“How would you like to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic?”

A phone call of a lifetime! A time to make history! A moment to live your dream! Amelia Earhart got that phone call and responded by being the First Woman to fly across the Atlantic. She did it! Earhart was welcomed back with Congratulations from the President!

What few people knew was that Earhart had only been the passenger on the flight! She was getting ALL the attention and all the headlines but she had just sat through that flight. Earhart took to the challenge of flying the Atlantic herself in 1932! She didn’t have to! She was all ready recognized as being the “First Woman” to fly the Atlantic 5 years earlier.

Amelia Earhart took to the challenge of completing the task herself. Flying and receiving the intense training to achieve her goal! She did it! Even after Earhart had started her career in success! She made history!

Amelia Earhart died a legend pursuing her dream of flying! She took the driver’s seat of her dreams and followed her passion! She showed that being a passenger is not enough!

The joy and the success that we feel after having accomplished a goal is priceless! Where are you today…are you in the passenger seat cruising through life or are you taking charge of your life and goals in the driver’s seat?

http://www.ellensplace.net/eae_intr.html

P.S. I feel I am in the Driver’s Seat now! I always thought my accomplishments would be measured in a paycheck but life is more than that! Life for me has become finding a joy in my everyday life with the people I love the most..my family

The World Cup will always remind me of:

Pele!!

If you recognize the name and know him as a player…then stop reading!!! My writing will perhaps fall short of his excellence!! A player with no formal training, because he could not afford it, he played soccer with a sock stuffed newspaper or a grapefruit!!!

Pele started playing in a team at 16 years old and by 17 he was off to the Brazil National Team. Pele’s talent was recognized instantly and and he was declared “Official National Treasure” to keep him from transferring out of the country!

Pele’s title was given to him after his first World Cup! After 3 World Cup Championships, 2 decades of play, 2 Roca Cup Championships, and the FIFA World Cup Best Player in 1970 I would say he earned his title of National Treasure!

Pele’s love for the sport and excellence drove him to the United States after he had retired to play for the New York Cosmos! Pele’s love for the game made him a soccer ambassador! His natural talent was legendary and to this day I think “Pele” when I think of World Cup!

Pele’s ability to play captivated audiences world wide and even stopped a war!! In 1967, the two factions involved in the Nigerian Civil War agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire so they could watch Pelé play an exhibition game in Lagos.[22]

A person that started out his hobby playing with a sock stuffed with newspaper or a grapefruit is now a Legendary Figure of the sport!! There are no boundaries to pursue our dreams or work with what we have!! I am humbled beyond words to share my World Cup hero!!

What do you think of when you think World Cup?? A certain play, or player, by all means share your thoughts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelé

I would wake up in the middle of the night when I was little and scream “Spider-Man” for him to come rescue me from my nightmare, from being scared, from the World! Spider-Man was my hero so I did not need to be afraid. I read the comics (cheap copies nothing valuable), saw the cartoons, and was Spider-Man’s biggest fan!

Yes, I grew up to discover Stan Lee and am amazed at his story. It is not that Stan Lee had a humble upbringing or that he joined the United States Army it is the fact that Stan Lee knew he was writer, wanted to be a writer and pursued his dream.

Stan Lee got his start at Timely Comic (later to evolve as Marvel Comics) and he started off filling the ink in the inkwells. Stan Lee’s duties consisted of getting lunch for the office, proofreading, and erasing pencil marks from finished pages. Captain America 3 gave Lee a big break!! It was the episode where Captain America’s trademark became the ricocheting shield-toss. Stan Lee published many of his works but even he wanted to quit on himself.

In 1950 when Stan Lee was about to change careers he got a phone call to develop superheroes that he and Jack Kirby would respond to with Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, X-Men, with Bill Everett, Daredevil; and with Steve Ditko, Doctor Strange and Marvel’s most successful character, Spider-Man. It took the phone call and the right people to promote Stan Lee’s talent!

