Yesterday I was cleaning my workshop.  The process of insulating it created quite the disaster area.  I had a deadline of 1pm today to have it all cleaned out, prepped and ready.

Shortly after one o’clock there was a pretty steady stream of Cub Scouts and parents coming upstairs to my workshop to work on their Pinewood Derby cars.  At one point I think we even had over a dozen of us upstairs at once!

It was pretty awesome, everyone working on their cars, making crazy new car designs, and learning how to use new tools.  There were no injuries or mishaps, but there were many smiles.

My workshop is a place I go to relax, have some quiet time, and chill.  It’s my “man cave,” the place I go when I want to chill and decompress by making something.  Usually it’s all about me having time alone, sometimes just the boys and I.  Today it was used for something totally different and rewarding in a very different way.  I’m thankful for using it in a slightly different way today, I can’t wait to do things like this more often!  At some point in the next few months I’d like to have a couple more times like this as I have some of the boys’ friends who’d like to make puzzle boxes and a couple of friends who’d like to make gaming boxes.  Who knows, days like this may even help me keep it more clean…  Ahh…  who am I kidding? 🙂

Thanks!!!

Today was the first Saturday in four weeks that I spent at home and it felt WONDERFUL!!!  While Dominic was away at Boy Scout camp Becky, Gavin, the girls, even Zeke, and I had a pretty great day.

Becky took Skywalker for a run this morning at about 6:30.  When she left Gavin and I headed out for a walk with LuLu.  We had a great time shooting the bull about DaVinci, the charitable giving of the Bill & Melinda Gates, erosion, fossilization, and many other seemingly random topics…  and I left every single moment of it.

While were on the homestretch we saw Becky and Skywalker across the field from us.  If you look REALLY close you can see a little dot that’s them.

We chilled at home for a little while and then headed out as a family to yoga and got our sweat on.  After an awesome workout we grabbed coffee and food for both lunch and supper.

While I started lunch I hopped on the phone with my mom for a quite a while and had a blast talking with her about work, life, and a lot of fun memories.  Before I knew it almost an hour had gone by and I’d almost finished our coconut flour pizza crust.

After lunch I spent time cleaning up my workshop as we have Cub Scouts coming over to cut out pinewood derby cars tomorrow.  Zeke joined me for a while and kind of enjoyed a different view of the world.

Becky helped Gavin finish cleaning his room and he then hopped outside and helped me clean up.

Around four o’clock we took the girls out for another walk and ate supper afterwards.  Now we’re just chilling on the couch watching the Lego Movie.  As I type this I can’t help but smile at how much I appreciate having a “normal boring day” at home.  This has been awesome!

One other thing that I’m thankful for today is saying good bye to “Fun Mike.”  When I got beefed up to 260+ pounds back in the day and started losing weight my little brother gave me a hard time and said that “Skinny Mike” wasn’t nearly as cool as “Fun Mike.”  This was because I had started watching my weight, pretty much quit drinking, and was busy exercising a lot.  It’s been a running joke between the two of us ever since.

This past Monday I changed up my diet and started tracking everything I ate.  This was the first week when I’ve exercised more than just a couple of times.  After less than a week I’m down over 5 pounds already and I’m ready to knock off about another 20 before the middle of June.  I’ve kicked “Fun Mike” out for a while, time to get back to the healthy shape I should be in.  Good bye “Fun Mike,” it’s been fun, but it’s time for us to split dude!

Thanks!!!

Last night I was feeling pretty exhausted and enjoyed every single one of my almost nine hours of sleep.  It was AWESOME!!!  That also meant that I wasn’t up early enough to do anything physical so while I was getting ready for work I loaded up my hiking shoes, a pair of shorts and a light jacket.

After I wrapped up my morning calls I changed my clothes quick and headed out.  It felt so great to get some fresh air and sun.  Following the road behind our office I headed along the base of the bluffs.  I was still in town, but in some ways it felt like I was out in the woods and it felt awesome.

It gave me time to relax, time to think, time to enjoy some quiet, and time to just be thankful to be alive.  By the time I got back to the office I felt totally calm and yet charged up and ready to take on the rest of the day.  Funny how something so simple as going for a walk can do wonders for my mindset.  I need to remember that and take time to do it more often.

Today I am so thankful for the walk I took over lunch, the sun that was shining bright, the cool breeze that felt awesome, the beautiful scenery, and last, but certainly not least, to be alive to enjoy the walk.

Thanks!!!

It would be pretty awesome to be right all the time, but unfortunately that’s not the case for this guy.  Today there were a couple of situations in which I was told that I was wrong.  One was an idea that I had, the other was a situation that I screwed up.

In one case the individual calling me out did it with a smile as we’re old friends who’ve been down this road before and are regularly used to calling the other out.  Ever since we’ve been comfortable telling the other when they are wrong our relationship haas grown stronger and we’re both more successful.  That was exactly what happened this time, possible mistake averted, we’re both better off because they called me out for being wrong.

The other situation was a little different, but it made me smile huge.  Weird, right?  Usually when we’re told we’re wrong we get frustrated and defensive.  In this case I actually smiled as they told me what I did wrong.  I thanked them for pointing it out and for not being afraid to tell me that I was incorrect.  They were nervous to tell me of my mistake, but the fact that they respect me and care for me enough to go out of their comfort zone to address it means the world to me.  I hope that after this they’re even more willing and open to tell me when I’m wrong again and that they become more and more comfortable bringing it up.

