Inspired

I was thinking the other morning. Thinking of the "constants" in my life. The things that I continually look to for encouragement, joy, peace and inspiration. I had this running list in my head, and so I wrote it down. I thought I'd share my list with you, a peek into my little world and maybe some of the things that make me tick.
I'll start with 3 in no particular order, and in upcoming posts, I will share more. Just bear with me, it could be fun.

#1. As you know, I play tennis. I love tennis. I'm kind of addicted to it. Sometimes I play twice in one day, and my elbow will start to ache. Ibuprofen is my friend. Look at these lovely ladies in the photo. I don't know them personally, but I DO get the awesome opportunity to play with Betty, Cora Jane and Marty. These are ladies I met at the club, and they are all in their 80's. I think the oldest is 87. They can't move as fast as I can, but boy, can they hammer a dadgum green fuzzy ball. They call me dear, and little girl. One of them claims I "beat up on her" after I won our match, then turned around and hugged me. These ladies are my tennis inspiration. Not Ana Ivanovic or Maria Sharapova. I know I will never play like them, but maybe I can play like Betty when I am 87!
#2. We don't have cable t.v. No, we don't have satellite either. Close your gaping mouth, and let me finish. We have not had cable for many years. We don't even watch t.v. with an antenna. So, I am not going to be able to follow any "Idol" or "Lost" commentary. We watch DVD's of our favorite movies and kids shows, but have found that when we have been paying for cable, it ends up being a waste of money. We simply don't watch much t.v., we enjoy other things more I guess. But there are 2 t.v. series I simply can't do without. After a long day, and in need of a laugh, these are the 2 I pop in. MASH. I know, can you believe it? I remember hearing the song come on our t.v. as a kid and my dad rushing in to watch his favorite show. I didn't much get it then, but I love it now. My favorites are the first few seasons when Col. Blake and Frank Burns' characters are still on. I think I relate to the bumbling, not-so-clever but lovable Henry Blake. So call me old fashioned, but I love the cozy, homey feeling I get while laughing at the smart, one-of-a-kind humor on MASH.
If I'm not in the mood for MASH, but need a good laugh, I turn to Everybody Loves Raymond. Who can't relate to the crazy mother in law, or mother, and just the zany, warm, funny family dynamic of this show? It's clever. I love it.

#3. Lastly I would like to share with you a photo. This special picture is near and dear to my heart. Just a warning...it is a silly photo and in it are 3 of my dear childhood friends, who do look at this blog (if only occasionally). So I apologize in advanced if they are surprised to find themselves here on my blog with upturned noses and 80's hair. The photo itself is special, as are the people in it.
Toe, Stubs, Jill-Pill & me. Grade school through high school, different colleges and now miles apart, each one of us.
A few years back, I went through a dark, and well...dark time. We'll save the story for another day (maybe), but as I was grasping for peace, for a source of strength to get me through, I came upon this picture in one of my old albums, and I laughed. I had forgotten how to laugh, and this unfamiliar sound coming from my own lips startled me. But it was much needed, and as I studied the photo, I started to gain a new strength. I actually framed it in a little mahogany stained frame and put it by my bedside. I believe it sat there for a year or so. It was a great source of inspiration to me. First because it made me laugh. But more importantly, these wonderful, amazing, beautiful women had all suffered. And they lived. And they were laughing now. If they could, could I? I placed them by my bedside to help me every day.
So, I apologize to my sweet friends if I have embarrassed you in any way. But this picture, and you in it, and all those who have suffered and lived to tell the tale (which I understand is probably most of us) have been and continue to be an inspiration. I gather strength and hope and determination and laughter from all of you. It helps me get through the prickly thorns in this rosebush of life. (See why I relate to a bumbling not-so-clever character? - I just came up with that rosebush thing...)

So, there you go. Three things that are important to me. Three little peeks at what makes me tick. A few of my "constants."
Keep laughing!
Until next time...

