What a Day!

Wow, I am tired, Bob is tired and the girls are tired. The girls and I are probably more emotionally drained than anything else! The movers showed up a little after 7:00 a.m. and the first thing that started the day was one of the cats escaped! We searched high and low and even had the movers helping us. A few tears and we had to get back to the business of moving. After some glitches and some verbal banter we were helping movers bring in our belongings. Some items we were glad to see and gave us the comfort of feeling like we were home and other items made us think, why did we bring that? All in all it looks like everything will work just fine, and Bob and I keep reminding ourselves and each other that this is just a rental. We are still feeling very lucky that things have gone pretty well so far. So the movers left about 2:45 or so and we calmed down, the house got quiet and we hung out in the garage for a while. Riley told us that she heard a cat meowing. Sid put some cat food into a dish and shook it around and we heard the meow again. The cat was in the garage behind a cupboard, he had been there all day.
What a relief. So they all got a bath and a brushing and now they are just sniffing around, looking at boxes and more boxes.
So we get to sleep on mattresses tonight and wake up refreshed for more unpacking tomorrow. Maybe I'll find the box marked tequila.

Some Pics for Your Viewing Pleasure

Moving trucks in Oak Hills in front of our house, my view from my car-the back of Bob's truck, a VERY smoky Sacramento river,various road signs, bridge over the Columbia River which is the OR/WA border...

Driving, Driving, Driving, Driving

Well, we did it. We escaped the high desert. We actually got the house all emptied out and got on the road this morning. No yelling or crying. I did wake up, had my coffee and then felt like throwing up for about an hour. Just nerves. Can you blame me?

We were going to stay in Sacramento tonight but got a call from the movers and they will be at our new house on June 30. We thought we had better high tail it to WA. Lots to do before they get there. So we made it to Redding, CA where it is 103 degrees.

In my car today it was Sid and her snake. In Bob's truck it was Riley and all three cats. Riley sent us videos from her cell phone of the sedated cats. She cracks us up. So now they are both fighting over who will ride with dad tomorrow. My car has the cool tunes, seventeen outlets for ipods, gameboys, etc, air conditioning the whole time, car air freshener, Gatorade, snacks and my own brand of entertainment. I am so hurt, I thought they would be fighting to ride with me. I also thought they could be bought.

There are some really bad fires up here in Redding tonight. We were in smoke all day and then really bad here. Lots of fire personnel in the hotels around here and we have seen tons of water dropping helicopters tonight as well.

We had to sneak the snake and cats into the hotel. This was the only one with a room left in the whole town and I didn't ask about pets. Luckily the cats are sedated and the snake is pretty quiet most of the time. I feel so criminal...

Will be in WA tomorrow night and looking forward to sleeping on the air mattress till we get our new bed. Goody.

I am not complaining, everything has gone so well so far, I really feel like God's hand is on our shoulders guiding us through this.

Talk to you soon...

Solitary Confinement

I am in Sid's bedroom with both daughters and three cats. The packers are here and Bob is out there helping, then he is off to Salvation Army and the Women's Domestic Violence Shelter to donate some stuff. I am on Sid's laptop changing accounts, utilities and stuff. It's going well, I am sorta nervous but doing okay. The girls are not keeping me entertained, they are glued to their Nintendos. I feel so alone.
We had a frozen pot pie, ice cream and a muffin for lunch. Yum...
I will post some pics when we get to WA.

What it looks like about now

The day before the "Big Day"

Today is Sunday. Tomorrow the packers come and no I don't mean the Green Bay kind either. The movers come on Tuesday. We have to take all the electrical stuff apart today. Fridge, T.V.(TIVO AHHHHHHH) Computers, Stereos, etc. That is scary for me, happy day for Bob! I will still have access to Sid's pink laptop for a bit, then it's "lights out" unless I go to Starbucks or somewhere with wireless! Yikes. In Kirkland they actually have some of their outdoor parks set up with wirless! They said it's so Mom's can take kids to the park and check their email, business people can meet outdoors when the weather is nice, etc. That's when you know you are moving to the tech capitol of the world! Hello Microsoft!!!
So, I will say goodbye for now. Actually, I am more comfortable with "see you later" or "ciao for now"... I will be up and running again sometime around July 1 unless I get some free time and some internet time and if the 13 yr old will give up the pink laptop. Oh yeah, that reminds me! Sometime around mid July MY laptop should be arriving and the color is called "spring green". Crap, I'll be bloggin all over the city!!!
So, love to all, will miss you more than words can say, please be happy for us, we are finally realizing a dream of 20 years and keep us in your prayers. We already feel pretty danged blessed but it can't hurt to throw a few out there!
The Hewitson Family

