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balance

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noun  bal·ance \ˈba-lən(t)s\

Simple Definition of balance

• : the state of having your weight spread equally so that you do not fall
• : the ability to move or to remain in a position without losing control or falling
• : a state in which different things occur in equal or proper amounts or have an 
• equal or proper amount of importance

Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

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Such a simple word - a simple definition (it even says so). The second line is my favorite. I think it is truly the definition of life.

To remain in a position without losing control or falling.

This is my goal. Whether that position is wife, mother, employee, daughter, or dog owner my goal is to remain engaged and balanced in that position without losing control or falling. I've come to appreciate not being in total control of a situation, being mindful of the space that I am in, and trying to be present enough to feel whatever the moment brings. 

But somehow the self doubt still creeps in that perhaps I am not doing all of that in the moment. That I have am falling short or losing it.  The goal seems so simple. As simple as the definition. Just stay balanced.

Yet it's not. Balance is not an easy pursuit however I feel the word is everywhere.  Is it the Universe sending me a message? Is it just a current Buzzword? Is it because I am searching so desperately for it?  Balance seems to be everywhere and nowhere all at the same time.

 Let me know what you think.....maybe we can find it together. Namaste.

The menu's are back! Just in time for school.

I can't believe that summer is almost over. This is our last week. Soccer is is full swing. Where does the time go? I know the boys are anxious to pack a lot into this week - so knowing dinner is already planned is a load off my mind.

Last Week of Summer Menu

click the link above

I think diapers were easier

No one tells you when you become a parent that the hardest part will not be 3 am feedings, projectile vomiting, or dirty diapers.  It won't even be keeping their fingers out of their mouth or repeating yourself 150 times.  And it certainly won't be strollers, pumpkin seats, or Baby Bjorn's.

When your once beautiful baby boy turns 13 years-old, you will long for the days when it was only dirty diapers, two naps, and feedings every three hours.  That bedtime routine of potty, brush teeth, read books. I'll take it!!

It just seems like there was a lot about parenting that "they" forgot to tell. I don't remember life before 5 really, nothing before Kindergarten so I kinda felt like I was flying blind for those years. But after 5 I though - Heck. Been there, Done that!  I got this.

I don't got this. I was never a 13 year-old boy.  I wasn't a darn good 13 year-old girl.  That was definitely a dark time for me; hormones, brooding, mood swings. Wait, maybe it's not so different? Anywho, when situations arise I try to remember what it was like when I was that age and how my parents handled things. Then I mix myself a stiff drink, call the psych hotline, and do the exact opposite of what my parents did.

My neighbor just had her tenth child. Wow. 10. Teenagers. Well, maybe it's easier to deal with when you are still changing diapers? Or easier not to deal with when you are changing diapers.
Que sera,sera.

Re-Posting - Check this out! Pass it along

Love Week At Mindvalley

Several years ago, we decided that Valentine’s Day shouldn’t just be a day for lovers – so we planned a takeover that resulted in Love Week – when everybody gets to experience some love and appreciation at the workplace. And because love and appreciation lead to happiness, it boosted our productivity dramatically.

So why shouldn’t all workplaces prioritise happiness? When you make love and care part of your company culture, you create an environment that encourages and enables employees to bond and connect with each other. Various studies have proven that friendships at work, on the contrary, boosts producvitity and company growth.

Love Week takes place the week before Valentine’s, for five days of amazing giving and receiving at the office. Each person plays a secret angel and “a human” to somebody. Before Love Week starts, everyone draws a name of someone to be secret angel to for Love Week, without revealing their identity.

Studies have shown that what correlates with happiness at work the most is the social support you receive. But it gets better. A further study finds that providing social support generates greater productivity in the long run.

Love Week is a culture that enables and encourages the act of receiving and giving social support and appreciation; it’s been the most engaging annual culture in Mindvalley that’s increased productivity and forged stronger friendships among employees in our company.

• A 2008 Gallup Consulting study concluded that employee engagement is a force that drives business outcomes, and engaged employees are more productive, profitable, customer-focused and safer.

• According to Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work, 95% of people who provide no social support at work have no work engagement. True work altruists [those] are about 10X as likely to be highly engaged.

• Tom Rath, the author of the best-selling Vital Friends: The People You Can’t Afford to Live Without, found that people who have a best friend at work are seven times as likely to be engaged in their job.

• Another study by Gallup Consulting discovered that 75% of participants who had a best friend at work planned to be with their companies for at least another year.

How Does Love Week Work?

• Everyone adds their names to a hat and then each person draws out a name (at random), regardless of gender or rank. The name you draw is your Human, which makes you their Secret Angel.

• Your duty as a Secret Angel is to show love and appreciation for your Human throughout Love Week in creative, mysterious and secretive ways (check out our tips below). You do this anonymously!

• Follow Mindvalley’s updates on our Facebook page and Instagram or Twitter feed at @mindvalley!

• Show the world how much love you are spreading. Share photos of your Love Week experience on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #SpreadLoveWeek.

• Remember that while you are a Secret Angel, someone else is also being a Secret Angel to you. So you too will be receiving love and appreciation from him or her all week long :-)

• Your identity as a Secret Angel should only be revealed to your Human after Love Week ends.

Suggestions And Tips For Your Love Week

• You don’t have to spend lavish amounts to show your Human love and appreciation! It’s always the thought and effort that count. Surprise them with their favourite coffee, decorate their desk,

• While you can be generous and spend on gifts, Love Week doesn’t require cash! Create a Spotify playlist, send them empowering quotes, set up a temporary Tumblr account dedicated to them or create a customised Pinterest board of their goals and interests.

