Today is my last day of work and emotions are running high. Tomorrow, I will call myself a full-time mom and a part-time employee. After nine years here, I feel like I'm separating from one family to return to another. It is a bittersweet day indeed.
At the end of every finale, there is a theme song. When I woke up this morning, "Time of Your Life" by Green Day came to mind.
Another turning point;a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist;directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test and don't ask why.
It's not a question but a lesson learned in time.
It's something unpredictablebut in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographsand still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf In good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth,it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictablebut in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
Tomorrow, a new chapter begins. I'm scared, excited, sad and happy all at the same time. Please let me make it through the day without crying too much!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
How Does That Happen?
I've been here, stalking others. I've been fairly quiet, except on Facebook. It is too easy.
We're gearing up for the move, which is in about three weeks. We have boxes everywhere and now, I even have some at work. I decided I should begin acclimating myself to it. It is going to be a tough adjustment. Our clients aren't making it any easier by telling me how much they will miss me. It is nice to hear, but...
The house is ready. The sod is down and all of the details are finished. They will be cleaning up and getting ready for the punch list on the 2nd. I have a list already. Yes, I'm like that.
The kids are great. Nathan is adorable and even more fascinated with stories and television. Goodness gracious that boy loves the television. We really limit the tv in our house. Generally speaking, the kids watch tv for a bit on the weekends only. Sydney never really minded until recently. Nathan, however, is drawn to the television.
Nathan loves to say, "I hold you tight, mommy." and "That's scary." He uses complete sentences and loves to talk. He's got quite a temper, which he gets honest and has started whining as a tactic to get things. Ugh. I really dislike that. Sydney is famous for it and we're trying desperately to get her out of the habit.
Sydney is growing into such a little lady. I often forget her age. She acts like a tiny adult sometimes. She's such a big helper and will do her best work when she feels needed. She doesn't, however, like to help clean up her brother's messes. "I didn't make that mess!" She says. We explain that we are a team and we all do things in our home to help each other, including cleaning up messes we didn't make.
She's FINALLY started keeping herself dry at night. We'd tried on several occasions, but to no avail. We decided about two weeks ago to give it a try again and SUCCESS. She's received little rewards here and there, but has been banking tokens that she will use to get princess sheets for her new room. She's quite excited about that and so are we! I'm thinking I'll start working with Nathan after we move. Oh boy.
Last week, Sydney and I were talking about the move and how she wouldn't be going to school anymore, at least for the time being. I told her we were still going to learn things and asked what she wanted to learn. She gave me a few ideas and reminded me about the time she wanted to learn about milk. We'd visited a dairy farm nearby, etc. She mentioned something about cheese and I asked if she knew where cheese came from. She responded, "Yes, I do. It comes from cows. They give the milk to a mouse and the mouse makes the cheese." There you have it.
I'll check in later. Knowing me, much later. I'm still keeping up with the lot of you so, don't worry. :)
Hugs!
We're gearing up for the move, which is in about three weeks. We have boxes everywhere and now, I even have some at work. I decided I should begin acclimating myself to it. It is going to be a tough adjustment. Our clients aren't making it any easier by telling me how much they will miss me. It is nice to hear, but...
The house is ready. The sod is down and all of the details are finished. They will be cleaning up and getting ready for the punch list on the 2nd. I have a list already. Yes, I'm like that.
The kids are great. Nathan is adorable and even more fascinated with stories and television. Goodness gracious that boy loves the television. We really limit the tv in our house. Generally speaking, the kids watch tv for a bit on the weekends only. Sydney never really minded until recently. Nathan, however, is drawn to the television.
Nathan loves to say, "I hold you tight, mommy." and "That's scary." He uses complete sentences and loves to talk. He's got quite a temper, which he gets honest and has started whining as a tactic to get things. Ugh. I really dislike that. Sydney is famous for it and we're trying desperately to get her out of the habit.
