Positive Thought of the Day - Be A Rainbow

"Be a Rainbow in Someone Else's Cloud."

Maya Angelou

Positive Thought of the Day - Laughter

"A day without laughter

is a day wasted."

Seize Your Day!

"People often say that motivation doesn't last.

Well, neither does bathing -

that's why we recommend it daily.”

-Zig Ziglar

The Spirit of Giving

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

~ Winston Churchill



This Christmas season will be the ONE we'll always remember.

In years past, we've turned our home office into Gift Wrapping Central, are stressed over finding that "perfect" gift on Christmas Eve and our Christmas tree is overflowing with so many gifts that it takes up a quarter of the living room!

This year, the Christmas tree WASN'T overflowing with gifts galore. In fact, there wasn't a single gift under it. Yet, it looked more beautiful than we've ever remembered. This year, we truly enjoyed the holiday season and spent it the way it should be: with Love, Family, Friends, Faith, Joy, Hope, Gratitude and the Spirit of Giving.

Our families began a wonderful tradition which we hope will be passed on for many generations to come. Instead of exchanging gifts to one another on Christmas, we combined the money which would have been used for gift shopping and used it to reach out to those in need in our community. The total was Astounding! With the hustle and bustle of Christmas and many trips to the Mall with a list, we don't quite realize how much we spend during this season.

Our family goal was to reach out to struggling farm workers. The winter seasons are the toughest months for them. With lack of work, providing for their families becomes harder than the work they do during the harvest months. Our collective efforts stocked a rural food pantry bringing Christmas dinners and groceries to 12 families! Two of the families we met personally. One was a young couple making a new start in the U.S. The other was a family of 10 who lived in a trailer in very modest conditions.

We hope to be able to do more next Christmas as well as throughout the year. This year, we've discovered the true meaning and Spirit of Giving. It's not about how glitzy, nor shining or of value a gift can be. A true gift comes from the heart and it's with love that gives it it's highest value.

The families weren't the only ones who received true gifts this year. We, too, receive them. This Christmas brought more of life's many gifts and blessings. It strengthened the Gift of Family, the Gift of Love, Hope, Faith, Gratitude, New Friendships and most importantly, the Gift of Giving. This is the start of something truly wonderful. We hope you'll join us throughout the year and into the next holiday season in celebration for the True Spirit of Giving.

Wishing you all a most memorable 2010 filled with more Love than you can imagine!

Many Blessings from our Family to Yours,

Roxanne and Hugo
Believe Achieve

Wisdom Quote of the Day

A loving heart is the truest wisdom.

~Charles Dickens~

Happy Thanksgiving! Our Family on Thankfulness

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."

~ Lionel Hampton

Happy Thanksgiving Believe Achievers!

Our family has been blessed in so many ways! We are ever so grateful everyday for our incredible Believe Achieve journey. Along the way, we've met all of you.

You have all touched our lives and made the sun shine brighter on our days. You've made us smile. You've made us laugh. You've warmed our hearts and each day we're truly thankful for having you in our lives. Thank you so very much!

This morning we asked our Kiddos what they were Thankful for. To help our two year old with this question, we asked

"What makes you happy?"

We should always be thankful for the blessings that bring more happiness to our lives.

This is how our conversation with Miracle Mia went: (She's only 2!)

Mom & Dad: "Mia, what makes you happy?"

Miracle Mia: "I Do!" (We couldn't help but laugh! It was sweet to hear. At 2 years old, she already knows she controls her happiness. No one else.)

Mom & Dad: "What else makes you happy?"

Miracle Mia: "Mommy, Daddy and Noa!" (Sigh.....Children are such a blessing!)

She also said something else that was adorable!

Mia said, "Everybody Happy!" (Translation: Everybody is happy.)

We asked our 4 year old son, Noa, what he was most thankful for. Here's his response in the order he expressed.

1. Birthday cake (We just celebrated his 4th birthday and he adored his Thomas the Train cake we baked for him!)

2. Surprises! (He really said this! He's always loved surprises.)

3. Baby Sister (He adores his sister so much! They have their moments, like all siblings do, but it's all out of love.)

4. Mommy and Daddy (Ahhhh....)

5. Books (Loves them as much as we do!)

6. MACK truck (He can't get enough of Disney's CARS!)

We hope all of you take a moment today to reflect upon your many blessings. Think about all the things that make you smile and make you happy. There's always hidden blessings in what we think is the ordinary. Open your heart and you'll see them all around you.

Today and Always Thank You for being a part of our lives. You've all been a blessing in ours.

Many Blessings....

