Breathe

I made it! It was a busy two weeks, but I made it through happily. By the skin of my teeth, I do admit, but celebrating Christmas was enjoyable. Maybe I'll revisit the whirlwind later to share the fun details, but for now, I'm just enjoying the wind-down. I like having the space to breathe.

Now that I'm past the nights of midnight wrapping or working until 11pm to enable me to take vacation, I'm ready to create what's next for 2007. This year, I'm making a commitment of time for myself. I've got a long list of things I want to jump into, but I know I'll need to prioritize if I'm going to give any of it my all.

I did have to scramble a bit to get my 2007 Journal, The Sacred Journey. I typically buy it from Mothers during the holidays, but I didn't see it this year. When I went online, I found that the 2007 edition was sold out! Luckily, I found a copy on Amazon and next year, I'll look to buy it in the fall!!

Slammed

It must be the season. I'm slammed! Buried. But it's interesting that I'm not feeling overwhelmed. I've just been doing what I can and the rest can wait. Like blogging. I have every intention to get back into the swing of things. But for now, I've got no guilt for doing what I can to stay sane.

23 degrees

It's a crisp 23 degrees in Chigago and actually, that's not so bad. It's the first time I've been "on the ground" in Chigago since I was 5 years old. Note that my daughter is now 5 years old, so that's a bit strange.

I must admit, though, I'm not really in Chigago -- more like just outside O'Hare, which isn't really the same. But I did get a chance to eat at a mid-western sports bar tonight (thumbs down) and Nicks Seafood (thumbs up) last night. I've decided that next time I'm here I'll see if John can join me for a couple of extra days. It would be fun to explore together.

The hardest part about traveling is calling home. I miss my little sweeties!! And now that they both can really hold conversations on the phone, it makes me miss them even more. I do enjoy getting out and about, though I like these short trips best.

I've decided to turn in early. I know that perhaps I should be more social but alone time is nice too. It's easy to stay out late with the time change, but morning does roll around early. So last night was social hour and tonight is quiet. Besides, I've run out of my "per diem" allowance, and would have to buy my own drinks anyway. What's fun about that! : )

Time Keeps on Ticking...

So now I'm officially behind the ball on Christmas shopping. I had the best intentions and even got a few things early but here I am, halfway into the second weekend and I'm basically dry. Off to the online stores...

Goodbye, Greg

I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but I guess I became a huge Wiggles fan. Both of my kids have grown up singing and dancing to the four-man group's happy, upbeat songs.

I remember the first time I saw the Wiggles at a neighbor's house. I didn't know what to make of the group of grown men singing and bopping around. I guess you can say it grew on me.

I was so sad to hear today that lead singer Greg Page was turning over his yellow jersey, or skivvy as they call them, due to illness. It seems like it's the smart thing and the right thing, so I wish him all the best health and happiness. But for my kids, this will really be their first "end of an era."

BTW, did you realize the Wiggles were some of the highest paid performers in the world? Amazing but true.

All the best, Greg! We'll miss your magic but are sure to be keeping your song and dance around.

The Witching Hour

Dinner time. I don't know if it is the same for other moms, but by far it is the most challenging time of day for me.

As I open the door to my office at 5:30, I'm in immediate demand. "I want to HAVE you," is Jack's latest and Jenna follows. With a kid on each leg, I make it to the family room. They are typically energetic and want my attention, literally pulling me in their direction. It's at this point that I wish I had a commute to switch gears and at the same time, my mind is racing somewhere else... what am I going to do for dinner!

I'm sure I'm not alone in this. Luckilly, Zulma does a great job of feeding the kids a late afternoon snack so they're energetic and not grumpy. Yes, I do count my blessings and she is one of them. But what to do about dinner?

I need to be more organized. I realize that it all starts on the weekend when I really don't feel like going to the grocery store and planning 5 dinners, lunches, breakfasts and snacks for the week. I've tried the "DinnerTime" meals and though I liked it unfortunately my family is a bit too picky to take advantage of their menus.

