2022 BE List

 2022 BE List

52 Week On The Move Hike Challenge (Oola Family, Oola Friends, Oola Fitness, Oola Fun)

BE Healthier- Eat Right and Move More (Oola Fitness, Oola Fun, Oola Family)

BE Creative- Draw & Paint Dot Mandala Mediation, make earings (Oola Fun, Oola Faith)

ArtsyBE.com- create income, sell something on etsy, teach a class (Oola Field, Oola Finance)

21 Week On The Move Kayak Challenge (Oola Fitness, Oola Fun, Oola Family, Oola Friends)

Woodstock-Hike Overlook Mountain (Oola Fun, Oola Fitness, Oola Family, Oola Friends)

Van Camping-Build out bed, Van Camp 4 times (Oola Fun, Oola Family)

Our Home- Finish Painting Moulding in hallway and stairway, Hang up pictures, Paint Our Bedroom, New bedding & Window coverings, Paint Amy's room, Paint Bathroom, New storm doors front and back, Paint front porch & ceiling, Paint garage, Paint Kitchen, cabinets and floor, New living room furniture, Driveway (Oola Family, Oola Fitness)

(F's of Oola Review, Live a life balanced in 7 key areas:Faith, Family, Friends, Fun, Fitnes, Field, Finance)

My Fall BE List

11/1/21

 Every season needs a plan, here is my Fall BE List 2021.

1.Cider Donuts 

2.Drive to Adirondacks to see the fall colors. 

3.Dinner in Blue Mountain Lake with Dad.

4.Dot Painting

5.Bake Apple pie for dads birthday

6.Find the Fork in the road 

7.Finish the Fulton County Five Hikes Challenge

8.Take folding bikes to bike path.

9.Kayak the Kunjamuk one more time before it gets cold.

10..Kayak on Cascade Lakes

I took these pictures last year when driving home from Lake Pacid.

Doesn't it look like a beautiful place to kayak in the fall?

11. Get to Woodstock one more time before the cold weather comes and go to Mower's Flea Market.

 

Be, Go, Do! 

What is ArtsyBE?

 "I want to be artsy like you," ~Beth 9/8/10

artsyBE defined

artsy- enthusiastic about, making a strong, affected, or pretentious display of being artistic

or interested in the arts

be- to exist, occur; take place, to have identity with: to constitute the same idea or object as,

to take place, to come or go

ArtsyBE is the act of doing something and being artsy.  ArtsyBE is a state of mind, body & soul.  Being artsy is findng that place, that thing that frees you and gives you peace.  ArtsyBE gives you a peace that you enjoy separate from the everyday life.   

When you live an ArtsyBE life you are living your best life.

ArstsyBE-say what you want to BE and BE who you want to BE.

Start by making your BE List.  A BE List is like a bucket list because that's what people know, but it's different because it's about BE-ing not just DO-ing.  

What kind of person do you want to BE?

What are the steps, the parts of that one thing that will make you BEcome that way?

What do you want to do, to occur in your life while you are living?

Your BE List is about BEing your best person while you are living not focusing on what you want to do before you die.  

BE honest and ever changing, BE flexible. When you find something you love share your passion with others.

My Break Is Over

I had been struggling with somethings personally for about a month.  My break is over and I'm back ready to write.

I was asked "What am I trying to say with my blog?"  Think about what "artsyBE" is and model my blog for it.  From the day I started artsyBE  I have always said it was for me.  It's about my journey to being a better me, it's about my struggles and my accomplishments.  If my writing inspires someone else along the way that's amazing.  Everyone should find their own BE List and revisit it every once in a while or yearly whatever works.  A lot of the things on my BE List have remained the same and some things have changed, because life is ever changing, but the center of it all has remained the same. My BE List is who I want to BE to make me better in life.

Updating my BE List

Re-evaluating & Updating my BE List

BE Me
BE Healthy
-Eat Right
-Exercise
-Pray
-Sleep
-Read
-Write
-Love
BE Crafty
BE Organized
BE Happy
-Relax
-Laugh out Loud
-Dance
BE Creative
-Take Pictures
-Write
BE Patient
BE Fun
BE Strong
-Mind, Body & Soul
BE Grateful
BE Giving
-Donate Hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths
-Donate Blood to American Red Cross
Be a Good Friend, Be Friendly

Work in Progress..............

Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Friend

The count down is on, 6 days until my 40th birthday.  I'm laying awake thinking of how to put into words how I am feeling.  So many thoughts running through my head.  Wondering how this year went by SO FAST.  I set out on this journey to make a change in ME, to become the ME I always wanted to BE.  I have discovered what I always knew that I will always BE a work in progress.   There are things I want to change and I'm sure there will always be.  But I can say that I have been able to check some things off of my BE List.  It's time to look back into the pages of by artsyBE journal and re-evaluate.
Last night was unbelievable!  My wonderful husband and my sister gave me an amazing SURPRISE 40th Birthday Party.  They really got me, both in surprising me and understanding me.  My sister made a collage with pictures of me and with the words, "daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend," and had everyone sign it.  She gave me a toast to which she spoke of the many roles I play (many times feeling unappreciated and taken for granted).  Last night I felt loved and appreciated by all of my family and friends.  They all wrote such kind words on the collage.  My sister also gave me a necklace made by Lisa Leonard, (a creative jewelry artist that I follow online).  It was hand stamped with the words, "daughter, sister, wife, mother."  I love it and will cherish it forever!  I now know how well my friends know me, they made all of my favorite foods and they gave me gifts that are so me.  My friend Marybeth made me a hand stamped bracelet with the names of my 3 treasures on it, it's beautiful and so creative.

NYC Feb 15, 2011

Had a great time in NYC.  It was very interesting seeing what goes on behind the scenes of a television show. I had no problem getting up early since my adrenaline was already pumping.  My day started very early to get to the train station on time.  I left the house at 4am took the 5:10 train from Rensselaer arriving at 7:35 in Penn Station. Got off the train and walked down 7th Ave to W26th between 7th and 8th Ave to Chelsea Television Studio where The Martha Stewart Show is taped.  My sister and I were in an all sister audience for the Sister Show.  When we arrived at the studio at 8am there was already a line of other sisters waiting in the cold.

 We stood waiting in the cold under the striped Martha sign for about 45 minutes before they let us in.  Even thought it was a very cold a windy day in NYC, my excitement kept me warm.  The show was great but Joey Kola the warm up guy was really what made it a lot of fun. When he came down let us know what the show was going to be about, give us some directions and warm us up, he actually gave me the first 1, 2, 3 giveaways...bottles of water.  Of course the giveaways at the show were great too, but books are very heavy to carry around NYC. 

After the show we were able to meet up with our cousin and spend the day walking around the city.  We walked and walked in and out of shops. We stopped for a delicous lunch at one of the restaurants participating in Restaurant Week.  A gourmet lunch with cocktails, and dessert.  After lunch we strolled the streets of NY some more.  Stoping in Saks 5th Ave and trying on some very ugly but very expensive hats, laughing the whole time.  We had the best time together that we lost track of time on our way back to the train station. We had to run the last few blocks to Penn Station so we wouldn't miss the train.  Talk about making it to the station on time. 
 
I arrived home to find a happy ending to my already wonderful day.  My kids, mother and husband made me a welcome home sign, complete with a drawing of Lynn and I and a Martha Stewart Sign.  It was so cute.    In all my excitement I didn't realize how excited they were for me. 

It makes you feel good when you get to check things off your list, BE List that is.

I'm So Excited!

I'm so excited!!  I get to check something off my BE List, actually a couple things in one shot, go to NYC and go see The Martha Stewart Show.
We're going on Feb 15th!

I decided to put in a request for tickets for my sister and I to go.   Here is my submission on December 14, 2010 to be in the audience on The Martha Stewart Show "Sisters".

My sister and I are 4 years apart.  Growing up we shared a room and didn't always get along.  Now that we are grown up, have children of our own we are closer than ever before.  My sister is a teacher in addition to being a wife and mother of 2.  I am a stay at home wife and mother of 3.  We both have very busy lives.  My mom taught me how to cook and sew, watching your show helped me "put the icing on the cake," that my mom taught me how to bake.  Our mother is the only girl in her family with 5 brothers.  She always told us how she wished she had a sister, so I always keep that thought and my sister close to my heart.  I would love to have a special day with my mom and my sister in your audience.  I love your show!  Thank you for sharing your wonderful talents with us.

When I wrote this and made the submission for tickets it was my hope to go with my sister and my mom.  But after talking to the women from the audience department "it's a sisters only show."  I feel badly that my mom can't come with us but I'm still very excited about our adventure to the city. 

ACT don't Procrastinate

ACT don't Procrastinate!
These are words I really need to live by.  I need to ingrain them into my brain.

SO it's been a month and a half since the kids went back to school, actually closer to 2 months.  Where has the time gone?  Ever since school started and soccer season came and left and scouts started I've been wrapped up in all of it.  Like usual I haven't had time for me.  The only thing I have been finding time fore is boot camp on Monday's and Wednesday's.  But that's just a start.  I don' think it's really doing anything yet, especially since I'm not sticking to proper eating.  I haven't been logging  what I eat and I need to.

What can I do?  I really need to boost my BE list.  I'm looking for inspiration.

When I started this exploration of mine there was inspiration all around me and I was making the most of my time with the kids, relaxing at the beach.  Now the days are full again and I'm looking for inspiration.

