She's here...and so are we

Wow...how time flies! Just over eight weeks ago, following a last minute ultrasound, my doctor called to tell me, "we want you to have this baby tomorrow." And so on April 23--just 8 days before her due date--the perfectly healthy yet tiny Brielle Ann arrived. And can you blame me for not blogging when the alternative is to snuggle with this little peanut?

 



We are all in love with her...especially her big brother. More to come, but I at least wanted to let readers know we are all still around and doing great! Thanks for allowing both mommy and auntie a little break to enjoy babies as well as Minnesota's late arrival of spring these past couple of months.

Drawing the line

Earlier this week I spent an evening at the Paint Pub with some colleagues—a celebration for completing a big project together. If you’re not familiar with the paint pub fad, it’s where participants drink wine while we each create our own version of the same painting, led stroke-by-stroke by an instructor. I arrived hoping our chosen painting would be something abstract, or at least relatively simple, like a bench or a tree. Preferably nothing that needed to be recognizable. So imagine my nervous laughter when I looked at the instructor’s canvas to find a painting of the Minneapolis skyline (met with some elements of Van Gogh’s Starry Night).

Now I don’t want to say I’m not an artist. But I’m definitely not in the traditional sense of the word. I enjoy the artistic endeavors of music and writing. But ask me to draw or do anything “crafty” and I will refuse to show you even my stick figure drawings. I envy the scrapbookers and Pinterest people, but I’ve accepted that I will never be one of them.

My saving grace at this painting event was the fact I was surrounded by other Type A individuals who were also scared to death (and fighting over the seats where the fewest people could see what we were painting). As I settled in front of my blank white canvas, wondering when the numbers and lines to follow would show up, I embraced insecurity and decided to just laugh at myself and my lack of ability. This was good for me!

Every time my brush touched the canvas I tensed up. I asked the instructor to repeat each instruction multiple times before I made a move. And then the instructor made a comment that I’ve been reflecting on ever since. She said “When we have children in here, we tell them to draw a line and they just draw a line. But with adults, we tell them to draw a line and they ask 10 questions about the specifications of the line before putting brush to canvas.”

Wow. I actually had no problem believing that was completely true.

Why are we so hesitant to just draw the line? I learned a lot about lines that night. For example, l learned that I can’t paint a straight line to save my life. So I have some crooked and very abstract buildings—oh well. But more importantly, l learned that sometimes we have to stop thinking so hard and take a leap. Draw the line—make that next move—and just have faith that it’ll be ok. Childlike faith. How applicable this is to so many other parts of our lives.

I also learned that a little extra paint can cover up mistakes and it doesn’t have to (and won’t) be perfect. But when you put a bunch of lines (and circles, etc.) together, you end up with something that’s uniquely yours—something you can be proud of.

While I won’t be prominently displaying my creation anywhere (and secretly wanted to swap my painting out for one of my colleagues’), I’m satisfied with my effort, imperfections and all.

I spy with my camera eye...

Amidst the preparations in my household for baby number two in roughly six weeks (a girl this time, which I think I’ve failed to mention here before), a number of transitions have already begun on the home front. Among them has been moving my two-year-old in to a new bedroom. Not just any bedroom though—it’s his bigger, better, “big boy” room! We talked it up for weeks as our previous guest room transformation gradually occurred. And while I am reluctant to type it for fear of jinxing things, he has done well with it the first month and is quite proud of his new digs! (Hence the cheesy, squinty-eyed grin.)

At the same time, keeping an ear out for what will soon be two kids down the hall at night also led us to purchase a second baby monitor. This time, we decided to buy a video monitor (which we may return given the battery doesn’t last through the night, the camera sometimes doesn’t work and the built in thermometer is way off…but that’s just par for the course for this consumer). Yet while I think I like having this new capability, I’m still debating a bit.

My husband and I never considered a video monitor much until hearing from a few people who had them as well as seeing one at our nephew’s home. Plus, given that we would hear him awake and talking, singing, etc. (but still in bed, thankfully) for sometimes more than an hour after we said goodnight and turned out the light, we were mostly just curious to find out what was going on in there! The result has actually been some comical reality TV right in our own home. And more functionally, it has been nice when we hear him in the middle of the night to just flip the video on to see if he’s still laying down or if we need to go to him.

