On The Road Again!

We are off to Denver for our annual trade show - the SIA Snow Show. This week has been a whirlwind of activity, plans, packing, printing, and so much more! I want to share with you a letter from a mom of an 8 year old. Go to the bottom of this post to read what she has to say about ZipperBack Gloves

Being the overachiever I am, I'm also starting school today, too! Talk about crazy timing! I could have put it off another semester but I'm not one to procrastinate. These two big events happening at the same time presents several challenges but the fact of the matter is, it will only be challenging for a week or ten days - I can do that standing on my head! Laughing! My on-campus class is a creative writing class and my other two classes will be on line classes. I'm enrolled in American History and am hopeful I will be added to a digital photography class. All of this in an effort to obtain a degree in communication.

As if that's not enough, I am fully utilizing my real estate license and providing foreclosure alternative seminars and working with distressed homeowners to educate them about loan mod and if they choose to, list their homes for short sale. If you or someone you know is searching for answers regarding loan mods and short sales, please send them my way. I know more than I care to, but I love that it's giving so many families the information they need to make good decisions regarding modifying or selling.

It's time. We are off an running. I will write next week and share with you all the fun an excitement from Denver. No skiing this year, but lots of fun will be had nonetheless! If we're friends on Facebook, I'll be sure to post updates!

Today's motivator - Don't be afraid to say, "Yes!" while keeping in mind sometimes the best answer is, "No." Find balance in everything you do and everything you do will balance you!

Letter from Sarah H, MA -

"Thank you so much Kathy! I didn't want to elaborate too much on the phone because my son was right there, but I just want to reiterate how amazing these gloves are.

My son Jonathan had a stroke when he was born, and was never supposed to walk or talk. He has done both, with no real issues. The main residual issue we have stemming from his stroke is some weakness in his left hand. Because of this, he... is unable to wear a typical glove. I have been searching for years for this type of glove, and finally stumbled across yours in a store shortly before Christmas. They have been a true lifesaver for us.

I recommend your gloves to just about everyone I see, including my sons therapists. I am not sure if you were looking specifically to help out the special needs community or not, but you have done us a great service. Thank you! My son can now make snow balls AND have nice warm hands at the same time!"

Sincerely,
Sarah H. - Massachusetts

Happy MLK Day!

Happy MLK Day! For most of you it's Martin Luther King Jr Day, but in our family it's also Mary Lorraine Kalinowski Day! Laughing! You see, Mary is Dave's mom and yesterday was her birthday. We celebrated on Saturday night at Shadow Brook Restaurant in Capitola with family and friends. It was lovely. Take a look here, it really is a special place!


The weekend was full of love! We spent a night with David and Lisa in Alameda - our home away from home. Do you have a friend that truly makes you feel that welcome in their home? I'm incredibly lucky, because I have several friends who make me feel that way! We spent a little time with Al and Linda and to top off our bay area visit, we had lunch with David, Alice and Kayla.


Today we are heading up the hill to put Mason in his second of three snowboarding lessons. Dave and I will ski and I've got plans to share all the details of Boreal's programs for learning to ski/board. With that, I'm off and running. I will post pictures from the weekend and today tomorrow. Happy MLK Day!

Dream It - Do It!

Happy Monday Friends!

I am home and energized from an amazing weekend in Truckee. It's a good thing, too because I have a busy few weeks ahead of me. Lisa A. and I had planned a girls weekend months ago. The invite to come spend the New Year holiday came after so lucky for me, I got the gift of two glorious weekends in a row in heaven!

Now it's back to work with the SIA snow show in Denver at the end of the month, school also starts for me on the 24th and I am now working as a full-fledged Realtor listing short sales. Keep me in mind if you or someone you know has questions about loan modifications, short sales and all the options/ramifications of their choices. I can answer loan mod questions no matter where you live in the US, but foreclosure laws vary from state to state. As always, consult a CPA and/or attorney for the best information for your situation. Laughing! I just provided a legal disclaimer in my Monday Motivator, how funny is that? I suppose as a professional, I can't help it -- it's the right thing to do.

