Friday Happy Hour: Winter is Coming

It’s 17 degrees. I miss California. Before long it will be sweltering again and I will have forgotten the icy mid-winter tundra that has settled on the Northeast. The cold blast has brought us a time to slow down, bundle up and stay warm together. It has brought a sense of home and family that only winter temperatures can bring. My toes may be frozen, but my heart is warm.

The New Year must begin in winter. We are wrapped in the comfort of our homes, making it hard to ignore the deeper workings of our hearts and minds. What better time to step back and reflect. What better time to look forward and plan. What better time to just enjoy the moment and learn to be, when there is little other choice? Enjoy the moment of quiet, for all too soon the birds and bees will be busy again and we will have work to do.

This was the best week ever as snow finally graced the ground here after a nearly two year absence. Here is the story in photos:

Friday Happy Hour Returns

This Friday is greeted with a clear sunrise on cold winter morning. The days and weeks have slipped by without a mention of Happy Hour here at the blog. Until this week I have been missing in action; busy in my own world and little thought has been put into the weekly ritual. Have you been celebrating without me? Have you continued to take the HAPPY HOUR CHALLENGE? In my heart I know it is always the best week ever, even if I haven’t put it down in words. And like any other challenge in life, we can begin again to get it right!

My journey has continued in the absence of blogging. I have continued to push myself into the art world that I have my sights set on. My kids are growing into healthy Vikings. The years are accumulating in birthdays and anniversaries, both of which I feel are great accomplishments to share with my husband and partner in this wild ride called life. And living in the Mid-Atlantic is always an adventure. I’d say this was the best week ever, because every hour I add on to this crazy life is one more hour I have a chance to get it right.

What else made it the best week ever? What makes this moment so great?

·         My middlest son participates in the country’s second largest school instrument program in a public school and performed violin at the school concert. All though I think he would prefer to rock out in a band, this is a great beginning.

·         I balanced the house budget. And it did not take a last minute hostage crisis in congress to get it done.

·         I attended my second reception at the Circle Gallery in Annapolis for one of my pastel paintings that was juried into a show. Later in the week I was called to give an interview about my experience and my art to The Capital newspaper. How exciting!

Juror, Matt Klos, giving Kellee Conrad an art critique for her
Gettysburg  painting  at the Circle gallery in Annapolis.

·         Downton Abby = hopelessly addicted.

·         I am overwhelmed by clutter and projects to be tackled in my comfortable suburban home. And it’s a constant reminder of how happy I am to have this wonderful place to live.

·         Good conversation, good food, great ideas…there is always time to savor a moment with family and friends and that is what truly makes these moments worth celebrating.

Here’s to a New Year and a renewed spirit of the Friday Happy Hour. So, tell me, what have you been celebrating while I was gone?

Let's Begin Again

The long road of winter slows me down every year. I question what I am doing and why. I think about life more than usual. Why am I here? And where am I going? Down the long road…

Somehow in the shuffle of holidays and housekeeping and a heart full of winter worries, I have all but forgotten the blog. I have hidden away my feelings and preserved my thoughts for another day. Sometimes it’s just best to leave things unsaid. But I am traveling the long road and my journey is still taking me in directions unexpected. I am picking up where I left off and I am ready to share again, even if the next step is a challenging one.

So welcome if you’re just joining the journey and welcome back if you’ve been waiting for it to resume. It’s a NEW YEAR and we have this whole long (wonderful, amazing and difficult) road ahead of us. Let’s begin again…

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

                             And that has made all the difference

Friday Happy Hour: Addicted to Social Media

 It's true. It's my outlet during a solitary day. It's my early morning coffee break. It's my "after school" hang-out. It's my go to comfort zone, at home or on the go. Sadly, it's even girl's night out sometimes. (But fortunately it's never date night!) Sometimes the quiet is interrupted only by one more check on Facebook and one more search on Pinterest. I am seeking out interaction in the loneliest place in the world. The Internet.

But I find you there, too. I find long lost friends, neighbors, virtual connections, and relatives that I have grown close to over the last couple years solely because of the magic of fiber optics. I feel overwhelmed by the support I receive through sharing and quick little messages posted to my domain. And I feel lucky to be able to reach out when I know I am needed.

Social Media has sucked away hours of my life, but the joy of finding you there daily gives me a solid reason to keep coming back for more. So, Mr. Zuckerberg, though I am sure you have created the giant of all social media for monetary reasons, and my rights may be infringed upon regularly, I still thank you for our modern method of staying in touch. I am glad to have Facebook and I don't know what I would do without my daily fix.

This has been the best week ever. I have used social media to share my art and I have loved brightening everyone's day with new art, How exciting. Here are a few other ways I have enjoyed the benifit of social media:

• I have a virtual collection of lovely things right here on Pinterest. It's been great to save recipes, holiday decorating ideas, and even a massive art collection all on my pinboard in the sky.
• You Tube has a video for almost anything you want to know. Change a tire? Play violin? Watch a friend's movie? And especially for me, art lessons galore!
• Google+? What's that? I have one of those, but I don't know why....
• Wet Canvas and Absolute Write chat boards have been a great resource to meet writers and artists from around the world.
• I'm on Twitter, but I still don't know how to tweet!
• And then there are all of those blogs with millions of inspiring ideas and fabulous new ways of connecting with one another through innovative projects. Yes, bloggers are putting a piece of themselves out into the world wide web hoping to nab just a bit of your attention.

