Monday Blues

The first day after vacation has come to a close.  We're all a little tired and, in keeping it real, I broke both the mom AND the wife code, all in one day.  I got super mad at a boy, who deserved it, and handled it with him in one of those memorable, he'll remember how psycho his mother is for the rest of his life, ways.  And then the moment that guy that I like so much walked in the door (after a 15 hour work day), I blasted him with the details of what 'his' son did.

Yep.  

The chicken marsala I made for supper?

Good.

My parenting?

Not so good.

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On to something happier.

My new favorite snack: greek yogurt, cherries, walnuts and a drizzle of honey.

Oh me oh my oh me oh my.

And this from the girl who (supposedly) doesn't like yogurt???

The weather in Southern California?

A bit different than the rest of the country.  

I hiked in short sleeves, wore flip flops most of the day...but I still need socks in bed.

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Stay warm, my friends!

Back To Real Life

 I cannot believe that vacation is all over...it seemed to fly right on by.  The first part was a LOT of work getting ready for Christmas and the 2nd part was pure joy...though that guy that I like so much might say that it was one party too many.

Because seriously, we had a party every. single. night.

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There've been dinners out with friends, dinners over at friends houses, dinners here at our house.  The calories consumed have been astronomical, but that's ok.  New Year's wouldn't be New Year's if there wasn't a resolution of healthy eating and exercise involved...right?

That being said, I'm ready for the routine to begin again.  I was forced to fire up my computer and answer some emails today; tomorrow I need to be in my car and on the road by 6:30am.  It's all good...tonight I am sitting on my couch eating See's candy and watching a movie.  Tomorrow will be here before I know it and there won't be a break for quite a while to come.

This weekend was supposed to be about quiet time.  Time to prep for going back to 'real life'.  Instead, we went out for dinner on Friday night and spent a gift card we had received for a dinner out...YUM.  We had cocktails and it felt so...I don't know?  Grown up, I guess.

And while we were at dinner out, friends texted and asked if we wanted to meet up for dinner on Saturday night.  Never ones to turn down an invite, we responded yes and had such a fun time at another favorite restaurant, eating way too much good food and yes, a cocktail or two.

I see many long hikes in my future.

So, basically, I'm saying that I need to go back to work to recover from my vacation.

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So, here we go.  Back to the routine.  I've been working on our 2013 highlights and the way it's going, it should be ready by November.  If I'm lucky.  

Oh, and Downton Abbey starts again tonight.  We're taping it and will watch it at some point this week...can't wait!

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The 2nd Day Of The Year

I can't move.  Work emails are appearing in my my 'in' box, voicemails are being left on my phone, there's a bill or two that needs to be paid.

And I can't move.

The post holiday let down has hit with a vengeance and rather than fighting it, I'm embracing it.  This morning, after eeking out a 3.5 mile hike (aiming for 50 miles in January) in the 46 degree frigid morning air, I breakfasted (is breakfasted a word??) with Brian and that guy that I like so much and then came home and was lazy.  Like, seriously lazy.  I did a few dishes, watched 3 or 4 or 5 movies, made a pot of tomato soup.

I was, without a doubt, a bum.

And it felt amazing.

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And while it sounds all perfect and sunshiny, this day did have it's moments.  I can't seem to stop thinking about some recent discussions in my brain, replaying them over and over until I think I have myself convinced that the actual conversation went the way I wanted it to happen rather than the way it actually did happen.

Gotta love the way a girls mind works.

Hip hip hooray for crazy thoughts.  And hip hip hooray for leftover See's candy, which makes everything seem a little bit better...even if it does cancel out the morning hike.

Totally worth it.

Last night we went for supper at a friends house and had such a lovely time...she made an amazing supper and together with her friend who was visiting, we just sat and talked and laughed.  It was kind of a carry over from New Years Eve...same crowd (minus a few adults, plus a few kids), though without the crazy, loud, competitive games.

We're two for two this year...should we try for three?

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Tomorrow I have the same plan as I did today, though there's an afternoon basketball game which means I do need to eventually shower and leave the house.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it...but I suppose I need to start stepping back into the real world at some point.

Probably a good thing, I guess.

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Scenes From A Little Blogging Break

 I took a little time off to spend time on things I needed to spend time on...things like getting ready for Christmas, enjoying Christmas, and recovering from Christmas.  

In the midst of all the goings on, there were moments of quiet.  An early Christmas morning walk to the lake to read through some Psalms and the promise of things to come.  Coffee dates (multiple) with that guy that I like so much.  Long phone chats with people who listen at times when I needed to be listened to.  

And movies.  Oh, the movies.  We caught up on many...both old to us and new to us.

 Our little house on our little street was full.  And that was good for this mamas heart right now.  I needed these boys to be here...I needed to watch them together.  I needed to remember them as being little and love on them as young adults.  

This vacation, the house never got cleaned but the cookies got baked.  

Priorities.

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The weather was gorgeous, which meant Christmas dinner was eaten in the garden.  I love that.  It's the biggest 'room' in our house and everyone can spread out, plus it's beautiful thanks to twinkly lights and a bazillion candles.  

