Pull up a chair and dig in girl...I've been waiting for you!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

little MANnerisms

Introducing...Soapy D.
(That's just her gangster name.)

She is our super picky and uber shy kiddo.
But tonight, for dinner,  we mixed it up a bit.
And introduced her to In and Out.

As she finds herself loving her cheeseburger she realizes it looks like a smiley face and prompts me to take a picture of her holding her burger up to her face.

Once I show it to her, she proudly proclaims at the top of her lungs
"That is really cool!  I AM REALLY, REALLY CUTE!"

Followed by silence.
And then hysterical laughing.

Can't teach that kind of self esteem to a teen!
God bless the 3 year olds!

-McGee

Monday, September 27, 2010

ugly.

When I lived in Texas, I heard a mom say the worst thing to her tall, blonde, tan beautiful daughter...

“Don’t be ugly.”

It was in reference to her attitude but I was so taken back. Why on earth would a mom ever tell her daughter she was ugly??? I didn’t have kids yet, but I did know everything and I knew that mom sucked.

And then I had kids.

Daughters.

And then they became teenagers.

I saw all sorts of girls they went to school with who were beautiful girls with designer clothes but were also the most hideously mean little snatches I ever did see.

And I understood.

THAT is ugly.

It’s a wonder I didn’t see it in my own experiences with women. In hindsight, there are many girls and women in my life that had all the outward signs of beauty. They had all the right clothes, the right friends, the right husbands. They knew all the right people, drove the right cars, had the right hair. But when it came to how they treated the people around them, they were, simply put, ugly.

I have also been fortunate enough to have women in my life who are stunningly beautiful. The thing they have in common is not their hair, their cars, their perfect husbands or their clothing. It’s the grace with which they allow others to be who they are and love them endlessly. Those are the women I actively seek out, who’s beauty is warming and hopefully contagious.

Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder.

It is in the way we treat one another.

So to my girls…Soapy D, Little Miss and Mini McGee…and for good measure-Little Man too…to you I say, don’t be ugly, for it IS a choice.

I strive to be beautiful and raise beautiful children.

And if they also happen to have great hair than I’ll take that too!

-McGee

Friday, September 10, 2010

It's all about who you know...

In Los Angeles it's always about who you know.
I always know someone, who knows someone.
It’s pretty exciting.
I’m not going to lie!

Like, seriously.
I know someone who knows Will Smith's friend.
For real.

But the more exciting thing is that I know people, who know people, who know some really important things and are willing to share their wisdom.

For example…

I was hanging with my girl Jen the other day and she knew this girl, who knew some important things, who told her that if life feels overwhelming we should be aware of the ratio of the amount of people we have in our life that we are trying to help or save vs. the amount of people in our life we look up to.

See?

It pays to know people, who know people.

I’ve been thinking about this all night.
It’s become a bit of a momentary obsession, really.
(Enough to blog twice in one day!)
What does that ratio really say about me?
What is the healthy ratio to strive for?
When can I meet this smart girl my friend knows?
(Although I hear she has a great blog-check it out- Click HERE)

I think our responsibility in life is to give back, to help those who need help, to inspire and lift up those around us that need a hand. However. At times I have made it my personal mission to save people to the point of diminishing returns to my own life. And oddly enough, most of those people I’m saving? They never even wanted to be saved and surely didn’t appoint me their personal savior! (I am sure that, had they known how great I really was, they would have paid for my services though.)

I also know that my life has felt more blessed and more peaceful and rewarding when I have people around me that I strive to be like. People who lift me up, challenge my thoughts and fears, push me to be the best McGee around. Those people often have their own challenges but I admire their willingness to walk through them and do the dirty work of life.

So perhaps then, the healthy ratio is always the variable?

Maybe when life feels dangerously overwhelming we should be looking at the ratio and letting go of a few of those people who need fixing and spend a little more time with the people that inspire us.

What do you think?

It totally pays to live in L.A.
I know people, who know people.

It’s just how I roll.

-McGee

plans.


Sounds good, doesn't it?
Make a plan.
At least a one year plan.

I do lists.
And plans.
I use the word calendar as a verb.

But generally speaking,
When I make a plan...

The Universe giggles.
Not in an all out laugh, mind you.
More like in a...
"You are so cute that you thought that was how this was going down-thanks for playing, try again soon."
kinda way.

The cool thing I'm learning though is that the larger lesson is to roll with it, adjust "the plan" and be willing to let go.  I read today that setbacks are merely lessons and if you're willing to learn, you never fail.

Willing to learn.
I like that.

To hell with the plan!

-McGee


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Tuesday morning rant...

Need.
To.
Write.

It’s been so long!
Not sure where to start.
But I know I’m happier when I’m writing!

So I’ll just treat you like Facebook today
And just tell you what’s on my mind…

Is it Monday? Feels painfully like Monday.
What is up with the LA weather this year?
Note to self: bills to pay today.
What a weekend-I am wiped out.
Need to plan a quick trip to Vegas.
It’s almost Fall.
Which means it’s almost Christmas!
Wow-so it’s almost 2011 too.
It’s been a great year.
I still have big plans to make in 2010.
I need to work out.
Time to get busy.

Where’s my Red Bull?
I need some wings.

Mmmmmmm…or some Big Wangs Terriyaki Wings!

God bless the man in my life that can keep up with this mind.

-McGee

Sunday, September 5, 2010

little MANnerisms

Nothing like a little MANerism to bring me back.

I should preface this by confessing to you all that Mr. Man is THE cook in the house.  I can bake up a storm for sure but when it comes to dinner let's just say the kids are all disappointed when Mr. Man travels for work because they know mom is in charge of dinner.

So.
Today.

I'm making up some dips we bought at the county fair and the kids are ALL over me.  I wanna try, I want a taste, it's my turn, when is it ready...I snap and say "Enough, everyone out of my kitchen!"

And with total innocent and laking any malice my little man says...
"I thought this was DAD's kitchen."

While the teenagers took a BIG step back and out of the crossfires.

Ahhhhhhh...I love my little man.
Good thing he's cute.

McGee