Finding Balance

I came across this image on Facebook today and it really struck a chord with me. The last few years, making ends meet and taking care of Charley have been pretty much all I've had time to do. Between teaching and coaching, I work about 50 hours a week during the school year and unfortunately that takes a toll on my social life. At times, it's difficult to find enough hours in the day to get all my work done, Charley taken care of, and dishes in the dishwasher. But this summer has been different for me. For the first time in a VERY long time, I've found a great balance and I love it.

When it comes to work, I tend to push myself... A LOT. Given the fact that I've chosen teaching and coaching as my careers, I find myself physically and mentally engaged in something, 90 percent of the time. There's rarely a dull moment in my classroom or the gym, and I legitimately care about the kids I work with in both settings. That's probably part of the reason I get so drained during the school year. I'm emotionally invested in my students, which wears me out. Then I leave the school and head to the gym, and I'm invested in those kids, too! It's no wonder that on the weekends all I can seem to accomplish is housework and getting caught up on sleep.

This summer, I've been kind of spoiled. I basically work 3-4 hours a day at the gym with a group of girls that really WANT to be successful. I've been taking Charley to daycare every day, so I can concentrate on work while I'm at the gym and know she's having fun and getting the mental stimulation she needs. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm just not entertaining enough to keep her amused all day long! Sending her to school has contributed to the balance I've found in my life this summer. When I finish coaching, I have several hours before I need to pick her up, which means I have time to run errands... BY MYSELF! Any parent knows the feeling of perusing a store child-free... It's heavenly. Half of the time I don't even buy anything, I just walk the aisles, taking as long as I want to, without being prompted to buy a toy or go home. It's been very relaxing to say the least. I've also had time to clean my house regularly, and my new place has been consistently clean since we moved in (I'm hoping I didn't just jinx myself). It really is nice to walk into a house that's clean, tidy, and comfortable. When I get home, I can just plop down on the couch and relax for awhile and I really enjoy that time.

Another thing I've rekindled this summer is a social life. When I first moved back to Minnesota, I was bouncing between my parents' homes, both of which were extremely close to where my friends lived. That made it easy to keep up with the group of girls I've hung around with my whole life. As Charley and I got settled into a place of our own, and I started working (thus getting into a steady routine), it became more and more difficult to make time for my friends. Between work, Charley, and sleep, I haven't had time for much else. But this summer I've been able to meet friends for coffee, grab lunch, go to the pool, and a number of other things because I've been given the gift of free time. It's something my life has been lacking, and it's pulling me back into balance. I'm generally a positive, happy person, but there's always a certain degree of underlying stress, and I haven't felt that in the last couple of months. It's kind of nice to have found a good balance between work, Charley, me-time, and a social life!

With all of that said, I think what I've learned so far this summer is that balance is important. It's something people always said to me, but I never understood it because I had never experienced it before! For as long as I can remember, I've worked multiple jobs. Working a lot gives me focus and keeps me busy. In the past, I worked a lot because I wanted to keep busy. The last couple of years, I've worked a lot out of necessity. But there really is something to be said for finding a work-life balance. I'm happier. I'm more relaxed. I'm less stressed out. I'm probably a better mom! And honestly, my mindset has changed because I've finally figured out what it means to take time for myself, and prioritize having a social and personal life. So what does this mean, going forward? Obviously, during the school year I'll be working more than 4 hours a day and an increase in my stress level is inevitable. But I think I've figured out that at times I'm going to need to say, "No," when I feel like I'm being stretched too thin. I need to make time wherever I can to maintain and grow my relationships with the people in my life. Because let's be honest, building relationships (with friends, co-workers, family, etc.) makes life a lot more fun!

So, at this point, I'm planning to take advantage of the next few weeks while I'm only working a few hours a day. I'm going to absorb as much me-time as possible, and spend time with the wonderful people in my life! I'm going to spend as much quality time with Charley as I can, and enjoy every minute of it. I'll revel in my newly-found balance and strive to continue to 'make a life,' as I move into the next school year. With that said, it's late and time for bed. Have a great week!

Dear Charley: Summer Edition

It's been awhile since I've blogged, and for once it's not because I haven't had time. Don't get me wrong, Charley and I have stayed incredibly busy since summer started, but I think I pushed myself so hard in the first few weeks of June that I've really needed a few weeks to recover. And by recover, I mean completely detach from anything that requires mental acuity. Except coaching, of course. Ha! Anyway, the summer has been full of fun and much of that fun has been Charley-related. Since it's been so long, I thought I would do a Dear Charley post, instead of trying to catch up on the whole summer thus far. Charley is getting older and becoming increasingly observant, opinionated, sensitive, and overall hilarious. So, I thought I'd share some of my favorite recent Charley moments. Enjoy!



Dear Charley,

I know you are very smart. When I pick you up from school, your teachers are always telling me how well you sound out words. I think it's great that you have a letter of the week, and that you are very enthusiastic in coming up with words that start with each letter both at school and at home. I will admit, however, that I was surprised when you told me, "Mom! We have to do my homework! I need to find some F-words to cut out!" By the time you're reading this, you'll understand why I found that so funny. You said, "F-words," about 15 times this morning. I think it was even more amusing to me, because several years ago when I was working with preschoolers in Las Vegas, the kids were working on letters. One girl tried to correct her friends who had written the wrong letter, and stated, "F, you guys!" The way it came out was different, though. My ears perked up when I heard the sweet, little 3-year-old emphatically state, "F-YOU guys!" Hearing you talk about F-words brought that memory right back. And made me laugh. Thank you for that.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

Speaking of school, I learned that you have a habit of doing something at school that you've recently started doing at home, too. In recent months you've started talking and walking in your sleep. Your teacher told me last week that halfway through nap time, as she was trying to get one of your friends back to sleep, you walked up behind her and just stood there. When she told you to go lie back down, you went to another girl's cot, pushed her off (she was asleep), and decided to try to sleep there. While your teacher thought it was hilarious, she was definitely confused. I laughed when she told me about it, because, as I told her, you were probably sleepwalking. That's something you have in common with your dad. He used to do the same thing! You haven't exactly been sleepwalking at home, but you have been talking in your sleep like crazy. If I hadn't known you were asleep the other night, I would have been insulted when I scooped you up off of the couch (you'd passed out early) and you quietly and matter of factly stated, "You have a huge head," as I placed you in your bed. It's a good thing I'd put you down, because I could only hold in my laughter for about 15 seconds. I'm not sure what this sleepwalking will lead to in the future, but for now...honestly... I'm definitely enjoying it.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

You have lots of friends and I love that about you. You're a social butterfly, and seem to be able to engage both children and adults without much effort. I have just a couple of requests, though. Please do not plan playdates at school and then get mad at me when I inform you that no, we are not hosting a tea party with three of your friends at 5:45pm on a Tuesday. I love having playdates during the week sometimes, but generally those are impromptu meet-ups at the park. I can tell you for future reference that I am not prepared to host full-blown parties during the week. Sorry. Also, I know you're a girlie-girl, and unfortunately for me that appears to involve an interest in boys. Already. When you came rushing into my room after you'd been blowing bubbles on the balcony the other night, I wasn't surprised to hear that you'd met a friend. "Mommy! There's a boy outside! He's 6! I'm going back out to talk to him!" you squealed excitedly. I was a little bit surprised, however,  a few minutes later when you came back inside and I asked you his name. "Oh, I don't know. He told me, but I don't remember," you stated, "Besides, he has a girlfriend." I told you then, and I'll say it again... No boyfriends until you're 25.

