I'm back!!

I was just thinking the other day that it has been an eternity since I blogged? Wanna know why? :)

Here's what I've done since July 18th:

• slept in a hotel for 21 nights
• attended 6 different conferences
• attended band camp
• rode 100 miles on my bike
• ran 10 miles

and still had time to get the kids all registered for school and go school shopping. it's been a whirlwind but fun month.

more to come!!

The waka waka dance in Utah

To my dearest sister in Kenya. We loved your tribute to the World Cup, especially the song "This Time of Africa". We thought we would learn and share the waka waka dance! Here is our version, minus the music, we aren't THAT good. :)

the story of my tooth

Yes, this is really a story..and a long one. About 15 years ago, I had two molars that started to bother me. Well, nothing was wrong (of course) until about four years ago when I suddenly needed two root canals!! How do you go from nothing is wrong to you need a root canal????

Well, got the root canal one on but my roots were so skiwampus on the other that I had to go to a specialist. The suckers made right angles! Well, even the specialist couldn't get around the corner so the bottom roots were good but one little top root was still in trouble. "There is a chance that it will still be OK," I was told. With my luck? A chance?

Not my lucky day. A year later, I had to go in for an apico. Basically, an oral surgeon goes in from the gum, cuts off the infected root tip and back fills. "There's a chance this won't work," I'm told. Well, it didn't. I've had headaches off and on now for many, many years waiting and hoping that this tooth gets better. So, now what? Here is my impending adventure.

1. get tooth pulled (have an appointment for that next week). let it all heal for a couple of months.
2. get a titanium rod installed. let it heal for a couple of months.
3. get a permanent replacement fixture installed. hope that all the healing is over.

Here's hoping that just getting the tooth pulled will be a relief! I'm not sure about having a hole in my mouth though. So, if I don't smile when you see me next, I'm hiding a hole. :)

still breathing

July is always a crazy month but this one seems extra crazy. If I make it through with my sanity intact, it will be a miracle. Why is it so crazy? Here's why:

• At work, we need to finish 10 RFPs in 20 days. Not an easy task when they are so huge this time and when two of your contract writers quit. My full-time writer and me have been working a lot of extra hours to make it happen. Five down, five to go.
• Two family reunions! That's been the fun part but also stressful to get planned and packed and then unpacked. We did have a ton of fun at both of them though.
• Three business trips in two weeks. Yup, doing the round trip on one of them. Where am I going? New Orleans, Wilmington, NC and Ft. Meyers, FL. I've been asked to pick up a tarball as a souvenir.
• Lots of plays and concerts. This is my summer of culture and most of it happens in July. Went to see the following productions: Much Ado about Nothing, Pride and Prejudice, Merchant of Venice, Four Pianists, Complete Works of Shakepeare...abridged. Have tickets for Mousetrap but have to give them up to Allison. :(
• Shuttling the kids to climbing, guard, EFY, Girl's Camp, and Scout camp. Can you say LOADS of laundry?
• And, we decided to completely rebrand the company I work for in eight short weeks. I'm dying. Some things are fabulous, some are just taking too long. Worse, the two owners aren't talking to me. This is the one thing that is going to kill me. :)

Well, that's it. My month rolled into one blog and we are just over halfway done. If I don't blog again this month, you now know why.

mascots and mayhem

I really don't know why I put mayhem in the title of this blog, except the fact that mayhem is the normal for my life these days. Someone asked me yesterday what my plans were for the weekend. I told them I didn't have time to think about the weekend. I have too much to do between now and then. One day at a time these days. One day at a time.

I've had some people ask me about my profile pic. A turtle? Really? Yes, really. There really is a reason I use a turtle as my profile. It all started when we decided to get a mascot at work. It was fun to go through the process of finding the perfect animal and give him a name. It made me think, if I could pick one animal to represent me what would it be and why?

Well, a turtle for two reasons. 1) You can't go anywhere in life without sticking your neck out. And, yeah it's scary to stick your neck out. Something might be out there to chop it off. 2) Hiding in your shell doesn't do anyone any good. I do have a tendency to curl up inside myself and ignore the world. Looking at a turtle every day reminds me to come out and start moving. I may be slow, but at least I'm moving.

So, that's why I have a slight fascination with turtles. :)

the great AA knows all

AA = Allison Anderson. Yes, it's true. She knows all. At least she knows more about running outside than I do. When we went running earlier this week, she told me I was a lot faster than I thought I was. Well, she was right. I went the full distance for a 5K run this morning. I made it in 38.5 minutes. The fastest I've ever been on the treadmill is 42.5 minutes. I think that is a HUGE difference. Also, I was not able to run the entire time. My heart rate and breathing got all crazy after about 12.5 minutes of running (about a mile in my estimation) and I had to walk for 90 seconds to get it all settled down. Then, I went full speed (well, full my speed) again.

I was so excited! When I went to Wal-mart this morning to fill out paperwork so we can do a car wash there later this month, I saw a flier for a fun run in August. I need to go back and find out when/where it is. I would love to run two 5Ks this summer as well as bike two half centuries. What a huge accomplishment! I would have never thought, even a year ago, that I could do this much. I really would have thought it was impossible. Well, I'm a firm believe in the possible now. :)

July 6, 2010 - 9:08 p.m.

Watching one final play. The Merchant of Venice. Said to be not a comedy, not a romance, not a tragedy. It's true. Loved the costumes for this one. I really think that was my favorite part. I was wishing the entire time that I could take pics of them for my little costume designer at home. Oh well, guess I'll look at this sexy chest instead. And if you don't know why I'm looking at this sexy chest, you should really read the play. :)