Happy Fourth!

Happy Fourth!

Babe was there too! She just preferred to chill with S all day!

Lily

When is it OK to forgive the unforgivable?

For privacy sake I’m not going to go into full details, but what is helpful to know is that I used to be best friends with someone until she completely betrayed my trust in one of the worst possible ways. At the time I really wanted to put it behind us and remain friends. I tried, but I just couldn’t. It was too raw and even though rational me said it was ok to forgive and forget, emotional me was all “Nut uh girl! She best be steppin!” 

It’s been almost  a year now and I’ve seen her a time or two but it was in passing and that was it. The hard part about this whole thing is that her son and Bud are best friends. Best, best, best friends! And this year they aren’t in the same class so they barely see each other at school and they don’t get to hang out outside of school either. As hurt as I was that still made me feel bad for the kids. They can’t control any of that and I hated to see them pay for it.

No one has ever faulted me for ending the friendship, in fact people thought I was crazy to even try to make it work. But, last night I saw her at the local ice cream place (ironically, the same place we met for the first time several years ago) and we chatted for a bit. I felt like I was meeting a past lover who I never got over. I realized how much I missed her! She’s fun and spontaneous, but also a planner, and we get along so well with no effort at all. 

I think I want to try to start up our friendship again. Part of me is excited at the prospect of having her as a friend again. The other part screams that I’m an idiot and if she could hurt me that badly once, she’s not going to hesitate to do it again. Am I just setting myself up for more pain? Or should I forgive her and move on? Maybe I’ve already forgiven her. Her actions were a catalyst for other things but they certainly weren’t the “reason” things went down the way they did. Maybe I should even thank her, because really everything has worked out for the best. I think maybe it will be easier to forgive than forget. But I think it might be worth a shot. I’m pretty sure we won’t ever be as close as we once were, but I think that’s ok. It will just be nice to have an old friend back, and someone to take excursions to the zoo with, and all the other things that I’m so bad about doing. So I think I’ll try to forgive…and if I’m lucky, even forget. 

Lily

A Goodbye I Don't Want to Say

An administrative level position came open in my office after about 10 months of working here. Even though I only worked here a relatively short time, I felt confident that I could do a good job at the administrative level, and my boss thought the same thing. After interviewing me and several other candidates, my boss hinted that I was basically a shoo-in. Then she told me they had one more interview. She was a late applicant but had a lot of experience so they had to interview her. Ok, no big deal. The next day my boss called me in and told me they offered the job to that late applicant. I put on my happy face and hide my extreme disappointment. She told me that they knew I’d do a good job but the lady they had chosen had a ton of experience and would be an excellent addition to our office. Yeah ok, whatever.  

Little did I know the impact this would have on my life. This lady that they, very rightly, chose over me is now one of my closest and dearest friends. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have survived these last six years without her, professionally or personally. Maura is one of those people who embodies the spirit of goodness. Her level of compassion and caring is unparalleled and I am so grateful to call her my friend. I have never worked so well with someone, or had such a perfect complement and balance in a teammate. We fill each other’s deficiencies perfectly and sometimes I feel like we are just an extension of each other. But it’s not just work stuff. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in the last 6 years, especially this last year. I’ve cried more in her cubicle than any other place combined. She’s helped me talk through more issues than I care to remember. She knows when to give advice and when to just listen. She heaps on the support and love in ways that I never thought possible. She has been my crutch when I thought I couldn’t move. She has been my motivation when I didn’t think I could go a second longer. She has held me up when all I wanted to do was crumble. But, of course, that’s not all. She has also been an amazing mentor to me. She never let an opportunity to teach me something pass by. She always included me and went out of her way to show me how to do something. I can say without question, I am a better person for knowing Maura.

On Friday she gave her two-week notice and I’m afraid I’m going to grab onto her leg and never let go as she walks out of the door on her last day. She has been my life support and I can’t fathom coming to work without her here. She is making the right decision and I am so happy that she doing what is best for her…but damn I’m going to miss her. Of course we will stay in touch as much as humanly possible, but there will be a gaping void that cannot be filled.

So Maurina, I’m going to miss you more than words can describe. But once again you are being a perfect role model as you embark on an uncertain, but necessary, future. Your faith in God and in yourself makes everyone around you a better person. I wish you all the happiness in the world and I look forward to continuing our friendship despite the distance. Good luck my dear friend. Thank you for being you and for all you have done for me in these last six years! I will cherish our friendship forever!

Lily

NYS Fair and Awesome Weekend Recap

Remember how I promised you two posts in a 7 day period? Yeah, I thought it was a long shot too. But how about 2 posts in a 2 week period? Better than nothing right?

