New Art

I went for a walk at the park today. The one where there are a LOT of people. Here are a few new art works I found. The foot made me giggle.

I took these on my new little point and shoot pocket size camera. (No, LK, I didn't wait until after Lent, maybe I will start a "bought it anyway" list!)

So far so good

Well, except that we don't have a babysitter for tonight's game ...
It was fun sitting in row 2 last night, those pucks are LOUD when they hit the glass during practice! But the cushioned chairs sure are nice! I sure did see a lot more of the pushing and shoving and antagonism from up close. No wonder they get in so many fights!

It rained all day, non stop yesterday. Kind of snowed too. Its sunny now, but I don't know how warm. Trying to decide if I am going to maybe take a run outside or go to the gym.

I don't know if you can tell in this picture or not, but Hannah got her hair cut. Short. We went in for a trim and that's what we ended up with.

Ahhh, that one is better. She loves it. We were playing outside that day and she says to me, "Mama, I love my short hair."

The Weekend

It's the weekend, for me anyway. I have the next four days off and lots of plans!
Hockey games on Friday & Saturday nights, some kind of family thing on Sunday, probably ice skating, the kids love it, a couple hours at Bubba's school tomorrow and ... well, back on the workout wagon. I signed up for the ChelanMan triathlon in July. Gotta get my winter coat off and get my lungs back in shape.

I was ready to go to the pool to swim this morning only to find out lap swim isn't until 11:00. Hmmmm, so I went to the park for a walk instead. Once I got there I had some reservations. There was recently a homicide (young female) in my town, and the perp is still out there. Should I really be hanging out at the park where there are some remote areas all alone? I did the walk anyway, but I was hyper-attentive and super aware of everyone and everything and unplugged in lesser seen areas to be able to hear better. Paranoid? Maybe, I just like to think I am being cautious.

It was nice to get some fresh air. Very nice. I am looking forward to getting my bike out and taking some afternoon rides soon. The weather has been very mild, warmish even (50's). Maybe on Saturday?

My Honey and I sat down last night and actually worked out a tentative plan (which now needs some refining since there isn't a lap swim on Thursday mornings) for working out and changing our diet so we can be healthier. Since he is doing a lot more cooking lately, I can't wait to see what else he has in store. So far he's using a LOT less red meat and has even added vegies! He also thinks we should cut out beer and wine though. Baby steps :)

Day off

I took today off since it was a school holiday. Then My Honey took the day off too :) We didn't end up doing anything together, but we got stuff done. He finished the bathroom projects, I slept in - ahhh, nothing better!

Later, I took Bubba out snowshoeing. Thanks Auntie for loaning us the snowshoes! He had a blast, even if he was worried about coyotes and bears! It wasn't beautiful, but it was nice to get out.

We went up the Entiat. Way up the Entiat. To the end of the road to find snow! Bubba wanted to check out the river, so we went off the trail to get there. Quite an adventure for him.

Unfortunately, now we have to get back to real life, school and work and all that.

Home sweet home

We made it home. It was a little later than I had anticipated, but we're home! I get to sleep in MY bed tonite with a grown up instead of a 4 year old. Thank goodness. I probably even get to sleep in long after the kids wake up! YAY!

I came home to a clean-ish house (the toys and junk had been cleaned up), a fixed toilet, repaired shower and dinner. My Honey "cooked" exactly what I asked for - cheese and crackers, he even added a little crab and red wine. MMMMM. It's been a relaxing evening!

The body exhibit in downtown Seattle was very cool, Bubba liked it, but he REALLY liked downtown. He'd like to go back and see the Space Needle and ride the monorail and go to the Pacific Science Center and all kinds of stuff. Sounds like a Spring Break trip to me!

We did end up looking at both the female reproductive and fetal areas. He was totally cool with it. Didn't even bring up vagina's on the way home. (WHEW!) His only comment in the fetal area was something like "So, that's a real baby that was dead? ... Awwww." In kind of a sad voice. Yeah, he gets it.

