"Savored Moments" Monday's Warm Cocoa 4.27.2026

“You won’t believe it when you see what my daughter just did! I’ll send you a photo,” 

– K. Johnson

Savored Moments

“You won’t believe it when you see what my daughter just did! I’ll send you a photo,” she said excitedly.

Such an excited announcement could mean at least a couple of things. It could mean I was going to hear from a distraught mother. Yet, when I heard a laughter bouncing off my eardrum I knew she was taking it all in stride. That merriment of motherhood also ushered in a second possible meaning of the phone-based pronouncement.

It was the acknowledgement that yes, there was a huge mess made by an active toddler and it was okay, even laughable. Our conversation and mirth demonstrated the importance of focusing on happiness providing personal virtues. 

The concept of virtue ethics was pioneered by Aristotle. His work focused on exploring how to live a good and happy life by emphasizing "being" over "doing," while focusing on what a virtuous person would do, rather than relying on strict rules or consequences. The laughing mother on the phone call was modeling her possession of personal virtue by savoring her daughter’s handiwork.

Aristotle posited that happiness is achieved through "activity of the soul in accordance with virtue". Virtues are character traits most often identified as attributes like courage, justice, patience and generosity. They’re developed through practice and habit. And, while not as well studied in the concepts of virtue as many others, the virtue of “savor” could well be added to the list.

When the promised photos of the talked-about toddler arrived on my phone I could see a lot of savoring in the images. I could also hear the sounds of savored happiness from her mother on the phone.

“I don’t think I have ever savored Nutella in this way,” I said as I studied the chocolaty smear covering the girl’s face, hair, hands and arms. Hers was a not a simple tasting. Her savoring was a method of becoming one with the spread, as well as with the color of the kitchen cabinets, while complementing the lighter-colored tile flooring. The child’s happiness also flattered the savored contentment of her mother.

Nothing destroys happiness and contentment faster than falling prey to a reliance on strict rules or consequences in such moments; as offered by a daughter dancing while covered in Nutella. When something like savoring smeared Nutella happens we are all offered a choice and a chance. The choice is between happiness and discontent.

Choose the virtue of savored moments and happiness when the offer presents itself.

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I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0GY09KRBaL4mhziZ4PV3Om-vBBy7t4f/view?usp=sharing

"Enchanted" Monday's Warm Cocoa 4.20.2026

“It is urgent to live enchanted.”— Valter hugo mãe

Enchanted

“Jim and I both find a lot of things about this house to be very appealing,” Rhonda said before making a quick, yet very significant side-note. “This is the one telling us it is our place!”

There was a time, in the past, when I would have not used a yellow highlighter on the memory cells in my brain to emphasize that little side-note. But, that would have been a very long time ago. Ever since I was with my Uncle Jerry as we stood near the back of his flat-bed farm truck talking. As his dog waved his tongue at us from atop it’s worn wood plank flooring. I was filled with wonder at the bond between my uncle and his hovering, attentive dog.

“How did you know this dog would be a good one,” I asked as any expectant mentee would.

Jerry’s answer was rapid and definite, “I simply walk among the dogs, in the local animal shelter, until I find the one who knows me. When one recognizes me, we go home together.”

That was my first experience with enchanted living. And, its impact deeply imprinted, lasting for more than fifty years!  So-much-so that watching for its manifestation has become an established philosophy of living and followed methodology over subsequent years. Of this, one of my friends said, “It is a way for me a make a life!”

That is exactly what Jim and Rhonda Kaschmitter were planning to do as they began to plan for life after they retired from their professional lives. They wanted to make a life. I didn’t know them prior to this. We lived in completely different places and I first met them in Uncle Jerry fashion, crossing paths as they were out looking for the “place that knew them.”

Of course, there were times when they were unsure. But, they were not alone on their journey. During one of their trips, to the place that knew them, while searching for their new home, they brought some friends with them. Those friends arrived as skeptics of enchanted living and left as staunch supporters.

“We’ve seen how you light up when you’re here and know this is where you should be,” Jim and Rhonda’s friends said on the day of their departure back to their home in another state.

It took Rhonda and Jim many more trips and days of looking for the neighborhood and home that knew them. In fact, it took them two years before Rhonda said, “Jim and I both find a lot of things about this house to be very appealing,” before making that quick, yet very significant side-note. “This is the one telling us it is our place!”