But I also admit to feeling a little sneaky watching him in there. So, what do you think…am I invading my toddler’s privacy? Is there such thing as “toddler privacy?” (If my son’s barging into the bathroom any time I don’t lock the door is any indication, he has no concept of the word…though I’ve explained it several times.) Certainly it’s not something that we plan to keep up with for years to come, but at least for now, I feel it might bring us a little extra ease and peace of mind as our family life gets a bit more complicated (and exhausting) in the months ahead.

Writing, red ink & the occasional mishap

Happy National Grammar Day! Given the nature of my job and background, I love that this day exists. While I still ask my colleagues about commas (which I tend to overuse) and capitalization on occasion, I’d like to think I have a decent grasp of the English language. A few people even appreciate that about me. That’s probably why I’m often asked to review/edit things written by my friends and family.

While I’m happy to oblige, I always have to think carefully about how much I’m going to throw myself into one of these editing favors. I sometimes wonder… How much feedback do they really want? Should I be brutally honest with them?

When a colleague comes to me with a communication draft I can go gangbusters—sometimes completely rewriting it. I can, because it’s my job. If there was an Extreme Makeover: Copywriting Edition, I think some of my transformations might qualify. I’d like to think I’ve become a pro at constructive criticism and tactful feedback on writing (unless the communication is accompanied by clip art). And just this morning I had to have a heart-to-heart with a colleague after an inexcusable punctuation error in a newspaper ad.

Personally, I’ve developed a pretty thick skin when it comes to editing (and specifically, being edited) because I know it’s just part of the business. I remember early in my first internship after college, my boss edited a press release I’d written. There was more red ink than black ink on the page and I was devastated. Here I was planning to build my whole career on writing and I thought I’d completely failed at this task.

But over time I learned that’s part of the process. We learn from mistakes. Plus, different people have different writing styles and sometimes we have to bend to those (while still standing up for solid strategy and other non-negotiables).

I often think back to that internship experience when I edit things for others. I don’t want my feedback to make them feel like they messed up. Chances are the intended recipient isn’t going to look at the writing with as critical an eye as I have been trained to do. So as with anything, considering the audience is important. This blog, for instance, is my opportunity to be more laid back. Most of you don’t care if I use commas correctly. And there’s no need for you to point out my grammatical errors because I don’t really care. And that’s a big deal coming from this perfectionist.

So thanks for humoring me (and Jen) by reading our random thoughts and giving us each a break from the eagle eye. And in turn, when I see you overuse exclamation points or use 10 words to say something that could’ve been said with five, I’ll probably just keep my mouth shut.

Overcoming perfect Pinterest world

As a social media savvy communications professional, I’m not sure I should admit that I tend to avoid Pinterest like it was a flu-like virus, but it’s true. However, my disdain mainly stems from a very real inferiority complex that curses my non-professional roles.

My “complex” grew to its worst when I had my first child. It was then that I began my love/hate relationship with social media and the internet in general. I loved that I could google every little oddity coming from this little human being I was expected to keep alive and find someone who would assure me it was normal and give advice about how to deal with it. However, I hated that everywhere I looked I was overwhelmed with reasons to doubt myself and feel like the world’s worst parent because I ____ (you know, fed my baby formula or sent him to daycare or fill in the blank).

If Pinterest was my only measure of success, I’m certain I would win a loser parent award. You see, I’m not crafty, and I barley stumble my way around my kitchen. I finally sought out Pinterest when I was in need of some fast, easy, healthy yet kid-friendly dinner ideas (which I’ve since learned is basically an impossible formula). But what others labeled as “easy” seemed impossible for me or took me twice as long to prepare. Welcome, again, to loserville.

I guess the key for me is to not allow Pinterest (or really anything outside of the B-I-B-L-E) to be an unrealistic standard against which I measure myself. The same, then, is true for the judging moms in online discussion forums. And the Facebook posts from people who make their own laundry detergent or seem to have no problems getting their kids to gobble up vegetables. ‘Cuz here’s the deal…I do my best and I love my family. And where I fall short, I now know there is a lot of grace from the people who matter most in my life. So take that, perfect Pinterest world!

