Moms Helping Others

A Walk on a Track One Day

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 17:28:00 +0000

As you can see from my blog, that I have not used this in a very long time. I set this up when I was working with a wellness company to share with my customers and with my team and then my youngest son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.... And then I was going to continue to use it to blog, create awareness and help others in the diabetes community. Well... it has been almost three years since our Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis and life has been a whirlwind of learning, education and just living our lives.

Today I decided to type this up because I think it's worth sharing. Tuesday I had something happen to me that was very overwhelming at the time. I was walking on the track at the football field in our little home town trying to get some exercise. I looked down at one point and realized there was what I thought was vomit on the field from the last local football game. I don't know why and I hadn't thought about this in a very long time, but it brought me back to the year that Braden was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2011. We had struggled with him being sick a lot that fall and starting to wet the bed during the summer months which he had never done before. I had brought him into the doctor three times during that time period and he kept getting put on antibiotics to clear up any infections that he may have had. One fall day I took him to a football game after school and all of a sudden he said he didn't feel good and started throwing up right there at the game. I immediately took him home and when he still wasn't feeling better the next day I took him back to the doctor. Again, they said it must be some type of infection and gave us more antibiotics and to leave him on them for a longer period of time. The rest of that week, he remained sick, didn't go back to school and continued to get worse. As a worried motherI kept looking things up on the internet to see if maybe I could diagnose what was going on. Because of the bed wetting, Type 1 Diabetes did come up and it was on my radar but we had no family history and honestly most of the things I read chalked up bed wetting to having a hard time adjusting to school - he had just started kindergarten and had not been away from me much at all, etc. But as he continually got worse over the weekend and then the continuous drinking of water came into the picture, I was starting to realize what was going on. I remember Sunday morning he drank 40 oz of water the first hour he was awake and when we went to the grocery store that day he begged for me to buy him a bottle of water even though we were only 2 minutes from home. I was pretty sure at that point after everything I read and what his symptoms were that it could very well be Type 1 Diabetes. I even remember telling the doctor that I thought it was diabetes and he said yes it sounds like it could be. I called the doctor and asked if I should bring him to the ER and he said no just wait until morning. Little did I know how sick my child was and how lucky we are that he is still with us today. He was in DKA. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a problem that occurs in people with diabetes. It occurs when the body cannot use sugar (glucose) as a fuel source because there is no insulin or not enough insulin. Fat is used for fuel instead. Byproducts of fat breakdown, called ketones, build up in the body. By the next morning my little boy looked like a boy who was completely malnourished. His body was trying so hard just to stay alive and this had literally happened overnight. We were diagnosed the next morning and we spent four days in the hospital and life has literally not been the same since for our entire family.

So why share this story now. One of my friends encouraged me to share this story with a picture of my son when he was diagnosed and I thought I should but I didn't. For one thing I hate looking at the pictures of him in the hospital. So what then, what changed my mind now. Over the weekend on one of the support group pages for parents of children with Type 1 Diabetes there was a mother who was crying out for help because she felt a second one of her children was developing Type 1 Diabetes. She tested her child's blood sugar and it was high so she called the doctor and ended up taking her child to the ER. The doctor there refused to test for diabetes and sent the child home even with the mother's insistence. A mother who definitely had experience with diabetes with another child at home with Type 1 diabetes and knew what signs to watch for. The child got much worse over the next few hours and by the end of the weekend was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes by a different doctor.

So I'm sharing this story and my story to raise awareness!!! Type 1 Diabetes is a scary, scary disease and can come on very quickly. It is an autoimmune disorder. It does not have anything to do with what our kids eat or drink. Most children are very healthy, active children when they are diagnosed. We need doctors to be more aware and not be so afraid to order a simple little blood test that in our case and this mother's case would have prevented our children from getting so very sick.

So going on that walk at the football field that day and being reminded of our experience made me cry - literally for the whole half hour that I was walking that day. Anybody driving by probably thought I was crazy. But it also made me mad that this mother had gone through what she went through when she really knew what was going on with her child. I'm sharing this to make more people aware of the signs of Type 1 Diabetes so no other child or mother should have to go through experiences like this.

