Labor Day Weekend

Here we are at Okoboji spending the weekend at Village West with my kids and mother. Last night the kids and I spent the night in Windom. It was so nice to our hound dogs again. We really miss Daisy, and Elvis too!

While kind of snooping through things in my "designated" room downstairs I found stuff from Rachel. The poem I wrote her after she died, her funeral program, the newspaper article of her death, postcards from her from her trip to Europe, notes written in school, and some pictures. It was a bit overwhelming. For a time, I went back in time, remembering those days of her death. Then, I stopped, looked around, and wondered "how did I get here?" Driving down to Okoboji too, I watched the countryside wondering the same thing.

Once we got down here we unloaded, ate pizza, and then off to the pool we went for a little swimming. Not sure what we'll do tomorrow, but I am sure we will do some more swimming!
Till next time...

Weekend

Yesterday was Friday the 13th. It was my big brother's birthday. The kids and I went over to his place to see what they were up to. He and his wife Tammy were getting ready to head over to the Sioux Empire Fair, which started on Tuesday and ends tomorrow. We went with them. The weather was pretty descent, not too hot and a nice breeze going. First we went to the Expo building to check out all the booths, then we found a little paddle boat ride for Jacob and Aidan. They loved it! Then we were off to the kiddie barn, but by the time we got over there, it had closed it's doors for the night. So we made our way back to the grandstand area to hear a piece of "Lifehouse", but no luck, we were off and on our way out by the time they got on stage.

Today I went back to the fair, but this time it was for work. Three of us from Girl Scouts had a small fun area. It was pretty cool, it was a small baby pool of bubbles. Kids came and used the pipe cleaners we had put together and blew away. Weather was really good today too and we had a great spot, not far from the entrance, so catching girls was pretty easy. Kids of all ages, boys and girls had fun with the bubbles though.

Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with the rest of the night. Star Wars is on, so I'm sure we'll have that on till the last movie is over. Why is it we seem to watch the movies on TV when we own them???

Anyway, the fair had some neat booths in their expo building. There was one booth that had a piece of equipment, exercise equipment, but all you do is stand on it and let it "shake" you. It was really neat, but the price of those things is not so neat, nearly $1000 is what they are selling them for at the fair, normally they run around $1700. Definitely an investment.

Well, off to see what else the night brings. TTFN

0 vs. o

0 is the number zero. o/O is the letter. So what is the difference between them? They both look alike. They are both round. They are both a circle. But one is a letter and one is a number. You count with one and you write with the other. So, I'm curious why, we as a society, are always using the letter instead of the number?

"Your total is $59.o1". That's not fifty-nine and one, it's fifty-nine oooo-one. Phone numbers are 6o5 (six oooo five) and not six zero five. The address is 8ooo1 and not eight hundred and one. It's 1309 but pronounced thirteen oooo nine.

So what's happening to our number 0? It's not hard to say zero, but yet we 99% of the time say oooo. Poor zero doesn't stand a chance against "o".

The next time you find yourself using numbers, see if you catch yourself saying the letter vs. the number.

Water worries

Anyone in the SE South Dakota region knows how much water we've had over the course of the past month and a half. It's been A LOT! The forecast for the next seven days...yep, more rain! I'm a bit nervous to think about what this winter will bring. Last winter was brutal, especially in January with many school closings, road closings, and many feet of white stuff piling up outside.

The other night, around 4am I heard the storm and at 5am I got up to peak outside to what was a constant lightning show. As birght as it was you'd think it was the middle of a sunny day, but it wasn't and once again my "sleeping" for the night was minimal.

So I wonder what this next round of wet will bring. The mayor in Sioux Falls is already calling on water restriction for tomorrow!

Nothing New

Today was just another day in the life of little 'ol me. Our sump pump backed up the other day so we've been dealing with everything involved with that over the past few days, bought a few extra fans, pulled carpets back, and checking our sheetrock paneling. It's been interesting to say the least. It seems like it rains everyday too, which doens't help the sump pump. I am beginning to wonder what winter will bring?

Anyway, tomorrow is Tuesday, our weekly conference call at work. Work is going alright. Our new year is quickly approaching and I'm hoping to be ready for it. I really enjoy working for the Girl Scouts, after all, I've been one pretty much since the first grade, which has been nearly 35 years ago! I will say it's been an adventure working for them, it's not quite the same as being a girl Girl Scout, nor the same as being an adult volunteer. There's definitely some differences, but I do my best to embrace those and do the best I can. There's never a dull moment and there seems to be something new to learn everyday. I'm always looking for better ways to be organized with my stuff, the area I serve, and in my little office cubicle.

