Me Too You

It is coming together

At the end of the last year/start of the new year, I wrote a #best09 series of posts, inspired by Gwen Bell. It was refreshing to look back over 2009 with a positive view, remembering things like the best restaurant moment, best social web moment, best trip, best person, best book, etc., instead of looking back on all the things that were wrong with my life...like I normally do at the start of a new year. The last entry was a resolution, very traditional new year's stuff and fitting for the new year, especially after having done an exercise on the positives.

MY RESOLUTION 1 MONTH AGO:

This is what I wrote...

Presence

I just went back and reread a post I wrote on Simplicity Sake (a blog my sister and I started last year, but haven't kept up...hmm...this does not bode well, eh?) about New Year's Resolutions from 2009. My resolution last year was to be more PRESENT in my life.

While I feel like I made progress on this last year, I think this is always something I have to keep in mind. And I need to remind myself of it. It is easy to get sucked into this, that and the other thing. Especially as I take on new challenges with work and step up my travel schedule (which is definitely on the books for 2010).

The first thing that comes to my mind is being present with my kids and my family. Especially as the kids get older, it is easy to think they are ok, they are fine, they don't need me as much. True, not as intensely and maybe not as much time, but still...they need my presence. I feel like this year I may need to build some things INTO the schedule. Things like:

• adjusting my schedule so that I'm working from 9-2 and then with (and PRESENT) with the kids from 2pm on
• making one-on-one time with each of the kids a priority
• getting a new babysitter so Jeff and I can have our alone time on a regular basis

Another resolution for 2010: Jeff and I have made a goal to run a half marathon in 2010 - we estimate that it is about 13.1 miles from our house to the Los Gatos Dam (and then there is the #tiarathon and #shredheads of course...). Yoga once a week should round things out. Hold me to it?

++++++++++++++++++++++

THE UPDATE AFTER 1 MONTH:

I am making....progress. There are pushes and pulls and unexpected events - like our Christmas puppy breaking her elbow and requiring surgery (grrr.....$3600 later and going on 2.5 weeks of caring for an ill/recovering puppy). But that's life, right?

What I have done is:

• BEING PRESENT WITH THE KIDS 2PM ON: The 2pm on thing is not happening...I am still working a bunch and on calls when the kids are around after school. I am hoping the babysitter thing (see below...) will help with me with, since I will be focusing on work when the babysitter is here and the kids when the babysitter is not/the kids are out of school.
• ONE ON ONE TIME WITH THE KIDS: The other day, the kids and I went out to meet my parent for a day of camping. Ben and I sat on a log and talked and played games for about an hour, just he and I. It was So. Nice. I signed the girls up for a ballet class on Tuesday afternoons. During that hour, Ben and I can do something one on one. I get plenty of alone time with Ava. Now I have to find some time for Lily.
• BABYSITTER: I hired a new babysitter - she starts next week about 10 hours a week or so! We haven't had a babysitter/nanny for about 6 months now and have been relying on my parents, who are leaving next weekend for a year-long RV trip. I am planning on building 1 day into the babysitting schedule that I can just go to yoga or do something for myself, rather than fill up with work and conference calls and meetings. She can also do evenings, so Jeff and I can have some dates. Hooray! This is HUGE for me. 
• HALF-MARATHON TRAINING: I haven't been running too much....not on a training schedule. But I have been running a couple of times a week. I am ready to start a schedule now. Any suggestions?

It is time to head to yoga...I haven't been to a Bikrum class for many years, but I will be there in 30 minutes. My sister will be in a class in Newfoundland at the same time, 4.5 hours time difference.

Progress.

Namaste.

This post is part inspired by the Yahoo Motherboard, of which I am a proud part of.

A Jar for "Old Man"...and Haiti

Discussions in the car lately....

Lily: "Oh my gosh! What is that old man doing standing in the middle of the street?!" 

Me: "Actually, he's sitting."

Ben: "He's going to be smashed like a bug!"

Me: "Actually, he's on the divider in between where the cars drive. So he's safe."

Ava: "He's holding a paper."

