Ten on Tuesday

1.  Hello Tuesday..you are here again, already??  And it's the last day of November.  Seriously??  Wow.  Before you know it, we will be welcoming in 2011.  But. I. Can. Certainly. Wait.

2. After a wonderful Thanksgiving day and eating lots of yummy food and spending time with those we love and enjoying, laughing, sharing with others, at this time we are most thankful that Mom did supendedly with her knee replacement surgery and is recovering well in our home.  You go MOM....you rock!

3. Here is a layout of Tday 09...wow have things changed, in a few ways.

4. And now it's ok for the season to turn to winter, and we are looking forward to decorating the house in Christmas cheer.  I have a feeling that this is going to be one awesome holiday with the kids this year seeing that MC is all about writing a letter to Santa, wants to help me make and wrap gifts and is in awe of all the decorations that surround our neighbors homes.  And Rylan, he is loving all the lights and trees and points and grunts in excitement at each one we pass on foot or in the car.  So, very much fun!

5. I so need to do the kids layouts for 15months and 3 3/4 years...they are coming...soon!

6. On that note, do you think I can buy some free time.  Amazon, maybe??  Now that would be a nice gift! ;)

7. We are almost done with our shopping.  Well, not really,  but we know what we are getting everyone.  Doesn't that count??  :)

8.  These days Rylan and Makenna play together so nicely. At times, anyways (until MC decides she needs to demonstrate her alpha status).  Rylan worships the ground M walks on and does a lot of things his big sister does.  Like play hide and seek.  Like sit in "her chair", in "her spot", while watching a tv show (until M removes him).  Like clear his dishes after he is done eating.  Like so many things.  It's really too cute...

9.  I am saving my pennies for this new baby .  Time to upgrade as I think my skills are being limited by my sweet, and well used current camera .

10. I am looking forward to a no plans weekend and a traditional cookie bake weekend to come. I can't wait to take the kids to see Santa.  I would bet that MC will do fine and it will be Rylan's year to cry.  I am looking forward to crafting a few homemade gifts.  I anticipate the brightness of the Christmas lights in our home, especially in the evenings when that is all that lights up the room.   Basically, I am looking forward to this holiday season, and although I can't believe it is here, I fully embrace it's prescence.  Hello Christmas time....  xo, K

Ten on Tuesday..thankful edition

On this week of Thanksgiving, I thought I would honor the holiday with my gratitude for life.
There are so many things I am thankful for, from the mundane things that make life so great to the good fortune of great health and happiness.  Really, so many things..and here are just a few.

1. Of course mandating the top of the list is my beautiful family.  Without them, my life would not be the same nor as fulfilling, rewarding or exciting.  Scott, always making our family the priority, governing that with every decision he makes...really what better can one do as a father and husband.  Makenna Claire for making me a Mommy of the little girl I have always dreamed of mothering and little Rylan, balancing our family with all that little boy spunk, with equal amount of hugs, kisses and sheer delight.  I love each and every one of you with all my being and can't imagine my life without you!  Ever since I was a little girl I have fantasized what life would be like happily married, with my own little kids...and this life, right now, is more amazing than my dreams.  thank you!  xo

2. And I wouldn't be the person I am without my own Mommy.  Having two children of my own, with a very supportive partner, life can still be a struggle at times.  And to think my mom raised her children all on her own, without anyone to turn to for help with those middle of the night wake up calls or having someone to care for us when she just needed a break...is very awe inspiring to me.  I'm not sure I could of or can fulfill those mommy shoes as well as she did.  Thank you, mom, for raising me with such love, guidance and patience.  love you!

3. I am so thankful for the opportunity to spend every day with Makenna Claire and Rylan.  Raising the two of them and being their primary caretaker certainly comes with it's own battles, but more than anything, I feel like it is an honor .  They are both wonderful, beautiful children with such strong willingness to embrace life that I hope I am strong enough to guide them into the direction of their dreams, wherever that may take them. There is never a day that goes by that I am not thankful to be sharing my everyday with them.

4. I am very grateful that my kids have grandparents, a great grandma, aunts and a uncle that share in their lives.  MC and R love spending time with them and cherish each one of them individually.

