My theory is that it’s pointless to chase love. You’ll never catch it. Focus on DOING what you love. When you’re being who you’re meant to be, you’ll find the one you’re meant to love. That way, love chases YOU! And love always wins. ❤️


16



Read Admiral William McRaven’s autobiography Sea Stories.


17



If you sleep with a girl, always call or text the next day. Don't be a d-bag.


18



Life is hard. But it's not so hard you can't figure it out. You're going to be fine. xoxo


11-21



If you witness a moment of vulnerability in someone, keep it to yourself. Be respectful of people's dignity.


14-18



It’s when the sh*t hits the fan that real discipleship begins.


21



“Never be sorry for not knowing


17, 21



“You will use up everything you got trying to give people what they want.” —- Nina Simone


17



Plan a trip someplace where we can see the Northern Lights.


15



YouTube Randy Pauch The Last Lecture. Watch together.


14



Plan out first concert.


11



Better to be a little hungry than too full.


15, 21



If you want to know what a woman wants in a man, I have a simple answer for you: watch the movie Scent of a Woman starring Al Pacino. Specifically, the tango scene.


14, 17, 21



It’s okay to feel jealous. Totally normal, totally human. Just never act on jealousy.


12, 14, 16, 19, 21



There’s a difference between looking cool and being cool. A person who wants to look cool is trying to impress other people. A person who is actually cool is true to himself /herself. Dress how it makes YOU happy! And fun fact, it’s those people who are the most well-liked because they sort of give others permission to be themselves…and everyone wants to be seen and liked for who they really are. So if you want to be popular remember three things: Be kind. Be yourself. Don’t judge


12,15



Look into YMCA “family camp” in PA.


7



Read “Attack of the Black Rectangles” by Amy Sarid King.


12



Jazz in the Garden free outdoor concerts at National Gallery of Art. Fridays during summer months.


7



Someone else’s success doesn’t subtract from yours. Celebrating with them and encouraging them won’t make you the loser and them the winner. We’re all in this together.


12, 15



Teach them how to eat a chicken wing in one bite


12



I read this quote in a blog when my oldest was little: "You will never be more needed or more loved than you are right now. You will long for the days when your kids were little." So true. These years are exhausting, but hang in there. You are their sun and moon.


2



Just love ‘em up. Be patient and kind. Be present. Listen. Play. Take care of their needs. Each one will be different and need you in different ways. That’s all, just fill them with love and security and they’ll grow up beautifully.


1-18



A simple trick to calm your nerves: Name 5 things you can hear right now.


5-15



1

Home is where people love you.


21



Learning to keep your composure and maintain a respectful tone when you’re frustrated/angry/afraid/upset, etc. is a skill. PRACTICE it.


4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21



Practice your signature


13



If you see a kid sitting alone, he or she might be your next best friend. Go say hi! Ask him/her to sit next to you / play on your team, etc. No need to worry about whether that person is “too cool” or “not cool enough,” they’re just a kid. Like you.


8



It’s hard to accept that the world can be so cruel and unfair, but sometimes accepting it and focusing on what part of it you CAN change is - I’ve learned - the key.


15



It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. ____ In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. ____ If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.” — Haim G. Ginott, Teacher and Child: A Book for Parents and Teachers (Re-ticket this every year.)


6