Extreme thirst
Frequent urination
Sudden vision changes
Sugar in urine
Fruity, sweet, or wine-like odor on breath

Increased appetite
Sudden weight loss
Drowsiness, lethargy
Heavy, labored breathing
Stupor, unconsciousness

Thank goodness I kept looking for help and answers and this mother did too.

And all this from a walk on a track one day..........

Laura

CELEBRATE LIFE DAY!!!

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:22:00 +0000

Today it has been exactly one year since our youngest, sweet little Braden was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes at the age of six. One year since our life changed drastically. One year since we began to learn so much about a disease that we knew nothing about and honestly wish we still knew nothing about.

What we have learned in the last year:

How much more strong a family can become.

How much a family can learn about diabetes in one year:
     I never thought I would be able to learn the carbohydrate count on so many foods. I started out with a calculator and a book but now I can give you a carb count on a meal in seconds most of the time.
     I know every multiple of 15 by heart.
     I know I can't check a blood sugar in the middle of the night without my "old lady" glasses (okay, okay - all day and night now).
     I know no matter how low the blood sugar my husband has only one speed and the other kids are much faster.
     I know it takes much more thought and planning to go anywhere - much less go on a long trip.
     I could go on and on and on!!!!

How much a 6 year old - now 7 - can learn about diabetes and checking his own blood sugar.

How much siblings can learn and help - some more readily than others - yes Trevor I know you're reading this. LOL But really how amazingly awesome, caring and loving they are. Always there for a hand hold for a shot.

How much one person can do on VERY LITTLE sleep.

What the letters SWAG mean to D Moms (scientific wild ass guess) in calculating carbs and deciding how much insulin to give. I have said many times that I think diabetes changes with the speed and direction of the wind. Ughh!!

How very thankful I am for friends that will just listen and not try to fix things but just be that person that I can cry, scream or maybe both at the same time to. Thank you all!!!

How many wonderful, amazing and awesome D Moms I've met. (Insert Big Sobs Here - sniff!!) You all have been such an inspiration and such an amazing support in the past year. You all have taught me sooooo much. I would not be SANE without all of you!! Okay I'm not totally sane but I would be totally cuckooo without you.

But most of all I have learned PATIENCE!!! Patience for the entire family that life has taken a new path and we will ride the wave TOGETHER. Patience for Braden that you might have to wait a little longer to go play - after your shot child!! LOL And patience for me that as a mom who has always been a Type A, I Can Do It All mom, realizing that I Can't do it all; that I DO get tired and I DO get very, very sad sometimes. I have learned to let these sad times happen and just be still. I can't jump into everything feet first and look back later. I am and our whole family have been people that want to get involved in everything and do, do, do. From day one I was going to write blogs, do research etc, etc, etc. As you can see from my blog and blog headers that I haven't written blogs and that my focus on life has had to change. I will quite fighting for that old life (this has taken me a year to realize - lol - stubborn).   God will give to me and our family what we can handle and will show us more when HE thinks we're ready.

So most importantly we celebrate Braden. As everyone with Type 1 Diabetes does, he endures A LOT. So many finger pricks I can't count. So many shots I don't want to count (I could if I needed to because I have logged every one down - See Type A mom - Ha!!). So many highs and lows it makes your head spin. BUT he smiles through it all, never complains and is still that AWESOME, SWEET boy. We CELEBRATE YOU BRADEN!!!!!

Braden's Mom

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Tue, 03 May 2011 21:57:00 +0000

Thank you all for stopping by!!
Looking forward to following you back!!

Laura

Can a Family Have Too Many Things Going On?

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:00:00 +0000

As I write this, I realize that we have four children and life is going to be very busy, but sometimes I wonder if we can actually have tooooo many things going on in life. This weekend was one of those weekends. Here is the list of all the things we did and had going on:

1. Several loads of laundry to catch up on because of the previous Easter weekend and not being home.

2. Working on our remodel of our family room and trying to get as much done as possible before my husband who is a farmer gets in the field and has no time to work on it.

3. Helping my son do his 4-H project that needs to be done by this weekend, started and completed.

4. Helping some of my business partners with things that they needed help with.

5. Helping my 9 year old daughter take over the responsibilities of our local church bulletin.

Now that list does not include everything, LOL, but just the highlights. I felt I was running from one room to the next helping each with a step and then moving to the next room. It can sometimes feel like it's too much all at once but I always go back to the thought that these times are so precious. It may seem like there are so many things to do but I know I will miss it when the kids are grown and we won't have all the excitement. I'll post some pictures of the projects in progress and update again when everything is complete.

