Kickboxing-Yeah!

This morning I went to a cardio-kickboxing class....and I did not die!


Well, not yet at least. I suppose I will decide tomorrow if I am going to live or die.


I thought it was quite an accomplishment though; to not completely trip over myself as the instructor was far more limber/coordinated than this old out-of-shape body of mine at times.


No seriously, I was pretty coordinated until he added on some fairly quick movements and I got caught up staring and stumbling for a bit. I apologize to those behind me that had to endure the site.


Limber I once was and have definitely lost. Lets not even discuss the endurance level that disappeared somewhere along the path of adult life.


If I can manage to live through the pain that I know will come tomorrow...then I will tackle another class.

Happy "63" Birthday

This evening, my dad celebrated his big 63. A majority of the family gathered for a very tasty grilled chicken and shrimp fiesta. Might I say....YUM YUM! Not to mention that we all ate far too much....Or at least I did

Diego and Oscar watching Papa open a gift

Papa and Axel blowing out a few candles

Dad said that during the day, we had all cheated, in that we all either sent him a Happy Birthday text or facebook message. How times have changed. Next year, I will remember to pick or the phone to wish him a happy one.

I love you dad! Glad you had a nice, filling evening with all of us. Hope you enjoy your gifts.

Blog Button

Tonight I finally conquered making a button for my blog with success.

 Not necessarily an easy task for a not-so-smart HTML girl 

The challenge drove me crazy for the past month. 

Well, not the entire month, as I became too frustrated getting the code right that I had to step away for a while.

Regardless, I had success tonight....HOORAY!

So if you are a bloggy friend....show some bloggy love and grab my button (located on my sidebar) and paste it to your site.



                                  
picture compliments of ameelicious.com

To Shop and Eat

Pam Coyle

Tonight I was invited to go shopping with a teen girl and her mom. Something that does not normally happen in my life....since I am mom to Nathan....a boy {grin}

I jumped at the chance to tag along.

Shopping works up an appetite...so of course we had to go eat and chat. And well, Pam had to make her plate look picture perfect. So I pulled out the handy dandy camera and snapped a quick, fun shot.

After all, I thought this would make for a different posting on my blog.

So I give a BIG thanks to Pam and Kim for the invite!

Quick history:
I met Pam in her sophomore year when I became the team mom for Nathans high school swim team. Last year, she was a great help, when the team captain decided to flake. This year, Pam and Nathan (both seniors) are captains on the swim team. And the two are pretty good friends.....

Who knows....maybe Pam will show up in a few more posts {smile}

First day school and more

Today my one and only started his senior year of high school. As many moms look forward to this day...for me it is TOTALLY bittersweet! I was glad that school was back in session. However, I am not ready for the kid to not be around for me to hangout with or "ANNOY" as Nathan would probably say.

This morning, I went to gym for the first time since 2003...when I had to take a phys ed class for college....and before that....I would have to say in the early nineties. The equipment has changed. Modern and foreign. I did not DIE though, as I thought that  I might do. Thankfully, I go Thursday for an assessment and learn to use the equipment. And just maybe...I will actually continue to go.

This weekend, I was invited to the lake with a great friend. The lake house was huge and beautiful. The weather beyond sweaty. However, fun and relaxing. My friends had rented this property and planned this sixteenth birthday party for their daughter. My only rant here is that I have never seen a group of girls that were so ungrateful for such a great weekend. Really, is it that hard to throw away your soda cans and clean up spilt tanning oil!

Phew! and let the week begin.

Cool Face

This morning, Isaac and Nathan got up early to finish their parking spots. The twins ditched out....lucky for them the design covered all four spots. There was a breeze making the heat a little more tolerable.

Isaac is totally talented and free handed their "Cool Face". Nathan was the touch up guy.

This is looking at the four spots from the standing on the spots next to theirs.

This is the view of all four spots as if you were pulling in. I told them that they need to outline the design in black. The white is a little blinding at times. I also recommended added the year....I was out voted.

Here is a small sampling of some of the creativity. Bryce is on the swim team.

Senior Pictures Arrived

I am pretty happy with all of the pictures. You can't hate a photographer because the subject does not smile. And really, Nathaniel's personality would truly not be captured if all the photos had smiles....he is a smirker.
These are just a sample of the shots taken. It will be hard to choose the one that I will include in his graduation announcements at the end of the year.

I could not resist having one last family picture taken. Sadly, Steve did not show up for that. But, we were able to capture this beautiful picture above.

