Share 4 Somethings – October 2024
For the 2024 edition of “Share 4 Somethings,” Jennifer asks us to share each month:
- Something loved and/or disliked
- Something accomplished
- Something improved upon and/or that needs improvement
- Something noticed
I’m also sharing my previous month’s One Second Everyday video . . .
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Something Loved
- JENNA THE JUNGLE GYM: REAL ADVICE FROM A REAL MOM
I’m not biased or anything, but my daughter Jenna launched her own blog two years ago, and it’s been fantastic. It’s called Jenna the Jungle Gym.
Jenna is a former 1st grade teacher and now a mom to a 3-year-old (my beautiful grandson!), so she shares lots of great content on crafts, educational tips, kid-friendly toys, playground reviews, party foods, organization hacks, and more.
Her latest Halloween post is absolutely adorable. She is so much more creative than I am! Give her a visit to get fun ideas for your own Halloween treats and decorations. Follow her on Instagram here.
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Something Accomplished
- FAMILY MEAL COMPLETE!
It finally happened! Two months ago I shared my hope of hosting a meal for my extended family in honor of our uncle, and playing the piano for an old-fashioned sing-along (singing runs deep in our family). But we had to cancel when my uncle’s immune system measured too low.
Instead, we waited a few more weeks until he was feeling better. And on his actual birthday—his 86th!—we all came together to eat, sing, and enjoy each other’s company.
I was hesitant to play the piano in front of everyone at first, but I eventually gave in—and ended up loving our musical time together. I’m glad that one of my sisters took lots of videos of the day so we can look back on it later.
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Something that Needs Improvement
- HOW TO BE A POLL WORKER
I’m stepping into something new—and feeling a bit nervous about it. Two years ago, my husband Jeff and I applied to be local poll workers for our elections here in the U.S., but we were never called. Until now!
Next week, we’ll attend the required training for poll workers, and on November 5, we’ll be on the other side of the polls, helping with the election process. Alabama is one of only three states that has no early voting (the other two are Mississippi and New Hampshire), so I’m hopeful for a large turnout on election day. I expect the process to be smooth and fair, as it normally is. It’s such an honor to take part in our democracy.
I hope you have a plan to use your voice to vote on election day, or sooner if your state allows! (Honestly, I’m anxious for this election season to just be over. You, too?)
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Something Noticed
- AN EASY WAY TO FIND NAMES OF PLANTS
I’ve been admiring these flowers in front of a neighbor’s house and wondering what they are for a while now.
Then, during one of my walks, I remembered how easy it is to identify plants with just an iPhone—no special app required!
Here’s how:
1. Take a photo of the plant (or save a photo sent to you).
2. Open the photo.
3. Swipe up slightly, and the plant’s name will appear below the image, along with links for more information.
I now know this is Silver Cock’s Comb (Celosia), known for its brilliant colors. They’re low-maintenance, so I might plant some next spring in my own yard.
What is something you are loving, accomplishing, improving, or noticing this month?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
I’m linking at these blog parties
- How One Mistake Made Me Like Her More
- 5 Questions to Lead to Your Next One Word of the Year (Start Now!)
I think it’s wonderful that you will be poll workers, Lisa. Good for you! I’m glad, too, that you could finally have that family get-together with your uncle; I’m sure that meant the world to him. Jenna certainly is a talented young mom, too. Blessings to you and yours!
Thanks, Martha. Jenna is a woman of many talents. It’s been fun watching her grow and develop in so many directions.
Being a poll worker is on my bucket list too, Lisa!
Jeff’s parents used to be poll workers and always enjoyed it. Hopefully we’ll have a good experience as well. Hope it works out for you in Maine at some point, Michele!
Lisa, I’m so glad you could finally have the family meal to celebrate your uncle (and that you were able to play the piano for it too). Jenna’s blog looks fun, and you are going to be the best poll worker ever, I’m sure of it! (I didn’t know Alabama didn’t have early voting; I just voted yesterday!) And thanks for the tip about how to identify plants … I’m definitely going to have to remember that one.
