tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54979232124988744472024-03-12T15:59:53.575-07:00Incredible WomenFeaturing every-day women who make a differenceKarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17904418232393087897noreply@blogger.comBlogger351125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-44739376948512118252011-06-28T22:48:00.001-07:002011-06-28T22:50:10.276-07:00Is Incredible Women Blog Coming Back?!Hmmm... looks like after that last post, I just dropped the ball with this blog. I recently received an email from a reader who would maybe like to help get this blog back up and running. I'm kind of excited about that. So, I'm really hoping that within the next month or so, Incredible Women will be back!<br /><br />Stay tuned...<br /><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg">Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-50134845569124260182010-11-01T06:40:00.000-07:002010-11-01T07:20:30.028-07:00To my readers:<br /><br />My life is pretty busy - just like yours. I've become so busy lately, I'm having a hard time juggling everything. I've recently decided that I need to simplify a little bit, and I've been thinking a lot about this blog. Why do I do this blog? Well, my reasons for starting it were: I wanted to thank those women who helped me through a difficult time in my life, I wanted to meet new incredible women, and I wanted to help other women to recognize their incredible worth. My reasons for continuing this blog: I think it's a good thing - I've had many women tell me that their interview for the blog helped them to realize they really are important and incredible. It has helped them take time to evaluate their lives, and they like what they see.<br /><br />One of the leaders of my church - Dallin H. Oaks - gave a talk a few years ago. I've been thinking about that talk recently. It was entitled "Good, Better, Best". The basic idea of this talk: We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.<br /><br />Some of the most important things said by Elder Oaks: "We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives."<br /><br />"As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all."<br /><br />I consider these words very wise. This talk was given in October of 2007. Last month, another church leader, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, had something similar to say in his talk "Of Things That Matter Most"<br /><br />"One of the characteristics of modern life seems to be that we are moving at an ever-increasing rate, regardless of turbulence or obstacles. Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives. It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks.<br /><br />Elder Uchtdorf gave some incredibly important advice - it talked to my soul. His suggestions...<br /><br />1. First, our relationship with God is most sacred and vital.<br />2. Our second key relationship is with our families.<br />3. The third key relationship we have is with our fellowman.<br />4. The fourth key relationship is with ourselves.<br /><br />So, looking at that list, my Incredible Women blog would fall under number 3 - behind my relationship to God and my family. I don't mind admitting that more often than not, it comes before those two. So, I've been thinking about how I can simplify my life, and refocus on things that mean more to my family. On Friday, when I realized I didn't have an interview for the blog this week, I told my husband that I thought it might be a good idea to start doing a new interview each month, instead of each week. He seemed to think this was a good idea. As the weekend progressed, I thought more about things, and decided that I was going to quit this blog. But, when I told my husband what my decision was, he said, "Do you think that's the best thing to do? Maybe you should pray about it." Now, that was a surprising thing for me to hear coming from my husband, who has lately been asking me to focus more of my time on the kids. If he thinks this blog is important, then it probably is.<br /><br />This post has been my attempt to explain that I'll be cutting back a little bit on things like this. Because I still feel that it's important to continue to interview women - mostly because it helps them - I'll continue the blog. But, I'm going to cut back to one interview per month. That will cut back on my stress and worries about who to interview. 12 women per year instead of 50+ is a "better" choice.<br /><br />I hope you'll all continue to check back each month and enjoy the interviews I bring you.<br /><br />Thanks for being part of this blog. I'll have a new interview for November up within a few weeks.<br /><br />Take care.<br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg">Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-9217582502030724082010-10-29T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-29T01:00:06.808-07:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TMUFWLkxnPI/AAAAAAAADqA/_OYvhUz3xOo/s1600/Joy+Bossi+IW+title.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531833595916819698" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TMUFWLkxnPI/AAAAAAAADqA/_OYvhUz3xOo/s400/Joy+Bossi+IW+title.gif" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>KARA: "You are so busy all the time – what do you do to relax?"<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#cc0000;">JOY: "Relaxing for me is either playing in my garden or reading."<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><em>KARA: "If you could do anything you want for one day, what would it be?"<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#cc0000;">JOY: "Attend a Temple session with a dear friend, then play with my grandchildren, then go to lunch with a friend I rarely see and then read a good book while munching on chocolate covered raisins."</span><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">KARA: "Tell us your beauty secrets! What makes you happy and healthy?"<br /></span><br /></em><span style="color:#cc0000;">JOY: "When asked to endorse an anti-aging cream for a radio client, I turned down the job, because I told them “I’m really pro aging!” My hair is a lovely silver white, I have earned every wrinkle and consider my voice and my smile to be my beauty ‘secrets’. Finding contentment where ever I am and whatever I am doing, plus being really, really good at waiting, keeps me happy."</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>I've loved every minute of this week - getting to know Joy. I hope you've enjoyed it as well. If you haven't visited Joy's website - <a href="http://www.joyinthegarden.com/"><span style="color:#663366;">Joy in the Garden</span> </a>- please take a minute to look it up. Don't forget that Joy has a new book available there as well. We'll keep this whole interview up through Sunday night, in case you didn't get to read the whole thing. Have a great weekend!<br /></em></span><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-78580204742867192452010-10-28T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-28T01:00:02.752-07:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TMUFWLkxnPI/AAAAAAAADqA/_OYvhUz3xOo/s1600/Joy+Bossi+IW+title.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531833595916819698" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TMUFWLkxnPI/AAAAAAAADqA/_OYvhUz3xOo/s400/Joy+Bossi+IW+title.gif" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>Kara: "Tell us about the trials you’ve faced in your life – how has faith played a role in overcoming those trials?"</em><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joy: "For the most part, my trials are personal ones in areas most people face – health issues, loss of a husband, no employment, critically ill children, caregiver to my mother before she passed away, and the little everyday trials that wear away at your stamina. In every case, my faith is firm that if you keep your feet moving, God will direct your footsteps and you will end up where you should be... which often is not where you thought you wanted to be. At painful crossroads I’ve always known that I need to step into the dark without the light, before the light shows up on the other side to show me the way."<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>Kara: "You’ve done so much during your life – what are your TOP 5 adventures?"</em><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joy: "Parasailing over the Caribbean ocean<br />Driving along the Grand Canyon of the Pacific<br />Flying 1st Class to England<br />Rafting the Green River with my children<br />Tracking down the people that broke into a neighbor's house."</span><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">Wow - that last one sounds like it would be a great story! Tomorrow is my last day with Joy. I'll talk to her about relaxing, and her beauty secrets. Please join us then.</span></em><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-48645295500057027532010-10-27T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-28T08:32:32.829-07:00Incredible Woman #53 - Joy Bossi. Gardening...<em>Kara: "I’ve been reading about your business – a garden consulting business. You’ve got a Saturday morning talk show called “Joy in the Garden”, and you also appear regularly on TV. I’d love to know all about the different aspects of your job. Do tell!"
