Hi everyone!

If you’ve clicked on any old links in the past 10 hours you might have noticed the change already – but I’ve moved my blog (finally) to an awesome new design at an awesome new URL:

www.annabellemintz.com

I’ve set the old links to forward to the new site, so you should still be able to find me.  HOWEVER, wordpress.com subscribers (though your subscription will be moved over to the new site automatically) will only be able to see new posts from this blog in your wp .com reader and you will NOT get email notifications of new posts from here on out.  If that’s how you like to read this blog, then no worries, you are totally good to go!

If you are a wordpress.com subscriber and you want email notifications as well as (or instead of) reading new posts in the wordpress.com Reader, you will have to re-enter your email in the box on the right side of the new blog.  Sorry about that inconvenience, but I know that moving platforms, though a hassle now, will offer a lot of awesome new opportunities in the future!

Thanks for understanding – I have appreciated all of you so much, as this wordpress community gave me to confidence to keep going at it with this blog in the first place!

See you on the new site!

Filed in:Misc
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  • Rebecca AlexisApril 3, 2013 - 8:23 pm

    Hello! I love when blogging worlds collide! I follow Kate and here I am clicking on her blog post about you AND there here you are on the all sort of happy that I link into! Such lovely collision! I have such a blog crush on Kate AND your new website is glorious. I can’t even remember what your old one looks like but this is pretty awesome! Do you live in Evergreen (guessing from your Evergreen Lane Productions)? I grew up in Denver and used to live my summers out as a camp counselor in Conifer. Anyway, congrats on your new ventures and I am certain I will be frequenting your blog place often! Can’t wait to see your new website! PLease message me when it gets launched! Brava lady for living into your dreams.ReplyCancel

  • Annabelle MintzApril 3, 2013 - 8:26 pm

    Rebecca, Thank you so much! I’m glad you like the new site – and it amazes me how small the blogging world is sometimes. Sorry for the delayed reply, as somehow your comment got caught by my spam filter – whoops! I actually live in the Springs area, Evergreen Lane is a throwback to the street I lived on as a child 🙂 Hope you visit again!ReplyCancel

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I got a chance, back when the weather was much nicer (now we’re buried in snowiness again), to take a walk with the new camera at one of our favorite places to hike.

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There’s a good reason why Garden of the Gods is one of the most iconic sights in Colorado Springs, and I love that it is so close to town.  Nothing like feeling like you’re in the middle of nowhere, a few miles from your apartment!  I love that there are miles of trails in the park so you don’t have to keep walking in circles if you’d like to hike for a few hours, like we did.

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I feel like this new camera is a huge learning curve sometimes! But it is great to be challenged again, and have to think about things a little bit more than I did with my old point-and-shoot.  It’s like I’m starting all over, back at the beginning, especially when it comes to capturing color!  We couldn’t have picked a better day, though, to get out and practice.  Bright but overcast was a great combination – and we were out long enough to watch the colors change from early morning pinks & purples to midday brights.

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We also borrowed our friend’s awesome dog, who accompanied us quite happily on our hike.  It was a lot of fun to borrow a dog, since I definitely want one, but the time isn’t right just yet!  This way, we got our canine companion fix and helped our friend out by taking him on a very long (and tiring) exercise adventure.

This little morning of playing hooky and getting outside was a beautiful tease into summertime that I’m bummed was so short-lived.  C’mon, summer!

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P.S I’m sad about Google reader closing down too – but hey, you could always Follow my blog with Bloglovin!

Filed in:Everyday Adventure | Travel
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  • Susan MedynMarch 25, 2013 - 3:27 pm

    Lovely title, captures where you are.ReplyCancel

  • DavidMarch 25, 2013 - 10:24 pm

    The Garden of the Gods is a beautiful place. I’ve been there twice on visits to Colorado, but I’ve never walked any of the trails.ReplyCancel

    • Annabelle MintzMarch 28, 2013 - 9:53 am

      You must go hiking on your next visit, David! I love seeing familiar sights from new vantage points – and I will say that Garden of the Gods never gets any less beautiful.ReplyCancel

week35

Whew!  This week has been tremendously busy and has ended up with me wrapped up on the couch with a pile of tissues and green tea.  I am trying to recover as quickly as possible because this week is going to be a BIG one – my new site is launching, as well as a blog design.  Not to mention some cool collaboration with Erin of artsocial and a little weekend trip to Texas with my sister.

1. Last weekend I got some quality time with some lovely acoustics and a beautiful friend.

2. Catching up on my vitamins with a snack outside at work.

3. Refusing to wear a coat in the springtime worked out well earlier this week, but today it is snowing like mad and I think I’ll have to give it up.

4. A calming drive with the setting sun & the mountains is always good for the soul.

5. Making the most boring of soups for sick bellies.

More relaxing on the slate for me today! Wishing the same for you.

