We all get so caught up in life and the insignificance of most things that we don’t realize how blessed we really are. This family would give their life and everything else possible to have the experience of watching their daughter run out of school. I am not sure how this mom woke up every day for the past three years knowing it might be her daughter’s last. It literally breaks my heart into little pieces. Today I am kind of just reflecting on what just happened and trying to brainstorm how I can support the family in the upcoming year. I know they are surrounded by good friends right now and I don’t want to intrude. I think as the months go on however is when she will need the most support.

I would love your thoughts, comments and positive energy if you can send anything my way. Have you been through something similar? Do you have ideas on meaningful ways to show my love for the family? I just keep thinking how numb the family must feel right now. Their family just went from a family of 6 to a family of 5. It is hard to process. I just needed to write and share in hopes that everyone who reads this will hug their kids a little tighter today, will take a minute to be grateful for everything you have and to maybe send some positive energy to those who need it. Thanks everyone~

Happy New Years everyone! Hopefully you had a wonderful celebration with friends and family and are ready to ring in the new year. It is always exciting to start the year with a fresh clean slate. You have the power to create a year filled with abundance, good health and new goals. Many people write down their resolutions year after year, however only eight percent succeed and one fourth of all Americans never achieve their resolutions every year. If you are writing down the same goals every single year, and you have yet to check it off your list, you may want to revamp your vision for 2012. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results. You need to spice up your goals, get excited again and bring passion to whatever you want to achieve in your life. Some of my 2012 resolutions are to go out on a private date with each of my kids every month, to take a weekly yoga class and to write my next book. You can all hold me accountable! Here are some tips to help you achieve your goals once and for all.

 1. Make room for your goals

    If you already have a crazy busy life and then you add goals and expectations on top of this, you are simply setting yourself up to fail. You need to clear some room for your resolutions. Let go of commitments that no longer serve you. Push aside activities that don’t excite you anymore. You need to clean your plate a bit first before you add to it.

 2. Be realistic and make a plan

    So many people fail with their resolutions because they are unachievable goals and they have no clear plan on how they are going to attain their goals. If you want to lose fifty pounds by Valentines Day, I am sorry to say it is not going to happen. If you are hoping to magically come up with an extra ten thousand dollars to pay off debt by February, it more than likely won’t manifest. Write down achievable goals and then write down at least five very clear actions you are going to take to move toward your goals.

 3. Talk about it

    Share your resolutions with the world. Just the simple act of telling others about your goals makes it more likely that you will achieve them. By sharing our goals with others, there is a part of us that doesn’t want to let those individuals down. We also have others who will hold us accountable. Tell your family and friends. Share it on your Facebook page. Mention it to all of your followers on Twitter.

Good luck!

One of the more exciting activities they are rolling out this year is Kidtopia. Bring your kids to a festival designed just for them. Explore the ultimate Snow Fort at the top of Dercum Mountain, dance to live music in the plaza, make arts and crafts, go Disco Tubing and join the continuing education activities that fill this weekend on and off the slopes. Bring the whole family for a fun filled, kid friendly weekend. The Kidtopia event consists of several holiday weeks throughout the season and a signature event. Check out all the amazing Kidtopia activities here.

I will be chatting with some wonderful people from Keystone resort, including their head Pastry Chef Ned Archibald, on my Mom TV show which you won’t want to miss. I will also be sharing highlights from our trip to Keystone, mentioning some of the fun activities my family got to experience. Here are the details for the show and the giveaway~

SHOW WILL BE LIVE ON THURSDAY DEC.22ND AT 9:30AM. WATCH THE SHOW IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN. THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED DURING THE SHOW AND YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN.