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<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joy: "When I worked at Redwood Nursery & Landscape about 25 years ago, I side stepped into TV appearances with Rebecca Reheis on her weather spots for Channel 2. When she left the state (Utah), she asked me to audition for “Growing Sense”,and I did little gardening segments for Channel 2 and then Channel 13. 16 years ago I started on the Radio at 7 am on Saturday mornings for KALL, then moved to KNRS, and that’s where you’ll find me every Saturday morning, 9-11 am. When I’m in Pittsburgh, I broadcast from a ClearChannel studio there so I am always working even when I’m on the road. As a consultant I visit client’s homes and answer questions <em>‘is this a weed?’</em> <em>‘how do I prune?’</em> <em>‘what will grow here?’</em> and anything else they need to know about their gardens. I’ve traveled from Brigham City to Payson, and Park City to Grantsville, as well as all the major Wasatch Front cities."
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<br /><em>Kara: "Along with everything else you do with gardening, you’ve also got a website: </em><a href="http://www.joyinthegarden.com/"><em><span style="color:#663366;">Joy in the Garden</span></em></a><em>. Describe the website."
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<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joy: "The site has a new design, which I love. It is now interactive – and I’m a novice at working with it, so I have lots to learn. This entire electronic communication business is just this side of baffling to me, but I often jump in to new experiences to see what I can learn (sometime successfully, sometimes I drop back and punt instead)!"
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<br />Visit Joy's website, <a href="http://www.joyinthegarden.com/">JOY IN THE GARDEN </a>and you'll find a wonderful new book: <a href="http://joyinthegarden.com/new-book">Joy In Your Garden</a>, co-authored by Joy Bossi, and Karen Bastow!</div>
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<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TMUKBapJV1I/AAAAAAAADqI/e1zYvSdCycM/s1600/600_Joy_in_Your_Garden_front_cover.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 175px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531838736742569810" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TMUKBapJV1I/AAAAAAAADqI/e1zYvSdCycM/s400/600_Joy_in_Your_Garden_front_cover.jpg" /></a>
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<br />Come back tomorrow and read about Joy's trials and her Top 5 adventures! See you then...
<br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-30561552576086939462010-10-26T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-28T08:31:56.690-07:00Incredible Woman #53 - Joy Bossi. Being a Mailman and Grandma...<em><span style="color:#000000;">Kara: "One of the most interesting things you told me about yourself was that you were the first female mailman (person?) in Salt Lake! Tell us all about that. When was it? What did your job entail?"<br /></span><br /></em><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joy: "The summer of 1967, the Civil Rights Act was extended to gov’t employees, including the Postal Service. Until that time men were carriers, women were clerks. The pay differential was 3 times the clerk for the carrier. Because I scored very high on the Civil Service Exam they were required to offer me a carrier position – after vigorously trying to talk me out of the “exceptionally hard” job. I needed the money for my next year in College and took the Carrier position. At that time my 5’2” little self was only 125 lbs – fairly slim and trim. There wasn’t a female uniform so they settled on knee length shorts with loops for a belt (a zillion keys to carry), pastel blouse, knee socks (white) and boat shoes. BUT I still needed to wear a regulation blue/grey carrier’s hat. Kids on my route called me ‘Mrs. Mailman’. I delivered mail on many routes, filling in for carriers on vacation; I had a regular pickup route in the Avenues; delivered parcels and had a regular Special Delivery (‘Speedies’) route on Saturdays."</span><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">Kara: "You’re a grandma now, right? How is being a grandma different from being a mom? What is your favorite thing about having grandkids?"<br /></span></em><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joy: "I now have 2 grandchildren: Linus born 5/04/05, and Wren born 10/09/10. The biggest difference between mom and grandmom is that I am rarely on 24 hour duty. The worries, laughs, wonderment are all a little sharper and more deeply felt because I know my time with them is relatively limited. Not just by distance, they live in Pittsburgh, but by length of life. I may be blessed to see great grandchildren, but that is certainly not a given."<br /></span><br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">Tomorrow I'll talk to Joy about her gardening consulting business, her morning talk show, and her website! Don't miss it!</span></em><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-65917804264564581732010-10-25T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-28T08:31:19.285-07:00Incredible Woman #53 - Joy Bossi. Self and Family...<span style="color:#000000;"><em>I'm pleased to bring you my interview with Joy Bossi. Joy was nominated by one of our previous Incredible Women, and it was a pleasure to get to know her. Enjoy!!<br /><br />Kara: "Describe yourself. What makes you an Incredible Woman?"<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joy: "I have a hard time thinking of me as incredible – I am a credibly happy, content and optimistic person. The thousands of people I’ve had the opportunity to meet over my lifetime constitute my greatest ‘likes’. I’ve been blessed with a son of unusual talents and a daughter of great discernment – she married my son-in-law – and tenacity. Gardening renews my soul and traveling has opened my eyes to the wonders of the world around me. If I could alternate between doing two things for the rest of my life it would be reading and gardening... after the time spent with my family."</span><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">Kara: "Describe your family – tell us one thing you’ve learned from each member of your family."</span><br /></em><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joy: "Michael – my son, from him I’ve learned that my life path is not the only or even the best one. Marie – my daughter, I’ve learned that obstacles don’t need to stop us, they just make things take a little longer. Richy – my son-in-law, I’ve learned that perseverance and love make the world go around. Linus – my grandson, I’ve learned that riding a two wheeled bicycle is tricky and it’s nervous being five when you haven’t done it before. Wren- my granddaughter, has shown a new baby brings people together in love, even people you don’t really know tell you how wonderful the new baby is."</span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TMUEwwfI3PI/AAAAAAAADp4/OFihAaITR0w/s1600/Joy+in+the+garden+1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 317px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531832952990260466" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TMUEwwfI3PI/AAAAAAAADp4/OFihAaITR0w/s400/Joy+in+the+garden+1.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">I LOVE this cute picture of Joy, and her grandson, Linus.<br /><br />Each day this week, I'll post 2 more questions/answers from my interview with Joy. Hope you'll join us.<br /></span></em><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-18433222732011747792010-10-24T21:02:00.000-07:002010-10-24T21:04:39.254-07:00Under Construction...The blog is under construction tonight, as I get ready to bring you my interview with the next Incredible Woman, Joy Bossi. Check back tomorrow when the first two questions/answers will appear. See you then!<br /><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-54865978064824596032010-10-17T20:43:00.000-07:002010-10-17T20:45:59.338-07:00Incredible Women has the FLU!Yep - the whole blog (me) has the flu! It's a hum-dinger, too. Please forgive me for blowing off the blog this week, but I can hardly drag myself off the bed to type this. There is no way I can get the blog ready for another week right now.<br /><br />However, when next week rolls around, I've got another Incredible Woman to introduce to you, so please come back. Have a good week.