Happy First Day of School!

My fourth and first graders!

Today was the day - time to head back to the classroom. End of summer break. Back to our regularly scheduled programming. And all that jazz.

I heard a lot of people saying "wow, summer just flew by!" and yeah it sort of seems like it did. The kids got out of school in early June and the next two weeks were filled with religious education classes (not fun but necessary). Then July started out with a bang celebrating the 4th of July.

The girls had golf every Friday and then in late July we headed to Connecticut for a few days, and had a chance to spend two days in New York City. That was a really fun trip and I promise I'll be writing more about our NYC adventures soon.

Then July was over and it was suddenly August and the girls finished their golfing summer with a tournament where Emma was the "club champion" in her age group (for girls AND boys) and Olivia placed second for her age group.

And then it was time to do some back-to-school shopping and get organized for school. Just like that summer was officially OVER.

I think the kids had a good summer - it rained a lot and we didn't get to do as much as I would have liked. I've also realized that being a work-at-home mom is really difficult during the summer months. Emma even said "all you do is work, mommy." (LOL).

But the girls managed to find fun things to do - Emma mastered several games on the Wii and devoured many, many books. She also learned to ride her bike without training wheels! Olivia discovered the Rainbow Loom and our house is full of rubber band bracelets.

As it is, I think the kids were ready to head back to the classroom and I KNOW that I was ready to get back to some sort of schedule - for work and play.

So...if you're kidlets are headed back today, tomorrow, or next week (or if they have already gone back to school), happy back-to-school time! Here's to a great year.

Read this book! (And if you're lucky, win a copy here)

I recently had the privilege of reading a new book that inspired me, educated me, and made me want to be a renegade when it comes to this blog, my social media endeavors, and well....life in general.

The book - Renegades Write The Rules by Amy Jo Martin.

There is just so much AMAZING in this book, it would take me an obnoxious amount of words to tell you about it here. But let me give you some (brief) insight into why Amy Jo Martin is my new hero.

I've always been a person who doesn't like to hear the excuse of "it's always been done that way and we aren't going to change." That makes me CRAZY. I'm thinking this means I might be a renegade too.

While I read the book I found myself highlighting many, many insightful passages. But one section of the book really struck a nerve with me. Amy Jo talked about the time a former employer handed her a note that said "Work. Family. Self." and then told her to choose two because you can't have all three.

Having lived through a situation very similar to that - when I was told by a former employer that I had to choose which was more important, my job or my family - I felt a strong connection to the words on the pages of this book. I could relate to Amy Jo's desire to not just "choose two."

Every day when I sit in my home office I look at my vision board - where words like passion, happiness, balance, dream, and truth stare back at me. I have been on a journey to find that perfect balance in my life - where my passion and my work become ONE and ohmygosh work is FUN and doesn't seem like work.

And wouldn't you know it...Amy Jo talks about this in the book. One of my favorite (highlighted) passages is this: "The more you focus on opportunities that call on your sharpest skills and strongest passions in order to produce a result that fulfills your purpose, the more bliss you will have in your days." [p. 167]

If you love social media and want to be a force of positive change - in life, at work - you need to read this book. Amy Jo's stories about working with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and others are not only enlightening, but they're also inspirational and when you're done with this book you will want to work harder. And you will want to be a renegade.

I'm going to make it easier for one of you to get your hands on this book! Check out the Rafflecopter entry form below and enter to win a signed, advanced copy of the book. The contest runs from today until October 8. Entering is simple - you just need to leave a blog comment to enter (per the Rafflecopter entry form) and then be sure to use the Rafflecopter entry form to record your entry. You MUST do both to enter to win.

Renegades Write The Rules is available to purchase October 2. You can follow Amy Jo on Twitter and Facebook.

[Disclaimer: I was given an advance digital copy of Renegades Write The Rules to read and an advanced "hard" copy of the book for this giveaway. All opinions are mine. No other compensation was received.]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Frustration Friday

[insert very loud sigh here]

So, it's Friday.
And I'm frustrated.

Granted, I've been frustrated for months (years?...haha)...but this week, it's really been bad. I can feel my temper bubbling up, right under the surface and quite frankly, I want to throw something and have a mini tantrum. And really, that's not what 39 year old women do.

