2009

One of my blogosphere heroes has done this quiz multiple years and because I am a copycat, I'm doing it too.  So here goes...

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

The thing that stands out the most are the two half marathons I trained for and completed.  Heather and I decided that it was time we did something for ourselves, that challenged us, and somehow we decided on doing a half marathon.  I have to confess, I was (and still am) hugely inspired by Linda's own personal challenges and athletic aspirations.
 
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I actually don't make new year's resolutions and haven't for a long time.  However, I do try to set some goals.  That being said, I'm not sure at the end of last year I was capable of much goal-setting, having just completed building a house and moving in betwixt snow storms.  So I can't tell you if I achieved last year's goals because I didn't really set any. 

This year, I will set some, which I will outline soon.  So stay tuned.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, my friend Laura.  Her naughty baby boy decided to make his entrance at 33 weeks and scare us all.  Thankfully, after a few weeks in the hospital learning how to eat, he went home and is doing great, for which I'm so thankful.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit?

I think I went up to Canada last January to go to IKEA, which *totally* counts.  Even if it IS practically in my backyard.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

More time alone with my husband, a bit more financial stability, more adventure.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

January 20th - seeing President Obama take office.
June 27th and September 27th - the dates of my half marathons.  I committed myself to the challenge of doing these races and pushed myself harder than I ever had before and I did it.  I did them faster than I hoped and learned alot about what I'm capable of.  Crossing those finish lines and the feelings of pride and accomplishment I felt are something I'll never forget.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Honestly, paying my damn mortgage every month. It's higher than we anticipated and to us, an ungodly amount, but somehow we keep managing to scrape together the money every month.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not being a better wife.  And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I really tweaked my ankle during the half marathon in June and spent several weeks hobbling around.  Thankfully, it was nothing more than a sprain.  And I've had a few various minor bugs here and there.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Aside from my house, my puppy. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My husband.  Without going into too much detail, he did something he's needed to do for years, which wasn't easy for him, but was definitely a good thing.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

The Jon & Kate disaster and the media.

14. Where did most of your money go?

See #8 - the mortgage.

15. What did you get really excited about?

I was really excited about doing my first half marathon in June.  The sense of anticipation, not knowing what to expect on race day, and the chance for an overnight get-away with a girlfriend sans children was something I really looked forward to.  Also, after we officially adopted Tessa the puppy, we had to wait a few days to bring her home and we all couldn't wait for that.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

Probably something by Lady Gaga, since I started listening to her music this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder?  Happier.
– thinner or fatter? The same, but a bit more muscle & tone.
– richer or poorer? Financially poorer, for sure.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Date nights with my husband. 

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Playing stupid Facebook games on the computer.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Eve with hubby's family, Christmas Day at home.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Just more so with my family and my life.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

I can't help it - I love So You Think You Can Dance.  And I couldn't be happier that they are doing more than one season per year now.

24. What was the best book you read?

Considering I am a huge book nerd and actually keep a spreadsheet of all the books I read every year (which you can see a list over on the right), let me take a moment to peruse them.  {elevator music playing...}  Man, I really didn't read that many books this year!  I'm just now starting my 23rd book, whereas in the last several years I've read over 30.  And in looking at the list, no one book stands out as my favorite of the year.   I'll say that I really enjoyed the Daughters of Blessings series by Lauraine Snelling, and With You and Without You was a good story.  But I don't think I read a book this year that would qualify for my All-time Favorite Books list.  Even Shanghai Girls by Lisa See was only just good and she's one of my favorite authors.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I recently learned about Rodrigo y Gabriella when Linda shared her running playlist. I don't actually own any of their music yet but am anxious to do so.  Love it.  Also, after attending their concert, both Josh and I really starting digging Death Cab for Cutie. 

26. What did you want and get?

A puppy.

27. What did you want and not get?

A raise.  And this camera lens.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I didn't really see many non G-rated movies this year but Josh & I did see The Hangover.  And I almost wet my pants laughing. 
 
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 38 this year, which is getting awfully close to 40.  On my birthday, I went and picked up my puppy from the Humane Society and then my family came over and we barbecued steaks.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Maybe a bit more financial comfort?  I would have liked to gotten more work done around the house and yard but we were limited by lack of funds.  And it would have been nice to actually put a little money into savings instead of just making withdrawals.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

In need of help.  Jeans and t-shirts, workout clothes or hospital scrubs make up the majority of my wardrobe.

32. What kept you sane?
 
My girlfriends.  I have such a great group of gals to lean on when necessary.
 
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
 
Considering I don't watch much TV and haven't seen any many recent blockbusters, I have to go with my ol' standby:  Will Smith.
 
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
 
I'm not really up on politics and current issues, but I have to say I was really moved by the election and actually sat and watched the returns come in.  Regardless of your political preference, it was a big day for America having both an African-American AND a woman running for office.  We watched history being made that day. 
 
35. Who did you miss?
 
My Uncle Tom, who passed away in June 2006.
 
36. Who was the best new person you met?
 
I have to say my co-worker, Paula.  We hit it off and are in the beginings of our friendship, but I just think she's cool.  I was secretly wishing to get to know her better but wasn't sure how to make that happen and then she said to me "We should hang out sometime" and I knew we were on the same page.
 
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
 
I learned that I'm even tougher than I thought, both physically and mentally.  And I learned that prayer works. 
 
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I'm again copying Linda and using a quote instead of a song lyric:
 

"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Happy 2010 everyone!

Random Thoughts

It's Monday again and my friend Michelle has started Monday Mini Moments as a way to share a few thoughts to kick off the week.  Here's what I'm thinking about:

Have you ever heard of NieNie?  Well, read her amazing story here and then try telling me you're having a bad day.  I've followed her story since just after the crash and, well, I just can't fathom what she's been through.  She's such an inspiration and reading the *whole* story brought me to tears.