The Fishin' Hole

I was introduced to fishing by my husband, Trevor. When we were dating, I learned it was something he liked to do on occasion.
I remember the very first time he told me he loved me. We were pic-nicking on a blanket by the water, after having spent a lazy afternoon fishing. I don't think we caught anything, but I very much remember him turning to me and saying, "I think I love you".
And the week before we were married, he had a bachelor party. A fishing bachelor party. Yep, he and his buddies grabbed some poles and went fishin'.
Luckily, it is not one of those things that dominates his time, but I am glad that he knows how to fish and has taught the rest of us a thing or two about it. Monkey A has no problem baiting a hook, catching a fish, and taking it off the hook herself. (I still make Trevor take mine off for me.) I am glad that it is something all our kids enjoy.
We made a day out of it on Memorial Day. We just decided we would pic-nic by a small pond that is in my brother's neighborhood. It was very low-key, no one else was around, and we spent the day casting and reeling with some luck. MA caught a couple of tiny fish, and a nice sized bass. MC caught a little fish, and a huge carp that broke her hook at the last minute before getting it fully out of the water. Trev caught a large carp also. MD tried and tried, but luckily the fun was in the casting because she didn't catch anything. We learned that the fish in that pond really go for egg salad sandwiches and cooked shrimp. We shared our meal with them, and I guess in return they gave us a bit of fun for the day.
Fish on!

thirty-something stuffs face

(my blanket flowers)

This weekend we celebrated my birthday!
I had tournament weekend again for tennis, and was quite happy that I won both my matches. Our team will not be going on to the finals, but I was just happy that I played the way I wanted to. And how cool was it that our friends, Jordan & Liz, showed up to watch me play one match, and our brand new neighbors, Justin & Joanna came to watch me play another one!
We went to a really nice restaurant for dinner with our good friends, Casey and Justin, and thoroughly enjoyed the food and the company. Casey & I got the sole and Justin and Trev got the chicken with dumplings. We all agreed the chicken and dumplings was a huge hit, and we all would order that meal again. Their meatballs with verde sauce was so good too!
(trev's b-day surprise dinner)

Sunday was amazing. Trev surprised me with an even more amazing meal for my birthday. I came home to find the table set, and on the smoker grill was a most delicious array of food!!! There were chicken legs, lobster claws, butterfly prawns, scallops with mushrooms and baked potatoes on the smoker. In the oven was my favorite vegetable dish that my mom usually makes - made from scratch by the man himself. All of us stuffed ourselves, and everything
was cooked to perfection. I was amazed. Thank you Trev, it was truly wonderful. You could tell from the nap I promptly took after filling myself.

Trev also surprised me with a birdbath for our garden. We have been working hard to make some new islands in our yard, and as you can see they are still in progress, but I am excited to plant around the birdbath now. I posted a picture of my shade garden too, since it is filling in so nicely this year. Too bad the dogwood had stopped blooming last week, because the color was so beautiful with the rest of the plants.
All my sibs called me, and it turned out to be a wonderful, relaxing day.
Oh, and the roses are starting to bloom!
I couldn't ask for more!

Mother's Day

(click on the cartoon if it is too small to read)
I have been going back and forth on whether to post any thoughts about this Mother's Day. I guess I decided I will despite the fact it might make me look like an ungrateful mother!
This is what I said to Trevor at 1:00 church on Sunday, and I think it might clue you in to how my day kind of went. I know it sounds horrible, but I leaned over and whispered, "I am not sure I really like Mother's Day." He gave me that look that you are making right now, like how could I say such a thing. I explained that I guess on this day, I just have these expectations that the kids will all bring me their cute homemade gifts with kisses and hugs and maybe a letter telling me why I'm a special mom. But MOST importantly there will be peace and love abounding in our family on that day. No fighting, no arguing, trying their best to let mom know it's her special day. Believe me, I do know it is not good or realistic to have expectations!!!

