ME Time

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Being a member of my family and full force mommy, an employee in the workplace, a loving person to my friends, a member to society, I becomes WE really quick! I take the responsibility [and pride] of providing service to others, which I can tell you I wholeheartedly take pride in. I don't expect to be compensated for my actions... it genuinely fulfills my heart when I can help someone, ANY one, out.

Having said that, it's so easy to focus on others that I tend to quickly forget about ME. Life gets busy and moments are made in the blink of an eye... so much so that it becomes hard to manage my time. But let me tell you... the more crazy busy it gets, the more I make it a point to DO ME. I'm not saying that I'm getting ready to ditch my family or friends or work... not even close! What I mean is that it has become pivotal to take time each day [or week] to do something for me. It can be watching my fabulous reality TV, getting a mani and pedi, blogging! Things that fulfill me and give me fuel so that I can continue to service others with all of me.

I want to encourage you all to DO YOU. Take time and treat yourself with alone time, shopping time, coffee or wine time... whatever YOU time may be. When's the last time you did something for YOU?

Who's Leading?

This entire election process has been physically and mentally draining. I'm actually surprised by this feeling because I have never felt this defeated before in presidential elections. BUT I think we all know how ugly this entire process has been [all the way up to the final results!]. Now that our president-elect has been chosen by the American people, you can't help but think about LEADERSHIP.

To me, a leader is someone who does the right thing... who values followers... who helps achieve common goals and has a long-term perspective. In light of our shift in leadership, I wanted to share with you all a few leadership traits that have great impact in the workplace, in life, or even on the field!

1. Drive
Leaders who have motives with a great level of effort have a sense of drive. They are ready to perform as best as they can to do anything and everything necessary to accomplish goals and lead their followers.

2. Honesty
Being transparent and open with others demonstrates honesty in a leader. Leaders who are honest value thoughts and opinions of their followers, and feel that collaboration amongst the group can have a greater impact.

3. Motivation
Motivation is having the desire to influence and lead others. Motivation can transpire to leading by example, in which the leader would perform alongside followers, demonstrating expectations and desires for the task at hand.

4. Communication
Leaders who use verbal and nonverbal cues to clearly articulate ideas, expectations, goals and expertise are likely to have an effective approach with their followers. Followers appreciate when their leaders have an open-door policy to come and go as they wish and have honest conversations.

5. Confidence
One of the main jobs a leader possesses is to have self-assurance that they can get the job done, as hard or easy as it may be. Confidence demonstrates that the leaders possess self-control when having to put out a fire or when things can tense.

These 5 leadership traits are what I look for in a successful leader, and what I hope to see our next President demonstrate to the entire country. Granted the environment or situation may impact the level of drive, honesty, motivation, communication or confidence from our leader. BUT, I expect to see our President lead by example with high levels of integrity, for liberty and justice for all!

I Found Nemo

I know I'm a bit delayed with sharing the Halloween festivities, but never too late to be sorry! This year, I had a grand time dressing up my one-year old and actually taking him (and carrying him) trick-or-treating! He was so occupied watching others pass him by in their cute costumes that he didn't realize he had fins or a tail on him!

My Nemo just kept swimming...

Traveling Baby

I have a 13 month old baby who is in FULL force movement. He walks, he runs, he wobbles... and quite frankly he doesn't like to be held for too long (which is not such a bad thing since he's not quite as light as a feather!). We leave to go back home to LA tomorrow, and now that my LO is moving and grooving these days, I can't help but wonder what my flights will be like.

I've read about great tips to keep a LO occupied on a flight. So I thought I'd share some of my tricks I have planned to keep my LO happy (and I hope seated).

// NEW TOY
I think we all know it's not a surprise for babies to be amused with their toys for a good 2.5 seconds... then they're onto the next tupperware or spoon! I have a little non-electric (less noise) toy I haven't exposed to him yet so that he can have his first "oooh" and "ahhh" during our flight! Should buy me a peaceful takeoff...

// SNACKS
What baby (or adult) doesn't like FOOD?! I'm packing a few of his fave treats that he doesn't really eat on the regular... gold fish... fruit snacks... go-gurt! I'll be feeding slowwww and steady!

// NEW EPISODES OF SHOW
I know it's not ideal to utilize the iPad for screen time, but I really try and use it when I need to really get something done (shower, work, FLY...). So I downloaded a few new episodes of Blues Clues and another sing along so we can resort to if it gets too wild and crazy!

One other major thing is that I am still nursing, which will be a HUGE saving grace for my mover. I will definitely be relying on a good nurse as we take off and land to prevent any major ear popping!

I also have a stop to be thankful for... baby will get to walk/run and stretch his tiny little legs out while I chase after him like a mad woman in the airport!


