Day one

Day one of our trip; we got off without a hitch.  On the road by 10 and arrived in Lee Vining by 4pm.    One thing I found is; the 395 is an interesting highway.  Miles and miles of nothing, until you come upon a small town, slow down to 35mph for about a mile and then speed back up to 80. 

I always wonder who it was that decided, "Nope....THIS is the place!"  and built a town.  And who decided to follow, and why?  These towns are so random it's almost comical.  But they are definitely quaint.

Lee Vining is just such a town.  As we approached, we were all excited to get to our hotel.  But we drove straight through, not seeing our hotel, to just about a mile out of the actual town.  As we pulled up to the hotel where we were to stay, I got a "yikes" feeling in my gut.  The first thing that came to mind was a refugee camp.  There was a long building of rooms that had doors in them.  The building looked pretty small, and the structure itself was cute, but what was weird to me was how the people standing their looked. 

I'm not one to judge, but no one looked happy and they all looked bored.  As my eyes glanced back and forth to each one, I wondered which would come into our room at night and steal my children.

As I didn't make the arrangements for this trip, I was hesitant to say anything to Julie.  But then if you  know me, I didn't hesitate long.

I told her the place gave me the heebee geebees and I wasn't sure if I felt comfortable staying there.

We turned around and went into town to see what else was available.  We saw a hotel that had a 'vacancy' sign and figured we would be in luck.  However, we needed to cancel our old reservations and if that wasn't possible it was a significant financial loss.  So as we drove back to the heebee geebee hotel, I told Julie we should give it a chance and see what comes of it.

As we walked in there was (I'm not kidding) a 13ish year old girl at the front.  She was going to help us check in; we had two rooms.  Well they couldn't have put the two rooms farther apart and as my mom was going to be alone in one of the rooms, I told them this was a major concern.  We told them we needed to find other accommodations and they were very nice.  They said, "You'd better go check and make sure you CAN find other accommodations before you cancel with us." (gulp)

Thankfully, we came to a hotel that could fit all of us in one big suite and here we stayed.  The other hotel let us cancel as they were certain they would be able to fill the rooms that we let go!

As we settled in for the night we started painting nails and doing scrapbooks.  We enjoyed our time together with no TV or electronic gadgets.   It was so nice.

We went to sleep and all was well......

Until about 3am when Avery woke up with an upset stomach. 

One thing you don't know about me; I'm pretty useless in the middle of the night. 

I went with her to the bathroom and laid with her on the floor.  I'm pretty sure I fell asleep for a bit there.  But eventually, she threw up.  My poor baby!!!  I wondered what the morning would bring as we planned a long day at Bodie....the town with NOTHING around it!!!

Thankfully, after she threw up, she went to bed.  Nothing more than that.  It must have been something she ate.

We woke up to the most beautiful sunset.  Avery woke up feeling fine. 

I'm sure today will be an exciting adventure and I can't wait to see what the day holds for us. 

We are off to Bodie and then heading to our long haul destination in Tahoe where we will be for most of the week.  I'm loving the outdoors!!

Happy Saturday

Headin' out

So, I signed off of my blog yesterday, 'Happy Friday' - which is great, because it was actually Thursday.  But it was my Friday because today we are leaving on our annual girls trip so it officially starts my vacation.

We leave in a few short hours. 

You would think I am packed,  but I haven't really started.  For some reason this drives my husband crazy.  He is very linear and I am not.

I don't stress too much when I travel.  As long as I have a pair of shoes, shirt, pants, hat, sunglasses and a jacket (along with my purse, then I'm covered.  The rest is just gravy.

I have to think things through as I am heading out the door.  If I pack everything a day or two before my trip, I will forget things like a razor or shampoo.  But on the morning of, as I go through my daily routine, I gather as I go.  And by the time I have my routine wrapped up, everything is packed.

I'm not organized.  No secret, no surprise.

I have piles around me as I write.  My brain is putting together my list.

