What a Great 4th in DC

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A collection of pictures from a great weekend for the 4th.

I’m back….atleast for this post.

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OK, so it’s been a while since my last post. I guess I’m just not disciplined at this. Anyway, my boyfriend, Ryan and I were talking about all the pictures I take and how can I share them. Of course I thought of Flickr, but then remembered this blog. So the good news, for those who care, is that I’ll try harder to post more pictures of our adventures. Warning though – you see more dog pics than of me. ha ha.

I’ll start with the 2010 Annual Yacht Club Poker Set.

New Job, New City, New Friends

I was looking at my last blog post…being bored. I’m happy to report that bored is the last thing I am now.

This past September I relocated to the DC area for a new job. An old boss (she’s not old) contacted me to come work for her. I was excited to have the opportunity to work with her again. She has been a mentor to me and is always challenging me to the next level. My new job has been everything I dreamed of and so much more.

I manage a team of online marketing pros over 4 different companies. We’re in the publishing business in many different verticles.  Every day is a new challenge and there is so much to learn. I have not been disappointed. Life is grand and I’m happy I made the move.

This area is great…so much to do and see. You’d have to be a hermit to be bored living here. Although I travel a few times a month, I’ve had a couple weeks to check out the city. So far the best kept secret that a great new friend has shared is a dance party called FatBack. It is only held every third Saturday in the city. We attempted to go in November, but The Washington Post wrote an article about it the previous week and so the entire city knew about it. We couldn’t get in. However, since we were in the city and a great area, just went to another bar and ended the evening at Ben’s Chili Bowl. Ben had just passed away, so I learned about this DC landmark through the news. It was great food, but better atmosphere.

Being Bored

This week a friend of mine updated her status on Facebook saying something to the affect that being bored means you have nothing to worry about. I thought about this, mostly because I can find life to be boring.

I’m not the type that looks for drama to keep me busy. In fact I have no patients for people like that. I cure my boredom by doing things. Being bored lead me to grad school, wich helped me professionally. I also built my own house. That kept me unbored for about 14 months and also begging to be bored. I’ve volunteered my time and as a result my parents adopted a little girl with no family.  I’ve gone on vacation, although that proves to be a short-term and expensive solution. Then I’ve moved, took on a new job in a new town and when that got old, I started working on the house I bought.

Now I’m back to being bored. Last fall I bought a little speed boat that when it’s not at the mechanic, I love taking out. Actually the boat doesn’t fit in the “things to be unbored” since it really fits in the “money-pit” category. Anyway, I am back to finding the next big thing in my life. I haven’t figured out what is next, but hope I figure it out soon, since I hate being bored.

Boating with the dogs

Charlie and River after a dip in the water

After a few trips to the mechanic I think I finally got my boat in shape for the summer. I am getting better at backing up the trailer and launching the boat by myself. I love going to the lake after work with the dogs. They swim and swim. I think they are finally figuring out that the life jackets actually work and keep them afloat. I’m ready for a summer of fun – bring on the heat!

Watching the sun set

Mother’s Day

Mom and Morgan Dec 05

For some reason this Mother’s Day is top of my mind. I think about all the mothers out there that do remarkable things for their children and families. This June will mark 3 years that my mom has died. I miss her today just as much as I did the moment I learn of her death. I think about how I am taking after her, even though our lives were so different. The one thing that remains solid in my mind about her is how gracious she was. She always did the right thing, no matter what.

Recently my Uncle (her brother-in-law) passed away. I traveled with my younger cousin to the funneral. We talked about our childhoods and how we remembered my mom. Robin, my cousin, remarked at how my mom attended all the major events in her life; high school graduation, 16th birthday, wedding, college graduation and so on. That was my mom. She always received an invitation and always went. Not because she felt obligated, but because it was the right thing to do. She supported everyone and she showed it by being there. Her gifts were always wrapped with bows and were appropriate for the event.

So today I think about how I can honor my mom on this Mother’s Day. If she were alive we would go shopping, have lunch and she might even talk me into going to Church with her. Regardless of what we would have done, we would have spent time together. I would hug her and tell her how much I love her, just like I did a few days before she died. She was the rock in our family. Unfortunatly I didn’t know that until she died. Our family is still close, but out of anger and not love. It is sad to me and my mom would be sad for us. This is not how she would want it, but she knew she couldn’t control other relationships.

Mom, Dad and Morgan

Since I’m only a mother to two golden retrievers I’ll spend mother’s day alone, but thinking about my mom. I’ll cry like I usually do when I talk to her and tell her how much I love her…just like I am right now. I feel blessed to have had such a great mom and thankful that I have half of her DNA. I hope I can someday live up to her expectations and do because it is the right thing.

I love you mom and miss you!

Before & After Floors

With 2 dogs my floors have taken a beating. It doesn’t help that they are dark and show every piece of dirt and dullness in the sunlight. I bit the bullet and had the downstairs sanded and refinished. Then, disgusted with the crappy carpet on my stairs and upstairs hallway, had the carpet replaced with new hardwoods. Here are the pictures of the before, during and after.

after refinished downstairs

hallway after

After: painting complete

After: Stairs and return

Weekend at the Beach

Morning walk on the beach with Charlie

Twitter: My New Addiction

For the past few days I have become addicted to Twitter. It all started with a post. That post grew to followers who I now follow. The majority of the posts are to great blogs and articles. Topics range from social media to skiing to world injustices. Regardless of the topic I love the content sharing. I would have never read or have seen so much in this short amount of time.

Snow Dogs

Pups enjoying the snow in the backyard

This week we had crazy weather. Last weekend it rained until everyone’s yard flooded. Then Sunday night it turned to snow. And now, a week later it is 70 degrees and sunny.

Since I miss the Utah snow, I’m posting these pictures of my dogs playing in the snow.