A Long, Tiring Day Gets Better

This is my easy week for work (less calls), but the days are longer. I finished my last call after 6, then had to run to the grocery store for hubby's asparagus. While there, I picked up frozen meals for Indy's lunch this week. I'll be so happy to eat regular food again, soon. It was hard staring at all the pasta dishes she picked out. Oy!

Dance classes for adults. Where are they? I'm not talking about ballroom classes for those who are rhythmically challenged. I'm talking about a true, honest to God dance class for folks my age. I need one! What happen to all the Arthur Murray dance studios? Did they just leave Utah or have they completely gone defunct? I need a class and I need it now!

Swim season may get here, but I'm not sure. It just seems like winter just won't die around here. It's supposed to rain the rest of the week with temperatures in the 40's and 50's. What happen to our lovely 70 degree days? Rain is beautiful, but I'd like it much more if it were raining and 72 outside. At least then I could play in it.

Change of Venue

We are preparing our house for potential buyers. I'm conflicted, but I don't feel nearly as bad about this as I did when I sold my car. Is that weird? Maybe it's because I really know it's time to leave. We've been here ten years. That's longer than I've ever lived in any one place in my life yet, I'm doing okay.

I'm sort of looking forward to a new place (we're going to rent for a while, then possibly buy again in a few years) and to all the new memories we'll create. Will I miss this place? Sure, but it's not going to make or break me. I hope that wherever we end up we'll just be happy and make good strides forward for our family. Then, whenever we do buy again, we live somewhere that's 100Xs better (physically and spiritually) and allows us to grow without being a burden. You know; just right for us.

A Very Happy Mother's Day

I had a wonderful day today. I woke with a spring in my step and a sparkle in my eye. The girls were good (not one moment of bickering all day) and everyone spoiled me. First, we went to church and our pastor delivered a wonderful sermon to the"off-spring" rather than mothers. Several mother's were paid a tribute of beautiful, white roses -mother over 80, mother with the most children, mother with most generations present [my mother received that one] and the mother with the youngest child.

The girls came home and watched a movie, while mom paid tribute to dad by uploading the videos she took of his competition on YouTube and Facebook (I'm very proud). When hubby came home from work, we went to the Mongolian Grill for dinner. It was divine and I actually maintained my self control. There were big bowls of cabbage, cucumbers, celery and green onions with minimal meat, since I couldn't weigh at the restaurant. This was the only meal I had today (I didn't want to tempt fate).

After dinner, we went shopping for shoes. My favorite sassy sandals tore up, the other day, so I've been on the look-out for a replacement pair. Haven't found any I really like (What's up, DSW?!), until this evening. Hubby spotted those and new sneakers for me at the Ross Dress for less. I have a feeling my knee will be feeling a lot better, now that I have better support.

This evening, hubby and I spent some time "dreaming" and "visualizing" about some of the places we would like to vacation to. The Bahamas, St. Croix, Hawaii, Cancun, Montego Bay were all part of our wish list, as we perused various all-inclusive sites. We have this wish to go somewhere together, without the children. This may sound harsh but, we never had a real honeymoon. We're certainly over due. Besides, the kids travel with us everywhere else. I know I wasn't fortunate enough to go with my parents on a cruise for a vacation. They've got it pretty good.

Anniversary Getaway

Hubby has planned a little anniversary getaway for us, later this month. I'm so excited! It will be the first time we've gotten away without the kids in a coon's age. Friends of his are going to keep both of our girls. I'm still reeling over that! Hooray! "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

We've decided to go somewhere neither one of us has ever been before; Lava Hot Springs. I'm anxious to see these springs, the Portneuf river and remnants of the Oregon trail. It should be a fun trip with lots of photo opportunities. Maybe hubby will even let me video tape him. Uh, okay. Well, here's to hoping

I love having trips to look forward to. A side dream is to have one getaway to look forward to each month. It doesn't have to be out of state, but somewhere unique and away from the everyday of life. Perhaps, in the future, my "away" will be to far off places. Again, here's to hoping.

Holding Off from Shortening Your Child's Life

I'll keep it short and sweet. My daughter pushed both my hubby and I to the limits tonight. I'm going to try and be positive before I go to bed. I don't want to go to sleep stressed-out. I'm drinking my vodka and sprite now...