So yeah, my weekend with my girls was LEGEND…wait for it…DARY!!!!!!!!!! Having my friends visit was just what my soul needed! I can’t even recount all the fun stuff that happened because it’s the stupid little stuff that made the whole weekend what it was. However, some things were documented photographically so I am able to recount those. (Lucky you!)

There was that time that Smidge brought a suitcase big enough for her to climb into and get lost…

And there was that time that I wanted Smidge to braid my hair so Jamalee helped me get my hair wet…

And that time we ALL braided our hair and took the wackest coolest selfie of all time…

And the time we took a picture to make my cousin who flaked on us jealous…

As you can see from those documented times, we had ourselves a very good weekend! We spent Saturday at the New York State Fair having a GREAT time!! As you may remember, I received free tickets to the Fair in return for my blogging about it. Honestly, I would be blogging about it even if I didn’t get free tickets so really that’s just a super fun bonus!!

We got there about lunch time and headed straight for the butter sculpture…you HAVE to see the butter sculpture!

While we were gazing upon all the wonderful butteryness we had the wonderful surprise of being ambushed by my kids!! I knew they were planning on being there that day but with the crowds I never expected to actually run into them! 

From the butter sculpture we headed over to my most favorite exhibit every single year. It's the same exact routine but I still love it every time! What am I talking about you ask? The New York State Trooper exhibit of course!!!

They always start with the roll-over simulation, then do the K-9 unit demonstration, then comes the repelling demonstration. Based on the pictures I took of the event you can guess which is my favorite!

For the life of me I cannot get Blogger to post my videos using photobucket so if you'd like to experience the awesomeness of this demo please click the following two links: Bad Boys and Repel. 

I really do love that part of the fair! But that wasn't all we did! No sir! We also walked past one of those photo boards and initially we kept going but all of us agreed we had to turn back and kick the little kids out of it snag some unsuspecting individual to take our picture!

All of us agreed that it was fitting that Smidge was the nut. :-)

Ok, but this year, I have a new favorite part of the fair. For any of you who have been reading me for a long time may remember my love of trampolines and how I've never forgiven my parents for trying to pass off an exercise trampoline as a real trampoline one Christmas I jump on them any chance I get! In the past I've always walked past the trampolines at the fair, nearly salivating at them but my cheap side holding me back. But not this year! This year FUN prevailed! And I jumped! Oh boy did I jump!!! And swung a little too but that part wasn't great. (Watch the video and you'll see what I mean.) 

Once again the whole I can't upload videos...so click the link to see me in full swing action!!

Thank God for the bungee cords!

In my defense, I believe I started to swing like that because I somehow eventually managed to get my fat ass to do a flip!!

In all my flipping glory!

Oh yes, my friends! This was a fabulous Fair experience this year! If you are ever in the Syracuse area at the end of August you MUST make plans to go! You won't be sorry!!

A very bad picture of the giant sand sculpture...also not to be missed!

Lily

Great Friends and a Great Fair

So my Great Friends Smidge and Jamalee are coming up to visit this weekend and I can’t wait! These two wacky girls are exactly what I need right now!

See! Can't you just tell they are a good time waiting to happen? 

And the best part is it coincides perfectly with The Great New York State fair! They came with me to the Fair a few years ago and we had a GREAT time and I’m expecting this time to be just as great!

As part of promoting the Fair I was provided two free tickets and will be writing a recap of my experience after the weekend. (Two blog posts in less than 7 days! CRAZY!) I have failed miserably at give-away's on this blog so I'm not doing that this year but free tickets for my obligatory trip the the New York State Fair is just too good an offer to pass up!

So if you are in the Syracuse, NY area in the next couple of weeks be sure to stop by the Fair. It runs August 22 - September 2 so there is plenty of time for you to make plans! Just sayin!


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In other news...

If you follow me on Instagram you know I moved into an apartment this past weekend. Thank goodness for friends with pickups, trailers, and large muscles willing to help! We were able to get everything in one trip and had it all in the apartment by 2pm! That left plenty of time for me to start organizing and unpacking! It's rough going from a 5 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apartment but so far it's all working. The kids like their new room and the apartment is light and airy and I think it's a good space for us! I'm going to have to acclimate to going to a laundry mat (UGH!) and figure out how to bathe the kids with no tub (thank goodness they are little!) but those are things I can work around. At least I don't have to drag my laundry down to the river and beat it against a rock! It could always be worse! :-)


So more to come in another few days after I do stuff worth talking about!!

Lily

Dirty Girl 2013

Before this weekend I'd never imagined it was possible to get mud in the places I had mud. Let's just say I'm no longer going to complain when I go to the beach and get sand in my bathing suit. But dear lord it was worth it!! 

My friends and I participated in the Dirty Girl Mud Run in Scranton, PA this weekend. If you ever get the chance...DO IT!!! You will not be sorry. 