Well, it wasn't all bad. Trev brought me breakfast in bed, which was a great start. Then all morning before church, there was constant bickering. I mean worse than usual. Horrible, actually. There were no gifts on Sunday, because I realized that they had given me the things they had made at school already, the week before. I recall MB coming home on Thursday, walking in the door, and handing me the homemade paper flowerpot card with real seeds in it (loved it) as he walked past me. MC made me some flowers in a vase which was so cute, and she had given that to me I think on Wednesday. MA casually told me Sunday morning that she had written me a card at school for Mother's Day but had accidentally left it there, and she would get it for me Monday. I still haven't seen it. So yes, my kids did make me some cute things, and though I sound ungrateful I am not. I think I am just a little disappointed in their...approach? ...timing?... I really don't recall a hug or much more from MA the whole day, and I think I got a hug from my son in the morning but then it was kind of like they forgot anything else. The little girls were great and MC made me a huge daisy with sweet words about me all around it. That was a highlight, and she thought of it herself!
We made it to church, where I was hoping to unwind from the not-so-great, noisy morning. I whispered the above comment to Trevor during the 2nd speaker's talk. This was the man who did a good job, but made us go 20 minutes over because it was so long. I had to do sharing time in primary (a 20 minute presentation/lesson for all the kids), so I kept wondering how I was going to do it with the time left. Then during my sharing time presentation, MD constantly was interrupting me from her seat in the front row...this is in that voice that kids think is a whisper, but is actually not..."Mooooom! I'm huuuungry!" "Moooom, did you bring me any graaaaapes?" "Mooooooom! I'm reallllly tired, I want to go hooooome!" "Mooooooom! Do you heeeeear me????" Needless to say, I was a little frazzled up there.
After church, Trev made all of dinner which was wonderful, and he surprised me with a garden cart I was wanting. Thank goodness, because I hate to admit it but I was afraid he may have forgotten, and my day so far was feeling so... well...ordinary.
It wasn't a bad day, but it really wasn't an extraordinary day either. I love my kids. I know they love me, but this experience did make me think that I may need to teach my kids to be a little more thoughtful and responsible. I'm disappointed in myself because... did I not teach them to be thoughtful and caring? I am thinking of having a family night or at least a family discussion on how we can show people appreciation and respect (and how not to argue especially on Sunday.) I think when the kids were younger, they were excited and sweet and Trev would help them make it a special day. Now that they are older, I think we both expected them to think for themselves, and well...they kind of didn't. Wow-I really sound ungrateful!!!
Anyway I think the best part of the day was my mom and dad coming over and enjoying their company for a while. I love to celebrate my mom cause she is just so great! Maybe my kids will appreciate me more when they are older. I know I appreciate my parents so much more now that I am a parent and know what they have done for me and how much they love me!
Thanks Trev for all you did for me on mom's day, and Happy Mother's Day to my mom and my mother-in-law. I hope all you mom's out there had a great one!

My girls

Last week we got to celebrate my girls!
Monkey A turned 13. We've been calling her a teenager for about a year it seems, but now it is official, hormones and all. She is good and sweet, giving and kind. She can be fiery and goofy all at the same time. She has a crush, is a crush, and is good at making our eyes roll.

Monkey C turned 8 and got baptized! It was a very special day, and she was a little glowing light all day long with her ever-smiling face and reverent attitude. Here is a little snippet from her journal...

"Yesterday I had my baptism. It was very exciting. I could really feel the spirit of the Holy Ghost. But the water was cold. At first it felt warm on my feet, but then when I got up to my waist, it was freezing cold and the outfit stuck to me. It was a long but great day. Oh, and it was funny because when I got out of the water I had a reallly big yawn. But I didn't want to yawn in front of everyone, so I waited until I was out of the water fully to yawn."

24 Things About Me

Tagged by Kimi

4 Places I Go Over and Over
:: The Court Club
:: The Ballet Studio
:: Fred Meyer
:: Church

4 People Who Email Me
:: Kristi
:: Toni
:: Becky
:: Mom

4 of my Favorite Foods
:: Fried Chicken & potato salad
:: Homemade lasagna
:: Brownies with nuts
:: Fresh Strawberries

4 Places I Would Rather Be Right Now
:: On the tennis court
:: Hiking with my whole family somewhere beautiful like Mt. Rainier with the sun shining and all those colorful wildflowers surrounding us.
:: In Hawaii with my husband, enjoying the fresh breeze and watching the whales surface.
:: Disneyworld with my family.

4 People I Think Will Respond {This means I tag you}
::Kristi
::Nicki
::Jill
::Mara

4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over
:: Sweet Home Alabama
:: Transformers
:: Sleepless In Seattle
:: As Good As It Gets

My lists

I made this list last night. It is a list of things to get done today.

1. Laundry
2. Get the head shots of 74 primary kids glued onto bulletin board at church.
3. Run to grocery store for small list of needs.
4. Exercise
5. Start eating better, since I seem to be in a sugar & carb eating slump.
6. Clean my horribly messy closet.
7. Get more plants transferred in my garden.