Glad you got to vote already, Lois. I’m jealous. ha. We’re having to wait our turn.
Yes, we were very glad to finally be able to celebrate our uncle with all of us together! It was a fun day and he seemed to really enjoy having everyone around him. Thankfully no one was unknowingly sick and he remained healthy after it.
Jenna’s blog looks so nice! Just the thing I would have looked for as a young mom. How fun to have the family meal and sing-along on your uncle’s birthday. Good work on becoming a poll worker! My husband has expressed an interest in that in his retirement, but hasn’t checked into it yet. I had an app that identifies plants (“Picture This”) before I knew about being able to take a picture and look them up on the phone, but I think it works the same way. It’s been handy.
Yes, Jenna has done such a great job with her blog! I would have loved having those options as a young mom too.
I’ve thought about downloading one of the apps that tell you what’s wrong with your plants and how to correct it. ha. But I haven’t done it yet. I have too many apps as it is; I need to delete more than I need to add. 🙂
What a fun post! So full of family and fun…lots of fun! Your sweet grandson is so adorable. I know I say that every month when you share your one-minute video, but he just gets more and more adorable! I loved hearing his little voice.
I’ll be sure to go over and give Jenna’s blog a go! I love her little spooky treats. 🙂
I’m so glad that you and your husband are going to get to help at the polls this year! It’s something I have “thought about” doing, but never applied. This year I want to make a point of doing a little baking ahead of time to take to the ladies who work our polls.
I love hearing our little grandson’s voice too. He is such a big talker! I love that we can have legit conversations with each other.
Jenna amazes me with her creativity AND energy to follow through with her ideas. I need more of both. ha.
How “kind” of you to take treats to your pollworkers! 🙂 You truly live out your One Word, Dianna!
As always, I love your 1-second videos, Lisa. 🙂 I always end up watching 2-3 times and stopping at certain scenes. It’s so thoughtful of you to celebrate your uncle, and I love that you played piano. Jenna’s blog really brings out her creativity both in ideas and looks. Thanks so much for the tip of how to so easily check out plant names, etc. I was so tickled that I was trying it on several of my photos. 🙂 I found it even works for animals or insects. Love it! Love and blessings to you!
The photo tip works for animals and insects too? I didn’t know! Thanks for sharing that, Trudy! I wish it would work for people’s faces. 🙂 I’ve seen commercials for some phones that will do that, but I don’t think mine will (yet, anyway). That could come in handy when I need to remember someone’s name real quick. lol. Hope you are doing well, friend!
You must be so proud of Jenna! I would be!
I voted just yesterday and each time I do, I wonder if being a poll worker is something I would enjoy. I am going to have to check it out!
Yes, I am very proud of Jenna! She’s a great daughter, mother, wife, etc., all the things, alongside her creativity. 🙂
Congratulations on voting already! I wish Alabama would allow early voting. Since we’ll be poll workers at a different polling place than our own, we have to vote via absentee ballots this year. The ballots are on their way to us, and we can either mail them back in or else hand-deliver them. So I guess I will get to do early voting that way.
This felt like an authentic and a post full of love! love the photos and seeing a peek into YOU!
Thanks, Jean. I know I always enjoy these type of posts from others! It’s fun to see inside someone’s real life. 🙂
You have had a busy month Lisa! ☺️
Loved your 3O sec video & how precious are those family photos. Sweet memories of dining & singing together with your uncle for his birthday. Invaluable.
blessings, Jennifer
Yes, it was a busy month, Jennifer. October has turned into another one of those crazy months; everyone must be trying to squeeze in things before our Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. ha.
