We're Moved!

Hello! Today is a great day to be at work because it is time I can relax! We worked our behinds off this weekend finalizing our move out of Dutch Flat. I would like to say that being preggers excluded me from the dirty work…. Au contraire! Not only did I help load and unload up and downstairs, but it was my job to clean the Dutch Flat house and unpack the Auburn house. It actually worked out nicely, Dave did most of the actual moving of our things and any carrying I did was of the lighter sort. And on the flip side, Dave helped me with the cleaning in the DF house, shampooing carpets, vacuuming stairs and cleaning fireplaces. Needless to say, the job has only just begun! Let the unpacking begin! THANK YOU so much to Mary and Keith for spending Saturday with us helping move and clean. Saturday night was so much fun. I don't remember the last time we belly laughed for such extended periods of time!

So now we are in Auburn and after almost 10 months in the mountains and numerous deer sightings, Dave called me yesterday to inform me that he was looking at a bear in our backyard (Yes! In Auburn!). He called animal control and was informed that this is very common and we should secure our garbage cans. Eeaasshhh! 

On a final note, does anyone have a Southwest voucher they can't use or would be willing to donate to a good cause? This is the "I have to get my best friend to my red neck baby shower" fundraiser. OK, not really a fundraiser, I just thought, if someone has one that may be close to expiration or several that they wouldn't miss one and would be willing to part with it, I would ask. Julie needs to travel on Sept 21, 2003. 

I really like this motivator. It holds special meaning for me right now as I am working on getting back on track to making my life less stressful and more prosperous. Have a great week and I would love to hear from you. Love Kath

Your own special greatness Your life has a purpose, something uniquely suited to who you are. The more closely you align your day-to-day priorities with that purpose, the more fulfillment you'll know. When the priorities you've chosen stray away from your purpose, then life becomes filled with frustration. When you put your time and effort into things that don't really matter, it brings on a painful, gnawing emptiness. If something is truly important to the core of your being, then there is most certainly a way to make it happen. When you make the effort and spend the time on what really matters, the rewards will be great indeed. It will never be easy to follow your purpose. For by its very definition, your highest purpose demands the best that you have to offer. Yet following that purpose will fulfill you in a way that nothing else can. To every extent possible, align your priorities to who you truly are. Let your own special greatness light up this world

*Used with permission from Ralph Marston and The Daily Motivator.

Our Mutts Nursery

Welcome to the Monday after the long holiday weekend, I hope you had a really nice weekend and relaxed more than Dave and I did. As you all know, we are moving and as sucky as that is, we are fortunate enough to have access to the new house early so we can move over a little more time than having to do it all in one weekend. The downside is that long workdays that start while it is still dark outside, traffic, unloading a truck to the new location and arriving home to (pack &) load another truck full leaves little time for dinner, conversation and a shower before going to bed for another early rise. So this sounds like no matter how you season it, moving doesn't taste very good! Laughing!

We did paint the nursery though and I have to say, I am very proud of what we created. We have created a frame from our favorite comic strip Mutts that includes a big tree, green grass, a blue sky, and a vibrant sun. We will create several poses for each character that can be interchanged in the frame to change the story. The other walls are two-tone, pale colors, blue and yellow. Yellow for the upper half of the walls and blue from the floor up to the yellow. To blend where the colors meet, the yellow flows like fire from the sun and the blue blows like the wind around the room. It is really very nice. Here is one of my all-time favorite Mutts comic strips. 

On another note, our very dear friends Ken and Dahlynn were featured in the Sacramento Bee on Saturday in the home living section. More specifically, their back yard was featured. Go West - into a suburban back yard Published on July 5, 2003, Page CL6. It was very cool to be flipping through the paper and see Ken and Dahlynn. I guess this is something I should get used to as they have just completed their Chicken Soup for the Fisherman's Soul book scheduled for release in 2004. Keep your fingers crossed, Hotty Roddy submitted a story that has made it through many rounds of cuts to the final readers. I think I have that correct. There is a good possibility his story could be published. Congratulations!

Instead of a typical motivator, how about some food for thought........ask yourself this, ”How many more genuine friends would I have if we all met one another in the dark?” This just makes me think because no matter how aware we think we are, what prejudices do we have ingrained in us from our upbringing? From our culture? From society? The little things that we think before we even realize we have passed judgment. I know this is true for me and I want to take that little extra effort to realize that I can control what I think, and how I feel, and when I find my self passing judgment, to stop. Simply stop. I hope you have a great week and look forward to hearing from you very soon!

Are You Fully Alive?

Hello and welcome to a new week! If my estimations are correct, this will be a short week for most of us. I know my honey has to work on Friday so though he will not be privy to the extra day off, his paycheck will reflect a something extra for his hard work! 