So I have a new plan. I just signed up for "Saving Dinner" for weekly online menus complete with organized shopping lists. In addition to that, I think I'm going to try online grocery shopping again. That takes quite a bit of set-up and discipline for a spontaneous-oriented shopper like me (ooh, that looks good, maybe some of that...), but once I get it set up, I think it will be much easier. Click, click, click: done. If I can simplify it enough to make it routine to have everything I need to cook fabulous meals, I'll be set.

Sounds good, but the proof is in the pudding, so to speak. My first menus come tomorrow; this weekend will be the big test.... Until then...

Can we order out?

: )

Blank

For some reason, I can't think of anything to write. Must be the long weekend that I took full advantage of. No regrets for that!

My new side job

Yesterday was spa day. I totally unplugged and headed to Pacific Waters Spa. Just me for a quiet day alone.

Bliss! I was truly pleasantly surprised. I have been to a few spas, but this was the first one in a while to get all the basics right. It wasn't outrageous, just simple with attention to detail in all the right places.

My therapist Sabrina was absolutely fantistic. Down to earth but intuitive and skilled -- a very hard combination to find!! She quickly adapted our session to my requests and sent me into that dreamy, floaty place that good massages take you.

The best part of the day was lingering. Arriving early and lingering, staying late and lingering. No phones, no email, no requests of me, just quiet lingering in a warm, feel-good place. I'd highly recommend a day like this to anyone!

So I decided I need a new side job -- a spa reviewer!! Of course, I would only look for and write about the things that I liked about each place, since our thoughts are magnetic, I would want to put all my thought and writing into the best parts of the experience so that I can attract more just like it!

Seriously though, I did make a personal commitment to do this again sooner rather than later. No timelines but a personal commitment to explore more spas and take more downtime to linger in wonderful, warm, beautiful places.

Aaah... The memory still lingers.

Thank you for the food we eat...

There are so many things to be thankful for, and thanksgiving is a wonderful day to consciously appreciate them. A friend of mine put it well, "Thanksgiving is the only significant holiday where there is nothing more to do than be with family and friends, eat and watch football. What can be better than that?"

Well, I didn't do much football, but spending the day with family and enjoying a delicious meal was delightful. And since the kids are old enough to entertain themselves -- the first year in 6 that that has been true--it was actually relaxing too.

One of my fundamental operating principles is that the purpose of life is joy. And the best way to fulfill that purpose is to look for things to appreciate and be thankful for. So here is a short list (I'll limit to 10 here for the sake of space) that I'm thankful for tonight:

1. Family. I appreciate the love and wellbeing and support that comes from my husband, children, parents, brother, in-laws (two sisters and parents), grandmother and extended family.
2. John. He may be family, but I am especially appreciative of John and the friendship and love that we share. He is truly my best friend and I am thankful for being in a relationship with someone that supports me, loves me, creates with me and is also a strong leader who inspires me to new things every day.
3. Friends. I love having friends that I enjoy and trust am so grateful for the support and inspiration and fun that we create together. I am looking forward to having more unstructured time to spend chatting and playing and love knowing that the time will come again. For now, knowing that I have a group of people that I care so much about and can trust enough to be just me is wonderful.
4. Health. I am so appreciative of my vitality and I love feeling good. I love to move and stretch and breathe deeply. I am so appreciative that my family is healthy and happy.
5. Freedom. I love that I am free. Free to think and imagine and create anything at all. I love that I live in a wonderful place where personal freedom is protected and where individuals are encouraged to think for themselves.
6. Work. I love having inspiring work that calls me to create and a network of talented, intelligent people to create with in an environment that I enjoy.
7. Home. I love my home. I love that I have a comfortable roof over my head that feels warm and welcoming. I love being at home and the revitalization that it gives me.
8. Music. Particularly my own personal music on my iPod. I love that I have ready access to music I love and can expand the library whenever I choose, organize and select the music I want to hear and have it all at my fingertips.
9. Online shopping! As we head into the busy shopping season, I love that I can easily access the things that I want to purchase online and save the shopping trips for days that are more enjoyable.
10. Spas. This deserves a whole post of its own, but I am so appreciative that there are places where rejuvination is what it's all about. I love the inspiration, creativity, caring and imagination that makes spas a truly magical place to be. I love that I have easy access to some of the most wonderful spas in the world, right in my own backyard.

