Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I’m not only taking a work break for the rest of this week, I’m also taking an email break. So, if you email me or my office, don’t expect a response until next week. Of course, if you are a client, the emergency cell phone is always on for you.

When I lived in Washington, D.C. during law school I was mugged during broad daylight riding my bike home from school one day and ever since then I’ve been a bit skittish.

One of the things I’ve always liked about living in Hermosa Beach is how safe I feel. When I lived down by the beach, I didn’t mind that my neighbors could hear my loud conversations because I knew that also meant they were there in case something happened.

Now that I live on a bigger lot with fewer neighbors I worry more. Well, as of last night, I realize I have nothing to worry about. There are still plenty of people around aware of what’s happening at my house.

Imagine my terror when I was woken from a dead sleep by a light flashing on and off outside my bedroom window. I thought it was the headlights from a passing car, but then I heard the banging. Oh my God, I thought I was going to die. My heart was pounding a million miles a minute.

I always sleep with the phone right next to me, so I grabbed it and prayed it wouldn’t be dead. It wasn’t! I called 911 and the hermosa beach police dispatcher answered right away. I breathlessly told her that someone was in my backyard.

My fear was only slightly tempered to hear that it was the police in my backyard. The police?!? What were they doing in my backyard?

Turns out, one of my neighbors had been walking by my house (it was only midnight, though I didn’t know that at the time) and saw two of the screens on my windows popped out and called the police to come check things out. The police had rung the bell, but I couldn’t hear it because I was sleeping at the back of the house.

So, THANK YOU nosey neighbors for watching out for me and for sending the police to my house. I appreciate your concern!

And, in the spririt of thanksgiving, I want to thank YOU for reading my weekly email newsletter week in and week out and for sending me such great feedback. And, even though I don’t have an opportunity to respond to all of the feedback, I do read all of it. So, thank you!

I also want to give public thanks to all of the people in my life who on a daily basis make it possible for me to be a mommy, run multiple companies and stay mostly sane, so in no particular order:

Thank you, thank you, thank you - Susan, Anna, Lexi, Nathalie, Emily, Jill, Bari, Lynne, Erin, Randy, Dave, Joanne, Todd, Marc, Tyson, Cindy, Judy, Abbe, Melody, Karen, Marion, Daniel, Karinna, Carla, Amy, Eric, and Gina - THANK YOU!

Enjoy your turkey and I’ll talk with you next week.

Dedicated to Your Family’s Well-Being,

~ Alexis

PS - Want to make your own gratitude list? You can do so at http://www.thegratitudelist.com

PPS - Kaia and Noah are looking totally different with their big kid haircuts. Kaia’s gone very short and Noah’s got a mohawk! Take a look at http://www.familywealthblog.com.

Kaia Before Kaia After

Noah Before Noah After