New Year - IMPROVED YOU

I was thinking over the holiday break about all of the commercials that say - New Year, New You and I realized that the message to us should instead be - New Year - IMPROVED YOU. None of us can become a "new" person. We are are who we are, right? If we believe that we are made in God's image - we should only want to improve ourselves instead of totally change. I guess I see so many people struggling to become someone they are not. Living a life of wanting to be like someone else can really tear a self esteem apart. That is why I LOVED the quote from the movie Narnia (from the character Luci) - "You should grow up to be just like YOU" -

So, what is so FAB about New Years - we get the opportunity to re-energize and make a plan to grow up to be just like ourselves (with a few improvements)!

Happy "Fabulous" 2011!

Homecoming

Last weekend was Murray State Homecoming weekend. In the past (pre kiddos), this was a type of reunion weekend where many of our college friends came back to Murray for the day. One year Scott and I hosted a party at our apartment and we had about 50 of our closest friends over after the game for fabulous food and fun. Modern day Homecoming weekend for our family means - going to the parade in jeans and a Murray State t-shirt. Heading home for lunch and then I head to tent city while Scott and kids hang at the house (usually one of the kids has a birthday party and/or sporting event to attend) - then we all meet up at the game.

It is funny how things change as we move through the different stages of life. The interesting thing is that I would LOVE to see those 50 friends again. They didn't become less important to me but other things in life take up our time so, less time is allowed for fabulous food and fun with college friends.

Anyway -so, what is so fabulous about Homecoming? I was walking through tent city and I saw two girls holding their babies talking (I am sure they were dear friends and were excited to share their thoughts on parenthood), I saw a group of guys getting a picture made in one of the fraternity tents (maybe in their 40s) and they had their arms wrapped around each other like old buddies would, I saw a several "old" football players gather at the side- line during the game talking and laughing. These events are so fab because relationships are reunited and friendships are evolved and isn't that what life is all about? I know it takes extra effort and life is moving at a fast pace but I never regret when I put myself in a situation to reunite with old friends (or make new friends for that matter).

Very few of our friends were here for Homecoming and I understand (kids, kids, kids) but I really look forward to the day when we can meet up once again and Scott and I can host another party for ANYONE who graduated in the 90s (ha)...

....but in the meantime - I enjoyed watching others appreciate and take advantage of this wonderful weekend we call Homecoming!

My Retirement Account Services: Business Ethics in the Marketplace

My Retirement Account Services: Business Ethics in the Marketplace: "I am compelled by certain situations in life to write on a topic that is widely understood, but not always practiced in our world. Having e..."

Fab - Old Kentucky Home

Weep no more my lady....oh weep no more today...we will sing one song for my old Kentucky home...my old Kentucky home far away! Love it! Fabulous song that is sung at the Kentucky Derby every year. Now, I am not a "born in Kentucky" girl (grew up in Southern Illinois) but I have lived in Kentucky since 1996 (not including my four years at Murray State prior from 1990 - 1994) but that song...gives ...me...chills. I also love watching the crowd sing it. Most people shown on TV singing it are reading the jumbo screen and don't have a connection with it until the Derby. Those people make me laugh....

We sing it every week in Rotary in Murray and I just love it. So.......what is FAB about it? I guess the words and music make me feel like where ever life takes you - Kentucky is a place to call "home" - a beautiful State with rolling hills and pretty horses - a calm State - a State filled with tradition and class. I don't know....it is just Fabulous! Your thoughts.....

Fabulous Mother's Day

Again...I am falling behind on my blogging efforts here but wanted to say a few words about what is so fabulous about mothers. Being a mother myself I could really get emotional and sappy - but I won't! I believe Caroline (my 5 year old) says it best in this song (this song was actually written by one of the Professors at Murray State, who is also a member of our church - Dr. Tom Lough). The kids will be singing it on Sunday at First Methodist. So precious and straight and to the point - Mother...Gift From God...sent from heaven above!

Good Friday

I know it has been almost a year since I have posted something on my blog...YIKES! I am going to try to be better about that but, like many, am pulled in so many directions! This Holy Week though, reminds me about about slowing down and reflecting on "Everything Fab" - Easter is by far the most important religious holiday to me personally and the word "good" doesn't begin to describe what this Friday (today) means to those of us who believe in the resurrection!

Easter is so much more than a nice day at church with pretty clothes and yummy food (pink/purple eggs and chocolate...yum, by the way) - Easter is about HOPE and a NEW BEGINNING and the fact that ... we are sinners and WILL BE forgiven and loved even though we don't deserve it - WOW!!! Good Friday - I would say FABULOUS FRIDAY (and every other synonym for FABULOUS....wonderful, magnificent, great, marvelous, remarkable, amazing, temendous).