Ben: "It says (sounding out words)...P-L-E-A-S-E....H-E-L-P... Me. I know that word: Me. It says Please Help Me."

Me: "He doesn't have any money and sometimes when people don't have any money they stand on the street and ask for help from people who do have money." 

(Driving past....he was not on our side of the street)

Lily: "Let's go give him all our money. Turn, Mommy, turn around. I want to give him my Whole Piggy Bank!"

Me: "Do you remember that Nana and Papa help cook dinner sometimes at the shelter? Do you know what a shelter is?"

All: "No..."

Me: "Well, it is a place where people who don't have any money or food can go. And they can get help. And have a place to sleep. And get something to eat. And, hopefully, get a job so they can make money to buy food and pay for a place to live."

Lily: "He doesn't have a place to LIVE?! He has NO HOUSE?!"

Me: "He might not. I don't know. But that is a way for us to help. To give money or to help at the shelter. How about if we start a jar that any of us can put money into and then we can take it to the shelter."

Lil: "YES!"

(Walking in the house....)

I got a jar that we used to use for the marble economy (that we didn't keep up....I am so not good at reward programs, I just can't keep track, sticker charts, marble collections, not for me it turns out. Call it laziness or disorganization. Call it avoiding the praise game. Anyway, not for me.).

Lily got her piggy bank, pried it open and poured the contents in. She got a permanent marker and asked me how to spell "Old Man." An "I (heart) you, Lily" was added at the bottom. Ava grabbed my wallet and put my change in the jar too. An hour later, Ben sidled up to the jar, looked from right to left, and dropped a quarter in from his pocket. I didn't see it. No, not I.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I am part of an local Silicon Valley effort to send 10 doctors and nurses and medical staff to Haiti with a clinic in a container (The Container Clinics). It is an amazing effort, one that Gemini Crickets also participated in, to raise almost $7,000 along with PAMP at a bake sale last weekend. Yes, $7,000 at a bake sale. In one day. These people can mobilize! 

Enoch Choi, a local ER physicial, is heading this up, along with many local community leaders.

Visit the Enoch Choi Foundation Facebook fan page and become a fan to receive updates.

Mission of the Enoch Choi Foundation: Silicon Valley physicians and nurses fly to Haiti to provide short-term outpatient week-long opportunities to serve while demonstrating local health IT and green tech solutions to improve disaster medical aid. 100% of donations will go to Haitians.

The effort was featured in SFGate yesterday. Amazing people, amazing contributions.  

The kids helped me bake brownies for the bake sale and have been asking about earthquakes. Yes, we have had earthquakes here lately too, so I want to assure them they are safe. There are earthquake drills at school and coin collections for Haiti in their classrooms. There is something everyone can do to help the people of Haiti.

'"It's not the money I care about," Coco muses, "it's the independence."' - Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky by Chris Greenhalgh

Women entreprenuers and businesswomen can be seen in a different light than their male counterparts. The urge to go for it can be diminished by the struggle to create a balance with the other pieces of their lives. Home and work conflict much?

When women don't have families, is it easier for them to immerse themselves in work? A couple of months ago I was invited to participate as a guest on a conference call with my sister's company's women's book club. The subject was one of my favorite reads from 2009 (#best09), The Shriver Report. It was such an engaging discussion - we talked about what it is like to try to balance work and home life, the struggles we all face as working moms, the desire to be both successful in our work lives and a successful parent. Then, towards the end of the call, a participant joined us late. She was in her 40s and didn't have kids. Her point was that people thought that she didn't need time off because she didn't have the pull of family life.  In other words, no kids = no time off. In reality, she needs balance and time off. She does have a life, although it does not involve kids of her own. It struck me that we are all so busy being busy that we often don't realize that we are punishing ourselves by not giving ourselves the time for a personal life.

Coco Chanel, as much as she talked about independence, still strove for a personal life. We all need that. 

This post was inspired by the book Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky by Chris Creenhalgh, SV Moms Group's book club pick for January. I received a complimentary copy for the book for this post. You can read more book club posts here.