Roxanne and Hugo
Believe Achieve

Wisdom Quote of the Day - Be Yourself

"To be yourself in a world that
is constantly trying to make you
something else is the greatest
accomplishment. "


Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wisdom Quote of the Day - Helen Keller

"The best and most beautiful things in the world

cannot be seen or touched....

but are felt in the heart."

~ Helen Keller ~

You're Our Hero! Thank You For Our Freedom!

Today, in the United States, we're celebrating Veteran's Day. It's a day we Honor living veterans and those still serving in our armed forces.

These brave men and women have fought and defended our Freedom, have made sacrifices and are putting their life on the line every single day for us. Today, as always, we are ever so grateful for the men and women who protected and are still protecting our Freedom.

Although, each year on the eleventh month and eleventh day, the nation recognizes our courageous service men and women, we must express our gratitude everyday. Their courage, their braveness, their leadership and the ultimate sacrifice they make risking their lives for us, is the reason why you and I are here today.

Be sure to take a moment everyday to express a multitude of gratitude for our veterans and those still serving. They need to know we care, we love, we support, we honor and are truly grateful for them. Without them, we would not have the incredible gift we call Freedom. Thank you so much for ours.

We dedicate this post to our fathers, Daniel Antonio and Jeffrey Capozzi, our grandfather, our aunts and uncles, our cousins and many of our friends, and the millions known and unknown who serve our country in the armed forces. We are ever so grateful.

Many Blessings....

Hugo and Roxanne
Believe Achieve

Click Here to watch a Video tribute of our Heroes.

Wisdom Wednesday Quote

"The future you see....

is the future you get."

~ Robert G Allen ~

WE Are the Voice - Updated with Video!

"The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children."

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer



We recently had the Honor of being a voice for families affected by California's budget cuts in Special Education and Child Development Programs. For those who have followed us through our journey of parenting a preemie born 3 months early with medical challenges, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing the many incredible joys with us. And for those who'd love to learn more about our Miracle Mia can do so from the following posts:


Miracle of Life Story - How We Came To Be Believe Achieve Hugo and Roxanne

Miracle Mia's American Idol Story

Miracle Do Happen!

Prayers For Miracle Mia

A Poem for Miracle Mia - A Poem Written While Mia Recovered From Major Surgery


Our family was interviewed by local News station, ABC30, at Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU). This is where Miracle Mia receives Speech therapy, Occupational therapy and sees an Early Intervention Specialist. It's programs and centers, such as EPU, that give each child a healthy start. It's a special place where children with disabilities and their families can find support, services and gain a wealth of knowledge.

Our Miracle Mia was born with many medical challenges. Because of being "medically fragile," it delayed her from reaching developmental milestones such as sitting up, walking and even eating. If we didn't have the guidance of the teachers at EPU, it would have been more challenging for Hugo and I to help our daughter in the best way possible. We opted out on skilled nursing services, because we felt what Mia needed most was the unconditional loving care of her parents.

We soon transformed ourselves to being her around the clock nurses. But we still needed a resource to learn how to best help our Mia reach crucial developmental milestones. It was EPU and it's teachers who helped us along our journey to give Mia the healthy start she deserved.

We are ever so Thankful for all we have learned and Miracle Mia is living proof of how crucial programs such as EPU are for families with children of special needs. We find it a blessing to have been asked to be a face and an important voice for families who face losing these important resources.

What needs to be realized is: WE are more than just numbers and names on a piece a paper. WE are Families. WE are Parents. THEY are our Children. And WE are the people who devote every day in giving the best to them. Why make cuts on our Future?

We Believe the children ARE the future.

It would be a honor to have you view the short segment on the importance of early intervention services and to see our happy family during one of Mia's sessions. The segment aired a few Sundays ago and ABC30's website has just been updated with video. Click Here!

Many Blessings....

Roxanne and Hugo
Believe Achieve

SO Thankful Tuesday - The Seven Wonders of the World

There's so much to be Thankful, where do we possibly begin?

We're Thankful for Family, Friendships, our Home, Sunshine, the Rain.....this list can go on forever! But, let's not forget about those "little" things. It's the simple things in life that make each and everyday so wonderful and meaningful. Sometimes, they are so little that they often get overlooked. It's important to remember that hidden blessings are always found in the ordinary!

Here's a special story about those "little things" we often forget about, but make life so wonderful. We read at our friend Arswino's Inspiration and Motivation Blog. It's an incredible reminder of how truly blessed we all are. Enjoy and be blessed.

Many Blessings....

Roxanne and Hugo

Believe Achieve

Junior high school students in Chicago were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes:

1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids

2. The Taj Mahal in India

3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona

4. The Panama Canal

5. The Empire State Building

6. St. Peter’s Basilica

7. China’s Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn’t turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list.

The quiet girl replied, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.”