Happy FABULOUS EASTER! Blessed be the name and praise be to GOD!

what is fabulous about Earth Week

The beautiful earth God graced us with needs all of us to take better care of it. A few things we have done to make it better -
1. NEVER litter - it makes me sick to my stomach when I see someone litter - no reason for it
2. Set up recycling stations in our garage - Martha Stewart wouldn't approve of my station but it doesn't have to be pretty - just big tubs that say - Paper, Plastic/Cardboard, and Cans
3. Buy the low energy light bulbs
4. Install the solar lights for outside (we put these in last year and they are totally charged by the sun)
5. Turn the lights off during the day and when rooms aren't in use
6. Turn the water off when brushing teeth
7. We keep the house around 70 in the summer and 67 in the winter.

We aren't perfect as we still own 2 SUVs but can't really drive a smart car with three kiddos and all their STUFF (not as guilty as Al Gore must feel with his own personal jet he takes everywhere)! However, we are trying to do our part in small ways. Unless you move to an Eco Village, you can't be PERFECT. I will continue to look for more ways to take care of the earth - join me!

Am I really connected.....

Ok - so I have been spending more time on facebook these days connecting with old friends, sharing photos, etc. I am actually overwhelmed with the amount of options we have to connect these days. I just counted about 12 applications we need to add to our website to make it easier for people to share information (Digg, Newsvine, Yahoo, Furl, Stumbleupon, Fark, Ma.gnolia, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, del.icio.us, Reddit, Technorati, and I am sure there are more). WOW.....
So...I am driving along in my giant suburban (which I LOVE for the space & kid friendly build and HATE for the amount of gas it takes to run) and I take a moment to look around and this is what I see...

Blackberry in my lap
Satellite radio
GPS system
Laptop on the seat next to me
DVD player in the back seat
2 PSPs ("portable play stations" in case there are those of you out there who don't have kids)
I Pod Nano in the front seat
I pod shuffle in my bag
10 year old cell phone - yes, we are crazy and bought our 10 year old a cell phone and oddly enough - I am feeling pretty good about (gotta love texting)
...and the Leapster that Caroline is pounding on (not sure she even knows what games are - she just likes to hear the music and pound on the buttons)

Ok...is this crazy. I think when I was 10, we had one walkman that my sisters and I shared. OR...is it smart? I mean, all of these gadgets are so cool and can provide such assistance during the day for both our personal and professional lives.

So, are we really connected? Your thoughts???

MSU Homecoming

What is so great about going to your alma mater's homecoming celebration??? - mainly, the chance to reconnect with the institution that you were a part of during a very important time in your life! I grew so much in college and had the ultimate college experience. It wasn't always perfect, but life never is - it wasn't always easy, but life never is - and it wasn't always fair, but life never is.
I love seeing people's expression when they return to Murray after having been gone for several years - the campus is BEAUTIFUL! The positive changes MSU has made to the overall look of the campus, are exciting. Alumni who come back and experience it all over again (many bring their own kids and tell them - "this is where I lived, ate, studied")- I just love that! So, if you haven't been back to your alma mater - Homecoming weekend is the PERFECT and most FAB time to return and reconnect with old friends, favorite professors (oh, and there is usually a fun football game to attend too).

4th grade football

Ok, so I am sitting at the football field yesterday watching 3rd and 4th graders tackle eachother to the ground - some rejoicing in their ability to pull their opponent to the ground, some frustrated that they didn't make their tackle or score the touchdown, and yet some picking the grass, daydreaming - (so funny when you see a kid out there like that who totally doesn't want to be there but mom or dad signed them up). What I think is fabulous though about little league football is the amount of kids who can succeed on the field. Other sports are so individually focused (baseball - you make an error and everyone knows, or basketball, where there are 5 kids on the court) but football - a slightly obese child, who has the ability to sack the quarterback, jumping up in triumph and celebrating his skill is totally FAB. I am not a huge fan of football - but I am a HUGE fan of pumping up kid's self esteem. Kids are so fragile - they pay attention to everything and this has become apparent to me when my 10 year old mentions things to me that I would have thought he didn't notice or care about (like what another parent said to him after the game or how a friend treated him at school). Building kid's self esteem is so important and football seems to be an avenue to several kids to experience the chest bump, the high five, the "way to go - you ROCK" feeling!

Fabulous coffee

No deep thought here but just reflecting on all of the years I missed out on they yummy taste of a cafe mocha or a delicious coffee with cream and splenda! Did this coffee era always exist or has it just been popular with the start-up of Starbucks and others..I have no idea. I remember my mom and dad always drinking coffee (plain black) but don't remember seeing coffee bars on every corner and in the lobbies of churches.