Take the Pearl Pledge - Pearls of Wisdom Cervical Cancer Awareness

Last month, I had the opportunity to be a part of a conversation with other SV Moms Group bloggers, Michelle Whitlock, and ABC News Medical Contributor Dr. Marie Savard ("Dr. Marie"). It was a frank and open call...and I learned a lot.

As a cancer survivor, I am hyper-interested in learning anything about how any cancer can be PREVENTED. And the amazing news is, cervical cancer is a cancer that can be prevented. Some statistics: Cervical cancer used to be the #1 cause of death and it still remains the #2 cause of cancer (2nd only to breast cancer). There is no other cancer we know so much about and we even have a vaccine which can prevent up to 70%! We could reduce the cases to 0 if we used the science we know about.

There are many similarities between my story and Michelle's Michelle was 26 when she was diagnosed. I was 28. We were both newly married. We both wanted to have kids. We both searched for ways to keep our fertility. I ended up with three kids, after searching for a chemo treatment that would have less impact on my fertility. Michelle and her husband just had a baby girl born via surrogate (yay!).

Today, no one has to die from cervical cancer. That is why I am taking part in this effort to educate about early detection. Dr. Marie worries that If women don't go into their annual visit to talk about their health, we will lose a lot of women. Here is what you can do...

Here is what every woman should know about cervical cancer prevention:

* Girls and young women: Ask your healthcare provider about the HPV vaccine, which protects against the two types of HPV that cause the majority of cervical cancers. The vaccines are recommended for girls 11 and 12 years old, and are approved for girls and young women up to age 26. Even women who’ve been vaccinated will still need to be screened.

* Women age 21 or older: Get the Pap test, which detects abnormal cells that can lead to cervical cancer.

* Women age 30 or older: Get the Pap test and the HPV test together as part of routine cervical cancer screening. The HPV test detects the virus that causes cervical cancer, identifying those women at increased risk who will need to be monitored more closely.

Cervical cancer is nearly 100% preventable when we take action for our women's health. The HPV test and HPV vaccine are the tools. This is the first time in history that we have a test for, we have the tools to prevent and we have a vaccine. Truly amazing!

Join me and take the Pearl Pledge today - the pledge is commit to schedule your annual exam, tell 5 friends about the pledge and to ask them to take the pledge too. Wear whatever pearls you have or buy a Pearls of Wisdom pin (all profits go to US fund for CC prevention activity).

Additional information:

• Cervical cancer and HPV info: http://www.pearlofwisdom.us/pledge/hpv-and-cervical-cancer.
• Dr. Marie Savard speaking on ABC News re: the new cervical cancer screening guidelines: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPreventionAndTreatment/pap-smear-recommendation-good-women/story?id=9138442
• Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer: http://www.pearlofwisdom.us/pledge/pearl-of-wisdom-campaign
• Michelle Whitlock background: http://www.michelleleewhitlock.com/media.php

Read other posts about the Pearl Pledge on Chicago Moms Blog.

GIveaway Time! The Harlem Globetrotters

I don't know about you, but whenever I think about the Harlem Globetrotters, that song just invades my head. I have always wanted to see them live, having seen them on TV as a pretty young kid. So fun! I just heard that they are coming to town, to San Jose, in a couple of weeks and I have been offered tickets to go. And...I also have four tickets to giveaway to a lucky reader! Hooray - we can whistle the song together. (Yes, if you win, you MUST hang out with me and whistle the song. Just kidding. Not really.)

So...if you are so inclined, please enter the giveaway below. To enter, please leave a comment below, telling me why you want to go see this crazy basketball team. Tickets will be at Will Call for the Saturday, January 17th at 2pm. The winner will be chosen randomly by random.org. Contest ends on Friday, January 8th at 12pm PST. Good luck!

About the Harlem Globetrotters: The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters are embarking on their 84^th season of fun-filled family entertainment, and their U.S. “Magical Memories” tour begins on December 26^th and will run through May 2^nd.  The team will make its way to 216 cities, taking on their arch-rivals the Washington Generals at each stop.

