Santa Cruz

I am behind on posts and am attempting to catch up.

At the end of January we got to head to Santa Cruz for the weekend with the Russell side of the family. We celebrated Hanukkah, birthdays, an engagement, and life itself. The house we stayed at was right off West Cliff. The view from the house was OCEAN. I live here and go to the beach all of the time, but its beauty never ceases to amaze. I am in awe of nature. I love the ocean and being near it.

We had a great time eating in, having the kids run around and play outside, and checking out the wine tasting rooms up the street. We took walks along West Cliff and enjoyed Natural Bridges.

Mostly, we just enjoyed being together. We laughed, a lot, and had real time to talk and catch up. A highlight for me is the time I got to spend with Joe. It seems every time we are together it's in that big group setting and the focus isn't there because of the natural distractions with the kids. I was so happy to really ask him about his job and how life is in New York. I am thrilled that he is joining the family.

A great weekend in a great place. No complaints.

If Only I Did Stand Up Comedy

We all have insecurities. It's human nature. The beautiful thing about getting older, or maturing, is that I know what my faults are. One of them is that I know that I need to lose weight. With that said, I want to add that I have a great sense of humor, at least I think I do.

Earlier this week I had a physical. I have promised myself that once a year I will go in for a physical and get all of my numbers. I did this a couple of years ago and it was so informative. I like getting a clean bill of health. When I went a few years ago it was to a different physician that my regular one. So, he hadn't seen me in years.

He has the worst bedside manner I have ever seen. This is why while I was sitting there I was thinking, do not laugh in his face. Am I on Candid Camera? Do not laugh out loud. If I was a comedian I would be getting the best material.

He said plenty of good things about my health, but that's boring. Some of my favorite statements, questions and my responses (when I wasn't silent trying to hold back the laughter) are as follows:

"Do you have sex with your husband?"
"Yes"- (and a few guys on the side.) -Wish I had said that.

As he is looking at my charts over the years, "You're supposed to lose weight after having babies, not gain it."
"You're telling me."

"Have you noticed any facial hair?"
"Yes." Let me pause and say that it's crazy that I am at an age when this is a normal question and even crazier that I had to answer yes. I mean, what's up with the hormones and the 2 regular whiskers? The best way to make a woman feel the opposite of feminine is to add hair to her face.

I then talked to him about a soreness in my quad I got after a run. It had not gone away like a sore muscle. He checked me out and said I need to work on my flexibility. I have never been flexible and have only started yoga in the recent years. I know this important on so many levels for health.

He then explained to me why I have big thighs (with a visual using his two hands to demonstrate the width of them) and a "figure of a body builder" as he squatted a bit and put his arms and legs out wide.

I almost lost it. If this was 10 ears ago I would have been fighting back tears. At 36 I was fighting back bursting out in laughter. He was just so serious while he explained my "squatty" stature and why flexibility will make me leaner.

It was a visit for the books. I am there to get my numbers and know where I am with my health. As I was laughing out loud in the car on the way home, I felt so great that I was not crushed by all of it. I am in a fabulous phase in my life.

Well, minus the facial hair.

8

She's 8 and loving it. She's happy, funny, energetic, curious, helpful, kind, hard working, mindful, intelligent, and friendly.
Her birthday was spent celebrating with a couple of friends and cousins Friday (rock star style) and with her family Saturday with a brunch at our place.

8 and awesome. Cheers to another year of health, happiness and growth!

Valentine's Day

This week has been a very exciting week in our house. Valentine's Day was filled with excitement as the kids prepped their Valentine's to share with their classmates. This was Ryan's first time with all of it. Our dining room table turned into an assembly line of folding, writing, attaching and sealing. Both of the kids woke up early and ready to get to school! Ryan even said, "Mom, I've been waiting my whole yife for dis!"

While teaching yesterday, I was reminded about what this day is like in middle school. Valentines mean a bit more as the students only give them to select people. We don't have celebrations or class exchanges. I think part of the reason I love teaching this age is that I remember it so well. I was so boy crazy (with my friend Suzi) and Valentine's Day was the pinnacle of, well, of everything! I saw the faces of kids who were surprised by little things. I saw the faces of kids who were nervous about giving a Valentine to a certain someone. At this age it all means so much. Don't you remember that? I have written before about how kids are really no different than we were. They are kids, experiencing this stage of life. It's awkward, it's scary, it's fun, it's hard. There were no cell phone texts or other new gadgets. It was the old fashioned way- hand written notes, stuffed animals, balloons, etc.