When is it all too much? I'm sure there will come a time that social media will need rehab, but for now I am sticking with it and look forward to seeing you there, too!

Friday Happy Hour: Before the Sunrise

I haven’t seen this many early mornings since we had a newborn keeping us up all night. But now that we have one in high school, the alarm wakes us before the sun illuminates the sky. I thought 5:30 would be impossible, but have found it’s quite nice…once I have my hot French press coffee in hand, anything is possible.

I’ve always loved mornings, even the early ones. I love knowing that the whole day is in front of me and I can make anything happen. I can accomplish anything. I can check things of my list or set out and explore. Anything is possible when the day has just begun. Not every day ends on the same note, but I am comforted that another morning is coming and hope starts again bright and early. Yes, I love mornings.

This has been the best week ever. I have enjoyed many early mornings and managed to accomplish a lot in the span of seven short days. Here is a quick recap:

·         I have been painting every day with my Countdown to Autumn project. I even had one painting accepted into my first juried show!

·         Soccer every night keeps us on our toes, but keeps us active. The boys can play!

·         My husband and I have successfully navigated 14 years of marriage.

·         I have donated a painting to a big fundraiser. It’s exciting to be involved in the art community.

·         The weather is perfect, and if you know me, that is always a bonus.

How about you? What made this your best week ever? What filled your mornings with hope?

Friday Happy Hour: Savor the Moment

The long, hot days are falling quickly behind us. I’ve soaked in every last golden drop of summer. I would if I could, wish for a never ending summer of lazy days by the pool, snow cones in a rainbow of colors and late night visits with family and friends. I want to sit forever on the evening porch, making out the sounds of summer’s nightfall; crickets and cicadas in their musical chorus. And I’d continue to enjoy the affection of my children who have nothing better to do than be kids all day long. This was the best summer ever. I have savored every moment.

But the seasons are changing and it is time to welcome fall with open arms. Sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, forest walks, hay rides and apple pies…the best of the new season is here and it makes saying good bye to the summer of 2012 a little bit easier. I’m looking forward to leaves of red and orange, when the hills of the mid-Atlantic look like they are on fire. I enjoy the crisp air and blue skies and catching sight of my breath in the early morning. I love the bountiful harvest and cinnamon scents that fill the air. I want nothing more than to re-live my youth through the enthusiasm of my boys jumping in piles of fallen leaves  or going door-to-door in search of sugary treasure. I am going to savor every moment.

It was the best week ever as I wrapped up the season’s end. I have started a new art project: COUNTDOWN to AUTUMN. I hope you follow along as I produce twelve new pastel paintings as a celebration of the change of seasons. How are you celebrating the change of seasons? How are you having the best week ever?

Countdown to Autumn

There's nothing like a new season to make me restless and and on edge with new ideas. I had a long dry spell through the summer, but with the kids back in school and cooler air outside, my creative desires are back in full force. In honor of my favorite season I will dedicate the next twelve days to painting every day. That means twelve new pastel painting to share with you every day until Autumn has arrived! It's always a big task for me to stay motivated and challenges are a good way to keep me focused.

Will you follow along? You can find me on FACEBOOK where I will post the new painting every day. And check back to the blog when I upload them all to this post. I love links and sharing, so go ahead and share my pictures on your favorite social media network...just remember to link back to this site! Thank you for following me on this journey. I'm so happy to have you along again!

*ETA* All Autumn paintings are now available as noted for SALE. These all come unframed and range in price from $100 to $270 plus shipping. I can take credit card payments through PayPal. Thank you for your continued support!
 Please contact me at mylifewithmonkeys@gmail.com for more information.

"Grey in Belgium" 12"x18" Pastel Painting, AVAILABLE (framed)

"Belgian Storm Rolling" 11"x14" Pastel Painting, SOLD

"There are Blue Skies" 9"x11" Pastel Painting, SOLD

"Red Rock 1" 9"x9" Pastel Painting, AVAILABLE

"Red Rock 2" 9"x9" Pastel Painting, AVAILABLE

"Early Winter's Morning" 9"x9" Pastel Painting, AVAILABLE

"Autumn Arrives in Belgium" 12"x9" Pastel Painting, SOLD

"September Harvest" 8"x10" Pastel Painting, SOLD

"Poplars" 8"x10" Pastel Painting, AVAILABLE

"Frozen Morning" 9"x12" Pastel Painting, AVAILABLE

"Poppies in Aix" 9"x12" Pastel Painting, SOLD

"Angels of Beloeil" 9"x11" Pastel Painting, (temporarily on hold)

How to Have the Best Day Ever

Another week has come and gone and another chance at having the best week ever. And EVERY week is the best week ever because every week is another chance to love, laugh, live and breathe. But it takes work! Effort must be made every day to make it the best day in order to live your best life.

