There's a pile of clean laundry on my couch.  It's pretty big-5 loads worth.  I should do something with it.  I should.

How do you accumulate so much laundry Katie?  
You're embarrassing.  Fold your damn clothes.  

I can't.  I need to tell you about something...

I need to tell you about the Emotional Bank Account.  Do you know about it?

Yes, Katie, we ALL know about it because you freakin' talk about it all the time-my family and work friends
No, Katie, you're so wise, and we can't wait to read all about it-everyone else. 

It's from the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Basically, we all have an EBA.  Perhaps you know it as your love tank?  Your bucket?

Anyway, the deal is that if you make a withdrawl (ie: negative comment, tough conversation, etc) you need to make lots of deposits (ie: kind words, acts of service) to "fill it up."


I need everyone to know about this EBA so that if I say, "That was a withdrawl," you'll know what I'm talking about.

Here's a funny story.
Katie, you can't tell us a story is funny before you tell it.

I work with a lady. She's kinda like our work mom...if your definition of mom is the lady who yells at you each day.  ;)  "I don't yell.  I'm Italian and Irish.  That's how we talk," she'd say.  I love this woman. If I'm not diligently working on my actual job, I'm sitting in her office shootin' the shit, where everyone sits.

Anyway, we have a tendency to talk a lot of shit to each other get in disagreements from time to time.  So, one day I talk her about the EBA and the next morning I said, "Too many withdrawls, too early." The day went on and she continue to rob my bank account so I said, "I need a deposit, right now.  You're overdrafted."  She picks up a brownie I made, took a bite and said, "Did you make these?"
I said, "Yes."  She said, "Well they're not that bad.  There.  There's your deposit.  Now, shut up."  <--- She didn't say shut up.  I added it to more the story more interesting.

Perhaps I should clarify what a deposit looks and sounds like ;)

My goal is to keep things in a pretty good balance with all the people in my world.  Sometimes it's a little harder than other times, especially with my closest friends because we are honest to a fault.

However, the other day I sent a group text to some of my best gals.  Now, these are the same people who will literally rip on my clothes for a hour and not bat an eyelash, "Katie do each pair of your shorts have a sewn in cuff."
"Those are the ones they sell!"
"Yep, they sell those right next to the ones without the sewn in cuff."
The other whore best friend pipes in with, "Yes, she wears them with a button down shirt, maybe one with three buttons at the top and her cardigan."

Anyway, have I painted a clear enough picture of what bitches how honest these girls are?

But when it counts, we are all in with the deposits.  Right there with the right words to pick me up, help dust me off and get back on the horse.

Conversations that help you realize new things.

Several years ago, during my 4th year of teaching, I was up in my AP's office and told me a card I had written her was going in her "Sunshine File."

"Sunshine File?"
"Yeah, it's where I put all the nice things people write to me and then when I'm having a tough day I pull it out."


I was totally sold and, now, on each new computer I have had and in each e-mail account I've created I also create my "Sunshine File" folder.



Some days I purposely go back and reread the things in there and other days, like today, I just randomly come across great e-mails, wonderful words that pick me right up.

Here are a few from mine...they go all the way back to 2006 and I bet if I pulled out my "box" I'd find some from middle school (probably folded into some shape with BFF W/B ASAP on it)

Sunshine from my aunt


Sunshine from a little one I used to work with 


Sunshine from my Jedi Master



Sunshine from my brother...1 of the almost 300 e-mails we wrote back and forth during his deployments in the Navy



So, here's my challenge...have you written anything "Sunshine File" worthy lately?  Go ahead, write something.  Perhaps they'll be crazy and reread it over and over and over.  Maybe it will be just the thing to pick them up on an asstastic day?!

If you don't have a Sunshine File, create one now.  You can thank me later...and I'll pass that thanks along to Faith who taught me all about Sunshine Files!

I'm oh so grateful for so many things this Wednesday...

Helpful Friends
I seriously know the best people.

My sister-in-law flew in to help me out and help me she did!  She went so far above and beyond, it was amazing.  


Helpful Supplies

Do you have any friends you argue with all the time?  Not huge arguments but disagreements nonetheless.