Our Schools

I'm still doing an apple a day, but having problems doing the rest of my BE list.  I'm still trying to get into the swing of things.

I watched the Oprah episode about "Waiting for Superman."  We have a problem in our schools here too.  I would love to figure out how to fix it.  Ken and I had a long conversation about it afterwards.  Here they changed our public neighborhood schools to magnet schools just as a way out of charter schools coming to Amsterdam. 

Some of what Oprah said really hit home. 
"Everybody wants to win the lottery but you shouldn't have to win the lottery to go to a good school."
"We as a society have be come so overprotective that we have forgotten who we are protecting."

I feel like our school's "improvements" are just a face lift disguising the real problems.

Creative Energy and Writers Block

Can't believe that for the past week I have had no creative thoughts.  I have been working on me but I've mostly been wrapped up in the back to school, sports and scouts routine.  Can't believe that I'm talking about this and 42 days have gone by since that night when I couldn't sleep and had to write this wonderful idea of my BE List down and now days 32-42 have flown by.
Day 32- Soccer Saturday, Busy morning of AYSC Soccer then home for lunch and lawn mowing
Day 33- Lazy Sunday- Did nothing today, it was a day of rest. Everyone is fighting something, hot & sour soup for the cure all.
Day 34- Apple a Day but not much more
Day 35- Writers Block
Day 36- Experimenting with new recipes
Day 37-Boot Camp and Picked up Aunt Barbara from the train station with Amy
Creative thinking did occur.  I took pictures of Amy.
Day 38-  Lots of running around
Day 39- Soccer Saturday
Day 40- Apple picking with Emily and the Brownies
Day 41- No Boot camp Stomach Ache
Ever have a day when you didn't want to do anything?
Day 42- Drive to Albany do Girl Scout Leader errands

Life Lesson's from the Judd's

I've been watching a lot of Oprah lately that I record and watch when the kids go to bed.  Today the Judd's were on.  I had to write down some of the things they were saying that keep them on track with each themselves and each other these days. 

"Is now a good time for a hug?"  (Always ask don't invade each others space.)
"So what you're saying is..." (Mirror each other in a conversation to make sure you are listening and understanding.)
"I can understand why you feel that way although I don't feel the same way too."

The best one...
"PUT ME BACK ON THE LIST!"

Not BEing Me yet, too busy BEing Mom

Again, it's happening again...I don't have the time to focus on BEing ME.  All of the back to school stuff, sports and Brownies has taken over my life again.  I need some motivation to get working on BEing ME.
Back to school and right into beautiful fall weather, but I'm really missing those lazy days of summer at the lake.

"Are you bored with life?  Then throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never BE yours." -Dale Carnegie

I think that as busy as my life is this might BE my problem.  I'm bored.  How can this be?  Creating my BE List and artsyBE has been so exciting to me.  Over the summer I couldn't wait to work on it.  Now once again with my crazy days I think I'm bored and need to put my heart back into it.

It's Friday!

It's Friday!  2nd day of going shopping after I dropped the girls off at school.  This has to stop.  I haven't gotten anything done on my BE List since they started school, it's even been hard to write.  This isn't how it's supposed to BE.  Where have my "extra" 8 1/2 hours gone since school started? 
Had a bad girl breakfast, but so yummy.  Dunkin Donuts coffee with a bagel sandwich.  I miss my morning coffee with the today show.

Faith

"Faith sees the opportunity; doubt sees the obstacles.  What you see is what you get!"- James MacDonald on twitter
Those are strong words, I guess I need to have more faith in myself to have success in my BE List and over come my obstacles to BE the best ME I can BE.  For too long I have been seeing the obstacles first, it is time to see the opportunity!

Find Your Passion in Life

"Stop just going through the motions, do something you really want to do.  Find your passion in life, do something different!"  -Dr. Phil

"You gotta show up in your own life." -Dr. Oz

"A collection tells your story."  - Nate Berkus

"Take a oath of financial honesty.  Define the things around you don't let the things define you."
-Suzie Ormon

All of these quotes I wrote down while watching Oprah - The Best of Oprah - Oprah's Dream Team.  As she interviewed each of her dream team members I had to pause it and write down these great quotes.  I have definitely found my passion, artsyBE and My BE List.  It runs through my veins, motivates, and inspires me everyday to do something creative and BE a better ME.  I'm trying really, really hard to "show up" in my life.  As I clean and organize I'm trying to display things so they will better tell my story.

Tonight for dinner I made homemade macaroni and cheese with pasta wheels, which Amy loves for some reason.  It came out really cheesy. We called it "oh-my cheese & mac."  Everyone accept Alex loved it.  He's the only kid I know that doesn't like mac-n-cheese.   We also had delicious grilled chicken and Caesar salad.

