Monday, November 7, 2011

30 Days of Thanks - Day 7

I am thankful for...


Learning 2011.

So...a few months ago I was told I could go to Learning 2011!! I'm guessing it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I begged to go...but, it was for very good reason. The keynote speaker was none other than....

President Bill Clinton.

Yep - you heard that right. On the very day of this blog posting...I had the privilege of sitting 6th row during the keynote speech of our 42nd President Bill Clinton. He was awesome. I was pen-less during the speech, so I was limited to what little notes I could take on my phone. But...here are some of the inspirational things that were discussed.

1. He started off by saying how he always likes to be in the audience because when he is talking...he isn't learning.
2. He did talk a little politics - but, it was very tasteful and was more about collaborating than being one-sided.
3. He said when someone asks him a question he always asks himself 3 questions before answering: Will this reduce inequality, instability, and unsustainability? And create more shared opportunities, shared responsibilities, shared sense of community? Shrink the "them" and increase the "us."
4. He talked about when Chelsea went to college she called him one day and said, "Dad - I got the highest grade in the class. It's history class. I really like this class. So, maybe I should study history and not Pre-Med. What do you think." And he told his daughter, "Chelsea, I want you to do what you want to do, what makes you happy. But...people tend to be happiest when they do what they are best at."
5. One issue with politics is each party fights another party with the belief that...If you already have the truth, the evidence doesn't matter.
6. We need cooperation, not conflict!
7. We all need to be learning all the time.
8. You have to be a learner until your last day on earth.
9. The great thing about technology is an 8 year old kid can go on the Internet and find out things that he had to go to college to find out.
10. Everybody has a story.
11. Throughout history, people have learned the most from storytelling.
12. You should never begrudge someone's chance at life.
13. Not just what changes do you want...how do you propose to do it?
14. People have been betting against America for 200 years. Why? Because of innovation.
15. We have a decision making process based on yesterday when it should be based on tomorrow.

He was amazing. There are so many more pages of notes that Ron took...I'm waiting for him to send out all of his notes. His keynote was very informal. Very conversational. The next day we learned that he was supposed to only speak for 27 minutes and then be interviewed for 15 minutes. He spoke for 57 minutes. He just spoke and we listened. We also learned that he had 2 pages of notes. But...he never looked at them once. He was "present" with us.

What an experience. You cannot listen to him speak and not be impressed. Regardless of your political beliefs - he is inspiring.






p.s. - a second keynote and one-man play by John Lithgow was certainly an added plus.


What a conference. I'm thinking all future conferences that I attend will never compare.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

30 Days of Thanks - Day 6

I'm thankful for...
Flights that are not full.

I'm headed out to Orlando for work. A short, busy conference through Wednesday evening. It seems to me that airlines are doing just what we are all trying to do...save money any way possible. Whether it be charge more for flights, eliminate TV, movies, and music, eliminate food, eliminate blankets and pillows, charge for checked bags, and lessen the overall number of flights. I'm sure there are tons of more ways they are cutting costs. With that in mind...it's pretty rare that there are very many seats open. And I NEVER have the good luck that they are actually empty near me. Because of this - I am most often prepared to rub elbows with my neighbor and try to avoid being struck by the drink cart as it passes alongside my aisle seat. But sometimes...when the skies align just right...I get on a flight that is a little open. And an actual open seat - right next to ME!! It's llike a breath of fresh air. Ahhhh...thank you. I love it when that happens. It's like two seats for the price of 1! A place for me and a half of a seat (since I shared the open seat with the gal sitting at the window) for my my jacket and books, etc.

What a treat!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

30 Days of Thanks - Day 5

I am thankful for...



Working from Home.

I know I've said it before...but I am really, really thankful for this somewhat untraditional (albeit becoming more common) arrangement. My typical day is as follows:

5:45am - get up to jog (if I'm not too lazy)
6:45am - return back from jog and shower
7:00am - turn on computer and sign in for the day
8:00am - 1st break - help Bryan get the kids out of the house and to school or the sitter. Then make all beds.
8:20am - work
11:00am - begin to think about lunch
11:30am - shower (if I did not jog/shower earlier)
12:00pm - make lunch
12:15pm - return to desk and eat while working
1:00pm - plan dinner - put food in crockpot, if necessary
1:15pm - work
3:00pm - midday break with snack
3:15pm - back to work
3:30pm - Bryan leaves to pick up Brady from school
5:00pm - check on dinner
5:30pm - pick up girls from sitter
6:00pm - finish dinner and eat
6:45pm - baths for girls
7:00pm - family dance time/game night (Sorry!) and finish up homework
8:00pm - breathing treatments for girls, as needed
8:00pm - Charlie to bed
8:15pm - Lily to bed
9:00pm - Brady to bed
9:00 - 11:00pm - Bryan and Dawn's TV time, study time, work time
11:00pm - bed. but...rarely I go to bed by 11pm. I'm kind of that kind of person that does not need too much sleep. but...then sometimes I zonk out at 9pm.

You can see the actual work time varies throughout the day. I put in my 10+ hours everyday...but, sometimes several hours of it come after the kids go to bed.

One "wrench" into this schedule has been Bryan's new work from home schedule. This started in September. As much as we both "complain" about it...it has been going very well. We have two separate areas. We are now BOTH saving on gas money and we always have someone to eat lunch with.

