Den and I decided to get the rest of the school shopping done today so we got out the $2 Layered Cami secret sale coupons and headed out to Old Navy. I had picked up my limit of Cami's day before yesterday and since Kenna wears one almost everyday, I decided it would be a good idea to pick up a few more. $2? Almost as cheap as used (and at Flo's: Cheaper!)
So we made our way through the rain (YES! Rain in Phoenix!!!!) to Arrowhead and found black, navy and more black and navy Cami's left. Grabbed about 7 with two of us.....and headed to the clearance section. We searched for pants (since PacSun super clearance took care of the tees/shirts previously) and we got a few pairs of jeans to try on. The good news is that she's grown tall enough that I don't think we'll have to shorten the jeans! And of course the jeans that fit? Price tag said $30. $30 at OLD NAVY, really?
Well, it's hard to find pants, especially jeans that fit her just right, so I decided if she wears them religiously, we could afford them! (You know, you take the garment price and divide it into how many times it is actually worn to come up with the "value") Well, two things happened at check out which I found out after the fact. The jeans rang up under $9 (they WERE in the clearance section) and she rang my $2 Cami's up at the IN STORE promo price of 2/$10, not my $2 coupon price, even though I gave her the coupon. So, then I was bummed. And kind of pissed because I'd have to go back to argue the price adjustment and how do I prove I had the coupon? Ugh. I hate this.
Oh, before we went to Old Navy, we decided to let Kenna try Satara Thai, our fav Thai place. We got pork, ginger and mango lettuce wraps, Crystal noodles with "stuff" and some yellow curry with Chicken. Den got Pepper Beef and we all ate. Oh, I was so proud of Kenna! First Greek food and now Thai! This is the kid who wanted no experimenting away from the hamburger or chicken nuggets from menus just months ago! Nine seems to be a terrific age for her! We had a blast!
So we decided to hit another Old Navy on the way home and stopped in Avondale for another round of fun! As most schools in AZ are starting this week, I was really shocked that the stores weren't busier. We were able to run right in and paw through clearance racks. Found another pair of jeans: this time only $7 and change!!! But she found two clearance (and I use the term loosely @ $17 a pop) blouses for her new jeans. I was in a giving mood and agreed on them. Diva is SET for school....and all told I did it for less than $200, accessories included! Yeah, I'm good.
Kenna has had a growth-inspired summer..and not just in her height! She has been excelling in her art classes, she's taken a "Hollywood Camp" where she did a mock interview of President Obama and did a fake commercial and decided she rather enjoys acting! She's been doing some cool "art" on a graphic arts site and I'm amazed at the stuff she creates there and her taste in music is also changing. It's cool. Change and growth are good. AND, I'd expect no less from my girl.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
I'm Full of Piss and Vinager and not much else!
I seem to be waiting for something to happen. I mean, stuff has happened. Some MAJOR stuff....but I just don't seem to be wanting to put my thoughts together on them! I have a partial post done that I haven't posted....it was all so scary when it happened that I just couldn't seem to put my words down correctly. Dennis (and so that means WE) had a very big scare a while ago. My phone rang his tune and when I picked up I thought someone was playing a joke on me....he says "this is Dennis...." and I'm like, not MY Den! "I'm one of your husband's co-workers, one of the OTHER Dennis'. We have Dennis here and he's not feeling well at all and we're not sure what is going on but it seems to be rather serious so we called the paramedics and they're with him now."
So then my heart was in my feet or something and I feel this DREAD. The only thing that kept rolling through my mind was that song by Baz Lurhmann's "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Class of '99", where he says: " The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday." Only it WAS Monday...but you get the gist!
I was blindsided. I was thinking through in fast motion/or slow....I don't really know. I had to get someone over to get Kenna because I wanted her with MY family. Den's Mom just isn't good with these things and I thought it would be better all around for Kenna. So I told them to let me know where they were taking him and I think I thanked him for calling me. I then called my Mom and Dad and just said" Come here now and take Kenna back to your place. They're taking Dennis to some hospital and I want her with you." And they said: "We are on the way."