The day made me smile.

I'm No Good

We all have strengths and weaknesses as parents. If the definition of a good mom was loving your kids to the end of the earth, there would be a picture of me in the dictionary. If the definition was being just as imaginative as they were, creating elaborate story lines in your pretend play and enjoying that, I'd officially be the worst mom on the planet. I am no good at playing pretend.

But how can I say no to this face? In all honesty I am good at a couple of things. I am good at restaurant and doctor and general playfulness (tickling, hide and seek, etc). But the minute Ryan puts a toy in my hand and says, "let's play pretend" I'm a dead woman. I don't think I loved playing like that as a kid. And if I did, someone else ran the story line. I am the opposite of creative and imaginative. I always seem to say the same thing, "Hi there! Do you want to play?" and then try and turn it into some sort of moral lesson. Talk about lame. It's pitiful.

Josh is genius at it. So are the grandparents. I am amazed at how long and elaborate the story lines can get with someone who can imagine far beyond my abilities.

The kids know that I am good to go for things like board games, card games, puzzles, and the like. I'm good for a dance party or cooking something together. Thank goodness Josh is here for them for wrestling and pretend and drawing and story telling. I was smart in marrying a man who would have those things covered.

This is 40

I haven't seen the movie with the same title but I do want to. I want to start off by saying I am not yet 40. I still have a good 4 years before the milestone. We are entering the 40 stage in life. You know the adult stages- weddings, babies, 40...

Let me also say that we have friends of all ages. Those who are older all went through the above stages before we did, because, well, they are older! But it's now, in the last couple years, that we are starting to celebrate 40th birthdays of people who share the same phase of life as we have. I am writing about this because just last night our good friend, Carlos, turned 40 and we were at his birthday party. It was a blast. KC and Carlos are dear friends and it was just fun celebrating him. They were perfect hosts. The following things went through my thoughts throughout the night.

1. Wow. We are at an adult party with quality alcohol- top shelf.
Remember when we threw parties and bought whatever was on sale? NO wonder the hangovers were so bad. We also mixed with the sweetest of liquids back then. No, last night there was high end goods and more limes than cokes.

2. Wow. We are young. We tease, laugh and tell inappropriate jokes.
Not much has changed there.

3. Wow. It's 11:00- late!
The party started clearing out at 10:00- we stayed until 11:00 thank you very much. We started at 7:00. Remember when you you started to shower and get ready for a night out at 7:00? Sleep was not as coveted as it is now. Instead of partying from 10:00-2:00 we knocked those 4 hours down to the 7-11 shift. Genius.

4. Wow. I remember my parents' 40th birthday parties, especially my dad's. This is how young they felt!
We had SO many people in the house and I remember people sleeping all over our house in sleeping bags. There was so much laughter, so much interaction. They were 40, our age! So young.

5. Wow. We are having SO MUCH FUN! I am able leave my immediate friends and mingle with people I don't know.
I have always been social, but that is not the easiest for me. I have a fine time chatting with new people and usually prefer to be with someone I already know while doing that. Not last night. I skipped around from group to group chatting with people and meeting the friends that KC and Carlos have made in Pleasanton and I've heard so much about. It was delightful!

So this is 40. More laughter, top shelf booze, and social ease. I'll take it!
Well, in 4 years.

Back to Where It All Started

I know I have written this before, but Monterey is one of our favorite places. It's a bit over an hour away but feels like such a beautiful get away. It's why we chose to get married there. Every year we take the kids to our wedding spot- where this Russell family unit began. Over the break we enjoyed a night away. We did the works- Fisherman's Wharf, ocean walk, the aquarium, and rented a surrey. The weather was clear and the time was fun.
I am not a museum person but I have to say that the aquarium does NOT get old. There is a new jellyfish exhibit that is unbelievable! Highly recommend. :)