Our Community is Amazing...let me tell you about it!

It has been a sad couple of days watching close friends be in such pain.  It has also been just bad news left and right it seems, right down to dead birds falling from the sky...What is that all about?  As I sat tonight with my niece and we were researching the Craigslist killer (we watched the movie last night) and then reading on local news, I found myself surrounded by sadness.  I know that is how it will always be, that is life unfortunately.  

This led me to posting a status of me asking for some good news and it was a great turnout, not just on my wall but It led to several chatting sessions, several emailing sessions and before I knew it, I was feeling the complete opposite.  

Daily I am amazed at the people in my life and who and what they are or have become or are overcoming.  But tonight was different.  Our community is quite amazing, I am not sure if everyone realizes this.  We are a tight nit community that is constantly giving to one another, could you ask for anything more?  I see friends helping friends, strangers helping strangers nonstop every day.  It fills me with such happiness.  Over this past year, I sincerely can say that the majority of the people in my life gave so much of themselves to others.  I am so proud of who is around me, all of this surrounding us, makes everyone a better person.  To talk to friends that are going back to school, puts a smile on my face. I love to see people go for their goals.  To talk to friends that is reaching out for help on ideas for helping others, puts a smile on my face. I love to see others giving so much.  To talk to friends that just had a horrible tragedy happen and they write a message to you to tell you how much they appreciate you and love you , puts tears in my eyes and a smile on my face, I love knowing that friends and family know we are all there for one another.  All these scenarios happened to me just tonight alone and it puts life into perspective.  I truly believe that all of this rubs off on one another and it leads to an everlasting chain of giving, what a blessing! There is nothing better than giving and knowing you are making a difference and better yet, as another discussion I had tonight...what a way to show your children an incredible life lesson.

I also have to add this in here, of course Walla-Pa-Looza is a HUGE part of my life and one of my closest best friends: Craig Wallace, blogs every Monday morning on our website and they are great to read not to mention...we have such a great organization...Check it out: http://walla-pa-looza.org/2011/01/03/new-year-new-blog-hello-2011/#comment

A couple random things...I think I am grinding my teeth at night, I keep finding myself in the day doing it and I have had a lot of headaches in the morning lately...hmmmm any thoughts? And I want a bowl of cereal right now and.......try this...Google your name with Mchenry or whatever town you are in after your name under Google images...kind of funny or kind of scary??? 

Continue to give and help whoever and whenever you can and most importantly: If you need help, seek it out...there are waaaay too many people that want to give and help, no one needs to suffer and no one needs to be too proud to admit they are going through hard times...Speak up and a difference can be made! 

Smile and complete happiness I wish to all of you.  Mays/Freund’s and the entire extended family...we as a community are here for you and are here for you to lean on, we are all sorry for this tragedy you are enduring. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-J-Freund-Family-Memorial-Fund/174210569284032

Good Night to all :) 

Sheryl

Much needed Changes I will do for the new Year!

I am taking a relaxing break today and thinking about things that I want to explore this year and came up with many new ideas that are just for me, but for friends, family, children.  I want to start a dinner club of some kind.  I am going to do some research into it for some fun and clever ideas. Not just for going out to dinner but potluck dinner club, I think it will be a great way to entertain together, learn new recipes and a great excuse for being together. 

I have already expressed my excitement for buying a guitar and taking lessons, I am so very excited about this, and I cannot wait to start. I need suggestions for where and whom I should be seeking out for my lessons.  I absolutely can't wait to play by a fire!

I also need to focus on yelling, although I know I am a good mom, my patience sometimes is one that could definitely be worked on.  I need to learn to count before I speak and I am hoping this will be easier now that I will have a lot more free time and less stress and constant pressure of getting things done.

This is a fairly odd focus as well, but I am going to start couponing a bit more for all parts of my life.  I just feel that there is so much saving out there that I can do and I intend on doing that.  Of course with all other aspects of life, you need to put effort into things, they are not going to just fall into place.  I see a friend of mine Rae-Ann Barthel posting her savings all the time and I intend on being able to do the same ( I think I will be hitting her up for the in on this, hope she is willing to share).

My finances in general are going to be on a totally different level.  I have always used tactics in the workplace that for whatever reason, I never bring home.  When you see your expenses daily, whether that is writing down your expense, entering them in financial software program (which is what I will be doing) or simply going over on a daily basis is the key.  When you see them all at once, it makes a HUGE difference. This will for sure make your expenses go down very fast, but you need to stick to it. Doing that and combining some sort of savings/coupons process, will result in more money in your pocket to SAVE, not spend but SAVE and INVEST.  It is so easy to spend and when you do it sporadically, you do not realize how much you really are spending.  It might disgust you. 

Although, I am quite organized in my head, I do not always follow through as I should with that organization.  I don't know how you are, but if I have a list, that list MUST get done. I will also start focusing on a structured organizational process. We all have too much going on and when you have a structure, you will get more done and be more efficient. I want to plan our meals, which I see a friend of mine as well do Vicki Schutze; she has made all dinners on the weekend and has them ready for the week (Smart move).  I think this will help with life in general. With all this and more, I know I will have more quality time for friends and family and more time for "ME".

I am so open for learning and exploring new things this year and here on out.  Life is a ticking and I want to get in as much as I can. I want to live LIFE!!!

I hope everyone gets to be and have what they want in life, if not ...reach your hardest for it and attain it, nothing is unreachable.  I firmly believe you can get what you want if you want it bad enough! Happy 2011.