What things have been a hit in your traveling books?

Fall-ing these days...

Fall is in full effect (with a few exceptions when the weather hits high 80's here in Nebraska) and we are happy campers! Without the insane humidity, we are out and about... walking on top of crunchy leaves... enjoying the pumpkin patch... swinging at the park... and of course, having a grand time at our Husker football games without beaming in the hot blazing sun!

Of all the stages I've been blessed to witness with my LO, this is by far one of my most fave stages! My baby boy is walking (sometimes running) all over these days! He absolutely loves being outdoors, which is fab for me. The hubs and I always reminisce over playing outside all the time when we were kiddos, and how we would hope our children have just as much love for the outdoors as we did! It amazes me to see my baby laugh when someone makes funny faces or noises to him... to see him mimic some of the words and sounds I make myself (gotta watch my language nowadays!)... to watch him RUN up to daddy when he walks in the front door... these things just baffle me because he's growing so much in such the little time he's been on this earth!

It feels good to be SO present in the moment, as I remind myself to be so I'm not rushing these precious moments. Life is good right now as we embrace a new season, new changes, and new baby (dare I say toddler) stages!

Learning

When I was a little girl, I would play teacher all the time... I had a chalkboard, clipboard, and little glasses to mimic my 4th grade teacher's reading glasses. Never did I think it would transpire to be real life for me! Next week starts a new adventure for me, and I can't be more THRILLED! I will start teaching my first class ever in a Master's program for a Psychology school based in Chicago. I've spent the past few months preparing by researching the school, reading the course readings, getting acquainted with the technology used, and logistics. I must say, it's an amazing feeling to be back in some sort of routine... and better yet, in an educational surrounding!

I love the art of learning [it's probably why I stayed in school for as long as I did]. I love it so that it became a part of my profession after graduating... to provide learning and development in the workplace to staff, faculty, employees and leaders.

The beauty about the world of education is that you are in an environment that provides different avenues to the latest research, the latest studies, the latest theories... the past, present and future all at your exposure. All you need is an appetite to want to know and learn more.

I challenge you, my friends, to ask yourself what can you learn more about today? Is it something in your profession? Culture? Sports? Dance?

Perception

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I never knew how mommies did it... raising a baby, working, being a wife to the hubs, and some even going to school! Having my LO has really opened my eyes to many different perspectives I would not have otherwise planned to see. Some of which I've been pondering on lately:

// I thought my LO would be in some sort of daycare [whether PT or FT]

I had a goal to make a transition back into the workforce in January... when baby would be about 3 months old. I thought maybe I can find a daycare that I trusted... that other mommies would recommend being one of the best! Indeed I did find a great in-home daycare, but turns out she expected the LOs to put themselves to sleep when she puts them down for a nap twice a day [we're on a nurse to sleep plan in this household!].

// I thought I would be able to work during nap time

I for sure was looking forward to all the nap times mommies talked about with their LOs. Nap times meant alone time... time to get things done uninterrupted. NOT! Nap times are unpredictable for the most part... lasting from a whopping half hour to 2-3 hours tops! During this time, I AM TAPPED! I use this time to shower, wash dishes, take the dogs outside, or watch some sort of reality tv. It's hard to start something on my computer, and not be able to finish it because baby woke up.

// I thought I can wake up earlier than bay to get my morning workouts done

No matter how early I set my alarm for, my LO has the SAME exact internal alarm clock and wakes up when I leave the bed. It can be 4 - 5 - 6 in the morning! When I'm up, he's up, and the entire household begins bright and early.

I thought a lot of things before my beautiful blessing arrived in my life... just like I thought a lot of things after I graduated, or when I got married, or when I started my first job in my career! Perception is reality and no matter what situation we are in, I'm pretty certain we can find something we love and something we loathe about it. Instead of dwelling on what I don't have or where I am not at, I choose to LOVE life today and appreciate being where I am today. A mother to my handsome outgoing baby boy, a wife to my hard-working coach, and on the road to being a member of the workforce once again!

Husker Birthday Party

It's been TOO long since the last post, and that's because we are in prime time of all times... football season! I had family visiting Husker Nation for the first three weeks of September, then baby and I went back home to LA the last week of September to celebrate his big ONE with family and friends.

It was only natural to have a football birthday party because again... we're in prime time of the season, and our lives are inundated with football! We went a step further and decided to GO BIG RED with the Husker gear, especially since Daddy wasn't able to be there (he was busy getting the W at Northwestern!). Everyone had their Husker best on, from smiles to jerseys and we had ourselves a FUNtabulous birthday party!

We had a great concession stand where Husker fans were able to grab chips, popcorn, cotton candy, and many more goods! It was easy (and cost effective) to make little football brown paper bags for peeps to store their yummy goodies in!