Coupon Code: I have also been given a code that you can use to get a $7 discount for each ticket purchased*. Ticket prices do vary slightly at the various arenas, but they typically average $25 each, thus allowing a family of four to save $28 in total. Simply visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com locate a game in your area and purchase tickets using the promotional code: HGMOM to redeem the coupon.

*Please Note:

-Not valid on VIP or courtside seats

-Available online only

-Valid until the day before the show

Disclosure: I received free product, information and tickets through Coyne Public Relations. Thanks!

There are no short cuts in parenting

I have noticed, in my almost six years of parenting, that there are no short cuts available to parents.

Have a meeting to get to, necessitating a quick drop off at preschool, no tears? No way. A three-year-old can smell that quick leave attempt a mile away, stretching your process out even longer just to pay you back for even thinking about someone or something else besides them.

Take a day I had an important conference call scheduled for 9:15 with two large companies, one of whom I was representing on a big licensing deal. Preschool starts at 9:00, so no problem, right? Get her in the door, backpack put in cubby, hands washed, teacher greeted, nametag found, settled at the art table. I should be back to the car and on the call with minutes, maybe even FIVE minutes, to spare.

My first mistake was my thought that I had this in the bag so well that I could easily stop at the Starbucks drive-thru (it was raining...ok, misting...) on the way to school. The guy in front of me orders seventeen drinks, so it takes a little longer than anticipated. I consequently arrive at the preschool parking lot a few minutes late. But no worries, I can still get her in and settled in no time. 

"Where are your shoes, honey?"

A chubby finger, letting go of her hot chocolate for a quick second, points to the floor of the car. She kicks her feet happily and doesn't budge.

Sighing, I bend down to pick up her pink patent leather shoes, freshly scuffed on the toes from learning how to slow herself down on the swings (It had recently dawned on me why all of her older sister's shoes were scuffed on the toes, when I saw Ava adoringly copying Lily's drag of the toes on the tan bark to stop the swing's momentum. I had been wondering that for months. Seriously.) As I start to straighten up, WHAM! I am kicked square in the nose by a bare foot. "Uh, ouch. Thanks. No, I'm ok. Really. Don't worry about me. Let's just get your shoes on. There. Let's go!"

She swings on the dry cleaning hanger bar above her seat to exit the minivan. "Five, four, three, five, four, three, five, four, three....two....two...two...one!" She's out. It is now 9:07. Still, plenty of time. All we have to do is get inside, backpack put in cubby, hands washed, teacher greeted, nametag found, settled at the art table. Piece of cake.

"Mommy, I'll meet you." Ava sometimes wants me to walk on the other side of the flower planter on the sidewalk on the way to school. I heard the request a smidge too late and was already on her side. HER SIDE! "MOMMY! YOU are on THAT side!" Okay, okay, going. We backtrack, start over. 

Open the gate and...smash her finger. Darn it! "Oh, honey...I'm sorry. Are you ok? Let me kiss it." Sneak a quick look at the time on my phone as she wipes her tears on my sweater. 9:10. Darn it!

"Let's go inside and wash your hands in the cold water. That will help them feel better."

WAIL....moan...I pick her up (a no-no at preschool...they are supposed to be big kids and walk in themselves) and head inside. Quickly smear a signature on the sign-in sheet. Shove her packback in the cubby. Wow, I'm really making up some time here by doing some things for her. She won't notice. She's too upset.

"I WANT TO DO IT!" Backtrack. Take backpack out of cubby, walk back outside, walk back inside, SHE puts the backpack away.

"Great. Let's go wash hands."

We have to stand in line for a few minutes. I am now officially late. 9:16. Crap! I can still do this though, I can be a few minutes late. It will be fine. People are late to conference calls. No biggie.

It is our turn. She uses the little sink. I use the big sink next to her. We each turn on the water. Smile at each other because we know what's coming. We like to wash hands together. Get some soap. We start signing our ABC's as we make bubbles. ABCDEFG..."Mommy, you are NOT signing it the right way!" (I admit, I was rushing the ABC's a teeny, tiny bit. Okay, I was signing fast, super fast maybe.) Throws herself onto the ground. My phone buzzes.

