#*&% Weather!!

I think I could easily title more than half of my posts over the last few months as "Rain, Rain Go Away". Here we are again today, with outside activities planned for the afternoon and it is raining -- huh, well imagine that. I know the weather has been crazy all over the US, with temps in the 100s in Seattle and one of the coolest, rainiest summers in New York, so we're not the only ones lamenting (or b*itching) about the weather, but geez!! We were supposed to go with Paige and her friend Taylor, who is visiting from Texas, to the lake today, and I don't know that it will happen now.

And Jace's baseball game was rained out on Tuesday night, so postponed 'til tonight, and now it looks like it will be rained out again. If so then I will be missing his last two games, (possibly the World Series of their league, if they win this next game) because we will be in Boston.

Just venting a bit; oh well, I guess we will just have to figure something else out with Paige and her friend (as Dave calls him- "Paige, how is your friend doing?" She and I kind of laughed about that; she is still his little girl, but he is really trying to do better with her dating!) if the rain doesn't go away. And then tonight it is last minute packing and prep for our trip that starts tomorrow...woo hoo!

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Or, really, hair in really crappy looking layers until last Friday, and now it is cropped and as short as I've had it in years:



I'm liking it - the only thing I told the hairdresser (my new one, Shelly) is that I wanted to be able to pull it back in a ponytail, even a really, really short one was fine. So I can do that, and I'm rid of the layers-- it's a win-win.

I knew it was time to lose the layers when I fixed it last weekend in St. Louis, and kind of flipped up the layers on the ends, since there were SO many layers.

The husband said, "you've kinda got that Florence Henderson flip goin' on" -- what?? Hello? He backpedaled, saying that he always thought she was the hot mom when he was young, but it didn't fix things. I don't care if she was cute back in the 70s, no woman wants to be told she's got hair like the mom in the Brady Bunch!!

He was much smarter with this new cut, and kept it simple, saying I looked beautiful and he likes my hair any way that I want to wear it. Good answer, honey.

We're getting ready for our trip to Boston, and the week will be filled with laundry, packing, Jace's last two baseball games, the gym, getting the dog/house sitter set up, and all the last minute things. Whew! Happy Monday!

Whew, I Made It

A little tongue in cheek humor there for my sibs, who learned via my blog that I was having minor surgery on Tuesday. Rob, (the first blogger in the fam, although, hello, Rob -- no post for the past month, what's up with that!?) checked out my blog Monday night and emailed the siblings on Tuesday about my surgery, and I did get a little grief from a couple sibs who read Rob's email (well, really only one, the one who doesn't keep up with the blog... uh, you know who you are, S___n). :)

I just didn't want to make a big deal out of it... you know, the whole thought process that if you DON'T make a big deal out of it then it isn't a big deal, and then nothing bad will happen! And nothing did - the surgery went fine, I had lots of TLC from the hubby and Jace, and I headed back to work today. They removed a lot of tissue/cysts, and it may come back again, we'll just have to see. The bummer for me is that I can't go swimming for a month, until my follow-up visit, to give my insides a chance to heal. Dang, if I had known that I might've put the surgery off for another month, knowing that we have some lake time left and a vacation planned to Boston, where Dave's family lives, and they have a gorgeous inground pool.

I'm also off the exercise wagon for a few days until I'm feeling like getting back on the elliptical again, so have been trying to at least eat semi-healthy while I'm vegging out on the sofa. Better enjoy the time off while I can!

Two Years

Two years ago yesterday we said "I do" on the beach in Jamaica, and while it was romantic and beautiful ceremony, I am so glad we are celebrating two years today in a totally different emotional place. When we met and dated, and even when we married, our focus was on the fun times, because we are both social, fun people. But then we woke up to reality, and for a time we went our separate ways, and actually almost divorced.

I know he feels the same way, that we couldn't have grown and matured in our relationship to where we are now without hitting that rock bottom place first, and both coming to the realization of how hard love can be but that we loved each other and wanted this to work. It has taken work, a lot of couples counseling to help us both realize our personalities and our coping mechanisms, and how we both tend to push people away and stop communicating when things get rough. But it has helped us to understand ourselves and each other so much more, and we know and trust each other that we want to be here for the fun times, but also for the tough times, too.

Happy 2nd anniversary to my best friend, my husband. I love you.

Big Fun at Busch Stadium (and beyond!)

