Her Happy Heart

I have been teaching as a

long term sub for the

last three weeks.

I have been

challenged

and 

have learned so stinkin' much!

I am working with

children who have

special needs

and yes,

there have been

some days

I wanted to cry,

but it has taught me several

very important things...

1.  Be direct in simple terms.

This one actually has helped me in parenting

my own teenagers...in fact one day

my 15 year old son looked at

me and said, "You looked like you really meant that!"

Yep, I needed that lesson.

2.  Celebrate the simple victories!

and

my favorite...

3.  Be a 'bucket filler.'

If you  haven't read the Bucket books,

they are a must!  

4.  Treat students as smart and valuable people, no matter their level

of 'smartness.'

There is a 5th grade teacher I have had the privilege of

observing on several occasions, she so gently

brings the students back to what they

are supposed to be doing,

while at the same time making them

feel like successful little people.  What a gift she has.

5.  Have a happy heart!

This is my favorite.  My teammate was setting goals

with her students and modeled it by putting

her own goals up, this was one of her goals.  I love the fact that

she is teaching this very important life skill and showing

by example every single day,

what a happy heart looks like.

"A happy heart is good medicine."

Yeah, it's in scripture too,

so be good to

your soul

and live with a happy heart.

These are photos of some signs

I did recently, I found

some cowgirl

ones that just

reached my funny bone.

Enjoy!

(A glimpse of my painting table.)

It's time to rock it with 

happiness girls!

Blessings,

Deedee

The Joy of being Home

Some images from travelling...

Loved the swim baskets

and light fixtures

made

out of old goodies at 

Hoodoo Antiques in Portland.

At Saturday Market in Portland,

watching the children

play in the

fountain.

 or not play...

This is Tessie, she sits upfront

on her owner's motorcycle

and wears a helmet too!

Looks like she

stopped to pose for me~!

Hunting for words

on this trip...

and cool places to take

some Senior photos

of my daughter.

We stopped to pick blueberries,

I missed it because there were so

many outbuildings on this 

old farm...

as I headed round the bend

on the very bumpy road,

I felt like I was

in an episode of "Picker's."

Oh my, If I could have

hauled things back to Colorado,

I'd have gone "pickin.''

When we ran into another car coming down the hill,

the driver had to pull off road for us to pass.

Then we got to a house with the

chickens hanging out on the porch!

A ragged lookin' child came

to ask us what we were doing

there....he was about 4, 

guess not many people

just pop in!

Time at the beach is always so refreshing.

Just to sit and listen

to the roar

is 

enough.

Well, for me, it is actually snoozin' on the

beach that makes the vacation

complete.

But home...

I love to come home.

blessings,

deedee

Gone to the Beach

Let me tell you about my mama

In the last 8 months,

she's been in the

hospital and

rehab for

a broken hip,

as well as some other

things....

And so imagine my

SURPRISE

when she

said yes,

to the 

BEACH.

 I live 1000 miles away,

so it has been a

DELIGHTFUL

week.

Day 1, looking

at the BEACH

from the top of the

very steep path.

 God gave me the

best gift

EVER

when He

chose 

my mama

for

me.

The best place to be

is most

definitely

the BEACH.

Day 2,

"Sure, I'd like to go

on down to the 

beach for a while..."

Isn't she so cute!

Day 3

Look at her!

And then, "Yes,

I'd like to go on down for

the fireworks!!!"

So not only was she walking in the sand,

she walked in the sand in the

dark, she's 

AMAZING!

blessings,

deedee

So Much Happiness

So I got to grade

some papers today.

The students read

a sweet

poem 

about

HAPPINESS.

So Much Happiness

It is difficult to know what to do with so much happiness.