5. So thankful for our loving, comforting home.  A place where we all come to retreat from the motions of life.  I am grateful that our home is just that..a home that is filled with love, positive energy and joy.

6. I am grateful for great friends.  I have never been one to need googles of friends, but rather have a few close ones that enrich my life in ways that they can only do.  They make the rough times better and the good times that much sweeter.

 7. Personally I am thankful for my two great hobbies which document this glorious life...photography and scrapbooking.  Photos allow time to stand still....allow us to relive moments that have gone by too quickly and remember all the great times, including those with the loved ones whom we have lost.  They serve as a great reminder that life isn't just about the big things, but more importantly about all the little things that make us who we are. (thanks project 365)

8.  Scrapbooking allows me to work with my treasured pictures and write the stories, documenting the memories.  I treasure each and every page and gain such great satisfaction with my work.  My heart swells to work with these pictures and preserve the stories.  Like this one..it brings me right back to those first days with Rylan.

9. I am grateful for my busy, loud, sometimes crazy, and always full of life and loads of energy days and my quiet, serene evenings and nights.

10. And so very thankful for what the future holds.  Just when I think life is good..life gets better and i wonder  how is that is even possible.?  However, I try to not question it and just enjoy the everyday and remember my fortune.  Happy Thanksgiving one and all.  I hope you share the holiday with your loved ones and that you have just as much to be thankful for.  Have a happy and safe holiday. xo,K

Ten on Tuesday...a day late!

1.  Ahh..I am having one of those weeks, months, where time is swiftly passing by, things are happening and regular everyday life, although still very much present, is a little different.  Yes, life has been a bit crazy but not really that upside down, but enough to disrupt any time I have for blogging.  ;(

2. After being struck with the monster flu on Monday, and yesterday still not a very good day, but at least I was able to care for my family, today I feel myself!  YEA for good health!  A great reminder that if you have good health, you have everything, because without it, life is just plain miserable.

3. And not only do I feel great today, Scott received the best news...no surgery for now!!  We couldn't be happier!!!  He will stay in the soft boot cast, only excercising his upper body and hopefully, the situation will resolve itself.  This news made our day!

4. Our baby is about to be 15 months old and MC, 3 3/4 years old. Later this week watch for follow up entries to find out what these two growing kids have been up to...

5.  Although Scott's actual birthday was a little poopy (no pun intended ;o), we did have a great time celebrating his birthday with our families on Saturday night.  A night of appetizer buffet and the game Catch Phrase turned out to be a hoot of a night.  Lots of laughs, and having fun with the english language and with words that make you giggle.  Love game nights and birthdays!! Happy Birthday Babe!

6. Scott and I are plugging away at our commitment to loose those inches despite all the festivities and the holidays.  In just two weeks, I am a third of the way to my goal and determined to stay on track.  Today I slipped on a pair of (very) old jeans and they fit perfectly.  Happy dance..

Getting There!

7. We are quickly approaching Thanksgiving next week and look forward to sharing the day with our family and friends who are family.  When I ask MC what she is most thankful for, she names all of the members of our family, individually.  I love that.

8. How about a little scrappy goodness.  A layout from one of Scott's athletic events this past spring..

9.  Saw this sign in a store window a while back.  Yep, I agree..they are a piece of heaven and I can easily eat the whole bag.  Easily.  But I guess that wouldn't get me to my goal, now would it??  :)

10. By far not the best photo, but this picture makes me smile, laugh, and grin all at the same time.  Life with these two is full of moments like this..and it makes this momma very complete.  

Bonus 11.  Scott and I have booked our anniversary trip to Portland in January.  So looking forward to spending a long weekend together!  This will be the first time we will be a flight away from our babies, but we know they will be well taken care of, for sure.  

Bye for now...K

Yep, it was a memorable birthday for sure

Before I get off the reservation, I first want to send out a big THANK YOU to all who wished me well today.  You sometimes forget how many people you touch or interact with until they reach out on a day like this, and all I can say is that I am overwhelmed and humbled by it.  Thanks to one and all.

My birthday weekend started when I finally got home from Houston, or, as they say in the movies, "When we last saw our intrepid hero..."

