Jetset

I have yet to regret any trip I have taken with my kids. Not once have I wished for more material items in the last few years. I am frugal. I don't spend money very often on myself or home, I save for travel. Best decision of my adult life yet.

Here and there I car shop online, then I add up what six months of car payments would be and realize I'd have to give up a trip here or there. Just not yet ready to.

This weekend we set off on Virgin America to L.A. to stay with my friend Claire in Seal Beach, pretty much the greatest beach town. Located between Long Beach and Hunnington Beach, and close to everything.

First Virgin is my favorite airline. My first trip with them was shortly after they opened, I had been patiently waiting. My ex and I flew to visit Claire and loved it. They almost always beat Alaskas prices to California, have great service and free satellite tv at every seat.

Second Luke has been begging to house sit, scary! It was a test, if he passed later in the year he could do it again OR he would be coming with me to Lo's dance competitions. He did great, and I look forward to him doing it again, my dogs, cat and rats were in good hand.

And third, it is always a treat to visit with Claire. We met back at United Airlines training center in 2000, and became crash pad roomies (flight attendant speak for a bunch of people sharing a small apartment, some permantly live there and the others commuters), I think we've managed to see each other almost annually the last 14 years. Through ups and downs, divorce and deaths, I love being around her.

And last L.A. is a really great place (when you have someone that's grown up there and shuttles you around), so sharing this side, away from the theme parks with Lo was wonderful.

 

This is Winky (she only has one good eye) we fell in love with her.

Can't say it enough but she is the BEST to travel with

 

Just driving to dinner in CA

 

Newsport Beach

 

A little Hollywood before it was time to catch our plane

 

 

 

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The Happenings

We're still here. So busy. Lots of really good things happening! Without going into too much detail because I'm ready for some shut eye. Wedding, we've narrowed dates and places down further, VERY excited to marry this man! Houses, we have two, we're lucky, however we live in two places, not together! We thought we had decided sell his, he move in here until we find our perfect house, then rent mine. We've looked, and looked and even stepped outside of our designated search area, even to East Wenatchee (crazy), last weekend after looking at more houses, more lots (I'm fairly against building), we ran back to my house and decided we love both of our houses more than the stuff we could potentionally buy and STILL have to put money into. Plans have been under way to get Ricks house sell able, but as it started this week we've decided to make it our house. I am super excited, his contactor is amazing and the next several months I am very excited for! There's trimming and framing going on now, February is what we've set for drywalling, then bathroom remodel and carpet, and spring the backyard deck (probably the part I am most excited about, I love outdoor living space). Logan is REALLY lobbying for the pool (empty and cracked now) to be redone and filled, kind of thinking that might be nice! Hopefully by the end of spring we will be in there and renting my house out!

As for the kids and I we are really trying to squeeze as much summer as we can in, lots of hiking, swimming, water slides, floating the River, the lake. I am exhausted! Love summer, but because I am a working mama this means to get any running or work outs in I have been getting up at 4:30, then to work by 6:15 and home for a full afternoon, some cases when the kids aren't with me I return to work in the evenings. Needless to say by 8 pm I am exhausted! I feel blessed to be able to have that flexibility, but there is a small part of me that will be excited for school to start and I can have my afternoon workout window when the kids are in school back!

In photos!

Low clearance on a raining day made for a muddy Bassett

Water slides

Combining fun and workouts. Took the kids to Chelan so I could open water swim, then we played in the lake and enjoyed a nice lunch date at my sons favorite burger joint.

Loving these little (well not so little) people in my life!

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Camp Slide Show

My sister put this together from our trip down to Fort Stevens!
http://vimeo.com/103150469

Trail vs. City

Most weekends are good, but some are just better than others. Last weekend was pretty great. I learned a few things abut myself, things I pretty much already new, but with a certain clarity I knew it for sure after this weekend.

1. My daughter is only 12, she doesn't need to go away to camp again for a while. I missed that girl something fierce.

2. With the above came the realization that I don't just have one person in my life that "makes" my world. Nor do I want to be somebody's sole source of happiness (that pressure was already put on me for too many years). My fiancé, my family, my friends and probably most importantly my kids are a cumulative group of my everything. They complete my world and without one or the other life would just not be as perfect. Having one person is great (better than none), but having all these people to love and love you back, now that is truly living.

3. Nature and the trails is truly where I belong. I love NYC (too many great things to name), but this weekend I took the kids to Seattle for the day to see Book of Mormon (that part was great), but I DO NOT like making the trip over there, I Do NOT like being there. I've always known this. I feel at ease in SF and NYC but that's it on the city front. I couldn't get back over the mountains out of the congestion of traffic and rude people fast enough. I used to "try" to like going over for a sporting events (opening of the Sonics games were pretty fun, but that's it) or even try to get excited to go shopping. It's not my thing, the arts are about the only thing that can drag me over now. I'm ok with that. The entire time all I could think about was when my ultra light sleeping pad and new pack were going to arrive and I could go head to the mountains and sleep in the peace and quite and wear my previous days dirty clothes and drink coffee with fresh air and the beauty around that humans have not ruined.