With sadness there is something to rub against,
a wound to tend with lotion and cloth.
When the world falls in around you, you have pieces to pick up,
something to hold in your hands, like ticket stubs or change.It doesn't need you to hold it down.
It doesn't need anything.
Happiness lands on the roof of the next house, singing,
and disappears when it wants to.
You are happy either way.
Even the fact that you once lived in a peaceful tree house
and now live over a quarry of noise and dust
cannot make you unhappy.
Everything has a life of its own,
it too could wake up filled with possibilities
of coffee cake and ripe peaches,
and love even the floor which needs to be swept,
the soiled linens and scratched records…..

But happiness floats.

Since there is no place large enough
to contain so much happiness,
you shrug, you raise your hands, and it flows out of you
into everything you touch. You are not responsible.
You take no credit, as the night sky takes no credit
for the moon, but continues to hold it, and share it,
and in that way, be known.

Author Naomi Shihab Nye

It was fun to spend a day reading about HAPPINESS...There is a woman who sits kitty-corner across from me and she reminds me of this poem.  I don't know her, but I get to see her happiness...it shows, it floats from her like the poem, she gets the silent giggles and she shares her happiness by just being who she is....I like getting to catch it...

Is that you?  Does your happiness flow out of you into those you touch?  Do you 'make someone's day?'  I know someone like this, everyday she is purposeful in her showing of love....she makes so many people's day and doesn't even know it.....it doesn't take much, a smile, a word of kindness, letting someone get in front of you in line, a helpful hand....so many simple ways to let your happiness pour out of you....it may be just what someone is needing and you can be that instrument of love...

with joy,

deedee

Who's on the Road to Awesome with Me?

Come on...

Get up...

Let's go!

livin happy,

deedee

Vera's House Beautiful Show

Last Weekend

I did a show at verasvintagedecorloveland.com 

with a dear friend.

Here's a few shots our booth...

I am hooked on my new garden chandeliers!

May Flowers by my daughter...her

first business venture!

They are so cute...can be worn in 

the hair or pinned on.

Cheery plant stand...

Super cute cabinet,

was not so very cute just a few days ago!

 More chandeliers...

 Because you can never have too many of those!

 I am fond of old boxes, suitcases and cupboards...

 And of course, signs!

Six or seven years ago, the show was all about

pillows..we made hundreds of them.

I made just a few of some I found in a box

already cut out and ready to sew up...

It was fun to remember and now I'm getting 

the itch to sew again!

My partner in mischief making.

I am sorry to have taken such a long break from

blogging....I'll try and post more often.

But now, the house that was

neglected while I was getting ready

for the show is desperately calling me...

as is the garden.

Blessings on you today!

deedee

Permission Granted

Today

I needed a 'snow' day.

Yesterday 

was a challenging day

of subbing.

So I took the day off.

To create.

To regroup.

And it was really hard to give

myself permission.

I kept checking the jobs available.

And kept telling myself it was okay to rest

my mind.

And my son called.

And really needed to talk.

And I knew.

I was exactly where I needed to be.

So I could give him my time.

And I was glad.

That I heard the still,

 small 

voice.

And remembered to listen to it.

What do you need to give yourself

permission to do?

To let go?

To seek?

To be brave?

Whatever it is dear friend

May you find your strength in Him,

deedee

Purposeful Joy

I just found that I

can play with color

while I type.

Simple fun.

And  purple is fun too!

Then there's sunny yellow.

And then colored fonts. Oh,

what joy can be found

if your eyes are open

to it!

Simple joy bringers.

Like coffee.

Love my Folger's

made in my

percolator.

With plenty of

half and half

in just the right mug.

I enjoy people watching.

I love these two.

Holding hands,

sticking together,

and wearing their bathing

suits!  

Nobody really

cares if you've got

some bumps on your thighs!

I remember this day at

the beach.  My young

friend and I

and the mud.

Glorious mud!

I have fond memories

of introducing my

babies to mud.

I lived in the country

then and we had

plenty of it.

Purposeful playing

and what fun we had!

Color a little outside

the lines.

Live your life and

be purposeful.

Treasure

those 

around you.

I hope you find simple

joys today.

live imperfectly with great delight,

deedee