Double Digits!

I know that I haven't posted in forever, but I promise I didn't get lost, it just seems like there are never enough hours in the day! (and lately when I do have time, I'm not in the mood to write)

Today Miss Julia Corrinne became a double digit kiddo.... 10 years old.  Where did the time go?

Happy birthday to my girl.....  I love you so much and I am so proud of the young lady you are becoming.  You are my world.  I would do anything to keep you safe, protected and loved.

Can't resist sharing this photo too... she got a new pair of roller blades for her birthday... when she has them on she is as tall as I am!!

That's all folks.  I promise I'll be back and post more soon (you know I'll have to be back in December for Colin's birthday at the least!)

:)  C

It's Official....

We are IN.  We are taking the gamble.  We are doing something unlike us....

We are putting the house on the market.

Joe and I officially made the decision on Saturday (hey, it was something to do while the kids were off picking apples with my parents....).  Actually, not having the kids around for a few hours was a true blessing, because we could sit in the den, plug the numbers in the spreadsheet (you didn't think we made this decision without a spreadsheet did you?), and talk it through.  We weighed the pros, the cons, examined the dollar amounts, talked about all possible expenses (do you know how much a moving van, storage unit, appraisal and home inspection cost?  We do.) and talked about the probable expenses (new appliances, fix up costs for the possible new house- lots of foreclosures on the market which = work and money).  We talked about the overall budget and possible changes that need to be made (i.e. less clothes shopping for the momma and a little less 'just because' spending, and no trip for Fall Break this year).  We also talked a lot about 'kreplits' (which is our little way about talking about time- there are only so many kreplits available and ours will be spent on house stuff rather than on relaxing and having fun).  Joe is committed to selling one of his Fieros (yes, note I said one- he isn't ready to give up the dream- just shrinking the dream a little).   We also talked about this putting us farther away from Nana and Papa as well as Grandma Paulette and Grandpa Steve....

And after all of that, all of the costs- we looked at the benefits.  Commute shorter (this is a HUGE one for me- I will be so close to work- and will hopefully help me to balance my days better).  Kids closer to friends and activities.  Possibly living on a street with more kids (this is the biggest thing that my kids are wishing for... just to have kids close by that they could possibly be friends with because there are NO kids where we live now).  Julia being able to stay with her friends and go to middle school (which, I am sorry to say, is probably going to be very... shall we say... angst ridden for her based on what we are seeing already).

So really, there was no decision to be made.  I called the realtor.  We rented a storage unit (so we can 'declutter' the house and have OPEN spaces...)  We have some roof repairs that need to be done, and I need to have a garage sale (September 25th.. it's gonna be a biggie!).    Kids need to clean out their rooms and some major organization needs to go on in our garage.  But after that.... well... we are ON the market.

Cross your fingers for us.  Pray that someone sees our house and feels that it would be the perfect home for their family (just like it has been the perfect home for us... I have so many wonderful memories in this house... we have grown and changed so much as a family since we moved in).

I can't resist a photo here.... these are our kids the day we moved into this house....

Hope that they can qualify for a loan (which is much harder than it used to be) and that they can come up with a down payment.  And if all of that happens... pray that we can quickly find a home, in the right neighborhood, for the right price, that will be a good place for the Furedy family to settle (FOR GOOD!).

We are going out for 90 days for this first go around.  That will take us to the new year.  If the house hasn't sold by then, we will reevaluate....  but for now, the adventure has begun!!

Happy Labor Day everyone!
Carrie

Getting a Grip

So... seems like a few 'big' things are behind us yet again (where does the time go?!?)...

Julia and Colin have successfully started another school year (They love school.  I am SOO lucky for that.).  I've transitioned into my new position and am not feeling like I'm in a *new* position every day (I still look around every once in awhile and wonder if I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, but so far no one has told me otherwise so I must be okay).  Joe has gone to a canyoneering rendezvous, had a great time, and come home healthy (cross our fingers and knock on wood).  We're wrapping up another summer season....

And fall is around the corner.  Although the weather here sure doesn't show us that fall is arriving (you still melt the moment that you leave your air conditioned car to enter your air conditioned workplace) it is.  And with it all that fall brings... cooler temperatures, comfort foods (chili and stew and all the wonderful stuff that we enjoy during the fall), holidays (first Halloween, then J's birthday, Thanksgiving, C's birthday, Christmas..... hold on to your hats folks, it might be a bumpy ride!)  And of course, the possibility of putting our house on the market during this time... (And no, no decisions made.  Trust me, I'll let you all know... you'll be sick of hearing the regular updates I'm sure!)  Normally all of this would have me brimming with joy and excitement.  This is my favorite part of the year- my favorite holidays- my favorite weather- my favorite foods- my favorite clothes (it's so much easier to hide a couple of extra pounds in a sweater and a pair of blue jeans!) .....