Oh, and if you can remotely relate to my feelings above, I guarantee you these funny Pinterest fails will make you feel better!

Cheers to winter

Happy Winter friends! I guess I've been hibernating a bit over the past month—enjoying some time off here and there and letting some of my "nice to dos" (like blogging) lag. Now the days are finally getting longer and I soaked up some healthy vitamin D during a long weekend in sunny Colorado with the bf recently, which made me appreciate winter just a bit more. I even put on a pair of skis for the first time since that unfortunate snowboarding incident, and I'm happy to say I have no new broken bones to report.

While in Colorado, I had plenty of time to rest. It’s no secret that resting isn't always easy for me. I tend to choose "doing," getting things checked off my list and quickly moving to the next thing. As I sat at a coffee shop in Vail, reading the memoir Paris in Love, I came across this excerpt from the book (written by a woman whose family spent a one-year sabbatical in France):

"The French walk slowly. They amble down the street, meet friends and spend two minutes kissing, then plant themselves, chatting as if they were created for this moment. My husband and I walk like New Yorkers: fast, dodging obstacles, glancing at windows, going places. It's taken a few months... but I now keep thinking: Where am I going that's so urgent, when all these French people don't agree?"   

She's right! What am I doing that's so urgent? Such a delightful and freeing observation. I was happy to embrace the French ways for the rest of my trip. I stopped looking at email on my phone, stopped looking at my watch and enjoyed the moments, the mountains and the friends.

Not even our flight home—which was complete with a 3-month-old who started screaming (and I mean, SCREAMING) before the plane even left the gate—could disturb my rejuvenated self after my weekend away. While my heart went out to that baby, his parents and all the nearby passengers (they were at least 15 rows behind), even more annoying was the drunk guy two rows behind us who decided to imitate the screaming baby.  But no, I (mostly) didn’t let him get to me either.

Then I went back to work and, well, there's still room for improvement on the whole resting and de-stressing thing for me, but I’m rejoicing in the small, joy-filled victories.

Presents, staycations, and new beginnings

Happy New Year! I had a fantastic holiday break from work, during which I fully intended to write a blog update or two, but in the end I decided to take a break from this little outlet as well. I had a “staycation” of sorts filled with lots of great family time, getting caught up on movie rentals, and watching season one of Downton Abbey (thanks to some of your recommendations). So basically, doing all the stuff I don’t have time for when in the midst of my normal routine.

We’ve also enjoyed a couple months of celebrating with my now two-year-old. First his birthday in November and then Christmas. What? You want to see pictures of my little man? Ok, I guess…

He’s now at an age where he understands what presents are, which is quite amusing. With birthday and Christmas occurring close together, he was on a roll for a while and somehow began to think that is was normal for visitors to bring him presents. The other day a speaker on a video playing on my computer mentioned “God’s presence” and Connor excitedly responded with, “he’s talking ‘bout presents!” All that to say, while he’s getting the hang of being appreciative for his many gifts, I do think it’s time he has a little break from presents.

So perhaps at just the right time, it’s back to the routine for all of us, and that’s really not so bad. And while I’m not one for NewYear’s resolutions, I do feel a bit of anticipation and newness in the air (unless I’m just misreading the single digit temperatures). It’s a new year; I have a new boss at my job; I have a new baby due in four months—and who knows what other new things this year might bring. What’s new for your 2013? Whatever it is, I hope it’s a year of great blessings for each of you who are kind enough to read this little blog.

My Christmas list (of music)

If you don't already know: I'm a music junkie. And there's no other season or holiday that offers a broader repertoire of music all its own than Christmas. I'm not one to break out the Christmas tunes before Thanksgiving (except the ones I rehearse with my church choir starting in September), but I make sure to get my fill of this music every year at this time.

Already my December has been full of music…from my own choir concert and a men's choral group concert I attended to my garbage man's Christmas carols and my frequent car-ride Christmas sing-a-longs with Michael Buble, Josh Groban and others during my commute. This weekend I'm even going with the family to see Elf the Musical, which I'm anticipating will bring additional Christmas cheer—even without Will Ferrell.