The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.”

The girl hesitated, then read, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch…

2. to taste…

3. to see…

4. to hear… (She hesitated a little, and then added…)

5. to feel…

6. to laugh…

7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.

May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful - and we don’t have to travel anywhere special to experience them.

Enjoy your gifts!

Author unknown

Positive NEWS - Peanut Butter and Jelly Making a Difference

Remember eating PB&J's as little kids? We bet for some of us, it's still a favorite snack. Besides being delicious, there's also something comforting about them. Ryan Lewis, an organizer of one of the Peanut Butter Plan gatherings, describes it as an "old friend....everybody ate peanut butter and jelly as a kid."

This same peanut butter and jelly sandwich is gathering strangers all over the nation for a beautiful purpose: to feed those in need.

Jory John, a San Francisco children’s book writer and the Founder of the Peanut Butter Plan, wanted to do more for his community. He was already making PB&J's each week on his own and passing them to those in need. Then, he got the idea of how much more of a difference can be made if there was him plus a few more. This would equal to more sandwiches made and more help in making a difference.

So, John put forth the idea on social networking giant, Facebook. Within the next months, thousands of strangers from all over the nation have put this wonderful idea into action! PB&J handouts have now taken place in Los Angeles; Berkeley; Phoenix; Little Rock, Ark.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Austin, Texas; and even London!

“People are joining from all over the place,” John said. “I thought it was about time to use a social networking site to do some good.”

"The smallest actions make the biggest difference," he said. "There are some cynics who say it's not really curing hunger, and it isn't curing hunger. But it's curing one person's hunger. There's nothing wrong with that."

To read more, visit Imperfect Action or SFGate.
To volunteer, visit http://www.peanutbutterplan.org/

Click Here to watch the Peanut Butter Plan in Action!

Peanut Butter Plan from The Quotidian on Vimeo.

Many Blessings....

Hugo and Roxanne
Believe Achieve

SO Thankful Tuesdays - WE Are the Voice

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

We recently had the Honor of being a voice for families affected by California's budget cuts in Special Education and Child Development Programs. For those who have followed us through our journey of parenting a preemie born 3 months early with medical challenges, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing the many incredible joys with us. And for those who'd love to learn more about our Miracle Mia can do so from the following posts:

Miracle of Life Story - How We Came To Be Believe Achieve Hugo and Roxanne

Miracle Mia's American Idol Story

Miracle Do Happen!

Prayers For Miracle Mia

A Poem for Miracle Mia - A Poem Written While Mia Recovered From Major Surgery

Our family was interviewed by local News station, ABC30, at Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU). This is where Miracle Mia receives Speech therapy, Occupational therapy and sees an Early Intervention Specialist. It's programs and centers, such as EPU, that give each child a healthy start. It's a special place where children with disabilities and their families can find support, services and gain a wealth of knowledge.

Our Miracle Mia was born with many medical challenges. Because of being "medically fragile," it delayed her from reaching developmental milestones such as sitting up, walking and even eating. If we didn't have the guidance of the teachers at EPU, it would have been more challenging for Hugo and I to help our daughter in the best way possible. We opted out on skilled nursing services, because we felt what Mia needed most was the unconditional loving care of her parents.

We soon transformed ourselves to being her around the clock nurses. But we still needed a resource to learn how to best help our Mia reach crucial developmental milestones. It was EPU and it's teachers who helped us along our journey to give Mia the healthy start she deserved.

We are ever so Thankful for all we have learned and Miracle Mia is living proof of how crucial programs such as EPU are for families with children of special needs. We find it a blessing to have been asked to be a face and an important voice for families who face losing these important resources.

What needs to be realized is: WE are more than just numbers and names on a piece a paper. WE are Families. WE are Parents. THEY are our Children. And WE are the people who devote every day in giving the best to them. Why make cuts on our Future?

We Believe the children ARE the future.

"The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children."

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

It would be a honor to have you view the short segment on the importance of early intervention services and to see our happy family during one of Mia's sessions. The segment aired last Sunday and ABC30's website has not yet been updated with recent video. But you can still view text highlights of the show and a cute picture of our Miracle Mia playing with friends at EPU. Click Here! We'll post any footage here as soon as possible! We've requested a copy of the special. :-)

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

Many Blessings....

Roxanne and Hugo

Believe Achieve



Further Reading:
Believe You Can Make a Difference - Exceptional Parents Unlimited

Happy Friendship Friday!

True Friendship

Once in a lifetime

you find a friend

who touches not only your heart

but also your soul

Once in a lifetime

you discover someone

who stands beside you,

not over you.

Once in a lifetime

if you are lucky

you find someone

as I have found you.

