Do-Overs and High-Fives- The Anniversary Edition

This is the weekly round up of things I wish I’d done differently, lessons learned (if any!) or just plain hard stuff that happened this week.  It’s also the place to celebrate the victories, large and small of life as a mom.

As usual, we’ll start with

Do-Overs

In which we learn (once again!) that self-sacrifice never pays….

Last weekend DH wanted to go hiking Sunday afternoon.  The place he wanted to go was a hour’s drive away- up a steep and windy canyon road.  AJ was not at all enthusiastic about going hiking, and frankly, neither was I.  However DH had been wanting to go for a while and it was a nice day and I couldn’t think of a better alternative, so fighting my resistance (anybody smell trouble coming?), I agreed.  We got ourselves ready, and driving up the canyon, I realized that a big part of my resistance was that I don’t enjoy the drive at all.  I get carsick easily and so driving for an hour (each way) for a short hike is really not my idea of a good time.

I won’t bore you with the details, of the grumbling and grumpiness that ensued…  but the lesson for me was (once again!) that if I’m feeling resistance, I need to stop, notice and name the resistance.  Plowing through it, even in the name of (or perhaps especially in the name of) serving others does not end up serving anyone.

Computer woes…

Well maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s age, maybe it’s who knows what, but my computer which I’ve had and generally loved for a few years seems to be giving up the ghost.  Several times in the last few weeks with increasing frequency, it will just freeze, then I get the dreaded black screen and all kinds of scary messages like ‘kernal stack error,’ and ‘no bootable devices found.’  I’ve tried all kinds of things like putting a little fan on it, and various scans and whatnot.  My husband finally said, “Sweetie- I think maybe it’s time we got you a new computer.”  I argued with him for a bit, but then I realized that every time I turned it on, I was making myself crazy trying to do my stuff before it crashed.  He was right, it was causing me way more stress than it was worth.  And given that it would probably cost almost as much to have someone look at as get a new one… well that was that.

This is really a combination do-over and high-five.  I’m so grateful that I can get a new computer, and I’m so bummed at the expense and hassle of doing so.

Where did this week go?

I had such big plans for this week.  My son was in camp ALL DAY, every day this week.  I was going to write a whole bunch of articles, get a bunch of stuff organized, do a ton of prep for upcoming classes and workshops, etc. etc.

What I did was write a few articles, get a little bit of stuff organized and do virtually no prep for upcoming classes, workshops, etc.  I’m still trying to figure out if my lists are too long, or I’m just not getting it done.  Probably a little of both.  But I did end the week feeling like that was my last, best chance to get stuff done before school starts.  UGGGHHHH!

High-Fives

Summer camp

AJ has had a blast at summer camp this week.  He’s been riding horses, doing crafts, playing games and learning silly camp songs (anyone remember ‘Baby shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo?’).  But his hand’s down favorite was mountain boarding.  Take one fully padded kid (helmet, knees, elbows, and wrists) and put them on an oversized skateboard with huge, knobby wheels and straps for your feet and point it down a hill and you get the general idea.  He loved it.

New Office!

Well it’s not really a new office- it’s a a new desk. It’s not even a new desk- but an old desk in a new place.  Well, OK, so it’s actually more like a plastic folding table that has a new home in a corner of the living room.   Anyway…. the upshot is that now my computer doesn’t live on the dining table anymore and I have a place for papers, my growing collection of binders and various bits and pieces of my life.  I also set up a lamp and a small bookcase that lives next to my desk now.  I’m considering it an experiment for now, and if I love it, may consider investing in a real desk.  So far, I’m kind of digging it, and my husband is VERY happy to have the computer off the table.

My son is learning to cook!

AJ has always enjoyed helping out in the kitchen- especially when I’m baking.  But this summer we’ve started a deal where he’s in charge of preparing one meal a week.  He chooses what he wants to make and I add the necessary items to the grocery list.  Then on the appointed day, either my husband or I helps him as needed.  So far he’s made mac and cheese, hamburgers, and spaghetti.

This week he helped me make a quickie tart from some pie crust dough that was left over from the cherry pie adventure of last week and some yummy local peaches.  I’d sliced the peaches and grated some fresh ginger over them and he enjoyed sprinkling the sugar on top.  While they were juicing up, he rolled the dough (with a little coaching on the proper touch!), slid it onto the cookie sheet and then made a lovely design of the peaches.  He was very proud of himself when we pulled it out of the oven.

It’s so important to me that he be able to take care of himself as an adult- and being able to feed himself seems like a pretty important life skill!

Anniversary fun

Last night we enjoyed a lovely dinner at a very chi-chi restaurant in town followed by a performance of  ”Much Ado About Nothing” at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival.  The show was outside and we got a bit chilly, but it was a great time.  Today we went hiking in an area we’ve never been to and it was absolutely beautiful.  We’ll go back there for sure.  And we’ve been married for 17 years.  That seems to deserve a high-five, especially these days!

Blogging!

I’m just loving doing this blog, and in particular the audience participation.  One of my big hopes was/is that this will be a place for juicy conversations about the fun stuff, the hard stuff and everything else that comes with being a mom these days.  So thanks for playing and keep it up!

So here’s your invitation to play along at home:  What are your Do-Overs or High-Fives for this week?  Let us know!