I Survived

It’s been about 4 years, and while I can’t say it was like riding a bike, strapping on a snowboard was just like old times. Well, sort of like old times. I’m much wimpier, weaker, have less endurance than I did at 20, but boarding is still a fun experience.

When my bff called last week and invited me to join her for a morning on the slopes, I couldn’t refuse. A little rescheduling of responsibilities left the first part of the day open for this snowy occasion. There was light snow, which is exactly how I prefer it. Really. When it’s sunny, it can sometimes be a little blinding and hard to see the snow. Other than the light flurries, the conditions were great. Not too much wind. Not too cold. And the fresh flakes gave me a good powder base.

When I was younger, I used to go out and attack (at least for me it was “attacking”) the hill. I was more brave… willing to try new things, go off jumps, etc. Now I’m such a sissy. The thought of catching an edge while going hard made me get a little nervous every time I started to get some serious speed going. But after a run or two, it all came back to me, as did my confidence.

The day reminded me that yes, I’m old and slightly decrepid, but I still love to board. It also made me realize that I shouldn’t wait so long next time. Now I just need to get Greg up on a board (which we are working on), and oh the fun we will have!

Perfect Day

What constitutes the perfect day? For me, it depends on what kind of perfect day you are talking about.

Are we talking a perfect day with the kids? Alone? With friends? Or with the hubby?

I’m talking about the later today.

I’ve written about it before, and while it’s difficult to say that there are good aspects to divorce, it’s nice to have my feelings validated in this article. It’s worth the read, but if you’re too lazy, I’ll sum it up. The positive side effect to a not so pleasant thing, divorce when children are involved, is having every other weekend free. Yes, there is more to it, but that’s a quick gist. I am NOT advocating divorce. For the most part, it sucks! But if you’ve got kids and it something that happens, take comfort in the fact that there IS a little silver lining.

This weekend is one of those delightful weekends when the Mr. & I get a little time to ourselves. Yahoo! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy our weekends with the kids, but between schedule changes (Greg’s and “others”), which give me even more quality time with the kids on my own, AND being sick, let’s just say that Friday night couldn’t come soon enough.

We don’t have anything extraordinary planned. No concert tickets or sporting events. No big parties. Last night Greg made me a wonderful dinner, complete with candles (thanks Sweetie), we watched a show that we’ve recently gotten in to (Justified… check it out), and had some lovely “quality time”.  Today has been leisurely, to say the least. It’s now 2 pm and I’m writing this from the comforts of my bed while taking turns playing Call of Duty on the Wii with Greg. Tonight we have dinner plans with our friends Sarah & Dave, which is always a lot of fun. Tomorrow? We may catch an early movie (since Greg has to work later in the afternoon), but who knows. Not knowing is part of the beauty of it :).

I love having very little planned and being able to just bum around the house together. I love being able to go to a movie and NOT have to get a babysitter. Again, the disclaimer is that I don’t suggest or claim that divorce is good. I’m simply saying that I enjoy the few upsides that it has. I love the I have multiple opportunities to have many different perfect days each month.

It’s Gotta Go Wednesday

With so much happening in the lives of friends and family, I feel like a real jerk complaining about stuff that in the scheme of things really aren’t a big deal. But it IS It’s Gotta Go Wednesday, and I made a goal to keep it up for the year. So take it all with a grain of salt and realize that I DO know I am blessed and things could be much, much worse.

As I woke up this morning, I was filled with relief when I realized, thanks to a weird feeling in my throat and nose, that I’m getting sick. Again. S.E.R.I.O.U.S.L.Y. I mean it’s been like one whole month since I’ve had some sort of virus or infection, and feeling somewhat healthy was scary. So scary that it was awesome.

Like always, I blame the children.

Anyway, these colds and crud HAVE TO GO!

 

Step Up To The Plate(letes… HA!)

I’ve got 23 whole minutes until I have to pick up the kids from school and head out to guitar lessons, and what better use of my only 23 minutes of free time today than blog. HA. That’s stupidity, my friends.

Typically I can come up with SOMETHING to write about. A rant here, a rave there, an endearing story about kids or poop. But today I’ve got nothing. I am so incredibly exhausted, both mentally and physically, that I think my body is reserving all power sources just to keep my heart beating. My brain is paying the price.

Maybe it didn’t help that I donated blood this morning. Without a brain, what’s a little blood?

I’ve talked about becoming a bone marrow donor, which I still highly recommend. But let’s not forget about something even more simple… blood donation!

Recently one of my dear friends, Carla, was diagnosed with AML… a form of leukemia. I’ve felt so helpless when it comes to knowing what to do for her and her family. This was a great post that Jeff, Carla’s husband (and also an awesome friend who I love), blogged about  here. Thanks for the reminder Jeff! I used to donate religiously every two months (technically you can donate every 56 days, but the first day every other month was easier for me to remember), but haven’t for a few years. I have lots of good excuses, but they are excuses none-the-less.