But for some reason, I'm just dragging myself along right now.  Maybe it is the weather- we've had a hot, long summer that isn't showing any signs of letting up- or maybe it's something else.  I just can't put my finger on it.  I find myself waking up on the wrong side of the bed more than the right one these days... I seem more tired than usual... quick to jump to anger and conclusions (especially when it comes to e-mail... tread lightly my friends)....  I thought that maybe focusing on what is just ahead might shake my mood, but all it did was seem to make the dark mood a little darker.

I need to (as this post lovingly suggests) get a grip.  So many wonderful things happening in my life and around me.... I am truthfully the luckiest girl and I just don't have anything that I should be this grumpy about.  :)  So, I'm vowing to find the right side of the bed this week, to take a moment to savor all that I have, and to find the joy in each (soon to be fall) day. 

Night all.
C

Irrationality....

11 months ago Joe took a trip to a canyoneering rendezvous in Zion National Park.  He came home and less than a week later was hospitalized.  And had surgery.  And lost a rib.  (yeah, yeah, you all know this story right?)

Since then, he's done great.  He's fully recovered, is off the blood thinners, has a full release from his doctor to what ever he wants to in terms of physical activity, and has gone canyoneering several times.  Let me edit that last statement- has gone for several one day canyoneering trips.

See... he hasn't gone on a long weekend (translation:  cram as much technical canyoneering as I can into the shortest time I can) of canyoneering since... well.... since... yeah.  Then.

I know he's fine.  I know he is with a good friend and will do great.  I know he is healed, that the likelihood of a recurrence is small, and that he will have an awesome time.  My head knows ALL OF THAT STUFF.

But my heart (that total irrational part of me) is worried.  And stressed.  And I know I'm not gonna feel better until his rear end is out of the canyon on Sunday afternoon and in the car on his way back to me (oh, come on, let's be real... I'll stress about him driving all that way when he is tired too... I'll feel better when he is home!)

So... think good thoughts everybody- okay?  Positive energy surrounding Joe.  Prayers for God to watch over him and everyone else who is in the canyons with him this weekend.  Think blood flowing freely throughout his body with no constricted places..... (and, I guess you could all hope that he was having a good time and enjoying himself too.....)

Thanks my friends.  I appreciate it.  (and if you see me losing it on Facebook, somebody buy me some chocolate or something okay??)

Night all-
C

PS  Joe is in Ouray, CO right now.  He'll be going to Zion next month.  Basically on the anniversary of the 'event'.  So, yeah, maybe we should start planning now for how I'm gonna cope with that one!!

Taking Chances

Several years ago I wrote a note "25 Random Things About Me"  (if this makes you curious... you can read the whole thing here- trust me it really isn't that exciting...).  It took me a LONG time to write this document, and I've actually reflected on it several times since writing it (I've actually done #22, still fully endorse #5, #6, and #7, #24 is still on hold and I am working really hard on being more okay with #25). 

Tonight I want to talk about #12 though...

I think Joe and I have often chosen the path in life that is safe, 

rather than the path in life that was right when it comes to jobs, school, etc.

I think Joe and I have always been 'safe'.  We've always taken the safe route, the conservative route, the 'for sure' route.  And right now, for once, we are talking about doing something that maybe isn't as safe, isn't as comfortable, and isn't a 'for sure' thing....

If you have been following my Twitter or Facebook feed during the past few weeks, you know that Joe and I have been meeting with a Realtor and talking about the possibility of relocating.  Several of you have asked why we would like to relocate or what we are looking for in a new house.  Truthfully, I would love to keep our current house!  It is perfect for us.  We remodeled the kitchen and it is exactly what I want (well... except that it could use a little larger pantry and a few more cabinets, but really, it's mostly what I want...)  I've also figured out in the last few weeks that there are things that I will be so sad to leave... we've measured our kids growth against our lemon tree and our fountain for years!  However, we live approximately 30 minutes from where I work and where the kids go to school.  With Julia now in 4th grade, we are at a crossroads.  We will need to either transition her to a school near our house so she can make some friends before middle school OR we need to relocate near where her friends are, and have her go to middle school in Kyrene.  I have gotten so used to the kids being in the Kyrene system and having them close to where I work, I can't imagine moving Julia across town for school.  It is also really hard for our kids to have relationships with other kids outside of school... just a birthday party can mean up to an hour in the car going to and from....  And so we've decided to investigate the possibility of relocating into the Kyrene area.

