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Emotional Baggage
Chris: Recently, while returning home from a trip, the wheel of our suitcase broke. It was the last leg of the trip and both of us looked at our suitcase like it had failed us in some way. We were tired from traveling all day and the last thing we wanted to do was have to switch back and forth, carrying a broken suitcase through the airport. So, in that moment, the easiest thing to do was to blame the suitcase for being faulty. We both had convinced ourselves that it was a bad suitcase and how could the company put out something so awful. Never mind that we had…
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Opposites Attract
Michelle: I love watching Dancing with the Stars. Chris: I love watching Ghost Hunters and I hate that I know the pros, past and present, who have been on Dancing with the Stars. Michelle: One of the pros, Mark Ballas, sings with his wife when he is not performing or rehearsing for a Tuesday night show. Chris: One afternoon, Michelle sent me the song, Highs and Lows, by Alexander Jean (the band formed by Mark Ballas and his wife Brittney Jean). Michelle sent it with a text that read, “This is so us.” Michelle: I remember as a child, hearing that opposites attract and being confused by the concept. My…
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What Was Your Success Today?
Michelle: When I was younger, I loved watching the Summer Olympics. I especially remember watching the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There are two reasons that specific Olympics reigns supreme in my memories. The first reason is that my grandparents lived in Los Angeles and they had tickets to many of the track and field events. While my grandparents brought back some Olympic pins as souvenirs, it was my grandfather’s reverence when telling us about President Ronald Reagan opening the Olympic Games and my grandmother’s stories of all of the amazing athletes they saw from countries all over the world, that pulled me in. But my second reason…
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Practice What You Preach
Michelle: One day our daughter Taryn came home from school and said, “The word practice is really confusing.” It can mean to work at something to gain skill, like when I practice my different tumbling passes at cheer. But it can also mean to be a professional at something. Like a doctor has a medical practice.” Chris: Taryn’s confusion about the word ‘practice’ really made me think. I responded, “It can also mean to carry out or do something-like practice what you preach.” Why is it important to practice what we preach? People should be attracted by our light in the way we live and in the words we speak. …
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3 Life Lessons From the Movie ‘Wicked’
Michelle: After the Thanksgiving dishes were cleaned and put away, my family and I headed to the movie theater to see the cinematic experience that is Wicked! And, while the film offers an impressive cast, beloved songs and amazing scenes, it was also a treasure chest full of life lessons that were laced throughout the magical world of Oz. If you are unfamiliar with the premise, allow us to briefly set the stage. Wicked is a musical told from the perspective of two witches, Elphaba and Galinda, before and after Dorthy’s arrival in Oz. The movie version of Wicked Part 1, which is essentially a prequel to the Wizard of…
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Tis the Season to Ruin Holidays
As we were making plans with my mom, Taryn (our daughter) and her boyfriend, Kris for Thanksgiving, Taryn said, “Mom, remember when you guys ruined Thanksgiving?” Well, we are here to tell you that Thanksgiving was just one of many holidays that we unintentionally ruined for Taryn. While we could probably share every major holiday that was ruined in some way, we selected our top 3. 3. Thanksgiving: When Taryn was five, she was watching Sesame Street as Chris and I were in the kitchen preparing Thanksgiving dinner. She came into the kitchen as Chris was pulling the turkey out of the oven to baste. As he did this he said, “Wow, that’s…
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3 Ways to Date Your Spouse
Michelle: As a couple, if we do not continue to pursue one another, we could wake up one day to find that we have become roommates. The foundation of our relationship was built on friendship and romance. Here are three easy ways that we have come up with to continue to nourish that foundation. 1. Look for Opportunities to Connect: When we were dating, Chris was constantly calling me, asking me to go grab a drink with him or even simply ride a bike together or take a walk. After we got married and started raising our family, our connections went from intentional time to be together and check in,…
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Control in This Thing Called Life
Chris: Stuff happens… and, when I think about all the stuff that could or probably will happen to me on any given day, I am reminded of the lyrics from an 80’s Prince classic, “Let’s Go Crazy”. “Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” While there are many opinions about Prince songs, this line seems to be spot on with our goal as humans-let’s make it through today. But here’s a question…when stuff happens, how do you react? Do you freeze, freak out or bury your head? Or do you do some other variation of unproductive coping mechanisms that hijacks your logical brain, making you unable to problem…
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Removing the Invisibility Cloak
Chris: When we first moved to Arizona from Oklahoma, I went from an on-site job, to working from home. My being home meant that my “honey-do” list grew, because my wife thought my lack of travel to an office could afford me plenty of time to complete all kinds of projects. Michelle: After a couple of years of living in Arizona, less and less items were being checked off my list. Then, one evening, I came home to find none of my list accomplished. I was frustrated. I remember wondering how he could be home all day and not do any of the items on my list. That evening, we had a conversation that…
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$#*! My Spouse Says
Chris: Because Michelle and I frequently commute from Tucson to Phoenix, we try to find stand-up comedians or funny books to listen to, to help pass the time. Recently, on one of those commutes, we began listening to the book. Sh*t My Dad Says, by Justin Halpern. While, we both heard our own fathers in many of Justin’s examples, we almost simultaneously said, “Wow I bet we could write a post about the $#*! you say.” While we realized we actually had enough material for a book, we are going to limit it to two examples. Michelle: When we were first married, Chris and I liked to ride our bikes…
