Broadway Baby

Sun was back today, but dang the wind was cold. I stood in line this morning at the TKTS ticket booth to get matinee tickets (we had evening tickets for Kinky Boots already). I had three shows that I knew would likely appear, in mind. Top of Lo's list was Cinderella and that's what I got. Great day with coffee in the park and two shows, one with our friend Sasha! Our evening show of Kinky Boots was amazing!

I can't adequately express how blessed I am to have these two, and the joy I get traveling with them.

At Cinderella with Sasha

Lot getting Carly Rae Jepsen to sign her playbill (the call me maybe, singer)

And Fran Drescher in the background

Round two Kinky Boots

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Highlights

The weather took a 180 and was wet and cold today. Thankfully my fiancé is rubbing off on me and I checked the forecast obsessively the day before we left. Raincoat and umbrella were packed, along with a down vest and a mid weight spring coat ( granted I packed very few clothes just coats).

 

We took advantage of the weather and the fact that no one wants to brave the observatory of the Empire State Building on a bad day.

Burrrr

 

Next up, a nap then Knicks game

 

 

This was an event in itself. This was my gift to my son for his birthday, but the star watching for me was awesome. Courtside celeb sightings were unreal!

Happy early birthday to the one that made me a mom!

 

Ok to finish the night, we returned to Broadway. Last night we had a chance after Of Mice and Men to get our playbill signed and some pictures of James Fanco, but we missed Chris O Dowd (whom I thought was amazing as Lenny).. Well right up and front but they weren't signing tonight because of an event they needed to attend. Chris's photo was a little blurry, James stopped long enough to apologize.

Another fabulous day in this great city with my favorite little (ish) people.

 

 

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Day in the Park

Wifi is questionable in this hotel at best, but while I have it I'll post a few photos from our morning.

This is our third trip in just over two years. The beauty of that, is we know what we like and can relax a bit more. This morning we slept in, grabbed a late breakfast at Starbucks and took it to Central Park, it was lovely. Just chillin and people watching with my kids. I can't imagine traveling without them.

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Tired (with a capital T)

I did it, mangaged to completely wipe myself out while the kids were gone. I didn't stop, work and long hard workouts, the only thing missing was sleep. Which was the purpose behind this madness. It wasn't because I didn't want to, but I also took advantage of being able to watch a movie with my fiancé. Most of our nights we have a certain little 12 year right in the middle of us, our lives are clearly centered around her, and a documentary on cycling really doesn't interest her. So lots of work, working out and quality time with my man. My kiddos came home at noon yesterday (hallelujah) we spent a few hours getting ready for our trip to NYC, then went to track workout. It was here the extent of my exhaustion was felt. The workout was one I was excited about (1-mile slow warm up, drills, 1 mile of jog the straights sprints the corners, 2x400, 3x300 and 4x200 all with about a 2 minute jog recovery on between), once we hit the second mile I knew I had succeeded in wiping myself out, yikes that workout was not pleasant for me!

This morning the temptation of the opened foothills trails and the guilt of leaving my dog got me out of bed early once again to go for a sunrise trail run, as tired as I was this was one of those times I am able to count my blessing that I get to enjoy this.

Now after sleeping the thirty minute flight from Wenatchee to Seattle and the first 2.5 hours of our 4 hour 35 minute flight to NYC I'm feeling quite refreshed and ready to go! Perhaps I was saving all this up just so I could sleep on the plane!

 

Few photos all in a day!

 

Enjoy the solitude and wide open spaces early this morning

 

Plane time SEA-JFK

 

Made it! Hustle and bustle at 11:30 pm

 

 

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23 Hours

I've got this! My kids are back in less than a day, then we are off the NYC. I REALLY don't like when they have to be away. Fortunately for me the only time is Christmas and Spring Break, and we are almost through with that portion. I hate the ridiculousness of my kids sitting home alone at their Dads house, because they have to, when they could be fully supervised at my house. My coping:  exhaust myself! I am really good at this!

Friday we went to the Tri-cities because I signed up to do a trail run 3 days prior (after having my friends over for dinner and discovering they were doing this run, I figured why not). This run was awesome! I was a little apprehensive because I like to be prepared. I hadn't run much over 6 miles since last fall, and had just gotten back on our trails here, but as I've gotten older I've lost a bit of that competitive edge, along with just trusting the fact that overall I am in good physical shape and can do it. I love trail running and this was no exception. It was not an easy course, at all....a lot of climbing, but I love that. I love being in that environment. I love the smells, the dirt and good cheer of the other trail runners, plus at the switchbacks I could see my friend...both of us with huge perma grins on our face!

