Stuff

Life in an Instant: A picnic in the park

by Stacy on January 9, 2012

I know there hasn’t been much activity here lately, but there are lots of big changes happening behind the scenes I can’t wait to tell you about. I have to start blogging at some point this year and since I really want
Life in an Instant
to become a place we all share and get to know one another, I thought I’d start here. I encourage all of you to add any post that shares a highlight of your week or a special moment you captured in time on your camera, your phone, whatever medium you had at your disposal.

Here’s a bit about what’s going on in our world this week:

It was a week full of picnics and play dates.

Time spent outdoors, just being kids.

Learning together (I’ll have a post on this coming soon)

and trying new things {Capoeira}.

Oh yeah, and …

It also helps to have a super cute Co-Pilot with you where ever you go!

I’m thrilled the start of 2012 has found us in such a happy place and good rhythm with one another. We somehow found time to do things together everyday this week, and we were all the better for it. I’m really hoping this trend continues throughout the year.

Now it’s your turn!

Life in an Instant

I’m working on our button for this link up,
not 100% happy with it yet but here’s where it’s headed.
I’ll have it ready to share for everyone next week.

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You are all an inspiration & Cindee wins a prize!!

by Stacy on December 19, 2011

I held a quick and easy contest over the weekend asking folks what good deeds they had done this holiday season.
The responses blew me away.

Truly.

What an incredible bunch of women you all are.

My family does what we can when we can, I use leftover holiday money to buy $5 gift cards to McDonalds and Subway and the likes. I give these giftcards to people I meet throughout the year who might need a warm meal or a helping hand. We run races once a month for various causes and charities and I try to support as many worthy campaigns as I can throughout the year, but Wow. You ladies have really inspired me.

♥ Toni touched my heart when she told me about the Angel Tree project in her town that gives presents to children whose parents are in prison so they will know someone out there cares for them.

♥ Jen’s office had an amazing idea to raise money by decorating their work spaces and voting for the winner with cash to be donated later.

Our winner, Cindee has gone above and beyond to share with others in their time of need. Congratulations Cindee, you were randomly chosen for the $25 credit to Rue La La. Merry Christmas!

♥ Julie could use our help raising money for Penelope’s adoption. If you have a few extra dollars to spare, I’d like to ask you to donate them here. It could mean a world of difference to this beautiful girl.

There were so many other great stories, here go read them yourself!

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Life in an Instant: The days before Christmas

by Stacy on December 18, 2011

This week marked the start of my favorite time of year, the time when people & things start to slow themselves down just a little bit. Where our focus is shifted more towards stuff that really matters and family time comes pretty close to all of the time.

Sure, we’re all still crazy busy, yet somehow we manage to juggle time a little better and squeeze in some neat memories in the process. That’s what this week’s Life in an Instant post has been about for me. Maybe yours was different and that’s alright, I still really want to see what you’ve been up to all week.

You can tell from the photos we like to express ourselves with hats a lot! From safari hats to santa hats, teddy bear toboggans to full transformers head pieces — Anything goes. Her eyes in that transformer shot just melt my heart, so much sweetness wrapped up in to one spunky little girl. It really is fun to watch her.

The photos you’re seeing here are all snippets of our Countdown to Christmas tradition. I’ll admit we have had to adapt our plans significantly now that we have one child in school. I think the face of this tradition has changed for us forever, but we’re still plugging away making it a season to remember even if our activity of the day was just an hour long trip to the post office and a stroll through the fancy food store (third row – middle pic).

The lesson I’m learning this year is it doesn’t really matter what the activity is as long as we’re together, our hearts are in it and our attitudes are in the right places. Mine, maybe even more than theirs.

I’m curious, what lessons are you learning this year?

Now it’s your turn, show me your life this week captured in instants

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Reconnect with Family Game Night

by Stacy on December 13, 2011

We’re trying to make this Christmas much smaller, much simpler, more well thought out than Christmases past. With three kids at home, our toy supply doesn’t need many new additions. The kids are getting older, their interests are changing so we’re taking time now to edit what we have and make room for some new special pieces more geared towards their interests.

Something else we’re doing is trying to focus on our family life. Ways we can improve it, ways we can have fun together, ways we can enjoy each others company.

Enter the family game night.

Shown Here: Hoot Owl Hoot / Animal Yahtzee / Blokus / Color Stix / Quirkle

Board games aren’t just limited to the ones you remember, Sorry. Life. Monopoly. Uno. Those are still around and every bit as fun, but there’s also a ton of new games on the market geared towards young children that adults will still enjoy.

There are usually great sales on games, just wait for them and you can also check discount stores like Ross, Marshalls or TJ Maxx. I found a Shrek Operation game at Marshall’s for a song last week. We play the original at a favorite coffee shop, so I’m sure they’re going to love this one.

Here’s a few of the games we’ll be adding to our collection this year:

Lost Puppies / Shrek Operation / Trouble / Blokus

Do you do family game night? How often?
What’s your family’s favorite board game?

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Life in an Instant: Just Breathe

by Stacy on December 9, 2011

It never fails.

For one reason or another a string of days comes around about once a month … where all of a sudden my head stops floating above water.

That feeling like I’m doing things right, am on the best path or am confident in my position as mother and wife seems stripped from me.

I get claustrophobic, I can not breathe.

Suddenly all the choices I have made and tasks I have taken on seem too many. I am no longer capable and not quite sure how I will make it.

I guess you could call it my mini monthly panic attack.

But … then, just when I find myself all out losing my mind, I take a deep breath. I look around and see all that this life has offered me. All of the love and affection and wonderment. There is a light at the end of this small, cramped tunnel.

I am still the woman/mother/child I was the day before and all of the gifts I may have temporarily put out of my mind are front and center and perfectly clear.

They are my saving grace.
She Lifts Me Up/ He Showers Me with Love … & Football/ They Make Me Whole

I know God loves me because he has blessed me so much.

This brings us to the 2nd installment of Life in An Instant. A chance for us to get to know each other on a more personal level and peek in to the happiest or most memorable parts of your week.