Lack of Sleep

I could not sleep last night and finally faded around midnight. These pictures above are part of my lack of sleep. They were sent via text message on my cell phone and it rings. At about 2:00 A.M. they started coming, three of them. They were from my dad who is in Rome and isn't worried about sending texts as far as the time difference goes. Can't blame him! Even though these are from his cell phone camera they are still pretty dang cool. He says that he and my mom are having a great time.
Sid has another match today. It is an away game so I have to get directions to that school. I may have to nap so I can stay awake for it.
The girls have informed me that they are excited about Halloween. Sid isn't going to dress up but I told her she can go with Riley while she Trick or Treats. They haven't lived in a neighborhood since we lived in Chino so this is cool for them. Handing out candy is fun for me. I still haven't found all of my decorations. In case anyone ever wonders, moving does suck. Jill, this is not meant to discourage you, you have it all going on. But for me, not so lovely.
I am listening to Matt Damon bag on Sarah Palin and I want to scream at him to shut the hell up. We are all entitled to our opinion but if you are not a movie star, actor, singer, etc. no one give you airtime to speak out. Oh well, I don't know about the rest of you, but cannot wait for this election to be over. Not just the presidential campaign but our local politics as well. The ads, phone calls, mail, ugh!

I am going to shut the cell phone down to vibrate only and go take a power nap. Yawn.....

Blissful Day

When I took the girls to school this morning it was foggy. The tall pines were shrouded in mist. Awesome. As the fog and clouds wore off it was all sunshine and wispy high clouds. Perfect day for Bob and I to go out to lunch on the water. If we would have had the time, I would have loved to go up north to Mukilteo and eat at Ivars or Edmonds and eat at Anthony's. But we still have to remember that we are parents and the responsibility of picking them up from school. Luckily, we live in Kirkland and Lake Washington is a few minutes away and there are plenty of places to eat on the lake. We made it down to Carillon Point which is a marina and there are shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. It's lovely and today was lovely. I just wanted to have a mini celebration for Bob and I and his new job.
It was nice to not think about the economy, the state of our government, the election, the debate and foreign policy. It seems that is all we hear and that is completely understandable. The economy is kind of a big deal and all. My opinion is that if our economy is this bad then how can we be effective with other countries and our foreign policies? We gotta mow the grass in our own backyard before we tackle someone else's weeds. But that is just me...
Going to meet my cousin tonight and some friends for drinks. Casual. Jill deserves a big fat Margarita! She has sooooo much on her weekly plate. Hopefully my other cousin Nikki can join us. Her baby is still kind of young so it's not always easy.
So, poor me. A great lunch with my man and drinks with fun people tonight.

So, yes, the ecomony sucks, we have a giant noose around our neck in Calif. (our house) that we can't unload, job situation was iffy, etc. BUT we feel so very lucky.
We are living exactly where we want to and feel BLESSED beyond belief for that. Our girls are adapting so well and are happy, healthy kids. I got no complaints and if I did, I would hope that everyone would be ashamed of me.
Hope that all who read this has a great weekend, watch the debate and hope that the candidate of your choice does well and comes out of this not too beat up, put your life savings in a jar and bury it in your back yard cuz it may not be safe at the bank.

In the Morning my Mind Wanders

Well, going to the b-school went just fine. I may not have to actually attend. The instructor was kind enough to give me study materials and let me decide if I wanted to go further with the school or do it on my own. It's not as daunting as I first believed or it is and I am just kidding myself! I will go through the stuff this week and see.
I am going for my second professional haircut since living here. I may have mentioned that I cut it myself. Not good.
Sid has a badminton match at her school today so we will be there for that. Riley asked if she had to go. What a supportive sister. She has a new gang of friends in da hood and that is all she can think about. Coming home from school and playing. There is a large ravine across the street from our house and there is a swing and playhouse built in there and that is where they play. Tom Sawyer comes to Kirkland. The picture above is of across the street. I think with the ferns and stuff it looks like dinosaurs are gonna come out of there any second.
Bob will report to his new job October 6 at 8:00 a.m. We got the official e mail last night. Yay! A week of training in Seattle and then work starts.
It is early and the oldest daughter just came shuffling out of her room, I heard her alarm go off. Riley will sleep in a bit as she has a regular morning, no band today. She reported yesterday that band at the Jr High went fine and that they just did notes and scales. Or just notes or something. I am so not the musician, just the appreciation part for me. The cats are very vocal this a.m. so that must mean they are hungry and the coffee maker just finished making my morning salvation brew so I will be off on my busy day and here's hoping you are all safe in your busy travels today too.

