Ten Things: October

Fall is officially here and there is a crispness to everything that I adore.  Mulling spices are simmering on the stove and the pumpkins on the table make me smile every time I see them.  October was a great month and even when it seems we can't be more blessed; we are.

Ten Things to Smile About: October 2013

My Bob being named MVP following an especially rough soccer game.  She was delighted to replenish her calories in the candy store.

A gorgeous Friday night wedding at the beach.  I am beyond happy for my sweet friend and her handsome new husband.  Congratulations Troutmans!

Driving to work every day on Pacific Coast Highway instead of the freeway.  Following the deep blue sea from Dana Point to Newport Beach is truly a magical way to start the day.

Thursday morning carpool and preschool story time with my goddaughter.

The very first cotillion of the season.  Now we have two little charmers doing the cha cha!

Finding a great after school sitter/driver on Care.com.  She is a MAJOR help to our family and the kids love her.  Win!  Win!

Every single thing about this video.  The Seminole football helmet, the skateboard, the crash pad against the door.  They crack me up!!

The rainbow loom factory that the kids have started in our family room.  Please let us know if you'd like a bracelet.  Bob is quite the salesman!!!

The new NBC show on Monday nights, The Blacklist.  Holy heart stopper!

Halloween, of course.  Wayne Campbell, a la Wayne's World (ca. 1992) and Alice of Alice in Wonderland. They loved it which I why I loved it.  The end.

The last Tuesday of the month is when Emmy posts her Ten Things.  I can't bear to make time go any faster than it already is.  Sorry to be tardy to the party, Emmy!

Pride and Joy

On any given day,

you could say that he is PRIDE

 

and she is JOY

Or vice versa. 

It's absolutely true that they are my pride and joy.  They are so incredibly good and bright and such unique and wonderful blessings to the world.

But as of late, there is a new sense of pride and a long forgotten joy floating on the periphery of soccer games and teacher conferences.  There is a sweet sense of peace that was so sadly missing for just a little too long.

Pride of self for making a change instead of continuing to talk about how much I needed the change. 

Joy in all the little things that have the time to be valued now.

Being home is good.  Being present is joyous.

There was a recent period of time in my family's history that I was not present and I am not proud.  However, until I jump out of an airplane without a working parachute I will not live with any regret.  I do not regret the poor professional choice that I made, because I am stronger, smarter and more resolved than ever.  And now I am here.

Right here, right now and fully able to appreciate all of the goodness that it is mine.  Fully present in my own PRIDE and JOY

 

 and truly, deeply thankful.

Ten Things to Smile About: September 2013

The best news of the day is that I will have this posted at the end of the actual month it represents.  We're turning over a new leaf around here!

Ten Things to Smile About: September 2013

Nearby soccer games on the same day for two of our sweeties and a cheering section for both that was full of darling cousins!

Being able to make good on a promise to go to Disneyland.  We went three times this month and had a blast!

Doing good for someone else.  The circumstances of the situation don't make me smile, but putting my sadness to use does.  We've raised $4,125 in a little over two weeks.  I was really hoping to get to $10K.  I might have been overly ambitious.  There's still time to give if you'd like.

The Wendy Shaw Memorial Fund

Having our tiniest niece, C, for a sleepover. Don't let those curls and the angel face fool you.  She's no amateur!

Our {slightly} bigger niece, B,  starting preschool and carpooling with us on Thursdays. Auntie loves taking her to story time and her cousins are extra proud to have her with them at school !!!

These clowns thinking they're so grown up but then begging for a ride in the cart at Costco.  How can I say no to these faces?!?!?

Hosting a low key bridal shower brunch for my girlfriend who's getting married next week.  Yep, that was fast!!

FINALLY, clearing off my desk in the kitchen and reclaiming the space all for myself.  It's seriously like winning the lottery.  I pray it stays organized and tidy.