<br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg">Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-51993166384824566092010-10-15T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-17T20:43:10.566-07:00Incredible Woman #52 - Lynn Woodard. "I am a..."<em>KARA: "What advice would you give to friends and family of a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient?"<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "A survivor will have many what I call...Bigger than me days! I personally started writing my motivational blog a month before I was diagnosed with Cancer for the 2nd time, here is what I wrote about my Bigger Than Me Days!<br /><br />"When I was diagnosed with Cancer almost 7 years ago, one important thing that I learned was that there would be days that are bigger than me, or I should say bigger than my ability to handle them. I learned to just realize that they are going to be there and not to stress too much about them. I also noted, that if there were a lot of those days, then I needed to worry about that and take action. I don't have a lot of them, but I have seemed to struggle more than normal this past week and so I didn't write in my blog. Then a dear friend said to me, "But you should write about those days because we all have them and it is good to know that you aren't the only one."<br /><br />So friends and family: just listen, just be there... you just need to support them in all the decisions they make. Don't try to tell them what to do or not do, it is their body and their battle. They will know what to do. Let them feel and hurt, but just be there for them when they need you. NO one wants to go through Recnac ( cancer ) alone!"</span><br /><br /><em>KARA: "Finish this sentence… “I am a..."</em><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "I am a daughter of God, a wife, mother, Nana (grandmother), sister, friend. I am blessed!"</span><br /><br /><em>Lynn asked me to share this cute picture of her little sweetie pie grandkids:</em><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TLW5BnlZtwI/AAAAAAAADpY/mSc3YS3I5UU/s1600/Lynn+Woodard+granddaughters.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527527555124016898" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TLW5BnlZtwI/AAAAAAAADpY/mSc3YS3I5UU/s400/Lynn+Woodard+granddaughters.jpg" /></a><em>That picture says it all - it's all the reason in the world to fight Cancer!<br /><br />Thanks to Lynn this week, for sharing this difficult journey with us. It's women like Lynn who got me through my cancer journey. She has given so much great advice this week - advice that anyone can use, whether they are a cancer patient, or not. Thanks so much! I hope all of you enjoyed going <span style="color:#ff6666;">PINK</span> this week! Have a great weekend. (Fall break... here I come!)</em><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-29623359858120630502010-10-14T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-17T20:42:29.600-07:00Incredible Woman #52 - Lynn Woodard. Advice...<em>KARA: "Do you have a favorite book or quote or song that became meaningful to you during your cancer journey?"</em><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "With my first cancer, the song I memorized was Bring on the Rain. Can't remember the artist that sang it right now. My favorite books were the scriptures, I never read them so desperately and deeply as I did then, because I knew that is ultimately where I would find my answers, and peace. The type of peace that the world could not give me! I also love the book CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SURVIVORS SOUL, it had a ton of survivor's stories and experiences. It was nice to know you aren't the only one going through some of these things!"<br /><br /></span><em>KARA: "What advice would you give to a woman who is newly diagnosed with breast cancer?"<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "So, I keep thinking to myself what I tell other women who I counsel about when things of this magnitude hit their lives? The first thing is to get all the information, next to pick their team mates - who are your main supporters that become so vital for you? Make sure you only pick people who believe in you and support you in whatever decision you make, people who trust that you have the wherewithall to make the right decision. There are tons of people out there willing to give you their opinions and remind you of all the things that could go wrong and tell you what to do, even though they have never been in this situation before. Personally, I wouldn't pick them to support you. Making decisions like these are Big and you don't need any bad energy that some people have to share. I would tell these sweet women to get back to the basics, find out what their core beliefs are. Do they believe in a God or not? That is real important, because these situations make you face exactly how much you can take, and it is vital to know that you don't have to do any of this ALONE unless you choose to. And last,but not least, I would say to them have FAITH - faith to know that we all have the answers inside us to the tough questions that come in our lives. Faith that your Heavenly Father will be there and will help you fight these battles. Faith in the Savior Jesus Christ, He truly understands what we are going through and will help comfort us and give us a peace that the world doesn't have to offer. The women like I mentioned before, that I have met along the way in life, are amazing women and they all seem to be tougher than they even imagined that they could be. Everyone of them come from all walks of life, all different religious beliefs, but understand that we are given these things for a reason and we all have been the better and stronger for it.<br /><br />I keep reading this poem that I have on my mirror and I know that it helps me realize the bigger picture of life, instead of dwelling on the problems that I am having right now. It goes like this...</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;">"OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS NOT THAT WE ARE INADEQUATE. OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS THAT WE ARE POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE. IT IS OUR LIGHT, NOT OUR DARKNESS, THAT MOST FRIGHTENS US. WE ASK OURSELVES, WHO AM I TO BE BRILLIANT, GORGEOUS, TALENTED, FABULOUS? ACTUALLY, WHO ARE YOU NOT TO BE? YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. YOUR PLAYING SMALL DOES NOT SERVE THE WORLD. THERE IS NOTHING ENLIGHTENING ABOUT SHRINKING SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE WON'T FEEL UNSURE AROUND YOU. WE WERE BORN TO MAKE MANIFEST THE GLORY OF GOD THAT IS WITHIN US. IT IS NOT JUST IN SOME OF US; IT IS IN EVERYONE. AS WE LET OUR OWN LIGHT SHINE, WE UNCONSCIOUSLY GIVE OTHER PEOPLE PERMISSION TO DO THE SAME. AS WE ARE LIBERATED FROM OUR OWN FEAR, OUR PRESENCE AUTOMATICALLY LIBERATES OTHERS." -Marianne Williamson</span><br /><br /><em>Join us tomorrow for the last day of our PINK WEEK with Lynn.</em><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-59313995080514885232010-10-13T06:32:00.001-07:002010-10-14T11:48:01.202-07:00Incredible Woman #52 - Lynn Woodard. Lessons learned, and Changes<em>KARA: "What did you learn during your cancer journey?"<br /><br /></em><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "I learned that with the help of my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ that I can do just about anything. I have become much closer to Christ, how grateful I am that He suffered all things so that He would know how to succor His people. I know that when no one else understood my fears, worries, thoughts... that He did and He was there to comfort and strengthen me. I will always be grateful for this experience and the opportunity to know Him better!"<br /></span><br /><em>KARA: "What have you changed as a result of your cancer diagnosis?"<br /><br /></em><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "Time has changed for me. I am not nearly in such a hurry any more. I want to appreciate and spend each minute that I have left here on earth. Some things that I thought were so important have now lessed in my priorities. I want to slow down and enjoy every little thing more!"</span><br /><br /><em>Join us again tomorrow, as my interview with Lynn continues...<br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" /></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-43422263103492827302010-10-12T06:05:00.001-07:002010-10-13T06:37:17.398-07:00Incredible Woman #52 - Lynn Woodard. Hardest Thing, and What Helped...