Category: MUCHNESS CHALLENGE

Muchness meets photography- day 4!!!

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I know it may be hard to imagine, but I have absolutely no idea which challenge email is gonna pop into my inbox each morning.
So this morning I was actually dressed in my color before I read the challenge. Hot pink shirt, hot pink muchness band and my hot pink and orange shoes! (and my fancy checkerboard pants)

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Ya know, there was a time, pre-muchness- I’m pretty sure I didn’t even own a single piece of hot pink clothing. True story.
Other pink stuff:
Sparkly baby boots
Suitcase on the street
My kiddos hats
Sign in a shop window
Men’s underwear art on my wall
A soft n cozy blanket

REDO: My actual Muchness Meets Photography Challenge, Day 3

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I know… this mornings post was less than emotionally moving. I was feeling stressed about all I had to do today and the fact that I just wanted to make sure I did the days challenge.

Which is really good enough, but in the end, it wasn’t good enough. Because a couple of hours later, I actually did have a Muchness Moment and knew that was really the picture I needed to post.

Liat was overtired and having a meltdown. We were getting into the car and she just wasn’t having it. I tried the nice way, Elie tried the nice way, but ultimately, we just had to put her in, despite her protests. Molly sat next to her and tried calming her in that big sister way but it wasn’t working either… until she reached out and held her hand. And then Liat calmed down. And it melted my heart. One of the things I grieved after we lost the twins was the relationship that Molly would have had with her twin sisters. They would have been just 19 or 20 months apart in age. I thought that if I had another child, either it would be a boy or the age difference would be too great for them to be close friends.

I love to watch my girls together and I love to watch their relationship with each other grow. Sometimes, how they go to each other for hugs when they are mad at Mom and Dad, or Mom and Dad are mad at them, it’s just the sweetest thing ever.

Muchness meets photography- day 3!

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Stayed up late last night watching a Lost Marathon on Netflix working and was slow going this morning. Whiny children, lost cellphone, last minute plans, headaches, -all morning.
Finally got to the deli on the way to the street festival.

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That first sip was like “oh… Love”… And hence, my picture.
What? Addict?

Have you seen your new Member Homepage?!?!

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I’m terribly excited to share with you the new member area homepage!! Ever since I started this project, the thing I loved the most was watching new members join and make the commitment to find their Muchness by documenting their Muchness Moments. If you’ve been a long time reader, you know that I have been through so many iterations of this site trying to make it just right. I’ve had so many ups and down, the biggest down being The Great Server Crash of 2011, where I lost some incredibly beautiful, inspired and healing Muchness Challenges. In a panic, I hastily moved the site to a whole new “pre-designed” platform with lots of bells and whistles, but it just never felt ‘right.’

So now, I’ve been slowly building and rebuilding the site and community to really represent what The Muchness has grown into.

We are a community of support, sharing, healing, fun and sparkle, but ultimately, we are and have always been, about YOU and YOUR journey to find YOUR Muchness. 

We just give you a give you a place to explore, create, experiment and push yourself into bigger, brighter, more colorful and joyful places in your world. Creating that space for you is truly my joy and that’s why I put So Much energy into creating a safe, encouraging and easy space for you to blog and document your Muchness Moments!

I know what you’re saying… You’re saying “Yes! I love that! But every time I sign in I’m still confused by what to do!” and I am here to say NOT ANYMORE!!! Check out your new member page:

That’s all the groovy muchtastic stuff you can do when you’re a member– all easily laid out for you!! I have put so much thought and heart into creating this site and I want it to be a spot of joy and comfort for you to come back to, time and time again. For that to really come to fruition, I knew that making it easy and pretty was an important step.

As with all technology, there may be some bugs getting started, and I am counting on you to let me know if you come across any!! Please let me know your thoughts, questions, likes, dislikes in the comments below. Go LOGIN to your membership area to check it out for yourself! If you like what you see and want to join the Muchness Community, Click here!
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Like what you see but not ready to make a commitment yet to Get In Touch With The Much? That’s OK, sign up for our Free Weekly-ish Newsletter to stay up to date on all the much going’s on! When you’re ready, we’ll be waiting!
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Oh, and one more thing- Beryl and I have been working on our big plans for the Muchness Meets Photography Guided Group Challenge and I am getting so stinkin’ excited!! If you haven’t signed up, GO! Do it! Even if you can’t make it to the August 28, live virtual event, you will receive all the info via email- inspirational tidbits, photography tips, creative, joyful challenges… I promise, it’s TOTALLY worth the price of admission!! (Did I mention it’s totally FREE?)  

Can’t wait to see you on the flip side!

 

OMG!!!! ANOTHER ONE!!!! LYNETTE IS OUR NEWEST CHALLENGER!!!!

