I need a break. Like a vacation kind of break. One is coming, but not for weeks. So, the next best thing is to plan another vacation. I have spent approximately 20 hours over the past 3 days planning our family summer vacation. I have spent painstaking hours on the trip advisor, frommers, fodor, and the travel and leisure websites. We are taking an 8 night, 9 day 1950 mile road trip this August. I have booked only 2 nights of those 8 nights so far, but I think I am "this close" to booking two more. I have emailed and called numerous inns, motels, hotels, lodges, and resorts along the northeast coast. And, because I have taken so much time planning this, I am sure it will all blowup in my face and we will have a hurricane twice the size of Sandy hit shore the day we are leaving.
Five years ago I spent 4 months planning a trip to Paris for my husband and myself. I learned basic French, pre-booked tours of Charte, Mont Saint-Michel and Versaille as well as a dinner cruise on the River Seine. I obsessed over chowhound for restaurants that we would love and planned each day around which Arrondissments (neighborhoods) we would explore. You get the idea. The DAY we were flying out the volcano erupted over Iceland and all air traffic across the Atlantic was grounded (for over a week!) Grandparents were already at our house to babysit the kids and so much planning had occurred to get them situated that my husband insisted we still go away. American Airlines and Hilton (5 nights of our stay were with Hilton points in Paris) worked with us and the ONLY place we could fly out the next day on an American flight and use Hilton points was Key West. So, after crying and drinking heavily for the first 48 hours I came around and enjoyed my week in the sun. It was no Paris, but it was nice to get away. We brought a pic of the Eiffel Tower mounted on cardboard and this "flat stanley" made it into EVERY picture we took in the Keys even the one of us parasailing. And, no, I have not rescheduled my trip to Paris, I am still hoping to one day.
So, have a I learned a lesson from my problem with over planning? I guess not. I did need a distraction from this cold winter that won't end and it has been fun learning about a part of our country and our country to the north that I really knew nothing about. I really hope this trip comes to fruition though since it is for the whole family. But as of today, I am stepping away for a bit, I have grounded* myself for at least a week. My eyeballs, my children, my puppy and my kitchen are all sorely missing the attention they need. Well, my eyeballs just need some rest.
*Grounded is my word of the day - the intention was to be more grounded and centered today, then I spent 3 more hours on the internet looking at location vs cost of 7 different Southern Coast Maine hotels. sigh.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Seriously Full
We travel at Thanksgiving so that free turkey we get from Shoprite every year sits in our freezer until basketball and cheer season is over and we actually have a free Sunday. So, since today is our very own turkey day it is a day to be thankful (word of the day). I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for my faith. I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for my wine. And I am thankful for my very full belly this evening.
My faith is something that I am not very vocal about other than the answer "Oh, I am Catholic" when asked. About every Saturday a lovely lady named Tina stops by to talk to me about the bible. More often that not, I am either walking the dog, at yoga or driving a kid to ballet and my husband gets to listen to Tina read a verse from the bible. She normally also leaves a pamphlet for us to peruse after she has left. Tina has been stopping by now for about 2 years. I am thankful for Tina - not because she is successfully converting me to be a Jehovah but because of her sweet nature and perseverance. Many neighbors question us, I am sure, but this woman is literally pounding the pavement for her faith. That IS why she is out there. And, I am certainly not. I know our new pope says we should be evangelizing our faith, I just don't have it in me. I am very much a "Golden Rule" kind of girl, which I am hoping is enough to get me through those pearly gates, we will see. But back to Tina, she always looks stunning, dressed to the nines. I always comment on how great she looks - keep in mind I am ALWAYS in either sweatpants or pajamas when she stops by every Saturday. And we invite her in the entry way so she doesn't have to stand in the cold. My dog knows her well enough to bark about 3 times, sniff her and then look up at me to pick her up. Tina asks after my children and my puppy. She always asks me a questions about how I feel about a certain topic, for instance - "Heather, tell me do you think that God is telling us to take the bible as man written word or as his word?" I say something like, "Well, that's a good question Tina, I am not really sure this morning, I am only on my first cup of coffee." She says, "Heather, thank you for your honesty." And thens she opens up to a verse and reads it in her soft engaging tone and I normally respond something like this, "Tina thank you for sharing that with me, that was lovely." Then she kindly leaves her pamphlet and goes on her merry way. I give her A LOT of credit, I am sure most people just shut the door in her face. More often than not, I yell as she walks away, "Thanks Tina, keep spreading the good news!" So, yes, I am thankful for Tina. I am just full of thanks today!