I think I'm about done with my Christmas shopping, which isn't saying much seeing as we're really only buying for our own kids.  Money is still tight so the kids are it.  I need to wrap some stuff to put under the tree as a form of torture the kids are eager to see some presents.

You'd think with being cooped up with my house due to cold weather, I'd use the opportunity to clean my house.  But no.  I basically did nothing yesterday.  Today I'm trying to make up for it.  So far I've scrubbed the kids' bathroom and washed the shower curtain liner.  Next up:  SHEETS and VACCUMING.

I need to go scour the garage to see if I have any Christmas cards stashed away.  I still need to get those suckers done.  I gave myself a Get Out of Jail Free card last year because we were in the midst of house and moving mayhem but this year I really need/want to get them sent.

It snowed yesterday and while pretty and festive, totally threw me into grizzly bear mode. I just want to eat and hibernate.  Time to turn on the happy light I guess.

Happy Holidays!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

True Story Tuesday - Cold Edition

The weather has been BITTERLY cold here in the Great White North.  I don't think it's been above freezing for a week and with the wind blowing down out of Canada's Fraser River Valley, it's even colder.  Thank God there aren't any clouds or moisture in the air because it'd surely turn to snow.  Which would make me cry hot, salty tears.

True story.

Aside from the awful temperatures, I've been sick for almost two weeks with some kind of bug.  Not stuck-in-bed sick the whole time but I have an annoying cough that is lingering and making me feel less than stellar.  And it's making me cranky because it's keeping me from going to the gym.

True story.

As if coughing up a lung isn't bad enough, we went to a lighted Christmas parade on Saturday night - yes, out in the frigid cold night air - and I somehow managed to throw my neck out of whack.  After tensing up and shivering in the cold for an hour, I left the parade with a lovely neck ache.  I went to the chiropractor yesterday before work to get it adjusted but the muscles are so spasmed that she couldn't completely fix it.  And it actually kinda feels worse today (muscle-wise).  So I get to go back on Thursday and hopefully get it straightened out.  It better work because I'm sick of being hobbled by various ailments.  I've got things to do and need my body to cooperate.

True story.

It's only December 8th and I'm already sick of winter.

True story.

Christmas Wrapping

So since it's getting to be that time of year, I thought it was time to decorate for the holidays.  And I figured the ol' blog was as good a place to start as any.  :)

Memories

As I prepare for tomorrow's feast and the time spent with family, I am drawn back to one of my earliest memories of Thanksgiving.

My first relatively clear memory of Thanksgiving is from 1977, I think.  I was 6 years old and we had moved to Washington state earlier that year, leaving behind my dad's family in Nevada.  I remember driving all night through a rather fierce storm to get back to my grandma's house for Thanksgiving.  I don't know for sure that it was the same year, but I remember the dinner table stretching from one end of the house to the other and everyone squished around it, passing food and laughing.  My grandma's house wasn't big, maybe 1200 sq ft if that, and it was bursting to the seams with family.

It occurred to me that we're kind of recreating that here tomorrow.  I am blessed with a bigger house than my grandma, but we'll still have tables stretching from one end to the other and we'll be passing food and laughing, I'm sure.  It makes me wonder if my kids will remember this Thankgiving and what their recollection of it will be.

Whatever they remember, I hope they know how loved and blessed they are.

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving Week! 

I'm not sure how much I'll get around to posting this week as it's going to be a VERY busy one.  Aside from the impending holiday and preparations to host 20+ people in my home, I've picked up some extra hours at work.  Normally I would avoid extra hours like the plague during an already busy and stressful week, but at the moment, life is necessitating extra hours.

I've been in a bit of a stress-filled funk because of some money issues, which I won't bore you with.  Just suffice it to say that I really don't have any other option BUT to work whatever extra hours I can if I don't want to find myself in a deeper hole.  Instead of working my normal 32 hours this week, I'll be working 44 hours.  Which will be terrific for the paycheck, but hard on me.  BUT.  I still am SO thankful for the opportunity and ability to work the extra hours.  It really is going to make a difference.

I don't talk much about my religious beliefs or faith here on ye ol' blog, but I'll tell you that I have a very strong faith.  I haven't attended church regularly since I was a teenager, not having found one that felt like home to me.  I'll get there eventually, but for now it's just me and God. And we do alot of talking.  And I can positively say that He's even done some answering lately.  I firmly believe that.  The answer didn't come in the form of a winning lottery ticket as I'd hoped but when things were looking rather bleak these extra hours arose at work.  And some work has started to trickle in for my husband, which will hopefully translate into full paychecks again soon.  When I started to really melt down and feel in a panic, I decided I was too small and weak to deal with it all and I threw it all into God's lap, saying "YOU deal with it."  And it appears He is. And teaching me a few lessons along the way.

Now. On to Thanksgiving.  I got a wild hair a few months ago and decided that I wanted to host Thanksgiving dinner at my house.  Not just for my immediate family, but for my husband's family as well.  The invitation was put out and at last count there will be 22 of us for dinner.  And NO, I will not be cooking the entire dinner myself, although don't think I wasn't tempted.  I'm crazy like that and think it'd be a fun and rewarding undertaking and maybe someday I'll do it.  This year I'm only doing the ham, making potato rolls, a scalloped potato dish, regular dressing, a couple pies, some appetizers, cookies for the kids, and whatever else I decide on a whim.  I plan on spending all day Wednesday up to my elbows in food and am thoroughly looking forward to it.  I'll put on some music, keep a beverage nearby and chop, slice, dice, saute, knead, mix and bake to my heart's content.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are a few things I'm thankful for right now:

~ My job

~ My family's health

~ A safe & warm home

~ A full pantry

~ Caring & supportive friends

~ The ability to do anything I set my mind to

~ A grateful heart

~ This promise:  "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

I've said it before and I'll say it again:  I lead a very blessed life and I don't take it for granted.  I don't mean to whine or complain, I just am recording how I've been feeling and where we're at right now.  In spite of the shadows that are around me right now, I know they are temporary.  This is just one of those rough spots in life that we all have.  With a little perserverance and faith, we'll get through it just fine.

