We Are the Sum of Our Choices

Have you ever heard of the Burnt Toast Theory? It basically says that when things happen to you that cause a delay, there's a reason for it. Like the morning you burn your toast or lose your keys there may have been a bad accident on your route to work that you could have gotten mixed up in had you been on time. Or that wrong turn you took made you drive past something spectacular that you never knew existed just a few miles from home. Or that delay caused your timeline to b

I try to get out every morning before work and go for a long walk. It gets my blood moving and sets the stage for my day. Usually, I listen to a book or a podcast along the way. And, since I've taken that route so many times, I kind of do it on auto-pilot. But last week, when I went to head out the door, I realized my headphones weren't charged. I didn't have enough time to wait for them. So I did something I don't think I've ever done before. I went for that walk in silenc

Dr. Seuss has a way with words, doesn't he? They are fun, whimsical, a little silly even. But much of the time, they also have a lesson in them. This is one of my favorites. "Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds." So true. We were walking along Lake Michigan this weekend, and it was a glorious summer day. The sun was brilliant, the clouds almost surreal. And under our feet, along the paved walkway, was a whole lot of g

Another year older. I'm officially "in my 50's" now. With grown children and my own home. A career that spans almost 30 years. More life experiences than I can even count. And yet, some days I still feel like little me. Just a little girl, trying to figure out the world and her place in it. Looking up at the people around me who have lived more life than I have and taking in all of the lessons they have to give. Seeking out the places that bring me joy. Laughing and dancing

There are a lot of things I'm grateful for in life, but my GPS ranks really high on the list. I often tell people that I wouldn't go nearly as many places if I didn't have it. Which is true. My sense of direction sometimes isn't very good. In fact, it's a running joke with family and friends that I often mix up which way is left and which is right. I just laugh and tell them we'll go the "other left" then. Anyway... My favorite thing about my GPS is how it re-routes me if

"I Love You! Have Fun!" A simple post-it left on the fridge during Spring Break when my boy was home. Nearly two months later, it's still there. A reminder of the million little messages I've sent my boys over the years. When they were really young, it was notes in their lunchboxes, and cautionary words as I sent them off to the bus stop. Telling them to be careful and to make sure to wear their jackets at recess. As they got older, the messages evolved into texts and (proba

It was supposed to be simple. Put the broken laptop into a box and send it back with the label they provided. Easy peasy, right? Not so much. First, the laptop was an odd size so finding a box that was long enough but not too tall proved to be no small feat. I went to the UPS store. The only box they had would have had 5 inches of open space above the laptop. Then to Menards. No boxes quite long enough. Home Depot. Same. By then I was getting pretty frustrated. Not just b

Ever notice how much of your life is shaped by what you take in? Not just food, although that’s part of it. But everything. What you eat. Who you spend your time with. What you listen to. What you read. It all gets in there. And it all does something to you. Some things fuel you. Some things drain you. And most days, it’s a mix. We can try to stack the deck in our favor. Eat food that makes us feel good (most of the time). Spend time with people who make us think, laugh, and

At the risk of sounding old this morning, I'll admit it...I've recently rekindled my love for doing puzzles. When I was younger, it used to be one of my favorite things to do. Before the internet, before the constant need for stimulation and immediate gratification. There was the simple act of quietly putting pieces together. The satisfaction of watching a picture form before my eyes. Staying up later than I wanted to, because I wanted to fit in just "one more piece." There's

The house next door to us just went up for sale. Anyone want to be my neighbor? I've lived in quite a few neighborhoods in my lifetime. And for the most part, been really lucky to have nice neighbors. The ones I've gotten to know here have been amazing. Quiet, friendly, helpful. Couldn't ask for anything better honestly. In fact, I still play Sheepshead almost every Tuesday night with two of them. You can read more about that in my blog post, " Cards and Pie ." I'm very cu