Words don't really do the experience justice, so I'll leave it to the pictures.

We started out looking like this...

and this

So clean!

 (Smidge)        (Jamalee)

                                                               

But we quickly got to the mud!

Dance party in the woods!! Because...why not?

Jamalee's face (the one in the back) capture's her feeling about the net climb absolutely perfectly!

Made it!

Preparing for the slide

It's at this moment that I realize...Oh CRAP!

But it was WORTH it!!

Her expressions are priceless!

Not sure who did it wrong, me and Jamalee, or Smidge and her sisters. 

(I think me and J got it right)

Almost to the end

One more mud pit before the finish line...and a little extra mud for Smidge's face

I love these ladies!

Babe thought she wanted a kiss

Bud was too smart for that!

They had no idea how close they were to being DIRTY! :-)

Fun!

Still fun

Awww yeeeeaaaahhhhhh!!!!

I tried getting video to embed but it doesn't seem to be working so I'm going to ask you to click these link (GASP! I know it's difficult but it's fun, I promise)

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Video 4

So as you can see it was an AMAZING experience and one that I can't wait to do again! Once we were done they had a tent with garden hoses (freezing cold garden hoses) to wash off. It was like a locker room on steroids. (I've seen things I can't unsee. **Shudder**) So we all did the best we could to get as much mud off as possible and change into clothes that didn't have 3 inches of mud on them. However, I still had to contend with actually cleaning all of my stuff once I got home.

My bathtub took a beating!

I can't believe how "clean" I was able to get them!

My shirt is now a nice gray color (sorry, I didn't get a post-wash picture) but it was ALL worth it!! 

And while I was busy rinsing out my clothes someone found my iPod and had a little fun

Lily

Overheard conversations - Bud and babe style

I put the kids to bed last night but neither of them was interested in actually going to bed. I was in my room and I was certain I'd have many visits by each of them. I heard Babe's door open, and Bud must have been standing at his door too. The following is the conversation I overheard:

Babe: Bud, I'm not going to hug you or kiss you, I'm just going to sleep in your bed!

Bud: That's ok Babe. Did you turn off Anastasia?
(meaning her movie playing on her tv - yes my 3 yr old has a tv in her room...I'll do ANYTHING to get that child to stay in her room and sleep. Take your judgement elsewhere or I'll send her to your house to sleep.)

Babe: Oh, thanks Bud!! ... Ok, I turned it off!

Bud: Well get in here then!!

I didn't hear a peep out of them for the rest of the night! I love those two! They may sound like an old married couple but I wouldn't trade their friendship for anything although if it would mean Babe would sleep better I might reconsider my position! 

Lily

An egg-cellent time was had by all at this egg-pic egg-stravaganza!

I’m a little late and I don’t have an excuse but rather than forgetting about it (like normal) I’m posting about it today. (Thanks for the push Sarah!)

A few weekends ago it was our annual EGG-stravaganza!! For any of you that are not familiar with the weekend, it is the weekend we get together to do Ukrainian Easter Eggs (UEE)!! For a full-detailed, non-lazy description please see here. You won’t be sorry, go on, click and enjoy. I’ll wait here.)

So this year was equally as fun! It involved sleep overs and we had a first timer over here! It was fabulous!

Now, without further ado….The Eggs!

Wench's eggs
I had to put her's first since she got all artistic and staged a shot, unlike me...

For some reason paper towels just don't give the same look as a luxurious green scarf. **

(These are mine in case that wasn't clear.)

Some close ups of a select few 

Smidge's collection spanning a few years

(Smidge you get bonus points for the egg-cellent presentation!)

Jamalee's newest.
Look at that fish on the bottom middle! AWESOME!

A final compilation of eggs from me, Wench, and our first-timer who is sure to return based on her awesome house drawing skills!!

Even Bud got into the action (thanks for helping him FAS!)
Notice the bey blade sitting next to him...he just HAD to make a bey blade egg! 

Babe is a little young to be trusted on her own with hot metal, wax, and fire so I helped her with her egg.

I don't know if you can see it well (click for a larger picture) but I am wearing the most awesome ring to ever be worn at UEE! It's totally a UEE in ring form! Nothing better! Awww yeeeaaaaah!!!

And this is my most favorite creation from the weekend! It was Smidge's birthday a few weeks ago so we HAD to celebrate! And really, what better way then to have my favorite picture of her in edible icing on a pie!!

So to sum up, it was another EGG-cellent weekend and I'm already impatient for next year's event which promises to be EVEN better! (You will all just have to wait a year to find out why!)

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**I was really bad at taking pictures this year. I think I was so focused on egg production that’s what she said that I didn’t even stop to think about it. I had to beg pictures from everyone else just so I could post this!

Lily