My fave 2012 posts

And my favorite of the entire year:  this 93 year old yoga teacher in Central Park.

The only way to eat lobster

I have fallen in love with Ruth Reichel's cookbooks, books and blog.  Here is a post I had to share steal.

A Perfect Meal

Saturday, March 24, 2012

 

“I also stubbornly maintain that the only real way to cook lobsters is in three or four inches of sea water, in a covered kettle, for about twelve minutes (pound and a quarter lobsters being the ideal size). You then drape these dazzling creatures over the rocks until they cool off a bit, tear them apart with the bare hands, dip each piece in melted butter and guzzle. There should be from two to six lobsters per person. While the lobsters cook and cool off, two dry martinis should be served. Nothing whatever else should be served- we are eating all the lobster we want, we are not fooling around with salad, or strawberry shortcake or even coffee. All you need are the martinis, plenty of lobsters, millions of paper napkins and a view.”
                                                                                Avis DeVoto to Julia Child, 1952

Do you lack ambition?

must have cookbooks

Now on my Amazon wishlist:

"Cook Yourself Sexy" by Candice Kumai

"Crazy Sexy Kitchen" by Kris Carr

Wheels around the world

Alaska, Chicago, New Orleans.
All in 2007.

My "wheel" isn't quite as high since my C-section at the young age of 43, but I can still {barely} do one. 

funny but life-saving

http://youtu.be/t7wmPWTnDbE

big spending on small clothes

JCrew, you are so unfair.

I finally build a resistance to spending a fortune everytime your catalog arrives.   Then you introduce Crew Cuts.   Not good on my budget.

And btw, why isn't this available in my size?

Angela Broderick Bedell

Facebook Business Page - Yes or No?

One of my favorite instructor-of-instructors, Lawrence Biscontini, recently asked me a very good question:

 

Should I have a business page on Facebook, or is my personal Facebook page good enough?

It's a good question for every fitness instructor, and a bit more complex when YOU are your business.

My Answer: Yes, you need a business page. Absolutely.

Why:

1) Because you won’t lose anything by creating one. Prior to FB making the changes they did earlier this year (Timeline, etc), you had to “migrate” your friends when you created a business page and basically start your fan base from zero. You don’t have to “lose” anyone when you create a business page now.

WARNING: When you Google “FB business page” or anything close to this, you’ll find hundreds of well-written, credible blog posts telling you how to do this in the OLD Facebook formats. You’ll also see warnings about losing friends. That was prior to the winter of 2012 – old news now and no longer accurate. I had to go to the 3^rd page of Google results to find current info on this topic!

You won’t “lose” your friends because you can set up your business page within your personal page. Notice the graphic below: this is my personal Facebook page and my business page is posting to it.
So all my personal friends always see my Marketing Well posts – I didn’t have to ask them to “Like” another page. You can do that, and there are good reasons to, but the point here is that you will NOT lose any exposure by setting up a business page.

That was the "old days" – six months ago.  :)



2) The second reason to create a business page is that you can promote posts. This is a more authentic means of marketing than just advertising your page. I’ve done both, and promoting the posts has worked well for me in building audiences. It is more strategic than just hoping your friends share or comment and it feels less intrusive than advertising.
Advertising on Facebook offers remarkable targeting though. You can target 30 – 35 year old readers of Shape magazine in Tennessee -- it’s that specific and personal. Great potential for workshops and your retreats in Puerto Rico! And you can spend as little as $5 to advertise.

3) Even if you don’t want to use the paid promotion and advertising options that FB offers business pages, you can get terrific promotional mileage out of the “Events” and other buttons and tabs in the views and apps toolbar. You can put free things, student “case studies,” photos and even create a “Training” button. You can also highlight “Milestones” on your business page, which is a terrific way to create custom brand for yourself with new friends.