Sydney is growing into such a little lady. I often forget her age. She acts like a tiny adult sometimes. She's such a big helper and will do her best work when she feels needed. She doesn't, however, like to help clean up her brother's messes. "I didn't make that mess!" She says. We explain that we are a team and we all do things in our home to help each other, including cleaning up messes we didn't make.
She's FINALLY started keeping herself dry at night. We'd tried on several occasions, but to no avail. We decided about two weeks ago to give it a try again and SUCCESS. She's received little rewards here and there, but has been banking tokens that she will use to get princess sheets for her new room. She's quite excited about that and so are we! I'm thinking I'll start working with Nathan after we move. Oh boy.
Last week, Sydney and I were talking about the move and how she wouldn't be going to school anymore, at least for the time being. I told her we were still going to learn things and asked what she wanted to learn. She gave me a few ideas and reminded me about the time she wanted to learn about milk. We'd visited a dairy farm nearby, etc. She mentioned something about cheese and I asked if she knew where cheese came from. She responded, "Yes, I do. It comes from cows. They give the milk to a mouse and the mouse makes the cheese." There you have it.
I'll check in later. Knowing me, much later. I'm still keeping up with the lot of you so, don't worry. :)
Hugs!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Feeling Better
Today is gloomy and wet outside, but my mood has certainly improved. Thank goodness!
I spent last night putting a puzzle together with Sydney and then I vegged on my bed watching 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta.' I'll admit it. I'm addicted to them. They crack me up.
Then, we decided to chat about the upcoming move, finances and Christmas. ICK! YAY! ICK! We've started spreading the news to the family that we will not be exchanging gifts this year, with the adults. We've got a huge life change ahead and we're trying to lay low. Instead, we'll celebrate in other ways and be together. I think that announcement made me feel a lot less stressed. It sucks, but it is the right decision.
My brother, Wes, is engaged. It actually happened about two weeks ago, but I've had my head buried in some other stuff. I've offered to cook dinner for the two to celebrate, but I'm not sure of what yet. Suggestions?
This past weekend, I cooked a dinner for Mom, Tom and Ashley in celebration of their birthdays. The menu:
-Shitake Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crostini
-Crab and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
-Salad Greens with Strawberries and Pine Nuts
-Lemon Thyme Sorbet
-Filet with a Gorgonzola Herb Butter, Broccolini and Potato Souffle
-White Chocolate Lemon Mousse Parfaits with Strawberries
We served dinner with a bottle of wine I brought home from California. It was nice. I didn't care for the potato souffle. I'm quite certain I did something to screw it up. Oh well. It happens.
Well, I'm off to stalk Facebook and other pages for the rest of my lunch. I hope you have a great day!
I spent last night putting a puzzle together with Sydney and then I vegged on my bed watching 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta.' I'll admit it. I'm addicted to them. They crack me up.
Then, we decided to chat about the upcoming move, finances and Christmas. ICK! YAY! ICK! We've started spreading the news to the family that we will not be exchanging gifts this year, with the adults. We've got a huge life change ahead and we're trying to lay low. Instead, we'll celebrate in other ways and be together. I think that announcement made me feel a lot less stressed. It sucks, but it is the right decision.
My brother, Wes, is engaged. It actually happened about two weeks ago, but I've had my head buried in some other stuff. I've offered to cook dinner for the two to celebrate, but I'm not sure of what yet. Suggestions?
This past weekend, I cooked a dinner for Mom, Tom and Ashley in celebration of their birthdays. The menu:
-Shitake Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crostini
-Crab and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
-Salad Greens with Strawberries and Pine Nuts
-Lemon Thyme Sorbet
-Filet with a Gorgonzola Herb Butter, Broccolini and Potato Souffle
-White Chocolate Lemon Mousse Parfaits with Strawberries
We served dinner with a bottle of wine I brought home from California. It was nice. I didn't care for the potato souffle. I'm quite certain I did something to screw it up. Oh well. It happens.
Well, I'm off to stalk Facebook and other pages for the rest of my lunch. I hope you have a great day!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Mad At The World!
I'm keeping to myself today, in the physical sense that is. If you are looking for sunshine, let me know if you find it.