Make up your own title

With a picture like this, do I need a title? Really...
I am going to the Kirkland Beauty School today to meet with an instructor about a refresher course. Am I looking forward to it? Nope... Am I glad that I am getting started on my career? Yes. Sooo... I will try to go to beauty school with a comedic perspective and share it with you. Hopefully I can find that comedy. There may be some 2008 versions of Frenchy, you never know.
Took Riley up to the Jr. High for band this morning. The only problem with this is at home. Sid hasn't had to share a bathroom for two years. They didn't do well in there this morning. I may have to move one to the downstairs bathroom. Other than that, we are excited that she is doing the flute thing again.
Okay, so I colored my regrowth, painted my toenails and fingernails and am going to get the flesh colored spackel and putty knife out. Gotta put on the hairdresser hat and hit the road.
The sun is just starting to peek out and my cat is laying in the middle of it on the carpet. The term "kitty sun" was coined in the northwest I bet.
Tomorrow I am going to go get another haircut. This will be my second time. Last month I cut it off myself. Like over an inch. Sid said it looked fine in the back so I took her word for it. I warned the hairdresser that it could be ugly. She laughed...

Today is Tuesday

A picture I shot yesterday in my front yard.

Woke up this morning to some frosty windows. Chilly. Turned the heater on. Goodness... I will keep it quick as I actually have to go warm up the car. Finally got the confirmation that we have been waiting for. The new job will start for Bob in two weeks. They told him that he can give official notice to his current job. He will kinda miss that big warehouse job. So, last night was good, we felt a little more secure, happy that we are getting our footing here. Relief would be a good word to throw in there as well.
My parents are having a splendid time in Spain. We finally got their international cell phone calling figured out. Their friends that are meeting them in Barcelona had a big shake up yesterday. They were supposed to fly from Seattle to N.Y. but had landing gear failure and had to do an emergency landing in Chicago and ran the plane off of the runway. It was all over our local news and my parents even saw it on Fox news in Barcelona. But they were fine just shaken up and managed to get another flight to N.Y. yikes...
So, I am going to work on my career today, stay tuned for that excitement.
Riley will let me drive her to school today. She starts band tomorrow. It is at the Junior High that Sid attends so I will take them both there. It's three days a week for Riley. She also wants to do Volleyball at her school so we shall see how that goes. I may not have time to get a job. My daughters seem to be filling up my schedule pretty well.

Fall... Is it here already?

When you live in the Mojave Desert of Southern California, the coming of fall can be a welcome respite. It will have been over 100 degrees for about 980 days and everyone is sick of the heat and paying billions of dollars to cool their homes. Welllll... let me tell ya about fall in Kirkland. The leaves turning from green to orange, yellow and red is stunning. But the weather is cloudy and drizzly. You find yourself mourning the loss of summer aka sunshine. Bob and Riley love the rain. They do not seem to be influenced by the lack of vitamin D. Sid and I seem to be more sensitive to the cloudy, sunless skies. We will hold the weatherman accountable at this point because he has dangled the carrot in front of us. Sunshine, although not too warm, but sunshine and some clouds by the end of this week.
I did celebrate the end of summer by putting up some of my fall/Halloween decor. At least the stuff I could find. Somewhere there are Halloween decorations buried in my garage. Maybe by Easter I will have unearthed the fall things. I did however find the Halloween cookie cutters and even bought a tombstone cookie cutter at Sir La Table a few weeks back. I LOVE doing sugar cookies and decorating them. I am sure that they will be worthy of picture taking and of course I will post them and be waiting for tons of compliments from my thousands of loyal fans.
The pictures above are of my tree in the front yard. This was taken a while back so in reality the tree is even more orange and yellow now and the leaves are falling. I will shoot some more fall pics soon. Our neighborhood looks to be quite colorful in the tree department.
I have Court T.V. on in the background and it is the O.J. Simpson trial in Vegas. What a bunch of crap that is. I could blog a few hundred words about how I feel about O.J. My sister and I have seen Ron Goldman's dad several times when we have been shopping at Nordstrom's in Scottsdale. He works there. He looks so nice and I feel so sad for him. I have never had the courage to say anything to him. My sister has talked to him but it was just about a shirt for her husband.

Riley did not walk to school today. Geoffrey didn't show up this morning. He may have been sick today. He has a scooter(skateboard with a handle) so now Riley wants one. He rides it and she runs along side. She wanted to ride her bike to school today. Lord, the child is trying to put me in an early grave.
Have a blissful, fall feeling Monday everyone. I am calling the Kirkland beauty school tomorrow to sign up for my refresher course. Wish me luck...