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So- I have been soooo crazed lately that I havent even had time to read and comment on the most recent challenge posts! OR, post my own!!!! Between prepping for Monday’s Muchness Moment (check your email!) and getting ready launch my new site (Sneak peek—- http://www.findingYOURmuchness.com ) and working round the clock to drum up PR and, oh yeah, working and being a mom and wife AND watching Americas Got Talent…. ya know, lets just say, I’m not bored.

SOOOOO- before the weekend rolls into town, meet Our newest Challenger, LYNETTE!!!!

Lynette was actually our VERY FIRST Reader Submission Post!!! and now, it’s a 30 day commitment! I already know she likes groovy shoes and muchy sparkles…. I wanna know what other joy and Muchness she has up her sleeve!!

So, here she is! Meet Lynette!!!

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So wow, today is THE day! I’m going to start the challenge!
I was kind of hesitant about taking this trip.
“Can I really do this? Can I really find something ‘Muchy’ in MY life for 30 consecutive days in a row?” Hmmm…Well, yes, I can!  And I will J
This is the story about how I got here.
Here, on this train ride to the land of Muchville….
I’m 38 years young & married to my love, Rich. We have a beautiful three-year-old son, Chaeton.
Sadly, we lost the six month pregnancy of Chaeton’s brothers, our precious identical baby boys, on October 14th, 2010. 

Life sure is unpredictable. One year ago I was wondering how I was going to do it all. I imagined struggling with two car seats and my toddler. How do I feed 2 (not just one!!) baby at the same time?
Oh, time to get a bigger car! Gee, daycare prices are going to be enormous with three kids. I work full time, do I quit my job and stay home with the babies?!
You know, normal stuff for a mother who just found out she’s having twins. But it was also very exciting! I was thrilled at the idea of having a big happy family to love. I would be the queen in a house of boys. I was going to literally be surrounded by babies and giggles.
Well that isn’t how it all worked out. And here we are. 

I had gone for my check up on Wednesday, October 6th, and by that Saturday my world had begun crashing around me. I woke bleeding, and feeling pain.
I went to the hospital expecting a quickie exam and to be sent home.
Little did I know…
I was so scared and it was all sort of confusing. I was a little in shock, and could not even begin to comprehend the severity of what was happening around me.
Didn’t I just go to the doctor three days earlier with nothing major coming from that visit, except that I had “A whole lotta fluid, and a whole lotta baby” inside of me?
Now I know that the “Whole lotta fluid” was a sign. A sign of TTTS (Twin-To-Twin-Transfusion-Syndrome).  By Sunday I was diagnosed with stage 2 of the horrible disease. Then I was told that if my babies survived, they would be miracles.
They were born sleeping four days later.
I pretty much was a walking zombie for the next couple of months. To be honest I still have those days. Way too often. Which is why I’m here.
When I came home from the hospital, I was lost, drowning in this pain, a literal void in my belly. Put on a happy face, tell a joke, just try to convince the people in your life that you’re doing better.
But I wasn’t. I had stopped eating right, I wasn’t sleeping, and I wasn’t taking care of me. I was just getting by.
Weeks pass, months pass. Everyone around you seems to forget that you were even pregnant. Well, I was, and my boys are gone, and I am forever changed. It’s still hard to see a pregnant woman, even harder to see twins.
I needed to reach out.
I found Tova when she welcomed me into an online TTTS grief support group. I am thankful to have found this group of women who understand EXACTLY what I have gone through.
One day I saw a link she posted to her ‘Finding my Muchness’ site. I had never seen anything like it! I sat there for hours reading about her journey, and crying along the way.
And here I am.
It’s a big step. I am now being held accountable for seeking out Muchness in my life again!  A little scary. Ahhh!!!
When you have gone to such a dark place, where you have hurt so bad, it’s much easier to just stay there in your tunnel.
Well… I can see a light, just having some trouble getting to it.
I never take time for Lynette. Rush, Rush, Rush. I do in fact have way too much going on in my life, but who doesn’t? It’s time to take care of me. Time to find some joy in my everyday.
Big. Or small.
So here we go…
I wonder where this will take me??!!
At the very least, I will be so proud of myself for having found a little piece of good in everyday! 😀
Below is a picture taken at my office.
A little peek at my life…
*Rich and I in Hawaii back in ’05. Gosh we look so damn happy J (& younger-darnit!!)  I want, & WILL, be this happy again!!
*My baby, that is not so much a baby anymore. Taken when he was just 3 months old.
*My Easy button. Every office should have one. (If only it was a easy as pushing a button :-/ )
*And my coffee mug. I have had it for longer than I can remember. Check out that big ‘ol happy peace sign with it’s positive Muchy message!

