Category: From my Journal
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Simple Daily Advent Activities for Moms: December 1
You don’t need me to tell you that Christmas is right around the corner and all that entails. We all know how joyful this season is supposed to be, yet often it gets hijacked by stress. Back in 2008, I created and shared an Advent calendar of rejuvenating and centering activities to do each day…
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Working hard and trying to persevere
Last I wrote, aside from the wine events, I told you I was traveling and I’d, essentially, “be right back.” And, well, that didn’t happen. Instead life and work got in the way and I didn’t get right back in the swing of posting SOAP or much else, to be honest. Life is full. Parenting…
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Admiring quilts at the quilt show
My daughter loves quilts. In Kindergarten, her class toured a quilt show at her school (which is at a church) and she has been hooked ever since. Every year we go to that same quilt show and admire the stories and craftsmanship in each of the quilts on display. I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that there is…
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Marching Beyond Halftime
In high school, I was a part of the marching band. I did not play an instrument. I twirled flag and rifle and, to be honest, the only reason I tried out was because I had just moved to the school and it was the only thing left to try out to join for the…
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Fitness Friday- Week 2 update- Why do YOU exercise?
It’s been two full weeks since we launched into exercising together here on MomsToolbox. How’s it going for you? In some ways it is getting easier to keep exercise in my routine, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t also getting harder at times, too. When my alarm went off Wednesday morning, I really thought about sleeping…
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Fitness Friday: 1 Week report
Happy Friday, friends. As determined by my new trainer, Fridays and Sundays are rest days for me, so no exercising today. Instead I got to sleep in an extra hour and a half and my body got to recover. Cha-CHING! After exercising nearly every day over the past week, I cannot say that I look any…
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Overall Update: SOAP and my new Pushup Perfecter
Good Monday morning! In an effort not to inundate my subscribers’ inboxes with lots of posts on one day, I’m going to attempt a somewhat daily update of the regular stuff for awhile and see how that works. I’ll use these posts for my daily devotional findings, exercise updates and anything else that I feel…
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Operation Intentional #Kindness: August Missions
This month’s assignments for Operation Intentional #Kindness are: When you get an email from your child’s school, or another organization of which you are a member, respond with a kind word back to the sender. Mass-sent notes rarely get kind responses in return. Make it a point to compliment three people before dinnertime. Look the…
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Adding fitness back into my schedule
This morning, after dropping the kids at school, I went for a fitness assessment with a trainer. You see, things a have gotten out of hand over here and I am not taking care of myself as well as I should be. Launching VineSleuth/ Wine4.Me, as well as managing the rest of my life as…
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A little perspective on who might be around you
Wondering why the person next to you is scowling rather than smiling? Sometimes, when someone isn’t all that polite to you, do you scowl back, or extend love? This training video from Chick-fil-A might remind you to stop and consider what the person in front of you is facing. It’s certainly been a big reminder…
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The sweetest birthday (cake)
For all we, as moms, try to do to make birthdays special, it is really amazing when it comes right back to you. Last year I was in Spain on a wine media trip for my birthday, so my daughter really got into it this year. She started the day out by giving me a handmade…
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Catch Me on KPRC-TV!
If you live in the Houston area, you can catch me on LIVE television this Saturday morning, June 28 at 9:00a.m. CST. I’ll be talking about Wine4.Me, my exciting new wine app that makes selecting wines a breeze. The segment will be airing on the NBC affiliate, KPRC-TV Channel 2 (or Channel 12 for those…
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Feeling awkward about working
This morning I walked my kids into the church for vacation Bible school. It was the first time for me this week. A friend of mine took them and brought them home Monday, as I was out of town for work. She also took and brought them home Tuesday as I had standing calls. Today…
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Tips for tasting wines at a wine tasting
Over the past few years I have attended a LOT of wine tastings. I’ve been to tastings at conferences, tasting for consumers, tastings for the wine trade, and private tastings with winemakers. I’ve judged wines for several wine competitions and I’ve tasted wine alongside our professional panel of wine evaluators for VineSleuth/ Wine4.Me. I…
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How to memorize anything easier
My brother, who was an awesome debater and orator in high school, taught me how to memorize anything easier many years ago that has totally worked for me through the years. His memorization trick worked for me in junior high poetry recitations, it helped in high school reports, and I call on it now in…