Saturday was a great day that started with the upset of #13 Iowa by my Northwestern Wildcats.  For the record, Iowa fans were insufferable, loud, annoying, boastful, cock-sure and pretty damn douche-baggy.  At least, the ones surrounding us were.  Glad to send them on that long drive back west on 80 or 88 with something to stew on.

The Cats close out the "home" season on Saturday at Wrigley Field against Illinois for $50, $100 or $150 a seat which was NOT included in my season ticket package this year.  The Big Ten has a rule that everybody needs a ticket, and there's nothing that makes me feel better than spending $36 on Rylan who won't remember much other than running on the concourse, clapping to the band or munching on a pretzel that would elsewise be laughed out of any other food establishment were it not for a stadium.

Saturday night, the family came over and we nibbled our way through food tapas-style and got around to playing Catch Phrase.  Wow, what a fun game.  Unbeknownst to me, I was in a show in high school that was somehow related to famous penis-collector Lorena Bobbitt, but I really wasn't.  The backstory to that is better told in person.

On Sunday, Kelly and Makenna went down with some friends and Nana to see The Lion King, currently traveling through town.  For three and a half, the kid gets the plot devices and stuff remarkably well.  She never ceases to amaze me.  Made turkey burgers for dinner and called it an evening early.  Kelly was dragging butt, the kids were tired and so I was after two short nights.

And so began my actual birthday day, somewhere around 1:50 with the first Rylan wake-up call.  There were three more before the sun came up, all of which required copious rocking.  I took the first and third, Kelly the second.  I took the third because by then, poor Kelly was in the bathroom with a flu that heard the offer "two exits, no waiting," and availed itself of the opportunity.  She's been laid flat all day.

So first thing this morning, I had an appointment with the DuPage Medical Group in Glen Ellyn.  We were going to make a day of it today with the appointment, then breakfast at Honey and then just a day as a family.  When last night's events took her out of commission, my dad was kind enough to meet me at the Glen Ellyn Clinic and watch the kids while the bad news was delivered:

"Displaced fifth metatarsal base fracture."  Also called an "avulsion fracture".  The piece sticking out halfway down the right side of my foot is what's causing the problem.  I'm in a lovely black boot at the moment.

Two weeks ago, while on the last block doing GOTV activities, I stepped off a front porch wrong.  Mind you, this was AFTER I went back to remove the door hangars from somebody who pulled into their driveway to tell me that they had voted already.  Should've just left the damn thing...but it's water under the bridge.

The opinion was surgery with a pin, four to six weeks in a cast and then rehab.  I'm seeking a second opinion, but it looks like surgery is the only choice and it'll be bright and early next week, if possible.  Take advantage of the Thanksgiving week to do it, get ambulatory and be of some use to humanity and the world in general the week afterwards.

So I got to see two doctors, find out I need surgery, have my bride laid up flat all day (thankfully, she's getting better with rest and a couple of jumbo glasses of Vitalyte) and really have as unbirthday a birthday as you can get.  In fact, if nobody minds, I'd like to take a Mulligan, redemption date TBD and try this thing again.

Admittedly, I think it's been the better part of a decade since I had one this bad.  I guess one a decade ain't bad, but 10% still seems like a high percentage of "average number of bad birthdays."  Gonna work on that for the future...

But the evening ended on an awesome note, enjoying one of my favorite birthday presents I get every year.  There's no cookie better than mom's homemade chocolate chips.  Thanks, mom.  And yes, I finished them both.

Houston? Come in, Houston?

EDITORS NOTE:  This is the second time around.  It hung, and while I copied and pasted to preserve the text, the HTML links died and I'm not inclined to go back and refresh them.  Too bad, so sad.

_______

Scene: Peet's Coffee and Tea, William Hobby Airport, Houston TX
Time: After I was supposed to be on my way home after a Friday meeting for work
Mood: Salmon from Pappadeaux, some peppermint bark and a double espresso in my system.

Pacified. For now.

Kelly's pretty much dominated the space here (and does so with far greater talent than I ever could) and the quiet just gave me a chance to get a few things off my chest and mind that have been stewing for a while.

