Palm Springs Get AWAY

Mike and I got a quick getaway at Mike and Pam’s place in Palm Springs two weeks ago..  

It was HOT hot HoT!! 

Tuesday night to Saturday early morning we enjoyed some relaxation.  

For the memory keeping -  the shows we watched were Yellowstone and Handmaids Tale.  I finished reading The Help and started reading The Book of Lost Friends.

We were too lazy to cook much-  but Mike did make me breakfast every morning and did the dishes for me too!  We got take out and snacked on lots of chips and salsa and drank some beverages.

I had a hard time relaxing but I think it’s just that season of life -  kids are busy and doing school at home... and Pam was sick so I worried.  And on the swinging pendulum of anxiety in my life I’m in an upturn!

But I came home ready to work more on my health!  And really enjoying these kids right now so I think next time around will be another family vacay.  Dedicated to our hubby wife time too though-  such a balancing act!

Ruby at Twelve

A quick note for the records is that Ruby is now 5’8’’ and has surpassed her sisters and me in height.

Quarantine sleep was good for this beautiful basketball player of a girl!

Currently she is doing three private lessons a week to increase her ball handling skills and shooting accuracy!  We are so blessed to have a very close relationship with a super star athlete named Kylee Arzner.  Kylee is a senior at Mac High and has signed with Colorado State with a full scholarship to play basketball on their roster!  I cannot rave about Kylee’s talent and hard work ethic enough!  

It’s pretty sweet that we have known Kylee for quite awhile and that our families are close friends that spend a lot of fun times together.  So when Ruby is under Kylee’s tutelage, there is an ease and camaraderie about their interaction!  Ruby respects her highly but also knows she’s loved by her big sister like mentor too.  And Kylee pushes her really hard but is ready to cheer her on and laugh with Ruby too!

I’m excited to see Ruby continue to improve and hopefully play some basketball games in 2021!

Beyond basketball Ruby is hanging in there with distance learning - although she’d definitely prefer to be at school with her friends!  Luckily one of her best buddies, Finley, comes over two times a week to do her school alongside Ruby. 

Proud of this ‘not so little anymore’ one!  Thirteen is right around the corner!!!!

Maisie and Me

The first weekend in October, Maisie and I went to our favorite beach house-  or should I say-  little river house -  for her birthday!  It was actually the 4th year in a row that she has asked that we do this get-away instead of a big birthday parties..

I do believe I love these weekends as much as Maisie! Maisie’s birthday is on September 27th and it is the fourth birthday we celebrate that month!  So, by that weekend I am always so exhausted.  And I always treasure my 1-1 times with my children. It’s easy and purposeful and so important to me!

This time we watched all five Twilight movies-  she had never seen them and it had been a very long time since I had.  We had take out (pandemic style) at Grateful Bread, dined outside at The Riverhouse, shopped at our favorite clothing store in Pacific City, took a walk on the beach, sat on the deck, slept and ate lots of candy!!  

Pretty much divine!

Thank you Uncle Dave and Christie for the blessing of our little Woods cabin and the memories it continues to offer our extended family!  

First puzzle of quarantine...finally!

I should say first puzzle for me.... Maisie has done quite a few!!  This one was really fun!  🖤

Cabin Life in Quarantine

Well, after all the packing and a very long drive, we arrived yesterday late afternoon!  To lots of snow!!!  

We have settled in and are having a really lazy Friday!

No cabin fever yet-  it’s so good to be in a new setting. New surroundings and feels like vacation -  so giving myself an excuse to relax for a few days!  

We love this place so much!  ♥️ It’s HOME!  

10 years tomorrow....

Ten years ago tonight, I imagine I went to bed like any other night in that season-  probably tired. I had a curly haired, six year old daughter in kindergarten, a spirited 4 year old in preschool, and a two year old, who was so easy going sometimes it’s hard to remember her toddler years.  Pretty sure we were in a recession and work was rough for Mike.  

I had no clue that my dad would be going to bed for the last time -  not to wake up ever again.

I remember getting the call midday I believe... because someone had to go get Daphne for me from her afternoon kindergarten....

It was an awful call.  No one wants to lose someone dear to them without getting a chance to say goodbye and I definitely didn’t get that moment.  I don’t think I’d seen him for 3 weeks maybe.  Most of the time we talked on the phone briefly.  He was really sick and didn’t travel to me much- I think he came for Christmas that year though.  And his home wasn’t the best place to take little ones.   But those are somewhat excuses because I wish I could go back and spend more time with him that last year... those last years.