A British Invasion

John and Paul have reunited for a two minute elementary school talent show! So what if they looked 10 years old, had blonde hair ponytails and fake blow up guitars. The fans were still screaming and crying. It was just like 1962 all over again! This school talent show was HILARIOUS. Just what it should have been. I felt like I was making a movie for the Disney Channel. There was a Napoleon Dynamite act that just about made us pee our pants. The cool part was that it was inside the brand new Perf. Arts Center with blasting air conditioning instead of outside in the 100 degree heat on the lawn! It was a big day for Riley. Nervous about the talent show, happy about the last day of school and sad to say goodbye to friends and teachers. To top off the day she got a great report card, straight A's in language arts! Then it was off to "Cold Stone" for our traditional last day of school ice cream feast. We started it when she was in Kindergarten and Sid was in 4th grade and we haven't missed a year yet. We all said goodbye to lots of good friends that we have made at the Academy, parents and teachers. Teachers that we will never ever be able to thank enough for what they have done for our girls. We loved the Academy and will always look back on those memories as really great ones. They will all be missed. So, for your viewing pleasure I will attempt to upload the rare footage, captured today at the school... John and Paul aka Abbey and Riley.

The beauty of straight teeth

Sid, Riley and I were a bit surprised when the ortho tech told us she was indeed getting those braces off. Yes, Sid was excited. They gave her a lovely parting gift. A large coffee mug full of "forbidden candy" all the things she was not supposed to eat while the braces were on. I have to say that her having braces was really non eventful. She never had any problems. I don't ever remember rushing her in for something that was broken. She did a decent job of taking care of them too. So it will be retainer next week and then off to Washington.
Tomorrow morning will be Riley's talent show debut. She has her Peace sign shirt and jean shorts all ready. When she is through with her performance, she is officially finished as a 4th grader. Whew, whatta relief. Fourth grade was HARD on all of us! A special shout out to all that helped her get through it! Mostly big sister.
It's official, I went ahead and purchased my blue tooth hands free headset ear thing. I know lots of people have them and its no big deal. The law begins July 1 that you are no longer able to talk on your actual cell phone in the car. So I finally gave in. I did not set it up, that would be the 13 year old in the house. She rocks. So of course she and I tried it out like fifty times. I like it, I am sure it looks good on me and it makes me feel important like some high power broker or something.
If the talent show is everything that we hope it is, I will attempt to post the video of it on this blog, pending the approval by the 10 year old in said video. She is weird about stuff like that. I am sure we will see her on the "Next Comedian Standing" some day.
Spent a few hours with the grandparents today. Brought home two photo albums of really old, cool pictures of my ancestors. Scanned them all and put them on a flash drive. Now I can print them or put them on a disc for other family members. They are really cool...