<em>KARA: "What was the hardest thing you had to go through during your cancer journey?"</em><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "Nights are the worst! Why, is it that the night time is the hardest when you are sick, lonely, sad or concerned about something? It is like the whole world is asleep and you are left completely alone with your thoughts.<br /><br />It is weird remembering things that I experienced almost 9 years ago with my cancer, in some ways it is better because I know what to expect. Still in other ways it is worse, because I KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT!"</span><br /><br /><em>KARA: "What helped get you through it?"<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "Three things helped us that stand out in my mind. First is we changed the name Cancer to Recnac (that is Cancer spelled backwards). That was my kids' idea 9 years ago when I was diagnosed with Recnac for the first time. We decided as a family that Recnac was alot easier to talk about, not as scary and that we actually took some power from the cancer when we did that. Sounds funny but it worked. When my kids would tell anyone that their Mom had cancer, they would in return talk about all their family or friends who had cancer. Most of those stories weren't very good ones, and in most of the end of the story ... someone died. To this day, we don't know anyone who died from Recnac. We are not just trying to be ignorant or silly about such a serious disease, we just needed to take back some of our power and that is exactly what Recnac did for us. My son even designs a Recnac logo and we use it on the Recnac gifts that we have created for other survivors. Hopefully someday you will see them out there and available to your loved one who have been diagnosed with Recnac. We even designed Recnac monsters for little kids who are going through Recnac themselves or who have a loved one going through it!<br /><br />Second is ...Knowledge is power! I do know that no problem, trial or pain that we experience is wasted. With these struggles come the ability to develop more patience, faith, courage and humility. Life truly changes when you go through trials of this magnitude and it is up to me if it changes for the better or worse. So no matter whether I think I can do this ...ready or not...I need to start moving forward with more faith and courage.<br /><br />Third is...the love of family and friends! They were my rocks!"</span><br /><br /><em>KARA: "How did your cancer diagnosis change your life?"<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "I am much more patient and compassionate. I seem to be watching people more, wondering what type of battle they are fighting on their own and how I can help them. I truly understand what it means to have chronic pain. Along with cancer, I have had many problems with my health. I now judge less often. We just don't know by looking at someone, how their life is going."</span><br /><br /><em>Tomorrow, Lynn will talk about what she learned during her cancer journey, and how she changed during that time. Please join us again.</em><br /><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-53404512493595246162010-10-11T06:54:00.000-07:002010-10-12T06:14:22.869-07:00Incredible Woman #52 - Lynn Woodard. Diagnosis, and Family...The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and <span style="color:#ff6666;">THIS WEEK, WE ARE GOING PINK HERE ON INCREDIBLE WOMEN!<br /></span><br />I'm a Breast Cancer survivor - it's not a title I ever wanted. It's not a "club" I ever wanted to be part of. BUT... I am. This "club" - this sisterhood - is actually an incredible thing. Because I'm a "member", I've been privileged to meet several wonderful women who are survivors as well. One of those women is a good friend, Janie Squire - my first "Incredible Woman" here on this blog. Through Janie I was introduced to Lynn Woodard - who is also a Breast Cancer survivor (2 times!). She's got a wonderful <a href="http://www.learningfromlynn.blogspot.com/">blog</a> that I've enjoyed reading. I've been waiting a whole year to interview Lynn, so that her interview would be posted during October. So, this week I'm really happy to introduce you to Lynn Woodard. I know you'll be amazed by her story, and by Lynn herself. (Lynn has shared some of the posts from her blog in answer to some of the questions.) Enjoy!!!<br /><br /><br /><em>KARA: "What were you diagnosed with, and what treatments did you have?"</em><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "The battle begins... Breast cancer again - November 2008! Someone once said that it is scary to go into a battle when you know nothing about your enemy,not their strategies, their weapons, defense and so on. I really believe that is true, and that is why we have felt such incredible fear lately. We knew that we had to fight cancer again but... didn't know any details of size, growth, type or anything else, so finally tonight we got the long awaited call. I am so tired that I will try to make this short and hopefully be able to at least inform you of what we are up against. I need to remember that you don't need or probably want to know ,all the numbers and figures that they gave us tonight and so I will try to summarize it.<br />We received good and bad news tonight, but we felt more good than bad. I guess with all the surprises and stats that we had, we thought the worst was ahead of us, so in some ways, it seemed a bit hopeful. (haven't said that word of a while) So here at the notes and I will try to explain them.<br /><br />*The lump node that they did the biopsy on and were almost sure was positive for cancer WAS NOT. (GOOD)<br />*The two tumors were smaller than they originally measured (GOOD)<br />*Both tumors are what they call ICTIS cancer, that just means that they have spread past their cell was and have infiltrated the breast tissue (BAD)<br />*The number of how fast the tumor is spreading, is lower than they expected it to be (GOOD)<br />*The possibility and probability of losing the breast is high (BAD)<br /></span><br /><br /><em>KARA: "How did your cancer diagnosis affect your family and friends?"<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">LYNN: "Jeff, of course, was my rock as usual. I would have never made it this far in life without him. What an amazing man he is. Amy, John, Brad and Krystal already knew about the previous tests and concerns of the past 3 weeks but we hadn't worried Lee and Lauren with it ...just in case there was no need. It was hard telling Lee and Lauren, they both really cried hard and I could see that fear crept back into their eyes. I was up till 11:00pm trying to reassure Lee that things will be alright and that we will never be given more than we can handle.<br /><br />Almost 7 years ago when I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, I remember crying and being depressed all the time,for the first few days and the kids did the same. It didn't take me too long to remember that I was the mom, the heart of the home and that I needed to some how pull myself together. I asked Amy (my oldest daughter) yesterday if she was really alright. Her reply was classic "I'm ok MOM, if you are ok?"<br /><br />And so I need to be ok, for my sake, for my families' sake. We have fought this battle before, and I am sure we can do it again. I wish that I wasn't so TIRED. It is much harder to fight when you are this exhausted but... we will."</span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TLMnLe4YquI/AAAAAAAADpQ/mWdxJzW9orA/s1600/Lynn+Woodard+Family.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 284px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526804245935336162" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TLMnLe4YquI/AAAAAAAADpQ/mWdxJzW9orA/s400/Lynn+Woodard+Family.jpg" /></a><br /><em>Please come back for a few minutes each day - I'll share 2 questions/answers from my interview with Lynn each day. See you tomorrow.<br /></em><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-67922313181331710342010-10-08T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-08T01:00:00.389-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKlCkJhpEwI/AAAAAAAADmI/WEtqmPTgkaM/s1600/Macey+france+IW+title.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 365px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKlCkJhpEwI/AAAAAAAADmI/WEtqmPTgkaM/s400/Macey+france+IW+title.