I am totally screwed. It is a full on tantrum now. Sobbing. Screaming. Our lovely teachers try to come to the rescue, but she is having none of it. I knew it - she smelled the rush on me. She absolutely knew I was trying to short cut her and was now going to make me pay for it. I give in to the comforting, realizing that this is just going to take as long as it is going to take. She collapses in my arms and cries for a good, solid five minutes. And here I thought I was going to have five minutes to spare. Ha!

I persuade her to go back and try the hand washing again. We go. We sing slowly. We turn the water off together. We smile at each other. We dry our hands. The teacher greeting and nametag getting time has passed, so her teacher brings over her nametag. I ask her "front or back?" Sniff..."front." My phone buzzes again.

"What do you want to do? Should we check out what's at the art table today?"

"Ok."

She sits down at the art table. Andrew's mom smiles at her and passes her a piece of paper, a paintbrush, a jar of glue and a plate filled with glitter. She dips her paintbrush in.

"Bye-bye, Mommy." She turns her face up to me and puckers her lips.

9:29. I kiss her good-bye and walk calmly and slowly out the door. When I hit the gate I am running. I slam the car door shut and look up the dial in number. 9:32. I take a deep breath and say "Linsey" when prompted by the conference system.

"Hi guys. I'm so sorry I am so late. My preschooler had a hard drop-off today."

My client: "No problem, Linsey. I've been there many times myself. Of course, they are older now. But I remember those days. They don't last."

No, they sure don't.

This post was inspired by the book See Mom Run by Beth Feldman and is written as part of the Silicon Valley Moms Group book club. Join in the discussion here.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for free for the purposes of this book club discussion.

The Happiness Project: A Preliminary Review

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars I am LOVING this book for the beginning of the year. Perfect New Year's read...or probably anytime read. I am one chapter in and finding so much useful stuff already. The book will be dogeared and filled with underlines. Oh, and I will be happy :) View all my reviews >>

Disclaimer: I received this book for free in order to review it and consider it for submission for the Silicon Valley Moms Group book club. I was under no obligation to post this preliminary review (or any other review), but I wanted to try out how goodreads.com imported into a blog. Like the result? 

Wrap up of My #Best09 Inspired by @GwenBell

This was a very fun and insightful few days, as I rocked through @GwenBell 's #best09 Blog Challenge. Thank you so much, Gwen, for the inspiration and the connection with all of those who did the challenge. My #Best09:

(click on the links below for the full stories).

December 1 Trip. Cape Cod

December 2 Restaurant moment.  Sharky's Cantina, Martha's Vineyard

December 3 Article. How to create your personal manifesto, how to want very little, The Shriver Report

December 4 Book. The Power of Less.

December 5 Night out. BlogHer'09 Night 1 and Not Last Night Out with my BFF Jen

December 6 Workshop or conference. CCPPNS

December 7 Blog find of the year. 1000awesomethings.com

December 8 Moment of peace. Mother's Day at Yoga Source.

December 9 Challenge. Solo Practice University.

December 10 Album of the year. Matt Nathanson, Some Mad Hope.

December 11 The best place. "The Creek" at Vasona Park for Explorer Preschool's 4Day class with Ben and Lily.

December 12 New food. Wraps made with Rice & Bean Salad and whatever else you want to throw in there.

December 13 Change I made to the place I live. Ava's big girl room --> Kids Playroom / Ben and Lily's Room --> Shared Bedroom

December 14 Rush. Flying with my dad in his experimental airplane.

December 15 Best packaging. Olive Smart sacks.

December 16 Tea of the year. Fancy Nancy tea party.

December 17 Word or phrase. "2009 was about letting go."

December 18 Shop. Anthropologie.

December 19 Car ride. All around Oregon, Jeff and I's 10 year wedding anniversary

December 20 New person. Maxine.

December 21 Project. End of school year memory books.

December 22 Startup. Clever Girls Collective.

December 23 Web tool. Evernote.

December 24 Learning experience. Kindergarten.

December 25 Gift. Our Christmas puppy.

December 26 Insight or aha! moment. There are ways I can do less while making more of an impact.

