Feel Good Blogging Challenge #5: My 7 Days to Happiness Challenge

I recently came across the quote: If you want to feel rich, then count all things you have that money can't buy. I not so recently attempted a 100 days of happiness challenge. I was in a bit of a funk and thought this would be a helpful habit to try. I ended up pulling out of the funk and getting to wrapped up in doing so to finish the original challenge. So here's my advice to each of you: cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Be grateful not just for things. A sage German gentleman I love once asked, "Have we not reason to be filled with gratitude, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves?" He continued, "In fact, most of the scriptural references do not speak of gratitude for things but rather suggest an overall spirit or attitude of gratitude."

Monday, June 23rd. Day #1: Watching Victoria love and read to Baby Valerie (Savage.)

Tuesday, June 24th. Day #2: I love helping me friends and they in turn help me. On her way out of town my friend Marie Pack stopped by with a delicious, homemade cake. Gluten-free blueberry coffee cake with pecan streusel topping. (I ate about 1/3 of it in a single sitting with no regrets.)
 
Thursday, June 26th. Day #3: Gardening and cooking with Victoria (Learning to love green beans may be easier than I thought.)

Friday, June 27th. Day #4: Garden-fresh and fully ripe raspberries. And beautiful purple wild flowers delivered by a thoughtful husband. Also, seeing fireflies for the first time (with Greg and Victoria) at the YSA branch BBQ was priceless and exciting.

Saturday, June 26th. Day #5: Getting to spend most of the day as a family was a wonderful treat! Also, I thoroughly enjoyed Cherry Ruggieri's baby shower and wish her well in her last 7 weeks of pregnancy. I should have taken a photo of the hat I crocheted for her, but oh well.

Sunday, June 27th. Day #6: Today was everything a Sunday should be. We went to church and were filled then spent time bonding as a family.

Monday, June 28th. Day #7: The miracle that is thunder and lightening. Such startling splendor and majestic beauty.

Feel Good Blogging Challenge #4: 10 Things You May Not Know About Me

#1 I used to be an introvert. No seriously! I recently read the book "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" and was surprised by what I learned about myself. Back in 6th grade we went to Camp Thunderbird and that was, dare I say it, a life-changing experience for me. I felt a bit alone being away from home for nearly a week and it was much harder to process things without the rejuvenation of coming home from school to my family each afternoon. On our day long hike I watched something snap inside me like I had been switched into survival mode. Before camp I wouldn't talk to people unless I was really comfortable with them (read: trusted them), but I learned that sometimes to survive we need to open up and trust others even when we don't want to.

#2 I used to play the violin. This may not seem lie a big deal seeing as I come from a musical family and studied music in college, but I played the violin for 3 years before quitting orchestra. Not only did I not have enough room in my schedule for choir, orchestra and other required class, but without the work ethic and foundational habit of daily practicing, my gifted sister Rebecca was outshining me. I'm okay with being outshone but I do regret the hours wasted and opportunities lost from not practicing regularly. Diligence my friends can get you far in life.

#3 I was put on extended vocal rest my first semester of college AS A VOICE MAJOR. For about 3 months I was to avoid talking and never hum or sing! All to avoid surgical removal of some fibrosis growths on my vocal chords that I developed near the end of my senior year. I had to rearrange my schedule completely and drop several classes where my grade was based on singing; that meant the loss of a scholarship too that I found out a year later could have been put on hold for after my recovery *sigh. I learned a lot about myself during that time and had great support from my friends, but it was quite the blow psychologically and otherwise.

#4 Growing up I couldn't swallow pills. I tried swallowing a gel tab once because I was so sick and after I sucked off the outer layer it felt like it was burning a hole in my tongue and I threw up. Just as my poor mother went to answer the front door. Which makes this next story all the more odd.

#5 Sometime between ages 7 and 9 I swallowed a quarter. I don't remember how old I was but my three year old loves to have me tell the story. We use it as a teaching tool: don't so stupid things like take stuff that isn't yours without asking or put a quarter in your mouth "to clean it!" I'm sure there are great metaphors from this we can come up with for the more complex lessons of life, like being aware of what we are taking into our lives and how it will affect us an those around us.