Stan Lee also went on give credit where credit was due by adding a credit panel on the splash page of each story, naming not just the writer and penciller but also the inker and letterer. “I always sympathized with people who did work for hire, I was one of them”~Lee

Stan Lee also wrote a three part series on dangers of drugs in a Spider-Man Comic for the U.S. Health Education and Welfare. Stan Lee also touched on real life topics of racism and bigotry. In comic books and through his other writings he also discussed prejudice and discrimination.

It took a phone call to bring back Stan Lee and now he has comic books, cartoon series, and movies! Not to mention he did create my childhood hero!! What will it take to get you to believe in your dreams and passions. To continue even when you want to quit on yourself?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Lee

The person that would welcome our children into the World and not by words but actions give them the promise of happiness. You are the one that laughs with me on this road called “parenthood”! I love you for what you do for me but I am blessed that you are an amazing “Dad” to our children!

It is in these everyday activities that our boys need you and I love watching!
Throws football with these crazy boys for hours and hours! Review spelling words to earn 100s! Plays and buys all video games that you can get away with! You sit with the kids and listen to what they have to say. You give them Dad attention and they know they are loved!

I think about being Mom and a Good Mom all the time. I was trying to think of a day in your “Dad” shoes and was overwhelmed. You take the pressure of providing for our family, making sure we are happy, and you do it with a smile!

I don’t know what to say to you on such a special day other than “Happy Father’s Day” and I love you!

What are you giving your Hubby this Father’s Day? I told mine I would skydive with him in NYC…over the Atlantic!!! If this isn’t love I don’t know what is! Wish me luck!

On vacation I read a review about a Hike that I really wanted to do. It looked perfect: 8 miles, tough, and in an area of Washington State that I love to hike. All seem perfect except for a review. The review had a paragraph that I found disturbing!! it read:

“The views at the top of the mountain are no different than the ones at the base of the mountain.”

I was in shock and disbelief. I was the one that told my kids: “We hike and the prize for the hike is the VIEW”. I took a chance and made the decision to pursue the hike! My Husband is too nice to go along with me…or knows better than to argue

It was a rainy day (rain in the PNW?? LOL) and cloudy. It was our first day hiking and we were eager for the challenge!! We hiked, hiked, hiked and surprisingly at the top of the Mountain it stopped raining. The rain allowed us to continue on a rock climbing path that we really enjoyed!! One of the toughest hikes I have ever done with the family and the prize was the VIEW.

The review was wrong! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I know but whoever wrote the review…Never made it to the top! The view and the hike were picturesque and I would love to let everyone know that the views at Mt. Si…are spectacular!

My phone has me looking up reviews on restaurants, businesses, movies, and hikes and I trust the reviews 90% of the time! This was one review that I am so grateful that I didn’t trust because my family and I would have missed out on one of our best hikes ever!

Locals even stated: “Every hiker must hike Mt. Si at least once in their life!” How could the review be so off?

How much do you trust reviews? Have you gone against one and realized it was worth it…or not? I would love to hear all about it

In five minutes could you convince the Buyer that your product is worth it? We all talk about our elevator speech but if you had 5 Minutes of a buyers time to pitch your product what would you say?

Sara Blakely told a Neiman Marcus buyer: “I have invented a product your customers would not want to live without!” This was the beginning of the Spanx revolution.

Sara started this Spanx invention while working as a sales trainer and stand up comic! Sara had no business experience and stated that the only source to operate from was her gut!

Sara got the patent all by herself and then took her idea to mills for manufacturing. She got a call back because the mill owner admitted he had two daughters who did not think the idea was crazy at all!!

All day introducing customers to Spanx and in store rallies is how Sara spread the word because she had no marketing budget. Sara hit the road for the first year and promoted the product in stores.

Sara had huge supports from her friends. Sara admits that when the product was in Neiman Marcus she offered them money to go buy Spanx and make them a big deal. Sara’s friends also called radio stations and newspapers to spread the word on Spanx.

Five minutes and a lot of perserverance have made Sara Blakely the founder of the Spanx company which has all ready made over $250 million on retail sales (in 2007). I’m sure being featured in Oprah’s Favorite’s list had a minor part in her success

Sara Blakely pursued her dream. Knocking door to door trying to sell her product. In the five minute phone call she convinced a buyer. If you had five minutes today to get on the phone and make your pitch would you be ready? Better yet are you listening to your gut?

