Sunset at Hurricane Point

Big Sur Marathon

Run for Your...Fun?

It is presently 4:41a.m. Did you just hear me?  4:41 A. M.

Nothing human should be up this early in the morning. But, in fact, there are thousands of us milling about at this very moment because today is the running of the Big Sur Marathon.

Although the sanity behind requiring all these people to be out of bed and making decisions like "Keep running, Feet!" at such an ungodly hour alludes me, I look forward to being a part of this huge event. I volunteered to help. Apparently that means I will be handing water or something off to runners as they go. This truly frightens me. On a good day, I am uncoordinated and clumsy. At 5:30a.m., I am a menace to society. Putting me close to the path of hundreds of running, focused people in short shorts and spandex, nay, expecting me to HAND THINGS OFF to members of an unstoppable mob while they are IN MOTION....gulp!

Here goes nothing.

Cold Camping

So, Yosemite was freakin' cold. Seriously freakin' cold. But, breathtakingly beautiful and a lot of fun. I don't regret going, but I don't think I'll do a cold Yosemite camping trip for a while.

Cold Feet

Heading on a camping trip today. I love the idea of it and regularly crave travel. But, sometimes, when it actually comes down to it, I lose steam. The reality of not being in my own bed and not having my regular daily routine just doesn't sound as awesome the day before we go. Then there's the packing. A car and cartop carrier full of stuff for four people. Clothes are the least of my concern. Diapers, blankets, pillows, towels, snacks, meals, toys, bikes, car trip entertainment and organization.....Then there's the clean up afterward to look forward to.

I know, I sound like Debbie Downer. I always have a great time when we go, but I think I must have to go through travel cold feet first.

Plus One Phone; Minus Multiple Important Photos

So, not only do I have my phone back, but I have the New and Improved Model. You know- faster, stronger, better. With a wicked waterproof, shatterproof case. Yeah, that baby is going to save my life.
The last phone I had was
1. dropped on hard surface floors at least once a week. The evidence of this was a huge spiderwebby crack all over the face of the phone. But, hey. Cosmetics are not important to me. It still worked!
2. Dropped in a sink full of wet dishes
3. Dropped in the sand, dirt, and mud
4. Chewed on by a drooling, teething baby
5. DROPPED IN A TOILET. after it had been used. before it had been flushed (but not before the teething baby)
But, none of these things killed my phone. I mean, the toilet thing happened years ago. The shattered face had been flaking off bits of glass for months. No. It just finally gave up the ghost. Maybe it was internal bleeding. Maybe it just couldn't take it anymore. You know, it was all just too much.

The catch is I had not synced my phone since......NOVEMBER 11, 2009. Seriously. Three and a half months of new apps, contact info, and PHOTOS. My photos are gone! Christmas, Birthday, trips - GONE. The only upside is that I email photos to friends and family really often, so I have the photos in my sent emails. But, still. That really sucks.

So, if you learn nothing else from me, learn this:

SYNC YOUR DAMN PHONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Cell Phone?!!!

I lost a limb! Or, at least that's what it feels like. My phone died last night, and now I feel like an important part of my functioning body is missing. So, of course, I am scrambling to run to town as fast as possible to replace my poor unfortunate phone.

All of this brings to mind the history of life that falls within B.C.P.times. Before Cell Phones. Seriously, I have to ask the question: How the f*ck did we survive! I know we did. We are here now, alive and well, despite having to muddle through those harrowing dark ages.

But, sometimes I just forget, you know. I forget what it was like to not have GPS and laptops and roaring fast internet and cell phones. Honestly, I was a kid, so I don't actually know how adults went through the steps to, say, travel without these gadgets. How does one arrange a trip to Disney Land? Find a clean, inexpensive hotel in San Francisco? Find out when Trader Joe's closes? Find a Starbucks within a 5 mile radius of your present location? ALL WITHOUT INTERNET, GPS, OR CELL PHONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It freaks me out just imagining it.

Calla Lillies

Thawing Out

 Just last week, I was whining about how I was SO OVER being cold all the time. We keep our heat low in the house through the winter, so I end up wearing layers and jackets and such around the house on cold days. Well, every day was a cold day for a while there. And windy. And gray. And BLAAAH!

 Well, Someone must have heard my complaining and decided to coddle a poor wuss such as me.The past few days have been sunny and super warm. I feel human again. I have picniced in the yard with my kids. Opened all the windows to air the house out (Nothing smells more wonderful than a house that smells like spring). And taken naps in the warm sunshine to thaw myself out(i.e. worked on my tan).

Then then most amazing thing happened. A springtime miracle. I guess the warm, sunny weather has awakened my inner spring-cleaner. Because I have also vacuumed my ceiling. That is worth repeating, I VACUUMED MY CEILING. I looked up and saw cobwebs EVERYWHERE. It was like my ceiling had become one giant web. At any moment, one of my kids might jump too high and never come back down.