ONE WINNER GIVEAWAY INCLUDES:

•      One room night at the Keystone Lodge and Spa (based on availability and black-out dates apply-Holidays and Spring Break week).
•      Two (2) day lift tickets to go skiing
•      50 minute custom massage at Keystone Spa

Here are the requirements to be eligible for the giveaway:

• Follow Leslie on Twitter
• Follow Keystone Resort on Twitter
• “Like” Life Simplified on Mom TV Fan Page
• Send the following Tweets at least twice before the show:

* Excited 4 @gr8lifecoach LIVE show in @KeystoneMtn 12/22 9:30amMT #VACATION #GIVEAWAY http://bit.ly/cxPjy3 RSVP HERE–>http://bit.ly/pxyPMQ

*Hoping 2 #WIN  #vacation 2 @KeystoneMtn from @gr8lifecoach!Watch LIVE show 12/22 9:30amMT at http://bit.ly/cxPjy3 RSVP http://bit.ly/pxyPMQ

• Leave a comment below as to why you would LOVE to win this trip!

The lucky winner will be randomly selected once all the above criteria have been met. Good luck!!!

**Disclosure** Lodging and excursions were provided to Leslie Gail for this specific Keystone trip.

How many of you feel like time literally vanishes every day? Maybe you have a big chunk of free time and you hope to cross off a lot of items on your to-do list and before you know it dinner rolls around and you have no idea where the entire day just went. I can definitely relate to this more and more often and it gets extremely frustrating when you aren’t accomplishing what you should be in a set amount of time. Now with technology surrounding our every move, from computers to Ipads to cell phones and tablets, it is really hard to focus on one task at a time without being disrupted. There are definitely time-saving tips everywhere you look, but it is a matter of being committed and more mindful of your time. Sometimes it is simply a matter of reminding yourself regularly to stay focused on one task at a time and tracking your time day by day. Do you have any idea what takes up the majority of your time? Are you aware of time zappers when they creep up on you? This week is all about being more mindful with your time and finding time where you think there isn’t any.

1. Exercise

Not only are you going to benefit physically from bringing exercise into your life, but it creates motion. Exercise gets the energy flowing in your body. When we create intentions or affirmations, you need the energy or life force behind them. Whatever you can fit into your day, get moving. Create a morning or evening ritual to get the blood flowing.

2. State it out loud

When you want to put the action into attraction share with the world what your intentions are. When you share your hopes and dreams, it speaks to the universe. It makes it more real and starts building the momentum to creating it. Talk with your friends. Talk with your family and colleagues. This also creates accountability to start working for whatever it is you want.

3. Release the “how”

It is not your job to figure out “how” your intentions are going to manifest themselves. When you are clear on your intentions, you have joy in your life, and are in action mode, the rest will happen when the time is right. Stop trying to force something to happen how you want it to happen. Sometimes opening yourself up and allowing the universe to work its magic is exactly what you need to do.

I am a BIG believer in rejuvenation of spirit every now and then. I think as Mom’s it is imperative to take time away to decompress, fill up your tank, relax and refresh. I was very lucky this past week-end to head up to the beautiful and tranquil Devi’s Thumb Ranch near Granby,Colorado. I brought some girlfriends with me which made it even more special. As we drove up to the Ranch, you could literally feel the stress begin to melt away. The scenery is breathtaking and tucked away in its own special cove of sorts. You feel like crazy city life is far away!

After we all checked in, it was off to our private cooking lesson with Chef Evan.
The class took place in this gorgeous brand new cabin, equipped with a state of the art kitchen, gorgeous flooring and a cozy fireplace. Our class consisted of making Potato Truffle Bisque, Chanterelle Stuffed Game Hen and Brandied Pumpkin Pie. Each course came with a wine pairing. Can I just say AMAZING!! I have never been the biggest fan of potato soup, but his bisque was delicious! Something that differentiates Devils Thumb Ranch from any other resort, is the unique approach and offerings for every type of person. You are able to try out a cooking class, or give it a go at fly fishing, or enjoy a luxurious Spa treatment.

