A Crispness in the Air

It's starting to dance on the breeze ... permeate the air ... and start my days on a high note. Yes, it's the autumnal crispness of Minnesota. Ahhhh ... it's a bit early, but I cannot complain. Maybe it also helped that Caribou coffee introduce a pumpkin chai latte and it made its debut today.

Yes, my favorite time of year is almost here, the MN State Fair starts next week and I like to consider that the slow entrance into the fall season. Oh, I can't wait! Pumpkins, apples, cider, the beginning of sweater season ... I get a big beaming smile just thinking about it.

The Awkward One

Earlier this week, I attended a parents meeting at K's school. His principal (who I absolutely loved) was appointed to a new role in the district and so the school is on the search for a new principal ... and fast ... since school starts in less than a month. As part of the process, the district held a parents meeting to hear from parents what we wanted in a new principal.

There was a decent turn out - or at least more people showed up than a typical PTO meeting. I am guessing there were maybe 20 - 30 parents (mostly moms, but there was one dad -- kudos to him!) The district's HR person outlined the process, and explained how everything would work. As someone who's experienced the hiring process multiple times from all different perspectives, I just politely nodded and listened.

Then she opened it up to the parents to hear what they had to say. First, I learned that apparently the principal before K's principal was a real piece of work. And apparently that is why many people showed up, because more than anything they want to make sure they don't get a principal like him again. I also learned previous to that principal, the principal before him had been there for 30 years and parents loved him. So when he retired and was replaced by this dolt, it sent the school morale crashing. The current principal had done a lot of work over two years to change the culture. It was eye-opening, because I had only experienced the great principal.

It was interesting, my contributions to the list of what we want in a principal ... innovation and someone with a vision for the school ... and hello, corporate world. But I guess in my mind, maybe that's why ... but I also think it was because the existing principal exhibited both these things. However, as I sat there, I realized I don't know if I'll ever be one of the mom's that hangs out and chat with the other moms. I felt that I didn't belong. I clearly wasn't the only working mom, because a few others chimed in about how they appreciated the principal's newsletter, because they were working parents who couldn't stop in during the school day.

I wish I could place why I didn't think I fit in. Maybe it was because we live in a neighborhood that has such a blend of households and no one near us has kids our children's age ... or maybe it's partly that we aren't the type to make a concerted effort to get to know our neighbors ... I don't know. K has friends who we drive to for playdates, a lot of them live on the other side of the main highway, and I know that neighborhood is teeming with kids his age and all the parents know each other ... so maybe we just picked the wrong neighborhood from a get-to-know-you perspective. Or maybe I am just so settled into who my friends are that I don't want to open the gate for a lot of new people to enter, because having to much of a social calendar is draining?

Who knows. What I do know is as I sat there (and when I sit in every PTO meeting) that I am there, but I am probably not going to make a bunch of new friends. But that's okay, that's not why I go. I go so that I can be informed and involved in my children's education.

Super Heroes

Watching the Olympics is a multi-emotional event. There's the intensity you feel as you hold your breath watching runners, swimmers, row teams race toward the finish line. There's the pain you feel as cyclists fall from their bikes, volleyball players crash into the sand and gymnasts miss their landings. There's the pride you feel as teams and individuals capture new world records.

It's a roller coaster, it's exhilarating, it's motivating ... and let's be honest, a little depressing. It sort of makes me say, why didn't my parents pressure me to finesse my (non-existent) athletic ability and encourage me to chase my dreams. Maybe if my parents had made me watch the Olympics as a child, I would have aspired to super human feats of the athletic ability. And then reality hits, and I must be honest with myself, that my parents did encourage me to participate in sports ... and my natural athletic ability ... well, frankly, it was nonexistent.

Now, tomorrow, when I run my short little 30-minute jog, I will reflect back on the amazing runners I watched tonight ... and maybe, just maybe, my speed will increase just a bit.

A Weekend of Nothingness

Oh, Friday, you could not get here fast enough. You felt so far away I thought perhaps I was in a bad dream where I kept moving time zones as punishment to avoid our inevitable embrace. Here's to doing absolutely nothing but drink some wine, watch some Olympics and hang out with my boys (maybe not in that order ...)

Tied with a Black Bow Tie

The big formal wedding weekend has arrived, and gone. The exhaustion for everyone is very apparent on this Sunday morning.

It all started on Friday. K and D wen to the rehearsal a little before four ... and I worked through the day, planning to meet them at dinner (since based on time tables we determined there was no way for me to get home in time, get ready and for us to arrive at the destination we needed to be at.)

So, around seven, I met my two dapper gents at the Chambers Hotel. They both were sporting suits and ties and looked quite lovely. K was especially cute in his tan suit and bright teal shirt. The shirt was amazing against his complexion. Of course, it was a long day, so we knew that we couldn't stay too late. But wine and food was enjoyed by all - the adults, of course. And the kids enjoyed playing out on the balcony on the rooftop. The fare was a little unappealing to K, I think it was because mushrooms were sprinkled were through most of it. And I can say O did fine with his first non-familial babysitter.

The next day, I got up at 7 a.m., and started it off with a run. After the run, I had to stop at Target for a few items and then went to get a mani/pedi. My feet were in worst shape this time - so the massage part of the pedicure was nice, but I think she may have tried to clean up some of my blisters too much so now every once in a while, I have some pain if something rubs against my feet ... we'll be watching that.

Then it was time to get ready ... I donned my ballgown, my boys donned their tuxes and we were off! The wedding was perhaps the most over-the-top affair I've ever attended. Three officiants, a wedding party of nine adults and seven children (one of which was of course our very adorable son.) The ceremony reflected Catholic and Jewish elements. I will say the chuppah was beautiful and I really enjoyed the Jewish elements of the ceremony (as they were the first time experiencing them in person.)

After the ceremony, we moved outside for pictures ... D abandoned me, so I was responsible for making sure our son behaved. My heels kept sinking into the grass, and it was hard for the seven kids to stay entertained ... so all the parents gave a collective cheer when we were told the kids were dismissed. K and I went upstairs to the veranda for the cocktail hour before the reception. K became a fan of orange juice and seltzer water over the weekend, since that tended to be what was ordered for him. It was fun to look at the array of people's attire. (Unfortunately, there were a few women who looked at least on the farer end of the range of 40 ... who's dresses were meant for people in their early 20's. Too short!)

Dinner arrived, and we enjoyed an heirloom tomato salad with watermelon, arugula, goat cheese and balsamic as our first course (made for me and K, really!) Second course for me was a miso-glazed sea bass with wasabi potato puree and asparagus. It was lovely - Daniel had the beef tenderloin, that wasn't as good my fish. They even served a gluten-free option for dessert ... which was a pleasant surprise and provided me my chocolate fix.

The best part of the evening though was when the dancing started, as they did begin with some of the traditional Jewish dances. It was fun to watch, and K really enjoyed it. D is not much of a dancer (at all) so he just wanted to sit back... Alas, it wasn't a surprise. But with K's yawns getting exponentially bigger, we knew we needed to exit the festivities. We got home a little after eleven. O was fast asleep, and my sister I think was a bit exhausted from watching him, too.

Of course, just because we all got home late, it didn't change the fact that O wakes up when he wakes up ... and so now ... trying to recoup from exhaustion.