Where's the "3 to 6" Inches of Snow???

At the end of the driveway, walking Bailey, I'm wondering how the meteorologist can never seem to get it right. With all the technology and science in our world today, is it ABSOLUTELY out of the question to be able to forecast snowfall? I've decided that when they say we're going to have "a lot" of snow, that I should assume just the opposite! :-) When they say we are expecting "little" snow, that's when we get nailed!

So as Bailey makes his "doggy snow angels" and burries his face to sniff out something rancid in the earth, I am entertained by this "mysterious" bottle that is permanently wedged into our stone wall which boarders our property. I have walked passed it several times and often wondered how it ever got there. I cannot identify what kind of beverage was once bottled in it. However, I have had a lot of fun making up a story about the existence of this bottle. I've got it made up that it was a beer that a farmer man was drinking on a hot summer's day after long hours of haying. I imagine that he has the bottle in his hand, with his arm propped up on his leg which is balanced on the stone wall, talking "farmer talk" to his other fellow workers and quenching his thirst with a "brewskie". He leaves his beer bottle to be permanently marked in history....never even knowing in that moment, the memory he was creating and the stories people would tell about the mysterious bottle! For all those who I have just made giggle, NO, I DO NOT have too much time on my hands!! Well, maybe a little as I left work early...........:-)

"STEELERS vs BRONCOS"

Now THIS was a more exciting game to watch than the Steelers vs Broncos playoff game! Can you imagine it's the "dead of winter" in Maine and there's not a lick of snow to be found anywhere??!! This will go down in record, our pond used for ice-skating this time of the year. It is usually snow covered! Our dog, Bailey, tried to go out and handle "defense" but he couldn't keep his legs under him. He determined it was better to sit on the side lines and cheer the kids on!

We had a good time getting together with some of our friends....eating too much food and trying to get excited about the playoff game that really wasn't so exciting. I think I lost my enthusiasm when the Patriots lost! :-) Oh well, better luck next year!

"A Positive Attitude is within Your Reach"

"There will be times when you find yourself in situations that seem impossible to deal with. Maybe you are in one now. Perhaps you're in a dead end job, or a relationship that seems to be going nowhere. Maybe your family is driving you CRAZY.

Whatever your situation, remember, many women have stood in your shoes. They found a way to overcome obstacles and solve problems. But, how did they do it? They figured out a way to keep a positive attitude through the hardest of times. They did not focus on the gloom, but on the resolutions. If they could do it, so could you.

A positive attitude is yours for the making. Grab it now and turn those bad situations into mere bumps in the road of life." www.mymeditations.com

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How perfect is this??????? Well, I'm going to take a moment and acknowledge myself for my positive attitude through my four year quest for getting pregnant! :-) I can honestly say that the above quote REAAAALLLLLLYYYYY works!!!!! I challenge anyone to try it out! See the results YOU can produce by being positive! I could not be where I am today, embrace the women in my life that are pregnant/have children, if my way of being wasn't positive. If I focused on the negative, that is ALL I would see. Instead, I look at the fact that everything happens for a reason and that is why Gerry and I are not pregnant. By being positive, I also see that I am so blessed to have friends/family that are pregnant or have children, who allow me the privelege of being in their life, enjoying their children and experiencing the true miracle of the purest love....kids being kids, and the innocence of that love.

So THANK YOU.... Laura & Gabe, Maureen & Joe, Kathleen & Wes, Leslie & Glenn, Melissa & Shawn, Jaime & Shawn--CONGRATS :-D, Scott & Darcy, Peter & Kristin, Kim & Gary, Julee & Nick, all those I haven't mentioned or met yet........from the bottom of my big heart! Your kids are such a contribution to my life....through stories being told, true experiences of being with them....it means the world to me! :-)

**Stay tuned for news....Gerry and I have an appointment to find out the next phase---going forward with another round of I.V.F. or choosing adoption! :-) Keep us in your thoughts!