One more day off (yay me!) and then back to work.

We made it

Well, we made it. Thank goodness for Nintendo DS. The kids didn't even want to play at McDonald's they were so ready to get into the car and play their games! (Thanks again LK -- she always knows what is best!)

The mood here is good. I'm glad we came. Grandpa will probably come to dinner tomorrow so that will be entertaining as well. KC said some boys from the old days came by to visit him today, to say hello and sorry for your loss and all that. What a neat thing. Friends of HERS taking time out of their lives to stop by and see him. I love that they are that kind of family. Everyone has always been welcome.

KC has done that too in her family. We were sitting down to play Scrabble tonite and my step-brother texted (I KNOW! What kind of world do we live in?) his friend to see if he wanted to come over and play too. He was all over it, gave up bar-time to hang with the family. Cool. I like those kinds of families and those kinds of friends. Even if he is a smarter-than-smart college student that kicked my butt.

More

Part of my weekend plan includes taking Bubba to see this exhibit. I explained to him its real bodies and he is totally excited. This is the kind of thing his little brain LOVES! I was checking with one of my co-workers that has been and he said that the infant section was a "little disturbing" to him and changed his opinion on abortion, so I might want to preview that and the female reproductive section too. Who wants to talk about vagina's and labia's for 3 hours on the drive home with an 8 year old boy?

Part of my weekend plan included taking Miss I, but she has as fever and she is starting a chest-y cough today. My Honey offered to keep her home if she's still feverish tomorrow. She heard us talking about that and cried. "I want to go to Grandmas." Poor thing. I know she does, it just may not be the best choice. We'll just have to wait and see what tomorrow holds.

Headed West

I am headed west Friday. Going to visit my dad & KC.

KC is my dads wife. From the day we met she has always been very accepting and supportive of me personally, my relationship with Harry, and the kids. She has also looked for ways to encourage my dad and I to get to know each other for which I will always be thankful.

Now it is my turn to pay it forward. Her mom passed away this week. My heart is breaking for her. How do you say goodbye to your mom? Forever.

Gramma K left behind a beautiful collection of poetry, a lifetime of memories, and beautiful family. Thanks for sharing her with us KC, we will be forever blessed.

Good bye my friend
You leave a space
an empty place
in my heart
and this is the end
of quiet talks with one who will understand

and smiles of approval for me as I am
you are part of the past
but until the last
I love you
echoes through time
I know your love is mine


Author: Lagene Kay Cheldelin

...

I'm starting to get the feel for picnik :)

"Naughty word Wednesday"

I can't help it, this is a great post and even funnier comments!

I tend to keep my blog pretty g-rated, but in real life I cuss like a sailor. Having read the comments on that post though, I realize I lack creativity in a huge way! Time to explore some variations I think!

In case you wondered, my favorite g-rated word is "bugger".

Uncle Frank

Most hilarious conversation I have had with Miss I in awhile. Occurred at Grandmas house when I picked her up this afternoon:

MI: Who is here?
Me: Uncle Frank
MI: No mama! That's you!

MI: Who is here?
Me: Uncle Frank
MI: No mama! That's you!

MI: Who is here?
Me: Uncle Frank
MI: No mama! That's you!

*three or four minutes later*

MI: Who is here?
Me: Mama
MI: Oh good! I thought it was Uncle Frank!

Grandma and I were rolling on the floor laughing! What a sense of humor!

Sk8r boy

To top off the weekend, because yoga, show shoeing and hockey aren't enough, I went ice skating today. Bubba was invited to a ice skating birthday party so I hung out too. (He's loves to go to parties but hates to be left alone. He doesn't really need me there, just there.) It was a lot of fun and I wasn't nearly as embarrassed as I thought I would be. Maybe I will try the women's hockey league after all?

After the party Bubba and I met up with my new hockey pimp. Kidding, it was just a guy selling tickets on craigslist. Row 3. I cannot wait! The selfish part of me really wants all the tickets to myself, but we agreed to let Bubba go to one of the 4 games. Poo, I think I regret that now! I have a month to come to terms with it.