So, like I said in my title, not much new going on, just another day in the life of me!

Remembering I have a blog!

It's been over a month since I wrote my last blog entry. I guess there's no push to write on it everyday, I mean, who reads it anyway? Tomorrow's my birthday. I'll be 39! Next year it'll be the big 40. I think I can wait for that one! The weird thing is my mind doesn't feel 39, it feels more like 18, however my body lets me know my age every morning. I wish I could move like I did when I was 18! Now I have more fat on me and restrictions, especially with my back, suffering a herniated disc back in 2002. Plus, with my back, I have some degeneration going on with my spine/vertebrae. All sorts of things to remind me of the age.

No plans for my birthday, just going to work and coming home, real exciting day planned. Oh well, another year gone by and here I am still in the same place!

Vacation

It's only been over a month since my last entry. My thoughts have been in so many places that when the time came to writing I wasn't sure how to write it. I've been working on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, but so far I'm at about #58. It's quite a challenge coming up with that many things to do.

Right now we're cleaning the house and getting ready to go camping next week. I'm really hoping we can go Tuesday, but we won't know till Tuesday if we can actually leave then. It depends on Jason's work, as it always seems to for things like this. Bought a dutch oven yesterday and got it "seasoned" this morning. I can't wait to sit by the campfire and do nothing but watch it!

Our basement is terribly filled with toys. I'm sure it'll take most of the day to get it all picked up and cleaned. So I'll get back to it.

Till next time...

Green Dog!

The other day my husband called and left me a message stating our youngest child found the green spray paint while he (husband) was in the shower. Aidan proceeded to use the spray paint, in the garage, on our dog! I was anticipating a pretty green dog as the message said it was "all over", but when I did get home and see Daisy, I was actually a bit relieved. The paint was all on her top coat and none of it appeared to actually be on her skin. A phone call to the local vet was made and his remarks were to let it brush out if it was only on the top coat. So we will have a green dog for a while as we wait for the hair to fall out. If only Aidan could have done this a month earlier for St. Patrick's Day!

Blog drama!

After spending hours on trying to figure out why my sidebar was at the bottom, I finally figured out what it was. My pictures were "too long" or rather "too wide" on the page, sending the sidebar below. Thank you google blogger help link! I took one picture out of the blog and presto, my blog is back to normal and the drama ends. Well, does drama really end...NOT!!!

Friendship

This week, as it is every year, for the past twenty years, is, and always has been, an emotional time for me.

The day - Saturday; the date - April 7th; the year, 1990. I was a freshman at Waldorf College in Forest City, IA, about two hours from Windom. It was our Easter break and I came home Friday, after classes were done. I was looking forward to begin home, spending some time with my friends and my boyfriend at the time. I was out for a little bit Friday night, ran into Billy (Rachel's boyfriend) and asked him where Rachel was. He wasn't sure where she was. They were not exactly getting along, actually on the verge of breaking up after being together for two years. I left it at that and figured I'd catch up with her tomorrow.

Saturday, April 7th, 1990 was a gorgeous day, the sun was shining and not a cloud in the sky. I slept in that morning, but around 9:15am I awoke to the sirens on emergency vehicles rushing through town. I went back to sleep for a little bit longer and then got up around 10a. Around 1pm I was driving around town and on my way to see Rachel. I passed my brother, mom, and another friend Kim (she was another best friend with Rachel) in a vehicle my brother was driving. Of course we all waved to each other as we passed on the road. I'm now at a stoplight (one of only two in our town) and turn left to up the hill to Rachel's. Now two people were sitting outside her place. I drove into the driveway so I could turn around and park the car in front of their place. I noticed Billy's car in the driveway and didn't really think anything of it. As I'm walking up to their place I ask them if Rachel is home. They give me a funny look and say "haven't you heard?", "heard what" I said, "Rachel's dead". I couldn't even begin to tell you the emotions going through me right then and there. I rushed into the house and there were some of our friends and Billy crying. I was in shock and in tears. Billy said she committed suicide with the use of his car in the garage that night/morning. She had her dog with her.

The sirens I heard at 9:15am that day was the ambulance rushing my best friend to the hospital, trying to save her life.

