My Hero

I got the privilege of being part of my dad's retirement festivities this week. I use the word "privilege" because I am so proud of my dad and his accomplishments in life. He's been my hero as long as I can remember....someone I've always looked up to as a father, husband and now a grandpa. Both my brother and I are quick to go to him if we need sound advice or a listening ear. In fact, if you take out the word LOVE in 1Cor.13:4-7 it would describe my dad perfectly. My dad is..." patient, kind, is not envious, is not boastful or proud. He is not rude or self seeking and does not get easily angered. He keeps no records of wrong, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres." In my eyes my dad is the most perfect human on Earth. He leads by example and does not judge. He works hard and ALWAYS puts everyone else before himself.
I learned this week, however, that I am not the only person that sees him in this way. On Monday he had a retirement luncheon. My family and I walked into a conference room that was standing room only....and they were only serving pizza and coke. Everyone kept coming up to me and telling me what I already know....my dad is a great man. It really sunk in Tuesday, though. He had a going away reception and people couldn't even get into the room because so many people had shown up. People who had retired years ago came for the celebration because my dad was that influential in their life. Several people got up to talk about my dad and the impact he's had on their life. My brother ended the speeches with one of his own, a heartfelt one that portrayed my dad perfectly. He talked about how calm my dad is, how nothing ruffles him, how his family always comes first, how he is a role model. He told stories that reflected my dad's character, one of integrity and dedication. It was my honor to be part of the festivities, learning that he's influenced so many with his life.
I would love to tell him "Happy Retirement" but I can't. I can't because he is going back to work.....tomorrow! He enjoyed retirement for one day and will go back as a consultant (there's a fancy name for his title but I can't remember-or spell-it) tomorrow. He was going to take an entire week off before going back part time but an emergency came up and his predecessor has other things to deal with. So, Dad, I hope you enjoyed your one day of retirement, that it was everything you hoped for and then some! We love you and are proud of you!!!

Let the Busyness Begin

This past weekend was the calm before the storm as we are super busy for the next month or so. Today I leave for Sacramento for a few days to celebrate my dad working for the state of California for over 30 years. He has a retirement luncheon today and a "Going Away" (He'll only be gone a week because he's decided to go back to work as a consultant next week) reception tomorrow. When Preston and I get back to this side of the mountain we have some fun "Mommy and Me" events planned the rest of the week. From there we have something happening every weekend: Easter, my Hunter's Ed class, a couple 3D shoots, the Komen's Walk in Sacto.(Mother's Day weekend), my mom's birthday (The age is disclosed but hint: It's a big one!). Sandwiched in between our busy weekends I have "Mommy and Me" activities, dr appts, a "Girl's Night Out", my book club meeting, Spring cleaning, painting, evening runs with Michelle, family date nights . So much fun stuff! I love this time of year because people come out of hibernation and are ready to be social again. Busy times here we come!!

Da Run

This morning Michelle and I conquered our second 5k. I say conquered because it's the coldest I've ever been since living in Reno. It was 27 degrees with a wind chill factor thrown in. Luckily, I grabbed my snowboard beenie before heading out the door. The race was under way and we made our way forward, pushing past the overweight walkers that started the race at the same time (I think there should be different starts for different categories). At first I was bummed because the start of the race was congested and slowed us down quite a bit. But the further we ran the more pumped up I became. I thought just the opposite would happen since my only form of exercise since Tuesday has been stuffing sugar cookies in the mouth. Maybe that's the trick though because I felt great! I even took off my beenie and hoodie halfway through because I was warming up and enjoying the morning chill. Unfortunately Michelle pulled a back muscle somewhere around the middle of the race. She contemplated walking but pushed through the pain. At the finish I did my usual sprint, putting me about 30 seconds in front of Michelle. When it was all said and done we were a minute behind last week's time. (My dad said they didn't start the race until the clock had 10 seconds on it which doesn't seem fair either) But, given the start of the race, I think we actually improved our time. I felt so good I could've run another mile or so but instead I climbed back into my warm car and drove to the donut shop where my parents and I rewarded ourselves with a delicious donut! Another 5k under our belt and feeling great......