4) Ok, even if you aren’t going to use the free marketing tools on FB business pages, the “Insights” are really helpful to know how many people viewed different posts. I don’t go to the trouble of tracking statistics in any scientific way, but I can get an immediate sense of what my “Friends” are interested in. For example, I find many more trainers read posts that I put up late at night or early in the morning than in mid-day.

5) The most important reason – at the end of the day, Facebook owns this page, not you. Facebook can change it’s formats or options anytime (and have proven that they will). So you want them thinking of your page as a business, even if you are your business.
Most people will tell you that you should have a business page because they offer the chance to have more Friends, etc, but the reasons above are why I believe health and wellness professionals should have a business page on Facebook.

cross-posted from Marketing Well

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Facebook marketing
Angela Broderick Bedell
Personal training marketing. Angela Broderick Bedell

Gospel of Sweat

Praising fitness, I guess.  This photo is of Lululemon’s Gospel of Sweat on Friday at Riverside Church on the Upper West Side in NYC.   
Gospel of Sweat is a series of events - "a movement" (get it?) -- that Lululemon is putting together in New York. 


Photo:  Agent of Change via WellandGoodNYC

Money and Power

"Yoga with Nadine" had a really interesting post today about money & power.

Nadine says that she always felt the need to get rid of money as quickly as she got it, because she associated money with power.  Her history of knowing people who misuse power (money) made her want to avoid having any.  

I seem to be running into lessons everywhere lately about money and power.   Awhile back I was in bed with the flu and looking for an HGTV fix.  I literally tripped on an episode of Suze Orman (who I should watch more). 

On this particular show, Suze was counseling a woman about loaning money to her sister.   The hard-working woman on the show was constantly loaning money (which was never repaid) to her sister.

The working woman claimed that she felt like she should share, since she earned more than her job-less sister.  It was what a "good girl" was supposed to do; it was what you are supposed to do if you value family.

Suze's advice has stuck with me.  

"You aren't sharing the money.  You are sharing the powerless-ness."

Wow.  So when I'm sharing, or loaning money, I'm creating TWO people who are without.  I'm subconsciously putting myself in a position just like the borrower - a position of powerless-ness. 

Because I'm afraid of power?  Or because I've been taught that this is the right thing to do?  The nice thing to do??  

And the same thing goes for over-spending.  Nothing feels worse than lacking financial security (I've lived that).  So why do we try to justify it with "retail therapy" and "rewarding myself" excuses?

I'm going to try to hold on tighter to my power.  It can't be all bad.

Phit Inspiration - Ruth Zukerman

Ruth Zukerman, founder of Flywheel Sports, is a Phit inspiration.  I saw this photo of the 54-year old and immediately dusted off my Spinning shoes.

My bias about fitness instructors is obvious, and Flywheel won my heart early on for the way they promote their instructors.  They don't pretend that it's a gym or a membership that makes the difference, they know it's the instructor and they put a spotlight on their teachers.

That is impressive.  So is the fact that Flywheel has multiple locations including Dubai.  Dubai, for crying out loud!  

But back to Zukerman.  Impressive businesswoman, impressive motivator - I certainly want to acknowledge that first.  Kudos Ms. Zukerman, you are a true inspiration.

And then the piece of this I am clearly blown away by... that body, that skin -- at 54 years old?   Wow.

images via Flywheel.com

3 Lessons from So California

We spent time in Southern California last week and I learned three things.

1.   Starbucks bought "Evolution Fresh," a brand of fresh juice, and is already stocking their bottled juices in their California locations.  On the flight out, I read United's magazine story on the new juices and how Starbucks had opened a juice stand in a mall in Bellevue, Washington.  This story has more details.

I saw the juices in the Beverly Hills Starbucks and was excited to see very low sugars in the interesting flavors.  (BTW, we saw Kelsey Grammer in the same Starbucks.)  I am so excited about these juices.  We aren't talking a bottle of apple juice with a smidge of spinach thrown in.  The label tells you exactly what is in the bottle (the green juice has actual green veggies!).  Hope they are in the midwest Starbucks soon.

