Posted by terrepruitt on March 22, 2013
I’ve had a couple of things make me extremely happy this past week. One I took a picture of and one was actually a FB post from a friend. I actually made jpgs of them both and printed them, like I did with the Sharks tickets. To me these are good things I want in my jar.
I hope you are still keeping track. You don’t have to write things down necessarily, it could be a receipt or a ticket stub. Something good. How is it going?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: check in #8, Facebook, FB, good jar, good things, good things jar | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 21, 2013
So today marks fifteen years that my hubby and I have been married. It does not feel like it has been fifteen years, but then again, what does that feel like, right? I mean I know I have been waiting in line for something and if you ask I would say I have been waiting for months. 🙂 Time is an odd thing because if you ask me if it “seems” like it has been FIFTEEN YEARS, I’d say, “No.”
We have know each other eighteen years as you might have read about in my Day Ten Of Month Of Planking, First Day Of Nineteenth Year post. We have been married for fifteen years. It was my ideal to be married on the first day of spring. And honestly looking at calendars back then there seemed to be different ideas of whether the first day of spring was March 20th or March 21st.
I had always believed it was March 21st so that was the day that I thought would be nice to get married. It so happened that March 21st was on a Saturday in the year 1998 . . . . so that is when we got married.
The first day of spring is like an announcement of new beginnings. New life begins. New things happen. Flowers bloom. It’s all new. I think it is fitting and romantic to be married on the first day of spring. Even though we had been together for three years, our wedding was the start of a new life for us. A life for us together.
I wasn’t nervous, because I had no doubt. I was impatient. We had created a very short ceremony where the minister only talked for about ten minutes. There was no singing, no reading, nothing. It was scheduled to last about 20 minutes. Now, if you ask me how long it felt, I might reply fifteen years. I swear the minister sounded like all the adults on Peanuts and he could not be done fast enough. When he had John’s ring in his hand I kept reaching for it. I mean, he was just talking jibberish anyway. All I was thinking was, “Let’s get this marriage started!!” And I was shocked out of my revery when my husband-to-be playfully smacked my hand after my third grab. Yeah, the whole ceremony was wiggles and giggles.
I am very blessed to have been granted partnership with my honey.
To my Honey:
Thank you very much for all the wonderful times we have had. I appreciate all you do for us. I look forward to the next fifteen (and hopefully a lot more) years with you. Thank you. Happy Anniversary.
Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you very much for reading this post. I know I don’t always stay on track EXACTLY, but many of you know that a happy healthy relationship is key to well-being. Now, I am not saying that a relationship is a steady ride, there are ups and downs, but getting through them is what helps with the “well-being”. Also, I am not saying that one needs to be in a relationship in order to well, but I am saying that when there are relationships and they are happy and healthy that adds to someone’s well-being.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: fifteen year wedding anniversary, first day of spring, Freedom Hall, Freedom hall garden, Marriage, married, month of planking, new life, plank a day, wedding anniversary | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 15, 2013
We are into our third month of the year 2013. I hope you are still finding good things to put in your good things jar. Remember that everyone has different things that they like. Everyone has different things that they would like to be reminded of at the end of the year. Those are the things you want to put in your jar.
A good thing might seem silly at the moment, but I bet when you read about it at the end of the year you will be glad you put it down on paper and put it in your container. Don’t be shy, put anything and everything you want in your jar. That in itself is a good thing.
How is your good jar/good thing jar looking?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: good things, Good Think Jar, Goodie Jar, Year 2013 | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 14, 2013
Since my current Nia class schedule has me teaching at dinner time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have been using the “Time Bake” setting on my oven. When talking about using this feature with some of my Nia students one student commented that her oven is really old and must not have that feature. I confirmed with my mom that our oven had that feature and my husband’s childhood home oven has that feature too. Both of those ovens are almost 50 years old. So it could just be that the “Time Bake” feature is not something my student needed to use so was unaware of it. Does your oven have a “Time Bake” setting? I often use mine to cook dinner (meat), but I could understand if someone is going to be gone all day long they might not want to leave meat in the oven all day. I am not gone that long so I don’t worry about leaving meat in the oven for it to start cooking while I am gone. Also the oven isn’t on that long before I’m back to check on it. The oven’s time bake feature is perfect for vegetables or potatoes, ya know, something you would feel comfortable not being refrigerated all day if that is what your schedule requires. Time bake might be something you have on your oven and have not thought of using. It really comes in handy.