Now tell me - what are YOU thankful for??

And Happy Thanksgiving!

True Story Tuesday - TV Guide Edition

Hmmm, let's see...what can I confess today as truth?  Oh!  I know.

I have recently started watching Glee episodes online.  I'd been hearing many good things about the show and I decided to check it out.  And you know what?  I'm hooked.   What a fun little show!  I haven't intentionally watched a network program with any regularity since...hmmm, 2005?  I think the last show that I actually was into was American Dreams.  Anyone remember that one?  It was set during the late 60's and had one of the characters dancing on American Bandstand.  It was a family-oriented show which is probably why it got cancelled after only three seasons.   I have to admit that in my advancing years I find myself being drawn to shows that aren't laden with cursing, violence and sex, which effectively rules out 95% of what's on TV these day.

True story.

I am not a fan of reality TV in general.  I have never watched Survivor, American Idol, America's Got Talent, Dancing With the Stars, Big Brother or most of the other reality shows out there.  But a couple years ago when I visited my cousin and her four 11-week old babies, we sat around and watched alot of TV.  And it just so happened that So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) was beginning a new season.  Well, I got hooked.  And I've been hooked ever since.  I have never danced, never wanted to dance or even pretended I could dance.  But there's something about that show that gets to me.  Maybe it's the passion and drive the kids demonstrate, or some of the incredibly moving choreography that they perform, but I find myself tearing up almost every episode.  And there are certain songs I can't hear without visualizing the dancers performing to it.  It kinda makes me want to get up and dance.

True story.

When I was a kid, my bedtime was 9:00pm.  This presented a dilemma because a couple of my favorite shows were on at 9:00pm.  Those shows being The A Team and Knight Rider.  Come on, you know you loved Knight Rider.  Anyway, once a week I was allowed to stay up until 10:00pm to watch a show.  I would study the TV Guide to find out the story lines for both shows and then I'd have to choose which one to watch that week.  I seem to remember The A Team winning out more often than Knight Rider.

True story.

An Unfortunate Sequence of Events

So today wasn't quite what I had planned.

I had intended to spend the day, before going to work, doing laundry and cleaning the house.  Zoë and I were going to bake some oatmeal cookies for me to take to work.  But then I saw in the newspaper online that the forecast predicted snow this afternoon.  And since I was already heading towards Coldville, I decided I needed to get a fire built and get the house warmed up.  So I got the fire started, got the laundry started, had some toast & coffee and was well on my way to domestic bliss servitude.

Then the fire needed more wood.  Now, I have to pause in my story to tell you that in the last week I have burnt my knuckles, on two separate occasions, while putting wood in the fireplace.  My right hand looks like I've been dragging my knuckles on the ground.  And they are ouchie.  Anyway, I was putting a chunk of wood in the fireplace and in adjusting the log, got my hand in a hotspot.  In total reflexive action, I jerked my arm back away from the heat.  Right into the fireplace door.  My elbow connected with the inside knob of the handle and I was immediately brought to my knees, dropping the other log that was in my hand, and causing me to emit a few colorful epithets.  The pain in my elbow was searing and shot down my arm to my hand.

This wasn't a case of hitting your funny bone where your arm tingles painfully.  This was throbbing, white-hot pain that only increased as the seconds ticked by. I stumbled to the couch, aware that Zoë was watching me, and not wanting to scare her, I tried to stem the tears that were burning my eyes and the sobs that were threatening to escape my throat.  I was rather unsuccessful even as she and Tessa the dog tried to comfort me the only way they knew how:  "Mommy, do you need a bandaid?"  {Lick, lick...}

I called crying and scared the crap out of my husband, then called crying and scared the crap out of my mother who happened to be home.  She came right over, but by that time I had regained a few of my wits and was trying to get a bag of ice for my arm.   My arm continued to throb for the next couple hours.

I called my doctor's office to try to get an appointment, but with all the sickness going around, the earliest appointment I could get was at 4:30pm, five hours away.  I downed some ibuprofen and snuggled up with my ice pack, watching a couple Glee episodes on the computer to pass the time.

The day wore on and my arm started to feel better and throb less.  I got more mobility in it and was reassured that I hadn't actually broken my arm as I'd earlier feared.  The doctor confirmed it, saying that I'd probably badly bruised the muscle or the bone and to continue the ibuprofen and ice.

So.  Let's recap.  My house didn't get cleaned.  The laundry didn't get done.  I didn't bake cookies.  I was stuck home all day, in pain.  I had to use my PTO (paid time off) for calling in sick to work.  And IT SNOWED a little. Not exactly the day I had planned.

So naturally I'm self medicating.  With Baileys & coffee.

Trying my hand

I just had the pleasure of helping one of my BFFs update her new blog.  I really am pretty clueless as to this blog design/html stuff....I just know why my eye likes.  And fortunately her eyes agreed and she's got a new pretty blog.   Take a peek and tell me what you think!

Thanks Chelle for letting me play around with your new "home".  :)  Love you!

Now I want to update my blog...

Edited to add:  What do you think?  Is the green too green??
Edited AGAIN:  How about now?

True Story Tuesday

I'm stealing this idea from my friend, Chelle, who stole it from her friend.  And since it's still Tuesday and I'm trying to get back into the routine of blogging, I'll steal whatever ideas I can in order to post more regularly.

I broke down and mopped my floors today.  After making apple pie filling yesterday and splattering sticky apple juice all over the place, it was high time the floors got cleaned.  It's probably been at least a month since I mopped.  Disgusting, I know, but I promise that if you're coming to my house as a guest, I mop the floors before you come.  I myself just live in the daily filth.

True story. 

