Now it’s a week before Thanksgiving and we are staring down the last of 2009. How does this happen? I am fascinated once again by the speed of life. How is it that we go from children whose only “job” is to play all day to not having any time to “play” at all?

I read today that a block of ice fell from the sky straight through the roof of someone’s home in Colorado. It landed smack dab in their kitchen, where they had been sitting just a few moments prior.

I teach a course on time management. In that course I talk about how we all have only 1440 minutes every single day. It is the universal equalizer. What we choose to do with those 1440 minutes is what makes the difference.

So why am I talking about fun, hurtling through space, shots in the dark, children playing, blocks of ice and 1440 minutes? Well, as my husband and I were sharing our evening television ritual, and discussing the accomplishment vs. yet to do list during the commercials, with my lap top in my lap, and his on his armrest, surrounded by paperwork that I absolutely “have to get to”, I saw the story about the block of ice.

I hit the “pause button” on all our activity. For the next few moments I remembered and reminded my husband about the blocks of ice we have experienced in our life. One moment you are sitting at your kitchen table having tea with your daughter, laughing, planning, enjoying the moment and the very next second a block of ice is crashing through your ceiling – perhaps crushing that exquisite tea pot that was displayed so perfectly on the center of the table.

The point; nothing is promised – not our next year, next month, tomorrow or even the very next millisecond. And I am amazed that no matter how many times I am reminded of this fact, I still find myself getting lost in the blur of life, unsure of the target as I sail blindly through the dark, cold, night sky.

So here we are, Thanksgiving a week away and counting down to the holidays and the end of another particularly challenging year. We will get busier as we “bustle” around with our holiday “to do” lists. We will get tired and impatient and some of us, well, we will become ill or recover from illness or sitting by the bed of someone as, hopefully, they heal from an illness.

The weekend attitude adjustment this week is simply this – remember that at any moment a block of ice can fall from the sky and crash through your kitchen ceiling. Do your best to keep the reason of the season in your heart. Enjoy the pot of tea, put away the papers, make eye contact with everyone you see. And smile. Choose to connect as your target for the next several weeks. Guide your own path and consciously navigate instead of blindly flying through the air. We do only get 1440 minutes every day – how will you choose to use yours?

Until next time I remain…
Joyfully yours,
Mary Elizabeth

How are you having fun these days? Are you planning to go to the lake, the beach or the mountains? Did your Memorial Day picnic offer time to tell stories and share fond memories? For those of us with family who have served or are serving, did you find a way to honor them with a smile?

Life seems to have been so serious lately and rightfully so. There are many serious issues requiring attention. And yet, perhaps because summer has begun, I find myself yearning for fun, laughter and plain ole’ silliness.

From a tax payer perspective I don’t know if I agree with the President and First Lady’s date night in New York. I’m sure there are great theatres and restaurants in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia – you know, a motorcade vs. a helicopter ride away, but I do agree with and love the essence of their “date night”.

I found myself longing to experience the same worry free spirit they displayed as husband and wife in love and sharing what appeared to be a wonderful evening together. They were creating a new memory for the file of their life.
It served to add to my yearning for a little free spirited fun. For me it was not what they did but the fact that they did it. That was a message I was ready to receive.

When was the last time you and your partner had fun? How are you bringing fun into your workplace? Do you and your business partners wring your hands with worry or instead every once in awhile throw them up in the air and just laugh?

Have you and your spouse had an evening out recently? Just the two of you – even if you are taking a long drive or walk or bicycle ride, can you find time for just the two of you?

Life is more fun when you can share it with someone else. What about your best friend, or favorite cousin? When are you going to stop, pick up the phone or type on your keyboard and send an invitation to someone important to you? Ask them to join you in some simple, easy, good ole fashion activity that will bring you both a bit of relief, laughter and joy.

Please remember to tell us about it! Sharing ideas within our WeekEnd Attitude Adjustment community is fun. It would be awesome to have 17 new ideas to share with each other. How many are you willing to share with us? Simply clicking the comment section below and tell us your story.

And until next time … I remain….

Joyfully yours,
Mary Elizabeth

I found myself thinking this past week about how often we tend to focus on our problems, not necessarily the solutions. It seems that we spend more energy talking about our problems than actually doing anything to rid ourselves of them. I mean really, sometimes it as though our problems become a part of our identity. Who would I be if not for my problems?