#6 I have always wanted to be a stay-at-home mother with a college degree. I am a lifelong learner like my parents. I am a college graduate as are they. And I choose to use my degree in music education in a...selfish...unorthodox...?...way. You see I have a degree to be a music teacher and am a trained opera singer, but I never seriously planned to work outside my own home if I could afford not to. I have friends and acquaintances worry aloud that I was just wasting my time and money even getting a degree, but I recently visited with a professional musician and fellow Christian whom I had not met before the concert. I was gratified to hear from him that of course I was using my degree and what a great way to prepare for motherhood and hold onto my core values and beliefs. I already knew it was true but it was nonetheless gratifying to hear someone else say so.

#7 I want to have more children but it's not that easy. This could be a blog post in and off itself but one that may well be for a more select audience than whoever comes across my blog. But it's a integral part of who I am and the ups and downs of my life at present.

#8 I wish I spoke something other than English fluently. I have studied German and Spanish and even a little French, as well as dabbling in Latin and Italian (you need to know this stuff when you sing opera even just for fun.) But I cannot seem to make up my mind. Life keeps giving me opportunities to train my ear and appreciate a variety of languages, but I've also missed out on some opportunities by not committing fully to studying a single other language.

#9 I am learning to speak another language fluently: love. I love to make beautiful things and share them with the world. I love to serve others and I thing it's part of what makes mortality worthwhile. I believe that serving others is one way for me to fulfill the measure of my creation.

#10 I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yes, I am a Mormon. Many people have heard of us: our church has over 15 million members from around the globe and we have international conferences every six months via broadcasts from Salt Lake City Utah. That said not everyone knows about Mormons and some who do think we're a cult and/or wish we wouldn't jam our religion down their throats. Here's a powerful explanation of why my religion a spirituality and inextricably intertwined and why I'll considerately, personally, and persistently try to share the joy I've found.

Feel good Blogging Challenge #3: A tutorial?

I thought of doing a hair tutorial at first. I know there are plenty online but I find strange pride in being creative with my hair, especially when it was longer. I love braids and am quite good at them, but that's not the sort of tutorial you'll find here. I want to teach a different sort of life skill: finding joy amid the stress.

You know the part in "Monsters Inc." where Sully is desperately trying to entertain Boo? Between him and Mike and the little girl, there's a lot of emotion and not all of it is positive or cooperative. They may be coming from different points of view, yet they all face the same problem. I think many of us face a variety of situations with similar challenges: how do we calm ourselves and those around us quickly and effectively? In my occasional moments of brilliance when I have had adequate rest and nutrition and no excess stress, I've discovered a way to handle these situations. In my experience it works best with children. I interact more with them than I do with adults these days. Let me know if my secret solution works on adults too.

The secret is this: smile, sing, then dance. Being an opera singer with a degree in music education, I have a lot of training to draw upon, but it isn't necessary to make this work.

1. Simply take a deep, quiet breath to in and out. Now let a big smile gradually grow on your face. People will wonder why you are smiling. It's kind of fun.
2. Now start to hum. It can be an original tune or one everyone knows like "The Hokey Pokey."
3. (Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood does a great job of this next step.) Be thinking of ways to sum up both sides of the problem in an effort to address the solution. Maybe the solution is obvious to you maybe not.
4. Now, add words and movement. You can do anything from mimicking the people around you in caricature of their point of view to a more canonized approach like doing the macarena! Your lyrics can be totally non-sequitur or they might help people see themselves as you're seeing them.
5. The goal is to be a breath of fresh air and make others smile too. Maybe laugh. Then you can come back to the problem a bit refreshed and hopefully having converted some of your negative energy to positive energy which can be used far more productively.

Please enjoy this example of how I blew off steam when my kitchen helper was, well, less than helpful. She still remembers it a year later.

Feel Good Blogging challenge #2: Share your Passion

I have a lot of things I love and a few that I'd go as far to say I am passionate about. To me, passion is when your feelings are so intense that they leak out and get shared before you even realize it has happened. It is when you love something or someone so much that it becomes a part of you. The things that I am most passionate about are pretty personal, so while I do share, it's usually just the tip of the ice berg.

Have you ever been surprised by your own emotions? Like how you may start talking about something and not realize how strongly you felt about it until your emotions are going crazy pushing reactions buttons in your brain so you end up wondering what you said and how it came across? I know I am not the only one.

