Day 181 | Best Decisions

Prompt: Tell me about one of the best decisions you have ever made.

Stephanie |  The best decision I have made is to home-school my kids. I made this decision years ago, even before I was married and had kids. I witnessed a horrible incident when my sister was just starting out in school that completely changed how I viewed the public school system. I knew right then I would not let my children experience that. I feel this is my way to keep them safe from many dangers. I will be able to stay active in their lives and know whats going on. I feel this will strengthen my relationship with my girls and help us bond and a family since we will be involved in their activities and the things they learn. Even though we do not start our home-school experience until this fall, I know this is the best decision I have made.

Annetta | (This week I will be journaling from California) One of the best decision I have made was have my mom live with me. When my parents divorced shortly after I married my mom had no real place to stay and the place she was staying wasn't working out. She needed a place to call home and my husband and I decided to provide for her. She lives with us and has since the first year of our marriage. At moments I wish that it was just my family and I, but knowing her options I am glad that she is with us and we are blessed enough to provide for her.

Day 180 | Fairytale Character

Prompt: Which fairytale or Disney character are you most similar too and why? Or which would you like to be more like and why?   (Disney Character Test)

Annetta | I am most like PINOCCHIO of Pinocchio! You like to work towards dreams you have, but you sometimes get tempted by the devil in disguise. But when it comes down to it, you're quite a happy person who just wants to be the best they can be!

Stephanie | The lovely princess Jasmine is who you identify with. You have a high sense of kindness which allows you to befriend most anyone, even a large tiger. Your morals are average which allows you to accept others who are different than you, or may be considered social outcasts. This acceptance mixed with kindness attracts people to you and allows you to empathize and listen well.  

Day 179 | Make Time

Prompt: What do you need to make time for?

Annetta | I need to make more time for two things. One, spending more time with my son and mom going to parks instead of me spending hours on the computer getting deadlines out. Two, I need to make more time for my professional blog. I have missed taking pictures and posting them to my blog as I have been doing so many other things. I think that last month I only blogged once that whole month! I just need to make more time for the things that are most important to me.

Stephanie | I need to make time for my hubby and growing our marriage. For my business and marketing myself. For building a home school routine. For myself.

Day 178 | Opportunities

Prompt: What opportunities do you have to be grateful for?

Stephanie | I am thankful for the opportunity to be a stay at home mom and for the opportunity to home-school my children. My girls are the most precious thing on this planet, I want to be the one with them and teach them each day. 

Annetta | I am so grateful for the opportunity in leading the Pursuit31 group in Seattle. It's been something I've wanted to do for years and getting to lead this group was such a highlight of my year. The ladies that I get to be friends with, work with and meet through this group bless me in so many ways. I get to learn how to be a leader, plan events and grow in so many ways. This is one of the most happiest opportunities.

Day 177 | A Better Place

Prompt : How would you like to make the world a better place?

Stephanie | I like when people are grateful for the things I do and encourage me and praise my efforts. I will try harder to show the same to people especially those I don't know. We live in a world where people are very critical of each other and especially of ourselves. I think the world would be a better place if people felt encouraged and supported. I know for me it makes a huge difference if I feel encouraged and supported.  

Annetta | It is often said that you can change the world one person at a time or be the change you want to see. I agree as I know to make a difference it all starts with me. I believe that this world is so full of darkness, you see it on the news, the movies we watch and the dames we play. I try to bring some light into the world through my camera. I believe that the world needs to see more beauty, as beauty is light and evil is dark. I try to be the light in other ways as well from loving better, showing grace and not judging, all things I stumble at, but an working through.

Day 176 | Friends

Prompt: Describe your relationship with your friends.

Stephanie | I love my friends, each one is so important to me. Some I have known a long time, some are still forming. Some I talk with often and others I hardly see. Some are nearby, and some all around the world. Some of my friends are creatives where others are my support. Some have become very close and have reached family status. All of them I love dearly. 

Annetta | Every friendship is different. Some of them I see regularly and some maybe once a year, but they are all just as important to me. I realized that my closet friend is my husband and he gets me first, but my friends are a huge part of who I am. My friends help me grow in so many ways! I'm also in the process of learning how to be a friend full of grace, support and love. Not every one of my friendships ends up the way I hoped, but there are seasons and its also about learning to let go so that new friendships can be formed. I am thankful for every single one of my friends!