Love,
Mom


Dear Charley,

I love that you are so aware of everything going on around you. You both hear and understand every word uttered in your presence. I can't even spell words I don't want you to hear anymore, because you seem to have picked up spelling skills, too. Can I ask you a favor, though? Could you reserve the term 'drunk eyes,' for a time when you are old enough to drink? I know you heard me say that phrase in reference to an unflattering photograph taken several years ago, when we were at Lindsay's wedding rehearsal dinner. But that doesn't mean that every picture in which I am squinting or laughing includes drunk eyes. Just saying.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

I've already written about your notorious ability to pick up, retain, and use embarrassing phrases. I admit, I cringe every time I hear you say, "You know what my mom said?" to someone you're having a conversation with. Generally, I'm pretty safe, but considering the fact that you hear EVERYTHING, I never really know what will be coming out of your mouth. You have a particular skill that impresses me though, probably more than any other thing you can do. At a very young age, you've learned how to compartmentalize your vocabulary. But even though the word fart is a bathroom word, and I've told you that you can only say it in the bathroom, that does not mean you HAVE to use that word (or any of the other words kids use that I have deemed bathroom words) every time you go to the bathroom...particularly if we're in a public restroom. Also, just because you can say the word dumbhead in Nana's car does not mean you can say it in my car. I think it's hilarious that you say, "Mommy, just call him a dumbhead. That's what Nana does," when someone cuts me off while we're driving. I also appreciate the fact that you reserve that phrase for the car in general. But why don't you save that one for Nana's car, okay? Thanks.

Love,
Mom


Dear Charley,

Please do not recite the names of all of the OC and NYC Housewives or Teen Moms at school. That's all.

Thanks,
Mom


Dear Charley,

When you're playing 'waitress,' you play the role well. Really well. You're polite and well-versed in restaurant lingo. I love watching people's faces when you not only ask them what they would like to eat and drink, but also attempt to record their orders on a notepad of some kind. On the 4th of July, you were at the top of your waitressing game, and fortunately for you, a couple of generous adults decided to give you tips. You had the same result (with the same people, I might add) the next day at Rena's birthday party. I just think you should know in advance that I will NOT be giving you a dollar every time you play waitress at home. Your 'tip' at my house will be a sticker. Or a hug. Sorry for the letdown.

Love,
Mom


Dear Charley,

One of my favorite things about you is the fact that you march to the beat of your own drum. You sing at the top of your lungs, simply because you can. Your music of choice ranges from Cher, to Zac Brown Band, to Kesha and at times I wonder what your teachers would think if you started singing at school the way you sing at home...or in the car...or in the grocery store. You're charismatic, charming, and easy to adore. You're so bright, and the things you say are genuinely hilarious and you always keep me laughing. Sometimes I repeat the things you say, because they're so funny. There's no need to feel self-concious or embarrassed any time I tell someone a story about something you've said. Ever. When you make comments like, "Don't tell anyone I said that," or, "Don't tell anybody I did that. It can just be a Mommy-Charley thing," I will tell you the same thing every time. "I won't repeat that, because you asked me not to. But you don't need to be embarrassed by the things you say that make me laugh. You should be proud of them. And I love you."

Love,
Mom

A Real-Life Happy Ending

Grab a snack and get cozy, because this is going to be a long one...The last two weeks have provided lots of blogging material, so here it goes! Wedding season is in full swing for me. Generally people talk about wedding season when they're fresh out of college and all of the sets of college sweethearts tie the knot. While I'm clearly not fresh out of college, many of my friends have waited to get married which has made this summer pretty exciting for me thus far. I just love weddings, particularly when the couples are well-matched and I know they genuinely love each other. With that said, last night's wedding wrapped up a marathon of a couple of weeks for me, and kind of kicked off my summer. Let me start from the beginning...

Two weeks ago, I wrote about my marathon weekend in Kansas City for my friend Spenser's wedding. It was fast-paced and crazy, but a lot of fun. When I returned from Kansas City, life didn't slow down at all...not even for a day! I went back to work at the school right after the drive back from KC, and well....it was the last week of school. I suppose I couldn't expect anything other than crazy. Honestly the last week of school is always kind of hellish, because there are so many activities and the kids' schedules are totally thrown off. I think the highlight of the week for me was the last day of school when we had bouncy houses and blow up obstacle courses outside by the playground. I helped several students through, one of which rolled herself down a ramp (I was standing at the bottom of course), and sent me flying through the air. One of my friends watched the whole process, and laughed hysterically as I was launched from one side of the obstacle course to the other. I wish I'd had a camera, it was honestly hilarious. I think the other highlight for me was standing on the curb by the busses waving goodbye to the students as they left for summer break. The kids smiled and waved out the bus windows as the busses pulled away. Most were smiling, a few were crying, but I knew they were all excited to go home and start their vacations. I was excited, too!

Last weekend was actually fairly relaxing. I had a lot to do, but made a conscious decision to procrastinate and NOT do anything. Charley and I did spend quite a bit of time in the suburbs, though, because I'd gotten word that Oscar (my 17-year old rescue dog who now lives at my dads') wasn't doing well. He's an old dog, and the fact that he's been around as long as he has is quite shocking. But the thought of saying goodbye to such a loyal dog was and still is a bit devastating to me. He's literally been through everything with me. He moved across the country with me, and he chose me as much as I chose to take him, in the divorce. I love that dog. He's still hanging in there, but I know he doesn't have much time left, so I've been silently trying to process that, while also trying to figure out how to help Charley deal with it. For now, what she does understand is that he will be going to live with his dog-mom very soon.

When Monday rolled around, I knew I had  busy week ahead of me, although I'm not sure I could have predicted it would be as crazy as it really was. Monday was a teacher workday, so all of the teachers were at school, inputting grades, writing progress reports, planning for next year, or in my case- packing boxes. I'm not switching schools or anything, but I'm moving to a different classroom next year. I'm excited because my new classroom is a MUCH bigger space and I'll have a different type of caseload which will be a challenge for me (I love challenges), but I'm moving because the program has been restructured which means one of my colleagues is moving to a different school in the district. It is a good opportunity for her, but I know we will miss having her in the building. I work with a very strong group of teachers, and our strength is that we work well as a team. She is an awesome teammate and will definitely be missed.

After packing and moving my classroom, I went home Monday afternoon and started cleaning and packing my house. I've been talking about another move for awhile, and just prior to leaving for Kansas City, I found a townhouse I liked about 10 miles south of Hugo, where Charley and I have spent the last year. I'd arranged to sign my lease and start moving on Tuesday morning. So, that's exactly what I did. I dropped Charley off at school around 7:30a.m. on Tuesday, and immediately started loading up my car. I spent all day Tuesday packing, moving, and unpacking my things with the help of my mom. I don't even want to know how many flights of stairs I went up and down during the course of the day, carrying the little stuff...but I was definitely sore when I woke up on Wednesday! Wednesday morning, I took Charley to school, went to work at the gym for a few hours (I'd been MIA at the gym for awhile, and totally missing it), then went to pick up a U-Haul to move the big stuff that still filled my old house. My friend's husband and son came to help me load the truck, and although we moved quickly, it was a LOT of work. With the help of my friend's husband, I moved two beds, a couch, a dresser, a table, a TV stand...and a few other things...down the stairs at my old place and up the stairs at my new place. I was exhausted by the time I went to pick Charley up from school on Wednesday, but I was also relieved that everything was FINALLY at my new place. One of Charley's friends and her dad came by later that afternoon to help put a few things together, and by the time they left, I felt like I could've slept for days. I was grateful for the help, though! I've got bruises everywhere, and I couldn't tell you where any one of them came from, but my new place finally has everything in its place.