Rick got in a ride during the run with the cycling club down there, and enjoyed just hanging with his family after. It was a little treat! Yesterday, tired and sore I met up with my other friend, that commutes over here on the weekends because his fiancé lives here, but she works weekends....needless to say it makes for a great riding partner. We set out on my favorite go to ride, the Pinnacles! Just wonderful, now still tired and sore heading out again....doing the things I love, at the same time wearing myself out the time flies and it's a little less painful being away from my children.

 

And we're off

Two people I love very much! Way to go you two! (Scott ran the 50k....with a smile)

I

I love this man!

Got to ride out with this gal, it's been way too long!

As always a great day cycling in the valley!

 

 

 

Cheers to less than a day!

 

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That Little Ache

I've kind of been ignoring the fact that it's Spring break and I'm going to have to part with my kids for 3 full days. Knowing this, my evening was dedicated to my kids, we ate, hung out, looked at old pictures, chatted and watched tv. They are mine, and I am used to having them to myself, not that I don't want to share them with Rick but as we start to create a life together, I still find myself cherishing our alone times too. He is the most gracious man to allow us that. I know he too will miss them, especially Lo, the two of them have a pretty special relationship, but he gives us time and space. Makes me love him all the more that he gets it!

I tried to tell myself leadng up to this little separation, that it's getting easier. It's not.....it still sucks, and I still miss them. They change so fast, I love experiencing it all. My son will likely take the chance to sleep a lot (pretty typical for his breaks), but it gets harder to watch my daughter go. As she gets older things that were once fun for her there aren't as much now, simply because she's growing and maturing. I get it because I see it everyday, but it hurts my heart that she could be the one slightly out of place. As a mom I just want everyone that comes into contact with them to realize and know how special they are. To make them feel loved and wanted at all times. This break is not as hard as the week at Christmas, but not having my snuggle bug for three full days is a longtime for this mom.

I have plenty to do. We leave the for NYC the day after the kids get back so I truly do have plenty to do getting my house and the business ready so we can fly out the next morning.

I'm excited my kids have to trip to look forward to, that they will be counting days down until we hop on a plane. I know it will all go fast, but at night on the Eve of saying good bye for a few days there's that familiar ache.....

 

This shot was from right before Tuesdays track workout. Lo's been bringing a friend and I caught them running before. So cute.

 

 

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Divorce/Parenting

Divorce is hard.  I used to think it's even harder when you have kids, now I realize its hard and sad either way.  I have a friend who's divorce was just finalized, after roughly 14 years of marriage.  I see the pain in her eyes, and I feel the ache in her heart. I hate it all over again, because I know how much she is hurting and all she will have to work through to find peace again.

I used to be pissed at my ex for breaking our family up and forcing me to part with my kids every other weekend, but thank God I had them.  As hard as everything was, I still had them.  They were such a blessing and a focus for me to put all my energy into raising them and "us" getting through all these changes together.  My little Miss was only 8 but she was such an amazing source of strength for me.
My friend will get through this because she has really great, wonderful people in her life.  If she chooses she will never have to speak to her ex again.  I'm pretty much tied to my ex for life through our kids (hence the wise words my friends always repeats:  "be careful who you let impregnate you").  Although as time goes by, and he becomes less and less a part of our lives,  it  feels ok, even normal.  There's always issues that clearly arise when you parent majority of the time, then for  little bits in the month they (the ex) is in charge for a day or two.  Right now, we have a teenage son.  A smart teenage son, one that's figured out that if he lies to his Dad and gets caught the consequence are far less at his house,  by the time he returns to his Dads  house two weeks later its all but forgotten.   At my house if this were to  happen he'd have to face the consequences for days in a row. He  knows that even if the consequence's get in the way of something I have planned or going on, I will cancel (I won't be happy about it), but that's part of  being the parent, having to follow through.  It's my job and my role, the one I take most serious in life.  I've been doing this on my own for the last 3 1/2 years now, I no longer count on their Dad.  If he shows up, or follows through, bonus for my kids.  If not, his loss.  My kids don't seem to get disappointed anymore.  Nor does it bother me anymore.

I have two other friends going through a divorce right now, one with kids and one without.  All smart, wonderful and strong woman.  Their experience will be hard, because they are the type of woman that want to go through the emotions.  One will learn to get on with her life without ever having anymore ties to her ex, the other will have to figure out the way to go through life with out this person, but knowing their children will forever connect them together.
The only thing I can tell them (that was told to me), they will be ok.  That one day they will forgive, not for the other person, but for themselves.  They won't grieve, they won't look back, instead their future and possibilities will excite them.
I was given some of the greatest gifts from my ex.  First my children.  Second the gift to find myself and experience life to the fullest.  I appreciate the good people in my life, every moment with my kids, and I am living, really living.