8/26: One Beautiful Thing Monday

Today was also the first day back to school for our local kiddos. That is possibly the most beautiful thing that could have happened. For me, the first day of school translated into: no wild children running around and screaming in the gymnasium, which is located next to my office. ThankyouLord.

It was a peaceful day without having to repeatedly tell children that:

1) No, you cannot skateboard on the deck of the rec. center. And pointing to the skate park on the other side of the parking lot.

2) Even though it is warm, you must wear a shirt while in a county building. And that means no bikinis, too.

3) No, it is not appropriate to dial 9-1-1 from our office phones and it is especially not appropriate to not answer the phone when the emergency operator calls back to see what your emergency is.

The school year is the best invention ever. However, it should be 12 months instead of 10.





The real One Beautiful Thing of the week was the amazing Blue Moon I witnessed on Wednesday evening. I wanted to slap myself for not having a camera on hand. It was huge! And gorgeous! Babe and I decided to head North for the evening and had a coffee date, went shopping, and had dinner. We were amazed by the moon that evening.

It was like this, but even more beautiful.

Source



Did you see anything beautiful last week?
If so, share in the comment box below :)

8/19: One Beautiful Thing Monday

Hey folks! Sorry for the delay with this post. I've had a hard time coming up with something great to say.

It's been a beautiful week- we've had some rain, but we also had a few days that brought an amazing breeze. It was so nice to sit outside and not feel the muggy humidity for a change.

Saturday was especially beautiful- I had the entire day off from work. I went to the coffee shop and read a book, I went out for lunch, I visited a friend, and I came home to catch up on laundry. It was nice to not have to do anything for a change.

I also had a beautiful week at work. Since last Monday, I traveled north three times to shadow other instructors and get ideas for new fitness classes for the fall. It was great to see the passion of the other instructors and to see how much their students admire and appreciate them. I hope that I can develop that sort of relationship with my new students.


Did you see anything beautiful last week? If so, please share it in the comment box below :)



PS- If you're doing the Burpee Challenge with me, how's it going?

I'll be the first to admit that there were a few days that the Burpees didn't happen for me- I was either out of town and too busy, or it was a long day at work, or I was too exhausted from already doing so many other workouts, but I have made up all of the days I skipped. For instance, I did 100 Burpees today instead of the regular 50, because I skipped Fridays. I'm glad that I just have two more weeks to go, but I'm thinking about extending the challenge- I'm much stronger in my arms and chest and my endurance has definitely improved. I started the challenge with girl-style push-ups and I have been doing only man-style push-ups since the end of Week 1. That's a huge improvement for me! I'm so proud of myself.

8/12: One Beautiful Thing Monday

Lots of beautiful things this week...

 

One of the most beautiful sites was this view yesterday while I was cleaning houses.

 

 

 

I was thrilled when an elderly woman came into my office a few days ago and asked me to create a fitness plan for her. She explained that she was trying to get in shape not only to feel better about herself, but to better her health. It was great to see this woman take such an interest in her health and wellbeing, and it was such a beautiful thing to witness her positive attitude!

 

 

My sister also got into a car accident this past week. It was amazing that no one was badly hurt or killed, so I would definitely say that this was a beautiful things.

 

 

Did you see anything beautiful this week?

If so, let me know in the comment box below.

 

8/5: One Beautiful Thing Monday

Lots of beautiful things have been happening around here lately. I've been the happiest I have ever been and I'm so thankful for all of my blessings. It really stinks to have to work at a job that makes you unhappy and I am so glad that I decided to leave my former job nearly a month ago. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter on my course. Today is the official first day of my new job; my first full-time, year-round job. I'm now the Fitness Coordinator and Instructor at our local Parks and Recreation Center and I really couldn't be more excited. In fact, I'm pretty much over-the-moon excited. I'm working for Dare County and I'm getting paid to stay in shape and help others live a healthier lifestyle. I'll be teaching between two and three fitness classes five days each week and I'll be in charge of all things fitness related for our center. If I could ever think of a dream job, this would be right up there with having my own successful event planning business. And I'm sure that this job will be much less stressful, so it's even better!