Thursday morning I went to work at the gym for a few hours. When I left the gym, I got a message from one of my teacher-friends, asking if I needed any help unpacking or anything. I laughed, and replied, "Everything is already unpacked! You know me, I can't relax until everything's in its place!" She responded, "Ha! I forgot who I was dealing with." It's funny, because that really is just who I am. I can't have a house full of boxes waiting to be unpacked. My garage is completely full of boxes...but they're all unpacked. I need the clutter out of my line of vision, otherwise I can't relax! Ha! Speaking of clutter, Charley's room is PACKED with her things. At our old place, she had a bedroom, playroom, and we had a huge living room storage area that was essentially full of her things. In our new place, we have a large storage area in the garage, but no playroom, so ALL of the toys she plays with regularly are pretty much out in the open in her bedroom. While the sight of so many things makes me cringe, she absolutely loves her new room and being able to see all of her stuff. Ha! Thursday evening, Charley and I went to the rehearsal dinner for my friend Lindsay's wedding, had a great time catching up with old friends and kicked off the upcoming wedding festivities!

Friday, Charley and I spent most of the day running errands and settling in at our new place. It was the first real day I've had off, since school let out last week. It was a great day, and although we kept busy, it was nice to do things I WANTED to do...not just things I had to do. We went to the playground with some friends on Friday evening, and went to bed early. It was great. A group of my girlfriends went to Jurassic World as part of the wedding celebration, and while I would've loved to have gone, there are certain things I have to miss out on because I've got my kiddo full-time. I heard the movie was awesome, but I'm okay with the fact that I got a decent night's sleep, because it prepped me for the big day.

Saturday morning, I got up and moving around 8. Charley and I ran to the store, and I came back to start getting ready for the wedding. I was really excited for this wedding, because Lindsay has been one of my closest friends since we were five years old. There is something really special about having friends that you've known your whole life. There are a few girlfriends in my life that literally know me better than anyone, even if we haven't talked in 6 months. Lindsay is one of those friends. Lindsay and I have always been very similar in nature. We're both people pleasers, and have a habit of putting other people before ourselves. I remember a conversation we had when I first moved back from Las Vegas that probably best describes our relationship. It was the first time we'd been single at the same time in the better part of a decade, and we were chatting about relationships in general. "Linds," Lindsay said to me,"I want all of my friends to find happiness. Of course I want all of my girlfriends to be in love, and find great men. You're different, though. I want you to find a guy who wakes up every morning and thinks, Holy shit... I get to be with Lindsey Kaplan. She wants to be with me.... I'm SO lucky." I remember tearing up at the time, because of course, I want that too! Who doesn't? But I also got a little bit emotional because I've felt EXACTLY the same way about her. Lindsay dated a few duds along the way (we've all been there) and much like me, she tolerated a lot of crap. But she's one of the most selfless people on the face of the earth and really deserves someone special. She's always deserved to meet a man who feels SO lucky to be with her and really is worthy of her love.  When she met Ryan, there was no question she'd found that man. Ryan isn't just a nice guy. He treats Lindsay SO well. The two of them complement each other perfectly and they're genuinely fun to be with. They are legitimately one of the happiest, most well-balanced couples I've ever seen. Yesterday, as I thought about all of those things, I was just so happy to be part of of their day.

I tried on several outfits, before deciding on one particular dress (with the input of several of my girlfriends and sister) to wear to the wedding. I did my best to get "fancy" as Charley would say, picked up one of my girlfriends who was also going to the wedding, dropped Charley off with my mom, and headed to the ceremony. The ceremony was amazing. I know a lot of people tend to favor traditional ceremonies, but this one was a little bit different. One of our friends officiated the wedding, which made it incredibly personal. She incorporated inside jokes and stories that friends of the couple could truly relate to, and I found myself laughing and tearing up at the same time. After the ceremony, we all enjoyed a cocktail hour, dinner, and LOTS of dancing. I caught up with a few friends from high school, some that I hadn't seen in years and that was definitely fun. My first boyfriend (we're talking 2nd grade boyfriend here) introduced his girlfriend to me as his escort, and introduced me to her as his first crush. All I could do was laugh. It's really cool to know people so long that even awkward and inappropriate comments don't phase anyone. It's just an indicator of what it's like to have life-long friends, and I love that.

At dinner, I sat with my friend Beth and Lindsay's two half-siblings and their families. It was so funny to be sitting with that side of Lindsay's family, because I didn't know them very well. I knew her brother Jesse, but her half siblings didn't grow up with her. I distinctly remember helping Lindsay babysit her nieces that were sitting with me, who I didn't even recognize...That's probably because they're now in high school and college, but I don't even want to get into how old that makes me feel. Ha! It was kind of fun chatting with the girls and their parents. Both girls attended Edina schools, which is always fun, because naturally we know some of the same people. It's Edina... A small world...I shouldn't expect any different! There were several speeches during the reception, and I'm surprised I held myself together. Throughout the night there was a distinct theme...Lindsay and Ryan are incredibly loved by their family and friends, and everybody there was just thrilled that they'd found each other. Individually, they are incredible, generous, kind, good-hearted people. But oddly enough, they're even better...even stronger...as a couple. That kind of love is a beautiful thing and last night was a wonderful night.

With that said, I'm planning to relax a little bit today. Charley did me a favor and slept until 9...yes, that's right...9...It's like she decided to give me a present! This next week marks a REAL start of a vacation for me, so I'm planning to enjoy it. Have a great day, everybody!

Weddings Count as Marathons, Right?

Phew...Where do I start? The last three days have been a whirlwind of driving, eating, phone calls to Charley, dancing, photos, and all of the other wonderful things that go along with weddings. I guess I'll just start at the beginning...

Over a year ago, my long time friend Spenser asked me to be in his wedding. Spenser and I met our freshman year of college. He was roommates with one of my high school friends, and we all hung around together. Junior year, Spenser and I became roommates, along with one of our other college friends. Over the next several years, Spenser went from being my roommate to being my brother. He truly is one of my closest friends and always will be. Not long after we graduated from KU, Spenser met Nadia at work. I remember him talking about her...he was excited about her. He definitely had a crush. Now here we are, years later, and I had the opportunity to be in their wedding. When he asked me to be a groomsmaid (yes, that's a thing) I was so excited! As the wedding approached, I knew it was going to be a crazy weekend, with lots of driving, but I was happy to be a part of it. I decided to drive to Kansas, because it would just be easier, considering the amount of driving I'd be doing once I got to KC. Unfortunately, Charley couldn't come, because she had a dance recital so I arranged for her to stay at my mom's while I was out of town.