Now my mind is turning with more things that I'm so appreciative of. Icould go on and on, but will take the rest offline.

I noticed when I wrote about health that I had a twinge of sadness for my friends who are not experiencing optimal health right now. I send love and light to them with the intention that they have peace in their hearts and can relax and feel the best that they can feel, knowing that no matter what the circumstances, all is well.

I'll end with the poem that my daughter had to memorize for kindergarten:

Thank you for the world so sweet
Thank you for the food we eat
Thank you for the birds that sing
Thank you God for everything.

Down Time

Today was the beginning of a vacation week for me! Well, sort of. I couldn't help but check into email a few times, but for the most part I checked out. I made "stone soup" with the kindergartners, attended my daughter's ballet class and completed a few details that have been on my to do list for a while.

Tomorrow is a true "Donna Day." I'm going to the spa! Aaaaah. I'm going to block the day for personal fun and relaxation. Well, fun and a bit of organizing but mostly fun. : ) All in preparation of four great family days. I'm looking forward to the break.

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Time for appreciation everywhere. I like having a little down time before Thanksgiving so that I can really take the time to bask in the glow of all that is good. That is what tomorrow is about for me. Time to count my blessings and imagine what's new.

Anticipation...

Here is my horoscope for today:

A big change has been in the works for a while, and you're finally ready to embrace it wholeheartedly. It may require a temporary sacrifice, but when you see the goal, you'll know it's all worthwhile.

What could it be, what could it be? I feel like I've got a big surprise on the way!

The Secret

I must say, I am happy that movies like What the Bleep Do We Know and The Secret are getting so much play in mainstream media. Even though both productions are a bit evangelical (in the broadest sense, of course) for me, I love that this thinking has become mainstream. What is possible out of this rediscovered freedom is amazing.

I couldn't find the link to yesterday's "Positive Thinking" segment on Larry King Live, but the transcript is posted.

Now if more people would just pipe down and mind their own business rather than try to make a buck telling people what to do, things would really get rolling! MHO, of course. : )

If Life Was a Soundtrack

There's a music meme that I have seen floating around on a few people's blogs and I thought I'd have a little fun on a Friday and give it a shot myself.

Here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. New question-- Press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool

It is interesting to see what comes up at random. Is it true that nothing is random? Or maybe everything is random, I guess it just depends of your philosophy. Those that know me know where I stand on that one.

So now let's see what happens...

If your life were a soundtrack, what would the music be?

Opening credits:
“C is for Cookie” Kids Direct

Waking up:
“Star Me Kitten” REM

First day at school:
“Fall Down” Toad the Wet Sprocket

Falling in love:
“Untogether” Belly

Breaking up:
“I Caught Fire" The Used

Prom:
“Jesus Walking on the Water” Violent Femmes

Life's okay:
“Where It’s At” Beck

Mental breakdown:
“Smile Like You Mean It” The Killers

Driving:
“Wicked Ways” Garbage

Flashback:
“So Much to Say” Dave Matthews

Getting back together:
“First Date” Blink 182

Wedding:
“Beautiful Way” Beck

Birth of child:
“What’s the Frequency, Kenneth” REM

Final battle:
“New Beginning” Tracy Chapman

Death scene:
“Freedom Fighter” Creed

Funeral song:
“Mountain” Tonic

End credits:
“Come Talk to Me” Peter Gabriel

------------------

Let's just say it wouldn't make for the best workout mix...

That my opening would be a kids song is too funny. Thank goodness they didn't all show up that way! And at least it wasn't Lawrence Welk to set the tone -- I'm making a CD for my grandma's 90th birthday so all those oldies are in there. And it seems like a few songs would make sense just more switched with another category (falling in love/breaking up and final battle/death scene). Should I read into that? As for the rest, I'm going to have to make a playlist of these so I can listen to them in context!

Anyway, it was fun. Give it a try!

Might as well think big...

I was reading the introductions last night to The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent, and there was a quote that Jerry Hicks wrote about that has kept me squirming in my chair all day.

