Learn CPR Before You Need It!

Happy Hot Summer Day!

Sounds like today is going to be 103 in Sacramento. Now before we all go "OOH and AHH" we have to remember Dave is suffering in full uniform in 130+. While you are out and thinking this is crazy hot, think again and count your blessings.

Just one day after returning to Auburn, my niece Lexi got here for a 5 day stay. We had a blast and let me just say, the extra hands with Mason were a great help. For her simply fun and play, for me, a HUGE help! We did fun stuff like thrift store shopping. We found some great things. Lexi got several pairs of jeans decorated with beads and studs and I got two really great pairs of leather shoes. On Thursday, we went to Julies where Lexi got to go horseback riding and Mason had his first Wrangler photo shoot. Yes, Mason has Wranglers and boots. He is looking more and more like his daddy! After the horses, we went to the Farmers Market where Julie and Lexi had a ball shopping. We wrapped up our visit on Saturday by cleaning the back yard and inviting the neighbors over for a Moonlight Picnic. We made a fire in the fire place outside and toasted marshmallows to make s'mores. It was a really fun time with Amy, Laura, Kate, Paul, Leslie and Sam.

This week is work, work and more work. I am planning to go back to work part time and Mason is getting a live in Nanny. I have to move my office, get the room ready, and Mason is still floating Tuesday through Friday. He is fully floating now all by himself and we are working on rolls and drop ins. So off we go to start a great week.

Before I finish today, let me say that if you do not know CPR and other life saving skills, please find a class and get educated. I had to do the Heimlich three times on Mason yesterday when a slough of Cheerios clogged his airway. I didn't panic but it also didn't work the first time. We did the front, a strike to the back, front and back three more times with several finger swipes in the mouth to get the cereal out. He finally gave it all up (and I mean all!) and we rocked and cuddled for a bit before he settled down. He will likely be pretty sore today. I know how to do this and plan to get my CPR skills current as soon as possible. I know this is part of parenting but just like everything, do it now, take the class. Don't wait until you need it and aren't sure what to do. With that, have a great week and I am sure we will have more wonderful stories next week.

Love Kathy


Get it done

There is something you know you must do. Yet you're worried that it won't be perfect, that it will be difficult, uncomfortable and maybe even painful.

You wonder what others will think of you, whether they might silently disapprove, openly taunt you, or even work against you. You worry that it could be more challenging and more demanding than you anticipate. Go ahead and do it anyway. The sooner you get started, the more confident and effective you'll be.

Sure there will be problems. And with solid commitment, you will find a way through every one of them. Of course there will be challenges. And from each one you'll build the strength to take on the next one.

Accomplishment is never easy, and rarely perfect, yet it sure beats sitting around worrying about how powerless you are. When you know you must, then get up, get going, and get it done. Ralph Marston from The Daily Motivator with permission www.thedailymotivator.com

We're Home!

Big Sigh! We are home.

Hi guys, what a great time away from home we had! I have to say, if Dave were home, I would likely not have considered house-sitting and visiting away from him for that long. So with that said, I had a FABULOUS time! It is one of those little bones that get thrown your way when you are in the game with a crappy hand. Let me see if I can't recap without writing a novel......

Monday I discovered the gym with child care. What a great invention! I am now shopping for a gym with this wonderful service close to home. I was pleased to learn that I am not in as bad a shape as I thought and I ran for 12 full minutes on the treadmill. The other amenities were nice as well, the steam and saunas, the whirlpool and the sun deck all in the ladies locker room with no clothes required! When was the last time you did a little time with Mr. Sunshine in the buff? Smile! We also had lunch with Al and a visit with Moira. Monday wrapped up with a much needed massage! Fran gave me the lovely gift of a massage and child care for Mason. How cool, we are invited to stay in their awesome home AND she got me a massage! Thank you God!

Tuesday was another date with the gym and then assisting Al with a photo shoot for Diana! What fun. After all that glitz and glamor, Mason and I had a great evening with Alice. Funny how you can have friends that you don't even talk to all that often but when you get together, it is like no time passed at all. I just adore Alice and Andrew!

Wednesday was back to the gym, running errands, lunch with Carole, a visit with Dr. Joyce, a great evening at the Chamber mixer and finally with Mason fast asleep, a glass of wine with Terry! We had some serious catching up to do too!