I stayed at my mom's house in Edina on Thursday night, because it cut about 45 minutes off of my 7 hour drive. I woke up early Friday morning, hugged Charley, and immediately noticed she was warm, but attributed it to the fact that she'd slept with a lot of blankets and just woken up. She cried a little bit when I left, but seemed alright going with her nana. The drive on Friday was pretty easy. There were some clouds and rain along the way, but overall it was a pretty easy drive straight down 35. I made it to Overland Park, KS where I was staying with my friend Kellie, around 12:30 and naturally I decided I wasn't satisfied with the shoes I'd brought with me for the wedding and had to stop into one of my favorite stores that we don't have in Minnesota. I found some shoes, searched frantically for something to wear in my hair (I was doing my own hair for the wedding and the weather was a concern...curly hair that's straightened...then gets wet? Not good...Ha!).  Anyway, I went from there to Kellie's house where I had a chance to relax for a couple of hours before the rehearsal at 6:00.

When I got to the wedding venue, I was impressed. From the outside, it just looked like a warehouse, but inside? It was beautiful. I saw Spenser and Nadia, and had a chance to chat for a minute before the rest of the bridal party and family showed up. I realldn't know what to expect from the families, because Spenser and Nadia come from very different cultures. But Spenser has a way of making people adore him, and Nadia is the same way, so I was hoping that the families would be comfortable. Well...as it turns out, Spenser and Nadia's families not only got along, but truly seemed to enjoy each other.  When Spenser's mom walked in and saw me, she immediately hollered, "My daughter!" and gave me a hug. Spenser's dad and grandparents came over to catch up, too and that was really fun. I haven't seen them in years, but when I lived in Kansas, they really were like extended family. "Where's Charley?" everybody asked, and I had to explain that she stayed in Minnesota so she could be in her dance recital. They were clearly disappointed. Spenser's dad said, "Awww, she's got to meet this side of her family at some point!" It was very sweet. Nadia's family was wonderful, too. I'd never met Nadia's mother, but she made a point to get to know me, which I appreciated. I really didn't know what to expect from the families, because Spenser and Nadia come from very different cultures. But Spenser has a way of making people adore him, and Nadia is the same way, so I was hoping that the families would be comfortable. Well...as it turns out, Spenser and Nadia's families not only got along, but truly seemed to enjoy each other. It made me so happy. After the rehearsal, we went to dinner at Bucca di Beppo and it was INCREDIBLE.  We were seated in the very back of the restaurant, which is in the basement of a building on the KC Plaza, which was kind of nice, because we could be as loud and obnoxious as we wanted, without feeling like we were bothering anybody. I think there were  five or six courses and the food was amazing. I left with a full stomach, grateful for the fact that the dress I was wearing on the wedding day was loose-fitting!

As I walked out of the restaurant (which had literally NO cell phone reception), I glanced at my phone and saw four missed calls and voicemails, along with a text from my mom that said, "Call me as soon as possible." Ummm...That was a bit frightening! I mean...My mom was watching Charley. So I called her back, and of course, she didn't pick up. "Crap," I thought to myself. "I left town, and something happened with Charley." My mom called back a few minutes later and explained that Charley'd had a fever for most of the day and she wanted to take her to the doctor on Saturday morning. I gave my mom Charley's medical information, and cursed the fact that I wasn't there when Charley was sick! But there was nothing I could do, so I drove back to Kellie's house and tried to get some sleep.

In spite of being exhausted, I didn't sleep well on Friday night. I was worried about Charley, and wondering if she'd be able to be in her dance recital on Saturday night. The recital was the whole reason Charley had stayed home, and she'd been working on her dances for months! When I woke up on Saturday, my mom said that Charley's fever was gone but she still wanted to take her to the doctor, and I agreed, particularly because Charley had gone through the same cycle a week prior. I went about my morning, getting myself together and practicing how I'd wear my hair. I called several times to check up on Charley, and when it was all said and done, it turned out that Charley had strep. She had NO symptoms other than a fever, and swollen tonsils (which the doctor discovered), but she never complained of a sore throat. It's a little bit scary, actually, because I'm beginning to think she's had strep for over a week, but didn't have any symptoms other than a fever (and even that wasn't present for most of the week). Ugh. With that said, she couldn't go to her recital and had to spend the day resting. I felt terrible, not being there while she was sick, but I knew she was in good hands and would be well taken care of, so I tried to turn my focus to the wedding.

I arrived at the venue, where I got ready with Spenser, and his best man, Marcus (who is hilarious, by the way). I took over the bridal suite with my make-up and hair supplies (okay that's an exaggeration, I don't have that much make-up) and had a chance to laugh and chat with the guys prior to picking up the other half of the bridal party at a beautiful hotel. The rest of the afternoon was spent riding around in a limo bus, taking pictures at various locations in Kansas City. Sometimes I forget how beautiful KC really is, but it's a great city and there are so many places to take pictures! By the time we got back to the venue to prepare for the ceremony, I was exhausted...and the real excitement hadn't even started! Marcus snuck me a Reese's from the candy bar that was set up for the guests, and that gave me a second wind...Ha! Before I knew it, I was standing in front of everybody, watching Spenser and Nadia say their vows. It was a wonderful ceremony and the reception was one of the best I've been to. The music was fantastic. From Brown-Eyed Girl and Build Me Up Buttercup, to Uptown Funk and Shoop, people were dancing and singing along all night. I spent time with some old friends, had some fun in the photo booth, and danced until my feet wouldn't let me dance anymore. There was so much love from both Spenser and Nadia's families, it was contagious. Everybody at that reception seemed genuinely happy. It was such a great experience, and I'm glad I got to be a part of it.

I woke up this morning, prepared for another 7 hour drive home to Minnesota. I talked to Charley briefly and she was so excited that I was coming home today. The drive was long, but easy and the weather was clear the whole way. I had a lot of time to think (which can be good or bad...Ha!) and it was kind of nice to have that time to myself. I've always got so many things going on and Charley is ALWAYS with me, so it's rare for me to have that alone time and even though I would've preferred to have been in a spa as opposed to my car, it was still nice. Charley gave me the biggest hug when I picked her up from my mom's house, and told me, "I had SO much fun!" Ha! Somehow I doubt spending hours in the doctor's office, and resting due to a fever was SO much fun. But I'm glad she's making lemonade out of lemons even at a young age. She's definitely my child in that sense! With that said, it's been a marathon of a weekend, and I'm ready for bed. Just one more week of school, and it's going to be a wild one so I've got to get mentally prepared. Have a great week, everyone!

Playing Catch-Up

Where have the last two weeks gone? Between the school, the gym, looking for a new place to live,  celebrating friends' upcoming weddings, and of course, Charley, I've been pretty busy. I didn't even realize that it's been two weeks since I blogged until I glanced at my page this morning. Let's see, where do I start?

Last weekend was great. Charley had swimming lessons Saturday morning, and we went straight to the gym from there. NBGC was having a little open house because the gym finally got approval to open, and we wanted to give gymnasts the chance to come check it out. I'd planned to go to a friend's bridal shower, but my babysitter backed out at the last minute, so I spent much of my day searching for a replacement sitter. Fortunately for me, Charley invited herself over to my boss' house, and my boss was happy to have her, so we worked out a plan for Charley to spend the evening at her house. We spent the afternoon shopping for a bridal shower gift, and Charley was disappointed when I would not purchase a teddy bear. Her reasoning? "We need to get a teddy bear for the baby!" she insisted. "Charley, there's no baby yet," I replied. "They are getting married. Then she will have a baby in her tummy. So the baby needs a teddy bear." It was pretty cute, but I didn't want to start any rumors at the shower!

