Day 1 - 30 Days of Elegance

Ok...so finding time for 30 straight days of Elegance has proven to be a little rough....perhaps this is one of the reasons I feel like we are always rushing and running!!! Hahaha
That being said, I have made my best effort to get started!!! The Great Wall of China wasn't made in one day, and this Journey might take just as long!!!

I'm taking the list of things, a little out of order due to schedules, but am so excited that I got started!!!
Day 1 Tasteful Luxury - February 12,2010 - Visit your local garden club. Take book to read, surrounded by the beauty God Created

I invited my Mom to join me on this little adventure.

We visited The Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona Del Mar! It was a most beautiful day, and the Gardens were amazing! I was simply captivated by all of the different textures and colors!! Especially the wonderful Koi in the Koi pond (I'm kind of drawn to animals like that!).

What an amazing gift from God, his creativity is awe inspiring!

Do you ever just want to cry...

I lost some weight and was feeling really great about it. Aunt Flow started on her own without hormones …the first time in years... I thought I was making progress….
Now it won’t stop!!! I’m going on a 5 week long period….
I’m exhausted, I’m cranky, and I’m just done.
Do you know how hard it is to continue eating Salads, Fruit, and Veggies….when all I want is Pasta, Cheese, and Cotton Candy????
I know with everything else going on in the world this is all very trivial….
But in this moment, right here in my little bubble….I JUST WANT TO CRY….
Okay…I feel better now….thanks for listening…

When it rains....it pours.....

At least it has the last few days in Southern California!!!

30 days of Elegance – Book Review and a Personal call to Action

As I continue to work on my health and self image, I discovered a book called Beauty by God by Shelly Ballestero (www.shellyballestero.com).

Her book has been full of wonderful insight. She has a wonderful chapter on dressing modestly that really captured my attention. She has a delightful way of presenting an approach that is useful and not just theory.

Shelly writes about surrounding ourselves with beauty and tasteful Luxury. She describes 30 things that we can do to add to the grace around us, and calls the readers to action by doing one thing a day to add elegance to our lives.

My plan is to write here about my personal discoveries as I start this Journey next Monday. I can’t follow her plan in exact order due to schedule conflicts but I have been able to switch a couple days around to fit what is going on in my life.

I would encourage any woman who feels the burden to change her appearance based on “worldly” strain to read this book and understand just how beautiful and perfectly made you are by our Heavenly Father.

God is so Amazing!!!

The tears just keep on comming...

I write with a heavy heart....I tried for two days to lift my spirit, to pray for peace, to find some kind of way to deal, but the current situation in Haiti has me completely overwhelmed.

I find my self staring at pictures of death, emotional chaos, fear and doubt and find myself longing to do something to help.

As I sit comfortably in my home, I think about the people who are starving, who are lonely, who have no place to turn. People who have lost everything and everyone.

Yesterday I read a blog from a woman who cares for Orphans in Haiti, she talked about her staff and the children sleeping on the street. Babies....on the street. These stories are this Californians biggest fear.

I know that everything is in God's plan, but I wish I knew what his goal was in this disaster.

God has been wooing my heart , I continually stagger across websites or blogs of people who are in the process or have recently adopted a child. As I read and view pictures, I wonder if we could adopt a child from Haiti. I wonder if part of God's wooing is the pain I feel for the people of Haiti.

The tears keep on coming, its feels almost more than I can bare.

Haiti...you are in our prayers.

2010...My To Do List

Bri’s Goals for 2010
1. Get Closer to God
2. Lose Weight
3. Stay on Budget – Learn ways to save on Groceries
4. Create a Family Household Binder
5. Read one book per month
6. Learn to play the Guitar

Schaaf Family Goals for 2010
1. Get Closer to God/More involved at Calvary Church
2. Lose Weight/Get Healthy
3. Get Finances in Order
4. Get Pregnant

2010 Monthly Focus/Interests for the Schaaf Family
January – Finances/Budget
February – Clean out Guest Room Closet
March - Spring Cleaning
April – Dog Training
May – Dog Training
June – Ocean/Nature
July – Music
August – Baseball
September –Fall/Autumn Actives
October – Art
November – Christmas Shopping
December – Advent Dinners

The Simple Woman's Daybook - December 14, 2009

FOR TODAY December 14, 2009
Outside my window...Partly Cloudy and 60 Degrees
I am thinking... about the Season of Advent. We celebrated the third week of Advent with a dinner last night with old and new friends. It was really a wonderful time of fellowship.
I am thankful for...forgiveness. It doesn’t come easy, and it sometimes comes with a cost, but it has such wonderful meaning and worth.
From the kitchen... Pumpkin Bread. I have wanted to make some for weeks now. This week I will!
I am wearing...Black and Teal-Green-yellow Top, Black slacks, and strappy heals.
I am creating... a home filled with Christmas Celebrating!
I am going... to spend the evening with Mom tonight. The boys have their bible study tonight and we girls get to eat and chat! I really love my time with her.
I am reading...The Christmas Carol. My husband and I have been reading bits of it before we go to sleep at night. It was been really wonderful.
I am hoping...to see an old friend for lunch this week.
I am hearing...I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas…..I heard it on the radio last week and it hasn’t left my mind.
Around the house... there isn’t much out of place. With our weekly Advent Dinners the four Sunday’s before Christmas, and all of our other Holiday plans, there hasn’t been much time to make a mess!!
One of my favorite things...is looking at Christmas Lights. We took a tour of our area on our date night last Friday. We found wonderful displays, some even to music on an FM channel. Its truly amazing how clever some people are.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Work, Market, Dinner with the In-Laws, Date Night to Rogers Garden’s on Friday, Caroling with my Nieces on Saturday Night, and our Forth Advent Dinner on Sunday.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Special thanks to Peggy at The Simple Woman for hosting this post.