Back to the work week (it is a short one for me, but more on that in a bit) after an awesome road trip to see the Cards play Friday and Saturday night at Busch stadium. So, how were the games, you ask? Who won? Well, I CAN tell you that (and also that Pujols was amazing on Friday night) but I have to say that I'm not the kind of fan who spends every minute of the game glued to the plays, keeping track of the who, what and when-- it just isn't the case, as much as I'd like to say it is.

Especially this weekend, since we were there with friends both nights and it was a great time to just hang out and catch up, and keep one eye on the game in the meantime. I've never professed to be a sports fan, and most of the time I would rather have a sharp stick in the eye than watch sports (except when it is Jace, or Neil, of course) but I DO like baseball and the Cardinals.

We met friends Dave's college roomie Scott and his wife Robyn (the "Fo-schwangs", as Dave calls them, a long-standing nickname of their last name) on Friday night, and sat in some primo seats out underneath the scoreboard. The kicker was all the food and beer you could enjoy, and we got a great deal on the tickets!

Nice seats, huh!? We headed to Paddy O's after the game, and met Springfield friends Carl and Pam, who had headed up to St. Louis after work and were joining us for Saturday night's game.


(A little explanation of the above picture: we are holding up two and three fingers because this was our 2nd wedding anniversary trip this weekend, and Pam/Carl will celebrate their 3rd anniversary in October, and we'll be joining them in Vegas!)




The six of us had a great time at Paddy O's, until fairly late in the evening when Scott and Robyn headed back out to their home via the Metro, to tuck their kids in (who were still texting them at midnight and wondering when they were going to be home!). Since we had a room at the Sheraton downtown, we decided to continue the fun and head to the Big Bang on Laclede's Landing. I had a funny shot of me and Dave karaoking with our beers at our table, but I guess I didn't get it uploaded on to here, so you'll just have to use your imagination.

Saturday was a much quieter day and evening for the four of us, with a late lunch at Landry's at Union Station, and then some gym time for some of us (yes, including me) and then the game at 6:15.



We wrapped up the evening at the bar at the Sheraton, with some great conversation, a couple of shared desserts between the four of us, and a couple of greyhounds and chocolate martinis for me and Pam, respectively, while Dave enjoyed his Bailey's and coffee.



Then it was off to bed, and up yesterday morning to head to St. Clair so Dave could continue on the never-ending project with my dad!

This week I'm working today and then off the next couple of days for some minor surgery. Nothing serious, a uterine fibroid (cyst) that is going to be removed tomorrow, under general anesthesia, and then another day off to recuperate and I'm back to work. I'm not worried about it, and it is most assuredly benign, but has been causing some problems so I will be glad to have it removed. And I'm sure I'll be well taken care of by Dave and Jace, and even Paige, who will be coming over tomorrow after the surgery to sit with me and to show us her pictures from the cruise that she and her mother took for her high school graduation present.

Jace has his last couple of baseball games this week and next week; their team is one of the top teams still, so I am looking forward to seeing him play Thursday night. I hate that I missed his game Sunday, where he got the game ball for his pitching and for a heck of a hit to the outfield ("And not the close outfield either, Mom, it was WAY out there!")

Happy Monday to all!

Bye Bye, Blackberry! (And some other updates as well)

Holy smokes! (that's a Nick phrase, for those of you who don't know my dad) On Saturday afternoon the unthinkable happened, and my blackberry plummeted into the depths of Tablerock Lake. My husband's only comment was, "Good, now I don't have to compete with you looking at your emails/texts all weekend!". (Although I know he will agree that I have consciously been a lot more "unplugged" lately, and only check it once in awhile in the evenings.) But going cold turkey for 3+ days, with no phone to talk to Jace when he was with his dad, and no way to check emails was just awful! So glad I got my replacement through work yesterday, and am back in my little technological comfort zone!

We had a great weekend at the lake, and on Saturday we piled on the boat to head over and pick up our friend Bobby at the timeshare condo where he and his family were staying for the weekend. As we left his cove, I went downstairs to prepare some munchies for everyone. Dave then said he was going to pick up speed and put it on plane for a little ride, and asked if everything was secure so it wouldn't get thrown around. My concern was all about the plates of fruit, crackers, cheese and dips that were ready to serve to everyone, so I headed downstairs to put up the dips and get everything put up.

With everything secure, I came back upstairs and sat back down with all the girls in the rear of the boat. We took off and started to get up "on plane", and the front of the boat went up. I looked over and saw my phone perched on the edge of the sink that is on the boat deck, and then watched helplessly as it slid right out of the sink basin, on to the floor, under the transom door, off the swim deck and out into the wake behind our boat!! Bobby saw it too, but there was no stopping it! But that is really the first phone casualty I have had in a few years, so I didn't feel too bad. And a new one didn't cost me anything, since I had bought this one over 1.5 years ago and was eligible for an upgrade through work. Sweet!