In the late afternoon, Charley went to my boss' house, while I went to the shower. "We just had the best time," Charley said later, describing her evening. I had a great time, too. The bridal shower was for one of my oldest friends, and there were so many of my favorite people there. There's a core group from high school that I still keep in contact with, and when we get together, I laugh harder than I laugh with anybody else. We all told stories about my friend, told long-standing inside jokes, and celebrated the fact that my friend found a man that is absolutely perfect for her. I was sad to leave, but I had quite a drive ahead of me so I had to call it a night a little bit earlier than I would've liked.

Sunday was Mother's Day, so Charley and I went down to brunch with my mom and step-dad, which was nice. Charley was very sweet, consistently saying how much she loves me and how, in her words, I'm, "So sweet and thoughtful!" I just love that girl to pieces. When we got home, I spent most of the afternoon cleaning. My landlord had mentioned wanting to show the town house, so I wanted to make sure it looked as nice as possible. The school week flew by for me. The gym officially opened on Monday, so I started coaching again on Monday night. It was so much fun to see the girls and get back into the swing of things. Tuesday, Charley had dance class. The girls in her class are so cute and watching them get ready for their recital is actually a lot of fun. On Wednesday, Charley and I went to look at a possible home in a nearby suburb. It was awful. Basically, the unit was in a four-plex, and three of the units were occupied by the landlord, his brother, and his mother. Ummm....that could make for an awkward living situation! Plus, they didn't do a very good job of preparing the unit to show. It clearly hadn't been cleaned since the last tenant moved out. As soon as the landlord's mother mentioned, "It's a nice, quiet place and we're all in bed by 9 o'clock," I knew it was time for us to go. Yikes! I forgot how much I hate house hunting... Ha!

Thursday, we went back to the gym in the evening. Charley came with me this time, and kept herself busy while I worked. She did pretty well for the first hour and a half or so, but she definitely became less tolerant after that! I can't say I blame her, though. We were there for a long time. Charley slept like a rock on Thursday night, though! Friday, we went to her friend Aurora's house in the evening. Aurora's mom needed a little bit of kid-free time, so Charley and I hung out with the kids for awhile, while she took a break. She hadn't been gone for 5 minutes before the kids got into her red lipstick. Later in the evening, Aurora's brother disappeared for less than a minute, and returned...missing his diaper. "Where's your diaper?" I asked, perplexed. "In my room," he stated, matter-of-factly. Then, he turned around, revealing the fact that he had pooped...and left a trail on the floor. Eeew! It was such a boy thing to do. "Why did you take off your diaper?" I asked. "I don't know," he said, "I'm a big boy."Ha! I got him cleaned up as well as the little bit of a mess he'd made, and laughed to myself. I can teach kids all day long, but it was very clear to me at that point that I was a way better babysitter when I was a teenager....

On Saturday, Charley's friend Aurora and her family actually came out to our house for a visit. They came up in the morning and we walked to the park. We were there for about 20 minutes before it started to rain. Figures. I'd straightened my hair, and when curly hair is straightened...then gets wet? It's not a pretty sight! So, we raced home as quickly as we could. Charley and her friends played upstairs, while their mom and I chatted downstairs for awhile and caught up, which we've needed to do for quite some time. We heard lots of running, stomping, and the occasional argument, but the kids had a really fun time. After that, we all went to a "Secret Target," which is basically a thrift store that carries primarily unused Target clothing. It was a good find, in terms of a store, but three kids in a store was definitely a challenge. By the time we parted ways, I think we were all exhausted. We left the store, and went directly to my dads' house, where we visited for awhile. By the time we got home, Charley and I were both hungry and tired. We went to bed early and slept late. Amazing! We've spent most of today lounging around the house. Charley threw her first big tantrum in awhile, and what was it about? Nail polish. My little diva is obsessed with having her nails painted. I touched up one of her nails, but she accidentally wiped off some of the polish, which was devastating to her. I let her  she calm herself down, then she got over it, and I helped her fix her polish...again. Ha! I never would've thought MY child would be such a girlie-girl. We were supposed to go somewhere early this afternoon, but we can't seem to get ourselves put together and out of the house. It's just a typical Sunday. Ha! Anyway, with that, I'm going to get back to amusing Charley. Have a great week!

Peace. Harmony. And Dead Birds...

Neighbors!

Sometimes days pass so quickly, they seem to blend together. The last week or so has been that way. Charley and I have been keeping ourselves busy, running errands, playing with friends, and enjoying the beautiful weather. I haven't been coaching for the last couple of weeks, because the new gym is still in progress (although it looks GREAT and I can't wait to get started). Even though I miss coaching, it has been nice to have a few weeks to slow down a little bit. I've actually had a chance to reconnect with the world, and it's been wonderful.

Last week, one of my girlfriends texted me, saying, "We're going to the park! Want to meet us there?" It was a beautiful night, and I was thrilled for the invitation. So, Charley and I scarfed down our dinners and walked to the park. When Charley saw her friends, who happen to be named Charlie and Henry, she was excited. She was a bit on the crabby side, though, and decided she didn't want to share the ball she'd brought with us or do anything her friends wanted to do. At least for the first 15 minutes or so, she was just being a stinker. After awhile, though, the kids started playing hide-and-seek, and suddenly Charley came around. Thank goodness! My friend and I took the kids down to explore some cattails that had grown in the field next to the park. As we walked along, we noticed a dead bird. Now, Charley, being the girlie-girl that she is, looked at the bird somewhat interested, squealed  "Eeew!" and walked away. Now the boys? They were a totally different story. They stared at it for awhile, Charlie asked his mom a few questions about the bird, and we walked back toward the playground.

They look peaceful, right? Ha!

For a couple of minutes, my friend and I stood on the basketball court where we could see Charley and Charlie (that's not confusing at ALL...Ha!) playing tag on the playground, and Henry walking around by the cattails. My friend and I watched as he slowly got closer and closer to the area where we'd seen the dead bird. My friend started walking toward him slowly, when suddenly he crouched down, and she started running, knowing he'd picked it up. She let out a shriek, when she reached her two-year-old, who was holding a dead bird by the neck. It was so gross, but totally one of those moments where you can't help but laugh.  My poor friend raced her toddler to the bathroom to wash his hands thoroughly, before we went back out to play. I think she was traumatized, but her kiddo didn't seem to notice that there was any real issue. He went back to play, as though nothing had even happened. One of the funniest things about the night is the fact that I took a bunch of pictures. The kids looked happy and content amidst the cattails. You'd never know that 10 minutes prior, Charley was whining and refusing to play with the boys, and 10 minutes later we were all in the bathroom scrubbing dead bird off of Henry's hands. Oh well, at least I captured the moment!