Then again, I think he knew us kids were really busy raising our little ones and he was proud of Les, Jon and me.  Time has allowed me to forgive myself for that... 

I still wish though for that last conversation and hug.  Also I have so many questions for him now that he’s been gone for ten years and I’m in a different place in my life.  I think he and I were more similar than I ever thought and I’d love to ask him about his struggles and his hopes and dreams. 

I could go on and on but I’m on the verge of crying and I really need to go to bed!  Tomorrow is a BIG day here.  Lots to do-  need my rest.

One last thing, though that I say over and over -  60 is way too young to die and I so wish he could have had that retirement he always seemed to be excited about!!  

Oh, and of course I really wish he could see the kiddos now.  They have changed so much and they are really amazing individuals with unique gifts.  And of course he never got to meet Henry and Dad would get such a kick out of him .  I do like to think he can see us sometimes but not sure how that works.  

Well, miss you forever Dad.  The next couple weeks- on our little vacation are going to be dedicated to you.  

Sleep.

My favorite thing about this funny season in life is sleeping in or even more than that, not having a particular time I have to wake up.

Sometimes I still get up at 6 or 6:30... but mostly it’s around 7-7:15 and it feels so lazy and blissful.

I love love love going to bed and knowing I can take my time in the morning!  What pressure that took off my shoulders!

Right now Henry is sleeping -  upside down-  in my bed.. so late for him.  He crawled into bed with me at 7 I think.  And Tate is at the end of the bed keeping my toes warm.

I would normally be up, but this is my third piece of writing of the morning and I’m sipping my coffee!  

I love the beginning of the days and the end of the days.  In the middle is often tough.  But a lot of good happening here.  Not the house projects I had thought I’d do, but a lot of relationship stuff with the kids and Mike.  You know the stuff of memories!  

My Strong Friend Take Two

Today’s my (insert word) friend’s bday!  What adjective?! Come on Stef.  What word?  What word to pair with Julie on her special day.  The day her mama brought her into this world.  This hard-  sometimes unforgiving- nonstop-  challenging BEAUTIFUL world.

I started writing “my dear friend”.  Nope... I mean yes, but nope, not what I want to say.  “My strong friend?” Like the post I wrote years ago ? Well of course! Yes, she’s dear to me and yes she’s bad ass strong. But what word encapsulates Julie to me in this season?

What comes to mind again and again is REAL.  

The dictionary explains real as:

“Not imitation or artificial; genuine”

Yesssssss (she taught me those multiple s’s by the way)!  

So genuine.  

In the beginning of our friendship, I think I lived a bit in awe of her.  Wanting to be like her - look like her...and all the while sorta wondering why she wanted to hang out with someone not so cool I guess. 

And then as the years went by our friendship became part of daily life.  Our weekly workouts.  Texts. She kept showing up at my door unannounced and our husbands became friends too.  Family vacations and couple vacations.  Exciting and many many mundane conversations about dishes and laundry and cookies and vodka and workouts and kids.

Every day she’s real with me. And I’m so thankful that I can be so real with her too.

I don’t hold her up on a pedestal as much as I did initially.  And she’s probably the one that taught me how to take her off of it.  To try to take everyone off those pedestals.  I’m grateful for that.  The reminder to be me.  Do me.  Be real. Imperfect beautiful friends ♥️

Julie you are refreshing.  You do still challenge me to be strong.  And even today I got on my treadmill and pushed myself thinking I can do a portion of what my super fit friend can do!! But in this season, when I’m not feeling as strong, you encourage me to just be.  Be real.  No pretenses... just genuinely in the moment.. feeling it all.  And some of those moments and feelings are super hard.

So immeasurably glad you came into this world to be by my side and be real with me.  And I know my real isn’t always easy and pretty to be friends with!

Your real is encouraging to me.  Every.single.day!

Happy birthday my real friend-  Here’s to many more!!

🎈♥️me 

Easter 🐣

Today was such a good day!  In no particular order!

Sun.

Baking.

Egg hunt!

An amazing dinner!

Dressing up.  (Not hank and mike)

The Sound of Music.

A game with Ruby.

Church with my super sweet sister in law! 

FaceTime with my awesome brother!

Cake!!!!

Lots of outdoor time!

5 loads of dishes!

Cocktails on the backporch!

How was your day?

🍰 me