Are your weekends as busy and how do you make sure everything gets done.

Image of supplies required for bulletin board project.

Isn't it nice to see a boy ironing!!

Teamwork with mom!!

The final project - He will be judged on it this weekend. I will update you on the results and also post a picture of the poster board that he's completing to give the information on the project. 4-H is such a worthwhile organization for kids and really helps them learn to be responsible and complete projects and be able to talk about them. Public speaking I believe is always a good thing to start when they're young.

Hope you've enjoyed. Check back if you want the entire instructions for this project.

Have a GREAT Day!!

Laura

How Are Your Exercise Goals Coming For 2011?

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:40:00 +0000

You will find about me that I absolutely LOVE to exercise. Any kind really when I have the time, but........ it is so easy to quit after just a little while. I have purchased almost every workout dvd collection that's ever been made. About one year ago though I was introduced to Zumba!!! Well that story has changed. We have a couple of people that come to our small little town and provide us with a zumba workout. They turn down the lights, put on some fun lighting and turn up the music. Now this last year I haven't been able to stay as consistent as I would have liked because of some health concerns in the family but I always looked forward to getting back at it when I could. Zumba is a combination of Latin dance steps, other dance steps and just really, really good music. It really makes you want to workout. It's not always easy for everyone to pick up the steps immediately but you will if you keep going. So don't just try it once - you've got to keep going and you'll be a pro before long and you'll be whittling away the little love handles and won't even know it!!!! I googled some information about zumba that I thought you might enjoy reading. Go find a local Zumba class or buy the dvd's or get the workout for the Wii. I recommend ALL of them!!!!

Enjoy the following article from the website www.livestrong.com. Leave me your comments on zumba or what you find is helping you with your exercise goals!!

Have a GREAT DAY!!!!

Laura

Zumba is a dance fitness method based on salsa and other Latin dance moves, performed to Latin and world music beats, and choreographed to allow people of any fitness or dance experience level to enjoy a fantastic workout. If you think you'd like an exhilarating class filled with good feelings and party-like fun, Zumba makes an excellent choice of a group fitness method to support your fitness goals.

Fat and Calorie Burning

At its core, Zumba classes are intended to provide a large calorie burn through aerobic activity done with interval training in mind. Depending on body weight, sex, fitness level and other common physical factors, the number of calories you burn in a typical Zumba class will equal that of any fast social dancing hour, such as salsa, disco or jitterbug. For most people, that can add up to 400 to 600 calories burned per hour. With the classes choreographed to provide intervals of intensity in both pace of music and type of movements, class members' energy expenditure is maximized for fat-burning benefits. Fitness moves are also incorporated within Zumba dances, so don't be surprised if you find yourself moving from a fast merengue beat to a long, slow set of push-ups on the wall, or doing several sets of squats followed by plyometric jumps.

Anytime Fitness Center The Best Place For Fitness 24/7. 1500 Locations. Join Today! www.AnytimeFitness.com

Full Body Workout

Zumba is both a dance class and a fitness class. Aside from its heart-health benefits, Zumba provides a workout for the whole body. From head and shoulder rolls that loosen up the neck and warm up the upper body, to footwork that strengthens and stretches calves and ankles, this fitness method touches on nearly every muscle and joint. Even those who are just learning the dance steps will find themselves waking up the day after a Zumba class with a definitive post-workout feeling. Hips and abs receive particular attention in the Latin dance style, and as with many dance exercise classes, thighs and butts often end up being sore the day after class. Flexibility is not ignored in a Zumba class either, with warm-ups and cool-downs a regular part of Zumba programming.

Fun for Everyone

Zumba classes are winning over fitness enthusiasts from across the world as Zumba instructors are being certified to teach classes in record numbers. Owing to popular demand, gyms and studios worldwide are offering standard Zumba, Zumba Gold for senior citizens, Zumba for kids and even Aqua-Zumba done in swimming pools. Because Zumba is based on music and dance, it seems to speak a universal language that people of all nations can related to. There is no large learning curve in a Zumba class, either. New participants may receive small-scale steps rehearsals before some longer dances, but in most cases, first-timers can simply jump right into a class and follow along with the instructor. Zumba instructors are trained to explain little with words, and instead use their body and hand motions to indicate which steps will follow, to keep class plans flowing and easy-to-follow. Whoops and hollers are a regular occurrence while the dancers have legitimate fun dancing to infectious rhythms and specialty songs.

