V.I.P. in July

Donarie, SYTYCD, Wicked.

Growing up, I watched boxing because my dad was totally into it.  I don't remember much; I don't remember having a favorite.  But I did learn a lot about the sport.  So sitting in the second row of the Donarie fight this summer was a simple treat.  The day trip to Los Angeles in Irish's  G- ride and dinner for Scone's #1 was a perfect way to spend QT with good peeps.  We even got to watch Kelly Pavlik woop on some guy with a loud girlfriend, which made it that much more memorable.  A second row seat, with no one in front of us = some great seats for a great fight.  Good times with good friends.  Mrs. MM sure is a hottie... although she was over dressed for the occasion .  (Ha, so was I.  Note to self:  Jeans are appropriate for the next fight we attend.)

The same week as the fight, Sissy, Lei Bear and I went to LA (again) to visit Trashley.  She has worked on So You Think You Can Dance since the first season.  She went from Mother Hen to producer and now has her own cutie pie office in the NBC studio.  Each season, Sis and I make the trip to West Hollywood to hit up the Grove and (not) stand in a long line for a seat at a live taping.  Lady Gaga was the guest judge last year, we've seen Katie and Suri, Portia and Ellen, and have met all the dancers, judges, and choreographers.  We get a really cool VIP pass that we wear on our necks.  We go backstage and take pictures.  But the honest highlight is always driving up with Sis, hanging with Ash, and eating, shopping, and getting dolled up. The highlight this time around was watching Sis and Lei Bear go paparazzi on the cast of Dance Moms.

The night we watched Donaire fight, No Neck had purchased tickets to Wicked for Sissy's birthday.  A great surprise for her that I did NOT get to engage in.  No worries though because I was presented with two surprise tickets to the show the closing night in San Diego.  The seats were dead center.  The seats were in the orchestra section.  The seats were A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

Needless to say, I feel like a VIP.

BFF's

The little guy always tells me, "Mommy, you are my best friend."  That is the best feeling in the world. When sissy's oldest was a tad younger, she once told me that we could be best friends.  And the front of the wedding invitation that I sent out more than ten years ago said, "Today I marry my best friend..."

When I was in the 5th grade, I met a girl that would indeed become my "BFF" growing up.  In fact, we did everything together until the day that I lost her and her daughter in 2007.  That was hard time for me.  But as I fast forward to today, I have some realizations about friends that I think I would only know through the experiences that I've had over the last few years. 

Big lesson learned:  Some friends come and go.  Some become the causal coffee date twice a year, some become Facebook friends (my knowledge of them is limited to what I see on FB), some become situational  (my football season friends, my jiu jitsu friends, my workout friends, the neighborhood friends) and some kind of just disappear. 

Then there are the ones that simply pick up where we left off, regardless of time.  I love those friends.  

Of course, there are the friends that are there whenever you need them.  One phone call, one text message, one reach and they appear.  In fact, I know they are true friends because I don't need to reach out; they are simply there for me. 

 There are also the "friends" that betray because they have ulterior motives and selfish intentions.   Although that is a tough and painful situation, it shouldn't be hard to let go because things like trust and honesty are replaced with manipulation, deception, and ill intent.  Even as an adult, it is sometimes hard to figure out which friends you can trust and which ones simply do not have your best interests at heart. I tell my students all the time that "it gets better after middle and high school," but I don't know if that's true.  Friendships, relationships are complicated things.  Even as adults, we need to be careful and cognitive of the choices we make.  By indulging in selfish and self serving choices, we could be harming someone else in a painful, drastic and permanent way.  Without details, I'll say that through painful experiences comes epiphany.  It was hard to bury my BFF and her daughter, but through that pain, I learned a valuable lesson:we must cherish the relationships we are given.  Keep them close to our hearts and don't jeopardize trust and honesty for selfish purposes.  It isn't worth it to gamble no matter how much we justify it in our minds, apologize later, or engage in acts of service to try to counter the selfishness.  

I'm thankful for the lessons I'm learning regarding relationships.  