December 27 Social web moment. Random limo reunion with @moburns67 at BlogHer'09.

December 28 Stationery. Well, it is not paper, it is Pingg.com.

December 29 Laugh. TOP SECRET. CONFIDENTIAL.

December 30 Ad. Somewhere in my subconscious.

December 31 Resolution. Presence.

My #Best09...Inspired by @GwenBell - Best Insight or Aha! Moment, Best Social Web Moment, Best Stationery, Best Laugh, Best Ad, Resolution

Continuing @GwenBell 's #best09 Blog Challenge...

Read all of my #best09 here.

December 26 - Insight or aha! moment

There are ways that I can do less while making more of an impact

Running around crazy doesn't do anyone much good. On a crisp weekend last March, I was near Yosemite for my nephew's birthday. My mom and I were talking about the book The Power of Less (my #best09 book). The previous week, I had been talking to some fellow board members at Explorer Preschool about the next year and what we were all up for. I was the membership chair and my thought was that I would continue in the position for the following year, since I felt like I had just gotten my head around everything and could now work on some improvements. But...as I talked with my mom that weekend I realized that if I stepped up to be President of the Board, I could actually do less (in terms of daily, administrative work), but have more of an impact at the school.

Aha!

Both paths would be valuable, but which would save my sanity and which would have more impact for the school and for me? (By the way, sure, I could have quit the board, but it is very important to me to give back to an organization that has had such an impact on me and on my family.) So I took the path that was less intensive hour-wise, but had more of an impact. Even though being President SEEMS like more work, it really isn't (or, it doesn't have to be). The hours that I spend are less in number, but have a greater impact and that feels good for me in my life right now.

December 27 - Social web moment

This was hard...since I work IN social web, there are so many social web moments. Going to conferences and events is one big, continuous social web moment. I often say in my head "She/he looks so familiar to me...oh, right, because I look at her/his profile photo on twitter every day. Oh yeah." I suppose it has happened so much this year that I am starting to just get used to it. There are still some big moments that stand out for me in 2009, namely: $1 from Jessica Gottlieb during a cab ride after the Social Luxe Lounge party at BlogHer means all her secrets are safe with me, a lovely lunch with Ciaran Blumenfeld (@momfluential) at the lovely (did I already say lovely?) Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel (I think I could talk to her for hours, oh right, I did), meeting @DearBadKitty and immediately feeling at home with her, celebrating Stefania's birthday and signing karaoke to the Backstreet Boys, seeing all of the insightful, witty and fun Silicon Valley Moms Blog bloggers at our holiday party this year and feeling like at this point we are all old friends and family, seeing all my IRL friends join twitter after Oprah did, taking an awkward photo with @BackpackingDad at BlogHer'09 and then repeating it at the SV Moms holiday party. But the biggest social web moment for me of 2009 was...

Random limo reunion with moburns67 at BlogHer'09

After flying into Chicago for BlogHer'09 with my friend Carla, we waited outside for our pre-arranged car to meet us. We were both in a rush to get to different events and were hoping this limo would whisk us quickly to the hotel, so we wouldn't have to, you know, stand in an annoying taxi line (which actually looked like it was going fast and not annoying at all). We waited and waited and waited. Soon we noticed that other people looked like they were waiting. Soon it was determined that the limo company had grouped us all together and instead of a private ride, there would be 14 of us in the limo together. No problem at all, the more the merrier. Except...not all of the 14 of us were there. Heavy. Sigh. Annoyed. Very annoyed.

Then I noticed that one of the people standing there waiting was someone that I knew. From a long time ago. 16 years ago, moburns67 and I worked together and were good friends. We had lost track of each other somewhere along the way. I walked up to her and said "Hi. I think I know you. Maura?" She said "Yes." (Well, of course, we are in social web land, where of course she would have people coming up to her saying they "know" her.) "No, I mean I KNOW you. I'm Lin? We used to work together?" "Oh! Right! Wow! Hi!" It was quite random to run into an old friend like that. I was not surprised to find out that she is so active on twitter. After all, she used to play scrabble via email, I believe. So ahead of the times. Since then we've gotten together for coffee and talked tweetups. Hopefully another coffee date is on the books for this next week. It has been so nice to reconnect, virtually and in real life. Here's to that terrible limo company who made it happen.

