{4.28.06}

remember when? 

{4.26.06}

rewind

Do you ever have one of those days when you wish you could re-wind and start over? Nothing big, just little things....like tripping over a rock (pebble) and almost falling flat on your face while running in the morning...locking yourself out of your house in the process...forgetting to put the lid on your blender while making a fruit smoothie...getting a flat tire from a nail you knew was there since Sunday, OOPS!!!!!

Minta and I had a great lunch today catching up and making lunch together a regular thing when she's working in Redmond. I love our chats...so real and uncensored! Tonight I'm meeting Heidi in Bend for dinner and drinks to celebrate her debut on Animal Planet. What a hoot!

{4.25.06}

how to annoy me

• 
  
  Walk into my office at 4:45pm to open 10 accounts...on a Monday.   
  
  


• 
  
  People who think they can bamboozle me...yeeeeeeah, see how far that'll getcha.   
  
  


• 
  
  Walking into my boss's office with new customers right after he cut one. MY GOD, THE STENCH!
  
  


• 
  
  Ask me if I want whipped cream in my Granita and after I say no, you give it to me anyway. No tip for you.
  
  


• 
  
  Continue to deliver me my ex's mail...noooooooo, we DON'T live together.
  
  


• 
  
  At the grocery store, put your "closed" sign up right in front of me after I've been standing in line for 15 minutes...holy crap, are you for real?   
  
  


• 
  
  Snap your fingers at me...I was in labor for 23 hours with you. BOW BEFORE ME.
  
  


• 
  
  Refuse to flush the toilet...no, George isn't going to come back up and bite you on the butt.
  
  

{4.24.06}

a quote

I was flipping through the pages of my favorite magazine, Real Simple, and found this quote that really hit home...

"The best reason to take your time is that this time is the only time you'll ever have. You must take it, or it will be taken from you. It is telling that the phrase "taking your time" is synonymous with slowing down. If we want to live life fully, we do best to slow down. I don't suggest that we turn back the clock, trying to retrieve a bygone era when life was slower. We couldn't, even if we wanted to. But I don't believe we should want to. We should revel in our electronically supercharged, unbounded world. But, to make the most out of this new world, to avoid feeling overbooked, overstretched, and about to snap, to make modern life become better than life has ever been, a person must learn how to do what matters most first. Otherwise, you will bulldoze over life's best moments. You won't notice the little charms that adorn each day, nor will you ever transform the mundane into the extraordinary."

-Edward M. Hallowell, M.D.

{4.23.06}

gobbler tom

What a fabulous weekend in John Day! My Dad took Adam turkey hunting for the first time. I guess it's pretty hard to even find the darn things let alone get a good shot but apparently Adam is a natural, because not only did he call one in he shot and killed it (head shot, so the poor thing didn't suffer) weighing in at a whopping 17 lbs. My Dad was thrilled and SO happy for Adam. I'm just glad my Dad didn't encourage him to eat the heart of his first kill...ICK. While the men were out being men, my Mom and I shopped at our favorite antique shops for treasures and had lunch together. My Mom is amazing, she can always put life and the people that continue to frustrate and disappoint me into perspective. What would I ever do without her love and guidance???? Aaaaaahhhhhhh Moms, I love mine so much!!!!

Adam & Tom...

My parents doggie "Buddy"

{4.20.06}

rip george

Brenner and I had a great morning together, unlike the usual nagging it takes to get Brenner dressed and his room picked up after his morning ritual to empty his toy baskets to find the PERFECT toy to take to school. We ate breakfast and even did our hair together. He strategically placed half the bottle of gel in one area on top of his head and it took everything in me not to re-do his hair before walking out the door. He was so proud of himself and said, "I look sharp huh mama".

Poor George...cause of death...gill & fin trauma. Yesterday I woke to find the little guy caught sideways in the tank filter. I doubted the outcome after freeing him, but Brenner and I said a little prayer and hoped for the best. I could tell that after we flushed George that Brenner was really processing the story I told him that "fish go to heaven after we flush them" and the question that followed...well...it's my blog title. Priceless.   

Tonight we have dinner with Papa Georgio (Adam's Dad), who is here visiting from Maine. A relaxing night out and not having to figure out what to fix for dinner is always a plus in my book.

{4.19.06}

exhausted

I really don't know what has changed so much in my life to make the last few weeks so busy and exhausting for me, but it's wearing on me and something has to give! Monday night Chad and I drove to Bend for our weekly Spanish Class for work while Adam stayed with Brenner to literally watch him eat his dinner...for an hour! Brenner is still on strike and won't finish any meal, not even his favorites. But like a champ, Adam stood firm and made him finish every morsel. I was impressed! I don't think, no I know, that I would have had the patience. Last night Adam and I had Minta over for a good old fashion bbq dinner. We had a great time catching up and sharing funny stories. Adam is coming over in a few minutes to stay with Brenner while I attempt to get my flabby bum back into a running routine...wish me luck!

George the fish passed away this afternoon... or more precisely, according to Brenner, he "dieded"

{4.18.06}

randomness

• 
  
  Mondays suck.
  
  


• 
  
  Spanish class on Monday nights sucks even more.  
  
  


• 
  
  Brenner's internal alarm clock is set for 6:00am every morning, weekends included.
  
  


• 
  
  It doesn't matter what time I get up in the mornings to get ready for work, I'm always rushing out the door with one shoe on.
  
  


• 
  
  Something stinks in my car and I'm unable to locate the smelly source.
  
  


• 
  
  I discovered another wrinkle or maybe it's just another laugh line...yeah, another laugh line.
  
  


• 
  
  Spring in Central Oregon doesn't exist.
  
  


• 
  
  I can drive at least 30 more miles with my gas light on.
  
