R&R

Why is it that I only allow myself to rest when I am forced? I made it through my niece's blessing Friday evening, the girl's birthday party Saturday, and my niece's birthday party Saturday night and then collapsed. I did manage to pack some boxes yesterday and had to go into the office for a meeting this morning. I left right after the meeting and am doped up on cold medicine. And I missed an opportunity for golf this afternoon :(

Here are some pics from the girl's birthday party Saturday, which was absolutely fabulous. It was hosted by Tea Parties to Go and I would definitely recommend!

3000!

I apologize for the terrible picture. I took it with my camera phone and only took one, so it's the best I can do.



Went to the Astros game last night with several coworkers. The timing was amazing because last night Biggio hit the 3000 mark in hits. The crowd roared every time Biggio was up to bat. The place went nuts when it happened and even I was caught up in the moment. Which is a big deal because I have carried a grudge against Biggio for 19 years.


I was 13 and begged and pleaded for my parents to take me to the baseball card shop where Biggio would be signing autographs. I had my baseball cards ready and waited and waited and waited. He never showed and I was absolutely crushed. Last night, they were giving away Biggio signed cards to a select few based on their seats. And no, I didn't win, so after all of these years, I will still carry on the grudge.

DITL- my first!

I always enjoy when Jo features 'A Day in the Life', so I thought I would give it a whirl. Maybe next time I won't be too chicken to take pics of people....


5:30 wake up call

Time for a bath

Breakfast for me

Breakfast for the kids

Drop off the boy

Drop off the girl The builder needs more money
Finally at work!
Definitely need more coffee

Head out early to check out cultured stone for the house

Some options Late lunch
Pick up the girl- great work!
Pick up the boy- always a ham!
More work at home- this time I'm double calculating the HVAC requirements
I cooked, but I'm too tired to clean
One down!

At last, time to relax

Not so bright in the morning

Two of my coworkers are nuts and decided that meeting at the gym at 5:30 am every morning was a good idea. Since I have been less than consistent in my exercise routine, I decided that the morning was probably the only time I could get consistent. Too many excuses at lunch, too many activities in the evening, too exhausted at night.

Tuesday morning I set my alarm half an hour earlier and ran for half an hour on the treadmill. Wednesday, hubby was home and the treadmill is right next to the bed, so I ran around the neighborhood. And this morning, I thought why not meet the guys at the gym for the 1 hour 15 minute killer cardio/weight class that I love.

Last evening, I packed up work clothes, toiletries, and breakfast for this morning. I slept in my gym clothes, set the alarm for 4:50, rolled out of bed, brushed my hair, put on socks and shoes and headed for Katy.

Half way there I realized I had forgotten my breakfast. It wasn't until I was in the shower, already shampooed when I reached for the conditioner and realized it was body lotion. So, I was hungry, tired, in a lack of caffeine induced haze and my hair was nothing but straw. One of the guys invited me over to his house for breakfast and I bypassed the straw issue with a french braid. Now all I need is a nap!

Happy belated Mother's Day

I'm only a couple of days behind. The weekend was nice- started with the boy's baseball team party Friday evening. Our new house is in a different league and one that I have heard is more serious. The last few games the boy has really come around including almost making a triple play Monday night!! He did make several double plays this week which proves his capabilities when he focuses.

Saturday morning was spent doing the weekend laundry fun and the boy had his last baseball game for the season. I then spent 4 hours with my tax advisor that evening while my parents kept the kids. I really, really, really, really, really hate taxes. And it is a huge weight off my shoulders that they are finally complete, albeit a month late.

Sunday, I dropped the boy off with my grandparents for church and the girl and I hit the gym. We all met up at my aunt's house for a Mother's Day celebration. I stopped by my mother-in-laws on the way home to visit and give her a gift. Hubby finally arrived home Sunday evening after all the festivities had finished.

Just another Monday

I have learned to loathe Mondays. The weekend and party time is over and it is back to the daily grind of life. Working for a living. Living life for The Man. Paying dues to Uncle Sam. It started off like any other Monday. Tired and groggy, I drag myself out of bed hoping for a snow day, rain out, ice, anything to keep from going to work. I finally make it into the office and rinse out my coffee mug, head to the coffee crack machine and join the other working stiffs for a cup of joe to make the day a little easier.