This isn't a safe thing.  The real estate market is bad right now.  We still owe a sizable amount on our current home- and it isn't clear if we can make enough to cover all the fees, costs, commissions and walk away with a positive balance.  We need to make some small repairs to our house as well- and that will be additional money.

The upside is that houses are at an all time low.  We could get into the neighborhood that we want for the least amount of money- and get a fairly nice house in return.  We will likely need to dig into our savings, our safety net, to make a down payment on the new house. 

We have some time.  2 years until Julia goes to middle school.  But who has the crystal ball that would tell us if the housing market will stay the same or get worse (we already know that it will likely not get better).  Should we wait, hoping it will get better, and we can walk away with a little more?  Or should we move forward, knowing that it is possible that in 6 months it will not be financially feasible AT ALL?

These are hard decisions, hard conversations... especially for the 'safe' folks.  We want what is right for our family, but we are trying to balance the financial end with things that are less tangible like schools and friends and commutes.  What is it worth to us to relocate?  Is it worth part of our savings- our safety net?  Is it worth the financial risk?  What if we make the wrong decision?  Is now the time?  (and am I HORRIBLY LAZY for thinking that it is almost fall... when we have birthdays and Christmas and everything else and I really don't want to have to keep my house spotless for the 90-120 days it will probably take to sell our house?)

Wow... what started as an 'what about' conversation between Joe and I when we were at the Salty Senorita early this summer has suddenly turned into what could be a life altering decision....

What are your thoughts?  Have you ever taken a risk like this?  I'd love to hear your thinking... post a comment, please!!
C

PS  I do want you all to know that Joe and I have a Realtor that we have a great deal of trust in.  We have been talking to him for a few weeks, met with him tonight, and he is a great fit for us.  He is factual and kind and willing to wait it out with us.  We are going to see a financial adviser next week.  That will hopefully put more perspective on the entire situation and provide us with more answers about just how much of a risk we may be taking.... (just wanted you all to know that we are still being 'safe' even if we are thinking about making a decision that isn't our normal style....)

Another Year Has Begun....

The 2010-2011 school year has officially begun!

There are lots of traditions tied to the back to school season in our house (seriously, what isn't a huge tradition for us?  I swear I can turn just about anything into a tradition...)  Anyway, the kids always spend the last week before school starts hanging out with Nana and Papa.  And, this week always includes a shopping trip.  And, since Miss Julia was in preschool, Nana and Papa have always bought her a '1st day of school dress'. (note the word dress here, it will become important in a minute) 

So... as traditions go, Nana and Papa took the munchies shopping this week.  Colin dreaded the shopping (okay, so something has happened in the last few months that suddenly I have a BOY! B-O-Y, boy and he hates all things shopping or anything that could possibly in any way be thought of as girly.  He has also mastered farting with his hands and burping loudly.) but Julia was kinda excited.  I wasn't on the trip, so I only know what happened second hand, but rumor is that Miss Julia and Nana had a great deal of fun picking out and trying on, and Papa got stuck trying to keep Colin happy.  Julia came home with three (count them THREE) new tops, a pair of pants, and nooooo dress.  (Sigh.  She is growing up.)  Colin came home with two new shirts that he basically could have cared less about.  (Sigh.  He is growing up.)  The only downside was that Miss Julia and I decided that none of her current shoes would work with her new beautiful outfits (and this deserves a whole post or something of its own, but let's just say that I'm not signing up to take that girl shoe shopping again anytime soon!)

With the Nana and Papa shopping trip over, and Miss Julia with new shoes, we were ready for Meet the Teacher Night.  Mr. Furedy had pick up duty from Nana and Papa's house as I was already at the school pitching in to help get everything ready (I am really blessed this year that one of the programs I work with has been housed at the school where my children attend.  This makes nights like Meet the Teacher much easier because I can be there both professionally and as a mom without a ton of guilt.)  Mr. Furedy and the kiddos arrived right on time... and they were so excited.  Both of the kids were thrilled to find out who their teachers were (although Colin was a little upset when he found out that I've known who his teacher is for most of the summer and I didn't tell him!  Ooops....).

