Life still marches on...

It has been a very rough week for my sister and her husband and her husband's family.  Jason lost his dad last night, very swiftly but peacefully (I think), to cancer.  I am grateful it was fast.  I am more grateful that I was able to be there for them at least a little bit when they needed it.  Of course it just brings the cold hard reality that we all have a time card that will get punched at some point.  We just don't know when.  So, have champagne Thursdays with your sweetie.  Kiss your kids as often as you feel like it.  And never go to bed or leave the house with things unsaid.  Because you never know. I love my family very much.  And I am very lucky to have them!

A good weekend.

Just sitting here, watching The Count of Monte Cristo while I finish off the slice of apple pie I took home from the yummy dinner mom made last night.  Jeff is still at curling league...he should be home soon, I hope.  Spent a couple of hours with Jon and Wendy this evening.  Got to see the very nice outdoor fireplace they have for the deck; Jon even fired up the fireplace, which was quite lovely.  Olivia had a fabulous time climbing their stairs, playing with the gravel and testing out the swing for baby Peyton!!

As you can see by her face (I know the photo is blurry, but the swing was in motion), she loved it.  It makes me wish I had one for her.  But we had no room for a swing at the condo, and now I think she is getting to the age where she doesn't need one.  But that doesn't mean she can't use baby Peyton's for a while!! :)

I knew as soon as I woke up...

Olivia woke up at 0600, and Jeff being the sweet husband that he is, got up and let me sleep in.  I usually can't go back to sleep at this point, knowing everyone is awake, but I cuddled back up in my warm bed, and I apparently I went right back to sleep.  I woke up again at 0800 and thought "that can't be the right time".  That thought was followed by "oh, I think I have a sore throat".  And then my nose has continued to run like a faucet all day long, with a nice sinus headache to boot.  *sigh*.  I am sure this is just the tip of the iceberg.

On the plus side, (I am ashamed to say it has taken me this long) I went in for my birthday massage from my sisters.  An hour and a half of bliss and torture.  It is no secret I am a musculoskeletal nightmare when it comes to massages.  I never not have knots and I pretty much hurt where ever you rub.  And even muscles I don't think about (i.e. my calf) are painful with knots when the rubbing starts.  Eventually everything settles down, but I am guessing that a massage every year and a half is probably not the way to go (the last time was on the beach in Kona).  So, I chose 6 months after my birthday to enjoy the glorious massage...and vow to not wait that long in the future.  So thanks Jaime and Teri.  It was just what I needed today.

Unfortunately, the cold has taken hold, and I had to cancel a date tomorrow to meet and friend and her just 3 week old baby girl.  Not to mention I can't go see Grandma either.  Frustrating.  So, I hope the get better before the weekend, or I won't be going to the shower either.  :(

Football

One good thing about Fall is football.  Jeff and I went to his dad and stepmom's today to watch the Alabama vs Arkansas game.  Alabama did not look like the #1 team in the nation for most of the game, but managed to pull it out in the end.  Concurrently, my Cougs were playing USC.  The Cougs actually did quite well in the first half, but USC pulled away to beat them handily.  The next game we paid attention to was OSU vs Boise State.  I really want BS to lose...I keep hoping it will happen, but they are so scrappy and good, they manage to avoid losing.  So, the Beavs go down. Oregon in the lead at this moment with still a bit of game to go.  A pretty good day in the Pac-10 with UCLA and Stanford winning as well (not that I really care, but UCLA did beat #7 Texas, which ROCKS).  So, even on this glorious 80 degree day, the feel of Fall is present because of Football.  And I will concede that I look forward to this part of Fall, even if it does mean I have to deal with the rain.

Olivia enjoyed football day as well, playing outside and climbing up the stairs about 4 times, as well as feeding Jenna all her snacks when she got tired of eating them herself.  Olivia tried salmon today for the first time and seemed to like it.  She also munched happily on a tomato.  It is fun finding foods that we eat that she likes or is able to eat.  Every day it seems like it is something new with her.  I love it. 

Justice for all...not

I received another subpoena yesterday...or actually Jeff received it for me.  I had my suspicions when Jeff said there was a non-descript car in our driveway last evening.  But, I was hoping for the best.  That damn criminal who stole my diaperbag out of my cart at Target is still going to trial.  And, although I never saw him do it, I get to testify anyway.  Yea for me (insert sarcasm here). The process server told Jeff he had to serve another lady a subpoena for the same case in our neck of the woods.  That jerk stole a lot of purses that day.  So it seems, those of us who abide by the laws as best we can, who don't generally have criminal tendancies get to be severely inconvienced to have to the chance to try and get the guy who wronged us put in jail.  Sad thing, he will probably be out quick, even if he goes to jail.  It almost seems pointless...almost.  So, I bide my time until October 18th...stress out about finding a babysitter, and hope that this time is the last time.  *sigh*

Fall

Everyone seems to get so excited for Fall....  I just seem to mourn the loss of Summer.  I enjoy the sun and warm days.  I don't like the days and days on end of rain and the cold.  I enjoy Fall when it is not raining, but let's face it...how often does that really happen?  The weather man says it is supposed to be warm coming up this weekend.  I will be ready for that.

So that new treatment on my hair is pretty cool...at least so far.  It takes far less time to flat iron and I wake up almost exactly as I went to bed, so I don't have to redo it really in the morning on the days I don't wash it.  Sweet.  Anything that makes getting dressed faster is a good thing for me.  I am relatively lazy about some things, and getting ready is one of them.  I admire my sister Teri for always looking like a million bucks, even when she is staying home and cleaning house.  You are my role model.  So, if I could get Teri's motivation and Jaime's energy, that would be fabulous.  I would never stop!!! :)

Olivia is still asleep.  She went to bed later than usual last night (2100), but was still up at 0630.  Sigh.  Thankfully, even though I slept all day yesterday in anticpation of work (and then got called off), I did sleep most of the night, so I feel good today.  Just waiting for O to wake up.  Might go to the CM to meet some friends, but Jeff works only half day today, so may stay home just to hang with him.  Since it is RAINING outside, I don't really feel like going anywhere.  But, I am ready if I do.  I even put makeup on today. 

Oh, I hear Olivia now...time to jet!

Ahhh....

Well, I had a glorious 3 hours at the hair dresser...took a bit longer than normal, because I had missed my last appointment and had a good inch of grow-out and my color was a bit monochromatic.  I had a new treatment added to my hair (the express version, which is only 50$...the full meal deal costs about $300) which is supposed to keep me from as much flat iron time as I usually put in, and add shine and help the color stay longer.  Most of Becky's clients really love it.  The 300$ dollor version of course lasts longer and is a bit stronger, but I reckon this will do me for now.  My hair felt weird, but it is better today.  You can't wash it for 24 hours.  No problem, as I so don't want to do my hair on a work day anyway.  We darkened the color just a bit, and added a hint of red, which I don't think you can really see in the photo. Just the perfect color change as we role into fall.

The stray little hairs on top were a little static-y...those are always annoying.

Olivia is down for her nap...I should probably nap also.  Or maybe I will watch Hawaii 5-0 that I recorded last night.  Hmmmm...decisions, decisions.

On a completely unrelated note:  I have hummingbirds!!!!  I put a feeder out a month or so ago, and I have seen a bird or two coming to the feeder.  So excited.  It is probably time for me to clean the feeder out again.  I want to keep those hummingbirds happy!!!