Badminton

Here are some shots of Sid yesterday. She did really well, she didn't feel real great but managed to do just fine. Her team tie-dyed shirts and they turned out really cool. Don't ask me if they won, I have no idea. I don't get this sport at all and will try to grasp it as we go along. But Sid did remind me that it is an "etiquette" sport and there is no yelling. Crap. You clap and act dignified...
Dad, could you imagine if girl's basketball was an etiquette sport back in 1983? You would have imploded.

Pulling on Those Apron Strings

My stomach is in knots. My heart is beating at an unhealthy rate. My youngest darling daughter informed me yesterday that she wanted to "walk to school with her friend Geoffrey". Could you just imagine the high pitched screaming, wailing, keening that went off inside my brain??? I stumbled, stuttered and mumbled some inane words like we'll see, are you sure, blah blah blah. Luckily, last night was "curriculum night" at her school and we got to meet the Geoffrey parents. They are not thrilled with their precious 5th grader walking either but employment prohibits them from taking him and picking him up from school. Bob was my mirror image when Riley told him she wanted to walk to school. He muttered and stumbled around just as artfully as I had. So what did we end up letting her do this morning? Walk with Geoffrey. But... don't be too alarmed... I secretly followed them the whole way.
Riley didn't spot me until the last 2 minutes of her journey. There was no way in hell I was gonna let her walk to school with out adult supervision! Bob and I did take her on the route and explained about cross walks, signals, not stopping at Starbucks on the way(there is one on the way, big surprise) and getting there in a timely fashion. Besides, Geoffrey is a seasoned pro.
I am exhausted mentally. My baby... walking to school... it's more than I can bear.
Bob should be calling me any minute to find out what happened. So... I am going to go throw up now, shower and go to Costco for some retail therapy. Luckily Geoffrey is not walking home, his parents are picking him up and they are gone for the weekend so I get to pick her up, in my car, in my care, safe with her mom for a few more days...

Updates from the Evergreen State

I must get myself together and pick up Riley from school. She felt well enough to go today. Sid and I feel fine too. Yesterday just kicked our behinds. I will pick up Ri and go to Sid's badminton match. Pics to follow...Bob was off today and we got lots of junk done. I had more clerical items to attend to and he gets the burly stuff like getting the girls badminton birdy off of the roof.
I called WA state board, got a very helpful young lady to give me info. At the end of the conversation I asked her if people like me who have had their license for 100 years ever just beg to get the WA license without testing. She replied with "all of the time"...So there you have it, I will have to test in practical and written if I want to do hair in this state. I called a beauty school and they will give me a refresher course for 2-3 days. At a lovely cost as well. But, if I want to pass and have some type of dignity I think it may be money well spent. I just can't put myself out there for another profession! I want to go back to school for some graphic design classes but I also want to pay my rent, utilities and be able to buy groceries as well. So I guess I gotta go with what I know.
Had the nicest phone call from a friend/client in Calif. Of course she misses me! It does and doesn't make me feel good... I do miss my job and my moola. So, it looks like I might be a beauty school student for a brief time, WEIRD.
Bob is still filling his time up with his large warehouse job. They love him. He will have his 30 day review this week sometime. If only he could be full time and make MORE dollars at this job. His commute is so rockin'.
Also, on the advice of my sister, I am going to put some cute things together and sell them. I will be sure to let you know and will post some pics of the stuff I do. Just some notecards and albums. I might go up to Lynwood and take a class at a scrapbook store and learn some new techniques. I wish I lived by my sister's friend and neighbor! She is sooooo talented.
I really like being a stay at home mom/wife, but the pay ain't to great. It's really too bad...
Okay, on to other things. As many of you may have noticed that since my blogs birth back in June, I think I have changed my background about 4-5 times. My oldest, dearest, bestest friend told me that she likes this current one the best and not to change it. I have to agree. I will try really hard not to change it. My inner nature is to change things around a lot and redecorate things a lot so this will take some willpower on my part! Jill, I will try until at least November, that's as good as I can do.
Hope you all got a kick out of my niece's princess picture. I am on a "pesterfest" to get me some more pics to post. I get tired of seeing those other two kids all of the freakin' time, I need new faces... I am off to the showers. Cloudy, overcast, gray, drizzle today. Kind of nice change. A little chilly. Ciao for now.

Being a Princess

I got this photo emailed to me yesterday. I am predjudice because she is my niece but dang she is the cutest little bug I have ever seen. She got her dress up outfit from "Lolo" in Ohio. My sister had to go to OH on business and then got to have some fun with her best friend Lolo.

