), but couldn't seem to really find home.

I have found home! I wish I could say that it was a really easy journey, but it took a lot of hard work in my part to adjust my attitude and rediscover passions. To really turn some lemons into lemonade. My old blog posts did not have a lot of focus and felt that to best tell the story of turning lemons into lemonade was to clean house a bit and organize. This "remodeled" blog will be a blog that features others as well as myself and I hope more then anything to use it as a way to continue my joy. I learned so much about myself by simply writing and reflecting and not being afraid to state what I was truly feeling. I hope to continue that idea. So lets dive into the nitty gritty of the blog... To showcase some of the topics you will be seeing, I have written a little reflection about what I was and what I am now to demonstrate some of the lemons I have had and the lemonade that has resulted.

I loved photography (was accepted to art school), but gave it up becuase I did not feel like I was good enough or as talented as everyone else... NOW I am taking photo classes and using instragram and not carrying about everyone else. (No longer counting how many people heart my photos!)

I loved to cook and bake (secretly have a dream of having one of those bistros that you see in movies), but did not do it because everyone never seemed excited about my cooking... NOW I am going to be completing a cooking/baking challenge via this blog. A new recipe a week?

I loved to craft (hours could be spent watching movies and making cards), but stopped because I felt everyone else was way more creative then me... NOW I am going to be featuring crafters I admire, but also my own crafts. There are so many talented people in the world and I can be one!

I loved to go shopping, but everyone seemed skinnier then me and better able to fit in clothes....NOW I am learning what fashion is and how to dress my body type... Its hard but I love every second of it!

I loved my friends, but felt everyone did not like me, had no desire to hang out with me, and I started concentrating on people I thought were best friends only to learn I pushed away my real best friends... NOW I am focusing on spending time with the ones I truly love who want to spend time with me (Effort is a two way street). Hoping they will be willing to share on this blog about their own lemons and lemonade! 

I loved to discuss the world around me, but it seemed to me that everyone thought my opinions were redicuioulous so I started ingnoring my own opinions and forming with the crowd...NOW I want to discuss what is going on and do not care if my opinion is not a popular one... isnt that the point of discussion anyways, multiple perspectives?

This is only a glimpse of the fun to come. One key thing that will never change about this blog is that there are struggles out there (lemons- not everyday is a sunny day), but those struggles can be conquered and a happy life is completely attainable (lemonade). So the journey begins and I thank all those people a part of my journey and those future contributors!

Blog Header

I just wanted to give credit where credit is due and let everyone know that my blog header was designed by the great Michelle Waters! Once I learn how to link blogs, I will link hers. She does amazing work and is very easy to work with and has a ton of vision. Sound like a commercial yet?

Under construction and revamp once again. Be Back ASAP.

I have so many blog posts started and so much research to do so this is a little buffer until I get this to do list accomplished! Happy Monday :)