Kendra's Favorite Things

Oh what a year it's been... I remember writing my year in review for 2009 and thinking the same thing. So much has changed, but all I can say at this point is that everything in my life has changed for the better this year.

Here's the reader's digest version of a year in the life of Kendra Lee Dwyer:

-I managed to exceed my sales goal again for FY 2010, and have already hit my sales goal for FY 2011, which doesn't end until June 30, 2011. In a few words; work is going well!

- I moved to Pacific Beach, and love living by the beach. I ride my bike to the beach often and take the time to do the things that make me the happiest.

-I learned the importance of doing things for myself, and that by doing that I am able to give more back to the people I love the most, but first and foremost, it's about making myself happy.

-I am still in love with the same person. We've been up and down and all over the place in the past 2 years, but I feel 100% confident that we are in a great place now. I've learned so much from this person, and I know that no matter where we end up, we'll always be friends and we'll always do what's best for the both of us.

-I have managed to create a family in San Diego, and that makes me so happy.

- I can finally say without a doubt in my mind that I am happy with where I am in my life, and who I am as a person. I feel that I am the best person I can be, and that makes me proud. I've learned that I'll never be perfect, and I've accepted that all I can do is my best each day, and that is enough.

-I took a vacation to Hawaii. Just for me, and I enjoyed every second of it.

I know it seems that there is an awful lot about "me" that I focused on in 2010, and my response to that is; "You're damn right!" It felt good to focus on me and making sure I got myself to a place where I feel great. I can only imagine what is in store for 2011!!

... and there ain't no time like this time baby.

1. I think a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Having no regrets has given me a few more scars, freckles and wrinkles than I care to admit.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4.  There is a great need for a sarcasm font...

5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? Seriously?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary? My name is about as far as I can seem to get these days.

7.  Map Quest needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Some things are worth the wait.

9. Bad decisions make for really good stories.

10. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you aren't just going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

11. Why must they put mayonnaise on everything at restaurants? I find myself saying "No Mayo" entirely too often!

12. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word or Excel and it asks me if I want to save any changes to a document that I swear I did not make any changes to.

13. "Hand wash only" means I will never wash this -- ever.

14.  It irks me when I just miss a call by the last ring, but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail.

15. Nothing is more annoying than leaving the house feeling confident and looking good and not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

16.  I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

You may or may not already know that I am walking in the 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk this weekend, November 19-21st. Over the course of 3 days I will walk a total of 60 miles to help find a cure for Breast Cancer. Yes, my feet will hurt, and sure my legs will be sore, but the truth is the pain that I will feel will be so insignificant compared to the pain that Breast Cancer brings into so many people's lives.

I have raised a total $1,900 that will go directly towards programs to find a cure for Breast Cancer. I have set a goal of $2,300 and I am sending you this e-mail to help me in the fight to find a CURE for this deadly disease. If you think $5 or $10 won't make a difference, think again, every little bit helps. Please visit www.the3day.org/goto/kendradwyer to donate whatever you are able to.

TOP 5 REASONS TO HELP ME FIGHT BREAST CANCER-

5) Marianne- My neighbor. She told my roommate and I she had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer just days after she moved into the apartment underneath us and she just finished her last session or Chemotherapy last week. Through everything, she's managed to keep a smile on her face and loves to show us her new hats and wigs. A few weeks ago she knocked on my door and had made me an extra burger while she was downstairs grilling lunch for her and her boyfriend, she does kind acts like this all the time, even though she is fighting a deadly disease.

4) Paula Castro- She lost her fight to breast cancer this October. I sat on a plane ride next to her 19 year old son Dallas and learned that 15 of her closest friends and family members were headed to Hawaii to spread her ashes in the Pacific Ocean. He told me that he wouldn't expect anything less because she was the most amazing woman in the world. When I told him that I would do this walk in memory of her he fought back tears and gave a complete stranger (me) one of the warmest hugs I've ever received.

3)Gloria Rios- My good friend and co-worker's youngest sister. She's 42 years old and appeared to be in perfect health until she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast cancer just two months ago. They are both scared for her life.

2) You- I don't want to have to tell your story some day.

1) Our Future- I hope to have daughters some day and I don't want them to live in fear of this disease.
Anything you can contribute will be appreciated.

With Love,
Kendra
www.the3day.org/goto/kendradwyer

So yesterday morning as I was finishing my morning cup of coffee at the office my phone rang and I answered to a complete stranger from another convention center looking for some insider information. We have to do this sometimes also, so I am always happy to offer any information that I am able to when I receive calls like this. I spoke with this woman for a few minutes and helped her with what she needed and at the end of our conversation she said, "Thank you for all of your help, I looked at all the photos on your website and decided to call you because you looked the nicest." I thought that was very sweet and thanked her and assured her that we are all very nice, but it was just something that made my day a little brighter. The photo that appears on our website is below, and I must say so myself, I do look friendly, thank goodness for airbrushing! :)

"Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with? Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I'm not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back. Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love - well, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived." -William Parrish from the movie, Meet Joe Black (1998)

I've been in Maui and Lana'i for the last week and I must say my relaxation level is at a peak. All we've done is relax, eat well, explore the islands and work on our tans- which I must admit look divine! This place is heaven, but going back to San Diego ain't half bad either! Life is go-oo-od!!!!!




View from Mama's Fish House. Fabulous lunch and then we laid on their private beach right in front.


View from our "home" on Maui.


Pool at the Four Seasons at Manele Bay on Lana'i... Absolutely fabulous!


Grand lobby at our hotel.