4. The Dixie Chicks are by far my favorite driving music. Belting out each and every song as though I was Natalie Maines is about the only way I can drive without getting tired.

Now weekend recap. My son and I ventured to Lake Valhalla. Because we had planned to hike something different but the trailhead was closed because of fires, I thought I would switch our normal hike up. We took the other entrance to the trail to get to Lake Valhalla, across from the Stevens Pass ski area is an entrance to the PCT, from there is it just under 6 miles to the lake. Fabulous trail, we loved it. My son was in shock he did a 12 mile hike, but also enjoyed it. I've said it before, but this place truly feels like my special place. There's a calm I can't describe that settles over me being there. A desire to be back soon, and stay longer. Peace.

Then Logan came home!! She did have fun, they kept her busy but I don't think she has a real desire to be away for a while. So incredible to have her home.

Last the Book of Mormon. That was fun. It wasn't any of our favorites out the Broadway shows we've seen, but it was very good. I thought Rock of Ages was a bit inappropriate (the musical not movie), this was more so for someone my daughters age. Fortunately a lot was over her head, yikes! Glad to mark that off my list of must see's!

Trail along the PCT and Lake Valhalla

Kaisers favorite place on earth

Blurry bits.

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A Bit Emotional

Ok, it's not going so well, for me that is. My daughter is off to camp for the first time. The morning of was hard and scary for her, truthfully I just wanted to start crying and say ok, just stay home. Instead we talked it through, came up with a plan I hope she uses if she's not enjoying herself (no cell coverage or wifi, and she's four hours away for 3 nights). Truth is I miss her, I worry that others may not see what a generous, kind loving girl she is. However this is a leadership camp, it's supposed to be positive, fun and team building. It's different than when she goes to her Dads. She'll text and call, she reassures me from there she's having fun and doing well, and when she's not we work through it knowing she will be home shortly. Ugh, that's all I got until she gets home and hopefully tells me she DIDN'T miss me as much as I missed her.

Then this happened (not the half dead yard, clearly I ignore that, but the skate ramp removal).

 

Off it went

This was bittersweet. The mini ramp had become an eye sore, as well as a constant reminder of a broken promise to my son.

The summer of 2010 I went away to Chelan for the weekend and came home to this in my driveway.

Three pieces of a skate ramp. My emergency cash on hand raided, and now a ramp was going into my backyard. I was a little mad that this wasn't discussed but that quickly went away seeing how incredibly excited my son was. He was a good skater, did it for hours and we conveniently live between both the indoor and outdoor skate park.

Fast forward three months later and my husband leaves us. Now I was put in the position of being the sole caregiver, provider for my children and home, scary and at first overwhelming. I had enough on my plate trying to coordinate getting my children to school while working (remember my sister came to the rescue and would pick Lo up from the hospital and drop her off). I had to quickly prioritized, kids care first, groceries, meals and laundry next, house cleaning, the yard was at the last of my list, and the two things I had to accept I couldn't handle or take care of at the time were the hot tub, and a skate ramp. The ramp meant so much to my son, so I asked his Dad if he would at least help cover (or winterize) it for us and in the spring give it the needed maintenance, he promised our son he would do so. We waited, and eventually did a haphazard job trying to cover it ourselves, needless to say the winter wasn't kind, I asked again for help, again was told yes for our son, a summer went by and no skating because the simple repairs weren't made, another winter goes by without getting covered, the next summer rolls around the ramp is rotting before us, this summer I explained to my son I have asked and gotten nowhere, it's up to him, if he wants it fixed he will need to ask, another year rolls around and still nothing, now my dad steps up (because he's good like that) and offers to repair it with my son, the only catch is he will need to call and set it up and be willng to help and learn, this time my son never followed through, he was over it.

We were both a little sad watching it go. As a parent you feel for your kids when they get disappointed in life. To see my son so excited that he and his Dad had gone and gotten a ramp (I think he was in disbelief they did it), but then to get let down so shortly there after when he realized this was never going to get fixed, he would never be inviting his friends over to skate, or practicing new tricks he learned on you tube, he would likely never get to use this ramp again. When it left this week I asked him if he was sad. He said "a little, but he was relieved it was finally gone". He knew it had to go, and dreaded the work to take to get it out....good bye ramp, and may this always be a lesson for my son, when you give someone your word you need stand behind it.

 

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Hours in the Day

I don't know if there could ever be enough hours in the day to spend with this girl. The love for your child really is unexplainable. Filling your heart so full it almost hurts. My kids bring me so much joy, I feel beyond privileged to be their mom.

My son has been away at YL camp, so the little miss and I have been enjoying some girl time together. Our time is not spent shopping or spending money, it's not with electronics (which I know very little about, yet they

seem to know everything about), it's time together. The most relaxing time is outside.