So, I'll blog instead.

I'm frustrated about my "job" .. for more reason than I care to go into right now. Suffice it to say, it has nothing to do with the people (unlike when I worked for the Polyester Troll). It's just a frustrating situation and I'm not sure what to do about it.

And as if today wasn't trying enough ... our refrigerator decided to die. It was on "life support" all week, while I attributed to the "not ice cold" milk to the summer like temps outside (yeah, I was trying to be an optimist)...I had to face the not-so-cold-hard-facts this morning when the "frozen" pancakes were actually thawed out.

$800 later...we have a nice, new fridge in the kitchen.
Thank goodness for 12 months no interest is all I can say.

This has been one of those weeks for certain. What I want right now is: a pedicure, an iced Venti Skinny Caramel Macchiatto from Starbucks, the third book in the "Fifty Shades" trilogy, and some chocolate. Is that too much to ask?

Oh, and while we're on the subject of "Fifty Shades of Grey"...holy hell people. [this would be the point in the post where I talk about sex and things like that].

I've been hearing about this books for months and I finally read devoured the first two books this week. Let me put it this way - if you read the "Twilight" series you will see a bazillion similarities between that series and Fifty Shades (because, after all, it started out as Twilight fanfiction) but with a lot more sex and stuff like that. Just think of it this way: Human Edward + Human Bella + some seriously kinky shenanigans and you have "Fifty Shades of Grey."

I will admit, the writing isn't the strongest writing I've seen ... but there were many, many times in the first two books when the dialogue between the main characters made me smile or laugh out loud. I won't give too much away about the rest of it, except to say ... yeah, there's a LOT of sex in this book. And it's not "vanilla" sex either - when you hear it described as "mommy porn"...yeah that just about sums it up. But, it's not just all about sex either - there really IS a story here.

And as much as I'd like to lock myself away and read for the entire weekend, I can't. Tomorrow is Olivia's First Communion and I'm going to be ridiculously busy. Fifty Shades will just have to wait, along with that pedicure and venti iced coffee.

Five Question Friday!

OK...this "five question Friday" originates over at My Little Life (and I found it via Mama of all Trades).

Here we go!

1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row?
Um, yes. I'm quite certain that I have done this. I know there have been days where I wake up and decide "I'm not getting out of my pajamas today" even though I've been in them since mid-afternoon the day before. I have two kids. Sometimes I don't want to make the effort. Sue me.

2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be?
At one point in time I might have answered Chicago. But now I have one answer...just one. Orlando. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that shocks no one. Why? Florida. No snow. No ice. Palm trees. And, of course, Disney. (My second choice? Tampa.)

3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation?
We've done both successfully since the girls were "younger." Emma's first plane trip was at 8 months old. Olivia was 3 at the time. Last spring we drove to Disney - and while the drive down to Florida is OK, the drive home is always exhausting. It's fun to take road trips - there's a sense of adventure in packing up the car with suitcases, snacks, coolers, toys, pillows and blankets. And then by day two on the road you just WANT TO GET THERE NOW! So...if I had to choose, I'd say fly. For now.

4. What is your idea of "spring cleaning"?
Cleaning every room of the house top to bottom. Washing all floor rugs, shampooing the carpet, washing the hardwood floors, scrubbing with the strongest cleaner I can find, opening all the windows and getting rid of every single stubborn winter germ. Oh, and cleaning out closets, cupboards AND the basement and putting all the junk at the curb for our "unlimited trash" day in April. It should be noted that I cannot wait for spring cleaning this year.

5. What is the best book you have ever read?
Wow. This is a tough question. I have so many "favorite" books, but to determine THE BEST? I'll try....the best "fiction" would likely be Spring Moon by Bette Bao Lord. I read it in high school and fell in love - I have read it several times again since. The best "horror" book would be The Stand by Stephen King. (I almost said IT by Stephen King only because when I finished that book I actually slept with the lights on for two weeks). For the record, my favorite book is Gone with the Wind. I've read it 10 times. At least.

OK...there you have it.
Happy Friday!