After our cooking class, some of us headed up to the Spa for our treatments. We walked into the Spa cabin and instantly felt relaxed. There is a cozy fireplace in the front room and then they take you back to the changing room.The picture above is where we were able to relax after we changed into our robes and slippers. I literally could have hung out at the spa the entire day and been OK.  I received an aromatherapy massage that was heavenly! My therapist was fantastic and it was just what I needed to recharge. I highly recommend penciling in a spa treatment if you go to Devil’s Thumb. After the treatment, some of us were scheduled to take a Yoga class. Talk about a perfect afternoon. We changed into our yoga gear and headed upstairs to see what was in store for us. Check out the yoga room!I don’t think it would be possible to not relax in this room. You are looking out the windows at pure mountain beauty. I am fairly new to yoga and I loved this class. The teacher was great and the environment could not have been more perfect. After the class I headed back to my room to get ready for dinner. My room in the main lodge was so comfortable and cozy I could have stayed there for weeks! The bathroom had a huge sunken tub that was calling out my name. I put in some bubble bath, relaxed and got ready for dinner. Again…pure heavenly!

All the ladies met and walked to the Ranch house for dinner. We were served a 5 course dinner, with a wine pairing with each course.The meal was amazing, and as you can see from the picture above, there was no shortage of wine! We as Mom’s LOVE our wine, but wow we were under-prepared for this:) All in all, the day was a huge success. Devil’s Thumb Ranch knows how to create a memorable and unique experience for each of its guests. The only unfortunate thing was that we didn’t have nearly enough time to do everything we wanted to do. They have a private movie theater in the Ranch house that we would have LOVED to have watched a girlie movie. They also have a game room which includes a bowling alley and more. Perfect for the kids on a cold day!!

If you are thinking of penciling in a family trip, family reunion, girls trip or romantic getaway, you NEED to contact the Ranch.

I can’t wait to plan our next trip up there!

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Disclosure: This trip was paid for by Devil’s Thumb Ranch, however all of my opinions are my own.

Morganne went CRAZY about the Chocolate Chip Cookies!

What Mom doesn’t like a really good cookie? And what kids don’t enjoy a yummy cookie? As you can tell from the pictures above, my kids were more than happy to try out the Udi’s Gluten Free cookies when they arrived on our doorstep:) I love the fact that Udi’s has an entire line of gluten-free foods, especially foods that are delicious and easy to incorporate into our daily meals. So, I thought it would be fun to do a taste test to see which cookie was their favorite. Of course they were on board, because they got to eat 3 cookies! They each tried the Udi’s Chocolate Chip cookies, the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and the Snickerdoodle cookies.  I thought I knew my kids pretty well, but they surprised me. Even my hubby got in on the act and chose his favorite! He surprised me too:)

So, what was the verdict?? My daughter, who is a chocolate obsessed girl, LOVED the chocolate chip cookies. No surprise there:) She loved how they were so “moist and chewy.”

My son Cameron surprised me by choosing the oatmeal raisin cookies. He told me the flavors “exploded in his mouth.” He said the other cookies were really good, but this cookie had flavors that were above and beyond. It was actually pretty cute listening to him trying to explain the party going on in his mouth:)

My husband, who I was SURE was going to choose the snickerdoodle, also chose the oatmeal raisin. He loved how moist and flavorful they were. And my favorite was the snickerdoodle. Delicious, moist, full of cinnamon sugar on top and pure goodness. So are you hungry yet? Would you like to WIN the cookies for your own family? Do your own little taste test?

Udi’s would LOVE to send someone a 3-pack of cookies to enjoy with their family!

All you have to do is leave a comment below as to why you would like to win the cookies and what cookie you think your favorite would be~

Also tweet Udi’s with the following:
So excited 2 try to #WIN some yummy @udisglutenfree cookies from @gr8lifecoach! Try here—>www.newlifefocus.wordpress.com

Contest ends Friday Oct.21st 12pm midnight. Good luck!!!

disclosure: I was given free packages of Udi’s cookies in return for my review. No monetary compensation was made. They didn’t have to, it’s FREE cookies!

