A Great Loss

This week on Tuesday we found out that one of Derek's best friends from kindergarten on was killed trying to save another man that was trying to commit suicide by train.  In the end he did save the suicidal man, but lost his own life.  When Derek came home from practice early that day, he was sobbing.  It is seriously a heartbreaking loss.  The kids and I left to go to the gym and I taught my classes in a fog.  Life is so fragile.  I feel blessed to have the gospel and blessed to have an amazing family.  But that doesn't insulate us from pain.  
Ben helped lighten the mood when we got home from the gym.  He went up to Derek who was in the office looking at the many posts on facebook remembering Phil.  Ben said, "Dad, you were crying and that isn't okay.  Big boys don't cry."  Derek had to smile.  It is hard to remember that the one we have lost would want us to be happy, not mournful.  
This is what Derek posted on facebook yesterday:
I am amazed and saddened at the selflessness that Philip showed in the final seconds of his life. Who knows what that other man was doing on the tracks? Phil didn't judge. He acted. He reached out and saved a life at the cost of his own. I miss him and always will but every time I remember him I will be reminded to reach out and help, to be kind, to be selfless. Thank you Phil for the life you lived and the legacy you have now left behind so abruptly.

I am not so selfless.  I told Derek that his job is come home at the end of every day...We will be going to the memorial next week.  Praying for strength!
Mercury News Story on Phil
Daily Mail article from England
Santa Clara News

Nortown Neighborhood Gym

There was another big change in our house this week, I started doing some personal training in our "ballroom".  The kids were great!  They are so happy to be in the sunroom watching movies. I am loving that I can help people workout in a more relaxed environment than a group exercise class.  I can work out with them, or not!  I can do it on my schedule.  And I get to spend time with some pretty amazing people.  

When I was with my 3rd client on Friday, Ben did come in and throw his sippie at me.  He said "Chocolate milk!" and ran back out.  Then he came back a few minutes later wafting an amazing aroma and saying, "I am not poopy."  Anyway, hope you will join me for a workout sometime!

 

Another "Finished" Space

This was a home improvement kind of week at our house.  We got our new windows.  AAAHHHHH!  They are amazing.  The house is warmer and so much quieter.  I love it.  And I was finishing another big project (with the help of a great contractor.)
When I started ripping down wallpaper before the holiday decor was even down, I knew I was in trouble.  I thought I was saving myself lots of work by not stripping the wallpaper from the bottom 1/2.  HA!  Instead I painted 14 packs of wainscot (42" in a pack) with 2 coats of paint before they were installed and 2 coats after they were installed.  Let me check if that was less work than stripping the wallpaper.  NO!  But, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the finished product.  (I more than doubled the cost of the project by paying someone amazing to do the install.  Another GOOD choice!)

Kitchen before.  Note the cabinet that was a hazard to anyone trying to get in and out and the wallpaper.  I wish I had a better close up...

More before, note the awkward shelf on the fireplace.

Looking the other way.  SO DARK!

I posted this last week, but thought I should get a close up of some wallpaper in here.

After...AHHHHH!!!  

I have always hated this couch, but the addition of these pillows and I love it!

Note that the cabinet is now gone!  Hooray!  Also note the McDonald's happy meals  on the counter.  My amazing in-laws helped me put the furniture back last night and then took the kids out to dinner so I could hang out with friends for my birthday.  Awesome!

The breakfast nook.  

I think the can lights we put in are one of the best features.  The area is so much brighter.  

Anyway, now I need to stop doing projects and start focusing on life again!  We will see if I can make myself do that.

A Quick Week in Review

Ben finished his milk and went for the girls'.  He is in a non-eating phase.  Kills me!

This is what the girls did on Saturday morning.  Reading in bed.  Libby made me promise her breakfast in bed for today.  I told her it was a deal as long as she brought me breakfast in bed for my birthday next Sunday.  (Luckily Derek has the day off :)

Go T-Birds!  They actually missed the whole tournament because they went to a movie in the morning with cousins, then by the time dance class was over, so was the tournament.  They were really sad!

It was a relatively easy transition back into normal life because Derek was off for Mon, Tues & Wed.  (from police work, not wrestling of course).  I let him help run kids here and there while I focused on getting down the rest of the wall paper, priming, texturing and painting the breakfast nook and the family room off the kitchen.  We also bought the wainscot for the bottom, so I started painting that too.  I should be done with the painting sometime this week.  I am trying to decide if I should put up the wainscot myself or pay someone.  Sigh.  Thinking I will pay someone.  Then I change my mind.  Then I change my mind.  Anyway, you'll find out soon what I end up deciding.  We also get our new windows installed this week!  Our house is about to get a little cozier.
We made it to our first wrestling match of the season this week (a double dual), and our first tournament. I really love watching wrestling.  I forget how much I enjoy a good match.  The double dual was a win and a loss.  At the Shoreline invitational tournament the team took second, losing by 1.5 points.  But they wrestled honorably and honestly (meaning they could have taken 1st by forfeiting to their own team members which they didn't do).  So it was a good tourney.  At the double dual Sarah was sitting with Tara, the other assistant coach's wife.  Sarah told her, "If you want me to have fun, you should get some games on your phone."
I also decided to recruit some personal training clients to help me decide if I want to make the plunge and become a personal trainer.  So I will be busy training over the next 4 weeks.  Then maybe busy studying for the personal training certificate after that.
Between all of that adding in Rhinos and Young Women, I feel it is a miracle that I am still sane (and that may be debatable).
I am reading the Happiness Project for my book club though, and it has helped me realize that I am really blessed!  I plan to work on lots of little things to make sure I am as happy as I should be.