Here is a list of what I have accomplished so far today.

1. Got kids out door to school.
2. Watched an hour of Spongebob with MD. (I know there are a lot of parents out there who do not approve of Spongebob, but I am a loyal fan, especially of the beginning episodes). This pic is from my favorite episode...Crabby patties are an absolute good! ... "good for your soul".)
3. Showered and dressed, but then didn't feel like exercising.
4. Had a huge piece of chocolate cake for breakfast.
5. Spent an hour and a half making these tissue flower balls for the girls' room. They were easy and turned out really cute!
6. Spent an hour reading blogs and email.

So much for my list.
1. Too late to start laundry, since it will just sit while I shuffle kids here and there after school.
2. Don't feel like running to church, so I'll put that on tonight's list for tomorrow.
3. Can hit grocery store in between lessons.
4. Exercise and eat better will have to go on tomorrow's list as well. Unless there is still cake left, then I might just have to put that off one more day.
5. I can clean up my closet tonight.
6. Too windy to garden today.

It's just one of those days, you know? I guess I'll just have to try harder tomorrow.

The "man of my dreams"

The man of my dreams? Well, let's just say, he was LITERALLY the man of my dreams last night. We were at the same party, and all the sudden I realized his little girl (does he even have one? I think he's 50?) was on fire! Her feet were ablaze, so being the quick thinker I am, I dashed right to the fire extinguisher, hosed her down and took care of her. The Florence Nightingale effect took place, and he asked me to marry him and bought us a mansion on the coast of Seattle. I was so happy, but mostly because I had a REALLY good reason that I didn't get the primary activity planned that I was in charge of. Thank you for saving me from myself Tom! (For those who don't know, primary is the organization for the children's program in our church - which I am currently in charge of). Yes, I had gone to bed going over all the calls I had to make the next day to get this activity off and running. Funny thing, the mind. Absolutely no idea how Tom Selleck happened to be a part of it all.

Anyway, update on tennis for you, here is the sweetest picture and poem Monkey C made for me after the tournament was over. I love it!! Read the poem, it is adorable.
I ended up getting to play doubles - yay! Either I pouted enough and it worked, or my coach decided he had better singles players. I had such a great time. I played in 3 matches, and won all of them. Our team took 2nd, and we are going on to play again in May. Absolutely loved playing, and Trev came and watched and cheered me on for a couple of them. He tried to take a few pictures of the last game, but as you can see I am a blur! That's me in the pink skirt, and my awesome partner, Cheryl in the cute tennis dress. She has 6 kids, and her oldest is getting married, isn't she just cute?
Okay, and lastly, I got called to jury duty AGAIN! Unbelievable. Despite the title of my blog, I am not a happy girl about this. I think this is year 4. I am getting so tired of it. Here we go with the weekly call-ins for the whole month of May. I am truly wondering how they pick people now. Random? I think not. Maybe I will have a new dream about Tom saving me from jury duty.

the crazed tennis player

What a full week. I guess what a full life, but I really can't complain about that, a full life is a good thing.
The week started out with a decision to change my hair...

Trev (as he views pictures on digital camera): This is a great shot of you!
Me: Thanks!
Trev: Who took this?
Me: I did.
Trev: You are so hot in this picture. :) Why did you take a picture of yourself?
Me: It's my "before" shot.
Trev: Before? Before what?
The words sink in, and he gives me that look.
Me: I'm getting my hair cut this week. Remember all the times I've asked you this week if you like my hair, if you think it would be good shorter, etc?
Trev: Yes, but...

So, needless to say, this conversation gave me doubts, but I made it to the appointment anyway. I have had the same hairstyle pretty much for the last 3-4 years.