SURPRISE MUCHNESS CHALLENGER! Meet SarahB!!!

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So, sometimes I stalk twitter. I’ll go there and type “Muchness” in the search bar and see what Muchness people are tweeting about. Usually it’s just geeks quoting Alice in Wonderland. Sometimes it’s people ranking on their friends “You’ve lost your Muchness” and occassionally it’s someone saying they’ve lost theirs. At which point I direct them to this site to find it. (According to my stats, none of them ever click through… destined to navigate through The Land of Lost Muchness alone…. but that’s their problem. Not mine… but I digress)

Anyhooooo… last night I decided to twitter stalk. I punched in Muchness and a girl I swear I didnt recognize  had tweeted “Day one of finding my #muchness was just a start. I’m not seeing a change yet. But hopefully the 30 day challenge will make me much muchier.”

I was like WTF??? Who is this chic named Sarah? I figured I HAD to know her so I trolled around through her links and found her DAY 1 Pic. She is Liat’s Day Care Teacher!! Every day I see this chic and I didn’t even know that she KNEW about the Muchness, let alone was so inspired by it!!! What an AWESOME surprise!!!! So I begged and pleaded (I asked 🙂 ) and now Miss Thang has transferred her challenge to it’s new, rightful HOME!!!! Just in time for DAY 3!!!!

OK- so, to catch you up I’ve included everything you need to know about Sarah to totally fall in love with her and her Muchness!!

Heeeeeeere’s SARAH B.!!!!
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Hi all!

My name is Sarah and I cannot begin to explain how excited I am to do thirty days of Muchness! Although I am not sure where along the lines I lost my muchness, I have definitely noticed that I used to “be much muchier.” Haha. I think that it was just the little things that I stopped caring about that made me lose my much. BUT! I am ready to get it back. With all the pandemonium of starting my junior year of college, (third school in three years!), I figured what better time than the present to cleanse myself of the darkness and find a new light?!

Now I do not know much about what will make me muchier,  but what I do know, before this muchness challenge, is that I enjoy the little things in life. It is the smaller things that create a big picture for me. SO! The theme of my challenge will be the smaller things that go unnoticed but truly do play a big part in my happiness, and ultimately, the happiness of others.

Sarah's "Hey, How ya doin'?" Intro Pic

Sarah's Muchness pic of the Day! Day 1- "Today i used green and gold eye shadow, and NO eyeliner. This makes me feel much muchier, because it is brighter and makes me feel bubblier. It is also very 80’s inspired, as is my hair. 😉 This brings me one step closer to my muchness!"

Sarah's Muchness Pic of the day, Day 2! "Tie dye and glitter! Why should I act my age? I think that a twenty year old has just as much motive as a four year old to wear glitter on her nails and drink out of a tie dyed thermos. Who is it that determines how my age should act? Oh yeah… me. 😉 So, from now on I’m going to let my freak flag fly. Tie Dye and glitter is just what I need to get through the day. Today is the first day all week that I have worked from 8-6 and have not felt exhausted once. Looking at my gorgeous finger nails makes me smile, which is enough to keep pushing.props to: Sally Hanson nail stickers & CVS for selling this awesome tie dyed water bottle. get it.

**** Letter from the editor: (Um, that’s me, Tova….) When sending me these pics Sarah also included a note to me which read “First off, I want to say that this muchness challenge is awesome.. I don’t know if it is the cause for my sudden energy bursts, but if not it sure is a coincidence…”….Though she sent it to me, I just wanna share. I’m all choked up… It’s no coincidence my friend!!

Stay tuned for Sarah’s Day 3 pic!!!

aaaaaaand… ANOTHER NEW CHALLENGER!!!! Yahoo! MEET ELLEN!!!!

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I’m trying to think of what to write to introduce Ellen, and, well, I don’t know where to start. I don’t know Ellen in real life. (Not yet anyway.) And yet- I love her. (awwwww) She’s funny and she’s a wise-ass and she’s strong and opinionated, and she really cares about the people she cares about. I mean REALLY cares. All her sarcasm and wit and wise-ass-ness are hangin out right next to this big fat heart of gold.
…Ya know what? That might be the cheesiest thing I’ve ever written. Ever. But I’m keepin’ it. Because I’ve been sitting here for 15 minutes trying to find the right words to describe this girl, and pretty much- that’s it. That’s all I got. I call ’em like I see ’em.

