ideas. ideas. ideas.

I have a feeling there are a lot of women out there just like me.  Things run around in your head endlessly. 

Ideas come in my head like crazy.  I get them hitting me sometimes 3 in one minute.  I get them hitting me at the least opportune times...I have ideas when I'm standing in the line at the grocery store, driving in the car, walking in the mornings.  All of these times I usually don't have anything to write on.  If I do find something to write it on, it gets lost and there goes my next big idea that...you never know...it could have been something that would have changed the world.

I got tired of having little notes scratched to myself on the back of receipts, on small pieces of napkin left on the floor of the van with a big mud mark on it from one of my kids, bits of paper that will probably end up with someone's gum in it, and other odd pieces of whatever that are the most convienient things to write a random thought on...never to be seen again.

I decided I need to contain my ideas and better even than that I needed to be able to access them easily.  I'm not a computer person when it comes to my ideas.  I don't whip open my laptop, power up,and create a document, etc.  I don't use my cell phone to do every thing known to man on it, and I don't carry a personal recorder (although, I've been really tempted lately to buy one and walk around with it talking to myself.)

For now, I have a pretty book.  This book came to me because my thoughtful and handsome husband bought a book he thought I would like at my favorite store, Anthropologie.  He bought it and just had it on hand in case of a moment that it may come in handy for a gift.  One night, I was telling him I just needed to find a beautiful book to start keeping all of my ideas in.  And right then and there, he said he had the perfect thing for me.  It was like he read my mind before I thought it.  (For some reason this is playing in my mind like a movie or sitcom from the 1950s...)

Now, I have this pretty inspiration book.  I've divided it into a bunch of different categories and given each category about 10-15 pages each.  Some of my categories are:  blog, business, kids, love affair, kits, and inspiration.  When I have an idea I put it into the pages of the category that it would go under.  That way later when I'm working on that particular project, it's all right there where I can use it, instead of spread all over tarnation with no way for me to access it.

I take my inspiration book everywhere and keep it close at hand so that I can write in it whenever ideas start going crazy in my head.

It works great except for when I go walking and when I'm in the shower.   I try to remember them all and write them down as soon as I get done walking or out out of the shower...sometimes that's not fast enough.  Any good ideas for capturing ideas while you're in the shower?  I want to hear them!

Keeping all of my ideas in one place and in a category has made it so much easier to actually do them!

inspired. LIFE.

my husband gets 15 minutes. every night.  no matter what.

(So, no.  I can't count.  Obviously.  This really is tip #12.  Yes, I know that the last LOVE. LIFE. tip. was #15 but like I said.  I can't count.  That's why I'm an artist and not a scientist...and why I have a bookkeeper.)

Every time I say "My husband gets 15 minutes.  Every night.  No matter what."  when I'm talking to a room of women they all break into a roar of laughter.  Because I really don't mean it the way it sounds.  I really mean it much more innocently.  But hey,  I'm all for giving husbands any kind of 15 minutes every night!

What I'm trying to say is to spend 15 minutes of time together but...doing a couple of things other than what you're thinking. 

First, I love reading the scriptures together and second, I don't like having money meetings together.  The thing is both of them go way too long when we do them and so I get to the point where I try to avoid the mention of reading scripture or talking about money. 

The reading scriptures part is fun but we always get to talking and before we know if we've spent the whole night reading and chatting and it's been wonderful.  We have great talks and my husband has these awesome insights but I don't want to do it again tomorrow night because...well...I'll get nothing else done.  I know.  Blasphemous.

The money meetings I really don't like.  They go way too long and I always end up thinking there's never enough money to go around...or something terribly pessimistic like that.  I get distracted.  Lose focus.  And it's all downhill from there.  Talk about numbers and my mind immediately takes a vacation.

The thing is, I know that both of these things are extremely important in my life.  I love the inspiration I get when I take time to connect with my husband and we chat about the day about things like...how we can be more in tune with the heavens and have more wisdom  as parents.  I need that and I think our marriage needs that. 

Talking about money is really vital to keeping a marriage on firm footing.  If you can't talk about money you're going to end up with problems.  So, I know we need to keep tabs on the budget, where the money's going, who needs new clothes, how we managed to spend THAT MUCH money on food this month, how much the orthodontist is going to be, and who will we be buying glasses for next?

So.  I made a plan.  Every night we spend 15 minutes talking about each of these things.  Yes.  15 minutes.  I even have this cute timer for it.  If the 15 minute timer dings and we're not done I'll set it for 5 more minutes and that means we need to wrap it up.  And I'm strict about it, too.  I don't want our whole night gone because that will just make me not want to do it tomorrow night.  (that sounds terrible, doesn't it?) 

To wrap things up when we talk about money we make notes in our little money book. We write what we talked about and what we're going to talk about tomorrow night so we don't just end up rehashing instead of moving forward.  That way when we sit down tomorrow night we can pick up right where we left off.  This short time also keeps me from going into a downward spiral about our financial future.  My husband's always saying, "Our financial future has never looked brighter.  It's awesome!  We have so much going for us."  And he's totally right!  But for me, if talking about money goes longer than about 20 minutes I'm done for in terms of a bright outlook.  I don't know what it is!  I'm silly that way, sometimes.

