Floods

My kids wear uniforms to school. Paula wears a skirt or can wear shorts or pants. Shawna has to wear a jumper, pants or shorts.  Lately she's been wanting pants.  Last week she wore the same pants all week.  (4 day week).  I get them pants from the free uniform swap but they both are weird sizes and not always do the pants fit.  Sometimes the waist is too tight or something.  I do bring the unfitting clothes back to the swap the next time but 6 months may go by before I do that. 

Today Shawna wanted tights for her jumper but we didn't know where they were. She got all ATTITUDE on me so I left the room. 

I'm in the kitchen making lunches and she comes down stairs wearing pants which are way too short. 'Floods' as we call them here in Cali.  Some folks call them 'high waters'.  I'm looking at them and thinking are those the pants she wore all last week cuz I know they fit her last week.  My kids grow fast but not that fast. 

Nope, these pants were buried in her drawer so she yanked them out.  I said they're floods.  "How are they floods?" she says looking down.  The bottom of the navy pant legs are hitting the top of her white socks.  It's almost blinding the socks show so much.  We are now at the point in the morning where we have to go to school.  There is no changing our clothes now.  I told her she's probably going to get a clothing note home.  She's already complaining that her jumper needs to be let out.  I don't do "letting out".  I hate hemming anything.  Why can't my kids be normal and short so everything is long.  ugh.

13 Wedding Anniversary

Today is my 13th wedding anniversary.  It's amazing we got here considering a few years ago we were both seriously contemplating divorce. I'm thankful we trudged thru the mucky waters and came out the other side. 

To celebrate we went to San Francisco for the weekend.  We had dinner at Morton's of Chicago. Todd's steak was insanely huge. It took up the entire plate.  My tiny "petite" fillet mignon was so small compared to his that we took pictures comparing the two. 

When the restaurant learned it was an anniversary celebration they sprinkled heart shaped glitter on our table and took a picture of us with their camera, bringing us back 2 printed copies.  One photo was in a nice black thick paper frame signed by many employees. The other other photo in an envelope.  It was a very nice unexpected touch and I'm happy to have the photo to remember the evening. They also subtracted our dessert from the bill. 

I don't have the pictures with me now so I can't upload them but come back later and I might have added them to this post. 

I didn't fall off the planet. Really.

For anyone wondering if I fell off the planet you can be either relieved I didn’t or upset I didn’t . 

It’s good to be working.  So many people still don’t have jobs so I don’t for a minute take it for granted that I’m working and being paid to do it.  But, this job is definitely interfering with my social media time.  The Nerve!!!  By the time I get home I’m exhausted and barely even glance at my iPhone for updates let alone go on the desktop in the computer/shoe/snake/junk room.  Unless my phone talks to me telling me I have a message, I pretty much don’t look at it once I go thru my front door. 

Still, for the few people who might be interested in my daily life I’ll update you. 

I think this new company going to make me permanent after the New Year but I haven’t received confirmation yet.  I also haven’t had any time to look to see what’s out there.  I miss my long lunches and short work days. 

The most exciting thing that’s happened since I posted last was Shawna broke her arm over Labor Day weekend while camping at Mt. Madonna.  She was carrying a blanket out of the trailer and forgot about a log in front her that she couldn’t see with the blanket in front of her, and tripped over it.  She broke it really well too. Her break was called a Distal Humerus Fracture requiring surgery to place 3 pins in her arm.  We had an overnight stay in Kaiser.  The girls and I JUST went on their insurance thru Todd’s company, in August.  $3000 later (gasp!) my daughter’s arm is fine. The cast came off after 4 weeks. They don’t send you to physical therapy. Rather they feel since she’s young and energetic she’ll get the use of her arm back on her own. We did help her by making her use a tiny weight, like one you’d take to aerobics class.  She’s back to playing on the monkey bars like her usual self.  We had to pull Shawna from volleyball once the arm broke but she’s in Girl Scouts and choir at church/school. 