Spending all of my down time with these three and loving it.  I don't know how I let myself get so off track for so long, but it won't ever happen again.  Ever. 

Regaining my time back with them by saying goodbye to a very painful phase in my professional history.  There's no turning back now!

Link up with Emmy Mom to recount all of your great reasons to smile this month.

Confidence

It's taken some time for me to embrace the morning rush at my house. Every single breathing creature is annoyed to be woken up before they're ready. Even the dogs give me dirty looks while I'm banging around in the bathroom. But I've slowly come to understand that everyone has a better day when I set the tone for them. Good days are the ones where I am showered, made up, fully dressed and lunches are packed before I beg them to wake up. On those mornings I have the time to sit at the counter with them to talk about their plans for the day and what we have going on. There's ALWAYS something going on.

This morning was a good morning. Fully dressed, laundry running and lunches packed. My sweet peas slowly made their way to the kitchen with almost smiles on their faces. They ate toast and bartered over who was feeding the dogs. As the conversation evolved they got into a debate over who's busier and who was most entitled to be tired. To my great delight they acknowledged that we're all equally busy because we still travel in a pack and even if only one of them was at practice or playing a game the other was present. That rationale totally works for me.

Somewhere towards the end of the chatter about the 5th grade social studies project, 2nd grade mass uniforms and cotillion this question comes directly to me.

"Mom, do you think less successful kids are this busy?"

I'm still not sure if it makes me sad that they are questioning how busy they are but I am over the moon that they identify themselves as successful. All good mornings start with confident kids <3 br="br">

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A good life

This week has been brutal.

I am in Las Vegas for a conference and I don't love Las Vegas. As a general rule, I get sick every time I spend more than two days in the desert. I am in the airport sucking on a cough drop and balancing tissue between my upper lip and my nostril. Pretty picture, no?

In the four days I've been here I have had 24 scheduled face to face meetings, as well as working until the wee hours on my regular workload back in the office. I have met some amazing people and had a lot of high-level, thought provoking conversations. That part is good. But, getting this involved in business always makes me a little melancholy because I feel like I'm choosing business over my family and I NEVER want that to be the case. I'm in perpetual scramble mode lately and I don't like it. This week gives me hope for better days ahead, but if I let things get the best of me (and I do) I just get sad. And then I remember . . .

My life is overflowing with beautiful and wonderful things. So much goodness. My happy thoughts for the week in no particular order.

The Princess has decided she prefers to be called "Bob" over her given name. That cracks me up, I read an email from her soccer coach this week and he referred to E as "Bob's Dad". Funny.




That quote reminds me of my Nanny. The love she gave me when she was here sees me through lots of sad days. It's comforting to still feel like I'm protected by her love.

Since I moved to California I've had a pile of bosses in the event industry. I saw three of them at this week's conference and they all hugged me tightly and asked authentically about my life. That feels really good. I've been blessed to work for some truly talented and extraordinary people.

Last weekend's concert date with E. He's so much fun to go out with.







A fun weekend ahead with E's family for a wedding. I love to get dressed up for any reason and I LOVE weddings.

Blueberry mojitos, Tory Burch wedges and Alex and Ani bracelets.

A fun project that I found on Pinterest (of course) and am super excited about the final product.

Being able to jump on a plane and be in my sweet children's bedrooms in less than two hours. I can't wait to see these faces. They carry me through every moment that is less than I want it to be.




A good life, indeed





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ten Things to Smile About: July

Blink.  It's gone.  July was was last month. 

{Insert gigantic sigh}

Ten Things to Smile About: July 2012

My handsome little Athlete finishing All Star baseball with a smile.

The Princess' eighth birthday celebration being worth the wait.

Many small children singing and dancing together is truly a gift in itself.

Being able to see my little loves with FaceTime while I am traveling.

Adding a little business to pleasure and spending the day in Tampa with my Ya Ya and her wild and crazy little girl.

The kids learning how to eat with chopsticks. 