On the days I have a 
late Nia class we end up eating dinner really late. I would rather eat late with my hubby than eat early without him. It really helps me get dinner on the table faster when I have it cooking while I am gone. Depending on what I am cooking there might be some partial cooking before I leave. Lately I have been roasting eggplant and I roast it a bit on both sides before I leave. Then put onions and cheese on it and leave it in the oven. I have it start baking before I get home then when I arrive home it is done.
As you know if you’ve read a post or two of mine, I love having leftovers. I try to plan it so that on my late nights I will have a left over protein (pork, chicken, steak) so I only have to cook a veggie. Also, if you’ve read a post or two of mine you know I love to roast my veggies, so there you go; Time Bake is perfect. I can prepare my veggies for roasting and leave them in the oven and it turns on and roasts them while I am gone. When I get home I can heat the meat quickly and have fresh hot veggies. LOVE IT!
But there are other things that “Time Bake” has helped me cook. Pizza, chicken, casseroles, you name it. It is a great feature on my oven. It helps me cook and get dinner on the table.
What about you? Does your oven have Time Bake? Do you use the Time Bake feature on your oven?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: casseroles, Nia, Nia class, Nia Class Schedule, Nia student, oven settings, roasted vegetables, Thursday night Nia, Time Bake, time bake oven feature, time bake setting, Tuesday night Nia | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 9, 2013
Have you seen t
his simple flow chart? What do you think? Do you think it is this easy? I first saw this awhile ago on FaceBook when a Nia friend posted this picture on her page. I googled it to find out where it came from. I found this to be the creative work of Alex Kopblin. You too might have seen this poster because it seems to get around. It makes sense. Are you happy? If not do something about it right? Sometimes that is easy. Sometimes it is not. Are you happy? To me this is a huge defining life question.
I know that many of us have things in our lives that can make us sad. We could all probably sit down and focus on those things and become sad, if not downright depressed. I believe that is what some people do. I also believe that the people who are happy choose not to do that. It is not that their lives are perfect and they have nothing to feel sad about, it is that they choose not to focus on that. So this flow chart graphic could just be a reminder not to focus on those things. It could also be a reminder to actually make some changes.
This easy to follow chart could just be a reminder to do something that makes you happy. The “thing” does not have to be time consuming, costly, or difficult, just something that makes you smile. Maybe take a walk at lunch. Maybe stop to smell a flower. Maybe go to the ocean. Maybe get all the errands done that you had planned. Whatever . . . . just do SOMETHING that makes you happy, something that fills you with joy and that is a step in a good direction. Those feelings can carry you to the next place.
If you can, if you have the opportunity . . . . if you MAKE the chance do something like that EVERY DAY! If you do just one thing that makes you happy EVERY DAY that can help a lot on the path to happiness.
Please try to realize that if you are happy that does not mean that you are not affected by the things that are going on in your life. There could be situations that are difficult and sad. Maybe you think that being happy is something you shouldn’t do. Maybe you feel guilty because someone else is suffering. I don’t think you should. I also don’t think that someone has to be happy and up all the time. I know that we all have moments and situations that can be sad. This is just me trying to remind you to take sometime for yourself and do something that makes you happy. I like this poster and I believe it, I just also believe that sometimes the “change something” can be a difficult thing to do. So maybe what I am trying to say is start small. Work your way into “happy” if you need to.
Are you happy? Is there something you like to do that makes you happy? Can you do it?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Alex Kopblin, Are you happy, choose to be happy, Facebook, happy flow chart, happy is a choice, happy poster, happy things, Nia, Nia friend, Nia on Facebook | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 8, 2013
Recently my husband took a couple of days off of work. It is good to take some days off to just relax, I think. It great to take days off when you have something planned, but sometimes it does the body, mind, and spirit REAL good when you just take the day off with no plans. Just sit around and relax or work on a project.