Given how much love my Christmas playlists are getting on iTunes at the moment, I thought about doing a list of my favorite Christmas songs. But I quickly realized I could never pick and rank my favorites—there are just too many. So instead, I bring you a different and more random list of favorites to consider… 

• Best song about baby Jesus: Here With Us, Joy Williams
• Most nostalgic song: Christmastime is Here, A Charlie Brown Christmas 
• Most captivating rendition of a classic: Silent Night, Priscilla Ahn 
• Best a cappella boy band number: 12 Days of Christmas, Straight No Chaser 
• Best song(s) to dance to while decorating the Christmas tree (not that I do that…): Snow Globe, Matt Wertz or Christmas Time, Go Fish
• Best Christmas song anywhere, ever (sung by almost anyone): O Holy Night

I’ve got tons of other categories coming to mind right now (and songs to fill them all), but I'll just leave you with these for now. What would you add to the list?

Fa la la folks! And Merry Christmas!

Crazy but thankful

My type A self appreciates (maybe even depends on) going into a work week with laundry completed, a full fridge and a clean home. Today, I experienced the total opposite, despite an extra long weekend. Among other things, my crazy weekend was spent…

• Hosting out of town in-laws for several days and enjoying a relaxing Thanksgiving Day – fun!
• Attending my grandpa’s funeral – not so fun, but thankful to remember his 91 years of life alongside my extended family
• Throwing a two year old birthday party – fun!
• Spending several hours in the ER with said two year old – not so fun, but thankful that despite a newly discovered peanut allergy, I have an extremely healthy and happy little boy. 

So among other things, you can see that general “life organization” just wasn’t a top priority this weekend. I know that’s ok, but I also feel like my Monday morning was trying to tell me WHY I like to be so organized at the beginning of each week. Here’s what my morning looked like:

• Realizing at the last minute that I had to be to the office by 7 a.m. today for an in-office wellness screening. But I’m thankful for good health and that I managed to get all passing (e.g. incentive earning) results despite being 17 weeks pregnant.
• Realizing right after passing the only gas station near my house that my tank was very empty. But I’m thankful that I have a fuel efficient car and convenient access to a gas station down the street from my office.
• Realizing during my commute that I had another meeting at 7 a.m. and was double booked. This is what happens when I ignore my email on a holiday weekend only celebrated in the U.S. But I’m thankful for understanding co-workers in Paris, Singapore and the UK.
• Frantically & unsuccessfully trying to turn off and then restart my car in the parking lot only to realize I forgot to put it in park. But I’m thankful that God watches over me and is keenly aware of my occasional (yet becoming more frequent) absent-mindedness.
• In searching for my security badge (it was 7:02 by this time), I accidentally dumped out my change across the lobby floor. But I’m thankful for the gentleman who chased my change all over the floor and helped me pick it up.
• The screening people had no record of my appointment. But I’m thankful they let me in anyway. I don’t want to think about how I might have reacted if they turned me away!

So while it was nothing disastrous (and I’m thankful for that), I can’t help but think that things would have gone a bit more smoothly had I felt more prepared for this day and week. Fortunately, my day has since improved and my helpful hubby is even going to stop at the store to supply us with ingredients for a couple of dinners this week. Which reminds me that I’m thankful for incredibly helpful and supportive family and friends. Thanks to them—and so many other blessings—maybe I will make it to next weekend after all!

Is there anything you’re particularly thankful for this post-Thanksgiving week?

TV’s "good ‘ol days"

Now that that my television is finally free of political ads, I’m ready to return to my favorite shows. But I’ve noticed this year that my list of favorites it dwindling. I’ve given up on some shows and simply not allowed myself to get sucked into others. I still can’t help thinking that for all the great new advancements in TV technology, the content we now watch in all its high-definition glory just isn’t as good as it used to be. Though I do appreciate your suggestions for when I do want to chill in front of the tube. 