I start on my work and before I know it, lunch has arrived. The phone rings and it is my realtor. She has good news! The buyer has accepted our counter offer and not only do we have the house SOLD! but we have a lease for 2 months so we only have to move once. I celebrate! I dance! I call hubby and he celebrates with me. The his other line rings and when he gets back to me, he has more good news. Our new rental is leased! Finally!

Don't expect too much more from me this week; I'm off on another boondoggle at a resort in The Woodlands.

Ack! New Year resolutioners....

I tried to escape from work a little early to have enough time to go home, change, get hubby, pick up the kids and get to my "Total Conditioning I must be nuts to love this" class at 5:45. I was stopped by my manager right before I headed out, so I was running behind schedule. We picked up the boy and we pass right by the gym before getting to the girl's school, so hubby dropped me off and went to get the girl. It was right at 5:45, so I jumped from the car and jogged up to the front. Apparently, after I started jogging, the boy exclaimed- "Run for your life girl!".

I hurried over to the locker room, found a locker, threw my stuff in and pushed through the masses of people to get the stairs to my class. I am about to walk in when I notice that every square inch of the room is in use and all the equipment is taken. Two more show up wanting to join the class. Disappointed, I take a deep breath and turn towards the cardio and weight areas. HOLY COW. I've never seen so many people!!!

We don't count as the blasted new year resolutioners since we joined weeks ago. I give it 2 weeks before it is noticeably less crowded. 4 before it is back to normal.

Thankful

I have many reasons in my life to be thankful. I have a loving, generous, supportive husband and two imaginative, affectionate, bright and funny children. I have a strong family and friend network that I love and cherish. My husband and I both have good jobs as well as bigger dreams that we are working towards to be able to leave those good jobs and spend more time together. We are all in good health.

I have so much to be thankful about- Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!

Control

I am finally starting to take back control of my life. I do have a lot to undo however. The months of stress and catering and fancy restaurants and no exercise has taken a huge toll on my body. I am easing back into my exercise routine and making attempts at improving my diet.

I have been spending much more quality time with the family and taking care of forgotten tasks at home. I spent this past weekend on catching up on accounting for our businesses and filing and organizing the house. We met with the architect Friday afternoon and we are finally pleased with the layout. Now we are getting down to the nitty gritty details of the plans. He can't start on them until early December, which means we will have the final plans around Christmas time. Then comes the arduous task of getting bids from builders, figuring out the financing, and getting the necessary approvals from the city.

We have made some head way in getting our house prepared for sale. It is terrible timing to put on the market and I have no idea where we will live while we are building, but we are proceeding ahead. My new goal of being in the new house by this Christmas has changed to start construction by the end of January.

And just to prove that I am getting my life back under control, I started Christmas shopping yesterday.

This is the week

That I have been dreading. We are presenting our detailed drawings to the client and reviewing them. And day 1 went amazingly well. The client is typically argumentative and mildly combative. And they were neither. Actually, they were almost completely silent. Which sets us all a little uneasy. Did we do our jobs? Did the long hours pay off? Or, is the storm brewing behind the scenes....

On the other hand- I have kids! And a life! I took my off Friday off and hubby and I actually had a day to spend together. Lately we've completely traded shifts. He'll get home after I'm asleep and I will leave before he wakes up. He did have to go to work Saturday morning and was gone the rest of the weekend, but I'll take one day. It was wonderful having three days off of work and it was just what I needed. Even better than that is an extended family trip to Leakey coming up this weekend.

This one struck home

Ok, getting a little lazy with the blogging. I was running through the quizzes on this website and this one definitely hit me. I am very open and will talk about anything and everything, but I definitely have a wall up around me. Really only one person has access inside that wall, my husband and there has been times that not even he had access. Not sure what that 'one big dream' is, unless it's to be independently wealthy :)

How You Life Your Life

You seem to be straight forward, but you keep a lot inside.You say whatever is on your mind. Other people's reactions don't phase you.You prefer a variety of friends and tend to change friends quickly.You have one big dream in your life, and you never lose sight of it.

How Do You Live Your Life?

