Kids

01.31.2011 | Happiness Project | 19 comments

Our kids have been driving us bonkers. They are either best friends or mortal enemies. I am either hysterically laughing at them or they are driving me so crazy I want to run far far away.

But, despite the tears, screams, fits, and random tantrums.

They have always been and will always be our greatest and sweetest little blessings. :o)

*click open post to view full post*

boy meets girl…

08.17.2010 | Happiness Project | 1 comment

The Kids and I drew today. My drawing skills are not awesome, but we had fun. :)

Untitled from matt sloan on Vimeo.

Just a Typical Summer Afternoon. Full of Love, Love, Love.

07.28.2010 | Happiness Project | 27 comments

*You may need to refresh if it doesn’t load the first time*

I always try to video a lot during the SUMMER TIME since that is when all the magic happens. ;)

Untitled from matt sloan on Vimeo.

Happy Face

07.08.2010 | Happiness Project | 10 comments

I just fulfilled a print order for this cute family and this image made me smile. Sometimes I feel like the cute little girl on the left. Totally annoyed, sad, and upset. Sometimes I feel like the cute little girl on the right. Like the world is crazy and there is so much chaos going on around me, but I am completely calm and full of peace. :)

The Power of Positive Thinking (Happiness Project)

03.21.2010 | Happiness Project | 26 comments

With Paisley I had a pretty crazy labor and delivery. It’ a long story so I will spare the details, but I remember lying in the hospital the night after I woke up from an emergency surgery I had to get. I was pretty drugged up and in a lot of pain. I wasn’t sure what was going on, so I just started crying. I had never been so scared.

I felt no peace. I felt no safety. I felt no comfort.

I had a long physical and mental recovery ahead of me. Eventually I had to go see a counselor for the anxietys I was having from the experience. My mind became my enemy. I started thinking negative thoughts that would hurt me so bad. I was physically making my self sick with my fears.

I have always believed that our minds are one of the strongest and most powerful things on earth. I didn’t actually know this was true until I experienced it. My thoughts were slowly beating me down. Then when My Mom died it continued.

I would replay her tears and last breath in my mind over and over. The Fear would come back. I felt no peace. I felt no safety. I felt no comfort.

So here I am. Finally, I am feeling peace. I am feeling comfort. It took a while but i’m here. It’s true when people say once you’ve hit rock bottom the only place to go is up.

I still have fears and weakness and that’s ok, i feel like it’s only natural as long as I have power over them.

So I have to thank my sister who introduced me to this book. Thanks Jen:)
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This book=Incredible.
The 2nd chapter is called “A Peaceful Mind Generates Power”

You pretty much need to read this book and find out how magical life can be when you change your attitude. I believe in myself now and I believe in others. During the day if I see something beautiful l take a minute to take a mental picture. Or if I have a moment of joy I remember that feeling and hold onto it. Then when I am afraid or a negative thought comes into my mind. I remember those mental pictures and perfect feelings, they make me happy, they bring me peace.

Last but not least, I figured out if I wear a cute headband it is a lot easier to think happy thoughts. Plus I feel cute :)

Happy Sunday.

Adventure Is Out There

03.16.2010 | Happiness Project | 35 comments

Maddux wanted to go on an Adventure that included Pirates, so we decided to go to Neverland this morning.

SO, with a little Paint.

There Is Adventure Out There from matt sloan on Vimeo.

We were able to get there by boat.


We found Treasure.



We had a sword fight.

Then Tinkerbell taught us how to fly home.

And we flew as fast as lightning!

We got home just in time for nap time.

Happiness Project

02.05.2010 | Happiness Project | 12 comments

Iv’e been thinking about FEAR a lot lately and how when I was afraid I would instantly shove it out of my head and tell my self “Im not afraid”! I was afraid of fear. I would always think of the saying: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Little did I know at the time, that very saying was damaging my soul. It took me a while, but I am finally not afraid of fear!

Fear is actually my FRIEND and anytime I am afraid I find it as an ample opportunity to GROW. I believe fear is there to tell us something is wrong or something is out of balance in our lives. We can’t always fix what has happened, but we can figure out why we are afraid and work through those thoughts and feelings. Fear is also there to discourage us, if we let it. It’s funny because I always thought showing fear was a sign of weakness, a sign of no faith, but as I face my fears and accept that they are very real. I feel STRONGER and more FAITHFUL each day.

Last week we tried to find Happiness in Nature!
We had a FREEZING WINTERY DAY. So we went outside and played for hours.

We have this adorable bird nest in our yard and we just laid on the grass and looked at the bird nest and watched the sky.

This Humming Bird always comes to our house :). We watched him for a good hour. He just flew from tree to tree. Have you ever watched a Humming Bird? I love how their wings flutter.

Maddux took this pictures of us. :)

I also tried to find signs of Love in places around the house.


My BFF :)

Last but certainly not least. I can’t even tell you how something as simple as having my tupper wear organized has brought me GREAT JOY and HAPPINESS! I am no longer scrambling and stressing trying to find lids that match. I am no longer wasted food, because I immediately put what we don’t eat back into the refrigerator for leftovers. It’s amazing.

Happiness Project

01.23.2010 | Happiness Project | 27 comments

At least once a week I have a dream about my Mom. The other night I had a dream that my Mom came back to life. It was so real, she was talking to me and smiling just like I remember her. I woke up confused and started to have a panic attack realizing that it was just a dream. I quietly prayed and calmly talked myself out of the fear. Since she died, I have been bitter, angry, and so sad. Things that normally wouldn’t bother me, Iv’e allowed to dig inside of me and cause stress, anger, loss of faith & loss of hope. All the tragedy I see in the world has been very discouraging. I feel like every where I go I see someone who is suffering physical, emotionally, or financially.

I will love my Mom forever and ever and ever, but I need to move on.

As I read this BLOG and this BLOG. I was reminded of faith and hope. These individuals are amazing! Iv’e never even met either of them, but they are such great examples to me.

Last night as I was watching Hope for Haiti, Halleluja came on. That is one of my favorite songs ever and it hit me to the core. My trials are miniscule compared to the tragedies and losses other people are suffering.

I was inspired by my friend Kara Layne and this BOOK to start finding joy and happiness in simple things. Last weeks challenge was to simplify my home by tossing out junk! I got rid of 8 trash bags and about 6 boxes from the kitchen and family room alone! It is amazing how much happier you are when your house is organized and clean. I would say week one was a pretty good success:)

While trying to find happiness in simply things I looked out the window the morning after the storm and watched these two birds.(I love twiggy trees:) The bird standing on the hire branch was definitely protecting the bird on the lower. I was thinking how they must have protected each other during the storm and how blessed they are to have one another.

I also watched this video over and over this week. Trying to remind myself that there is hope for all the people who are suffering in the world.

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us”.
Helen Keller