Wednesday Blog Hop

Balancing Family, Life And Work

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:23:00 +0000

For those of you who don't know, we have a son with severe disabilities that goes to a school about 4 hours away from us. We live in a really small town and he was not getting the services that he needs as often as he needs, like physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and so on. He has been there for 6 years now and it has been GREAT. He loves it there and it has helped him immensely. But in saying that.......... it does cause a lot more traveling on our part as a family. We travel to see him at least every 2-3 weeks. We either visit him there or bring him home for the weekend.

This last weekend was the weekend we had decided to go again. I have not missed a weekend with the family since I sold my CPA practice. That would often pull me away during the winter months, one reason why I sold it. But this weekend for my own sanity I had to not go. It is end of the year and I still have a lot of responsibilites. I still needed to get my own bookwork done for my husband's farming business, the church books, the church donation statements, etc, etc. With the crazy family health problems going in this last year life has been a little behind for awhile. LOL

So I stayed home and it was the best thing I could have done. I was able to get caught up which has relieved A LOT of stress. The feeling of always having so much to do is not a healthy feeling. And it spills over into everything in life. So I took time for me and made myself be in a better place which has helped my family too. Starting out the week feeling refreshed and on top of things was GREAT. It made me have more time to help a friend, make cupcakes with my little one and just be a much better wife and mother.

So take time for you. Do what you need to do to help yourself which in the long run will help EVERYONE!!!!!!

Have a Productive and HAPPY Week!!!!!
Laura

November Fast Track Video Revised Edition.wmv

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:18:00 +0000

Congratulations to my entire team for working so hard during the busy November and Thanksgiving Holiday. It's so important this time of year to find that balance of family, work and everything else. This last month I even got to the point that I had to set specific times for me to work. I would even set the timer to work for an hour and then do household things for an hour. So my point in saying that is to make sure that you do what works for you. Find the system and the motivation that works for you. Especially when you work from home it's easy to say I'll do it tomorrow but you need to work every day. Consistency is KEY!!!!!

So I hope some of these pointers help you in the following month. Look for more tips to come soon!!!

Have an AWESOME day!!!!

Laura

A Child's Ten Commandments To Parents

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:41:00 +0000

This is something that was posted on the website Seeds of Faith Women. I loved it and wanted to share. This is an excerpt from a book by Kevin Leman entitled "Getting the Best Out of Your Kids". It is called "A Child's Ten Commandments to Parents", and it struck a major chord with me. So much so, that I wanted to share it with you here.

"1. My hands are small; please don't expect perfection.
2. I haven't seen the world; please don't restrict me unnecessarily.
3. Housework will always be there; please take time for me.
4. My feelings are tender; please don't nag me all day long.
5. I'm a gift from God; please discipline me in a loving manner.
6. I need your encouragement; please go easy on the criticism.
7. Please permit me to fail so I can learn from my mistakes.
8. Please don't compare me with my brother or sister.
9. Please don't be afraid to leave me for a weekend together. It's a great way to show me your
marriage is very special.
10. Please take me to church regularly, setting me a good example to follow."

I think I'm going to print this out for myself and post it in several places around the house. I'm feeling gently reprimanded and humbled by the Lord.

Thank you, dear Lord, for these precious gifts that you've given to me in these children. Please help me to raise them as you would have me raise them. Help me to be the mother that You want me to be.

I love these and wanted to share it with all of you - just a gentle reminder as a mom of all that we have in our kids.

Have a GREAT day!!

Laura

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 01:28:00 +0000

H A P P Y A U T U M N!!!

The 7 Ups!

1. Wake Up !!

Decide to have a good day.
'This is the day the Lord hath made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.'
Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile.
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
'The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.
Man looks at outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart.'
I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!!
Say nice things and learn to listen.
God gave us two ears and one mouth,
so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking.

'He who guards his lips guards his soul.'
Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!

. . . for what you believe in.
Stand for something or you will fall for anything.
'Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time,
we will reap a harvest if we do not give up..
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good...'
Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!