Spring!

Spring means different things to different people. To some it means exercise. To others it means turkey season. Yet to others it means gardening. To me it means warmer weather, house projects and a busier schedule. This year it also means Preston is that much closer to being a toddler instead of a baby. Too soon he'll be walking and talking, being more independent. For this week it means me doing some major Spring cleaning in our downstairs closet. I've taken out several Tupperware tubs, going through them to give things away or toss stuff. So far I have two "Give Away boxes" and a big pile of garbage to be tossed. On top of Spring cleaning I'm also giving our kitchen a facelift. My running partner, neighbor and friend Michelle encouraged me to start painting rooms because it's the cheapest way to make major changes. So, yesterday I took the plunge and started painting. I only have the high parts left as well as some touch up but I'm really impressed with how much a little color can make a room look brand new. The last, and most important, thing Spring means to me is exercise! I've been running 2-3 times a week with Michelle. On the days I don't run I take Preston for a long walk, enjoying the warm weather. Yesterday I took him to a local playground, where we went on swings for the first time. He loved it and I realized it's a good workout for my legs (I hold him on my lap-TIGHT-and do the swinging while he does the laughing) so we may have to do that more. Spring means a lot more projects are on the horizon but right now it means cleaning, painting and exercise.

Overrated.....

Yesterday Preston laid down for a nap. I rarely nap anymore but, even though I was not tired, I decided to lay down. I ended up taking about an hour nap. Not thinking anything about it, I got up when Rob got home and continued the day. After dinner Preston was tired so while I was holding him he fell asleep. He woke up about a half hour before his usual bedtime so I gave him a bath, fed him and got him ready for bed. About a half hour after his usual bedtime I tried to put him to sleep. But, he wasn't going to have anything to do with that. He cried and screamed even though Rob and I kept going in and consoling him. Finally I got him out of his crib and held him awhile while he calmed down (Usually Rob does this but I decided to give him a break). Thinking he was ready for bed, I put him back in his crib 45 minutes past his bedtime. He cried and screamed for several minutes before falling asleep. I tried to go to bed shortly after but could not fall asleep. I tossed and turned, watching the minutes pass on the clock. I don't know what time I finally fell asleep but when I did I had a weird dream about having a baby girl in an ant infested hospital. I woke up from that dream and did not want to go back to sleep. My conclusion....naps are overrated! In the long run they make life miserable so I'd rather stay tired all day than to nap and not sleep at night.

Mama and Dada's Fun Saturday

Yesterday was one of the most fun days I've had recently and it's because we were enjoying being outside and being with friends. It started out with a 5k run that my friend, Michelle, and I did. We've been running a few times a week since the weather got nice and were excited to do our first official run together. Michelle wanted to finish in 32-38 minutes but I was determined to finish in under 30 minutes. I won't lie and say it was easy. Even though we've been running we're both still getting into shape so there was a point I just wanted to walk and catch my breath. But, Michelle kept pushing me and it paid off. I finished in 29 mins,23 secs.! After the run Rob and Preston had some bonding time at Scheels while I got pampered with a pedicure...the perfect finish to any race, long or short. We got home and then got ready for some people to come over for an archery shoot. For our first shoot we had 6 people participate. It was a lot of fun and I realized I shoot better than I gave myself credit for. Of course Rob won the shoot but his friend John gave him some competition. We topped off the day with a BBQ, having our next door neighbors join the fun. It was a perfect day!
This morning Rob had to face reality and go back to work (Boo!). The worst part of it is that he missed Preston saying "Da Da" for the first time. I called him and Preston said it on the phone though so he got to hear it. Preston has been saying "Ma Ma" for awhile now (The first time was before Christmas) so we've been working on "Da Da" a lot. It made me so proud to hear him say it. Now he's been saying it non-stop. I love it!

Alas!