We had quite the eventful weekend. Friday evening we had dinner with the newlyweds, Jim, and Teresa Thompson! Whoo-Hoo and Congratulations! Nothing like taking the plunge on a Wednesday afternoon! Best of luck and love to both of you! Saturday we had lots to do with packing and starting the big move. We got a treat later that day that included an overnight stay in Reno and tickets to see comedian Jeff Foxworthy. I won this prize package on Friday on the radio and it was the perfect time to take this drive, Dave's birthday and I can still walk without a waddle. Although the dress I wore was looking a bit like a tent! Sunday morning we headed back down to the Auburn house with another truckload and stayed to start the work that involved tearing wallpaper off one bathroom wall (that one went really easily), and paper off several walls in the room that will be the nursery (this one, not so easy!). Dave really worked his tail off. We headed back to Dutch Flat where I ended up napping while Dave packed boxes, loaded another truckload, returned phone calls, scheduled help for moving, and got ready to go back to work. We called it a day with BBQ shish-kabobs for dinner and needless to say, it wasn't long before we were soundly sleeping!

I like this motivator. I need to be reminded of this especially at times like now. When life seems to be overwhelming and the challenges seem great, I have to concentrate on choosing how I think about things. Someone commented the other day that Dave and I have it all, the American Dream......a happy marriage, a baby on the way and a cocker spaniel dog. I thought, "Is that all it takes?" Funny for me to think that when most of you know how long the Happy Marriage part took! laughing!! In any case, it made me think, and yes, we do have it all. I give too much power to the challenges and problem-solving. I need to acknowledge the good, the easy, and the true blessings, really appreciate being fully alive. Today I will do just that!

Fully Alive 

Live the life that you've been given. Live it fully, generously and enthusiastically in each and every moment. Fulfillment is not hidden from you in some secret, mysterious place. It is right there in front of you the moment you are ready to see it and to live it. There are so many things of which you are capable, you could not even list them all. Instead of making that list, make use of some of those magnificent capabilities and make a life that is filled with richness. If you were fully appreciative of just one-tenth of your blessings, it would cause you to spring to life with such exuberance that nothing would stop you. Consider for a moment what it truly means to be you, here, now. Think about the abundance of powerful, positive options that are available to you this very moment. Then stand up tall, step forward and live. Live this day for everything its worth and immerse yourself in the joy of being fully alive. 

AT&T Is The Worst!

I may be late, but at least it is still Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and a Happy Father's Day. Dave is off at his National Guard Annual Training so I was with friends; Terry, Julie, Mike, Samantha & Michael, and Mary & Keith! Not bad for a whole bunch of mini visits! 

It looks like Dave and I will be moving to Auburn. We don't have the deal completely inked yet, but I feel confident, come July 12/13, we will be unpacking in a new house. I'll let you know about new information when I have it. You can rest assured with the changes that are coming, we will be either changing or eliminating cell phone numbers. I am at my wits end with our wireless service. In the last 8 months, I have agreed to change our plan 3 times to "provide us with the service that suits our calling needs" and continue to get a bill that would send Kathy Smith into cardiac arrest! (Kathy Smith is a VERY fit aerobics instructor known for home exercise tapes). I'm sure you all know, when you agree to change your calling plan, you agree to a one year contract starting at the change of service date. I really think it would be cheaper to pay the fee for canceling early than to keep paying these astronomical wireless bills. Any suggestions for affordable service in this area?

So I am feeling that my energy levels are unusually low. I am sleeping and eating pretty good, drinking lots of water, so other than the little person growing inside me, there is no reason to feel so zapped. Okay, I know that is significant, but come on, these are supposed to be the "feel good" months! Laughing! So today I am going to give you a motivator that is a little different. This is a reminder,  a gentle nudge to take stock and be aware. I hope you have a healthy and prosperous week! 

May the Force Be With You - 

I believe every living thing carries its own energy force, and when we connect with the positive vibes in the air around us, we also infuse our aspirations with a breath of life. Energy is more often felt than seen - like in that moment when a high note in a song makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. For every toxic person or experience we encounter, there's an equal and opposite positive force available to us. It's when we tap into that power that our zest for living makes us infectiously attractive - the kind of person others feel drawn to. What party-for-one can you throw yourself each day to give your spirit a boost? Which friends always leave you feeling more hopeful? Move toward people who give you back to yourself, away from those who suck you dry. When you're low on energy, what gives you your juice? Make this the moment that you stand to refill your cup. Oprah Winfrey, June 2003

Grand Poobah Recovery

On Wednesday, YIKES! This is how schedules go when you are coming down form a fabulous Grand Poobah weekend and have to go back to real life. The 15th Anniversary for the Grand Poobah was a huge success! It was only hampered by 3 missing regulars, Mary Money Penney, Hotty Roddy, and Karen Darnell. We missed Jim and Teresa too, hopefully, they can get back in the loop and become Poobah Regulars! For those of you who didn't make it worry not, we had plenty of glass raising in your honor. Dave and I think we have found a house. We have two actually to chose from and hope to be making a decision in the next few days. So here we go again, I'm packing and Dave will be on the road… does this sound familiar or it just me? No, it is not just me, we went through this last November with Dave on the road working and me home packing and cleaning. The good news is, being preggers is going to make the actual move just the way I like it… delegate, delegate, delegate! Big Smile! 

