Call me narcissist if you must but this blog is all about ME. I have another blog about my kids, whom I love and adore writing about. But I was Nicole a long time before I was mom and I don't intend to give up being Nicole overnight.

p.s.
You can read all about my kids at Naptime Optional.
Or you can follow along on our Arizona adventure on my 365 project blog.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Drowning

Do you ever feel like you are drowning in your own life? I am so craving some normalcy and organization and order to my life right now. I think a big part of it comes from living in this temporary house right now and having half my life still in boxes in the garage.

I actually thought that having less stuff unpacked would mean I'd feel more organized and put together. I thought it would be a chance to try out a new Zen lifestyle. But I find that it just makes me more unorganized then ever. For example all the office is all packed so I don't have my paper filing system in place. So papers from school pile up all over. I mean it's just little stuff like that but lots of little stuff is starting to add up and I don't feel like I have a handle on any part of my life.

The 2 1/2 hours spent in the car each day running to and from school isn't helping any, either.

I literally have 6 half finished blog posts. And ideas for half a dozen more. I'm flowing with ideas-but never have 20 uninterrupted minutes to get any of them out!

So while I try to catch up with my life if you have a minute today tell me your favorite, easy, inexpensive time management/organization tip. I could use ALL the help I can get!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Today

Things that touched and inspired me today.

Courage is a Heart Word over at Brene Brown's Ordinary Courage Blog

We Can't Escape our Essence over at Andrea Scher's Superhero Journal

Monday, August 8, 2011

Almost

I am ALMOST ready to write about my experience at Skip's Summer School last week. I just need a little bit longer. A little more time to recover from the small wounds of vulnerability and to fully embrace the magic of vulnerability. (Don't you find it amazing how it can be both at the very same time?!?!?!)

In the meantime, something a little funny to make you smile today. Because I'm a giver like that.

A few weeks ago I sent a text message to my parents with a picture of our new driveway.

Driveway and slab were poured this morning.

A few days later we found ourselves stopped at a red light right next to the construction site for the Gilbert, Arizona Temple. So of course I snapped a picture and sent it to my parents.


Gilbert, AZ Temple

Weeks later my dad sends me the following email:

"A while back you sent a picture of your foundation and driveway being poured. Not long after that you sent a picture of the Gilbert Temple going up. I didn't read the caption and was very surprised to see how big your new house was going to be...."

(Thanks for the chuckle, dad. Hope you don't mind me sharing it! If you do, it's too late. I already did!)

Friday, August 5, 2011

Not yet

I am home from my trip to Skip's Summer School in Las Vegas. Everybody keeps asking how it was, and I want to tell you. REALLY I do!

But you see, I'm still kind of processing it all and although parts of it were great, other parts left me a little bit broken. So I don't think I can write about it.....yet.

But I will.

In the meantime I will share this.

Sunday morning before Summer School started I was having brunch at the Paris buffet. From among all the things I could choose from to eat I decided to grab a fortune cookie. I honestly didn't even want to eat it. Part of me just needed a good fortune. I was feeling a bit nervous about what lie ahead of me and I think I was looking for a little comfort or encouragement.

I don't think it was by accident that I chose the cookie that contained this fortune.



Keep true to the dreams of your Youth.

A simple enough message. Little did I know how much I would need this message in the upcoming days.

Monday at lunchtime I was feeling particularly exposed and vulnerable. I slipped over to grab some lunch at the food court across the street. I was standing in line for Chipotle but the line was long and taking forever and adjacent was a Panda Express that had no line at all. So, I jumped lines and grabbed some Orange Chicken. Which meant I also got another unexpected fortune cookie.



Stay Close to your inner-self.
 You will benefit in many ways.

Once again, the perfect message to encourage me when I was struggling.

I'm still trying to piece together all my thoughts and feelings about my experiences over the last week. I feel like I am on the pinnacle of an important decision and I don't want to rush into it. But whatever I choose I will be forever grateful for these two little gems of wisdom sent to inspire me at a time that I needed it most.

You may call it coincidence, but I call it a remarkable blessing!!!