Money is a little tight right now because work has been slow for Josh, which results in smaller paychecks.  We should be able to just squueeeze the mortgage out this week but what I really want to do is go to Costco.  I love Costco.  I dare say I'm addicted to Costco. As soon as there's more than three things on my list, I head straight there.  And never leave for less than $100.  I can't afford to do that this week and it is making me sad.

True story.

I stopped and got a raspberry mocha at Starbucks on the way to work today. They had a sign up that they were hiring.  I was sorely tempted to apply.

True story.

I have peanut butter cookies AND apple crumble pie in my house and yet I find myself thinking of what else I can bake.  I am not tempted by sweets (although that apple crumble pie is DEE-LISH) so my thoughts have turned to bread.  I have approximately 50 lbs of flour in my pantry and a new bread cookbook that is calling my name.

True story.

Bullets

Instead of trying to write an actual blog post, I'm gonna go ahead and use those wonderful little formatting wonders knowns as bullets to try to touch on some of the highlights of recent weeks months.

• I completed my 2nd half marathon on September 27 in 3:05.  This was 15 minutes faster than my first half marathon time.  I was shocked to discover around mile 9 that I could possibly break the three hour mark.  Still didn't quite make it, but I was extremely happy with that time. I ran more of this race, hurt more during it, and recovered faster after it.  Ironic considering I trained less.
• After volunteering in my daughter's preschool class, I started having second thoughts as to her attendance. I was afraid that she wasn't getting anything educational out of it and that I instead was just paying for playtime for her. Now that a few more weeks have gone by, I see that there is some actual learning starting to happen.  And I also have figured out that this first year of preschool is really about getting used to the classroom, learning how to interact with others and listen to the teacher.  The book learning will come.
• My son is doing wonderfully in school, which makes me SO happy.  The last half of last year was such a struggle for us both that it is such a relief to have him look forward to school now, and to be so positive about it. 
• I joined the YMCA this month. My hope is to maintain a level of fitness through the winter and emerge in the spring ready to take on the next challenge.  I want to improve cardiovascularly, gain some muscle and definition, and firm things up.  40 is just around the corner.
• I have unearthed a few of my craft boxes and boy howdy, do I have some projects to finish!  I've also got a lot I want to start but I'm trying to restrain myself.
• I have 16 books beside my bed that I am waiting to read, and three new cookbooks on my desk to peruse.  Hello, my name is Kate and I am a book addict.  Nice to meet you.
• I started a book club at my work.  Somehow I and another co-worker are spearheading the thing and I need to set up our first meeting asap.  We are reading Ahab's Wife, or The Star Gazer by Sena Jeter Naslund.  It's a good story.
• I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house for both my family and my husband's family. To date, we have 22 people who will be attending, including us. I don't own that many forks.  That is a problem.
• **WARNING** Female subject ahead - please skip if you are male, related to me, and/or are uncomfortable hearing about my anatomy.
• I had an IUD put in last November. I had it taken out in October.  It was making me cranky, irritable, mean, crazy, bloated, irrational and sad. Also, my hair was falling out and I had the skin of a hormonal teenager. I feel much better now.
• Ok, it's safe to read again.
• I went to Eastern WA a few weeks ago to visit friends and we canned 90 quarts of applesauce and juice in a day.  Now I fancy myself a pioneer woman and am intent on "putting up" as much of anything and everything I can.  I have roasted and pureed pumpkin, which is now in my freezer in handy one cup servings.  Next up:  apple pie filling, Oktoberfest beer mustard, and marinara sauce.  Hello, my name is Kate and I am a food hoarder. Or part squirrel. Or secretly Amish.
• While out with my daughter the other day, she looked up at me and said "Mommy, my heart hurts of love."
• I know what she means.

Falling

Fall is upon us.  Which means the cold has arrived.  Which means Kate is already freezing. 

I keep hearing that this is the year of El Nino and that we're in for a milder, drier, warmer winter.  But so far I'm not feeling it.  There was a biting cold Nor'easter wind blowing down out of Canada today that was swirling and howling around my house.  We've had a fire going in our Fireplace Xtrordinair almost daily for the last week or so and it has kept the house nice & toasty.  That thing puts out some serious heat when you get it going.  It's lovely.  (My husband would tell you it makes the house too hot, but he's crazy.  80° is a perfectly comfortable temperature for the house.)

Along with the weather change comes all the germy cold and flu bugs.  To date, I have a cold which started out with a sore throat and now both the kids are complaining of tummyaches and headaches, although that's as far as it's gone - complaining.  Both of the kids have had the regular flu vaccination; Sam got the flu mist up the nose and Zoe got an actual shot.  She'll have to have a 2nd one, though, as this is the first time she's gotten the flu shot.  I *think* I'll be getting them the H1N1 vaccination when it becomes available.  With all the information and hype that's out there, it's hard to know what to do.  I had a really good discussion with our pediatrician at Zoe's 4 year checkup and I feel better about them having it, but I still can't say I'm 100% sure.  Like any parent, I want to protect my kids but what if the so-called "protection" ends up causing more problems than what you're trying to protect against?? 

Anyway, as much as I cringe at the falling temps and the inevitable illnesses, I love the fall.  We live in such a beautiful area and the trees are turning the most gorgeous shades of red, orange and gold. There's a hint of woodsmoke in the air and the outside is taking on a musty, earthy smell.  The skies are filled with the sounds and shapes of birds heading south to warmer climes.  As everything starts to wind down for a long winter's nap, I start thinking of projects to work on, things to keep me busy while I'm waiting indoors for the return of summer.  And, of course, there's the holidays.

I'm so excited to be in our new house this holiday season.  We missed out on celebrating Christmas in The Red House last year because of the snow, but this year, even if it does snow, we'll be there, all tucked safe & warm inside.  And we've invited both our families to join us for a big Thanksgiving Feast at our house.  It's going to be a holiday to remember, for sure.  I can't wait.

