Today.

Today, I'm:

Thinking about the best ways to live a simple, beautiful, prioritized life.  This isn't always easy, but the efforts I make towards this kind of living are always worth it.

Preparing to start the process of updating my ceilings.  It's time to bid farewell to the popcorn texture of the 1970s.  Its been a while since I took on a home improvement challenge, and I'm weirdly excited about it.  The only downside - the trip to Home Depot that is looming near in my future.  I have a solid hatred of any kind of shopping that involves big box stores and lots of people.

Putting my house back in order after having family here for much of the month of July.  I purposely neglect any sort of housework that isn't necessary when I have them here (I'd much rather spend my time enjoying them,) and now it's time to dig through the chaos. It's totally worth it, though.  I love having my nieces and nephews here, despite the limited space in my small condo.

Listening to "Hotel Transylvania" while Riley watches it.  It's one of my favorite kids movies ever - the dialogue is hilarious.  Have you seen it?  You should!

Grateful the Girl had a playdate this afternoon. She burned off a whole lot of energy with one of the coolest families we know, and I was able to take some time and do a few things for myself.

Sorting out the logistics of the new school year.   In the mix is my new job, a new school for Riley, an off-site after-school program, swim team and gymnastics for the Girl, a different gym for me, and a million other details.  I know it will all work out just fine, but the current state of flux is anxiety-inducing for me if I think about it too much.

Laughing (still) about these beautiful artifacts my sister and I ran across in an thrift store yesterday.  Seriously, WTF?!  I can't imagine why we didn't bring them home.  I mean, they are just breathtaking, right?

Not my 12of12 post. Not even a little bit.

I keep sitting down to edit and compile my pics for my 12of12 post, and I keep finding a million other things to do instead of that.  I'm not sure why- I love the 12of12, but perhaps it's going to be in quarterly installments instead of monthly for 2013.   Whatevs....it'll get done, right?

This photo was taken by Riley and she loves it and wanted me to put it on my blog (which she calls a ba-log.)  She's very into grabbing my phone and snapping random pics and I LOVE seeing how she sees the world.

But tonight, i felt like showing up here, so I'm just gonna word vomit some of the stuff that has been going on in my mind lately...a  combo "what's happening around here/what's I'm thinking now" post, if you will.   Because I love lists.  And updates.  And also strawberry frosted Poptarts, but that's entirely irrelevant.

1.  So, I'm taking the Girl back east this spring to meet someone who I believe will be her lifelong Karmic Role Model (seriously, these two are kindred spirits) - the other Amy - and to see one of my besties since birth, Cam.  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about this trip.  Travel?  Amazing women?  People who get me right down to my bones? Children I adore? A new corner of the world to explore?  Yes, Please!

2.  Do you guys have Spotify?  Do you love it?  I love it.  You should get it.  You'd love it, too. At least, you should try out the free month trial and see what it does for your life.  It made mine much more musically diverse, which is only a good thing.

3.  It's January in Salt Lake City, which means inversions and Sundance.  When possible, I avoid really large crowds and men's cologne overdoses, so Sundance is out.  And the inversion means red air quality, which means I can't play outside, so XC skiing/snowshoeing/winter hiking is out. Plus it's really cold (like 2 degrees this morning.  yeeesh.)  So what I'm saying here is that this is the time of year to catch up on Netflix, and "How I Met Your Mother" is my current time-waster.  It's hilarious.  I'm plowing through the seasons.

4.  I've been inspired by C. Jane to write my life stories similar to the way she wrote hers - and although I'm not posting them on my blog, it's been such a good way for me to step back and gain perspective about my life and the stories that make it up.  In some cases, it's validating and empowering - allowing me to really own the stories that are mine and to let go of those that aren't.  In other cases, it's been so healing - allowing me to offer forgiveness to myself and others and to acknowledge that, despite mistakes and trials that were largely of my own making,  I was always just doing the best I could and working with what I had.  I doubt that these life stories are anything I'll ever share publicly - I plan to let Riley read them someday, and maybe a future spouse (should I ever get another one of those) - but even if I'm the only person who ever reads these, that's enough. Writing them was enough.

5. Womanhood. Feminism. Body image.  Spirituality vs. religiosity. Grace.  Sexuality.  Self Acceptance vs. Perfectionism.  Compassion.  Ego. Activism.   All topics that have been on my mind lately.  Separately and together.   Singularly and plural.  A big mess of complex topics all taking up space in my brain.

