Ow

Personal growth makes my head hurt. Advil be damned, I s'pose I just have to go there.

Crunch

Testing for my green belt this morning, I was executing an ax kick and instead of being centered and breaking the board, I connected firmly with my instructor's finger. Horrendous. Keep eye on target grasshopper.

Redirect

www.mindfuldesignreno.com

It's come to this

It's the beginning of the end.

How sweet it is

Erica was listening to music and Kevin thought it was the garbage disposal running.

Human Bean Guy

To the guy working at Human Bean,

I thank you for saying my shirt was amazing. And when I said thank you, but I thought I was dressed to warmly for the day, thank you for saying we all suffer for fashion.

I salute you for saying congratulations when I presented you with a 1/2 off coupon, and once again for giving my card and extra hole punch.

It was just what I needed!

I'm doing it for my country dammit

So ugh, in a good way. We're in the middle of renovating our house which is a good thing, stimulating the economy and all that. Although as I stage and coordinate the work to be done, I can't shake the image of the little plastic toy with the square numbers, with one missing square, where the squares need be manipulated to get them back in sequential order (a toy I could never master I might add). Anyway, busy and hectic, but good.

I have my new hardwood flooring, carpet, and new master bath all thanks to the crashing economy and the mushrooms that sprang from the baseboard before Thanksgiving. Who knew?

If I could fold 1,000 paper cranes and get my wish, I'd go to sleep in a cozy slumber and wake up 2 weeks from now when it's all done.

Awed

The family of the Japanese battle flag was located! We're returning it to the Ousaka family immediately as the widow of the soldier is in poor health. Hopefully Tyler will be able to meet with the family during his trip.

Joy

On the way home from work tonight, a car passed me with Christmas lights on the luggage rack :) Happiness.

PostSecret

When I went to reunion.com, I hit the wrong button and everyone in my contact list got an invite, even the mayor.

Yes

Praha Please

Clapping. My parents, Sue, Lud, Beth, and I are going on a two week river cruise from Germany to the Czech Republic next fall. My first time to Europe. Wheeeee. Thank you, thank you good parents for the treat.

My Ambassador

Yay for Tyler being nominated as a student ambassador with People to People. Next summer, he'll tour Japan for two weeks. Such a wonderful opportunity. In this picture, he's holding a flag captured by his grandfather's cousin during WWII in the Battle of Guadalcanal. We're researching the flag in an effort to return it to the soldier's family. Thus far, we know the soldier's name is Iwazo Ousaka. It would be incredible for Tyler to return it on his trip. If not, he'll present it to government officials in Tokyo as a gesture of good will. Either way, it's equally moving in my book.

Oh, yeah, you wish you were a Mustang

Congrats to Jenna :) Her collegiate cheer team took 1st place again this year in their competition. Hip hip.

Oh, so excited

The fates have smiled on me. The Stone Temple Pilots have reunited for a few select concerts. Life is so good as Reno made the short list.

Joelle and Me...September 12, Grand Sierra!

Another one for the baby book

This week, in Reno News and Review: Go Green

Summer

Tyler got his cast off

Erica turned 15

Had a fabulous time seeing Cheap Trick, Heart and Journey at Lake Tahoe with Karen and the girls

Erica had the best time in Santa Cruz with Karen, Leah, Cole, Beach, Quincy, and friends

Jenna rocked math camp at UNR

Kevin left his job for a nifty new one. It's super yet I'm still getting used to his "office" in the corner of the bedroom.

Tyler and Kev had a super time at the A's game - Tyler got tons of autographs and a foul ball

Jenna spents many days at Wild Waters getting lots of sun

Kids and Kevin had a great time camping, and I had a wonderful time at home, alone

I turned 43

What the hell did I do in August?

:(

So sad about Tim Russert.

Overcooked

The Grill opens Thursday, load in for the Expo is Friday. I'm so overdone. Someone stop the world and let me off.

I guess I feel young again

Yay. Hadn't gotten a ticket in 20 years, so I guess I was due. I'm not a speeder, but when I'm coming home from my sister-in-law's place, the sloping hill makes my car go zoom. So. 53 in a 35, I'm a transposer. Nice officer guy only cited me for going 40. Flippin $110

The worst day of his life

Poor Ty. In a cast for 12 weeks. No basketball tournament, no spring little league. Such a bummer!

Plugging Along

The days flow together. Life has been busy. Working lots of hours, and tired tired kk thx. When I get down time, I've taken to watching documentaries from the tub. Quite enjoyable.

Tyler fractured his wrist. What the hell? When I was a kid, you fell down, got hurt, went to the doctor - they fixed you up. Now it's urgent care, emergency room, call backs, temporary casts, and then courting orthopedic surgeons to see if they'll take you. Dammit. We'll on our third try with ortho guy, and can't be seen until Monday, 10 days after the fracture happened. Gahh. Looks like basketbal tournie games and little league are a fat chance now.

Sleep now. Many calls and people to see tomorrow.

({}) Monologues

"My clitoris is the doorbell to my house!" Hahaha.