I have food stacked by the door, I just made my coffee, so the coffee pot will be cleaned and put by the door and when Julie gets here, she will systematically pack the car so it all fits.  Because her brain works like Chris' and that helps a lot.

When I go on vacation I go into 'camping' mode.  I don't care if I wear clothes two days in a row (as long as they don't get dirty, of course), and my hair is usually in braids with a hat and glasses. 

As one of five children growing up you learn to be flexible and go with the flow a bit more.  Chris was one of two and he was the firstborn, so he has to take care of everything.  He has no idea how to deal with a fourth born, so he shakes his head a lot.

Yin and Yang.....

We are heading up to Bodie for starters.  Bodie is an old ghost down that has been left in "arrested decay".  It's like Calico on steroids.  We will be there for a day and then head to Tahoe.  Can't wait.

Along the way we will plan a day in San Francisco and hopefully make the Winchester Mystery house on our way home.  Should be fun.

We have taken a trip every year for the last 4 or 5 years.  It's been a great experience every time.

Hopefully this next week I can blog with pictures.  I'm sure I will be taking PLENTY!!! 

I hope your week is fabulous.  I can't believe we only vacation a few times a year.  It's a lot of work to get to one good week!!!
Happy "actual" Friday!

Sweet anticipation......

Yesterday the tension mounted throughout the day while we waited for news on which kid gets which team(s).  I ran down my phone battery checking my mail. 

I sat across from my brother and sister in law who I haven't seen in quite a while and I would grab my phone every few minutes to hit "Refresh" in my mail.  I was a terrible visitor!

And then the email came...."We need more time".......

We had an answer.  Not "the" answer.  But "an" answer.

I felt a sigh of relief.  I could put down my phone and go about the rest of my night.  It was fine by me.

Sometimes you just need an answer.  Good or bad, it's a form of closure.

I think it's good to have to wait sometimes.  It's kind of like a Christmas.  Opening presents is great, but how many times have you opened or peaked at a present, only to be disappointed? 

Wasn't the anticipation, the HOPE of the gift more fun than the reality???

But many of us are used to immediate gratification and we go for it.  The problem with immediate gratification is that there is nothing really earned or learned.....  You just get what you want. 

And then what?

I have stated it many times before; we are living in a society of over privileged and un satisfied children. 

They have everything they want and no appreciation for it other than it's more 'stuff' that they have surrounding them.

The stuff doesn't fill the soul.  Earning it does!!!

I remember one morning that Avery came downstairs wanting breakfast.  She said she wanted eggs.  I told her to help herself.  She said, "I don't know HOW!!"  And she got really upset.

So, I showed her step by step and I stood next to her.

Next thing I knew, this kid was unstoppable!!!  Every morning, she would get up, grab an egg and a pan and get to work.  And as if that wasn't enough, she wanted to be like daddy, so she started trying to flip the egg in the pan!

One morning, Avery flipped her egg and she said, "Where's daddy, I want to show him"  I said, "He's  already at work".  Her face fell sad.  I told her we would video her and send it over.

Talk about pride! She was so proud of herself for her accomplishments that she started making omelets better than the rest of us.

To hand her a plate of eggs means nothing. 

To create and enjoy her eggs is a sense of pride!

See the difference?

They say if you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day; but teach a man to fish, he will eat for life.

We need to teach our children to fish.....

I know it's so much easier to just do it for them, but what is gained from it? 

I remember being in Norway when my nephew was about 3 years old.  He wanted to use a knife to cut an apple.  His dad sat behind him, with his hands over my nephews showing him how to cut the apple.  It didn't take him long to get the hang of it. (not that he was cutting apples every day, but he was more knowledgeable about how to properly use a knife).

My husband wouldn't let the kids near a knife for about 8 years.......Guess who's still cutting their meat???  (love you babe).

My point is basically this.... to earn is to appreciate.
To be given is to covet more stuff.....

Give kids something to be proud of.

When the list comes for their teams, my girls will have earned what they got.  The wait - the sweet anticipation - is good for them.

Yes, I'm a little anxious too, but I have a whole world of other stuff to worry about.

