Happy Valentine's Day!

A special Valentine’s Day edition because, ohhhh, I love Valentine’s Day! I curled my hair, put on a skirt, pulled out the pink heart necklace my mom made for me…I didn’t do Valentine cards this year… the disappointment. I didn’t see any at the store that I liked…that’s not true- there was a great Bieber pack- but I didn’t get them. And then I was going to bake some kind of special treat to bring in to the office…but was distracted by The Voice last night on TV. So no valentines and no treats…boo. I did find a darling card with a frog on it that opened up to tell Brian what a special guy he is…I’m pretty sure it was meant for an 8-yr old to get from his grandparents…but I got him some new glow in the dark darts for his nerf gun…so I’m pretty sure it was appropriate.

Last night The Head and the Heart was on How I Met Your Mother! Not the actual band, but their song…so cool! Brian recognized it after about two strums. It wasn’t my favorite HIMYM- though usually the specials- this being a valentines episode- aren’t, I mean, even the return of Slutty Pumpkin wasn’t great. But, so cool to hear Rivers and Roads start playing…yay for them. 

And in other wonderful love related news…Governor Gregoire signed the equal marriage law for Washington! I am so proud of our state for doing the right thing and caring about equal rights. As of now, the law goes into effect June 7^th, though I think it will likely make its way to the November ballot…so there is still a bit of a journey. I know everyone has their particular issues that are important to them, and this one is definitely a huge one for me. I was surprised at the emotion I felt when it was signed…one of my co-workers said ‘To think that my kids will not ever know anything other than we are all the same’…still a long way to go, but important things take time. So great!

Have a fantastic day…lots and lots of love!

basketball and pancakes

Oh my, longest week ever. I have been thinking ‘tomorrow’ is Friday for two days now. But, finally, tomorrow really is Friday. I have a basketball game tonight, but mostly I am looking forward to getting laundry done this evening. It is so overdue…and my room/bathroom are such disasters. The thing that is nice about having to spend time doing laundry, is there is all this down time in between loads…great for reading and not feeling guilty about not doing something else…because I actually AM being productive.

Last weekend Brian and I met up with his parents for a high school basketball game. Brian’s old high school is having a great season and it was their last game of the regular season AND they were playing an undefeated Mountlake Terrace. What a fantastic game!! It was so fun to watch. I don’t think there was ever more than a 4 point differentiation…it was just back and forth and back and forth…and then Shorewood came up with the upset! There was the school band playing the same high school basketball band songs, and the students in head to toe school colors. Sitting in the parent section reminded me of the years and years Mom and I went to the Federal Way Eagles boys games (my stepdad was the asst coach)…I idolized those guys…it was like they were in the NBA for me (and some of them actually did end up there). When I got to talk to them at practice, I was in awe. Makes me laugh to think about that they were just high school kids, but like celebrities to 8 yr old me.

Speaking of basketball and my nostalgia…could it actually be possible that Seattle will be getting an NBA team again? As early as next season?! Ohhhh, boy do I hope so! How I have missed the Sonics these past few years. I guess there have been some serious talks about building a new arena that will host the Sonics and an NHL team. I was listening to some news on the radio about it and how Gary Payton is doing his best to make it happen, etc, etc…so that his number can be retired here…always comes back to Gary.

In more basketball news…my team played the best team in our league earlier this week…and we were AWESOME. I think we ended up losing by a basket…my girls weren’t intimidated in the least…they were defensive monsters and rebounding fools. I just love watching them play…they are so aggressive.

Last weekend I helped out at the Jr Storm clinic the Boys & Girls Club held…I was in charge of the Rebounding station. There were SO many kids…they were expecting 50, and there ended up being over 80…which is great…but it sure was loud! I was definitely losing my voice in the 30 minutes the kids were rotating through my station.

The running plan hasn’t been so good this week…and the weather has been ideal for running…but, as previously mentioned, this week has just been going on and on and on and by the end of the day Brian and I just can’t find the motivation to put on the running shoes and get outside. We did manage to go for a quick run on Saturday…to Red Mill for burgers. Which cancelled the run out…but hey, a short run before a burger is better than no run before a burger, right?

Ohhh, quick side note…We started the 3^rd season of West Wing and guess who is on for a couple of episodes? Connie Britton…aka Tami Taylor…aka Mrs. Coach…from Friday Night Lights. That was exciting to discover. I love when my favorite characters in one favorite show appear in another favorite show.

Last night was movie night, and in honor of February- the love month- we watched Romeo and Juliet…the ‘97 version with Leo and Claire. I hadn’t seen that since high school, I think…and the soundtrack totally brought back memories…I loved that soundtrack and listened to it all the time. I made heart shaped pancakes (see pic), but the inspiration came from this…my version wasn’t quite as impressive…but still cute and pretty easy. I just used a frosting decorator tool that I got for Christmas from Target. Since there isn’t much batter in each pancake they cook super fast, so I kept the stove temp really low, like a 3…and then they were ready to be flipped in less than 30 seconds. Brian made his specialty- home made whipped cream. Cut up some strawberries, some chocolate syrup….mmmm.

