Catching Up

So, lets see. The past month.

I put in for a promotion at work. I lost.

All-in-all the experience was good. I hadn't interviewed or updated my resume or any of that crap in YEARS. The thing about me is, I don't do well trying to focus on two things at once, most of the time. For instance, I was working on my resume and totally spaced off the doctor's appointment for Hannah. Dinner was non-existent for two weeks or so while I debated the pros and cons of this position. The kids' school work went down the tubes, I don't know what else I lost track of. Bills, laundry, cleaning.

I made it to the second round interviews (so I didn't totally suck). THE DAY of the second round, as I waited to hear back, my son came home from school with very bad reports. A failed reading test (or was it two), several missing assignment (WTH?!! we worked on those!!), and I don't remember what else and I was seriously thinking "There is no way I can take this job" when the phone rang. "I'm sorry, The Boss didn't choose you." ... "S'okay, I couldn't have said 'yes' after the way the past hour has been. Thank you for the opportunity."

Truthfully, I am a little bummed. Still. BUT, I am very glad I went through the process, I definitely remembered a few things about myself (that pesky can't-do-two-things-at-once-thing) and I learned that I can go through the whole thing with few champions. I only shared with a few people that I was even trying. It was definitely challenging my own ego by keeping it quiet. I had some solid counsel though, but made sure the decision was my own. In the end, a really good experience. Will I try again in six months or whenever? I'm not sure. Am I okay with who they chose? It doesn't matter. Can't change it, can I? And trust me, I struggled with that for an entire week. I hate to say it, but "it is what it is." Best quote of the whole thing? I got the call for a second interview, I was telling the kids and my Hannah says "Mom, they accepted you." She has no idea how much those words meant to me. Stopped me in my tracks. It's all I want in life, to be accepted.

Fast forward to November 12, I turned 43. Holy crap. Forty Three. What have I accomplished? Well. Not a whole lot, but I have finally arrived at the place where I don't really care. I take care of myself, I take care of my family (unless I am applying for a job) and I like where I am. I like who I am (finally) and screw those of them who don't like me. I'm totally digging my 40's, wouldn't trade where I am right now for anything.  It was a totally uneventful day. I actually worked a short overtime shift because everyone else was either working or in school, so what was I gonna do? Sit home and feel sorry for myself? Nope. So I worked.

The previous weekend I took Hannah to the West Side of the State for HER birthday. She has been saving for an American Girls Doll. Seriously, could I have a more girly-girl? So we made a weekend of it. Friday after school we left, Monday we came home. The in-between times were spent shopping, hiking, driving and shopping. The American Girls Doll stores are an Experience. They have everything a girl could want for her doll. Beds, accessories, clothing a hair salon. Yes, a hair salon for dolls. An Experience. Oh, and they have a Bistro so you can fuel up for more shopping. We did the whole she-bang. Shopping, Bistro (with a birthday package), more shopping and a hotel. What a weekend.

Those are the big things from the past month. I know there were some smaller things thrown in there, but ... well.

Word of the year

It's about this time of year that a word just starts bobbling around in my head and usually becomes Word of the Year for the next year. 

The word? Intense/intensity. I'm not sure where it leads, I never am. I never thought lthis past years work on Ego would lead me where I'm going next week... 

... More on that later, but here is a picture that could say it all. 

Between the pipes

I put it out there to my hockey gals that I was thinking about trying goalie. I got an underwhelming response. What I was looking for was someone to say "hey, I would love to help you with that, lets meet ..." and it didn't work that way. So I tried a more direct approach "Hey, I am thinking I would like to try goalie, can you help me." It worked.

Last night I put on the extra 85 pounds of gear and tried it. Historically, I believed my hand-eye coordination was not very good. I based this on years of PE softball (swing and a miss), a few tries at racquetball, and some attempts at golf. Last year though, I started thinking maybe I could check my hand-eye coordination by giving goalie a try. Turns out, I was wrong. I tried the goalie thing last night and I was alright. I blocked a TON of pucks, not 100% but hey, it was my first time. And I got better as the night wore on. I even hung around for the intermediate ladies and shagged a few pucks for them too. Much more challenging, but a ton of fun! As usual, my gals were very patient, had many, many kind words and kept encouraging me which kept me going. Will I do it again? Hells to the yeah!

I have had a similar experience - put it out there, wait for someone to respond - with similar results - no one responds - numerous times. I am learning the direct approach, when used properly, really works. I have had two very positive experiences in the past week by being direct. No easy feat for me, but I tried and it worked and I am encouraged.

Can't Touch This

I spent a summer, years ago, water skiing and hanging with a group of quirky folks. At the end of the season they had acquired several hours of video so they put together a video tape. The background music was "Can't Touch This," and its on the radio right now, so I took a little walk down memory lane for about 3 minutes and 45 seconds. Good times. That was a fun group. No, I don't run around with any of them anymore. It was a one season thing.

I was up early (twice) this morning. The first time was to rescue my SIL from the Amtrak station. Her train was five hours late. The second time was for hockey. Yes, its that time of year again. I actually did a few private lessons with one of my coaches during the summer and practiced a few times (!) so I felt ready to start, but WOW! It's hard, hard work on  my old-lady body. The cardio required is intense! Sprints! Sprints! Sprints!

We worked on a lot of backward skating today, cross-overs and something else I wanted to remember so I could practice it, but I have already forgotten ... Another old-lady issue. Totally looking forward to this season, we don't have as many gals playing which is too bad, but also good because we will get some great coaching. Not that they aren't always great, but with a smaller group we are each going to get more attention, I think. Not only that, the workouts will be more intense too, not as much waiting for the last people to get done.