Carla has needed blood and blood products (platelets, plasma, etc) numerous times, and there are so many like her in need of something only we, as fellow human beings can give. It took 30 minutes of my life, but might help save another! And here’s the exciting news… I got my “2 Gallons” pin. That means I have donated 2 gallons throughout my life. Woo hoo ;).

If you’re wondering how you can help make this world a better place, or how you can make a difference, think about donating blood. Simple, free, and fast!

Too Good Not To Be

It’s because of Creamy Tomato Basil Soup and Dexter that I know there IS a God.

Movies This Month

If there is blame to be had, you can put it all on my parents… especially my dad.

Growing up, my parents were (and still are) big movie goers. Not only did they hit the theater to quench their entertainment thirst, but it happened at home as well. We were one of the first families I knew to own a VCR, and when DVD’s came out, it was the same story. As a family we went to the movie theater often… at least a few times per month, and we rented movies every weekend. Yes, we did many other things as well, but the point is, movies have always been a big part of my life. I’m a movie lover. Drama, horror, comedy, documentary, thriller, romance, etc. Whatever the genre, I’m game.

In addition to my It’s Gotta Go Wednesday, once a month I’m going to discuss some of the highlights (and in some cases, the low-lights) of my movie experiences for the month.

Greg and I have seen a handful of movies this month, 4 at the theater and a few at home. Seeing as we’re only half way through the month, that’s something. Luckily our taste in movies is very similar, as is our love of them. Yippy!

The Fighter – Who doesn’t love Mark Wahlberg, besides the husbands of women who REALLY love Marky Mark. Not bad to look at AND an amazing actor. Christian Bale was not as great to look at, especially in this film, but his portrayal of the drug addicted brother and trainer of boxer Micky Ward was awesome. I really enjoyed this film… it gets a 4.5 out of 5 in my book.

True Grit – What an amazing remake of this classic John W. movie. All of the reviews I read guided me into making this the first movie I saw in 2011. It lived up to every bit of hype. I loved it. Jeff Bridges was unforgettable, as was newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. Matt Damon, one of my favs, was excellent as always. LOVE IT! Definitely a 5 out of 5 for me.

Black Swan – The previews looked awesome. Intense, a little twisted, and right up my ally. Verdict: What a disappointment. I truly don’t get what all of the talk is about. Natalie Portman was great, but the plot and execution of the film… BLAH. Hence my 2.5 out of a 5 rating.

The Kings Speech – I’ve saved the best for last. I absolutely loved everything about this film. The acting was superb, and the story was inspiring. It’s not often when I movie can evoke so many different emotions in me, but this one was one of those rare flicks. I went from laughing to having my heart ache for King George, played by Colin Firth. I have a feeling this movie will be at the top of my list when the end of the year comes. It is a 5 out of 5, and in my opinion, a must see.

ON VIDEO: I think we saw this next video in December, but it was good enough to warrant a mention. The Secret in Their Eyes. It’s a foreign film, and a mix between a thriller and drama, with some romance. It’s very good… a 4 out of a 5. If you’re an avid Netflixer like we are, get it.

Get off of your butt, out of the house, head to the theater, and sit on your butt while enjoying a great flick.

It’s Gotta Go Wednesday

You doubted I’d stick to my newly started Wednesday post. I know you did. But because I’m constantly asking myself, WWJD, and am on the verge of sainthood, you are forgiven.

I’m not a shopper. That being said, I don’t hate or want vengeance on cashiers. But for the second week in a row, it’s them that my beef is with. The most shocking part of this story is this: I went shopping, and not for groceries, twice in one week. It was a monumental occasion, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. ANYWAY, some girl holding three… just a mere THREE purses… was in line in front of me. How long could it take to check out THREE items? Ha!

“Can you tell me how much this purse costs? It doesn’t have a price tag on it.” – stupid girl

Cashier spends what felt like 2348 hours searching for tag for purse (real-time was probably closer to 3 minutes).

Insert a lot of stupid back and forth between the stupid girl and the stupid cashier.

Stupid cashier gets on special phone to call the magical price expert.

Price expert calls back, asks stupid questions, cashier hangs up stupid phone.

A minute passes.

Phone rings again. More questions. Phone receiver replaced.

So as stupid girl and stupid cashier stare at each other with stupid looks on their stupid faces, it doesn’t occur to either of them to maybe help the people in the line forming, and forming, and forming, behind the counter. FINALLY, after what felt like enough time to pass that led me to want to punch them both in the face, the girl’s dad came up, and after a minute of more nonsense that still didn’t lead to the capture of this elusive price, he took purse and girl to the “Accessories” counter to sort it out himself.

I was so bugged with the cashier that I walked away from the counter as soon as we put our stuff down and made Greg deal with it. I didn’t want to say anything rude, and didn’t think that removing the crappy look on my face was possible, so I thought removing myself from the situation was the best idea.

Sniff… Thank you for reliving this painful memory with me.