Julia will be spending her 4th grade year with Miss Umina  
(who is getting married in June... for those of you who are following this teacher saga- her 2nd grade teacher had twins, her 3rd grade teacher got married, and now her 4th grade teacher is getting married too... I'm starting to think that Julia is a good luck charm for her teachers!) 

She will also return to GR with Ms. Munsinger.
(these two are like peas in a pod... look how they are even color coordinated!) 

Colin will be spending his 2nd grade year with Mrs. Corbett.
(I think this is the cutest picture of the two of them....)

And, as always, once Meet the Teacher was over, we had dinner out.  Just one more tradition.

The weekend between Meet the Teacher and school starting was great.  Joe took Julia to a canyoneering class.  Colin went to karate.  We all went over to Nana and Papa's house to celebrate Nana's birthday with swimming, pizza and brownies (sugar free for the Nana of course!).  We spent Sunday cleaning, organizing, doing laundry and some last minute shopping (Julia's teacher requested a betta fish as a class pet, so we got the pleasure of picking him out!).

Monday morning dawned bright and early and the kids were very excited.  Here they are in the traditional, in front of the fountain poses...

Miss Julia Furedy- 9 years old- 4th grade
(BREAKING tradition by NOT wearing the same outfit on the first day as she did at Meet the Teacher- we decided those pants would just be toooo hot!)

Mr. Colin Furedy- 7 years old- 2nd grade
(Keeping the tradition of the same outfit, not that he really cared in the least....)

They are both growing and changing so fast.... I think this is really going to be a year of change for both of them.  Here's to a great one!  (and pray, please pray for their teachers!)

15 Years Ago...

15 years ago today, after seven years of dating (and what seemed like endless waiting), I walked down the aisle of Bethany Community Church (with my dad cracking jokes all the way), and married my love, my life, my soulmate.  We had NO idea of the journey that we were embarking on, but I would have never wanted to have been on this journey with ANYONE else.

 Mr. Furedy- I love you dearly.  Our marriage has gotten better and better with each passing year.  You are an amazing husband and a wonderful father.  Happy 15th Anniversary... here's to a life time more....

Carrie

PS  For those of you out there about to do it...
I know, I know...  what was up with the glasses? 
And yes, we were 12 years old when we got married- in case you were trying to figure it out!!  :)

Just a Momma

So, I got to be a Momma today.  I know that sounds silly.  I mean seriously, I have been a Momma since I dreamed of Miss Julia being in my tummy.... since Mr. Colin was merely a suggestion to Mr. Furedy.... but today, today I REALLY got to be a Momma.

Today, I got to be woken up by a little face peering over the side of my bed (rather than by an alarm clock screaming that it's time to get up, get up, get up).

I fixed breakfast to the sound of my little people chatting with me about the day (rather than throwing a bowl of cereal on the table to half asleep little people who are not coherent enough to speak yet).

I got ready to go by throwing on a pair of cut offs and a tank top, brushing my teeth and combing my hair (rather than the usual- blow dry, foundation, makeup, curling iron, professional clothes, high heel shoes routine).

We headed out the door in plenty of time to get to where we were going, just relaxed and moving at our own pace (rather than me yelling, yelling, yelling that if we don't go RIGHT NOW...).

I got to watch a whole movie (without falling asleep) with a certain little boy sitting on my lap, snuggled into my chest.  A little boy who happens to just barely fit in that spot anymore, but who isn't ready to give it up just yet.

I got to watch a certain little girl order and pay for her own food (all by herself) at a very busy Subway in the mall.  And I got to see just how proud she was of herself after she had done this.  She even told me that the food tasted better because she got it on her own (me thinks it will taste even better when she pays for it with her own money too, but for now, for now it is enough).

I got to go to the library and wander the shelves while my little people did the same.  I got to watch Mr. Colin 'test' books to see if he could  read them (and I got to be surprised when he was able to read several that I didn't think he'd be able to read... I think I'm in trouble with that one...)  I got to watch Miss Julia get sooo excited about the new books she chose and the fact that she will have something new to read ALL WEEK (all the while thinking about how much I loved the library at her age).

I got to spend time thinking about summer vacation and what we need to buy before we leave (and even started getting a few of those items, like a great new hoodie sweatshirt for those cool beach nights for Miss Julia for only $10 at Old Navy).

I got to exercise (and not feel guilty for not interacting with my kiddos for the 45 minutes that I was doing so, because we'd had so much good time together already during the day).