Forever Wild

Bob and the girls went to an exotic animal sanctuary today. They are always in need of donations of all kinds and we had some things to give them. In return, they got to visit the big cats. Riley loves their main tiger that goes to all of their social functions. Her name is "Mia". Riley got to spend her eighth b-day with Mia, feed her and pet her! They normally don't do tours or bday parties but after I explained to them how much our daughter loves tigers they were kind enough to let us in. We had to bring 25 pounds of raw chicken legs and thighs with us. Mia at them like they were tortilla chips. They have lots of animals that they have rescued and are just a normal young family with kids. They are so kind and we have great respect for what they are trying to do. If you are in the giving mood or just want to see what all the fuss is about click on the link to the right that says "One of our Favorite Charities". We are "sponsoring" a couple of cats and that makes us feel like we are so cool...
The girls got to spend the night with some great friends of theirs. They were all babies together and my sister and I have known their mom for well over 20 years. They had a great time.
Tomorrow may be the day that Sid gets her braces off. We are not sure yet. Of course she is hoping, and wishing and praying. I guess I better take my camera tomorrow just in case. I will have great before and after shots. It's been a bit over two years. I think she is looking forward to the filing and whitening!! Holy glamour teen.
Riley has tomorrow and then Friday. Friday is the big talent show! She and her dance partner are all ready. Outfits have been thought out and purchased, dance moves practiced, etc. so she thinks she is feeling pretty confident about the whole thing.
I had dinner with my friends tonight but am not able to type about it. It was hard to say "see you later" to them. I was pretty much a blubbery mess by the time I topped Cajon Pass. Bob was great and talked me thru it. That's all I'm gonna say about that! They will come up to WA soon and we will have a grand time like we always do.
So, tomorrow is more running around, visiting, cleaning, phone calls to important people, utilites, etc. I cant wait for next week and I can wait for next week...

I Love You I Miss You

"Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend."
Plautus

I Need More Time!

Lake Shasta in the morning from I-5.

Some pictures

Mount Shasta and my two travel companions!

uhauls, dads and weather

Dang... It has been a quick, busy trip this time. Sid did great on the two day Uhaul excursion. I am sure her dad and I annoyed the daylights out of her but she was a good sport and gave us much needed comedic relief. We were in good weather for the drive and hit that big fire in Chico just as they were shutting down some roads. Oregon was GORGEOUS! Sunny and mild and smelled like heaven. We got to Washington around 6:00 pm. It was cold! Loved it! Strange to run your heater in your house in June. So besides sleeping on an air mattress and no coffee maker, we did just fine. Sid likes her new digs and likes Kirkland a lot. She had a great time with her cousins, Sam, Lauren and Natalie. Lake Sammamish was postcard perfect yesterday and we enjoyed a Father's Day BBQ with everyone. Looking forward to many more days and evenings at the lake this summer...
Now it is back to the desert for just a bit longer. The more we go up to WA, the harder it is to come back to the H.D. It just feels so brown, so windy, so HOT, so disconnected.
I am having dinner with everybody from work tomorrow night, that will be our final goodbye. It's weird, you look forward to it for closure but don't look forward to it because you feel a sense of sadness. We will have a nice dinner, laughs and shed some tears. It will be great to welcome Felicia to the fold and hand over my reins. I am mentally numb right now, that's what flying all day and sitting in airports will do to you.
Happy Fathers day if any dads read this. I am lucky to have such a great dad. He told me today that he is ready for the old folks home. I could have been polite and said "Oh no your not Dad, your still so young" but I didn't say that. I just agreed like he knew I would. I love you Dad.

p.s. Also, a very happy Anniversary to my parents. Wow, what a day, father's day and anniversary. That is just too much excitement for the old folks.

Busy Busy Busy

Tomorrow is my last day at work. Sid and I cleaned out most of my stuff from my station. I just left enough to do about five clients tomorrow. It will be surreal.
Like Bob said today, "You wish you could take your friends with you". True that!
I am going with Bob and Sid up to K-land for a couple of days. Ri has to stay for school, she is as happy as a little puppy to stay next door. She is like the youngest child of our wonderful neighbors. She's the only one of us who has her suitcase packed! I am happy to be with two of my favorite people but it's a long drive. The first half is not too eventful unless you like to look at flat farm land, farm equipment, cattle, orange trees, farm land, equipment, road kill, farm land, crops and farm equipment junk yards. I have had my fill of that already! Once we get to Redding and go north it sure is purty!!! Sid's never been up there by automobile and she gets to see Oregon and drive by where I used to live!
Will be back soon but no more packing, just getting ready for packers and movers! Moving is hard. I do not recommend it. So much to take care of. I have new sympathy for my mom and others who have to move around way more than I have.
Okay, now I get to go fix something for dinner from what ingredients are left in our pantry and fridge. Going to have to get creative as days go by, what do you do with pancake mix, smoked salmon, tomato paste and canola oil?