And we really do love doing our 15 minute sessions.  They've been great...even if the picture at the top looks like we're really in a serious conversation.  We do have fun and laugh a lot.  And that's always a good thing!!

So if you find yourself avoiding some of the things you enjoy because they just end up taking too long to do them consistently then get yourself a timer and break it down.  You'll be glad you did and you won't feel so overwhelmed.  Have fun.  Be creative.

And if the other kind of time with your husband (wink. wink.) feels the same way...get a timer.  You never know maybe you'll love it every night, too!!  (Did I just say that?)

love. LIFE.

perfect hour of the day.

Nights can be a chaotic, crazy time.  Hopefully, before dinner, the house was straightened up and we've had a pretty calm dinner discussing the best and the worst of the day.   Then it's time to get into pjs, brush teeth, have a scripture story, song, and prayer.  I love all of this time.  So much of the evening ends up being a time to get things done.  So by the time the time everyone is in their pjs and we've had our devotional time we're all feeling a little more calm.

About that time we start reading...and it feels...magical.

Right now we're reading "The Giver" by Lois Lowry.  If you've not read this book, it's amazing.  The thing about reading outloud to the kids when everyone is settled into their beds is the opportunity we get to talk about all kinds of things.  Books bring up topics that you may not think to talk about in normal every day life.  I also love that it gives us a chance to go into more depth about things we have talked about before.

This book is about a community that believes it's achieved the perfect society.  In order to arrive at this perfection they've had to make sure everything is the same, no differences, only 'sameness'.  What that means is completely surprising.

Every time the kids find out about something that is missing from this 'perfect' community they are shocked to find that such a simple joy or pain doesn't exist for them.  It has given us all a new appreciation for seemingly little, wonderful things around us...sunshine, red apples, beautiful fabric, snow, eyes, the wonder of being a teenager, family, and love.

All of my kids get nestled into their beds and I sit and read.  Occassionally all of their heads will pop up at the same time to say, "No way!" Other times, everyone will be very quiet, feeling every word that I read, holding on to every emotion that a character is feeling.  I love how invested they get into the characters.  Often they will come up to me in the middle of the day and wonder what is going to happen next and say that they can't wait to read again tonight to find out what is going to happen. There have been times when they will bring me the book in the middle of the day and say, "Please read right now.  We have to know what happens to Jonas..."

There are nights that we end up reading really late because every time I say, "And we'll stop there for tonight."  The kids all say in unison, "No!  One more chapter."

Other nights, we'll get to the end of reading and a couple of the kids will have dozed off taking the characters in the book with them as they drift into dreamland.

It's my favorite hour or so of the day.  Faces intent, perplexed, joyous, excited, worried...and then quiet...sweet quiet in the place between awakeness and sleeping.

Once the book is over, as most of you know who follow my blog, I get to lay in the peaceful dark and talk to each of my kids individually.  I listen to their day, their little secrets, their moments that they've saved out from the day until now to share...it's a peaceful, wonderful bliss.

And the perfect way to end any day.

sweet. LIFE.

make time.

As most of you know I've been on a kind of crusade of sorts to get my life back after becoming overwhelmed and overworked as I tried to get a business going...then get it to grow up.

In the meantime it seemed like I'd missed my kids growing up.  They're not that old but missing just a  little bit ends up feeling like I've missed a lifetime.  In truth, to get a business started and then growing there are certain things you have to give up.  Opportunity costs.  Whether you do it knowingly or not it still happens.  You give something up when you decide to pursue something else.

When you finally realize that there were opportunity costs that you didn't count on...there are regrets.  Some of them small.  Some of them big.  Even though you've loved what you've been doing you realize you've missed some things.

I gave up a lot of time with my family and when I realized what I was doing I took a step back.  I cut back.  I reorganized.  I charged a little more.  I spent less.  I became more focused.  I worked less.  I played more.  I changed.

 As this year comes to a close and new one opens up before me, I'm looking back at a year I've really loved in so many ways.  I'm also looking forward to a yeat that will be different and wonderful and exciting.

As you can see from my blog, I've cut back on the amount of shooting.  I've gotten to teach more (which I love), I've had the time for some fabulous friendships, I've spent more time with my little family, we've moved across the country, I've had parties, been apart of Thirst Relief, been blessed to meet and been changed by Saylor and Becky, had a great time working with wonderful clients and been part of their lives...they're more like friends, to me.  It's been a really incredible year.  A year with no regrets.  A year of meaning.  A year of fun.  A year of growth.  A year of change.  A year of adventure.

 This year was a year of no regrets because I made time.  I opened up my life to my own moments.  For the past couple of years I've worked at balance, at loving life, and this year has shown me the fruits of those labors.

In an industry like photography things change every second.  A new camera, a new look, a new this, a new that...it's easy to be swept up in the current and be carried away on it.