6.  I think I am going to go back to school.  I have no idea what this will look like yet.   More coursework towards my sorta close PhD?  Graduate work in an entirely different area?   Just some courses to update my education and round out my CV?  Classes in a 'luxury' area, one that won't change my career, per se, but are more for personal interest?   I really have no idea, but the idea is firmly taken hold in my mind.   I think I am going to go back to school.

7.  I'm trying to drink more water.  And I've found that I really prefer to drink diet Mt. Dew.  This is no surprise to me (and to anyone who knows me), but I thought I'd write it here anyway.

Sunday evening randomness

*My camera cord is broken.  I think.  Just yesterday I made the comment that I had never had any problems with any of my camera equipment.  Never say never, huh?
*I spent my Riley-free weekend catching up on errands and house stuff and getting some much neeeded rest.  It was low-key and lovely.
*My workout mojo has been a little bit off lately.  I need to train for an event-that kind of deadline always keeps me on my toes. I'll have to see what's out there- it's not really a great time of year for that. 
*I'm not sure I love the new blogger format.  It's a not as intuitive as it could be.
*I walked by the Apple store yesterday and people had left flowers outside in memory of Steve Jobs.  It made me a little bit teary.  If you haven't seen his 2005 Stanford Commencement address, I suggest you take a few minutes and do so.  You won't regret it.  You can link to it here.
*Riley and I leave for our Southern California trip this week.  I'm really looking forward to having some downtime with her, watching her discover Disneyland and seeing my sister, my brother in law, the twinners and the baby bump. :)

*If you like to exercise with music, check out www.rockmyrun.com. for great workout playlists.  and the best part - free! I downloaded a couple and they are fun and different from what I usually listen to!
*I've been sewing a lot lately.  I'm working on some christmas gifts right now, so I can't really share what I've been up to here, but it's been a lot of fun and a lot of work.  I really dig that combination.
*I wore my hair up today and now I have a hair headache.  I hate those.
*I've never read any of Anne Lamott's work (I know, right?) but I picked up some of her books at the library over the weekend.  Wow.  Just...wow.
*Riley is now sleeping so much better and I swear, she's a different kid.  It's amazing how important sleep is - to her sanity and to mine.
*I am going to bed early so I can get an early start on tomorrow.  I love Mondays.  New beginnings make me happy.



 

Random Tuesday-ness

Bowl of hearts

A snippet of what's on my mind lately:

*I have what I am certain is a sinus infection. I guess my regular February visitor is making an August appearance this year (Boo!)
*While I am all in favor of the judicious use of antibiotics, I'm hoping that my doctor decides that's just what I need for now. I need to knock this sucker out so I can enjoy the rest of biking season.
*I am so grateful for my Mom and my Sister-in-Law and for their willingness to help me out. What would I do without them? How did I get so lucky?
*I'm in the mood for a bedroom makeover. Nothing major, just some new paint, new bedding and maybe a little bit of work on one of my closets to make it more efficient. Whatever happens in there, it will be some shades of blue. Perhaps I'll call it a birthday present to myself and do it sooner rather than later.
*Riley's birthday party plans are in full swing and we'll be throwing a "princess-themed" bash in a couple of weeks. She's beyond excited. I always swore I wouldn't do the big girlie birthday parties, but I think this one will be a lot of fun for her, and that makes it fun for me.
*It's funny how my perspective on so many things has changed after having a child. She pushes me to lean into the uncomfortable in so many ways that I just didn't expect.
*Are you on Pinterest? I'm a little bit obsessed with it. I love being able to find a categorize great ideas so easily.
*I'm less and less enamored by Facebook and think it's time to get off it completely. My only hangup is that it's the only form of contact I have with a few friends and I don't want to lose that.
*Actually, that last statement is pretty sad. I need to do something about that and connect in person.
*I have started using Twitter and it's fun and way less of a time-suck that FB. Are you on Twitter? Let's connect! You can follow me by clicking the button on my left sidebar.
*Did you notice I'm part of the Blogher publishing network now? I'm super-excited about this and am looking forward to working with such a great group!
*I'm considering making some upgrades to my blog to help showcase some projects I'm working on. I'm not sure what this means yet, exactly, but I think it may mean migrating to another site, or perhaps linking this one somewhere else. Actually, just thinking about this makes my head hurt. I'm going to stop now.
*Less than a month until my annual pilgrimage to Squam Art Workshops. I'm heading to New Jersey first to roadtrip to New Hampshire with the other Amy, and I'm very excited to spend some travel time with her! We can fill hours with phone conversation, but it's not the same as face to face.
*Summer is winding down so quickly, but I can't complain. It's been such a fantastic summer, full of fun and family and friends. I'm trying to soak up what's left and get ready for an amazing autumn.