On Saturday, my mom offered to take Charley overnight. I jumped at the opportunity, because the last time I had a full night off was several months ago. I got Charley all packed up, early Saturday morning, got some work done for the gym, and ran out the door so I could be at my mom's around 12:30. I had made it all the way to Minneapolis before I realized I'd left my wallet at home. Who does that?! In all fairness, I'd put my wallet in another bag the day before, because I had to run somewhere and didn't want to leave it behind. But of course, I forgot to put it back in my purse. Nice. Fortunately my step-dad spotted me a $20. Ha! Anyway, I dropped Charley off, and headed out to a friend's house. When I got there, I found two of my best girlfriends sitting on the patio, listening to music, and enjoying the weather. We sat outside for hours, chatting, laughing, and catching up. It was the PERFECT afternoon. Seriously. Perfect. On my drive home, I smiled to myself, happy that I'd taken advantage of the day. Now, Saturday night, I was kind of boring. I'd spent the whole day in the sun with my girlfriends, so by the time I headed home, I was pretty wiped out. Lots of people would go out drinking on a kid-free night. But not me. What did I do? I went to Dairy Queen and got a Peanut Buster Parfait, because Charley wasn't home and I could eat peanuts. Ha! That's kind of pathetic, I know, but hey...it was a treat! And just what I needed. I crashed fairly early Saturday night, and it felt amazing.

On Sunday, I went down to pick up Charley, and ended up going to brunch with my mom and step-dad. After brunch, we went shoe shopping, so Charley could get some new shoes. She was immediately drawn to the flashiest, most bedazzled shoes she could find. Of course she had a fit when we told her she couldn't put the shoes on until we got to the car. But she got over it, and by the time we headed home, she was in a great mood. We had a wonderful rest of the day!

I love that run!

Today, I began my countdown to the end of the school year. It's creeping up quickly! I have a feeling this month is going to fly by. With that, Charley and I went to the park tonight and I need to get her in bed. Have a great week!

House Arrest

Wow, it's been awhile since I've blogged, and I really don't have any reason why! Generally I would talk about how busy I've been, but the last few days I've done anything and everything possible to KEEP myself busy! You see, Charley has been sick since Sunday, so we've been pretty much home-bound. If you know anything about me, you know I'm a total busy-body, so being stuck in the house for several days is like torture. Not that I mind staying home with Charley, but staying home for 5 days?! I have been itching to get out of the house, that's for sure! Anyway, it's been so long, I don't even know where to start! I guess I'll just start with last weekend...

Last Saturday, Charley and I had a busy day. She had swimming lessons in the morning, and we went to an open gym for some gymnastics practice that afternoon. She was so excited to put on her leotard and wear her hair up like the big girls. When we got to the gym, she was stretching like the big girls, trying to do her splits, and doing her best to push up to a bridge. At one point, she came up to me and said, "Mommy, I can't do the splits like the big girls," as though she thought I expected her to do what they were doing. "You're doing great!" I told her. She really was. I mean, she hasn't been in a structured class for close to a year, and when she WAS taking class, she definitely wasn't working on her splits. But it kind of shocking to me that she really looked like a little gymnast. She's actually at the age that I used to start with pre-competitive classes, when I lived in Kansas City. It's hard to believe she's such a big girl! With that said, she still has a mind of her own, and had no interest in doing what I asked her to do at the gym. Except for bars. She loved bars. And she was sore for the next two days. Ha!

Sunday morning, Charley woke up sweating. She was really warm. It was obvious that she had a fever, but she didn't seem to feel that bad. I told her that we were going to stay home and rest, which she was okay with, but she wanted to play all day. It was like she'd never had a fever at all. Anyway, I put her to bed Sunday night, and she seemed fine when she woke up Monday morning. So, I took her to school, thinking it was just a 24 hour bug, and she'd gotten over it. That is, of course, until I got a phone call around noon. "You've got a sick kiddo," Charley's teacher told me. It turns out she had been running around on the playground, having a great time. When the kids sat down for lunch, Charley said her stomach hurt, then threw up everywhere. Nice. She'd also spiked a 102 degree temperature, so clearly she wasn't feeling well. When I got to her school, Charley was in good spirits, but snuggled right up to my shoulder when I picked her up and hugged her. We got home, I set her up on the couch, got her a popsicle, and got to work writing lesson plans for the next day at work. I always know what I'm going to teach my different groups, but writing lesson plans for a sub is way more work than just showing up and teaching myself. Anyway, Charley took a nap on the couch, while I got some work done. She went to bed early, and I stayed up a little bit later than usual, knowing I wouldn't be able to go into work the next day.

On Tuesday, Charley woke up and she still had a fever. Ugh. Poor kid. She was acting normal, and of course, wanted to be entertained all day. But she still had a fever. I took her in to the doctor's office, and basically found out that she had a virus. Figures. So, we went home, and I put in for another sub, knowing I wouldn't be able to go back to work on Wednesday either. While people in most jobs would probably enjoy a day off, for teachers, taking a sick day is a giant pain in the butt, particularly because you never know what kind of sub you're going to get or how your students are going to behave. But, I didn't have a choice. So, I started writing another set of sub plans.

Wednesday morning, Charley woke up fever-free. "Yes!!" I thought to myself, "She's finally on the mend!" And she really appeared to be. She was smiley, playful, and said she felt better. She was pretty with-it most of the day, so I was confident I'd be able to return to work today. Then, around 5:30, she crawled in my lap, whimpered,"My ear hurts, Mommy," and started to tear up. I'd taken her to the doctor less than 24 hours prior, but she' d had a bath earlier in the day, so I just figured she'd gotten some water in her ears or something. I gave her some ibuprofen, and put her to bed, hoping she would sleep it off. Unfortunately, she slept pretty restlessly, and woke up with a fever again.  Poor kiddo started to panic when she realized she wasn't hearing right. "I'm talking funny, Mommy! Why am I talking loud, and you're talking quiet?" she asked. Ugh. I realized I'd have to put in for a sub again, and called her doctor. We went up to the school to print out some lesson plans, because I really didn't know what my classroom would look like, considering I haven't been there all week. I was pleasantly surprised to find everything neat and tidy, and very positive notes from both substitutes. Both subs commented on the staff I work with, and I really am fortunate to work with wonderful people. Thank goodness for them! Anyway, Charley got into the doctor, and we found that she had an ear infection. It's her first ear infection since she had her tubes placed when she was a baby. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic, and I was relieved that it would finally get taken care of. As we left the doctor's office, Charley looked at me, confused, and asked, "Why am I still talking funny?" Ha! I'd told her earlier that the doctor would help her ear feel better. Apparently, to her, that meant the doctor would magically make her earache disappear. It didn't cross her mind that she actually had to take medicine, in order to start to feel better. It was very sweet.

So...With nearly 5 whole days at home, what did I do with my time? Where do I start.... On Sunday, I started going through boxes that have been sitting in my garage, that I haven't even looked through since we moved in. I got rid of a lot of papers, and organized a bunch of papers, condensing my things considerably. I didn't realize how many boxes of curriculum I had sitting in my garage. I've got a lot of good stuff that I didn't even know existed! So, I sorted through it, and it felt great. Monday, I worked on re-typing some conditioning plans for the gym. Tuesday, I finished all the paperwork for the school that I possibly could. Wednesday, I choreographed a conditioning routine for the girls at the gym (I was bored!)...and by the way... while I was coming up with the choreography, I did the routine probably 15 times, and I am SO sore today. Ha! After that, I realized it was only 11:00, so I did some more work for the school. Then today, I went back to my garage task. I've had a bunch of boxes in my garage, and I haven't necessarily wanted to get rid of them, because I will be moving in a couple of months. But some of the boxes are broken, and I hate looking at my messy garage. So, I rearranged some things, again condensing my things, and I'm relieved to find that I'll have a lot less to move this time around! So, basically, I've kept myself busy, but I'm SO ready to go to work tomorrow and I know Charley can't wait to go to school.