Being a wife and a mother go hand in hand and this is the passion I would like to share with you today. It's a sort of feminism that goes beyond the trends and touches the heart and soul of every human being. I believe that we are all children of a loving God who created this world for us to live in, so we can grow and progress and prove ourselves. I believe that He has a plan for each of us in this journey of becoming, and that He intentionally set up life to be done best in family units. I believe that gender is an essential characteristic of a person's eternal identity and purpose. As a lady, I have been endowed with certain gifts and I intended use them for the betterment of others. In so doing I will also better myself!

I have always wanted to be a wife and mother. Mostly a mother. It's something I was born to do and have prepared for my whole life. There's a special love that comes from serving and teaching others in the selfless way my mother and others have done and continue to do for me. And for you. It's a test of strength and a refiner's fire. Those times when I'm feeling the heat are the times when I just close my eyes. And as the tears squeeze through I try to relax by remembering why I chose--and continue to choose--the path I of being a stay-at-home mom. There are many reasons and not all of them are pure and motivating enough when the going gets tough. But my noblest reason for wanting this is simply that I believe it was God wants me to do and to be. By aligning my will with His, I have been blessed and refined. I like who I am becoming and I am passionate about encouraging others to pursue God's will in their lives.

Let me tell you a story to see if I can explain what I mean. I hope you'll indulge this walk down memory lane to see why and how these beliefs have affected my life. Maybe you too can glimpse the subtle, significant changes wrought by a series of choices I have made. 

"There once was a little girl who dreamed of being a super hero. She could hardly wait until she discovered her secret powers and could unleash them on the world! Maybe she would fly or be able to move things with her mind? Somehow, she would change the world. Years past and her dream got dirty and worn. Then, one day, she realized her super powers! Perhaps she couldn't defy gravity, but she often flew to the aid of her friends at a moment's notice. Perhaps she couldn't summon things with her telekinesis, but she could muster up incredible will power and move mountains with her faith. She couldn't change the molecular structure of things, but she had a gift for bringing out the beauty in all things things and helping others to see it too. She used this gift regularly to draw others towards their Creator. And as a mother and a wife she is indeed changing the world. I am super and I am a hero."

Motherhood: Changing the world
one smile and one heart at a time.

My toddler daughter loves to hear stories at bedtime, and has developed a preference for stories that teach. I've found myself looking for morals to stories and retelling them in such a way that motivates her to improve herself and bless the lives of those around her. So here's the moral: What is your gift? Is it something others notice you're good at and compliment you about, or is it a passion you sometimes feel too vulnerable to share? I challenge you to find your gift and share it with those around you. Go and bless the world with the inevitable light that is in your soul! You may never know that full effects of your goodness shared.

Feel Good Blogging Challenge #1: Who are you?

         

           making gifts for friends and
          decorating my home brings joy

celebrating 4 years of marriage
with homemade petite fours

 

Before donating 11 " back in
May of this year

      

Who am I?

My name is Danielle Eaton Hart. I am a daughter of God. I am also a wife to my high school sweetheart, stay-at-home mother of a 3 year old princess, and sister to many wonderful siblings and sibling in-laws. I am a lifelong learner, amateur opera singer, retired ballroom dancer, and creative chef. I have a lot of allergies but that's just part of life. I have a great life! I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so that makes me a Mormon. My favorite thing about myself is that I am a nurturer and cultivator of beautiful things. Doing these things brings me close me closer to my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Why did I start blogging? Who is my blog for?

I started blogging as a way to journal my feelings and preserve my family history. It's also a great way to stay in touch with friends and family who live farther away. Many of my friends from college and high school as well as a few distant relatives were already keeping blogs when I began mine; to me it seemed like a fun thing to do even before it became popular.

I want friends and family to know what's going on in my small family, whether it's spiritual experiences or funny toddler quotes. I want to share the joys and wisdom that God sends my way and help others experience similar miracles.

What’s something I have been working on lately that I am REALLY proud of? Through the nearby university, I have been attending a healthy  habits cooking class. I have been working on my diet and getting it balanced. When my husband and I first were dating I struggle with an eating disorder. I still occasionally struggle to get enough calories and to spread out my eating throughout the day. One huge reason for this is that I am an emotional eater: my emotions are generally stronger than the physical sensations they cause. It has taken years of learning and encouragement to hear the different messages my body sends me. Lately, I have been finding balance in my diet and it's led to balance in other things! I am eating a wide variety of nutritious food and it's getting easier to eat the right amounts without worrying all the time. It's also rubbing of on my toddler in positive ways. I love when I can model good behavior for her and she notices not just the good habits but even how they're established.

What’s the ONE MESSAGE that you hope people take away from your blog?