Paula is also in choir too but also plays volleyball with the 5^th grade girls.  She’s better this year than last year and enjoying herself more I think too. They had their first game on the weekend and won.  She also just joined a Girl Scout troop.  For years I’ve tried to get her in a troop but our school didn’t have one in her grade.  The neighborhood I live in was also full.  Her new troop started a couple weeks ago and we had our first meeting last Friday. She loved it.  I’m also happy to participate.  They meet in the evenings so I can help run a meeting.  Shawna’s troop meets on their short day of school soon after school gets out, on campus, so I never can attend. 

Todd’s birthday is coming up.  We were hoping to go camping but volleyball games changed our plans.  It’s okay.  I like attending the games.  We still aren’t sure what we’re doing for Thanksgiving.  We were planning to go to my parents house but now Paula’s new troop get so to participate in a parade on Friday after T-day so we should stay in town. 

I'm on my lunch hour so I'll close with some pictures. 

Here is Shawna in her cast.  This was her 2nd cast. The first one was sliced down the sides to allow for swelling.  It got way too big even with the ace bandage wrapped around it. 

Halloween!  We hava a Devil and Leopardess. 

Day at the park in October. One of their school mates was having a birthday party. We weren't invited but were there to just play in the playground. They saw us and invited the girls to use their party stuff. 

August 2011

Summer has flown by and it's going to be day 1 of school next Tuesday. 

My job is going well.  I'm solo and enjoying it so far. 

My family recently went camping. In addition I have some pictures to show of my last few weeks. I'm too lazy to write up a proper commentary so I apologize. 

Also, my mom is here this week and I'm bugged when she's here.  I don't know what's wrong with me because she's awesome, but I'm bugged just the same.  I like my space and with her here I lose some of that space. She's here because we asked her so it's not like she's not wanted.  Why can't I be normal?

Okay, on to the pictures.

  That's me, and my brother, Alan, behind me.  I'm getting ready to get in the cold water BEFORE I've had my coffee, and water ski.  This is Rollins Lake in Grassvalley/Colfax CA area.  Great lake, very pretty.  We've camped here for years. 

                                                                         I'm waterskiing. 

Now I'm wakeboarding.  I didn't move much the next day. 

My 8 year old Shawna got up on the training ski for the first time ever! 

Getting some air!!!

This year my husband strung twinkle lights around the campsite for everyone. We all agreed they were a nice touch. 

This is me playing on the kids playset.  I used to be a total pro on the bars so I showed them my "moves". I still got it.


Thanks for looking!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Holy Moley people.  I literally do NOT have time to breathe these days.  Work is busy and I only have tomorrow left with my trainer because tomorrow is her last day before maternity leave. I've learned a lot in 4 weeks but not enough!!! This gals desk is BUSY!  I know I'll be fine but holy shit batman. 

This past weekend was also our big family boating/camping trip. This year we had 46 people at the height of Saturday night.  Lots of fun had by many and my new nickname is Light Ass.  I could explain the origin of this name but if you weren't there to witness the experience it just won't mean as much. 

I missed Thursday and Monday because of my job and apparently those were the "best nights".  Figures. 

This post will be all over the place, just so you know, so hang on for the ride. 

My younger daughter is at my parents this week.  She's having a blast. Grandma even took her to Kmart to get new clothes. Kmart to my kids is a huge experience. We don't take the girls shopping.  I buy most of their stuff online.  Someday they'll learn just how lame Kmart is, and when I say lame I mean lame. Kmart was a job I had at age 16.  I worked there for 3 years.  I had to take back yellowed gross used pillows because "customer service comes first" and totally worn out shoes that the kid wore everyday for 6 months because "customer service comes first". Only you know what? Kmart is closing store by store.  I know because they were an account of mine at my last job. Sears bought Kmart but Kmart never fully recovered.  Each month I'd receive an email how another couple Kmart stores were closing down.  They will not be around much longer. 