On that note, I hope everybody has had a great week and an even better weekend!

Finally Winding Down

It's been awhile since I blogged, mostly because I've been otherwise occupied. With Charley now taking both swimming lessons and dance class, I find myself busy almost every night of the week, and now Saturday mornings, too! With that said, it's kind of exciting watching Charley begin to take interest in new activities. Things were busy around here, even through last week, but starting on Thursday night, we finally seemed to slow down a little bit.

It was a three day week for students and a four day week for teachers, in preparation for Easter weekend. Three day weeks at school should be easy, but that just never seems to be the case. It was a busy, long, few days. On Thursday,  I got a text from one of my girlfriends, who happens to be Charley's best friend's mom, inviting us down for dinner and a trip to the park. Normally I'd be too wiped out to be social after work, but I decided to make the trip down to Minneapolis, and I'm so glad I went! Charley and her friends played for hours, I got a chance to catch up with a friend, and by the time we got home, Charley went straight to bed. It was the perfect, relaxing evening. On Friday, I didn't have to go to work, but Charley's school was open, so I dropped her off for a few hours. That gave me an opportunity to clean the house, and run my errands kid-free! It was amazing. I picked her up from school early, and from there, we headed to another friend's house for an Easter egg hunt. My friend watched the kids for a few minutes, while I hid the plastic eggs outside. When the kids came out to search for the eggs, they were SO excited. They took off running, Easter baskets in-hand. Charley and her friends found the eggs, sorted out their loot (and there was a lot of it!), and played for a bit, while I again, got to catch up with a girlfriend. I definitely did a lot of catching up over the last few days, that's for sure!

Yesterday, Charley and I didn't have much planned. We dawdled around in the morning, and finally got moving around ten. We ran to Target, and when we got home, found our neighbors playing outside. They have a two-year-old, and Charley absolutely adored him. We stayed outside for several hours, while the kids played. At some point, one of the neighbors fired up his grill and made hot dogs for the kids, and cracked open a beer. It was honestly the perfect afternoon. The weather was beautiful, and the spontaneous get together with the neighbors reminded me of the neighborhood I grew up in. When we finally went inside, Charley was just about ready for bed. She was asleep by 7, and I took the opportunity to do a little bit of work...

 I know I'm a bit of a workaholic, and that's not necessarily by choice. It's more due to necessity. Seeing as I am raising Charley on my own, it's important to me to be able to provide for her the best I can. Which means I have to work. A lot. The job I was completing last night, though, was actually a writing job. Several months ago, I was hired as a contractor to write lessons for community college students. Quite frankly, I'm not sure how I'm qualified for the job, but I had to submit writing samples, so I suppose they were more concerned with my writing style than the fact that I don't have a Master's Degree. Anyway, I basically write about teaching methods for general and special education students. Writing lessons can be a little bit time consuming, but I'm finding that I really enjoy what I'm doing. It's nice to challenge myself to put my strategies and experiences into words, that others might find helpful. It's also a nice change of pace, which allows me to combine my teaching and writing abilities. When I took the job, I was just looking to make a little bit of extra money, but it seems to be a good fit for me.

Speaking of a good fit, I know I mentioned there was some chaos at the gym, just before state meet. Well, I've been working with some really wonderful people, and I'm excited to say I'll be moving with them to a new facility in Forest Lake. No Boundaries Gymnastics Center is setup for a grand opening on April 20th, and I can't wait! The new location is closer to home, and the facility will allow the program to grow the way it should. It's a private facility too, which means I can teach private lessons again... Any of my dancers interested in making the drive from Edina? Ha! With that said, I've been out of the gym for a week and I genuinely miss the gymnasts I work with! It might be difficult for me to be out of the coaching realm for another week, but I'll be busy helping get things together for the new space, so that'll keep me occupied (because obviously I'm not busy enough, right?).

Today, my sister came up to visit Charley and me for Easter. We really didn't do much, other than relax on the couch and hide Easter eggs. Kelsey was kind enough to watch Charley for a few minutes, while I took a nap, though. That was greatly appreciated. Charley played outside while I grilled dinner tonight, and I have a feeling she'll be asleep within the next hour or so. We both need to get a good night's sleep, too, because we're going to Frozen on Ice with Charley's best friend (be prepared for dozens of photos) on Tuesday, and I have a feeling it'll be a long night. With that, I've got to get my kiddo to bed. Happy Easter!

A Solid End to the Season...Now it's Time to Sleep!

So, last week I raved about how I'd gotten to relax and catch up. It was wonderful. This week? Well this week was a completely different story. It's a good thing I had that catch-up week, because this last one was a doozy. Where do I even begin?


Last Monday, we had a training day at school. Gymnastics was canceled at the last minute, so Charley and I took it easy most of the night. Students came back to school on Tuesday, and that was interesting, as I had expected. You never know what you're going to get, when students return from a break, and the week started off with a bang. My kids were actually pretty good, they were just out of their routine, so re-establishing expectations was one of my top priorities. At some point during the day, I got a phone call asking if I could coach after school. Most of the time, I limit myself to coaching two nights a week, but my girls had their state meet this weekend, and I wanted to make sure they got practice time in, so I agreed... I was also asked to get my USAG certification so I could be on the floor for the competition. Generally, I go to meets to watch, and stand on the sidelines coaching from a distance like a backseat driver. That leaves me with the flexibility to leave, when Charley starts to get antsy. So, I started my USAG certification, which includes a couple of online classes and a background check. The classes took a couple of hours (because I have so much spare time), but I knew the background check would be an issue. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a criminal and I'm not worried about passing a background check. But I've lived in three counties in the last seven years, and all three counties have to report to USAG before a background check will go through. When I started working at the school, it took three weeks to clear! So I knew it would be a long shot to have the certification cleared before Friday, but it was worth a shot.

Anyway, Tuesdays are not usually a gym night for me, so agreeing to coach meant I had to leave school, go straight to pick up Charley and race to the gym at 4:30. I coached as long as I could, then threw Charley's dance clothes on her and flew out the door to drive 45 minutes to dance. We got there late, but it didn't matter, because the girls were all trying on their recital costumes which were totally adorable.  As crazy as the day was, watching Charley dance made it all worth it. She was so adorable in her little costume, dancing away with a huge smile on her face. She was pretty good, too!

Wednesday and Thursday were busier than usual. School was getting back in the swing of things, but I ended up coaching both nights, trying to prepare the gymnasts I work with for their last meet of the season, and I really had a lot to do to make sure they were ready. I had a parent tell me today, "You were amazing at practice last week. You were correcting one girl on bars, then another on floor, then someone on vault, all in the same breath!" Well...that's coaching. It's all about multi-tasking. "It's a good thing I have ADHD and can concentrate on 30 things at the same time," I replied, and she just laughed. I was grateful for the compliment, particularly because I felt like I was kind of all over the place last week. The girls worked hard, but I didn't necessarily get a chance to give ALL of them the one-on-one attention I would've like to, because there were so many girls and so little time!

When Friday rolled around, I felt like I was as prepared as I could be. I knew it would be a long day, because I had to find a sub at the school, and be on the competition floor at the Minneapolis Convention Center by 8 a.m. I dropped Charley off at school, and headed toward the cities. This competition was different from many others, because the girls are broken up by levels AND age groups, which meant that I basically had girls in every session...all weekend. Friday started out great. The most advanced girls I work with competed throughout the day, and they did really well. They made small changes, applied corrections, and their scores reflected those improvements. I was proud to be a part of that day with them. By 5:00, I had to leave to pick up Charley, and when we got home, all we did was relax on the couch and play Memory. It was perfect.