Vultures

Life in cubeville is tough. So tough, that the most mundane of office supplies take on mystical qualities. The nice gel pens that quickly leave the supply cabinet and are replaced with the cheap, leaky pens. Hole punches that can punch more than one sheet of paper at a time are coveted. So, it shouldn't surprise me that as soon as my departure was announced, the vultures moved in. When's your last day? We want your office. Anyone have tabs on your chair?

Which leaves me with a question. Are the hole punch and stapler company property? What about the half used pencils and highlighters?

Saying good bye

A chapter of my life is about to close. Ten years of developing relationships with my coworkers. Ten years of work, stress, laughter, and sharing. This has been an extremely difficult decision, but one that I needed to make.

I have told a few people, but I am letting the rumor mill do most of the work. I told one of the people working for me today and she started crying! I tried explaining the feeling to hubby (who has never worked an office job) and likened it to Norm walking into the bar at Cheers. His response? So, everyone's drunk all the time?

I leave behind great friends, great experiences, and gratitude for all the opportunities I was given.

Athlete

When is an athlete no longer considered an athlete? I was involved in sports growing up. On the tennis team, volleyball team, swim team. I went to the gym and lifted weights regularly. In my adult life, I continued to lift weights, do aerobics classes, ride the bike, jog, and swim.

Then, I had kids. After kid #1, I ran a marathon. I rode my bike to Austin. Then I had kid #2 and fell into complete sloth mode. I trained for a half marathon and dropped out 2/3'rds into the program. I started and stopped exercising so many times. Right now, I average running about once every other week and haven't lifted weights in years.

But I did get a treadmill and the other night, I actually used it. My plan is commit 20 minutes every evening for a vigorous walk. 20 minutes out of my day- that isn't too much to ask. Maybe I should rig the TV so the power is generated from the treadmill.

Gifts

Gift giving was always a big deal in my family. Not that the gifts were extravagant, but they were thoughtfully planned and presented. My husband's family, not so much. For the past 2 years, I have not received a birthday present or Mother's Day present. And for me, it's not about the material things in life, but the thought and effort that goes into a present is what is special.

I have tried explaining this before, but I guess I have not effectively communicated my needs. We did have a long discussion about it last night. Last year, I was angry for months. This time, I am trying to see things from his viewpoint and help him understand mine. I look at this as a growing experience for both of us and I think our lines of communication are improving. Amazing after 17 years together, we're still trying to understand each other.

I did receive a special belated birthday present from my dear friend Darkle. The candles are my favorite scent- honeysuckle. Every spring the honeysuckle would come out and fill the air with its delicious fragrance in the woods next to my house growing up. I love watching the candles flicker and the bubbles of wax rise up and the colors separating into this lovely cream and green when lit. But I love the candles mostly because of the thought and effort that went into making them.

I've been thinking

I know this one little statement sends hubby's stomach into knots. Mine too, when the role's reversed. But I've been thinking. I want my life to take on new meaning, to head into a different direction. I feel like my entire family lives on autopilot. I want to fully enjoy each and every day. To see the world with wonder and amazement that my kids do when they first discover something. I don't want to wake up with anxiety and dread.

I finished a book yesterday, The Lilypad List, about living simply. It is not a book with all the answers- in fact it doesn't have any answers, just questions. Some of the questions are how do you see your ideal life and what things make you happy. Some of the things that make me happy are spending quality time with my family and friends, swimming, hiking, generally just being in nature. I envision my ideal life as one more connected to the earth. Growing a good portion of the food that feeds my family. Greatly reducing the amount of stuff we have in our lives. Treating the environment and our planet with much more respect. Eliminating the blind consumerism. Doing things that I feel passionate about. Helping others.

This is in complete contrast to how we live now. We hop from one obligation to the next. I spend most of my waking hours doing work that I have no desire to do, coming home exhausted and stressed to deal with my children in the evening. We have slowly started reigning in the consumerism, but we still live in a house much bigger than we need and drive more than we should. I live in the suburbs of a major metropolis, in a very wealthy environment. The adults drive fancy cars and the kids have lavish birthday parties. None of this makes me happy. Ultimately, what makes me happy? Nature and people, not stuff.