A Quick Break

Taking a short rest from packing boxes. I have to have my candles, liquor and hair products ready by Monday night. Bob and Sid are taking one more U-Haul load up
to K-land on Wed. and then they will be home Sunday. I felt it was important to get the three main things up to WA safely! Then the rest of the house can be left for the packers/movers. Getting rid of some furniture this weekend too. Every little bit that leaves the house is a good feeling! Still so much to do!

Only one day left at work. SSSSSSAAAADDDDDD, weird, strange, relief and all that. I will miss lots of people. I have made so many friends, love them all. My career has been an ongoing education for 24 yrs. I have learned so much about so many things that I couldn't even begin to list them. I have had the help and support of so many clients. Teachers, Physicians, Attorneys, Accountants, Piano Teachers, Health care professionals, business owners, moms, dads, Realtors, Bankers, Escrow & Title Co.s and many many more. It's always been said that we hairstylists are like therapists, but my clients and co workers don't realize how much therapy they provided to me! I have always had clients that prayed for me and my family, taken care of my children and taken care of me. I could never thank everyone enough.

Sid had a pretty hard day yesterday. Really sad for her to leave her friends and school. She has made some great friends this year and had a great year. Of course I want to erase every bit of her pain and it's frustrating for her dad and I to see her hurting. It's like her first big heartbreak. Poor baby, she is such a sweet girl. Riley is doing her best to help her out too, she can always be counted on for comedic relief!
I have a huge pile of empty boxes, tape and markers giving me the stink eye...

Grad eeee ation day

Well it's really "Promotion Day". They are not graduating, just
being promoted to 9th grade.
It was a beautiful day, no wind, 75 degrees, sunny. First was the awards ceremony. Sid received two! The first was academic achievement/honor roll. The second was Language Arts student of the year. Kinda proud? ummmmm.... yeah. Graduation itself was nice, the school did a tribute to one of Sid's teachers that passed away this year from Cancer. They presented his wife and children with memory books and the school got a banner with his picture on it to hang in the gym. He was Sid's science teacher last year and the varsity wrestling coach. Let's just say that there was not a dry eye in the house. Very sweet and touching tribute. After the ceremony it was off to Rain Forest Cafe. Riley did go back to school and said that her talent show try out was good but short. The judges cut her and Abby off "before the good part" I take that as a good sign. Usually everyone that tries out makes it. When Sid was in the 5th grade she sang in the holiday talent show. Nothing says Happy Holidays like Karaoke Christmas.

Wow, it feels like it was just yesterday that I watched a little girl through a chain link fence. She was walking in a line with other little kindergartners. She knew she was headed for a new adventure. I knew she was headed for her future. That little girl has never looked back. She has shown so much courage, grace and love in every thing she has had put in front of her. She has certainly grown up fast, too fast for her family's liking. But her grown upness has been kind of cool too. She is funny and sweet, good to her family and friends. She is responsible, trustworthy and capable of a great many things. She has not only lived up to our expectations so far, she has exceeded them ten fold. She is 13 going on 30. There can be no parent that could be as proud as we are. Our soon to be 9th grader is the best that there is. No one could tell us different.
So, I can shed a few tears, I deserve to, I am her mom but I can also laugh and applaude her accomplishments. I have earned the right to brag and bore others with stories of my amazing daughter. Eighth grade is just a bunch of great memories and now another adventure for you to take on. 9th grade will be great, you will be challenged to make new friends, meet new people, take new classes and learn from the school of life. Your parents can't protect you from all of the stuff that happens but we can be there for you, lend an ear, a shoulder, a hug and lots of love and understanding.
Thank you for being our favorite bird...

Roll Over Beethoven

How do you spell Beethoven? I have been informed that I made a serious error in my post yesterday. Riley and her friend Abby are doing a dance number to "Roll over Beethoven" so maybe that is more of a dance number? I can't really think of many Beatles songs that lend themselves to dancing. hmmmmm....
Anyhow, I wish her the best of luck, the pressure to be in the school talent show!
She told me this morning that tryouts are on the same day at Sid's graduation. She is going to make it to the ceremony but can't go to lunch with us. Man, the kid has to feel conflicted at such an early age. She just can't let Abby down! I feel like the director in the movie "High School Musical IV".
LOOOONNNGGG day at work today. More goodbyes. It's a funny thing about goodbyes, they don't get any easier. You would think after the 20th goodbye of the day you would be used to it, but each one has its own little drama. Even other stylist's clients are giving me a hug and a "good luck, you know it rains a lot there"
I am truly blessed...