I Got Nothin'

Sid and I really did not feel well either. We decided to postpone our trip downtown for a bit. Went to Michael's instead. I am gonna start making some notecards. If they turn out adequate enough I may just sell them. We will see. So, I have no pictures of Pike Place Market. I will soon tho... Weather should start changing soon according to the news. Still will not be too cold yet. Riley's "Curriculum Night" is tomorrow night and Sid's first badminton match. I will report on that later. It has been known as "Back to School" night as well. I am not connecting my thoughts or making any sense. I better go lay down for a while and tell myself that I am not getting sick.

Gotta Seize the Day

A quick post, gotta hurry along. I told the girls if the weather was still nice today that we would go downtown. Riley is home sick so she has to stay home with dad. I am sure Sid and I will manage to still have fun.
Will post some pix later too. Hopefully I don't freak out driving over the floating bridge and pass out from anxiety! I think I will make it okay. Minimum day at school today so got lots more time to do things...
Chat with y'all later!
I took this picture yesterday at my aunt's house at the lake...

a few badminton at the park pics

Sunny Day

Bought the girls a couple of badminton racquets and birdies the other day. They have been playing quite a bit and it is good practice for Sid. Her first match is Thursday. After Bob got home from work we went over to Riley's school to use their large grass area. When the girls play in our backyard they tend to lose the birdies in the ivy or up on the roof. Beautiful weather again yesterday and the rest of this week. I am trying to enjoy it as much as possible. I think I might try to take the girls down to Pike's Market in Seattle. That is the go to when people think of Seattle or visit Seattle, you know the fish throwing and all. The girls haven't been there since they were little.
I am listening to Mark & Brian right now and they are listing the best things to do in U.S. cities. Seattle got mentioned twice. Best cafes and best summer vacation. I have felt like I was on a glorious summer vacation since being here.
Weekend was hard. I wanted so bad to be down in Calif. My friend has been on my mind constantly.
Worked on the girl's rooms all weekend. Bob put their Ikea shelf units together so we stomped out the mess. They were still living with some boxes and general crap all around. Now, they are P.B. Teen front page. Wow.
Still waiting for news on Bob's new job, should be anytime now.
I am not looking too hard for a job yet, I will soon...
My parents leave for their cruise soon. Europe. Cool. They better bring me something cool, that's all I gotta say.

Do You Remember

When I was younger, I would hear people older than myself talk about things like Pearl Harbor (my great aunt was an officer in the Army Nurse Corp and at Pearl Harbor) and President Kennedy's assassination. They always would say that they could remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the news. I never thought much of it, being a child and not paying much attention to those stories. Then something really unthinkable happened and it occured when I was an adult. My very own country was attacked by terrorists. I will always remember waking up and turning on the "Today Show". It was still early and the first plane had already hit and the second just hit. Speculation only on the "accident" at that point. No one knowing much at that time except for gripping fear.
I know that I will never forget that day. I hope my two daughters listen better than I did when we talk about remembering. Bob says that we don't pay enough attention to history. History does repeat itself.
I know that tomorrow everyone will stop for a second and remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the news.

Lucky, Lucky, We're So Lucky

Wednesdays are minimum days at school. I picked up the girls and took them downtown. We got some refreshment from a favorite local coffee house and headed to the park. I decided on the Marina Park. It is right on Lake Washington. Lots of places to sit in the sun or shade. The girls pulled out some homework and I stuck my nose into my book. "The Birth of Venus" it's okay... It seems to have been a trend for a while to take a famous "real" work of art like a painting or sculpture and write a fictional story around it and its inception. So I am plugging along with it and then I have two more from the library that I will review. Last week it was the "Syringa Tree". Can't remember if I mentioned it so will bring it up again. Good read.
Sunny, perfect day in the park kind of day. Kinda warm, like 77 degrees. Riley had to take a break from her spelling words and go for a dip in the lake. We felt pretty lucky today that we live here. How often do you get to do your homework with your toes in the lake? Lucky fish we are...

Kids and Cousins

A gaggle of geese, a prickle of porcupines and an army of caterpillars. What do you call a bunch of kids who happen to be cousins? Yesterday was a day of church in the morning and an afternoon of sunshine, sparkling water, Seadoos,jumping off the dock and into the water, playing on the lawn, swings, snacks, BBQ, family and friendship. A good way to refresh the spirit and reconnect with everyone. Our littlest cousin, Kate is growing like a little weed. I tried and tried to figure out how I could stuff her into my beach bag and bring her home without anyone noticing...

