Graduation Memories

The other day when I logged on to Facebook I found a message from a girl who I kinda sorta remember from high school.  She was asking for my address so that she could send me information about our 20th reunion.
*cue record scratch*
Twenty years? Has it been that long?  It's not possible...I don't look a day over 25!
I remember my graduation like it was yesterday.  I already had some experience...I was one of the lead marshals from the prior year's graduation.  So walking the field and looking serious was nothing new to me.
We spent an entire afternoon practicing.  And there were so many rules!  No tossing your cap. Caps must be flat on the top of your head. No screaming or clapping. Everyone will turn their tassels at the end of the valedictorian's speech and not a moment before. (My high school takes graduation seriously!)
We also had a strict limit on tickets for graduation. It was a small town with no much else to do, so I guess they were trying to keep out the random crowds. My parents were divorced when I was really young, and due to an issue a few years prior during graduation they had started giving twice as many tickets to the families of the graduates who's parents were divorced.
Thanks to my larger than normal supply of tickets I was able to have my mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, grandparents and sister attend my graduation.  It was so important to me to have them all there cheering me on.  (Mentally-the rules about no screaming or clapping applied to the audience, too.)
My hands still cramp up thinking about all of the thank you notes I had to write, but I was also touched by the outpouring of cards and gifts from family and friends to celebrate my graduation. And I do promise every last person got a hand written card of thanks from me!

This post was written thanks to an opportunity from Global Influence and Tiny Prints for a chance to receive a Tiny Prints gift code. 

A Change Will Do You Good

At some point,-I'm not sure when, I'm not sure how, I'm not sure why-I decided I was lazy.  I decided that I was far too lazy to waste time on things that took too much energy.  I was going to stop being wasteful with my energy and enjoy my lazziness.  Of course, this means I had to come up with my energy wasters and figure out how to get rid of them.  And it was soooo easy to figure out.  My number one energy water came quickly to me.  Anger. 

I've heard a million sayings about anger, or negative energy in general.  It takes less muscles to smile than to frown.  Life is too short to hold a grudge.  Never go to bed angry.  I confess, these went in one ear and out the other.  The reason I didn't spend much time thinking about these sayings or taking them to heart was because I didn't consider myself an angry person.  I've always been pretty easy going and for the most part I don't let things get to me.  That doesn't mean, however, I didn't get angry.  And perhaps because I wasn't angry very often, when I was it was big.  Huge.  I was ANGRY with a capital A. 

So how does one decide to embrace their inner lazy goddess and let go of anger?  Well, it's not easy.  But it's not really hard, either.  When I think of it now it was actually a very small change.

When I find something making me mad I try to switch it.  Someone cuts me off in traffic?  Well, I could get angry, I could fume all the way to work.  Or I could switch it.  I could realize how lucky I was that there wasn't an accident.  Appreicate the fact that I was paying attention and nothing bad happened.  Instant anger-relief.  If someone breaks in front of me in line at the grocery store, well of course I start to get angry.  But then I remember that I'm really not in that big a hurray.  One person is not going to make a huge difference.  One minute of my time spent to save getting worked up, angry and frustrated for who knows how long? 

When you start to change the way your mind thinks about these potential angry moments it becomes easier and easier.  I can't say that I'm perfect, but I can say that I'm so much calmer and happier since I've started to rethink those little things that make me angry.  And I'm a lot lazier, too.  Seriously, do you realize how much energy you waste being angry?  ☺

What little changes do you think you could make that would make a big difference to you?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Cottonelle blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Hanging With My Peeps

Who doesn't love Peeps?  I love the smell, I love the taste.  I love the bunny shape on the bunny Peeps.  I am a FAN.

I grew up with Peeps.  The Easter Bunny would leave them in my basket every year.  My sister and I would fight over our favorite colors.  It was good stuff.  (Funny, I know lots of you had fights over favorite colors just like we did, and I bet you, like me, never noticed they all taste the same.)  ☺

Let's talk Peeps in the microwave.  Perhaps my first childhood science experiment?  To this day the subject comes up every year at Easter and I'm more than happy to walk into the work break room and microwave a Peep for anyone who hasn't had the pleasure. 

As an adult Peeps still take me back to my childhood.  They're a special Easter treat for me and my family and friends.  I know that Peeps now come in lots of seasonal varieties, but to me the classic Peeps and Easter go hand in hand.

I love that in the last few years Peeps has created so many fun examples of branded merchandise!  I have a Peep pillow.  I have a Peep plush toy.  I have Peep bubbles.  I even have a Peep pen at my desk at work.  (Can you tell I love Peeps?)

Peeps have taken an even more special place in my life the last few year.  I am captain of a team for our local Breast Cancer and AIDS Walks.  When I was trying to come up with a name a friend of mine mentioned calling her "peeps".  The name stuck.  For the last five years or so I've captained TEAM PEEP!  The bunny Peep is our mascot, wearing an awareness ribbon for the cause we are walking for at that time. 
People love it and now everyone looks for TEAM PEEP!  And while our name and our mascot are fun, our causes are not.  TEAM PEEP has raised thousands of dollars over the last few years for multiple charities.  Nothing goes better together than a Peep and a great cause!

What are your peep memories?  Did you grow up with them?  Toast them?  Nuke them?  Share them?  I'd love to hear!

PS: I'm curious about your favorite color.  Even though we've already discussed the pesky little fact that they classic peeps all taste them same, I know you have a favorite.  I love pink.  And purple.  And whichever one my sister wants most.  ☺

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and PEEPS blogging contest, for a chance to get a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

You can save 20% at the Peeps and Company store with code SMSPRING11.  I know I'm getting this!