"I'm going to be thinking anyway, I might as well think big..."

How simple can it get? But simple is so deceiving!

Lately, I have forgotten about thinking big. Most of the time even my daydreams are spent imagining the next logical step or creating an upcoming experience. I've lost touch with what we used to call BHAGs at work: Big Hairy Audacious Goals that combine big thinking with focused action to create that rush of accomplishment.

As I thought about it last night and today, a few people came to mind that have some great BHAGs out in front of them to keep them inspired. My sister-in-law Shayna, aka WalkerChick, has not only numerous marathons this year, but she also has started a side business and is actively making it a success. A friend at work uses trialathons as his ongoing challenge to beat his personal best.

It's not that I don't have personal goals, those keep me going. What has happened is that I've consciously avoided the Big Hairy Audacious ones. I've made mommy hood and raising two amazing kids my focus, which is important, but there is something to be said for shorter-term ideas that make you reach for the sky.

I've still got some work to do on this one. What does thinking big look like for me right now? Is it all cerebral, simply choosing big ideas to ponder and imagine? Does it involve a BHAG and some focused action? I'm sure something will come of this pondering...eventually.

They are precious in his sight

Jesus loves the little children... Well, that was certainly true yesterday when our family went to cousin Tyler's church to see him sing.

The church was new to us, but we easily found Tyler and family sitting near the front and we joined them. There was enough room for the kids at the end of the row, so Jenna and Jack sat with Tyler and Auntie Shayna while I sat waaaaaay down at the end with mom and dad.

Of course, we had prepped appropriate church behavior the whole way there, so I knew that the kids knew just what to do. But a surprise was in store: The pastor asked Tyler to come up with him to greet the congregation at the opening and when he politely declined, he turned to Jack, who agreed. And of course Jenna didn't want to be left out...

So as the music started and everyone stood up, the pastor and my little cherubs walked up the steps to the front of the church as the pastor opened the celebration with a speech about children. He didn't realize that this was probably the first time since they had been baptized in infancy that they had been in a church, but that didn't matter. It was fun for everyone.

The best part was when it came time to sing. The pastor encouraged Jenna and Jack to join the preschool group up front to sing the songs. Again, he didn't realize that they didn't know any of the songs, but that didn't matter... Jenna is a quick learner and sang as well as most. Tyler obviously knew all the songs and did the right hand motions. And Jack is just two, for goodness sake, so who would expect him to sing anyway.

When it came time to sing the military song, Jack quietly walked off to join me in the congregation. It was so sweet and I had my little conscientious objector at my side for the rest of the service.

I must admit, the experience was a good one. The community and the message were positive. My little cherubs were just that and I know they left having a good church experience. That was the important thing!

Where is Bonn?

The other morning, Jack woke up convinced that his friend Bonn had come over to play and was somewhere in the house. He looked in every room, out the window, in closets -- he looked everywhere for Bonn.

I asked him if he had a dream about Bonn coming over and he said yes. But even that realization didn't slow him down. Bonn was somewhere and needed to be found.

I was finally able to divert his attention, but the experience got me thinking: When is it that we learn that dreams and "reality" are separate? What is it that makes them separate? Are they really separate? Heck, should I be looking for Bonn?

I'm one of the first people ready to question the "realness" of "reality" but the truth is, Bonn wasn't here (at least as far as I could tell).

I'm fascinated by what it is that makes that dream a dream and what would make a it a real, sharable experience. There's lots written about the topic, even complex scientific theories. Some say that we're all dreaming and that there is nothing "real" at all. How many people would it take believing Bonn was here to have had Bonn actually be here?

It's the kind of question that keeps me thinking and keeps me wondering. In the meantime, Jack has forgotten about Bonn and is on to the next idea. But I can tell already that he will be one that keeps me on my toes.

Big. Fat. Old.

I got an email from the mother of Jenna's best friend the other day. Apparently, Jenna had called her friend "fat," and the mom wanted my support in making sure we reinforced a positive body image for our girls. I agreed.

But that freaked me out! My sweet girl? I thought all day about how the heck would I approach that one!?! I decided I'd just casually ask her about it and see what happened.