I took the girls to dance and left Ben with Maren and Geneva at the Shoreline Invite.  They had a blast.  He came home and fell asleep on the floor.  Apparently he told Maren when she went to change his pants, "Oh, there is a lot of poop in my pants!"  He also got some good iPad playtime.  He loves this.  He loves Angry Birds.  But he shoots the bird the wrong way every time.  He asked Maren, "Why am I not passing any levels?"  

Coaches Norton 

Dad and Benny on the mat.  Looks good, doesn't it?

Bainbridge Adventure

Dave wanted to go on a ferry ride for this last Hurrah here in Seattle.  It was an adventure.  I told the kids to get their backpacks and they came down LOADED with toys.  I took most of the toys out, put in snacks and off we went.  We took the ferry to Bainbridge Island.
What the kids loved:  The candy store, looking for mermaids in the water, searching for souvenirs that I said they could pick for helping me clean up wallpaper scraps, the bulk bins at the "Town & Country" store, the whispering bench, making me smell their stinky feet on the ferry ride home.
What the kids DID NOT LOVE: Going outside on the ferry--"TOO COLD!", the lack of actual souvenir shops, the fact that Libby didn't get to eat Lobster Ravioli (she tried Emily's in California and now thinks this is her favorite food), that I wouldn't buy Sarah a $100 dress, that I wouldn't buy Ben chex mix in the bulk bins when we had a whole bunch in the car.
What I loved?  Spending time with Dave and my kids.  In the SUN!  The views from the ferry were spectacular!  WA is such a great place to live!

Libby kissing one of the Bainbridge Frogs

Dave and the Kids...snapping a shot between passersby.

Kissing another frog.  (Ben kissed both frogs too.)

The lighting on the ferry was magical!

Do you see Ben in the reflection?  Love that big yawn. 

Practicing a "real" smile.

My favorite quote of the day was when we got out of the car on the ferry, Ben said," Mom, don't drop your car keys into the water.  That would not be good!"
Smarty!

Happy New Year!

Remember that I promised myself I wouldn't do another home project until my birthday (January 19th) or something like that?  Well as I was taking down the Christmas decor, I somehow also started taking down more wallpaper.  I couldn't help myself.  It is like a scab that needs picking.
I paused from the work long enough to have a fun New Year's Eve party, then back at it.  Here are some pics from the festivities.  We did a fondue, lipsyncing, and a toast at midnight Eastern Standard Time.  Perfect!

Wallpaper amazingness.

Lipsync costumes--Andrew rockin the glasses and viking hat!

Any excuse to dress up as a princess!

Love that Miles also chose these glasses and the grandpa wig.

DAVE and Jen started us out with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

She was happy, I promise!  The feather boa made for a good time cleaning up the next day!

Christmas Kid Quotes

I don't know why it is so hard to just stop and write down the hilarious things my kids say right when they say them.  But, of course you are in the moment, and you think, "that was so funny, I'll certainly remember that."  Then you don't.  But thankfully I polled my relatives for some funny quotes, and they remembered some good ones!
Grandma Debbi remembered Sarah's song: It's Christmas and I'm a panda bear. Also, Grandma you can be on my team, and Grandpa...you can be with someone else. "Asaashhhh!" That,s me slipping in the tub. Libby: Can I have another donut? (She ate 4 I think!)
Rachel: Ben: Ray Ray do you want to be Tigger and I'll be Spiderman.
Me: Of course! Ben: Okay we're gonna get their jammies on. Spider man's arms, Spiderman's legs, Spiderman's bum bum. Now Tigger... Tigger's arms, Tigger's legs, Tigger's bootie...

Ben running downstairs yelling, "YAY I FOUND MY DIAPER CHANGE WATER BOTTLE!" like he'd just won the lottery.

While in the chapel picking up the diaper bag Ben tried to yell out to Derek on the stand. I shooshed him and we went out in the hallway. When we got there he said, "I just wanted to tell my dad I have a nasty diaper!" Just barely avoided him sharing that wonderful revelation. (Which by the way, he didn't have a nasty diaper I don't think....)

Later when we were back in the YW room he looked up and saw there was a TV and happily pointed it out to me. When Trish finally started turning it on he went "YES!" Yet another moment in YW was when he started talking and I couldn't understand him so I pulled out his binkie. "I just need to pick my bugers!" He explained as I quickly shoved the binkie right back in his mouth. (It was loud enough that I heard him...UGH)

Sarah during gingerbread house making "Hey, you guys are almost pretty good!"

Grandpa remembered: As we rode the escalators to see Frozen, Sarah walked the first flight and received an "atta girl" for her effort. At the second flight Libby tried to stop Sarah from walking because "people will compliment her." (I think this also had something to do with Libby not wanting Sarah to receive compliments for her non-matching outfit too???)

On Christmas Day when Ben emptied his stocking he threw a Brazil nut across the room and said it was a mouse.

He also insisted that he couldn't play with his little Iron man toy any more because it was dirty (some of the paint had come off).

David also caught a great Libby moment on film. She was up on the stage prepping to sing. He said, "Are you ready?" She said, "Ready as I'll ever be!"