The weekend was fun, and while I know that week after week of lake pics all look the same, I will post a couple -- first, I was so glad that Gail and her hubby joined us, and we had an awesome time. It was her 43rd birthday (sorry, I am putting that in there, but Gail, you look fabulous- I know you hear all the time that you don't look your age!) and they had a condo in Branson for the weekend.

Our friend Emily was in town as well, doing an ENT rotation for her physician assistant program, and joined us for the day. I can't believe we don't have any pics of her on the camera, but she was gone for a little while when we were all in the water (some cute guy she met in Springpatch was also at the lake and took her for a spin on his waverunner) and then she was the one TAKING all the pics when she got back!

And, our friends and dock neighbors Carl and Pam tied up next to us in the cove - you'll be seeing more of them, since WE will be seeing more of them! We're headed to St. Louis this weekend for Cardinal games Fri and Sat night, and looking forward to a fun weekend with them. Here's a pic of me with them, and then one of Carl enjoying some summer fruit.

(Although it could've been the Belvedere that the watermelon was floating in that made it so enjoyable for him... Go Carl!)

In other news, the FPK (Gus) has been MIA for the last few days. I thought maybe he was just out roaming all day and coming home to visit us at night, since his food has been gone most mornings this past week. However I discovered on Monday night that it was a FPP that had been eating the food -- a front porch possum! Yuck. Needless to say I'm not putting food out anymore, unless I see Gus with my own two eyes - that possum doesn't need any kind of invitation to stay and be one of our pets!

Jace's last four baseball games of the summer season are this week and next week, it is the "World Series" of his league and his team is one of the top teams. Unfortunately the games were rained out last night, and I will miss the game Friday night since Dave and I will be in St. Louis. I hate to miss it, but we had the Cards tickets a few months ago, and had originally planned to take Jace and Neil, but neither one ended up being able to go. I know Jace wouldn't want to miss one of his last games, he has really loved baseball this year. And we have another STL Cards game at the end of August, so I've already put that on the calendar and made sure his dad knows that even with fall baseball starting, he is going to go to the game with us.

The summer is flying by, and the kids have so much going on, it is hard to fit everything in. We are looking forward to another weekend at the lake with them the weekend after next, and I know Jace is already looking forward to it as well. He's turned into a fisherman, loves to fish off the dock and off the shore, as well as swimming with Neil and the other boys that are on our dock.

I'm off to get my hair fixed (with a different stylist, so we will see!) later today, just finishing this post on my lunch break. Happy Wednesday to all, the week is halfway over!

"What we have here is a failure to communicate..."

Do you see them!?!? (No, not the semi-toned shoulders and arms, although I WAS happy to see those, courtesy of all gym time as of late)-- (Oh, and not the crooked pictures on the wall, either - I need to straighten those out!)

No, I'm talking about those LAYERS. In my hair. That weren't there until at the end of my 2.5 hour, $110 color and cut last night at 7:30, when she said "Do you just want me to trim up the ends?" and I said yes. But apparently that means two different things. I thought it meant trimming up the split ends, taking maybe /-------/ this much off... SHE apparently thought it meant taking the few longer layers I did have, and taking them up, oh, 2, maybe 3 INCHES. And NOW, I have layers. That I didn't want.

I have only been with her for three or four appointments, and I haven't changed yet, more for social reasons than anything. I like her, she is a great gal, and we have a lot in common. But I can't make that my sole decision for paying $100+ and then not getting what I want. She did a great job on the color, although she has messed that up before as well, because she did more what SHE thought would look good than what I asked for. She is really the first stylist I think who has truly had a mind of her own when it comes to my hair, and I don't like it!!

Ok, enough griping. I'll get used to it, and it is just hair. It will grow. But perhaps, considering that this is the 2nd post I've written on hair gone wrong, I should seek out another stylist.

Anyway, other than that, happy Friday!

Lake Swimming

Ok, for your Thursday entertainment (or if you just want to get tired READING about exercise!) head on over and check out the Petite Flower, my girl Lucas' blog, and her latest updates on the mini-triathalon she's doing this weekend. Geez, the woman is amazing -- she started about a year, maybe year and a half ago, as she prepared for the big 4-0, and what a woman she's become. Working out with a multitude of personal trainers, kickboxing, running 5Ks, bicycling, she's done it all. Now she is doing a mini-tri, and went swimming in a lake last night to prep for it.