I also cleaned, and I mean CLEANED yesterday. It had been awhile. I haven't had company for a month or so... :) You think I am kidding? Not that I am expecting any but the living room was just so bad. The dog sheds, the dirt from outside, all that yuckiness. Glad to be rid of it. Although, I leave the house for a few hours and you'd never know how clean it was yesterday!

Oh yeah! The big news of the weekend is that Bubba pulled out a tooth! Notice the window in his smile. He has been pretty excited all weekend. Anyone and everyone has been shown where he pulled it from! He also got a too-short haircut. Oh well, its just hair. It will grow back.

Found the snow

Just because Yoga wasn't enough, we went snow shoeing yesterday. WOW! It can be a lot of work! I think my hamstrings are sore from Yoga, but my hip flexors are screaming from snow shoeing!

We went up to Mission Ridge, which has always seemed really far away to me, but its only 20 minutes, where they have a lot of groomed and un groomed trails. Unfortunately they are all uphill to start at quite an incline. The road took us near the chair lift which is FOREVER-high off the ground. I can't believe I ever rode that thing. As we made our ascent we saw lots of people on the chair lift including our nephew! How odd -- shouldn't he be in school? Nope, he told us he had the day off.

It was very fun. Foggy, but good to be out in the grey weather doing something. I have let the grey, foggy, blah weather get to me. Time to get back at it! We ate in the lodge at Mission Ridge (we weren't cool enough for the boys though, they wanted to eat with their buddies) and then came home for an afternoon nap before the kids got out of school.

Later My Honey and I went to the hockey game. Hopefully they will play better tonight!

UPSIDE DOWN

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH.

I went to Yoga for the first time in years tonight. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH. Oh, Yoga, why have I forsaken thee? Well, lets see. First, my instructor extraordinaire was killed in a car accident, then ... well, I never got back into it.

I have no idea what my instructor's name was, but she was great. Just what I needed tonight. She started with telling us about being intentional. Setting a goal, in yoga, and being intentional. Of course, I set my goal as courageous. I wanted to be courageous. What that looked like was yet to be seen.

Turns out, it looks upside down.

My intention was to be courageous. Shoot, just being at the class was courageous. The last yoga class I went to Jen taught, in the same room. There was a lot of emotion for me. The only instructor I have ever had was Jen, would this new girl measure up? Could I still do it????

Miss Yoga was all about inversions tonite. Doing stuff with our heart below our head - upside down, not like head stands (although she did ..) but just, well, upside down. I LOVED IT. I love being upside down. I remember my first or second class with Jen, she was walking us through shoulder stands (one of my all time favorite poses. I love shoulder stand!) and *whoop* my legs just flew up! Jen's comment was "your body LOVES to be upside down!" Anyway, it has been nearly 4 years, maybe longer, and *whoop* my body still loves to be upside down. It loves yoga. The mind-body connection is indescribable. Think I will go back next Thursday for more! It felt so good. My shoulders and low back are a tad bit achy, I hope I am not too sore tomorrow, but its all good. And, I got up in a shoulder stand. AAAAAHHHHHH.

So I was courageous in being there. In trying everything. In listening to what my body would and could do. Yay me.

:)

:P

Bummer, I had hoped to get something done today. Then the phone rang. At 7:30. Yeah, that's never good. Work. Can you come in anytime between 11 and 7 today? Ummm, maybe, let me check with a babysitter. Dang. She'll do it. Okay, be there from 11-3. Can't work any later than 3.

Yeah, I am too nice. It's my "long weekend" I have a day off with My Honey tomorrow, hockey tickets for Friday AND Saturday night so why the hell not? Four hours of overtime won't kill me.

My first Technology Committee meeting is today at 3:40. Turns out, Bubba's teacher is on the committee (YAY!) and she gave me a little background information that could be useful. Thanks Mrs. P!

