I like this....

"Privacy is not a right that should be expected in a relationship, but more of a gift that is given as an expression of trust. " via an internet friend.

It's close!!!!

The hardwood floors are going in RIGHT NOW! Yippee! The Copper Hood fan was installed, the plumber put the hot water tank in....stuff is getting finished..... The end really is in sight!

Ok - my sister just arrived and we are going out for some martini's....

So I'd better post my 5 positive thoughts about my honey for this past week....

1) He has been working so hard - 7 straight days last week on the new house trying to get it finished so we can finally move into it.

2) He got up early on Saturday morning and did all of the dishes (there were lots!) and cleaned up the kitchen before he went to work. Normally Jordan does the dishes but he was working lots and spending the rest of his time at Folk Fest, so they were stacked up. Noah was having a newly made friend sleepover that day and I was concerned that the house be somewhat tidy before her arrival. BTW - Anthony NEVER does the dishes.

3) He shopped for and made healthy dinners two nights in a row this week - without me even asking or hinting. He told me afterwards that he didn't want me to think that I was the only one responsible for cooking dinners.

4) He helped our friend move some of her things to her new house yesterday even after working all day and being dead-tired and me knowing he didn't really feel like it.

5) He has been helping Noah purge, clean and pack up her room each evening for a couple of hours for our upcoming move.

6) He has been more affectionate and easy to be around all week. This may be because I have been affectionate and easy to be around as well.

It really is so nice to be able to sit and think of all of the good things going on!

My self-care for the past week (or so)

So along with my 5 positive thoughts about my DH each week - I am going to try and post 5 things that I did for my own self-care each week.
Self care being...taking care of number one - myself!!!

So lets see... I think I have to actually a little past a week...bad me!

1) I got my self a cute little pedicure!

2) I had a great 50 minute massage at our hotel in Denver...it actually hurt for DAYS afterwards...so I know it was good! ha ha

3) I went to see my therapist...it seems like weird "self-care" but it is exactly that!

4) I decided not to go into work tomorrow so I can sleep in a little and go with DH for a nice long walk with the dogs.

5) I made a nice healthy dinners this week and have been making sure that I take my vitamins, fiber and goji each day for my health!

Ok - so the goal is to actually be able to find 5 things that I do EACH WEEK just for myself! I know that sounds easy - but for me, obviously not so. I'll try again for next week!

Oh what a busy month!

It's been a couple weeks since I posted and we have been busy, busy busy! I just can't seem to settle into a nice calm life...it just turns to chaos, it seems.

But I did not want to miss posting my positive thoughts about my hubby...

1) DH did not complain about the fact that I went for a pedicure and a leg/under arm/bikini wax last week.

2) Had a lovely time at an MX race that DH was in and he didn’t even get upset when he ran out of gas and had to push his dirt bike across the finish line. It was a great day of just hanging out.

3) After about 7 months without one, DH finally went and got a new propane tank for our BBQ yesterday and even re-arranged the deck area so it is more efficient. (This is funny, as I have complained about not having a tank or being able to use the BBQ before but have tried hard not to say much about it for the past month or so, yet Monday his dad asked him to go bring him a filled tank…which he promptly did!)

4) DH has been pretty snuggly in the mornings before I get out of bed. Love to wake up and feel him reach out to me before I have to jump out of bed.

5) DH complimented me on the dinner I made last night. (I am trying to cook more!) I'm making a roast with veggies tonight.

6) Bonus - had a great time in Denver for DH's friends wedding even though I only knew a couple of people there. DH made sure I met lots of people and had fun

being positive

So I'm still reading "that book" that I was talking about a few posts ago...the one where I won't maybe post the name just yet...(gotta see how this plays out, first! ha ha)...but there is a group of women that also subscribe to the theories in the book that have an Internet group that I belong to and one of the things you must do each week is share 5 positive things about your husband.

Because I know that I am not perfect...and I know that I tend to hide affection and emotion...this is my new accountability to being positive about my husband. This can - and maybe should, also be done for your children...but this is where I am starting...
so here is me being positive...

5 positive things that I must say about my spouse this week....

1) I appreciate that my husband is here at home with me...right now...waiting patiently for me to get off the computer.

2) I love that my husband went on a wild goose chase looking for "Collins" glasses and "parfait" spoons at the mall one day.

3) I'm grateful that my husband drove my DD and the girl she is babysitting to swimming lessons this week.

4) I was happy that my husband took our friend and myself to earls (after her wedding shower) for martini's when I know he would have rather went home to bed.

5) I appreciate that my husband was nice to me when I had a bit of a hangover after said martini's.

Not too hard...but it took a little bit of thinking.

Being Blah...

It's Monday. And I had to work. And it's rainy. And the living room windows leaked all over the floor. And it's "Stampede" time - yay - not. And the new house isn't ready. And the old house isn't ready. And I have PMS. What else could make a Monday more Blah?

aaaaaargh.......

Ok - let's be more positive here!

I did have coffee (well, I had green tea!) this afternoon at Starbucks with a friend, which was lovely. Actually - I would not really have considered her a friend until now. She is a friend of Anthony's family - someone that he grew up with - and in the 10 years that we have been together - she has been away for most it - going to school , living & working overseas. Anyways - whenever she came home, we always enjoyed a dinner at my in-laws or something and I've always thought she was pretty cool. So Saturday I went to her wedding shower...and together we had a great time enjoying lots and lots of wine. Then we convinced my husband to take us to Earls for martini's...and you KNOW I love those yummy babies! So...we got pretty happy and quite enjoyed ourselves. And today we went for a tea and a chat and it was quite nice - something that I will look forward to again in the near future.