Have you taken the Friday Happy Hour Challenge? I think everyone could use a little nudge, so today I am introducing “Best Day Ever”. These are six simple things to make your day a better day. If you have a happy day today, by the end of the week you’ll have a bunch of happy days and end up having the best week ever. Soon you will find you’ve had a few great weeks and before you know it you’ll have the happy life you’ve been looking for all along….simple mathematics.

But it starts with just one day. Let’s start today, Okay?

1. Be in the moment. 
Every morning is an opportunity to wake with a fresh start. Let go of yesterday’s mistakes and tomorrow’s worries; you have a chance to get it right today. This is a new day full of possibilities – be present for it.

2. Approach others with objectivity. 
Scientists are responsible for putting aside their biases and beliefs to see the world as it really is. Rather than being irritated, easily offended or judging others, choose open mindedness. Aren’t we all just trying to make our way through a chaotic world?

3. Accomplish something meaningful. 
You’ll feel better when you cross at least one thing off your to-do list and even better about the day if you make it meaningful. If you have goals and dreams, see yourself closer to them by doing something with purpose today.

4. Share the love. 
Take time to connect with the people in your life. The more love you give, the more love you have.

5. Go with gratitude. 
Say thank you, thank you, thank you for this day. When you focus all your thoughts on what’s right, even if it’s the smallest of goodness to be found, you cannot help changing your whole outlook. Gratitude will create a beautiful life.

6. Laugh often. 
Laugh out loud. Laugh until you can’t breathe. And don’t forget to smile while you’re at it….

This was the best week ever. So many laughs and things to be grateful for. Did you have a great week? Did you have the best day ever?  Thank you for joining me on this great journey!

Friday Happy Hour: Share the Love

Have you signed up by email, joined the blog or follow on facebook so you don't miss one moment on this entirely awesome blog! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Every week is the best week ever at My Life With Monkeys (even when it's not). Last week I called on you to take action for yourself and join the HappyHour Challenge! This week I am calling on you to join my site and share the message with everyone you know! These images are for you to copy, paste, post and put out into the world.

Paste them on Facebook! Tweet them! Pin them! Link them! Stumble, Tumble, Reddit, Google+ it! Print them and put them up around town! Just share the love!

Before you know it we will have a Happy Hour revolution. Not necessarily the drinking kind, but the feeling good about life kind that can spread like a wild fire and make everyone a little happier. The more followers that join me, the more the idea will spread that everyone can have "the best week ever".

Here is to another great week. Another best week ever! Are you with me?

 

 

 

Friday Happy Hour: It's Your Turn!

It’s finally the end of the week. Finally Friday. It’s time to shed the week’s work and take a breather. If you are just joining this regularly scheduled post, I have to inform you that it is less about half price well drinks and more about celebrating a happy life. You see, for me, it’s always “the best week ever” no matter what the week brought. Some weeks this is not an easy task, but I drive on with purpose because I know there is only one way to look at the days I have been given. Attitude is everything.

Find great examples of Friday Happy Hour Posts of the past HERE or HERE or HERE.

Today I turn it over to you! Today I am asking you to do more than read my thoughts every Friday, but start staking your claim in a happier life with this one simple action: Take the Friday Happy Hour Challenge with me and see if you can’t make every week the best week ever, too.

Step One:

Breathe. Take a big breath and let it all go. You know, the frustrations, the disappointments, the things that got you riled up and anything else that did not serve you well. Go on, take a second breath if you have to!

Step Two:

Reflect. This is the moment when you review all the big and little things that made you smile this week. Some weeks we have to look harder than others. Do you need to meditate? Pray? Go for a run? Listen to music? Take a nap? Employ whatever method works for you, but now is the time to focus on what really matters in your life. I have no doubt that something good happened this week!

Step Three:

Write. Now you get to make a list. The physical act of writing down all the wonderful things in your life can transform the way you think. There it is staring right back at you – proof positive that something good happened. Irrevocable evidence that you are having the best week ever. Are you having a challenge looking for the positive? If you are stuck, here are a few questions you can ask yourself to fetter out those important moments?

·         Did you share a meal with someone and enjoy either the meal or the company?

·         Who did you meet along the way that shared a big smile with you? (the grocer, someone on the street, your baby, a client?)

·         When did you laugh? A funny show or commercial? Your pets (kids) acting silly?

·         Did you look up at the sky and wonder? Big clouds, stars, a full moon, a sunset?

·         What task did you cross of your list that relieved your burden? Pay a debt? Clean a toilet? Write your novel or paint a masterpiece?

·         Who did you take the time to help?

·         When did you learn something new? In the news, in a book, about a loved one, at an event, on the radio, etc.

·         Where did you go and what did you see?

Step Four:

Repeat. Now do it every week. You’ll notice before long that you are making the list before Friday ever arrives. That it becomes second nature to look at every week as the “best week ever” because it serves you well to be a positive thinker.

So, are you in? Will you have the BEST WEEK EVER?

Are you going to take the FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR CHALLENGE with me?

I’m so excited to have you onboard and I hope you will connect with me on FACEBOOK because I’d like to know you better.

And I hope you SHARE this message with your friends and family. They’d like to have a better week, too!