Whew!

Well, we made it through soccer season without anybody going insane [that would be me].  However, I have to say that I don't enjoy being that busy.  It wasn't so bad last fall, when the fields were near each other but on different sides of the complex.  That was a 5-minute walk, or a 2-minute run, to get from one game to the next.  But this year, the games were at different locations- about a 5 minute drive away from each other, but I had to add another 7 minutes for getting out of the parking lot at one place, and back into the parking lot at the other place.  Anyway, with karate going on Monday and Wednesday, and soccer on Monday [practice], Tuesday [game], Friday [practice], and Saturday [game], plus piano lessons on Saturday, I think I'm burned out on kids' activities for a while.  We're going to keep going to karate- we have optional classes on Tues/Thurs that I want my kids to participate in, both for the exercise and because they teach different techniques and styles on those days.  But I'm not doing soccer again.  Not this way, anyway. 

We have had such beautiful weather the last few days- it's always cool in the mornings [that would be the result of less humidity in the air to hold the heat, plus being up so high above sea level], but it warms up quickly and we usually get a light, cool breeze in the afternoons.  It's just perfect for walking around outside!  Today is looking cloudy, and while I appreciate the water, I wish we could schedule that for the night-time, and enjoy our sunshine all day long :)

Still knitting- I have 2 socks on needles right now, and I'm feeling pretty good about what I've done so far.  This is my first pair, and it has definitely been a challenge.  I'm using small needles [2.5mm] and light-weight yarn, which means I have about 11 stitches per inch of knitting.  That's a pretty small gauge, and compared with the chunky yarn I use for hats [that knits up about 3 1/2 stitches per inch], it's rather slow progress.  I am seeing visible progress, though, so I'm enjoying it.

I found "Bones" on Netflix the other night.  I enjoy it :) but I sure wish I could show it to my kids.  They love mysteries, and puzzles, and would like this show, I'm sure.  I'm just not comfortable with the bodies in situ, before the bones are cleaned.  Seeing all the burned, dismembered, and otherwise mutilated bodies is sometimes too much for me, and I have to listen to the audio instead of watching the show during that point.  LOL, we're working our way through the BBC's "Miss Marple" series instead.

Gratitude List:
* Rain [even if it is inconveniently timed] so my plants can drink.
* Gorgeous bulbs that are blooming in my kitchen window, and reminding me that springtime is here, even if it is snowy just up the hill.
* Movies to watch in my basement while I finish tying a quilt.
* Figuring out a new knitting recipe [for those socks] and having challenges enough to keep me interested without frustrating me to the point of quitting :)
* Finding a new TV show I like to watch.
* I'm still enjoying my iphone.
* Putting on a pair of pants, and realizing that I've lost an inch around my waist.  Hooray for exercise!
* Having Jared here for a whole week :)
* My new vacuum really sucks LOL, which is a good thing in vacuums.
* I have a dryer, so I don't have to drape my wet laundry all over my house to dry it.
* I have plenty of food [probably too much of that], clothes to keep me warm, cars that work, and we are all healthy.
* God is good, and I am blessed. 

Serendipity

Surprises, in general, are not my favorite thing.  I am a planner, a list-maker, and a researcher-of-vacation-spots.  I deal much better with things when I feel like I know what to expect- not that anybody can fully prepare for anything.  Anyway, there are very few things I consider a "good" surprise, and one of them happened yesterday!

My sister lives in Iowa, near Iowa City, and she called me and wanted to know if she could stop by and visit us for a few hours.  She was unexpectedly in town, and I was thrilled to be able to see her and her kids :)

We cleared our family schedule, which meant we missed a few planned events, but nothing earth-shattering.  We got to play frisbee, Cooties [well, that was more of a Cooties war than an actual game], and Sorry! and used the air hockey table to host an air hockey tournament.  We topped it off with brownies and ice cream, and wished that they could stay longer.  [IMO, wishing the visit could last longer is the mark of a good visit]

Those sort of surprises I love.  :)

Gratitude List:
* leftover brownies for breakfast!
* A beautiful, sunny day today.
* Jared is in town this week, which means I get to see him every single night.  That's a good thing.
* Free iPhone apps.  Even if most of them are used to tempt you into buying the "full version" app, I love trying them out.
* I found a flattering swimsuit for our summer trip to San Francisco.  The "hunting for the suit" was frustrating, which made it so much more rewarding when I finally succeeded.  AND, it was on sale.
* Seeing my sister, and her kids, and watching my kids play with their cousins.
* Making progress on my UFO list.  The tree skirt is all pieced, and only needs to be quilted before I sew the binding on it.
* Dandelions.  I know they spread like, well, weeds, but they are so bright and cheerful they make me smile anyway.
* A new vacuum with suction that works.
* Laundry directly from the dryer, still warm and soft.
* Netflix instant play option- except that I dither for 30 minutes before I find something I want to watch!
* God is good.
* I am blessed.

iphone

you phone, we all phone from our cell phones!  Okay, not the best rhyme [rather lame, actually], but I do have a new phone!  Same phone number [thank goodness], but different provider- AT&T- and, it is an iPhone!  So much fun to play with...

So, I was paying for wireless back-up of all my phone information.  However, when I signed up for it, Sprint only required that I be signed into my sprint account online to access the information.  After my phone died, I tried to access that back-up information online, and discovered that Sprint now required an additional password to access my wireless back-up.  Since I didn't choose the password, Sprint assigned one to me.  However, they never sent me any information about the password.  When I tried to reset the password online, the computer program sent the new password to my PHONE. [yes, that would be the one that is dead and never coming back to life].  Well, I thought if I called I might have better luck.  Hah.  Nope.  There was no person with the power to reset my password and send that info anywhere except my phone.  Not even the email address, or the other phone line on the account, was an acceptable option.  AARGH!

Long story short, after 5 hours on the phone with Sprint, I decided I would rather rot than give them any more of my money.  So I have a new iPhone [so fun!!!] and the same phone number.  My phone is sad and lonely, however, without all the contact information for my friends :(  Which means, if you would be so kind as to call me or email me with your phone numbers, I would be forever grateful!  And I am also being slightly more prepared this time, and backing that information up myself in 2 different places besides my phone.  Thank you.

Gratitude List:
* that I have a new phone
* we are all healthy and reasonably happy
* Jared is home this week!
* sort of spring weather again- no snow, and dandelions galore on our lawn
* I am so blessed in my life.
* God