Morning hike to Sweetheart Rock- the view was gorg!


Cheers- A glass of Cakebread to start the afternoon off right, gotta love Happy Hour!

This trip has reminded me the importance of taking the time to rejuvenate and refresh the soul. Hard work should be rewarded with a relaxing vacation like this was... Until the next one.

I'm headed to Paradise in the morning. Hope to come back refreshed and relaxed!! Pics, stories and memories to come!

xoxo,
Kendra Lee

6 days until I head off to Maui for a relaxing, rejevenating vacation with Katie. 6 days of everything or nothing, who knows what we'll do. I'm just looking forward to NOT having an agenda and not having any plans. I feel like I am always so busy organizing things, telling people where to be and when to get there, planning parties and doing all sorts of stuff, that I want to do the exact opposite of that. Just fly by the seat of my pants.... ahhhh!

Today, I'm not in the best of moods, but a 30 minute phone call with Megs made me feel oh so much better. She reminded me of all the positive things I do on a daily basis and how she notices how much happier I am when I take care of myself. She turned my frown upside down by letting me know that "this too shall pass". She reminded me how much she loves me and that she wants to see me happy and how much I deserve to be happy and that is so true.

It's amazing that as a woman we go through so many different emotions on a daily basis. Sometimes the only people who know how to make us feel better are the people that are the farthest away, but know us the best.

I feel so blessed to have such a great life and I need to remind myself to just take things day by day.... someday this will all make perfect sense!

NOURISHING YOURSELF
When you give to yourself, the universe receives the message that you are worthy and as such, begins to treat you in that way, in fact giving you more. The essential ingredient is persistence. Don’t give to yourself only once, because it is your birthday. Nourish yourself on a regular basis and the results will be beyond your wildest expectations.

GRATITUDE
The bottle of life is at all times both half full and half empty. We’ve become accustomed to focusing on the empty half. One of the fundamental universal laws is that you manifest in your life what you’re preoccupied with. Thus, the more you concentrate on the empty half, the more of it you create. Let’s conduct an experiment, with the aim to create a different experience. For 24 hours choose to be only grateful. Find reasons to appreciate everything, and experience what miracles occur.

I'm sorry that I haven't been very attentive to you lately. I've been so busy with life, that I haven't had much time to reflect upon it. I'll be back soon, I promise.

xoxo,
Kendra Lee

It's my birthday tomorrow and I have to say that will all the celebrations we've been having lately, I'm just as happy as a clam. Of course I try not to be so narcissistic in making people celebrate me, but I just love to see my friends together celebrating anything, so it's a great excuse. Hope all my birthday wishes come true this year. It will be interesting to see what my 27th year will bring, my life just continues to get better and better.

Megel Bagel, Megaroo, Megs, Megsters, Meggie, I have a dozen nick-names for Megahn but in my heart there is only one place for her as my very best friend. Megahn and I met a little late in life considering how quickly we became close. It was in Mrs. Waterbury's 2nd Period History class our Sophomore year at CFHS that we started to really bond. The bond expanded quickly and all of the sudden we were best buds.

We spent our High School afternoons laying out at my house after school, carpooling to school, having Tuesday night sleepovers, going to Breugger's, running stadiums at U of A, complaining about working, watching Megs down 1/4 pounders after a tough swim practice, and driving all the boys crazy.

Megs and I share a bond that makes it hard for us to explain to other people. We were devastated when we went our separate ways for college but realized quickly how easy it would be to stay in touch and con our Papa Bears into annual trips between Dallas and Tempe.

One "special" evening while I was visiting Megs in Dallas we took a little trip to the nearest Tattoo parlor to let our new found friend Dutch stamp us with what we still to this day call our "love marks." Every time I look down at my right foot and see my Dallas star it makes me think of Megs.

She's getting married next May and I'm incredibly honored to be her Maid of Honor. I am so happy for the love she has found in her soon to be husband Seth and can't wait to share their life with them. I wouldn't have it any other way because Megs and I are kind of a package deal. He takes it like a champ and even sleeps on the couch when I come to visit... what a guy!

I can't wait for so many more memories with Megs. The times we've shared are the happiest times of my life and I know the best is yet to come. LOVE YOU MEGS!!!!

Do you remember in Elementary School how your teacher used to give you a Gold Star if you'd done something well or achieved a gold? Well, today I feel the need to give myself a Gold Star. I've been up running for the last two mornings in a row before work... feels so good to be back! My favorite thing about being a routine morning runner is seeing familiar faces in the morning and the way we give each other the runners wave. Marathon training here I come!

My new certificate for Employee of the Month and all my Marathon Medals are now nicely hung right next to each other in my office. They help to remind me that hard work pays off!

“Falling out of love with you does not make me bitter or cynical about love. But rather makes me realize that if I wanted so much to be with the wrong person how beautiful it will be when the right one comes along.”

If family is the heart of our lives, then it's no surprise why I feel like I have a good heart. This past weekend made me realize several things about my family. First, I have been blessed with the most incredible family ever. My parents and my brother and Lindsay are the most important people in my life. Extend that out to Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousisn, etc. etc. These are the people that have made me who I am today and I am ever so grateful to them. I also realized that there are some friends that I consider to be a part of my family. These people are so special, because they have been chosen. I feel incredibly grateful and lucky to have these people and I know that they encourage me to be the best person I can be. Life is good!

I'm sitting here on the couch with my roomie, and it just reminds me how nice it is to have her. We've been living in our cozy little home for about 6 months now and we love it. Just thought I'd want to remember this moment. :)