I'm sure many of you have noticed that I've had fewer clients lately.  That's been a conscious decision and one that will continue into the coming year.  I'm being extremely selective about the work and commissions that I take.  I want the clients that I work with, the friends that I have, and my family to know that I'm invested in them. 

To me, that means making time.

My youngest goes to kindergarten in the fall...and here in South Carolina that means a full day of kindergarten.  I wasn't ready for that news.  I thought that I'd have another year and 1/2 with her and now it feels like I'm losing 1/2 a year...so I want to make time for her.  I've also wanted to make sure that I'm here for my kids in South Carolina before I throw myself back into business.  I want them to feel safe and confident. 

I'm so excited about this year!  I'll still be doing what I've been doing...it will just be limited and selective.  You can still register for Day with Davina, keep up with Move it Monday, stay tuned for more new products, and everything else here on the blog.

I want to hear what you're going to do to make more space in your life. 

(And once you've created some space in your busy schedule...what are you going to do with it?  Sit and enjoy the silence?  Sky dive? Visit a friend?)

 In case you're not sure...here are some ideas for the coming year. 

Ways you can add meaning and fun back into your overworked life:

*Stop watching TV at night.

*Journal at least once a week.  (You know I couldn't resist that one!)

*Commit to no computer time for a specified time each day.

*Go on a date at least once a week with your spouse.

*Have a weekly family game night.

*Invite your neighbors over for dessert once a month.

*Pray as a family before leaving the house in the morning.

*Take each of your kids on a special date once a month.

*Plan a quarterly night out with your girlfriends.

*Be home everyday (and off of your computer) before your kids and/or spouse gets home.  Greet them with an "I'm glad you're home", a smile, and a hug.  (This may seem corny but you'd be surprised at what a big difference this little thing makes to the rest of your evening.)

*Sit and listen to how your loved ones' day went when they arrive home.

*Eat dinner as a family (or with close friends) a few nights a week.

*Sit on the couch with the windows open and just listen to the rain...or go out and play in it.

*Drop by a friend's house for coffee or hot chocolate or something.  (James Dobson talks about how we've lost our sense of community...no one just drops by anyone's house for tea, or cookies, and then sits and chats away the afternoon talking about "nothing and everything".  We're all too busy for real life and the living, breathing person next to us.)

*Laugh about all of the silly things that have happened this year.  Just sit around and tell the stories to each other.

*Make time for the people in your life.  Stop networking and start thinking about having meaningful relationships.

 *Sit around the table with friends and talk until late at night.

What do you think?

love. LIFE.

too true.

For part of our date on Saturday night, my husband and I went to Barnes and Noble.  While I was there I discovered this book, The 9-inch "diet".  I love this book.

I think I'm just excited to find a book that goes along with what I've been doing.  I put less on my plate and the try to leave a little there every time I eat.  I think it's one of the keys to me losing weight.

So much of losing weight is just having a little bit of discipline over time.  Just doing something small and then sticking with it will alter the shape of your body.

Alex Bogusky says that the reason that Americans are so overweight is because our plates have gotten bigger over the past 50+ years.  Literally.  They have really gotten bigger.  In the 1950s plates were only 9 inches.  (This was a total surprise to me!  I've been out looking for vintage plates and been wondering where the dinner plates were!  The dinner plates were 9 inches...so I've been seeing them all along.)  Now our dessert plates are 9 inches!  Is that crazy?!?

Alex says that we've as Americans have gotten bigger in direct proportion to how much bigger our plates have gotten...so eat off of a 9 inch plate (don't heap it full of food) and you'll lose weight.  Of course, he goes into much more detail so you should get the book.  I love the way the book is designed, the amount of pictures, and the way Alex writes.  It's easy and fun to read and it is full of common sense.

The 9-inch "diet" is not a diet.  Alex says that over and over again in the book.  It's just a simple perspective change in the way you eat and how much you eat.  It's the way you eat for the rest of your life.  Eat for dinner on the size plate you eat for dessert and you'll change your eating habits.

A few other points I love from his book:

*The French are thinner than Americans.  At first researchers thought that the reason for that was because they consummed red wine with their cheese and red meat.  What is really the case is just that they eat less of it than we Americans do...they eat off of 9 inch plates.  Most people in Europe eat off of smaller plates.  It's Americans that think bigger plates are better.

*An order of fries in England is a very small plate with about 10 fries on it...compare that with the supersize fries from McDonalds.  That's a big difference!

This book is an encouraging look at losing weight and keeping it off.  It's worked for me.  Just eating your food in much smaller portions and not having seconds will make a huge difference.  It's one of the ways that I've lost 20 pounds in the last few months.  The thing I love about the way I've been losing is that it has changed the way I look at food, it's do-able, and it's something that I can do anywhere.

Just make small changes.  Decide to eat off of a smaller plate, when you have dessert just eat 1/2 of what you'd usually eat, go for a 20 minute walk everyday, and instead of asking your kids to run up stairs and get you something...you run upstairs to get it. 

We all say it and it's true...it's the little things that make the difference.

What little things are you going to do this year?

new. LIFE.