I'll end by telling you about one friend that has always been loyal, faithful, honest, and serving.  His name is Tony.  Tony has always had my best interests at heart.  He has always had my back.  He always has time to spend with me and I know that when we are together, he values that time.  In fact, he makes me feel like I am the highlight in his day.  It feels good to be able to talk candidly about things and know that Tony is listening and will not violate my trust by retelling the story to someone else.  Heck, he'll even keep my feet warm in the winter.  Gotta love that.

Yup, he's a mutt.  But he's the real thing. 

Pandora

My new favorite station on Pandora is the Coldplay station.
Beautiful sounds throughout the house to lift the spirits and calm the nerves.  I'm working on not being anxious for anything for there are few things in life that we actually control.  The rest is fate.

For you: the one that needs a lifting of the spirit and calming of the nerves.  Here's some something beautiful from a lovely Oasis.

Zombies...

The new obsession in my house:  No Zombies.

We are all addicted to killing zombies, using the supplies (that come in forms of boxes when a zombie is shot) to stock the stores that are built, and generating money from the sale of supplies to make more businesses.  I know, I know.  But we are addicted.

It's funny that I wait and wait and wait for summer vacation to arrive, only to fill the "free time" with games that don't make any sense.  But it is fun competition in the home and we all like to laugh about how "stupid"it is (yet none of us can put it down)   I'm sure it won't last long, but how can I give up when there are still citizens that need my help?

Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming...

The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach, VA.

My boys are water people.  I learned this very early when, at age three, my 11 year old got in the water without a floaty to "swim."  Of course, he hadn't had lessons yet, so he couldn't swim.  But he was fearless and soon learned on his own.  Since then, it's hard to keep the boys out of the water.  Little fish, I like to call them.  They also love sea life.  

We visited the aquarium on a recent visit to Virginia.  It's a hands on, interactive museum complete with an IMAX theatre and great examples of sea life.   All my boys enjoyed seeing the sharks, jelly fish, and turtles.  We watched a quick file on the life of a polar bear and I almost cried.  Love those furry killers.  

Watching Tanked and Fish Tank Kings has given me a better appreciation of what kind of care it takes to take care of a fish tank.  We've had a tank in our home for 14 years, but it hasn't been until recently that I have really come to appreciate the time, commitment, and passion it takes not to kill all the little Nemos. 

 Equipped with my fantastic plastic (aka the Nifty Fifty) , I was able to capture a few images.  Enjoy.

Bunk Bed

Bunk Beds

The time has come for the little boy to be a little man, so to say.  The little guy has officially transitioned from a small crib mattress on the floor in the master bedroom, to his own “big boy bed” that he shares with his “favorite” brother.  We had to take the ladder off because we are discouraging the little one from climbing on anything.  Yeah, he’s THAT kid.  

It has been working out pretty well.  The bed is covered with a blue Thomas the Tank Engine comforter with a matching pillow.  He’s totally into it. 

As for the kid that sleeps on the top bunk, well, he is accepting his new roommate with as much patience and grace that an 11 year old boy can muster.  I’m really lucky to have him because he can teach me a lot about controlling my temper and doing my best to put my best foot forward, despite circumstances that can’t be controlled.  After all, he went from having his own room to having a chatty 4 year old serenade him to sleep nightly with talks of tank engines and floppy puppy stuffed animals.  

As ever, the family is on a roller coaster ride with the end of another school year behind us.  We got into such a groove with sports and school that sometimes I thought I might be running in a hamster wheel all day, just to fall asleep at night and get back in the wheel in the morning.   In January it seemed like it will be F.O.R.E.V.E.R. until the summer time came.  But as  I type, I can smell the fragrant aroma of June, with her SPF 50 sunblock and ocean air.   Summer is always a great time with friends and family helping us celebrate.

Those last few weeks,  I kept getting up in the morning and running in my wheel and so did the rest of the family.  At night time, we continue to get out of our wheel and climb into the bunk bed with trains and floppy puppies.   

Lulu Lemon and the Mantras we live by

The manifesto.   I love it so much that I wrote my own.