So what's on your mind lately? How are you enjoying the last few weeks of summer?

Goodbye, July

Where did July go? It seems like a few days ago that we were celebrating Independence day, and out of nowhere, it's August 1st and I'm getting 'back to school sale' flyers in the mail!?!

Not sure how this happened.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a few random photos from July that make me smile.
The last two are Riley's iPhoneography. I love her Self Portrait (she's beautiful, no?)
She described the last photo as "How you look when you drive, Mama." It's fun to see how she sees me. I love it.

Happy August!

Saying Yes

I'm saying "yes" to:

-blue toenail polish
-turning my phone off
-lighting candles
-new clothes
-simple living
-after-dinner explorations
-prayer
-lots of water
-embracing my curves
-jeans and flip-flops
-leaps of faith
-creative mojo
-letting go
-enjoying my quirks
-evenings on the roof
-learning to sew
-obligation free weekends
-long walks
-vegetables at every meal
-coconut lotion
-playing with my edges
-french braids
-learning new things
-polka dots
-early bedtimes
-farmers markets
-day dreaming
-watching the sun rise
-plenty of exercise
-hot showers
-open windows
-classical music
-saying 'i love you'
-re-reading old favorites
-early morning bike rides
-possibility
-opportunity

*this post inspired by the lovely jolie. Thanks for the idea, girl.

Sunday night brain scramble

*Wow. Where did June go? Seriously...wasn't Memorial Day weekend last week?

*Wanna see what Riley and I cooked up for breakfast this morning?
They were her idea and so yummy. Try not to be jealous. Come on over, and we'll make it for you, too.

*I'm finding that going through the process of selling my condo is by far one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever had to do. I do not like having people I don't know in my space. I do not like keeping all my personal stuff packed away, so people can imagine themselves in an impersonal, neutral condo. I do not like getting calls and texts from a realtor every day (Don't get me wrong, my agent is great. I just don't like thinking about this stuff all the time.) I don't mind keeping it "show ready" (i thought I would) but let's just say I hope this process is done and over very, VERY soon.

*I need some new workout music. Badly. If you have any suggestions, send them my way.

*I've noticed that my summer reading list consists of much lighter topics than any other time of the year. It must be that "summer-beach-reading" mode has been permanently burned into my DNA because I am plowing through mystery novels, re-reading old favorites, and enjoying new light, easy reads. I have simply put aside the idea that I am going to get to anything of substance any time soon. Again, all summer book reading suggestions are welcome.

*I booked the flights for an October trip to Disneyland/SeaWorld for me and my girl. We will be meeting my sister and her husband and the twinners there, and I am so excited (didn't ever expect to say that about a trip to Disneyland, but whatever.) Telling Riley this early may have been a mistake. She is already planning her princess outfits.

*Speaking of my sister and her men, they will all arrive at my place on Wednesday (insert shouts of delight here!) It's my grandfather's 80th birthday party this weekend, so they are traveling in for that and will stick around for the holiday weekend. We will all head to Idaho to later this week celebrate his birthday, the birthday's of two of my nieces, and the fourth of July. I can't wait for a weekend of family, parties, parades and my favorite kiddos ever!

*As if that is not enough, two of my best friends will be in town over the next few weeks, as well. Hannah is coming in on the Eighth, and Cameron and her Jersey brood arrive late tonight. I can't wait to catch up with these ladies and see their families.

*Did I mention I'm getting a new nephew sometime in the next couple of weeks? I cannot wait to meet him. Maybe he'll make his debut while we are up there (here's hoping!)

*July is going to fly by as fast as June did, but I'm not complaining. There is a lot of good stuff happening around here.

What's on your mind tonight? What good things are happening in your world?