I'm in a bad mood today. In fact, I've been in quite a mood lately. I'm sensitive, easy angered and sad. I'm a big ball of emotion. I don't know why.
I could run down the list of my gripes today, but to what end? They are silly, mostly.
So, if you find the sunshine, let me know. I need it desperately!
I'm in a bad mood today. In fact, I've been in quite a mood lately. I'm sensitive, easy angered and sad. I'm a big ball of emotion. I don't know why.
I could run down the list of my gripes today, but to what end? They are silly, mostly.
So, if you find the sunshine, let me know. I need it desperately!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Almost Done!
The house is moving right along and it nearly finished. We're getting so excited. Trees! Trees! Trees! We cannot wait to move where we don't have to live on top of our neighbors.
Keep your fingers crossed for more mild weather! :)
Keep your fingers crossed for more mild weather! :)
San Francisco!
The last month flew by me. We went to San Francisco, had a company picnic, celebrated b-days and our 7th Anniversary. That sums it up. If you were just wondering what we've been doing, you can stop here. The details below:
San Francisco was absolutely amazing. We arrived on a Saturday, just before lunch, and had a few issues getting to our hotel from the airport. Once we made it, we checked into the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf. The food there is not that great, but the room was nicely decorated, comfortable and clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
We walked down to Fisherman's Wharf and had lunch next to seal pier. It was stinky! They are cute, but boy do they smell.
On our first night out, we had dinner at The Stinking Rose, which is known for its garlicky menu. Overall I found it to be very overrated and would probably not recommend it. After dinner, we took a stroll, is there such a thing there, up and down the hilly streets and meandered into Chinatown. The Republic of China was celebrating its anniversary and the streets were decorated and we saw a dragon dance. I had a great time visiting the little shops and enjoying the nice weather. It turned out to be the warmest night of the entire trip.
I thought my legs would be sore the next day from all the uphill/downhill action, but they weren't. I'd like to also mention that we saw not only a lot of foot traffic on the streets, but a lot of biking as well. Kudos to the locals!
We decided to rent a car for the day and drive down the coast. We visited Seal Cove, Half Moon Bay, Monterey and Carmel. We made lots of stops along the way that included 17 Mile Drive/Pebble Beach Golf Course, Half Moon Bay Brewery, Hogs Breath Inn and lots of little shops. It was overcast and foggy for much of the day, but I didn't care. It was a lovely drive with my sweetie and he was so nice to do ALL of the driving.
The next day was probably one of my favorites of the whole trip. It was pampering and fun the entire day! No, girls, there were no facials or pedicures. It was eat, eat, eat and play, play, play. We started our morning by racing to the pier to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. What an amazing experience! Alcatraz was every bit as cool as I thought it would be and the audio guided tour was very well done.
After Alcatraz, we had a few hours to kill and I had been dying to get to Hog Island Oyster Company. Tyler Florence did a bit on ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate’ a while back and raved about it. Having never had a raw oyster I thought it would be the perfect place to try them. They were amazing! Tyler was right and I thoroughly enjoyed that very expensive treat! I had a half dozen (Kumamoto and ???) and an iced tea that totaled $33! Marc just watched.
Oh yes! The Ferry Building is a must visit for foodies. I could have spent an entire morning in there. There are lots of restaurant type shops, but there were also fruit stands, artisan bread and cheese shops, wine stores, etc. Amazing! Oh yes, gelato too! YUM! Yep, I ate ALL day!
We raced to the hotel to freshen up and take a twenty minute nap. Then, we headed to the San Francisco Electric Tour Company for our Segway tour. I was terrified once I discovered they weren’t driven using the handlebars and that there wasn’t a stop button or brake. Something about rolling through the busy streets of San Francisco on something you do not know how to drive seemed scary to me. Hmm. I’m a sissy though so, I forged ahead. I didn’t breathe or move for the first thirty minutes at least. Once I got the hang of things, I don’t think I stopped smiling once, except maybe when Marc fell off. Then, I just laughed hysterically!