*My BE List*

BE Me
BE Healthy

• eat right
• exercise
• pray
• sleep
• read
• write
• love

BE a Crafter

• jewlery designer
• card maker
• pocketbook maker
• painter
• photographer

Children's Museum

• idea
• design
• grant
• open

Go Places

• Lake Placid
• Strong Museum
• Rhode Island
• NYC
• Disney
• Camping

Finish What I Start

• Front Door
• School Chairs
• Kitchen Floor
• Back Door & Cellar Door
• Photo Albums

GO SEE

• Family
• Ocean
• Mountains
• Today Show, Martha & Oprah
• Santa

MAKE EVERYDAY AND OCCASION AND BE HAPPY!

Most of these Things have been on my New Year's Resolutions for the past couple of years and I still haven't crossed them off.  RULE:I don't knave to do things exactly as I have written and I might change things or add more along the way.  I JUST HAVE NEED TO BE ME!

I Made My First Post

I can't BElieve it, I just made my first blog post.  I did it, but not without help from my computer genius husband.  THANK YOU, KEN! 
I'm feeling excited and scared too.  My BE List idea is out there now, for the world to see. 
AMAZING!

My BE List Idea

It's 12:25 am on August 18, 2010,  I tried to go to bed 25 minutes ago and could not fall asleep suddenly this idea came to me to make a BE LIST, so I got up and started writing.

Everyone talks about their "Bucket List," the things they want to do before they die.  Tonight while going to bed late as I often do, I kiss my husband goodnight and looked at the clock, it was 11:57, I realized that in 3 min's it would be our anniversary, 14 years.  14 years of BEing lucky in love with the boy I always thought was cute.  But also 365 days away from 15 years.  15 seams like such a milestone, just like 40, of which I will be in 360 days.  360 days who thinks of their next birthday in days?  Well, I think I finally figured out that's the way to do it, like they always say "take it one day at a time."  So one day at a time I will take it.  I'm going to LIVE my life and BE!  I'm going to BE all the thinks I dream of BEing and sometimes I might BE Happy, sometimes I might BE Sad, sometimes I might even BE Angry.  But I'm always going to BE ME! 

I keep talking about how when the kids go back to school I'm going to take care of myself for a change, well I realized I have started already.  This summer has been so much fun and so relaxing.  I have been laying low and taking it slow for the mornings and then getting things done in the afternoon.  I realized just now at 12:37 am that's because I am preparing myself for the 360 days ahead of me to BE ME!  The me I dream of and want to BE.  So I decided I'm going to make a BE LIST, something Ken has always wanted me to do just never called it that before.  I always just said, I was what I wanted to BE and that I was happy.  What more could I ask for...I am a wife and a mother of 3 great children Alex, Emily and Amy.  I get to stay home and nurture and guide them, and hug them and kiss them.  Thankfully the diaper days are over.  In just a few weeks Amy our youngest will be starting pre-K for 1/2 day all week.  Friends have been asking me if I'm going to cry and I say no.  Then they ask,"what are you going to do with all that time?"  First I say, "it's not that much time, it's only 2 1/2 hours a day."  Then I say, "I'm going to take care of ME."  WOW 2 1/2 hours a day to myself!  What ever will I do with daylight hours to myself?  And then it dawned on me tonight while trying to fall asleep.  I'm going to BE!  For the next 360 days until I turn 40 I'm going to BE ME!

I'm going to take care of me while still being ME the wife and mother.  I'm going to document my journey here.  I'm going to come up with my BE List of the things I want to do while I am BEing ALIVE and LIVING my life before it's too late.  Life is too short not to BE yourself and the person you should BE. 

So here it goes...
Making up the list is going to take time and then trying to accomplish them is going to BE hard.  But for once in my life I feel passionate about something I think I can do.  The list I have in my mind will consist of different things, some are places to go, some are feelings but all will get me closer to BEing ME.  SO lets start this journey together 1 day at a time.  Let's BE!

I need to add that the whole reason I'm  doing this is because of loosing people too young and to many young people I know are getting sick right now. My childhood friend Stacy died 2 years ago to breast cancer, leaving behind 5 kids and her husband alone.  Now my friend Deb is fighting cancer for the second time.  Also another Deb that I went to High School with is fighting cancer.  Two other firnds have had cancer scared in the last few months.  And now my uncle is being tested for cancer.  And yet my grandmother is 97 years youn and has out lived 3 husbands raising 5 children on her own.  My other grandmother lived to be 93.  If I only knew thier secrets to a long life.  It's too late to ask Granny but it's not to late to ask Grandma, so I will ad that to my list.

I'm going to start from day 1 tomorrow, which is really today since it's 1:43 AM.  I better get to bed, tomorrow is a BIG day!