Monday, June 30, 2008

Friday we met Jill at the zoo and had a bunch of fun. This was the first time I've been there without worrying about losing the girls. They didn't misbehave at all...which was amazing. Afterwards we went to my parents house for the afternoon. Had a good time there too. Watered plants and took a walk.

Saturday I had my meeting and it was...EH... Sometimes there are really great meetings and I feel energized afterwards and then sometimes I feel like it was a waste of time. I hate when I feel that way, because I owe my life to this organization. *shrug*
Justin went on a bike ride in the afternoon and I hung out with the girls. They helped him wash the black Jeep.

Sunday we met our off-road club for a picnic/meeting at a park in Arvada. Had a good time. The group has changed. It used to be party central and now the vibe is more family friendly. The girls had fun running around this huge soccer field.
We lounged at home the rest of the day... Girls played in the front yard while Justin and I sat on the porch talking. Justin and Ava went for a bike ride while Mallory made mudpies and I read a book.
Ava would not go to bed last night. She ended up sleeping on the couch all night.
Both girls are uber crabby today. Going to be a long day....

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

What is Going On?

Summer stuff.

The girls slide into the swimming pool. They spent about 2 hours doing that yesterday and it was the first thing they wanted to do this morning. I cleaned out the breezeway and put their toy kitchen and little table out there. They were thrilled.

They have also befriended the 2 little girls that live across the street and one house over to the right. Yesterday we saw them riding their bikes (in the street with no helmets) when we came back from our errands (airport, car emissions and Costco). Ava & Mallory forgot about lunch- all they wanted to do was get to know these 2 girls. They live with their Grandma and great-aunt (?). I let them follow the girls up the street on their bikes IF and only IF I was in the street there with them. Mallory is slower (and the youngest of the bunch) so we were still on our way back home when I saw Ava & her two new friends RUN into our house. *sigh* It took about 10 minutes for me to get everyone out into the front yard. The older neighbor said that her sister told her grandma that they were over here. Well, I don't know about YOU, but I would never let my kids into someone's house that I didn't know quite well, let alone AT ALL. The grandma was in the street by their bikes and was mad at them for not coming home. From what I could tell, when the little one went to talk to her grandma the grandma said they needed to come inside because they had errands to run...but the little one ignored those instructions. The grandma didn't even acknowledge me and off they went. I was thinking....HMMMM.... So later on, before dinner, we were in the front watering flowers and they all drive by smiling and waving (the grandma)... This morning the neighbor girls were out on their bikes again, wanting to play. I feel weird about having them come over- even in our backyard if their guardians don't really seem to care. They don't KNOW me. Know what I mean? *shrug*

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Skate

Today I am going to a spa products open house. After that- errands and then I am taking Ava to a skate party from 2-4. She has never gone skating before and it's been forever since I have...this will be entertaining, to say the least...

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

I subbed at my friend's Bunco night. I FINALLY didn't need complete instructions again in order to play...and I could finally have conversations while playing.

This morning Ava woke up before Mallory and we were sitting in the living room on opposite couches. She asked, "So, how was your game last night?" I told her, "I won!" (I broke even) She exclaimed, "Oh Wow! That is GREAT!" I have such a lovely child.

This is the same child who, when she was last with my mother and commented on her messy car, said that although our car IS messy as well at least we don't have "Bird CRAP" all over the windows. This is Justin's fault- he fully admits it. He is the one that says "Bird Crap." Makes me laugh.

I don't know what is wrong with me, but my neck and shoulders are extremely sore. I probably have some incurable disease, so I will NOT look it up on the internet.

At the conference, someone donated a bunch of amethyst stones that could be put on a key chain, hung in a window or around your neck. I bought one because I wasn't bidding on bigger items, but wanted some mementos from such a life-changing weekend There was a little card with each stone that said this: "Amethyst: Known as the sobriety stone. Dispels anger and alleviates sadness. Treats insomnia and eases headaches." Pretty cool. So I Googled "Amethyst" and Wikipedia tells me that "the name comes from the Ancient Greek a- ("not") and methustos ("intoxicated"), a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness; the ancient Greeks and Romans wore amethyst and made drinking vessels of it in the belief that it would prevent intoxication."