Charley choreographs her own routines when she tags along...

Saturday, we were back at it at 8 a.m. Charley had to tag along, because she doesn't have child care on the weekend, and honestly...she LOVES going to meets. Saturday's competition went well, but there wasn't as much excitement as Friday, because there weren't as many girls competing at a time. That said, they also did really well and made a lot of improvements. We got home around 8:30 last night, and went straight to bed knowing we'd have to be back in Minneapolis at 8:00 this morning. I slept like a rock last night and woke up with a lot more energy than I did yesterday.

Charley and I got to the gym just before the girls started their warmup. They were nervous, but excited and definitely ready to go. I had two groups competing today, and most of the girls who competed this morning were my little ones, some as young as 6. They are so stinking cute, even if they mess up it doesn't matter because they're just so little and adorable. Overall, they did incredibly well. I wouldn't say it was anybody's best meet ever. They were definitely more nervous than they'd been in the past, but they did a wonderful job. In fact, today's girls, most of whom had never competed before this year, took second place in the state as a team. That was pretty incredible, and a nice reminder as to why I love to coach. At the end of the weekend, several girls I work with finished with first place awards, many placed in the top ten, and almost everyone walked away with an award. Overall, it was a very successful weekend.

We went to my dad and Scott's after the meet, and visited for awhile. Charley talked my dad into taking her to pick up a cupcake at her favorite bakery, that's just around the corner from his house. She's very convincing when there's a cupcake to be had. It was nice to catch up, and since we made it home we've been planted on the couch. I wouldn't be surprised if we both crash here all night. It's just so comfortable... Ha! I texted one of my coaching friends and asked if she thought anybody would mind if I canceled practiced tomorrow night. While I could definitely make it into the gym, my mom-guilt is settling in, and I think I need a night at home with Charley. She is such a trooper and tags along with me all the time...and she really does love the excitement of being in the gym. But let's face it, my life has been pretty much consumed with gymnastics for nearly an entire week and I haven't gotten to spend the quality time with her that I wanted to. Actually, that's the reason I'd stayed out of coaching competitive gymnastics for so long, since she and I moved back to MN. It's very consuming of my time and energy. But I love it. As much as I've tried to distance myself from coaching at different points in my career, it's something I really love to do, and I'm not sure I'll ever be out of the game. However...Tomorrow night, Charley and I will be at home. No gymnastics for one night. I'm not sure if we'll be playing Candyland or dress-up, but one way or another we'll be having fun. On that note, it's 7:30 and I'm... ready for bed? Actually...yeah! Have a great week, everybody!

A Little R&R

This last week is exactly what I needed. I was worn down and crabby about a week ago, mostly because I was tired. But this week I had a chance to get caught up, and it's been wonderful. I've been on Spring Break, and considered going to visit some friends in Kansas, but decided I'd be better off just taking some time to rest. Charley's preschool was still in session, so I figured if I have to pay for it anyway, I might as well send her, which gave me ACTUAL time to myself. It was amazing. We slept in every morning (yes, 7:30 qualifies as sleeping in), and I got Charley to school by 8, so she could have fun with her friends all day. While I generally picked her up early every day, I made the most of my child-free time, and at this point, I feel like I was pretty productive!

Last weekend, Charley and I went through some old clothes to donate. I was very impressed with Charley. While she generally won't get rid of anything that belongs to her, she did a really good job of saying, "That's too small. Donate it!" We had a nice little chat about giving things to children who don't have them, especially if we aren't using them anymore, and apparently she got the message. Anyway, we spent the majority of last weekend cleaning house, and getting rid of things we don't need. It might sound weird, but I seriously love doing that every once in awhile. It gets all of the clutter out of the house (at least temporarily, ha!). 

Construction workers at the zoo?

With Charley going to school all week, I had some availability to do things I don't usually get to do on my own. I went shopping, ran errands...I even did some house hunting! It's amazing how much faster and easier it is to look for houses without a 4 year-old in tow. House hunting is such a pain, but I found some promising places. I absolutely love the town home I'm in right now, but I'm looking for something a little bit more affordable. I still have a few months before I'll move, so I'm keeping my options open, and I know the right thing will come along at the right time.

By the time Thursday rolled around, I had done most of house hunting, and decided to take a day for myself. It was awesome. I went shopping and actually had a chance to try on clothes without the repetitive, "Are we done yet?" that I normally hear from a certain little girl. I didn't buy much, but even the experience of getting to try on clothes and go to several different stores was definitely a treat. In all honesty, most of the things I bought were for Charley. Her winter wardrobe was STOCKED, because she received quite a few cute little outfits for Christmas and her birthday. But with the warm weather approaching (fingers crossed...hopefully I didn't just jinx it), I realized that almost all of her summer clothes would be too small for her. So, I found a couple of great sales and took advantage. At this point, she's pretty well set for the spring, which is a relief. 

Charley and her friend Gretchen

I spent most of the week doing things on my own...and I never even got bored! But Thursday evening, Charley and I went to a friend's house for dinner and I realized it was actually nice to have some adult conversation. My friend and I chatted while the kids played, and Charley was exhausted when we got home. Friday afternoon, I picked her up from school and asked if she wanted to go to the park. Naturally, Charley was enthused by that idea, and we ended up at our neighborhood playground. There was a dad there with a little girl, and he was pushing her on the swing. "Oh, you want to go play with that girl?" he asked his daughter, looking at Charley. To my surprise, Charley squealed, "Hi, Gretchen!" It turns out they go to school together. The two girls played for the better part of an hour, while I chatted with Gretchen's dad and some other neighborhood families that came our way. It was nice. The people in this area really are very friendly, and I'm grateful for that. I even had a friend over later on, and at some point I mentioned proudly that I'd been social two days in a row. Ha! 

Not sure what they were looking at,
but they were definitely focused!

Today was kind of the icing on the cake for me, in terms of this much needed break. While it wasn't restful or relaxing at all, it was lots of fun. Charley and I got up and moving around 7:30, and by 8:30, we were out of the house. We were on our way to her friend Aurora's house, where we would meet up with Aurora, her brother and her mom, and head to the zoo. As a special treat, we stopped at a donut shop on our way to Aurora's house, to pick up breakfast for everybody. Charley's never been in a donut shop, so she was very excited. As we walked out of the shop, donuts in hand, Charley stated, "Donuts, AND going to the zoo? This is the best day EVER!" It was so cute. We went to Aurora's house, picked up the rest of the zoo crew, and were on our way. Aurora's mom is one of my good friends, so even though the zoo trip was primarily for the kids, we had a chance to catch up, too. Win-win! After the zoo, we were all exhausted, and after dropping our friends off, Charley and I headed home. I'm anticipating an early bed time for both of us...

With all of that said, this break has been just what I needed. I had time to myself to rest, and do a few things that I wanted to do. Kid-free. That never happens. I also got to enjoy some time with Charley and some friends, which was a huge perk. Part of me wishes I'd made it down to KS, but I'll be there soon enough, with several weddings approaching later this spring. I needed this time, and I'm glad I took it! On that note, I'm going to enjoy the last real evening of my break. I hope everyone has a great weekend!