Blissfully Unaware of the Chaos the Surrounds Me

Prayer . . .

needed for our sweet niece, Sydney. She is back in the hospital with swelling around her heart and although we know that it's not cancer, we don't know what it is. Still treating it like a virus, but it's worrisome to say the least. Healthy 15 year-old-girls shouldn't end up in the ICU two times in a month.

Her sister, Jordan, left at 4:00 am this morning on a mission trip to Trinidad. (I am so proud of her Mom for letting her go . . . I think with one child in the ICU, I probably would have knee-jerked on that one and refused to let another child out of my sight!) Their trip blog is here.

So if you pray, please do pray for these two sweet sisters. And heck, through in a prayer for their sweet youngest sister, Abby, as well. I don't want her to be left out :)

Perspective . . .

and other random thoughts of mine . . . 

The subject? Yard work.

To understand my perspective on such a seemingly innocuous subject, you would have to have insight into my familial history. To sum that history up for you? My parents . . . although I love them both dearly . . . are/or can be . . . anal-retentive perfectionists! (Love you both, by the way . . . ) And that, my friends, can jack you up as a child/young adult/almost 37-year old! My parents always had a house with a PERFECT yard. (Interior was spotless as well, lest you think they lived like secret pigs ...)

And altough I graduated with a degree in freakin' agricultrure AND have been a horticulture teacher . . . I have a (whisper it with me . . . ) black thumb. And no real plan when it comes to planning landscaping, knowing what to plant and how in the world to keep it all alive. But it doesn't stop me from heading off to the nursery each and every year, to spend $$$ and try, yet again, to have the yard of my dreams. With minimal (or almost no) effort.

So this was my annual weekend to give it yet another go. Thankfully, I had some Lowe's credit to spend . . . it makes it less painful to realize what a likely waste it's going to be :)

But, this year, when I was squatting down, planting my billionth section o ground cover, I saw a different perspective or possibility.

This dismal view:

could be become (if I get my way) a whole 'nother deal when we replace that side of our fence this summer. I'm thinking it could be an entryway . . . a pass-through to our backyard. Thereby eliminating the necessity of people walking through our house to come into our backyard. Which makes the idea of backyard parties all that much more appealing :)

What I'm working on right now is the border to what will become Halle's play area. We have two robust young men coming to work with John this Saturday morning to continue clearing/moving dirt/changing drainage/moving sprinkler lines in that specific area. We can easily integrate a path from the front yard, through a new gate and into/around that area as we go.

I'm liking the idea. I'm excited about the possibilities that someday, our yard will be everything that we want it to be. Lush and green, with pops of color . . . designed for everyday fun and use . . . great and easy entertaining, with minimal upkeep.

(And by the way, don't burst my bubble. It will happen. Someday. Starting now!)

Home . . .

ahhhhhhh! I feels good to be home. Really, really good. It would feel better if John were home too, but since the Government didn't shutdown (don't get me started on that situtation!), he was notified at 9:00 pm last night that he would indeed have to appear for his drill weekend. Which he was already packed for . . . it just made a long night for him.

As for us, I was a little tired from my day of traveling. Wimpy, I know. But since we didn't know how traffic would be on 101, we left Ventura at 6:30 for our 9:40 flight out of Burbank. Turns out we had plenty of time to sit around and wait, but at least I wasn't stuck on 101 freaking out. 

I was also (possibly) a bit tired from our Thursday night out. This workshop was for staff only, so my collegues from across the state all gathered in Ventura. And on Thursday night, we went out. Yikes! We started with cocktails at the hotel, then grabbed taxis to the wharf area . . . 18 of us. Our taxi driver, Bruce, gave us the great advice to not agree to let a commercial fisherman "show us his boat". He said it didn't usualy have a happy ending! (you've got to love advice like that!)

We started with margaritas and then switched over to The Greek, thus ending the night with Greek wine, delicious food and even a little Greek dancing. OPA! We did, thankfully, avoid drinking any ouzo. I've learned my lesson on that little cocktail before!

We made it back to the hotel and then I realized that I would be leaving for the airport in less than 6 hours and hadn't packed. Oh, well. I went to bed anyway! And obviously, made it up and out the door (packed) in time to drive to Burbank. Done and done!

Now, the sun is out. My Dad is on his way over with donuts for the kiddos. I will head to the nursery for some flowers and get some planting done. Then, we'll enjoy the tail-end of a family reunion that has been going on this week. I made it over there for a brief visit last night, but am hoping that with the sun out, we can take a nice walk or do something fun today. I have a photoshoot this afternoon that I am looking forward to and then . . . that's my day! Exciting life that I lead, yes? Now, back to cuddle my littlest for a while longer. I really missed my kiddos!

Random Travel Bits . . .

(1) Safe travels . . . although my teeny/tiny/itty/bitty commuter plane from Chico-San Francisco was shaky and loud and did I mention, incredibly small? It did deliver me safely. San Francisco-Burbank offered a very slightly larger plane and albeit still not my favorite mode of transportation? I am still very much alive. Amen.

(2) Safe travels, continued . . . I managed to drive from Burbank to Ventura in the midst of 6:00 pm traffic in an Impala. Enough said.

(3) Ventura Beach Marriott . . . clean. Amen, again.

(4) Ronald Reagan Presidential Library/Museum . . . amazing. Beautiful. Inspiring. Made me teary a few times. (Now there's a shocker!)

(5) Workshop rooms . . . why must they keep them so freaking cold? Can they not trust me to stay awake for 1.5 hours while they talk to us about important issues?

(6) Best, or possibly second-best massage ever . . . 1.5 hour Raindrop Therapy by Lynda Millar. It was amazing. Therapeutically, the best . . . no doubt about it! But John treated me to an amazing massage in Coronado several years ago and that wins for romantic gestures, hands-down. (But my back feels FREE!!!) She seriously worked me. And I don't mean that in a dirty way, at all. I am still smelling like numerous (9?) essential oils and blissing out. Good stuff. Very good stuff!

(7) Room service dinner . . . over-priced quesadilla and dessert. Plus wine.

(8) Lame in-room movie . . . No Strings Attached. But I paid $15 for it, so I will watch it through.

(9) Compelling book . . . Caribou Island. I am on page 175 of 225, so I can't guarantee it to be good to the end, but it's great thus far. Kind of a downer, but a good downer. (Does that even make sense?)

(10) Grandparents . . . who come and help out while I am at a conference and John is teaching 10 hour clinicals. And Halle is still sick. I am so very thankful.

(11) A king-size bed . . . all to myself. Amen and amen.

On the Run/Road . . .

again!

I am heading off to Ventura Beach for a work conference through Friday. So I am throwing this quick photo collage up and then maybe (maybe!), I'll actually have a moment to sit down and write something. Anything :)

Wish me safe travels! And connections that actually happen. SF-Chico flights are known to be inconsistent to say the least!

To Busy ...

To blog? Terrible conundrum, isn't it? To have life be so very full that you don't have enough time to record it!

We are on our way home from Tahoe. John is driving. Halle is sleeping. Dylan is watching a movie. And I am blogging with my thumb (from my iPhone).

It was a great trip, but blogging from my phone is tedious. More later. I swear. With photos and details :)