Hey, if you have a Dream-Not-Come-True you want me to feature in my Intentional Winning In Life blog, reply to me and share what is it (you didn't pursue) and why you think you didn't or can't. You can check out Dave's Gettysburg story which is my feature for January. Oh, and take a moment to click the "follow" link, There is no better way to show a blogger some love than to follow & comment!


Whatever it is you long to do, do it. There has never been a better time to get busy and make you dreams come true. You can do it and there is no time like the present. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Our holiday season was the best ever! I say it all the time, my life is incredible and though there are rough patches, they pale in comparison to the love and friendship that surrounds me. Dave, Mason and I spent the weekend in Truckee with David and Lisa Anderson. It was a lovely mix of girl time with Lisa, skiing in fresh powder with Dave & Mason (the best weather day of the weekend), shopping in Old Town Truckee, playing in the snow and the cherry on the icing, it snowed while we were there!

Mason didn't make it to midnight on Friday so we put our hats on, got our noise makers out and did it up big on Saturday night, too. It was a double dose of new year fun and kisses!


We ate amazing food, drank the best wine, and made a new favorite cake - white with cranberry filling iced with whipped cream. Decadent and abundant in food, wine and friends. We played Wii - sports, Shaun White's Snowboarding, Dance 2, and balance games. I suggested Mason put the balance games on because they are fun. He said, "Oh yeah, those are fun and they are good for the elderly, too!" Elderly?! Well, I guess when you are seven and everyone else is 44 or older, we look pretty elderly! I'm still laughing about that one -- but then again, I'm the 44, not the "older."



One bright spot in our trip was shopping in Truckee. Lisa said she wanted to buy me a Brighton charm for my birthday. We were looking at all the charms and I picked the inspirational style, I told her she had to pick the one she thinks is most representative of me. She easily narrowed it down to two; Laughter and Live. She said, "I'm choosing Live because you really do." There just aren't words to express how this touched my heart.

We made the trip home early Sunday morning so we had the day to heat the house (it was 40 degrees inside when we got home!), get groceries, do laundry,and get ready for work/school today. Well, I did those things and some writing while Dave built a fire and then slept on the couch watching football. Yep, you read that right! I'm not complaining, he did more than his fair share of cooking and other stuff at the Truckee house -- we take turns sleeping/watching (reference: Kathy's Christmas Day ritual).

Happy New Year friends! Make small changes one day at a time and measure your success in weeks. Weeks will turn to months and before you know it, another whole year will have passed and you will see positive changes all around you. The time will pass no matter what you do or don't do - either way, it's up to you!

Merry Chrisrmas Memories

Happy Monday after Christmas and last Monday of 2010! We all heard it as young people, the older you get the faster time passes -- how true it is!

Our Christmas holiday was just perfect. We went to visit family in the bay area and had a wonderful time visiting with family and friends. We made the trip home on the 24th to be sure to have cookies and milk out for Santa.

Christmas was idyllic.Like a classic story, Mason was up at 5 AM ready to see what Santa brought and try as we might, Dave and I were not successful in convincing him to go back to bed. Go figure! We all opened our gifts and enjoyed seeing what everyone got. Mason got a recycled computer (new to him!) with more Legos than one boy should ever get in one day! Dave got several history books, one in particular -- The Gettysburg Companion. It's just one more intentional step to that dream job as a park ranger in Gettysburg National Park! Along the lines of visualization and intention, Dave gave me a guidebook to visiting New England. We will spend the early part of 2011 planning our 10th wedding anniversary in Vermont to see the fall colors. I can't wait! After the gifts were opened, Mason played with Legos (darn near all day!), Dave worked in the kitchen making an amazing prime rib dinner and I kept my personal tradition alive, I napped on the couch with Spencer! Not all day, but at least an hour was spent in midday, luxurious slumber! At some point during the day we watched National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, ridiculous humor that's a holiday must!

After many phone calls and dinner, we pulled out the sleeping pads, bean bags, blankets and pillows into the living room where we all cuddled up to watch Miracle on 34th Street. The fire was flickering, the tree was lit and we all just slowed down and fell asleep. I just can't think of a better Christmas, ever. It was the best one ever!