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524019606746370818" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "I read something about you owning 30 Pumpkin Spice candles! Haha! That just happens to be my favorite candle flavor and it comes out at my house every Fall. Speaking of Fall, what do you do to celebrate this time out year? What are your favorite things about Fall? How do you decorate for Fall?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MACEY: "Oh, Fall is my favorite season!! I totally deck the house out at Fall. I go with lots of leaves and foliage, gourds, scarecrows, cornstalks, etc. I love the colors, the smells, the warming up for the holiday season. And the pumpkin candles? Well, I'm afraid that someone will decide that they are out of style one day and I won't get anymore. So I buy em every time I see em. I know, it's a sickness, really."</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Share your beauty secrets with us! What makes you feel happy and healthy?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MACEY: "I don't really have any beauty secrets! I have worn make up since I was about 14 because it always makes me more comfortable. I try to play up the eyes because I like them the best. Lately I have changed my eating habits to cut out most processed foods and eat mostly natural meats, fruits and veggies. I have also added drinking water to my day to day routine. I used to be addicted to Diet Coke and now I don't drink it. Don't get me wrong, I still love DC, but it's just not healthy as water. I always feel healthy and happy when I know that I'm putting food that is healthy in my body. It honestly does make you feel better! And the bonus to all the healthy eating and cutting out the processed food is that you lose weight! Bonus, for sure!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks goes to Macey for the fun interview this week. I enjoyed getting to know Macey - hope you did too! Her interview will be here throughout the weekend.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">If you know of any Incredible Women you'd like to nominate, please let me know - I'd love to interview them! <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">kara(dot)incrediblewomen(at)gmail(dot)com</span></span><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-15194025056347817882010-10-07T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-08T08:52:11.269-07:00Incredible Woman #52 - Macey France. Laughing, and Blogging...<span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: Tell us about this problem you have of laughing uncontrollably! What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MACEY: "Oh, no. I didn't read these questions before I started answering, so this one took my by surprise. The laughing uncontrollable is a horrible impairment!! I mean, laughing at funerals? Gah! I can only say it's a nervous reaction. I hope, anyway. I really hope I'm not that twisted! The funniest thing that ever happened to me? Geez, I have so many things! From saying stupid or inappropriate things to potty humor, etc. How 'bout this one? I peed my pants when I was at a slumber party once. I was 14. Of course, this doesn't compare to the "Sharting in Walmart" episode. Which happened last month."</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Tell us about your blog – <a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://4livinginfrance.blogspot.com/">“Living in France – Confessions of a stay at home mom who needs to get out more”</a>. I LOVE that name! Why did you start blogging? What kinds of things do you blog about?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MACEY: "The name is a really funny story...I had seen all of these blogs (which surprised me, really, because I had no clue about blogs at all) and I thought it would be neat if I could figure out how to do it. I named it way before I decided if I would do one or not. It's a play on my name and it's subtitle is exactly what it means. I'm a very "close to home" type gal. I don't go many places and I live in a small town. We have family in large cities and when we go visit I'm always shocked and in awe from what I see. I wouldn't say I'm a "country bumpkin" but the people that I encounter on these trips, or even in my own town at times, can really shock me. I realized when I found blogging that there is stuff going on in the world that I really never knew about. There are times that I'm amazed at something I don't know about and I always wonder if it's because I'm an at home mom or because of the small town or what. I talk about all kinds of things...mostly observations on people and every day life. Being a mom, a wife, a novice crafter. It all makes for some funny stories for me since I tend to do everything the hard way!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Tomorrow is the last day of my interview with Macey - hope you don't miss it!</span><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-58792242397166108742010-10-06T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-08T08:51:32.530-07:00Incredible Women #52 - Macey France. Reading, and Top 5 Adventures...<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">KARA: "You’ve told me that you are passionate about getting kids to read. What kinds of things do you do to help kids read? It sounds like you love books. Describe your blog called “Read with Girlfriends”."</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">MACEY: "Right now, having small children, my first priority is helping them to be great readers. We start early and we read to them all the time. When my oldest got to KG, he became more and more interested in sounding the letters and words out on his own. He went in not knowing how to read at all and by the end of October he was reading at 1st grade level. Now he's in 2nd grade and reading at about 4th grade level.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">My youngest is in preschool and we are just starting to get him prepared to start reading. I know that when a child can read, he/she can do anything! Reading is such a wonderful thing. It promotes imagination, grammatical skills, spelling, and many other things! I love to pick up a book and be transported in time or space to a whole other world. I want kids to feel that too.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">When my youngest is in school full time I plan to volunteer at the schools with reading help. They always need helpers and reading is a huge problem area with certain children.</span><br /><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)" href="http://www.readwithgirlfriends.blogspot.com/"><span style="COLOR: rgb(153,51,153)">Read With Girlfriends</span> </a><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">was started by my friend, Jessica, and I. We started it because we both love to read and want to share our love of books with friends. We can discuss the books we read on the blog and get feedback from other women who read with us. It's a great community of readers who love to talk about the books we've read and also promotes their blogs and their reading preferences! I've been led to some wonderful books mentioned by our followers! </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">KARA: "What are the top 5 adventures you’ve had in your life so far? What’s next on your list of things to do?</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">MACEY: "The top 2 are definitely my pregnancies and giving birth to my 2 wonderful boys. They were both adventures in their own right. I'm very proud of that.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">3rd thing would be helping my husband through the process of finding and reconnecting with his biological family.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">4th would be marriage in general. From the beginning where you plan the wedding all the way through to today. I once got a book titled "After the Wedding Comes a Marriage," or something to that effect. I always thought that was such a perfect title. The wedding is nothing. It's everything after that counts.</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,0,0)">5th thing is motherhood. People might say, "you already said that when you talked about giving birth to your boys." Well, motherhood and pregnancy are two very different things. Maybe I should write a book called, "After a Pregnancy Comes Motherhood!"</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Haha! I love that title - Macey, I think you should write that book - maybe with contributing stories from lots of moms. :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Tomorrow Macey talks about her sometimes uncontrollable laughter, and all about her blog - Living in France. Hope you'll come back and visit.