Then I told Kenna what little I knew. She is NOT your average nine year old and you just can't bullshit her....so I gave her a synopsis and she looked at me and asked if Daddy was going to be okay. And I immediately said "of course he will be." And she said, "I'm going with YOU." And I told her that she couldn't because they wouldn't let her in and I didn't know what was going on. She then held both of my arms and looked me straight in the eye and asked again." Mom, is Daddy going to be okay?" And I looked down at her and said "I really don't know honey...but I DO know that there are lots of Spirits around him right now because they love him. Kari and Patty (his deceased sisters) are there and so is Uncle Stevie! (My deceased brother.) You know that whatever happens, we will be OKAY."
Then I went in the front room and told his Mom what had happened...and in front of Kenna she said: "Oh, my GOD, first my nephew dies (we had received that news hours previously) and Now Dennis. He can't die too!" And I said: " And he's NOT going to today....because he's strong and has lots of support....and there will be NO MORE talk about it." Then I went up and took a three minute shower because I needed it.
I came back downstairs and without brushing my hair, I got into my van and started driving toward Tempe. Den's boss had called back to tell me that they were taking him to St. Lukes and told me how to get there. I then called Amy and said: "Meet me at St. Lukes on Mill, they are taking Den there by ambulance." And she said "I'll meet you there. Do you need us to take Kenna?" And so I told her that Mom and Dad were going to pick her up....
The outcome of this story is that Dennis was NOT having the heart attack that everyone thought he was having but rather a very, very bad kidney stone attack. He ended up being fine.....but it scared the crap out of him, me and everyone around us. The good news is he is fine....very shaken up and had to endure a LOT of pain, but otherwise unscathed. It was good for it to happen in that it shook him up enough to get his "zest for life" back that he'd been rather lax on lately.
I think it's good to remember that we all had dreams and ambitions...some we may have lost along the way, some we found out just weren't for us....but maybe a few can be polished off and if we look really hard for them, we may yet find them. I really need to focus on what I want to be when I grow up...and it took this scare to make me see it.
So in the words of Baz and in reference for us all to remember:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Sing Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever
own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…
So then my heart was in my feet or something and I feel this DREAD. The only thing that kept rolling through my mind was that song by Baz Lurhmann's "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Class of '99", where he says: " The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday." Only it WAS Monday...but you get the gist!
I was blindsided. I was thinking through in fast motion/or slow....I don't really know. I had to get someone over to get Kenna because I wanted her with MY family. Den's Mom just isn't good with these things and I thought it would be better all around for Kenna. So I told them to let me know where they were taking him and I think I thanked him for calling me. I then called my Mom and Dad and just said" Come here now and take Kenna back to your place. They're taking Dennis to some hospital and I want her with you." And they said: "We are on the way."
Then I told Kenna what little I knew. She is NOT your average nine year old and you just can't bullshit her....so I gave her a synopsis and she looked at me and asked if Daddy was going to be okay. And I immediately said "of course he will be." And she said, "I'm going with YOU." And I told her that she couldn't because they wouldn't let her in and I didn't know what was going on. She then held both of my arms and looked me straight in the eye and asked again." Mom, is Daddy going to be okay?" And I looked down at her and said "I really don't know honey...but I DO know that there are lots of Spirits around him right now because they love him. Kari and Patty (his deceased sisters) are there and so is Uncle Stevie! (My deceased brother.) You know that whatever happens, we will be OKAY."
Then I went in the front room and told his Mom what had happened...and in front of Kenna she said: "Oh, my GOD, first my nephew dies (we had received that news hours previously) and Now Dennis. He can't die too!" And I said: " And he's NOT going to today....because he's strong and has lots of support....and there will be NO MORE talk about it." Then I went up and took a three minute shower because I needed it.
I came back downstairs and without brushing my hair, I got into my van and started driving toward Tempe. Den's boss had called back to tell me that they were taking him to St. Lukes and told me how to get there. I then called Amy and said: "Meet me at St. Lukes on Mill, they are taking Den there by ambulance." And she said "I'll meet you there. Do you need us to take Kenna?" And so I told her that Mom and Dad were going to pick her up....
The outcome of this story is that Dennis was NOT having the heart attack that everyone thought he was having but rather a very, very bad kidney stone attack. He ended up being fine.....but it scared the crap out of him, me and everyone around us. The good news is he is fine....very shaken up and had to endure a LOT of pain, but otherwise unscathed. It was good for it to happen in that it shook him up enough to get his "zest for life" back that he'd been rather lax on lately.
I think it's good to remember that we all had dreams and ambitions...some we may have lost along the way, some we found out just weren't for us....but maybe a few can be polished off and if we look really hard for them, we may yet find them. I really need to focus on what I want to be when I grow up...and it took this scare to make me see it.