Here full story here

I love Spanx and thank you Sara Blakely for having our back!! Literally!

(Focusing on the fun of my military experience. Not training or missions!

I was 18 years old and landed in Chicago.  Snow everywhere and next thing I knew I was loading a van.  We were all scared to talk.  We sat in our seats until we arrived to base and then the hustle began.  For the next 3 months I would spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with complete strangers and it had been my choice!

My Choice! I called home and couldn’t complain. I had signed up to serve my country and for the next 4 years I did just that.  My job was Communications (Radioman now IT) and I spent my entire 4 years on ships!

I traveled to Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Korea, Middle East, and the last year I spent in Washington State.  I signed up to serve my country.  I wanted to GIVE and gained so much instead!

Life on a ship was unique.  You learn of double sided tape and applied it to all your belongings!! I was on an oiler and if we were out of fuel we rocked back and forth so bad we literally walked on walls! We played games, watched movies, and cards!! I was Spades Queen! We would have “Swim Call” and I am sure I left everyone with something to remember:

I was on the USS Fife in Washington State and we had deployed on a Cruise.  The Captain announced “Swim Call” and I couldn’t wait to get into the ocean!! There I was wanting to make an impression and after a few jumps I decided to be a Show Off and dive!  People had video cameras and I will never forget doing my “Awesome Dive” where in slow motion it was anything but awesome and became the worse “Belly Flop” I have ever done!!  It hurt SO bad and the flop made such a loud noise that it silenced over 100 people…..I think that’s the reason my belly is permanently RED!! JK

I loved the Military travel, my friends and the experiences that I learned.  I am from Arizona and had to endure Chicago weather which was in itself an experience.  Seven layers of clothes and a Ski Mask to keep us warm!

I gained experiences that 10ish years later I am still talking about.  I gained a title of a Veteran that I am proud to have earned!  I gained friendships of Gold that I can still call and have so much to talk about! I gained a sense of discipline that can’t be written in books or explained.  Experiences that are dear to my heart and Friendships that I will never forget.

I am honored and blessed to have served in our USN!!

I am blogging on Top 5 blogs and MUST follows!! Here is who I give my Fantastic Friday Love to:
I have joined and follow these blogs and I am SO happy I did!!

Again these friends all ready follow me so I have no hidden agenda

@CiaoFlorentina I follow her! Her bio reads: Foodie Social Network to share your culinary adventures with the world. Her blog is http://ciaoflorentina.com/I love it and I am member of her site! She is always connecting on twitter and if you ask her a question…she will answer!

@BrianSwano his bio reads: One cool dude on a 3 year trip around the world with my wife and daughter. The Swans awesome adventure can be tracked through their amazing blog http://unstoppablefamily.com/I love it!!

@LadyWanderlust is a an awesome friend!! Her bio reads: unsolicited opinions of a happily divorced woman, mom, teacher, daughter, sister, friend, global citizen, travel and poet! She is a sweet friend who encourages, supports and brightens my day! She blogs here: http://www.ablogoddesstale.blogspot.com/

@JessicaNorthey a sweetheart on Twitter!! Her bio reads: writer, blogger, speaker, entrepreneur, creator, doer, innovator and social media geek! I love her because she told me: “If there is anything I can help you with, I would love to!” How awesome are you!! She blogs here: http://FingerCandyMedia.com/

@PartyMummy her bio reads a teacher turned Stay at Home Mum on Eternal Recess Duty. I laugh loudly, jog slowly, party frequently & blog happily! She is fun friend that makes me laugh on Twitter! One of my first followers and love having you!! She blogs here: http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/party_mummy

Since I have your attention here are two blogs I follow that are not on Twitter!

My Son Byron has started blogging and I love it!! He blogs here http://7pounder.com/

A great mom that has too much fun!! I love reading your blog Mrs. @Nicholas_Cardot (Diane) blogs here http://www.cherrytruffle.com/Join us on Twitter Diane!!

I have so many blogs I follow I will share more with you soon!!