We turned in the Segways and headed to Scoma’s for dinner. Our table provided a nice view of the harbor and Ghirardelli Square. It took quite a while for our bodies to thaw. Yes, it was freezing cold. Who would’ve guessed? I had the most amazing meal there. It was so delicious (lobster bisque, scallops on a bed of swiss chard and fingerling potatoes and tiramisu). MMMMMMM! It is a little hole in the wall, but the locals swear by it and now, I know why.
On the way back to the hotel we picked up coats from a street vendor. Yes, coats. The weather was seriously fickle there. At any given point, I could be in one layer or another. I did see some really ridiculous tourists walking around in mini skirts and shorts. Seriously?! I could see my breath in the night air. Ding dongs!
It was hard to get up early the next morning after all the fun we’d had the night before. It was even more difficult for Marc, who wasn’t looking forward to some of the day’s events (i.e. wine country). We had breakfast at a little bread shop across from the tour company (ham and cheese croissant and a latte for me). The bread display there was picture perfect.
The tour company that ran our tour that day SUCKED SUCKED SUCKED! Seriously and totally sucked. I would never book with them EVER again. If I could remember their name right now, I would blast them all over the internet, but that will have to wait. Putting all of that aside, we had a wonderful day!
First stop, albeit very brief, was Muir Woods. I cannot even begin to describe it. It was amazing and you just have to go. I could have easily spent the entire day there. In fact, one day, I’d like to go back and do just that.
Next stop, Sausalito. We could have easily spent another day there touring the shops and hanging out by the water. It was a cute little spot and the birds there are NOT shy.
Final leg of the day was the wine tour and Marc’s least anticipated part. Marc doesn’t drink wine, but played along and indulged me. Turns out, he didn’t have such an awful time and he even tried a wine he liked! Holy crap! I bought it on the spot.
I had never been on a wine tasting tour before. We visited three wineries in Sonoma:Homewood, Jacuzzi and Viansa. Of the three, I think Viansa was my favorite. Jacuzzi also specializes in olive oils and it was a treat to taste several of those as well. By the end of the trip, I was getting the hang of it. I could actually pick out flavors in a few of the wines and I wasn’t drunk. Now, being the rare drinker and lightweight I am, I thought that was an accomplishment.
So, in a nutshell, that was our trip. We had such a wonderful time and I loved that city!
I would love to post photos, but Blogger is being a pain the butt today. So, you'll have to check them out on Facebook.
San Francisco was absolutely amazing. We arrived on a Saturday, just before lunch, and had a few issues getting to our hotel from the airport. Once we made it, we checked into the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf. The food there is not that great, but the room was nicely decorated, comfortable and clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
We walked down to Fisherman's Wharf and had lunch next to seal pier. It was stinky! They are cute, but boy do they smell.
On our first night out, we had dinner at The Stinking Rose, which is known for its garlicky menu. Overall I found it to be very overrated and would probably not recommend it. After dinner, we took a stroll, is there such a thing there, up and down the hilly streets and meandered into Chinatown. The Republic of China was celebrating its anniversary and the streets were decorated and we saw a dragon dance. I had a great time visiting the little shops and enjoying the nice weather. It turned out to be the warmest night of the entire trip.
I thought my legs would be sore the next day from all the uphill/downhill action, but they weren't. I'd like to also mention that we saw not only a lot of foot traffic on the streets, but a lot of biking as well. Kudos to the locals!
We decided to rent a car for the day and drive down the coast. We visited Seal Cove, Half Moon Bay, Monterey and Carmel. We made lots of stops along the way that included 17 Mile Drive/Pebble Beach Golf Course, Half Moon Bay Brewery, Hogs Breath Inn and lots of little shops. It was overcast and foggy for much of the day, but I didn't care. It was a lovely drive with my sweetie and he was so nice to do ALL of the driving.
The next day was probably one of my favorites of the whole trip. It was pampering and fun the entire day! No, girls, there were no facials or pedicures. It was eat, eat, eat and play, play, play. We started our morning by racing to the pier to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. What an amazing experience! Alcatraz was every bit as cool as I thought it would be and the audio guided tour was very well done.