So, if you are growing a bit weary of discussing the “current problem” or listening to Aunt Edna and Cousin Frank tell you all about what is wrong this week in their world, then please continue reading. This Weekend Attitude Adjustment will provide you with some tools so that when your neighbor Larry starts down his road of woe you might actually help him to uncover some practical solutions. And then you can both get on with enjoying the day!

Isaac Asimov hit the nail on the head when he said, “If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.”

This is so true. Learning how to solve problems is one of those topics in the world that we don’t spend time learning about. While we may “talk” through our problems, learning about them is a whole different story. Think of the lost productivity at work or the lost emotional energy in your personal life spent dealing with “problem dramas.”

How do you reduce the “problem dramas” and get on with constructive working and living?
Imagine the freed up energy you could put toward other areas of your life. What about yourself or a peer who is stuck in their ways? While you can’t change a leopard’s spots, you can change behavior.

Rather than stew over a problem, work on finding solutions to resolve it. Use these six steps to solve problems:
1. Define the problem and the expected results. Ask yourself, “What is the problem?” State it as specifically as possible giving attention to all facets of the problem. Charles Kettering once said, “A problem well-defined is half solved.” Ask yourself, “is this the real problem?”
2. Collect facts and ideas. Collect, as many facts, ideas and opinions as you believe may be necessary to provide insights into the problem.
3. Generate solutions. Gather all possible solutions, no matter how wild they may seem. This is the time to brainstorm. All ideas are possible solutions at this stage. Use everyone’s creative imaginations and note all possible solutions. In the words of Bertrand Russell, “The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution.” A favorite question I like to ask myself or others when I feel stuck is, “I know I can’t but if I could what would I …?” By asking this question it eliminates the “yeah buts” and opens up the thinking to possibility.
4. Pick the best solution. Which of the solutions in Step 3 would most possibly give you the results you defined in Step 1?
5. Implement the solution. Start acting on the solution. Remember that you may have more problems by not doing anything than by doing the wrong thing.
6. Evaluate the solution. Is the solution working? Are you achieving the desired results? Now is the time to make any modifications that may be necessary.

Jot down these 6 steps. Spend some time this weekend applying this system to your problems. Then later when you are at that picnic, pool party or soccer game and Sara or Sam approach you with their latest dilemma you will be prepared for a healthy, constructive conversation that may result in a practical solution.

Ahhh, now doesn’t that feel better? A practical solution is as refreshing as a cool glass of lemonade on a warm day. And now I’m off for a burger…  until next time I remain …

Joyfully yours,
Mary Elizabeth

What about that feeling of losing control over your time? Somehow it’s gotten off-course like a runaway train. Somehow it has gripped you with a force only someone with superhuman powers could escape. If only you could stop that train with your powerful boots or break the grip with the strength of your gold bracelets!

Last week, while I was on a business trip to Chicago I rented a car from my friends at Avis. I, put my luggage in the trunk, adjusted the mirrors and before I shifted into drive I looked at the dashboard. I saw in bright neon green numbers and letters the following message – “399 miles to Empty”.

And I thought – hmmm – what if we humans came with the same type of meter. I little register in our system that monitored and mentioned to us how many miles we had left in us to EMPTY!

Everywhere I went in that car I was reminded of how many miles I had until EMPTY! It actually became a bit annoying – I found myself much more concerned about my gas tank than ever before. It was right there on my dashboard, dead center and unavoidable. I just kept thinking there was a greater message here and certainly something for me to share with you, the Weekend Attitude Adjustment Community. So here goes …

Where do you start or stop when you realize that you are not a Super Hero but a normal human running around in Super Hero clothing and driving a car that will be EMPTY in 399 miles.

The fact of the matter is that time is the great equalizer. We all get the same amount to use everyday. Twenty-four hours, 1,440 minutes, 86,400 seconds; however you break down your day, it’s barely enough time to get your own house in order, let alone save the world! Beginning at 12:00 am Saturday you will have 2,880 minutes for this weekend, so much for sleeping in on Saturday morning. That leisurely coffee and crumpet plan for Sunday – forget it – you only have 900 minutes left to EMPTY!

On the other hand if you run around with “your hair on fire” as a friend of mine likes to say – how long do you think you have until your internal gas tank reads EMPTY?

Any way you look at it, time is precious. How can you maximize it and at the same time maintain a human lifestyle?