I also bid on and won a little purse that someone made. The woman who made it is nicknamed "Toots." I've seen her writings online and always thought she was a wonderful person...and when I finally met her in person all her wonderfulness was twofold. The first thing she said after introductions was that if anyone ever needed a hug, to come find her, because she's a big hugger.

I bought a note card made (painted) by my roommate at the hotel the last night we were there in Allentown. This woman is amazing. A wonderful artist- she held a watercolor workshop one night. I didn't attend, as space was limited and I chose the "How to Meditate" class instead, but will next year if she holds it again. She calls herself The Dumpy D*I*V*A*- I suppose because she is 4 foot 8 (?), but I didn't see anything Dumpy about her. We spent our last night ordering Red*Robin room service and swapping birth stories. She had me laughing until I couldn't breathe. She was laughing too, so I didn't feel bad about it... On the way to PA, I had a layover in Chicago and met her at the airport. I immediately recognized her from her pictures, but we had both affixed these yellow butterflies to our shirts. Hers was laminated and she also had one on her bag. Mine was not laminated and stuck on my shirt with tape. She was a great traveling companion- we each had issues-her the big things and me the little details...so our obsessions complimented each other. She was worried that she wasn't really "in the system" when she booked her flight online. She had never had an e-ticket before...so she was stressing about showing up at the airport and not being allowed on the plane.. Me, I was worried about transportation to and from the college...as if we'd be stranded. I miss being around her.

My roommate at the college was this tall and skinny woman from S.C., but with a huge Massachusetts accent. We spent 2 nights chatting into the wee hours about books, movies, our lives, our childhoods, etc... It was awesome. She brought souvenirs from her town for me- a gel candle with seashells and sand in the bottom and for the girls: taffy and mermaid and seahorse soaps with bright blue washcloths. The first night she was showing me what she was donating to the silent auction- knick knack souvenir stuff from her town and then I showed her what I brought- 40 Days and 40 Nights. She was oohing and ahhing over it...flipping the pages and came upon a note to someone on the "I would like to dedicate this book to" page. It said, "Dear David, May your 40th be & bring the Best of New Beginnings in your Wondrous life. Love & Friendship, Sandy M... 12/2/07" Dear David took the journal BACK to Barnes and Noble and then I bought it. My roommate suggested ripping that page out, so I let her do the honors. I brought the dedication page all the way back to Colorado...another memento.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

New Photos

I uploaded new photos of the girls. Some are of Ava's dance recital (Mallory was tired and not feeling too good that day which is why she looks ragged in the pictures) and others of the other day outside. Enjoy!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Welcome to the World Braeden Paul

My sister and her husband became first time parents on Tuesday, June 10th at 10:07 p.m. est. Braeden weighed 6 pounds 2 ounces and was 19 1/4 inches long. He decided to arrive EARLY into life, but sure gave Suzanne (& Brent) a workout...false labor started Saturday and they went back and forth to the hospital a few times before deciding it was FOR REAL. Once she was checked into the hospital, it then took 11 hours for him to make his way out. I can't wait to meet him and hope I can swing a quick trip to Florida after our trip to MN and before school starts. I do have to be here on July 31st to get Ava officially signed up for kindergarten.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Back in the Land of Laundry and Sweetness

The sweetness is from Ava & Mallory. Oh boy did they miss me. A Lot. Apparently Mo did too...she walked around making this sickly meow sound the entire time I was gone. Goofball!

I had the most phenomenal time at the WFS annual conference. I am glad to be back, but I also feel like the it should have been longer. I am still in processing mode- remembering conversations and all of the wonderful women I met. I feel energized and it was definitely the best thing to give my self-esteem the boost it needed. The biggest thing I walked away with was that I am not just o.k., but AMAZING. I met so many amazing women of strength from all walks of life. Friday night we had the "opening ceremony." We passed around a microphone and had to introduce ourselves and tell as much or as little about ourselves as we wanted to. Each woman was vigorously applauded every time. I was nervous and scared on the journey there...and even once I actually walked in the room with all of these strangers...it was overwhelming actually, but everyone was so friendly and accepting and even though we all came from different places, we are all the same. It was a powerful weekend. I learned a lot about myself - cried and laughed...oh did I laugh until I had tears streaming down my eyes. Glad to be home. And also glad that Justin doesn't have to travel tomorrow for a week like we thought he was going to. Whew...