So in the words of Baz and in reference for us all to remember:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Sing Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever
own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Last Day and then Home ;(
So we finally had dinner Thursday night at the Hotel's restaurant. It was pretty good....and I didn't have to go anywhere-which after sleeping most of the day was good! Den and Kenna met a nice family from Michigan so they had lots to talk about while vegging at the fire pit. We had our dinner and went back to the room where I promptly fell asleep. Apparently, my infection really took a toll on me and sleep was really, really nice!
Friday dawned and we finally got Kenna ready to check out of this hotel and go down about 40 miles to Oceanside. Sometimes waking the sleeping, dreamy child is NOT easy to do. Sometimes, you may suffer the wrath of sleeping beauty! This was most def one of THOSE days!
Finally we packed all up, and by we I mean Dennis! He is the super packer guy! All those years living out of hotels is really good for this particular thing! Thank GOD! Cause I hat to do it. I got to deal with "wrathful girl" so I think we were about even!
Beautiful drive down to Oceanside and we were very early, but the La Quinta hotel very graciously let us check in early. I told them that we would be leaving today, instead of Monday when I had originally made the reservations through and he kept asking me if I really wanted to do that. See, we got a REALLY good rate and he said that they were fully booked and if I changed my mind and wanted to stay, it'd probably be taken. I told him that while I would LOVE to stay (and probably never go back to Phoenix if truth be told), that I'd spent the previous day in the Ready Clinic and decided home was best for me.
I have to give my kudos to the La Quinta Oceanside: while there is a "gentleman's club" right next door and no pool.....it is very clean, very big and the BEDS are fantastic! I'd most absolutely stay there again...and hopefully will ;) Come on, it's right next to a Military Base, so I consider the "gentleman's club" pretty much okay....I mean, don't our boys (and girls) deserve it? Oceanside is an awesome eclectic mix of funky and tacky. My kind of place!
Oh, while I slept yesteday at the hotel after arrival (still having the ear thingee kickin' my behind) Dennis took Kenna to the beach we love there in Oceanside. She found a real, non broken sand dollar (which Dennis promptly broke-luckily after the picture-but ROYALLY pissed the K off!) They had a blast and came back wet, cold and happy!
Oceanside is good also because it's just down to road from one of our Fav restaurants! So for dinner we went to Sammy's Woodfire Grill. YUM! No, this is not exclusively a food blog-but I do enjoy food! So deal!!!!
I got the Lobster bisque I'd been craving since sampling Mom's last visit and Kenna and I split a 5 Cheese gourmet pizza-only we skipped the Gorgonzola and had them put more Fontina on it. Good call over all....and the shaved Garlic rocks! No red sauce whatsoever.......so good, so good! Yes, I'm aware that this is more Italian food. Did I mention Pizza and Italian are my downfalls?
Today, we woke up kind of lazy, knowing it would be our drive home day and Den was happy to learn that THIS La Quinta served bacon, sausage and eggs with the breakfast (another plus over the La Quinta in Carlsbad!)...then we packed yet again and made our way down the block. Oh, I don't think I've mentioned yet that California seems to be filled with non-franchised mom & pop Donut shops. There's one on every corner or every shopping center. Forget Dunkin' it's totally different each mile.....but we'd been hankering for donuts...or Donatus, as we lovingly call them...and I saw a shop and said: let's get donuts! (I don't do La Quinta breakfast!)...so we stopped at a place called: Hill Street Donut House. It had an A on the door (California Restaurants place their restaurant inspections for all to see and A's as good as it gets!) so in we went.
They had a bunch of different donuts displayed in the case and some cool looking croissant type things. I looked at the menu and it said: croissant and then Croissant with ham and cheese. Really? They looked yummy and there used to be a french bistro in Meridian Mall, Okemos, MI that used to carry the most divine Croissant w/ham and cheese....I used to buy them all the time. Can I just say that that Ham and Cheese Filled Croissant brought back instant memories of my youth so BADLY that I went right back in and bought a second one! I ate the donut I got much later and had I eaten that one then, I'd have gone in and bought out everything!
God, I'm glad I don't live there...........my weight loss would be NO loss!
And then we drove home. Uneventful..........and we are home. No more donuts, no more excitement....except for the one piece of Four Cheese Pizza I brought back with me! Dinner!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sick on vacation.....not fun! Not even a little bit!
