Michael's Birthday Gift

I wanted to do something fun for Michael's birthday. I got a brainstorm. (Yes, a brainstorm...even blondes get them!!;-) I called our friends in MT, up by Glacier. Michael loves Glacier National Park, and we love our friends Keith and Jolene. So! Early the week of his birthday, I called about showing up on their doorstep in a few days. And they were gracious. "Sure, sounds good!" The dilemma? Crash in their house on such minimal notice (which is a tough decision for me, the queen of 'I don't want to put anyone out at the risk of feeling guilty for a lengthy amount of time') or pack the trailer? (which meant Michael would have to drive the whole distance because, yes, I don't drive the truck with it's intimidating stick shift, and, even if I did, I wouldn't want to while pulling a multi-thousand dollar trailer behind it, thank you very much!) I couldn't figure it out, and, despite trying to keep our destination a secret from Michael, I had to call him to get advice. "Sweetie, if we were to go somewhere where we could either bring the trailer for ease, or not so I could help with driving, what would you suggest?" And what did he say? "Are we going to Glacier?" Waaahhh! I should have known he'd figure it out!

We drove to Keith and Jolene's on Thursday...most of the day. The kids were really good travelers. We are always pleased when that happens. They enjoy LeapPads and snacks. Oh, and don't forget the CD of 150 kids songs we have. We have stayed away from getting a DVD player thus far, and are going to try very hard to keep that policy. We had some fun playing the ABC game..."I see something starting with an A..." We made it to G, I think...impressive for a 5 year old, I think! Some good books for long car rides? Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go and Usborne's Machines that Work, both full of cool pictures to look at. We arrived around 10pm and were heartily welcomed by our friends despite their having to get up early the next morning.

Friday morning, we got up and got ready to go for a small hike at Logan Pass. Here are some collages of things we saw. We really like Glacier National Park. It's a beautiful park; you really need to visit it to understand the beauty. Photos do not do it justice. It's valleys are created by glacial carve which is evidenced by U shaped valleys. (V-shaped valleys are usually created by uplift, not glacial carve.) Unfortunately, the glaciers are quickly receding...in 2001, I believe, we heard on a nature hike that the glaciers could potentially be gone in 30 years. Yikes...

Anyways, here's Logan Pass, some wildlife we saw,

the red cars, the kids on our hike,


That Friday night, we all met for dinner at Keith and Jolene's. Keith told Michael he had been invited to go on a hike with some friends. Michael was stoked!! But the law was laid...the rocks had to be laid in the flower bed that evening...;-)
See this pile? Yep! It needed to be shoveled into the flower bed.

So, the guys got to work and finished it. Then, early the next morning, they got up and headed out to do a big hike...the summits of Pollock Peak and Bishops Cap. Jolene, the kids and I drove back to Glacier ourselves and did the Trail of Two Cedars hike...maybe a mile long walk.



Click on the comment bubble (left bottom corner) of the slide show to see Michael's comments on the epic hike!!



The next day, Sunday, was a nice day with meeting at Keith and Jolene's, lunch at MacKenzie River Pizza Company with some more friends, a nap, the kids dressing up into all sorts of costumes, and birthday cake (German Chocolate) with still some more friends...

some randomness...

I found this article interesting. How to use your washing machine and dishwasher efficiently

My 40th birthday is coming up...Michael has Gramma and Papa and Aunty Ang and Uncle Mike watching the kids while we go to Bozeman. Saturday, we'll check out Bridger Bowl for a little skiing. I told Michael I'd ski until I was tired then do a little scrapbooking. I really need to get a start on Annisia's uh...baby album...{sigh}

I am going to donate hair to Locks of Love...eek! It's something I have thought about a time or two but chickened out. I am going to do it...then grow my hair again. I have it long enough that I think it'll still be to about bra line when I am done...hopefully. I'd really like to be able to continue styling it the way I am used to...

I have a friend who makes the most delish candy! Her name is Jenny Z and here's her site. Check her out...she ships anywhere!! I have some candy coming soon...my waistband is NOT excited but my taste buds are!!

I also have a friend who is designing free blog backgrounds. Her name is Wrena and her Facebook site is Diesel and Daisy Designs. I am trying to see if she has it elsewhere for those of you who aren't on FB...

I have lost close to 25# and almost that many inches. Didn't make my goal of 40# total by my 40th birthday, but you can change your goals, can't you? So! My new goal is 40# in the year I turn 40! teehee!! What encouragement can you give me? I already work out 5 hours a week and am trying to do 2 meal replacement shakes a day...

As if...