Thursday was our day with Aunt Lisa! Lunch, a little shopping and a pedicure. It was so great to be doing the things I love to do in the town I still think of as home with the people I love. Auburn will feel a lot more like home once Dave is here with us making the memories that make home, home. I did go to the gym, but sporting a fresh pedicure, it seemed only appropriate that I sauna and have that naked date with Mr. Sunshine. We went to bed early so we would be fresh faced for our date with Al Friday morning.

We met Al at 9 AM to take pictures of Mason on the beach. I wish I had another set of hands to have shot video of Mason in the sand. He loved it. He just sat there for the longest time rubbing his feet back and forth in the wet sand. He of course tasted it and then proceeded to simply play. It was wonderful and as usual, Al captured the moment exquisitely! Al, you're the best! Take a look at just a few of the great pictures he took. We took a little siesta and then met Georgia and Fiona for lunch and then to play at the park. This is the first time Mason was on a swing by himself. He really liked that! Those pictures next week.

And finally on Saturday, we went back to San Jose and had a great time with Dave's' mom, sister and her family. We enjoyed a nice lunch and then walked all through Santana Row, sort of the Rodeo Drive of San Jose. Not much there for me (too much $$$$$) except Ben and Jerry's!

And this morning we stopped in to see Alice and Andrew on our way home. They actually have a vineyard in their back yard and will be making wine! Not to mention the basketball court and outdoor kitchen under construction. Cool huh?

Enough already, we are happy to be home. For a motivator, remember what Zig Ziglar says: "You can have anything you want if you just help enough other people get what they want." I say "YESH!"

Love you all!

Kathy

What Day Is This?

Hello Everybody,

Here is something anyone who has gone from a "normal" working job to self-employment, vacation or unemployment has experienced. I am writing this on Friday night. It is about 8:30 and I was SO sure it was Monday night and I had missed my motivator. So as I selected my address book I had to stop and really think about "What day is this?" Laughing. I am writing anyway and just going to save the draft for Monday.

This week has been fun. It was quite the feat to get packed and out of Auburn but once I got to Clayton, Mason and I had nothing but fun. We went to the mall with Diana, I got to get away and get my hair cut (Erika washed it for an extra long time!), I had a grown up night out at the Boot Bar (AKA The Clayton Club) and we went to the Alameda County Fair. I will send you out a copy of the caricature I had done of Mason for Dave next week after I can scan it. It is priceless.

We got to Alameda today and are now house sitting. Talk about five Star accommodations! It is a really nice place and we are quite comfortable. We had lunch with Lisa and Bettie and got to spend a few minutes with Donna too. Tomorrow (Saturday) we are going to San Jose to see Dave's family. They have not seen Mason since March, I don't think they will recognize him. I am sure our week will fill up fast. I am planning to make time to work out as Fran has so generously offered me guestship (I made that up) to the health club she belongs to across the street and it has child care. Up to two hours of someone watching Mason while I do whatever I want to. Whoo-Hoo!

I am feeling much better and hope to be on the road to a sexy new shape again. I can't imagine where I would be if this whole thyroid thing had hit and I wasn't working out so diligently. Yikes! I will finish this up on Sunday night like usual and be back on track for where I am in the week!

So here we are. Visiting with Dave's family was really nice except Dave's mom had a bit of bad fortune and was in the hospital until 4 PM on Saturday. She is OK, it was just a bummer that she missed so much visiting time with us. That's OK, we will go back next Saturday and try again. Today we went to visit my Aunt Jeannette who is loaning me her sewing machine and gave me a mini lesson. I really want to know how to sew. I will get on it when we get home and let you know how it goes.

Tonight is quiet. Mason floated for 20 one-thousands (that's one thousand one, one thousand two.....) and now we are just slowing down. I'm going to go to bed early if I can and start tomorrow at the gym. If I can only sleep a whole night through! Lots of love and enjoy this motivator!

Love Kath

The magic of kindness

Kindness is almost always bigger when it is received than when it is given. What may be a small thing for you to offer can make a tremendous difference to those who receive it.

Kindness vastly increases the effectiveness of your efforts. Even a small kindness can bring a big result. And a truly ambitious kindness can change the world. Kindness multiplies itself in a way that seems almost magical.