2.  Men love cars.  I mean they REALLY love cars.  There was a car parked on Rodeo Drive -- a Bugatti -- and every man on the sidewalk stopped dead in his tracks, pulled out his cell phone and begin snapping photos.  For several hours this car was parked in the same space and it was always surrounded by a crowd.  Apparently a Bugatti is the fastest car money can buy (alot of money -- $1 million, I'm told).

3.  Lesson number three: climate matters. I've never been a gal that loves the county fair. Or the state fair.  Or any outdoors-in-August, animal-smelly event for that matter.  But the Orange County Fair was absolutely amazing.  My daughter loved the animals and the rides.  And it felt so good to walk outdoors in the clean, crisp, 70ish degree weather.  (Though I skipped the chocolate-covered bacon.)

Love Group Fitness? You'll love these sites.

Earlier in the week I shared the new site Go Recess -- and I've used it everyday since. 

If I want to do yoga at lunchtime, I simply click "Yoga" and choose "afternoon" from the drop down menu and -- Wha La! -- 17 classes to choose from appear, along with the instructor and distance from my home.

And today I've found another new site that I love!   Rate Your Burn allows students to rate and review their favorite instructors.  Yoga, cycling, bootcamps -- all kinds of classes!

Though it's only for Boston, New York and LA, it's still very interesting. (Since I visit those cities frequently, I will be using the site!)

I know the celebrity-esque of it will turn off some fitness professionals, but I love that the talented, hard-working instructors have a place to shine.  Click here to see where the site features the top trending instructors in NYC right now.

9 Beliefs of Highly Successful People

Stephen Covey taught us so much about pursuing success.  And today, on a happier note, Marissa Mayer's move to CEO of Yahoo (at six months pregnant!) has me thinking about what successful people do.

I tend to re-define success every five years or so -- important titles, salary, travel, perks, business revenues -- they've all been on my Goals list at some point.   (This post is about professional success, that in itself is broad enough to think about.)

Regardless of how you define it, those who've achieved it do have a few commonalities we can learn from.

Here's a mash-up from Fast Company, INC, and Forbes on how successful people tend to think. 

1. Time doesn't fill me. I fill time.

Deadlines and time frames establish parameters, but typically not in a good way. The average person who is given two weeks to complete a task will instinctively adjust his effort so it actually takes two weeks.
Forget deadlines, at least as a way to manage your activity. Tasks should only take as long as they need to take. Do everything as quickly and effectively as you can. Then use your "free" time to get other things done just as quickly and effectively.
Average people allow time to impose its will on them; remarkable people impose their will on their time.

2. The people around me are the people I chose.

Some of your employees drive you nuts. Some of your customers are obnoxious. Some of your friends are selfish, all-about-me jerks.
You chose them. If the people around you make you unhappy it's not their fault. It's your fault. They're in your professional or personal life because you drew them to you--and you let them remain.
Think about the type of people you want to work with. Think about the types of customers you would enjoy serving. Think about the friends you want to have.
Then change what you do so you can start attracting those people. Hardworking people want to work with hardworking people. Kind people like to associate with kind people.
Successful people are naturally drawn to successful people.

3. I have never paid my dues.

Dues aren't paid, past tense. Dues get paid, each and every day. The only real measure of your value is the tangible contribution you make on a daily basis.
Remarkably successful women don't typically feel entitled--except to the fruits of their labor.

4. Experience is irrelevant. Accomplishments are everything.

You have "10 years in the Web design business." Whoopee. I don't care how long you've been doing what you do. Years of service indicate nothing; you could be the worst 10-year programmer in the world.
What matters is what you've done: how many sites you've created, how many back-end systems you've installed, how many customer-specific applications you've developed (and what kind)... all that matters is what you've done.
Successful women don't use hyperbolic adjectives -like passionate, innovative, driven - to describe themselves. They can just describe, hopefully in a humble way, what they've done.