When I saw Jenna later that day, I didn't have to bring it up. Jenna did. "She said that I called her fat but I didn't!" Jenna exclaimed, unprompted.

"Tell me about it," I said, "What happened?"

"She said she was older than me, but that's not true. I'm the oldest. And then (someone else) agreed and said that I'm the biggest because my birthday is in June and her birthday is in August..."

Aaaaah, I was beginning to understand as Jenna rambled on. This was the same "I'm bigger than you are" conversation that started a year ago. Jenna is slightly older than her friend, but her friend is taller, which always leads to these conversations about "Who is the biggest?" I bet that Jenna didn't realize she called her friend "fat" because it was in the context of being bigger, which to Jenna is a very good thing.

Big. Fat. Old. All desirable to a 5-year old. Just another lesson in how much there is to learn from these little people!

Home again home again...

Here was my horoscope yesterday:

If you feel unrecognized by the powers that be, not to worry -- all that's about to change, and how! It may mean, however, that you have to make a choice that flies in the face of what those authority types believe.

I guess I should have read that yesterday. It might have saved me some frustration after my meeting. I met with my "new team" in my "new position," which is largely the same position with the same peers (though a different manager in a different department). However the home office has gone through a complete re-org, and it felt like all the work that our team has done for the last three years was for nothing. Sigh.

Anyway, if the horoscope is true, I'm headed in the right direction and lucky for me, I'm not too shy about standing up for what I believe in. Once I was marked down on a review for being "too passionate" and I did learn from that to try different approaches but if you have to get marked down, being too passionate is just the thing I'd opt for again! You've gotta believe in what you do, or why do it???

And I must add that the work I did over the last three years was part of what caused the re-org, so why am I complaining?

Anyway, on the flight home, I did take take the time to stop for a latte. Thanks for the reminder, Anonymous. Life is good.

Let it Snow!

I got a nice taste of winter today in Madison, Wisconsin. Snow flurries! Of course, being a CA girl, I didn't want to bother with bringing a jacket -- let alone a coat -- and I did regret that for the few minutes I had to transition between car and buildings. But for the most part, I was able to just enjoy watching them from a conference room window.

I actually think that today was the first time I had seen snow flurries. I've seen heavier snowfall when snow is on the ground, but flurries that come and go were new to me. And as you can tell, they were the highlight of my business trip!

Happy Happy Halloween

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to post some photos of my adorable goblins. Well, they weren't quite goblins -- my cheerleader and Bob the Builder -- but we sure had fun trick-or-treating!

My big job yesterday was as kindergarten room mom. I was in charge of the Halloween party and must say it was a big hit!

I spent the rest of the day doing Starbucks "drive-bys" because I had no Internet access at home, thanks to Time Warner. I would pull up to the red zone at Starbucks (I didn't even get to enjoy a latte), log onto the Internet, download messages and log off to zoom back home. Pathetic! But at least I had an option. I guess life isn't so bad when the toughest part of the day is logging into the Internet at Starbucks.

Reunited

I have to admit, my 20th reunion was really fun! I guess I'm used to having a decently fun time hanging out with people I hardly know, so connecting with people I used to know was pretty cool.

The event was in the old Mater Dei gym, which was just as I remembered it. The campus, however, was unrecognizable. They even have their own pool now (I was a swimmer, so this mattered!!!). I didn't take a tour, but got plenty lost enough getting in and out of the place that I was able to see the basics.

The question of the evening was: "What have you been up to?" What kind of question is that to ask someone you haven't seen in 20 years? Totally unanswerable. But what else is there to say, really to get a conversation started.

A good person to ask that question to is Larry, one of my best friends' (Ann) husband. I think he knew more people at the end of the night than I did! Hanging out with Ann and Larry was definitely a highlight. I even got some dancing in with some dips!

It was also interesting to remember some of the stories that I would have totally forgotten. A woman named Amy came up to me and said: "Remember how we started a huge powder fight in the locker room freshman year? I got detention for that!" I did too, but would have never remembered that!