  


• 
  
  No more to-do lists...no time to write them.
  
  


• 
  
  Claritin-D and wine don't mix well.
  
  

{4.16.06}

egg art

Brenner's Easter Egg Creations!

(I especially like the cowboy with a cell phone and feathers)

His little race car Easter basket couldn't hold all these bad boys!

{4.14.06}

perks & peeves

Perks

• 
  
  Brenner calling me at work to tell me he pooped.  
  
  


• 
  
  Getting my new futon mattress today - HOORAY!
  
  


• 
  
  Coming home from the longest day of my week to dinner on the table, thanks babe.
  
  


• 
  
  Listening to my Father talk on the phone with "numb lips", hahaha. Happy Birthday Grampy!!!
  
  


• 
  
  My new shiny red Osterizer blender for yummy morning fruit smoothies.
  
  


• 
  
  Having the day to myself tomorrow to conquer my never ending to-do list.
  
  


• 
  
  Brenner saying "awesome" after each sentence.
  
  

 Peeves 

• 
  
  Constantly feeling & LOOKING tired.  
  
  


• 
  
  Allergies...hello Claritin-D, again!
  
  


• 
  
  Hormone roller coaster rides...bye bye pill. 
  
  


• 
  
  Grocery shopping at 8:30pm on a Friday night (before Easter mind you) and Brenner begging to ride in the big blue car cart. I'd like to smack the person who thought THAT was a brilliant idea.
  
  


• 
  
  Egocentric attitudes. 
  
  


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  10pm Easter candy cravings.
  
  

{4.12.06}

pb training

Wow, I just caught myself going for ice cubes, pulled out an empty tray and instead of filling it with water I put it right back in the freezer, AGAIN! Is my life so out of control busy that I can't even fill an ice tray? That's fantastic!!! I just got home from spending two days in The Dalles for more PB training. Let's see, aside from finding porn underneath my hotel mattress (don't ask why I looked) my trip was great! I learned tons and even gave Senior Management some new ideas for streamlining the New Accounts procedures. I was really having second thoughts about my career move, but after this week I'm starting to feel better and more confident. 

I better unpack my suitcase and tackle my to-do list that is growing by the minute and attempt to study for my Spanish class on Monday! Ha, like that's really going to happen...Que tenga un buen dia!

{4.8.06}

feels like sunday

thank goodness it's NOT. I'm really enjoying this weekend. Friday night I drove to Bend after work to have dinner and drinks with Jen W. We made our way down to Mercury Diner where we ordered burgers and salads, our tradition. After dinner we struggled but found parking downtown Bend for drinks at JC's. Jen T and a few of her friends met up with us for a brief but fun visit. We finished the night laughing and planning our next vacation over a yummy glass of red wine at 28. Mexico right? :-)

This morning we decided to kick off the day with breakfast and bloody marys at McMenamins, YUM. After we went to Rising Star to order a new mattress for my futon. I can't believe I waited/settled for this long...ugg. I also fell in love with a few other items, but those will have to wait until I have a house of my own...someday...someday. After doing my normal weekend chores this afternoon, Adam and I tackled Brenner's fishing theme birthday party to-do list...aside from wrapping his presents, I think we're ready to host a party for 10 energized five-year-olds tomorrow afternoon!

{4.6.06}

5

Today my baby turned five years old! This was a hard year for me to see my baby turn yet another year older. Maybe it's because in a few months he'll be getting on the school bus for the first time and experiencing new adventures and hurts on his own, without me. It seems like just yesterday I held him in my arms for the first time, memorized every square inch of his little body and begged God to keep him small forever. And now at five he continues to amaze me, with his guess what's?, his warming smile at 6am in the mornings, his need to know what everybody is doing and why, to his gigantic heart for others...I'm so proud to be his Mommy. I love you buddy!!!!!

Lovin' Life at Papa's Pizza!

{4.3.06}

catching up, or trying

This week is flying right by me, super fast-blurrrrry and I'm pretty sure losing an hour didn't help matters...grr. I'm not even ready for Brenner's birthday party on Sunday. I have invitations to mail, cup cakes to design, games to plan, goody bags to purchase, presents to wrap and I'm sitting here looking at my calendar trying to find an open evening to accomplish all this. How did my life get so out of control? Or how did I learn to procrastinate so badly? Either is equally upsetting and frustrating and I feel as though I've neglected my friends and family in the process. Must simplify and prioritize pronto.

Last weekend was good fun with family. Brenner and Cody played non-stop until they dropped where they played. Poor Brenner didn't get a single nap all weekend, which would probably explain why he slept until 7:30am this morning...why oh why won't he do this for me on weekends, instead of his 6:30am on the dot routine? Egads. The weather really didn't cooperate for the kids to play outside much, so we had to endure them running around my parents living room a zillion times while screaming and shooting their dart guns at us. My poor parents were exhausted by the end of the weekend and I'm sure they are enjoying some peace and quiet they fully deserve. Brenner scored some great gifts and he thought the bonfire and roasting marshmallows was super fun.

For all those who finally mastered my custody schedule with Brenner, you'll need to remember a new one. Don't worry, it's much easier. We decided to change the schedule to prepare Brenner for Kindergarten this Fall. Yes, I said Kindergarten!!! Unbelievable, isn't it? Anyway, Fridays will be the exchange day from now on. This schedule will take some getting used to for sure but I think Brenner will be less confused to where he will be going from day to day. Wish me luck!

{4.2.06}

moooooshhhaaaayyyys

brenner's (early) 5th birthday party

Cody, Brenner & Kelsey

Mining for gold

No Adam, those are rocks

Roasting some Moooooshhhaaaayyyys

Yes, my mouth is THAT big.