5. Failure is something I accomplish; it doesn't just happen to me.

Ask people why they have been successful. Their answers will be filled with personal pronouns: I, me, and the sometimes too occasional we.
Ask them why they failed. Most will revert to childhood and instinctively distance themselves, like the kid who says, "My toy got broken..." instead of, "I broke my toy."
They'll say the economy tanked. They'll say the market wasn't ready. They'll say their suppliers couldn't keep up.
They'll say it was someone or something else.
And by distancing themselves, they don't learn from their failures.
Occasionally something completely outside your control will cause you to fail. Most of the time, though, it's you. And that's okay. Every successful person has failed. Numerous times. Most of them have failed a lot more often than you. That's why they're successful now.
Embrace every failure: Own it, learn from it, and take full responsibility for making sure that next time, things will turn out differently.

6. Volunteers always win.

Whenever you raise your hand you wind up being asked to do more.
That's great. Doing more is an opportunity: to learn, to impress, to gain skills, to build new relationships--to do something more than you would otherwise been able to do.
Success is based on action. Successful people step forward to create opportunities.
Remarkably successful people sprint forward.

7. As long as I'm paid well, it's all good.

Specialization is good. Focus is good. Finding a niche is good.
Generating revenue is great.
Only do what you want to do and you might build an okay business. Be willing to do what customers want you to do and you can build a successful business.
Be willing to do even more and you can build a remarkable business.
And speaking of customers...

8. People who pay me always have the right to tell me what to do.

Get over your cocky, pretentious, I-must-be-free-to-express-my-individuality self. Be that way on your own time.
The people who pay you, whether customers or employers, earn the right to dictate what you do and how you do it--sometimes down to the last detail.
Instead of complaining, work to align what you like to do with what the people who pay you want you to do.

9. The extra mile is a vast, unpopulated wasteland.

Everyone says they go the extra mile. Almost no one actually does.
The extra mile is a place filled with opportunities.
Be early. Stay late. Make the extra phone call. Send the extra email. Do the extra research. Help a customer unload or unpack a shipment. Don't wait to be asked; offer. Don't just tell employees what to do--show them what to do and work beside them.
Every time you do something, think of one extra thing you can do--especially if other people aren't doing that one thing.  And over time, that's what will make you incredibly successful.

Now, off to "fill my time!"

9 Ways to Turn Around a Bad Day

Had a lousy morning?  Things going wrong everywhere?   Someone was a jerk to you?

I've had my share of these recently.  Bad news, family in trouble, work chaos, fill in the "Oh No" blank.  And I will admit, sometimes it's easier than others to turn a day around.

Typically, starting the day with exercise will set me on the right path.  But sometimes I choose to snuggle with my little girl instead of get up and hit the treadmill.  

We've all had those rough starts.  Not to worry. The rest of your day need not be a disaster. It can in fact become one of your best.  Here's some possible solutions:

1. Remember that the past does not equal the future.
There is no such thing as a "run of bad luck." The reason people believe such nonsense is that the human brain creates patterns out of random events and remembers the events that fit the pattern.

2. Refuse to believe the whole day will be bad.
If you believe the rest of your day will be as challenging as what's already happened, then rest assured: You'll end up doing something (or saying) something that will make sure that your prediction comes true.

3. Get a sense of proportion.
Think about the big picture: Unless something life-changing has happened (like the death of a loved one), chances are that in two weeks, you'll have forgotten completely about whatever it was that has your shorts in a twist today.  My grandma says "they'll never know it a hundred years from now."

4. Change your threshold for "good" and "bad."
Decide that a good day is any day that you're above ground. Similarly, decide that a bad day is when somebody steals your car and drives it into the ocean. Those types of definitions make it easy to be happy–and difficult to be sad.

Someone told me recently that "I can't feed my family" is a gripe.  

"The rosebushes in the median are way too tall" is also a gripe.  The first one is legitimate, the second is not, but they will sound the same!