Filed in:Life
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  • FindingStrengthToStandAgainMarch 24, 2013 - 11:10 am

    You are still getting snow? I know you’re probably sick of it, but I do hope you at least take pleasure in how pretty it looks coming down. Good luck of your new site!ReplyCancel

    • Annabelle MintzMarch 25, 2013 - 2:28 pm

      Oh yes, I definitely agree! It looks lovely, especially if you can stay inside with a warm cup of tea and a blanket. Mostly, I am tired of having to go out in it all layered in sweater upon sweater! 🙂ReplyCancel

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Lately, I’ve been trying to focus more on single-tasking.  This is a huge challenge for me, as I find comfort in a certain amount of busyness and security in claiming a high level of “productivity.”  On top of that, I’m working actively to make sure my priorities are reflected on my calendar and in the way I spend my time.  More and more, I’m learning that giving my full attention to something is a form of respect, and multitasking hinders me from giving my best to any one thing.

The interesting thing that I’ve found about this transition, is that because my “busyness” and “productivity” are way down (although I’m learning that productive should really be measured in quality, not quantity), I am struggling with a bizarre guilt.  If I decide to sit down and write, my brain says I should be working out.  If I decide to go work out, my brain says I should be spending time with my husband.  If I decide to take a night off and just hang out with my husband, my brain says I should be blogging.  And all of that makes one feels very tired of making the “wrong” choice.

What I’m learning is that I had built up a lot of unhealthy expectations of myself and imposed many demands on my time that were more dictated by what I “thought” I should be doing as opposed to being true to my own desires for what I want my life to look like and reflect.  Creative time, working out, quality time with my husband – these are all things that are dear to my heart and important.  But I don’t need to be doing them all, ALL of the time.  And if how I’m spending my time lines up with my heart and my priorities, I can be happy about that decision – even if I’m “sacrificing” the time I could be spending doing something else, or many something elses.  I can be happy about decisions that line up with my intentions, and the fact that I’m not doing everything is actually a good and healthy thing!  Whatever that one thing is that I’m doing, this is my right choice, for right now!

So, one thing at a time, please.  And if it makes you happy, be happy about it!

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This is a blog hop! Check out the other great bloggers involved here.

Filed in:Happiness | Inspiration
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  • Louise Edu (@Laid_Off_Mom)March 21, 2013 - 6:32 pm

    I’m struggling w/ this too. When we’re having dinner, my own daughter tells me to put my phone down…eek! I feel like I want to accomplish too many things, too soon. I’m working on this too. Giving 100% of my time to each part of my life…my family, homework time w/ my girls, blog time, hubby time…but it’s def a work in progress. Thanks for this post, I thought i was alone. xoReplyCancel

    • Annabelle MintzMarch 22, 2013 - 5:24 pm

      You are not alone! My husband is my main accountability here – he has definitely, like your daughter, told me to put the phone away! I am almost always in a hurry but learning that busyness is a crutch and almost always ends up with me being burnt out. Gotta be in less of a hurry – it’s hard.ReplyCancel

  • Rebecca AlexisMarch 21, 2013 - 8:44 pm

    I think there is a serious theme going on here among the happy bloggers -only you know yourself best & only YOU know the path to your own happy-ness. xoReplyCancel

    • Annabelle MintzMarch 22, 2013 - 5:25 pm

      Right? It can be hard to be confident in your own choices, especially if you’re always comparing them to other people’s choices. But it’s so rewarding to learn to stick to your guns about how you choose to spend your time.ReplyCancel

  • Coffee & Linen | Laid Off MomLaid Off MomMarch 22, 2013 - 8:28 am

    […] Reveling in each moment […]ReplyCancel

  • Dan Traun - Outdoor Guy PhotographyMarch 22, 2013 - 11:08 am

    I stuggle with my expectations of myself as well as expectation I have of others. Then I layer the multiple priorities atop those expectations and factor in aoo of the demands form every angle until I am exhausted. You are one person and can only realistically accomplish so much.

    Jack of all trades; master of none. That saying has always spoken to me. That sounds like me most of the time when I am juggling so many things throughout the day at work. I trying to give everything 100%, but that just isn’t realistic. You have to prioritize what gets the best quality and what can surviive with a lessor amount. I’ve modified the saying to be Jack of all trades; master of a few. There are some things that I am very good at all the time and I guess I will settle for that.

    I have been a very organized and driven person who is not happy to settle for anything less than perfection. Lately, though, I cannot master everything I am involved with or responsible for. Sometimes you have to rely on others (when that is available and possible). Sometimes you have to accept less than perfection. I am getting better at this with age. A little better. Some of the time. Sorta.ReplyCancel

    • Annabelle MintzMarch 22, 2013 - 5:27 pm

      Haha – appreciate your honesty, Dan! I can definitely relate – I am a severe multitasking perfectionist (not a good combo) but I’m learning! Both to lessen the load on my plate, and to accept the best that I can do at the time, even if it isn’t “perfect.” I think we’ll be works in progress for quite some time.ReplyCancel

week34

Things that make me extremely happy:

1. Daylight Savings and the fact that these beautiful sunsets come later and later in the day.

2. Going sock-less and coat-less this week, hooray for the seventies!

3. Late night board games (even if the cat does knock the entire board off the table half way through and we have to recreate it from an instagram photo)

4. Morning moments of quiet, sitting in sun spots.

5. This fortune – which is pretty much my life motto.

Hope you have a week full of moments that make you extremely happy. And if you’re Irish like me – Sláinte!

 

Filed in:Life

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