I do.  One of my very closest friends is probably the person who annoys me most in this world.  He's actually starred in one of my blogs before. If you're a regular follower (which I super appreciate both of you by the way) you'll remember The Bathing Suit Incident.

Anyway, everyone who knows him knows he is HIGH MAINTENANCE as opposed to myself, the most laid back person ever.  I've been friends with him for 7 years and in the past 7 years our little arguments have become humorous.  So humorous, in fact, that our former boss used to say we should make a TV Show and he wanted all the credit for the idea.  Hmmm, rather than Regis and Kelly (it's not even that anymore, is it), Josh and Katie--has a nice ring to it.

Cut to...our argument today.

Prior knowledge that you'll need (Just read the middle one):

So...there you have it.  Our friendship is ridiculous.
Do you have any ridiculous friends?  No, we're not 15 Katie. 

So exciting that I know so many people with small businesses because they give me free stuff because it's great to see people I know doing what they love and not being a part of WalMart or Target.

Today I dedicate my What I'm Loving Wednesday to the small businesses I know and love.

Crescent Moon Baby
This is a friend of a friend who I have met and ordered from so that makes me my friend, too, by association :)  She makes the CUTEST baby stuff and is the perfect answer to, "I have no idea what to get and I don't want to buy off the registry."



CrossFit 480
Although, at this point, I'm not sure it's still called a small business.  It's raging in that joint.  It's been exciting to watch my gym (Katie you can't call it "your gym" if you only go once a week) go from 7 person classes to tons of classes happening and all of them packed with peeps.  Way to go 480.

If you haven't checked it out and wanna change your life, every 3rd Saturday of the month is free.


Splendid Karma 
My friend, Kris, started this business and it has blown up!  She's having to hire employees left and right.  Why?  Because everything she sells is AH-DOR-A-BLE.  It's all so bright and fun and creative. She has bags, wallets, baby mats, bibs, coasters.  It's all so random and cute.  She's currently in a few stores but the one I frequent the most is Luci's Marketplace.



Malia B Photography
I'm not sure why but she always has this way of bringing tears to my eyes.  Perhaps it's because she's one of my forever friends and I love that.  Or maybe it's because she's quitting her job and fully pursuing her passion of photography.  Or maybe it's because she photographs new babies and they always make me cry.  Or maybe it's because she has this ability to capture the sweetness and sassiness of these babies every single time.  Either way, I'm so happy that my dear friend isn't just another girl with a camera who things she's a photographer.  She's actually a photographer and does amazing work.

You said, "Ghostbusters," didn't you?

I swear to God it's like the world LOVES to play jokes on me.  Sometimes I feel like God gets all the angels together and says, "Watch this.  This is going to be hilar."  Yeah, I'm pretty sure God says hilar.

Katie's Laws:
Good make-up + Cute outfit = I see nobody
Complete Ugliness = I will run into any and everyone


First of all, I don't like wearing make-up or anything other than pajamas on the weekend.  I have to wear make-up, do my hair and wear uncomfy shoes to work every day.  So on the weekends, I feel like I've really been an overachiever if I took a shower, let alone put on make-up.  Hmmm, maybe we can see why you're single Katie.


Today...
I look cute.  Cute weekend outfit (I typed that before I posted the picture above...I was wearing a hoodie.  That's what cute means to me...apparently I don't know what good outfit means judging from the picture above) , I mean as cute as it gets for a rainy day.  Hair is done.  Make-up is on.  Guess who I saw: My friend who is gay and my friend who is a girl who doesn't give a who-ha (My BFF uses that word, I'm testing it out) how I look.

The other day...
My outfit sucked.  It was less than professional and I forgot to put on mascara.  Guess who I saw?  My Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent, and my friend who I really like to look cute for because she always looks cute.

This is just one example...and not a very good one Katie.  Just believe me, it happens a lot.

Why is it that these Katie's Laws are a guarantee for me.  I seriously want to just go and stand on the side of the freeway and show my face, just so I don't feel like I wasted my make-up.  Reminds me of Big Daddy..."We wasted the good surprised on YOU!"  That's actually not what you were talking about at all Katie.  Whatever, that movie is hilar.