Tag: family

Cousins are great

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I never played with my cousins growing up, but I see how important they are to my grands. It helps that out of my five grandkids, four are boys of similar ages. (Poor Tuesday)

Their personalities are so closely similar. They laugh, fight, connive, cry, hug, learn and love.

wGrandmaI’m one of the common denominators in their little lives. Sure my kids get together and have the kids over to each other’s houses, but coming to Grandma’s is one way to get together.

I wish I had the time and energy to do this all the time. Unfortunately, I’m not retired and “life” wears me down so it’s not possible.JTLJR

When I see all the times where they do get to play together, I see how special it is. Love.

— Namaste

Would you rather?

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I have the game, “Would you Rather” but I don’t think any adults have ever played it in my house.

For nearly five years, it’s been me reading the cards to my granddaughter and her telling me her answer. When she was younger, she struggled answering because she knew she didn’t want either. Ha!

[Just like life, little girl. Sometimes you have to choose anyway.]

So — for fun — would you rather . . .

. . . lose your ability speak for one year -OR- your ability to walk for one year?

. . . be the shortest boy in the fourth grade -OR- the tallest girl in the fourth grade?

. . . always be itchy -OR- always feel like you have to pee?

. . . be an only child -OR- have seven siblings?

. . . live forever as a 13-year-old -OR- as a 65-year-old?

Have a GREAT day!

—Namaste

P.S. My box — complete with puppy love on the corners.

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Work-Life Balance

Have you heard this yet?

Work. Sleep. Family. Fitness. Friends.      Pick 3.

Randi Zuckerburg (sis of Mark, Facebook fame), call’s this the “entrepreneur’s dilemma” according to her 2011 tweet.  Lately, I’ve seen this written about often.

The concept says a person can focus on three of the five, but can’t give sufficient time/energy/focus to all five.  I agree.  It isn’t a concept that is for entrepreneurs only.  We can’t have it all — something has to give.  And, this three-out-of-five concept is such a concise, simple description of what has been true for me for years.

Out of the five, I pick sleep, family, and fitness.  Believe me; I’m working, but I’m not dedicating extra time to grow a business or putting in exorbitant effort to get ahead in my profession.  Likewise, I have friends but cultivating many friend relationships, has never been my focus.

When I say, I “pick” sleep, family, and fitness, it all has happened naturally, subconsciously — completely without me knowing I was picking.

Sleep. I’m a person who needs a lot of sleep and values sleep over getting up early or staying up late to hang with friends.

Family. I have four kids and while they were in my house, I always said I didn’t have time for friends. Now, that the kids are out of the house, it still is true because keeping up with the lives of grown children, is actually more work.

Fitness. If you would have unexpectedly asked me if I focus on fitness, I’d have said no. However, looking at my time and what I don’t let get derailed with the other two life silos, I pick fitness.

So what three have you picked?

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Snow

Do you text your kids with weather reports?

20150201_081335So it snowed last night. This has only happened three or four times this winter. Global warming. Weather extremes. Whatever.

I just love it. My youngest is 24 years old. Still, the first snow of the season, I text all four of my kids with the, “It’s snowing!” text. They know how much I love the snow and I think they all would say they do too.

I love going for walks when it is freezing or snowing because there isn’t anyone else out. It’s so quiet. Insulated with the snow. You can hear and see the most wonderful things. The other day, walking my dog, we ran across five wild turkeys. Those birds have the most beautiful feathers that are every different color of brown with iridescent mixed in. They were just six feet away.