Surf's Up

Hey gals
Just wanted to let you know that our new and improved website is up & running. Check out Wynnsurfboards.com & let us know what you think. I don't think you Colorado folks will be doing much surfing over there since the Ocean is not in sight, but if you take a trek to Cali & need a board, you know where to turn! Or you can just pretend that you are a surfer like a one Mr. Rick Kaufman & just wear the gear-hee hee sorry Liz, I couldn't resist.

Found this amazing picture of mother and daughter in Oregon...had to share!

Springtime in the Rockies!

I Am Still Here...

Ladies,

I have tried to write several times during the past few weeks and the words wouldn't come. I have been in a "weird" place. The anniversary of my mom's death is on April 6 and it seems like ever since March 9 (the anniversary of finding out about Bryan's affair), I have been having a lot of stuff come up from last year. I think this is normal. I keep trying to move forward...

Here are a few surprising things in my life. I feel a little confused and anxious at times, because Scott, my "you light up the room" guy has started to touch my heart in a way that I do not want right now nor did I expect. He says things to me that take my breath away sometimes, because they are so heartfelt and real. He really seems to see and appreciate my "light". He told me last night that he is attracted to me because of the way I "analyze everything". Seriously! Bryan hated that about me. I have done my best to keep all emotion out of this thing, but I guess it is starting to creep in. Damn! I am doing my best to stay "in the moment" and enjoy spending time with him and realizing that he might be in my life simply to help me get through this divorce. Who knows??? I do ok until I start to try to analyze it and worry about what might come. I had said from the beginning that he is "not my type" and that I don't feel any "attraction" to him, so the fact that I want to just be with him and have him hold me for hours kind of freaks me out. Besides, the sex is pretty damn steamy! I just don't want this to end badly, but I can express that to him and he says he believes it would never end badly, because we "get" each other and are being honest. It just feels so good to have someone say out loud that I am "incredible" and really mean it. Any thoughts???

Anxiously Awaiting...The Pants!

It's Sunday night and I can't wait until tomorrow, because if my calculations are correct, I'll be welcoming The Pants home. Rick saw them on Missy while we were in NJ, but is a bit skeptical about this whole "pants" thing. I'm a believer though, and am excited to start my new adventure! I don't know what to expect...but as a good friend once told me "expect the unexpected"...so...bring it on!

A final note about the Power of the Pants

OK gals....so I am preparing to mail the Pants to Liz, but figured that I should wash them first. Well, we all know that they can't go in the dryer or Court would be wearing shorts, so I have them hanging to dry & am hoping that they dry fast because time is ticking & Liz needs to experience the magic. And wouldn't you know it? We got an offer on our house. I should have the contract this afternoon & we might actually be on our way. Of course you know how many things have to fall into place in order for it to all go smoothly, but I am confident that this will work out. So, I think I have the Pants to thank-that extra day in my house really paid off I think. Coincidence? I think not! I guess my procrastination with washing the Pants immediately paid off-or perhaps my selfishness for not wanting to give the pants up too quickly paid off-hee hee. At any rate, please wish us luck on this adventure and pray that it doesn't fall through. I think I might have to be out of this house in 30 days-now a new set of anxiety awaits me. Of course, all for a good cause.

I just read an email this morning that my cousin sent me & thought I'd post it here because it is a nice tribute to women:

Time passes
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do .
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.
BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how
many miles are between you. A girl friend is never
farther away than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
valley's end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you...Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I. When we began this adventure called
womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
would need each other.

Every day, we need each other still

It is time to say Farewell for now.....

Well, it is the 20th & as sad as I am to see these Pants leave the East Coast, I am excited to pass the torch along to Liz. I can honestly say that thes Pants have been so fun to have over the past month. I felt giddy everytime I wore them and actually had lots of life perspectives this month because of our little adventure. So I will share the fun that I had tonight with the Pants. I went to an auction at my cousin's son's elementary school. It is an annual thing that I go to with my cousin, my aunt & my grandmom. It is just a fun way to help raise money for the kiddies. Some of the gift items are fun to try to win & of course just the thought of your number getting called is fun in itself. It is one of those auctions in which you put tickets in to "bid" on the items that you want. Really there is no bidding involved...put you ticket in the bucket & it if it called, you win-pretty simple stuff here. So I wore the Pants to see if they could bring me some luck in winning that new set of Tupperware that I have always wanted (hee hee). No luck was coming our way & I leaned over to my cousin & told her to rub the Pants. She did so & I KID YOU NOT, she won the next prize. We were cracking up & she yelled "I touched the Lucky pants". So her friend sitting near us said she wanted to touch the Pants & voila, she won the next prize. The girl sitting next to her ( a complete stranger to me by the way) said she wanted in on the Luck-she too touched the pants & won her prize. Now we were roaring with laughter I could hardly control myself. So.....the big finale comes up & my aunt gives a little pat on the Pants & what do you know? she wins the Grand Prize-a flat screen TV, a Nintendo Wii system, a gift card and a few other random things (the prize was worth over $600 in case you care). We screamed so loud & were jumping up & down in this elementary school auditorium, you would have thought we just won a 300 million lottery. Needless to say, the laughter and bonding that took place tonight with a bit of guidance from these Pants was priceless (OK now I sound like a MasterCard commercial-please forgive that blunder). I called all 3 of the other holders of the Pants to share my tale & Shelby said something that has really stuck with me. I was talking about how tonight was not about me winning anything at all, it was about learning about bonding with those that are important to us, sharing fun times with others and keeping it all in perspective. I went into this month with the goal of selling the house -which it didn't, but is coming along we hope. However, Shelby's statement was that the Pants teach you something that you really need to know, not what you think you need to know (or think you need to do). That pretty much sums it up for me. What an inspiring month I have had. I only hope that Liz & Court have the same thought provoking and fun times that Shelby and I have had while in possession of these fabulous Pants. Long Live those Lucky's!