*Today's Randomness*

Self Portrait in Sam Weller's Window (I love Sam Weller's)

*I expected to be working late this evening, but a deadline I was working under was extended very unexpectedly, so now I find myself with a free evening. Yay!
*I really should spend that free evening at the grocery store. Boo!
*I am going to send my daughter to see my sister more often. She came home from California willing to eat all sorts of things she wouldn't touch before, including PB&J's, peas, noodles, and pears. This has made my life exponentially easier. Thanks, Beck!
*I love the public library. I especially love that there is a branch within walking distance of my home. And I love the online request option, so I can have the books I want to read sent there.
*lf you have shin splints, you should call Jenica, because she'll fix you right up with her dirty-hippy/witchy magic ways.
*I am on the hunt for some new babysitters for Riley (I desperately need some consistent and reliable mama time) and some great options are starting to show up.
*I'm not sure how i lived without my iPhone. Seriously - just having my calendars and contacts all sync in one place has made my life so much easier. (G-i know, i know...you told me so.)
*I'm really considering Lasik surgery. I've put it off because I'd really like to have more children and my eyes changed drastically after having Riley, so waiting seemed logical. The thing is, more kids aren't really an option given my current relationship status, and I still put in contacts every morning. I made an appointment to investigate my options.
*It's that time of year - the time when I start jonesing to buy a new bicycle. I'm trying to curb the desire but if I'm going to do that, I really need to stay away from my favorite bike shops because the new Specialized Mtn bikes are soooooo pretty.
*It's almost time for the farmer's market!
*I've used an awful lot of exclamation points in this post.

Four Good (but sort of random)Things

I don't really like chocolate, but I love how pretty Easter kisses are.

**Last fall, my Hannah kept telling me to take strength training more seriously, to work it into the swim-bike-run routine I had going. Swore it would improve my tri workouts. Swore I'd grow to love it. Yeah, yeah....I listened to her. Sorta. But not really. And then I ripped my hip-flexor in November and couldn't do much but strength training. And then I sorta started to like it. And then I really started to like it. And so I kept doing it. And then my hip-flexor healed and I kept up the strength training, while adding the running and swimming back into the mix. And then I started riding again this season, and lo and behold - I'm STRONGER! And FASTER! Like, a LOT faster! I can push bigger gears for a longer time! This is HUGE, people! (ok, maybe only for me, but still...I'm excited.)

Moral of the story: Listen to Hannah (except about making your own yogurt because let's just be honest, we all know yogurt is gross.)

**We're making serious progress on the "go-to-bed" routine around here. It usually takes about 30 minutes, which is significantly shorter than the 2 hours it was eating up a few weeks ago.

**Brown Rice + Almond Milk + Fresh Fruit + teeny bit of Agave = Best. Breakfast. Ever. So yummy and keeps me full of consistent, steady energy all morning. I am NOT a breakfast eater, and I actually wake up excited to eat this stuff. Try it. And then send me a present for telling you about it. It's that good.

**Two weeks from now, I'll be in California, getting ready to depart for Hawaii. I'm flying to CA first because Riley is staying with my sister and her family while I am gone (She's beyond excited to see her aunt and uncle and the twinners). So, besides going on the trip I have been dying to take, I get to see the sister I have been dying to see. So excited. For all of it.

*********************

St. Patrick's Day Randomness

- - My cell phone and my iPod decided to crash within about 2 days of each other. I decided to take this as a sign from the Universe to upgrade to an iPhone. So far - I really like it. Being a Mac girl through and through, this brings everything into one place. It's so convenient! And my photographer's heart beats a little faster whenever I play with all the photo apps. The funny part about getting an iPhone was that G was way more excited about it than I was. So it's only fitting that the first iPhone pic on my blog is of her, no?

- -I am experiencing a major case of writer's block, only not in my traditional sense. I have plenty - tons, in fact- of ideas and words and poems and essays floating around in my head. I'm even dreaming in written words. I just can't seem to organize any of them into any sort of consumable fashion. I'm just going with the flow and letting them show up how and when and where they may, but the result of this approach is an assortment of stanzas of poetry written on grocery store receipts and texts to myself that have ideas for other work. I know that, at some point, they'lll come together. I'm learning to trust my own creative process.

- - I ate this for breakfast today. This was after I gave myself a lecture about healthy, nutrient filled breakfasts to fuel my workouts last night. Healthy choice, no?

But dang -- it was GOOD!