It's the last track season for my oldest son. The end of an era. He's had a great run (pun intended). I have so many pictures of the scoreboards at different track meets over the years. Time captured in seconds, not minutes or hours. He's a sprinter, so we often drive several hours each way to watch him run for only a few seconds. During indoor season, he runs the 60 meter, which is the shortest possible distance at a track meet. It's become a running joke for us that we dr

I need the room to be dark when I sleep. And I mean dark. Pitch black dark if I can get it there. Staying at hotels is often a fun challenge for me. The alarm clock numbers shine brightly. Nightlights in every bathroom. Even the temperature on that clunky hotel unit gives off a glow that is bright enough to keep me awake. Picture this... I'm getting ready for bed in a hotel anywhere. Closing the bathroom door to shut out the nightlight. Flipping alarm clocks over to hide the

It's that time of year in Wisconsin. Yesterday, we got about 4 inches of snow and ended up shoveling the driveway a couple of times. My youngest son is still home from college, and he was helping shovel with me. I was busy in the driveway, listening to my audiobook and pushing snow out of the way. He was working on the sidewalks. From time to time, I'd look up and see him out of the corner of my eye and smile. He's so tall now, like an actual, legitimate adult. That still b

My favorite part of the Milwaukee airport is right after you get through security. There's a place where you can regroup and re-organize after you've taken things out of your bags to be scanned. It's called the "Recombobulation Area" Part of why I like it is because it's a fun word to say. Every time I see that sign, it makes me laugh. I guess the opposite would be discombobulation, which is why we need to recombobulate in the first place? But I also like it because it gives

I received a fun, promotional gift this holiday season that reminded me of something really important in life. Shortly after my divorce in 2012, I stumbled upon a book by John Maxwell, called "The Difference Maker." It's an easy read, and much of it is what I would consider common sense. Things we should already know and just instinctively be doing. But as most of us have learned through the course of our lives, some of the simplest habits are the hardest to implement. The

I bought a wonderful, hand-carved wooden flower in Nassau when we were on our cruise. The vibrant colors caught my eye as we were walking through the crowded shopping area. At first, I was unsure how I would even transport it home in my luggage. Until the woman at the shop showed me that it came apart. What looked like a solid work of art was actually a fragile collection of pieces, skillfully put together to look like a whole. The petals, the leaves and even the butterfly an

I went out to do some last minute Christmas shopping yesterday and the stores were packed. People rushing, trying to find gifts for their family, friends, coworkers, even the mailman. Many of them looked frustrated and unhappy. That made me sad. This is supposed to be a happy time of year. Where we spend precious moments with our loved ones, listen to beautiful music, enjoy the warmth of a cozy fireplace and wear our favorite sweaters. I'll be honest...I don't enjoy the gift

I have this wonderful calendar on my dresser. 365 days of inspiration. Some weeks are so busy, I forget to turn the pages. The other day, I looked over at it and it was still on November 7th. I flipped 20 pages forward to the current day. And this is what I read: "I aim to pause, soak up the present, and be grounded in it." How ironic that this is the current page after 20 days had flown by and I barely remembered them. In this world of constant information, where we are con

It never fails. As soon as I get settled into wrapping presents, the tape disappears. Anyone else have this problem? I've got everything nice and neat around me. Wrapping paper, labels, tape, pen, tissue paper. I use the tape to wrap the first gift. But then, when I turn around to grab it for the next gift, it's gone! It's one of the great mysteries in life, I think. And practically a Christmas tradition at this point. I bought extra rolls of tape this year. Just in case. No

I broke down and bought a cover for my flat-top stove this week. If you read last week's blog, you'll understand why. It's heat-resistant and will protect both my stovetop and the things on top of my stove. Which will (hopefully) keep them from melting. And it expresses one of my favorite sentiments. Bonus! I like how it adds a little color and character to my kitchen. In fact, last night, I ended up using my air fryer and steaming vegetables in my microwave just so I wouldn