Oh, Chicago

I'm back! I had a really really great trip to Chicago. I learned a lot, which hopefully I can use at our new office to help grow our business. I met 29 really fantastic people... it's so interesting to be with people from all over the country, who hold the same position I do, also starting a new location like I am, with a similar background to mine. It was neat to share ideas and spend time with people who really understand what you go through on a daily basis! And they were fun to spend time with after hours too... the hotel had a bar which we spent one free evening in and we went out one night downtown also. We took the train into town on a mission to find some good Chicago pizza. We found a little hole in the wall with good drinks and yummy pizza and only a 15 minute wait for a party of 9. It was cold, but not unbearably so and I loved walking around in the city.

I got a little reading done ~ made it through 5 of the 3 magazines (**edited to correct that ~ read 3 of the 5! oops!**) I brought as well as finished a good chunk of the book I'm reading. I went swimming in the indoor pool one night but didn't make it to the gym at all, though I did have good intentions and even brought my work out attire. Oh well.

I do appreciate Denver more, though, after spending some time away. I really like Midwestern people ~ after all I'm a native Hoosier (born & raised in Indianapolis) and they feel like "my people" for lack of a better word. So Chicago feels familiar and comfortable to me.

But I love Colorado too... the mix of people here... the laid back attitude... living in a city that is big enough to be entertaining but not so big that it's daunting to drive around in... it feels safe to me too (though we do have crime here, like anywhere else). Plus we have some beautiful landscape here too.

So it's good to be back home also... but I do love Chicago and I'm glad I went!

I missed my guys a lot but they survived without me and the only casualty was the TV. Somehow it got broken but the repair man is on his way to fix it... I got to talk to them each night and hear about their days so I wasn't too lonely for them.

And now... my parents are here and on their way to my house from the airport. We're heading up to Breckenridge for a few days of snow filled fun! I'm sure I'll have stories and pictures to share once we head back down the mountain... Have a great weekend!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Traditionally in the York household, we decorate for the Holidays right after the turkey leftovers are gone. I like to wait until December but a visit with my parents next weekend would push back our metamorphosis until the second weekend in December. We didn't want to wait that long as we like to enjoy the Holidays as long as we can... after Thanksgiving, of course, so we spent the better part of today doing this:

This time always brings back lots of memories from when I was a little girl. My family accumulated tons and tons of Holiday decorations through the years and some of them have found their way into our storage boxes. We have a mix of ornaments from when Shawn and I were kids, the new ones our boys have received, and things we found during Target's after Christmas sales. I love the warm and cozy feeling that our house has through the month of December.

Thanks for all the well wishes for my Chicago trip. I haven't even started packing yet ~ but I should have time tomorrow after I kiss the boys goodbye on their way to school.

I will probably be taking a little break from blogging as the day after I return from Chicago, my folks are coming for a visit and we'll be up in the mountains for the week. I'll check in as I can... but have a great week!

Our Turkey Day and more

My mother is a great cook. I... not so much. I can follow a recipe... I can bake a lil too. But I am not creative at ALL when it comes to cooking and frankly can be a bit boring I'm afraid. When I do try new things the kids don't like them, inevitably, so that makes me less than enthusiastic about the whole thing.

So I might have mentioned the other day that our grocery store was cooking our Thanksgiving dinner? It actually turned out to be pretty great! I did add some crescent rolls and green bean casserole (following the recipe of course). Two of my favorite mamas came to celebrate with us ~ Ria with her family & the yams ~ and Tiffany with her famous in these parts, "potato stuff". It was easy ~ we threw everything in the oven for a couple hours ~ relatively quiet (Ria's kids entertain my boys quite well!) ~ and though I'm always homesick for my family back in Indiana on days like that... overall it was a great day.

After everyone went home, the day was still young so we decided to take the boys to see a movie. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium was fantastic! I hadn't seen any previews so I really had no idea what to expect. But save for the annoying folks behind us that laughed in the wrong places and wouldn't stop kicking Shawn's chair, the whole family really enjoyed it. I like that the boys are getting old enough to enjoy movies that are non~animated... but I must admit that sometimes I prefer animated movies because they can sneak in adult innuendos that the kids don't get but we think are hi~larious. Anyway, go take your family to see Mr. Magorium ~ you won't regret it!

Today I did venture out for just a bit to Circuit City. I was on the hunt for a new phone for our house but the one they had on sale was, of course, sold out by the time I got there. I didn't stick around for more fun but rather went to work for a bit to get caught up before my trip next week.

That's right ~ I'm going on a trip! I'm so excited! I'll be in Chicago for a few days training for my new position as Office Manager of the new Allstate agency I'm working for. I get to travel on an airplane for two hours. All. By. Myself. I will be able to read a book or a magazine uninterrupted for two hours. I won't have to cook dinner for four days. Plus, hopefully, on top of all that I'll learn something.