My 2011 Mantra and the Law of Attraction

I finally watched the film The Secret with my daughter, yesterday. There were so many biblical references, which pleased me to know end (especially with my daughter watching). It's so important that she see the spiritual implications of this idea and how powerful it can be. It allowed us to have a really good dialogue, a very rare thing indeed.

My mantra for the year is "Nan kuru nai sah", which means, "Live for today, but look forward to tomorrow". I've found a lot of peace with this phrase, despite how hard the year began for me. Now that I've seen The Secret and am now reading the book, I am hopeful for bigger and better as 2011 continues and as future years pass.

Zee is also embrassing the spirit. The changes may not happen right away, but I'm visualizing life with my daughters in a new way. Rather than day after day of struggle, I'm seeing "peace in the valley". I want a really good and happy relationship with both of them. I also want a blissful relationship with my husband. I deserve and can have these things. Why is it that I'm just understanding it now?

The goal for the week is to put together my "life book" with images of my hopes and aspirations inside. I have done something similar in the past, when it came to my weight loss. It really does work. Having the images to focus on puts the idea front and center. The Enchantress site even had a "dream big" post with images that I was able to have a year later. Amazing! I'm very excited and the feelings are true and strong. The book will stay close by for rejuvenation. Truly I am moving onward and upward.

On with the Show

Hubby left this morning to participate in his second body-building show of the season. He's going to Idaho and I'm very excited for him. He's been in such great shape this season and his new regime has really done wonders for his overall appearance. Interestingly enough, he's getting more criticism about whether he truly is natural or not. I think it's quite the compliment! He's actually showing that you can have nice muscle mass without the need for steroids. Rather than criticising, they should take the hint.

The weekend will be somewhat lonely without him but I'll have plenty to keep me busy. The girls and I will spend tomorrow cleaning house (sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and giving the bathrooms a good scrubbing). I'll also go back over areas of my carpet that I recently shampooed, since the dog decided to vomit in various places. Ugh! He would do it two days after I'd shampooed all the carpets and rugs in the house. Nice.

Saturday, the eldest has to take dance pictures. One of the sittings involves "casual wear" this year. Casual for my tween is a little too casual for the everyday observer, so I'm going to take her shopping for casual that doesn't make her look like a ragamuffin. Even some of the Bermuda shorts that are out now should work nicely. The thing to stress with her is lotion; some pictures have her looking oh, so lovely but ashy, ashy, ashy!

Sunday we'll go to church and then await hubby's return. He wants to go somewhere nice for dinner that night and mentioned one of the local Brazilian restaurants in town. I love them, but they don't differentiate pricing with age too much. The youngest would be free, but we'd still be looking at around $70 for dinner. That's a little too rich for my penny-pinching blood.

I'm really starting to look forward to our vacation this summer. We're going to the location pictured on the right. The eldest keeps asking things like, "How long is the drive to our vacation," and "What will we do when we get there?" Can't kids just be happy with surprises?

The youngest doesn't care, just so long as we get to stay in a hotel. That's the best thing about traveling for her; the hotel stay. When I was little, I loved staying in hotels, too. Our kids have had the opportunity to, not only stay in hotels, but resort locations. They are truly spoiled and don't know how good they've got it. My hubby tries to tell them but I'm not sure they comprehend the totality of what they have just yet.

The sad thing is that with the way the gas prices are rising, the driving will be the most expensive aspect of our trip. Will we really have gas at nearly $4.00 per gallon by summer? It makes my heart drop just to think about it. I'm trying to remain positive and look forward to the happy times (and memories) we'll create when we go. I'm also hopeful that I won't look scary in my two piece when the time finally arrives.

I'm Still Here!!

I've been posting more on the other site, but I'm still around. What's going on with me? Well, I certainly haven't been writing on my blog (sarcastic snicker). Work has, unfortunately, become my life and I don't think I like that very much. If I could come down to part-time hours, I would be one happy lady. My lifestyle is not one that can be managed on a part-time income. I am at an impasse.

Yeesh! Has it really been since August of 2010 that I've posted? "Bad! Bad, Enchantress. How can you enchant the masses if you're not writing?" So, I will write. Alas, I have fallen victim to the Facebook epidemic like so many others. Although I don't say much, that is where I am. It's really not as fulfilling as writing here. I will be better about posting on both the Enchantress site and the New Dawn site in the future.

Since I'm still working and have to run to a call, I'll be back again. This time, I promise.