Well Worth the Wait!

It has been a very grueling few months- but we made it! Tax day has come and gone, and Dale is officially a free man!

After Dale did his happy dance when he came home from work on Friday (yes, there was a dance!), we decided to relax and enjoy the weekend. We kicked things off with a celebratory dinner at Houlihans in Fairway, and then went home to enjoy a movie.

On Saturday, Katie drove up to spend the weekend with us! Since Derek was busy with the farm for the weekend, she decided it was a good chance to come up and spend some quality time with her little sister, and run in the Lawrence 10k on Sunday.

Saturday, we decided to do a little shopping. We spent our afternoon at Suburban Lawn and Garden. It was quite an adventure. Read all about it in the Gardening tab of the blog (to the right). 

On Sunday, Katie and I woke up and drove to Lawrence at 7AM for the race. I was too late to register to run, so, I was on dog patrol. Plus, I make a great cheerleader! Roxie the dog and I watched the race and cheered Katie on. She did fantastic- like always! If our calculations are correct, she placed 3rd out of the women in the 10k. She is on the Kansas Beef Racing Team and ran in her beef jersey to support her team. Last but not least, before leaving Lawrence, we grabbed some breakfast at Einsteins and brought it home to eat.

What about Dale!? Well he decided to take it easy on Saturday. He spent the morning getting as much sleep as he possibly could, got a much needed haircut and enjoyed the rest of his day at the gym and on the driving range. It was so nice to see him relaxed...finally! Oh, and i almost forgot. Dale got to do OUR  taxes this weekend. It never ends!

On Sunday after the race, Katie drove back home to McPherson, and Dale and I spent some long overdue quality time together.  All in all, it was an AMAZING weekend. I got to spend my time with my big sis and my hubby (who didn't have to work for the first time in 2 months!).

Couldn't get any better! Looking forward to spending next weekend with our families in McPherson for Easter!

Foxy Roxie in the back seat on our way to the race! She still looks a little sleepy.

Katie and Roxie. You gotta love lean beef!

Pre-Race.

Goooooo Beef!! I mean- Goooooo Katie!

Roxie and Me waiting on big Sister. We kept each other well entertained.

Here she comes down the homestretch!

Winner!!!

Reunited at last!

Roxie was jealous she couldn't run in the race too.

Enjoying our picnic breakfast in the back yard. 

The last one is for you, Dad!

Quarter Century Celebration

Last night we celebrated Dale's 25th birthday!

Last week, I decided that it was necessary to do something special for his big day.  If you know Dale at all, you know he is not the type of guy that wants a huge over-the-top party.  So we decided to celebrated his birthday with a backyard barbecue. We had our close friends over and spent the evening enjoying food, drinks, and of course a game of washers.

At the end of the night, everyone had a great time, and Dale survived the quarter centruy celebration. Even though he's already back to work today, at least he got  the opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy the night with his close friends.

Looking forward to many more birthdays to come!

If Mom Can Do It, So Can I!

Today as I sit in the office at work waiting for my next client, I can't help but look forward to my next few days at work. I suddenly got the overwhelming sense of, "Will I make it to the weekend?". The answer is always yes, but it sometimes takes a little extra motivation to get over these speedbumps.

At times like these, I think it's important to slow down and enjoy the day, and think about what has brought me to this moment. I find that when I rush through my every day, I miss the important things in life. I look back and think- wow- what a crazy day! Or I look back and say- what the heck did I accomplish today?

Since Dale has been working his tail off, I have come to the conclusion that it is important for me to try to do the same. Sure, I may not be working 12 hours a day, but I can do my best to keep up! Work already keeps me plenty busy, but I think it's my down time when I'm at home that I sometimes ask myself- what should I be doing right now? Working a split shift can be tricky becasue I have not 1, but 2 down times that I am at home. People ask me what I do during my breaks, and the honest answer is- I keep as busy as I possibly can! I will drive myself crazy if I'm at home feeling "bored".  It's usually not hard to find something to do. It typically begins with vacuuming, then cooking , then laundry, and so on, and so on.

I had the conversation wtih my dad over the weekend about teaching myself to be more independent. I usually depended on Dale, my parents, or Natalie to be there and keep me company when I need it. This has always worked, until now. The truth is, that's not how life is. Someone is not always going to be right around the corner at the moment you need them! As I look back, I can always remember my Mother being busy with something around the house. She never seemed to sit down, and always had a million things to do. Mom was always busy! If she can do it, why can't I?  My Mother has taught me over the years that there's always something to do- you just have to find it. Don't rely on someone else to keep you entertained- find your own passions and things that you enjoy doing--all by yourself. Thanks Mom!

Although it has taken me about a year to get to this point, I finally feel like I can make it on my own, without depending on someone else to pick up all of my loose ends.  Just to set the record straight, this is not to discount Dale, or any of the love or support that he gives me. But truthfully speaking, it had to happen sooner or later- right!? It makes me proud to say I have found ways to do to keep myself on my toes- always thinking. Whether its a new workout, recipe, sewing project, or something to clean/organize around the house- I can honestly say I'm getting there! Well not quite, but almost.