I read an article yesterday about the top five things people regret as they are dying (a nurse starting keeping track of the conversations she had with dying patients)…interesting and always a good reminder.

1.      I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. I love this one, and try so hard to make sure I think about this with every decision I make. I think so many people get caught up in what they are supposed to be doing…keeping to some kind of ‘timeline’, how their kids are supposed to act, the amount of money they should be making, what their family looks like to others, etc…rather than just doing what works for them.

2.      I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

3.      I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4.      I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5.      I wish that I had let myself be happier. It is a choice.

Okay, I know…this has gotten very long. Hope your week was a little faster than mine…have a great weekend.

sweethearts and kisses

Oh my…January is gone and February has started! Can you believe it? I have a challenge going to really try and take the bus to/from work every day in the month of February (rather than being lazy and driving…and paying a fortune to park)…and I failed today. Day 1- FAIL. Drove. But Day 2- I feel good about Day 2.

 

I like February. As a kid, it made me feel smart because I knew about the hidden ‘R’ in the spelling. Plus, it’s a short month so it helps the winter move along…and it is the only month that sometimes has an extra day- like it does this year…that is pretty cool! And then, of course, Valentine’s Day. While I think it is a little bit silly in a romantic kind of way, I LOVE it in a friendship kind of way. I still buy valentines at the store and give them to my co-workers…usually with a pink candy kiss taped to the front…or maybe a special bookmark or sticker that comes with the pack. My mom still gives me a Valentine’s gift (well, the Valentine’s Day Elephant does)…which used to be something like a new pink shirt (one year in elementary school I got this outfit…red plaid leggings, a white shirt, and the same red plaid tie…ohhh, I LOVED that outfit…a tie! So cool.), and the gifts now usually include a bottle of wine or a new book, which is perfect, but in the back of my mind, I still always hope for another rad tie outfit…

 

Oh my gosh…I am only three months out now from my Disney World 30^th birthday trip! When I first decided on the plan, it seemed so far away, and now three months seems like hardly any time at all! I have tentative dates (depending on flight prices) of May 2-11. The Expedition Everest Challenge is May 5^th, which is kind of the center of the trip. In addition to the race, and Disney (duh), I’m suuuuper excited to go to Universal and see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter…can’t believe I haven’t been yet! Also pumped to visit with friends and meet a new little guy (soon to be born). Still have to work out the schedule…and which hotel to stay in! When we go in May, it will have been 2 years since my previous visit…can you imagine! Prior to that, it would have been weird for me to go longer than 8 months without a visit. My excitement can’t be contained.

 

Speaking of excitement not to be contained…I’m going to San Fran at the end of the month to celebrate another 30^th birthday. And I just got an email that involved plans of group dinners, wine tastings, and promises of lots of girl time! Somehow this trip seems harder to wait for than Disney (which, while getting closer, is still a good ways away).

 

My 4^th/5^th grade girls basketball team has had our first two games…still just REALLY enjoying coaching and working with the girls. They work so hard out on the court…rebounds and steals left and right…they go after every loose ball, and usually come up with it. The shooting could use some work. I think this season is going to go by really quickly, and then basketball is over for the year…wah wah wah.

 

This past weekend I went over to Whidbey Island to cabin lead at a high school camp…oh how I miss going to summer camps. And Friends Inc camp! This camp definitely reminded me of Friends Inc camp…too bad my mom doesn’t get to lead that anymore…those were always super fun weekends. I played some basketball with some of the kids and it was SO fun. I have loved coaching the little girls, but I do miss playing. We were playing 2 on 2 (and sometimes 2 on 3 or 2 on 4, depending on who came out to the court) full (smaller sized) court, so there was a lot of running back and forth and jumping and defending…ohhh, my knee was killing me after! I had to ice it the rest of the night. Initially I blamed it on being old…that I am just going to have to deal with these things…but really, I think it’s because I haven’t been playing…my knees aren’t in basketball shape. I need to do something about that. Oh, I also climbed the climbing wall at camp…I used to have a super strong upper body (did the bars in gymnastics…and o-so many pushups), so loooved climbing stuff…but was nervous about the wall because it had been a LONG time since I had tried. I didn’t go all the way to the top…pretty sure I could have, but my hands were freezing and hurt, so I stopped…but it was exciting!

 

Ohhh, and Brian and I have started running on a sort of regular basis (as in, we run each week…we are building up). We plan to dominate the Expedition Everest Challenge in May, so have started our training now. Brian hasn’t ever been a ‘runner’…like, he plays sports for fun and runs around in games, but not just a runner for the sake of running. Meanwhile I was a pretty serious runner for a little while there, and have tapered off a lot in the past year…so it drives me crazy that he is getting in running shape faster than I am. Stupid boys. Ugh. Only a little bit jealous and upset about that…mostly I’m just so happy we are running…I feel so much better about life when I’m running (not during the actual run…mostly when I’m done with the run).

 

Hope your February is full of candy hearts and Toy Story bookmarkers.