Heeeeeere’s Ellen!
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Hi. I’m Ellen. I’m 34, married, and have two kids. I am what some people might call easily amused, because get a lot of enjoyment out of little things. Buying something on sale, seeing my kids do neat things, growing a flower or a vegetable myself, eating something delicious, hearing a dirty joke, getting gifts from people, you name it. I love meeting different people, and since I work in healthcare, I get to do that a lot. I became involved in this challenge after meeting Tova, who like me, experienced devastating prenatal loss. We lost our daughter Kylie in 2006. It forever changed me in that I find even more joy in the little things, because sometimes the big things are just too unpredictable. It also lowered my tolerance for bullshit to nil and increased my smartass attitude (see photo), but also really increased my compassion for others. I think that’s why I love the concept of this challenge- because it is about the here and now and looking around you and into you. I really look forward to doing this every day! So far it’s actually been harder than I thought!

WELCOME TINE!!!! OUR NEWEST MUCHNESS CHALLENGER!!!!

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I love introducing new challengers… reading their intros is always so special to me, and then I get to post them and share them and, well, I wish I didn’t always end up doing it at 1 in the morning, ya know? It puts me in a great mood getting all giddy about what their gonna post and then I gotta just take my muchy mood and go to bed so I can wake up for work the next day. But this isn’t about me. It’s about Tine and her Muchness seeking mission. To be honest, her intro made me tear up a bit. I think it’s really beautiful. In her own words, here’s Tine!
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Wow! I can’t believe that I’m here and ready to start my 30 Days of Muchness Challenge!!! This is something I have thought about doing since I saw the first few participants, but was too chicken to commit. But thanks to a few women and convincing “shoves”, I’m here! And I’m excited! And a little nervous, because there have been some amazing women ahead of me. But it’s not just that they are amazing, they are inspiring. Through their eyes and hearts, I have gained a little more “Much” in my life, as well as the courage to chase it down full speed ahead. There are two big reasons I think I have lost my Muchness, which I’ll explain below.

My name is Tine (pronounced Tina – yes, I have to explain it often…blame the German parents :-)) I am 43 years old, but most days, I feel much younger. My husband Gabhán and I are the parents of 2 beautiful boys, Aodhán, 6, and Caolán, 3. Their existence is miraculous to me because in a previous married life, due to issues with my ovaries, I was told I would never, ever have children. But miracles do happen, first by meeting my husband and then in the uneventful and beautiful pregnancies with my two boys. Not that there wasn’t heartache…we had a miscarriage before Aodhán, and then another before our pregnancy with our little girl, Caoimhe (pronounced Keeva).

I met Tova and a few other women in the Muchness site through a baby loss forum that I credit with saving my sanity. It was THE last place I ever expected to find friendship, love, understanding and unconditional compassion. But I did, and it was due to my pregnancy with little Caoimhe. We went for our 15 week ultrasound, excited to get past it and begin telling friends and family of our wonderful good fortune. But that was not what happened. During the ultrasound we were SO focused on the neuchal fold and those results, which were perfectly normal….but when the Doctor came into the room, he had the worst news I have ever heard. Our baby had multiple markers for a Trisomy diagnosis, whether it was Trisomy 18 or 21 we wouldn’t know until we had a CVS. He explained that with the multiple problems identified, including heart, brain, skeletal and abdominal abnormalities, there was very little chance of a better diagnosis. After the CVS, it was confirmed that our wee baby had Trisomy 18 and our world came crashing around us. We had so many things to consider, so many things to decide. Sadly, and with so much emotional devastation, on September 16, 2010, our wee angel baby Caoimhe was born to heaven.

For such a little thing, she changed our lives forever. Waking up each day after that horrible Thursday was a nightmare, I was so sad, so overwhelmingly sad. But thanks to my incredibly patient, loving and wise husband, and the love and hugs of our two boys, I found my way slowly out of the abyss. But you never fully recover.

Partner that with an event that occurred in 2009 which caused me to doubt myself. I created and then allowed myself to manifest that doubt as “I’m too fat”, “I have ugly hair”, “I don’t know how to wear my makeup”…and the worst “I’m ugly”. So you could say, I let someone steal my muchness. So I’m here, and I’m ready to TAKE IT BACK! So, for me, finding my muchness is going to be about me finding my confidence again. To love my body, to love me and to shouting from the top of a mountain that “I AM MUCHNESS”! Hang on, it could be a wild ride! There will be laughter, and there might be tears…but mostly I hope that it will be fun!
I’m attaching a picture of something I did with GREAT confidence…a tattoo designed by my husband…the red flower for Aodhán, orange for my ginger Caolán and the butterfly for wee Caoimhe…up up and away.

Aviva had a boy!!

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Well, she was hoping to extend her 30 day challenge till that little boy popped his metalhead out to say hi, but he was apparently very comfy and stuck around 11 (ELEVEN!!!) days past her due date.
Born last night weighing 8lb 10 oz. , hes finally here!!!!
30 days till his first heavy metal concert!!!
Whoop whoop!!