Thursday, July 27, 2006

Summertime - Funtime, little update

So, yes, we are enjoying the summer. The kids have had a blast. They have a list going of all the things "we did on our summer vacation" and it's hanging on the 'fridge.

For two kids who have been out exactly 36 days tomorrow - they have already filled an entire sheet of paper! (granted, it has things like "friends over to spend day swimming in pool", and "sleepover with friend" and such, but hey, it *was* an activity different than the mundane school days life, yes?)

Today, I wanted a little break from our house, and our neighborhood, you know change of scenery. So we went on a little errand/fun run all three of us. We got C's hair cut, and K had some really cool twisties put in her hair, too; we picked up a gift card to a coffee shop that I won from a radio station - $50! gift card - woohoo! Spent some time with my mom; and hit the library to turn in our hour cards, and receive this weeks prizes for reading.

By the time we got home again, we had a little while before K's gymnastics (she can do her backhandspring ALONE! :O) some friends from dh's work came over this afternoon for a little bit before dh went to his baseball game, to swim, and wrestle with the kids in the pool (they love our kids) That was the day ..... it was a nice day. Really nice.

And we got some encouraging news from this career opp that S has before him - the manager had asked him in tomorrow morning for another "chat" about details, and he phoned several of his references today. (always a good sign!) This is something he is so interested in, and SUCH a great fit for him. Time for a change from his 7+ years at the current employer. He is so ready to expand and explore. So ready for something to excite him professionally again. So if you have any extra pv's hanging around, could you send them S's way for this "chat" tomorrow?

The kids and I are heading to a butterfly farm, and a Save The Bay ExpoCenter tomorrow, and they are so excited about it! (me too!) I will be sure to have my camera, and post them when I get them all back.

Oh, and K is in *crisis* with this hanging-by-a-thread front tooth. Dear me. If that thing isn't out soon, I may have to take some drastic measures, and yank the sucker out. (bloody toothbrush tonight sent her to the stratosphere. can you say d.r.a.m.a )

So, that's the little bit I have. There's been a nice lull for a few days. I'm sure it'll pick up again.

Off to bed with me, now ..... g'night.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

15 kids under 7.

You read that correct.

That's what was in my house. Today.

What an absolute BLAST!

My girlfriends from childhood (seriously, as in Kindergarten friends .....) were all here for a reunion of sorts, and a gathering of our combined 15 kids.

I was misty eyed looking at them all. My two - the BOTH of them - are the oldest of the group. The youngest was four months.

It was awesome.
It was bedlam.
It was mayhem.
And, well, AND, it was fahreaking FUN!!!!! :O)

Only bad thing was one of the 3 year olds twins here is a bit of a wild man, while running track style in my house, ran straight into the corner {read- pointy corner} of my kitchen island and required three stitches to his head. Poor sweet fella, and m&d. Amazingly to all of us (because the twins are a very busy duo), this was their FIRST visit to the ER.

All was fine, and it was a 75 minute visit. Not bad. He got loads of presents there, and Buzz helped him "survive the visit". :)

So, I have a fabulous group shot, of course, IN my camera.

Oh, and yeah, about the digi thing - you know that you have issues when one of the four 3 year olds here walks up to you after snapping said photo, and asks "can I see?" and you say, "see what, honey?" Three year old looking perplexed at my questions says {get a load of this balogny} "The picture you just took."

:o\ As she is turning my 35MM around in my hand to see the window.

{sigh}

Three year old converts.

They start them ENTIRELY too young.

heh.

So, off to bed with me. A wee bit fatigued.

Gleefully fatigued, but still.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Fear

What would you do if you weren't afraid?

What a question, yes?

I was reading a blog, one I read from time to time - Cathy Z and she had an entry last night about the last time you were fearless. The idea was generated from a moving letter she read in a scrapbooking magazine. It has had a powerful impact on her regular readers, and commenters.

I typically don't post on blogs of folks I don't know, I think it just feels odd that I haven't *met* them, so I didn't comment there, but I needed to make my own journal entry. (and hey, it's a fab topic for sure.)

This topic has come up often for me with regards to my work. On a business front, I am a different person than my personal front. I have very little fear personally. Sometimes, I would even guess that I venture far too close to that edge of fearLESSness.

From a business aspect, sales specifically, I have far more inhibitions. I am fearful mostly of what people will think of me. What I mean by that is this - will I present a solid level of knowledge of my product, from a clinical standpoint, am I smart enough to go "toe to toe" with a Physician in the OR, will I be able to answer the questions about their challenges with my product, etc.