I had to laugh (and post a comment) when I read it, since my only hobby in the lake is FLOATING - as in floating, on a noodle or two, behind our boat out in a cove, with a water bottle filled with wine in my hand (classy, huh?!?). She is an inspiration, because she's definitely human and LOVES to have fun, and even when she falls off the workout wagon (or indulges too much in food OR drink!) she gets right back up and keeps going- something that is helpful to read about, as I keep up with her busy and sometimes crazy life! So, here's to Lucas and her first mini-tri this weekend-- you go, girl!

Not much here going on, other than the report from the hubby a couple of days ago that the toilet motor we have to replace in the boat is going to be $600. SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS!? Geez. Thankfully he is quite the handyman, so we will not have to pay labor for someone to install it; I'm sure that would be another couple hundred.

So excited to have Gail and Dan down to the lake this weekend; it is her birthday, and her folks are down from KC to watch the kiddos while she and Dan have a weekend at a condo in Branson. Our friend Emily is in town also, so she'll be joining us as well. Now all we have to do is hope for SUNNY weather!

Just got some new pics of my nephew Isaac, will have to post those soon -- he is getting so big, and is sooooo cute; I can't wait to see him on Labor Day weekend!

Fun on the Fourth

Here's hoping that you had a wonderful holiday weekend, and were able to spend time with those you love. We had a somewhat sunny, sometimes rainy but very enjoyable weekend at the lake.

Jace was a little bummed about not getting to shoot off fireworks himself Saturday night (there's a "no fireworks" rule at the marina) but he enjoyed hanging out with some new friends from St. Louis that have a boat on our dock. As darkness started to fall about 9pm, we watched boat after boat start their journey from our marina out into the middle of the lake, heading out to face the bridge for the show.

By the time we finished up dinner and headed out in Banana Pancakes to join the rest of the boats, it was just turning dark and the fireworks were starting. Jace and I had not been at the lake for the 4th of July before, and it was so beautiful and peaceful.

Some of us sat up on the front of the boat, watching the fireworks. Pictures of the actual fireworks were not the best, because of the rocking of the boat on the water:

Lastly, here's one of the highlights from our Saturday out on the lake; this is Rex, and he and his parents were visiting his great aunt Julie, a friend of some of our friends. This was Rex's first time floating in the lake, and he loved it!

Now we're back to the work week, and we have plenty of baseball to watch this week, between Neil and Jace's games. In other news, I've been hitting the gym and my workout DVD, trying to get back into some of my favorite swim suits that haven't seen the light of day so far this year. Hopefully I'll be ready to wear them in a couple of weekends, with some more attention to my exercise and diet!

We Are Family

My sister Susan and her hubby Ron

"We are family, I got all my sisters and me..." Sister Sledge's 1970's dance is the ring tone on my blackberry for all my siblings and my parents... kinda nerdy, I know, but it is always fun to hear the phone ring and know it is one of them calling before I even get to the phone.

Susan, Ron and the kids came down to the lake yesterday to hang with us for the afternoon, and we had an awesome time. Today I'm sitting on the back of the boat while Dave, Neil and Jace swim and play catch in the lake in the rain. Yuck. How is it that the weather can be warm and sunny all week, and as soon as the weekend hits we are back to rain again?? Oh well, we are still enjoying ourselves, and hopefully the showers won't last all day.

Yesterday's weather was pretty nice - overcast, and not too warm, but warm enough to spend the afternoon coved out and swimming. Neil had baseball practice and a game so he had to stay in Springfield, but Paige and her cousin Katie did get to join us for the day. Paige always talks about Katie, so I was glad to meet her while she was visiting from Chicago.

Ron, enjoying the water, before the perch started biting his nipples! (that's a common thing with the fish, they look for moles, etc and can be very pesky!)

Dave giving Payton a ride from the shore to the boat

Payton, Jace and Landon

Jace and I had to head back to Springfield about 3pm yesterday, because he had a baseball game at 5:30. He pitched in last night's game, so I got a couple of shots:

Their team didn't win, but they did play a good game. Neil had a game as well, so Dave went to watch him play, and then the four of us headed back down here after showering and eating dinner at home. It was nice to be able to sleep in this morning, and not fight the holiday traffic between Springfield and here.

Tonight we will go out on the lake to see the fireworks put on by the city, I think the weather will clear off so we will be in for a treat! Happy 4th of July to all.