First, sit back and close your eyes for a minute. Now, imagine if you could have 60 minutes of unscheduled time every day. That would be seven hours in a week and 28 additional hours in a month. Expand it for the year and that would be 14 extra free days. Woo hoo Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa here I come …

This may sound ridiculous, but it’s not. In spite of your busy work schedule, the fact that the shopping won’t do itself, and not to mention your all-too-human desire to spend time with your family, I am actually suggesting that you “Super Hero” can in fact find an extra 60 minutes in every day – for you. Time to do the things you keep on that “if I only had more time” wish list.

The following is a list of 11 tips and concepts for time management. This weekend simply practice a few of these and see come Sunday night if you still have a little fuel left in the tank.

As you review this list, ask yourself some questions: Which of these categories are most critical? Which category are you already controlling? Learn ways to develop those you still need to improve upon and sooner rather than later you will have those extra two weeks. My favorite weekend tips are in bold!!

1. Goals – Be sure that you are setting S.M.A.R.T. goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed.
2. Priorities – Most people start with the quick, easy, enjoyable things first. Instead, start with the important things. Do the weeding, shopping, whatever chores first thing Saturday morning – sip Lemonade in the afternoon.
3. Analyze Your Day – Check that your activities are consistent with your goals. Are you spending your time in a way that brings your heart joy?
4. Plan – Make sure your daily “to do” list has priorities and time estimates. You run out of time, not work.
5. Schedule – Little ever happens in your life until you create the space for it to happen. Set a start and an end time.
6. Interruptions – Schedule quiet time each day so that you can work on your priorities without interruption. Before the running of the errands… take time to visualize how you would like to see your day play out.
7. Written Communications – Ask yourself these three questions: Will I really do anything with this? If the answer is “no,” then dump it. If the answer is “yes,” ask the next two questions: When will I do it? Where will I keep it?
8. Meetings – Identify a specific result to be achieved for each agenda item. Schedule people to come and go as they are needed.
9. Delegation – Consider how you will manage the job before you delegate it. Insist on results not perfection. There are usually many ways to get the same results. Learn to live with differences. “How perfect does that lawn have to be … really?”
10. Procrastination – What causes you to put things off? Most of us tend to avoid things that are unpleasant, complex or overwhelming.
11. Team Time – Discuss goals, priorities, and plans with superiors, subordinates, team members and support staff. Do it often. Family, children, neighbors, friends – discuss the plan so that everyone can support it, have fun and save some fuel –carpool!

Not using your time wisely can impact both your professional and personal lives. You don’t have to be Super Hero, but you can lasso time back under your control.

I would love to hear from you and your thoughts on this topic. How will you use your 2,880 minutes this weekend? Please click comment below and share your ideas and wisdom.

And until next time … I remain …

Joyfully yours,
Mary Elizabeth

Will you join me in a new challenge this week-end?  Do you or others think that you are “too critical”? Do you avoid people because of their constant criticism of you? Are you ready to focus your attention on your internal and external communication patterns this weekend and maybe for the next 30 days?

This may sound like  too much “work”, especially for the weekend.  However, it could be fun, really!

If you are ready to play - read on…

For an effective communication strategy and to avoid giving criticism, think – divide and conquer!

That is, separate observation from evaluation.

According to Marshall Rosenburg, Ph.D., author of Non-Violent Communication, A Language of Compassion, “when we combine an observation with an evaluation our words can be heard as criticism.”

Mixing our observations and evaluations is a recipe for disaster. The more we mix our observations with our evaluations of another person’s behavior, the less likely that person is going to be open to us. They will probably be less open to hearing our words, empathizing with our feelings or being receptive in any way to our intended message.

“We need to observe what we are seeing, hearing, or touching that is affecting our well being without mixing in evaluation,” said Rosenburg.

This is why it’s important to keep your observations specific to time and context. If you choose to utilize this language skill, you will increase the chances of conveying your message to the listener in the way in which you intended, and not as criticism. Below are some examples of observations and evaluations:

EXAMPLE #1:
Observation and evaluation mixed together: “She won’t get her work in.”
Observation separate from evaluation: “She has a great amount of work and less than 2 days to complete it. (Observation) I don’t know if she will get her work in.” (Evaluation)

EXAMPLE #2:
Observation and evaluation mixed together: “You are late.”
Observation separate from evaluation: “I see that you were not here at 9:00 a.m.” (Observation only)

Following these tips can help you separate your observations and evaluations:
 Be aware of when you generalize – using words like always, never, ever, whenever, etc.
 Don’t mix what you see with your opinion
 Be aware of labels, especially negative labels – lazy, stupid, brainy, egotistical, etc.