I had a tingle in my ear that turned into a raging PAIN! Found a Ready-Care Clinic type place and found out I have a really bad inner ear infection. Drops and pills later....I am still not feeling great. Ugh. We shall see. So today was a bust from all sides. I finally talked Den and Kenna into going down to the hotel courtyard where they are still sitting by the awesome fire pit!
So, today is a wash but yesterday was a blast! We went to Laguna Beach and drove around looking it over. Very eclectic artist community. Not as awesome as the La Jolla, Del Mar area N. Of San Diego-but still cool. We ate @ Ruby's Diner and then went to the coolest beach! since I wasn't feeling too well, I stayed near the car but Kenna and Den went down the lingering pathway to the beach (down a very big hill!) and she played in the water and he shot a million pictures. Life was good. While I was in the car it felt as if a big truck was going over the top of the parking structure (it was kind of underground parking but there was no upper level with traffic on it) so I began to think.......hmmmm...there's no traffic up there! I wonder if that's what an earthquake feels like. It was just kind of a rolling lilt.
So when Dennis comes back to the car he asks if I felt anything. Apparently everyone coming down after they did were talking about the earthquake we just had! Being on the beach, they didn't feel it at all. We confirmed that a 5.4 quake rattled windows in L.A. but was centered near Temecula....about 40 miles away. Cool! Now I can say I've felt an earthquake. I don't think I ever need to experience one again!
I'm glad we hit the beach because today I had to take time out to go to a clinic. My little ache turned into a raging ear ache this morning so bad that I could no longer handle it.....turns out it's good I went. I was running a fever and have a very bad inner ear infection. Sadly, the female Doc I got was interesting....she first asks why, if I have insurance, I don't have a family doctor. Um, because I'm on vacation! Or I would go to my regular doctor! "Oh, you're from Arizona? How do you feel about everything going on there?" I am assuming she means politically: She's really asking me this? I told her that I'm in the minority on the issue as I feel that just being Hispanic looking isn't enough to be detained for four hours with your hands cuffed behind your back to find out: gee, you were born here in America to American Citizens!!!! Apparently, she's on the Majority side of this issue and I'm way too sick to argue with her so I just ask if we can get back to my ear issue. REALLY?
Drops and pills later I came back to the hotel and slept all day. I told the other two to go see a movie or do something and when I woke up, they were still here! I finally shooed them out: to the courtyard! I'm starting to get hungry finally. Might be time to go find them!
We haven't made it to many of the restaurants I got deals from...........but we did have some of the finest Italian food I've ever eaten! Tomorrow we drive to Oceanside and go to Kenna's favorite beach spot! Then we're going to go eat at Sammy's Woodfire Pizza. I think we'll end up going home Saturday. Den's got a presentation for the President of ASU, Michael Crow, on Monday so we want him relaxed and ready. I'm not sure if going home Saturday or Sunday would make that easier! Wink, nod, wink!
Eh, overall, it's been a very relaxing vacation, not really filled with too much excitement. Life is good though and that's what it's all about! Good food, good hotel! Happiness!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The whole day....Tuesday
Basically yesterday we slept in late and enjoyed the morning in our room. It was rather rainy and very damp and cool. We are still okay with a chilly day as we know we shall soon be baking again :(
So we got up and around to go find a place for lunch. We like Sweet Tomatoes and here they're called Souplantation..........but it's an all you can eat buffet made up of huge Salad bar, about 8 different soups, baked potato and pasta bar and the required froyo station. So we ate healthy and then went in search of Kathy. Oh, stopped in a new to us Costco (they each have unique stuff!) but only ended up with books for K and Den. Then onto the book signing.
After the book signing, we were all hungry. We decided to go to the restaurant we'd had pizza from the previous night.
see post directly above this one for yelp
What a great day!
So we got up and around to go find a place for lunch. We like Sweet Tomatoes and here they're called Souplantation..........but it's an all you can eat buffet made up of huge Salad bar, about 8 different soups, baked potato and pasta bar and the required froyo station. So we ate healthy and then went in search of Kathy. Oh, stopped in a new to us Costco (they each have unique stuff!) but only ended up with books for K and Den. Then onto the book signing.
After the book signing, we were all hungry. We decided to go to the restaurant we'd had pizza from the previous night.
see post directly above this one for yelp
What a great day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)