• Collaborate with other Secret Angels! Send another person to serenade, give a quick massage, deliver a gift, or recite an embarrassing poem or on your behalf.

• Can’t get your entire company to participate in Love Week? Do it just within your department or with your team.

• Bring Love Week to your community, family or a society/club that you’re part of. Love Week isn’t just for companies and even be done virtually! Just get creative and innovate ;-)

• Turn Love Week into your own personal campaign! Perform random acts of kindness to a stranger, volunteer at a local community or even show the environment some love and plant a tree a day.

• Be your own Secret Angel and make Love Week a week of self-love and appreciation for yourself – head to the spa, take an hour off to golf or treat yourself to that must-have that you’ve been eyeing for a while now.

• Remember to share photos of your Love Week experience on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all week long using the hashtag #SpreadLoveWeek.

• Check out Mindvalley’s Love Week album to see examples of what our Secret Angels were up to!

I'm sorry for your loss, but......

It's crazy to think the last time I even sat down to write anything was Mother's day. (I think I might have sent that from my phone while ruminating over another possible concussion)

Soccer takes over our lives in May. This week we will endure soccer tryouts, an event that I despise, and wrap up the 2015-2016 soccer season. We officially finished our regular season after heading to the "Big Dance" for U13 soccer. President's Cup. The boys made it to the Quarterfinals!! WooWhoo!

They lost the first game Saturday morning, but I can not tell you how proud I am. If you saw this team in the fall you would be too. They have come a long way and each player has grown so much this year it's amazing to watch.

After the loss, we had a two and a half hour drive home. I was begging the soccer gods to make my husband mute. Praying that he would not start as soon as we got in the car "Well if you hustled a little more, stepped up to the ball, that last goal...."

I've learned to shut-up and listen. After a loss when the boys would get in the car and start in on "The ref's sucked! No one played defense - I can't play two positions, the goalie didn't..." I would get mad thinking - #1 Don't you be THAT kid! and #2 Just wait a darn minute- there is no I in Team it says so on that motivational picture on every office wall since the late 80's. And #3 no it's rarely the ref's fault. 

The next thing you know we were all mad and after screaming at each other we would ride home in silence. My heart would hurt. My brain would be racing a mile a minute about how to fix this.  Until on day I kept my mouth shut. I said, I'm sorry. I maybe added, that does suck. I hate it when that happens. But mostly just, I'm sorry.

Somewhere in the last 13 years it finally dawned on me that my kids just need time to grieve. Duh! I know it's just a soccer game - so do they. When I just shut-up and let them have 5 minutes to vent and I acknowledge their loss they bounce back a lot quicker.

We have all suffered the loss of a loved one. What if after that loved one passed away at the funeral people came through line and said to you "I am so sorry for your loss, but if he wasn't an alcoholic he might have lived longer. You know you could have done a little more about getting him to stop drinking. Well, anyway - good effort, you tried, better luck next time."

Seriously?!

Please so not repost on Facebook as the insane mom who thinks each soccer game should be mourned as a tragic loss. Just using an example we can all relate to-but let's face it people, when we were kids very few of us ever heard of select sports let alone were in a tournament at nine years-old. 

What I am saying is I personally struggle with what to say to my sons after a loss, especially after they make it to the Big Dance and lose their first game, just as I struggle to find the words to comfort anyone grieving or hurting. So I've learned to just say,,,,,, I'm sorry.

To all the Soccer Mom's out there....

Happy Soccer Sunday with Mom's.  I know. We have two in soccer and today we are split up because one is at a tournament right now hopefully bringing home a Trophy. And the other is getting ready for a game. Whoever decided May would be a good month for Mother's Day did not have boys in soccer.
(or Baseball, I hear those mom's are all at the field also. Happy Baseball Mother's Day to you!)

For all the sports Mom out there today whether on the Pitch or the Diamond here is a my gift to you.
A Concussion Evaluation questionnaire to keep in your sports bag.  Number two son came home from yesterday's game saying he was "evidently" hit in the head by another player.

How do you get hit and the head and not know it?  This is the dramatic son so don't think that I called 911 or that my husband, who was in charge at the time, was completely lacking. My husband is making the "faker" face as I am asking my son some questions.

Information on concussions is ever changing and I thought it was helpful after seeing an actual concussion evaluation from the Concussion Clinic at Children's Hospital.  It looked rather like a DUI test.  Not that I have had one, but I have seen COPS in my lifetime.  The following .pdf is the mental evaluation or questionnaire that can prove very helpful to parents or coaches if you are A. on the field or B. have crappy insurance like us and afraid of a $1500 bill from Children's unless you really need it.

Remember this is only the mental evaluation and there should also be a physical evaluation as well.  According to many websites and the exam I witnessed (remember think DUI).  

You are looking for issues of balance, tremors, stability.  Stand on one leg, close your eyes, put 

your head back, now touch your index finger to your nose.  Balance on one leg eyes closed arms out.

I am NOT a doctor. Just a mom. But there is nothing worse than being on the sidelines and watching 

your child get his bell rung and wondering - how bad was it? Should he come out - stay in? Should

I go to the ER? We are told to sign a wavier before every tournament - but no one ever gave

me solid information on how to asses the situation when it happens to my child.

Good Luck. Happy Mother's Day - well as soon as sports are over.

The SCAT Card (Sports Concussion Assessment Tool)