Even when we label someone by their socially accepted title we could be evaluating. For example, calling someone a “cook” can be considered an evaluation according to Rosenburg. The following stanza from a poem by Ruth Bebermeyer explains it this way,

“I’ve looked as hard as I can look
but never ever seen a cook;
I saw a person who combined
ingredients on which we dined,
A person who turned on the heat
and watched the stove that cooked the meat -
I saw those things but not a cook. Tell me, when you’re looking,
Is it a cook you see or is it someone doing things that we call cooking?”

I recommend a practice run in seeing how many evaluations or judgments you make in a particular situation. This weekend when you go to the mall, grocery store or any other public setting, observe how many “evaluations” you make over a 15-minute period. Does it make you wonder if the number of evaluations/judgments made during this period makes you an extremely judgmental person, average or below average? Think about how many evaluations you make when you are not making a conscious effort to pay attention to your evaluations/judgments.

Expand this practice run to a 30-day trial of actually speaking from observation without mixing in evaluation. Practice articulating observations separate from evaluations. Try this in both your personal and professional life.

The Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti once remarked that observing without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence. Remember, the goal is not to ever have an evaluation. The goal is to separate your evaluation from your observation. With this in mind, you will be able to effectively communicate your message, which will be a win-win situation for you and the listener.

Please send us your results. It will be fun to share how this intentional effort benefits you and others!

Until next time… I remain or appear to remain…

Joyfully yours,

Mary Elizabeth

The first is grammar school. You remember the days when you were on the top of the world. You were an “eighth grader”. Life was all about being cool and having fun. After all you ruled the school, you were an eighth grader. It was a great year. Your biggest responsibility as you prepared to launch into your teen years was to take the constitution test and get accepted into the same high school as your best friend. Soon however you would be thrust back to the bottom rung of the social ladder. In just 3 short months you would again be starting over – as a freshman.

The next graduation on our list is high school. Life was all about being cool and having fun. Are you beginning to see a pattern here? The stakes have gotten a little higher, the choices a bit more liberating. Now the responsibilities carried more weight. Decisions about college vs. working vs. marriage, vs. all 3 (there’s that number again). Where your best friend is going matters, but not as much, suddenly every decision seems to start or end with the words, “for the rest of your life”.

Finally it’s college. Where life once again has been about being cool and having fun, these after all are the final days. Soon you will be an adult, working in the adult world, with “grown-up” responsibilities. Your best friend might not even live in the same state as you do anymore. It’s time to think about “career moves”, financial status and settling down with someone to share “the rest of your life”. Soon you will begin again, on the bottom rung of your first corporate job. For what you hope is the last time –you will be the new kid on the block, because now you are ready to “get on with your life”.

Funny how beginnings and endings continue throughout our lives, even when we think they have ended. Remember being the “the up and comer”, “the one to watch”, “the rising star”. Then there was the newly-wed, the first time parent, and the new homeowner. Suddenly and before we know it, we become the grandparents, the empty nesters, the retired community.

Yes, life is full of beginnings and endings. It is important that with each one we stop and celebrate. The celebrations are what we will remember. Be sure you find a way to celebrate life’s most precious moments. Celebrate this weekend. Mark the moment.

Be sure to share with our community your thoughts on beginnings and endings. How are you marking the precious moments in your life? Click on the comments box below and share your thoughts, wisdom, experience!

And until next time I remain…

Joyfully yours,

Mary Elizabeth

Yes, that is this week’s topic. What is in your tool kit when it comes to adjusting your attitude?

My weekend started out at an airport filled with small children traveling with their families. Not that this is a bad thing mind you. It’s only bad when I’m traveling. It’s why I try to stay w/Tuesdays or Wednesdays as my departure and arrival days. But I digress.

So here I am in the airport and there are car seats and extra luggage and children w/back packs and games and dolls and – you get the picture. Getting myself through security these days is enough to whack out my attitude. I can’t imagine what you do when you are attempting to move 2 or 4 little ones through – that‘s a question for the Weekend Attitude Adjustment Community – what do you do? How do you keep your attitude positive when moving children through the security gates at the airport?