What is your favorite thing about fall?

May I See Your License?

Today I went on a field trip with Sam's 2nd grade class.  They've been studying wetlands in science class so they loaded all the 2nd graders up and hauled them to a nearby lake, which is surrounded by wetlands.  It was a fun and interesting day, with beautiful weather, and even the parents learned a few things. 

Next to the lake area is a park where our half of the group spent the morning, seeing the farm animals, running around and having lunch while the other group toured the wetlands.  There is a nice trail that connects the two areas that is probably 1/4 mile or so.  On the way back over to the lake for our turn, Sam and a classmate were lagging way behind the rest of the group.  I encouraged him to catch up, but he complained that he was tiiiirrred and couldn't go any faster.

I joked with him that if he was gonna run out of energy so quickly they were going to revoke his kid license and make him be an adult.

"But Mom," he replied matter of factly, "I don't have a kid license.  All I have is a library card and two tickets to the Fair!"

Training Again

After doing my first half marathon in June, I decided Heck, I could do that again!   Apparently, walking 13.1 miles is kind of like childbirth:  you forget the painful parts and only remember the reward.  So naturally I immediately committed to doing another one.  Which is in 10 days.

I'm excited about doing it, especially since it's in my city and I can come home and pass out on my couch celebrate immediately afterwards.  Oh! And maybe I'll even have someone waiting for me, cheering me on, at the finish line!  I'm hurriedly trying to get my legs and feet back accustomed to the torture task of going 13.1 miles, since after the June race I spent a month hobbling around, babying a sprained ankle.  And then summer, kids, camping, blah blah blah got in the way and, long story short, I haven't been as dedicated to my training as I should have been.  So I guess I'll just plan to spend much of October hobbling around, babying my sprained/broken/abused {insert body part here}.

Do I know how to have fun or what??

The Tooth Fairy Comes Tonight

Sam just turned 7 years old a week or so ago and he still hasn't lost a tooth. Of course, he was late getting them, not having a tooth break thru until he was 10 months old. So I figured he'd be late to lose them as well.

The last couple days he's been complaining that one of his front top teeth was hurting. It wasn't wiggly and when I looked at it, it was brown underneath and on the back side of it. I thought maybe it was a cavity and made myself a mental note to call the dentist to make an appointment.

Well, this morning at 9:30am the phone rings and it's Sam, calling from school. "My tooth hurts," he said and when I asked him what I could do to help him, he said "Come get me." I knew that if he was calling me it must have been hurting pretty bad. So I quickly got dressed and called the dentist before leaving home, explaining the situation and asking if there was any way Dr. Mary could see him. They said to bring him in and they would squeeze him in. So I picked him up and we headed in.

Upon arrival they did an x-ray and checked it out. The dental tech said it didn't look like a cavity and after the Dr. saw it, she said they wanted to pull it. Which is what I was afraid of. But apparently Sam wasn't afraid of it because he came bounding out saying "Mom! They're gonna pull my tooth!"

Unfortunately, they wouldn't let me go back with him because it was technically their surgery day and parents aren't allowed back. But I could see him through the reception window and from the looks of it, they were having a party! The Dr. and tech were cracking up and they were all laughing and gesturing wildly, having a great time. And the next thing you know, they sit Sam up and show him his tooth that had been detached from his face. Dr. Mary said it was most likely some kind of trauma that caused it, which I am perplexed by. Except for the time Sam was about 3.5 and hit his mouth on my parents' coffee table and knocked a front tooth loose (which completely resolved and was fine). But could this really have been the cause of today's pain? Who knows.

All I know is that the Tooth Fairy is finally coming to our house tonight. And my boy now looks like this:

Fishing

We live in an area of the Pacific NW where the salmon run up our rivers, back to their spawning grounds. The pink salmon, or "humpies", run every other year and in recent years the run hasn't been very good for various reasons. We've been anxiously awaiting this season and have had our fingers crossed that we'd actually catch some fish this year.

Opening Day was August 16th. My dad, Hubby, Sam and I headed out early that morning, down to the river. It was Sam's first real fishing expedition and I worried how he would cope with being cooped up on a 16' boat all day, especially if the fishing was slow.

Turns out we didn't need to worry. The fishing was decent and in between the catching, Sam munched away on potato chips and played Yahtzee on my phone. Only once did he fuss and ask to go home and that was when a bee was buzzing around his head. (He's been afraid of bees ever since he got stung on the end of the nose.)

Sam, reeling in a fish.

Sam's first salmon

I caught the biggest one that day, and boy was it fun! I could tell I had a bigger fish on by the way he fought. They're fiesty little critters! But I guess if I had a hook through my lip, I'd fight to get away too!

Me & my Dad

We managed to land 12 fish that day and went home happy and tired and satisfied with a good day's fishing.

Out with the old...

I decided it was time for a bit of an update here on the ol' blog so I mucked my way through it and did it myself, with the help of some free online backgrounds and my pal, Heather. Now that I have a tentative grasp on how to do it, you can look forward to occasional changes to occupy your occular orifices.

You're welcome.

Beginnings

Tomorrow Sam heads back to school as a 2nd grader. Today we went and met his teacher (turns out he'll actually have two - more on that in a minute) and saw his new classroom. It was so sweet to see him greet and hug various teachers, all while grinning madly. I think he's more excited to return to school then he's letting on. And I'm so glad we won't be going thru any of the drama we went through last year with switching schools.

If I've not mentioned it before, the elementary school he goes to is pretty small. There are only 1.5 second grade classes, the .5 being a split 2nd/3rd grade class. He's in the 2nd grade room, sharing it with 23 other students. His teacher, Mrs. S., explained that because there were so many kids that he and several other students would be going over to Mrs. T's room in the afternoon for math and science. They will be joined by the 2nd graders from the split class. Other than the obvious benefit of being able to work with & teach a smaller class more effectively, Sam will have the advantage of knowing ALL of the 2nd graders since he'll spend the first half of the day with one class and the last half with the others. I think he'll enjoy that.

