Happy management problem

I am dealing with the best kind of management problem. I have to do performance reviews on two contract managers on my staff...and I am having the hardest time trying to find anything critical to say. This is only a problem b/c I don't want to be totally positive b/c it doesn't give them anything to work on. But it's still a good problem to have. I have worked so hard to build a cohesive team and I have to say that at The Trust, I have one powerhouse team. I love working with them all. They are able to deal with the fact that I am in so many meetings that I'm barely available to review their work or give them detailed guidance - they are all able to take the little instruction they get from me and run with it. That's ideal.

This is the exact opposite problem that Alex has at our child care center where he deals with the worst HR problems ever. The staff there are constantly quitting or calling in sick, or he'll hire someone and then she won't come to work. It's horrible. Plus he has to work with all women...which I'm sure you can image is not a ton of fun for him.

Before & After

We have just completed our first major home project. We bought our house almost a year ago. It was a long and frustrating process to find a house in Miami - but the wait was worth it. We bought this house from an older couple, who we think were fairly crazy, OCD to be exact. But it was good for us b/c the house was in perfect condition - they were meticulous.

Here is before: Three shades of pink + spanish tile roof + traditional brick....ugh. (that's the former owner in the photo with our realtor...)


It took a long time to finally get around to painting - but we finally did it. Here is after:


The house is some shade of white, with mahogany accent and a tan trim. The door is a rust-colored red.

Yay for home improvements!

So this is a what Saturdays are like?

Alex and I have about the next month off from weddings.  I am SO excited.   I love working with him, and I certainly won't complain that his business is doing so well.  But we have been busy, very busy.  We shot weddings every single weekend since the new year.  We are tired.

So last weekend began our big break.  But this weekend we really didn't have anything to do.  I have to be honest...I wasn't quite sure what to do w/ myself.  So what did I do?  I found work to do (at least after a while).

First, it rained today - again. It's not supposed to rain so often in March is it?  Normally it wouldn't bother me except that we were supposed to have our house painted this weekend.  I was so mad.  But it stopped in the early morning so if it doesn't rain again tonight or tomorrow the guy will come tomorrow.

Then my mom called to go to the mall.  That was fun. I bought Alex some jeans and shirts b/c he seriously needs clothes.  My mom got her makeup done at the clinique counter - the girl was so good, she taught her how to use foundation right - she taught us both some stuff!

When I got home...well I couldn't just sit around.  So I began the big clean.  Now at 6:00 I'm finally done.  I vacuumed and mopped.  Then I washed and dried Pete, then I washed and dried Miles.  

Washing and drying Miles is a mission, really.  First you have to wash him w/ dog shampoo and rinse; then wash him with people shampoo w/ conditioner (b/c he has so much hair).  Then you have to towel dry him.  Then I put him in the garage so that he doesn't roll in the grass or get in the dirt.  Then I change my clothes because I'm usually soaked by that time.  Then I get him out of the garage and take him for a long bike ride.  The bike ride serves two purposes.  First it helps w/ the drying process b/c he just runs and runs.  Second, for whatever reason, after getting a bath Miles gets himself all worked up -- so he needs that long run to get the energy out.  After all of that, he is dry enough to come in the house without getting my clean tile dirty.

So, now it's 6:30 and Alex is at church working....I guess I'll relax now, unless I find something else that needs to be done.

New stuff on the other blog

I don't have too much to say about my own life at the moment.  The only exciting thing is that I went to the spa yesterday and got a facial.  My mother-in-law gave me a gift card to the spa for Christmas and I've been saving it.  I decided to use it now since the next month of work will be C R A Z Y.

Only other thing is that there is lots of new stuff up on the Candidly Elegant blog.  We don't usually do maternity photos, but these are friends of ours from church.  Enjoy!

Awesome night

I cannot recall when I've had more fun in the past several months. Last night, all of my high school friends got together at Scully's, a local tavern. Alex and I go there once a week probably b/c it's quiet and they have the best burger ever. But Wednesday is karaoke night. We have not been here before on Wednesday. Last night, we were joined by my best friend Ann Marie and her husband Eddie (both from my high school), my friends Gloria and Jennean (from middle school), my friend Crissa and her boyfriend Billy Jack.  We really all got together b/c Crissa was in town - she has lived outside of Miami for years in NYC and now in Asheville.  

I had such a great time with everyone - but for sure the karaoke was a highlight.  Firstly, the Scully's crowd is clearly comprised of advanced-level karaoke singers.  About 4 of them were just awesome.  Then our crowd joined in.  I sang Wonderwall, Alex sang Tiny Dancer, Eddie sang a song by Keane, Billy Jack sang a oldies song and also an old-school rap song, Crissa sang I'm your Angel and Gloria sang a Tenacious D song.  

The entire night was awesome, I wish we could do it all the time....I wish Crissa and Billy Jack didn't live so far away.  :(

The process is the point

Think about the richest and most fulfilling relationship you have...got it? Probably, this is your spouse or a sibling, parent, boyfriend or girlfriend. Regardless, it is someone in which you have much invested and vice versa.

Here is my question - did that relationship reach that level immediately? No. In order to reach that point it took emotional risk. Reaching that level in a relationship requires that we take a step of faith--knowing full well that we may get hurt, embarrassed, angry, ashamed, etc.

The point is, we only reached that level with that person who knows us and loves us best after opening up and taking that risk. If you're like me - as you think about that relationship and reflect on the fulfillment you receive from it - you are probably not thinking just about today, right now. You are thinking about the process -- what it was like to reach the point of today, right now with that person. The process IS the point.

So, I heard a sermon that wasn't really on this topic but just had the phrase the process is the point and it made me think about all that I've said up to now and what I will say. People who are skeptical of God commonly cite the defense that He appears to be confusing, unclear, unfair or inconsistent.

I find it odd, that one who doesn't know Him is so quick and certain to make statement of His character. You don't even know Him. If people were willing to just try a little bit of a relationship with God, it would be amazing for their lives. Take an emotional (or spiritual) risk -- if you are unwilling to believe in the first place then, really, what do you have to lose?

I think it is a fair comparison to look at the process of knowing God and a close human relationship - like I have with Alex. But what is mind blowing is how insignificant that relationship is compared to how that same process unfolds with God. But it's the best comparison I could make.

Lourdes' Baby Shower

A couple of weeks ago I co-hosted a baby shower for one of my best friends - Lourdes.  I co-hosted along with her sister, Ana and her mother.  Here are some photos from the day.   Lourdes is the first of my really close friends to have a baby.  I have lots of friends with children but this is different somehow.  In the past year or so, I have this sense that our lives have recently turned a new chapter.  My friends and I are far more settled, mature and content with our lives.  As a result, I think that our friendships have also progressed to a new level as we now have new experiences to share.

I was so pleased to have a part in helping to welcome this new baby into the world. I CANNOT wait to meet her!

Everyone LOVED the cake.  Not only was it pretty but it was delicious too!