The past year has been an incredible growth year for me. I am new to the arena of anesthesia, so I have been on a high speed train of learning. And with that, I have had to ignore the strong feelings of inhibition, because frankly, I have a job to do of which the success or failure of said job, directly affects my income. So, my fears have had to be put to bed, in many senses.

From all accounts, I have been successful with that. I have become more confident. I have learned an awful lot. I feel comfortable going "toe to toe" with Docs and CRNA's. I am not afraid to ask for the business.

But, it hasn't been easy.

When we've been in training (and this company I work for has a solid, yet evolving training program) I've gained knowledge, and more importanly at this point, confidence and strength. A question that they ask us all the time is"

"what would you do if you weren't afraid?"

So, for me, it has been a tremendously thought provoking, and deep soul searching kind of question from a professional standpoint.

I ask myself that question an awful lot. Cathy, if you read this (uhm, likely not) the last time I was fearless was this past year. Jumping in two feet to this new position (2 years soon ....) and finding the strength to not be afraid.

I hope I can instill in my kids to be fearless. It is a gift. It is a journey, too, however.

So, with that - what would you do if you weren't afraid?

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Holy Clapper Batman! That was BIGGGGGGG

Okay, so when I mentioned that I loved a summertime thunderclapper, I neglected to say that I didn't want it to be of min-hurricane levels ....

but, THAT, my friends is what we got.

I saw the lightening, and was printing out a business plan for the dh, when *CLAPPP* BAAAANNNNNNNGGGGGGG! happened ....

oh, sh*t! We got hit, was all I could think of.

I ran to the kitchen to see S on the deck, wrestling with the high table and umbrella, which had turned itself inside out on him. The bang, thank god, was the table, teakwood, hitting the mahogany deck outside. Two really hard woods, smacking together in hurricane force winds.

The mayhem continued with all the pool toys, and floats scattering about the yard, the fence fell (it is getting repaired from a recent wind storm - so this was just insult to injury) and then we heard more snaps, and bangs, and really loud thunder with a litany of lightening.

Then the lights went out.

They flickered for a few, and finally out at 10:00PM. They were out all night.

We went to bed, and had a little pint sized visitor for the night, which of course means no one sleeps well. With the thunder and lightening, though, I wasn't going to be sleeping anyway. And neither was she. :O)

The two fellas were just fine snoozing. No noise disrupting them. Lucky devils.

So, this morning, I emerged into the streets to take K-gal to gymnastics camp, and the number of trees down, along with the mess in the streets, was unreal! Our power came back on at 10:30 AM, but I was at Panera Bread accessing the internet on my wireless. Smart kid, I am. I heard another lady speaking to her neighbor about the power just coming back on, and asked where she lived, turned out she lived 2 or 3 developments away from me, and that meant mine was back on too.

So, home I came.

Lights on. Backyard looking like a hurricane hit it. :o)

But, the silver lining is this -- it is SO MUCH cooler!!! YAY! I don't even have the A/C on.

~ ~ ~ grins ~ ~ ~

So, off to clean up a tad, and then enjoy the birds chirping outside my window.

Have a great day!

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

When Life Comes At You Fast

Run a little faster.

That's my advice today.

It's all I got, folks.

Kerrrazzzyyyy hot here. 101* on my car temp. One-hundred-and-one.

Huh?

And today was the day that I decided to come out of hibernation and go see some accounts of mine. Fine choice.

Not.

I finished the day with a 90 minute never-get-out-of-the-pool float. :o) So nice.

There were exactly 12 kids, and 5 adults swimming at my pool after hockey camp and gymnastics camp today.

Happy faces in that water. It was so very nice, and so very needed.

We are expecting thunderstorms tonight, and cooler temps tomorrow.

I hope the thunder is reallLLLlly loud. I love a good summer thunderclapper.

oooooo.... there's some lightening.

off to listen. :O)

g'night.

Monday, July 17, 2006

so, a few pictures of the last few months .....

I had to get 7 rolls of film developed (oiy, digi is just screaming for me, I know!) and here are a few highlights .... there are many more pics, and I will add as I blog about stories, but had to get these out there .....







this is what 10 inches looks like after it's gone to a "little girl who was sick, and needed my hair because the medicine they took made their hair fall out"

Locks for Love, June 21, 2006



this is the face of the C-man fella swimming and playing jumping from his cousin's shoulders (can you say freckled face?!)



this is the K-gal at her first evah' piano concert last month (talk about swelling with pride! 50 people watched here play away!)



the smiley guy playing at a playground this past week, love the contrast of the circle with him



K-gal waiting for the gymnastics show to begin in June ....

so that's it for now .... there'll be more. I promise. ;O)

Saturday, July 15, 2006

My answers .....