</span><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-64884685089612172962010-10-05T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-06T06:54:02.991-07:00Incredible Woman #52 - Macey France. Etsy Shop, and Trials...<span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "I understand you have an Etsy shop. For those readers who don’t know what that is, tell us about Etsy. And then, tell us about your shop! What kinds of things do you sale?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MACEY: "Etsy is an online store where you can buy vintage or handmade goods from thousands of different "shops." I share the shop with my mom and sister who both have talents that I like to showcase. It is called <a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/cursingcrafter">Cursing Crafter</a> and if you read my blog you will see why. I used to have a potty mouth while making things. I'd make a mistake or drop something and use a curse word. It was mostly in my head, but I swear, if you could've heard me you would have thought I had a degree in Sailor Speak. I make all kinds of things...just for fun. Things I like, things I think are pretty. My mom crochets blankets and my sister is a wonderful artist. Right now I have a couple of her wood burnings on there. </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Tell us about some of the trials you’ve faced throughout your life. How did you overcome those trials and what kinds of lessons have your learned?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MACEY: "I can't really think of any trials. I mean, as a child, I was plump and made fun of by my peers. I overcame that by losing weight and sharing some choice words with those peers. Ha! As an adult the thing that I've faced was being diagnosed with MS at 27. Luckily I have a wonderful support system in my family and friends. I also am blessed with insurance that allows me to be able to take advantage of having a great neurologist, primary care physician and the treatments available for my condition. It's all very difficult to overcome. You never really do, in fact. You just learn to deal. You also try to stay positive. Which is very difficult at times, but when you have good family and friends, it makes it easier. I also believe in God and that really helps me also. I know that it's not for me to understand why things happen the way they happen. I'm not to know. Which is frustrating, but does lend a sense of relief too."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I've met so many people who, when asked about the trials they've faced, can't really think of any - just like Macey. Of course, I'd call having MS a trial, but can't you just appreciate her attitude toward it? There really is nothing we can do about most of the trials we are faced with, except deal with them the best way possible.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Tomorrow I'll talk to Macey about her passion with getting kids to read, and also the top 5 adventures she's had in her life. See you then...</span><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-57509351286939269212010-10-04T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-05T09:05:45.287-07:00Incredible Woman #52 - Macey France. Self, and Family...<span style="font-style: italic;">This week I'm please to introduce Macey France - an Incredible blogger! Macey was nominated by one of our previous Incredible Women - HolleeAnn Vasquez. Thanks to HolleeAnn, I have a new blog to follow. ;-) Macey's blog button is there on the right sidebar. Take some time this week to visit. I know you'll love her blog. Let's get this interview going...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Describe yourself. What makes you an Incredible Woman?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MACEY: "I'm not sure I would ever call myself and incredible woman. I do the same stuff all SAHM's do, the only difference is that I may be a little more tired because my brain likes to run around and around and around... usually going in full circle and driving myself nuts! When I get the chance to relax, I love to read, craft and blog."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Tell us about each member of your family – what one word would you use to describe each one? What do you love about each member of your family?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MACEY: "On my blog I call my oldest son Big Boy. It's so hard to come up with one word to describe him! I guess I would say "Smart." Which sounds kind of boring or perhaps cliche, because all moms tend to think their children are smart. But he really is! And he's little, which always makes people wonder if he's younger than he is. He is 7. They are amazed he is so intelligent and mature for his age and size.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">My youngest is called Little Boy on my blog. He is 4. I would use the word "Spunky" for him. He's always ready to go; up early and happy about it. He's always ready to do something fun, he's silly as all get-out and just really charming. Of course that is when he is not throwing a tantrum.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">My husband I would say "Steadfast." He is always the same guy. He isn't flighty; he makes smart decisions and he's loyal."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Each day I'll post 2 questions/answers from my interview with Macey, so take some time and visit, ok?</span><br /><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-6619881312124724892010-10-03T19:53:00.001-07:002010-10-03T19:54:09.388-07:00UNDER CONSTRUCTIONGetting ready for another week on Incredible Women. Come back tomorrow and meet Macey France.<br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg">Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-19017487367329167682010-10-01T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-03T19:52:49.853-07:00Incredible Woman #51 - Kay Kanter. The Future, and Beauty Secrets...<span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Where do you see yourself in the future – 10 years, 20 years, 30 years? Tell us some of your short and long-term goals."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "My goals… hmm. Yes, I set goals for everything. Goals are the key to success. When I set my mind to it, I can achieve it. My parents always told me that I have always reached my goals. I have a plan in my head and I keep going, until I reach it. My short term goal is the same one, in my house, every day. We start our day happy and end our day happy. There is no fighting or screaming in our house in the morning. That just starts everyone’s day off grumpy. And we go to sleep happy. I want my kids to remember that our home was happy. “Happiness is a journey, not a destination.”</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">I have goals for my photography business. My first and foremost goal is: as a business woman, I insist on keeping the gospel in mind when making all of my decisions. Shortcuts are not my way of business. Compared to some businesses, my shop is little. I am winning over big clients, even though my business is new and small. I give amazing customer service and stand by my word. I don’t get a lot of sleep (haha). I keep my deadlines. I work hard to make my clients happy. I have more than exceeded my goals for this year with my business, because of my success and clientele.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Long term goals are just as important. I must maintain my family life and business life. In order to be completely successful, I must be sure to keep my business life and home life, separate. I must nurture both and not ignore either. I must remember to be humble and grateful for all of my blessings. Family must come first."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Share your beauty secrets with us! What makes you feel happy and healthy?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "Beauty? Hmmm, beauty comes from within! As a pro-photog, I can absolutely agree with that. You can be the most stunning woman in the room, but if you are ugly inside, you will be standing all alone. I have a pretty heart. I try hard to be a good person. I think, there is a fine line between being self confident and being vain. In order to be confident, you must not doubt your actions. If you are not a liar, you will always remember what you say. It is funny how, now that I am pushing mid forties, all of a sudden “outside beauty doesn’t matter”. Hahaha, that cracks me up. I cut off my long hair to make my mom a wig, when she was going through chemo. It’s growing back now. I still love my super long eye lash extensions!"