Happy Friday

Anticipation.....

Waiting with bated breath......

That is what my daughter is doing this morning.  Waiting to find out which team(s) she will be on for the upcoming year. 

They were supposed to find out last week, but as there are so many people, it's no wonder they needed more time.  I can't imagine having that responsibility on my shoulders.

I remember the first year we tried out and I was a little nervous for Avery as she didn't really have the skills necessary to get on a team.  She got on Production and we breathed a sigh of relief.

I believe this will be Aspen's 3rd year on team. 

With each year they get more selective on what they want to do.  They are honing their skills and developing their individual styles.  It is interesting to see what they come up with every year.  I remember the year Aspen said she wanted contemporary.....  I about fell over.

She was a tumbler.  And a good one. 

But something about contemporary interested her and she made the team.  At this time, there is where she wants to stay. 

Contemporary is unique.  I don't totally understand it yet.  Ballet is cut and dry.  But Contemporary is just that.....contemporary.  It doesn't seem to follow any rules (in my understanding of it), and it's a very 'free' form of dance.  I enjoyed last years contemporary dance and I feel the girls executed it beautifully.  Aspen had a great year and all was well.

In the end, I just want them to be happy.  I don't care what form of dance they do, I just want them to want to do it and enjoy it so much that they give their best.

We should all be so lucky to make those choices in our lives. 

Could you imagine a world where everyone was doing what they loved to do?  Wouldn't that be weird???

Well, unfortunately, life doesn't always turn out that way. 

So let them dance, I say!!!

It will be fun to see how the girls did.  I'm a little anxious too, but as a mom, I'm not waiting to get an E Ticket ride to Disneyland....  I'm the one waiting to catch them if they fall.  If they didn't get the team they wanted....  That is not always a fun place to be.

But I have done it before I will do it again.  For some reason my little Avery thinks she should be at the same level of offering as Aspen.  However, Aspen is a dancer through and through.  Avery just likes to dance.  So they get offered their teams accordingly. 

I'm sure she will eventually put two and two together.  But not before her heart is broken a few more times. 

We all go through it on some level, don't we?

So as we wait with bated breath today for the answer, we will still have high hopes that we get everything we want.

That works for me!!!

Happy Wednesday!

Coach

Just got the news of an old high school coach who passed away.

Last week I blogged about how there are times I document the last days of a person's life.  We just saw this man in the last few weeks.  A MOST like able man.  The picture of health and so very gracious.  After our reunion he send me a facebook message to thank me for the invite and for the pictures and said it was nice to have someone there who remembered to carry a camera 'unlike us'....

Thankfully, some of those images will be treasured by the people who got to see him one last time.

I hate that we don't realize it's the last time we will see someone.  Would I have said something different?  I don't know.  But the wonder always starts to creep in.

As I wasn't terribly close to this coach, I do remember him from high school.  Coaches are usually the luckiest of teachers, because they have the chance to get to know each an every student as opposed to other classes where the teachers really don't 'have' to engage that much at all.

Coaches have to learn about you; your strengths, your weaknesses, and how to pick you up when you are down so you can do your best.  So it's no wonder that this man will be missed.

To see him again, I could tell he was just taking it in.  He had a smile on his face the whole time.

In looking back, I wish I had the opportunity to ask him more about his experiences as a coach.  But I didn't think to ask.

But I always find it interesting when a teacher/coach wants to come back to see their students.  In my recollection; most of us were little sh*ts and nothing to write home about....  Especially in the teen years.  It was all about seeing what we could get away with and not get caught.

There were a few over the years; Mr. Kanatsis our french teacher showed up at a few reunions.  I have fond memories of him.

But most teachers have steered clear (in my recent memory) of the reunions.

It's really quite a treat being an adult and revisiting  your teacher.  They always have great stories to tell.

I was touched by his message after the reunion.  He mentioned that is was rewarding to see former students happy and doing well.

I could tell he was gratified and he looked very content.  I hope his life was satisfying and purposeful.  I know he touched many a life over the years. 