Day 175 | Draft Day Marathon

Annetta will be traveling out of the country soon. During her travels she will have sporadic internet, so we spent the weekend together drafting up some journal pages to have them ready for her trip. Here are a few shots of our very busy time together.  

 

Day 174 | June Mail Day

Share what you received from June Mail Call.

Stephanie | We hand delivered our mail day packages this month. It was great to visit in person with my wonderful friend. My beautiful surprise from Annetta was just perfect, as always. She picked out the cutest little items for me to use as props in my pictures. A matchstick box designed like a vintage envelope, an adorable notebook with stunning camera illustrations, a teeny tiny chalkboard and a pale pink plate with a floral design. All of them so perfect!

Annetta | I pretty much love my mail day this month! I actually loved it so much that I used all the cute little embellishments that Stephanie gave me for my journal pages before I could even photograph them, luckily she was so kind and blessed me with more. Okay, how cute is that little typewriter box?! I also am so inspired by the tissues. Love everything about this beautiful hand delivered mail day.

Day 173 | Famous Dream

Prompt: What is your dream of becoming famous? Have you ever wished to be famous?

Stephanie | When I was younger I had dreams of becoming a famous actor and singer. I know have dreams of becoming famous through my photography and other creative avenues. 

Annetta | I pretty much wanted to be everything famous. I wanted to be a model, singer, actress and dancer. So thankful and glad that I grew out of that. I still have a strong desire to be famous, but it's not for self promotion, but to use that for good and to help others.

Day 172 | Childhood Toy

Prompt: What was your favorite childhood toy? Describe it in detail. What did it do? What memories does it bring back? What adventures did you share?

Stephanie | Some of my favorite childhood toys were my drowsy beans doll, care-bears, my popple, and a baby doll I names 'Green Eyes'.  I liked to play 'house' a lot as a kid, my dolls as the babies and I as the mommy.

Annetta | I was a Barbie girl, so much so that I played all the way up to high school if not even many months into my high school years. You see I loved Barbies, everything about them was wonderful to me. After school I would come home and play for hours. I'd make my friends play even once they grew out of it. One reason I played so late in my age is because I had younger friends, some were even 10 years younger than me. When in the world of playing Barbies I could be anything! The main roles I stuck with was being a singer, actress and dancer.

Day 171 | June Mail Call

Action: Send each other items to be used in the journals.

Annetta | This mail day I went for trinkets that can be added to pictures. Sometimes we just need a few little props to make a picture pop. Most of the gifts I wanted to keep for myself, Stephanie and I have the same taste  when it comes to these things so I hope she likes these gifts.

Stephanie |  My little box contains goodies I am sure Annetta will love. Little scraps of paper and a few nick-knacks and special treats for her office. 

 

Day 170 | For Free

Prompt: If money was no concern, what job would you do for free and why?

Stephanie | If money was no concern I would wish to be a professional vacation photographer. If I had unlimited amounts on money I would offer my services to travel all around the world and take photographs of the beautiful scenery and what ever else I found interesting. I would let people use my photos to promote their business and location. I really just want to travel and take pictures. 

Annetta | I'm pretty much doing what I really want to be doing. I'm a photographer, an artist, I get to cross stitch,  design, travel. The question for me is if I wasn't limited in skill what would I be doing. Now that I am writing this I would LOVE to go to all the amazing workshops that happen all around the world. I already do what I love pretty much for free as I do it because I love to do it. I would love to go to workshops for what I do!

Day 169 | Relationships

Prompt: Describe your relationships with your closest family members.

Stephanie | My family is very small. I have a good relationship with my brother, we have always had a special bond. Now that we are both adults, we don't talk often, but we have always gotten along. Until recently I would have said I had a great relationship with my mom, but it currently doesn't exist, and neither does my relationship with my sister. She is still young and lives with mom, so keeping that connection is tricky at the moment. Because of the issues there, my relationship with my brother and grandmother have actually gotten stronger, we have bonded over this time and have strengthened those connections. I would say I am closest with my grandma. We just get each other and we have an easy non-complicated relationship that I love. We are a lot alike and we get along so well. I have always felt loved and respected by her. My kids have a great connection with her as well which is very important to me.

