Handbook for 2010

HANDBOOK 2010



Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Last but not the least:

40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about.

Stevie's Graduation

On Saturday, December 19, my brother-in-law Steve graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor's Degree in Education.  Shawn and I got up early that morning and drove down to WKU to watch him graduate and join in the celebration with him, along with his wife, Christa, his friends, Wendie and Pedro, and his parents, Eric and Susie.  I believe there was 1,100+ graduating and while it was long, it was enjoyable.  After the graduation, we went to Longhorn Steakhouse for some yummy food and fellowship.  Then it was time for the drive home and some relaxing on the couch.

Bath Time

This was my first time seeing Gavin get a bath in a big boy tub and he LOVED playing in the water and I loved watching him be silly and having fun.  Hershey and Reese were both jealous of his bathtub fun and, if I would of been in the mood and felt like giving them a bath, I would of put them in the tub with him. 

I'm getting skinny...

Well, I wouldn't really say skinny, but I did lose some weight.  Yesterday afternoon I went to my doctor for a follow-up visit on my diet pill and to get a prescription for a refill.  Most people don't ever want to get near a scale, but I was excited to get on it today.  I LOST 12 POUNDS!   Yeah me!!!  While I am excited with that weight loss, I was a little bit disappointed because I felt like I had lost more.  I've really been able to tell in my clothes the most.  Plus I've had more energy, which is a good thing.  I really wasn't watching what I was eating, otherwise I know it would of been more.  This time around though, I'm going to concentrate on eating better.  I didn't overeat, I just didn't choose the healthiest foods...of course I don't like many foods that are healthy for you, which is probably why I have a weight problem to start with.

The Making of Mimi's Christmas Present

Last Saturday, Beth and I took Gavin to Mitchell's Art Academy & Clay Studio in Newburgh to make a special Christmas present for my mom (Mimi).  She loves cookie jars and has collected alot of them, but when she moved from the house, she had to pack them all up.  Now that she's in her apartment, there isn't alot of room for them, so she doesn't have any out.  I thought of the idea of having Gavin make her one, that way she would have one out and it would be a special one.  I knew I wanted a white cookie jar with Gavin's handprints all over it in different colors and for the front to say Mimi's Cookies.  Well it all worked, except for the different colors of handprints.  It was messy and Gavin wanted to play in the paint!  We ended up with 3 handprints (or should I say 3 half handprints) all in green.  And my handwriting isn't the greatest without lines and on a rounded jar, so the writing isn't very good either.  Beth ended up painting some flowers on the lid as well.  I'm sure once it's all fired and ready for use, it will look better.  Regardless of what it looks like, I KNOW my mom will LOVE it, especially since it's from Gavin.