Tag Archives: Happiness

Thank You

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I believe in gratitude and the art of hand written thank you letters, acknowledging the connection between the giver and the recipient and closing the circle. I think taking the time to acknowledge one another is important. Someone takes the time to select and choose and prepare and deliver a gift with a thoughtful heart. The receiver should also take the time to acknowledge the work of the giver and thank them for thinking of them. This creates a bond between two people.

But what happens when one writes the thank you notes and yet never delivers them?

 
Yep. That’s what we do in our family. Notice I say we and don’t take the blame entirely. I’ve given commands and I’ve placed them in safe places and moved them from tables to desks to shelves to the car and back again and yet never quite get them to the right place. 

We write the perfectly imperfect thank you notes and just save them. 

Forever. 

Until it’s too embarrassing to deliver them (or we can’t find them) and I feel too badly to throw them away. What would Marie Kondo say to do? Do they bring me joy? No. They bring me guilt. But I do like seeing the names on the cards and recalling the sweet memories that prompted us to write in the first place.

Could I call this Gratitide Art? That’s being creative!

I just think I missed the mark and created the perfectly imperfect and useless thank you card, never acknowledging the gratitide we feel out loud. That’s embarrassing.  

Tomorrow I will say goodbye to these thank you notes and forgive myself and my family for not following through and expressing our joy in a timely manner. I’ll thank these little cards for their service and set them free with apologies to whom they belong for never reaching your hands. Thank you Miss Kondo.

My friends and family, you are loved and appreciated, even if you don’t ever receive your receipt! I hope you know.

Thank You and You’re Welcome!

The Teens Are Alright

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We had a Friday Night Light High School football game tonight at the Levi Stadium. 

I brought a car full of kids to the game and then they split up and sat with their friends. This made me slightly nervous and since the stadium was not nearly full and brought in a different crowd, I didn’t feel too nervous to let them go. I did feel strange being at the game by “myself” and yet soon found friends to join. 

The irony was that as we moved around and found our own friends, Christian and his friend were seated right in front of me!!  

I enjoyed joking with and talking with the boys and was really happy that Christian’s friend wanted to talk with me.

After the game, we all met up and walked back to the car again. I told all 6 kids that we should take a group selfie together and they didn’t oppose. Since I didn’t ask them if I could share their photo, I’ll have to keep the memory close with me. 

Looking at the snapshot made me smile because my kids and their friends are awesome tweens and teens. 

They were funny and grateful and kind to one another and nice to me too.

 I enjoyed having the opportunity to share an experience together and that they were okay with me being around. I know I am supposed to let go and I am and maybe that’s why they’re okay hanging around because I let them just Be. 

Hmmm…I wonder.

The teens are alright and I think I’m okay with them growing up, if it continues to feel like this. 

Wishing you love and patience and to be alright.

nAMaste

You May Be Right

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These are my favorite words from today.

How many times a day are we offered an opinion or thought that is different than what we believe or expect or wish to hear?

Sometimes these differing opinions create emotional conflict and sometimes we get caught up in the flow of the discussion trying to prove our opinion and to prove we are right.

But what if we just say, “you may be right.” There might be another sentence to follow, or there may be silence. You get to pick how engaged and how long you wish to continue the debate, I mean discussion.

I’ll give you an example. 

Your daughter says to you, “My math teacher is terrible.” You might want to explain why this isn’t true and share your opinion and keep the conversation going. Or you might just acknowledge her and say, “You may be right”  and move on to the dishes or reading or anything else, but arguing.

I can’t usually stop at just one sentence. I usually have to add my opinion, as a good teacher and knowing better of course, and add an And conjunction.  

My response would be more like, “You may be right AND you’re still responsible for your own grade.”

This is a very handy statement for busy people like us, to change the conversation, to exit a conflict gracefully and to bow out without going on and on.  

