Tony told me I'm not a real Utahn. Not that I don't love Utah, but if forgetting that July 24th is a state holiday and traveling on that day is a reason, I guess he's right.
I had a quick trip to Chicago (left Monday morning and returned Tuesday night). I was scheduled to arrive home about midnight which, as Tony pointed out, was too late for the Pioneer Day festivities. Growing up, we went to the annual Pioneer Day picnic at the county fairgrounds on the closest Saturday to the 24th, but the actual 24th was never a holiday. We also never had parades or fireworks. If we had the latter, I think I would have been conditioned for excitement for the 24th of July.
The Chicago trip, in my opinion, was a smashing success. We flew in early enough so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and then got a bit of shopping in. We have family pictures this weekend and I was desperate for some clothes. Not only are these our first family pics since Ryan was born (I know...bad mommy!), but they are the pics that are required for our adoption dosssier. Anyway, I found a blue plaid shirt for Ryan that will fit in nicely AND it was on sale.
We enjoyed walking along Michigan Avenue and crossing the bridge - it was a beautiful evening albeit a bit on the humid side (understatement!).
Our meetings on Tuesday went well and before we knew it, we were headed back to the airport. I managed to find a gate agent who got me onto an oversold flight with an arrival time into SLC at 9pm instead of midnight (and got me upgraded which is sometimes difficult when you fly stand-by).
Anyway, around 9:30pm I pulled into my Cottonwood Heights neighborhood and the sky was ablaze! The main road was blocked off for the fireworks, but I was able to go the back route. In front of all of our neighbor's houses were people sitting on front lawns watching the show in the sky. I was trying to hurry home so I could catch the last bit with Tony.
I pulled into the garage and ran out the back door and there was Tony. What a wonderful way to come home. We had an amazing fireworks show from our back yard (the picture above is from our back yard). We were so close that our trees obstructed part of the view, but it was still spectacular.
So Happy 24th Utah. Yes, my wishes are belated, but I was with you to celebrate. So consider me a fellow Utahn please.
So as I mentioned, I was in Atlanta for a tradeshow from July 11th to 17th. Usually when I travel to tradeshows, I put on a few pounds. It doesn't matter how much I try to be good eating salads, grilled chicken, vegetables at restaurants. It doesn't matter how much I try to exercise (I can usually get in a few days before my feet start screaming at me).
But THIS time, I was determined. I took my Jillian DVD's with me. I even took two 5-pound weights with me.
And I am SO proud of myself, that I have to report. Other than one french-fry debacle, I was SO good. And the french fry debacle was very unintended. I ordered room service one night (LOVE room service, but it is very difficult to find healthy meals on the menu) and I ordered a turkey sandwich and when it was delivered, there was a side of yummy fries. Now one thing you should know about me, french fries are my ultimate weakness.
So yes, other than that, I had my usual oatmeal made with the coffee maker for breakfast. I had healthy salads for lunch and every night I tried to have some kind of grilled chicken/veg/salad type of dinner.
I do have to confess that I had TWO Coke Zero's. It was either that or fall flat on my face during our late night meetings.
And how much did I exercise you ask? Well, since you asked....EVERY morning (except for Sunday which is my Jillian-prescribed day of rest). I was up early exercising to my Jillian DVD's. I had intended to work out in the gym for another 20-30 minutes in the evenings, but that didn't happen. No worries though, I was excellent in my follow-through regardless.
So, it was with GREAT anticipation that I got on my scale the morning of the 18th. I stepped on, took a breath and....behold, there was a SIX pound difference. However, it wasn't the down direction. I gained SIX pounds, which is more than usual.
Was I discouraged? Was I disappointed? Was I surprised? Yes. Yes. And Yes.
I'm back on the horse though and two days later, 4 of those 6 pounds have come off. Tony calls it travel inflammation. I call it unfair.
But I'm not quitting. By the end of the week, I hope to be back where I was which will be just in time for my Chicago trip on Monday and Tuesday. And then my Las Vegas trip on the 30th. Not to mention my family is coming into town next weekend.
If nothing else, I feel great. I'm on a weight loss journey, but there's an important component of health and fitness in there too.
So there it is. The good, the bad and the ugly.
Oh, and I'm back off Coke Zero.
I go home tomorrow! I've been in Atlanta for almost a week...and I'm ready to go see my little boy! Of course, Tony too, but at least I get to talk to Tony every night and connect. Ryan is at the age where he knows I'm gone and he gets excited when I come home from trips. Really excited!
It also makes me wonder if he wonders where I am. I think he always knows I'm coming back though, because I always do. But still...it makes me wonder.
Auntie Patty, our baby-whisperer baby sitter is on vacation this week so we were scrambling to find someone to help watch Ryan while I was gone.
Luckily for us, my cousin Joy was available! Ryan loves Joy. In fact, all the young kids love Joy....she's another baby, child, people whisperer. She used to teach autistic children in school and just started her own business to do play therapy with autistic children in their homes. So if you know anyone in Utah who wants to have an amazing person to work with their child, let me know! Better yet, here's her website: www.playwithjoy.com.
Joy has been sending me pictures of Ryan this past week. From the looks of the pictures, I don't think he's missing me at ALL!
Thank you JOY for taking such good care of our little Ryan!
* warning - this is not a fun story and there are bloody pictures ahead.
Ryan is really into watches these days. He loves to ask for my watch and giggles when I put it on his wrist or even his ankle. He loves to push the different buttons and hear them beep.
A couple of days ago, Ryan received his own "watch" as he called it. But it wasn't a happy story and it certainly didn't make anyone giggle.