Coaches are a very important part of our lives.

Coach Thrash, You will be missed.  Thank you for your service to us and helping us grow.  You have made your stamp on our lives and we are forever grateful!!!

Rest in Peace friend.

Ouch

Worst nights sleep in a LONG time!!  Ever been kept awake by pain?
I have.  I once lived with it for 8 months.  Twenty Four Hour Constant Pain!

This is what I was reminded of last night while trying to sleep.

Clearly my neck it out and I have to go to the chiropractor.  Yesterday I got massage because I could tell that my neck and all its muscles were stiff.  The massage felt fine, but didn't release much.

Through the night it just got worse.  Every time I turned it would wake me up.  And I know you haven't slept with me....but I turn A LOT!!! I'm a terrible sleeper to start with.  Add a little pain and forget slumber!!!

I know people who live in constant pain.  And I feel very sad for them.  As I had to go threw 8 months of therapy to recover (and many times I thought there was no recovery) I refused to take anything stronger than Excedrin, or Tylenol.  I was in serious pain. 

Every day I went to the chiropractor for therapy they would ask me, "On a scale of one to ten, what is your pain level?"  There were times it was a 12.  I would cry sometimes because I was so done with it all.  I can't believe that some people live like that with no hope.

To be honest, the fact that I found my chiropractor was a fluke and a Godsend.  I was sitting at the park one day; barely able to move my head.  A dad came up to pick up his daughter.  Our kids were the same age and in the same class.  He asked what was up with my neck.  I told him.  He told me I 'needed' to come see him, because he could fix me.

First thing he sent me to do was get an MRI.  (I never knew how claustrophobic I was until they 'tried' to stick me in that tube.   Thankfully, they had another machine that was more open, so I went for that.  (Call me chicken all you want).

I remember laying in that machine for like what seemed an hour.  Just to lay there was killing me and I literally had to listen to the thumping of that machine and make up drumbeats in my mind just to get out of my pain. 

When I was done they told me I had a bulging disc in C5 that was over 5mm in size. 

When I went back and gave the films to my chiropractor he was surprised that I wasn't medicated or crying from pain.  He said he'd had patients with 3mm bulges who were practically incapacitated.

I think that was supposed to make me feel better, but it brought me little comfort.

We started decompression therapy.  Along with that I had massage therapy and a few cortisone shots in my neck along the way.  For a long time it felt like nothing was working.

But I didn't give up.

Months went by and when they asked my pain level it went down and down and down.  I nearly cried the day I told him my pain level was a one.  I couldn't believe it finally worked.

When you go through that much therapy for that long, you don't forget your pain. 

You forget childbirth pain...but you don't forget neck pain!!

The thing about pain is; it's invisible.  No one can see it; they only hear you talk about it.  And if you can walk and talk like a normal person, they have no idea how much you are suffering.

As I was in pain for so long, people didn't want to hear about it.  So I didn't talk about it.   But I still felt it.  Every second of every day.

My heart goes out to chronic pain sufferers.  I have been there. 

Thankfully, today I will go to the chiropractor and get an adjustment to ease my pain.

But some people aren't that lucky. 

I'm a super big fan of chiropractic.  If you have never tried it, it might be something to consider!

Happy Monday!

Date Night

Let me talk about the importance of a date night.....

Last night I got the chance to have hubby to myself for the night.  With day to day life we don't always like see each other....or even like each other for that matter.

It's so easy to take each other for granted.

I remember when Aspen was born, someone told me, "Remember...now you have TWO children!"  Meaning two people you need to take care of.  I kind of disregarded it thinking, 'ya right'......

But it is true!!!

If it wasn't true then would Dr. Laura write a book on "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands"?

It's easy to disregard another adult in your house.  The feeling is, "They're fine.  They can take care of themselves."

But the truth is everyone needs care in the house. 

I don't know one person in the world who doesn't shine when given a compliment. 

But how do you compliment someone you don't see, or don't pay attention to?

Well, this is my case in point!