Had a fabulous time last night at the Vagina Monologues with Sheri. Friends Tressa and Debbie performed and they were hysterically funny. I laughed so hard I was crying.

Polluted with Creativity

Sheri and I had a great day. Ann invited us to her studio to see new concepts and applications she's developing. I hadn't seen her in a long time, and it was my first time visiting her studio. Very cool vibe; commercial space turned artist's loft. Met Dennis, an amazing metal fabricator. His work is unbelievable. We met Shaun, and watched her in blacksmith action. Then we got super creative with Ann, throwing ideas back and forth. Had the pleasure of seeing how she builds pieces in her kiln. Her work is so beautiful, such an incredible talent. We came away with fun ideas tucked away for future projects, and then fed the flow into planning for the Expo, just seven weeks away.

Topped off the day by getting a crazy short hair cut. Fun. OMG almost time for Colbert, hope it's not a repeat.

Where did the time go?

Happy Birthday to my babies. Tyler and Jenna are 12!

Hello, it's Nevada not Nevoda

Omg I caucused, you know I did. Even nudged Kev to switch alliances. Kev's a democrat and Erica got an A on her algebra final. A wondrous day I tell ya. I still think Obama is the bama....can't believe Hillary took the state. Aggghhhh.

Time to take over the world in a friendly game of Risk.

Buddy Guy

So proud of my guy. Tyler won the spelling bee yesterday at school. Not only did he spell well, he looked adorable. He dressed in a button down shirt, topped with a short sleeve tee, slouchy jeans, checkerboard belt, and his converse of course. Darling! We're all so happy and proud. In a few weeks, he'll represent his school at the district bee. Hip hip.

Solitary Confinement

Ahhhh....four days at home alone. The introvert in me rejoices.

Yay for the subconcious and Art Alexakis

Hangman

clue: why my foot feels nothing but air

puzzle: the kids broke the bottom rung off my drafting stool

i've taken to playing hangman with jenna...she's adorable. but still, my position of comfort has worn a groove in my brain....my foot keeps trying to rest on something that isn't there.

Such a fun Holiday Stroll

We headed downtown last night for the Holiday Stroll on California Ave. The best part was watching The Double Dutch Wars put on by the Holland Project. My favorite team jumped and jumped and then rode stick ponies and had pistol fights with cap guns. Oh oh, and then there was a Captain Underpants kid that climbed up on judges' table, and then leapt into the double dutch fray. Super fun! When the wars were over (and the teams all deemed winners), we cruised down a few blocks to watch Controlled Burn. The music was cool and it was my first time seeing Santa get down wit some fire dancing ;) The cowboy was pretty dandy too. It was nice to feel some heat from the flames....cuz damn, it was freezing!

Fickleness or Evolvement?

My daemon has changed. It shouldn't really, given that clearly--I am an adult. So what's up? When I took the quiz a few months back, it was a honey bee. Now, my daemon is a tiger. 'Spose it's fitting, given that I'm a Leo.

I'm so disappointed that The Golden Compass is getting crappy reviews. Tyler saw the trailer, and wants to see it, so I informed him he better start reading ;) I'm reading the book again and enjoying it thoroughly. Tyler and I will see the movie when we've finished the book, and decide for ourselves if it's good or not!

Want to meet your daemon?

Enjoyable

I've been buried on the restaurant remodel, but in a pleasant way. I dream about it all the time, but it's never like I'm standing in the restaurant naked with a paint deck in hand, it's just enjoyable design time in my sleep.

Sheri and I have been tag-teaming site visits with subcontractors every morning. A few days ago, we met with a plumber about the demo and installation. I gave him the specs on the Toto faucet for the bathroom. He got all starry eyed (the granite slab fabricator did too) over it. Sheri raised her eyebrows at me and said, "you know it's good when even the plumber gets excited about it."

It is a tasty faucet. Mmm hmm. Such clean lines....the sensor is built into the faucet, along with a hydro generator that recharges the battery as the faucet is used. Oooh...and a thermostatic mixer for that "just right" Goldilocks kinda tempature. Yum.

Go Fight Win

Cheers to Jenna's cheerleading team, the Damonte Mustangs for taking 1st place in Varsity division at competition today!

So here's the thing. In order to look the same, all the teams wear hair pieces. Total hooker hair. Looks the same? Looks like 4th Street to me.

Tree Hugger

To honor the top schools that participated in CHANGE 5, we planted Purple Autumn Ash trees at local schools this week. It felt good to experience the kids' enthusiasm as they planted their trees. Cheers to Moana Nursery for the gracious donation.

Fun news. The City of Reno and Washoe County School District are working to build the CHANGE 5 program into the school curriculum! Hip hip.

Authenticity Rocks

Fun times. The girls and I headed next door this morning to Machelle and Cathy's. Cathy's mom Carmen and her sisters came as well; Carmen taught me how to make tamales. We had a great time making tons (22 dozen to be exact) of tamales: chicken, beef, and pork. When the meat was gone we moved on to dessert tamales. Yay for an educational and cultural morning. She told me how to make spanish rice and pinto beans too. Thanks Carmen!