"You Are Your Own Best Judge"

"When you start judging yourself by looking through the eyes of your parents, husband, friends, or boss, you end up running around doing more and more in an effort to gain their approval. It does not take long before you end up feeling exhausted, resentful and ready to give up". www.mymeditations.com

So, I've blogged about Jane Powell's meditations and this is just an excerpt from one I recently received. I found it quite inspiring...as usual. :-) For those of you who don't already know this, I have spent the last 2 1/2 years being involved in Landmark Education. I have completed the Landmark Forum, Advanced Course, Self Expression Leadership Program and have also volunteered as well as participated in the seminars they have in Maine (all other courses are in Boston). I CANNOT thank my friend, John, enough for introducing me to this work. You think I'M committed to people living a life they love????? LANDMARK is the epitome of people being committed to human beings having a life they love!!!!!

This past week at "Creating the Miraculous" seminar, we were asked to notice moment by moment, day by day, how "something is wrong here" colors our life and how we have adapted to living in that world. In that, includes all of our "judgements" about who we are. My story and judgement about myself is that "I'm not good enough, not smart enough..." etc. I do a pretty good job carrying that judgement about myself around and I can give you a TON of evidence to support that story!!!!!!!!!! ;-) I listen to people through that filter. So, If anyone says to me, "Learning to administer the Harrison Assessement would be a contribution to the field of Life Coaching", this is what my "mind" is saying..."Ya right, why would anyone want to waste time trying to train me??? I will never get it, it's too complicated...." etc. (Laughing) The thing about it is, I feel the purest love of myself when I can help someone uncover that "blind spot" that stops them from having wonderful relationships, career, life. I'm in my zone!!!!!!!! The irony is, I do EVERYTHING to avoid having that! For the last year, I have been trying to build my coaching practice and can see why I have not been successful. If I'm listening through my judgement that I created of myself when I was 3 years old, it's no wonder that I have not been building this practice/career for which I love!!!!!!!!!!! So, by looking and seeing where "not good enough, smart enough, anything enough" has gotten me, I can see that it's not just in the area of my Coaching practice but in my relationships, work etc. I'm exhausted, anxious, not happy and I can THANK #1 here for that!!!!!!!!!!! By giving it up and not listening to my little mind go on and on about how I can't do something, I had my second training session with Jim this week, to become a consultant for administering the Harrison Assessment and I THANK HIM for being committed to ME and not my story.

So, to all of my family, friends and people I have not met yet, what judgements are running your life? What stops you from that feeling of pure love? What stories about yourself can you give up, turn around and produce results that will leave you perfect, whole and complete? You can have it....anything you want for yourself and your life YOU can have. You are in the driver seat of your life. Want coaching? I'm your woman!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

WONDER WOMAN!!!!

A little over 38 weeks pregnant & Miss Jaime pulls off a party to celebrate her husband, Shawn, turning 30!!!!!!! WAY TO GO WOMAN!!!!!!! Taking a break from all the excitement and roughly 40 guests in their house...I was AMAZED! You did a FANTASTIC job and everything was SOOO nice! Not to mention, putting this all together after the week you had!!!

I've had the priveledge of meeting Jaime and becoming good friends with her. She has gone through the same struggle getting pregnant as Gerry & I. She and Shawn finally got pregant almost nine months ago, after TWO years of trying. We are patiently waiting to meet Miss Rylee!!!!!!!!!

So last night, was the first opportunity I have had to meet other people in her life. For those of you that don't know Jaime, she is one big ball of pure love. She's obviously beautiful (sporting the purple shirt, sitting next to Michelle), sweet, compassionate, CREATIVE (beyond belief), loving and such a contribution to my life and to anyone in her life. Let's just say, that her friends are little pieces of her. I LOVE meeting new people but you know how that goes....if no one knows you, it can be quite awkward at first. Everyone at the party last night was so welcoming, friendly and engaging. My friend, Justine & I had a fabulous time & felt like part of the crowd.

Thanks Jaime, for the fun time and for your friendship!!!!!!!

Good-bye Vacation, Hello Stress!

WHHHOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! A SHOCK to the system being back at "Club-E" (adopted by Justine...a way of making work sound like a fun place to go). This is my "Evergreen Smile"! After being off through the Holidays, it was hard to keep generating that smile. Vacation was soooo relaxing, fun and peaceful. I got up at the usual time, went to the gym, ran a few errands. Justine had me over for breakfast several times (THANKS SWEETIE). I'd go back to the house, catch up on email, bake, organize etc. It was getting old towards the end, I will admit. However, I didn't realize the stress my body goes through until today. My neck is tense, I have a POUNDING headache, my body got a little sweaty from having to concentrate so much AND I'm exhausted. I could go to bed right now and it's 8:00p.m.!!! Not that it's much earlier than my normal Zzzzzzzz-time but hey, it's still early! :-) I've decided that my body must be conditioned to operating at a high stress level, that I have never noticed it until now. I told my husband that I preferred being home, rathing than working. He didn't respond! I'm thinking it's not an option.......Ha, ha, ha! Is there anyone in the world that would like to pay for me to stay home?????????????????? :-) The one good thing I can say, is at least I only had to work ONE DAY this week and that I have until Monday to recouperate!!!!!

"JEALOUSY is an Emotion we CAN Live Without."

"When you are jealous of someone else, your positive attitude suffers.

When tempted to compare yourself to a woman who is more beautiful or successful than most, you have a CHOICE (did you know you had a choice?). You can CHOOSE to admire her fine attributes or let the green-eyed monster have its way. If you CHOOSE jealousy, you will become NEGATIVE, learn to doubt yourself and cultivate both FEAR and ANGER. But, when you CHOOSE admiration, you nurture an inner awe and wonder, which is too often lost as children grow into adults.

Turn jealousy into admiration. Stop comparing yourself to those with wonderful qualities. Replace negative feelings with appreciation and admiration, and appreciation of your OWN great qualities will grow"! www.mymeditations.com

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I love opening my email and getting Jane Powell's meditations. Today, the above quoted meditation struck me as something I wanted to post because I've had many conversations with friends/family that there is a level of jealousy they have of the life I live. Although, I take it as a compliment, I also find it interesting when I am being judged by those who don't even know me. It AMAZES me, the stories that people create in their minds about who a person is, why they are the way they are etc. I suppose that's why I find people fascinating. We are all so different but at the same time, so much alike.
Those that KNOW & LOVE me, know that: I am fun, outgoing, motivated, compassionate, loving, flirtatious, a "freak" at times. I am smart (thank you Melissa for your reminders), I am creative & I am also "the duchess" :-). I am passionate about people living the life they want.
I am a ton of things and you either love me or you don't. :-) I have a wonderful family (both mine & Gerry's), my friends are ALL treasures (both male & female) and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for anyone in my life--no consideration of the longevity of their friendship. I am GRATEFUL that my husband allows me freedom & independence. The thing that I have learned since taking The Forum, is that EVERYDAY I have a CHOICE in how I live my life. I have a choice to be jealous or admire, to be angry or happy, to love or to hate, to be passionate or "blah", to be motivated or lazy. We ALL have a choice. What are you choosing for your life today?

Christmas with my Love Bugs!

What a BEAUTIFUL day!!!!!! It started out with a snowmobile ride on this beautiful scenic pond with Leslie's husband, Glenn. He pulled out all the stops and if a snowmobile could "pop a wheely", well, let's just say, this one can! A little scared, I enjoyed it! I'm not one for speed (perhaps in my car) where my body is not protected by anything. They just got this smooth sailing snowmobile and if we ever get any snow that stays, they will definitely have some fun! BE SAFE GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Now, picture this....THREE adults on a golf cart with studded tires, hauling the twins behind us. They were having a ton of fun until the ropes got a little tangled! Thanks to Glenn and Leslie (and me doing the heavy looking on), the kids were sliding across the pond in no time! What a blast! I didn't join them tubing but I had fun watching them be dare devils! Then of course, back to the house where they wanted to play "monsters" and I'm always picked to be the monster so that the twins can run and hide!

From one side of Maine to the other....another Christmas delivery for this little man! He LOVED his Poo Bear and even shared his lunch with him! Too cute! This is Melissa's son (I've posted about this miracle child before). He is VERY smart and obiviously, easy on the eyes!!! It was great spending time with them today and exchanging gifts too! Thanks for all my treats and sharing part of your day with me!

That's all for now! Have a great week!