Seeing the hand of the Lord in my life has brought a steadiness to my life and a transcendent peace. His touch defines and molds my character. I hope that sharing various life experiences allows my readers to recognize the hand of God in their lives and inspires them to be better in all they do. It's like King Midas' wish for the golden touch: my prayer is that the lives I touch--whether through blogging or some other way--are turned to God.

Toddler talk, Round #8

When Imagination Mimics Reality...

She's rubbing her carrot stub on her sins and the top of her head because she's "putting on itch cream. It helps my skin grow." She likes the relief topical benadryl provides. I didn't realize how much. I may have told her that it helps new skin to grow in place of the dead/dying skin she'd been scratching off.

"Mommy we're gonna cheer the Illinois team, cause they're gonna win. Some people cheer the Minnesota team, but they're not going to win." She's talking smack for the U of I women's volleyball team. Both teams tonight are nationally ranked. Thanks to the Babgy family for the tickets! ‪#‎UIUC‬ ‪#‎womensvolleyball‬ ‪#‎familytime‬

When imagination helps define reality...

Describing a headache Mommy my head is squeezing.
Has it ever done this before?
No!

We tried to have a tea party for lunch. Toria told me just now, "You have to stop kissing me so I can kiss you. *kiss That's a big kiss for a little momma."

From a recent scripture study in Mosiah 15: "The Atonement is the key!" and, "One time Satan WAS in Heaven. But then he got kicked out of Heaven."

Victoria found my half-finished wreath project and then..."Look at: I'm a lion. Rawr! Do you seen my hairy paws?"

When imagination is better than reality...

V: You're captured.
M: I'm captured, captured...Are you sure I've got to stay captured? avoids being choked by the squirming lump on on my back
V: Yes, you got to stay in the cave with me for 155 hours. More screaming and zurberts on my face and ear.

When reality is better than your imagination...

We were trying to internalize some of the messages from General Conference and so before family prayer (just Toria and I mind you since Greg was at the stake center for priesthood session) we discussed some things we might pray for. She wanted to tell God thank you for playing and for balloons. She wanted to ask for blessings for our sick friends of course and so we came up with the idea that she would say her own personal prayer with at least one thing she was grateful for, one thing she was sorry for, and one thing she wanted to ask for. I cued her with the necessary "we thank thee" etc.

 
"I'm sorry for mumble," she prayed.
"What?"
"I said, 'I'm sorry for my sins.'"
"Oh. What sins?"
"For not peeing in the toilet (she had a record number of accidents today) and for crying and screaming (she threw a short fit at the beginning of the morning session.)" I was touched and impress that is learning about repentance in such an applicable way and wanted to preserve this moment.

Parenting Advice

A friend recently interviewed me for one of her college classes and I found myself bearing testimony of eternal truths, so I wanted to record and share this.

Building close, nurturing relationships:

1) What do you think are the important principles related to building close, nurturing relationships with children? The Family: A Proclamation to the world teaches that "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities." Live these as an individual AND as a family and the Lord will bless you in ALL you do.

2) Relative to building close relationships, what important lessons have you learned? Be willing to live in the moment more. Find ways to come closer to God and each other even through doing mundane things like housework and other stuff that just has to get done. Serve each other.

 


3) Are there specific lessons you learned about building close relationships that stem from challenges you had while raising children? I always thought that toddlers are manipulative in their emotions and irrational, but adults are too and sometimes even worse. Potty training taught me this and that you have to recognize your feelings and choose to act on them in constructive ways (even if you're feeling destructive.)

Communicating with children:

4) When it comes to communicating with children, what do you think are some of the mistakes parents often make? Not noticing their tone of voice and thinking the child is too young too understand.

5) What are the challenges you ran into relative to communicating with your children? Non verbal communication is less clear in its meaning but often more strongly felt; as a parent you have to be careful not to manipulate your child's feelings. Help them recognize their feelings and thus validate them even if and especially when their actions are not justified.

6) What are some of the most important lessons about communication you learned as a parent? A conversation is never a one way street. Also, ALWAYS involve God in the conversation. Using your body to force someone is never okay. (study the oath and covenant of the priesthood in D&C 84) for examples

7) Do you have any advice or counsel for me relative to these areas of parenting? Be willing to listen to the advice of others and strive to be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost ALWAYS. School your feelings because the scripture is true that "a soft answer turneth away wrath."