I am awake before the sun is up this morning but it's by choice. It's because I went to bed shortly after the sun went down last night. I had a great day with Preston and Rob, topped off with a little BBQing last night but I could barely keep my eyes open. Most night, after Preston goes to sleep, I take a hot bath and read. Last night I was falling asleep in the tub so I decided to go to bed early. By the time Rob was done showering I was down for the count. I woke up a few times during the night, trying to remember any dreams but I couldn't! I was SOOOOOOO happy about this revelation! I slept pretty sound until 5:30 when my body decided it was time to get up.
We have a fun day planned so maybe I was just excited about it all....a 5k this morning (my first in 2 years), a pedicure, an archery shoot at the house and some friends over for a BBQ tonight. What a fun Saturday! I'm glad I slept good last night so I'll have energy for all of it.

Finding My Niche

This blog is a moment of truth for me. This past year has been difficult, one of soul searching. I have wanted to be a mom as long as I could remember but I didn't know I'd struggle so much with finding my place in the world. For 10 of the last 12 years I've been identified as a teacher. The other 2 years I was a supervisor with several staff members under me. So, I've taken on a leadership role since college. This past year I've become a mom, one that stays at home with a wonderful baby boy. I love my days with him, watching him grow and change so much. But, something was missing for me.
Over the Winter is when I decided we needed to get out more. He and I are both so social so a couple months I signed him/us for a couple mommy and me groups. I met some moms but still was not feeling like I had found my niche....until this week. One of the mommy and me organizers asked me to be a co-organizer. I finally felt like I was needed by more than just Preston. As he gets older we'll be able to go on all kind of adventures but right now I am content with the couple groups we're part of....and the fact that I've found my niche.

Dreamland

I would give almost anything to put my head on the pillow and drift into a dreamless night. Or at least not be able to remember my dreams. Ever since I was pregnant I have very active dreams that usually cause me to be more tired when I wake up than I was when I went to bed. Last night I dreamt that Rob was going to have cousins visit from Idaho and I was stressed about making pot roast. They kept complaining they were hungry because there was a 4 hour time difference and it was 11pm their time (WHAT???). But, they wanted to go to a carnival that was in someone's rafters so I decided to make meatballs instead. I kept trying to get ahold of my mom to get the recipe and when I did she told me just to add whip cream to the meat. (Again....WHAT?). I woke up from that dream leaving the non-existent cousins hungry to fall asleep into a weirder dream. I was going to go to a funeral wearing a camo ball cap and formal gown. For some reason there were a lot of people from my old school there so I asked one of the girls if I could use her curling iron to fix my hair. I did that while they blared the radio, rapped and played instruments, entertaining guests as they arrived. The dream went on from there and only got weirder.
The other night I dreamt Preston was back in ICU but it was really a Dennys. So Rob met up with some friends and ate at a booth while Preston was in an incubator across the room from them. Then apparently I was still teaching and asked the principal to bus my students to the ICU/Dennys so I could continue teaching.
I could write a book on all the weird dreams I have. It'd be nice to make money off them since they're not doing me any good in any other form. So, when I say I'm tired and you want to question it because I stay at home just read this blog and you'll understand why.

Heart Failure

Last night Preston gave both of us heart failure. It started at dinner when I put Preston's usual array of cut up fruit on his highchair tray. Now this boy loves his food! He grabs it by the handful and crams what he can into his mouth all at once. Just as Rob put his first bite in his mouth we heard a gagging sound. We looked over and Preston had a mouthful of blueberries and nectarine pieces. He coughed it up right away (a lovely sight mind you) so we continued eating. Less than a minute later the scene replayed itself but this time Rob grabbed him and got the food out. The third time's a charm so when we heard the gagging sounds I jumped up, scooped the food out of his mouth and took it off his tray, much to Preston's horror. I replaced the fruit with Cheerios and we were able to finish our family meal with no more problems.
After dinner I gave Preston his bath, something he loves. He usually sits there, playing with his ball and trucks, splashing a little. Not last night! He kept trying to stand up in the tub. When he wasn't succeeding with that stunt he started crawling. The bath mat came up so the tub was slippery. He face planted several times, getting a face full of water in the process. I usually let him play quite awhile before washing him but I couldn't handle all the "fun" so he got washed pretty fast and taken to safety. Our lil guy gave us enough heart failure last night to last awhile!