I think it's going to be a good year for him. I liked his primary teacher, Mrs. S.; she's young and has a child of her own, which I think lends another level of patience and understanding to a teacher. His math/science teacher is an older lady that has been teaching for years and seems very kind and calm. Lord knows she's gonna need with it a herd of 2nd graders!

All in all, I'm in a MUCH better frame of mind about the start of this school year than I was last year. Man, but I sure struggled with it last year. While I'm still going to miss my boy, I'm excited to see what the year brings. I plan on helping in his classroom as much as I can, joining his for lunch during the week, and going on field trips of course. I'm glad that he'll be back with his friends, continuing his friendships, and working on his tetherball skills. I think he'll be happy and that makes me happy.

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My Zoë-girl starts off on her educational adventure next week, when she joins the preschool crowd. She'll be going two mornings a week and, while she's excited about it now, we'll see how she reacts when Momma walks out the door. I hope that she'll be fine and can just embrace it and have a great time. Stay tuned.
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Since everyone is going back to school and getting new school clothes and pencils, I wanted to join in the fun. I'm working on getting enrolled in the local community college and am going to tiptoe back into the classroom (online) and start working towards a degree. I think I've finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up.

It's only taken 38 years and a couple kids to show me that I really just want to play with school supplies and kids all day. So, I think I'm going to pursue a degree in elementary education in hopes of being a teacher. I mean, what better schedule to have when you have kids yourself? My kids are just starting off in their education and considering that I actually really LIKE my kids and WANT to be part of their lives, I can't think of a better job to have than one that gives me weekends, holidays and summers off with them.

I know it's going to be challenging at times; I work almost full-time, have two small kids and a husband, a house on 5 acres, I keep signing up for half marathons which require some training, I have friends I like to see and hobbies I like to pursue, plus I'm trying to go back to school.

It's never going to get any easier. And if I don't start, I'll never finish.

My Dad

This is my dad.

And if a picture is worth 1,000 words, this absolutely sums him up. Whatever words spring to mind when looking at this picture are probably 100% accurate.

I've written here about my dad several times and what a special relationship we have. So much of who I am is because of him. By example, he has taught me to work hard, put family first, keep smiling, be honest & fair, always look on the bright side and, maybe most importantly, to enjoy life.

My dad had his first heart attack at the age of 42. It was shortly before my 12th birthday, and if it hadn't of been for friends of our family being involved in his medical care, and working desperately and tirelessly to save his life when he went into cardiac arrest, he wouldn't be here today.

He had his second heart attack nine years later. It was shortly before my 21st birthday, and if it hadn't of been for my sister who'd become an intensive care nurse, recognizing the symptoms and insisting he go to the hospital when he himself thought it was just indigestion, he probably wouldn't be here today.

He's endured two open heart surgeries, multiple other tests and procedures, and lives with a heart that is only 50% functioning. He has outlived all his brothers, even though he is the only one to have had a heart attack and such a complex cardiac history. When I was a baby, his own father died in his arms of a heart attack as they were coming back from a father-son day of fishing.

If there ever were a shining example of living by choice, my dad is it. He has had the lion's share of pain and suffering, both physical and emotional, and yet he continues to be positive and downright happy. I've seen so many people who have had half the misfortune he's had spend their lives wallowing in self-pity and negativity. But not Dad. Every day is a new adventure, a new opportunity to make memories and spend time with people he loves, doing what he loves.

He himself will tell you he's living on borrowed time. He makes very few excuses for doing whatever the heck he wants, choosing to spend whatever time he has here on earth being happy and grateful. I can't tell you how much I admire that.

The night before my dad walked me down the aisle to marry my husband a thought occurred to me: What would have become of me had my dad died during that first heart attack? What would my life have been like? It's a thought I can barely stand to imagine, but I know that I wouldn't be the woman I am today, with the rich and loving memories that I carry in my heart, and the joie de vivre that he nurtured in me.

The other day I was hanging out with my dad and he yet again joked that I was going to get sick of seeing him now that we're neighbors. And, yet again, I reassured him that that was impossible. He turned to me, with a grin similar to the one above, and said "I know how you feel about me." "How's that?" I asked, grinning myself. "I know how you feel about me," he said, "because I felt the same way about my dad. I couldn't spend enough time with him or do enough for him. I was always with him."

With tears stinging my eyes, all I could do was nod. He does know.

And that's all that matters.

Competition

I can't compete.


I snuck quietly into the blogosphere a little over two years ago. (July 18th to be exact - Happy Blogoversary to me!) I had stumbled across a little blog called Confessions of a Pioneer Woman and felt inspired to try my hand at online writing. Well, hrruumph. That's akin to me hopping on my bike and thinking I can keep up with Lance Armstrong. Inspirational, yes. Motivating, yes. Realistic, NO.

Sure, I can ramble and blather on about my mundane musings, but does anyone want to read that?? I mean, when there is such absolute brilliance as this out there, my rather pathetic pontifications are pointless. (Alliteration, anyone??)

One of my favorite bloggers was having much the same feeling the other day and I found myself telling her to continue on with her "ramblings" (her words), and reassuring her that her "ramblings" were what kept me coming back, that I could relate to her best when she just shared simple thoughts instead of always trying to write "the perfect post".

And then a lightbulb clicked on.

I started doing this mainly as a record of my life, and my children's lives and our times together. I've chronicled the construction of our house and I'm sure that if I hadn't, I would have already forgotten the frustrations and efforts and feelings I had throughout the process. I've recorded many of the adventures that our family has been on. I've shared my thoughts and feelings and fears and goals. I've bragged about my amazing kids. I've written myself memories of the last two years.

