Figuring it out...

As we get older holidays become more complicated, especially you have time to think about them. This year I am excited, we are going home to my mom's for Christmas and I can't wait. It's an interesting time, because I know I have high hopes of going and feeling Christmas like I used to, but I also know that it will never feel like it used to- am I setting myself up for failure? (I've got a plan for that too... My Merry Christmas List ) 

Sometimes it is hard adulting when you don't actually ever feel like the adult in the room. The Hubby and I have no kids, not for lack of trying, praying, bargaining, etc... you can read all about that story here: Why I do what I do! ) But when you don't have children, you are still the children- we don't have little people running around the house needing us, we aren't required to have a set dinner time, toast at 8pm while binge watching Netflix is actually not a 'no no'. When you've got kids, you've got other responsibilities... at the moment, the only things I need to keep alive are my Hubby (and generally he can forage for himself), Timothy the Dog, and a few house plants... So Christmas here is a little different. 

I have this belief that when you reach a certain age, most couples have children to relive the wonder through their eyes...  Christmas time is especially difficult for me... Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, I love everything about it, but I've always got this underlying sadness that I just can't seem to shake...

I have to guard myself agains falling into a season of despair and frustration, because that makes me no fun for anyone around the holidays... 

I love this song by Third Day, and I try to keep it in mind... the feelings that I feel are not unique- other's may feel this way too. I never quite understood how the holidays could be hard on people when I was younger, my how the years can you teach you all sorts of things... now I get it... now I understand. But now I also know that I need to focus on gratitude... focus on the beauty, focus on the hope...focus on Jesus... the true meaning of Christmas...  

Although I want to feel Christmas like it used to be... I know- it is probably not possible... but one certainly can hope... and hope I do.

I want to feel Christmas, how it used to be
With all of its wonder falling on me
This season has felt so empty, oh, for quite a while
I want to feel Christmas like a child

I want to see snowflakes fall to the ground
My brothers and sisters all gathered around
Singing, "Away In A Manager" as we sit by the fire
I want to feel Christmas like a child

It's been so long now, I can't say
Just when I lost my way

But I'm going back to how it was

When this day meant everything
And we spent our time remembering
The baby Child born for us

It's all about Jesus
Asleep in the straw
This infant, this King
This Savior for all

So I don't need bells to be ringing
'Cause I'll join with angels singing, Gloria
And I can feel Christmas like a child

(Third Day Music)

How do you cope with Christmas? Do you find yourself reminiscing? For those of you who have Children, do you get to live that wonder through their experiences? Through their eyes? 

Share the love, 

M.

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LostBumblebee ©2015 MDBN
A Thrill of Hope the weary world REJOICES !
Free Printable For Personal Use : Donate to download

Coffee & Friends

Life is too short for anything less than Good Coffee and Great Friends.
Can I get an Amen!

"The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense" Proverbs 27:9 NLT may I just add... the heartfelt counsel of a friend over coffee is as sweet as perfume and incense... 

So share your day with someone you love, have a coffee with a friend and just chat, reminisce, think about the good things, talk about future plans, hopes and dreams, laugh and enjoy. It does the heart good! 

(oh and of course share this print with those you love- I made it just for you. Actually, why don't you have it printed off and give it to your friend over coffee)

Take time to make time for those you love.
Share the love,
M.

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Going to the Chapel.

I have had the great pleasure of working on many, many, many wedding invitations in my day- I am always so honoured when people choose me to do their invitations... I've been working n a few recently and with all of these weddings on my mind, this little print happened.

You can print it, use it as a card, put it in a frame, or If you are feeling courageous and creative I've also created a version with a little 'Date-Plate' where you can add the date... or the names of the love bird.

Love is grand, weddings are grand, marriage is messy.  I'll let you in on a little secret... I wrote these back in 2008 when I aspired to be a writer (ha!) Wedding Bliss-ters,  This is NOT My Starter Marriage, and Marriage 102... like I said, marriage is messy :) We were 7 years into our marriage, which will be 14 years this year... it's been an interesting ride- to say the least.

Here's to Celebrating Love and Marriage and all the messy stuff that goes along with it!
Share the love,
M.

Just a little reminder: *Please note all free printables and images are free for Personal Use. They may not be used for resale or commercial use without written permission. >> If you are using these images on your website or your blog you must link back to www.lostbumblebee.blogspot.com

Please visit our INFO page.

Thank you :)

M.

All LostBumblebee® Prints ©2009-2015 Melissa Dawn Baker-Nguyen

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A Person's A Person... no matter how small.

I may have watched "Horton Hears A Who" yesterday while weathering out Tropical Storm Fung-Wong. And this line hit me "A Person's A Person, No Matter How Small"  :)
I wanted to share... Now it's your turn to
Share the love,
M.

By the way, this would be great in a classroom, a child's room, play room,  or anywhere for that matter :)

If you haven't read about our Living Life on Purpose Africa 2015  >> Please take a read and if you love free printables please consider giving a donation to help us on our journey! 

 

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I Wake Up Awesome.

'tis true! I do, well if loud equals awesome then I do...
I wake up wide awake, fires a roaring, ready to go- you know all of that stuff about no talkie before coffee... it's a myth in my house, I start talking the moment my eyes open. I'm not a quiet morning person, although I like others to be quiet while I meander about making my coffee, humming and singing and well, just being me.

Drives the hubby crazy.

How about you? Do you wake up awesome? Even quiet wakers can be awesome wakers :)

I made this print for my niece Kiki- She is awesome - all. the. time. She's a quiet waker, just watching, listening, but you can see the sparkle in her eyes the moment she opens them. She wakes up awesome. Quietly awesome.  This one's for you Kiki, Auntie Miss-Miss misses you a lot! a. lot.