Sometimes, I do think I need to focus more on my faith. I send my kids to Catholic school and go to mass regularly, but I rarely go to confession and I know I curse more than single mom out of Southy. Even today, as I was thinking about our turkey dinner coming up I leaned over to Tom during the homily in mass and said, "We have to remember to take the chorizo out of the freezer when we get home."* He leaned over and said, "I love that you are thinking about sausage at mass."
*We make this killer chorizo-cornbread dressing every time we make our turkey dinner. And with a gluten-free cornbread mix and a side of green beans, it was satisfying gluten-free meal!
My faith is something that I am not very vocal about other than the answer "Oh, I am Catholic" when asked. About every Saturday a lovely lady named Tina stops by to talk to me about the bible. More often that not, I am either walking the dog, at yoga or driving a kid to ballet and my husband gets to listen to Tina read a verse from the bible. She normally also leaves a pamphlet for us to peruse after she has left. Tina has been stopping by now for about 2 years. I am thankful for Tina - not because she is successfully converting me to be a Jehovah but because of her sweet nature and perseverance. Many neighbors question us, I am sure, but this woman is literally pounding the pavement for her faith. That IS why she is out there. And, I am certainly not. I know our new pope says we should be evangelizing our faith, I just don't have it in me. I am very much a "Golden Rule" kind of girl, which I am hoping is enough to get me through those pearly gates, we will see. But back to Tina, she always looks stunning, dressed to the nines. I always comment on how great she looks - keep in mind I am ALWAYS in either sweatpants or pajamas when she stops by every Saturday. And we invite her in the entry way so she doesn't have to stand in the cold. My dog knows her well enough to bark about 3 times, sniff her and then look up at me to pick her up. Tina asks after my children and my puppy. She always asks me a questions about how I feel about a certain topic, for instance - "Heather, tell me do you think that God is telling us to take the bible as man written word or as his word?" I say something like, "Well, that's a good question Tina, I am not really sure this morning, I am only on my first cup of coffee." She says, "Heather, thank you for your honesty." And thens she opens up to a verse and reads it in her soft engaging tone and I normally respond something like this, "Tina thank you for sharing that with me, that was lovely." Then she kindly leaves her pamphlet and goes on her merry way. I give her A LOT of credit, I am sure most people just shut the door in her face. More often than not, I yell as she walks away, "Thanks Tina, keep spreading the good news!" So, yes, I am thankful for Tina. I am just full of thanks today!
Sometimes, I do think I need to focus more on my faith. I send my kids to Catholic school and go to mass regularly, but I rarely go to confession and I know I curse more than single mom out of Southy. Even today, as I was thinking about our turkey dinner coming up I leaned over to Tom during the homily in mass and said, "We have to remember to take the chorizo out of the freezer when we get home."* He leaned over and said, "I love that you are thinking about sausage at mass."
*We make this killer chorizo-cornbread dressing every time we make our turkey dinner. And with a gluten-free cornbread mix and a side of green beans, it was satisfying gluten-free meal!
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Seriously Shine
Today we hit 50+ with the temps, first time in over 4 months. We were all a bit excited. After Car got home from dance and the entire breakdown of how much her teacher hates her and never sees her "do" anything we helmut up and hit the road. I am not sure why I thought this would go well. I guess I was imagining open road, a happy family, the sun and breeze in our faces, blah, blah, blah.
Approximately, .2 miles into the ride (think 5 houses) the complaining starts. We get through our initial bumpiness on the way to a friend's house. After we pick her up for the ride and work our way over to the bike trail, the "real" fun began. Think adult sized person on a kid bike as we ride - my 5 ft. ten yr old refused to let us raise the seat on her bike so she is riding wide legged and painfully slow because no matter what gear we tell her to be in she is not high enough off the ground to make any forward momentum at a normal pace.
At one point, we are riding side by side and I am attempting to explain how gears actually work and we hear an "on your left" from behind us. I immediately slow down so Car can move in front of me so the voice can pass. What actually happens is Car also slows down, glares at me as I am saying "speed up, move over, there is someone trying to pass us." She is still glaring at me and says, "see I told you this bike can't go any faster" Ahhh this child.
So my message to the world is (or to myself since I have no followers yet)- May the fiery light inside of my youngest daughter shine* out into the world and surround you as the light within you guides you on your way. And may her light be guided by the Holy Spirit because God knows I can't handle it!