The shows of my youth are still tops for me. I confess I was a little bit too excited when I heard that Disney might be making a sequel sitcom to Boy Meets World. Though it doesn't top other favorites of mine like The Cosby Show and Full House, I have fond memories of watching Cory, Topanga and Mr. Feeny.

Nostalgia is a powerful thing. I thought the same thing when Old Navy started running TV commercials around back-to-school time this year featuring the old cast of Beverly Hills 90210. That’s brilliant marketing given the fact that many of those Kelly, Brandon and Dylan fans are the very same people now clothes shopping for their elementary-aged kids.

Of course we all know a sequel is rarely as good as the original. But that’s ok. Thanks to Netflix and Nick at Nite, we can keep watching the originals, too. I even indulged in my boyfriend’s recent kick of watching several seasons of The Brady Bunch and Happy Days on Netflix.

So I guess there’s still no shortage of things to watch. But if the networks decide to bring back another Who’s the Boss or Growing Pains, I’d probably check those out too!

Cars and kids

Hello, friends! Pardon my recent absence. When I haven’t been sick I’ve been working and when I haven’t been working I’ve been mothering (often single mothering while the hubs is traveling). It hasn’t left a lot of time for blogging.

I also bought a new car. To understand the significance of that purchase, you must refer back to my drama filled post from a couple of years ago in which I explained my emotional attachment to cars and that I bought a car only to make my husband return it an hour later. I later revealed that hormones may have been partly to blame since I was pregnant at the time. Well, this time I’ve kept the new car past the allowable return period, so like it or not, I’m stuck. But I’m ok with that. It was a well-timed, practical purchase, and no tears were shed in giving up the vehicle I’ve happily driven for over six years (ok, it was a little bittersweet if I’m being honest).

Ultimately, I just don’t think the timing was right a couple years ago, and I was pressured into a decision that I knew deep down was not wise. Of course, it will forever be a funny “remember when…” story  (at my expense), and I’ve made peace with it.

Had I not come to terms with it, I would have needed to think twice about the timing of this recent purchase…since I’m pregnant this time too! Yup, baby number two  is on board and due to arrive on May 1. The hubs and I are very excited. So while there’s lots to do before the new little one arrives in six months, at least worrying about how to fit a double stroller in my trunk has already been addressed! (And no, we did not buy a minivan!)

Almost famous?

While visiting my pharmacy's website (a pharmacy chain that happens to be owned by my employer), I did a double take at the small advertising banner in the middle of the screen—the same image you see accompanying this post. Instantly, I recognized that hand!

And before you start thinking it was some crazy hand twin discovery like the one that Joey had on Friends, it wasn't. No, it really WAS my hand! I remember holding up my colleague's cell phone when she needed a quick photo for an announcement she was writing about this new mobile app.

So now I'm kind of a hand model, right? But just like those artists who no longer want to perform the hit songs that made them famous (ahem, Boys II Men and Vanilla Ice) please remember that I'm more than this semi-famous left hand.

Besides a couple of local TV news appearances and my brief recording artist career for a children’s Christmas musical recording, this might be the closest I ever get to fame. And I’m ok with that. In fact, I usually prefer being a behind-the-scenes gal. I've been a ghost writer, photo shoot coordinator, video producer, media escort and more—all trying to make other people look good. (I'd like to call it humility, but it's probably more shyness and self consciousness.) And yet the satisfaction I've gotten from having my hand in these moments of "fame" for others is pretty great.

So while I won't be accepting an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, etc., anytime soon, I'd still like to thank the many friends and loved ones who encouraged me to become the behind-the-scenes gal I am today. For now, the hand is in retirement, but a comeback is always possible…

Warning: A post about boogers

I’m sick today. It’s just a cold, so I’m muddling through my normal routines, but it still sucks. And speaking of sucks…should I accidentally pass this little bug onto my toddler, at least I’m armed with the world’s best nasal aspirator to keep his sinuses as clear as can be…the Nosefrida Snotsucker. Essentially, it’s a tube where you put one end in your child’s nose and the other end in your mouth and—you guessed it—you suck the yuck out (don't worry, there is a filter to keep it out of the user's mouth). Sure it sounds gross, but it works 100 times better than those useless bulb things.