Farewell Quilly

"Quilly"

It was over 10 years ago when Steve and I received this quillow (quilt and pillow combo) from my sister for a Christmas gift. Unfortunately for us, we did not get to keep it. Our wonderful son decided it was a great gift and took it for himself.

Some kids have a blankie, stuffed animal, suck their thumb.....ours would keep this quillow to the better end.

I do not remember when, Nathan decided that "Quilly" was becoming too small. Luckily for him, there was a awesome aunt and grandma out there to come to his rescue. Jodie had made two quilts out of the same material and she bequeathed hers to Nathan. Then Grandma sewed the two together to make a gigantic blanket.

Quilly went on to live many more years. Only needing minor repairs here and there. But last year, it was really time to part with this beloved blanket.....and he wouldn't. Grandma even made him a new quillow which was to be rejected. Quilly continued to disintegrate.

Sadly, this past week, Nathaniel decided that he would have to part ways with his beloved "Quilly". After years of teasing my son about this blanket, I found this day kind of sad. After all, we all have our quirks.

Senior Paint Day

Nathan, Issac, Matt and Mark 
(hope I didn't mix up the twins)

It has been a tradition for the senior class at Central High School, since the school opened six years ago, to hold senior paint day. This is a tradition that I would totally have participated in!


It starts something like this....


A week ago this past Friday night, was campout in the parking lot night, if you wanted to buy your parking spot for the school year. Total chaos I am sure. And yes, Nathan and his buddies decided that they would hang out that night with 196 others and a couple of Fort Worth Police Officers. Per the recollection of a very tired teen, the cops were cool and escorted us to Whataburger because they (officers and kids) were all hungry in the wee hours of the morning.

cool mom showed up with cold water for the guys

(and yes, that is paint on my car)

So bright and early Saturday, these teens that would normally prefer to be sleeping, awoke and headed to the parking lot with paint and supplies in hand. Paint and designs had to be approved and the fun in the 100+ temps began. Yes, we are in a heat wave and it was this hot this early.

Four spots which will contain one design

As the guys already had made plans for this day, only the white basecoat was completed. They will be finishing up their four spots sometime this week. I am totally excited to see the outcome of their creativity.


Stay tuned.....

Music and Feelings

                                                                                                      justinnewitter.com

I have a very fond memory of one the very first gifts my husband ever gave me. It was a cassette tape that he created with songs that expressed his feelings at this time in our life.

How quietly sad I was when the cassette player became obsolete.Making it difficult to further listen to our young love. Now that cassette lies buried in a box somewhere in our attic walls.

Over the years, music has played within the walls of our home and lives. We have even passed this on to our son. A form of entertainment, a way to boost energy or helping soothe a soul after a long day. Many artists of different genera's vocally reviling a wide vary of emotions that we may feel.

Oh how I long to once again listen to that period of time. To be able to close my eyes tonight and dream of those innocent times.

No Patience Today

I am not sure why I am supposed to continually have lessons on exhibiting patience. Seriously, I would love for this lesson to go away.

Maybe it is that I am visibly a bit tense and on edge at the moment. Feeling like I have lost any and all control to many things that I feel are important in my life.

Or is it the past lessons were just teasers to what was to come....must try not to ponder this one.

Are my expectations set too high?..... Hmmm.

The week started something like this:

1. meeting with one of my sons bosses to see why they sent him an email eluding that he was fired
2. attempting to register son at the local college for his dual credit class; only to be almost yelled out that we    were the 5th students from his high school with the incorrect paperwork.
3. had a patient grab hold of me and tweak my back...leading to filling out a work comp form
4. failed attempt to register son for college class per college instructions (followed to the tee)

5. called the college to find out they still do not have the high school kids in the system; and are hoping that it will be fixed before the high school year starts.

6.going to high school today to pick up sons schedule only to find out that they completely butchered it

Now this is where I lost it and may have come across looking like a complete mad woman. The counselor became my sounding board. But in the end, I accomplished nothing with my little tyrant. I still have to go fight for the corrections next week....sigh.

It is time to breathe and realize that I failed this test on patience and that I should expect another. Probably even bigger and uglier.

Seriously though, I am grateful for the chance to wake up tomorrow and be given the chance to have a redo.

An attempt at Senior Pictures

Nathaniel at school Senior Photo Shoot

We went last month to the OVERPRICED photography joint that the school said we had to go to for senior yearbook pictures. Yes, in this day and age, the schools make you pay for seniors to have their picture placed in the annual. This is a whole tyrant that I could go off on but will spare everyone. Needless to say, it had to be done, especially if you are an only child and have me for a mom.

