She celebrated ... yes, she did!

Birthdays are special

and so much fun.

I'm sure Rachel had fun yesterday

as everybody spoiled her.

Two cards from two friends.

Keep celebrating, my friend.

Thank You Notes

I'm always up on my soapbox

saying how important it is to send

thank you notes.

I confess.

I don't always do that.

But it's a brand new year.

And I've started out by sending thank you notes.

These went to family and friends

that graced us with Christmas gifts.

I think perhaps the reason I don't always send

thank you cards

is because I have to stop and make them.

Not a good excuse, is it?

If only I could train my brain

to just send out pre-made cards

then I'd send out more.

But I can't do that, can I?

I should probably create some cards

to have on hand, right?

But ain't nobody got time to do that.

Therefore, I'll have to stop and make them.

Seriously.

It doesn't take much.

Actually, it takes much less time to send a card

than it did for the giver

to do something nice for you.

I'm sure somebody has done something nice for you.

Let today be the day you send a note to say ...

THANK YOU!!!

Somebody is celebrating today

And that would be Morgan.

Happy birthday, young lady.

She deserves a bucket of flowers!

And that straw hat - you need one of those

while living in Florida!

Just three for now.

Cards, that is.

An "all occasion" and two birthdays.

First up, happy birthday today

to Behlen.

Candy celebrates her birthday tomorrow.

And this card, too.

Not sure of the occasion,

but a friend asked for an extra one to keep on hand.

Which occasion would you send this?

Happy birthday, ladies!

Birthday, Thank You, Sympathy

But will begin with a birthday card.

Amie celebrated and received this one.

Not a birthday cake,

but this pie looks pretty tempting!

Hoping to keep the ball rolling this year

by sending out more thank you cards.

I have a few more that I need to create

but it's been so cold in The Playground,

I just couldn't get them done.

Soon.  Very Soon.

Tough time of year to have a loved one leave us.

My friend lost her grandmother a few days before Christmas

and received this one.

!!! Happy New Year !!!

If you've been around for the past three years,
you will remember my 15 for twenty fifteen
and my 16 for twenty sixteen
and my 17 for twenty seventeen items.

They're not resolutions or goals.
Instead, they were some things
for me to focus on throughout the years.

Keeping with tradition,
I'm keeping these foremost in my mind.
I still want to focus on all of them.

I am hoping my focus will
make me a better person
and will make others happy.

If you are visiting for the first time,
or if you would like a refresher,
I would love to review them with you:

1.  laugh: make someone, at myself, more, out loud

  2.  friends: make more, be a better one,

reconnect with a lost one, nurture them all

  3.  blogging: post more often, increase readership,

visit more, comment/follow more

  4.  don't stay home so much - get out there

and blow the stink off

  5.  my art: step it up!

  6.  send more thank you cards (a lost art, you know!)

  7.  participate in more RAK (random acts of kindness)

  8.  my heart: give from it, open it, love more

  9.  stay up later than 9pm a little more often

10.  be "in the moment" when it matters most

11.  want/need: learn how to differentiate

12.  time management: watch out for those time-eaters

13.  challenge myself more

14.  volunteer more

15.  be gentle with myself ... I'm doing the best I can

16.  tackle: every day tackle one thing

that I've been neglecting

17.  tolerance: of others, of situations, of myself

And my 18 for twenty eighteen is to

Give Something Back

I will continue to work on each of these
as we go forward this year.

Will you join me?

We have a whole new year ahead of us.

Wouldn't it be wonderful

if we could all be a little more gentle with each other?

Be more respectful?

Show a little more love toward each other?

Be a little more empathetic?

A little more tolerant?

If we all focused on this, maybe next year at this time,

we'd like each other a little more.

As we begin the first day of this new year,

I'd like to wish each and every one of you

the best of the best in 2018.

These 365 days

are another chance for you to get it right.
Or at least better.

This is going to be your year

so dust yourself off and get started.

Fill your days with magic.

Get enough sleep every single night
and wake up early.

Splurge sometimes.

Love on somebody fiercely.

Volunteer.

Cut back on your alcoholic beverages.

Take care of YOU.

Let the person in line go in front of you.

Call a friend.

Smile.

Kiss your loved one with all you got.

Have good dreams.

Find a new friend.

Create beautiful items.

Stay away from negativity

and those who boast too much.

But most importantly,

GIVE

SOME

THING

BACK

Happy New Year
to my family and friends both near and far.