And you know what? Much like looking back at my teenage diaries, I find myself re-reading and remembering things I'd forgotten and being able to laugh at things that were oh-so serious/painful/stressful at the time. I've recorded parts of me and my life that otherwise would have faded and eventually been forgotten. I've shared myself and made some new friends, as well as kept my friends and family apprised of what's going on in my life.

Mainly, I've documented ME - who I am, what matters to me, what I'm thinking and doing. Much like in real life, my words are often not very poetic or even remotely organized at times, but they are always genuinely ME.

And I don't need to compete.

Dog Days of Summer

Ouch. A month has slipped by with no new post from me! Well, it's summer, don'tcha know, and summer = BUSY. So here's a bit of what we've been up to...

We picked strawberries:


We've been playing in the water:
And relaxing in the shade:


We celebrated my birthday: And then there's this girl:
Who we already adore... And who is enjoying her new life with us...

So far, it's been a fun-filled, jam-packed summer and it ain't over yet!

13.1

At the start, waiting to go...

At the finish, feelin' proud...

My hard-earned medal...

I did it.

I did it faster than I hoped, I ran more than I thought possible, I pushed myself harder than I've ever pushed myself. And I've seriously never been prouder of myself.

I can't wait to do it again.

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I can't post this without giving a shout out to my training partner and pal, Heather. I'm so incredibly impressed and proud of you, Heather. You are made of the toughest and most determined stuff and I'm so glad we did this together.

Teach a Boy to Fish...

It's Wordless Wednesday!

Countdown

Do you see that ticker over on the right? Only 16 days until the big race!! I'm getting SO excited about it. A while back I was a little apprehensive, feeling like it really was going to be hard and while I knew I'd finish, I feared that I'd suffer through it and the days after. I haven't been doing nearly as much walking as I should, or as I'd like, so I feared that the 13.1 miles really was going to be a challenge.

Last weekend my walking pal, Heather, and I set out to do our "long" walk. We'd been to a local running store for a clinic they put on about walking athletically. The talk was given by a gal that is a former national level race walker. She had some good tips and information about walking, stride, technique, etc. And on her advice, we needed to do our "long" walk soon. So we decided on Sunday. I picked Heather up and we headed to the local interurban trail, which goes 6 miles south down to a state park, winding thru the forest and past fancy houses that overlook the bay. There was a part of the trail that was actually more like hiking than walking: a steep narrow path peppered with rocks and tree roots, with hairpin turns and some serious elevation gain.

Long story short, we did it. We walked all 12 miles and though we were a bit physically tired (and hungry!!) at the end, we felt a real sense of accomplishment and felt confident that we could have easily gone on for another mile. We both agreed that the adreneline is going to help carry us along on Race Day, not to mention the other 24,998 people that will be with us.

The fear is gone and now I'm just super excited about the race, knowing that I can do it.

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"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success." --Norman Vincent Peale

Flashback Friday

One year ago (tomorrow, to be exact) we watched as they broke ground for our house. It was the start of quite an adventure...

Sunny Days

The other night I was coming home around 7:45pm and was treated to this view. As soon as I walked in the door, I grabbed my camera. All around me was dusk, but the mountain was basking in the last rays of the day. It was stunning.

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I got a wild hair the other day and suddenly turned into the love child of Bob Villa and Ciscoe Morris and this is what I ended up with.

It all started a while ago when PW posted step-by-step instructions on how to build these garden boxes and since time was marching on and we were making no progres towards getting our shared garden in the ground, I took matters (and drill) in hand and did my own thing. Hubby helped me with the first one but then I decided one wasn't nearly enough space and built a second one the next day. We dumped in a bunch of topsoil and I got things planted and we are on our way. Next year when we get our big garden going, I can use these boxes for strawberries or my dahlia garden.

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The weather has turned unusually warm for this time of year and I am LOVING it. My housekeeping has gone the way of the dinosaurs because I'm too busy lolling around in the sunshine to care about the state of my floors or the availability of clean underwear. My mind turns to mush when the sun comes out and I am only capable of draping myself lazily on my lounge chair, intoxicated by the scent of suntan lotion. Seriously, it's one of those rare occurences where I am voluntarily still. I just hope we're not getting our summer weather now and will be freezing when it actually is summer. All the more reason to soak it up now, I say!

Good Times

Our Memorial Day Housewarming Party was a smashing success. It was a fantastic day and so much fun. My pulled pork turned out well and everyone brought something to share. My island was covered with food, as you can see, so no one went hungry.


I was a bit concerned that everyone would have a good time because we had a mix of people here: old friends, local friends and work friends. But, as I should have known, everyone got along fabulously, introducing themselves when I wasn't available to do so and mingling effortlessly. The kids raced around outside, inventing various games (usually Star Wars themed) and generally having a great time. It made my heart happy to see them all out there, laughing and playing. And wearing themselves out.

We started up a bonfire in the evening and, like moths to a flame, we all gravitated to it. When the sun started to go down, things cooled off and the warmth of the fire felt good. Even the smallest party attendee seemed to enjoy it.

My sweet chub of a nephew, Kieran.

It was a really nice day, one that Josh and I had been dreaming of when we were building this place. We imagined all our friends over, everyone talking and eating and laughing, kids racing around in the grass, and everyone gathering around a bonfire toasting marshmallows.

Turns out dreams do come true.

Party!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Today we're having a BBQ and get-together with friends who have yet to see The Big Red House. Should be a good time. We've got a keg of beer coming, 12 lbs of pork butt smoking on the grill, a ton of other food and beverages, and some of our favorite people coming. I get to love on my ever-growing nephew, Kieran, who is now 6 months old (my favorite age) and the sun is shining brightly. Woo-hoo!

It's gonna be an awesome day.

Hope you're enjoying your's too!

Lost & Found

I seem to have lost my blogging mojo. Anyone seen it?