How many of you believe in the saying “Everything happens for a reason?” This is probably a belief I hold closer to my heart than any other belief. Faith in this belief has gotten me through a lot of difficult life experiences. I have learned over time that stressing about things that happen to me in life, that are out of my control, do absolutely no good in the long run. Having faith that there is a larger universal purpose in the works, usually something that I can not see clearly at the time, always brings me peace of mind. It allows me to re-focus my energy on moving forward and being proactive. Take a minute to think about a time when you were disappointed in a specific outcome, either personally or professionally. How did you react? Did you stress over it and create a lot of negative energy? How did that ultimately work out for you? Did you try to take a step back and trust there was a reason for the outcome? How did that help you? Did you feel more at peace and trusting that it happened for a reason? I would love for you to try out this belief this week and see if it changes how you approach life and deal with difficult situations. Remember that you always have complete control over how you respond to life’s challenges, and your response will always create the next chapter.

Do you believe things in your life happen for a reason?

What does your gut say? Forget what anyone else believes or what you think you should believe. Do you truly believe that the universe works in a way where all of your life experiences happen for a reason? If you don’t believe this, are you open to trying out the idea for a temporary period of time?

How would things change?

Let’s say for example that you did not get hired for that position you were hoping to get. If you had faith that things happened for a reason, how would this help you cope with the disappointment? Would you have peace of mind that something better was in the works? Would you get right back on track with networking and pursuing your interests because you know it is going to happen at the right time with the right company?

Maintain a positive attitude     

I know how difficult it is to be positive when something doesn’t go your way. I believe in having pity parties, which are short lived, but then I always advise getting back on track. Your attitude and the way you see the world truly changes your life experiences. You will attract more positivity when you are positive and more negativity when you are negative. Simple as that. Try to see the cup as half full even when you feel like burying your head in the sand.

Many of us have worries, many worries, but the problem isn’t having all of these worries, it is having too few strategies to deal with them. When we relinquish our power to solve our worries and problems, they start to feel overwhelming and uncontrollable. I know that when I start to worry about something, especially something out of my control, I stop myself from spiraling downward. I focus and visualize the best case outcome and try my best to begin creatively thinking of ways to turn the worry around. It empowers me and gets me away from the victim mentality. I think procrastination can also create a lot of unnecessary anxiety. When you procrastinate on an important project or deadline, you only increase your stress and feelings of overwhelm. Create mini tasks far in advance and by the time the project is due you will breeze through it. I also believe in giving myself pep talks when I begin worrying about something. It is very easy to focus on negativity when you are consumed with worry, but that will only lead to more anxiety. Nurturing and supportive self talk will do wonders! This week try focusing on some of the tips below and see if you can’t zap some of your worry away.

  Put your worries on paper

Get out a sheet of paper and divide it into 3 columns. In the first column write all of your current worries. Don’t worry about how big or little they are, just jot them down. In the second column write down the worst thing that could happen if your worry comes true. In the third column write down 3 or 4 strategies for dealing with the “worst” and then circle the one that you think you can handle and get to it!

Laugh a little

I know this is the last thing you feel like doing when you are worrying about something, but laughter really is a cure. Buy a movie that always cracks you up. Write down some memories that always put a smile on your face. Find a Youtube video that makes you fall over in laughter. When you are feeling anxious and down, tap into your “laughter toolbox” and smile a little. It will put things in perspective.

Keep active

Sometimes the best remedy for worry is to get up and be active. When you are moving it demands a little bit more of your focus so you aren’t only focusing on the anxiety. Put on some music and dance. Go shoot some hoops. Talk a walk or sign up for a class. Try to avoid sitting in front of the TV, this only allows you more time to sulk and think things over.

So many of you know that I just turned 40 a couple of weeks ago. Yes…total shock you say…I look early 30s right:) So I decided to post a video on Momversation on my thoughts on the whole 40 year old vs 30 year old beliefs. I really do think that women in their forties are sexier, more confident and daring then ever before. They are starting new careers. Some are just now starting to have babies. They are finally coming into their own with their bodies and their confidence. I was trying to navigate everything in my thirties, figuring out the parenting chaos, my marriage roles, my place as a business woman and more. I think my forties are going to be really exciting and fun! I just think we have a different outlook on life, realize what is most important and shoo shoo away everything else:) I would LOVE to know what you think! I will be picking someone who leaves a comment on the Momversation comment box to win a copy of my book Life Simplified. Something you have ALWAYS wanted, right?

Do you think 40 is the new 30??