So being this late in the week, I am going to go with a quote that many of you may know. For me, leaving Riley for the weekend and returning to his big, big happy tail wags, this is the bullseye shot. "My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am" Unknown Author

I was asked if Riley was mad that we left him. It doesn't occur to him to be mad, he was so happy his people came back, he only appreciates the good… sounds like a lesson we could all stand to learn.

MM 5/27/2003

Welcome to a new week!

And a short one too! Did you do something fun this weekend? Dave was off being a Civil War Soldier, and a Game Geek while I was home enjoying the sunshine. Wasn't the weather just glorious?

On Saturday I took Riley to the lake and he went swimming for the first time ever. It was pretty funny, he was just playing, getting his feet wet, up to about his belly and then he would get out and sniff around. Well that sniffer was working pretty good and he found the stinkiest, fishy place in the dirt and eagerly rubbed his face, head and all that is attached in this stinky, stinky stuff! "That's it, you're going in!" I put him in the water just over his head and he went under, eyes big, slightly panicked, looking up through the water, he starts to swim! He came up, snorting, paddling hard and when he got out of the water, he was so excited, he was shaking off the water, barking, wagging his tail and just filled with life. I guess it was one of those baby milestones.

Sunday was shopping for Poobah & groceries, and Monday was administrative. Organizing bills to pay, returning phone calls, tidying up the house and then off to meet Dave at the river, Discovery Park. We only spent a few hours, but it was enough time to get a stinging sunburn. Ouch!

I like this motivator. With some things in life right now making me question my skills and abilities, today I choose to think I can handle it. I can reshape my body & stay fit even while I am pregnant. I can communicate effectively with those I love in spite of emotions I can't always control right now, OH! I can control my emotions!! Laughing! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!!! I KNOW I can!

Drop me a line and let me know how your weekend shaped up. I would love to hear from you!

With lots of love!

Kathy


Thoughts Matter

What you become, you become first in your mind. What you accomplish, you accomplish first in your mind. The life you live is a direct and unfailing manifestation of your thoughts.

So what are you thinking? Do your thoughts hold you back, or do they push you forward? Look around you and you'll see. The life you live is the result of the thoughts to which you have given the most energy and attention.

Thoughts don't magically become reality the moment you think them. Rather, your thoughts become reality as a result of the power you give to them. If, for example, you think about how nice it would be to become an artist, and then never think that thought again, it won't happen. If, on the other hand, you constantly think about becoming an artist, throughout the day, day after day, month after month, to the point where those thoughts influence your actions, then you will indeed become an artist.

What thoughts are you constantly thinking? Are they destructive, or are they enriching and empowering? Your thoughts matter very much, and you are always free to think whatever you wish. Choose the thoughts that will lift you up and watch yourself soar as a result.

Ralph Marston from The Daily Motivator
with permission http://www.dailymotivator.com/

MM 10/28/2002

Hello Friends,

Today I am free! I am free of the situation that has been troubling me. Funny thing is, it is not resolved at all. I simply crawled into bed last night, and consciously let go of all the negativity that is involved in this situation. I removed myself completely and invited some positive thoughts and smiling memories in. I slept like a log and woke up this morning with the
idea that I am going to accomplish all that is on my list and more today. I think this motivator is what I have been feeling all along, and how appropriate that it is articulated so well today (of all days!).

13 days and counting until the wedding, only 2 days until the drawing for the Wedding Fundraising Raffle (Did you get your name in the hopper?) and 3 days until I am officially out of Alameda and living in Dutch Flat.

Smiling,

Kathy

Fear of criticism

Think for a moment how silly it is to live in fear of criticism. If you're doing what you know to be right, what possible reason could you have to fear the criticism of others?

Are you concerned that the comments and opinions of others will somehow damage your self esteem or self image? Are you afraid of speaking your mind or taking action because you might get your feelings hurt?

If you really want to improve your self esteem, stop allowing other people to be responsible for it. Instead, create something of value. Make a positive difference. Pats on the back are nice, but in the end the thing that will truly make you feel good about yourself is to accomplish something
worthwhile.

Find valuable feedback in the criticism of others. Realize that it can't hurt you, that it actually can help. Go forward with the confidence of knowing that you're truly making a difference, and you will indeed.
Ralph Marston from The Daily Motivator
with permission http://www.dailymotivator.com