awesome and a dare

i had a dream about a blog post i was going to write today. something that would inspire, something honest and emotional.

i sat down at the computer this morning to write it.  but as i do every morning, i checked ali's site first and found this video.  this video that made me laugh, cry and breath deep.

this says it better than i ever could. and it's too wonderful not to share, especially now.

dare #5
do something that will make today awesome.  in a big way or small. for you or for someone else.  be "gooder than that". i dare you.

check out ali's post today.  the other video she has on there is pretty inspirational as well. (that one had me crying too.) we have more in common than differences.  let's remember and appreciate that.

have an incredible weekend.

diy and dare #4

i love pinterest. L-O-V-E pinterest.

i have a nice collection of boards with inspiring images that make me want to make things, go places, and think.  yes, it can be a waste of time but if i get something useful out of it, it's time well spent.

i've been inspired by fashion, decor and quotes. and have had my share of successes.  but there's a lot on there that i've pinned and haven't done anything with.

last week i went out and bought the materials to actually make something from my diy board.  i am going to make it this weekend and post about it next week.  nothing like pressure to get things done.

i'm making a burlap wreath.  and here's what i got.

it's an easy project that i know i can finish in a weekend.  check back next week for the final product.

dare #4 - make something this weekend
take a look at my boards, spend a little time on pinterest.  i am sure you will find something to inspire you.  find one thing and make it this weekend.  i dare you.

pasta making and dare #3

jennifer and i made the trip back to chez cherie for another fun cooking class.  this time we attempted the pasta making class.  we've both tried making past before but didn't have much luck.  taking a class is the perfect way to get over our fear and learn from the pros. it was one of my dares for the year.  get over your fear and learn how to do it.

chez chérie is a cooking school in la cañada. it's where we took the tapas class last year.  it's out of the way for us but we had a good time in the first class so we thought we'd do it again.

the first part of the class was lecture.  cherie showed us how to make pasta by hand  and in the food processor.  that's the way to go.

while we watched we enjoyed some salad and focaccia bread.

then it was out turn.

i tried making pasta at home once by hand.  my dough never came together so i threw it out.  this way was so much easier.  the machine does the work for you.

 a little beat of kneading and you're done.  brilliant!

a few times through the pasta machine.

and then the cutter.

voila beautiful, fresh pasta.

for dinner we had regular pasta and spinach pasta with ragu sauce made with pork and pesto, and more focaccia.

another successful class taken.  more recipes learned. and hopefully a lot of good meals to come our way.  next on the class list, the trader joe's cooking class.

dare #3: make it from scratch
i can't tell you how delicious it is to eat something made from scratch.  i'm trying to learn more recipes and incorporate them into our life.  it takes a little more effort but it's so worth it.  my challenge to you is to make it from scratch.  here are some places to start:

flour tortillas
hamburger buns - truly a favorite
english muffins - next on my list
jam - there are lots of recipes out there.  we made some over the summer and it was beyond amazing.

is it easier to go to the market and buy a box of pasta? for sure. but fresh pasta is so much tastier.  this takes more time and a little more effort, but now i know what's in it; eggs and flour, and that feels good.  so give it a try.  spend a little time making it yourself. i dare you!

dare #2: the secret

do you know the secret?

remember back in 2006, the secret book and video were all the rage?  it talked about the law of attraction and positive thinking. sending a thought and energy into the universe and watching it come back to you.  i remember seeing the movie along with my family and feeling inspired, but skeptical.

then it was on the oprah show...
and it took off like crazy.  i remember having phone calls with people about how to practice the "method".  i don't remember if i actually tried it, i guess if i did i would have a better story to tell.

i do remember talking to my dad who decided to give it a try.  he sent a thought out into the universe, more as a test than anything else.  but it was a very specific thought with a date attached.  guess what? it happened. coincidence?  maybe. but there is something to be said about positive thinking, and believing in the possibility.

the other thing that sticks in my mind is the interview that oprah had with jim carrey years prior where he talks about visualization.  imagining that dream and then working towards it.  if you haven't seen the video you can watch it here.

that brings me to today.  this year has already started off with such great energy and momentum.  i feel excited and know good things are coming our way.  for that reason, i wanted to practice the secret and out send out something into the universe to see what happens.

i grabbed my calendar and picked a date and wrote what i feel is possible this year.  i don't want to reveal what i wrote, but trust me it's not a baby or a $10 million check and we're not moving to tuscany - although that would be awesome. it's a first step towards something bigger and better for our lives.  it would mean that the seeds we planted many years ago are finally taking root.  are you in suspense?  sorry, it's just something personal that we hope for every year.  i believe this is the year it happens for us.

it's not about putting it out there and then not working towards it.  it's not coming to us for free.  i know there are changes i have to make, work that needs to be done and conditions that need to be met. but something is telling me that it is the right time. this is the year.

dare #2: have a secret
think about the coming year.  what is something that you would like to see happen this year?  something that you can work towards?  maybe something you've always wanted to do.  you have all year to achieve it.  pick a date and write it down. believe in it. and work towards it.  i dare you!

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in 2013 i will dare myself in many ways.  no more thinking about it, planning for or waiting to be ready.  no, it's time to get it done.  and even if i fail, i will fail while daring greatly.

one little word

Source: sundayinbed.tumblr.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

it's the start of a new year.  that means resolutions are on everyone's mind.  we all make them in some way or another.  some last all year and some never see the light of february.

i used to make them. but now i choose a word that i want to focus on throughout the year.  this will be my sixth year choosing a word. and what a difference it has made in my life.

2007 - resolve
2008 - gratitude
2009 - time
2010 - focus
2011 - happy

it's a concept that is all over the inter web.  but i read about it on ali's blog all those years ago.  she even has a class that i've taken that is a monthly reminder to live your word.

last year i chose happy as my one little word.  how did it go?  amazing.  i learned so much about choosing happiness over waiting for it to happen to me.  that quote at the top is as simple as it gets. this word was all about living in the moment and not worrying about the what if's.  something that i work on all the time. i truly felt like this year i smiled more, laughed more, felt true joy in my heart.

so i will carry happiness with me as i move into 2013.

every year i wait for my word to come to me.  i'd hear something and jot it down.  i would see the same word over and over and it would stick.  the word that was present over the last few months was "brave."  i started pinning quotes and letting the word settle.  then i was reading a post by brene brown about her new book, "daring greatly".  that took me to a quote that she references and i knew that "brave" was not my word, "dare" was.

here's the quote i read:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” —Theodore Roosevelt 

i had to ask myself the question "do i dare?"  i live a safe and comfortable life.  i like the known and fear the unknown.  i don't take chances.  maybe it's time that i do.  i'm ready for an adventure.  for  something different.

i have plans to truly live my word.  i am taking the olw class again this year and am so excited to see what happens.  and i will dare myself to try things, to accomplish things and to finish things.  and then i will dare you to try them.

so... dare #1
choose a word.  simple as that.  find a word you connect with.  think about where you want to be at the end of 2013.  do you want to be more balanced, calmer, more focused or more brave.  take a look at this list of words that people have chosen.  which one says something to you.  choose a word and see what happens. i dare you.

in 2013 i will dare myself in many ways.  no more thinking about it, planning for or waiting to be ready.  no, it's time to get it done.  and even if i fail, i will fail while daring greatly.