I feel a little out of sorts the past couple of weeks. A good out of sorts, but still. Here's the short story: My Honey picked up a few of my little chores and as a result my schedule is a little disjointed. In a good way, but still, disjointed. Its working out really well, just taking some getting used to! And I wouldn't trade it! No way!

Things that could be done: Awwww, why would I do that to myself? The list is too long and it starts with clean so never mind!

Done

I just finished a really good book. I have a lot to say about it, but its all kind of jumbled because the book covered SO MUCH. Its called THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED and its by Wally Lamb. I thought it was well written, I was very thought provoking and well researched. Very interesting.

Anyway, I wanted to get the name of it down before I forgot. I am sure I will have more to say about it in a few days or so.

1-877-99-Haiti (2484) Hopeforhaitinow.org

What can I say?

One of the things I like about my job is being removed from what is going on, yet knowing what is out there. When I was in Haiti in 1989, I was in the thick of it. The far away from civilization, thick of it. We assisted with a medical clinic in a remote village. I wonder how that village fared?

I only spent a couple weeks in Haiti in and I have known people since who come and go as short-and-long-term missionaries. But I cannot get the images of those I met out of my mind. Many, many times, yearly, in fact, if not more often, I have thought of returning.

I remember huts on stilts to keep critters out of food supplies, I believe the people slept in them during the wet season. Otherwise, they slept in huts made of clay and palm branches. On dirt floors.

I remember a sea of black faces.
I remember pre-washing all our food in bleach water. Even fresh-picked stuff.
I remember puking my guts out because I ate something that wasn't sterilized.
I remember a very rainy day, working kitchen duty that day. Man how it rained.
I remember assisting the dentist. Pulling teeth. Lots of teeth. "Pull them all, they hurt too much" they would tell us. It was easier to be without teeth than to deal with the decay.
I remember assisting the doctors. We gave out more aspirin and advice on how to carry a jug of water or a basket of laundry to help them with back pain than anything else.
I remember the orphanage. The small kids in cribs. I remember being startled by the number of kids at the orphanage. The number of staff, and yet there were still kids in tears. There was a body of water nearby. Lake? Pond? Stream? I don't remember, but that is where they washed clothes and played.

There were a lot of things that happened that were ... well, it was like parables and stories from the Bible came to life right before my eyes. Not that I need proof to believe, but those images have stayed etched in my mind. It was the beatitudes (blessed are the ...) in real life. There was a group (family or friends I don't know) who carried a very sick person in on a blanket to get medical attention. There were people helped, there was death. An infection, easily cured by antibiotics in the US took the life of a young pregnant woman (Annette) and her unborn child. What a night that was.

I don't know, I am moved to tears over and over by the news of the devastation in Haiti. It touches a spot that is so tender, sometimes so fresh for me inside.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I started this a couple days ago. Tonight I am sitting watching Help For Haiti Now. It is a marvelous thing that well-known's will come together to support what I believe to be a worthy cause. Beautiful.


"He is in very serious condition and ... we don't even know his name."
1-877-99-Haiti (2484) Hopeforhaitinow.org

Courage

Instead of resolutions, I try to work on a characteristic or a quality, a theme I want to work on each year. Some that stand out are contentment and "quit your bitching", I worked on being more social one year, last year I worked on simplifying ...

My theme for 2010 is "courage." I don't have a great story about how I came about it or why, it just is. It's just a word that kept bouncing around in my brain during the last few weeks of the year and so I just adopted it as my 2010 deal.

It's interesting what happens when I put something like that down on paper (or whatever). I become more aware of my courage (or lack of it) in different situations. I start to see that maybe I'm not as un-courageous (what is the opposite? afraid?) as I thought I was. For instance, those tickets I got from the gal on craigslist? We were trying to set up our "meet" and I just flat out made the arrangements - a few years ago I would have agonized over suggesting where and when, I might have just given up. Monday it just popped out of my mouth.