Well, on one of the days he had off he decided to attend one of my Nia classes. I was so excited. It was great to have my hubby there. For a moment I thought I would be nervous, but then I realized that he would be fine and I would just be doing what I always do. And that is what we did. He moved, I led, and we went out to breakfast after.
The whole morning was such a wonderful treat to me. It definitely is in a Good Thing worthy of my Goodie Jar!
How is your good things jar doing?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: body, days off work, Good Thing jar, Goodie Jar, mind, Nia, Nia class, relax, spirit | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 1, 2013
I wanted to share one of the good things I put in my jar. It actually happened last week so I could have included it in my Goodie Jar – Check In #4, but I was so excited about the wrapping paper idea I got carried away with that. Anyway, last Thursday was Valentine’s Day and it was my second Nia class at the new time at one of the places I teach for the city of San Jose. I did not have one person in my class. Even though I don’t take it personally I still am usually a little sad when that happens, but this was a cause for a note in my goodie pitcher.
You might be wondering why I would think no one showing up for my class is a good thing, well, as I said it was Valentine’s Day and I was happy because no one being with ME meant that they ALL have SOMEONE to be with! Whenever I think of that I cannot wipe the smile off my face! HOW GREAT IS IT THAT ALL OF THEM HAVE SOMEONE TO LOVE?????? I am not even talking about romantic love. I know some people like to be with their friends, their kids, their parents . . . . WHO is not the issue . . . . LOVE is the thing! They were all too busy with a loved one to be with me. I’m good with that. I am better than good with that. I LOVE that.
So that is one of the things in my goodie jar! It is a GREAT thing that my students have someone to love!
Oh! That is another good thing for MY jar . . . . I have someone to love . . . . how about you? Are you adding things to your good things jar?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: check in #4, check in #5, City of San Jose, good things jar, Goodie Jar, love is great, loved one, Nia, Nia class, Nia San Jose, romantic love, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, Valentine's Day | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 22, 2013
This is the fourth check in for the Goodie Jar, the jar where we put notes of good things that have happened. I started my jar a month into 2013, but I added a couple of notes of things that happened in January so I’m ok with the late start. In my last check in, check in #3 I shared that I am using all different kinds of paper and even folding them a different way. I look around my house to try to find different color paper or paper with something pretty or colorful on it. Well, I was wrapping a gift and I had one of those little pieces of wrapping paper that there is nothing to do with but throw away. It was too small to use as in a bag as I mentioned in my Wrapping Tips post (you can read about that by clicking here). But it was big enough to write a good thing on!
Oh yeah! I can have a goodie jar full of wrapping paper scraps. Ha, that is a fun idea, but I don’t actually wrap that much! But when I do, I usually end up with that one little piece of paper that is not gonna wrap or cushion any thing. Now it will be a pretty addition to my good things pitcher! Yay!
So, I am wishing you a rapidly filling goodie jar. How is it going for you?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: good things jar, Goodie Jar, recycle, wrapping paper, wrapping paper scraps, wrapping tips | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 15, 2013
Here we are checking-in on our Goodie Jar or Good Things Jar. Remember any good thing can go in the container. Whatever you want it to be! We are filling our jar for an entire year. I am looking forward to a time when I have to empty my pitcher to make room for more good things! Then on December 31, 2013 we are going to read all the good things that happened throughout the year. We will ring in the New Year with a joyous feeling!
My friend who is participating in the Good Things Jar sent me a picture. She has given me permission to post it . . . so here is her family’s jar. She is smart and has paper and pens right next to it! I am going for the colorful and abstract look so I try to find different color paper and different sizes. I have even folded some notes in different ways. Oooo . . . maybe a fun time to take up origami. Have some paper cranes in the goodie jar!
I will tell you that not all my good things are Nia related. 🙂
How full is your Goodie Jar? Are you able to focus on the Good Things?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: 2013, December 31, good things jar, Goodie Jar, Nia, origami, paper cranes | 2 Comments »
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