week 14

one good deed a day

an ongoing journal of a few good deeds throughout this year

92. apr 16. say hello to a stranger » Honestly, this is so easy & you never know when such a little gesture, such as making eye contact, smiling, and saying hello could brighten someone's day.  Do it.
93. apr 17. when someone does or says something rude or offensive, assume he/she is having a bad day and respond with compassion » Today was a day when I was doing a favor for someone that I had actually never met.  There ended up being a little confusion, and I'm pretty sure a little frustration as well.  Normally, I would respond in kind as to the mood of the conversation.  However today, I kept on my happy face and apologized for any part I may have caused in said confusion.  I also focused on making small talk that was kind and personal in nature, and wished them a good weekend.  And rather than turning sour, we were laughing and telling jokes when it was all said and done!
94. apr 18. give credit wherever you can » My sister (well actually, sis-in-law… boy, do I really confuse people on this one) has played assistant for me on a few really large shoots…  I just can't even imagine trying to do one of these without her!  I swear she is the baby/child whisperer, and has a really good eye for helping me achieve the look I want!  Thank you Sarah, for being so wonderful and helpful!!
95. apr 19. don't be overly dramatic » Another one to file in the blank pages at the end of the book, entitled what else can you do?  "Chicken Little" has a neighborhood playmate she pretty much loves…  It's another Weim- we call her Crazy Aunt Frieda, hah!  They are the cutest together, but managed to get into a teensy scuffle today.  A Hurt Feelings Report was filed, and the next day they were back to chewing sticks together… and all is well again in the neighborhood.
96. apr 20. bring your coworker a coffee local veterinary office some cookies » And take your dog!  Hey, not every vet visit needs to be a stressful stick or a poke… so make this one a social visit :)
97. apr 21. treat yourself » Hello Starbucks.
98. apr 22.  give someone one piece of constructive criticism » and don't take offense when someone gives it to you…  It's one of the best ways to grow & learn how to step outside your comfort zone.

Really missing our patio time and the redbuds already!!  Storm season has arrived…

week 13

one good deed a day

an ongoing journal of a few good deeds throughout this year

85. apr 9. If you're thinking about donating money, ask a friend to contribute and increase the impact » skip your latte today (or just buy Heartland Weimaraner Rescue one too!!)  All donations will help- by providing heartworm prevention or helping pay for treatment for a weim in our foster care.  April is Heartworm Prevention Month.  Help save a life.  Giving $10 will supply one dog with prevention for an entire month!  And if you'd like to donate more, that would be wonderful as well!  We've had 4 weims come in this first quarter alone testing heartworm positive.  Their treatment can cost upwards of $800-$1000 dollars each.  Any amount helps!!  Please help spread the word by sharing this post (links below).  We really appreciate you for your support in helping these loving dogs!  Please Donate!
86. apr 10. wave hello at a four-way stop, yielding to the other person » easy peasy.
87. apr 11. accept a new friend's invitation an old friend's constant begging to come visit her » Hehehee… okay, in all fairness, this is a pretty accurate description… So after her latest plea: "please come see me!!"  We have decided to plan a girls trip and make it happen!  Sandy beaches here we come!
88. apr 12. set high expectations » This one was actually for myself… today is the Redbud Classic, and I'm participating in the 5K once again.  I really wanted to beat my previous records and push myself to run a little faster this year.  My GPS showed just below a 9 minute pace, which I was pretty excited about!  Definitely better than past runs… And when my race results were emailed to me, I finish 8th out of 93 in my division (although it shows my official pace to be 9:06).  My finish time was 28:16, and I'm quite certain this is the fastest I've run it to date!
89. apr 13. do a little dance and be silly » Take me bowling… it will happen.
90. apr 14. watch the movie that your significant other wants to watch » And yes.  It was pretty terrible, haha.  Not to mention we forgot to return it, so now we are paying double for said movie!
91. apr 15.  return a long-overdue phone call » which of course leads to a fun game of phone tag!

my "giftcard" design for our local Rescue helping spread the word on heartworm prevention

planting trees & patio time...