- -Speaking of workouts, I've increased my training even more recently (added miles to my runs and am swimming and weight training more), and I'm beginning to see the signs that go along with these changes. For me, the first thing I see is a definite increase in my appetite. I know that sounds fun, but when you are hungry all the time, and you need to eat good, high quality, fresh foods, it takes lots of planning and organization and it can be sort of annoying. The other thing I notice is that when I'm tired, I AM TIRED. Tonight, I'm tired. It's off to bed after I finish this post.

- - Riley's class tried to catch a Leprechaun today. They didn't quite succeed, but the little guy did leave her some Leprechaun Gold while she was taking a nap. She's rather excited about it.

- -My ex-husband is Irish, which is where my kiddo gets her reddish hair and fair complexion. He usually celebrates the day up right, and that used to be fun, but I'm happy to be home with my kiddo tonight. She's keeping me entertained by performing this little groove.



- - Riley is going to be with her Dad this entire weekend, and I am heading north to enjoy one more snow-filled weekend before spring sets in for good. I am really looking forward to the long, solo drive (best time for me to really dig into my own brain), and getting out to do some XC skiing and snowshoeing. I'm also planning some quality time with my camera. The logical part of my brain keeps trying to shut this plan down in favor of staying home and working on my kitchen, but my heart is shouting at me to go. I'm listening.

What's Good for Me Today

G's birthday cupcakes

**There are not many situations where a cupcake is not appreciated.
**It's so much fun to be 'burst-out-of-your-skin' happy about someone else's good news. Seriously, I have been walking around with a random, dreamy smile on my face all evening because of this type of feeling.
**I am much more productive and happy at work when I have too much to do. It's weird, I know, but I love to be busy!
**I am both overjoyed that biking season is almost upon us, and a bit depressed that the ski season is pretty much over. For someone who has never enjoyed winter before, this is a HUGE step in the right direction.
**I've spent time with several different friends this week, and it's been a lovely week, indeed. Coincidence? I think not.
**I do so enjoy the fact that it's staying light later, and that the time changes this weekend. Bring on Spring!
**Hawaii. Six weeks away. I'm just sayin'....(kelly b., just for you, baby).

*Random Tuesday Thoughts*

**I attended a conference today about a new research center focusing on women and child health. I love being a part of things like this. It's so cool to me when so much brainpower comes together to work on a topic everyone in the room is passionate about. You can almost feel the place hum with the collective intelligence. It reminds me how lucky I am to do what I do for a living.

**I think I've mentioned before that I got rid of all my clothes that I didn't really like, and the outcome of that is that I really only have a few outfits for work and a few for home. I need to get around to replacing some of them, but honestly, I don't really like what's out there right now, so I just haven't. What I am finding, however, is that I don't really care if I wear the same stuff over and over, because the idea of having stuff I don't want is worse to me than not having much at all. Progress, no?

**This is what I ate for dinner tonight:
Multigrain toast with scrambled eggs, avocado and tomato, and mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries). It was so yummy and so easy. If you have never topped off your scrambled eggs with avocados and tomatoes, give it a whirl. It's completely delicious. A satisfying, healthy, meatless, and produce-heavy dinner that only produces one pan to wash-doesn't get much better than that!

**I've really been stepping up my training, in anticipation of the upcoming biking and triathlon seasons. My first Century ride and first Tri are in May, about two weeks apart from each other, and I can already feel them looming. To get my strength work in, I'm doing the p90x series again and WOW! I can sure feel it today. Besides that, I've been increasing my running mileage since it seriously slipped when I tore my hip flexor this winter, and I'm trying to spend more time in the pool. I've kept up spin classes all winter, but I need to step up my time in the saddle, too, so I'm considering investing in an indoor trainer. Just haven't had time to research my options.

**Did I mention I am going to Hawaii? To see my lovely soul-sister Demelza? In about two months? Did I mention I am S.T.O.K.E.D?

**My kiddo is finally reliably and consistently sleeping all night. Considering she's three, I think it's about time, but she's been a terrible sleeper since day one. It's really nice going to bed and not expecting to be woken up within a few hours. High time, indeed.

**I need to hire someone to clean my house and do my laundry. For some reason, I can't quite ignore the voice in my head that says: "it's only a tiny condo" and "there are only two people" and "why don't you quit whining about it and just do it". But seriously, I just need to hire it out and be done with it.

