Displaced dreams...

Well, here I am again up in New England. My second most favorite place in the country. But I have to say after driving through the inescapable rain for three hours today; I can clearly tell you that I like New England a whole lot better in the summer sun. During most of our visits we've been blessed with warm sunshine. The rainy days have definitely dampened my enthusiasm for this place a little. Also, I've never been up here in the dead of winter. Never intend to, either.

The reason I am back here for a few days is to drop off a chipper 8-year-old who is beginning another magical three and 1/2 week escape from reality. She is attending summer camp for her second summer in a row. Real, authentic summer camp. Sleep-away summer camp. Summer camp at a place that has been host to thousands of young girls her age over almost 100 summer seasons. Summer camp pretty much in the place where summer camp was invented. Camp with daily swimming on the lake. Archery. Arts & Crafts. Uniforms. Singing. Tents. A garden where you can eat the veggies right off the vine. It's rustic. Bucolic. It's exactly what I pictured when I first found the brochures when she was maybe four years old. It's exactly where I would have loved to have gone if I had been given the opportunity.

So lately, instead of just living vicariously through her, I've been dreaming about making up my very own "Summer Camp," concocting plans in my head for an annual escape to New England -- Vermont specifically. We would buy a little cottage on the lake, or at least on a stream. Maybe a place with it's own private little pond. A cute place, a little rustic, no A/C, lots of land so we can plant a garden and maybe have a few pets.

But what dawned on me today is that our family is in NO WAY ready for the realities of a second home. Financially. Mentally. Work-wise. Physically. Shit, it's hard enough to keep up with one house, our 5-acres where the business resides and a freakin' rental condo. How would we manage another place thousands of miles away from home? Why would we tie up so much money for something we could barely use?

I learned a lesson today. My dreams are somewhat displaced sometimes. But that is OK. Dreams and goals change over time. Maybe when retirement nears we'll still want a little cottage in Vermont to escape the steamy Florida summers. But, then again, maybe we won't. Either way, I'll be OK with it. In the meantime, I'll just remember that I live a charmed life in a beautiful city. And be thankful for all that I have.

Three Years Later...

It's hard to comprehend that the last time I wrote a blog entry the kids were entering second grade and kindergarten. I now have a soon-to-be fifth grader and third grader. Jake is so big he can wear my shoes. I've just glossed over three of the busiest years of our lives... a time during which we launched a new company -- People at Play that we operate over the weekends allowing individuals and groups to operate (our) real construction equipment for fun. All that while keeping the other company going... and the family life on track... as well as can be expected.

I've struggled with weight gain and celebrated weight loss... enjoyed great moments with the kids and  lived through dark Mommy-low-points, that I am guessing we all go through. I learned what it was like to lose a parent; my Dad passed away in March of 2011... and also the sadness of losing a good friend.

I am coming out the other end of all this whole. I am also coming to terms with the fact that at 42 I do, really, truly, know what I want out of life and am not going to worry about what I don't want. I am releasing bad and focusing on the good. I am going to attempt to keep this blog on track, as I feel it gives me a good outlet for self expression... and it's a hell of a lot easier than keeping a diary.

Happy Summer, Folks! Here's to more paddle boarding, sand in your toes, vacations, grilled dinners and lazy afternoons by the pool.

Cool Stuff on the Horizon

Again, two months??? WTF? I used to be such a good little blogger until FB entered my life. As Betty White appropriately stated on SNL this past Saturday, Facebook is a huge waste of time, but unfortunately I am addicted to it.

Weight update is very good... I am down to a trim 126.0 and holding. I still hope to rock the "120" pretty soon, but I am in no rush, as it seems that the rapid weight loss works against me in the long run. Hey, I can't complain, I started this journey in a size 12 and now size 6 is falling off me, so... all is good.

I am having a terrific day today as I am preparing for my annual "Spring rite of Mommy-passage" a husband-less and child-less getaway with 15 of my nearest and dearest pals in Orlando. We've dubbed ourselves the BOHOs (actually April dubbed us the BOHOs - Biotches of the Highest Order) and the name stuck... perhaps because it is so appropriate.

On Friday I will join my gals for a weekend of R&R (think massage, laying by pool, shopping, dinner out and dancing with a little bit of alcohol mixed in for fun...) at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Wow. I cannot wait. It's the fourth year for me and the fifth anniversary for the original group which started with four girlfriends from Clermont -- one of them being my buddy Cindi.

Also, I am so excited about the prospect of one of my new pet projects -- Java Dawg Coffee. If you're from Sarasota you may be familiar with the Double Decker bus at the Farmer's Market every Saturday. Well, this little company has a whole lot of gusto and things are just getting started. I am delighted to be a part of what is sure to be a success.