A terrific visit with my Mom.

Seeing The Dark Knight with E.  Any movie that's more than 2 hour long and starts after 9 PM has to be good if I stayed awake for the whole thing.

My sweet cousin's bridal shower.  I can hardly wait for the wedding.  I know she will be the most beautiful bride ever and I love an excuse for a good party!!

Visiting the Reagan Presidential Library

A breathtaking neighborhood sunset

Thank you, Emmy for keeping me on track.  I never want to lose sight of all my beautiful reasons to smile.

The grass is always greener . . .

There is no noise in my house besides the sound of me swallowing Starbucks and my fingers on the keyboard.  That doesn't happen to me very often.  Maybe never.

I needed to work today and really couldn't bring myself to drive to the office.  My extraordinary husband volunteered to take our kids to a museum in San Diego so I could work at home.  God Bless that wonderful man.  What may seem like an insignificant gesture to anyone who doesn't know us or our situation right now it is the equivalent of him flying me to Paris for dinner on a private jet.  It is grand and leaves me speechless and completely humbled with gratitude.

There is a quote that I came across somewhere recently that reads something like

"the grass is greener where you water it"

That doesn't seem like much, but in a world where marriage is increasingly disposable it says everything.  Good things only grow when you make the time to tend to them.  When the opportunity presents itself, watering the grass could be a grand romantic gesture or a generous gift.  When the need is there, it is an afternoon with a laptop and coffee.

Our grass is green and glorious.  My husband is wonderful and I am grateful.  Thank you Lord for all of it.

Time to make the doughnuts

Remember that Dunkin Donuts commercial 20 or 30 years ago when the little man would leave in the dark and go to his shop and he'd get home in the dark and then go do it all over again?  I really liked that commercial.  At that point in my life I am sure the true meaning was lost on me.  A lot can change in 20 years and I TOTALLY get it now.

Earlier this week I was in my office until 3 AM and I am in the office by 6 AM a few days a week right now.   In between office hours I am desperately trying to keep up with laundry and bedtime prayers.  I fully understand and empathize with the bleary eyed little guy mumbling "time to make the doughnuts".

My schedule won't be like this forever and I have a really terrific new team that is talented, committed and kind.  Our business' most high profile, high pressure events are happening now and there's no time to dwell.  We leave for a seven day trip today and have one more just like it seven days from now.  That's an awful lot of doughnuts, but I know I'll make it through.

When I am home, I am the proud owner of the loveliest family around.  My husband deserves some sort of never heard of trophy for the amount of responsibility he's taken on for our gang.  He has more than compensated for my absence and hasn't complained once.  I am beyond grateful for his support and love for us.

And these kids.  These kids make all the doughnuts in the world worth it.  I am so blessed they're mine.

Now, it's time to make the doughnuts.

Ten Things to Smile About - February 2012

We'll pretend like this week is last week and I am not halfway through March while recounting my favorite things about February.  Just.Pretend.Please.

Ten Things to Smile About: February 2012

Traveling every single week with my new boss and really, really liking her.  I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be appreciated and treated well.

Staying out too late on a school night!

Celebrating our youngest niece's FIRST birthday.  Love that little bug so much.

Italy!!!!!

Ponte Vecchio - Florence

The Colosseum - Rome

Trevi Fountain - Rome

Positano - The Amalfi Coast

Coming home from a trip to find my car perfectly spotless and wearing a (much needed) brand new set of tires.

My baby boy turning ten and enjoying all the well-deserved hoopla!

Basketball season ending with a first place win for my boys.

So proud of them both for such great skill and sportsmanship.

E's family being there for us unconditionally whenever we need them. Whoever said "it takes a village" was talking about us.  We have the most wonderful village ever.

Attending Ash Wednesday mass with my favorite blessings

Entering the Lenten season with a heart full of humble gratitude for a wonderful God.

my cup runneth over . . .