Home Alone

Well now, seems I have a quiet house this weekend. Rest of the family going off to the mountains, and I elected to stay behind. Allie and Bret leave in the morning to go and open up the cabin. She is very excited because they are taking the tent. She really wants to camp outside. We are skeptical she will make it all the way through the night, as she still sleeps with a night light, but at least there is the cabin as a back up. I'm feeling a little Mommy-guilt, but also this will be good time for Bret and the girls. He gets such little time with them, this will be good. And I get p-l-e-n-t-y.

Tomorrow night (oh dear that is actually tonight isn't it?) also happens to be open house at the school. So they are driving back down for it, then will leave with Samantha in tow to drive back up after that. Normally I wouldn't care about open house, but it's new classrooms for both of them. They have both just spent three years with the same teachers, so it's a big deal, the two of them moving on.

And I come home to a quiet house. A quiet house that OMG I really want to clean this weekend.

Of course, really wanting to do something and actually doing it are two entirely different things.

Bret asked if I would call Christine and finally see something gory and gross at the movies, since he doesn't like horror movies. Oh it's tempting.

But you know? I think I want the alone time. I might see if Inconvenient Truth is still playing. I definitely want to take a bath. A nice, long, bath that smells like vanilla and gardenia, and for once not be interrupted until the water runs cool. Heh, knowing me I will listen to podcasts.

I want to record another podcast too. I worked really hard this week on Sonic Society's podcast, to get their Firefly premiere up and out. I really didn't have any idea they would even be podcasting it until I got back from our SD trip and they called me. I thought they would strictly be running it through their other site. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. It was fun editing the interview, and I think I did really well making it sound like we did talk for 15 minutes instead of 30. Then putting it all together, well, I always love that part. Making it flow.

So I didn't mind putting aside my own podcast things for the week, because I knew I would have this weekend.

Movies! I want to watch movies! Memento. I know someone who would be shocked I have not seen it yet. So I want to rent that. Henry and June. Oh that is a beautiful, sexy movie.

But maybe I'll just sleep all weekend. Mmmmm.... sleep all weekend. GOD that would really piss me off if I did that. Afterwards, anyhow. During, I certainly wouldn't care.

I let you know what I do. ;-)

A day at the San Diego zoo... in photos

We start with Monkeys... and end with a pretty flower I noticed along the way. I'm glad the dew showed up- because the only flowers we see here are wilted and brown and dead.

It was nice having the mist in the air while walking around, I didn't really feel like spending another day in the sun. The universe was looking out for me. We drove home after that, and made it home about 7ish. I really am amazed at what an easy trek it is! Sandi was of course happy to see us, but Chris (our neighbor) took good care of her while we were gone.

The next day I was thrown right back into the fray with a podcast meeting with two of my favorite Canadians. I do enjoy talking with them both, and am always humbled and honored that they have so much faith in me and what I do for them. Honestly, I am just enjoying myself, and learning as I go along. But I must be doing something right, as they are professionals and if I weren't I bet they would have axed me long ago! I just hope they don't forget me when they are rich and famous. Honestly though, I just enjoy, and have enjoyed watching from behind the scenes as their company has grown in just a year's time. I hope they are as proud of it as I am of them! Then we set up a time to do an interview the following day for a new production they are releasing. (Hint: If you're a Firefly fan, oh you are SO gonna love this!)

Saturday, everything sort of hit me from the trip. I did the interview, and was not happy with my end of it. I was just OUT of it. They even noticed, which is bad. But I think I perked up enough to fake it well enough. Then the rest of the day I did a little posting on my TS network, and layed around. I mean, I was barely off the couch the whole day, I was so drained. I guess the days of walking around and not sleeping in my own bed finally caught up with me.

Anyway, this is the last week of summer vacation!! WooHOO! You know what that means....

SHOPPING!!!
Yippeeeeeeee!!

Beach Bums

I will miss the smell in the air. That salty, ocean smell. Rob says he doesn't really notice it any more, but I just love it. I am probably just happy that for a few blessed days I wasn't breathing dust.

Today hands down was my favorite day of the trip, and we haven't even gotten to tomorrow yet. Rob took us to Coronado Beach for the day. Well, really it turned out to be about 4 hours. Now I've spent time on the beach before. But this was the girls' first time. Bret almost ruined their experience by telling them that if they went too far they would get sucked out to sea. Samantha immediately said she wasn't going in at all. Oy. But when we got there I showed them how all the other kids were playing and how far THEY were in the water, and they jumped right in and had a grand time.

Luckily, Rob had one of those mini pop-up tents, so that helped us stay longer than we might have originally. Rob and I worshipped the sun while Bret sat in the tent. Allison made a sand castle while Sam watched. As I watched them I noticed Sam looked a little tired, so I went over and asked her if she wanted to sit in the tent with her dad. She ended up falling asleep for a half hour or so.

