This is my life....

Somedays I think it's too much. Like today. Leave for soccer at 7:45, at a game until 10:30, home to get ready for Ruby's birthday party in Orting, leave 11:15. Leave party at 1:15. JH's soccer game at 2:15. Leave game at 3:30. Pick up food, at padres by 4:30 for a visit. Back on the road, home around 6:30.

This is a typical Saturday, or Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or any other day of the week. Not usually Sunday though.

It's dark, I'm tired.

And time is flying by. I feel like it's on fast forward and I can't keep up or at least get ahead. My days are planned with work or kids. That's my life. I need to figure out how I might fit in an exercise program, or for healthy eating at home, instead of on the run. I know, so many excuses.

I suffer less when I accept that this is my life. And I like my life. I think I need to work on being more present. Otherwise it will zoom by without me.

Fall is here...

Fall is definately here now. I love it. My most favorite time of year. But oh how time is flying. It doesn't matter how much I love the weekends, the weeks go too fast. Only 2 games today. Sofia won, JH lost (the only loss this season). We went to the padres post games, we had dinner and looked through pictures, old pictures. I hope to post some soon.

One month into the school year. Lilia is liking it, but somedays thinks maybe she does not want to go, but she always does. JH likes his new teacher Mrs. Norton. He is still struggling with reading, something I need to continue to work on here at home. A&S are managing their schedules so far. Sofia got moved up to 8th grade math. She likes it, but it is hard. We did homework together the other night for nearly an hour before we figured out the "method" her teacher wanted her to use. It took a while, but she finally got it.

Work is crazy busy, crazy busy, so busy. It's hard to come home and turn it "off". I think about it way too much. I look forward to a calm, which may never happen. Rhea's here tonight. I LOVE my nieces and nephews over. We watched the Hannah Montana movie. Everyone fell asleep and I watched it until the end. I cried. I normally don't like Miley Cyrus, but I liked the movie.

Well off to bed. Tomorrow will be filled with laundry and maybe a sneak of scrapbooking.

Fall is here...

Fall is definately here now. I love it. My most favorite time of year. But oh how time is flying. It doesn't matter how much I love the weekends, the weeks go too fast. Only 2 games today. Sofia won, JH lost (the only loss this season). We went to the padres post games, we had dinner and looked through pictures, old pictures. I hope to post some soon.

One month into the school year. Lilia is liking it, but somedays thinks maybe she does not want to go, but she always does. JH likes his new teacher Mrs. Norton. He is still struggling with reading, something I need to continue to work on here at home. A&S are managing their schedules so far. Sofia got moved up to 8th grade math. She likes it, but it is hard. We did homework together the other night for nearly an hour before we figured out the "method" her teacher wanted her to use. It took a while, but she finally got it. Work is crazy busy, crazy busy, so busy. It's hard to come home and turn it "off". I think about it way too much. I look forward to a calm, which may never happen.

Rhea's here tonight. I LOVE my nieces and nephews over. We watched the Hannah Montana movie. Everyone fell asleep and I watched it until the end. I cried. I normally don't like Miley Cyrus, but I liked the movie.

Well off to bed. Tomorrow will be filled with laundry and maybe a sneak of scrapbooking.

Papa

We celebrated Papa's 76th birthday yesterday. His actual birthday is not until tomorrow -- 9/21! Can you believe it, he's going to be 76.

My dad is an amazing man. I get teary when I think how much I love him.

He is so giving.

He is generous.

He has a warm heart.

He loves the conversation.

He is social.

He is patient.

He loves his family.

He is proud of his family.

He is a humble man.

He is a great grandpa.

He will help you out whenever you need it, at the drop of a hat. He'll run errands, pick up kids and give you his opinion. Yeah, yeah, it may rub some the wrong way, but that's my dad. I love him for who he is and who he isn't.

I don't like to think of life without him. But we do talk about it comfortably. Talk about the years to come. How he wants to be buried. What he wants for those he has left. How he wants to be taken care of. It may be morbid. But as I tell him, I want HIM to plan it out. Us kids don't need that stress.

The reality is, my dad is in okay health. He complains of this and that. His dad lived past 90. That's the plan I have for him. Like it or not.

Love you dad.

Bittersweet

Another summer has gone by, can you believe it. The kids start school in just 2 days. Sofia and Alex start middle school at Illahee. Alex isn't worried, so it seems. Sofia is a bit anxious. We've itemized her schedule in detail and added a campus map. It's laminated and ready for her back pocket.

We will have to be out the door at 7:10 am, school starts at 7:20 am, that may be rough considering they have been sleeping in to nearly 10 am most days.

JH will have a new teacher this year. Mrs. Norton. She happens to be the same teacher he had for summer school. I think it will be a nice fit, although he already said he wants his old teacher back. I hope for a successful year.

Lilia will be in prekindergarten. She will have Mrs. Arrata. I like her. She is excited some, but also admits she does not want to go. I think Mrs. A will warm her up. We're working on the 1st day of school outfit.

It will be nice to have a routine back. Bed at a certain time. Up at a specific time. Homework, packed lunches. But add to that soccer 2 times a week x 2. Boyscouts. Weekend games. Remind me in December why I like routine.

I will miss the heat, flip flops, no nylons, late nights, late mornings, camping and spontaneous adventures.

Another "to do" down

I will be starting my 4th week of vacation.

I can't believe I've been out of the office for 3 weeks -- well I popped in a few times -- but really off now for 3 weeks. Seems crazy.

All the things I thought I'd do while off....well haven't really been done. I did straighten my closet, but I was really supposed to "clean it" out. It sucks. Have I been that lazy?

One of the things I wanted to dip my time into is scrapbooking. Well, today was the day.

I got up at an okay hour ... got Sofia ready for a birthday party. I helped her make the card, which inspired me to start. I got her off at 2pm and then I started fiddling. The first page I made was one of Lilia at the ocean. It was spring 2007, so she was nearly 2 years old. She had a ladybug on her hand. She was fascinated.

I made a total of 5 pages. I'll share one here and then off to bed.

Tomorrow will be filled with a day at Dash Point with the kids and No Doubt in the evening. It should be good!

What next?

So I'm supposed to be off for the next 3 weeks or so. But, day 1 at home, and I don't really know what to do with myself.

I've finished laundry. I've unpacked from the lake. What's next. I had hoped to be out and about during my time off, but JH's summer school combined with Sofia's soccer is keeping me somewhat homebound.

There are things I can do .... weed through closets. Clean my closet. {scary} Organize paperwork. Scrapbook. Clean, clean and clean. Or do some WEA work. I kind of miss work already. I think I miss the chattin' with B and the routine. A week of staying up until wee hours and sleeping in until 10am has got my schedule in a funk. I've felt hungover the last few days with insomnia. So, work and routine is a good thing.

So I'm going to go to bed shortly. So I can wake up pleasantly. I want to fit exercise into my routine. I need to make some more definite "to do" lists. September will be here in no time. Then the cycle begins, again.