What really sold me on this was the funniest Amazon.com product review I’ve ever read. Or, maybe it was only funny to me because it came at a time where I was the completely delirious and sleep deprived mother of a newborn. I’ll let you be the judge, because I’m sharing it here. Enjoy!

Read the full product review

And if you’re not one to click on the link, here are a few of my favorite highlights:

“my wife has tiny nostrils. i can't fit any of my fingers in her nose...it's amazing she can breathe through her nose at all. consequently, our son is also lacking in the nostril-diameter department”

“we even tried a fancy battery powered nose vacuum that made a whirring sound but produced nary a single lump of green gold.”

“if i was a professional booger sucker...and it was my job to suck the snot out of noses 8 hours a day, i would insist on using this thing. but i would want a longer tube, and a holster.”

Call me, maybe

I promise this isn’t about the most beloved pop song of 2012. I just couldn’t resist that headline.

No, today I’m sharing with the world that, after several good years with my Blackberry and Android phones, I ordered the iPhone 5 yesterday. I no longer want to be upstaged by my two-year-old nephew who also can navigate the iPhone.

While I’m looking forward to getting the phone, I did wonder yesterday if it’s possible to have an interaction with a cell phone service provider without getting severely annoyed. While I got a “new every two [years]” upgrade discount of $50, I was also informed of a new $30 upgrade fee. When I explained to the friendly customer service rep that it would be easier to just say I only get a $20 discount, he seemed confused. This marks at least the second time my math skills have been put to good use in a customer service setting.

I’m also now paying a dollar more per month for my “new” 2GB data plan than I was paying for my unlimited data plan before. So you’ll forgive me if I’m not feeling the love right now for a company that may or may not rhyme with horizon.

All bitterness aside, we’ve come a long way when it comes to communication and I do enjoy being a smartphone user. Usually. (I did, however, text my boyfriend from across the table at dinner the other night while he was engrossed in some app on his phone.) Communication has certainly changed!

So iPhone users, what apps do you find most useful? What can’t you live without? Which ones should I avoid ever using because of their addictive nature and time-sucking qualities?

Show me love...toddler style

With a now nearly two year old, I’m regularly getting to see things through a child’s eyes, and everything old is new again. Suddenly, the same old State Fair is cool because they have big tractors. The zoo is brand new because my little Connor saw a live bear for the first time. And these days, I rarely fail to notice when a school bus or semi truck drives by thanks to an excited toddler in the back seat. Because every day is new and exciting for him, I get to see the world and life in a new way and learn from it. And I think I need that.

One of my favorite recent experiences has been watching my son learn to love. Clearly, this kid gets lots of hugs and kisses, and he’s now practicing what he sees…perhaps to an extreme. At his daycare he started what my husband calls  the “big hug revolution.” When it’s time to go home, Connor announces that he has to give “big hugs” to each child and his teacher. At first, a few of the kids didn’t care for it—some even pushed him away. I tried to tell my son it was OK to just wave, but he wouldn’t have it. He would rather topple an unstable baby over than deny that child a big hug. And now, it’s routine for everyone at the end of the day to hug each other good bye. I’m amazed at what he started. Even the other parents get a kick out of it and remind Connor to give their child a hug before taking their kid home.

And while I’m not encouraging materialism (I hope), he seems to equally show love to his toys. It started with hugging stuffed animals, but has progressed from there. A couple days ago before bedtime I was trying to get him to pick up his toys. I was rushing him to close a closet door when I realized that he had stopped to give kisses to two of his favorite toys.

As I personally work on trying to take time daily for gratitude and thanksgiving, it’s my 22 month old who shows me how it’s done—always willing to take the time to appreciate the people and things around him. I can only imagine what he’ll teach me next!

Minnesota's got talent

I concluded my Labor Day weekend Sunday night with a visit to the Minnesota State Fair. While I enjoyed my annual menu of cheese curds, Pronto Pup, ice cream and Sweet Martha's cookies, I also enjoyed a new fair tradition of sorts. For the second year in a row, I attended the finals of the amateur talent competition.