Anyway, on with the program... One Beautiful Thing

My neighbor's little girl and her friend had a lemonade stand early in the week. It was the cutest lemonade stand I have ever seen; they even had a cute handmade banner hanging over the stand. They were selling fresh lemonade, lemon bars, and brownie/cookie bars, all for 50 cents each. They were really excited to see customers line up and they excitedly explained to me that they were saving up for American Girl dolls. My neighbor's daughter, Ellie, explained that she wanted to get the doll Molly before she is retired and will no longer be an American Girl doll available for purchase. Her friend explained that she was saving money to buy Molly's friend, so that their dolls can be best friends just like they are. It was the sweetest thing I heard all week; it instantly sent me into a nostalgic mode, thinking about how much I loved playing with my American Girl dolls with my friends. I gladly bought two lemonades and one of each dessert and gave the girls a few extra dollars as well. The looks on their faces were priceless; they seemed so genuinely happy and excited.

Even though Ellie's parents could have easily bought the doll for their daughter, it was so refreshing to see young kids actually working for what they want instead of asking and receiving. I'm glad that my neighbors are teaching their daughter the value of hard work (I'm sure it seemed like hard work for a little girl) and I can't wait to see her grow into a strong and independent young lady.

7/29: One Beautiful Thing Monday

Last Tuesday, I saw one particular family out on the beach that caught my attention. I was walking my usual route and I walked past three boys and a father playing Ladder Ball.

 

In case you don't know, this is ladder ball...

The boys all looked to be a few years apart in age, with the youngest being about five years old. The youngest was so upset that he was losing and was actually shouting while in tears. His brothers didn't seem to pay any attention to him; they were only concerned with continuing the game that they happened to be winning by a landslide. Initially, I thought that the youngest boy was acting a bit bratty and was being a "sore loser." I didn't think much else of it and continued on my walk.

 

I repeated my walk again on Wednesday and came across the same family once again. However, this time, the older boys were building sandcastles and the youngest boy was practicing his Ladder Ball skills with his dad. The father was very encouraging and seemed to be very patient with his young son. As I made my way back to the pier where I had started my walk, I heard the youngest boy thank his father for helping him. He said that maybe now he can play with his brothers and have a chance of winning the game.

 

Seeing a family play on the beach may sound like nothing special to most, but it was really beautiful to watch the attitude of the little boy change (from bratty to thankful and hopeful) and to see a father and child bond. In today's busy-busy-busy world, I'm not sure that some parents really take the time to disconnect from whatever it is that is preoccupying them and seriously and deeply connect with their children. Children need to spend quality time with their parents and this father and child were doing just that. It was beautiful.

 

 

Did you see something beautiful this week?

If so, I'd like to hear about it :)

 

7/22: One Beautiful Thing Monday

Did you guys know that yesterday was National Ice Cream Day?

That, by far, was the most beautiful thing this week...

 

Because honoring the holiday was the right thing to do, I had to take a break from cleaning to indulge in one of these tasty treats- a Nestle Ice Cream Toll House Cookie Sandwich on a beautiful day; what more could you ask for?

 

Just kidding! But ice cream is certainly a beautiful thing. One beautiful thing that I physically saw this week was this gorgeous hibiscus growing on our front porch. This bloom is huge and I hope it stays around for at least a few more days. So pretty.

 

 

One beautiful thing that I saw on TV and read about is all of the protests for the recent trial of George Zimmerman for the death of Trayvon Martin. I don't like to get political and all opinionated on this blog, but I believe that Zimmerman should have been found guilty and I feel that it all has to do with a much bigger issue: race.

 

Source

 

It was truly beautiful to see celebrities like Jay Z and Beyoncé attend the protests. President Obama even came forward, saying “Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago." He went on to say, “There are very few African-American men in this country who haven’t had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me." I feel like Trayvon's death was senseless and unnecessary, but if there can be some silver lining in such a horrific tragedy, maybe the racial injustice in our country can be changed.

 

Source

 

Did you see something beautiful this week?

If so, share it in the comment box below.
 

7/14: One Beautiful Thing Monday

I want to slap myself for not having a photo of this week's One Beautiful Thing. Chuck and I went to the sound yesterday evening after dinner and since we planned to get wet, I didn't want to bring my camera. We waded in the water, swam around, and watched one of the prettiest sunsets that I have ever seen. The sky turned to a gorgeous pink color with orange and purple and fish were jumping all around us. It was simply breathtaking. The water felt great- more warm than cool, the way I like it. It reminded me of how beautiful our little island is and it makes me proud to say that I've lived here.

 

It's too bad that I left my camera at home last night, but I did take it with me when we went to the sound earlier last week. Here's a few shots from Wednesday...

 

Did you see something beautiful this week?

If so, share it in the comment box below.

 

7/8: One Beautiful Thing Monday

This week's One Beautiful Thing is short and sweet.