That celebration for your Uncle was so precious. What a great idea for gathering and singing and celebrating. Very special. Hats off to your creative daughter. Love seeing all those ideas. Hats off to you for being a poll worker. Our state is completely mail out/mail in ballots…yuck. I was never a fan of that idea, especially since we kept getting ballots for my Mother-in-law long after she died!! Hope the last weekend of October is filled with blessings…
We did love our time together with my uncle. I don’t have many of my older relatives still here, so I want to really appreciate moments with the ones I do still have. It’s odd how voting can be so totally different from state to state. And sorry you still get ballots for your m-i-l. 🙁
Love all those creative snacks your daughter shared on her blog; I used to do fun stuff like that for my boys for all the holidays (big and small) too! It sounds like your family meal and sing along was a huge success! Good luck with working the polls.
My daughter is definitely creative. She has such cute ideas for all her get-togethers. I’m totally boring in comparison (and have always been, ha). 🙂
Good for you on the poll worker. It’s a very important civic process. That said, I understand your anxiety – which honestly shouldn’t be normal but it’s completely understandable. I have 2 friends travelling in the US and they are intentionally leaving the day before and the morning of the election day. This is something unheard in travelling in the civilised world. That said, let’s hope it’s just a ridiculous over reaction that we all laugh about with hindsight.
I’m glad you got time with your extended family. Too often that time slips past & then you regret it. So well done you and I bet everyone is keen to make the effort again sooner! #ShareFourSomething (For the record, we are not fabulous at voting but we get fined if we don’t because we’re lazy….or apathetic. I don’t know)
Our election season has gotten so crazy here–I understand why your friends traveling in the US want to leave before more chaos begins. Sigh. I’m hoping there won’t be violence anywhere, but I’ll be surprised if there’s not. I don’t expect anything unusual where I am though, thankfully. How interesting that you all can get fined for not voting without legitimate cause!
Lisa’s family’s sing a longs are heart warming and filled with love. Growing up with her has been a huge blessing for me. Jenna got her amazing creativity from Lisa and her Nana. Lisa and Jenna have grown up with godly women to influence them.
Musical talent runs deep in her family. I can remember when her uncle used to play the piano at the sing a longs. I can see where she might be a bit hesitant to play instead of him but I know he was delighted with the family being together and that she “caved” and played the piano the piano for them. Her sister documents family occasions with the precision of a professional videographer.
Lisa’s thirty second videos are my favorite part of her blog. I enjoy all of it but sharing one second of each day gets multiple replays by me.
If you haven’t noticed, I could be the president of Lisa’s fan club. I’ve always wanted to be a poll watcher but so many of my favorites are deceased now and it almost seems wrong for me to go and sit with strangers in the city where I grew up knowing almost everybody to barely recognizing anyone. I urge everyone to exercise their right to vote. I am beyond ready for this political season to be over.
Blessing to each of you and God bless our country.
Thank you for such encouraging words, Angela! I appreciate how much love you show our larger family in general and my immediate family, too. I suppose you’re one of the few in my life that has known me my entire life (and still loves me!). ha. I so wish that Uncle Bobby could still play the piano. He has arthritis in his fingers now and just can’t do it anymore. I never liked playing in front of him because he is SO good. I miss getting to hear him play by ear; it’s a talent I lack completely.
You and me both are ready for this political season to be over. I hope it will actually come to a peaceful conclusion and we can all move forward together again, regardless of who wins. It’s been crazy.
Blessings and much love to you too, my friend!
Well, I never knew that about the iphone and plant identification. Thank you! I just tried it on a photo I took last week … success! It’s compulsory to vote in our country at all levels of government. We take it for granted, but it’s a privilege. It also means our pollies can concentrate on telling us about their policies rather than also having to encourage us to vote.
Hi, Lisa – This is such a fun post filled with so much love.
Wishing you a peaceful upcoming election. (At least we can hope).
Hi Lisa, well done on overcoming your ‘nerves’ and playing for your family. I’m sure they were impressed and appreciated your performance. I use that tip on finding what flowers are and it is very useful. Your daughter’s blog looks so cute and love the Halloween theme ideas. We are watching the U.S. election with interest here in Australia. It is so much bigger than ours and I’m very interested in the outcome. Thanks so much for sharing your 4 somethings for October at #WBOYC? Have a lovely November. Sue L xx