Very special people

we can be ourselves with,

talk with, laugh with,

hope with and believe with....

That is True Friendship.

Author Unknown

Many Blessings....

Hugo and Roxanne

Believe Achieve

Positive NEWS - A Believe Achieve Story

Dick and Rick Hoyt, better known as TEAM HOYT, are heroes to so many. They are an incredible example of how unconditional love between a parent and child truly has no boundaries.

"This is one of the greatest love stories of all time. A story of a father who climbs mountains and runs to ends of the earth and back to give his son a better life....a life that transcends the limitions of his body." -Natalie Morales of NBC Today

Their story will truly inspire you. They are true examples of how anything in life is possible.
Please see video. Click Here.

Many Blessings....

Roxanne and Hugo
Believe Achieve

Wisdom Thought of the Day

"One person with a belief
is equal to a force of ninety-nine
who have only interests."



~ John Stuart Mill ~

Motivational Mondays - Within YOU Is The Strength To Meet Life's Challenges

Within YOU
Is The Strength

To Meet Life's Challenges

You are stronger than you think,
remember to stand tall.

Every challenge in your life
helps you to grow.

Every problem you encounter
strengthens your mind and your soul.

Every trouble you overcome
increases your understanding of life.

When all your troubles weigh
heavily on your shoulders,
remember that beneath the burden
you can stand tall,
because you are never given
more than you can handle...

and you are stronger than you think.

~ Lisa Wroble ~

Motivational Mondays - Be True to Your Heart And Your Dreams Will Come True

Be True to Your Heart

And Your Dreams Will Come True

Stay true to all your beliefs and goals.

Stand tall.

Through all life's setbacks and disappointments,

your dreams will come true.

When no one else is with you,

and no one seems to care,

just whisper to yourself,

"I am the controller of my destiny.

It's up to me what comes to pass,

and if I keep my thoughts positive and strong,

my dreams will come true."

When what seem to be impossible obstacles

stand in your way, just think of all the times

you got through yesterday.

There is a place for you in this world.

Stay on your chosen path.

All the power is within you;

be true to what is in your heart.

Be honest within yourself;

if you are, then you cannot fail.
Your dreams will come true.



~ Debra Ruegg-Jenkins ~

Positive NEWS Thursday - September Concert Foundation

"The September Concert is a global day of music for peace....this is a good opportunity for all of us to think about what it really means to live in a peaceful world." Haroku Smith, Founder of September Concert Foundation.

Since the first anniversary of September 11th in 2002, the September Concert Foundation has filled the skies with music "bringing humanity together expressing our shared hope of a peaceful planet."

It all began as one person's dream to bring hope and light to New York City. Today, Haroku Smith's dreams have manifested into an event of global proportions. In 2008, 8,000 music makers in 250 organized concerts across America and around the world from Ghana to Japan, filled the skies with music of peace.

Each year, at 2 p.m. , and at every venue, the September Concert theme song is sung. The song, "Give Us Hope", written by New York based composer Jim Papoulis, sends the message of "a gift of promise from children to the future."

It's such a beautiful song, we included the lyrics in this post. On the September Concert website there is a truly touching video highlighting their 2008 concerts. The theme song is sung in the background by a children's choir. The song and the video will melt your heart. It's incredible and heartwarming to see the many different nations joining together to share a common passion: Peace On Earth. It's a must see video! Click Here to view it.

Today, let's give thanks and gratitude for all that we have. And do our little part to bring more love, compassion and peace to our home called Earth. We all dream of living in a peaceful world. Believe it's possible, as Haroku Smith has. Her idea, an act of kindness, has now spread many miles and across oceans to bring more love to our world. She's made an amazing difference and so can you. Anything is possible....as long as we Believe.

Many Blessings....

Hugo and Roxanne
Believe Achieve

Give Us Hope

Listen to the sound of my voice.

Can you feel the beat of my heart?
Listen to the questions i have.

Listen to me.

It's all very simple

to see what we mean.

Give us hope.
My voice is calling.
Can you see? Look in my eyes.
Can you feel? My hand is reaching.

Give us hope
And we'll show you the way.

Listen to the sound of my voice.

Can you feel the beat of my heart?
Listen to the questions i have.

Listen to me.

We are the future. Help us believe.

Give us hope.

My voice is calling.
Can you see? Look in my eyes.
Can you feel? My hand is reaching.

Give us hope

And we'll show you the way.

Take my hand, Now look in my eyes....

Give us hope.

All information on the September Concert Foundation was provided by the National Press Release (Aug. 2009)

Further Reading:

5 Simple Ways to Enhance the Quality of Your Life in Just 20 Minutes a Day

Believe YOU Can Make a Difference - Exceptional Parents Unlimited