Words for Women to Live By

1. Aspire to be Barbie - the b*tch has everything.
2. If the shoe fits - buy them in every color.
3. Take life with a pinch of salt...and a wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.
4. In need of a support group? - Cocktail hour with the girls!
5. Go on the 30 day diet. (I'm on it and so far I've lost 15 days).
6. When life gets you down just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.
7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.
8. I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.
9. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.
10. Don't get your knickers in a knot; it solves nothing and makes you walk funny.
11. When life gives you lemons, turn it into lemonade then mix it with vodka.
12. Remember whereever there is a good looking, sweet, wonderful man there is some woman tired of his bullshit!
13. Keep your chin up, only the first 40 years of parenthood are the hardest.
14. If it has tires or testicles it's gonna give you trouble.
15. By the time a woman realizes her mother was right, she has a daughter who thinks she's wrong.

JOYFUL JOURNAL

1. Lunch with girlfriends
2. Noodles + Co.
3. Snickerdoodles
4. Root beer
5. Comfort food

Moments for Myself - 12 January

"We are like water pitchers that fill up on love every day. As the day progresses, we pour out a cup here, another cup there. If we aren't taking the time to go back to the well of love nad refill the pitcher, then we have nothing to offer all the empty cups put before us. In order to keep them full, we have to take the time to keep ourselves full."

- Moments for Myself, Daily Inspiration Calendar

JOYFUL JOURNAL

1. Moments for Myself Calendar
2. Perfect Teamaker
3. Karate class
4. Pictures of my kids
5. Accountability groups

Happy New Year - 2010b

Since our new year started off on such a crazy/bad foot with "the blizzard" and then Thomas' appendix situation, it just wasn't a great start. Therefore, I'm starting off the new year again - 2010b as my old high school mate Julie coined it. Both boys are back in school today and life seems to be back on the normal track, so TODAY is officially the "Happy New Year" I was expecting 10 days ago! :)

JOYFUL JOURNAL

1. End of snow days
2. Good books with no defining purpose other than to entertain
3. FB updates that are more social commentary than personal statuses
4. Hulu.com (have I used that before - I really do like this site)
5. Regular TV episodes returning this month

2010: JOY

This year, I'm focusing on the word "JOY". The little things in life that bring a bit of joy each and every day to the bigger things that add up to a lifetime of joy.

To that end, I'm following my friend Amanda's lead and starting a daily listing of items that make my joyful. Hers is called the "attitude of gratitude" and mine will be simply the "Joyful Journal". 

Each day there'll either be a specific area where I list the 5 joy items or that might be all my posting consists of on some days (when it's busy). So, by the end of the year I'll have a good "Joyful Journal" to reflect back on in the future.

Enjoy! (and someone please hold me accountable if I go too long without adding anything!)

JOYFUL JOURNAL

1. Morning Coffee
2. My sons' laughter in the morning
3. Unexpected email messages
4. Hulu.com
5. Friends with more warped senses of humor than me

Best Example of Organized Chaos (aka Karate Tournament)

Imagine around 200 students from 20 different parts of KS & MO, in six different belt classes (24 classes if you count intermediate striped belts!) ranging in age from 4 to adults participating in eight different events over a five hour period.Karate Tournaments should definitely be listed as a perfect example of organized chaos in the dictionary.

Example of how the chaos was controlled.

This was the boys' fourth tournament and they each did three events. We keep telling the boys that one day they will lose and they'll have to get used to that but each tournament they do better than the last one! :)

After taking 1st & 2nd in Escape Drill.

This time, Travis won a 2nd place in Escape Drill, 3rd place in Sparring and a participation medal in Fastest Fist. There was some complications with the meter bag for Fastest Fist and he was really upset about this one (as were we) but we decided to set that aside and be really happy with the two trophies and the knowledge that if he were in a fight or needed to defend himself, he'd be fast!

Travis in sparring gear after winning his first round.

Thomas took home a participation trophy in Sparring, a 2nd place in Strongest Punch and a 1st place in Escape Drill - he edged out Travis by about a quarter of a second! (15:03 vs 14:47). This is the 3rd time he's done escape drill and won a trophy for it!

Thomas ready to hit the bag during Strongest Punch.

It was a really great day of fun and learning and a little drama. Can't wait for class on Tuesday where they get to show off their trophies to the other students and talk about how they won them. I am SO proud of them!

At home with their collection of trophies from THIS tourney!

I'll post some vids of their sparring as soon as I fix them up... :)