 

When we were watching the firework display Thursday evening, a sweet little girl named Ella was watching the fireworks in front of me. When the first firework was lit, she was frightened and started to cry. However, when she looked up and saw how beautiful the colors were, she tried to grab them. All through the light display, she reached into the sky smiling and giggling, trying her hardest to snatch a firework. It totally made my heart melt.

 

 

 

Did you see something beautiful this week?

If so, share it in the comment box below.

 

7/1: One Beautiful Thing Monday

This week's One Beautiful Thing is short and sweet...

I've been observing my neighbor lately. She and her daughters (along with her hubby) are always outside playing and exercising. Whether I see the girls round the corner of the street on their bicycles or I see her running with her daughters in the stroller, she is teaching her girls a valuable lesson. My neighbor is showing her daughters that it is important to have an active and healthy lifestyle. She's teaching her daughters that exercise should be an everyday occurrence and she makes exercise fun by incorporating it into family activities. I honestly believe that this is one of the most beautiful things that a parent can do for their child and it fills me with joy to think that her daughters will someday grow into strong, confident, and healthy women.

Far too often I come across women who are very self-conscious, lack self-esteem, and do not have a high value of self-worth. Many of these women are constantly trying new diet fads and are desperate for a quick miracle fix to be the person they think they should be. Unfortunately, these women are unhappy with themselves and are their own toughest critic. This behavior also comes with it's own negative effects: children are likely to mirror their parents. If a daughter sees her own mother judge herself harshly, use negative self talk, and undervalue her worth, the daughter will probably do the same. I am so glad that my neighbor is setting a good example for her daughters and empowering them to be healthy and happy girls; it's truly a beautiful thing.

One of my favorite bloggers, The Fitnessista, recently wrote about body shaming and the effect that it has on ourselves and those we influence (our children). The woman behind the blog, Gina, is also doing a beautiful thing by teaching her daughter the importance of healthy living and exercise, but also teaching her daughter that it is ok to indulge every now and then because, after all, we are only human and it's important to live a full and happy life. Check out her post here.


Did you see something beautiful this week?
If so, share it in the comment box below.

One Beautiful Thing Monday

When I started this weekly series just last week, I  don't think I realized quite how hard it would be to take note of something truly beautiful each week when I spend most of my time working in a restaurant, cleaning houses, and catching up on sleep... haha! It's certainly a challenge, but something I also look forward to sharing with all of you.

The most notable "beautiful thing" that I witnessed this week made me think about how simple acts of kindness can really make a difference in the lives of others.

On my trip to the grocery store (Thursday), I witnessed a couple at the register with their two kids. They were trying to pay for their groceries, but were short just a few dollars. A look of panic and embarrassment came over the couple, while the children didn't understand what was happening. The man behind them  in line instantly reached into his own wallet and paid the difference without hesitation and without saying a word. The first man thanked the stranger and explained that after a really rough year, his generosity meant the world to him.

Did you see a beautiful thing take place last week?
If so, please share it in the comment box below.

One Beautiful Thing Monday

My friend, Mary Beth, let me borrow a book last month called "Truth In Advertising." I really enjoyed the book and was inspired by two of the characters, Phoebe and Fin, who play a game where they point out one beautiful thing they see each day. Now introducing... One Beautiful Thing Mondays. I plan to share one beautiful thing that I witnessed in the previous week. I'll try to include a picture of the "beautiful thing", but I can imagine taking photos of some things/people may be awkward or inappropriate, so we'll see where it goes.

This week's one beautiful thing took place at the restaurant I work at. So, clearly no photo (as customers probably don't want their server photographing them for personal reasons) for this one. Over the last few years, I noticed that families and groups who come out to dinner no longer converse to one another like they used to. Sadly, smart phones have taken the place of human interaction at the dinner table (in most cases). Last year, I waited on a family of four who literally didn't put their phones down over the course of the entire meal. It was very difficult to wait on someone who couldn't even look me in the eye to order their entree.

Anyway, this brings me back to this week's One Beautiful Thing. While working last night, we had a table of five (three kids and their parents). The kids were so polite (such good manners and well behaved) and everyone was very friendly. Not once did I see a phone at the table or any other tech distraction. The family played games like tic-tac-toe and hangman on the table (the tables are covered in white paper and there are crayons at every table) and drew beautiful pictures of sea creatures. They laughed, smiled, and talked; this family truly seemed to enjoy each other's company and really seemed to connect. It was so refreshing to watch this family (in a non-creepy way) and to see human interaction actually taking place.