*shine = word of the day and also I think I mentioned we hit above 50 degrees today so thank you sun for your SHINE!
Approximately, .2 miles into the ride (think 5 houses) the complaining starts. We get through our initial bumpiness on the way to a friend's house. After we pick her up for the ride and work our way over to the bike trail, the "real" fun began. Think adult sized person on a kid bike as we ride - my 5 ft. ten yr old refused to let us raise the seat on her bike so she is riding wide legged and painfully slow because no matter what gear we tell her to be in she is not high enough off the ground to make any forward momentum at a normal pace.
At one point, we are riding side by side and I am attempting to explain how gears actually work and we hear an "on your left" from behind us. I immediately slow down so Car can move in front of me so the voice can pass. What actually happens is Car also slows down, glares at me as I am saying "speed up, move over, there is someone trying to pass us." She is still glaring at me and says, "see I told you this bike can't go any faster" Ahhh this child.
So my message to the world is (or to myself since I have no followers yet)- May the fiery light inside of my youngest daughter shine* out into the world and surround you as the light within you guides you on your way. And may her light be guided by the Holy Spirit because God knows I can't handle it!
*shine = word of the day and also I think I mentioned we hit above 50 degrees today so thank you sun for your SHINE!
Friday, March 21, 2014
Seriously Farkel
It was Farkel Friday at work today. It's a dice game where different numbers and combinations add up to points. You do have to keep score and be able to add up to 10,000, otherwise it's quite simple. To "farkel" essentially means you lose your points for that round. So, the 3 shop girls today were playing by the register. We had many amicable (word of the day) conversations with customers about Farkel and more quick transactions so we could get back to it. We also had many strange looks from customers due to our comments throughout the game - "Heather just farkeled again." "I farkeled, you're up." "Why am I the only one who farkels?"
The shop owner is in her late 60's, very kind, fit and active and really a great boss. She loves to laugh and her customers loyalty in unparalleled. After lunch we were all in the back working on a large copy job. My co-worker had to hit the pound key on the copier to tell the machine to continue. She said to me, "I wonder why they call it hashtag and not just pound sign?" Our boss, who is catching on with most of the web savviness that comes with owning a shop, but has no idea what a hashtag is. So we tried to explain it to her. "When you want to exclaim something quickly and in few words that other people can search on". We gave examples such as #itsfriday, #sunsshining, #winewiththatcheese. She sort of shook her head like she didn't really get what we were saying and then said "So, it's like hitting enter on your thought." The pound button is traditionally used on phones to mean enter (think "enter your pin and then hit the # button") and on copiers it is essentially the enter button as well. I never thought of the hashtag as "enter" but love that a 69 year old can simplify it better than any of the rest of us. Still would love to know why they call it a hash vs the number symbol vs the pound sign.
#farkelfriday
The shop owner is in her late 60's, very kind, fit and active and really a great boss. She loves to laugh and her customers loyalty in unparalleled. After lunch we were all in the back working on a large copy job. My co-worker had to hit the pound key on the copier to tell the machine to continue. She said to me, "I wonder why they call it hashtag and not just pound sign?" Our boss, who is catching on with most of the web savviness that comes with owning a shop, but has no idea what a hashtag is. So we tried to explain it to her. "When you want to exclaim something quickly and in few words that other people can search on". We gave examples such as #itsfriday, #sunsshining, #winewiththatcheese. She sort of shook her head like she didn't really get what we were saying and then said "So, it's like hitting enter on your thought." The pound button is traditionally used on phones to mean enter (think "enter your pin and then hit the # button") and on copiers it is essentially the enter button as well. I never thought of the hashtag as "enter" but love that a 69 year old can simplify it better than any of the rest of us. Still would love to know why they call it a hash vs the number symbol vs the pound sign.
#farkelfriday
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Seriously Spring?
Today is the Spring Equinox. Let's just ignore that 3 foot gray pile of snow out front, temperatures in the 20s later on and those winter coats and gloves that feel like my second skin. Let's instead envision birds chirping, buds budding and the Wiccan celebration that starts this evening - Ostara. I looked it up and found out that the Goddess Mother Earth has a sacred marriage to the Sun God on this day. She conceives and gives birth in 9 months. I knew nothing about it other than it representing the change from dark Winter to brightening Spring. I think I liked knowing less about it...