Dang

I had such a nice day yesterday as I told everyone in my last post. When I got home I had a letter from the WA State Board of Cosmetology. They verified what I already knew. I would have to take written and practical exams. I guess I was hoping that when Washington received the license verification from the state of Calif. they would also see that I have had my license for 340 years and "grandfather" me in.
I always hope that maybe somehow I will be granted special treatment but that is just my desire to be treated like the queen that I think I am. A slice of entitlement pie anyone??? So, I let that get to me a bit, even though I wasn't surprised, I still let it get to me. This has been a tragic week and I am really making an effort to be strong, unselfish and have a good attitude. When someone you care deeply for is hurting, you try to remember that you don't have anything to complain about. So I am mentally slapping myself around and telling myself that the pity train left town weeks ago...
Am looking forward to Sunday. Spending some time at the lake with family and the girls deserve some fun after the week they had. They should be rewarded for being so brave. Meteorologists are using the Doppler radar to predict that we will have sunny days for a bit longer. When the sun is out in Seattle you better get your buns out there to soak up that Vitamin D. It could be a long, dark, wet, dreary winter...

Sailing Video- With Music

My Day, Just Me

Bob was at work and I dropped the girls off at school this morning. Checked the library website and found out that one of the books I had on hold was available. The library is in downtown Kirkland. I have been wanting to spend some time downtown. Cute shops, restaraunts, hair salons, coffee houses abound. I had a frozen blended carmel machiatto that was divine. It was at a "fair trade" coffee place. Whatever that means... I'll save that for another blog when I have nothing else to write about. Read some of my book from the library while I enjoyed my cold, icy caffiene fix. I will also write about this book after I finish it. Anyway, back to me. I then went into "Sur Le Table" and did a little shopping. I love kitchen stores like this and William Sonoma. I found many many things that I would love to have! They have a great selection of cookie cutters which I have collected for years. I picked up a couple today. Which means I will have to bake in my new IKEA oven. Whatever...
I also got a BBQ mop. If you aren't sure what that is, email me and I will explain it all to you with tons of culinary jargon that will make you wish you had never asked. Next, I went to Heritage Park. It overlooks Lk. Washington. I had packed my camera in hopes of getting some good shots. I was not that successful. It wasn't all that I had hoped. Don't get me wrong, there are sooooo many beautiful places to shoot pics in WA as you have seen by my blog but I just couldn't get anything to warm my photography heart. I posted two shots anyway. The shot at the top is the original entrance to Kirkland Jr. High that burned down in 1970. It looks cool with the vines growing all over it. It was a beautiful day, sunny, not too cool, not too warm. It was just a day for me, alone. It was nice.

Stepping Out and Stepping Up

I have worked closely with the public for 25+ years. A wise person told me long ago that it's not always smart to discuss two things. Politics and Religion. Well, it hasn't really been that way all of the time. I did make it a personal policy that I would let the client bring it up first or if I was confident that I knew where they stood on politics or religion I would bring it up. I would never argue with a client about those things, the salon experience is supposed to be a relaxing one!
BUT...the blog is a different breed of horse all together. As my wonderful friend Beth says "that's what I like about your blog, it's your opinion, your words, etc"
I watched the Republican Nat'l Convention with my husband and girls last night. We felt that the girls needed to pay attention to what Sarah had to say. They would see history in the making. I am a registered Independent. Bob and I have been McCain supporters for years. I am what I like to think of as a liberal Republican. I know many people think that is an oxymoron! I was like everyone else yesterday. I was excited to hear Sarah Palin speak, hear what she had to say, see her and her family.
I was not let down. I LOVED her. Bob and the girls loved her as well. I loved her daughter Piper and the way she "managed" her baby brother's hair!
I am a HUGE believer in the freedom to vote how you want and also believe you should associate with the candidate that fits closely with your beliefs and ideals. I would never get up and argue with someone who believes in another party's politics but I would welcome lively debate if necessary. More important than that? VOTING.
I don't care what your politics are but I do care about voting. It is a right that we have that was fought for long ago and then later, for women to obtain that right.
This is just my opinion and I really felt for the first time that I could truly relate to this mom of five who is 44 years old. I know her because I am her and so are many, many women out there. Okay, that is that. I am going to post twice tonight because I have too much going on for just one lil ol' post.

I Have the Coolest Daughters

Our girls are the best. They are strong, confident, happy, well adjusted people. Maybe they really aren't all those things but I am the parent who sees them through those rose colored glasses. No, I really think they are all that a bowl of fruit punch. They not only survived their first day of school, they had a great time, made some friends and gave us overall glowing reports. Riley said that she made friends and that she is "already popular". Now, coming from an adult that would sound a bit self absorbed and pompous. But coming from a 10 year old it is hilarious. Of course her parents could have lectured her on the importance of a good education, hitting the books and that this isn't a popularity contest, blah blah blah but that is exactly what I needed to hear yesterday from her. After all, lets be honest, it is about being popular and nothing else. My worst fear was that Sid would have to eat lunch alone but she has a new group of friends that are new to the school this year. She actually met a boy yesterday that just moved here from Phelan. Whoa...
Bob and I went to Ikea yesterday afternoon. We got a new stove and some book cases for the girls rooms. So next time some of you come over the girls rooms will be looking like they are out of the pages of Pottery Barn Teen. I am sure these book cases will inspire my tornadoes, I mean daughters to keep their rooms tidy and shiny clean. Now I am wearing those rose colored glasses...