I like it. It's nice to have a change, and much quicker to fix. I don't think Trev is sold on it, but I know he loves me anyway! :)


This coming weekend is my first tennis match in the USTA team tournament. I surprised myself with my emotional outburst during practice this week when my coach announced to me and everyone else that I would be playing singles. Ha ha. I am sort of laughing about it now, but at the time...let's just say I actually almost lost it and cried in front of everyone! Let me explain myself just a little. We have been practicing for months with team practices and late night practices with doubles strategies and playing. I have done pretty well with this, and have advanced nicely in my league play as well, winning most of my matches. I have finally gotten to a point where I can play doubles and not have to think of positioning and strategy so much, but just play it. And I LOVE it! I enjoy hitting a deep shot and then approaching the net and either volleying it with short play or putting it away with a powerful slam! Ha ha. ANYWAY, I have not played singles in a long time, and it's a whole different game. In my mind, not nearly as fun, and with tournament a week away, I realized my anticipation had changed to fear and disappointment. I guess this was pretty evident in my surprising pout that my coach actually sat down with me and gave me his pep talk and reasons why "Singles is my game!!" Hmmmm. Why can't it be my game after the tournament?
Okay, so I am psyching myself up for this thing now, and trying to rethink things positively. I'll let you know how it goes. I didn't know I could be such a dork about tennis competition.


Saturday, we threw a big surprise birthday bash for my Grandma Graesser. Or as Monkey D calls her Grandma Great Graesser. It was so fun to have a lot of my mom's family there. Isn't she a cutie? She has the best sense of humor and is always smiling and humming. Love you Grandma!


Saturday night was a wonderful way to wrap up the week. Trev and I played some doubles tennis with some good friends of ours right after the party. Then we came home, and since the weather was unbelievably summer-like, we roasted hotdogs, hamburgers and sausages in our backyard, and sat around our firepit. The kids jumped on the trampoline, laughing and playing while Trev and I sat by the fire and talked. MD joined us, and her sweet conversation was adorable. We were enjoying it thoroughly. After such an exhausting week, it was a nice change of pace. It was one of those times, when you feel so peaceful and thankful for all your blessings, and it seems too good to be true, you wish the moment could last. I guess sometimes we need those crazy weeks to make us appreciate the not so crazy moments, right?

Birthday card

Finally sharing some pictures from Easter time! MB with his tech project, MC turned 8, and cute with Cotton. My favorite pics in here are of MD working hard on her birthday card she made for MC, and then MC receiving it and giving her a great big hug. That look on MD's face is one of pure love!!

Exercise machine/Sweater rack

This ad was on Craig's list, Trev and I thought it was hilarious. At least somebody was honest!! :)


Weider CROSSBOW/Sweater rack, experiment gone bad, my loss your gain, used 3 times for exercise and many time to dry sweaters/bra's etc.. Will hold up to 10 sweaters or bras and doubles as exercise machine. $250.00 OBO

Stay-At-Where-Mom?

Stay-At-Home-Mom.
What do you envision when you hear this job title?
I have never had a problem listing this as my job, or answering yes to the question, "Do you stay-at-home?"
But lately, I feel I do have a slight problem with it. The problem, you ask? I'M NEVER HOME! At least it feels that way. It is true that when my kids were little, I remember not wanting to leave the house. Who wants to go grocery shopping with 3 little kids in tow? My first 2 children were only 16 months apart. I seem to recall a very tidy apartment that I almost never left, because I couldn't quite figure out how to manage taking 2 babies with me anywhere. Yes, I was a Stay-at-Home-Mom, definitely!
But now I think I could be called these things...
Stay-At-Ballet-Mom
Stay-At-Tennis-Mom
Stay-At-Piano-Mom
Stay-At-Grocery Store-Mom
Stay-At-Church-Mom
Stay-At-Scouts-Mom
Stay-In-Car-Mom
Run-Errands-Constantly-Mom
Plan-Activities for Primary-Mom
Technology Project-Mom
Food on the Table-Mom
Help with Homework-Mom
Host-Baby showers & Birthday Parties-Mom
Stay-In-The-Garden-Mom

I could keep going. The point is, I WISH I could be a Stay-At-HOME-Mom. This stage of my life has me pining for an easychair and crosswords book. Maybe just a moment or two to make my house "tidy" again. How I long to sit and read that magazine I just got in the mail. Don't get me wrong, it's all good. I try to go with the flow. But, home is definitely where my heart is. I just wish it was also where my body was!!

Spring is in the air!

This hot mama (not me, the cycle) is sitting in my garage. It doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Trev, my husband. It is spring. Let me tell you about spring. Yes, the flowers bloom, yes, the birds sing. You know what else sings? Motorcycle engines. Have you noticed them? The temps reach almost 60, and there is a new sound in the air. The hum, purr, roar, whatever you want to call it, of all the motorcycles emerging from their garages after being stored all winter.
And each spring as we see them race past, my husband gives me that look, and I do the eye roll or something like it. It's tradition.