I got to PLAN, cook dinner, set the table, and generally have a complete meal done by the time that Mr. Furedy got home (rather than my usual routine of chucking something on the table as quick as I can- usually with a lot of help from the aforementioned Mr. Furedy).

I got to sing multiple songs from High School Musical into a Wii microphone, much to the pleasure of Miss Julia and the horror of Mr. Colin and Mr. Furedy.

I got to take the kids out swimming for half of an hour and just relax the whole time (rather than sitting out there worrying about all that needs to be done before bedtime).

And now, now I get to write this blog post before I head upstairs to listen to little man read, and challenge them both to a quick game of Mancala, before they both head off to sleep.  And then I'll get to hang out with my other favorite guy- Mr. Furedy (rather than instantly falling asleep myself).  

So yeah, got to be a Momma today.  Not an Assistant Director.  Not a MOM.  Just a Momma.  And it felt good....
Night all.
C

From One Weekend to the Next....

The kids headed up north to the Rim on Thursday with Nana and Papa in 'uses RV'.  Joe and I worked Thursday and Friday and then headed up to join them on Friday night.  (someday, a very long time from now, I may tell the story about our drive up there and our inability to locate my parents and the children, but it will be a very long time from now...)

We threw up our tent and then settled in for a few days of camping, fishing, hanging out, campfire building, bb gun shooting, bug catching, good eating... you know the routine... just a relaxing weekend in the outdoors.  A fabulous time was had by all- we laughed and relaxed and just generally enjoyed another weekend of what is turning out to be one of the best summers of my life.

As I sat and watched my kiddos who (for lack of any other appropriate phrase) were having the time of their lives- I thought about the joy that my kids find in life- every aspect of it.  I was thinking back to last weekend, a weekend spent at a fancy resort- playing at a water park and eating crabs legs (Julia's FAVORITE!).  Fast forward to this weekend, a weekend in the woods- playing in the dirt and eating hot dogs (Colin's FAVORITE!).  And you know what, my kids had an absolutely fabulous time at both places... in both worlds... doing both things.  And I love that about my kids and about our family.  Joe and I set out to raise kids who would really enjoy life... and so far, I think we've been very successful.  I hope that as they grow older and as our lives continue to change that they continue to find joy and happiness in whatever they do, where ever they are.....

Another picture heavy post... but there are some GREAT shots that I just have to throw out there... enjoy.

Here's Papa and Colin off for a walk to explore....

Colin with his prize slingshot piece of wood .
(that unfortunately broke not long after this photo...)

The teaching continues... Papa sharing his knowledge of tracks, animals, bugs, etc with another generation.

Here are the prized BB guns that the kids got for Christmas. 
They shot over 300 BBs this weekend...
(and NO, nobody shot their eye out....)

Julia even gave the Momma some BB shootin' lessons.
(She really is a good shot.  Momma on the other hand....)

Here they are checking out their homemade target to see how they did.....

Colin showing how the BB pierces the target.
(and kills the boy.... silly silly boy!)

 Julia showing off her BB talent... check out those rootbeer cans!

 Colin so proud of the fire that he started....

The heroes of the trip... my kids LOVE their Nana and Papa.  What would we do without them in our lives?
(Don't they look so happy in this picture?)

One of Colin's quests for this weekend was to saw down a tree.  Joe helped him find a dead one.  Everybody helped him saw it down....

Here's Daddy helping out a little bit....
(So... Papa and Daddy really sawed the tree down, but made Colin feel like he did it.  Again, in case you missed it, Mr. Furedy and Papa are my heroes.)

My lumberjack!

Another great weekend over.... 9 summer weekends left.  Stay tuned...
Night all.
C

I've Fallen Off the Wagon...

So, for the last 8 weeks I have been awesome (seriously, rock awesome!) about exercising and eating right.  (Yes, I know, those of you who follow me on Facebook are tired of the 'I need to run.  I did run.  I should run."  posts... I am so sorry...) 

I have lost a total of 15 pounds and 4% body fat.  I have worked out harder and smarter than I have ever worked out before.   I have committed to a diet in a way that I never have before.  And I am more than halfway to where I would like to be (I'd like to lose 7 more pounds and 3% body fat).  I feel like I'm doing this the right way too... I've got a good food plan, I'm not working out crazy amounts- but I'm working out in a way that I think I can continue to do in a long term way.

But, in the last couple of days I have fallen off the wagon and I'm having a hard time climbing back on it again.....  it started off innocently enough... just one beverage that wasn't on the plan... one meal that wasn't on the plan.  (oh, and then there's the half of a bag of red licorice that I've eaten...)