I won’t share mine on this blog, but I will say that I focus on what’s important to mental and physical health:  Faith, Family, Education, Activity, Children, Honesty, Truth.   I’ve been reading my manifesto everyday lately to remind myself of what is important to me and where my energy should be spent.  That said,  I sure am ready for summer vacation, a little bit of rest and sun, and a chance to sweat it out in my Lulu Lemon gear.  

When you try your best, but you don't succeed

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to Fix You.

"38"

My husband is awesome.  As a special birthday treat, he created a workout just for me.  It was super intense and I had a very hard time finishing, but I finished.  We all did.  The girls and I were so exhausted that we completely ditched the obligatory cross fit complaining session that always occurs before, during, and after the workout. You know it's bad when none of us have anything to say.

Good thing hubby worked us so hard.  We all ended up at Slater's 50/50 Burgers  in Point Loma for dinner.  And let me tell you, I was on bacon overload.  The 50/50 comes from a burger patty that is 50% beef and 50% bacon.  Talk about super flavorful.  I had the fire burger and sissy got the Hawaiian burger, which we shared. Bacon, bacon, bacon.  Even the brownie had large pieces of bacon on top.

The best part of dinner was not the burger though.  The best part was the company.  Hubby's mom and pop, dad, The Virginia Clan with dear Larry, the Spring Break couple, sissy and No Neck, Miss America, Sensei and the hawt Brazilian, MMX2, JAN, the plumber, and ALLLLLL of the kiddies joined our family for the bacon fest.  Now that's a party.

As a special remembrance of "38", I have a shaker of bacon salt and really sore legs.  Those two items define a good time, don't you think?

Food Fest by the Bay

I've often heard how great the food, the view, the concerts are at Humphrey's by the Bay, so it was a special treat to have Sunday brunch with a group of lovely ladies yesterday.

It was the perfect way to kick off April:  friends, food and laughter.

We started with a champagne toast, then hit the all you can eat buffet with full force.  Some favorites would be the fresh seafood (the ceviche was awesome!) and the delicious desserts.  The girls were great sports because I started with a directive that everyone had to wear a cute dress or a super cute outfit with fabulous shoes.  Funny... that kind of request from a boss at work would get me in a sweatshirt and flip flops the next day, but the girls all showed up wearing the most fabulous outfits despite the sun's reluctance to come out and play.   After, a quick visit at Brazilian by the Bay helped us score two essentials:  Pão de Queijo and some Brazilian sausage.  

Here's how I know my girlfriends are awesome :They will wear high heels in (almost) rain to walk back and forth at a buffet ( I think that buffet attire usually sweat pants with an elastic band and flip flops) and they will crack the crab legs for me without me having to ask  (They know I don't like to do it myself!)

What a great month it is going to be.

Fix it with Nutella

It broke.

Shattered in a tiny spider web pattern.

You know that moment when something that you absolutely love breaks?  It seems to happen in slow motion.  I mean, not really.  If it were in slow motion, my cat like reflexes would have caught it in mid air as it descended from the back seat of hubby's truck onto the hard, dark newly paved asphalt of the cul de sac.  Instead, it fell with one loud thump and that was it.  But when I replay it in my mind, I see the off white lens (still attached to the camera) slowly tumble over and over in the air several times before violently hitting the ground.

Ouch. I love that lens.


So, what happens next?  Well, after the initial *shock* comes the calm, then the  dissection.
Removing the UV cover, I discover that the L-glass is still in tact.  In fact, there isn't even a scratch on it. Flawless... like the day I got it. (If this was my classroom: insert teachable moment here.)
I remember when I paid almost 80 bucks for that UV cover.  I went to George's in North Park and bought the cover as an afterthought.  It wasn't about clarity or color enhancement. At the time, it seemed to be just another 80 bucks that I was spending.  Whatever.  The camera shop might as well be the candy store.  I just pick up this and that.

So today, I thank my lucky stars.  Not because my lens is still in tact, but because it (all of it) is material stuff that can be replaced or not. The lens, the glass, the UV cover... all of it. What can't be replaced is that fact that both boys have practice tonight - football and basketball - and I can't wait to watch both of them hard at work.  In fact, basketball season is coming to an end soon.  The camera gets to come with me and capture those images.  That's what's important.  It's not like my relationships, friendships, or morals have been shattered... that's the stuff that can't be replaced by picking it up at the shop or ordering it online.