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I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0GY09KRBaL4mhziZ4PV3Om-vBBy7t4f/view?usp=sharing 

"Are We Having Fun Yet? Monday's Warm Cocoa 4.13.2026

“What are you looking forward to this year?” – Ali Al Jabry

Are We Having Fun Yet?

He is getting old now! I can tell by the little things he does. Or, the little things he doesn’t do. Yet, there is still one message Harry Pupper sends me constantly, a never diminishing query. It was the same question my friend, Ali Al Jabry, asked me while eating morning croissants together last Monday.

“What are you looking forward to this year?” Ali said, with mirth exploding out of his dark eyes.

The question caught me by surprise. I stammered, knowing that Ali lives an adventurous lifestyle with his wife. They work hard, but always seem to fit sight-seeing and new experiences in their heavy travel schedule.

For example, early this year he and his wife were on a sales trip to Europe. They had never been to Portugal before, so they arranged to tack a few days to their trip to explore Portuguese food, culture and beaches. Perhaps Ali’s penchant for travel is the result of growing up in several global locations and attending the American High School in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m not sure. But, I do know that his question caused me to mull his ask over and over again for the entire day. Right up to the time I got home, where Harry Pupper was faithfully awaiting my return.

Harry was more animated than usual when I got home. So much so that I wondered where he had gotten a little extra pep in his step. His insistence for attention soon caused me to wonder what it was he really wanted. And, over time his doggedness spoke loudly enough for me to get the message!

“I’ve been looking forward to playing ball all day,” Harry said, by wagging his stubby tail rapidly, bouncing from side to side, dodging my slow attempts to ruffle the fur on his head and finally launching his entire body off the ground to ping his feet off my legs, before landing those same feet right back where they started.

“Oh,” I finally said. “You want to play ball! How was Ali able to get you to ask what I was looking forward to this year, again?”

Was this a coincident? I think not! Ali and Harry Pupper were unquestionably scheming together. Both intuitively knew that I had misplaced the simple capacity of looking forward to life’s never-ending offer of adventure, variety, joy and fun. It was revelation that caused me to look down, into those bright puppy eyes, filled with hope, before saying, “Okay, okay Harry. Let’s play ball. Neither you nor I should ever be too old to look forward to and have a little fun!”

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I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0GY09KRBaL4mhziZ4PV3Om-vBBy7t4f/view?usp=sharing

"Start Here!" Monday's Warm Cocoa 4.6.2026

“Do you think we should wait because of the positive growth here?”

– Karen Maloney

Start Here!

Karen looked a little apprehensive, as if questioning her feelings, yet she knew her question was an important one to ask, “do you think we should wait because of the positive growth here?”

“Well, the answer to that is a clear yah-no,” I quickly answered, knowing the question she was asking was based on numerous unspoken questions she was in the process of sorting through with Carl, her husband.

“I love it when answers are so clear,” She said as, mirth sparkled in her eyes.

I knew that wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear when I spoke it. I also knew she and Carl loved living in their home, overlooking a picturesque lake with shores laced with towering deciduous trees and ancient, stacked stone cliffs. I also knew of other desires they craved.

They’re both entrepreneurs in the early stages of growing their companies and brands. The financial worries of starting one business, let alone two businesses at the same time can be daunting. They were feeling the pressures associated with the path they had chosen to follow and wanted to find some peace of mind.

The thing to know about following a path is this: You’re always starting where you are, even when you can see others on the same trail, who often began their journey at a location differing from your own.

“You have to start where you are,” I quickly said as a follow-up statement, the moment I saw a furrow of concern ripple across Karen’s eyebrow. “I can’t tell you exactly what to do, because I don’t know what’s most important to you yet.”

The word, yet, allowed the muscles in Karen’s face to relax as she said, “we just need good information so we can make the right decisions.”

The good information Karen and Carl need must be based on more than simply starting where they are. They also need to know where they want to end up! At the same time, there are lots of twists, turns and obstacle to navigate in between the here and there. But, having a clear understanding of where they’re starting is essential.

I circled back to where we started, “do I think you should wait because of the positive growth here? No. I think you should wait until you understand exactly where you are, without worrying about everything else right now.”

Here is one more question I suggested they should begin with, “Can I sleep at night, when the wind blows?” Start here!

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZQuYPScTjjNNeNY96xXOVc4azkWay8v/view?usp=sharing