Well, those are the random thoughts that are swimming in my brain today. What's your most random thought for today?

Random Thursday Thoughts

Totally random photo. I just love it.

-I haven't been paying as much attention to this space as I would like. I'm writing a lot, but it's not up for public consumption. Still, I miss communicating in this way when I neglect it.
-The world has felt very overwhelming to me lately. Do you ever feel like that? I don't often, but when I do...wow! It hits me hard and takes me a while to get out from under.
-I'm going to Idaho to see my family this weekend. I can't wait to sink into the easy love I get from my nieces, especially. There is something so healing about being around these little girls.
-I signed up for the first few events of 2011 (A tri and a couple of biking events) and have started actively preparing for them. Its been nice to set some training goals and work out the strategies to meet them. I needed the kind of motivation that only shows up when a date is on the calendar.
-Did you see my friend Hannah's post about her recent Tough Mudder Experience? I'm totally doing this with her next year. Totally.
-I have candles burning tonight and just smudged my house with sage. I don't often do either, but tonight, I really needed both.
-My twinner Nephews are TWO YEARS OLD! It just boggles my mind that two years have passed and somehow they are talking and running and causing all sorts of mischief. TWO! You can check them out here.
-Did I mention that I am going to Hawaii in April? Never been there. Can't wait!
-I had a major craving today for whole wheat waffles, with whipped cream and blueberries. So I gave in and made them. Best. Thing. Ever.
-I purged my closet of everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, that I don't love. I now have no clothes, but honestly, it feels very freeing. And I'm not replacing them with anything I don't love and feel really good in, so if I wear the same three outfits over and over for a while, you'll understand why.
-XC skiing and snowshoeing have made winter rather enjoyable for me, but It's been too cold to even go outside. I'm jonesing for a little bit warmer weather. I'm not asking much-anything above 30 Degrees will do just fine!
-My taxes are done and filed and my car's oil is changed. I'm counting these as big successes (mainly because I hate doing both). Amy FTW!
-I'm really, REALLY into quiet, soothing piano music lately (that overwhelmed thing), and Pandora's Secret Garden station is the station of choice for me. If you need a little bit of gentle piano goodness, give it a try.

Today, I am:

Sunrise from my living room, Dec. 15, 2010

*Grateful for the good friends who just get me, who don't need the details or the backstory. The ones close by and the ones far away. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
*Relaxed from an hour of yoga, a run/spin workout, and a massage. Oh yeah...my kind of day.
*Wrapping, packaging and making a 'last minute' list - trying to get Christmas off the ground.
*Enjoying the warmth and quiet my new windows provide.
*Relieved to be able to add running back into the workout rotation (only 20 minutes, 3 days a week for a while, but still...I can run again! Yay!)
*Reflecting on my 2010 word of the year (build).
*Thinking about my new year's intentions and my word for 2011.
*Honored to see this post being re-posted quite a bit. I think it's important and I'm glad to see it getting out there. Thanks to all who are posting links and re-tweeting. I'm getting fantastic feedback.

What has today been for you?

Five for Friday (What's on my mind tonight)

1. Photography - I've been reading books on it, signed up for some classes in January (from the fantastically talented and super-cool Alisha Stamper), and am trying to better understand how all the elements come together into the image you were trying to capture. I see it as such a great way to capture how my life looks, and I just want to be better at it.

2. Travel - Hawaii in April. New Jersey/New York in June. New Hampshire in September. A few trips to California in there somewhere. Mmmmmm......I love thinking about the people and places I'll be seeing soon.

3. My Kitchen - Now that operation "buy a new house" became operation "keep the condo and play more instead of spend more", I am really trying to decide what to do with my kitchen. It's tiny, but I want it to be functional, colorful and easy to keep organized and clean. And I need to keep it relatively inexpensive. Time to gather ideas, look into options, and prepare for some manual labor. After the holidays are over, it's on.

4. Poetry - The focus of a lot of my writing lately has been poetry. It's such a satisfying genre and I find it to be such an intimate form of self-expression. I've just started a poetry collaboration with Amy H.W. and it's a fun, less threatening way to open that up for someone else to read. I'm trying to summon up the courage and be brave enough to post some work here. We'll see.

