Monday, November 18, 2019

wow... 11 months since I've posted. What a year

From Costa Rica a lot happened. Essentially my former job turned into a nightmare/disaster/toxic situation and I was encouraged out/ opened up to the possibility of leaving. While I can reflect on events from 11 months ago and the subsequent 2 months of bleh that continued, eventually I left my position and it is for the very very best. I'm pretty sure that things had been going mediocrely (if that's a word) for a while but I either chose to ignore them or subconsciously became numb to it all. In the end, I am so thankful for being out of the entire workplace, the position, the positonality, the poison, and so on.

I spent five wonderful months as a stay-at-home parent during which I got to know my son pretty well. I supported the household functioning of our home and kept things together. I even collected my data set for my research! In that time, M's business picked up and she stepped into her own as an employer and business owner. We adjusted and supported each other through difficult and awkward growing points and we came out on the other side stronger and more compassionate of each other and ourselves. (I can only speak for myself but I think she might agree).

Since the summer, I applied for and took a different position with a great employer. Recently I was promoted and transferred departments too. To go from a working environment where no one wants to be there and everyone makes the environment toxic to a place where people are more or less cordial with one another if an incredible difference. While the slow, day-to-day, low-drama life of raising a young person full time is not paid in dollars earned, it is certain the hardest work I have ever done and no work place environment compares with the beauty of watching the toddler eat popcorn with chopsticks as the sun pours in during afternoon snack-time. And there are dollars saved by doing this work, but mostly it is the highest paying salary I will likely ever earn.... the priceless experience of being a in integral part of a small person's life.

We haven't really traveled since Costa Rica and perhaps that is why I haven't posted anything until now. We did the family rounds during April and I had some local travel for conferences and the usual southwest guiding trip (which was great this year), but nothing like a vacation. We are thirsty for one and will soon be making those plans. It has been a very home-y year... traveling with a toddler is tough so we didn't get out too much or too far when we did. We have grown a lot.. together... as a family. And for that I am so grateful and satisfied now though it didn't always seem that there was a good reason for some of the "suffering" throughout the past year! A sigh... and another quiet evening while the toddler tries to fall asleep but is busy reciting all of the new words he learned today. Life is good.

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Costa Rica- November 2018

Pura Vida! Two weeks in Costa Rica was exactly what the weather ordered :) We flew quite a ways and boy were our arms tired :P
 Welcome to Samara!
 Playing in the sand at low tide
 Plane flight going.
 Leo meets the Sea for the first time.
 Papa and Leo under the evening rainbow
 Family portrait, beach style
 I found my hat and my fangs too!
 Cute boy in a hammock
 Sunrise, circa 5:15am
 Gallo Pinto una otra vez?! Me encanta la comida, especialmente los frijoles negros y platanos
 I am not ready to go home yet
 One more romp on the beach
 beach bums
Cute boy emerges from the mud

Surfed a lot, read, walked on the beach, easy-pura vida life for 11 full days. what a great adventure for us three!! we ate lots of tropical fruits and leo loves avocado too. salsa dancing, making friends from all over the world, slept irregularly and in short busts. sharing a beach bungalow, then the penthouse "suite", incredible body work, tanning, losing weight, living simple and good. Pura Vida. Relearning how to use the mind as a tool, decompressing, moving energy through. the tide waits for no one. don't turn your back on the ocean, secret trysts in the waves while baby is napping, love, light, sun, heart. Pura Vida.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Summer camping trip to Mt. Rainier National Park

It was a whirlwind to drive to Tacoma, hang out with Jake and Page, then head to the national park for two night of camping. The pictures tell one story... our words tell another! It was a great trip. Really. But it was also a tough trip too. Little sleep for all of us (and likely our campsite neighbors) and a lot of crying during long stretches of driving. But it was a gorgeous place to spend one and a half days. Oh, it was really hot too :/ I'd go camping again with Leo... but next year when I build up the courage again!

















Summer update: June & July (part of August?)

Oh well, I uploaded them and they are all out of order chronologically... that's OK :)

 Memorial Day picnic- we finally enjoy the yard we have laboured to upkeep for three years!

Strawberry harvest!
 Surprise!
 Strawberry- Rhubarb Crisp from the garden (the fruit at least is from the garden!)
 Waiting in line at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal to go to Orcas Island
 On the ferry
 Leo bathing in the kitchen sink - why not?!
Garden door project is officially done- painted to match the exterior trim of the house and finally that door is out of the garage :) Cut a small window in it for funsies (turns out to be perfectly placed for latch access). Also, I think that the winter winds will come whipping through and the window will give better airflow so as not to stress the latch too much.
Shelf installed in the laundry room. Now we will not collect junk on top of the machines! It is a small feature that makes the room feel more cozy instead of bleak.
Michelle prepared Shabbat dinner on a night when I was really pining for it. I came home to this and the love and sweetness brought me to tears.
Load up for a ride, Leo!
 Butterflies have been frequenting the secret garden
 M braids out garlic harvest. Turns out we had 53 heads!
 Up on the wall as both decor and so we can access garlic in the kitchen easily!
Cute little boy :)
 Frequent visitor to our yard. He is the ringleader of two other young bucks. That was a hot day and he bedded down for a siesta just outside the office window
 Greg shares valuable secrets with Leo
 And then we meet Aeofa ("ee-fuh") Greg's 10-week old lab puppy :)
 Serge reminds Leo that hiking is just something we do
Upside down picture: Sockeye salmon caught by our neighbor Archie. She turned out to be about 4.5 pounds.
 Leo considers the fate of seahorses in general and the resident orcas (who feed exclusively on sockeye salmon)
 Josie (Greg and Becky's daughter) has a good hold on young Leo!
 Grandpa G introducing Leo to the new dogwood tree, planted to honour his father and Leo's great grandfather.
 Grandma C and Grandpa G with a tree-happy baby
 "This is my new toy?"
 Gato love. Otto is probably cozy.... Fiona, not so much.
Cousin Surabhi and Aunt Barbara with Leo at his first food ceremony
 We tried to feed him carrots... he almost took to them :)
 Gorgeous boy
 Aunt Katie and Uncle Kevin explain the intricacies of BBQ on the 4th of July
Grandpa T and Nonna take us out to brunch for M's birthday.