As if raising 2 kiddos, being a contented wife, teaching 6 hours of fitness at the Y/wk, cooking, cleaning, and learning kids computer games, (oh! and keeping up on Facebook!) isn't enough, I am setting out on a new venture. I have been trying to think of some way I can make a little money to help with the household expenses (the Y doesn't pay very well...). I thought of house cleaning, but nixed that because I'd have to find and pay for childcare which would significantly decrease any profit. I stink at home-based businesses like Creative Memories. So, what to do?

Well, one day, while folding my weeks worth of laundry...yes, a whole weeks worth, washed, dried, laid out on the bed until it's all done then a marathon folding...I thought, "You know, I actually kind of enjoy this. I wonder if I could do a business of this?" I talked it over with a friend who occasionally uses the laundromat drop off service and she said, "I'd use you!" I talked it over with Michael and he told me to go for it. So, tomorrow, my friend is dropping off her laundry. Here we go!

Any advice? Do I ask people how they normally do their laundry? Like,

1. "Do you dry your jeans? Do you dry your button down shirts?" We don't. I hang all that to dry...then I don't need to press Michael's shirts! Or do I just do theirs like I do mine?
   
2. Is there such a thing as asking too many questions? Or is it good form to make sure they're going to be happy? I have pondered through all these things for about 3 weeks, until Michael said, "Just get going and get the cash flowing!" So, I am flying by the seat of my pants.
   
3. I am charging the same price as the laundromat, $1.25/lb. Should I charge slightly less, like $.05-$.10/lb less, making a weeks laundry, about $5 cheaper then the laundromat charges? Michael is suggesting I offer more, like pick up and drop off service and charge more like $1.50/lb for the extra work of p/u and d/o. I need ideas here.
   
4. What would you pay if you needed the service? This friend of mine and her husband both work demanding jobs, so family time is important when they can get it. For them, having someone else do their laundry is good.

Leave a comment...

Are you an exercise addict?

OK. I'm back. Sort of. I did go and tackle that silly Midnight Mansion game...taa daa! Mommy is not so lame after all!! Then, I was done. And I didn't come back here. My bad...

So! I read an article in Fitness magazine that has stuck with me. The title was something along the lines of "Are you addicted to exercise?" It was an interesting article...gladly I can say "NO!" Especially today, when all I really want to do is sit and whine about my sore bum, sore hamstrings and quads, sore deltoids (!) (exclamation point! ~ because I usually can't work my delts long enough to get them sore as my shoulder joint tends to whine before I reach the point of muscle fatigue.) AnyHoo!! Where was I? Oh, yes...I. am. sore.

I enjoy exercise. I teach BootCamp 3x a week...really the name just sounds tough. I do a variety of lighter weight, higher rep exercises, usually hitting most muscle groups with occasional cardio bursts. It's not a cake walk, but not like the Army, I dare say. And I lead a group cycle class 2x a week. We all sit on special bikes made for group cycling and do whatever circuit I have come up with...like stand on a hill (resistance turned up), sit with a sprint, jumps...whatever I decide goes with the group of songs I have put together on a CD. Then, on Monday, I got a call from the Y. Could I take the TTh pm BootCamp class too? Uh...NO! Michael said not both, one would be OK. I guess he really doesn't want to see me grouchy because I am totally exhausted! So, for the next 6 weeks, I have added Tues eve BootCamp from 5:30-6:30pm...followed by Wed morning BootCamp from 6-7am. Do the math...less than 12 hours apart...woe is me...;-)

So this article talked about some women who would get up early and go for a run, you know, 6 miles or something, before going to work. Oh, and they'd walk or bike to work. Then they'd grab a quick Yoga class at lunch, and they'd pop into the gym after work to swim a couple miles. I'm thinking, "Do you have a life? Like, when do you get your laundry done? Must not have kids?" I don't know...One lady said she was ashamed to admit she turned her husband (maybe boyfriend, can't remember) down on a weekend he had planned out of town because she didn't want to miss her planned workouts. WOW! Now, these ladies are addicts! The article told of some of these people actually getting help, counseling, for the addiction. It's a real problem...

Me? I can skip it if I want. That said, I like that I lead the exercise groups. Otherwise I wouldn't be at the Y at 6am, and then I have to drag my kids into daycare, and out...(sometimes that's harder!). I like my exercise. It's helped me lose 25#, give or take depending on the week. I hope to lose up to 60#...a lofty goal, but achievable. I have lost, thanks to exercise, over 25 inches too! And that's exciting! Still, I am glad to know I am NOT an exercise addict. If I can find someone to sub my class, I'll gladly go away for the weekend...