Just wanted to thank so many that have contacted me regarding my friend Beth and her family. Some of you know her and assured me that you would keep her in your prayers. Some of you don't even know her and assured me that you would keep her in your prayers. Of course her family is in the darkest place. Any prayers or chats with "Papa" or God are greatly appreciated and I love you all for that(and so much more) I wish I could go to Costco and buy rose colored glasses in the 12 pack and put them on my friends for a while. I was able to speak with them more yesterday and that was helpful. I am concentrating on them and not feeling sorry for myself. I can help from far away. I like helping in a physical way, cooking, cleaning, errands because that is automatic but helping emotionally is harder. You always worry about saying the right things. I of all people should not get tongue tied but when it comes to the sorrow of others I fear that all of my words are inadequate and superficial. But I can chat with God and that is not to be taken lightly at this point. I am doing a lot of that. Thanks and love to all...

First Day of School

They did it. They got up this morning and got ready without any drama or last minute rushing out the door. I will go back at 11:30 and have lunch with Sid. It is a BBQ for all new students and their parents. I am nervous for them both but I know that they will be fine. Bob was off this morning so he got to go with us and that was a huge blessing for me. I pretty much just went through the motions on automatic pilot. I received some VERY upsetting news last night so am still trying to process it and my mind is a far far away. Today I hate living in Washington. It represents how far away I am from where I think I should and need to be. One of my very best and dearest friends has suffered a tragic loss and I am so devastated for her and her family. So, I am doing what we do when we lose someone. We ask God why about 5700 different ways hoping to get the answer we need. We decide in our own minds the answer but it's never adequate. Such are the mysteries of the living and dying questions that we mere mortals are not privilege to. So I am going to try to speak with my friends today and connect even though I feel so far away...

Sailing... Takes Me Away...

My Aunt and Uncle invited us out on their sailboat today. The morning weather did not start out promising and I kept trying to think of a "plan b" it was cold and drizzling out, not a day for sailing if you are like me and the only experience with sailing is watching it on T.V. or from the safety of my aunt's house on the lake. This is real sailing out on an ocean. But as you looked to the west, it looked shiny and sunny so we were all gung ho. My cousin Nik didn't go since her babies are little but her husband, Drew got to come along. My cousin Jill was able to join us too. The sailboat is cool. It has a kitchen, table, two bedrooms and a bathroom. We had lunch while sailing and snacks and had so much fun just chatting the day away. There was so much scenery to take in. The surrounding islands, gorgeous waterfront homes, yachts, sea lions, cruise ships, other sailboats, the Seattle skyline, white puffy clouds and plenty of sunshine. Riley took the wheel and was an instant Skipper. We were just her Gilligan and crew. Everyone commented on how relaxed sailing makes you. Once I felt secure in the knowledge that I was not going to capsize and become chum, I did feel very relaxed. I also did not get seasick. The girls loved it too and want to go back out immediatley. It was an appropriate way to say goodbye to summer and hunker down for school and fall. Some of the trees are starting to turn and I have some shots of our tree in the front yard that I will post. When you see those you will encourage me to enter them in the state fair. They are that good.
The girls and I went to church this morning. Bob couldn't go because he had to work. His giant warehouse job keeps him busy. My cousin Jill was going to speak today about how God helps her through the difficulties she has to experience. She is my cousin that I spoke of in an earlier blog. Her daughter has C.P. and she is a single mom. It was cool, her sister Nikki and family were there too. Our family took up a whole row. Jill did a superb job and didn't break up during her talk. On the other hand, the rest of us observering were puddles. She is truly an inspiring girl and gives you a boost to your faith when you look at her. So many thanks to my Washington family for a great day.

Front Yard Beauty

When I post pictures of flowers they are pics that I took in my front yard. I am thinking that I am the Ansel Adams of Kirkland. It also means that I am adding a picture when I have no others.