That said and understood,  I woke up and saw it on the table where I left it last night.  Still shattered.  Still broken.  And for a second, it brought back that feeling of sadness and panic.  (After all, that lens has seen it all... birthday parties, football games, wrestling matches, jun jitsu competitions, all the important events.  It has been my constant, reliable companion through all of it. ) But, my little guy thought of the perfect way to fix it... Nutella.

Yeah.  I don't know if Nutella will actually fix the lens.  But it sure did repair the spirit.  Man, he has the answer to everything.

After this blog, I'm going to order a new UV cover, shop around on the B&H website a bit,  and wipe that little guy's hands and mouth clean... in that order.

Pain and Revelations

Having so much time (laying dawn and on pain killers) has given me some time to think about what is important to me.  I've come to the conclusion that I have a bunch of stuff to be thankful for in my life.  Here are just a couple that come to mind:

I am thankful for my oldest son.  He is amazing.  He tries very hard at school and at home.  He hardly complains and he is very quick to help out with the little ones.  He is patient (I could learn a thing or two from him in that department)

He spent the last two football seasons cheering on his little bro at football games and watching the other little bro so that I could watch the football games too.  Now, he is playing rec basketball for Mira Mesa.  The team has won the last two games and it seems that he is getting better and better each week.  Better yet, he chooses to practice daily, dribbling and shooting in the driveway daily so he can get better.  What commitment!  I really could learn a little something from him.

I am thankful for my job.  Just like everyone, I really look forward to time off.  But unlike most, I really enjoy my job.  Middle school kids are a tough little breed...sensitive, impressionable, immature. They are also at a point in their young lives where they (can) enjoy school and value the relationships.

While I was gone, the kids had several different substitute teachers.  I'm sure that some were good, some were bad, some were more intense than others.  But at the end of the day, they love me enough to wish me well.

Lastly, I'm grateful for the lessons I learn at Flood each week.  Recently, Pastor Matt spoke about a scripture that has me thinking.  Basically, the Bible says all God wants in return for His sacrifices is for us to: "Act Justly", "Love Mercy", and "Walk Humbly." (Micah 6:8)  Man, those are hard to do.  #1 and #3 are difficult, but not impossible.  #2 ...well, I guess I don't know what that looks like because it is a state of mind where we extend mercy to move forward.  That means that we have to forgive the people that have hurt us.  And we have to forgive ourselves for hurting others.  Yup, tough stuff.  But I am moving in the right direction... I hope.

I'll end by telling you about the hamster wheel.  I went to see Dr. Popcorn, a dear friend from back in the underage days.  He says that my back is out because I tore muscles.  Torn muscles cause spasms.  Spasms cause inflammation.  Inflammation makes it hard for the muscle to heal.  The muscle can't heal, so it causes spasms...  See?  Hamster wheel.

I'm the Juggernaut

She gave me the nickname years ago.  I've tried to remember that when I'm down in the dumps, I have special superhero powers that I can use to become unstoppable.  All I need is a little bit of momentum and a little space.  I can do anything I put my mind to.  I'm the juggernaut.

Thank you DEE DEE.  I miss you.
(http://www.10news.com/news/23119138/detail.html)

Who's got your back?

When you need back up -literally-because your back is out, who's got your back?

This week I learned that real friends come through in a pinch.  What I mean by 'pinch' is when you are swiveling in a chair (that you've swiveled in100 times before) and your back goes out on you.  Yup, it's no fun to have back problems.

Vicodin, Darvocet, Flexeril, and Ibuprofen can help with physical healing.  But the knowledge that your husband, your family, and your friends will come through for you when you need it most  will bring more comfort than all the pain killers in the world.

