Busy is good

 The last two days were so busy I think the most time I spent home during those days were a couple 90 minute stretches.  For the amount of work I'm supposed to be doing in the next week that's not good odds.  I really felt like the stereotypical Mom-taxi all Wednesday and Thursday.  Actually it was more like a personal escort because I walked most of the time.

Wednesdays have turned into back and forth madness to school and such.  Jess has running club early in the morning, then boys to school, then me to Logan's class and home with him, then back to get Jessie since it's an early day, then back to pick up Toby, and finally Jess to and from sewing. 

Thursday was more of the same with Syd and I making two extra trips to the boys school to watch them run in the annual fundraiser.  Add in some plumbing problems at the apartments, juggling that schedule with meeting the plumber, and it made for one hectic day.  

Thank goodness for Fridays!  The pressure is off and I can relax a little bit to concentrate on my list and relaxing with the kids.  Wait, it's really Friday already?  I suppose that's one good reason to be actively engaged.  Time zooms right by.

I know this isn't a record for me, but check out how fast these pictures made it to cyber-space.  This was yesterday folks.  Talk about an update!

Below are all 3 school-aged kids running at the Fall Stampede.  We don't really care about how much money we raise (if any), but how many laps were run.  The kids like to try to outdo their laps ran from last year.  Mr. Cooper ran 14, Toby ran 18, and Jess ran a much longer 20 laps.  There's so much difference in personality between these three.  Logan was just going along with the flow, and was ready to quit half way through.  Toby was out there dancing, hopping and playing for the duration.  I noticed he ran with the same cute girl the whole time, and would speed up every time he came our way.  Jessie is a fierce competitor already, so she took this lap running stuff seriously.  I've learned she just needs a lot of encouragement and support.  There is usually no need to motivate her because she drives herself pretty hard as it is.

In other news, Halloween costumes are coming along slowly, and if I can reproduce what I imagine them to be it will be a great year!  It IS proving harder to do a family theme every Halloween as the chillies get older.  This year was definitely a compromise.  One week left until the big church party.  It's gonna be spooktacular!

First facial

 I experienced my first professional facial last night at Burke Williams spa.  My wonderful sis-in-laws, Denise and Marci, surprised me with a spa night for my birthday.  It was fabulous.

We marinated and talked for an hour in the spa while replenishing fluids with fruity, cucumber water.  Then I was whisked away by Mimi the aesthetician for an hour-long facial.  It didn't seem like an hour at all.  The experience was great, but I've decided a full facial is the yin and yang of basic spa treatments all wrapped in one hour.  The first half hour was blissful relaxation as a prelude to the pain of cleaning out my larger-than-I-wish-they-were pores.  Mimi applied a variety of pleasant-scented cleansers, exfoliating scrubs, and an extra Vitamin C peel (since it was my birthday) to my face and neck.  Adding the neck, arm and feet massage, with a parafin wax treatment on my hands just for fun, and I almost asked her to just leave me there for a nap.

I knew the next part was not going to be pleasant, but did she really have to relax me to the point of sleeping just to hurt me?  Those who have experienced a facial know, the next step to a refreshed face was the extractions.  Extractions.  It's such a nice way to say squeezing the guts out of your pores until tears fall down your cheeks.  Literally.  I think one of the little folds in my ear filled with tears while I was lying there at Mimi's mercy.  "Beauty hurts" is not a lie.  My nose is still tender.

In the end, I really did feel fabulous and walked out of there committed to take better care of myself.  I splurged on a few skin care products to help me out.  I'm feeling the effects of the sun and getting older, and I don't think my under $10 products from the drugstore are going to cut it anymore.  I have a reputation to uphold you know.  My Mom and Grandma look amazing at their ages because of how well they have taken care of their skin.  Hopefully there's some magic in the family genes that passed down to me too.  It's my Mom-mode that puts my needs last which usually get forgotten or sacrificed because of lack of time and energy on my part.

That needs to change.

I'm trying.

This was a good baby step.

Thanks 'Nise and Marci!

Oh, the picture at the top?  That's the best my cell phone would do of the pretty floating rose petals while we waited to eat at Amber after the spa.  My Man doesn't like Indian food, so when Marci suggested this place I was all for it.  I could ramble on about all the different curries, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, mint, lentils, and many strong flavors I love in Indian food.

The meal we shared was outstanding.  We tried some delicious potato and goat cheese appetizers, a chicken kabob dish, and my favorite, a coconut-curry chicken with rice.  We all wanted more Naan bread to soak up the left over sauce it was THAT good.  So flippin' delicious!  The flavors were incredible and we had a great time sharing good food.  I could have taken a little more heat even.  I thought of my Grandpa P who loved eating and sharing food with his family from all over the world.  He passed on that love to me too.  

The three of us have decided to make spa night a tri-annual (or quarterly) thing.  Might I suggest we share an Indian meal every time too?!  :)

Halloween rush

So much is happening in the next 2 weeks that I almost feel paralyzed as to where to begin.  Halloween costumes need to be finished and I haven't even sat down at the sewing machine yet.  The house is in major need of a purging that has to be done by next Thursday.  I can't say why yet. ;)  The Mister's parents are moving in a few weeks too, and we have an entire shed full of kids clothes, dusty wedding presents (how bad do we need those), and misc. stuff in their side yard that has to go.  I don't think I can make it all happen.  Add in a Kindergarten field trip, school parties, some babysitting, kids activities, and the regular chores and I'm back to feeling paralyzed. Isn't life fun?  I really am happy and trying to take deep breaths and enjoy the ride.

We have a special visitor coming next weekend.  The Mister has been driving the kids crazy with his cryptic clues and hints that we all need to get the house and things in order for this special visit.  If he keeps talking about it I think they will explode.  It's gonna be great though.  I'm still really freaking out!!

My husband rocks!  He surprised me and bought this vintage skirt for me.  It's going to be part of my Halloween costume and an awesome skirt to wear when I feel like dressing up a bit.  Did I mention the flowers are lined with sequins?  Beautiful.  So not my style in my younger days, but I'm finding my taste in everything is starting to lean toward more daring, artsy and colorful things.  Color makes life so much more fun.

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