 

"Chicken Little" loves to help…  She frequents the local Home Depot with us quite often, as did our Gracie girl.  Since springtime is starting to make an appearance, we've decided to plant a few trees!  Here's our very first redbud (the Oklahoma State tree).  I'm pretty excited about seeing it outside my window… they are just the prettiest part of our landscape here every year, ranging from blooms of pink to purple!  Thank goodness we staked them before our first tornado of the season rolled through… and they survived the first major storm without incident.  The patio is getting a little color too, and is becoming our favorite hangout place.  The pup is sure to stick her nose in everything, checking out every new flower and herb we plant.  And after a long day of playing, chasing, & running in the sun, she settles down on the concrete to cool off for a quick nap before it starts all over again.  Hope wherever you call home, you've been able to enjoy a bit of the outdoors finally with family & friends!

week 12

one good deed a day

an ongoing journal of a few good deeds throughout this year

78. apr 2. say good morning to your coworkers everyone along your morning walk/route » Make eye contact and say hello!  Last lap?  Wish them a good day!
79. apr 3. ask a friend who seems down to go for a walk » or to come hang out and chat, or join you for a cup of coffee out.  Sometimes just telling them you are there for them may be exactly what they need to hear.
80. apr 4. find ways to help others avoid embarrassment » It's as simple as politely telling someone they have something in their teeth.
81. apr 5. sign up for a run or walk that supports a special cause » Every year I look forward to the Redbud Classic and it's almost that time again!  This year's beneficiary is the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County.
82. apr 6. encourage somebody » I'm currently helping a friend with her blog, and while proofreading, I discovered a sweet comment in her post-  You encourage me to do better every day.  So sweet.  Really needed to hear this today.  It made me smile.
83. apr 7. look into the eyes of the person you are talking with » I sometimes catch my eyes wandering, but I find there is so much more sincerity in good eye contact, so I am working on this.
84. apr 8.  make someone laugh » or better yet, make a lot of people laugh!!  This was easily accomplished by sharing a few pics of a funny moment in our household with a few friends.

"chicken little" showing off her cat-like skills… 

week 11

one good deed a day

an ongoing journal of a few good deeds throughout this year

71. mar 26. befriend someone new » We are lucky that our days have been filled with doggie playdates for the new foster pup.  It's really cute watching her play and interact with other dogs, not to mention it is also great for keeping her socialized!  There is a family I met on my many walks with Grace that also has a weim.  Our girls just love to run and play… we often end up hanging out for hours, not realizing where the time has gone.  Their friendship has been a wonderful find!
72. mar 27. leave a nice comment on your friend's blog, facebook wall, or twitter feed » My cousin is climbing Everest.  You heard me.  Mt. EVEREST.  It will be a two month journey, you can follow here.  I am so proud of her drive, determination, and overall dedication.  Her goal is to raise awareness, to empower Nepali girls, and to put a stop to human trafficking.  Please, if this is near & dear to your heart, considering donating.
73. mar 28. find two days this year when you can donate your time » Okay folks, this one will make your heart happy.  First find something you are passionate about and then go help!  For me… well I love animals (I'm guessing no one knew this, yes? wink wink).  While volunteering with Heartland Weimaraner Rescue, I am able to do exactly what I enjoy (helping weimies, anything graphic or computer related, designing stuff, and the list goes on…).  So figure out what your skills are & find a group… I promise it won't actually feel like work & sharing the load helps everybody!
74. mar 29. add a few plants to your bedroom back patio » Making my time out in the sun with my family just a little more pretty!  (And chances are, the plants will live much longer out there than in my house… haha.)

I usually use these cuties as a perimeter border around my front planter bed.

75. mar 30. choose a glass of water instead of another coffee » not always easy… I know.
76. mar 31. take your dad parents out for lunch » beautiful day for a patio visit, and lakeside too! The hubby's family often take turns visiting this time of year during their travels, and we are lucky to live about halfway along their routes!
77. apr 1. start a composting program at your building, school, or home » Really happy we finally started composting last year, and that my hubby is completely on board.  We just used our first batch of our own compost this past weekend when planting this year's garden!  It will be really gratifying knowing that this year's harvest will have been fertilized from last year's "waste."  But you shouldn't compost everything… Here's a guide we found useful: what you can and cannot compost.