Those whose lives are filled with richness are those who know and understand the value of genuine kindness. Kindness is not a difficult thing to grasp or to bring about, and is freely available to all who wish to practice it.

Every day you come across numerous opportunities for kindness. Each one of them is brimming with a value more precious than gold.

Avail yourself of those opportunities to spread kindness. And know the special magic that kindness brings.
Ralph Marston from the Daily Motivator www.thedailymotivator.com

Happy 5th Od July!

Hello, hello, hello!

Welcome to a new and short week. Our July 4th holiday had an outward appearance of being picture perfect. Mary and Keith's house was decorated beautifully, friends and family gathered around the pool in the backyard with Keith at the BBQ helm and all the kids (big and small) splashing in the pool. Mason was passed around so much that not even the fire crackers outside could wake him after dark. Riley was a little scared but sitting by Keith's feet, he felt safe as each new BANG! and BOOM! exploded, Keith would reach down and pat his head. I am sure since I was in bed, Riley was very grateful for the reassurance. We (I) missed Dave deeply and it made me even sadder that he is in such a "not nice" place. He called today and said they did do a BBQ for them but it is so dang hot, who wants to sit outside and eat hot food? Not to mention that it was not a real BBQ, just hot dogs and hamburgers cooked and served outside. I'm just so darn ready for him to be home enjoying all the luxuries he is protecting for all of us.

Mary and I watched Cold Mountain and 50 First Dates this weekend. Both good movies but Cold Mountain was really good! Renee Zellweger was amazing! If you have not seen it, rent it and sit back for some good story telling. I did not cry but I think that is because Dave spent so much time telling me I would that I was waiting for all the stuff that might make me cry thus taking the sting from it all.

OK, my boy is crying so I am back to mommy duty. No real motivator today so lets go with what always works: "Whatever you think, you're right!"

Love you all!

MM June 28, 2004

Happy Birthday to Dave!

Dave's birthday was on Saturday and some of us did our part to celebrate his birthday and honor him! Mary, Keith, Diana, Lisa S., Sonya and Paul all joined me up in Reno to see Larry the Cable Guy. If you don't know who Larry is, rent Jeff Foxworthy's Blue Collar Comedy tour and sit back for some serious laughing! We actually got to meet Larry and he sent us home with a video greeting for Dave and his guys. Happy birthday Dave, next year we will really celebrate even if it means that you go to the Nascar race with Keith!

Sunday was a very leisurely day for Mason and me. We played on the floor, took a nap, visited with several "drop by" neighbors, had a little dinner, went for a margarita at Bob & Ivette's and came home for a bath (one for Mason, one for Riley, and one for me) and bedtime. I've not been feeling so good so the rest is good. As much rest as you can get with a nearly walking boy 24/7! Laughing!

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Mason and I will be in Clayton starting Saturday and then house sitting in Alameda through the 18th of July. I don't know what kind of e-mail access I am going to have so if there are no Motivators for a few weeks, just stay tuned for a duzie on the 19th or 20th! Love to you all and Happy 4th of July!

Lots of love,
Kathy

Feel like it

Is there something you know you need to do, but you just don't feel like it? If so, you can either avoid it altogether or you can force yourself to do it even though it goes against your feelings.

But there's a much less stressful, much more elegant, effective way. You can simply change your feelings on the matter.

After all, they are your feelings and they're under your control. And a great way to take control of those feelings is by putting them into words. For example, I feel like waking up a half hour earlier tomorrow morning and taking a walk. Or, I feel like swimming fifty laps this afternoon.
It seems deceptively simple, yet it works.

You can change the way you feel just by saying so. Repeat it silently to yourself with enthusiasm, or say it out loud to yourself, or even better, to someone else. Then watch your actual feelings fall solidly and authentically in line.

If you don't feel like it, that's no problem because that's something you can easily change. Start saying you feel like it and before long, you will.

Used with permission by Ralph Marston www.thedailymotivator.com

MM June 21, 2004

Happy Day after Fathers Day!