I've got the best wife and kids. Anywhere. Ever. Sure, you may think your spouse and/or significant other and/or birth or adopted offspring are the best. And out of the kindness of my heart, I'll leave your opinion alone and let you have it. But know that mine rock the rockiest. (Raspberry sound). Next.
Why is when I travel to Texas that I can't ever get the hell out of here on time? When I was last in Dallas, it was an ice storm that held me up for TWO DAYS while I suffered in a Ft. Worth hotel with Kelly ready-to-pop pregnant with Makenna. And it was made worse being trapped in a hotel with a cheerleading convention. Although I developed an intimate and torrid love affair with the linzer cookies at La Madeleine while stuck there, and it's about the only way I'll eat jam (shoved between two shortbread-style cookies, the top one of which has a hole cut in the middle).

I was really disappointed with how the election turned out. But the Democrats were really asking for it. Without graphing my tendencies, I've got a decent grip on right and wrong and denying civil liberties is bad, imprisoning without just cause is bad, anybody who wants to should be allowed to serve in the military openly and freely and health insurance shouldn't be so insanely expensive and we should help those less fortunate and without it, either because of loss of employment or inability to secure it. Capitulation is not bipartisanship and doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome is called insanity.

Add to the election disappointment, I was doing GOTV and on the LAST BLOCK stepped off a stoop wrong and turned my foot. At home that night it swelled up like a balloon and almost two weeks out from it, I'm not back to 100% yet. Monday I've got an appointment scheduled to get it looked at by an orthopaedic doctor.

It's been simultaneously a phenomenal and challenging year. Makenna and Rylan continue to get older (the advancement of time does that to all of us) and grow more fun and interactive. While I miss them terribly while at work or traveling, services like Skype and FaceTime (when the technology works), have been really great to let them see me and vice versa. Nowhere near the same as being there, but at least it's something. Work has just been crazy because of the economy and the capacity of some of our key business partners. The early part of the year (and continuing through the year) has been spent staying awake insanely late to transact business with my partners in Asia because we've had to micromanage lots of parts of things to keep our customers happy and their business fluid. Added a direct report at the end of May who needed to get up to speed and launch us in the social media space, and it's been a near-endless "to do" list.

This was a non-competition year. Thought it was going to when I threw down for a few races at midnight on January 1st, but it didn't happen. Bailey passed away in May, I screwed up my back at the end of April, WORK...they've all conspired against me, I'm telling you. But I knew that I had to get back to it because when I went to button a shirt that I had made in Bangkok in January, it wouldn't. Stuff happens gradually, but when it's staring you in the face, it makes for stark choices. So I chose to go the other direction and it feels great to be back at it. Twenty pounds put on with lots of bad food and late food, and it comes off the same way it went on, an ounce at a time. It's just a matter of going back to the good habits that were successful the last time around.

I've become an insanely proficient barista at home. Add some syrups from Monin and Torani, Black Cat espresso from Intelligentsia and I've been turning out Pumpkin Spice lattes, Pumpkin Spice Vanilla lattes...the works. Turn past Thanksgiving and the peppermint syrup and crushed candy canes are ready to roll.

I've found a new television show and I think it just really speaks to my inner geek. Anybody out there regularly watching The Big Bang Theory? Funny and cerebral full of all the stuff I was raised with in my formative years. The fact that the characters are snarky, bright and by-and-large unapologetic for being that way strikes a chord for me as well...wonder how that happens?

On a final note, I've got to give big props to Apple for something that happened this week. I'm a stockholder (who has seen my investment jump $100/share since I got in last summer...makes my IRA happy) and somebody who is "all in" with the brand. MacBook, iPad, two (not one, but TWO) Apple TV's (and they're fabulous, will talk about them more at a later date) and an iMac at the house.

Well, the home iMac (hereafter referred to as "Kelly's computer") had been acting up and slowing down and needing frequent reboots. Two kernel panics in three days led me to make an appointment to get it into the Genius Bar at the Apple Store in Naperville. After five days of really keystone cop activity trying to get it fixed and back to us, I went in personally to address the matter. Based on the problems I'd had, plus past issues with some other hardware, they extended the offer to me to fix the one they had in their care, or to just give us a new machine.