 One of the best things about a year coming to end is the chance to come up with some sort of plan for things to come.  I like that.  My plans are the same as every other year...get more organized.  Feed my family yummy, unprocessed foods.  Take more baths.  Run, walk or hike every day, even if it's just around the block.  Text less, call more.  Send thank you notes.

 Slow down...unless I'm playing MarioKart.

 In other family news: Alex got his cast off as a belated Christmas gift and he's once again cleared to drive after 8 1/2 weeks.  The walking is slow, and will be for a long time, but he's walking...and that's a blessing.  

 Happy New Years.  2014?  It's going to be lived to the fullest.

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Signs

I love signs.

I pretty much felt like I was falling apart.  It's so easy to go to that place...that place where you start believing that you can't do everything rather than settling in to that place where you do what you can and feel ok with that.  Part of it for me is this time of year...letting myself think about what was and is no more and forgetting what I do have and what is so good in my life.  

Ah, the holidays.  Happiness, good cheer...and mind games.

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I was given SO MANY reminders, signs if you will, of all that I need to celebrate.  A pitcher of prosecco while cooking supper, surrounded by boys and their friends who all were waiting to eat.  A rousing game of Sorry at the kitchen table, which I almost bowed out of because I felt I had too much to do.  Housecleaners that showed up in the brink of time and made everything shiny and clean, even it  only stayed that way for an hour or so.  A red coat that makes me feel happy every time I put it on.

Signs.  Signs to stop wallowing, appreciate the good, live in the moment.

This morning, that guy that I like so much and I are going out for breakfast.  We've got a Costco stock up to do, a few little gifts left to wrap, and then a basketball game snack bar to run.  After all that is done, we're going on another date...sort of.  We're picking up a pizza from Nick's, putting on White Christmas and sitting in our little house on our little street in our pj's.  

It's vacation time, my friends.

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Lots On My Plate

Just popping in.  Our internet is taking a vacation; turns out our 2004 modem is, well, done with us.  A new one will be had tomorrow but until then, things are a bit slow and iffy and definitely not high speed.

It's actually nice...unless you want to blog.

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It's my last week of work for a few weeks and I am looking forward to the rest.  Today we're having our holiday party so I'm heading up to LA for that; tomorrow is just finishing up loose ends.  I'm tired and I need the break...and so do my people.  They have worked so very, very hard; I've done their job and I know what they are dealing with.  

I had a complete, falling apart cry yesterday.  It's all just been too much.  Managing a household.  A son with a broken foot.  Basketball season and running the snack bar.  Christmas.  Stretching dollars that cannot be stretched any more than what they are being stretched.  Wrapping.  Planning meals.  Work.  

It all just hit me at once.

I cried...hard.  And then I put on my big girl britches and cleaned my house, finished the laundry, cooked dinner, set up the coaches room and snack bar at the game, came home and spent time with my family and then sat in the bathtub and cried some more.

And in the middle of that cry it came to me.  There was, in the outside freezer, a container of spumoni.  And boy oh boy oh boy...did mama ever need that ice cream.

I threw on my fluffy pink bathrobe, grabbed a spoon and ate straight out of the container.  First the green.  Then the pink.  Repeat.  Every third or so pass, a little bit of the brown.  

Just what the doctor ordered.  Well, probably not since I have blood sugar issues but WHO CARES.  

Health or sanity????  Sanity for the win!

That being said, this morning was an ugly work morning...and it's only 7:25am.  My day begins at 5:30am, so it's like noon already in the real world.  The dishwasher is still broken, the internet is still iffy (but better without any one else hogging it) and the house is, quite frankly, a wreck.  I'm still feeling frazzled and anxious and am struggling to let God carry this load for me.  And I don't know why...but in all honesty, I haven't even asked Him to which now makes me feel even more sad.

Sigh.  

So...today will be hour by hour.  I'm going to pop into my favorite little church for some quiet time on my way to my party.  And I'm going to eat the rest of that ice cream...spoonful by spoonful.

From My Phone

My middle born....well, he definitely falls into the category of 'marches to his own drum', even if his marching is on crutches.  

We (and yes, I use the royal 'we' in this case) are entering week 7 of healing.  And no driving.  And barely leaving the house.

Seven down; two to go.

Thankfully, the one who makes him smile is home from school.

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The babe of the family is now brace-less.  He looks so different to me...and I'm his mama!  

Not winning means I will have dishpan hands for a while longer.

There are worse things, but still.  A girl can dream, can't she?

Seriously, I am truly the mother of all males.

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My neighbor sent me this picture of Brian...oh, how I miss that red hair.  So fun in the early days to see the looks people gave us...a brunette, a tow head and a ginger.

They've all darkened up quite a bit (even Matteo, who was dark to begin with) and the traces of red are there, but not like this!

Let's see...5 concerts.  4 parties, two of which we almost saw the sun rise.  

Sleep.  We need sleep.

My oldest is funny.  Like really, really funny.

He's also coming home for Christmas!  Hooray!  

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Happy Monday morning.  Work is expected to be nothing short of a nightmare this week...seatbelts are fastened and my team is ready to go.  Five days until vacation begins...I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

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