Last night, we decided to go to dinner and a movie (cliche, I know).  But before our babysitter came, I was cleaning the girls room, and to be honest, my desire to go out was waning quickly.  I was now in task mode and I was working quickly.  And if you know me and know how rare that is, then you know I need to strike while the iron is hot!!!

But I stopped myself and we made the choice to go out. 

So the question becomes, "Where"?  I really hate that question!!  "Where do you want to eat?"  or "What movie do you want to see?"  (If you read yesterdays blog, you get my point).

My only desire was to do something we don't always do.  So we decided to go to the Tustin District.  It's a semi new place (pretty new to me) and it's all "shiny and perty"....

As soon as we got there, there was a band playing.  Chris, being the musician enjoyed sizing them up.  It was fun being in the presence of a band with him NEXT to me as opposed to him being on stage and me being his audience.  It's cute to watch him critique bands (and of course, their equipment).

We went to dinner at the Blue Water Grill.  It's part of Santa Monica Fish Company.  The ambience was nice.  They asked where we wanted to sit.  It was a toss up of the patio, where we could hear the the band loud and clear; or inside where we could actually talk.  We chose inside.

They say when you go on a date with your spouse, you should do your best to NOT talk about the kids.  Can I tell you how hard that is to do??

Many times when we are home, Chris tries to talk to me.  But when I'm at home, I am so distracted with all the things I have to get done that I can only absorb about 20 percent of what is said.  I don't mean to...but it's just really hard to keep my focus on things when I have 5 other tasks I am trying to juggle.

So to sit across from him at a semi quiet restaurant and actually focus on him with nothing else around was really nice.  I asked him about his job and his band(s) and we talked a bit about my business and upcoming decisions. 

Then as squirrels do, they crept into our conversation.  We were seated near the kitchen.  So we got to watch the comings and goings of the waiters and the shuffle of the chefs behind the line.  They were all wearing red baseball hats and I couldn't figure the significance of them or figure out who made the call to make them red at the BLUE Water Grill.  But that was a minor distraction.

When the conversation waned a bit I had to ask my pseudo chef husband about this HUGE pot sitting on shelf in the kitchen.....  Does that sit on one burner, or two??? 

I laughed at myself that I couldn't let this go.  But as I just made a huge vat of Chicken and dumplings that barely fit on my one burner, I was wondering how would that huge pot fit on our stove.....

Chris humored me with the best answer he could muster and we continued our conversation.

Our dinner was amazing by the way!!  We had Oysters on the half shell, ceviche lettuce wraps and shrimp cocktail...... SO DELICIOUS!!!

After that we went bowling.  It wasn't on the schedule, but he humored me again!  It was so fun to watch him spin the bowling ball and see it curve down the lane.  He even got a couple of strikes.

We both gutterballed a number of times and laughed at each other.  This is not something we regularly do, so it was fun to see each other out of our element.  (My element won both games by one point!!!)

After bowling we decided to go to the movies.  It was 9pm.  After 8pm, me and movies don't get along so well.  I'm old and tired and I tend to doze off!! (When did I become my mother?) 

The only movie available was Total Recall.  Totally not my thing.  It freaked me out as a kid, and I didn't watch it.  So to walk in to see it was a huge stretch for me.  The only draw was Kate Beckinsale and Colin whateverhisnameis....

I dozed off a few times in the movie.  It was O.K.  Not great.  But I got through it.  And then we went home. 

I can't tell you HOW important it is to reconnect one to one.  We take each other for granted and don't give each other the time of day and don't think much of it because we see each other every day.  But the truth is, on the way home, I really liked who I was sitting next to.  And for two people who pass each other in the night, this is a great accomplishment.

I went to weigh in this morning and I saw my mentor.  She gave me the greatest compliment....  She said I look so much more relaxed and less stressed than the last few times she saw me.  My heart swelled.  I realize that taking time for myself and focusing on my family has been a very good choice!!!

I encourage you to do the same.  When you can sit across from someone and give them all of you....there is a payoff in both sides....

Happy Sunday!!!