Well, Kim had asked me for my answers, so here they are! :o)

1. Have you ever been searched by the cops? Uhm, no.
2. Do you close your eyes on a roller coaster? No way! I wanna see the impending doom about to meet me head on. :O)
3. When's the last time you've been sledding? the last snow here, March? We all went around the corner on the golf course.
4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone? if the someone is S, then with him, otherwise, definitely alone.
5. Do you believe in ghosts? absolutely, without question!
6. Do you consider yourself creative? yeah, I have a little creative juice every now and then
7. Do you think O.J. killed his wife? hmmmm, just don't have a definitive opinion on this.
8. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? (silly, I know ... but very "now") Jennifer. Don't like the really freaky Angelina.
9. Can you honestly say you know ANYTHING about politics? no, truthfully, no.
10. Do you know how to play poker? yes, a little
11. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? good gawd, no. I think I'd implode.
12. What's your favorite commercial? there are so many! there was a great Super Bowl Pepsi one several years ago with a little kid I remember loving, and then the Coke one with Mean Joe Green, quite often the Budweiser ads are among my faves, however, the beer is not my fave. Isn't it funny how you can't remember when you need to?
13. Who was your first love? Cliff
14. If you're driving in the middle of the night, and no one is around you, do you run a red light? need more info on this .... if I am alone on the road, secluded area, and it's super late, no kids in the car, probably. However, if the kids are with me (why in the middle of the night, who knows?) and I am not completely alone, no.
15. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you? nope ....
16. Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees? Uh, do we even have to ask -----> BOSTON!!!
17. Have you ever been Ice Skating? yes, many many times.
18. How often do you remember your dreams? all the time. I dream in color, and when I was pregnant, they were technicolor!
19. What's the one thing on your mind? right now, getting S a new job, and feeling less stress about that
20. Do you always wear your seat belt? absolutely.
21. What talent do you wish you had? I wish I could sing and play an instrument
22. Do you like Sushi? yes
23. What do you wear to bed? tshirt, boxers, pajama pants, tanks. SOmetimes even nothing! :O)
24. Do you truly hate anyone? no, severely dislike a couple of people, not hate.
25. If you could sleep with one famous person, who would it be? hmmmmm .... dunno. I don't think anyone famous, I like to fly under the radar to be honest. I can think of a couple not-so-famous. ;O)
26. Do you know anyone in jail? sadly, yes.
27. What food do you find disgusting? Cauliflower.
28. Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back? sadly, yes. It's one of those things you think of and regret.
29. Have you ever been punched in the face? slapped, not punched. Years ago.
30. Do you believe in angels and demons? Angels without question, they live everywhere. Demons, never thought of it. I suppose they need to be here to. I believe in truly evil people, so I guess they would be a demon, right? I believe in really wonderful, angelic people, thinking they have a little magic in them, so it would make sense.

This was fun!

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Tagged! :o)

So let the fun roll on here .....

I thought I would start a cool tag ~~

Fransie
Bonnie
Kim
Natalie
Laura

1. Have you ever been searched by the cops?
2. Do you close your eyes on a roller coaster?
3. When's the last time you've been sledding?
4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone?
5. Do you believe in ghosts?
6. Do you consider yourself creative?
7. Do you think O.J. killed his wife?
8. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? (silly, I know ... but very "now")
9. Can you honestly say you know ANYTHING about politics?
10. Do you know how to play poker?
11. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight?
12. What's your favorite commercial?
13. Who was your first love?
14. If you're driving in the middle of the night, and no one is around you, do you run a red light?
15. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you?
16. Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees?
17. Have you ever been Ice Skating?
18. How often do you remember your dreams?
19. What's the one thing on your mind?
20. Do you always wear your seat belt?
21. What talent do you wish you had?
22. Do you like Sushi?
23. What do you wear to bed?
24. Do you truly hate anyone?
25. If you could sleep with one famous person, who would it be?
26. Do you know anyone in jail?
27. What food do you find disgusting?
28. Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back?
29. Have you ever been punched in the face?
30. Do you believe in angels and demons?

and let it roll onwards! :O)

The Clearing

I saw it.

It happened to my head.

I am so grateful.

:o)

I feel like a cloud may have been lifted from around my being.

There was confusion, frustration, sadness, disappointment, and ultimately fatigue with the fogginess in my head.

It's gone. whoosh.

just gone.

I am grateful, and very pleased.

the sun has decided to make an appearance too.

glad to see it. hope it stays.

off to play with the kids.

and pick up 6 rolls of film that needed to be developed.

