Gift

We recently signed up to sponsor a little boy from Zimbabwe, Africa through World Vision. His name is Gift. He is eight years old.

We hope, through our small gift, that we can help him and his family. The money will go toward food, clean water, medicine, and education.

Interested in finding out how you can help with the AIDS pandemic and extreme poverty by sponsoring a child? Go to www.worldvision.com.

The Right Kind of People

Jim Collins' NY-Times Bestseller, Good to Great, outlines the principles that allow good companies to make the leap into greatness. One of them is the concept of hiring the right kind of people:

"They hired outstanding people whenever and wherever they found them, often without any specific job in mind." (p. 42)

In essence, they understood that character, personality, and motivation are indispensable qualities. Skills and duties can be taught. Information can be shared. But "the core" of a person cannot be changed.

For example, if they were looking for a business executive, they didn't necessarily hire someone with an MBA and 10 years of experience. Instead, they hired people who were charismatic, hard-working, determined, commited, communicative, and professional.

Working with Baby...

is getting crazy. For those of you who don't know, I have been bringing my baby to work with me since she was four months old. It's been a wonderful arrangement and I absolutely love the fact that I don't have to miss any moments with her. Plus, she's smiling, laughing, and in a delightfully positive mood about 95% of the time.

That said, she's getting very active. She wants to sit and play and talk and roll and grab everything in sight. She especially loves "taste-testing" any items she can get in her hands and she loves to scream at the top of her lungs with sheer joy and excitement.

My last day on-the-job will be May 24th and I think it will be the perfect time for parting.

Country Girl

I turned on an online country radio station yesterday while I was cleaning (and dancing with Kayla) around our house. And I still love country music as much as I did in my high school days.

Of course, I will be the first to admit that there are plenty of corny, twangy, and completely worthless songs in the genre. BUT there are also songs that are particularly moving, sweet, inspiring, and fun. There's something about country music that reminds me of family and wide, open spaces. It conjurs up images of boots and horses and wrap-around porches, summer dresses and fresh-grown vegetables and falling in love, jean jackets and juke boxes and authenticity.

I hereby present a list of a few of my favorite country songs (old and new):
I Loved Her First (Heartland)
Without You (Dixie Chicks)
The Dance (Garth Brooks)
When You Say Nothing At All (Alison Krauss)
Grandpa (The Judds)

Share your favorites!

Business Idea #1: Restaurant/Cafe for Families

Attention aspiring entrepreneurers! If you are looking for a business idea with huge potential for success, consider opening a restaurant/cafe chain for moms and/or families. Think outside-of-the-box and think about the needs of families. Think beyond simply offering a kids menu. Create a place where kids and families are completely welcome - and wah-la - your business will be booming. (P.S. I'll be your first customer!)

Here are a few suggestions:
* Menu items ahould be nutritious and kid-friendly, but also delicious and gourmet (satisfying the palate of both the parents and the kids). No more chicken nuggets and hot dogs! How about chicken salad sandwiches (cut into cute shapes with cookie cutters), whole wheat banana pancakes (w/ the classic smily face created w/ cherries and other fruits), or a sliced fruit and yogurt sundae?
* Plan in large family-friendly restrooms as part of the restaurant design. In the restrooms, be sure to include clean changing station areas complete with complimentary wipes and comfortable chairs or private areas for nursing.
* Create a kids play area w/ a playground and/or books and/or toys and/or a make-believe shop.
* Make it a place where parents can still feel professional, productive, and trendy. Have free WI-FI access, good coffee, maybe even a nice selection of wines.
* Have special events and classes throughout the week: baby sign language, storyhour, work-at-home parents networking, moms night out, etc.

Need more suggestions? I've got them! Just ask.

Right Next Door

Two days ago I was hanging out with my friend Ashley. We were talking about master-planned communities and how much we would like to live in one. I said that, if one opened on this side of town, we might consider moving. She said, "...and we'd move in right next door!"

And I thought - that would be absolutely wonderful! I'd love to be able to go walking, to make dinner together, to hang out during the day, to stop over if I was out of milk, and to put our kids in strollers and meander to the local cafe or swimming pool (all in the master-plan, of course!). I vote YES on that dream...

To-Do List for this Spring

* Start Kayla's scrapbook.
* Set up a home studio and take tons of pictures of Kayla.
* Host my quarterly clothes swap.
* Study for the G.R.E.
* Create a breakfast club with a few good friends.