For some reason, this talent show—particularly the pre-teen and teen categories—is nostalgic for me. When I was the age of these competitors, I may not have had quite the singing, dancing, piano playing or yo-yo tossing skills they have, but I had a huge desire to be a performer. And perform I did! It might have started in second grade when Jen and I, along with another friend, did a dance “recital” to Sandi Patty songs. (God bless our parents and our Sunday School teacher for suffering through that performance in my parents’ basement!)

What followed was several more years of grade-school talent show performances including dances to songs by Tiffany, New Kids on the Block and Madonna. And I put my vocal skills on display through numerous performances in church musicals, summer camp talent shows and school choir. Some of these performances were darn good! All of my rehearsing with friends in front of the bathroom mirror with hairbrush microphones really paid off! And I did join some girlfriends in a quartet for a lesser-known State Fair talent competition sponsored by the old Crossroads Chapel in high school where we took second place.

As I drove home from the fair late Sunday night, I found myself singing (loudly) in my car that very song that we performed at the State Fair 16 years ago. And I was so pumped that I actually remembered my part! I belted out harmonies to Point of Grace’s The Great Divide and let my mind wander to many of these other performances from over the years.

Dare I ask what talent you would perform if participating in a talent show today? What's your claim to fame? Your stupid human trick? Or, what do you wish you could do?

Enjoying others' good talent and good food was a great way to enjoy part of my holiday weekend. I hope you’re also enjoying these waning days of summer!

The working mom tote bag - Part 2

After introducing you to my latest, and perhaps favorite accessory where style meets function, I’m back with more detail. Only I could turn a tote bag into a two part series. Today I’m going to share what’s in my bag…because I think that also says a lot about a person. I know I’m not the only one who feels this way because Delta Sky magazine (my favorite airline’s in-flight publication) has a monthly feature I love that shows what a celebrity has in his or her carry-on bag when traveling. Ok, so it might lose some luster given that I’m not a celebrity, but it’s my blog, so I’m sharing it anyway. “What’s in my bag?” Here’s a peek:

• Must have item: iPhone
• Biggest waste of space: A stack of outdated business cards. I can’t remember the last time I handed out a business card, but my Girl Scout roots have me living by the “Be Prepared” motto.
• Most random items: Some old Post-it notes and a dirty spoon in a Ziploc bag. This apparently accompanied a snack (yogurt as indentified by the dried remains on the spoon) from a recent work day. While I try to keep things organized, there are occasional items that get lost for weeks in my bag. Don’t judge me...change doesn’t happen overnight.
• Snacks/Treats: Yes! (Sorry if that wasn’t a yes or no question…I just get excited about this category.) I usually slip a few dark chocolate Dove Promises in my bag for those moments during the day when I need a chocolate fix. Other munchies are also standard. You might think the goldfish crackers, raisins, etc. are there in case my son needs them for our ride home from daycare, but no, they are most definitely for me.
• Bag of choice: A convertible tote from Urban Junket (a Minnesota-based small business)
• What I love about it: Besides being stylish and big, it’s also both functional and responsible. It has different straps so you can wear it different ways…even as a backpack. Plus, it’s eco-chic, as the lining is made from recycled plastic bottles (next I might need to start composting my own garbage…or not)
• Other essentials: wallet, keys, Chapstick/lip gloss, laptop, work ID badge

So that’s what’s in my bag! Well, my work bag anyway. I won’t bore you with the diaper bag, the lunch bag, etc. But I am curious, what’s the most interesting or surprising item in your bag?

The working mom tote bag - Part 1

Today’s post is about a purse—my new tote bag to be exact. And bizarre as it may seem, I’m even making it a two part series this week. Hopefully even my male readers will find this an intriguing look into the life and mind of the opposite sex. Why? Because a bag can say a lot about a woman. Even my 21 month old will tell you that ladies (especially mommies) need their bag. He looks for it whenever I leave the house. And on the rare occasion when I just have my keys with me, he reminds me that I need “mommy bag.”

So here is what I think my old and new bags say about me, but you can judge for yourself:

Old tote: I’m cheap (this is still mostly true) and don’t want to replace my 8-year old Target purchase even though I can’t fit anything inside and it’s falling apart. Instead, I’ll just carry several mismatched purses/bags in a disheveled manner. To my fellow elevator riders, please disregard the silly song playing on the pocket Fischer Price toy in my purse that I accidentally hit while schlepping my things into the crowded elevator (this has happened to me more than once).