So that's hockey. We also have a soccer player right now. Hannah loves soccer, so we signed her up for the fall session. I have resisted, for the past eight years, signing the kids up for anything at the beginning of the school year because getting into the swing of school is usually enough, not only that, I usually have some kind of a schedule change in October, too. But I relented this year. Mostly its been fine. She  We Okay, I had a very bad Saturday last week where we fought and ended up leaving the soccer game. It was  both of us, but really, who is the adult? Not me that day. I acted like an eight year old, too. Very poor Mom performance. We are on track now, and her performance has stepped up so it turned out good. But it was a very. bad. day.

And Bubba. He has really stepped up in the personal responsibility arena. He is taking the bus to and from school every day which requires him to set an alarm, get himself fed and off to the bus on time. So far, not a single day missed! AND he took the initiative to start calling me when he gets home each day. He arrives home 5-35 minutes earlier than I do and I appreciate knowing he is home. I didn't ask him to do this, he just started doing it on day one. I love it. As far as school work goes he is also doing pretty well there too, getting his homework done, reading is still an issue (insert growly face here) but we will get there. It isn't that he can't read, he just doesn't like the types of books that the kids are required to test on. Its an ongoing issue that started in the third grade so we know how to deal with it, but it gets so. old. UGH.

And work. Meh. Not much to say. Lots of changes happening so it will be an interesting end to 2013 and an exciting, growth-filled 2014.

And now, my friends, you are all caught up.

Oh, and this:

I was in a wedding a few weeks ago. It was a super fun time!

New beginnings

So school starts today. Or is supposed to. My dear Hannah has THE. WORST. canker sores in her mouth I have ever seen. She cant talk or smile or even think about having fun because it hurts so bad to move her mouth. So off to the Doctor we go to confirm she has THE. WORST. canker sores. "Here's an Rx for a little something stronger for pain management." Thanks Doc.

Bubba was off to 6th grade tho. A new school, new teachers, new locker, new shoes. He didn't want me to walk in with him, hold his hand as we went down the hall or to kiss him goodbye so I let his dad take him. That way it didn't break my heart. Sixth grade. He will be 12 in December.  My baby is getting so old. Now if he would stop being such a dorky kid!

Do you remember being 12? I think I do. Total dorkiness, can't control yourself emotionally or physically. Weird things going on in your body and mind. Nothing fits. Your legs are too long and your feet are too short, or your feet are too long and your legs are too short and those arms!!! Yeah, he is all that! And lets not even talk about personal cleanliness or his bedroom!

I am looking forward to hearing about his first day at school and the bus ride home!

Just a couple of pictures from last weekend's wedding. It was pretty fun :) Lots of great memories

Me and my youngest sister

She made me dance

Whole bunch of days

Taste, something old (once was my grandmas house), mid day, sacred, hear, Sunday morning and yes. The burrito and coffee cup were both for taste, the quote and birthday cake were both yeses :)

Looking down, white

Floral, touch, books, stillness, home

I loved this day!

Red, play, far away

Taste

I can't believe I tried TWO smoked salmon recipes this past week. Obviously  Bubba and grandpa were successful. I must say I think the Traeger recipe where the fish was brined in vodka was the best tasting. 

August break

Diagonals, skyline and selfie 

Close up

The first egg!

Day 3 Love

Best brownies ever:

Scottsdale 

Circles and yellow

Breakfast

It's August Break time again. Join me!

Today's word was "breakfast" I went the what-I-did-AT-breakfast route.

Winthrop

Here's the pictorial of camping in Winthrop last week. I gotta say lazy days of drinking and sitting in the sun (mostly) agree with me!! I came back with a KILLER tan (which surprises no one) and wanting a beer at 11 every day!!! Going back to work was rough, but I made it...

Portland

I had the opportunity to take the kids to Portland last week. What a freaking great time! We visited our family, the zoo, the arts museum, an old friend of mine, stayed in a hotel and had the BEST WEATHER ever! We left home where it had been raining for two weeks (what??!!) two hours later we were in the beautiful, warm sunshine of Yakima and then on to Portland where the weather was fantastic. Totally great time!

Thankfully, my kids are better travelers (Nintendo DS, books, and a tablet with some kids apps loaded on it makes them less bored) and I even made us a good playlist which neither one complained about and even said "turn this one up" a few times. Good job, Me!

Here are some of the highlights of our trip:

FOOD!

The Arts Museum

Arizona

Okay. That was my hike. The top photo is the view from the tippy-top of Camelback Mountain. Holy mother of everything holy what a hike! The second photo is the trail marker. Notice how it points DOWN? Yeah, it's not kidding. The third picture is one section of the rocks I scaled to make the ascent and decent up and down that mothertrucker. So tell me, am I awesome? Yeah, I kinda thought so. I seriously had NO IDEA what I was getting myself into. On the way up the trail, I considered quitting, but I had been reading WILD by Cheryl Strayed and I kept thinking if she can do the fricking Pacific Crest Trail from California through Oregon (alone), I can fricking do Camelback Mountain. So I did. And it was totally worth it.

And this was the pool where I relaxed for two afternoons, and where I would LIVE if I could. I got me a really good desert "tan", its kind of the color of the desert dirt, you know, reddish. But its a start!

And those are the botanical garden. I visited again to see if my photography is any different. All these are iPhone, so I don't know yet.

We were in Arizona because My Honey had a conference to attend and I invited myself along, I think its gonna be a long, long summer at work and I thought I might need a break before the busy gets started ....  Monday.