One negative is that I often wear "comfy" clothes ALL.DAY.LONG. They are clean...but, they're still comfy clothes. I'm pretty sure the Hottie is sick of seeing me with a pony tail and comfy clothes. But...this only makes the days that I do dress up for work or to go out even better. Why? Because any outfit is better than comfy clothes!!

WFH is awesome!! If you have the chance...do it!

Friday, November 4, 2011

30 Days of Thanks - Day 4

I am thankful for...

Charlotte Grace Campbell.
AKA Charlie.
Best. Surprise. EVER!
You are the most loveable momma's girl ever.
You LOVE your baby doll.
But, you also love baseball bats.
You're turning towards the girly side...
but, still a little tom boy.
You try so hard to keep up with your brother and sister.
Which keeps you very frustrated all the time.
You LOVE food.
Pizza is your favorite.
You could sit in your pink car for hours....
just watching Lily and Brady play.
You are beginning to really love shoes.
You also love dancing around the house.
You play so well by yourself.
You sneak Brady and Lily's toys when they're not looking.
It drives them crazy...
and make us laugh.
You've got the cutest chipmunk cheeks.
CUTEST ever!
And, your eyes have stayed blue.
Oh Charlie....I love you soooo much!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

30 Days of Thanks - Day 3

I am thankful for...

Lily Mae Campbell
AKA Queen B
Our middle child.
Oh boy, Lil - you are in a diva stage.
And we love it...kind of :)
You are hilarious.
Such a goofball.
Obsessed with your "babies."
You still love dancing.
And, Taylor Swift.
You are just about the girliest girl I've ever known.
The more obnoxiously girly something is...
the more you like it.
You care for Charlie like she's your doll.
But are a little possessive about your toys.
You're learning.
You LOVE playing the game Sorry.
And, you hate to lose.
Little things make you sooo, sooo happy.
Oh Lilbugs...I love you!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

30 Days of Thanks - Day 2

I am thankful for....

Brady Ryan Campbell.
My first born.
He is exactly like me.
But, EXACTLY like Bryan.
It's funny.
He is all boy.
The typical, boy's boy.
LOVES sports.
Loves the Red Sox.
Loves the Diamondbacks.
Loves the Cardinals.
Right now - he loves to pitch.
And, catch.
He also loves skateboarding.
But, he's still learning.
He HATES to get in trouble.
He is the most honest kid I know.
He's got the biggest conscience.
And, he's the sweetest big brother.
He's the typical "oldest" child.
Very independent.
Trustworthy.
And, a really good tattle tale :)
He tells stories that I would tell.
And then he sounds like a little adult.
It's so cute.
We laugh and love it.
He's in a bit of a dorky stage.
You know - the 7-9 year old, I say dorky things stage.
We absolutely love it.
He's not into having a girlfriend yet.
But, they sure like him.
Oh....Brades.
I am so thankful for you!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

30 Days of Thanks - Day 1


Ok...it's that time of year again!!

Yippee!!! My very favorite time of year. Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is hands-down my favorite holiday. Similar to last year - I'm devoting my entire November to the 30 Days of Thanks party.

Because I was recently called out at work (thanks Ron!!) at being the WWB or World's Worst Blogger - I thought no better way to jump back on the blogging bandwagon than to join the 30 Days of Thanks party. So....here goes it.

I am Thankful for Pinterest.

What is Pinterest, you may ask? I really hope not. If you're not on Pinterest yet...you are WAAAAY BEHIND. It is the greatest invention since the smart phone. Well, maybe not that great...but, goodness almighty - it is so darn addicting!

Pinterest is this online catalog-ish site that showcases pictures and direct links to ANYTHING and I mean ANYTHING you may be interested in. You literally scroll through gazillions of pictures of....well, anything. And, if something interests you - you can "pin" it to one of your boards. Hence...the name "Pin"terest. So, I'm a regular Pinterester - I've got about 30 different boards - kind of like online corkboards of stuff I like. I have a board for Style, Parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Crafty, Birthdays....and several more. If I come across something in the "catalog" of Pinterest pictures, I will pin it to my specific board so that I can quickly locate it later if I need to.

Holy cow. I love it.

I have boards filled with so many ideas of decorating and birthday parties and gifts and crafts and holiday stuff. I have been filling my spare (what's that) time with crafting up things I've seen on Pinterest. I've been filling out my Christmas List for all the peeps we buy for with gift ideas that I've found on Pinterest.

Pinterest is addicting. Literally addicting. It's like crack. Or, so I can assume. One hour on Pinterest and you will have yourself at least 10 boards and millions of ideas of outfits, crafts, gifts, photography...the list goes on.

Oh, and you can even pin things to Pinterest that you see ANYWHERE online. Yep...so maybe one day someone will pin something of mine or YOURS onto Pinterest. How fun!

Oh Pinterest...how I love you.

p.s. - joining Pinterest is a little on the slow side. It's fastest if someone invites you. So...if you want an exclusive (just kidding) invite - let me know and I will email you the invite for your immediate membership!!

p.s. - I totally forgot another great thing about Pinterest. Just like any social media site, you can "follow" other people. By following people you can see what stuff they pin. If you follow people that like the same things you do - then, yippee ki yay - you'll have a front row seat to tons of pins that are right up your alley!