Craaaaazy

26 years today!

Happy Anniversary Mike

Love you!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!!

Yes I can hear the gasps of horror from you all *lol* - but I am SUPER DUPER excited.   Because we are going home this Christmas!!!  

WOO HOOO - for the first time in FOREVER - a  proper SUMMER christmas with all our family in New Zealand!    Going to be so much fun seeing all our aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

The last time we were all together was 2000 - much much too long.   Yes we had a big bunch of us together in 2006 when they came here - but my brother Mike and his kids could not make it that time - and although we had everyone else here which was fantastic - it still was not all of us.

This could well be the last time we can even do this - as we all get older.   All the kids are getting to the ages now where they are going to university, getting jobs, moving on and out.   So not that easy to all get together - not even counting the fact that we live in the US, my nephew is in Australia, and the rest are in NZ.

The getting there and back this time is a little wonky - all over the place really - because of the kids university schedules - and trying to get a somewhat decent airfare without totally being bent over and @#@$%#$ on price.  

I am flying over first, then Hannah - then Mike and Cait.    Hannah is back first because she is going to New York this year for NY Eve in Times Square.   Then Mike, Cait and I are all coming back together in January. 

I will even be in NZ for my Dad's birthday!!    Because of that - I am going to be gone a LONG time.   5 -nearly 6 weeks in fact as I leave the Monday after Thanksgiving. 

I am gone all of December!!!  and do not get back until the end of the first week of January.

But there is no bah humbug going on here cos..... 

Finally!!!... I am so excited

after years of living with the crappiest nastiest most 70'iest bathroom on the planet we have taken the first step into redoing it!!   Look what we have bought... and yes the whole shebang.

Slipper bath

Clawfeet

Floor mounted telephone faucet

 

I have officially died and gone to heaven!!

Catching up...

well trying to anyway!  Adding in here - the choices of fonts on Typepad are limited... I need to get on to jazzing up my blog... I pay for all the juiciness but I don't use it!

Anyway back to my post.

Since I got back from the retreat I have been counting, inventory-ing, Accounting, reordering, planning, and generally playing catchup.   The last 2 weeks have just gone by in a flash.  I also had to catch up on all the mail that had come in - deal with bills, and deal with the influx of email and retreat signups.

I still have a bit to do in terms of my online store.   So many new products that I still do not have in there - just big gaps!   Plus I have to get a newsletter out to everyone about that and the 2010 retreats!

My body has also been playing catchup - I think it decided to tell me that the last 6 months have been a little full on and it had had ENOUGH!   In the weeks leading up to the last 2 retreats I had been running on very little sleep, and to say I was a tad stressed - unusual for me - was an understatement.    However I now have a break until early November - and I think my body caught on, fast!    Twice last week - in the middle of the day I fell asleep. 

I    N E V E R    do that.   

It has honestly taken me the last two weeks to also get back to *my* normal sleeping habits.   I think today is maybe the first day I feel sort of okay.   Not 100% yet - but getting there.   Which is lucky - because I think Mike is about to hand me the keys to the spare bedroom!

Part of the bad sleeping has also been the heat.   It is officially autumn now - ha ha ha - because we have been getting what was missing most of summer HEAT.   Been 90 and over every day for over a week now, we have hit 100 more than once, and this weekend over 100 is forecast again.   Our backyard gets SOOO hot - thank god we have the pool.

Last week I also began to eat better again.   There had been too many days of skipping meals, or having a snack and mealtimes around here in general had gone to hell in a handbasket.  Not a great example to be setting!

This week my plan is to try and get some sort of exercise regime back into play - although here we are, already at Thursday and so far a big fat nothing.  What I am going to start back doing, I don't know - I just know I have to start getting out and doing something!! What I do know is...

I

just

don't

feel

healthy

In fact, I feel anything BUT!  This year I seem to suddenly be getting all sorts of injuries in my joints - knees, ankles etc.    I wouldn't mind if I was actually doing some sort of high impact exercise and could say 'oh yes - it was when I was basejumping!'... - but just sitting, walking around etc should not be causing problems!!   My body is telling me something!!   

I have also been catching up on TV.   We had so many things taped on the DVR that we actually ran out of room!   No kidding!   In fact we had to delete some stuff without even watching it.    Of course all the new series have started up - so this week I have taken the luxury of watching a couple of things I had taped while I am eating my lunch - so that has made a bit of space.

One thing that has just started back up that I do enjoy is Biggest Loser.   It motivates me.   Earlier this year - I lost 20 pounds - between January and March - because I was motivated!!   In fact I only stopped exercising because I buggered up my knee.   It came right - however I did not restart exercising!!

I now have no excuses!   BL is back on - my motivation is there - so I can lose another 20 pounds by Christmas.   I just have to get back on the horse.   The hardest day is the first day!!

Lastly - my blog!   I have been lax-lax-lax and no not the airport!    I have made the odd post, but hope to be better.  Enough rambling from me... bloody hell...  not even any little pictures or blinkies in this post... just WORDS!

So I will leave you with this pic - taken a couple of weeks ago when Mike and Johnno were here from NZ - I love it!!.. although poor old Johnno got DROWNDED when they all hit the water!

sad today.....

the time always goes so fast.... seems like just a minute ago Mum and Dad arrived... and now it is already the day they are leaving to go back to New Zealand

We have had a blast

 

celebrated 3 birthdays

 

been away camping and boating

 

and done stuff around San Jose... we had never done or been to!

 

now we are off to the airport  

 

I hate this part

Happy Birthday Caitlin!!

another birthday being celebrated here today.... my baby is 19!!     When did my kids get to be so grown up!

No fair either - she has college ALL DAY today... her college is quarters, so no summer off for her!   However we will do pressies tonight and then it is off to La Fondue for a LATE dinner of cheese and chocolate!!

Happy Birthday Hannah May!!!

My baby Hannah is 21 today!!...

well actually I guess as she was born in New Zealand - she was actually officially 21 yesterday!!

Where have the years gone!

You have turned into a beautiful young woman Hannah -

and we are both so proud of you. 

I can't wait to see what the future brings for you.

Happy Birthday to my Mum!

and it is so nice to be spending the day with her!   It is great having her and Dad here!    This photo was taken a couple of years back in NZ!

We have a nice day planned - lovely brekkie this morning... then pressie opening... then Mum and I are off for a bit of shipping then we are all off out for a lovely dinner tonight

...followed by cake at home after!

how i feel when asking my kid(dult)s to tidy their rooms....

Happy Birthday MIKE!

    we all love you to bits - hope you enjoy today and all we have planned... and that you like all your pressies!   Just think - in 2 weeks time - we will be back here... well not in Venice.. but in Italy!