Annetta | In my family my mother and I have been super close. Of course since I've married we don't share the same relationship as my husband is the closest to me. Today was her birthday and I got to take my mom out for breakfast and dessert. She is an amazing and selfless mom. I am beyond blessed to have her as my mommy!

Day 168 | Favorite Places

Prompt: Tell me about one of your favorite places. Why do you like it?

Annetta | One of my favorite places is a cabin in the country. Oh how my heart longs for that! In the country life is slower and the simple things are enjoyed deeply. There isn't the hustle and bustle that we see everywhere around us. Instead you get your book, your tea and enjoy your sunset on the porch as the kids chase fireflies. It life seen through a pace, where walks through the meadows are encouraged and nap in the cool breeze are a must. The country is perfect all year long!!

Stephanie | One of my favorite places to be is at thrift shops and flea markets. I love looking through the old vintage items, knowing some things you won't ever see again. Each item has its own history and shapes our country's history. I like to think about where each item came from, who held these items, what home did it come from, each thing has its own story. I love hunting for beautiful pieces to add to my collection and finding those bargain prices.

Day 167 | Happiness

Prompt: What do you think stands in-between you and your happiness?

Annetta | Only I can stand in the way of my happiness. Over the years I've learned that I decide if I am happy or not. Not every moment is a happy one, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't be a happy person. Plus happiness should never is a goal as it comes and goes, having a joyful heart is something to strive for.

Stephanie | I think a lot of the time I stand in my own way. My expectations of how I wish things would be, and how things end up, leave me feeling disappointed often. My vision for things and my reality don't match up very often. I have a hard time being happy with things the way they are. I am a perfectionist and I need that "perfect" to be happy. Since there is no true perfect, I am not happy. This is something I need to work on.

Day 166 | 24 Hours

Prompt: What would you do if you knew you would not get into trouble for doing anything you wanted for 24 hours?

 

 Annetta | If I had 24 hours to do whatever I wanted to do without getting in trouble then I would drive to a cabin somewhere in Oregon. The place would be beautiful, secluded and stocked with lots of good movies. I wold do anything illegal, but I would take a long bath, nap, cross stitch, read and just do all the things I enjoy on my time in a place that inspires me. In reality, I'm not sure how much I would enjoy this by myself, but in my mind it sounds amazing.

Stephanie | I would find a babysitter and go on the most romanitc get-away trip with my hubby. We could do whatever we wanted because we wouldn't have to be responsible for paying. We could hop a flight to some remote tropical paradice, fly for free in first class, find a beach bungalow for the night. Order whatever we wanted a fancy restaurant and walk out before the bill arrives. Cut first in line to whatever attractions we wanted to see. Just do whatever we wanted that we nornally wouldn't have the finances to do. I would love to have the most romantic and lavish date with my hubby, I really just want to spend some good time together. 

Day 165 | Health & Body

Prompt: Fill a double page spread (or more) in your journal of images and words that will help motivate you with your health and fitness goals. Include foods you would like to eat more of and any activities you want to do to improve your fitness. Avoid including any unrealistic body inspirations.

Stephanie | My goal is to continue to add more veggies, fruits, and berries into my diet. To eat more earth based foods and cut out processed ones. To continue with my vitamins and adding water. To be more physically active doing things I enjoy doing. To eventually to be happy with who I am and how I look, not to be ashamed of myself all the time, even if I never reach supermodel skinny. To transform my body and my mind into something healthy and positive.

Annetta | Ever since my son was born I've been struggling to keep my weight up and staying positive about my health. There always seemed to be something going on in my body that I would complain about. Just within this month I've really started working on becoming a healthier me. Instead of just taking my vitamins on and off, I plan on being consistent in taking them daily. I've also changed my eating habits, but still have many area's to improve like eating more fruit and less sugar in my tea/decaf coffee. I've stopped drinking coffee and have a caffeine beverage only once a week. I'm also planning on being more constant in going to the gym to strength my muscles. I've also been speaking health and wholeness over my body instead of the issues I'm faced with. I am getting my health back and will be ready for when I'll have the honor of having more kids.