December 28 - Stationery

Well, it is not paper, it is Pingg.com

Now I am really thinking I should go look for some new stationery and write some handwritten notes. But...my find for the year for invites and ecards is Pingg.com. My friend Jane told me about this company and I used it to send Mother's Day cards via facebook and email to all of my friends who are mothers (and to my mother, of course!). I love that you can upload your own photo (or choose one of their designs, which are so cool and varied) and use a lot more capabilities than evite has. You can turn RSVP on or just use it was a card. Happy ecarding :) Now I have to run to the stationery store (Paper Source anyone?)

December 29 - Laugh

TOP SECRET, CONFIDENTIAL

Many laughs I am thinking of from 2009 need to be protected. Seriously, I am under an obligation of confidentiality, which I take very seriously. So any retreat hairstyles and subsequent bar visits (shhhh....) must be kept entirely under wraps. ROTFL.

December 30 - Ad

Somewhere in my subconscious...

I think I largely avoid ads....TIVO and a crazy, busy life helps me in this endeavor. But, of course, I still see them from time to time. Wait, did I even watch the SuperBowl in 2009? I don't recall...I think all ads are just fed directly into my subconscious, so that I am not even aware of seeing them. And I certainly can't remember any. I will have to pay closer attention...

December 31 - Resolution I wish I kept..

Presence

I just went back and reread a post I wrote on Simplicity Sake (a blog my sister and I started last year, but haven't kept up...hmm...this does not bode well, eh?) about New Year's Resolutions from 2009. My resolution last year to be more PRESENT in my life.

While I feel like I made progress on this last year, I think this is always something I have to keep in mind. And I need to remind myself of it. It is easy to get sucked into this, that and the other thing. Especially as I take on new challenges with work and step up my travel schedule (which is definitely on the books for 2010).

The first thing that comes to my mind is being present with my kids and my family. Especially as the kids get older, it is easy to think they are ok, they are fine, they don't need me as much. True, not as intensely and maybe not as much time, but still...they need my presence. I feel like this year I may need to build some things INTO the schedule. Things like:

• adjusting my schedule so that I'm working from 9-2 and then with (and PRESENT) with the kids from 2pm on
• making one-on-one time with each of the kids a priority
• getting a new babysitter so Jeff and I can have our alone time on a regular basis

Another resolution for 2010: Jeff and I have made a goal to run a half marathon in 2010 - we estimate that it is about 13.1 miles from our house to the Los Gatos Dam (and then there is the #tiarathon and #shredheads of course...). Yoga once a week should round things out. Hold me to it?

Happy 2010 and THANKS Gwen!

Happy 2010! And thank you SO MUCH, Gwen, for inspiring this series of posts. I am so glad I made the time to do this, to look back at 2009, to look at 2010 with this perspective. Now that I am done, I look forward to reading everyone else's #best09 posts and learning from them as well.

My #Best09...Inspired by @GwenBell - Best Project, Best Startup, Best Web Tool, Best Learning Experience, Best Gift

Continuing @GwenBell 's #best09 Blog Challenge...

Read all of my #best09 here.

December 21 - Best Project

End of school year memory book projects

 

A project I started this year that I am proud of is the culmination/end of school year project for Ben, Lily and Ava. This is a project that we do at Explorer Preschool for the kids - it is meant to be a gift for them and a symbol or record of their year. I struggled with it my first year at the school...in fact, I didn't do the project. I was just sort of...stuck. I wasn't sure what to do, I was overwhelmed with work at the time and I struggled with the twin thing - if I do X for Lily, I have to do X for Ben, but then it must be unique too...

In May of 2009, I figured it out and was really happy with my result. I used the kids' scanned in artwork from the year and made a collage out of it. Basically, a digital scrapbook page, with the collaged art work, their school photo and phrases that trigger memories from the year. It is a project I will keep going for each year of their schooling and I plan to make a book for each of the kids to keep all of the years' projects in. More about the project here.