You should try it the next time you feel like reacting and don’t want to get into it.  Who knows? I may be right. 🙂

Good Night!! xo

Work Life Balance

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I’m excited to share with you my journey getting back into the workforce after being out of it for 15 years.  Thank you Susanne, for that idea. However, tonight I am exhausted from doing it all and loving every minute along the way, so instead I’d like to share just the balancing piece.

I am working part time and Wednesday’s are my day “off.” 

Here are some of the beautiful and fun sites that made me happy today that I’d like to share with you.

   
   
Are you smiling yet?

Today was the best day, just like yesterday, and I’m sure tomorrow will be too. 

nAMaste and Good night, BeLoveRs. xo

Something Other Than A Selfie

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If you were to take a picture of something that made you happy today, what would your picture look like?  Some people keep gratitude journals. Some people write words to express their gratitude in a myriad of ways. And some people take pictures.

I know Selfies are fun, but what if we snapped something other than ourselves? Nothing against Selfies and loving ourselves which is beautiful, but they say happiness is multiplied and true feelings of joy are experienced at a higher rate when we are able to notice and be thankful for what is.

I love Facebook and Instagram for this reason because people share stories and photos of what they love (most of the time).

I was at the car wash when this idea popped in my head, so I’ll share this picture because it made me happy. I loved that my car was finally being cleaned. I loved seeing the American flag. I loved the friendly workers. I loved that it was finally windy and cool and noticing that fall is coming finally. 

 

If I were to have snapped other pictures today that brought simple joys to my life, I would have taken a picture of Susanne at yoga when our personal spaces crossed and I tickled her and she laughed, but I don’t think a digital picture could ever replace the mental picture of being there.
I would have captured Charlie juggling his soccer ball and trying to increase the number of times he could juggle.

When Christian was driving, I would have a snuck a picture too.

And MLs apples that were cut up and sweet and soft and slightly browned, that she shared with me.

Oh, and I’d share my sister’s success on becoming a nurse and getting her first job and I’d screenshot her Facebook update with 217 Likes and 58 genuine, heartfelt love comments.

Today was the best day ever! And so will tomorrow. These were a few of my favorite things.

What pictures did you snap today, digitally or mentally? Go ahead – share and create and be creative!

Life is good. xo

Chief Cheerleading Officer

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Wouldn’t this be a great job title? I think every office, and family, and team, and community should have at least one, along with a cheerleading squad to support the team.  We all need someone to lift us up, to remind us of our goals, to share our team spirit, and to encourage, motivate and unify us.

I was graciously labeled this today at one of my meetings and I loved it. I love bringing people together and sharing a common vision and lifting each other up, whether it be at work, on the field, in the community and/or with my family.

I looked up the purpose of cheerleaders, and here is one definition:

“The purpose of cheerleaders is to convey school spirit while supporting the competitive sporting events of the school. Cheerleaders act as liaisons between the spectators and the playing team by incorporating cheers, dances, and other crowd involvement techniques.  They are also representatives of the school and community. The cheerleading squads are team-based activities that promote fitness, trust, self-esteem, enthusiasm, and fun!” – Big Foot High School web page from 2011

In the workforce, a cheerleader is the one that encourages the team and reminds everyone that their team is the best and helps everyone rally behind company goals, reminding everyone of the mission and keeping things fun. They encourage the team players to do their best and root for them, focusing on the good. The cheerleader is passionate and filled with enthusiasm and hopes that her passion and enthusiasm is contagious in the organization.

Who do you know that is a cheerleader?  I keep hearing the OMI Cheerleader song play over and over in my head –  Oh, I think I found myself a cheerleader…Thanks Kimmy!

Here’s my cheer for the night:  “YOU ARE ENOUGH!!”  xo

Waiting

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Whatever you’re waiting for, I hope it comes your way in time and makes you happy. 

Cheers to my friend in Holland who has been waiting for her daughter to be cancer free and she finally received this awesome news.