. . to the Lord.
'I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me'.
Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!
. . for something higher.
'Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not unto your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.'
Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!
. . your Prayers..
'Do not worry about anything; instead
PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING.'
Philippians 4:6

A POSITIVE THOUGHT

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring, and a sunrise every morning.

Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen.
He could live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.
What about the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem ;
not to mention that Friday at Calvary .
Face it, He's crazy about you.

I thought this was mighty special, just like YOU.
and remember . ...

God answers Knee-Mail!

Wishing you a Blessed day!!!

Sunny Attitude When You're Fighting Unusual Blues!!

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:13:00 +0000

I want to share with you that I have been dealing with a little bit of blues lately and really couldn't pinpoint why. Our family has been through a lot lately with some health issues for my husband (which I can now say are really on the mend - Yay) and we recently had a death in the family - an uncle. I also have been dealing with a cold which has not happened to me in about 4 years - which I attributed to all the stressing situations going on. But I still didn't feel "quite right" even after these things were going away and getting better.

So I was picking up our 5 year old from preschool the other day and it HIT me like a ton of bricks. My blues have actually been because he recently started going to school part-time. You see he is the baby of my family and after almost 16 years of having one or the other of our four kids home with me all the time, the realization that next year they will all be in school and I will be all alone hit me. Isn't it funny how you don't realize how your mind works. Well even just acknowledging that fact and realizing that's what it is has made my mood much better. It made me realize I really better enjoy this last year with Braden!!!

So now that I know my disposition has changed but I also just found a link about having a sunny attitude that I thought I would share.

If feeling blue stems from the combination of different causes and conditions, it makes sense that there isn’t a silver bullet to feeling more positive. My own experience is that I have to create a “soup” with a little of this and a little of that to maintain the feeling of peaceful productivity that I so desire. Posted by Kay Allison at PositivelySunny.com

So I'm creating my "soup" and getting through this time, coming to terms, dealing with and making sure I make the best of everything I have NOW!!!

I love my kids and will miss them all terribly when they are all in school!!!!

Thanks for listening everyone!!

Laura

An Excerpt From The Right To Lead

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:47:00 +0000

I am reading this book and had to share it on my blog. It's a GREAT read but tons of GREAT information!!!

"Introduction"
An Excerpt from
The Right to Lead
by John Maxwell

What gives a man or woman the right to lead? It certainly isn't gained by election or appointment. Having position, title, rank or degrees doesn't qualify anyone to lead other people. And the ability doesn't come automatically from age or experience, either.

No, it would be accurate to say that no one can be given the right to lead. The right to lead can only be earned. And that takes time.

The Kind of Leader Others Want to Follow

The key to becoming an effective leader is not to focus on making other people follow, but on making yourself the kind of person they want to follow. You must become someone others can trust to take them where they want to go.

As you prepare yourself to become a better leader, use the following guidelines to help you grow:

1. Let go of your ego.
The truly great leaders are not in leadership for personal gain. They lead in order to serve other people. Perhaps that is why Lawrence D. Bell remarked, "Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things, and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things."

2. Become a good follower first.
Rare is the effective leader who didn't learn to become a good follower first. That is why a leadership institution such as the United States Military Academy teaches its officers to become effective followers first - and why West Point has produced more leaders than the Harvard Business School.

3. Build positive relationships.
Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. That means it is by nature relational. Today's generation of leaders seem particularly aware of this because title and position mean so little to them. They know intuitively that people go along with people they get along with.

4. Work with excellence.
No one respects and follows mediocrity. Leaders who earn the right to lead give their all to what they do. They bring into play not only their skills and talents, but also great passion and hard work. They perform on the highest level of which they are capable.

5. Rely on discipline, not emotion.
Leadership is often easy during the good times. It's when everything seems to be against you - when you're out of energy, and you don't want to lead - that you earn your place as a leader. During every season of life, leaders face crucial moments when they must choose between gearing up or giving up. To make it through those times, rely on the rock of discipline, not the shifting sand of emotion.

6. Make adding value your goal.
When you look at the leaders whose names are revered long after they have finished leading, you find that they were men and women who helped people to live better lives and reach their potential. That is the highest calling of leadership - and its highest value.

7. Give your power away.
One of the ironies of leadership is that you become a better leader by sharing whatever power you have, not by saving it all for yourself. You're meant to be a river, not a reservoir. If you use your power to empower others, your leadership will extend far beyond your grasp.