5. Working Out -Between not being able to cycle (too cold) and not being able to run (injured hip flexor) I'm really struggling with motivation. I'm still putting the time in, but it's a struggle every day. Part of it is because I can't do my favorite workouts, part of it is boredom with what I can do (elliptical, spinning, swimming, Zumba, weights), and part of it is the typical holiday/winter blah. What i need to do is figure out how to get outside more. Yes, that's exactly what I need to do...Snowshoe, snowboard, XC skiing...ok, how to do that with work and a three year old...? Hmmmmmm.

*Miscellany*

**This is the first year that Riley has really been into the holidays, and it's also the year that my condo is getting new windows. I don't really want to decorate if I'm going to have to tear it all down for the windows, but I don't want to NOT decorate when she's so excited for it. Still not sure what to do.
**Speaking of holidays, Riley is *loving* the holiday cartoons and tv shows. We're watching Rudolph right now...the one where the elf wants to be a dentist. It's cuter than I remember, even though she thinks that Abominable Snowman is a white monkey.
**This is my view from my downtown office. It's more impressive on sunny days, but I enjoy it all the time.
**When I asked Riley what she learned in church on Sunday, she replied that 'Jesus was a nice man who wore a dress,' and that 'men who wear dresses are nice.' I can't argue with any of her logic, so I figured she's right on track.
**We're making another batch of Chex Mix tonight. Riley calls it 'oatmeal' and she prefers to eat for breakfast. I figure that it's mostly cereal, so it's all good.
**It's a few weeks early, but Santa brought me new backpacking boots and snowshoes. Merry Christmas to me!
**My morning yoga practice is quickly becoming a mandatory part of the day. It sets me up mentally like nothing else.
**I don't know what I'd do without my go-to "man thought and action" translator. Thanks, Vin. You certainly do rock.
**I hate wearing socks. I really do.

Grateful for the Little Things

Today, I am exceedingly grateful for the things that aren't necessary, per se, but sure do make life much more enjoyable. Today, I am grateful for:
*An evening at the spa that left me a bit sore (damn deep muscle work) but very relaxed.
*Tangled in 3-D with an 8 year old pixie and a very large bucket of popcorn.
*A good relationship with Riley's Dad. It's nice that we can work together for her best interests.
*The guy who sat on the end of my lane counting laps for me this morning. I love to swim, but I hate counting laps, so this was a nice respite from the dreaded task.
*An upcoming trip to Hawaii in April. I'm already day-dreaming of sandy beaches, amazing hikes, lovely sunsets and some quality time with one of my favorite people.
*A super-clean and well-organized home, thanks to a lost camera remote shutter and a slight OCD streak.
*Having my little one back after a few days with her Dad. I enjoy the break, but I am always happy to have her home.
*My christmas shopping is almost completely DONE! Yay! And the few things I still need can all be purchased online! Double YAY!
*I still have a day left in this long, lovely weekend. It's going to be a lazy Sunday with no plans, except making chocolate chip cookies with my kiddo and phone dates with a couple of friends.

What about you? What little thing is making your world a bit brighter today?

Wendesday Miscellany

**I've started working downtown one or two days a week, and it's been a really fun way to shake up my work life. My new office is a bit more "corporate" than my University office and the energy there reflects this distinction. I wasn't sure how I'd react to the difference in atmosphere, but I am finding that I really enjoy it. Everyone I have encountered there is very friendly and helpful, and the view...oh, the view! I can look right out over Temple Square and Capitol Hill. It makes me so happy to glance out the window and see the city going about it's business.

**I'm not a huge fan of the holidays (in fact, it's more accurate to say that I dread them) but Riley is so excited about them and I am trying to make them as fun as possible, without going overboard. We have already received so many invitations for different events and parties - it looks like we have something every night in December, and it's not even Thanksgiving yet! I'm going to slash and burn through that list - I can't handle being that obligated- and only commit to the ones I really want to attend. Bah humbug? Yeah, probably.

**My condo board voted to install new window through our whole building, and while I wasn't thrilled about a major expense and renovation right before the holidays, I do think it will be a nice upgrade. I've also decided to refinance my condo, so I've been buried in the legwork that goes with those two things. It's been pretty painless, as these things go, but it will be nice to have them both over with and out of the way.