I’m not a jerk. I can exhibit patience. But there are limits to the niceties that I can muster. I just don’t get how illogical and rude some people can be. I have no problem waiting my turn, but for crying out loud, go to customer service to ask questions like this. More importantly, when you see a huge line forming behind you, maybe step aside and let a few others be helped while the answer to your question is in the works. And stupid cashier, how about you get through a few patrons while you’re waiting for your other idiot colleagues to track down the price that confused an entire department store. Display a little common sense along with an awareness of what is going around you, along with some common courtesy.

That’s all for now.

2 Down, A Lifetime To Go

2 years ago today, two families became one.

I assumed there would be challenges, changes, sacrifice and compromise, and there has been. Some issues I predicted, some I did not. But everything difficult that we’ve gone through has been insignificant compared to the joy I’ve experienced.

It’s so easy for me to come up with a logical explanation for everything… that life is just a series of coincidences and accidents. But there are some things I just can’t deny. Sometimes things DO happen for a reason. Looking back over the last decade of my life, I can see how things developed, or broke down, in the way they did which put me on the road that intersected with Greg. Had one element been “off” and the planets not aligned the way they did, we may not have met. Then again, maybe there is nothing that will prevent fate from realizing itself.

2 years ago today I married my best friend, a wonderful father, a thoughtful husband, an amazing partner, and an awesome man. I can pinpoint the exact moment that I knew he was THE One, and that he would become my husband. I haven’t looked back since that day, and look forward to a future of games, recitals, graduations, marriages, grandchildren, travel and fun. There is no one else I can imagine my future with.

Happy Anniversary Greg… I love you!

First of the Year

Last night marked the first “Date Night” with one of my kids for 2011. Because of the hectic holiday schedule as well as her illness, Emma’s December date was pushed to January. A new year, and a good time to start fresh on the rotation.

Sometimes the kids have definite ideas about where they want to go on what they want to do on their special night. Unfortunately more often than not, they don’t. As I’ve said before, it’s become increasingly difficult to come up with new ideas of what to do with them. Luckily one idea might last 3 months (3 kids, one date a month, one idea… you get the picture). Emma is the only child who hadn’t been to NickelCade, so when I proposed that as the activities, she jumped on it.

Before we hit the arcade , we ate at Mimi’s Cafe, which is also the place I took the boys on their “double date”. The fact that the kids were awarded (from school) vouchers to there for free meals makes it that much more appealing to me. Emma loved her meal (“Mini Mouse Pancakes & Fruit) , and I enjoyed my salad.

From dinner we went to FYE so that Emma could add to her enormous WebKinz collection. Seriously, after 10, can you even keep track of them and remember their names? Last night’s turkey (named “Turkey Jerky”, although I fought for “Bob”) made 29. Ugh.

NickelCade was just as I remembered… loud, kind of dirty, and a place that kids absolutely LOVE! I learned that Emma is a fan of the games in which you drive, ride, or shoot. An hour was enough time to make me want to leave enjoy the games and get home and get to bed.

All night Emma kept giving me kisses, smiling, and telling me how excited she was because “it’s my date night!”. It’s such a relatively simple thing for me to do for and with them, and they get SO excited about it. Emma is such a smart, funny, beautiful, and sweet girl, and any opportunity for me to spend time with her one-on-one ends up being a good one.

It’s Gotta Go Wednesday

This isn’t an apology… just an admission about my previous post. Until after I posted, I didn’t know what hedonism is. I do now. Yuck. And I now have theories on what Captain D.B. meant when he said “rippin’ & tearin'”. Double yuck. Moving on.

I’m thinking of making Wednesdays an “It’s Gotta Go” day on this blog… a day that I post weekly about things that, well, gotta go. Essentially, it would be an excuse entertaining (hopefully) rant about the things that bother me and therefore, I think need to go.

Credit cards. I don’t own a credit card, and I never have. I’ll save you my speech about why, and what I believe the evils of spending money you don’t have are. I will build a 10 foot soap box to discuss this: I would really like to be able to go to a store, pick out what I would like to purchase, take it to the cashier, and purchase said items without being harassed… yes, HARASSED. If I wanted your @(*$^& credit card, debit card, super saver program, or whatever the hell it is you’re trying to sell me or sign me up for, I would have signed up for it. Target, Shopko, Kmart, Nordstrom, blah blah blah. It’s EVERYWHERE! Yesterday as I was making a purchase at a store I rarely ever shop at, the woman at the register got an attitude when I turned her down. I was pleasant, but cut her off when she started her “it’s not a credit card, it’s a debit card” spiel. As great as I’m sure it is, I shop at that store MAYBE once every 10 years, so I’m gonna pass. Thanks.

I also don’t think that I should have to “sign up” in order to get the advertised price (yeah, I’m talking to you SMITH’S and PetSmart). I understand the reasons WHY they do this, one of many being companies interest in tracking what we buy. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I think that there is something to be said about personal privacy. But that’s a different post.

There you have it, my first “It’s Gotta Go”.