Just DO it!

There are lots of things that you have been told to NOT do your whole life.  Our Mom’s & Dad’s started the whole thing when we were just wee ones.  Now I have become a “teller of the “DO NOTS”, and you can ask my kids, I am really great at it!  Ha!  I’ve taught the obvious ones…don’t stick your finger in that socket...don’t have anything plugged in near the bath your taking, hair dryer, radio, etc...don’t talk to strangers, don’t run with scissors…But what about the DO’s?  We need to be “tellers of the DO’s” too!  

A few years back, my sister, Moni, gave me a book entitled “The Complete Life’s Little Instruction Book, written by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.  I love this book.  It is by far one of my most favorite books in the whole world!  A fun, quick read that really makes you think, smile, even change maybe.  I’m not about to list all of the fifteen hundred and sixty “instructions” here, but I am going to list a few of my favorite’s as well as a few of my very own.  But do go buy this book!  It’s awesome! 

So, to my girls…DO these things...in no particular order.  

Eat summer, home grown tomatoes.  Grow them too!   They are delicious!  If you don’t like tomatoes (but how could you be my child?), buy some from a local farmer for someone you love that loves them!  Best present EVER!

Be positive!  Be energetic!  Be silly!  Silver lining and all that!  You want to be happy?  Then just be happy!

Stay informed and be in “the know”, but realize that media and news is biased.  People want attention and headlines and power and they will scare the hell out of you to get it!  Ugh!  News...I don’t touch the stuff!  

Vote.  Simple.

When you are older...When you drink wine, drink it out of a wine glass (unless you just have no other choice).  And drink champagne “just because”.  You don’t have to wait for that special occasion.  Your Daddy & I still have a bottle of Dom Perignon in the fridge from, hmm, I don’t remember.  It’s probably gross now.  But of course, I’m not pushing you to be a drunk! LOL!!  Eat off that fine china is what I’m saying.  Capish?

Floss your teeth EVERYDAY!  Those deep cleanings are tough!  Thank you West Georgia Family Dentistry.

Remember Birthdays.  It is important to feel special.  NEVER forget mine!

Say Please & Thank You, always.

Be the first to say Hi!  And smile!

Kiss your babies goodnight, even if they are asleep, and even when they are big.

Dream big, but enjoy and love all the small stuff, that’s what’s really important.

Be your husband’s best friend, and NEVER forget your anniversary.  He is your lobster, after all.

Do nice things and be kind.  Don’t expect to take any credit for it.  Just pay it forward.

Avoid negative people.  You will know some, you probably already do, they are everywhere.  They will suck the life out of you!

Never cheat.  On anyone, or anything.  

Don’t eat fat free cheese.  Yuk!

Wear your seat belt and don’t speed!  DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE!

Don’t smoke or do drugs!  No brainer.

Never bad mouth the person you work for.  He/she signs your check, if you aren’t happy, find another job.  Oh, and make sure to give a notice.

Never judge a person by their bank account.  That means squat!

Relax and enjoy your life.  There will be times when things get serious and uncomfortable, but I pray that they will be few and far between. 

Be a good sport.  Be a good loser, and a good winner too!

Go to your kids' stuff!  Ball games, chorus concerts, school plays.  Read to them, sing to them. Listen to them.  You don’t want to miss a thing, and you can’t get it back!

Never brag about what you have, but don’t feel guilty about it or feel like you need to apologize for it either.

Watch what you say to the people you love when you’re mad.  Once it’s out there, there’s no going back.

Pay your way.  All of it.  Tax, tip, the whole ball of wax!

Stand for something or you will fall for anything.  Be a leader, not a follower.  But be a good leader.  Some leaders just need fans.

Marry for love.  Real love.  You’ll know it.  Believe in love at first site.  It’s out there.  It’s easy to spot.  If he has dimples and reminds you of your sweet Daddy...grab him!  He’s a keeper.

Count your blessings and take nothing for granted.

Call your Mother.  Everyday. 

No Excuses!

Ok.  So this is my new blog.  Started today.  No excuses.  

I have been wanting to start this for a while now.  Recording thoughts and hopes and all the great happenings with my beautiful family (much much more to come on these fabulous people later).  Weighing in on great food and recipes (with huge emphasis on the “weighing in” part, as it seems I am constantly dieting).  Great movies, great books, great TV...a little bit of everything!  There is lots to blog about, and if blogging is anything like talking, I will be FABULOUS at it!   

The message at church today (shout out to Greg @ Crossroads, woo hoo!) was “No Excuses”.  It seemed the perfect day to begin my blogging experience.  I have had tons of excuses about waiting to start..don’t have time, can’t think of what to say (if you know me, that one is probably a real shocker), I can’t be still long enough, blah, blah, blah...  To be honest my “non-blog” excuses are nothing compared to the many, many excuses that I come up with everyday to NOT do a lot of things!  We all do it, some of us are worse than others, but we all make excuses to NOT do something everyday, some of us, hourly.

I make excuses to NOT clean house...it’s the weekend!  Or, to NOT take those seven huge trash bags of aluminum cans to the bin...well, it’s out of my way today.  One really big excuse that I make (I’m not even sure what excuse I tell myself) is NOT making doctors’ appointment, physicals, mammograms, all the annual stuff for Myself.  This is my health for goodness sake!  I am so paralyzed with the fear of something being wrong with me, that I can’t even make sure that there is not a thing wrong, and that, in fact, I am really fine. LOL!  This one is huge!  Something is gonna have to give!

Of course, the excuses don’t end there.  I have pictures to hang, clothes to wash, calls to make, closets to clean, and I need to quit drinking SO much wine everyday.  Ugh!!!  But God spoke to me today about my health.  I really have to take care of these things.  Some of you think that I am a complete crazy idiot.  “Call your doctor!” you say, and some, well, you are right there with me.  Those of you right there with me...call your doctor!  I’m calling mine tomorrow!  No excuses!!