New tote: I’m stylish, professional and organized…even though I still have lots of stuff. While I didn’t break the bank on a Louis Vuitton, I am willing to forgo Target for something with boutique style because I know I will use it every day. I’ve also abandoned my tendency toward “safe” black or brown and feel a bit like Elle Woods a la Legally Blonde with this pop of color in a sea of drab business black.

Obviously, I love my new tote bag. It’s partly because I rarely splurge on purchases for me. However, there is some irony in this purchase that I can’t ignore. Growing up my sister and I would make fun of the “mom purse” – specifically, our mom’s purse because it was huge and she could use its contents to open her own pharmacy, and tailor, and concession stand. Now here I am, loving the fact that this is the largest work bag I’ve ever owned. And truthfully, anything smaller would have been a failed purchase. Look ma…I can open up my own sundries store now too!

So tomorrow is part two…“What’s in my bag?” Is this an awesome cliffhanger or what!?

Carried away

The Olympics are over and I offer a sincere ‘thank you’ to the Spice Girls for providing my closing ceremony highlight and splendid flashbacks to high school.

As much as I enjoyed all the Olympic heroes and medalists, I came across another hero today who has me simply in awe.

If you haven't heard about the father who completed a triathlon while carrying, pushing and pulling his 13-year old daughter with cerebral palsy, read the story. The physical strength he showed is inspiring, but it’s the purpose behind his feat that brought me a smile (and some teary eyes). Talk about LOVE!

I'm lucky to be a daughter who's loved a lot, too. And it's precious to hear Jen talk about her love for my nephew (and as his auntie, I'd carry him just about anywhere, too…until his sweet chunkiness makes my arms go numb!)  

This whole story gives new meaning to the commonly quoted Footprints in the Sand poem. In fact, from now on, I'll no longer think of the Lord just carrying me through the sand—I'll picture him doing a triathlon with me in his arms! How cool that he'd do that for each one of us (again and again)!

A summer potluck

Like a Lutheran potluck, this post has a little of everything. It’s a late summer recap of random musings that hopefully includes a dish or two you’ll enjoy, whether it be it vacation, baseball, charity, or perhaps a summer dish of your own. So, let’s dig in!

I recently got back from vacation where we visited family in New York. Sadly, I took almost no photos. But here is my favorite shot from the week…cousins and buddies enjoying their week together.

 I also attended a wedding while out of town. It was a Catholic wedding in a beautiful church, and the entire ceremony I kept staring at the holy family statues up front thinking that Joseph needed a Baby Bjorn to carry baby Jesus around. This is just how my random mind works these days. See baby Jesus (circa 1 AD)…and my own baby Connor and husband making use of the popular baby wearing contraption (circa 2011 AD). 

Recently you may have noticed the “Water of Life” banner in the sidebar of this blog. Compassion International is an awesome charitable organization doing great things for needy children around the world, and I wanted to do what little I could to promote some of their efforts…and give you and other blog readers an opportunity to get involved if you are interested. Through Compassion, I’ve sponsored and corresponded with a girl named Diana in Peru for the last 10 years and look forward to sponsoring another child in a few years who my son can correspond with as they both grow. But even if sponsoring a specific child isn’t your thing, there are a lot of other cool things Compassion is doing and ways you can help. Click on the Water of Life banner on the right to find out about one of their life changing efforts. I may mention others here from time to time as well!

I had my first opportunity this year to see my MN Twins in action at Target Field this weekend. My son looks confused in the photos, but he had a blast. TC Bear (the Twins mascot) has a new fan.

My husband is currently out of town for a couple of days in a state with much warmer weather than Minnesota. There are some potentially exiting things going on in our family. Lots to pray about too. Hopefully I can share more soon.

Well, I think you’re pretty much caught up with my life for the moment. Stay tuned for a less random, more thoughtful blog post next time. Meanwhile, where have your summer plans taken you in recent weeks?