Moving on, my word of the day is celebrate. We can celebrate the hopeful start of Spring. We can celebrate our lives and loves. We can celebrate our family and our health. We should celebrate this every day, but if life gets in the way, maybe mark the Spring Equinox as your day to celebrate all of these things to? And guess what? Tonight is the night my local girlfriends are taking me out to celebrate my 40th birthday. It took awhile to get on the calendar (almost 3 months!) but I'm really looking forward to some wine, some laughs and being surrounded by good friends. So pour yourself a glass of your favorite something and celebrate Spring with me! Get up and dance a little - apparently there are wagers - not on - if I will dance on the bar but - when - I will dance on the bar. So I hope you all embrace this Spring Equinox tonight, dance a little, drink a little, love a little! I just hope to God (or goddesses) that after this celebration it's not a stork building her nest here this Spring.
Moving on, my word of the day is celebrate. We can celebrate the hopeful start of Spring. We can celebrate our lives and loves. We can celebrate our family and our health. We should celebrate this every day, but if life gets in the way, maybe mark the Spring Equinox as your day to celebrate all of these things to? And guess what? Tonight is the night my local girlfriends are taking me out to celebrate my 40th birthday. It took awhile to get on the calendar (almost 3 months!) but I'm really looking forward to some wine, some laughs and being surrounded by good friends. So pour yourself a glass of your favorite something and celebrate Spring with me! Get up and dance a little - apparently there are wagers - not on - if I will dance on the bar but - when - I will dance on the bar. So I hope you all embrace this Spring Equinox tonight, dance a little, drink a little, love a little! I just hope to God (or goddesses) that after this celebration it's not a stork building her nest here this Spring.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Seriously Absent
So, once again, I have been led astray from my writing. 30 days from now my family is going away and since it is Lent and I always try to "do" things in addition to giving things up (ice cream and gluten this year) I am going to attempt to write for 30 consecutive days. I have also chosen a word of the day to focus my attention as my mind drifts or I get frustrated to bring me back and ideally center me for the day. Today's word is cleanse (I am sure you think this means I am drinking juices, eating raw, and thinking healthy cleansing thoughts, but in reality I chose this word because my dog got groomed and I am cleaning bathrooms.)
I fairly recently turned 40, and then I threw my back out, then I gained 4 pounds. So, I went gluten-free to see if that would kick start eating better and losing the weight plus, I have always wondered if it would make any difference in the auto-immune issues I have. Three weeks into being gluten-free I realized I had gained an additional pound and a half. It's so annoying. Hubs also took the bread and pasta cleanse and is down almost 10 pounds. Many friends are just telling me its because I am 40 and this is what happens, but 10 days into being 40 and this - it seems a little strange to me. My mom also said I would grow boobs after I turned 40, but unless boobs look like a bloated stomach then, not so much. I am hoping these next 30 days sheds some light (and lbs) from this pickle I am in. Oddly, I just ate a pickle.
I fairly recently turned 40, and then I threw my back out, then I gained 4 pounds. So, I went gluten-free to see if that would kick start eating better and losing the weight plus, I have always wondered if it would make any difference in the auto-immune issues I have. Three weeks into being gluten-free I realized I had gained an additional pound and a half. It's so annoying. Hubs also took the bread and pasta cleanse and is down almost 10 pounds. Many friends are just telling me its because I am 40 and this is what happens, but 10 days into being 40 and this - it seems a little strange to me. My mom also said I would grow boobs after I turned 40, but unless boobs look like a bloated stomach then, not so much. I am hoping these next 30 days sheds some light (and lbs) from this pickle I am in. Oddly, I just ate a pickle.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Seriously Blessed
So, I am not a typically superstitious person. But there is one thing in my life that I have always been a little over the top about. And, that's my first born and the number 13. And, no I do not think 13 is unlucky, I actually think it is the luckiest number of all! So, here goes. When I was 13 years old on the 13th day in the month of November (it was a FRIDAY) I had a serious gymnastics injury. In the immediate aftermath of my fall off the uneven bars, my coaches treated it like a collar-bone injury. And, it actually took 11 days for a full "diagnosis". Two vertebrae in my neck were totally out of alignment (which we knew that first night after X-rays) but the fracture took longer to see. I was then hospitalized and in traction and two days later after an MRI (it was 1987 - MRI's weren't so readily available back then) they found a chip of bone floating a millimeter from my spinal cord. They scheduled me immediately for surgery to fuse the vertebrae and a bone graph from my hip was used to replace the chip that had broken off. I had a full recovery with minimal long term problems, considering.
