One big step for man kind

Today I joined the gym....

I'm ready... this time I feel good.... I feel like thriving!

However there are no rules or expectations this time. No "I'm on a diet, no I'm counting calories, no I HAVE to go...." It's all about putting a tool in my hand and hoping I use it.

Simple Woman's Day Book

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW:
Outside my car window are way too many people who don't know how to drive.
I AM THINKING:
That I am enjoying this blog a lot.
I AM THANKFUL:
For friends
FROM THE KITCHEN:
I baked a cake. A 2 layer birthday cake for a dear longtime friend's 30th birthday.... I really didn't get into the baking zone (maybe because it was like midnight when I did it) but I loved decorating it and giving it to him.
I AM WEARING:
No makeup.... I put some on this am but I didn't really touch up any. I feel frumpy today. If only I could make myself get up 5 min earlier then the whole day I'd think differently of myself.
I AM CREATING:
Little Ms. H. and I made a card for a family friend who loves H. but doesn't have kids of his own.... how special it will be to get the card.... (I know)
I AM GOING:
To NYC in 2 weeks and 2 days.... nope I'm not counting down.... :)
I AM READING:
The Sacred Compass with my Friday night bible study.... love this group it's like Oprah book club meets bible study meets YaYa Sisterhood
I AM HOPING:
For nothing to go wrong with my taxes :)
I AM HEARING:
Way too much noise for being a library. What happened to respect and behaving correctly in public?
AROUND THE HOUSE:
Not me... I'm not home much this week..... I'm sure next week I will crave being home
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS:
Happy Hour.... I never had a job that allowed me off early enough for this and I love it!!!! Some of my favorites lately: Gustovs, Claim Jumpers and McMinnemans
A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK:
Friday Night I am helping a youthgroup activity (I'm sure non of them will see this so I can post about it.) They are doing a where's waldo type activity at the mall and have to find 12 of us
A PICTURE I'D LIKE TO SHARE:

That's MY nanny!

I never thought LAUNDRY could be so fun!!!

Little Ms. H. told a child at the children's museum "That's MY nanny!"....

Apparently Little Ms. H. wanted the child to understand that even though I was playing with him (we were at the Children's Museum in the dig pit- that's a big pit of rubber gravel like a big big sandbox) that I was infact HER nanny.

I realized today that 6 months ago (exactly) I met this family. Maybe you haven't heard the amazing story that my job hunt was.

I was working at a daycare and that job was going south and fast. I chalk it up to bad management and the simple fact I was too good for the job.

I put my resume on Craigslist and thought to myself there I tried it's not my fault I am stuck at this job. In other words it was my half hearted attempt at job hunting. Usually on CL it takes a few posts and many many many crazy replies from people wanting dirt cheap care etc. to find one family worth interviewing with and we all know how many interviews it can take to find a job especially in this economy.

I recieved an email from a lady who mentioned what they were looking for. (At first glance this family wasn't exactly what I thought I was looking for but I decided to interiew with them the day after I turned 30. Infact I almost skipped out on the interview.)

I figured though I didn't think this would be a match I would use it as a jumpstart back into the job hunt. Sort of a rehersal interview as it had been 3 years since I had to sell myself.

Can you believe that this family and I fit so well. We are a perfect match! I had the fastest job hunt in history.

This family has restored my faith in a good boss, shown me a family can still have breakfast together, and treats me as one of their members (well when I want to be.)

I never would have thought posting ONE craigslist ad would find me 6 months later enjoying 2 adorable babies in a basket and their posessive sister!

That's MY nanny! (You are right Little Ms. H., I am YOUR nanny and I love every minute of it. )

Sick Day

I had a sick day today

An honest real sick day where I stayed in bed and slept (except for a quick run to Jamba Juice)

I was just asking myself how I could make today count? How could I thrive on a day that I was sick in bed?

I realized I spent more time thinking about God Friday than any prior GF

Thank you God for your son and for knocking me on my booty so I can stop and realize what GF means

Easter Eggs

TODAY'S ART PROJECT with LITTLE MISS H.

I was very pleased with the outcome of our eggstra special project

As this was my first time even boiling an egg (ya I know) let alone prep for coloring them, I was anxious to see the results.

Two things we did that I just loved the result of

1. Double dipped. When the egg was dry we re dipped it.

2. Polished with canola oil.

SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW: Is a world that passes me by, or is it me passing it by

I AM THINKING: That I finally had a day where I understand "Twins you have your hands full"

I AM THANKFUL FOR: The ability to go home at the end of the day.... see I am Thinking....