So tonight the boys and I are meeting some friends at the Mexican Chuck E Cheese. I'm hoping that everyone will be so pooped from a day of shopping that it will not be crowded... but even if it is, the boys love going there and they've been cooped up in the house, trying to stay warm all day. I am sure they'll have a good time.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Things I am thankful for (in no particular order)

1. Gavin's belly laugh
2. When Tyler holds my hand
3. Snuggling with Shawn in the evening after the kids are in bed, with a big bowl of popcorn, watching our shows
4. My big big bathtub and the time to bathe in it
5. The people in my life that know me... every bit of me... and love me anyway
6. A sunny day
7. My kids doing their chores without me asking
8. When the day goes fast at work
9. Weekend trips anywhere
10. Shopping by myself ~ even if it's just the grocery store
11. Reading a chapter in my book without falling asleep
12. A good thrift store day
13. The days that Shawn cooks dinner
14. An email that is not a forward, from my family or friends
15. Pictures
16. The fact that I don't have to cook Thanksgiving dinner ~ grocery stores do that for you where I live :)
17. Making it safely to work in our first snow!
18. You, for being interested enough in our lives and what I have to say to keep coming back for more

Have a lovely Turkey Day!

***edited to add: ***
19. For my wonderful parents & family ~ also their health
20. A warm house with nothing broken in it
21. Food in my belly ~ sometimes too much food *ahem*
22. Healthy babies and healthy me & Shawn

I hope he'll be well off...

We talk, as all families do I'm sure, about what we're going to be when we grow up. Last night at the dinner table we discussed it again.

Gavin: I know what I want to be when I grow up!
Shawn: Oh yeah? What are you going to be?
Gavin: A daddy!
Shawn: How many kids are you going to have?
Gavin: 8
Shawn: Boys or girls?
Gavin: Both. I'm going to have them in a pattern ~ boy, girl, boy, girl.

We tried to explain the other day that being a daddy doesn't pay the bills... Hopefully he'll find a sugar mama. :)

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Last week he wanted to be an "Army Guy" and a race car driver. Indy car, not "Nasty car" (i.e. Nascar) ~ he was quick to point out.

I told him he's going to make me worry about him all the time.... But I s'pose that's what moms do best.

The Last Great Hike

Today was the last day that we are going to have weather in the 60's... probably until Spring? We decided that a trip to Estes Park was in order so we could go on one last hike. We thought it'd be fun to hike to Emerald Lake ~ a trail that was a round trip of 3.2 miles and included three lakes. It was very pretty and we had a good time...

First we came across a tree that was "sticking it's butt out" as Gavin described it.

Then we found a double tree:

We didn't see any wildlife, but we did find some snow and a frozen lake! Do we look a little under dressed for the weather? It was a little chilly but we were getting a good workout so that helped us stay warm...

It was a little slippery in spots... so we had to hold hands real tight and be careful where we walked.

But we felt like we were on the top of the world... and we saw beautiful vistas along with the babbling brooks, trees, fresh mountain air and lots of conversation.

We didn't stop to rest too much and the boys only requested piggy back rides a couple times.

One of the lakes we stopped was called Dream Lake. What a great kodak moment:

Look how pretty it was!

Clearly we have issues with just taking photos of scenery. But here is one ~ this was our final destination ... Emerald Lake:

And finally... the long walk home. Or back to the car.

We stopped at the Celestial Seasonings plant to take a tour but missed it by 10 minutes. So we stocked up on tea instead. It'll be nice to have this winter!

It was really great to have a whole family day today... It's nice to have the chance to be in a place where there are no distractions and every conversation counts. Nothing gets lost in homework, baths and cooking dinner. The phone doesn't ring and there are no e~mails to be read. And holy cow did Gavin revel in it... I swear that child talked all day like there was no tomorrow. He loved it and it made me feel bad that I don't hear him so chatty all the time... is it because I'm too distracted? Or because he is? Anyway, we need to be better about making our time together more family oriented and not allowing ourselves to be so busy that we lose sight of what's really important.

And with that said... I'm off to take a bath with my husband. We bought some tub tea today that I can't wait to try out. :)

Hope you had a lovely weekend as well!

Happy Clicks

Well I don't have too much to talk about this week... Life has been pretty routine, which is a good thing, but I'm feeling like it has left me with a lack of material to post about.