Badges of Love

I was inspired to write this short poem today. I was standing in line at Walmart, looked down and saw spit up all over the inside of my purse. I put on a clean shirt to go running, picked Preston up and had "Vegetable Medley" smeared on it. So, enjoy this short but sweet poem......


Badge of Love

There’s food in my purse and food in my hair
But, going out in public what do I care?
My shirt has a stain as big as a baby’s hand
Sleepless nights make my eyes feel full of sand
My car smells of baby I was recently told
But the smell, in my opinion, never gets old
I can handle the spit up, the diapers, the mess
These small badges of love are the very best!

Amazing Kiddo

Going to the memorial service has really made me ponder some things. All the way back to Reno yesterday I was deep in thought. In fact, I was going to blog about some of the stuff but don't usually enjoy blogging about "heavy" stuff so alas I will blog about my favorite subject: our lil cowboy!
He came down with a cold early last week and has been running a fever off and on since then. After our dr visit on Thursday, I was hoping we'd be done with the dr until his 9 month check up in a few weeks (9 months already???). But, I was wrong. Over the weekend he had a nose bleed and continued to run a fever off and on. So, today I broke down and called our pediatrician. After examining him he said it's the worse case scenario: he has a cold. There's nothing that can be done that we're not already doing. It just has to run its course. (Poor snot-nosed baby!) Both his dr and nurse made comments about how happy he is despite having a cold.
After the dr visit we had to go get his blood drawn for the periodic check to make sure the medicine isn't messing with his system. We went to a new place to avoid the wait and the phlebotomist didn't want to draw his blood for fear of making him cry. I told her that he didn't usually cry and he proved me RIGHT! He just sat there and smiled at both ladies until it was over......then he cried when I put him back in the stroller.
We came home and, despite his morning, he played and talked and pet Holly. I really do fear having a second child because he has spoiled us with being so perfect. He is one amazing kiddo, a tough lil cowboy!!

In Loving Memory

Yesterday Preston and I made it over the mountain to go to a memorial service. I can't say I'm a fan of mourning friends' deaths but I thought the service was beautifully put together. The thing I enjoyed, other than the slideshow, was people's testimonies. The thing that kept getting brought up was what a Godly man John was, one that put others before himself. It got me thinking on my drive back today about how many men I could say that about. There's not many that have one of those qualities let alone both of them. It seems like the more people have the more self centered they get. But, that wasn't the case with John. I learned that he could've chosen several different jobs that paid more but he chose the one he enjoyed, one where he made lifelong friends. He devoted his life to serving others even in small gestures. One of my friends got up and shared about how, when his mom was dying a couple months ago, John showed up with coffee and just sat with him for awhile. It's things like that that go a long way, that made his memory that much more memorable. John made the most of life, giving to others and creating memories that his family will continue to reflect on. Even though John's not with us anymore his loving memory will always live on because his time on Earth effected so many!