Seriously, I still think like a blogger...."Man, I totally should be taking pictures of this to blog!" or "This would make great blog fodder!". But somehow when I sit down at the computer, the words just aren't flying out of my fingers the way they used to.

I'll be honest, life has just conspired against me and has been demanding my attention elsewheres. I've been making a conscious effort to be more involved with Sam in an effort to improve his attitude towards school, which has totally worked to such an extent that his teacher emailed me asking if I'd noticed that he was way more positive about school. He's even told me several times "I love school, Mom!". And with the weather getting nicer, we're not stuck indoors all the live long day which then translates to less time on the computer.

Anyway, today I was cleaning out my email inbox and ended up going back to read some previous posts and it's kind of inspired me to write again. I was feeling a little frustrated because it felt like no one was reading what I was writing, and as we all know, as bloggers we LIVE for comments, which are the only way we know anyone is reading. It's nice to have that validation that Hey! I'm not talking to myself again! A tip for those of you who don't have blogs of your own: you can comment anonymously by clicking on "Anonymous" below the comment box. Then just sign your comment with your name and I'll know who you are!

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In an effort to get you up to speed on my life, here are some bulleted highlights of what I've been up to:

• Hubby & I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary yesterday. We went for drinks and appys down at the marina, then to dinner at a little mexican joint, which had tasty sangria which may or may not have contributed to the tiny headache I had when I woke up.


• I have been trying to do as much walking as possible in preparation for the half marathon I signed up to do the end of June with my friend Heather. Our longest walk so far has been 7.5 miles, which we've done twice. Time to up the distance. Unfortunately the weather and life have been thwarting our walking efforts but we're determined to get more miles in.


• Sam is still in swimming lessons and doing good. We had signed Zoë up for another session but the new class had a very cute boy teacher, and she wouldn't even get in the water. So I got my money back and we'll hope for a girl teacher next time.


• I went swimsuit shopping and was successful. Seriously, I got the cutest suit and it is so flattering. I might actually wear it in public.


• Only 16 more school days left!! I can't tell you how excited I am about that. I love summer.


• We're working to turn our yard into an actual yard with grass and flowerbeds instead of the mudpit it currently is. We had a load of topsoil brought in and spread and then it rained, which led to this:

In addition to the half marathon the end of June, I've also signed up to do a 7 mile race in July. Unfortunately, my walking partner found out she had a prior commitment after I'd already signed up so I guess I'll be walking alone. But whatever. (Totally kidding! Love you Heather!) Anyone want to walk with me?? Oh! And there's a 15k in September we I want to do. Hopefully not alone. (wink, wink..)

I have been picking up extra shifts at work while I wait to find a position with more hours. While I am still stressed about money, so far we're doing okay. I have faith it'll all work out.

Life is just really good. I am so incredibly blessed and I appreciate that fact every single day. I have my health as does my family, a gorgeous home that I love more every day, the sweetest husband who I am so proud of, two awesome kids, the best friends, a good paying job, and so much on the horizon to be excited about.

The Week in Review

Boy, it's been a busy week. It seems like as the days get longer and the weather warmer, life really starts to pick up speed. But it's all good! That's the way I like it.

Here's a quick recap of what we've been up to:

~Last Wednesday Sam's class had a field trip to the local fairgrounds for the Milk Makers Festival, or whatever it's called. In our county, we are surrounded by dairy farms so it was a chance for the kids to learn all about the dairy industry. Apparently the field trip is a yearly event for all the 1st graders around here. It was very well organized, with six different stations where they learned about different aspects of the dairy industry. They even were treated to some chocolate milk. Zoë and I tagged along for the fun and had a great time. I wanted to put this little girl in my purse and bring her home.




~Wednesday evening The Hubby and I went on a date. We had gotten some tickets for a concert thru the college alumni association and figured we'd take advantage. Death Cab for Cutie had come home to do a concert and let me tell ya, for a band I wasn't that familiar with, they were awesome. They killed it. It was a lot of fun and we're definitely big fans now. So cool to see hometown boys gone big. (Sorry for the crappy pictures...used my phone.)



~Thursday was the last class for swimming lessons (of this session) and Heather and I had planned to stay after class and let the kids play in the pool during the Free Swim. Only I'm apparently a big clueless dork of a parent and didn't know/realize that kids under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. So guess who didn't have a swimsuit and couldn't get in the pool?? Thankfully, Heather donned her's and went in with the girls. Next time I'll be more prepared. (Note to self: buy a swimsuit. Oh,and work out.)

They opened up the waterslide during the Free Swim and Sam immediately scrambled up the stairs to give it a try. I was shocked (and proud) at how UNreluctant he was to try it. He's definitely a boy after my own heart. You can see in the picture exactly how fast he came shooting out of this thing! He was like a little blurry water missle! But he never flinched and came out all smiles and saying "That was AWESOME Mom!!" and went right back up. He went up those stairs so many times he ended up with a blister on his toes.


~Friday Sam's class was doing a presentation for the school assembly so Zoë and I attended that in the afternoon. They've been studying the life cycle of a butterfly and did a presentation about that. I know I'm his mother and all, but he spoke the clearest and loudest of all the kids and sounded the most natural. You know how kids get when you put them on stage with a microphone and an audience? I was one of those kids when I was little but not my Sam. I was so proud.



He was all smiles after school as we headed off into the weekend.

~Saturday morning we headed out to our old neighborhood for the annual pancake feed at the fire station. For $12 the whole family filled their bellies and then we checked out the fire trucks.


~Sunday morning we cleaned the house, since it was getting a little disgusting then Josh headed over to help my dad do some electrical work at their new house. It was sunny but a little breezy but we tried out best to soak up the rays. In the evening, the wind died down so after dinner we headed out on a walk.

And met some new friends along the way....

And at the end of the walk, we came home to our own little piece of heaven.

For reference sake, here's a picture of both our house and my parents' new place.

I'm done now. Whew! Happy Monday!