5.  Feed your brain some positive inputs
Your body and brain are in a feedback loop: A bad mood makes you tired, which makes your mood worse, and so forth. Interrupt the pattern with positive inputs.  Who always makes you happy?  Call them.   Who is an incredibly funny writer?  Read something.   Who inspires you?  Find them.

6. Be grateful - in writing.
The primary reason you're convinced it's a bad day is that you're focusing on whatever went wrong. However, for everything going badly, there are probably dozens of things going well. Grab a pen, and write down everything you are HAPPY about.  This sounds so corny, but it works!

I read some stats awhile back that if the world were a village of 100 people, then:

• one person would have HIV/AIDS
• one person would have a college education
• 67 people would be hungry.

I always come back to this.  How come I am the ONE with a college education? I am not hungry.   I need to pull it together and do what one of those hungry people would do if they could be me for a day.

7. Retail therapy.
Go to Target and see what you can buy for under $7.   Do not blow your budget or believe for a minute that you can spend your way to happiness. But the fact is, people overspend because it tends to give us a moment of feel-good.   Retailers know this.   It won't make you geniunely happy, but it can get you over a bad-mood-hump.  Only take $7 cash in the store with you.  Now pretend it's your allowance and go crazy.
NOTE: this advice is sure to ruffle some feathers, so please read it again -- do not blow your budget and only take $7 cash in the store.

8.  Extreme nutrition
Go get an organic green smoothie.  Or a fresh carrot juice.  It works.

9. Extreme exercise.
If you are a walker, go run your guts out.  Even if you only last 30 seconds, tear it up for until you can't any more.  Rinse and repeat.

If you work a 9 - 5 office job, I realize number 8 and 9 may require a really early, long lunch.  Take it.  Your productivity in the end will be worth it.  Tell your co-workers you have an important health appointment and get going.

Happy Day~
Angela

10 Ways You Do NOT Want to Describe Yourself

A recent Forbes post lists some words that are great when used by other people to describe you, but you should never use to describe yourself.  Here they are, with a few subtle edits by Angela (verified by the "school of hard knocks"):

"Authority."

If you have to say you're an authority, you aren't.

Show your expertise instead. "Presenter at SXSW" or "Delivered TED Talk at Long Beach 2010" indicates a level of authority. Unless you can prove it, "social media marketing authority" just means you spend a ton of time on Twitter.

"Global"

The vast majority of businesses can sell goods or services worldwide; the ones that can't--like restaurants--are obvious. Only use "global" if that capability is not assumed or obvious; otherwise you just sound like a really small company trying to appear really big.

"Innovative."

Most people claim to be innovative. Most are not. That's okay, because innovation isn't a requirement for success.

If you are innovative, don't say it. Prove it. Describe the products you've developed. Describe the processes you've modified. Give us something real so your innovation is unspoken but evident... which is always the best kind of evident to be.

"Creative."

See particular words often enough and they no longer make an impact. "Creative" is one of them. (Go to LinkedIn and check out some profiles; "creative" will appear in the majority.)
"Creative" is just one example. Others include extensive, effective, proven, dynamic, influential, team player, collaborative... some of those terms truly may describe you, but since they're also being used to describe everyone else they've lost their impact.

"Curator."
Museums have curators. Libraries have curators. Tweeting links to stuff you find interesting doesn't make you a curator... or an authority or a guru.

"Passionate."
Say you're incredibly passionate about incorporating an elegant design aesthetic in everyday objects and--to me at least--you sound a little scary. Same if you're passionate about developing long-term customer solutions. Try focus, concentration, or specialization instead. Save the passion for your loved one.

"Unique."
Fingerprints are unique. Snowflakes are unique.   "Better" matters more than "unique."  Show how you're better than the competition and in the minds of customers you will be unique.

"Guru."
People who try to be clever for the sake of being clever are anything but. Don't be a self-proclaimed ninja, sage, connoisseur, guerilla, wonk, egghead... it's awesome when your customers affectionately describe you in that way, but when you do it it's apparent you're trying way too hard.