Oh, while camping one of the moms kept saying "Jesus, Mary and Joseph". Hence my title. It felt fitting after the past few weeks I've had. 

This weekend is my 25 year high school reunion. It's a picnic of sorts and families are invited.  I don't know how big the turnout will be but it's fairly nearby for me so I'm going.  I sort of feel that with Facebook reunions aren't the same as they were before FB.  You know what the people are up to and see pictures of their families, etc. 

School starts in a couple weeks. Summer really flies by.  Remember when you were a kid and summer lasted FOREVER?!  At least it did for me.  I loved summers. 







 

I have a new job peeps

I've had a busy couple weeks my friends. 

A week ago last Friday I was emailed by the CFO of the semi-conductor company I was hoping to get a hob with, and he was asking if I'm still available and looking for a job.

I said Yes.

I received a phone call an hour later from he finance manager asking if I could start work on Monday. I was still working at my company (almost 12 years there) and later learned I had a job with them until August 5th.

I signed some paperwork and started my new (temporary) job on that following Monday. I'm being trained by the gal going on maternity leave. I like her a lot. She's a good trainer and gives me tons of patience and good training notes.

I hope this new job has an opportunity to become permanent, if it's meant to be. 

I wish I was a writer, like so many of the blogs I read, because there is so much more in my mind, but I'm lazy in writing it all down. I think it, but writing it down feels like so much work.

Kudos to the writers.

My Day

This Monday will be July 4th, otherwise known as Independence Day here in America. Many years ago I was born on July 4th, but not until I made my poor mother wait 10 days after my due date. Her father, my Grandpa, told her that since I was already late she needed to make sure I was born on July 4th or he'd disown us both. (he was kidding).




As a young girl my mom always knew she'd name her daughter Sandra. She intended to nickname me Sandy, but I never had the personality of a Sandy. Some neighbors growing up called me Sandy and if you're old and feeble I'll let you get away with calling me Sandy, but I am not a Sandy.



Once pregnant with me my mom never considered I was a boy. She just knew I was a girl. Ultrasounds were not available in those days. At least not according to my mom. However, on the way to the hospital she mentioned to my father how they should probably come up with a boys name just in case. His middle name is Edward so they agreed if I was a boy I'd be named Edward. No offense to the Edwards out there but I'm pretty happy I'm a Sandra and not an Edward.



As a child, birthday's were fun, but parties were problematic. When you're a summer birthday it's hard enough to find friends who aren't on vacation with their families, but when you're a 4th of July baby no one is available since it's a huge family affair.



Another downside to summer birthday's is you don't have classroom recognition of your birthday and you don't get to wear the birthday crown. Those are big deals to a child, if that child is me.



Something I do love for my birthday is an ice cream cake. As a child I'd always ask for one. My mom obliged sometimes, but more times than not she made my cake. I loved when the ice cream cake had a large firework decorated on it. This year my mom is getting me an ice cream cake. Just a small one since it will only be the 6 of us. I'm already excited.



Of course the fireworks on my birthday every year is pretty awesome. There have been a few birthday's with no fireworks, like when I went to horse camp for 2 week stretches a few times or when we just didn't feel like dealing with the traffic and parking, etc of getting a great spot to see a fireworks show or when I was little and scared of the fire crackers and loud noise they made. I " hid behind the skirts", that's what my Grandpa always said.. But for the most part I'd say I have seen fireworks on almost all my birthday's.


This year will be no different. My parents now live in a gated community with a lake and each year a very nice fireworks show, costing $20,000, is done over the lake . My parents don't actually live on the lake but their best friends do so we drive the couple minutes to their house a few minutes before the show starts, sit on their dock enjoying the show, then drive back to my parents house and put the kids to bed. It's really the best thing ever.



I hope everyone has a great 4th of July weekend. I plan to have a great time up at my parents house, spending time on the lake or by the pool where they organize activities for the kids. I'll try to forget, that in addition to it being my birthday, I'm actually a year older. heh