The Jitters

Sid and I had a bad case of the jitters today. Nerves. Butterflies. Shakes.
She had picture day, getting her ASB card, P.E. clothes, lunch account and sign up for a sport. She decided she would like to play badminton. Yes, her JR high has team badminton. She will soon be launching that shuttlecock across the net and into victory. Sid is my hero. The poor child has been to a billion different schools. She always goes out of her comfort zone and tries something new. In 4th grade she ran for student council and won and barely knew three people. She ran cross country last year and hates running. Tried out for volleyball. Now badminton. Next Tues. she has 9th grade orientation and a bbq to get to know other new 9th graders and all of her teachers. Her school really goes out of their way to make you feel comfortable. When we finished at school we both admitted that we felt better. Come Tuesday I am sure we will have those butterflies again but everyday will get better. Her biggest fear is having to eat lunch alone but after looking at what the lunch choices are I will go and eat with her. Dang, they didn't have this cool of a cafeteria in my day. Can you say Baked Potato Bar?
Tomorrow I take Riley for her class assignment and her welcome BBQ. She has no jitters or nervous tendencies whatsoever. She just wants to get started. She plows through head first and assumes that she will have it all figured out in no time at all. We will see...
I will put their first day of school pix up next week. I am sure they will both look very grown up. I live with them and don't recognize them half of the time.
Children really do have a way of making the clock hands and calendar pages FLY by. I am reminded of this when three weeks goes by and I have to color that gray hair of mine. My children are not giving me the gray, it just shows how freakin' old I am getting...

Hello Peeps

I have had a few comments made that people are reading my blog. That makes me happy indeed. Hello all... Hope that everyone is doing well and are looking forward to having their children in school soon if they are not there already. My two lovelies will start school next week. I cannot believe it is Labor Day already. This summer did zoom by and that is no surprise considering what we accomplished. Sid will go to school tomorrow for her 9th grade orientation. It will also be picture day for her as well. Today I will get to be her hairdresser. She hasn't had her hair touched in who knows how long. Yesterday we went shopping to finish up on school stuff, both girls are geared to long sleeves and sweaters than ever before, wonder why? Could it have been because it was 65 degrees and raining? Hmmmm...As I type this morn. I look out onto our backyard and the sun is shining. Lovely to see.
When we speak with people down south in CA or AZ it is really HARD to imagine how hot it is there!
Just because I moved somewhere new, doesn't mean I have shed all of my old self. I still have some of my favorite things with me and no I don't mean Bob. Back in the old days when you moved away, you lost your favorite radio station or DJ. With the invention of the cool thing called the internet, you can listen to that station on the web. So two of my favorite guys moved to Seattle with me. I get to listen to them every morning on my laptop. Life is good.
Bob and I are happy here but we are still not feeling "grounded". Everything familiar is gone and it's all weird. I am hoping that once the girls start school and I get a job, I will feel my feet planted more firmly.
I still have not heard anything from the dang state board of Cosmetology. I did a resume for myself, what a laugh it is. Under work experience it is pretty dull. Hairstylist for 25 years. And as all of you that have been around me for a while can attest to, my salon changing wasn't all that varied compared to lots of stylists.
So, the girls will start school next week and I will start job seeking next week. Since blogging doesn't pay, I am not gonna be a gajillionaire....
OH!!! Quick post script... I am reading the "Shack" by William P. Young. My aunt read it and loved it. I got it at Costco. I nearly finished it in one night. If you struggle with your faith and who doesn't or just want a new perspective on faith it is a must read or if you just want a really good book, must read. Not long in page amount but lots to think about. http://theshackbook.com/index.html
later gators...

Saturday

okay, it wasn't that bad. I did very little. I was busy doing other things. We started out slow but gained momentum towards the end when one woman came by and bought a ton of stuff! Now the girls and I don't have to get up early tomorrow and try to peddle our wares. This makes me happy. Bob works early tomorrow morning which would have prohibited him from helping us. I celebrated with a Margarita.

A New Day

okay, I apologize if I sounded a bit crazed yesterday. I was a bit crazed yesterday. But a new day dawned and the sun was a welcome friend. Not a hot day just a sunny, chamber of commerce kind of day. It was beautiful and relaxed. I ran a few errands with my oldest darling daughter. We went to a little Mexican market and that was laughable. I know there are Mexican markets out there so will have to explore. In Calif. I had many to choose from so that was not a big deal but up here I knew it would be different.
Bob worked at his warehouse job yesterday and today, that is good. He is painting the tire store today, food court got painted last weekend.
I think I will hit the hay early tonight since I am dreading tomorrow. Cannot wait to blog about the g-sale. uuugghhh...