As we head into the new year, there is much work to do. I have two books to write, along with a companion blog and a glove business to grow. If all goes as planned, our patent will issue in 2011, how cool will that look hanging on the wall? Do me a favor, pick up the phone and call a couple of sporting goods stores near you and ask for ZipperBack Gloves. When they say they don't have them, suggest they carry them. If you feel so inclined, you can let them know we have no minimums so they can try us out with an order as little as a dozen or two! Big smiles!

Have the happiest new year ever and be sure to reflect on all your blessings. It's been a tough few years and though there have been difficulties, there is also much to be thankful for! Focus on the good and watch it grow! I love you all and look forward to hearing back from you about your holidays! Love, Kathy

Christmas Pictures

Mason with Santa - He's getting to be such a big guy!
(Mason, that is - laughing!)

My cousin Lisa and I - vowing to spend more time together in 2011!

Mason, cousin Kayla and Aunt Terese

Mason and Grandma Mary

Ric and Terese

"Elf Dave" sitting by the little fire. This makes me laugh!

Dave's bio-family! Sister Kisti, Mason, brother-in-law Mark, nieces Kelsey & Brooke and nephews Lane & Evan.

Just a nice shot of us as a family to wrap up 2010

Ornaments. Just make me smile and I thought they might make you smile, too!

Holiday Traditions And Belief

With less than one week before Christmas, it's safe to say, ready or not, here it comes! Christmas and the new year on on the horizon and they are coming no matter what.

I made a very concentrated effort this year to not shop. I didn't want to go into shops or the mall as like most people do, I felt like giving what I want to get; enjoyable experiences. I saw this with Mason when he decorated his cookies to give his school bus drivers, teacher, and principal -- he loaded them up with icing, tons of it, just the way he likes to eat them! It made me smile to see him so proud of giving what he made. Beautiful Christmas cookies are only one of our holiday traditions.

Another is visiting Santa! At the ripe old age of seven, Mason is questioning his belief in the mythical characters of Christmas. The doubt started with the fairies that bring little treats each day to the Advent calendar. Mason informed me on Friday that he believed I was the fairy who put the treats in the boxes. "Really? Why do you think that?" I asked. "Because I see that you put foil wrapped snowmen in the gift basket for Ms. Morris (his teacher) and those are the same snowmen I got two days ago in my *opit day." He said firmly. Uh-oh I thought as I came back with a very quick and clever reply. "Oh Mason, that's silly. Just because we have something the same doesn't mean the fairies don't exist. Do you think that if Santa brings Legos and you can also buy them at the store that that means Santa isn't real?" Silence. I waited hoping that I'd stalled the inevitable when Mason said, "Good point. I'm gonna be keeping my eye on those opit day fairies but Santa's real, oh yeah, Santa's real!" Now Mason still believes in Santa but he will be the first one to tell you the Santa in the mall is not the real one. Mason is well aware that the man in the mall is a helper, an agent if you will of the big man himself -- legitimate enough to share his list with for sure.

Before we wrap up the gift that is the Monday Motivator before Christmas 2010, let me share with you a budding optimists view of naughty and nice and what could land in your stocking Christmas morning. Like all parents this time of year, Dave and I leverage the, "You better be good. Santa can see you and if you're naughty, you just might find a lump of coal in your stocking." This year, Mason quipped, "Well, I don't really want coal but if I got a lump, I could burn it in the stove and it would keep us warm. Did you guys know you can burn coal to keep warm?" He asked. What do you say to that? I just smiled, feeling very proud that we are raising a thinking and optimistic young man!

Merry Christmas friends, you are loved and appreciated!

* Opit Day -- When Mason was just learning to talk, we would talk about his Advent calendar and say, "Oh, we have to open the next day!" He caught on very quickly and began to say, "Opit Daaaayyy. Opit Daaayyyy" pointing to the calendar. It stuck and now Advent calendars in our family are referred to as "Opit Days."