"Incredibly..."
Check out some random bios and you'll find plenty of further-modified descriptors: "Incredibly passionate," "profoundly insightful," "extremely captivating..." isn't it enough to be insightful or captivating? Do you have to be incredibly passionate?
If you must use over-the-top adjectives to describe yourself, at least spare us the further modification. Trust us; we already get it.

Good information, Forbes, but that is the easy part.  It's always simpler to know what NOT to do.

But what DO you say?

Here are a couple ideas:

"Curious."    It sounds like you will seek out solutions.

"Healthy".   Taking care of yourself is en vogue (FINALLY!).

"A Dreamer."   Sounds like you want good things for yourself and your projects.  (And yes, this could just be an Angela thing.)

Angela Broderick Bedell

multi-class website

Have you seen GoRecess.com? 

My dream site!   I don't have to check seven websites to see who has lunch hour yoga and who is teaching!

You simply choose the class you want, type in your zip code and WOWZA -- a complete list!

Today, a Republican woman

This is why I have no friends in politics.

I think there are men and women in both parties who are doing very good work.   (Yes, there are screwballs too, but I choose to focus on the ones doing good work.)

Hillary Clinton is incredibly smart.  (I guess that thinking was clear in my earlier post sharing the Tumblr photo.)

I also love the work that Mary Bono Mack has done, particularly in sponsoring legislation to combat obesity.  According to her website, she has also encouraged improved nutrition programs nationwide, expanded autism research, and provided funding under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Act.

I have always thought it was interesting the way Mary got her job.   She was elected in 1998 to fill the seat of her late husband Sonny Bono after he was killed in a skiing accident.  

Odd, yet it makes sense.   Your spouse knows your values like your spouse, even on the rare occasions that you disagree.  Do you think your significant other knows your professional practices and values?  better than your colleagues?

Girls.

From the tumblr of Alissa Sadler.

oldest yoga teacher - INSPIRATION!

Wow.  The oldest living yoga teacher, photographed in Central Park.

Master Tao Porchon Lynch, a 93-year-old yoga teacher.
Also a ballroom dancer and lover of wine.  What is NOT to love?

She will be inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the oldest living yoga teacher—this Sunday, May 13, Mother’s Day.

advice: getting into your wedding gown

Don't worry about it.

Get a bigger size dress.  Cut the tag out so you don't have to see that number ever again. 

Two weeks before the wedding, go to a tailor.  If it needs to be taken in, you can celebrate. 

Don't worry about it.

Thanks Fitness Magazine, for printing my advice and for sharing our Venice wedding photo in your website!

you'll wanna take a dip after you see these...

Eden Nest

Bondi Icebergs Club Pool - Australia

Hotel pool in Dubai



La Puificadora - Mexico



Lava Pool - Maderia, Portugal



Namale Resort - Fiji

Molokini Crater - Maui
I've actually been here!



Rooftop Plunge Pool - Five Hotel - Cannes

Waikiki beach
Been here too!



Waterslide - Elin Gev, Israel

Mykonos Grand Hotel - Greece

All images via "Fancy."   Have you seen Fancy yet?  It's like Pinterest only the photos are much more beautiful!

Niagara

Niagara on the Lake.  Quaint, charming vinyard town in Ontario, Canada.
It's a bit chilly here, and I'm sorry I packed sandals and summer skirts, but the tulips are still beautiful and mine at home are long gone.

I flew into Buffalo and drove to Niagra on the Lake.  I couldn't resist taking a detour and seeing Niagara Falls.  It's one of the "Seven Wonders" after all.   It was gorgeous.   I was a bit disappointed at the tacky souvenir shops that surrounded the place.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge advocate of free enterprise and all that, but today I was wishing we could do it with a bit more class.

breakfast "diversity"

Jon Huck has created an interesting photo website of people and their breakfasts.