To my family and everyone else dealing with grief and waiting and wading in it, I’m hoping peace finds you.

Tonight I sat on my porch and patiently waited for my sister and niece to arrive. I have been excited all day just knowing that they were coming. I am happy they chose to come our way and are spending the weekend with us.

I remember 9-11. I choose to live in the moment and create peace, joy, love and connection everyday. Never forget.

Life is good, especially with family in it. xoxo

Pancakes and BBQ and Mashed Potatoes

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Food, glorious food. I love food. I love cooking and I love cooking for my family and friends and providing for them and caring for them by feeding them. This is so simple and so basic and makes me so very simply, happy. I love when they are happy with the food I prepare for them and feel such a connection.

This school year I decided to make breakfast for my family every day. I have a new menu for each day of the week and the kids are starting to look forward to what’s coming. Today was pancake day and there was a sense of anticipation that I loved.

I had fun being creative, making their pancakes with designs.

   I loved seeing them smile and enjoy this simple touch. I just put the pancake batter into a squeeze bottle and cut the top so the hole was a little bigger to help the batter pass through without major clumping. 

   I need to play and create more often. This was definitely a highlight of my day.

I also loved when Charlie came home from school and thanked me again for making him his favorite pancakes. I loved that he appreciated me and the effort I put into making our mornings meaningful.

I make Juliana a hot lunch every day, as she eats a gluten free diet. Sometimes it is challenging to think about what to make and fill her thermos. Today I put in leftover truffled fried potatoes with brisket and bbq sauce. She texted me during her lunch break to tell me how much she loved her lunch.  I know it’s silly, but these little moments of gratitude make my day. I love that she appreciates the thought and time I put into making her lunch and I loved making it. The circle is complete.

And finally, I made Christian dinner to go and he was thankful he didn’t have to eat the bag of trail mix and granola bar he had prepared to eat between his events. He was happily surprised with the hot meal I prepared before picking him up from his practice. 

 I loved seeing him enjoy the food I prepared and hearing him ask me to wait a minute before driving away so that he could savor a few bites before going again. It’s the little moments.

This is what our life looks like. We’re busy and running all around, yet we still enjoy good and healthy food and I get to still take care of my babies, even if we’re not all sitting around the table at the same time.

I love that food connects and binds us and that they enjoy this little touch.

Life is good.

What are some of your food favorites? What are some of your food routines?

Girls Water Polo

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My daughter is playing water polo for the first time this year and I love it for so many reasons.

I love that she is trying a new and very challenging sport, and she doesn’t have any experience and is willing to go out every day and give it her best.

I love that it’s difficult and that she has to work hard too and she’s not giving up.  I like for her to be challenged. I like that she wants to go to practice, even on the weekends.

I like that she’s the one of the youngest and newest players on the team and that she gets to learn from her peers and actually got to play today.  I like that she has mentors and that she enjoys hanging out with her teammates.

I like that her coach is not like her and that he presents challenges to her way of thinking and operating. He’s good for her.

There is so much to learn by participating in team sports and I am thankful that she didn’t give up and that she tried and made the team and that she’s enjoying the experience.

It was a gorgeous and hot day in the San Jose hills today and I loved watching her shine and struggle, even in the 99 degree sunshine.

Life is good. I am proud of you, Juliana!! Keep up the good, hard and fun work.

Table Topics

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The kids were playing table topics tonight as they gathered around the family room with friends after dinner.

One of the cards read, “If you could erase one thing from your life, what would it be?”

Some of the kids had lists of ideas. 

I thought about this after I heard of the topic and think that all of our experiences shape us and guide us and make us who we are. 

We need the good and the bad, the light and the dark, the happy and the sad. We learn from our mistakes and failures and gain empathy and compassion and knowledge. Some lessons come easier than others. I am thankful for the collection to date and am enjoying creating new ones every day.

Have a good, short week and embrace all that you are. You are enough. 

xoxox