</span><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKVRC8gGjEI/AAAAAAAADmA/UJeckaxlV8s/s1600/kay+kanter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKVRC8gGjEI/AAAAAAAADmA/UJeckaxlV8s/s400/kay+kanter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522909629082143810" /></a><br />Wow! What a wonderful week here on Incredible Women! I loved interviewing Kay. I hope you enjoyed the interview, too. Thanks, Kay!!! I'm crossing my fingers that someday I'll be able to meet Kay in person. ;-) This interview will be posted in it's entirety through Sunday. Spread the word to everyone you know about Incredible Women - I'd love to share all these women with lots of people out there. Have a great weekend!<br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-49329054012663506222010-09-30T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-03T19:52:12.994-07:00Incredible Woman #51 - Kay Kanter. Charity work, and Family fun...<span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "You are very much into charity work. Tell us about what you are working on."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "My passion is my charity work. I am one of the volunteer photographers</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">that works with </span><a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.com/">Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep</a><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAitGDdOaI/AAAAAAAADlg/myZ1tGUJTpw/s1600/hands+-+kay+kantor+photo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAitGDdOaI/AAAAAAAADlg/myZ1tGUJTpw/s400/hands+-+kay+kantor+photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521451301270796706" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">This is a world wide program. I get calls from the hospitals when a baby dies or is near death. I rush to the hospital to take portraits of the babies and their parents. I come back and make them beautiful, put them together as a slide show, and give them to the family, free of charge. The families are very grateful. I often am asked to go to the baby's funeral, also. My goal is to take care of the family without crying in front of them. I usually sit in the parking lot to cry for a few minutes before I leave them. It is a sad thing, but they are so very thankful. The slide shows come out beautiful. Then they will have images and not only memories of their precious baby forever.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">My other charity is my own creation. It is called <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.kaykanterphotography.com/index2.php#/contact/">For My Mama a Cancer</a></span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.kaykanterphotography.com/index2.php#/contact/"><br /></a><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.kaykanterphotography.com/index2.php#/contact/">Photography Project</a>.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAjNbnwK5I/AAAAAAAADlo/jQZT8VN8GYE/s1600/ForMyMamaLogo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 104px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAjNbnwK5I/AAAAAAAADlo/jQZT8VN8GYE/s400/ForMyMamaLogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521451856815991698" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">I created this program in honor of my mom. She was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. I couldn't imagine, not being able to remember her face, if she was to pass. I have been interviewed on several TV stations for this program.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAjeEW06JI/AAAAAAAADlw/1bVPIkmgEoo/s1600/park+city+tv+interview+-+kay+kantor.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAjeEW06JI/AAAAAAAADlw/1bVPIkmgEoo/s320/park+city+tv+interview+-+kay+kantor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521452142628759698" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">I offer to do a photo shoot for the cancer patient and their family, for free, and I give them an 8x10. I am working on my non-profit license for this program. I have had such a great response from Huntsman Cancer Center and other medical facilities in</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Colorado. It makes me feel good to help."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Boy, I really wish Kay had been there while I was going through cancer to make me look pretty! What a wonderful thing to do for cancer patients. I hope we can all take a page out of Kay's book of service, and find something we can do to help someone in need.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Your greatest passion is your family. Describe some of your favorite memories of your family. What do you like to do together?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "I love my little family. We start every morning the same way. Right before our alarm goes off, my son and daughter wake me up. (I am not sure why they don’t wake up daddy, but it is a nice way to start the day.) Everyone climbs into our bed. We snuggle and talk. It is so peaceful."</span><br /><br />Tomorrow is the last day of Kay's interview. Please join us as she shares her goals, and her beauty secrets with us.<br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-62574326724225547442010-09-29T01:00:00.000-07:002010-09-30T20:12:38.425-07:00Incredible Woman #51 - Kay Kanter. Trials, and Photography...<span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Tell us about some of the trials you’ve faced throughout your life. How did you overcome those trials and what kinds of lessons have your learned?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "Life is always full of trials. Mine was several years ago, when the jeep I was driving, was run over by a semi-truck. I was sitting at a red light and he didn’t stop for the light. My jeep was crushed around me. I remember opening my eyes and looking at the stars. That’s because the roof of my jeep was torn right off! This accident made me blind. Most people, who know me as a professional photographer, don’t know that I used to be blind. I was a student at the school for the blind in Denver. I used to use a white cane. During all of the medical testing, my docs found that I had a tumor in my brain. Shortly after, I had brain surgery to extract the tumor, my vision came back. It was awesome! I was blind for almost a year. When my vision came back, all of my other senses went crazy. I could smell and taste everything. During this test, I never questioned my faith. Even though I couldn’t see with my eyes, I never saw more clearly with my faith. I am truly grateful for my vision (with my heart) and my vision (with my eyes). "Walk by faith, not by sight."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "You’ve told me that you have your own photography business. I’m IN LOVE with photography. I’d love to learn more. Tell us about your business – what kinds of photography do you do? What is your all time favorite photo you’ve ever taken?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "Yep, I am a business owner/photographer. It has been an amazing ride. My business </span><a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.kaykanterphotography.com/">www.kaykanterphotography.com</a><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> has grown so big that I have just recently moved into a super cool studio in downtown Salt Lake City. I am commissioned to travel nationally to shoot. I accept most bookings for family portraits, weddings, senior grads, models & actors, commercial and special events. Like any mommy, I love taking images of my children. My children are naturals in front of my camera. They have both been hired in other states for modeling work. What really makes me excited is when I shoot portraits for people and they are so moved when they see them, they cry. Now that is what it is all about. I also, make it a point to give back to our community. I offer to help people who want exposure as a model. I get their images out in front of my commercial clients and potential clients. I try to get them hired as models. It is hard to get into the industry. I have the means; it makes me happy to help. Sometimes people just need a little bit of help getting in the door."