We went to a church while on vacation in Destin, FLA one time and they had a coffee bar in the lobby (like a real Starbucks - so funny). Anyway, although I missed several years of (college years until about 3 years ago) - I am making up for it now! I LOVE COFFEE! I like the taste (and obviously the caffeine).

Our fabulous country

I have tried to commit to being an informed voter so I am watching both conventions with an open mind (I wish everyone would do that). Anyway, I love the fact that we live in a country where no one dictates to us how we should vote. I love the fact that we are free to express our opinions and develop values based on our beliefs. Can you imagine how you would feel if someone dictated to you what you should believe? It would be ok for a while if they were "preaching" what you wanted to hear but the first time they (he/she/it) mandated something you didn't believe in or could get behind - wow....that would be awful! At least in this country we can educate ourselves and we are able to ask questions and seek more information!

I got in the middle of an e-mail stream from one of the those silly forwards (I don't know why people forward crap via e-mails without checking out the source anyway). Anyway, this forward had to do with Obama so I was copied on all of these back and forth e-mails between an extreme right and an extreme left (two peas in a pod if you ask me). Finally, after reading their opinions I simply said - "isn't it nice to live in a country where each of you can express your opinion and no one dictates to you how to vote - it's a beautiful thing..God Bless America (although I am convinced that God would have no part of politics but that is for another day and another blog).

Funny - neither person replied and they kept arguing back and forth - both being ugly to the other.

I am thankful that I don't have to agree or live by either one of their beliefs - God bless this fabulous country!

Fabulous higher ed

I have recently been given the opportunity to serve in an administrative/marketing roll for a university (murray state university). Classes started for students today and I am so amazed at how the face of our campus changes when the students come back. I attended the freshman convocation ceremony on Monday - all freshman have a "freshman reading experience" where the university selects a book and then we invite the author to come on campus and welcome the students and talk about why he/she wrote the book, lessons from the book, etc. The President also welcomes the students and challenges them to work hard, learn as much as they can and do everything they can to have a successful four years (some may be five, six years...ha). Anyway, I just was reflecting on the atmosphere of higher ed and how the students may not appreciate it until they are gone. The faculty and staff have the opportunity to really "change and mold lives" and the students have the opportunity to develop, learn, explore, search......the list goes on. How fabulous is that?

If you are in the mood and reading this blog - I would love to hear your best memories of college - what made a difference in your life during those years?

blogging

I would love to hear about what are the best qualities of a blog? We are looking at putting a parent blog and a student blog on our university website and I want to know what aspects we should definitely include. I am a new to blogging and realize you get out of it what you put into it - right? I think blogs are FAB and would love to learn more about them (what makes them FAB and what could make them fail). Anybody out there want to advise me.......

Have a FABulous day!

the kitchen is never closed

Do any of you get frustrated with the fact that you cook dinner and clean up (about 1 1/2 hours in the kitchen - the last place I want to be) and then as soon as you hang up the hand towel, you hear little feet and a voice...."mommy, I am hungry"

I read once where kids are healthier because they eat 6 small meals a day instead of 2 or 3 big meals and snacks but I am here to say that I want to close down the kitchen after dinner - can I get a "yep...yep" on that?

Most of the time, my kids eat all of their dinner too. Last night, for example - we got home and Caroline ate 2 bowls of cereal before dinner. Then, she ate dinner, then (about 1 hour later) she wanted bread with a cheese slice and some blueberries. AMAZING!

Well - the FAB thing about this is -

- Healthy kids
-the frozen food industry (what would we do without them)
- gainful employment so we can put food on the table

Have a FAB day!
-

First time at my own blog site

I am so excited to create my own blog site where I can interact with other "great minds" about motherhood, careers, politics, decorating, cooking (NOT), and chocolate!!

I am the mother of three and my two oldest just started school today! The first day of school is so exciting. Whether you are in elementary or college - it is a fresh start, a new day! I told my boys on the way to school that it is their chance to set a tone in their class as leaders and respectful students (not that they are capable of this 24/7 but I do believe they have the potential to be that type of student on a regular basis - especially when my husband and I set the expectations). They were so cute - my 6 year old said, "I am going to try really hard to say - yes sir, no sir, etc....."

We will see....

So, the first day of school is FAB! FAB because we get back in a routine as a household, FAB because despite some of the problems, public schools are great (kids interacting with diverse groups, learning to get along with others not JUST LIKE THEM - great life lessons), FAB because learning is exciting!