December 22 - Best Startup

Clever Girls Collective

I have helped quite a few startups on the legal front, but Clever Girls Collective is my favorite of the year. The three founders of the company, Stefania Pomponi Butler, Cat Lincoln and Sheila Bernus Dowd - AKA "the Clever Girls" - have got it going on. They are all truly amazing women - so good at what they do, incredibly connected and just "good people." I loved working with them as they kicked off their company last Spring and can't wait to see what happens.

Disclosure: I hold a small ownership stake in Clever Girls.

December 23 - Best Web Tool

Evernote

I started using Evernote at the beginning of the year and can't believe I just discovered it. When I first started using it, it was mainly a to-do list, because that is what seemed easiest to type up. After all, I do have a never-ending to-do list and I try all the time to GTD (Get Things Done) by getting it all out of my head and onto paper. But I quickly figured out that it can capture so much more. I take all of my meeting notes in it, I have my "life list" housed there, I take notes on wines I like, I manage my recipes and Christmas gift list. It is easy to tag and sort your notes. It ever searches handwritten notes, not that I do much of that. I KNOW there is so much more that I can do with Evernote, like scanning my kids' art to it or saving tweets I like, or 100 other ideas. Having an associated Evernote iPhone app, a desktop app and a web app makes it so that I can get to my stuff from anywhere (ah, I love the cloud).

December 24 - Best Learning Experience

Kindergarten

This year, as Ben and Lily started kindergarten, I did too. Just when you have preschool down, it is time to switch it up and move on to a whole new thing. And a whole new thing it is. Kindergarten these days is not the kindergarten I went to - no longer is there (much) play. It is highly structured and academic (at least where my kids attend). And we are not in a competitive private school, we bike or scooter or walk (or drive...sometimes...ok, quite a lot lately) to our neighborhood public school. It is still more pressure and more homework that I anticipated. They ARE learning a lot and so am I.

Things I have learned so far in kindergarten

• The neighborhood community can be amazing - we have used it, given back to it, become a part of it. At the beginning of the year, one kinder mom threw a little playdate party at her house, I had a holiday party, another mom is talking about a Valentine's party...traditions can be born quickly. Park days on Wednesdays? Love them.
• As a twin parent with kids in two separate classes, I CAN ask the teacher to have birthday cake in one class (or otherwise make certain accomodations to make things a bit easier for me as the parent). They might say no, but I'll never know if I don't ask.
• Someday I WILL miss the early pickup time on a Wednesday. It's ok...see the neighborhood community note above. (I haven't missed yet, but I'm sure I will!)
• One of the best things we did was not to have a ton after school activities going on when the kids started kindergarten. We have all-day kindergarten (8-2), and that is a long day for them. I went to a talk last spring about not overscheduling and overstressing kids and the speaker noted that kids (until adolescence) should have HALF of their time for unscheduled, free play time. This is pretty far from the norm these days. We are starting one day of an after school science class in January, but that's all we have done for the past 9 months or so. School and play time is enough. t is tempting to do swimming and soccer and dance and this and that, but really...it is not good for them to have TOO much to do. Kids need to know how to figure out what to do when they are bored. And they need some down time. They are FIVE!
• Anything I do in my kids' classes (or at my kids school, even if I can't always volunteer in the classroom) will amaze them and help them learn. For instance, I am Ben and Lily's "Art Teacher" once a month. Although I am no great artist, I think the are in awe of this. And it is super fun and something I think we will all remember for years to come.
• A love of learning really starts and ends at home. I can't expect schools to do everything I want them to. Parents are their kids' first teacher after all.
• Patterns are math concepts. I had no idea! I'm sure my limited knowledge of the world will soon be surpassed by my smart kids...

December 25 - Best Gift

Our Christmas Puppy

 

The best gift this year was was the one Lily wrote to Santa to ask for - a puppy (I wrote about the gift on SV Moms). She is quickly becoming part of our family. Lily keeps asking if we really get to keep her and I keep saying (sometimes to my surprise)...yes!