One of the saddest things is that I wasn't even CRAVING stuff off of my food plan.  So, I know I can get back on track and do this.   Mostly, I feel tired and not motivated to exercise.  And, since most of my friends are now off work, several plans to go out and do fun things are looming and I know I'll want to 'take a break' on those evenings too.

I need to get re-motivated.  HELP!!  :)
Night all....
C

Fun in the Sun....

Dear blog...
What a wonderful, fun, fantastic weekend we had....  a serious departure from reality into relaxation.

Now, we are all to tired to move or think... and momma just can't pull together a blog post to save her life (seriously, I so dead that all I want to do is watch brainless TV while laying on my bed nursing my sunburn).

Here are a few photos for you to enjoy.  I promise a real post soon.....

All I can say as a wrap up is that summer so far is about as awesome as it can be....

Night all.....

Something about... summer

There's something about summer... something magical....

I've been thinking about this all day (no rude comments please, I do occasionally have deep thoughts..).  Summer is here.  You can feel it throughout our house, in every aspect of our days... summer has been absorbed into our lives and it is just so wonderful.  Our pace is different.  Our days are different.  Suddenly there seems like there are 3 extra hours in everyday... and of course there is time in one day to accomplish a million things- from chores to fun stuff.

What I can't seem to figure out is WHY life feels so different right now- what the major shift could be....

I'm still working.  If anything, my work schedule and work load are heavier than they've been in awhile- trying to transition to a new position, trying to close out the normal end of the year stuff, (of course) there are a million Kindergarteners who need to be screened, and I am working out of boxes 'cause I haven't yet found the time or energy to rearrange and unpack in my new office (I have been left with shall we say, interesting furniture, and I need to figure out how to make that furniture work in that space for ME).

Mr. Furedy is still working.  He's got a lot on his plate right now with work, and it is really filling his days.  Not to mention he's using his extra time working on his car (there is some issue with his car that he's been working on for about three weeks or so... every time he thinks he has it... foiled again), fixing the usual stuff around the house (just replaced the light in the pool- Mr. Furedy is SO handy!), and trying to squeeze in at least a little canyoneering when he can (and it has been very little lately, but now that the magical summer is here... hopefully it will be more).

The kids.  The kids are going to be spending the next few weeks with my mom and dad.  This means that their days are way more relaxed, but they are still getting up in the morning, still have a lot of the same routines, and mostly the same schedule (I'm sure the day is much more fun just hanging out with Nana and Papa than learning in school all day... I will concede to that point!).

Despite all of this, which seems to mostly be life as usual, summer seems to have seriously changed the mood in our house.  We just seem to have more time in every day.  Today I (make that we as pretty much everybody in house helped with some amount of these chores, especially Mr. Furedy and Colin)  accomplished an UNBELIEVABLE amount... from karate, grocery store, cleaning out the fridge, cleaning the kitchen (including my plant shelf that needed some serious attention), doing all the laundry, cleaning the entire downstairs (and some of the upstairs.. still need to do Colin's room), putting the laundry away, packing for our trip this weekend (more about that later), packing the kids clothes for Nana and Papa's house next week, a Costco and a Target run, an awesome 5 mile run, front and back yard edged and mowed and some new plants planted... and after all of that we still had time for a nice long swim and a great grilled dinner out by the pool.  My house is clean, my kids are clean, we are organized for next week AND it is only 9 p.m. AND I am not dead tired.

And I know that the whole summer will be like this.  (and it will be simply amazing).  It gets even better in late June and early July when I can take some time off work... that's when the real cleaning and real cooking gets started.

What I don't understand is WHY this happens only in the summer??  Is it because my kids are more rested and relaxed so they are more go with the flow?  Does just removing the homework, backpack, lunchbox packing, etc. that invades our lives during the school year really make that much of a difference?  Is it because the sun is up and shining when I get up in the morning and just fading when I put my kids to bed?  Is it because this is just what we've made our minds up that summer will be like so we fulfill our own prophecy?  Maybe the smell of sunscreen affects us in a way that we are not aware of??

I don't know.  Truly, I don't.  But I sure love it (really, love it, with every ounce of my being..).

Here's hoping that summer lasts a good long while this year....
Wishing all of you a wonderful summer as well...
C

A Letter to My Small Fry

Dearest  Julia and Colin,
On August 10, 2009, it was the first day of school and I was the proud momma of a first and a third grader.  You both seemed SO grown up to me on that day...

