Madison's First Suitcase

I bought Madison her first real suitcase yesterday. She thought it was very exciting. I told her she had to pick a good one because it would go all over the world with her and she would keep it for a very long time. This is what she picked and I hope with it she learns: 1. to always travel with a great friend 2. the most important things in life you can't touch and the few you can will fit in your suitcase 3. once she sees the world, she will be very content with where she is 4. traveling is about the journey, not the destination 5. if you are afraid to lose sight of the shore, you will never cross the ocean 6. the meaning of travel is not to escape life, but for your life not to escape you 7. once she's packed to put half the clothes back and take twice the money 8. to travel far enough to find herself 9. always pack a good book PS Shaun bought a new suitcase, so Charlie got dad's old suitcase which he thought was so cool because his didn't cost any money!

5 Things I Learned in Disney World

Disney World has long been highly acclaimed for their business forte. So, as the rest of my family was looking forward to a fun-filled vacation, I had my sights set to glean any useful information I could on their best business practices. While chasing around 2 kids and keeping 2 sets of grandparents happy, here is what I managed to gather: 1. Stay focused Even When It's Dark and Scary- Many times in business, especially when you are starting a business, you don't know if you are making the right decisions. You may feel your entire future rests upon what you decide to do or not do daily. Remember to stay calm, eventually you will come out of the tunnel. Whether the tunnel is at Big Thunder Mountain or just in your mind you will get through it. Even if you made the wrong decisions you will be wiser for them. Just don't make the same bad decision twice. 2. Have a Game Plan- Wow, if you have never been to Disney before, you will be unprepared. It doesn't matter how many pins on Pinterest you read or books on how to navigate Disney, until you get there and experience it, it's hard to figure the place out. You need Fast Passes, dining plans, water taxis, etc. But, heaven forbid you didn't read up on the place, you might as well throw in the proverbial towel and give up. At least by having a plan we managed to see most of everything instead of getting ran over by the Fast Pass seekers. Starting a business is much the same. Until you try it and wade your way through day in and day out you don't know what to expect. But, always have a plan so you can revisit it. Then just back up and punt when things don't go the way you thought they would, because trust me they won't. 3. Always Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide- Jiminy Cricket- I tend to be stressed out a lot. That is sort of an understatement. I pretty much feel the pressure of a small animal on my chest most of the time. I hear that when it starts feeling like an elephant I should be concerned. Great, something else to worry about. Nevertheless, last time I was at the doctor she asked if I had any trouble sleeping. I didn't even have to ponder the answer. Absolutely not, I am out like a light literally in 20 seconds or less from my head hitting the pillow. I can sleep through almost anything and as I was thinking about it I realized my conscience is very clear. It is well with my soul and my conscience. People may not always like what I have to say, but it is always the truth, or what I know to be the truth at the time. If I find out otherwise, then I admit fault and move on. Do the best you can, and when you know better, do better -Maya Angelou. Always align your decisions with your values. Honesty has long taken the wayside for some people. Don't let that happen to you. Make your decisions based on what lets you sleep at night and you won't have any problems. It is also important to be a good role model for your employees. When they know what is expected they perform with integrity. 4. Choose Wisely With Whom You Travel- I have always known this to be true. As a young child we lived over an hour from my mom's work and my school. We traveled from Gulfport, Mississippi to Metairie, Louisiana everyday for over a year. My mom was always an interesting travel partner. She is very different from me in that she reads gossip magazines, which I wouldn't be caught dead reading, she sings loudly, and was never afraid of what people thought. What was great was she always knew some great piece of interesting information which made the drive very entertaining. Traveling to Disney, over 25 years later with 2 sets of grandparents, 2 kids, and my hubby had the same type of ambience. We didn't know how the trip would turn out, but we knew it would be interesting. Overall, it was a success. No one argued, not even once, other than the kids, and everyone had a fun-filled time. Kind of amazing for such a diverse group of people. I look at my business the same way. I never hire anyone that's not interesting and I rarely hire people just like me. Your business, in order to function properly, needs a diverse group of people with differing interests, strong points, and weaknesses. When you learn what types of people fit in each job description and then manage to put the right person in the right place you will hold the key to success. 5. Always Remember, It All Started with a Mouse- This saying was one of my favorites. It was stated in Walt's words prior to the fireworks extravaganza and it is very true. Just as Disney has created an enormous company from a tiny mouse, you can create anything from whatever tiny success you start with. Just keep building and learning incrementally along the way. We started our business from our house and it has grown into something we are very proud of today. It is rare in this economy to be a successful startup, but we did it, and you can too.

My Kids Don't Reside in a Frame on My Desk

Some people may wonder why my office has no family photos in it. I am an avid picture taker. I take pictures of everything, from my kids to the baby birds who nest on my front porch. So why do I have no photos in my office? That's not where memories are made. Here's why. If I want to see my kids I leave work to do that. I don't look longingly at the photo of them on my desk, because there isn't one and rightly so. Parents, go home early one day and surprise your kids. Spend time with your children. You communicate your love for them through the time you invest in them. They are your legacy, no business can do that for you. When you are gone, your customers won't miss you past a week, life moves on, but you will live in your children's hearts forever. Make the memories good ones.

Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels

I have joined a fitness challenge group. So for the next 90 days I am supposed (going) to stay on a strict workout plan and continue eating healthy. I already grow most of my veggies and get fresh deliveries from the local farmer's market to my door. My husband jokes that one day he will come home and I will have a cow tied to the front porch. So, all I really must change is adding in the workouts. As I reflected though on what my goal was as opposed to some of the other people's goals in the group. Mine is so small, only 10 pounds. Many of the challengers want to lose over 100 pounds. I don't know how they will do it; I pray they will find the discipline. I don't think I would have the time or the willpower. So, I am grateful for my small battle to tackle and I am extremely grateful that my parents always raised me to feel pretty. I cannot imagine what it would be like to go through life never feeling good about your appearance. Life has so many other stressors and luckily my parents gave me the self-esteem to believe in myself. They always told me how beautiful I was, and even if I wasn't, I still thought I was. From the earliest age I can remember them telling me that all the time. I look back at photos now and know that I was the nerdy kid with glasses who never fit in. But, to my family I was beautiful and that was all I knew. So thanks Mom and Dad because your little girl knows she is beautiful and has great worth. I love you!

We Have One Bowl, Can You Share?

This time of year is very busy for me. I get up early, work late, and frankly just run out of time daily. I went to the grocery and forgot to buy dishwashing detergent. So, the dishes piled up, (not like that is any different from when we do have detergent),and no one washed them for several days. So, eventually we ran out of dishes. The kids needed breakfast and Shaun told them they had to share a bowl. Heaven forbid we use the old Dawn dish liquid. What did we do before automatic dishwashers?