Relaxing??? and Abs

I imagined myself swooshing down the slopes and drinking beer at night.

Sleeping in.

Running after a day at the slopes.

Sitting in the hot tub, hanging out with my friend, and enjoying my time being alone.

Reality of it all?  I only got to hang out with my friend.

My skiing skills did improve drastically, but then they couldn't get any worse!  The very first thing I did was try to get on the lift to go up the mountain.  I fell off, didn't have my gloves on, and tore up my forearm.

I fell getting off the lift every single time but once.  It wasn't pretty.  Something about the lift just gets me all worked up and stressed out, it's crazy!

Out of everyone that observed me, it's not my skills that are the problem, it's my confidence.

I don't like speed.  I have only been on a go kart once, and it was awful.  I start going fast, I'm swooshing down the slopes, and I get scared and fall on purpose.  Once, I did get that rush while I was going back and forth, then realized how fast I was going, and down I went.

I am so sore today, it's not even funny.

I had a great time, missed the kids and Gunner terribly, and was glad to get home.  It was worth the trip to see my friend and hang out.

Abs called me no less than 38 times, leaving me heartfelt messages about how much she missed me and loved me.  I was gone 48 hours, and she told me that I'll need to get her a cell phone so she can call me from camp.  Sorry kiddo, they don't allow them.  She's asking for a Mommy Doll to go with her Daddy Doll.

I took Abs to OT tonight, and she was wearing a green shirt, purple shorts, and pink cowboy boots.  (It's rodeo time in Texas!)  In the loops of the boots she had tied a piece of yarn and it went from one boot to the other, over her shoulders.  Her reasoning?  There's a storm coming to our neck of the woods, and this way if  she gets blown away, her boots will stay on.

On the way home we were talking about responsibility.

Me:  One day you will want to drive, and you need to show me that you are responsible.
Abs:  I don't want a car.
Me:  What?
Abs:  I'm going green.
Me:  I'm afraid to ask you what that means.
Abs:  The only thing I will be driving is a mule train.
Me:  A mule train?
Abs:  Yep, I'll have 10 of them and they will pull me in a cart everywhere I want to go.
Me:  It will take a long time to get to Texas in a mule train.
Abs:  That's okay, I'm young.  Plus I am tired of people hurting the environment, so I'll be helping it.
Me:  What if they don't let your mule train on the freeways.
Abs:  They will, it will become the new way of traveling.
Me:  I think you have been playing Oregon trail too much.

Abs has had an obsession with mules since she rode one in Utah with my mom.

Oh, she also said she is going to adopt two children, a boy named Bob and a girl named Ann.  When they misbehave she is going to make them muck the stalls.  I think she might need to muck the backyard tomorrow, just for practice.

I made it!

I sent Abs off to school and she promised to keep her hands in her pocket so they wouldn't get away from her again.

Em's school called with her "situation of the day".  I wanted to scream.  

I went and got Junior early today, then Em missed the bus.

Finally I hit the road. In the first hour, Abs called me 10 times.  I drove and drove, up mountains and down, on what seemed like the edge of the cliff at some points.  I am afraid of heights.  I went to an area with no cell signal.  It was quiet.  The drive was beautiful till it turned dark.  The elk and deer on steroids made their appearances.  There were close calls, idiots passing on curves, accidents (not me), and more elk and deer.

What should have taken an hour took two (the whole trip was 5 1/2 hours), but better safe than sorry.  Have I ever mentioned that I hate driving?

I arrived, got settled, and called my friend T to come over.  It's been too long since I have seen her!  She was my triathlon training partner in Texas, and the one I am going back to do one of the triathlons with this summer.  

Tomorrow we hit the slopes.

I thought I would relish the quiet, but it is too quiet.  I'm sure this will be just the right amount to recharge, have fun, and then be ready to take on Spring Break by the horns.

Wish me luck!

Not everything is raindrops on roses

Junior likes to lock himself in the dog cage in order to poop in his pants.

Abs was suspended from school for one day--tomorrow.  I kind of hope it is a snow day since they didn't suspend the other kiddo.

Em has decided that we are forcing family togetherness on her too much because she had to ride bikes yesterday and go swimming today.

On our way to the pool, I noticed that Abs was wearing pink cowboy boots, Em had on a blue cape, Junior was wearing his old flight hat with the propeller (he calls it his "fly away hat"), Gunner was in shorts (it was snowing), and then there is normal me.  At least we are interesting.

But....

I keep reminding myself that eventually these days will be distant memories, and it won't really matter what happened.

Some days that seems more plausible than others.

In the meantime, I am going skiing for two days with a great friend, and I can't wait!  The hotel is booked, the skis are rented, and Gunner is in charge of the kids.  Wish him luck!