God is Good

I don't often use this blog as a testimony to God's goodness but I feel the need to do so today. There have been two blessings in our life in the past 24 hours that have been huge! For those of you that know me well know that I stress about money a lot. Being down to one income has stretched (and strengthened) us. We have our needs met and some of our wants but it still gets hard at times. This week has been one of those times. Yesterday, as I was stressing about finances, we got an unexpected check that was going to tie us over until payday. Then this morning I got a call that our refi that we submitted in November FINALLY got approved. The bank feels bad that it took so long and will compensate us for the hassle. Another huge answer to prayer!
The other blessing/miracle concerns our lil guy. Yesterday I was on my way back up the hill when Preston began screaming uncontrollably. By now I should know that he only does that when something is wrong but I figured he was overly tired and had dropped his pacifier. We got home and when I got him in the house I noticed that there was blood ALL over the right side of his face and ear. Fresh blood was in his ear. Since he's been sick the past few days the first thing that came to mind is that his ears didn't pop coming up the grade and that his eardrum exploded. I took him in for an emergency dr visit and the dr initially thought the same thing. After giving him a thorough examination he discovered that somehow Preston had scratched his ear canal pretty bad and that was the cause of the blood. He said within 72 hours it should be completely healed. PTL!! I was glad to know it wasn't a serious problem.
So, God is good! He answers spoken and unspoken prayers, taking care of us and providing for us beyond what we could ever dream of!

Pillows and Boogers

So, how important is a pillow? I've been on a hunt for the perfect pillow for months now, ever since my favorite pillow could not be salvaged and the store that sold it went out of business. I've tried extra firm support for the back sleepers, firm support for the side sleepers and finally broke down to try the regular one designed for all sleepers. Like Goldilocks, none of them worked until..... I discovered Rob's pillow! Every morning when he goes to work I roll over to his side of the bed and get the best hour of sleep. So, unannounced to him, I stole his pillow the other night before he came to bed. Having his pillow gave me the best night sleep I've had in quite awhile. The same happened the next night. By the third night I confessed to him that I had taken his pillow. Lucky for me, he's not as possessive as I am and just said he wondered why his pillow was so flat all of a sudden (I gave him the regular one for all sleepers). He didn't even ask for it back!!!!
That's a good thing because I've needed good sleep lately to deal with a sick lil guy. He has a cold and yesterday he was running a fever with it. Preston used to like getting his face wiped but now he covers it every time he sees me coming with a Kleenex. He also doesn't like getting the boogers sucked out by that big bulb. But, hey, that's the only way he'll feel better. Like my dad always told me, you have to get it out of your system to feel better. So, bearing no fever today, I'd like to think he's on the road to recovery but I'll keep ya updated.

Preston's Latest

Yesterday I took Preston took a music class to preview it. He was not a fan! He sat there and chomped on a maraca the entire time. He didn't even want to play with his little friend, Evan, and he always wants to crawl after him. After the class and visiting Rob at work we went to Walmart. He was so excited to sit in the cart, getting attention from the old ladies. On the way out to the car he started laughing when we went over the "bumps". I found it ironic because he used to scream every time we went to Walmart. I used to dread going there and avoided it at all costs when he was a newborn because Preston hated it. Now he laughs and squeals while we're there.
Another latest with Preston is that he seems to believe that the early bird gets the worm. He now likes to wake before the sun comes up, which started when we went to Elko. Last night I tried to keep him up later because he had taken a late nap but he made it 5 minutes before his bedtime before falling asleep in my arms. So, the past few mornings he's woken up around 5:30 and I bring him to bed with me. He lays there, kicking me and clawing at my face until he falls back to sleep. I'm hoping that Daylight Savings will help cure this problem because I've actually been sleeping good the past few nights. Luckily, he only breaks his routine for a week or so and then things go back to normal.
Well, I'd write more but it's off to Walmart we go......

Rob for Sheriff!!

The county sheriff election is coming up later this year and everyone is taking it very seriously. We have a community chat room where residents are posting their concerns about the candidates and basically bashing every little thing they've done. Rob decided to lighten the mood on the chat room and posted this:

hello,
my name is rob herrington and i am a legal resident of storey county. i have several plans for storey county and i feel the best way to pursue these goals is to run for storey county sheriff. there are several benefits to having me as your sheriff. i already have my own hat, so that will save the county money. also, i have my own horse, so i wont be needing a car. however, due to the temperment of my horse, i will be needing really good health insurance. i will fight to protect the mice and rabbits that are in danger in the highlands, especially those that reside around the cartwright/sazarac area. as far as tougher laws go, this is my main goal. if you are proven guilty in the court of law for severe crimes, there will be no waiting period. i just dont understand the whole fattening up for the kill at taxpayers expense. i also have a great idea for how to make that happen. you get a 15 yard head start and 12 of us will start slinging arrows. this cuts down on me killing the coyotes because i get target practice and the criminal is dealt with. these are some of the things i will do as your sheriff. im rob herrington, and im running for storey county sheriff. this ad is approved by jim poston, and friends of rob herrington for sheriff.