I've fallen in love with our new VitaMix and am surprised how healthy it feels to have a green smoothie for breakfast.  Having five or six servings of greens already in my system feels very freeing -- I don't have to worry about getting in salads or broccoli for lunch. 

The odd thing?  I'm actually more likely to eat greens later.  

And something about those greens being pre-munched up makes the energy hit your system sooner. 

What do you eat for breakfast?

moving makes you Hotter

This might be the number one reason to get moving.

At least men think so.

And women probably do too.

According to research quoted in Men's Health, moving faces are hotter than stationary ones.   

Then again, Men's Health also says we (women) always go for "the loud, obnoxious type" and I couldn't disagree more.   What do you think?  Is sweaty sexy??

this mother kept me up last night

The email I sent to talkingback@Vogue.com at 6am:

  re: April issue, "Weight Watchers"

I was horrified reading "Weight Watchers" in your April issue. Withholding healthy food from a hungry seven-year old is emotional abuse. Not allowing a hungry child to eat salad? green beans? Calling her "fat" and forcing her to watch her brother eat food that she wants, but doesn't get?

Ms. Weiss does not care about childhood obesity, or her daughter's health. She is vain and selfish and wants a skinny little girl to appear beside her in photos. My almost-4 year old has never had sugar, and I've dodged cupcakes at pre-school parties, and completely agree that the food in our schools is a nutritional nightmare. But I bring a banana or unsweetened applesauce for my little girl to enjoy instead of sugary, fat-laden treats. Because her nutrition is the priority, not a DIET.

I hope, for Bea's sake, that the author is pulling a Rush Limbaugh here and just trying to shock us (her mediocre writing certainly isn't going to garner her any attention). And I hope she's saving money for her daughter's therapy and eating disorder treatment.

It is so disappointing to see you glorify this by giving it coverage in your magazine (anorexic models on your pages is one thing; highlighting this emotional abuse of a child is quite another).

Angela Broderick Bedell
Leawood, KS

Remember my sugar-free birthday parties?  My daughter's health is a priority, and I am hell-bent on keeping toxic, sugary, addictive junk away from her.  But I  do it by keeping GOOD food in front of her and dodging the bad stuff.  
I am amazed that a mother would, in the day and age, treat a child this way. 

Wander Woman

We are blessed with some beautiful weather in Kansas City this week.  And it's inspired some unscheduled down time for this working mama.

Our new True treadmill arrived at 8am Saturday morning, and I'm happy to say I'm batting about 800 -- I've gotten on it for at least two miles every day, most days 4+ miles.   (BTW, this treadmill = the best investment we've ever made!).

All this extra exercise has made my knees and feet and hips HURT and I went for a massage yesterday. 

So all this self-care, paired with extra outdoors time with baby girl, and an unplanned two hour drive with Mr Right, has this woman WAY behind.  

My lawn is ugly.  My house needs some serious organizing.  

We've done exceptionally well with nutrition this week, eating all the chicken we grilled on Sunday, and having lunches with lots of brussel sprouts and spinach.  And Mr Right keeps the kitchen spotless.  

My professional life is excelling, and I'm ahead of 90% of it.  Serious check-marks on the Ta-Da list this week.

The tulips are peeking up out of the ground (I didn't plant those though, Mr Right hired somebody to do it).    We are going to have a beautiful tulip garden amongst a bunch of dead grass.   Nominations for "best home owners" coming soon, I can feel it.  Oh, that lawn.  And I'm tripping over at least three baskets of laundry.

Ah to be wonder woman.  I'd love to feel like Wander Woman.  

Despite all my accomplishments, and this glorious weather, I have to WORK to not feel like a slacker. 
How do you stay mentally ahead of all your "musts?"

Mama friendly workplace

I just love this.

Kudos to Licia Ronzulli, Italian member of European Parliament, who has been taking her daughter, Victoria, to sessions since she was just one month old.  Previous post here of Licia breastfeeding in Parliament.