Space Needle circa 1970's

Sheri, Paul and Amy at the top of the Space Needle. Sheri looks terrified. This was about 1978!

Today in da desert

Mondays are typically my errand day. Today I tied up a few loose ends with my business partner, went to Target (of course) where I had yet another roll of film to develop from Sid's trip, making it a total of five rolls and that was just what Bob took! We will do an album with all of her pics and memorabilia. I bought out the scrapbook store in Ontario a couple of weeks ago. After Target, I picked Sid up for her afternoon of beauty. She got her nails done for graduation and hair colored. She got a few(and I mean a few) hot pink hilights underneath, so you would really have to look to find them. All that matters is that she knows they are there! It was really fun actually. It's fun to have a daughter who likes to let me experiment on her hair. We then picked Riley up from school. She gets to stay late every day and keep an eye on a friend of ours who is in kindergarten and her mom teaches at the school. Riley has held a few jobs at her school this year, mostly the babysitter kind and even made a few dollars too! She informed us that she is trying out for the school's talent show and will be doing a dance to the Beatles song "Revolution". This should be interesting, I really never thought of that song as one with a good dance beat. Maybe it will be more interpretive in nature. She also got a Beatles purse from my Target trip. I could not resist, she does love the Fab Four so much.
Sid's 8th grade graduation is Thurs. and got an email from one of her teachers informing us that we have to be at the school at 7:30 AM because Sid is receiving an award at the awards ceremony prior to the actual grad. commencement. I HATE getting up early but I guess for this I will make an exception! We are pretty proud of her already so this is cream cheese icing on the Cinnabon! I am sure that a few tears will squirt forth from my eyeballs that day. Bob and I both agree that she has really grown up a lot this year in so many ways. She truly is a teenager. But honestly one of the nicest teenagers I have ever been around. I don't think a lot of parents LIKE hanging around their teenagers but I do. She and Riley both crack me up and there's nothing I like more than someone with a good sense of humor. They both take after me in that area luckily. Bob will tell you that he is funny but he's not THAT funny. Okay, maybe he is funny sometimes...

A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your step as you walk the tightrope of life.
-William Arthur Ward

Let's Begin In the Desert of So Cal

We are still in the high desert. Yes, today the wind is blowing and we r not amused. It's really no big deal, the breeze in the house is nice while you pack, clean, unpack suitcases, clean, pack, clean, yell at children and check your email. I am working tomorrow as well as tying up some business loose ends. Sid wanted her nails done for graduation so will have those done at my shop while I work tomorrow. Many thanks to Juli for handling that! Hopefully she keeps them all on until Thurs. afternoon when graduation is over. She would like to go to eat at "Islands" after graduation. Riley will still have until June 20th for school and then she is officially done and ready to be a 5th grader at her new school in K-land! Bob has been busy getting all of his things taken care of for the move. His hobbies and possessions are so much larger, time consuming and annoying than mine. It's a lot easier to pack scrapbooking supplies and candles than it is '72 chevy truck parts! I think that he and Sid are finally getting caught up on their sleep from the DC/NY trip. Lots of great momentos, souveniers and pictures!!! Riley and I had a great time up in Seattle. We got lots of little things done. Registered for both schools, cleaned the new house, set up utilities, etc. Had great weather with VERY little rain. Some cloudy days but that's it. The most IMPORTANT thing we did was find our local Target!!! It's cute! It looks like a barn!

All of this just made it harder to come back to the H.D. But we will be outta here sooner than we think. It will go by so fast. I work 4 days this week and one day next week and then I am done.

It is getting harder and harder to say goodbye to my clients. Some I have had for over 20 years!! I was 12 yrs old when I started my career!!!

Well, the family has been craving my home made tacos since they have been home so I guess I will make that happen tonight.