So I'm sharing this one for all of the loud wakers, the quiet wakers, the mountain shakers and the moment makers... 

Share the love,
M.

If you haven't read about our Living Life on Purpose Africa 2015  >> Please take a read and if you love free printables please consider giving a donation to help us on our journey! 

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Happiness.

Come' on Get Happy! After all Happiness is Heart-made...

I've been thinking about what makes me happy, it's stupid little stuff like a hot coffee in the morning, a warm tea in the afternoon, Timothy the Dog, Duy (my Hubby) coming home from work, the tingly feeling your body gets when the car shuts off (I like to sit in the car and just enjoy it!), talking to my mom on the phone, waking up to sunshine,  a warm house after a walk in cold cold weather, the first snow, a long chat with a girlfriend, my family, green grass, blue skies, the smell of horse manure, eggs, Instagram, my comfy chair, books, quiet time alone to think (I usually get myself in trouble if I take too much time to think!) and the list goes on...

I believe the recipe for happiness is: gratitude + forgiveness + acceptance + fresh air. What do you think? What makes you happy?  What's your recipe?

Share the love,
M.

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If You Experience The Whole Gamut; You Might be Married.

Last night we finally went out to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary... this is a little about how it went; normal conversation, debate about an idea (which we may or may not ever have to deal with) passionate conversation, slightly heated conversation, ( um teeny tiny) tears- because when I get all passionate and serious little tears well up in my eyes, laughter, long pause- Duy got an alert that Robin Williams had passed away-, silence, long pause, tears, laughter, shopping, then home for a viewing of Good Morning Vietnam in honour of our beloved Robin.

If you are married, you might recognize this as "normal". I don't even know what normal is, but what I do know is,  if you are still passionate about ideas in your marriage- still wanting to have discussions about what may or may not happen, still love talking about a future together- this one is or you...

Me and you, and you and me
No matter how they tossed the dice, it had to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together 

Share the love, and say a prayer for Robin Williams' family,
remember to live life to the fullest, have those passionate discussions about the future... the future you hope to have together.

Love to you all,
M.

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Home.

I'm packing and running around the house trying to tidy up (and posting a blog, because I do it on the fly) before I head out on a little teeny tiny mini weekend away with my mom. The train awaits!

This one is for the hubby, he's not coming on my teeny tiny mini weekend away because he has to work... and Monday is our 13th wedding anniversary, so I made this for him!  It's kinda crazy how time flies...

I wonder if he reads my blog?  :)

Share the love,

M.

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July 4th!

Happy Independence Day USA!
For all of my friends south of the border (my border, the Canadian border)
This one's for YOU!

Happy 4th of July!
Share the love,
M.

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Computer background (72dpi- not for print)

Facebook Cover Image (72 dpi- not for print)

Oh Canada. I love you!

Happy Canada Day!

Have you ever read our national anthem? 

Here are the words. I love it in French and I love it in English, I love it bilingual. I just love it!

Share the love,

M.

I know, I know, it's tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure you have the chance to download this Facebook cover image and upload it to your Facebook page :) For another awesome >> Canada Print- Click here <<

Lyrics O Canada (English version)

O Canada!

Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

  O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Lyrics O Canada (French version)

« O Canada! Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits. »

Lyrics O Canada (Bilingual version - non official)

O Canada! Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command,

Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits,

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

40 in 40. Freeing Up Space in our Homes and in our Hearts!

I was asked to participate in a "40 Bags in 40 Days" project by creating some printables to encourage simplicity, downsizing and well, just plain good sense! I was in! Mostly because I love to design, but in reality more because I have 40 places in my house that need a serious clean up, can you say storage room, art supply closet, front hall, book shelf, junk drawer x 12 ( I think I have one in every room of the house!), winter clothes... etc. I can come up with 40 places in probably 40 seconds.

How about you? are you overwhelmed with a little too much clutter? Do you need a little encouragement to get down and dirty while cleaning up and freeing up breathing room in both your house and your heart? Come along on this journey with us...

Here is a note from Katie about 40 in 40:

I first stumbled up the 40 Bags Challenge a few years ago on Pinterest. The idea is simple - choose 40 spaces in your home and try to get rid of (at least) 40 bags of unwanted stuff. It seemed to me like a good way to clean up my house and organize a few drawers so I decided to give it a try. I quickly realized 40 Bags is much more than a quick, surface fix. As I worked through my spaces, I was forced to take a deeper look at the things we hold on to and ask myself why we surround ourselves with so much stuff. I was motivated to purge, edit, and give away the things we don't really need. In the process, I learned we really can live with less and, more importantly, rediscovered the freedom found in simplicity. The last time I worked through this challenge, it was during the season of Lent, so the 40 spaces corresponded with 40 days. This time around, some friends and I are taking the entire summer (about 12 weeks) to work through our lists at a slower, but still intentional, pace. If you're inspired to find out more, you can follow along on my blog. 

I can't wait to start! There is so much to do in my house... I need to just do it, and with an encouraging group of people who are working through their junk too- I'm encouraged to get it done!


Don't forget to head on over to Katie's blog and participate in this very exciting project... The Terpblog :)

Let's get rid of the clutter in our homes and hearts!
Share the love,
M.

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In This Home... By Sarah Magill

This quote is on a beautiful peg board that my mom gave me- it sits in a place of honour in our home. I read it a lot. I try to live by it... the loud part, I have no problem with, the grace part is another story.

I wanted to share it with you. It was originally written by Sarah Magill for Hallmark- you can follow her on pinterest here. She is a talented and inspired woman- be inspired.

Share the love,
M.

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