I laughed HYSTERICALLY by the time I was done reading it. There are some inside jokes so if you didn't find it over the top hilarious then maybe that's why. Anyway, I hope it at least put a smile on your face.
P.S. There have been people supporting him so hopefully his name doesn't turn up on the ballot as it was a joke.

Bittersweet Weekend

On Friday afternoon I picked Rob up from work and we took off for Elko. He had a 3D shoot and we were going to make a weekend out of it. On the way there, I found out that a friend passed away unexpectedly. He had had cancer, then was cancer free, but had chosen to have an elective surgery to make sure it wouldn't come back. Then he died suddenly from a complication following the surgery (even though he had been home for a week). That put a little cloud over the weekend for me because I couldn't stop thinking about how sudden his death was. He and I had communicated via Facebook earlier this week then he's gone. But, even with a heavy heart, we still had a nice weekend. We met up with our friend Paul and enjoyed a DELICIOUS Basque meal at the Star. After dinner we went back to the hotel and had a "slumber party" (Preston was next to our bed in the Pack-N-Play). Yesterday morning we got to Rob's shoot. Luckily, Paul and his roommate were there because it is a very boring spectator sport. After 6 hours of shooting the tournament was over. We wanted to have dinner at the Star again but the wait was too long. We debated staying another night but decided against it. So, we got on the road and made the long drive home. This morning Rob and Preston had a "Father/Son" time at the Elk Foundation exhibition while I went to church. Once we got home, I watched the rest of the Sprint Cup race then went for a short run. While Preston napped Rob and I both shot our bows. Now I'm watching the opening of the Oscars while Rob does stuff outside. Even though I was sad about another friend passing away so suddenly, it was nice to spend time with my boys this weekend.

Bottle, Roller and a Scream

A couple days ago Preston was on the ground, surrounded by toys. Yet the only thing he wanted to play with was my empty water bottle. The next day we got ready to head out but I wanted to clean the Holly hair off him so I got out the lint roller. He laughed so hard while I tried to get the hair off him. Later that day I gave him the roller to play with. He LOVED it! I told Rob that he doesn't need toys because he's content with empty water bottles and lint rollers.
Last night I put him to bed then Rob and I watched TV. About an hour later Preston started screaming. I rushed in to calm him down to no avail. After a few minutes I picked him up and rocked him. It took awhile but he finally calmed down and went back to sleep. It gave Rob and I a little startle because he's never done that before. Maybe he had a bad dream or maybe he had gas pains??? Either way I'm glad he was able to fall back to sleep and sleep the rest of the night without anymore screaming.

Make It Stop!!

8 months already??? Make time stop please! Preston came into the world 8 months ago (tomorrow) and how our world has changed so much! I've said it all so I won't say it again. But, in the past couple weeks Preston's two bottom teeth have come in, he's crawling all over the place and trying to start pulling himself up. I think the crawling and pulling himself up has to do with watching the kids at his Gymboree classes, but either way he's growing up too fast. He's also getting over his separation anxiety, enjoying being around others. I know it'll be YEARS before he can drive a car but it seems like just yesterday he could barely hold his head up on his own. Then it seems like he couldn't sit up on his own. It's just happening too fast! Rob and I are not the kind of parents that say, "Oh, it'll be nice when he can talk" or "It'll be nice once he starts school". We enjoy every milestone and realize the next one is right around the corner. The only thing we are ready to be over with is his first year and that's ONLY because of his medical history. But, with the rest of it I'd like each milestone to last months before we move on to the next one. AHHHHH, make time stop!!