Centerpieces were simple but Husker'd out! My aunt made these cute mason jars, I made the flags, and with some gorgeous blooms and jumbo balloons, we had a cute simple centerpiece!

You know those signs at a high school football game that football players run through as they take the field? Well my sister got one made for baby's birthday party that was absolutely AMAZING! I had all the kiddos run through it as they took their very own field to play games!

You know having a piñata just made it complete! This one was full of all sorts of delish candy, including one of my faves, chico sticks!

As fans rolled in, they all signed the game ball for the birthday boy. I wanted a keepsake for my son when he gets older, and this was perfect for him to have forever!

I can't even describe how amaze balls this cake was!! Not only was it stunningly made, but it was SUSPER delicious!! The top layer was cookies and cream, and the bottom two were PBJ with a tiny thin layer of crust! Oh. My. Goodness. It was a HIT!

When it was time to sing happy birthday, I had passed out little game day pom poms and we all cheered on the birthday boy as he prepped to blow out his candle!

I have to say, this was much better than I had imagined it would be. The love filled the air and it was so good to be home with all of our loved ones to spend great QT and make Husker memories! Of course none of it would have been possible if it weren't for family pitching in to help with decor, goodies, cleaning and much more! It literally took a village... one that I will always rely upon forever more with my son.

Game Two

It's taken me all week to post about our game last weekend against Wyoming, but you know what... it's been one emotional week for me! My baby boy turned one, and I still am in disbelief! Better late than never though!

One of the many perks on game day is that our LO gets to witness Daddy in action... including the Huskers! He stands at Daddy's office window in awe at how big our players are. I bet he's thinking, "I can't wait to wear that jersey!"

It was a great game with a rough start, but the Huskers pulled through at the end with a glorious victory! Our offense started a bit shaky... which I can't help to think about what must be going through these guys' minds the entire day shaking all types of feelings up! Fans show up so early... watch the bus pull up... watch the players and coaches walk into the locker rooms... watch warm-ups... it's just an early start to watching, cheering and supporting! I always ponder if the players are stoked with Cornhusker nation out there watching... or if they kinda get nervous. Either way, it's got to be intense for them, because it's surely intense for me in the stands (so much so that we had to get some headphones to protect the little one's ears)!

In any case, we went into halftime with the score of 10-7 (Nebraska). Man oh man, did we change that rhythm up and pull through in the second half, yet again! Our defense rocked the stadium with 6 interceptions, including a pick 6! WHOOP!!! We took the W home with a final score of 52-17.

It was another bitter sweet moment for us because we have a relative that plays for Wyoming! We're so proud of him and the work he's put in moving from Cali to Wyoming!

We're ready to take on this weekend against the Ducks, and I would be happier than ever to report a W next week!

Who will you be rooting on this weekend?

One

Today, my sweet baby boy turns the big ONE! It was just a short year ago that I went through this life changing experience, and I am in complete awe...

... that I was blessed one year ago with a healthy infant boy
... that he's taught me so much about patience and presence
... that God kept me sane with my LO thru the most difficult obstacle I've ever faced, losing my Mom
... that we got the hang of nursing, and STILL loves it
... that he is responding to commands like blow kiss and clap your hands
... that I've had the opportunity to be with him every waking night and day
... that he is all MINE (and my Hubs, of course!)

Happy FIRST birthday, my sweet son. Thank you for being the smart, funny, witty little boy Daddy and I have witnessed you to be throughout this past year. I pray that you stay faithful in God's word and teachings of life. I love you forever more!

Game One

Thankfully, we only have a few night time games here in Lincoln. These ones tend to be rough... from having my LO on the stands around his typical bedtime to planning a late night meal after the game [which typically can be very close to midnight by the time the hubs is done in the office], the day can be long and exhausting after cheering on our Huskers!

Needless to say, I'm very proud of how we opened up our football season last weekend against Fresno State! It was a bitter sweet moment because it was our kick off to the 2016 season, AND we were playing against a team one of my cousins transferred to earlier this year, Fresno State. This made it very difficult to cheer for our Husker boys this past game, watching family on the other side of the ball! But we made it work!

Our Huskers started off a bit shaky... we were hurting ourselves by not getting into formation on time... not finishing up our blocks... we even had an ejection for targeting (one of the newer rules against helmet to helmet). The first half was a nail biter with a score of 14-10 [Nebraska], but it definitely did not stop the Huskers from making well-needed changes in execution and attitude after half time. During the second half, we started to run the ball more, pass more, block more... we were looking solid! Huskers ended up taking home the W with a score of 43-10!

Last Saturday also meant a lot to Husker Nation as we honored the memory of our kicker, Sam Foltz. Players and fans repped his jersey number 27 in the sea of red. We even took a delay of game during the first punt return for not sending out a kicker on the field. It was a beautiful site and feeling in Memorial Stadium!