To the teacher who will push a wheel chair and massage feet...
To the grown up girl scout that will clean the kitchen and pick up food for dinner...
To the Muay Thai princess & her Black Belt that will double as a taxi driver...
To the Sis & the No Neck that will take on three more kids (in addition to their four)...
To Miss America that will stop her busy schedule to make a grilled cheese sandwich and watch a little basketball...
To the veteran detention teacher that will make a friendly phone call...
To a school nurse that will call every five minutes to "check in"...
To the counselor that will laugh a little and help a lot...
To the principal that will give up a walkie talkie to make life easier...
To the former President who will give sound advise and put it in perspective...
To the in- law unit who can empathize and will turn a blind eye when the vomit starts...
To the pretty girl (that works why too much because he new job kind of sucks) that will send hope filled text messages with promises of foot massages and lady kisses...
To the students an co- workers who send well wishes by text, email, and simple thoughts...
To the little boy who acts like nothing is wrong and insists on quality belly time...
To the two tweens that fold laundry, watch little brother, and keep things in order (and quiet) ...
And To the Husband that will carry his heavy wife to the car and the heavy load at the house...

What can I say?

It's clear that when I can't use my back, someone will have it.  

Super Bowl... Super Smoker

My beloved San Diego Chargers didn't even make the playoffs this year, so Superbowl Sunday's highlights revolved around food with friends, H&M's new commercial, and a very dynamic halftime show that kept all of our mouths hanging open well after the 12 minute show.

The NY Giants took on the (favored) New England Patriots - Tom Brady vs. Eli "I-don't-wanna-go-to-San-Diego" Manning. Ever since that 2004 draft, I have had a love/ hate relationship with that Manning family.  On one hand, I can't believe in someone who pouts and whines about being drafted to a great team, but on the other hand I really enjoyed watching the Colts *almost* win the Superbowl a couple years ago.

So instead of focusing on the game, the crew and I  focused on the commercials, the food, and the fact that -regardless of the season- our friendships continue to maintain healthy levels of laughter.

In a move of pure selfishness, I bought Hubby a smoker.  Yup, a red hot smoker for my smoking hot husband.  (I wrote that on the card... I thought it was clever)

We put pork butt, tri tip, kielbasa sausage, and a rack of ribs in that sucker to see what it could do.   Hours and hours of smoking plus  a quick turn on the hot grill produced fall off the bone, delicious, succulent meat that was still as tender the next day.  The pork butt was smoked for almost 10 hours then placed in a crock pot to eventually transform into a tender and flavorful pulled pork.

Needless to say, we ate pretty well during the game. MM brought a delicious pasta salad (that we all packed for lunch the next day) and Sissy made Pão de Queijo to Mrs. Sensei's surprise and to my delight.  Talk about DE-LICI-OUS!  After eating (too much)  we laughed a bit more and talked about our favorite commercials. 

After much reflection, the top three  commercials of this year's Superbowl are:

#3 - The H&M commercial... no explanation needed.

#2 - The M&M commercial because the naked M&M sings, "I'm sexy and I know it"  That's the little one's favorite song :)

#1 - The Hyundai car versus the cheetah commercial, where the cheetah turns around and chases the guy who opened the cage.   It made me laugh out loud because Hubby goes back to K-9 this week and our new family member (Ace) just might do what that cheetah did in the commercial.  Yeah, I know I shouldn't laugh.  I may laugh a bit inappropriately, but at least I've never complained about being in San Diego.

Because this entry is all about how I'm kind of a foodie, I'll end with one more picture from Operation Carb Load last month.  I'm pretty sure that the Carb Load Party was my favorite part of the half marathon.  See why?

Not Superbowl eats, but a quick pix from the "CARB LOAD PARTY"  

How is this flat?

Half Marathon: Check.

The Carlsbad Half Marathon came and went and all that training paid off one step at a time.  It is amazing when I think about  how long ago this all started with the summer days of crossfit and lambrusco.  Today I can proudly say that - although I am not a strong runner - I am dedicated and focused enough to make my body do what my mind knows I can do.  It's funny, as I get older I don't feel older.  In fact, I am probably stronger today than I was 10 years ago.  This little journey isn't over quite yet either.  I feel another long run coming in the near future.  I'm not referring to the Camp Pendelton Mud Run... I'm thinking a little closer than that.  I am pretty sure that Hubby doesn't feel the same way, but I know that my girls do.  So, I'm not retiring the running shoes quite yet.