</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Kay kindly sent me some of her photographs to share with you. If you have time, please visit her website, and sit for a few minutes and enjoy the wonderful slideshows and music...</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAhNHpJkrI/AAAAAAAADlY/ETDRiTYxl0U/s1600/Mckayla+-+kay+kanto+photo.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAhNHpJkrI/AAAAAAAADlY/ETDRiTYxl0U/s400/Mckayla+-+kay+kanto+photo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521449652429886130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAhMaxd8vI/AAAAAAAADlI/NNwKL6dgw9g/s1600/bride+veil+-+kay+kantor+photo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9qKrrUIVJM/TKAhMaxd8vI/AAAAAAAADlI/NNwKL6dgw9g/s400/bride+veil+-+kay+kantor+photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521449640385180402" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-84617559831526844132010-09-28T01:00:00.000-07:002010-09-30T20:12:00.967-07:00Incredible Woman #51 - Kay Kanter. Motorcycles and College...<span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "You met your husband because of motorcycles! Tell us about that – do you ride your own bike? Do you go on the cool rides, where hundreds of people on motorcycles travel together? You described your husband as “the man of my dreams”. Wow! Do tell!"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "When my husband and I went on our first date, he asked if I would ride with him on his motorcycle. I had my own motorcycle and never rode with anyone. I agreed to ride with him though. I wanted to sit closer to him, (giggle). He tapped my hands, that I had wrapped around him and told me to hold on tight. He popped a wheelie and we rode it for several blocks. I knew right then that I was going to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him! Yes, we orchestrate very cool rides to raise money for cancer charities. My husband runs the BMW of North Salt Lake motorcycle shop. Both of our mothers had breast cancer, so have a big Ride For The Cure, every year. My husband is the man that I always dreamed about. He is funny, exciting, loving, caring, supportive, an amazing daddy; what more can a girl ask for. I am one lucky gal."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "You have a BS from Cornell University in Human Services. Tell us how you’ve used that degree – what kinds of jobs have you had? How has your degree helped your throughout your life?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "My degree from Cornell University was in Human Services. And now I own my own photography business…hmmm. Before I became a mommy, I used to work in the judicial system. Right out of college, I was hired to work for Mayor Wellington Webb in Denver, Colorado. I worked in the Safe City Office with juveniles, police officers and the judicial system. As I grew to love the judicial system, I worked my way up to the criminal courts; assisting judges in the courtrooms. Having a degree from an Ivy League school helped me get my foot in many doors. Cornell was a very challenging school. Living in New York was a challenge, too. I loved it."</span><br /><br />Tomorrow Kay will share some of the things she's learned from trials, and also all about her photography business. I can't wait! See you then...<br /><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497923212498874447.post-58496817711915139392010-09-27T01:00:00.000-07:002010-09-28T10:35:54.563-07:00Incredible Woman #51 - Kay Kanter. Self and Family...Welcome back to Incredible Women. This week, I'm excited to introduce a truly Incredible Woman - Kay Kanter. Kay was nominated by one of our previous IW - Ginger Johnson. I've have fun getting to know Kay through the interview, and her amazing photography <a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.kaykanterphotography.com/">website</a>. (I'm still trying to track down a picture of Kay - I'll add one later.) Let's started this interview...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Describe yourself. What makes you an Incredible Woman?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "One of my favorite hobbies is riding motorcycles. I love to ride motorcycles (really, really fast). When my husband and I were engaged, he used to teach me to do tricks on our motorcycles. I used to stand up on my seat, riding down the road. I learned how to jump from one bike to another. It was awesome! My whole family loves to ride. That is how we were able to get our son potty trained. We were watching daddy race and he said he wanted to ride motorcycles. I said, “You don’t see any guys out there wearing diapers, do ya?” We made a deal with him, if he stopped using diapers and didn’t have accidents, we would get him a little motorcycle. He stopped wearing diapers that day and never had an accident. He just turned 3 when he started riding his own motorcycle with training wheels.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">My talent is… geez… anything I put my mind to, I guess. I love to make fancy cakes. I made my son a 3D Yoda cake and my daughter a castle cake that had close to 1,000 little flowers on it, for their birthdays. I only make a super neat cake once a year. I made my boy a hydra (4 headed dragon) this year, but our Great Dane chomped off one of the heads 10 minutes before our party started. I love, love, love to be behind my camera. I think that is my true talent; taking images and capturing a story. And I love to teach… anyone really.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">My dislike is plainly, dishonesty. There is no reason for it. I teach my children that they might get into a bit of trouble if they do something wrong, but are honest about it and accept responsibility. However, if they do something wrong and lie about it, they will be in BIG, BIG trouble. Also, those that don’t follow the rules, make me crazy. If we all followed the simple rules we learned in kindergarten, we would all be one happy little village: Be nice. Share. Be patient. Keep your hands to yourself. Don’t cut in line. Don’t take what is not yours. Be courteous to others. Always tell the truth. Treat others how you want to be treated. And don’t pick your nose.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Life should not be so difficult. I enjoy each and every day, as if it is my last. If you ask my children what I tell them most, they will say, “I love you”. I tell everyone (even strangers) how much I appreciate them… and I mean it. I am grateful and truly blessed. And most of all, I thank the Lord every day."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">KARA: "Tell us about each member of your family – what one word would you use to describe each one?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">KAY: "My husband is my best friend. I daydream about him throughout the day. He is my support and an amazing business person. He is a very hard worker and an even better daddy and husband. I love who I have become with him by my side. If I was to describe him with one word it would be: <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">LOVE</span>.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> My son, who is 6, is awesome. He is such a great kid. He is truly a gift from God. He has taught me so much. One day, my children were extra naughty. He saw how frustrated I was as I sat staring at them with laser beams shooting out of my eyes (all moms have this talent). He came and grabbed me by the hand and got down on his knees. He said, “Come on mommy, let’s say a prayer. It will help all of us.” The word I would describe him with would be: <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">LOVE</span>. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> My little girl, we call bunny. Daddy gave her that nickname, because she is as cute as a bunny. She is a sweet little girl that loves to cuddle with me. She is my little shadow. I could just watch her play and laugh all day. She goes to sleep smiling and wakes up the same way. She is a girly-girl and loves to dress up. I was a tomboy and loved to play with frogs and the boys. I love her so much. My word for her is: <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">LOVE</span>."</span><br /><br />If you're new to this blog, this is the way it works... I'll post 2 questions/answers from my interview with Kay each day this week. So, make some time to come back and visit. Tomorrow we'll talk to Kay about her love of motorcycles, and her degree from Cornell University!<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/aprildurham23/KaraHSignature.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0