FROM THE LEARNING ROOMS: How to boil eggs and color them. I am sure I knew how but since they won't be my eggs I didn't want to mess it up

FROM THE KITCHEN: Tomorrow the smell of vinegar as Little Miss H and I dye eggs
I AM WEARING: A new black cardigan... I have been wanting one for a while and I'm so happy I found exactly the one I wanted for clearance for $9. I am also wearing wedge sandles needed to feel happier this am so I got pretty shoes on.

I AM CREATING: My blog... I'm having so much fun with it so far. Also I just created a FB group and it's already up to 28 members in 24 hours woot!!!
I AM GOING: To call Michaela back

I AM READING: New York City for Dumbies and about to start the first Twilight book
I AM HOPING: That Little Mr. T isn't sick for daddy tonight (see I am thankful for)

I AM HEARING: My tummy growl

AROUND MY HOUSE: Is my cat somewhere and a birds nest too (outside)

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: Yens.... lately I can't get enough of it
A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK: Most my plans got canceled but Easter is on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing my family. I think it's amazing that my dad is invited to my sister in law's mom's house. Love that we have a mixed family.

Popcorn, a good friend and a michael Jackson glove?

When is the last time a man wearing a white sparkly Michael Jackson glove counted down to the start of a movie for you?

I know for me it was just this past weekend.

I was sitting waiting for a movie to start with a good friend when the usher came in. We all were expecting to hear the normal "turn off your cell phones" but were in for a suprise.

In this economy some people are taking whatever job they can get. Some just punch that time clock as a sacrifice however, some do these jobs with pride!

Kudos to this young man who owned his job. It may not be the position he had hoped for but he owns it. He rallies the crowd up then slips on his Michael Jackson glove to count down to the movie. I just might frequent Bridgeport more often for a movie with hopes that you'll be our usher.

Another Kudos goes out to the Little Ceaser Sign holder on Pacific Hwy and Durham in Tigard. Rock on and thanks for always reminding me that our jobs are what we make them.

Are you Thriveing at your job? If not, why not?

Baby bottles in a parking garage

I found myself parking my nanny vehicle in the parking garage of the MAC (Multnomah Athletic Club) where my employers are members for the sole purpose of feeding the babies.

(There was a showing at their house and we were exiled for a few moments smack dab in the middle of lunch feeding while mom and sister were at a playdate.)

I was laughing at the fact that I had just drove a few miles and parked the car in the covered garage (it was raining which was why I went here) just to feed the twins.

From loading to unloading it was exactly and hour of our day from the time we left the house to the time we returned.

As this was my first day of THRIVE I started to laugh even hardeer at the fact that this was a very uneducational & uninteresting moment of the day.... however this is what worked for us as a longer outing at this time that could have included a stroll or people watching at starbucks would have messed with am nap or after lunch baths.

Normally I would have considered this a waisted hour.... but, due to Thrive I realized we could make the most of it.....

So. if you found yourself walking past a white suburban today in a parking garage in downtown portland and head some crazy person standing next to the vehicle's open door singing "Here comes Peter Cottontail" with gusto, you might have wondered what was going on..... simply it was a nanny thriving at her job.

Sure the babies would have been fed just the same if their nanny just stood there checking her facebook on her phone but that would have been just waisting the opportunity to have fun!!!

"L"

I have a friend who has 1 month to live for every minute before she surrenders for a year in prison.

I'm sure she is going to live every moment she can planning for the future, loving on her kids and connecting with her husband. (He has already started his sentence.)

"L" is a sister in Christ, a mother of 3 and someone who simply made a stupid mistake.

I have known L my whole life. Scratch that, I have known of L my whole life. She is the little sister (read annoying follower we had to include) of my childhood best friend. However, I don't really know her. I have stayed in touch with her lately following her present story and have realized this is someone I NEED to get to know more and more importantly I WANT to get to know more. Through the last few months a friendship has started.

I have spent the last 2 evenings googling/researching what I can inorder to learn the best way to be a friend to someone serving time.

During this research I have come to the following conclusions:

- I take my freedom for granted
- I treat my wants as needs
- I am commiting to doing all I can for her as a friend


THIS NEXT MONTH I AM COMMITTING to Thriving.... to live every moment, every minute, every day as if it is important. This won't be easy for me. (My last FB update was a rant...) There will be stumbling and falling and flat out forgetting but my hope is that blogging will keep me accountable.

I want to know that when May arrives I am ready to take on the challenge of loving on this friend and feel as if I need to thive in my life in order to do that justly. How can I spend energy encouraging someone without encouraging myself first!