Another thing happened today. The principal at Bubba's school happened to be in the "hallway" and said he had thought of me for a couple of committees. So, instead of saying, "oh really?" and letting it go, or waiting for him to tell me more, I was a little more forward, asked a LOT more questions, and made plans to talk with him about them on Friday. At 9am. As I walked away, I thought of how that conversation would NOT have happened 6 or 7 years ago (or in high school **).

I've tried to get involved in some other committees but my work schedule didn't allow for it, so he knows I am interested in that kind of thing, and I am actually pretty darn excited that he thought of me - or at least he said he did when he saw me today. What do you think, safety or technology?

Anyway, there are some areas I am already courageous in, or bold I guess might be a better word, and there are some areas where I still need to work on it.

** note about the principal: he's a guy I went to high school with, class president or some such thing, always in leadership roles - even as a student, great athlete, smart, smart, smart. The polar opposite of me. We ran in the same crowd for a time, but never really connected as "friends", probably more me being afraid of him than anything else. **

Weekend

Well, my plans to go west were a bust, but it all worked out well. Lotsa down time, a short overtime shift (although the stress of THAT took a few beers), and the kids got to go to a movie today.

We have plans for this weekend to go to a hockey game (duh) so I checked out Craigslist for some tickets and found a pretty good deal for Saturday night, saved $10 off what we would normally pay and I think they are better seats; 6 rows from the glass (that's right near the ice) and directly behind the pipes (the goal). We watched from the same area the last game we went to and loved it so I was pretty stoked to find cheap tickets!!

Hmmm, I thought I had more to say. Just excited for the tickets I think!! Speaking of tickets, I get to go to another Nickelback concert in May :) They're playing at the Tacoma Dome so my dad's wife and I are going again. I'm excited for that, but its awhile away. Hmmm, yeah, that's it.

Profound

Ahhhhhhh, a little fresh air.

Me and My Honey and Miss I took the dog on a walk. (I know, the dog??!!) It was nice to go out and get a little fresh air. These gray days are getting me down, its good to get out.

Miss I was cute, she kept blowing the fog out of the way. She was pretty sure it was working too until she turned around and looked behind us and there was still fog.

Winter weather has the greatest phenomenon of all time. Snow. I mean, really? Just the right conditions to produce these little individual flakes. And what makes it sparkly? We were at the Ridge last night for some music ("Red Means Go" pretty cute little band from Ellensburg) and it was snowing sparkly snow. It was very pretty.

And fog. I don't even know how to explain fog to my kids - "um, its like condensation, only not really, sort of like when you breathe on the window, but not exactly, its caused by moisture in the air, but ..." Yeah, I should have paid better attention in school. Not skipped so many classes.

Other than that, I haven't even gotten out of my jammies today. A lazy day is a good one. An 8 year old slave boy is good too! Now if I could only summon a cleaning lady, a cook and the money to make that lifestyle a reality! Maybe I just need to start looking for a bottle with a genie in it, give it a little rub and get my three wishes? Buy a lotto ticket? :) Learn to enjoy my life as it is ... oooh, that's profound.

Right now it is quiet: the kids are occupied with Nintendo DS, My Honey is downstairs killing things in some computer game and I get to sit here and write.

The fireplace has s rip-roaring fire in it, my feet are up as I sit in a rocking chair just chillin'. No TV, no music - other than the Nintendos going on and the kids occasionally break out into song. Random shit like "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Jingle Bells". The dog is snoring (yeah, snoring) just a few feet away. The bills are paid, the house is presentable if someone showed up (I am not presentable, but that's okay, I could throw on a hat and call it good) I have my health, as does my family.

I enjoy my job, and I was able to take tomorrow off since the kids are out of school, plus, I get to leave early on Wednesday afternoon.

I was able to go out with My Honey for fun last night, we get to go out again on Tuesday. I have two great kids. We are going through some growing pains right now with the kids, cracking down on a few things and it makes us all cranky, but it will be worth it in the end.

Pretty much I got nothin' to complain about. It's all good right now. All good.