Amy's Brain

This is a picture of scrambled eggs. It could also be an accurate depiction of what the inside of my head looks like. I am so scattered. It has been raining for three days now. The news says that this is not typical for summer. I am starting to get a bit blue. Not so blue that I am heading for the nearest tanning bed but just kinda out of sorts. I knew it was bound to happen, but I didn't think it would be in August. It probably does not help that I said goodbye to my folks yesterday or that Bob needs a job or that my house in Oak Hills is still not rented or that my WA landlord wont fix my oven or that I am losing my hair by the handfuls or that I miss my sister or that I am unemployed... whaaaaa...I am spinning in circles today. Tomorrow will be better, I heard the weather forcast and it is supposed to be sunny, plus I have the garage sale to look forward to. Margarita anyone??

Photos from the Birthday Party

Riley warms up

Sam and Lauren think Riley is all that and more!

Natalie give Riley all 10's!



Riley on the trampoline- Miss Lake Sammamish 08

Birthdays are Fun days

My cousin Jill's birthday was yesterday. I wont tell you how old she is, that would just be impolite. Let's just say she is about 5 years younger than me. She is such a beautiful girl. Looks can be deceiving though. Under the beautiful exterior lies an iron resolve and strength not often found. She has two adorable kids. Her oldest, Natalie has Cerebral Palsy. She is six years old. She is adorable, sweet and funny. She is in the process of learning to communicate with her eyes. She has just completed some intense physical therapy as well. Her little brother, Sam is all boy. Full of questions, energy and love. She has her kids all week by herself but luckily family support is all around.
My mom and dad are still here so they were able to be at the lake for the party too. Riley made Jill an adorable card and I must say I was a bit proud...It was on the cooler side with little bouts of raindrops but Riley still managed to get into the water and show Sam, Lauren and Natalie some of her water trampoline tricks. As my cousin, Nikki says "Riley's fan base". The little kids get excited when Riley shows up.
Bob has left this morning for a job interview. He has been working for a week now at one of the large warehouse stores(if you get my drift) they like him, its part time but he has been getting lots of hours. It's fine for a while but we need more than that to survive... I will get serious once I find out more about my license situation and get the girls in school. I don't have the take and bring home from school situation like I did in California.
I am driving down to Olympia this morning to drop my parents off. Their friends from Portland are meeting us there. They have a meeting in Portland about the cruise they are taking this fall. Barcelona, Croatia, Italy, etc. How exciting for them. The girls and I will be shedding tears when we say goodbye. They were barely here. Hopefully we will see them again before too long.
Well the rain has stopped it's driving force for the moment, but it is supposed to continue all day and then this weekend is promising to be sunny. We are planning a garage sale for Saturday, ugh... While the thought of getting rid of a bunch of crap is thrilling, I just loath garage sales. Going to them and having them...I better go to the liquour store and stock up on tequila, you don't have to be too sober to have a garage sale as long as you have a child who can count change and keep track of a bunch of one dollar bills.

Today at the Lake

I took these pictures with my new camera today. My old digital Canon powershot died last week mid picture. I had that camera for 5 years and it never let me down. Evryone at the store where I bought my new one said I had a good run with the old one. I bought another Canon but this one has lots of whistles and bells so I am still learning. Having fun learning. When I brought it home and started shooting some test pics I didn't have any children to practice on so of course I took pics of the cats. I am the crazy cat lady like my friend's son, Jake P. thinks I am. I just happen to be married to a crazy cat man too.
Warm, muggy day and then some sprinkles. Sid had to bundle up while she read Vogue. Had fun, my dad made ribs, yum. Everyone enjoyed them. Watching the Olympics, everyone tired and content. Weather is blissfully cool now. Bob works tomorrow. Will take my mom around while my dad works tomorrow too. Send the men out to earn the money so we women can spend it, hmmmm... I like that.

Home

Babies are home. They weren't gone very long but it seemed like it to Bob and I.
So happy to see them and see my parents. We are going to go to my aunt's lake house to stay cool today. Besides the lake, she has air conditioning! It's not too bad at our house as long as you stay downstairs in the family room. The girls came home with new clothes and shoes and backpacks, etc. They are set for school. That will start in a couple of weeks. Yay!

I Miss Jeff

The girls and I are big fans of Bravo's "Flipping Out". Jeff Lewis is the name of the guy that the show is about. He "flips" houses, decorates them, etc. He has control issues, perfectionism issues, emotional detachment,humorous in a sarcastic black way, etc. He reminds me of me. His show is over for the season. I will miss it. He always needs to hire the right person and if he lived in Seattle or I lived in L.A. I would apply for the job. Dang...
The girls will be home Saturday. I am looking forward to it, seeing everyone. My first company. I hope they remember the reoccurring theme that Bob and I live with everyday, "it's just a rental"

While They Are Gone

My Dad sent me this yesterday. It's those girls of mine and their cousin and uncle in my parents pool in Arizona. It looks to me like they are having a splendid time and not missing us too much...