Le Top Takes: Out of the Mouths of Babes!

No, I did not say that!

A mother overheard her son and his friend talking…

Why didn’t your mom make you a sister?”

–Daniel, age 5

Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!

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Back to School – with all the “Right Stuff!”

Houston…we have a problem.”

Americans are GREAT at solving problems!  Remember the triumphant safe return of our Astronauts?  Right now there is a big problem with one of our most vulnerable groups of citizens – disadvantaged and homeless children.  These children are approaching Back to School, just like millions of children across the United States – but have a problem…a lack of the basic necessities needed to start school off on the right foot. 

A Backpack Filled with all The Right Stuff

Fortunately there is a group of heroes out there ready to help!  Julie, a member of our Inside Sales Team and outstanding mother of five, brought our attention to a program near and dear to her heart. Volunteers of America, a non-profit organization in the Sacramento/Yolo County area, administer a program called Operation Backpack that offers services to local disadvantaged families.   One of the key services at this time of year is supplying backpacks filled with school supplies to give children all the advantages they deserve to start the school year on a positive note.  After hearing about this praiseworthy project I couldn’t help but get involved… I have a passion for kids and a soft spot in my heart for those that have the will to learn, but lack the means to easily navigate the educational process.

Kristin Sporting Her Donated Backpack

I jumped at the opportunity to work with Volunteers of America – and honestly had a blast roaming through the aisles of our local retailer, picking out the perfect Hannah Montana backpack, then filling it with a binder, super cool markers, crayons, pens, pencils, etc.  It was all the fun of school shopping without the stress of going to class! Julie and I filled up several backpacks for the kids, and had a ball doing it.  Julie’s son asked where his backpack was…and he’s 23!  We can’t wait until next year when we do this again…although we shouldn’t wait, since Volunteers of America collects backpacks throughout the entire year. 

Operation Backpack has collected 2,938 backpacks so far this year – double the donations from last year!  Even in a tough economy people see the importance of investing in our children’s future.  If you have a desire to help our country’s children get a head start on a valuable and needed education, please contact Volunteers of America to see how you can assist.  The children will thank you!

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Rowing the Atlantic in Memory of Mom

Paul Ridley, age 25, is 79 days into his solo, unsupported, trans-Atlantic journey in a yellow, 19′, 400lb row boat named ‘Liv’ – in memory of his mother, Katherine Ridley, who died of skin cancer in 2001. Inspired by his mom’s adventurous nature and with his newfound passion for cancer research fund-raising, Paul’s goals are to become only the 3rd and youngest person to ever row across an ocean, and in doing so, raise $500,000 for cancer research at the Yale Cancer Center. He set off  in early January in the Canary Islands (off Morocco) and has been putting in 8 to 13+ hours a day at the oars. The entire journey will require him to row more than 3000 nautical miles. He’s closing in on his goal and, weather permitting, is scheduled to pull into Antigua (in the Caribbean) at the end of March.

After seeing a few pictures of Paul, you might ask yourself why a person with a fair complexion and his mother’s battle with skin cancer would undertake such a long, grueling trip and – among all the other inherent risks – expose himself to so much sun? Well, Paul’s got plenty of sunblock, and for you apparel lovers out there – special ‘threads’ that block UV rays. Yup, science and technology is at work in apparel, too!

Did I mention Paul is undertaking this physical and mental challenge completely unsupported? That blows my mind! No sail, no motor, no support crew to bail him out if things turn ugly (which, hopefully, they won’t). This really hits me when I think about what it must be like out there, day after day – with no signs of human life – except for the 2 passenger planes Paul spotted up around 40,000′, the ocean liner that ‘brushed by’ (2 miles away), and yesterday, a bug landed on his deck (a sign that land is near)! He gets all giddy about such sightings.
Paul’s daily posts often focus on the interesting marine life he encounters, the physical and mental challenges he faces, his emotional ups and downs, his progress, what motivates him, and the ever-changing weather conditions. One of my favorite posts (from day 59) includes a description of how dramatic and dominating the constellations appear when viewed from a tiny row boat in the middle of the ocean.