Later, I walked along with Sam to help her find shells. Then Bret went with both girls. I did get a little podcast listening in. A couple episodes of Poddog, but mostly I liked listening to the ocean. A more perfect afternoon could not be had.

(The best way to see me in a swimsuit- from a distance!)

The girls also got their first experience with sand in uncomfortable places. When asked if they wanted ice cram first, or to go back to the hotel and shower, they both answered without thinking, "HOTEL!" Heeheee... my Arizona wimps!


So we showered, went to dinner, stopped in Balboa Park for a spell, THEN got ice cream. I swear, I will have to eat nothing but salad for a week, I've consumed so much meat these past few days. I just feel heavy, and I know I probably didn't gain much, but you know, it just sits there and you feel blah.

So now I'm sitting here scribbling while trying to get my two over-exhausted and over-sugared kids to settle. Tomorrow Rob was going to take them to the zoo and give Bret and I some time, but Bret really wants to go with them. I was hoping for some time here alone. Oh well, at least we get a little this weekend when Rob is back in Phoenix visiting his parents. I also get a short weekend when Bret takes the kids to the cabin the following weekend, so that will be wonderful. I do like going up, but I really don't have the same connection to the place that Bret does. It's easy for me to choose not to go. I've had TONS of quality time with the girls this summer, it will be good for Daddy and the girls to go. AND they get to spend time there with Nana's too!

So after the zoo tomorrow we head home. Will probably get in around 8 or 9. It was a very pleasant mini-vacation. I got alot of my thoughts centered again, which is always good. I think I just need to spend less time on the computer for the most part. It always seems to make me sort of sad now. I'm usually happier when I'm away. Then I'm not looking for people that will not be there anyway.

OK, they are finally settling, I think I will try and rest now, and get some more podcasts in. This writing thing is hard on the hand!

How many legos does it take to build the world?

Have I mentioned I wish Bret had brought his laptop? At least I could blog this stuff directly then. Seriously, my handwriting it total crap. Who knows WHAT this will say when I transcribe it over. That's how awful it is. Doctors have better handwriting than I do.

I certainly understand why he wouldn't bring it along. With a new round of layoffs coming this week, he'd be checking his email for sure. And if there is bad news, why ruin your vacation? Poor man, he's under so much stress. I'm doing my best to keep the family end non-stressful, but we all know how lousy at that I am. :-(

Anyway, so here I sit, with the kids watching "Ice Age" and trying to settle for the night. Don't you love how kids get more hyper when they are tired? You just want to hit them over the head with a mallet, I swear.

So today was Legoland. Uh, woohoo. The best way to describe legoland is Disneyland on Prozac. And that is exactly what I liked about it. Basically it is set up for the toddler-13 or 14-year-old crowd. Slower rides. No freaking happy music blaring subliminal messages into your head making you want to buy things. It was actually a relaxing theme park experience. I didn't even go on many rides, because they are set up for kids to go on alone for the most part.





A serene day at a theme park? Whodathunkit. We did get a bit singed though. It was overcast for much of the morning, but the sun came out later in the day. We of course forgot sunscreen. You'd think people from Arizona would know better!

We met up with Jenn and Omar for dinner. TJ is still out in Ohio with his Dad for the summer, unfortunately they got hit by the flooding going on there. The girls very much enjoyed seeing their Aunt, even briefly. I hope they get to know Omar better. Heck I want to get to know Omar better! He's a wonderful man. Just so quiet!

We also got to see our friend Tasha, who I've known for like- EVER. Ever since youth symphony in Jr. High School. Damn. That's like 20 years! I was pregnant with Allison at her wedding. Very, VERY pregnant. Honestly, I wore this yellow dress, and looked like a huge, fat pineapple thing. But, I digress...

So the last time I saw Tasha was her baby shower, when Katie and I left the kids with our respective Bret(t)s and met up there. Tonight, we got to meet her now 20-month-old twin boys, Axel and Karl. (Can you tell there is a strong Norwegian line in the family?) Oh were they CUTE. Cute, well-behaved boys in a restaurant. Hope they stay that way. :-)


We got back to the hotel, and took a dip in the pool for a bit. Well, I stuck to the hot tub. The kids don't care about a cold pool, but BRRR! I'm spoiled by bath-water temp pools... none of this 70 degree crap!

All in all a nice day. Started catching up on my podcasts too. Finished the last three chapters of 7th Son. God what a great book. He's an amazing writer, as well as an amazing promoter. One thing I need to do when I get home is finally make a promo for my Truth Seekers podcast. I made one for 7th son, and that's kind of what I want, but not custom made for a single podcast. A general one. (btw, it's played in chapter 25 if anyone's interested. ;-) ) I also listened to my buddy (and now friend) Ajay's All Axis Radio. I love love LOVE his podcast. He's another one I'm using to try and improve on mine. So, I want to promote like JC Hutchins and mix a podcast like Ajay. OMG- I do use men! LMAO!

I should be able to listen to more things tomorrow I hope- cause it's beach day! Yay!