So, let me tell you about our first date. This hot guy in a red t-shirt picks me up at my house. After intros to the fam, we drive to the ice-skating rink and he laces up my skates and whirls me around the rink. Then it is off to Batman at the theater...the attraction is mounting, we sit closer than most people who really don't know each other all that well. This date is going well. I really like this friendly, confident, cute 17 year old guy, he makes me laugh, and I am having the time of my life. Then we go to his house for more introductions to family. Then just when I think the date is over and it is time to return home, he pulls out a helmet. Wait, make that 2 helmets. I have never worn a helmet before. How much time did I spend on perfecting my permed hair before this date? The helmet feels good, and I get to wrap my arms around him for a while. So far, it's worth the squished perm. We are off, and ...it's exhilarating! Hot summer night, stars out, wind whipping by you, a new perspective and a thrill. When I get home and tell my mom this guy has a motorcycle, she quickly asks, voice a little panicked, "You didn't go for a ride, did you?" I answer just as quickly with hair flat as can be..."No, of course not!"
Since that fateful, wonderful day, my husband has owned many motorcycles. He goes in stages, buying and selling them. We haven't owned one for a couple of years, and that is why this spring started with "the look". Because it is time. It's been too long for him. I knew it as soon as we saw the first motorcycle of the season. It wasn't long after this that he started showing me pictures of the Suzuki M109R Boulevard on the computer. "What do you think of that?" "Hmmmm" was my reply. I watched and waited patiently and quietly as he made calls and visited the motorcycle shop. Then last weekend we went "for a drive" and somehow wound up there. Just to show me and see what I thought. You want to know what I thought?
Motorcycles are dangerous. You crash on one, chances are not so good it will turn out okay. How much time and money will be spent? Not so fond of too many hours away from the family. Those are my usual first thoughts. Then you want to know what I thought?
That is the sexiest motorcycle I have ever seen. If I were a guy and into motorcycles, that is the exact motorcycle I would buy. My husband has good taste!
And finally I thought... Where did I put my motorcycle jacket? Is it hanging in the closet? I'll need to get it out so we can go for a ride! And when exactly do I get to go on that ride?
Yep, spring is in the air. Can you hear it?

my nephews

My 2 awesome little nephews. Ty is the big brother, and Ezra is the little guy. We are so excited to have them in our family, and so excited that they live just down the street from us. Ezra was just born in January, and we all feel so blessed to have him in our lives. His parents waited a long time for this sweet little guy, and we are so happy for them.
We got to babysit a little while ago, and I sat there holding Ezra for an hour, just smelling the newborn smell, and thoroughly enjoying the snuggling.

My Huckleberry

Trev,
This morning as we snuggled in bed, with kids and dog jumping all over us, and the sunlight streaming through the windows, you said some of the sweetest words to me. I don't know if you were aware how much they meant to me, but I thought I should let you know that they meant the world.
Thanks for being my huckleberry.
I love you!

Nice buns

(Photo taken a few years ago)

Monkey C will be 8 years old next month. She started ballet when she was either 3 or 4, I can't quite remember. But since she started, I have had to put her hair in a bun. We keep her hair long enough so that she is always able to do the "ballet bun". I am not very good at it. I use way too many bobby pins, and it stays put, but never has that polished look to it. I've seen beautiful buns at the studio, and I have seen messy buns. MC's hair buns are in between.
A couple weeks ago, she was playing at a friends house, and the mother of this friend offered to get MC ready at their house, and take her to ballet when they were through playing. This worked out great. When I picked MC up, I noticed her bun was that beautiful polished bun I have always wanted to perfect!! So, when I took the bobby pins out that night, I was careful and paid attention to how this mom had done such a wonderful job. Hmmm. Her bun looked much better for the next lesson because I tried what I had seen, but still not polished!!! I think with the way MC is going in ballet, I have many more years of buns ahead of me. By the time she is 18 or so, maybe I will have it down!

