Archives: Newsletters

One of my values is “put your heart into it.” This time of year, my heart goes on a wild roller coaster ride. This is when a client must decide whether to sign an engagement letter.

Reflecting on 2024, the year brought several unexpected life events. There were more trips to Arizona than planned. The year began with my son John’s wedding to Alicia on December 31, 2023, in Peoria, Arizona—a beautiful evening of celebration.

Living in Green Bay, WI, we experience both the beauty and the stark reality of a winter wonderland each year. The sight of icicles hanging from trees is breathtaking.

Thanksgiving is a celebration of abundance, a time to focus on all there is to be thankful for. Yet, thoughts of scarcity can still creep in. A recent update to our personal financial statement stirred up mixed emotions. In the early days of starting a business, our financial outlook was bleak.

Most of the time, life in general scares me. Growing up in the country, one of the earliest memories involved walking through my grandfather’s barn. As a child, a cow seemed so intimidating.

The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are getting colder. My garden is dying. Hummingbirds are migrating south. Kids are back in school. I already saw my first autumn red leaf that has fallen and football season is starting! Summer is disappearing and fall is peaking through.

In July my family held a wedding reception for my son, John and his new wife Alicia. The wedding was held in Arizona, where he now lives, but he wanted a family celebration in Wisconsin.

In Green Bay we have had an abundance of rain this past few months! It seems to be raining almost every day. The “norm” for Green Bay, or the 30-year average, is 4.1 inches of precipitation.

In May I got to enjoy the company of my grandson Easton. My son James, and his wife Stephanie escaped the heat of Arizona and came to visit for a week. Easton is 26 months old, very curious, very stealthy and has a heart of gold.

Every so often I wake up and wonder how I have gotten to where I am. In my early thirties life hit me hard. I was 10 years in a painful marriage, overwhelmed being a mom to two active toddlers, and my career was in flux.