I called home to tell my parents what happened. I was crying so much it was hard to breath let alone have a conversation with someone. My mom, brother, and Kim were not home yet when I called so I talked with my dad. I did and somehow I made it back home in spite of the waterfalls in my eyes. Kim was there and we just held each other balling, almost uncontrollably. My mom and brother joined in.

Here we are at the 20-year mark. Tomorrow will be my parent's anniversary, but it will also be the day we buried Rachel 20 years ago. I didn't remember my parent's anniversary that year, but they certainly understood why.

That day forever changed parts of me. To loose your best friend when you are 18, her 19, and to suicide is absolutely heartbreaking!

Billy couldn't bear to bring himself to drive his car back into the garage, so I did, I sat in the very seat my best friend sat in just a few days prior and took her last breath in.

I think from time to time, all the things Rachel is missing out on; the internet, ipods, computers, cell phones, CD's and so much more like having a family and children. Life does go on, but even though time passes, it will always feel like yesterday when I lost my best friend. I miss her!

Easter

It's been a while since my last post. The days seem to go by so quickly, before you know it you're in bed again thinking about the things you didn't get done during the day. Our Easter weekend went pretty well. I took a much needed day off Friday. Last Tuesday and Thursday evening I was in Yankton for programs and leader meetings. The weekend before I was working the cookie cupboard (both days), so a day off was nice.

The kids had no school Friday and I didn't have work, so it was a day to sleep in right? Not! I was up at 7am and the boys at 7:30! I woke up early because I kept hearing something banging against the house. So I went to check it out. Turned out to be the screen door flapping in the wind, so I secured it shut. I figured since I was up I would do some stuff. I eventually got on our treadmill to walk, and walk and walk. I walked for 100 minutes! I wanted to see what the reading would be after 99:99. Well my answer was the treadmill shutting down. Interesting. The rest of the day I spent cleaning the house. I swear I had a bug in me because I was a cleaning freak on Friday. Maybe the 5+ miles on the treadmill had something to do with it?

Saturday we dyed the eggs for the Easter Bunny and made a gingerbread Easter house. Aidan had a blast dying the eggs. He was so proud to help with it.

Then if was of to the relatives in Sioux Falls for more festivities and our Easter meal. It was a great meal with ham, potatoes, salads, fruits, and some other good yummies like cheesecake! I was good and was mindful of what I was eating. I did get 30 minutes of walking before we left!

The kids all had a good time finding the eggs and playing with their cousins! It was tough going back to work today, but that's another time. I'm going to bed now.

Getting Fit/Living Healthy

As some of you may or may not know I have been getting into a routine of exercising more to shed a few handfuls of weight I've put on since ???, well since October. I've been pretty good about walking on our treadmill at least three times a week, and when I was in Aberdeen for some Girl Scout training with others in my position I walked during breaks, meals, in the morning, and in the evening. I did finally see my physician last Monday and were trying some different things, but I was a bit surprised to see myself weighing more than I did at the beginning of the month, especially after getting into a walking routine.

I continue to stay in a routine and today I added weights to my walk, using dumbells, holding them while I walk. Let me tell you, I worked up a sweat with those. I walked for nearly 2.5 miles, brining my weekly total to over 8 miles and there are two days left. I'm pretty happy about that!

Last Saturday I joined an online diet/healthy living club call Sparkpeople (sparkpeople.com). The club is so neat! You can have your own blog and be a member of different groups within the club. You can also track your fitness and your nutrition. It even gives you video demonstrations of the different exercises they have listed. During sign-up it will ask you different questions and from there map out your journey. It gives you meal plans, fitness plans, how many calories/fat/protein etc. you should have in one day, and even gives you a grocery list for the week. I've been pretty good getting on every day to log what I've eaten and the exercise I've done. I've met my weekly goals for calories burned and with doing cardio exercises. Woot Woot! Go me! I don't necessarily stick to their meal plan, but I try. I have been pretty good at entering everything I've ate.

So, come Monday morning I'm going to step on that scale and hope to see the numbers go down!