I really hoped that I would not like any of the pictures and it would be easy to say no to the purchasing pitch. I was  disappointed, as there were a lot  of fantastic shots of Nathaniel. Imagine my surprise to see how photogenic he can actually be.

And then I decided that I would take a peak at the pricing. YIKES! It became a no brainer that I would not be able to purchase any of these awesome photos. Seriously, when you open the packet and it comes with an insert that states...."payment plans available".

Sigh!!! I really did not want to like any of those shots. Why or Why did he have to cooperate this time.

Well I had already had a private (wanting to go professional) photographer lined up. Who, by the way, was completely affordable. I was really glad to have another option.

This morning, we got up and going early for a 7am shoot in downtown Fort Worth. Our location wound up being overgrown and full of glass. (we later went to a different non-nature site that Nathan preferred). I told Julianne (photographer) to just go with it....which she did. You could tell that she is fairly new to the business, but was totally nice. She admitted she has not worked with a lot of stubborn teen boys who refuse to smile or put on the fake/bad looking smile. I.E. my son.

Julianne took around 400 shots....she cooperated really well. I can only hope that the annoyed teenage son has a handful of good shots that turn out. That would make mom really really happy. Especially since $400 for pictures is not in the budget. In a few days, I will see. Until then, crossing my fingers.

Think before you speak

Choose your words wisely. They can never be taken back.

How true is this saying above. I would also add to consider your tone too....TONE can change the meaning of what one may actually be trying to say and how the recipient hears your words. Leading the words intended meaning to that of offense or hurt towards the other. Damage being the end result.

Over my 39 plus years of life, I have experienced this kind of hurt. Just as I may have provided that same kind of hurt to those around me at one time or another. Thus, leading me to reflect on this saying the past few weeks.

SADLY, I am human and have had words fly out of my mouth before realizing what I actually said. I have had numerous occasions when I should have bit my tongue or thought twice before speaking. And yes, I may have had to plead with you to believe that I did not mean what I actually said.

Sometimes words can easily be forgiven. Other times, I wonder if forgetting and forgiving will ever occur, even with time. This is something that I need to practice in my everyday life...and then....just maybe...I will be able to forgive the ones that have hurt me most.

Vacation Photos

feel free to check out our unedited and possibly duplicated photos from NYC, Niagara Falls and Pittsburgh via Snapfish
Click here to view photos

I and Love and You

Love....it is a funny thing that happens to us. Something that many of us strive to find. While others may have stumbled upon it unexpectedly. It is the start to new and uncertain feelings. The adventure of coming to know someone on a different level from that of a friend.

The sweaty palms or thumping of the heart during early courtship. The calmness of the companionship from years together. The excitement of learning the quirks that make him who he is. The ability to be able to order for her at a favorite restaurant years later. The early dreams of life together...the peacefulness of mature love years later.

Yes, this love thing, is a funny thing that happens to us. And for some, they are lucky and it is a love that lasts forever. Growing up together and continuing to love who she became. Understanding why he is the way he is.  A bond between two that is too never be broke.

Then there are those who sadly...overtime...drift apart. Like strangers all over again. Too many possibilities of what could have went wrong. Leading one of the partners to awake one day with "three words that became hard to say...I and Love and You".

The words above are not the lyrics. To read the lyrics to I and Love and You by the Avett Brothers, click the purple link above.

Writers Block

For the past week or so, I have sat down to do a much needed post. Unfortunately, the words will not flow. Numerous attempts and blanks pages....SIGH!!!

I have so much that I want to say....and whether it is fear of actually jotting it down or the unsurety (is that even a word?) of the appropriateness of my intended content....my fingers and brain will just not work in harmony.

This is typical for me. It always seems when I have some serious discontent in my life, I find myself wanting to hide. Craving ways to avoid having to face my realities and those around me. So many women are strong and are able to stand up to the disharmony they face. I am not one of them. Able to preach to the choir and often unable to follow through with her own advice. Wishing that I will one day wake up strong enough to make those changes that should have been made years ago.

Then I find myself thinking, why is it that my trials are not supposed to happen to faithful Mormon women. Really, what a crock of bull. Trials, failed dreams and unplanned life events can happen to anyone. It just seems worse when you are a Mormon...and don't fit into that bubble. I do not know if a non Mormon (or a Mormon who has always been in this bubble) can even begin to understand.

So how do I cope? Depression, drugs and alcohol are not an option. So I have unintentionally increased my intake of diet coke. Really, how more unhealthy can I be. But, with the increased stress, fear or whatever you call it....the more I crave the cold, bubbly, aspartame drink. I guess there can be worse things. RIGHT.