Well, I don't know about you, but I sure got the feeling that winter is upon us and Christmas is right around the corner. This year, I'm determined to get my shopping done early! I say it every year but this year, I mean it! I love Christmas shopping!! I enjoy picking out things that I think people might like - new, interesting, different things. As my kids have gotten older, Christmas time has become so much more fun. Their excitement is contagious!
The arrival of the white stuff has given my kids new reason to be outside and our front yard now looks like many bodies have spent the weekend rolling around in the snow (which there was). Lucas is playing hockey again and I look forward to every weekend, when I get to watch these kids, most of whom can barely stand up, chase the puck around the ice, determination and pride a constant expression on their faces. It is a time of pure innocence and fierce competition and many of them (well, Lucas) act as though the Stanley Cup is on the line each and every time they step out on the ice. I absolutely LOVE this time and it's with more than a little sadness that I think it will be different next year, when the game becomes more real, with the kids starting to learn their positions and the rules, and their imagination now longer takes center stage out there.
Isabella has agreed to join a swim team (she's my non-competitive one who absolutely loves being part of a team). Both Tom and I feel sports, especially team sports, are very important to developing ones character and in teaching life lessons and we made the very difficult decision to force Isabella to choose something, anything, and commit to it for one year. We had a lot of back and forth with her but in the end, we held firm and we're praying we're doing the right thing. We'll see in a few months!
I've been really been feeling like things are moving in a positive and exciting direction, both personally and professionally. At home, obviously, next year will bring another member to our household and being a person who loves and needs change, it'll be interesting to see what excitement he or she will bring to our lives. I am being proactive, have child care set up and am feeling more confident than I probably should (but I am one who lives with my rose-colored glasses on and I wouldn't change that for the world!).
With Tiber River, Michelle and I have a very clear idea of where we are going and we are definitely working towards that goal. On the production side, the systems we have been putting in place over the past few months are showing their worth (Michelle wasn't kidding when she said we've outdone ourselves - WE HAVE!!). We had all the products done early, they all smell so good it's hard to pick a favorite and we have created a system so we all know how we are handling production for the remainder of the holiday season. It's hard not to burst with pride when I think about it all.
Both Michelle and I are coming into our own as business owners and entrepreneurs and we are learning what we need to do to realize our goals. We are understanding who we are and what are strengths and weaknesses are and are finding ways to utilize both. As any of you who know us know, we are very different people with similar beliefs and values and its that combination that sets us apart from other partnerships. We are learning, now, how to combine our skill sets to build Tiber River into a business that reflects us and is, of course, different than most other businesses in our industry. We're pretty proud of how much we've accomplished and even more excited about where we are going. (Sorry for all the horn-tooting but I'm feeling very energized right now - an excess of hormones perhaps??)
Enjoy your week!!