I did start a new project though... I've been knitting for a couple months now and have accumulated about 10(ish) scarves for various people's holiday gifts this year. I think I have one for everyone who is going to be getting a gift from us... so I started on my first hat. It's for Gavin and he picked out the fabric. I'm trying to follow a pattern, which is new for me, so keep your fingers crossed it turns out Ok! I'm just not sure at this point ~ it might be way too small. I'll let you see it when it's done.

We're plugging along at our new location. The good news is that my weekly commute is almost over and I've only used 1/4th a tank of gas so far! My old location cost me about 3/4 a tank of gas a week, so this is a nice change. We're trying to get the phone to ring, which is tough since no one knows we are here, and it doesn't look likely that I'll meet my sales goal for the month. But we just keep keepin' on. And it helps to have some good music to listen to, so when my boss told me to go to this site, I clicked gladly. I've seen other sites like this, but this is the best I've come across personally. Happy listening!

I haven't spent a lot of time on this website but Shawn is pretty impressed. He shared with me the annual Treehugger Gift Guides. There are two: here and here. We are planning on doing the majority of our holiday shopping here... because a) it's easier to not have to battle the crowds and b) it'll be another way we can be green. I haven't spent a lot of time on this website but Shawn has... and is pretty impressed. Happy shopping :)

Oh and this one's not for clicking... But last week when Shawn and I were shopping, we went by Victoria's Secret (only because I had a coupon for free skivvies) ~ they are giving out Secret Santa gift cards which have a value of $10~$500. You get the card if you make a purchase and then have to return after December 1st to see what the value of your gift card is. I'm hoping for the $500... but I like to dream big. :)

Think that's enough fun for one day... Have a great day, kids!

Some Good Ways to Give Back

Thought I'd post a couple ideas for ways to give back this holiday season. It seems this time always makes us (me) think about families that don't have as much as ours... or are suffering in ways we'll never know.

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This is a cool idea: One Laptop per Child. I'm not sure if you've already heard about it but if not, it's a way to help children in underprivileged countries have a laptop and thus help further their education, where they would otherwise fall behind. For the next two weeks if you buy one for your own child, one is sent to a child overseas. And it's a tax write~off too. Cool, eh?

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My mom sent me this one today. If you have an extra Holiday Card, you can send it off to an injured soldier here:

A RECOVERING AMERICAN SOLDIER
c/o WALTER REED MEDICAL CENTER
6900 GEORGIA AVE.,NW
WASHINGTON, DC. 20307-5001

Shawn and I spent some time at Walter Reed ~ it's where he had his Lasik surgery done when he was in the military and they tried to fix his back there a few times too. It's nice enough, for a hospital, but definitely not where I'd want to spend my holidays. I'm sure the soldier that gets your card(s) would appreciate being thought of during a time they'd much rather be home with their families.

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And finally... it might be too late but Shawn found a series last week that he Tivo'd on the Sundance Channel. I'm not sure if they'll be having any other episodes, but it's worth looking for. We watched three episodes last night and they were fantastic! They was full of great ideas on ways to be greener...

Have a Happy Tuesday! :)

Boys

Scene: Tyler & Gavin are sitting together in our loft in a computer chair side by side, playing a video game.

Tyler: Ewww! What's that smell?
Gavin (giggling): I farted. Hehe.
Tyler: Ugh that smells awful!
Gavin: I know. hehe.
Tyler: That smells like diarrhea!
Gavin: Diarrhea?? Ewww!!

Both boys giggling hysterically...

And that, my friends, is my life.
These boys are a constant source of entertainment.

A Whole Lotta Nuttin

We've enjoyed some beautiful fall weather here, which is about to come abruptly to an end. Last week the boys and I walked to one of the few places within walking distance ~ Supercuts ~ to, obviously, cut their hair. I was reading a sign aloud that talked about free hair cuts with color and jokingly asked them if they'd like to color their hair. Of course they jumped at the chance, and as I looked at the stylist for help, she pointed to a box of $2 samples of very temporary colored hair glue. Tyler chose red (it's hard to see ~ look closely!):

And Gavin chose blue:

It lasted for two days until I washed it out and their friends at school were very impressed with their cool 'do's.

On Friday Shawn accompanied me to Tyler's class to volunteer. Tyler was SO excited that he was coming! We ended up only staying for two hours because they watched Planet Earth that day. So we set off to Stapleton to have lunch , browse in some stores and walk around together ~ enjoying a day date for the first time in quite awhile. I love having the chance to spend time with him and have uninterrupted conversations... it's good to reconnect.

On Saturday we spent all morning cleaning the house, which isn't exciting in and of itself. But the funny thing was, it was our last day for Good Behavior points. And it was a close race... so the boys were scrambling to find ways to earn more points. Tyler made his bed all by himself and then declared he loved cleaning the house (? is this my child?). Gavin decided he wanted to learn how to clean the bathroom and had fun squirting the Windex and bathroom cleaner everywhere. In the end, Gavin won and gets to pick the movie tonight. He's already decided on pizza for dinner.