And we selected the latter. We got a faster machine with better graphics power, faster hard drive and they threw in equivalent Apple memory to the third party stuff I had bought (I went third party because it was about 30% the cost of AAPL's). All in, probably about $3K worth of stuff replacing what we bought. That's a solid by them, and we're very happy with how it turned out.

Don't even get me STARTED on Comcast...

I think it's about time to wrap this up. It's 7:10 and my 6:15 flight which was moved to 8:05 is now leaving earl(ier) at 8:00. Still almost two hours late getting home to everybody...ugh. And on a Friday night, can there really be anything better than being miserable in an airport? Although looking around, it appears I've got quite a bit of company tonight...

Ten on Tuesday...

 {A bunch of Randomness}

1. Whew..all done with Halloween festivities.  After 2 weeks and at least a half dozen events, the costumes have been retired.  Jessie and the Giraffe certainly had a work out and we all had a ton of fun.

2. Makenna Claire thoroughly enjoyed all the parties, games and trick or treats.  When she had the choice, she certainly always chose a dum dum sucker so now we have a huge collection..want some? We have plenty to share!
 She also thought it was pretty funny to sing THE traditional halloween song, although thankfully she had very good etiquette while T &T'ing.  Oh, you know it..."trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat..and if you can't, I will pull down your underwear."  Yep, you knew it.  Nice, right?  Kids..

3. When T&T'ing,  One must always look inside the side door glass panels to see if anybody is home.  Well, if you are a three year old anyways.

4. If you don't have any of these yet for your home, I will assure you that they are awesome!  They work wonderfully and is so much stronger than even a great Yankee candle.

5. Rylan thinks it's the funniest game to gather the dirt in my plants and throw it on the floor.
"Rylan!",  I say and he giggles in delight.  Hence the baracade of chairs around the plant...However, this afternoon I caught MC teaching R how to go through the chairs and telling him it's just a "fun obstacle course."  Seriously??

6. Speaking of MC, we have had two weeks where M thinks our home is her art canvas.  Last week it was chalk-drawn on the carpet and on the walls.  Today..colored pencils..on the carpet, on the walls, on their height charts.  Very artistically done, but oh. my. goodness.  So, this afternoon she couldn't play in her playroom.  At. All.  I'm sure it was more painful for me than for her, but I am hoping it will show her she needs to care for her things, otherwise she won't have them.  We'll see. It'll definitely be a while before those writing tools will be returned to the playroom.  (Thankfully it all came out with a decent scrub..phew..I thought I saw a painting job ahead of me!)

7. Rylan is back to sleeping throughout the night.  Three cheers for him!!  And for Mommy and Daddy!

8. Back to Halloween..Makenna didn't ask for one piece of candy  yesterday or today.  Not ONE!  She had her share on Halloween, for sure, but I am a bit surprised she didn't think to have some of her loot.  I guess I'll just retire the candy to high up in the cabinet for a rainy day.  To her Halloween is certainly just about all the fun celebrations..I hope it's always this way!! ;)

9. I have yet to have one piece of candy myself.  Yippee!  Not that I won't indulge myself at some point, but not this week!  Not having my regular workouts(since Ry doesn't like the gym child care center at the moment) and my weight loss at a stand still, it's time to kick this booty back in gear.  Just another 15 pounds and I will be happy..doesn't seem like much, yet I have been stagnant here too long.  I committed to myself, Scott and now all of you..15 pounds in three months.  Check back with me in January!

10. I have spent A LOT of time working on my 365 project over the last month. It certainly is a time consuming project but I sooo very much love this book!  I love that I can look through it and see snip its of our daily lives, remembering the little things and concentrating on tiny moments which make our lives so plentiful, happy and full.  If you ever thought about undertaking this project, I wouldn't hesitate any longer.  It certainly has become my favorite scrapbook for sure!

Most of October entries are complete and can be seen in the flicker photostream.  I can never seem to catch up, which is ok...I just look through this book and smile.  :)  Happy. Happy. Happy.

I have so much to be thankful for and the beginning of November is a good time to say just that.
Happy week everyone. xo, K

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault


While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” – Angela Schwindt.