The day before the run, MM and I braved the weather and picked up all the bibs.  At pick up, we stayed for the health expo where I consumed some delicious yogurt and picked up a bunch of stickers that I would later toss.  One vendor worth mentioning is the Running Divas clothing company.  Talk about C-U-T-E stuff.  One of these days, I'm going to bend and buy one of each of the cute tops, comfy pants, and super stylish long socks.  But first I feel like I have to run more to , you know, earn the right to wear a "Half Marathon Mom" top.  Of course, arguably, how many half marathons does one have to run before one has earned it?

 It rained the day before and the day after the run.  But the day of the run, it was PERFECT weather.  The first 6.5 miles were mainly along the water in Carlsbad with a pod of dolphins making a guest appearance somewhere around mile 5.  I was told that it was a beautiful run by many people and I must agree:  the weather and scenery makes me want to run there again sometime. Maybe not 13.1 miles, but a nice stroll on the sand to chase birds and pick up shells.   It's funny that I never noticed that Carlsbad is actually a nice place to visit.  Not just the outlets there, but some of the little shops are quite quaint  and the beach is so inviting.  I love living in San Diego.

After the run, the troops and I hobbled to the car that was parked on the other side of the mall and went for some delicious pizza and beer at Pizza Port.  Since I had cut alcohol out of my diet, I thought I would commemorate the run with a delicious, ice cold one.  It sounded about right at the time, but once the beer was in hand,  really all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep, sleep, sleep.  Funny that I write that, because I was too tired to enjoy the beer but NOT too tired to enjoy the chocolate and ice cream I had right after.  

I think that Sissy, Mrs. Sensei, & the Juicy Gal would love a trip to the chocolate/ wine hole that Tee Wang, MM, Lily, and I discovered.  Note to self: Take the girls up there soon for some whine and wine.  

So, off  the bucket list goes the half marathon.  What an emotional journey.  One that I won't soon forget.  The last half mile was very difficult.  Maybe the hardest part of the run because I mentally shut down once I saw all the people and the home stretch.  Let's just say that I am acutely aware that it is NOT 13 miles, it is 13.1.   Luckily I had angels guiding me to that finish line.  Really, I thought about them and how they were smiling down on me as I crossed that finish line with Lily's hand in mine.  

And ,  I hope that one day my kids are proud of me.  After all, their opinions are the only ones I *really* care about at the end of the day. 

I'll end with one lingering thought:  This run is the first in the Triple Crown Series and everyone says that it is flat.  However, I beg to differ.  When it is uphill both ways, how is that flat? 

Let's shoot each other

When I say, " I want to shoot you!"  This is what I mean:

When my son yells," I'm gonna shoot you!"  This is what he means:

Here's the set up for the 11th b-day party at Westview Park in Mira Mesa.  There was a lot of shooting and shooting.  And laughter, and soda, and running, and yelling, and screaming.  It was fun to play and it was a joy to watch.  How blessed am I to have such a good natured son with a solid group of positive friends that come from good families?   God is very good to me.

Miss me some Kat Von D

Lately, I've been thinking about a girl.  I know a girl that - at one time - I got to spend a great deal of time with.  She and her family would join ours for dinners (more than once a week) and we would share make up ideas, laugh uncontrollably, surf the net, and cook dinner together in the chaos of having the kids play and yell and laugh and run.  One summer, I think we hit a record for highest number of swim parties in a month.  Good times.

Alas, life takes whirls and twirls making it difficult ( and in some cases - impossible) to spend time together.

So it isn't a surprise that I miss my Kat Von D.  Those talks about tattoos, those moments of driving in the car together, not saying a word. Extensive conversations about make up and hair...annoying enough to send the Hubby to the other room.   Chicken gizzards.  Precious times spent with her family, my family, our kids.  It all paints a collection of beautiful memories.