Now, my entire body is itching with the need to throw stuff out. My cozy little winter home now feels cluttered and stuffy. So, I guess I'll be going through the closets next. In between tanning/napping that is.

Ahhhh, spring.

Breaking Dawn

Warm, Sunny Day

Girl Hats and Boy Wings

I crocheted (is that how you spell it?) a little pink hat for my girl last night. She has been wearing it around the house all morning.

I am aware of the fact that I keep making clothes for my daughter and not one thing for my son. This is not favoritism. It is a known fact that making little girl clothes is a million times cuter and more fun than making boy clothes. I have plans, however, to sew  a project for my son. He wants wings. He is certain that if he can get the lightest but strongest fabric and if the wings connect to his wrists and his waist and if he flaps his arms fast enough then he will fly. He does not doubt this at all. Even though I have discussed the physics involved more than once. No, I don't plan on letting him jump off a cliff to find out on his own. But, off the couch would be okay. So, I will make the wings.

Not So Coordinated, But Oh So Crafty

Just call me Little Miss Crafty Pants 'cause I'm so crafty. Note, I did not say Coordinated, Well-Planned, or Talented. Just Crafty. Lately, I am always thinking about art projects for my class or sewing projects for my little girl. But, I don't always know the best way to make something that doen't make people giggle in mockery.

My art class has gotten my juices flowing. I think about art all the time. The moment I wake up til the moment I go back to bed. I'm inspired by everything and want to try it all. Oddly, this isn't sooo very different from normal, the  difference is that I am actually DOING IT! I buy a secondhand sweater, and instead of letting it sit on a table for months only to then stuff it in a closet for years, I USE IT IMMEDIATELY! I cut that puppy up and make shtuff. Now, the end results are not always pretty. For instance, I made some cute little sweater pants. Right. I made the oh-so-obvious, as-bad-as-forgetting-to-plug-in-the-appliance-before-calling-customer-service mistake. I sewed them inside out. Seriously. Slap hand to forhead for me.

Still, I will not be detered or discouraged. I WILL PREVAIL! I AM LITTLE MISS CRAFTY PANTS!

Trees at MPC

Sugar Gun Powder

This morning, my little girl found the remains of her big brother's lollipop/powdersugar-dip-n-lick-ultimatebloodsugarspiking candy. She dipped her finger in to sample the goods, then turned to me and said, "I like this sugar gun powder."

South 101 near Santa Barbara

Spring is upon us

My Super Awesome New Diet Plan!

Well, I don't have any definitive, clear updates on my Lose Five Pounds in One Month plan. I know, that should really not be that hard to do. I mean, come on, some people are out there losing 10 pounds in a week. I don't know these people personally, but they are out there. I'm sure of it.

Anyway, the truth of my situation can be found in two little words:

THIN. MINTS.

I love thin mints. So much so, that last year, when I missed the cookie sale completely, I cried. I CRIED OVER THIN MINT DEPRIVATION! This year, I was not going to be caught off guard. I found a supplier (aka. girl scout) back before Christmas and let her know I needed my fix! I ordered a whole case. Not a box of cookies, a case of cookies. This year, when I cried, it was with tears of joy.
Have I mentioned that I really like thin mints?

SO, here's my new, awesome idea. I'm going to start the THIN MINT DIET. Yeah, you heard me. The Thin Mint Diet. After all, it does have the word "thin" in it.

Just an Update

We had a warm, sunny, amazing week. Now we are wet, cold, and grey. Tomorrow is to be nicer, but then the rain is back.

I have added one little art class to my schedule, and I'm telling you, I feel stressed and overworked. I'm embarrassed by this because I know all kinds of people who work or take multiple classes while juggling the responsibilities of running a household. Having to get up early and go full tilt all day just two days a week is wearing me out! But, the puzzle is fitting in homework around "Mom!" "Mommy!" "I need! I Neeeeeeed!" I feel awful for sending my little one to day care during my class time. Now I am contemplating getting a babysitter so I can do homework.

Mother-guilt aside, I am enjoying taking this class. I love that it is mine. I like getting out of the house. I even appreciate getting up early to watch the sun rise and then go take on a full day. I especially love that this class forces me to create art. I regularly crave to make art any way I can, but I am a perfectionist at heart, so my fear of failure and imperfection outweighs my need to express myself. This class requires me to be creative whether it comes out perfect or not. I get good feedback and support from others. I get inspiration from seeing other students' work. And, I get the chance to just practice, practice, practice.

Oh, btw, I have lost 1.8 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have I mentioned how much I love Big Sur?