In The Right to Lead, you will hear from and read about people who have done these same things and earned the right to lead others. Because of the courage they found and the character they displayed, other people recognized their admirable qualities and felt compelled to follow them.

The followers who looked to these leaders learned from them, and so can we. As you explore their worlds and words, remember that it takes time to become worthy of followers. Leadership isn't learned or earned in a moment.

TEAMWORK - THIS SAYS IT ALL!!

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:09:00 +0000

I came across this and wanted to share it. I thought it was a GREAT read on Teamwork!!

Excerpt from
Pulling Together....The 10 Rules for High Performance Teams,
by John Murphy
At the center of every high performance team is a common purpose - a mission that rises above and beyond each of the individual team members. To be successful, the team's interests and needs come first. This requires "we-opic" vision ("What's in it for we?"), a challenging step up from the common "me-opic" mind-set.
Effective team players understand that personal issues and personality differences are secondary to team demands. This does not mean abandoning who you are or giving up your individuality. On the contrary, it means sharing your unique strengths and differences to move the team forward. It is this "we-opic" focus and vision - this cooperation of collective capability - that empowers a team and generates synergy.
Cooperation means working together for mutual gain - sharing responsibility for success and failure and covering for one another on a moment's notice. It does not mean competing with one another at the team's expense, withholding important data or information to be "one up" on your peers, or submitting to "groupthink" by going along so as not to make waves. These are "rule breakers," that are direct contradictions to the "team first" mind-set.
High performance teams recognize that it takes a joint effort to synergize, generating power above and beyond the collected individuals. It is with this spirit of cooperation that effective teams learn to capitalize on individual strengths and offset individual weaknesses, using diversity as an advantage.
Effective teams also understand the importance of establishing cooperative systems, structures, incentives and rewards. We get what we inspect, not what we expect. Think about it. Do you have team job descriptions, team performance reviews and team reward systems? Do you recognize people by pitting them against standards of excellence, or one another? What are you doing to cultivate a team-first, cooperative environment in this competitive, "me-opic" world?
To embrace the team-first rule, make sure your team purpose and priorities are clear. What is your overall mission? What is your game plan? What is expected of each team member? How can each member contribute most effectively? What constants will hold the team together? Then stop and ask yourself, are you putting the team first?

Self Improvement Leads to Home Improvement

noreply@blogger.com (KeepingUpWithMomsHelpingOthers) — Tue, 11 May 2010 01:27:00 +0000

Our family has been going through some remodeling in our house the last few weeks. We built our house a little over 10 years ago. We weren't really ready to build our house but the house we were renting was sold and we had to move. We had the lots purchased already but had no intention of building our house just yet. Therefore, we had to kind of do the bare minimum. Part of our home before was an office for me because for 14 years I had a CPA practice in a separate part of my home for that business. That business was very good for my family and for myself but as we had more kids and things got more hectic we just decided it was not working anymore. For all those years we were lucky, the kids didn't go to daycare and either my husband or myself was always home with the kids. But..... what we didn't have was time together as a family where we could all be together, MOM, DAD and the kids.
One day 3 1/2 years ago, I was introduced to a team called MyFamilyDreamTeam and life took a big change. I started working from home with this team - part-time to begin with - with this great group of moms. I quickly saw this to be a business that I could do from home around my kids and allow me to be home more with my children.
This leads to our home improvement. As I joined this team, I realized that this was what I wanted to do and I sold my CPA practice. I really wanted to be able to focus my time on my new business. I have learned so much in the last 3 1/2 years being a part of this team. I would never be where I am right now in life if I hadn't met this group of great, powerful women. They have taught me how to be positive always, how to lead, how to develop and be part of a great team. The office I had before for my CPA practice is now going to be a nice family room, we are adding just a small home office for me that was a porch on our house that we never used. And much of the work has been done by myself and my husband which would have never been possible before. One of us was always working while the other was so busy with the kids. Now we both have time to be with the kids and do the things in our home that we've always wanted to do.

So I'm not bragging about the projects we are doing on our home but just sharing that these things would not be happening now except for the fact that I joined this team. I'm so thankful every day when I get up and I have so much joy to go to work and help other people develop themselves and develop their businesses as well.