Bad hair was also fun to remember. Everyone had photos on their badges and thank god -- there are some people who I would have never recognized. Imagine, there are some women living in my community with new last names and kids the same ages as my kids. We could be in school or other activities together and I would never know that we hung out together in high school! That is a bit sad on my part, I guess. The price of being clueless -- but to my defense, if you totally change your look and your name, I don't have to remember you!!!

It was interesting to talk to people who thought being "out of sorts" in high school was unique to them. I think that was the night's biggest lesson: We were so high school and didn't know it!

Reunited and it feels so good ... and now it's DONE! : )

Plain Vanilla

My 20th reunion is this Saturday. It's being held in my old high-school gym -- how's that for ordinary!

But maybe ordinary isn't all bad. I'm sure not the one to make that call. I mean, how can you help but face your 20-year reunion with a "what have I accomplished since high school" question. At least a fleeting one.

Can I play the piano? No. Dance a waltz? No. Speak another language? No (except the Spanish that Dora the Explorer has taught me). Have I traveled the world? No. Made a million bucks? No. Run a marathon? No. What's my hobby? Uh, I don't know... Heck, I'm even sure to lose a game of trivial pursuit.

I guess I'm a bit more plain vanilla than that. But you know what? I like vanilla! And when I look at my wonderful family and how much I enjoy the day-to-day experiences of my life, who cares about whether it registers as extraordinary or just plain vanilla.

Here's some things I CAN do (and I sure hope this list is not exhaustive, that would be sad!):

• Make a jammin' PBJ sandwich
• Take a decent photo
• Shine my sink
• Bring home the bacon... : )
• Downward dog
• Give a pretty good massage
• Make the best of just about anything
• Ice skate (I'm learning, anyway!)
• Soothe an owie
• Stay calm in a (tantrum) storm
• Juggle, theoretically at least
• ... but wait, there's more! (I'm just done writing for now)

Yes, I do like plain vanilla. And every once in a while it's fun to add a drizzle of sauce, whipped cream and a cherry on top. But the best part is still the ice cream. Plain and simple.

I'll Never Get it All Done...

Today was quite a whirlwind. Luckily, I had a few lines from a Francine Jarry song in my head:

I'll never get it all done
Might as well take my time
I never can get it wrong
I know that will ease my mind
I go where I want to go
And do what I want to do
With joy.

...And now, it's time to set up my new Blackberry... : )

Planned Parenting

John is on his annual hunting trip in South Dakota, so it's me and the kids. We all miss him and the kids just love it when he calls. Jack still thinks Daddy is at the airport, since that's where he dropped him off. It's pretty cute when I tell people that John's in South Dakota and Jack says, "No, mama! Daddy is at the airport!"

I've had to change up some routines to juggle two solo, but it's been interesting to try new things and learn. The last few days, I've been avidly pre-planning critical parenting times and it's been working!

Sometimes I forget to visualize what I want out of ordinary day-to-day life. But with John gone, that upped the ante on having smooth mornings and evenings especially. I've been imagining everyone happy, choosing clothes that they love, eating their meals without complaint, being healthy and happy. At night as I put them in bed, I've been imaginging their angelic little faces as they sleep.

Everything has been so smoothly! We've been early to school and activities. Jack even wore a non-orange shirt today (he is very particular!) without any fuss at all. Meals have been a breeze. And both kids have gone to sleep in their own beds easily, right on time. I'm going to have to keep this up even when John's back!

What other "ordinary" things can I visualize over the next few days?

Grandma Update

I spoke with my grandma today and the news was positive! No follow-up treatment required!

Invisible Man

There was a news story today about how scientists have developed a cloak of invisibility, sort of Harry Potter style.

Unfortunately, I can't think of any reason that I'd want one, except maybe to cover my pile of unopened mail or unread catalogs. And of course if my kids were older, I'd probably want to throw one on and quietly follow them around, but I'm not there yet. I can think of quite a few reasons I wouldn't want someone else to have one, though.

I wonder if "evidence collected while cloaked" will be insubmissible in court the same way that illegal wiretapping once was. With the Internet, we're already pretty used to the idea of our day to day online interactions are not private but now, there's the possibility that nothing will be.

