These things were excellent

These things were excellent today-
Hiking
Golden leaves covering the trail like a carpet and floating down from the trees
The flash of the sunlight through the leaves shining off big and small fry's heads
The gurgling of the water over the rocks
Spashes of red leaves sprinkled here and there and dark green ferns turning yellow and brown
Small fry following big fry down the path with nets slung over their shoulders and backpacks full of snacks, actually quite in the prettiness of it
Squashing mushrooms that let a little puff of pollen from the top (this was highly entertaining)
Jelly Belly sodas (green apple and tangerine flavor in a old time glass bottle) and rice krispy treats on big granite rocks
Indigo girls blaring on the way to our destination

I meant to post lots of wonderful fall pics, but didn't have the memory card IN the camera. I think I enjoyed it more. We all took time to watch and listen to the awesomeness around us, especially me. So now you can close your eyes and create some imagery of your own

These things are good....

These things are bad...
employees
F's on online gradebook
sad parents
Today-today I actually thought being a teacher looked pretty darn good

These things are good...
Big fry and joining weight lifting club
Soreness after a crossfit WOD
Big Fry's attempt at poetry assignment (the first line is a kicker)
Small Fry and our cartooning adventure

ahhhh, nice

I saw this in the Sahalie catalog and it was a must have. The black wrap dress I had to send back-to big. I hate getting something from a catalog and then it doesn't work-think Karen and boots. It is totally cute, can't wait to wear it. (The cream one) with fan, it says "Live Free"

New addiction

As a way to better communicate with middle school parents one can check out his or her child's grades, DAILY. As an overbearing lecture, worrier, perfectionist, and compulsive "checker" of all things online I am not sure if this is a good thing for mom or son.

Where to start

I hate those days when I can't decide where to get started. I need to finish laundry and go to work. Small Fry wants a haircut. The lawn needs to be mowed and I need to some cooking for the week. The house needs straightening and some toads need to be released. All this needs to be done by 3 to head for racing. I want to go shopping (definitely and avoidance activity), or ride the Mickelson Trail or go Kayaking, anything but the have-tos.

Maybe....

Here is the famous 1-click sword. Ordered twice. I was pondering that maybe I should have kept if for myself. Maybe I could have done this...

I know one person in the family who would have appreciated it:) He always a Jennifer Garner fan

Really??

After getting up at 5 AM to work out, staying at work until 7:30 this evening I come home to relax and find the following:
An 11 year old who has been home since 4 WITH his dad and now as he is showing me his planner realizes he has homework (to hubby's credit he asked him more than once)
An 8 year old who has homework due NEXT Monday, and needs me to find a family pic for it right now
An 11 year old who very honestly and solemnly asks me if you press the "Buy-with-1-click" button on amazon does it really order it?
An 8 year old who wayyyy after bedtime is hearing knocking noises in his room and finds out it is his favorite fish light as it moves, he is in a quandry-light? No light?
An 11 year old who is crying out of guilt of being curious about the one-click button AFTER I show him a confirmation that I will soon be the proud owner of not one, but two decorative martial art swords.
Finally the fish light is off, the bathroom light is on, and now a big fry that can't sleep because the bathroom light is on. And me? Well I promised myself no wine until Friday so that is out and I still sit here in my dress clothes...hey it is only 9:10, I can just go straight to pj's. A glass of wine in PJ's would be even better

Just so you know it is not all doom and gloom, big fry's first 4 grades are all A's and one missing assignment turned in and full credit for. Small Fry loves his teacher, which is very rewarding after last year experience, and hey tomorrow is already Wednesday

Not forgotten

Small fry's racing weekend was a little more painful. The group of 8 year olds was packed. Full gates, meaning 8 riders at a time. This my friends is a little intimidating, especially when we don't encounter that here. Small Fry was intimidated and fell back each time, he eeked by to make it in the final races, but was definitely disappointed. Sunday he fell and took a handle bar to the ribs, he wasn't quite the same after that. He did run to the finish line to meet his big brother after the main race to "help him with his trophy mom, it will be heavy". The funniest part is our neighbor is a bmx expert and tells us to keep track of points etc... and to stay when the races ar over because they give out "state plates" to the top riders by age group. I NEVER keep track of points and we high tail it out of Aberdeen as fast as we can. Well this year she texts me on the road and says small fry received a 3rd place plate, meaning 3rd out of the 8 year olds in the whole state. He was on cloud nine and ran down to their house early this morning to pick it up.

We screamed our heads off, ate too much junk food, watched a group of 30 and over moms race-hmmmmmmm. isn't there a quote somewhere "do something that scares you every day" And plan to do more traveling next year, I can't wait!

Change in fortune

Last summer Big Fry and I had a "come to you know who talk" about racing. He told me at the time, "I am tired of being last mom for the last 4 years". The last month of this summer has been a different story, well almost, he has still been last here at our track. But his atttitude and ability has been far from it. He tells us it doesn't matter what place he gets, but that when he is racing the expert riders that he is "almost with them" and has come out of the gate in front. This weekend at Aberdeen for him was awesome. He raced his butt off, was first a couple of times and finished 2nd overall. You could just feel the confidence ooze off of him. He did better then his little brother who always comes home with the biggest hardware, and is excited to race more. Sometimes those late bloomers are the funnest to watch.

Speaking of wicked...

Ok, Carey brought it up. I can have a weird/dark sense of humor. Luckily hubby shares it with me, this is our new favorite show. We have netflix on demand so are catching up with previous seasons. It was the opening song that totally got me.

Once in awhile

As women we are great to point out our faults. Our weight, our skin, our body parts, our motivation. You ask what our faults are and we can name plenty. At the same time we can talk up our kids, our hubbys, our friends, and our coworkers about what is great about them. So once in awhile I think it is ok to share what is cool about us and have a little pride in who or what we are. I had a fellow boot camp person/coworker tell me about her conversation at boot camp and mentioning to another person that her principal (me) comes to the class to. She was describing me to the other lady, "you know shortish brown hair, comes with her husband..." The other gal right away says, "Oh I know who you mean, the one with the kick ass legs". I may weigh more than I used to and some of the parts aren't all in the same perky place they should be but to be at age 40 and have "kick ass legs"?

I'll take it, and be proud of it