Fun with Cotton

It started with one of the kids...Monkey C I think. She got on the floor and Trev threw Cotton's toy over her. He ran, and jumped over her to get his toy. So Monkdy B joined her. Pretty soon all the kids were lined up on the floor, and we were laughing at our little Pom hurdling all 4 of them to get his toy on the other side. Not once did he land on them.

I'm game.

I love Friday. I played tennis for 3 hours this morning.
I take tennis lessons on Friday mornings. Tuesdays I play league games, and I am happy if I can fit in a game with Trevor or a friend on a Monday or a Thursday during the week.
My first lesson is 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. We do lots of different things depending on what we need to improve on. This morning we worked on underspin backhands, and cross-court returns. Al is our coach, and he is a kick. Keeps us smiling and laughing. He's easy-going and told me today that he has never had dinner without a glass of wine. Then from 10:00-12:00 I practice for team play. Our team will play in USTA tournaments in April, May and August. I love this practice, because it's more intense, and we really get working. Rob is our coach, and he has a drier sense of humor, doesn't like a whole lot of chatter during practice, and has helped me improve my game immensely.
Ever have someone believe in you, and make you think you are pretty special and that you have great potential that you might not be aware of? Rob is like that. He doesn't overtly show it, but often gives me the silent nod of approval when I do something well. For all I know he does this to all the other players too, but it doesn't matter, it makes me want to keep trying harder, and do better with each stroke.
I played hard today, and went through my water bottle during the first practice. When I got home, I scarfed down some beef and rice. (I have looked it up, and during that 3 hours of doubles and singles play, I am burning around 900 calories). I put in Spongebob for MD, because she was tired and wanted to lay down and watch it. I thought of cleaning up the kitchen, but opted to pull up a blanket and rest beside her for a few minutes. That few minutes turned into a 1 hour nap. I guess I needed it.
It has happened on days like this, that Trev will come home from work and ask if I want to play tennis after dinner. I may be tired, a little sore, whatever.
But you know what? I'm game.

my color

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Blue

You're blue — the most soothing shade of the spectrum. The color of a clear summer sky or a deep, reflective ocean, blue has traditionally symbolized trust, solitude, and loyalty. Most likely a thoughtful person who values spending some time on your own, you'd rather connect deeply with a few people than have a bunch of slight acquaintances. Luckily, making close friends isn't that hard, since people are naturally attracted to you — they're soothed by your calming presence. Cool and collected, you rarely overreact. Instead, you think things through before coming to a decision. That level-headed, thoughtful approach to life is patently blue — and patently you!

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Change is a good thing!

My blog has a new look!
It's a new year, and I am all about fresh starts. Trevor has been coming home from work most days to rearranged furniture, different throw pillows, and my need for him to help me move pictures from one wall to another.

I decided to change from "Simply, Me." to "Happy Girl". I guess I decided that I don't always see my life as being simple. Not simple as in easy, but simple as in...measly. I am here in this big world, but I'm just a speck-simple. I think I used to see myself more that way. Kind of making a difference but in the background.
I guess that maybe I have felt some personal growth this year, and that always comes from amazing experiences, good and bad.

Maybe because of those experiences, I'm going to work on these goals. I'm...
1. Not holding back on "I love you". To anyone! Mom, Dad, siblings, friends, husband, kids, you name it. Everyone deserves to know they are loved, and is there really any reason for us to hold back?
2. Getting over being shy. This will always be a struggle. It's in the genes. But once you put yourself out there, amazing friends come into your life!
3. Knowing that I am good at more than just running the household. I made the goal to reconnect with tennis. I was scared to do it, but I can't tell you what a difference it has made in me. I am healthier, happier, more confident and just proud of myself.
4. Cherishing friends and loved ones even more. The more you live and experience the more you realize how precious life is. I CHERISH my loved ones and will try not to take them for granted.
5. Making time for sweet little moments. They are easy to miss. Especially with my children. They are growing FAST. I know that soon I will be trying desperately to grasp My oldest's fingers as she begins to let go.
6. Keeping that happy attitude. Sometimes it's so easy to get dragged down. To get caught up in all the drama and sadness of this world. But I will continue to try to smile, love and uplift as much as I can.

There are so many more thoughts and goals running through this head of mine. But I will share them with you here on my blog as they unfold throughout this new year.
Happy 2008!!
(blogging...notice MD asleep in my chair)