Here is how I did it. I noticed a woman putting her baby in the bin. The baby was all bundled in pink and looked really cute in that grey bin. She was sitting up, smiling and giggling. I thought to myself, I wonder how the TSA screener who looks through that little monitor is going to respond – computer, purse, shoes, baby, BABY!

So I asked the TSA agent who was screening my boarding pass. I just mentioned that I didn’t realize we had to put babies in the bins these days. He quickly turned around with such a look of panic – okay it was really sort of funny. It was especially funny because the mom removed the baby from the bin just as the agent was about to jump up and shout stop. I’ve been told that in comedy, timing is everything!

I’m not saying we should pick on TSA agents. After all, they are faced with a very challenging job and talk about having to keep your Attitude Adjusted. Can you imagine having to put up with comedians like me all day? However, just noticing what’s around you, adding a little innocent curiosity or new perspective, flavoring it with the spice of humor and suddenly you just might find yourself and others cracking a smile or bursting out in laughter. There are several tools: simply noticing, curiosity, a different perspective and humor. What tools are in your tool kit?

Think about it for a moment. Those who like to cook have great cooking utensils. They pride themselves on having the finest set of knives. They have researched them, tested them out and finally decided on the very best ones. And when it comes time to prepare their specialty – those knives that have been safely tucked away are gently taken out and used. Those knives help the cook to create a great meal and more.

How about garden tools to the gardener or automotive tools to the mechanic? Treasured and treated with love. All so these masters are better able to do the thing they love to do because of their tools!

What are your Weekend Attitude Adjustment tools? How well do you care for them? Is it traveling on off days? Looking for the humor in a situation? Getting enough sleep or eating healthy?

This weekend as you are working on the car, digging in the garden or preparing for that special dinner party, take a moment to consider your tools, and then consider your Attitude Tools. Send us a quick comment on what you discovered in your Attitude Adjustment Tool box!

Until then I remain…

Joyfully yours,
Mary Elizabeth

Eight Days A Week

It is Saturday morning. I have to share with you what a great weekend I am having already.

It started yesterday with having lunch with a wonderful friend for 4 hours. We exchanged all sorts of thoughts and ideas and both left feeling inspired through our deeper connection – and very full. Cracker Barrel definitely provides an abundance of comfort food.

This morning I was awake early enough to see the sun burst through my living room window. It filled the entire room with it’s brilliance.

Soon after, I made coffee and had my first ever cinnamon crumpet. It toasted perfectly, and as I savored each bite, my senses were filled with warmth and the aroma of cinnamon. My husband joined me in the kitchen and I toasted a crumpet for him to enjoy. It was a lovely start to what will be a perfect day!

The song “8 Days A Week” by the Beatles is running through my mind. “Ain’t got nothin but love babe – 8 Days a Week”.

Would you mind an 8 day week if every moment of it were filled with love? What if you experienced love overflowing… more love than 7 days can hold?

Last weekend I attended an event w/my brother. The event was in Chicago and I was able to personally see the Green River! But I digress.  At the event they spoke of the Daily 8. The concept was to take 8 specific actions everyday to build your business.

What if everyday we took 8 actions with love as our intention? What if our purpose was to have everyone we encounter feel loved? What would happen in the world if everyone of us did this at least “8 Times a Day“? (hear the song)

An edited version from Wikipedia: “An agent‘s intention in performing an action is his or her specific purpose. ”

 Bob Picha, a Master Teacher and mentor of mine, recently gave a marketing presentation where he spoke of the necessasity of intention and attention when selling.

More from Wikipedia: “Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. Examples include listening carefully to what someone is saying while ignoring other conversations in a room or listening to a cell phone conversation while driving a car.”

Let’s be logical for a moment as we think about this emotional intention. Consider the last time you did something for someone purely because you love them. An example, this morning I wanted to share my crumpet experience with my husband, so that his day would have a  pleasant start. I already love him.

What if you started the morning off with the intention of love? Love for yourself, love for nature’s beauty, love for the people you encounter. How would you focus your attention if this were your intention? How would your actions change? What if instead of driving through Starbucks while on your cell phone discussing your next big  to do or unresolved problem – with the intention of love, you gave your attention to the person who is handing you your coffee. How would you connect with this person? Would you take a moment to make eye contact and smile? What would you say?