Today was the last day of school and I am now the proud momma of a second and a fourth grader (so hard to believe, I'm even having a hard time TYPING it...).

Check out the pictures below and see what an amazing year it has been....

Colin, you are no longer a baby (although you'll always be MY baby).  You are SO grown up now.  I've watched you learn so much this year- you became a READER (holy cow, I can't believe the level at which you are reading!), your math skills grew so much (keeping going with that algebraic thinking my dear and you can be an engineer like Daddy and your uncles!), and you gained more confidence in yourself.  You learned to stand on your own two feet and to stand up to your sister a little bit more (although the house was much more peaceful when you just took it....).  You also grew some front teeth, which is always good....

Julia, I think you grew more on the inside this year.  You went from being someone who just wasn't quite sure how much she liked herself to being a self-confident little lady.  You took off as a reader and REALLY discovered the true JOY that can be found in a good book (I still can't believe that you are starting the Harry Potter books over again though!)  You bonded with your teachers this year- I believe that Mrs. Collins (aka Ms. Stolfa) helped you discover your true self, and Ms. Munzinger helped you to understand that it was okay to just be who you are.  And I fully agree.  I happen to absolutely love the person that you are and I am looking forward to knowing you as you grow older.  And the physical changes are coming as well.  You know, the ones that you aren't quite sure how to feel about, the ones that are taking you from being my little girl to being a young lady.  (Yeah, those.  Well... momma could really stand for you to wait a LITTLE longer for all of that- K?)

Munchies- I am just so very proud of both of you!  You are both great students, great people, and overall a lot of fun to be around.  You both grew so much  this year.  You were lucky to have the best teachers who were matched (just to you) to help you grow in the ways that you needed to grow.  You worked hard, played hard, and grew an AMAZING amount.  This mom couldn't ask for even one more thing!

Happy Summer Julia and Colin... you have earned a GREAT ONE!
Love always, your momma

Dear Blog...

I miss you my friend.  I miss talking with you.  I miss pounding out my thoughts on the keyboard.  I miss long rambling posts with way too many pictures.  I even miss surfing around other people's blogs to get post ideas (no, wait, I would NEVER do that...).

But here's the thing.  I'm tired.  Not sleepy tired, but dog-gone bone tired.  WHY you ask?

WELL.....School year is coming to a close.  Choir ends on Saturday.  Colin just got his orange belt in karate.  I am working out ALL the TIME (okay, not all the time, but it sure feels like it).  Our house is cluttered.  I went off like a crazy person for a fun weekend in Vegas and haven't caught up yet.  I am moving into a new position at work and it is giving me lots to think about.  Basically.... life is just nuts and raisins right now.

So, instead of writing the lovely post that is rattling around in my head about how proud I am of my two little kiddos and how they have both worked very hard this year at things that don't come easy for them (choir and karate) and how successful they both were and how we as adults could really learn something from them and how proud I am as a momma... I'm gonna write that I am T-I-R-E-D and I am going to go to bed.

Maybe in a couple of weeks when a few more of these lovely things wrap themselves up I will be able to return and write a post that does not contain strange phrases and run on sentences.  Until then.... love and kisses..
Carrie

VEGAS Baby....

So, you know the saying... what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.  I think I am going to embrace that philosophy for our latest trip....

(I know, you are SO disappointed!!  I can hear the crying now through my computer....  oh, okay, alright, enough!!  So we'll share just a LITTLE bit....)

We headed to Vegas Thursday night.  It was a good drive, with lots of time for Joe and I to talk and laugh.  (and yeah, so, um, I slept a little bit too... hey, it had been a busy week!)

Thursday evening was fairly uneventful, but we were up fairly early on Friday morning to head here for our skydiving adventure.  (For those of you who don't know, Joe asked to go skydiving for his  birthday.  He has decided that life is too short, and you should just do the things that you've always wanted to do.  Note things that 'he' wanted to do...)  Unfortunately, after suiting up and waiting for a little over an hour, we found out that the winds were TOO high and we were not going to be able to jump that day.  (this was disappointing, but also VERY reassuring because we knew that they were taking the whole thing very seriously and putting safety above all else!)  They asked us to come back the next day at 7:30 a.m. for another try....

Friday night we went and saw Love at the Mirage.  AMAZING.  Seriously, AMAZING.  I have NEVER seen anything like it.  The music was amazing, the show was amazing, the stage was amazing..... I was blown away.  We managed (at about 4 p.m. in the afternoon) to score FRONT ROW tickets to the 9:30 show.  I had SO much fun.... and we stayed up soooo late.