We did sneak out after the house was clean and I had a quick work out to do some thrift store shopping. Shawn found a putting green for $5 and I found some sweaters for Tyler. The boys picked out house slippers for $1 and saw lots of things to add to their Christmas list. Keep in mind, they have already perused several toy catalogs that made their way to our mailbox and have circled about 100 things each that they would like. Including laptops, Power Wheels and video games. Hey, if you're gonna dream, dream big!

Today we're enjoying being lazy... I hope to catch up on some reading, finish a scarf I've been knitting and hopefully walk over to the part as this is probably going to be our last nice day for awhile before it gets cold. We need to take advantage of it!

Bedtime Musings

Shawn and I try to connect throughout the day but usually when we are trying to talk there are children around, work to be done, dinner to cook, etc, so it's hard to have a good conversation. After the kids go to bed, we mostly snuggle on the couch watching our shows, reading and/or knitting (me, not him). Often there is still much to say by the time we finally make it to bed, but I am so sleepy that I am unable to concentrate on anything with any depth... and I've been known to fall asleep while he was talking to me. In my defense, I'm laying down, warm and cozy in my bed next to my love... it's hard not to be totally relaxed in this situation!! I should also note that occasionally I talk in my sleep. And Shawn takes advantage of this opportunity for me to divulge all my "secrets" ~ asking me questions to keep me talking...

So with that in mind, I bring you to last night. I'd been telling Shawn earlier in the day that I'd just discovered Google Reader. I'd read some fellow bloggers talking about it but had not a clue what they were talking about... I did some detective work yesterday and then told him about this cool new tool I'd stumbled upon. He was telling me that he'd decided to give it a shot too and how impressed he was by how easy it made it to catch up on all the news pages he likes to frequent.

Shawn's been taking courses to finish his Bachelor's Degree and the current course he is studying is about World Religions. Though we are not religious, we both find the study of religions and their affect on the world fascinating.

As we lay in bed, slipping from the Google Reader conversation to the conversation where he informed me that he thinks he'd like to start studying Buddhism ~ that it seems to be something he could really connect with... I drifted off. Only for a second. When I woke up, with a bit of a start, I tried to disguise the fact that I'd been asleep.

He wasn't fooled, of course, when I opened my mouth and muttered this: "what on earth did we worship before Google Reader?".

Lucky

It's been a few days, eh? We've made a dent in the Halloween candy... mostly just the chocolate. Seems we are all big chocolate lovers. We handled the switch back to regular time Ok. The boys did better than me... I was asleep in the chair trying to read a magazine last night by 7:15pm. Oops. Finally gave up and went to bed before 10 and woke up before 6am! Hopefully that'll straighten itself out a bit...

Last Friday, I spent my morning as usual in Tyler's classroom. Normally I get to work with all the kids, helping them with spelling words and sentences. This particular day, however, Ms. Patterson decided I should sit at a table with four kids who are struggling a bit and only help them. One of them, M, seemed to mostly have a hard time paying attention and focusing. If she could remember what she was supposed to do and not get distracted, she really did Ok. Same with A, though she mostly wanted me to help her. I think she likes having attention from a girl... she also liked to stand by me and followed me all around the room. I think she could have done more on her own than she gave herself credit for. B wanted to worry about everyone but himself. He had a hard time watching the other kids make mistakes without correcting them. He is hard to communicate because he mostly grunts and doesn't speak clearly.

But C... C was the biggest challenge for me. He has some sort of learning disability and I'm certainly not equipped as a mom who has had zero education towards a teaching degree. He would write T B W T T Z and would read it back to you as "The boy went to the zoo". In order to get him to write one sentence that was legible, we had to sit and concentrate for about 15~20 minutes. This boy clearly needed more help than I could give him and probably needs to be tutored more than he needs to be in class ~ or some situation where he can have one on one attention to focus on what he needs to learn.

By the end of the day I was spent. And I don't think I've ever wanted a glass of wine more. :) But alas, there were groceries to buy and laundry to do and dinner to make.... so I had to resist.

But I went away feeling very very lucky. My boys are handsome and sweet and sensitive and smart. They learn easily and things "click" the first time or two we explain them. They rarely have a hard time focusing, as long as things stay relatively interesting... Really, my job as a mother to them has not been that difficult.

Could I have handled a child like C? I'm not sure I have the patience... 3.5 hours was hard for me to handle. I'm sure there will be other issues that require patience and possibly they'll be more difficult than a learning disability. So all I can do for now is just be thankful for how lucky I am.