As a tech-nut, I’m also amazed at Paul’s ability to stay in daily communication (via a solar powered satellite phone) with his support organization, Row for Hope, back in Connecticut. The information he relays immediately makes its way to the Web, into his blog, and even into his new Twitter page. Very cool. Here’s a guy out in the middle of the ocean – completely on his own – whose daily thoughts and reports are readily available to anyone around the world connected by computer (or even mobile phone!) to the Internet. Internet marketers/le•top e-tailers – are you listening? More on easily using some of these powerful technologies (to reach your target audience) is coming in future tech posts, so stay tuned!

Meanwhile, check out Paul’s Website and monitor his progress – it’s a fun, educational and inspiring thing to do with your kids. Also, please consider making a donation if you can. Due to the economic downturn impacting us all, Paul is falling short of his fund-raising goals – he could really use our assistance.

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Same-Same: and Oh, So Different!

I think every mother of multiple children has asked the question, “Why are my children so different from each other?” Oh, you could go into a whole discussion about genetics versus environment – first child syndrome, middle child syndrome – and “baby of the family” syndrome – but, as a mother, and now a grandmother, I staunchly believe that every child is born with a unique personality – and that no matter the other influences, this personality will conquer all in the long run.

My two grandsons – Otto and Wade – are perfect examples of “personality will win out in the end!” Otto (age 4 – brown hair and beautiful brown eyes) is always a little bit careful, requiring explanations of what is happening, why it is happening and what will happen next. He is very social – gregarious to the point of distraction at times, yet cherishing his time that is uninterrupted by his younger brother Wade. On the other hand, Wade (age 21 months – white blonde hair and startling blue eyes!) goes about oblivious to any perceived danger. He marches to some unheard drummer – and really does not seem to care if he communicates this tune to anyone! A fearless climber, he has already had a hairline fracture in his leg (sliding off a bed) and a dislocated elbow (who knows what happened…) – and yet he continues to challenge the odds and strives to defy gravity whenever possible. Their mother, my daughter Betsy, tries very hard to keep a constant eye on Wade – but somehow he manages to slip through and find mischief whenever possible. The photos of Otto and Wade demonstrate their differences:

• Wade eating the ice cream he had purloined from the freezer, all on his own, with a spoon he managed to extract from the kitchen drawer. The back view of his T-shirt says it all!
• Otto – sequestered away in a special place they set up for him in the attic – working away on his Star Wars Lego models – happy that Wade is not “messing up his stuff!”

We love them equally – and maybe their differences make it easier – because we will never mix them up!

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Mommy and Me Week Recap

It was a little sad ending our special week together. Having tea was a very nice way to close the week though. We had a lovely, sugary-sweet meal of tea sandwiches, savories, and desserts while sipping tea or milk out of decorative, floral tea cups. Miranda really enjoyed sitting in a ultra girly room full of pink roses. I, on the other hand, was ready to jump out of my skin. Pink overload!!!!

While we waited for our elaborate plates of special treats to arrive, Miranda and I were having a little “end of the week” chat and discussing the week’s events. She was telling me how much fun it was to do things together and how she wished I didn’t have to work so we could always do things together. I was trying to hold in the tears that wanted to spill out, but I had to keep it together to say a few words. I explained to her that when the baby comes, it will be difficult for me to give her my full attention because the baby will need me a lot. I tried to assure her that I will do my best to spend time with her as much as possible. She was nodding her head, slurping her tea out of a spoon, and her eyes were glued to the kitchen waiting for the goodies to come out. Great! So much for our little heart-to-heart mother-daughter session. 🙂

I think spending this week together was very helpful for both of us. For Miranda, she is back on track. She is doing things on her own, listening and following directions, and the whining has stopped. My “old” Miranda is back! As for me, I learned that I can break away from work/my computer to spend time and delight in my daughter’s presence. The work will always be there but my precious time with my child can easily slip away if I don’t cherish it now. This week has been a good reminder of where my priorities lie. Family first!

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le•top Love: Letters From Dad

Editor’s note:
Have a letter from Dad to share? Email us, and we’ll post it to share with our readers!

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