Some parents

I am amazed at all of the wonderful, generous people that I meet in life. I am also amazed at the people who try to take advantage of others and seem to have no compassion or understanding for anyone besides themselves.

My son is on a t-ball team and the coach and the team mom are married. They are wonderful, generous people and very devoted to their kids. This couple happens to have 3 kids under the age of 4, they both work, and they are both volunteering their time for the team.

It all started with collecting the money to pay for coach's gifts, the team banner, names on the back of their shirts, and snacks at the games. It was $50 a team member. I know the team mom felt bad, but there were only 10 kids on the team this year and frankly, that's just how much it cost.

One of the kid's dads sent out emails questioning the $50, wanting a break down of each item, wanting to know where his registration money went, etc. Fair enough. Team mom sent out the budget and then he argued with $20 for coaches gifts, $10 for snacks and water, and so on. The team mom was infinitely patient and kindly responded to each interrogation.

Things died down until today. Now he's upset because his kid didn't get his bottle of water at the last game (not that he asked for it either). And now someone else is upset because her kid didn't like the snack. I wanted to blast them, but instead my dear friend Sara helped me draft a nice email. However, it was not nearly as satisfying as telling them all to grow up.

What would happen if

What would happen if we gave up our large suburban home and traded it for a simpler home in the country on land

What would happen if I gave up my stressful, high paying job in exchange for living simpler

What would happen if the kids had more time in nature and the world, rather than behind a desk, computer, or TV screen

What would happen if we suddenly stopped juggling all the balls and just let them drop

What would happen if we had more time on our hands to fill as we wished

What would happen if we moved away from our tight knit family

What would happen if we moved away from our friends

What would happen if we stopped eating crap from the grocery stores and starting eating food we've grown and nourished with our own hands

What would happen if we moved far away from world class medical facilities

What would happen to my brain and psyche if I no longer was surrounded by coworkers

What would happen if we moved the kids away from their friends, their life, everything they've ever known

I worry that so much of our life is passing by while we check off each of our activities. I know that we are a happy family, that the kids are happy. We are all just very tired. Is the grass greener? Would we be happier? Would we be safer? Knowing that one of the best children's hospitals is within 30 miles is reassuring, especially since my little girl has been hospitalized twice in the last year for asthma. But would her symptoms abate in a healthier environment? How would I handle the lack of intellectual stimulation that comes with my job? We are surrounded by so many wonderful friends and all of our family. The kids love their school, their teachers, playing t-ball, taking swimming lessons, doing stuff with family. We live in a wonderful neighborhood with a lake and beautiful walking trails. Why do I feel like something is missing?

The lone wolf

I sometimes feel like the only blogger that belongs to Homespun Bloggers who is not a conservative Christian. I joined when I first started blogging (nearly 2 years ago!) and I was introduced to it by my friend and coworker, Michael at Chasing the Wind. It seemed like a great way to network and "get myself out there". Unfortunately, I do not have that much in common with many of the bloggers in the network and in fact, find several of them down right offensive.

But I haven't left and I don't think I will. I've never been afraid to be one who sticks out, the one who doesn't quite fit in. It is obvious by looking at the people I choose as friends. I enjoy having people in my life who have completely different views from myself. I think it makes me a better person.

Life Path

Your Life Path Number is 1

Your purpose in life is to lead others. You have great drive and determination. Nothing is going to stand in your way.You seek out challenges and the spotlight. You'll take all the work - and all the glory.Status and success are important to you. You demand the best from everyone and everything. In love, you tend to take a protective role. You enjoy being the provider in relationships. You expect others to be like you, and as a result, you are often disappointed little selfish and vain, you always put yourself first.Remember, everyone already knows you're great - you don't need to remind them!

What Is Your Life Path Number?

Well, I can't say that I agree with this. I do like to lead, and well, maybe I do expect others to be like me as far as I expect people to be compassionate and am often disappointed. I used to have recurring dreams where I was protecting either my mom, my husband, or my kids from some psychopath. I do not agree that status and success are everything, well possibly success. I try not to put myself first, although if I don't, who will? So, maybe it is like me. What do you think?

Thanks to A Curate's Egg for the link.