After Alcatraz, we had a few hours to kill and I had been dying to get to Hog Island Oyster Company. Tyler Florence did a bit on ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate’ a while back and raved about it. Having never had a raw oyster I thought it would be the perfect place to try them. They were amazing! Tyler was right and I thoroughly enjoyed that very expensive treat! I had a half dozen (Kumamoto and ???) and an iced tea that totaled $33! Marc just watched.
Oh yes! The Ferry Building is a must visit for foodies. I could have spent an entire morning in there. There are lots of restaurant type shops, but there were also fruit stands, artisan bread and cheese shops, wine stores, etc. Amazing! Oh yes, gelato too! YUM! Yep, I ate ALL day!
We raced to the hotel to freshen up and take a twenty minute nap. Then, we headed to the San Francisco Electric Tour Company for our Segway tour. I was terrified once I discovered they weren’t driven using the handlebars and that there wasn’t a stop button or brake. Something about rolling through the busy streets of San Francisco on something you do not know how to drive seemed scary to me. Hmm. I’m a sissy though so, I forged ahead. I didn’t breathe or move for the first thirty minutes at least. Once I got the hang of things, I don’t think I stopped smiling once, except maybe when Marc fell off. Then, I just laughed hysterically!
We turned in the Segways and headed to Scoma’s for dinner. Our table provided a nice view of the harbor and Ghirardelli Square. It took quite a while for our bodies to thaw. Yes, it was freezing cold. Who would’ve guessed? I had the most amazing meal there. It was so delicious (lobster bisque, scallops on a bed of swiss chard and fingerling potatoes and tiramisu). MMMMMMM! It is a little hole in the wall, but the locals swear by it and now, I know why.
On the way back to the hotel we picked up coats from a street vendor. Yes, coats. The weather was seriously fickle there. At any given point, I could be in one layer or another. I did see some really ridiculous tourists walking around in mini skirts and shorts. Seriously?! I could see my breath in the night air. Ding dongs!
It was hard to get up early the next morning after all the fun we’d had the night before. It was even more difficult for Marc, who wasn’t looking forward to some of the day’s events (i.e. wine country). We had breakfast at a little bread shop across from the tour company (ham and cheese croissant and a latte for me). The bread display there was picture perfect.
The tour company that ran our tour that day SUCKED SUCKED SUCKED! Seriously and totally sucked. I would never book with them EVER again. If I could remember their name right now, I would blast them all over the internet, but that will have to wait. Putting all of that aside, we had a wonderful day!
First stop, albeit very brief, was Muir Woods. I cannot even begin to describe it. It was amazing and you just have to go. I could have easily spent the entire day there. In fact, one day, I’d like to go back and do just that.
Next stop, Sausalito. We could have easily spent another day there touring the shops and hanging out by the water. It was a cute little spot and the birds there are NOT shy.
Final leg of the day was the wine tour and Marc’s least anticipated part. Marc doesn’t drink wine, but played along and indulged me. Turns out, he didn’t have such an awful time and he even tried a wine he liked! Holy crap! I bought it on the spot.
I had never been on a wine tasting tour before. We visited three wineries in Sonoma:Homewood, Jacuzzi and Viansa. Of the three, I think Viansa was my favorite. Jacuzzi also specializes in olive oils and it was a treat to taste several of those as well. By the end of the trip, I was getting the hang of it. I could actually pick out flavors in a few of the wines and I wasn’t drunk. Now, being the rare drinker and lightweight I am, I thought that was an accomplishment.
So, in a nutshell, that was our trip. We had such a wonderful time and I loved that city!
I would love to post photos, but Blogger is being a pain the butt today. So, you'll have to check them out on Facebook.
Friday, September 18, 2009
San Francisco Here We Come!
Marc and I are escaping for a much needed vacation tomorrow morning. We are taking this one on our own. We will surely miss the babes, but it will be nice to have some time for just us.
Have a great week!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)