Still running and training for another 1/2 Marathon -- this time in California -- early September -- the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon. What fun... with three of my BOHOs!

Anyways, not much else to report. Life is still crazy busy... kids are adorable and growing fast... and summer is right around the corner! Phew... I am sweating already.

Weight Update

Well, there is a lot of stuff that I can post about -- our adorable new puppy named "Sushi", Jason's surprise 39th birthday party on Saturday night (seriously, I should be a party planner because that shit was fun), the fact that I have a horrible cold and that I am running a 1/2 marathon on Sunday... but the weight update is great... 129.0 as of this morning! Woo Freakin' Hoo!!!!

Loser Blogger Girl

I am a loser when it comes to this blog... I really thought that I had updated it "recently," I guess that would mean that middle of November (3 months ago) was "recent." I giggled to myself reading that entry though, because I have come pretty far in the time frame... I am down to a skinny-mini 133 pounds as of today. I was 131.0 after a long run last Friday, but blew it after a take-out pizza and a trip to the Circus over the weekend.

That's OK though. This is a game where I certainly don't mind being the loser. In fact, I relish being the loser. Big kudos to my running buddy Lisa who is in it to win it with me... our 1/2 marathon is in 3 weeks, we've both lost quite a bit of weight, we're doing our best with changing our diet and we're working out at least 4 time per week -- bootcamp twice a week and running/walking twice a week.

I'll let you know how it goes March 8th. And if we weren't crazy enough we signed up for the Disneyland Half Marathon in Anaheim in September. We need continued motivation to keep working out. I'm not the biggest loser, but I am a loser... and I'm proud of it.

On the Road to Self-Improvement

OK, so I'm in training for a 1/2 Marathon in March with my some of my BOHO gal pals and I realize there are good days and bad days when you're attempting to work out AND (more importantly) watch what you eat.

So far I've made what I think is great progress -- approximately 8 pounds lost, which shows in the way my face looks and the fit of my clothes. But I'm struggling to move from the 139.5 that keeps popping up on the scale for the past three weeks. One step forward and two steps back it seems sometimes, as I got sidetracked this week with a visit to McDonald's because Bryce wanted to go there. Since when do I let a 4 1/2 year old dictate what I do?

I am back on track now, but am a little bit nervous because we are headed out for vacation and I am NOTORIOUS for throwing it all out the window and chowing down when I'm away from home. Instead, I am going to go into this trip with a mental goal to NOT GAIN OR LOSE weight, just stay the same, which I think will be a feat of accomplishment if I can do it.

I am packing my running shoes and workout stuff and even though I won't be participating in the 26.2 miles of the Philly Marathon like Jason on the 22nd, I can squeeze in a couple of good workouts while we're away. Wish me luck!

I may not be rich, but I am wealthy when it comes to friends.

The past couple of weeks have had me pondering a very important phenomenon in life. Friendships. Having friends -- good friends -- is a rare and special thing and I think that Jason and I are really lucky to have more than our fair share. A few weeks ago we were visited by Monique during a trip back to Florida from her new post at the soon-to-open Ritz-Carlton in LA.

At the same time we found out that a very dear friend in Sacramento is recovering from three brain aneurysms... Lindsay and his wife Gloria and son Phil are New Zealanders (they own a roofing company in CA) and they are really some of the neatest people we know and love and we've had many, many fun times with them in Chicago, Florida, California and Las Vegas.

Here at home we've got our peeps... it's a long list so I won't mention everyone, but you know who you are...
The Youngs -- starting a long friendship in 1994 that has stood the test of time -- family not friends really.
The Kotters -- Christa was a very close friend in high school and we've reconnected while putting together our 20th high school reunion.
The Rileys -- Sara my workout buddy from bootcamp and Jay who I've known forever doing PR in Sarasota.
The Swifts -- Lisa my walking buddy and co-hort for the Princess 1/2 Marathon... and Jason who we've known through work for a long time. (Funny: Alisa & Jason and Lisa & Jason, right?)

A bit further out are the Foshee's in Clermont and, of course, all of those Clermont BOHOs (love you April!!!XO) that I love dearly for our annual Mother's Day ritual. My "lunch buddy" from The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, Karen Mulroy who lives in Ft. Lauderdale now and I can't forget one of my favorite people Joe Messing, who is 40 years older than me (almost to the day) and one of my closest confidants.

I am forgetting tons of people who make my life special and meaningful, but I am truly amazed by my good fortune of being surrounded by people who love and accept me no matter what. Isn't that really what life is all about????