This holiday was not as difficult for me as Mothers Day was but we missed Dave very much. Mason, Terry and I along with Melissa and her daughter Emily went for brunch on the Spirit of Sacramento and then to Laurens for a visit. It was a really wonderful trip on the river and Mason had fun playing rough and tumble with Laurens boys. Dave called us and said it didn't feel like much since he has not had much Fathering experience. I want him to know that we are very proud of him and he may not realize it, but Mason will know where dad was and will be as proud or more of him that he served his country and is making this huge sacrifice. It may not be apparent to Mason until he has a family of his own, but that's OK, we'll wait.

Terry goes home today and through a few "living with family" bumps, she actually wants to come back! It really was a nice visit and on Saturday when I came home from a day away, I didn't recognize the house I walked into. I actually looked back outside and asked "Who lives here?" Not only what my house spotless, but she did lots of it all alone with Mason! Talk about making me look bad! Laughing! I think having had this kind of constant help for a few weeks has prepared me to keep the house up and get my head above water. Oh, did I mention that lots of the cleaning that got done resulted in HUGE piles in my office! I laughed and said, "I could have done that!" I am very sure that all of this will be followed up with many calls to Utah asking "Where is my.....?"

Take care and have a wonderful week. Be loving and kind. No matter what, that is always the best answer. Try to spend just one hour today practicing Higher Thinking and let me know how it makes you feel.

Love Kathy

Higher thinking

As you move through this day, make it a point to replace troubled thoughts with thoughts of peace. Replace thoughts of weakness with thoughts of strength.

Replace thoughts of limitation with thoughts of possibility. Replace thoughts of anger with thoughts of compassion.

Let go of any thoughts of frustration and helplessness. In their place, put thoughts of creativity and empowerment.

Gather your various and scattered thoughts together, and point them all in a positive, productive direction. You'll be amazed at the power that's yours when each thought is working to enhance the others.

Your thoughts determine what you decide to do with all that you have. And you determine what your thoughts will be.

So put them to work in a positive way, moment by moment, day by day. Make them all thoughts that serve you well.

Used with permission - Ralph Marston www.thedailymotivator.com

MM June 14, 2004

Hello, hello, hello!

Here I sit feeling the sting from sunburned shoulders and smiling still. Yes, we are now recovering from our annual Grand Poobah weekend. It was a wonderful time. There was an odd sense of something not quite right all weekend with Dave not there but his call Saturday morning eased that a bit. I hope we never have to do another Poobah without Flower Dave!

This being the first Poobah without Dave since he came for the first time in 1996 (this would have been year 9 for him), ironically was Mason's first. He loved camping and at bedtime was a typical little boy. Crawling and climbing for the door to the tent so afraid he would miss something. The up side to his fighting sleep so hard was that when he finally did conk out, he was down for the night. Anyone with kid experience can take comfort in the fact that eventually, they sleep.

I was not lacking in helping hands with Mason this week and the great thing about this is I was feeling so lucky to have the help, Mason was feeling lucky to be played with all day and all the loving hands were feeling lucky to have Mason to play with! Talk about win, win win! There was one downside to all this co-parenting...you see, Mason has teeth, lots of teeth. When a baby has teeth people think he should be eating real grown up food. Well it is all fun and games and funny faces until mommy gets him home and has to deal with VERY hard (and hard to pass) poops! Mason was not a very happy camper last night and a little into this morning. Thank goodness for Little Tummy's infant laxative!

So now it is time to get serious about taking care of business on the home front before Terri has to go home. Scrapbooks need doing, house needs cleaning, Packages need mailing, bills need paying, office needs organizing, Mason's clothes need sorting, and the list just keep going! First things first, I have to go get Mr. Riley! He is anxious to come home and Mason is as anxious to see him! Love to you all and I hope you enjoy this motivator!

Love Kathy

There are those T
here are those who say it can't be done, and are content to leave it at that. And then there are those who find a way.

There are those who see every setback as an excuse to give up. And then there are those who find the courage, the will, the commitment to persevere.

There are those who back away from challenge, and complain when it finds them anyway. And then there are those who eagerly welcome each opportunity to move the world forward.

There are those who prefer to do what is easy, comfortable and convenient. And then there are those who do what is best, what is right, as difficult as it may be.

There are those who bounce and skim along the noisy, confusing surface of life. And then there are those who dive deeply in, to where meaning, purpose, vision and truth are clear and unmistakable.

How fortunate we are that there are those who live like they mean it. How fortunate we are that we can too.

Used with permission - Ralph Marston www.thedailymotivator.com