How do you provide your product and/or service with love? Recently I had a bit of a weather crisis happening less than 12 hours before our annual trade show was to open. It was scheduled to be held in a venue that was essentially outdoors. It became very evident very quickly that we were going to have to take drastic measures to move the event. With the help of key people who love what they do, and, I believe care very deeply about me and the success of our events, not only did we move the event but it was so seamless to our exhibitors and attendees it has been proclaimed nothing short of a miracle.

Isn’t that what love is – the key ingredient to miracles? Isn’t it love that drives you to want to leap tall buildings in a single bound?  Where can you show love this weekend? Can you allow it to overflow into next week? How will your actions show your intention of love? Will your attention to others and their needs define your purpose? 

I am so excited about this idea – I am overflowing with love for each of you. Toast a crumpet and join the conversation.  

And until next time I remain lovingly and ….

Joyfully yours,

Mary Elizabeth

Albert Einstein

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”  – Albert Einstein

What if you woke up every morning with passionate curiosity? Can you imagine the things you might discover? What new things might you learn if you allowed yourself to be open to new perspectives?

Jim Rohn said, “it’s simple, not always easy”. Being curious all day is not necessarily easy. But what if it were – what if you went through the entire weekend being curious and then acting on your curiosity?

Saturday morning, instead of starting your day in the usual manner, stop and smell the coffee – literally! Take a few moments as you prepare your morning ritual to be in reverent curiosity. Remember as a child when you didn’t know what you didn’t know. Someone, usually an adult, would do something that appeared out of the norm for you and you would ask, as any child would, “why?”.

My niece, Kailey, has a natural curiosity and zest for life. She wants to try EVERYTHING – at least once. And she questions EVERYTHING – at least twice. She is naturally curious. And her innocent curiosity reminds me of what it is like to not have to “know” everything – but instead to be in wonder.

I remember when my nephew Christopher asked me why I didn’t know where the cup holder was in the back seat of the car I was driving. At first I felt a bit foolish that I didn’t know – until I realized it was a rental car, and a model I had never driven before. Once I explained to him why I lacked this bit of knowledge, I regained his confidence in me. He became more curious and investigative about finding the cup holder than wondering why I didn’t know the answer. We had great fun searching and being curious.

Isn’t that the challenge – we put this expectation on ourselves that “somehow we should know”. Oh how we miss the opportunities of discovery whenever we laden ourselves with that type of guilt.

So you guessed it – my request of you for this weekend’s attitude adjustment is to allow yourself to be curious. Be passionately curious. Take nothing for granted but instead, as my friend and mentor Patty Jo Cornish says, “just notice”.

Just notice as much as you can this weekend and then be curious about it. What makes it work that way? What is that fresh aromatic blend in your coffee? How come you feel so good wearing that comfortable pair of jeans and your favorite t-shirt? What is it about those cars attached to shopping carts at the grocery store that bring such joy to the chidren who ride in them? How can your imagination best serve you today? When was the last time you sat back or laid in the grass and wondered about the clouds floating overhead?

I am so curious to hear from you and learn about your experience of being curious. Please be sure to take a few moments to let us know what you discovered.

Until next time, I remain curiously and….

Joyfully yours,

Mary Elizabeth

Chicago River

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. Chances are good that where you live there is some sort of “wearin’ o’ the green” celebration.

In Chicago, my kinda town, the river is turned green. Growing up it seemed to me that it was green anyway, but for St. Patrick’s Day – you guessed it – even greener! In the past they released 100 lbs. of green vegetable dye into the river, keeping it green for a week. Today they  only use 40 lbs., keeping it green for several hours.

Whether it’s the Chicago River or the grass outside your front door, “green is in the air”.  Have you noticed the tiny buds of spring flowers popping up through the soil? Some of the trees in Charlotte, NC are already filling in their leaves.

What will you do this weekend to Celebrate the Green? Do you have a family tradition that you would be willing to share? My mom used to make  corned beef and cabbage for dinner. I’ve never made it, but thought I would attempt it this year with the help of my trusty crock pot.

Find a reason to celebrate “the green” this weekend. Will it be using green frosting on those home made cupcakes? How about a walk in the park? Maybe you will be spending some green, perhaps on a salad filled with lots “o’ leafy greens”.  You could make a lunch date with that friend you keep meaning to call.

Remember, Kermit the Frog said “it’s not easy being green”. Let’s make being green easy this weekend – find fun ways and enjoy “green”. Then drop us  a note and tell us how you did it!

Until next time, I remain…

Joyfully yours,

Mary Elizabeth