Game 1 in the books for the Husker season, and now it's countdown to Game 2 against Wyoming on Saturday!

Who are you rootin' on this weekend?

Beginning To-Do's

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Do you remember the first day jitters from starting a new school year? The new outfits you planned out? The new school supplies you got? The awesome new backpack (or even purse!) that you were ready to rock? I remember there being a lot of planning and anticipation around my classes, teachers, friends, and activities that I would involve myself with come the new year!

I must say, the same anticipation arises when I am ready to start a new job! It's a great reason to go shopping for new clothes, shoes and even makeup! I love to buy a few office supplies that help writing look so much cuter with different styled pens. I love starting up a new planner that will include holidays, vital due dates and team birthdays!

In addition to these fine things that may arise when starting a new job, I thought it might be helpful to share some other helpful tips that may help you start your first day of work on the right foot!

1. Research the organization.
It's always good to know the history of your new company. Make use of that "About Us" section on the website, and read about the leadership team, the organization's philosophy, mission, vision and all that jazz!

2. Research your manager (and any other colleagues).
Getting to know your manager/ colleagues can help you get a feel for what type of experience you will be working with (or for). Search on LinkedIn to help paint a career picture of your manager... you never know if you were both working alongside the same type of work in your past!

3. Start to build your perspective.
Not only is reading up on the organization helpful, but I think reading the latest news about your organization is also key! Read the latest twitter updates, facebook updates, and even google your organization and select the "News" hyperlink! It's important to know the happs about what you're walking into.

4. Prepare your workspace.
When I start a new job and see a blank slate for my desk, I get excited! I love to bring a framed picture (or two) of my loved ones, a nice plant, maybe my own magnets, paperclips and pens! And if you're working from home, even better of a reason to prepare a workspace to separate your R&R time from time to work work work work work!

5. Relax!
Take the last few days before starting your new job to just breathe and be present with yourself. Do what makes you happy in the morning or mid-day... the times that you will most likely be working in the near future!

I hope these 5 things can help you mentally and physically prepare to start a new adventure with your new job!

What things do you like to do before starting anew?

[RE] set it and forget it!

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I know it may be hard to believe, but there's TONS going on in this household, even though it's quiet up on the blog! I miss blogging... actually, I miss a lot of things. BUT, new baby means new adventures and new beginnings!

I shared a few weeks ago (okay, almost a month ago!) that football is in full effect. As a coach's wife, I've been able to handle the pressures of hubs being out of sight over the past years. Now with baby here, it's a bit different. I take him to practices as much as I am able to so he can spend some QT with Daddy in-between practice, meetings, and workouts! Some nights, I'll keep baby awake so he can see Daddy before he hits the hay... even if it's just to kiss him and say good night. We make it work, and stay grateful for supporting a career that makes quite a difference in young student-athlete's lives.

Football season combined with sprint crawling from an 11-month old makes for some tired LONG days for this mommy, especially during this month of August! Nap times were becoming more of a rest time for me, whereas before I was trying to get as much done in that timeframe as possible... from house work to blogging to working. During bed time, I was closing shop and could no longer dig for the energy to pick up a second whim. Let's just say that August has been a rough one, just as June was for me!

Nonetheless, we are heading into September this week, and I am SO ready to hit the reset button. I'll have more help with family coming to visit during the season to watch our games... AND we'll be making our way back home to LA to celebrate my LO's FIRST BIRTHDAY (I can't!). All to say, I miss the blogosphere... I look forward to being back in action with a little more pep in my step!

Toodles August...

Football Begins

First (semi) week of Fall Camp in the books... well technically after this weekend. Husker nation kicked it off with Fan Day on Wednesday, which was pretty HOT and fun! I can't believe it was just a short year ago that I was there very pregnant, and in such great awe to see how the entire state of Nebraska are Husker Football fans.

Although we lose some precious time with the Hubs when the festivities begin, it's such a bitter sweet moment for me every single year because HELLO... FOOTBALL SEASON IS HEAAAAA!! There's no other rush like it to be in the crowd, cheering on your boys, and witnessing the fruits of the Hubs' hard labor! This season, I have the pleasure of sharing this excitement with my LO. Hubs and I tripped over how he jumped right in with both feet in the weight room... crawling all over the turf... then discovering the platforms and how amazing the shiny red N was painted on there... discovering how orange shields are not just for sprinting but also for tasting. Last season, my sweet boy was so tiny and brand new-brand new. BUT this season, he'll be one year brand new (wahhhhh!!!) and more attentive to the loud noises, cheers, and historic red balloon release for the first touchdown!

What are some of your fave college teams to root for?