Of course, it won't be long and there will be special light waves that "uncloak" invisibility cloaks. And then we'll be off and running with a whole new industry...

It's amazing to think how things will change in my lifetime and in my children's lifetime. Sometimes I get caught up in the sheer massive idea of it all. That's when Dory from Nemo pops into my head, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming..."

Back to Basics

This evening I had one of those thrilling moments that every parent craves. I've been working on reading with my 5-year old daughter and she is just loving it. We're into more complex paragraph books now (ARI2 of the I See Sam follow ups) and as she was reading, the story was making her laugh so hard she could hardly continue. After we finished, she re-read the book silently and cracked herself up all over again.

Reading is fundamental. What a great experience it is as a mom to know that I've contributed so substantially to the life of my sweet girl, effortlessly teaching her to read and to love reading. I am so proud of our work together and that we didn't leave it up to the schools to teach something so important. It takes commitment and consistency, but has truly been nothing but enjoyable.

As I put her to bed tonight, I started thinking of the other things that I consider so critical that I provide for both my kids; commitments that I have taken on as a parent but have largely left unstructured and unsaid. I'm sure the list is incomplete here, but this will give me something to reference as I formalize it in writing as a way to reaffirm my commitment as well as share with John.

As a parent, I am committed to providing:

• Unconditional love
• Instilling a love of self and respect of others
• A nurturing of spiritual awareness
• A safe, nurturing and loving home
• A strong family structure that nurtures close relationships with family
• Access to a great education
• Exposure to a variety of activities that allow them to discover themselves, what they are capable of and what they love
• A solid foundation of practical life skills (such as reading)
• A practical foundation of spiritual skills (such as appreciation, the creative process, prayer, "trusting their gut")
• An unwavering belief in their wellbeing
• Consistent visualization of that wellbeing

I'm sure there's much more, but quiet time calls...

Thoughts of Grandma

Tonight my thoughts are with my grandma. She turns 90 in December. Recently she had a biopsy and she gets results on Thursday. Waiting must be the hardest part.

Grandma lives in South Dakota. My family and I all went to visit her this summer -- John, the kids, even my brother and his family. I wanted Jenna and Jack to know the farm and know grandma on the farm. Something about that place is very special to me, even though I haven't spent much time there.

When I met John, he reminded me of the farm -- the prairie, more specifically. It was a feeling I got with him that set him apart from everyone else in the world. That's particularly strange since I really only visited the farm or the Midwest a couple of times growing up and I don't think John spent much more time than that. But our connection ran deep and the rest is history.

Grandma is a part of that and tonight my thoughts are with her. She's an amazing lady -- looking through her old photos and hearing her stories about times long ago you learn about an adventurous girl who traveled throughout the United States. She flew on planes when flights were new, moved to Oregon with her boyfriend (my grandfather) in times when that was highly unusual, worked at Chrysler in the 30s, owned multiple businesses until she retired back in the home she was born in, on a small South Dakota farm, that my great grandfather homesteaded over a hundred years ago.

But you wouldn't know about those things unless you asked her.

On Thursday, the "guys" all go back to South Dakota for opening season. I'm glad they'll be there with her.

I hope the news is good.

Keeping the Dream Alive

Extraordinary!

As YouTube gets purchased by Google for $1.6 billion, I'm reminded of how extraordinary technology is. Wow!

Most of the time, I go about my life simply expecting technology to deliver on its promise to keep me connected. I expect my email to come, my phone to work, my wireless access to be seamless. I routinely use digital video and photos to record and share information. Heck, I just emailed Santa some Mapquest directions to my home for a party. Seriously!

But when I stop and think of how technology -- especially tools like YouTube, Google and Blogger--have given ordinary people access to information and a voice they never had before, I am truly blown away. Technology can harness what's extraordinary in all of us and with a click, broadcast that to the world. With another click, I can tap that information. I'm speechless.

I'm no gadget junkie by any means. What I love is the idea and the possibility that technology has to impact lives and change the world. I love seeing how it already has. No wonder financial dreams are strapped to its back.