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Bag is packed

I am leaving tomorrow morning for Pennsylvania and won't be back until mid-morning on Monday. I am nervous about traveling by myself as I haven't done so in almost 10 years. I am also a bit sad that I will miss Ava's big dance recital. I had already registered for the conference and booked my flight before I found out when it was.

Justin is taking time off of work to stay home with the girls...I am sure their days will be jam packed with fun- plus he has to get Ava ready for and take her to the rehearsal and recital on Thurs and Friday nights.

Monday, June 2, 2008

The Run Down

We have been busy- which is why I haven't written. I am taking a break from laundry to sit down for a minute.

Thursday was Ava's last day of school. Last night she still thought she would be going to school today. And then was overjoyed when we told her, again, that she won't go to school for a couple months. I think she likes school...I hope Kindergarten is fun for her...maybe she'll like it more when she goes everyday. *shrug*

Friday I spent the morning cleaning (and by Sunday no one would have been the wiser) and then we met friends at a park for a few hours in the afternoon. Poor Mallory is just not as fast as all the other kids on her bike...she got left behind and just sat and cried until I came over to see what was up.

Saturday morning we had Ava's dance pictures taken. We only did the group photo since we have the individual ones of Ava from her school...which I have not gotten in the mail to anyone yet. Doh! After that we went to a park near our house for a picnic with my WFS friends and their families/partners/dogs. I had a great time socializing outside of our normal meeting. Wonderful women. After that Justin went on a bike ride while I worked on my cross-stitch and the girls messed around outside. We were going to plant our seeds that we bought back in April, but there were juice spillage issues and poop problems and then I gave them popsicles and they forgot about it. I wasn't really in the mood anyway. The girls had way too many snacks so they didn't really eat much of our grilled hamburgers dinner. Oh well.

Sunday Justin made scrambled eggs and pancakes and the girls ate breakfast in the backyard. They were up before 7. And they've been going to bed later...I would have thought they'd sleep in a LITTLE. Justin went to Lowe's to get stuff to start working on our bathroom. While he did that I flew over to a couple stores. Half the trip wasn't too successful. I have had trouble sleeping all last week and into the weekend, so I was kind of feeling dizzy and out of sorts. Plus I just couldn't think and it didn't help that I didn't create and bring any sort of list. Duh. I need some sort of poncho rain gear. I guess I have a few days to get it all ready. I worked on my cross-stitch the rest of the afternoon while the girls rested and Justin got his hair cut. We did leftovers for dinner and Mallory wouldn't (couldn't) eat anything. I asked her if anything hurt...her tummy, her throat, her head, even her elbows and knees hurt. Hmmm... Took her temp and it was 102. Yikes. Tylenol and off to bed. We all slept soundly until around 5 a.m. when Miss Mallory woke up and had diarrhea. Lovely. Justin showered and left for the airport. At 8 a.m. Mallory told me she needed to throw up. Lovely. I positioned her on the couch with a bucket, water and My Little Pony. She threw up once and maybe twice- I am not sure as I had left the room for a second. She wanted to lie down, so I got her set up on the loveseat... Then she said she felt better and was hungry. Gave her a banana and she ate 3/4 of it. She was still hungry. Gave her some Wild Animal Crunch cereal...she ate 3 tiny bowls and 3/4 of a Pedialyte popsicle. So far has not puked again. Ava helped me clean a bit and fold laundry this morning.

Please cross your fingers that Mallory is truly better and that no one else gets it, especially since Justin is in Kansas until tomorrow night, Ava has her dance rehearsal and recital this Thurs and Fri. and that I will be in Pennsylvania Thurs-Monday....

I guess that is it from our household.