Saturday morning arrived very early!  But, we were off to try the skydiving thing AGAIN.  Thank goodness the wind was calm this time and we actually got to jump. 
Here's a photo of us pre-jump... (I look so AMAZINGLY calm....)

And here's the video of Joe's jump....

 

(No, we didn't buy my video.  Trust me, the videos were WAY expensive, and so we decided that just one would be okay.... plus, Joe had bought me front row tickets to Love the night before.... )


I have to admit that I was not that excited about this whole experience... I was going to be with Joe while he had this 'once in a lifetime' experience...  but in all honesty, it was pretty AMAZING.  I was not a fan of the free fall, but once that parachute opened and I was just drifting down... looking at the beautiful scenery... there is nothing like it.  If you have never done it... I would really suggest giving it a try!  (We need to give a shout out here to Vegas Extreme Skydiving, and our new BESTEST friends... Jake and Brad.  They took very good care of us.... and I don't think either of us have ever been "closer" to a strange man before...)

After skydiving, pretty much everything else seems a little, well.... boring.  We did some shopping, I played a few penny slots, and we spent some time by the pool.  We had a really good time Saturday night- we had a great dinner and then spent a few hours rocking it at the Bar at Times Square in the New York New York.  I am a HUGE fan of dueling piano bars, and this one is the BEST.  We had lots of fun (and... shh.. don't tell him I told you... but Joe actually DANCED with me!!)  Here's the one requisite shot of me all dressed up.... (sorry, no couple photos, we just didn't think to ask someone to take our picture!)

Sunday morning we enjoyed a buffet breakfast and then headed home.... back to reality....

It was a great trip and just what the doctor ordered... for both of us!  We needed to recharge our batteries, and this trip was just what we needed before the craziness of the last month of school hits.... now to look forward to our summer vacation in San Juan Capistrano!

Have a great one....
C

Happy Birthday Mr. Furedy

Mr. Furedy turned 37 on Sunday.

We were pretty low key with the birthday celebrating this year... the kids and I (and Grandma Paulette) took him to The Keg (a very favorite restaurant) for a quite yummy steak dinner on Saturday night.  His actual birthday was filled with a karate tournament for Colin, swimming, and taking a nap.  Oh, and folding laundry.  Poor guy!  But it was a good birthday none the less...

Mr. Furedy's 36th year was an eventful one.... from the beginning to the end.  It definitely had it's ups and it's downs, but in reflection, I think it was a pretty awesome year. Joe has always been a pretty easy going, reflective guy.  But I think this year has given him a new appreciation for  just enjoying this ride we call life by making the most of every day.  I know that this year we grew together as husband and wife, that Joe grew as a father, and we all learned a lot of lessons along the way. (oh, and Joe picked up a new, pretty cool scar too... I don't think he'll be forgetting year 36 anytime soon!)

Here's a few highlights from Year 36
(I know, another picture heavy post.  So sue me!).

Joe and Colin on his birthday, 2009.

 

Joe on our summer vacation in Colorado, white water rafting.

 

Joe and the kids at the Pointe South Mountain in August.

 

Joe in the hospital right before coming home- October.

 

Trademark Furedy Beard while recovering- October.

 

59th Annual Treasure Hunt- October.

 

New Year's Eve- Hanging with me during my recovery.

 

Magic Mountain with Colin- March.

 

Finally canyoneering again- March. 

(okay, this pic isn't from March, but hey, it's a pic of Joe in a canyon).

I look at these photos and I am amazed at the man that I see.  Even more amazed that I fell in love with him when he was 15 years old.  That was 22 years ago (just in case you couldn't do that math in your head).  And I love him more EVERY SINGLE DAY.  (I am not quite sure how that is possible, but I know it is true.  You'd think at some point there would be a limit or something... but not really.)

There is still more birthday celebrating to be done... Joe and I are heading off to Vegas this weekend, leaving our darling children (Sarcasm you say?  You hear sarcasm in that statement?) in the quite wonderful hands of their Grandma for a few days.  Should be a great trip... a chance to get away and reconnect.  (Some of you remember our last plan to get away and reconnect... remember that cruise we were going to take?  Well... we never quite got there, but Vegas... Vegas is going to be awesome.)

Happy Birthday Mr. Furedy.  Here's to year 37.  Thanks for spending the last 22 with me.  I am looking forward to year 23 with you....  I know it's going to be FABULOUS!
Night all...
C