Fast forward 13 years. Hubs and I had been married 2 1/2 years and I was 9 months pregnant with our first baby. I was due Nov 12. I, of course, was a swollen miserable human being. After a wonderful and enormous pre-Thanksgiving dinner (shout-out Tina Isgrig) and a near collision with a deer on the way home, i had a lightbulb moment in the car. I did the math. I had not realized it had been 13 years since the accident. I said to hubs, I am having the baby tomorrow. He sort of rolled his eyes at me. But, shit you not, my water broke at 12:05am on November 13. (It was not a Friday) 17 hours later our MK joined us. I held her and snuggled her and for whatever reason, did the math again. I realized she would turn 13 on Nov 13 in the year 2013….I said to hubs - oh we are not leaving the house that day, we'll stay home watch movies and do our nails.
Fast forward 13 years. This past Wednesday MK turned 13! I HAVE A TEENAGER!! Whoa, how did that happen so fast?! So, did we stay home and watch movies and paint our nails, hell yeah, of course we did! Was it because I am superstitious and didn't want to tempt fate? Was it because I wanted an excuse to stay in my jammies and watch movies all day? Was it because I am type A person and when I say I am going to do something I almost always do it? Well, all of the above! We watched PG-13 movies (including 16 candles and Pretty in Pink - #80'sgirl). We ate junk food and we laughed! I will treasure that day (well morning) with my daughter forever. By 1pm one of her BFF's that shares her bday skipped out of school early and they watched two more PG-13 movies together while I made the cake and took care of typical household stuff.
So, that's my 13 story. Pretty crazy right. Well, we lived, we loved, we laughed! That was what Nov 13 is about! And, if you think that is the lamest 13th birthday for a girl ever, well, the said BFF above and her mom plus MK and I did take in the Justin Timberlake concert a few days before. And, that was AMAZING. Especially because I surprised her with the ticket the morning of. Having this teenager that will put up with my antics and superstitions (plus she got the day off from school) is pretty awesome. Plus, she is gracious, and kind, and smart and really funny. So, after all that I've been through on November 13 for the past 26 years. Guess how I feel? You got it, seriously blessed….
Fast forward 13 years. Hubs and I had been married 2 1/2 years and I was 9 months pregnant with our first baby. I was due Nov 12. I, of course, was a swollen miserable human being. After a wonderful and enormous pre-Thanksgiving dinner (shout-out Tina Isgrig) and a near collision with a deer on the way home, i had a lightbulb moment in the car. I did the math. I had not realized it had been 13 years since the accident. I said to hubs, I am having the baby tomorrow. He sort of rolled his eyes at me. But, shit you not, my water broke at 12:05am on November 13. (It was not a Friday) 17 hours later our MK joined us. I held her and snuggled her and for whatever reason, did the math again. I realized she would turn 13 on Nov 13 in the year 2013….I said to hubs - oh we are not leaving the house that day, we'll stay home watch movies and do our nails.
Fast forward 13 years. This past Wednesday MK turned 13! I HAVE A TEENAGER!! Whoa, how did that happen so fast?! So, did we stay home and watch movies and paint our nails, hell yeah, of course we did! Was it because I am superstitious and didn't want to tempt fate? Was it because I wanted an excuse to stay in my jammies and watch movies all day? Was it because I am type A person and when I say I am going to do something I almost always do it? Well, all of the above! We watched PG-13 movies (including 16 candles and Pretty in Pink - #80'sgirl). We ate junk food and we laughed! I will treasure that day (well morning) with my daughter forever. By 1pm one of her BFF's that shares her bday skipped out of school early and they watched two more PG-13 movies together while I made the cake and took care of typical household stuff.
So, that's my 13 story. Pretty crazy right. Well, we lived, we loved, we laughed! That was what Nov 13 is about! And, if you think that is the lamest 13th birthday for a girl ever, well, the said BFF above and her mom plus MK and I did take in the Justin Timberlake concert a few days before. And, that was AMAZING. Especially because I surprised her with the ticket the morning of. Having this teenager that will put up with my antics and superstitions (plus she got the day off from school) is pretty awesome. Plus, she is gracious, and kind, and smart and really funny. So, after all that I've been through on November 13 for the past 26 years. Guess how I feel? You got it, seriously blessed….
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