But I know that friendships have seasons.  We as people have factors that interfere with the ability to just do whatever we want to do all the time.  But even though the time with this gal is almost non existent these days, I do - from time to time - wish I would just have her around.  I'd love a night of homemade dinner at her house (such a great cook!) or to sit around in the living room and watch TV with all the kids and their random commentary. I'd love a crossfit workout...ok, that's a lie.  What I would love is the conversation after the workout.  Our time together has been reduced to the occasional text message and reading each other's Facebook statuses.

Here's a clarification before I go on... I have NOT lost this friendship.  I DO have friendships that I have let go of and friendships that have let go of me.  But this is not one of them.  I will always treasure this woman.  She is amazing, although I don't get to see her very often.  I do not believe that we have not let go of each other; we've simply entered another season.

Ria used to always say that real friendships pick up where they leave off, however long that may be.  Those are words that I believe with my whole heart. Whether a few weeks or a lifetime, I reserve a very special place in my heart for her.  No, we are not as close as we used to be, but when I told her I loved her, I meant it.  And I still do mean it.  No amount of time can change the very fond memories that I have with her.  No amount of time can change how much I treasure her.

To that, I wish my Kat Von D good wishes as she bids a temporary good bye to her husband (who is stationed in Bahrain for a year)   Miz Von D, if you ever need an Indiana fix, I'd love to go through the 500+ pictures from lil sissy's wedding.  It will bring the smell of fresh biscuits and gravy and mammaw's homemade meatloaf back.  Promise :)  

Not even the rain can stop us

I know it is January.  The season is WINTER.  It is cold outside.  And yes, it is raining.

None of that stopped us from planning #2's birthday party at a local park.  What I mean by "plan" is that a week or so ago, I found a coupon in the back of a magazine at the doctor's office and hired a guy to come set up a laser tag course at the park.  Then I invited a bunch of kids through their parents' facebook accounts or by sending a very informal text message.  No phone calls were made and no attempt to figure out the food situation was made. Then I prayed for a clear day.  No rain. No rain. No rain.

I have come a long way since the clown/jumpy/catering days. 

I did feel a tiny bit of guilt because six months ago for the older one, I sent out handmade invitations weeks ahead of time.  Then, I set up a red and yellow candy bar for all the kids to pick and choose a goodie bag.  I spent weeks thinking about what I wanted to serve for lunch and dinner, and what I thought the kids would like as a snack.  There were decorations and balloons... the whole nine yards.

This time around, I sent our email invites, cleaned my house fifteen minutes before guests arrived, and left the party several times to grab things at Little Cesar's, Ralph's or Costco.  Oh, and it started to (lightly) rain several times while at the park, in the pool, and during the smores segment of the show.

Luckily, a very wonderful woman that I know reminded me that it isn't about the bells and whistles.  It is about the thought and the effort.  And believe me, I want nothing more than for my son to have a good time with his friends, laughing and playing. No face painting, no traveling animal shows, no gimmicks.  Just fun. Since I'm blogging at 11:30 at night, while the boys shake my house with their uncontrollable laughter, I think I got what I want. 

But... I bet in 6 months from now, I will do it again with spending weeks planning a sweet 13 for my oldest one.  I think it is more of a time issue than it is an effort issue.  January is a tough month, but by June I'm not working, so I have all sorts of time to come up with grand ways to celebrate.   In the end, it's all the same.  The boys have wonderful friends that celebrate with them, and I have equally great friends that will help me set up, clean up, run to the store, and calm me down with their words when it gets just a bit to overwhelming.  Thank goodness I've got a solid support group to help me with all the antics.  Not to mention that the Hubby is always a step ahead. 

I'll end this blog with three little tidbits of information that I'd like the world to know:

1) The Dads and Moms played an all out, no mercy game of laser tag today.  I am happy to announce that the Mom Team claimed an undisputed victory today.  In a sign of pure humble acceptance of our victorious win, I am posting a picture of the husbands during the slaughter fest.

2) My anniversary is tomorrow.  I still feel like I'm the luckiest gal in the world.

3) There are 11 boys in my house between the ages of 10 and 13.  They are the loudest, kindest, most polite, messiest group of kids I've every had over.  And the room they are sleeping in smells kind of like wet feet.