I’m wrong often, but I learn from those mistakes.  I hope that I’m right more often than not, but if you ever catch when I’ve screwed up please let me know, I really appreciate it!  That’s how I learn and get better.  In some cases I may have caught the fact that I was wrong, but in some cases, like today, I don’t even realize my mistake until someone points it out to me.

To everyone who’s told me that I was wrong at some point in my life – thank you!!!

Thanks!!!

If you’ve followed this blog for a while you’ll probably recognize the name of Father Mark.  He was the priest who has had one of the most significant impacts in my spirituality and I am so thankful to have gotten to know him.  Occasionally when he had a particularly wonderful homily I’d email him and ask for a copy.  The last homily Father Mark gave at our church is something that I hold dearly in my heart as it’s a wonderful roadmap to living life the right way.

He wrote it in the format of a Top 10 list of things to remember and there were two points from that last homily that kept ringing in my head today during a few different conversations.

#3: The central stage direction of the gospel is downward mobility … making yourself smaller, making a gift of yourself. In the end your life is not about you.

One of my mentors pointed out how impressed he was with a specific task that I was very much pumped up about and took action on with a high sense of urgency.  As he made sure I had taken notice of just how quickly I had acted and why he suggested I consider taking some time to contemplate why I had gone after this project with this level of intensity.  My answer was simple, it wasn’t about me.  After I snapped off my answer I paused and smiled.

When I think about some of the things I’ve taken on that have brought me the most joy the majority seem to have something in common…  they were focused on helping other people.  This seems to fit pretty well with what I’m starting to see as the legacy I am meant to leave:  to live a joyful life and share that joy with others.

Sharing joy with others is an incredible feeling and a wonderful motivator.  As many of our speakers discussed this past week, it’s easier to do the difficult things, challenge ourselves, and accomplish the impossible when the end game is helping others have joy.

The interesting thing though is that there’s the other half of that coin…  to live a joyful life.  Doesn’t that contradict the focus on others?  Cue the second point of Father Mark’s last homily that was in my head today…

#2: If you would be a river, you must be a reservoir. Don’t even try the downward mobility thing I just mentioned until you have learned how to let God fill you up.

If we want to help others be joyful we have to first push ourselves to live a joyful life.  My attempts at bringing others happiness will fall flat if I haven’t figured out how to do that for myself first.  Taking time to re-charge the emotional batteries is a necessity.  For me it’s moments like Saturday when I put in my headphones and walk alone to take time to think.  It’s in the moments when I’m blogging each day to remember to be grateful for all the blessings I have in my life.

Today there were several times in which I was able to help other people out specifically because I’d taken the time to re-charge my batteries.  In some cases I was able to help show them how flat my forehead was from repeatedly banging it against the wall.

Throughout the day I’ve been smiling as both of these thoughts have been pinging back in forth in my brain.  When I stop and think about it, it’s wonderful catch-22.  I am happiest when I am doing something for others, and I am able to do more for others when I bring myself happiness.  It seems like a beautiful upward spiral, doesn’t it?  Be joyful, share that joy with others, be more joyful, share even more joy with others, and so on and so on…  I am starting to see it as a bit of a challenge, how high can this elevator go?

Father Mark’s last homily was almost five years ago, but it still enters my thought process often.  I’m so thankful for the opportunity to have gotten to know him and for his wonderful advice.

Thanks!!!

Short and sweet tonight gang, there’s not a lot of explanation needed. In the past two and a half weeks this was one of only four nights I’ve been at home… and it feels AMAZING!!!

Dominic and I had time to chill and play games while Becky was running a few errands and Gavin was at a friend’s house. We took the time to go for a walk with the girls. Then while Dominic was doing some Boy Scout activities Gavin and I had time together helping to coax him into cleaning his room. Becky cooked up a great family dinner and we had time together around the kitchen table. Now we’re chilling as a family and watching the Lego Ninjago movie. I had some excellent snuggle time with LuLu on the couch.

Tonight’s been a wonderful reminder that sometimes the same old same old feels pretty awesome. I love my family and my home (defined as wherever I am with my family). I’m so thankful for this time at home with them, life is pretty sweet right about now!

Thanks!!!

Today has been AWESOME!!!  There were so many amazing moments that my mind is racing as I try to remember each moment.  It’s getting late and I have an early Uber to catch so I’ll try to focus on the highlights.

Last night we had a fundraising event for Children’s Miracle Network and today we were able to hear the total raised.  As an Express family we raised over $225,000!!!  How awesome is that???  I am so thankful for the incredible generosity of Express.

During one of the awards sessions today we had what I feel is the epitome of our awards – the Employee of the Year. This is offered up to the best associate placed of over 500,000 people over the previous year.  The top 4 candidates were all invited to the event and each was announced with a speech of all of the things they’ve done to help other associates as they were working so hard for us.  They then walked on stage to the thunderous applause of over 1,000 Express family members who were all giving a standing ovation.  Many were overcome with emotions and it was a truly beautiful moment.  A single winner was crowned and received a check for $5,000.

Later in the evening an anonymous donor matched the $5,000 award for ALL of the other candidates!!!  How fantastic is that?  Later in the event someone else donated another $500 to each of them!  It was AWESOME!!!

To cap off the evening there were more awards given and it was so cool to celebrate the successes of each other and to give many big hugs.  As we celebrated we all dared to dream bigger.  Many conversations were had focusing on new ideas, next steps, and how to add to all of the incredible successes from last year.

Last, it was a day filled with time with many of my Express family.  From the early morning to the late hours of tonight almost all of my time was spent with them and I’m thankful for every minute of it.  I’m so thankful to have each and every one of them in my life.

Thank you to everyone who had an awesome impact on me today, I appreciate each of you!

Thanks!!!