**I'm making some plans to head out to the East Coast with my girl in May or June (probably June). We are going to see some friends who just moved to New Jersey recently and also this girl, who I love and adore and can't wait to spend more time with. I've never been to NYC (other than layovers which don't count) and I'm excited to explore the city with my little one. I think she needs to attend a Broadway Musical - right? Which one for an almost four year old?

**I've got some serious musical obsessions going on over here: Courtyard Hounds, Sarah Barielles, Christina Perri, Ray LaMontagne, Amos Lee....some aren't so new, but wow...I can't get enough.

**I need some new reading material...what's on your list these days? I keep a list of books I want to read, but they all seem so heavy right now. I need light and easy, maybe fiction. Thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Random Sunday Thoughts

Photo by AmyM -these are the houses we stayed at in NC

I'm home this morning with a little one who isn't feeling her best, and my mind is going overtime with a million little fragments of thought.

*The above photo has nothing to do with this post, other than I like it a lot. AmyM took it with her iphone. I need an iphone if it can take photos like this.

*I haven't slept well the past few nights, despite being exhausted when I crawl into bed. Crazy, vivid dreams and snippets of phrases have been whirling through my head, causing me to toss and turn and wander around my house. Usually when I have repeated nights like this, there is a reason- something I need to do or something I need to sort out. I haven't figure this one out yet...here's hoping the breakthrough will come today so I can sleep tonight.

*I desperately need to do some grocery shopping. I have been avoiding this for days. I guess it's time to suck it up and get it done. The list is getting longer by the day. Blech.

*Riley and I spent yesterday afternoon trick-or-treating (It's Utah- nothing happens on Sunday) with one of my closest friend's families. They are moving to New Jersey very soon, so it was great to be able to spend some time with them. I'm going to miss them but it gives me even more impetus to head out to the NJ/NYC area for a visit very soon. (More Halloween pics here.)


*I need to publicly thank everyone for the wonderful feedback I've received for this post. It was a scary thing for me to put out there and it was met with so much positive energy. It makes it that much easier to be a little vulnerable and keep telling my stories. Thanks, ya'll. Seriously.

*Doesn't this little one make you baby hungry? She does for me...I'm madly in LOVE with her. Those cheeks, that curly hair, her sweet little personality, her smile...oh, she's a DOLL!
*The World Series always reminds me of my youngest brother, Curtis. I was in Basic Training during October (way back in 1997), and he wrote me a letter almost every day, but they were all about the Series that year - player stats, his opinion on the umpires, etc. Nothing about him, my family, any happenings at home...all baseball. He was about 12 then. It's still one of my favorite memories of him. Now he's not so little, but he still loves baseball. GO GIANTS!

*Now that it's getting too cold to do much biking, I'm trying to get my indoor workouts back on track. I've been hitting the gym for strength training, and have been renewing my friendship with the treadmill and the lap pool. I've been doing more yoga at home, and I'm adding in some Zumba. It's fun and I need something new to keep things fresh.

Miscellany

**I am so happy to be teaching primary again. The best way for me to experience church is from an eight year old's perspective. Much simpler and less overwhelming.
**I finally found the time to buy bookshelves for my dining room. I love how they look and I'm really happy about the extra space and organization they brought to my home. Now to get my photos and art on the walls....
**Apparently three is the magic age to start really anticipating holidays. Riley is all about halloween right now, and it's not even October. She insisted that we start decorating today. The preliminary results:
**Apparently three is also the magic age when Barbies become a big deal (at least for Riley). Am I the only mother that immediately throws out any Barbie shoes that get in her path? Stepping on those little buggers HURTS!
**I found a yellow Vintage gumball machine in a Sugarhouse junkshop yesterday, and I knew it would be a hit with her royal Bugness. I brought it home, fixed the broken gear, cleaned it up and filled it with gum. I was right. She loves it!
**I have decided that it's going to take a major force of change and the perfect situation to ever get me to move out of the Avenues. It's so close and convenient to everything. I love my neighborhood and I honestly can't imagine living anywhere else. (I know a few of you are laughing right now.)
**Riley has started to drink Chamomile tea with bubbly milk (frothed milk) before bed. I'm not sure if it's the ritual, or the actual herb, or just placebo, but she is much more mellow at bedtime. Whatever it is, I'll take it.
**I am making the ultimate in comfort food for dinner tonight: roasted chicken, 'funeral' potatoes, and green beans. I promised Riley we'd make brownies 'with nuts' tonight, too. Should be yummy!