September 2017 Catching Up

September was a fun month and I was able to see a lot of long time friends.  

While I knew the Angels would not make it to the playoffs I still believed.

I wore my Angels jersey on the first casual Friday and realized I had also been using an Angels lunch bag.

I also made a friendly wager/agreement with our MN office that if by some miracle MN did not make and the Angels did - they would need to wear Angels gear and vice versa.  They sent me a Twins t-shirt.

I enjoyed cheering for MN during the playoffs.  I went on to cheer for Houston and was very glad when they won.  I know I should have been cheering for the home team but who would want to do that. 

Earlier in the year, I agreed to go to Dallas for the DM concert with my long time friends Garth and Liz (and their respective awesome spouses) that I went to many concerts with in our young adult days..  It was so stinking hot with my boots, jeans and 3/4 long sleeve shirt.  I had to take off my boots, socks, rolled up my jeans, also rolled up my sleeves and somehow put my hair up.  Once I did that I loved every second of the concert and it went by a lot faster than I thought it would.  
I will say this Dave Gahan is 55 but he just looks so much older than his age.  Or do I just say that because I think I will be there sooner than I can imagine and will I look that old too? However, he can still shake his bootie and move like back in the day and the fans still yelled and loved every second of him shaking it!!!

The main highlight of the night for me was when Martin Gore who is 56 sang "Somebody".  Such a beautiful song.  
     Someone who'll stand by my side
     And give me support 
     And in return
     He'll get my support
     He will listen to me
     When I want to speak
     About the world we live in
     And life in general
     Someone who'll help me see
     Things in a different light
     All the things I detest
     I will almost like


While he too looked older too - I still enjoyed listening to his voice which I thought sounded beautiful and the beautiful lyrics above.

When we left the venue I saw this van and asked the driver if I could take a picture.  It pretty much sums up me:  40's are fabulous and I am still chasing DM with my friends!

On a more somber note we came across this on Sunday on a drive by a cemetery by where I was staying.  It impacted me and a few days later I was out on a walk and I went to the same spot and took a picture.  Don't ask me why but I kept thinking how lucky am I to live in the country that I live in.  How grateful I am for the men and women who so unselfishly give up their lives to serve and protect this country.   As I looked at his birth date I thought I was just a kid when he was born but a few months later my mom became very sick.  When he was 26 he gave his life in Iraq.  I don't know much about this man but he really made me reflect and grateful for his willingness to serve and protect.  





 I also took time to go the George W Bush library.  This year I have gone to two presidential libraries and I was going to try to do the Ronald Reagan and the Ford Library before the end of this month.  I am not sure that I will make it but I need to try. 

So I have known Liz since about 1989 and Garth well I am sure it was at least sometime in 1992.  I have so many fun memories from crazy things we did back in the day.  I have to be honest we sometimes made comments about how we would all have to live on the same street when we were married with children.  Well they are not on the same street but they are in neighboring cities and in the same family ward.  It is bittersweet when I see them in pictures together.  It makes me happy that we are all still friends and that they are having fun times together - and sad that I am not there.  They both have beautiful families and I enjoyed getting to know them during this trip.

I also had the opportunity to see this cute little family.  I can't believe that little baby I would sometimes hold is so grown up.  Rowdy certainly was an answer in a way to a prayer I had earlier in the week.  
He is such a good older brother.  There are a couple of other siblings.  
Celeste and I went on a bike ride which was fun but I also had a slight vision of me ending up in the ER for a second.  The bike I was riding had no brakes and it was more of a tricycle which would not go the direction I wanted it to go when I was going fast down a hill and trying to turn.
On another day that I took a walk I came across this beautiful path.  I love roads like this where the trees create an awning.  I just enjoyed that walk so much and wished someone was with me to enjoy.  So I did do a Facebook Live and though of how my dear friend Dina L in UT often posts pictures of beautiful places on her walks.

I also went to a farm and there was this pumpkin.  Liz and I had to have our picture taken.  I am so fortunate that she is my friend and I don't think she or her family realize how much of a positive influence they have been in my life.  So, so, grateful for all the amazing individuals I am fortunate to call friends.   

So there you have it, a little peek at my TX vacation.  I also went to a baseball game with my friend Jon.  However, that may be it's own post.

Saturday, October 2nd

Saturday found us at Escape for breakfast. This is a donut shop with a Friends look going as long as the board room. There was a conference table, tables for groups, and the couches. The decorating was fun. After this we went back home; the kids and I put away J's laundry and finished making our signs for the Angel game and got ready for J's soccer game. Their parents went grocery shopping. The game was fun. It is fun to watch young kids learning how to play a sport and seeing them be fearless or get totally confused as to which way they are supposed to be running to score a goal. Once again a lot of good looking men at the game. We went home changed and got back in the car to head to Arlington. On the way we stopped by to see the Dallas temple. It is in the middle of a residential home. The neighborhood had beautiful homes and I could easily live there. Our next stop was Dealey Plaza. It was eery to be on Elm Street, and drive on the same lane that John F Kennedy drove down and was assassinated on. I was not alive yet but this time of history always interested me. I think JFK was a President that got people his age and younger involved in politics and made them aware of what was happening. I think we will never know what impact he would have made if his life had not been cut short. . We finally arrived at the Ranger's Ballpark in Arlington. The stadium kind of reminded me of Petco Park at least the getting there and the parking. It is a nice stadium but I think Petco has my heart for modern stadiums and Fenway for the classic stadium. I was the lone Angel fan in our area and I did not care. I was glad to be there and enjoy the game. It was great to cheer for the Angels in another stadium and sad to see the 2010 banner there. I wish the Ranger fans luck.

We arrived home around 11ish and this was the first night where I felt exhausted and went to bed by midnight. I did not wake up until 5 am.

Thursday, September 30

So Thursday found me sleeping in if you can call it that...I had a hard time falling asleep and then woke up around 4:30 my time which was 6:30 TX time. I was supposed to walk the kids with Liz to school but I opted to be lazy and lay in bed.

We ventured out and I got familiar with the surroundings of the City of Allen. We went to the shopping center but the Texas store was not open. I did find something which I can not post about that had Spencer written all over it. It will be delivered on Wednesday to him in San Diego, I hope he likes it!!!

We looked at a model home that was simply amazingly beautiful and only 450K...my dream home is only affordable in TX.

We picked the kids up from Kids Club and rested at the house for a little bit. We then headed off to J's soccer practice. I am telling you a day in the life of a working mom is BUSY!!! and we did not work we just had a day of leisure!!! At least at the park we relaxed and watched the boys practice. Personally I noticed that there were many good looking dads as coaches or just there watching their kids practice. I think I need to become a soccer coach.

After practice it was Dinner time!! We went to La Finca. It was pretty good. I had a yummy spinach quesadilla on a green tortilla.

After dinner the kids went with Dave to buy a birthday gift for Liz and she and I went home. Well actually I had her detour so I could get my nasal spray refilled at Walgreen's. The service there was fabulous!!! I even managed to buy some small diet coke

We got home and called it a night. I was exhausted....then I woke up 3 hours later and stayed awake for 2 hours. I think it is going to be interesting to see how I do going to sleep and waking up when I get home.