She heads to leadership camp tomorrow morning, her first camp away ever. It's a lot harder for me than I imagined, I'll miss her so much, but at the same time I am so proud of this girl. Her spirit, confidence, positive attitude always and willingness to put herself out there. She earned this spot at camp running for an ASB officers position. While most of next years officers will be 8th grade she will be 7th. She's a tad nervous, but also excited and so for that I put on my big girl pants, suck up my tears, and get excited for her.

Yesterday I maximized our whole day, and a good portion was spent enjoying the Icicle River in a double tube together.

This is what it's come down to (and another example of the electronics thing). We DO NOT share the same taste in music, (with the exception of Brandi Carlile) she saved up her babysitting money for her special headphones, likely so she can listen to her music while I listen to mine in the car!

My bathing beauty

We thought about getting pedicures, but this was clearly the better idea

That's my friend Jenn behind us spending her birthday with her son, she's kind of cool like that!

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Celebrate!

One of the weekends I was away last month was spent celebrating a 40th birthday for my friend, or as we like to call them Hagfest! My friends and I celebrate all of our birthdays. One of us will organize a get together, someone brings a gift bag and we all bring a little something for the birthday girl. We understand the importance of celebrating each birthday. We love and appreciate each other so much, another year of life is a gift worth acknowledging!

When it's a milestone, we go big! Last year we did Hagfest wine tasting in Walla Walla this year Suncadia. I love this, and I love taking the time to celebrate another year with these beautiful ladies.

Unfortunately the house was quite big (not really a bad thing) and it was hard to round up the ladies for photos, so this is it!

For the record I met this Hag in 2010, but feels like I've kown her a lifetime. She's gorgeous, fun, sassy, honest and loyal. Love her.

 

 

 

 

This Friday we celebrated the hag with the unicorn on her shirt, her 41st. This was quite memorable!

Blessed

 

 

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Quiet Time

This is one of those VERY rare days in which I am alone all day and night. Granted I love my little and big people around all the time. As a single working Mama my summers starts to feel rushed and chaotic. I'm constantly in need of sleep. I work early so I am off before noon to be with the kids, so my summertime workouts get bumped up to 4:30 (when the sun was coming up this wasn't so bad, now it's dark and it kind of sucks), my house is typically messed up by the time I get home, and it's time to think about making lunch and what activity we shall do to maximize the most of our summer days. I love all of this, but I have been gone every weekend since the last weekend in June, and quite honestly my "shit to do list" is piling up. I need to pay bills, wash linens (I have no idea when my sons were last washed), get our yard sale goods out and marked (for next weekend), sweep the dirty patio, finish at least six paint jobs around the house, buy electric covers, get the cat cat food, clean out expired food in the fridge, open mail.....get where I am at with all this? All day to day tasks that I can't seem to get to during the week. Between raising my kids and trying to fit in time with my fiancé (remember I've mentioned what a patient man he is). I'll reiterate as a divorced mom I truly feel lucky with the amount of time I am with my kids. I love them so very much, and really love putting everything aside (hence the mess) to take it all in with them. There are only two days a month I don't see them, and I'm still always a little sad when they head out on those Friday nights every other weekend, but it has been very nice today, to have this day to myself (Ricks backpacking the Enchantments, hopefully not getting rained on), with the exception of one meeting for Lo's elite dance team, it has been me alone (well semi alone, three dogs, two rats and a cat....all currently in the same room with me now).

I semi slept in, I made breakfast, I drank coffee at a leisurely pace. I got loads and loads, of laundry done, my house vacumed, mail read, bills organized for tomorrow, closets cleaned out (that was nice). Now I am taking the evening to enjoy some me time. Heated up a delicious leftover sockeye salmon and asparagus for dinner (no having to cook), reading the end of my book club book Wild, after that I have plans to pop popcorn and watch Beaches, which I bought six months ago and haven't got to. Or simply go to bed......

Cheers

 

 

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The Camp Life

I'm happy to say I survived another camping trip. Once again I actually really enjoyed it......after we got there.

The days leading up were "slightly" stressful and I couldn't hep but wonder why I hadn't just rented a condo on the beach. Like I said I love camping once I am there. I love sleeping outside, cooking outside, hours in a camp chair reading, and of course s'mores, but getting myself and two kids ready, is a chore. Shopping for enough food and trying to guess what we will have for meals each days, then making sure we have all the proper utensils, plus foil, lighters for the stove, enough napkins, plates, ect. Then the clothes, we were heading to the Oregon Coast, where the highs were predicted of 67 lows of 57. Now try coordinating between two houses where we left what gear, camp box, tent and sleeping pads were at Ricks, bags at my house, coolers both places. We had planned to bring bikes but in the end only brought Lo's because we had the truck packed to the gills. Along with all that I have the normal coordinating of getting my house and animals ready for a house sitter, and shopping for supplies for the stand to make sure it's good for the days we are gone. Funny though, even with all that we've made plans for two more camping trips next summer.

A few pictures highlights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made a spot on the way out to the Goonie House

 

And a detour to see Mt. St. Helens. I have lived in Washington state most of my life and had never seen it other than from a plane

 

 

 

 

 

 

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