Inspiration

Where do you find your inspiration to go forward everyday? Is it from something you do, from someplace where you have been, or from someone? Do you find inspiration from a book or something you have watched? I think we all find it from different things everyday. Is there anyone who isn't inspired from a beautiful spring day? It is so wonderful outside today. The sun is shining, the snow is almost gone, and the fresh air is so refreshing. What a great source of renewal, that is naturally given to us. Winter does bring it's own sense of inspiration but let's face it, there comes a point when it's just not that inspiring anymore and frankly, gets down right depressing towards the end. So, with today being the first day of Spring, and mother nature giving us a great day for it, get out there an let it inspire you!

no title/human body

Why is it we need to put a title for our blog posting? I spend so much time thinking about the darn title than I do writing the blog. I've been pretty impressed with myself keeping up with this blog. I have created a few blogs in the past, but created them was all I did. I wonder what happens to them? Do they "float" in cyberspace or does someone cancel/delete them if they show no activity for so long? Hmmm, inquiring minds are wondering?

I was talking with a friend (yes I do have friends) about medical related issues and magnesium. Do you ever stop and really think what a wonder the human body is? All these minerals and vitamins our body needs or how taking extra of something can improve your health. I have a herniated disk in my lower back as well as degeneration of my spine. My Chiropractor said it was irreversible but taking fish oil and walking could improve the mushy stuff between the vertebrae. I've been taking the fish oil for a few months and must admit getting out of bed in the morning isn't painful anymore. I have also started a walking routine on our treadmill in the past week and keeping to it. I walked over five miles in the last week and used the treadmill five of the last seven days. Yeah me! I feel so much better doing this.

So, getting back to the vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium. I find it very intriguing how our body produces all this stuff. Now I don't have any desire to study human anatomy or any type of Physiology because that would surely be a failure at my end. I merely find it fascinating how our body works, the complexity of it, it's strengths and it's weaknesses. How do you justify one smoker living until the age of 92 and the other dying at 52, with similar health histories? How is it that some survive cancer for years, but others with the same cancer die at the age of 8?

Well, enough of the mystery. I think we can all just agree that the human body is a miraculous gift given to us by God!

Saturday

Today is supposed to be a sleep in day, it's the weekend after all, no work! So much for that, I was up at 6:15am to let the dog out, then one child was up at 7:15 and the other at 8am. But, I made the most out of it. I cleaned the basement a bit more and made some use of our treadmill. I walked (and jogged a bit) for 45 minutes burning some 200 calories, 500 steps, and a distance of 2 miles. There was a time way back when I was going to the gym three, sometimes four times a week. I felt great and I slept! I slept like I haven't slept in who knows when. So I'm hoping with the use of the treadmill I can get some of that sleeping back. Exercising also gave me some really good energy!

I made a committment earlier this week to exercise more, to use our treadmill as much as possible. You see I stepped on the scale last weekend after some clothes were feeling a little more snug than they used to be and I was right in my thoughts. I have put on some more pounds. After losing A LOT of those pounds over the past few years I am determined to keep as many of them off as I can. I'm not nearly close to my highest, but still, time to get serious and work on losing.

Finally Friday

Well it's been an interesting week to say the least and I'm thankful to have made it through. Although we have a two day break from work I realize I don't really have a break at all because now I have my house job to do full time for the next two days. So I wonder when we truly get "time off" from our jobs. I sit here and listen to the children playing and look around mentally preparing a "to do" list for the weekend.

My daughter has a school dance tonight, then she's spending the night at a friends house, so there's one child. The other two boys are home and wound up with energy. It's wearing me out just watching them. And then there is the fourth child we can't forget about, the husband. He is working till who knows when. Maybe we could find a movie and we could have some semblence of silence in the house, besides sleeping hours, for a little bit.

Weather and time

Eyes are glued to the news with the 8.8 earthquake in Chilie and the tsunami it has created. Of course all of our minds go back to the Indian Ocean tsunami a few years ago and hoping we don't see near as many deaths as we saw back then. It is amazing to me how widespread the media coverage is, from facebook to twitter, and from satellite radio to live internet feeds. I grew up in a time with no cell phones, we used actual typewriters, and the computers were apples and macs using the large square black floppy disks. We had no idea what the internet even was! Now it's everywhere.

Right now I'm watching Hawaii TV live via internet, listening to what is happening there and waiting with anticipation along with everyone else to see what the ocean delivers as a result of this earthquake.

Life

Ever wonder what their is about life that is so great? Why are we here? What is our purpose? And what lies ahead...after death? I believe is some kind of "afterlife", but I am also curious what happens to us after death. Those that have died just lay there motionless. You stare at your loved one, thinking they are going to get up any minute and this will all seem like a dream.
No one knows how long we are "here", before death. What is it about life that is so intriguing? Is our life judged by how successful we are? How religious we are? Money?
Does anyone else ever think about this stuff???