Oh yeah and Anthony's brother and his wife have moved home from Australia! It was great to spend some time with them this weekend...besides a quick visit last year, it's been a couple of years! After a few hours though, it was like they had never left! Weird.
And Thursday I am getting together with both of my sisters-in-law...It has been a while since all of us have been living in the same city...so it should be fun. We are the three "Mrs. Palaschuk's"...married into it.

Tomorrow I am going to my second personal therapy session...we are looking back at childhood trauma and how it can (or has?) manifested into PTSS. It's funny - the more reading I do on the subject, the more I realize that I had a screwed up upbringing. I mean - I knew my life was not your typical Brady Bunch family...but I've always felt above it though...like I overcame and prospered because of it. But maybe I've been wrong? Maybe *I* AM the problem...ha ha
Anyways...I'm open. I'm into healing what's wounded. We'll see.

Jordan got a second job and is working lots of hours...finally! That lazy bum! He has a lot of saving to do to make it to Europe for a term abroad.
And Noah has a babysitting job this summer. Watching a girl from the gym who is just a couple years younger. She seems to be enjoying it and I know she loves the moolah! She is still saving away hoping to have enough to go to Disneyworld with her friend in the fall.
I hope she saves enough, because I am trying to convince Anthony that would be a perfect time to have our "real" honeymoon!

Ok - we did have a real honeymoon - we went on an Alaskan Cruise. (WITH OUR WHOLE FAMILY TOO!) So maybe you can see why I have always wanted another one...just the two of us.
For our anniversary this year, Anthony gave me a choice of three things:
1) A traditional Hawaiian Vacation
2) Another Alaskan Cruise
3) A return trip to Puerto Moralis

But I have another idea....we have always wanted to go to Australia (Anthony's mom's heritage) and have never found the time or a babysitter...or the money. But if Noah is already gone for almost two weeks...then I would only have to find someone to watch her for another two weeks and we could take a whole month off! We could do New Zealand, Rarotonga &/or Australia....now THAT is a honeymoon!
I would have to take that time off of work...but it would be worth it! Anthony is pretty flexible...I mean we don't even know what he'll be doing in a month let alone 4 months...so we can make that work.
As for money - I have plenty of aeroplan points to use up - so we could get there no problem. We have friends of friends in New Zealand and Anthony's family in Australia. Maybe we'll even sell one of the houses by then...then there are no worries! I think its the perfect plan.
Anyway - just need to get the hubby on board! He likes the idea in general...or a "loose" plan...but I need it nailed down. Concrete. I need a REAL LIVE PLAN! Ah...there is that patience thing again.

So what else....?
Ah yes...my good friend Melissa and her family came for a visit. Although I didn't feel like we had a lot of time to just hang out and catch up and relax, it was still great. It's so cool too because we met on-line! She is such a good friend and an inspiration. Hopefully we will make it out her way soon as well. I should say that we do catch up on facebook...that wonderful time sucker!

To the minute update...
1 - Taz just peed in the laundry room on the floor and on my wonderful new sweater!!! Bad dog!
1.2 - I'm now doing a load of laundry.
2 - I'm making meatballs for dinner. The kind from M&M's so don't think I went all Julia Child here or anything.

So that is it for today. My blah ('ish) Monday!

And then July begins....

It's been more of the same around here.

Since I last posted, Anthony & I went back to Compeer for another race - but this was a Hare Scramble, rather than an Enduro Cross that we went there for last time. Anthony did AMAZING! Maybe because we were there racing a month ago so he was a little more familiar with the terrain and the obstacles they threw in. He was 4th in the first motto and 2nd in the second motto which gave him 3rd AA - a great start for this series!!!

Last weekend we went to Raymond for the Provincials & Amateur Western Nationals. It was three days for Enduro Cross racing....in crazy heat and wind and dust galore. Anthony woke up sick on the Wednesday with a cough, sore throat and runny nose and achy etc. He was not a happy camper...and was being a bit of baby if I do say so! he he But he went to the track and luckily for him, there were not enough entrants to justify holding a qualifier round...so one less race each day for them! He did ok - you could tell he was tired and did not have the energy to beat the top guy. The two others are about the same skill level...but he just didn't have enough energy to overtake them. He came in 4th in the first two days races. But on day three...he was on fire! He rallied and battled for the 2nd place spot! I was so proud of him. Considering in his practise run he sprung a leak in his oil line and was thinking he might not even be able to race. But he was able to do some repair work..and got back in the game! So after the Enduro Cross series...he is 3rd overall! Whoo Hoo - way to go! I'm sure much thanks should go to his ever supportive wife....Ahem.

We booked our flights for Denver today...Anthony's good friend Chad is getting married in two weeks. We have 4 out of town weddings this summer...lot's of fun!
It seems like EVERYONE is getting married and/or having babies this summer. Sigh. Let's not even bother going there.

Noah goes back to gym tomorrow. We have not signed her 07-08 contract yet. Hmmmm. Not gonna say much about that either.
I've been feeling very much removed from the gym lately...a good thing. I still have things to do to finish up...but I feel free and no sense of obligation to continue volunteering my life away for a bunch of ungrateful, whiny, SOB's.......OK - and I digress.....

So it's July. Only 9 weeks of summer left...what a pessimist, huh? I can't help it. I really can't stand being here anymore...I'd rather be almost anywhere than here. I'd like to be with my family and my husband of course...but not here. I need a change of scenery.
BTW - the North Haven House....yup...you got it...still not done. In fact, not really any further along than when I posted two weeks ago. I'm trying so hard not to speak openly negative about it...I hope this doesn't count!

Ok - time for more Soprano's. I have not watched TV in about 10 weeks! But we are renting the Soprano's series and watching it from the beginning. And I wonder why I am saying so many more unflattering swear words of late! bad me!