Ryan and I were home enjoying an evening alone together. Tony was working in Heber and my brother Brian had my car in Provo. Ryan and I were on the sofa together, laughing, singing and playing. He started jumping like he does about every other minute and I let him since I was right there with him. But suddenly he did a backflip out of my arms and his head went smack against the corner of the coffee table. I can still hear it and it makes me cringe.
Ryan is a tough kid, but he starting yelling right away and I knew he was hurt. Bad.
I still remember the feeling when I saw his bloody ear. Any mother who has had a hurt child will know how I felt. I just can't describe it, but it was awful. Ryan was writhing in pain, I was trying to put a cloth on his ear to stop the bleeding and I knew I was hurting him just by touching it. And then it hit me. I didn't have a car.
I quickly called my sister who lives close by but they were headed out to a family camp-out. They had just gotten on the freeway but she said, we'll be right there. I called Tony and he said to go across the street to our neighbor's house (she's the NICU nurse who helped take care of Ryan when he was born). She took one look and agreed that I needed to take him in for stitches (not that I even questioned that).
Janelle arrived (they stopped at their house and she got her other car). It's a bit of a story, but we ended up at Primary Children's Hospital.
A little while later Tony arrived and we waited together. Ryan's cut (it looks like a chunk is missing, but it just split apart) was deep, through the cartilage and they needed a plastic surgeon to stitch it up.
After more waiting, they came and put an IV in his hand and then they gave him a sedative. He was conscious, but very sedated so they could stitch him up.
It absolutely broke my heart seeing his sad eyes look up at us. We were right there with him and he just looked in my eyes the entire time. I had tears streaming down my face as they stitched and then had to give him another dose of the sedative because he could feel it.
I was very grateful that we have the medical facilities to take care of my little boy, but it was SO hard to experience. I also had to push away the feelings of guilt and the feelings that I didn't protect my little baby enough.
It didn't take long for the sedative to start wearing off and when it did, Ryan was so cute and funny. We actually took several videos of him singing "ashes, ashes, we all fall down" and him looking at the wrist band and calling it a watch. And then he held up his leg and looked at the blood pressure cuff around his ankle and yelled again, "watch!". If I get a chance, maybe I'll load a video. Even when he's a little high, our little boy is adorable and funny.
So it's been a few days and he's recovering. He is still freaked out whenever I have to put ointment on his cut and I can't even cut his fingernails now without him yelling. I can't blame him though. So much trauma for a little guy. TOO much trauma for a little guy.
And now I'm leaving for out of town for a week. I always hate to leave my little boy, but this time, it's pretty sad. He's been clinging to me and wants to be held a lot, so I tell myself maybe it will be good for him. But deep down I know that Ryan needs his mommy.
And once again, that breaks my heart.
A few weeks ago I came home from a trip and discovered that Tony had completely reorganized our pantry. I'd show you the before and after pictures, but I doubt you'd be as excited about it as I was.
It wasn't horrendous or anything, but we had a lot of glassware that was within a 2 year old boy's reach...which, as you can imagine, is not a good thing.
So Tony completely rearranged the pantry and cleared out a bunch of stuff. Now there aren't very many things that are ok to put on the bottom shelf. Canned goods would be ok, but they tend to dent when you throw them. Paper goods wouldn't break or do any harm, except they are SO much fun to toss in the air, tear and throw around the room. Paper plates especially make good frisbee type devices. Mommy's glass vases, pitchers and serving dishes, well, we've had several that have already met their sad demise.
But plastic bins? They are perfect. They won't break into glass shards, they won't dent when thrown on the ground and the contents won't be harmed.
But guess who figured out how to open the bins? Yep.
And now I have brown rice in my carpet. Luckily it was only a handful or so. And luckily I have brownish carpet so it is barely noticeable since it ended up there for three days. Someone was either too busy or too lazy (or maybe both?) to vaccuum it up. But it wasn't so bad. When you walked on it with bare feet, it sorta felt nice in a prickly kinda way.
And besides, who has time to clean when I have a cute, little boy to play with?
Tony just got back from doing our 4th of July BBQ shopping and is all excited about a new tip he learned from another woman in the grocery store. They were standing side by side in front of the corn on the cob picking out ears and Tony casually said something about not wanting to shuck the corn today.
She shared an amazing corn cooking trick!
1. Cut the end of the cob off (the part that attaches to the stalk).
2. Microwave for 4 minutes.
3. Wrap your hand around the other end (don't get burned!) as close to the top of the ear as you can get and pull.
Everything comes off super easy including all of those pesky corn hairs. Try it! It's amazing....
I put this right up there with the fruit fly trap and the tin foil box trick.
Hope you're having a happy, shuckless 4th!
Natalie
Here's a quick update on our favorite missionary! He's doing well, has a new companion (I think from Costa Rica?) and has lots of investigators. He asked us to pray for baptisms and so I'll ask any other friends of Adril to join in.
This boy LOVES his mission. He loves the work (and honestly, compared to how hard he always worked, I believe mission work is a vacation for him).
He sends me short emails every Monday, but I don't get a lot of detail, but he's doing great and is VERY happy to be serving a mission.
He would love to hear from anyone who would care to write, whether you've ever met him or not. His email address is: adril.garcia@myldsmail.net and his mailing address is:
Elder Adril Garcia Perez
Mision Peru - Lima Oeste
carlos salarerry #3664-los olivos
casilla de correo 39-054
lima 39
perú
Do you know any missionary who doesn't love receiving letters? I imagine he doesn't get many letters in the mail, so can I make a special plea for mailed letters?
I am just like a missionary mom waiting each Monday morning for his emails. Oh, how I love this boy!