I'd better slow down; don't want to let too much of my dotcom passion out! I've been keeping it expertly hidden for quite some time as skeptics continue to point to the "crash." But the truth is, from the time I asked the question at Macromedia in 1992: "What's the difference between this (CD-ROM games) and television?" to the exit of Toyota at iStarSystems that resulted in the entire company being liquidated in 2001, I loved being a part of that industry, which harnesses imagination and passion to create something new. It allows two goofy guys like Chad and Steve to make a difference and be recognized for it.

I have a feeling that it hasn't seen its heyday just yet...

Business 2.0 writes that the YouTube/Google deal should scare us because it was about the future of advertising. They write that advertisers know more about individuals now than ever before and that customized advertising is in our future. Is that all bad? If I came across advertising I liked, maybe I wouldn't zap it. And heck, maybe I’d learn about something new (and buy it). I’m the eternal optimist, of course.

But for now, congratulations to Chad and Steve and those like them that keep the dream alive.

The Prettiest Girl in the Whole School

"Today I'm going to be the prettiest girl in the whole school!" exclaimed my daughter on a recent morning as she prepared to go to kindergarten.

It seems innocent enough, the type of thing a little girl just coming out of the "princess stage" might say. But as she got ready, I could see that she was serious about being the prettiest and that got my mind turning...

I found myself faced with one of those split-moment parenting decisions at 6:30 am...How do I respond? Encourage her as a way to reinforce her confidence? Discourage her as a way to steer her away from vanity? She's barely five, for goodness sakes, does it matter?

It mattered to me, so I took the took the middle route: "Jenna, you are so very beautiful, but I don't know if you can actually be the prettiest girl in whole school."

That got her attention: "Why?" she asked.

"I just don't know if there is such a thing, Jenna," I said. "Beauty is a personal thing."

"But I want to be the prettiest girl in school!" she countered.

So I explained to her that people were a little bit like flowers, with so many beautiful kinds of flowers and colors. Which was the prettiest: a rose, a daisy, a lily, a sunflower? Which color was the best? She might have a favorite, but what would her brother choose? Would it be the same one that I would choose?

She seemed to understand.

As we pulled up to school, she said, "Mommy, I still want to be the prettiest girl in school."

"Then there's one thing you can do, Jenna," I said. "Have a smile on your face and love in your heart and you will be as beautiful as you can be."

And as she skipped away pulling her pink butterfly camouflage backpack, I thought she was the prettiest girl in the whole school.

Doing the Hustle

"Work Smarter, Not Harder," is a popular phrase and one that I've been thinking about lately. As my days fill up with endless numbers of tasks, I've found that one of the hardest things for me to do is keep my commitment to "working smarter."

It's not that I don't want to. Planning and visualizing is one of the most enjoyable things that I do and is what I have translated "working smarter" to mean for me.

But as any working mom knows, balancing family and full-time work means overtime hustle. I consistently streamline, delegate and automate as much as possible to create that 30 minutes of quiet time at the beginning and end of the day. Let me clarify -- 30 minutes of alert quiet time is what I'm after, not 30 minutes of more sleep (though that would be nice too!).

Ultimately, I want to use the time to create the space in my day in order to create alert quiet time more often in order to create the space in my day in order to create alert time more often...see what I'm getting at?

So in just my few minutes of rambling here, I've talked myself into it... it's time to create!

Extraordinary

Aaaaw, of course this defines extraordinary. I'm such a proud mommy...

Your Voice is Your Calling

I just came across a little line of inspiration that has kicked me into gear to begin writing again:

"Regardless of whether you are writing a book, starting a business, cobbling together a career, or simply living a life, it all makes far more sense when you’ve found your voice, and then travel down a path that serves as a place for you to sing."

Written by Tom Ehrenfeldblog (remember What Color is Your Parachute?) the post titled Your Voice is Your Calling was a great reminder of how important it is to be authentic, be who you really are and let the world know. That's definitely something I need some work on! And the only way to do that is to practice.

And what better place to practice than here. Hooray for blogger!

Getting Started

Welcome to Ordinary as Extraordinary! I'm excited about getting started blogging and hope that this discussion encourages me -- and everyone who reads it--to appreciate the small but extraordinary things about our everyday lives. Enjoy!