(that, my friends, is a warning of posted pics to come .... :)

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

A million pieces

Of things to put together in my head......

so ~

I am going to start back at the date I had with my husband and move forward from there.

it'll help me collect my thoughts, and organize where I am.

(ahem, can you tell I am seeking some settling vibes ....)

So, my date - yum. I love dates. I love this man. He is peace, he is comfort, and he is just.so.easy.to.be.with. I do not spend enough alone time with him. We are in the thick of parenting, like so many people, and get caught in that whirlwind of needs, and wants from those little cherubs we call "our babes". Our New Year's Res (well, one of them ...) was to spend more time having dates, and being alone *reconnecting* if you will. We are the very best of friends, and I feel strongly he is my soul mate. We've made it a priority to find that time, and I have to say, we've been okay with it. This date proved to me we need to become very good at it.

We started with meeting up with some new friends at an Irish pub around the bend that we'd not been to. It was terrific. Great people, and of course, good libations. ;) We then went to the most terrific Irish band concert - The Gaelic Storm - FABULOUS band! We saw them in a very old theater, tons of nostalgia there, and the accoustics were phenominal for the event. They were funny, they were incredible musicians, they were entertaining, and they were perfect for our date. It is something we rarely do - see a concert - and it was just right. A lite dinner, a couple of libations, and music. Irish Music. Right up our alley. We are already planning to see the band again when they come back in the fall. They've been together 8 years, and have quite a following. We may be two more followers. ;)

The next day, K-gal and I went to NYC to watch my two nieces dance in a National Competition. They did beautifully, and we had a blast in the city. We were there for two nights, and it was a really fun time. My oldest niece, K, was in the title competition, and she placed 2nd runner up - out of 255 dancers from around the US and Canada. :O) Awesome! She is just captivating to watch, and moves me to tears each time she dances. My little niece, R, was also there dancing, no solos, but her group numbers. She did awesome! She was awarded several medals and the experience was terrific for her! K-gal and I headed home Sunday night about 11PM, she slept, I wanted to - but drove straight, and weerily parked in the wee hours back in my driveway to climb into my bed, happily seeing my dh and squirt, C.

While we were gone, C, was named player of the week in his hockey gig he is doing this summer - he won a rocking new stick, and was thrilled beyond imagination! He and daddy spent a very guys weekend together, watching the Sox, and going to daddy's baseball games ..... they missed us though. And we did them. :O)

The two squirts started the arts and crafts camp this week. They are doing it for two weeks, one now, and one in August, and they are LOVING it! It's only 2 hours each day, just right, and loads of friends there. I have a feeling come the end of the week, I'll be asked to sign them up for another week besides August. :O)

I am knee deep in an organization of "photos and memories" undertaking. I am finally going to have everything chronologically done. I will be finishing a scrapbook for C, beginning K's, and then the world will be my oyster. ;)

So, with that, I am off .... feeling slightly caught up now, and ready to begin the next few moments .....

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Back!

Well, we survived another baseball tourney in Maine!


Love that tournament .... and this year had an additional bonus - Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd played for S's team! Yep, the real deal .... he was an outfielder, and also was a relief pitcher. So cool! His wife is a peach (and she has been through an awful lot with him over the years) but she was terrific.

The team made it to the finals, and lost 9-7 to be the runner up. That was a downer, but the whole weekend was loads of fun. Kids had a ball, and are still recovering from the excitement, and lack of sleep. It really is getting easier as they get older. We realized that this was our 7th year going to this tourney!

We saw all kinds of S's best buddies, and heard some amazing baby news - Two families announced some really neat stuff - one delivered their #2 and #3 babes, twin girls. They were 2 months preemie, but doing super, and mom too - Erin and Braden. And another couple announced their impending twin delivery in January! :O) How cool is that? (we were the first to have babes out of both our sets of friends ..... so finally, FINALLY, I get some super baby snuggles!)

We came back on Monday and Tuesday for the 4th we had 26 people here for a rocking party! It was loads of fun, and the weather was cooperative. I ultimately found my "new summer drink" I have been searching for, and truthfully, I will be taking some time off from it. {sigh} A little too much Mojito, it stole my mojo. Feeling fine today, but recovery is so different at these advanced ages. :-
Today was a very mellow and quiet day. Spent the rainy AM cleaning up the house, sweeping, vaccuuming, laundry, and organizing (you know, time passing kind of business) And then like a breath of fresh air, the sun popped out, and allowed us to head out for some major lawn and yard work.

Tomorrow another little impromptu party is in store, and then a DATE! Yay! A babysitter and all, and we are heading out for an adult evening.

So, that's the update .... I will be sure to add a synopsis of the date prior to my weekend shindig I have planned with my little K-gal.

laters .....