Grateful Charts and Open Hearts

So I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but it required a poster. And I seriously have gone to get a poster for it several times and whichever store I happened to go to has been out of single poster boards.

SERIOUSLY

But then last night I was driving home from a night out with some old roomies (Can I just say I love Nancy and Alyse? I don't see nearly enough of them! And then I happened to end up seeing old roomies Kamie and Brett too... crazy love!) and just got thinking about various things (driving in the car is the best time for me to think) and just felt like now was the time to do it. No matter what.

So I got home, raided the craft closet and was able to find a very large piece of construction paper. It'll do. For now.

I sticky-tack-ed it up by my door and wrote across the top:

I AM GRATEFUL FOR...

Now, any time I go through my door (in or out) I write something I'm grateful for. And I try to put something that is IN THE MOMENT.

For example:
Just now I wrote "memories of Camille"
(yes Mills... YOU! You must say we have a lot... and I'm letting my hair go curly tonight but it was doing something funky on top -- new hair cut -- so I stuck in a claw... which I haven't done FOREVER)

Anywho.

I love it already.

I have a lot to be grateful for...and remembering that really does open my heart.

Life is good.

☼

And I go in/out of my room a lot (11 times in one day! 22 things on the chart!)

☼

And I wrote the start date on the chart. It might confuse some people though. I most definitely agree with this! (sidenote...this same blogger just gave birth to the cutest little boy! I'm super happy for them!)


♥ LOVES TO YOU ALL! ♥

Brownie is the royal dog of Belgium . . . and other things I learned in Europe

So while I was being a good girl in Europe and writing in my journal daily I started jotting down a list of funny little things I learned while I was there. For the most part, these are just random observations, but a few have stories behind them (ask what they are and I might tell you ;) ). I might add more to list later, but here's what I have for now. Enjoy!

• Tube strikes in London are a lot harder to work around and deal with than Metro strikes in Paris.
  
  
• The Netherlands are full of LARGE women. And by large, I mean tall.
  
  
• When the light turns green in Geneva you should already be moving. You will be honked at.
  
  
• You can't buy postcards -- or anything but McDonalds -- at night in Lichtenstein.
  
  
• McDonalds restaurants are EVERYWHERE! They are officially taking over the world.
  
  
• Utah's grid system ROCKS!
  
  
• Germans eat a TON of food!
  
  
• I can read every plaque and look at every item in a Museum before Mitch finishes a single room.
  
  
• Munich thunderstorms are awesome -- even though they are missing the thunder echoing through the canyons that we have in Utah and the torrents of rain we had in Thailand.
  
  
• Anne Frank's birthday is June 12. She would have been 80.
  
  
• Hallstatt really is a great resting point between Salzburg and Vienna.
  
  
• Good tomato soup is heavenly :).
  
  
• Peter and Monique Bearts are awesome.
  
  
• I ♥ Bad Mitterndorf.
  
  
• Despite all the pictures, Mozart Balls are NOT green inside!
  
  
• BILLA grocery stores have great sandwiches.
  
  
• The countryside between Salzburg and Vienna is made for sledding.
  
  
• I remember French better than I though I did.
  
  
• I still know my way around the Metro.
  
  
• I still prefer the Metro to the Tube!
  
  
• Living in Paris for 3 months supposedly means that I know everything about Paris/France -- from the population size to the name and use of EVERY building!
  
  
• When my mind starts shutting down, I can't decipher between French and English.
  
  
• They tell you that admission to the gardens at the Palace of Versailles are free -- what they don't tell you is that from April 1 - Oct 31 admission is 8 Euros/per person on Sundays.
  
  
• I found a really really good incentive to stay in shape.
  
  
• I'm "addicted" to the gym.
  
  
• If they reprint your boarding passes at the gate, prepare yourself for trouble.
  
  
• My dad has the best truths for "2 Truths and a Lie" EVER.
  
  
• My family is full of loud sleepers. Luckily, I'm not one of them.
  
  
• I've got a whole new list of reasons to get married!