This time two years ago, I was finishing up exams and prepping to go out to Portland and start working with Janine; she’d originally floated the idea past me of nannying, but over one phone conversation had mentioned “this Foundation that I just started…it’s kind of turning into a huge project, so I’ll probably need some help with that too if you’re feeling it!”

Well, two years later, I cannot stop feeling it. Two years later I re-visit the website, look forward to updates from Janine and other team members, sniff around for news about the Pioneer schools, go back through my pictures from Oregon, reminiscing about the fledgling Flawless Foundation in its very first days and weeks. I remember how astonishingly easy it was to watch people embrace such a worthy cause (“of course we can put a flyer in our shop’s window!”), how exciting to share stories of Portland’s incredible abundance (“they’re donating how much?!”), how every step along the way had a way of filling me to the brim with love and serving as a reminder that this work is absolutely essential.

Imagine accomplishing, at twenty-one (or thirty-one, or fifty-one, or ninety-one!) what Flawless has done in two years: changing opinions, changing perceptions, changing lives. Imagine in two years raising awareness, raising funds, raising the self-esteems of hundreds of children, helping them grow prouder of their own unique and incredible gifts every single day. Imagine the look on somebody’s face when after hundreds of “no, you can’t”, they’ve just heard their first “yes, you absolutely can.” Imagine building a community of love, trust, dedication, and positive energy that knows no limits. Imagine accomplishing all of this – and more – as a two-year-old.

That is what Flawless has done, and for this gorgeous organization’s second Birthday I want to wish it the happiest, healthiest, longest and most prosperous future. I wish scores and scores more years of Flawless love and appreciation, Flawless service and gratitude, Flawless growth and success, Flawless fun and excitement in the face of change for the incredible children the Foundation supports.

Happy Second Birthday to you, Flawless Foundation! Of course, if I were in Portland I’d march to Saint Cupcakes, order up several dozen treats, and cruise around delivering them to your entire incredible team. But from here, two incredible years and two thousand long miles away, I merely want to thank you for everything you are and everything you do, and let you know that two years later you still look absolutely Flawless.

For the past few weeks, it has been Christmas everyday here at Flawless. From the beyond amazing, huge donation from our Sneaker Santa, Nike to the fourth grade class in NYC who arranged a holiday fundraiser for our kids – the creativity and generosity this season has been astonishing. We are so grateful for the extra wattage at this time of the year as we continue to illuminate some pretty dark corners in this world. It has been so joyous, fun and celebratory – the perfect way to end the year!!!

Wishing you all a Flawless 2010!!
With Gratitude and Cheer,
Janine

Dearest Flawless Friends,

I flew to Boston last Friday with Tara and Janine to meet one of the Flawless Medical Advisors, Dr. Stuart Ablon, where he conducted a workshop on Collaborative Problem Solving with his organization, Think:Kids, at Mass. General/Harvard Medical School. The program was called “Think Differently: A New Approach for Parenting Challenging Kids”, which I think basically applies to all of us. Anyway, what a mind blowing day…. Not only is Stuart extremely charismatic but the entire concept behind CPS is so brilliant and truly simple that I have been practicing ever since I attended with Phoebe AND my husband!

I thought I would share some of the outstanding, simple concepts and tools that I found so important and useful to use and I can see how effective this is for challenged children.

(btw – the stats are showing that practicing CPS is lowering violence and conflicts by 75% and higher)

1. The Overall Mantra behind CPS is this:

KIDS DO WELL IF THEY CAN.  Not because they don’t want to…

And if they can’t, then we adults need to figure out why so we can help! This is not the old conventional wisdom system of reward and punishment… This is about the true belief that every child can do well if they have the skills.

2.  Understanding the truth: that children are challenged by learning disabilities, and that challenging behavior occurs when a demand placed upon someone requires skills that the person does not fully possess…yet.

3. Understanding that behind every challenging behavior is either a trigger or a lagging skill or both, and knowing that there are very predictable triggers that can be responsibly identified.

Don’t we know that? We all have them…..

4. The practice of solving problems with the challenged child so that they don’t keep coming up!!!

Use proactive conversations before a crisis occurs, as well as skills that can be used in the middle of challenging behavior.

These are such breakthrough, simple, brilliant concepts, pretty tricky to practice YET also completely possible with practice.

The very next day I had a very unhappy child who only wanted to go with daddy to the movies, and we created a very fun solution with all three of us that actually worked and my daughter felt heard.

And so did I.

I wanted to give you a little window into a program that is gaining huge success and we can’t wait to launch programs in NYC .and that is where Flawless comes in, raising money and awareness so that Flawless can support extraordinary programs like Think:Kids.

Thank you Janine for my Boston adventure and for finding these amazing resources and having the courage to show everyone that there are healthy, loving and nurturing solutions to change the lives of challenged children.

Check the website out yourselves:

http://www.thinkkids.org

Much love to you all, Lori

We had a fabulous, whirlwind, fun and fruitful two week trip to New York filled with visits with family and friends, business trips for Dave and me and an incredible fundraising class.  Our Nia session with Debbie Rosas was such a beautiful event.

I was blown away by the support and love that came from the Nia community in the tri – state area, especially Caroline Kohles, Kevin ver Ecke  and Joanne Edgar of Nia NY.  All of the organization and adminstrative tasks were handled so graciously and efficiently  by them which was a huge surprise and support to me.  I love that I have been living on the west coast for almost two years now and my connections in NY are stronger than ever.  This bi coastal life is really working for me.

Debbie and Carlos, co founders of Nia, generously donated a White Belt Intensive for the raffle and Lena Gabrielsen was the lucky winner. (she did purchase the largest number of raffle tickets – FIFTEEN)

Nia Headquarters advertised the raffle to all of their teachers  so people bought tickets online from South Carolina, Texas………………all over the US.   The raffle also started some really good conversations with people across the US who are teaching Nia to children or are working with various populations of children.  The majority of the proceeds of this class are going to the Nia for Children Fund that we have set up at Flawless.  Much of our planning, energy and resources are focused on this project right now and we have some very exciting plans to launch Nia programs in September.

Thank you again for all of your love, support and interest.

Wow, yesterday Ellis emptied his piggy bank and put all the coins in a sack to deliver to his teacher Vincent. He told us that Vincent’s daughter just moved here from Africa and doesn’t have many toys so he is going to give all his money to them. When Vincent thanked him, Ellis said, “that’s what friends are for.” It is so moving to me that we just launched this foundation and Ellis is getting the vibe through osmosis. I am a proud Mama.