By the way, I finished the 4th book in the Pants series & it was most incredible. I felt it only fitting to finish reading about the girls adventures before I had to pass along the pants. Read those books STAT if you haven't already-
Where have all of you gals gone? I am hoping I am not just writing to myself here-

Thought for the day...

You have this day, this moment. No one has any more or any less. Thinking that you are too old, or too young, or too much this, or too little that, is merely a deception you impose upon yourself. Focus instead on what you can do right now.
This is a moment to take your most highly cherished values and put them into action. This is the day to give life to your dreams.
Right now you have the opportunity to do something with this day. Right now you are in a position to express the beautiful, unique person you are.
No matter what the circumstances may be, the conditions are always right for making a positive contribution in your own special way. Whatever may have happened before, this moment right now is when you can make a difference.
Consider how truly fortunate you are to be here in this moment. Then get going and make something great out of that good fortune.
-- Ralph Marston

If you're cranky and you know it.....wear the Pants

Every have one of those mornings that you just wake up cranky for no good reason? Well, yesterday was one of those for me. Not quite sure what I was cranky about. After all, I have much to be thankful for...but at times I find myself overwhelmed with work, being a mommy, wife, friend, selling a house, etc etc. I notice that work directly correlates to my crankiness & I need to do something about that immediately. I find myself working ridiculous hours at times & repeatedly tell myself "it is just a job", but the perfectionist in me wants to be able to do everything, even when it might cost me family time & this is NOT ok for me. I go through stages with this struggle frequently- a bit of a roller coaster if you will. So yesterday when I was cranky, I took the longest hot shower of my life, slipped into the Jeans & felt a sense of relief come over me. Ok this might sound a bit dramatic, but I swear when I put the jeans on, I felt the presence of my gals & knew you were all with me saying "breathe breathe". The rest of my day was good & I actually asked for help with my work. So in a nutshell, I am taking the steps I need to take care of myself (why is it that we often times take care of everyone else & neglect ourselves?. So I am wondering how many days in a row I can wear the Pants?? Hee hee. I have to keep reminding myself that life is short & that I should be enjoying every day. I have to take my own advice for once.

We might have a house offer so that is good news. More to come....

By the way, for those of you that haven't read the Sisterhood books-Run to the nearest store to get them. They are fabulous. I am on book 4 & it is superb. I know Liz was enjoying it as well & probably finished it by now. I am being a slow poke with my reading, but it is certainly a nice distraction from reality. Hope you all are well.

What's up with these Pants?

Hey gals
I thought that I would have lots of fun stuff to share now that I am the keeper of the Pants, but not much is going on over here. Of course Liz was just in town & I wore the Pants a couple of times during her visit to strengthen the Luck. Of course when we hit up Atlantic City, we had no winnings....but we did have a good time so that is really all that is important here. I do feel honored to have these special Pants in my posession & know that their presence alone is fabulous! Of course try telling that to my husband who keeps saying "what's up with these pants? the house is still not sold & we won no money in AC-hee hee" Liz & I decided that the men just don't get it. They are not Believers & that is the problem. So....I still believe & even if nothing major occurs in my life, I am thrilled to be amongst my gals in this adventure. By the way Shelby...we sang Beyonce on numerous occasions while traveling to and from New York & Hannah has taken a liking to it as well. While I liked the song before our Vegas adventure, it is even better now. I will post more soon. Not feeling all that creative at the moment.

Happy Birthday to Liz today :)

Update

Good news - Tally and I are both home safely. It was a trying few days, but it appears things are going in the right direction. She has an inflammatory brain disease, but it is treatable. We are dealing in the theory of thirds. A third of the dogs never leave the hospital (not her), a third recover and relapse later and a third recover fully. We are hoping she is part of the last third.

Thanks again for all your thoughts. I know all of the positive energy we have received has made a huge difference. I have faith that she is going to recover fully.

Can you see the forest through the trees?

I am sitting in a motel in Pullman, Washington. Today I got up at 4 a.m. to take my little dog Tally to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in hopes that they could help her. This is supposed to be the cutting edge in veterniary medicine.

So after sitting on an icy hill for 2 hours waiting for the road to open, crossing a snowy pass, having Tally poop all over me because all of her medicine gave her diareha, and a little episode about 75 miles from the hospital that I am not sure what it was, I made it. I checked my little girl in to be evaluated.

So I sit and ask what is all of this teaching me again? I have always been the kind of person who believes everything happens for a reason, but time and time again I wonder when we are going to understand the reason. I do recognize this is my dog and not my parent or a child, but she is very special to me. I do know what purpose Tally served in my life. I know that she brought balance to my life when I needed it most. So I do know what I learned from her, but I still don't understand why she should go through all of this.

So are we supposed to hang on to these feelings and wait until we have that aha moment of the lesson we have learned? That is far too difficult. I think we want immediate answers and understanding.

So I feel this shows me yet again that life is short, enjoy your love ones because you don't know what tomorrow brings, and every other cliche that I can think of. I do know that the last few weeks have made me appreciate everything just a little more. I appreciate all of the kind things my friends do for me, how supportive my boss and coworkers are as I try not to lose it at work, and how my family has proven yet again that they will always be there for me.

So nothing that you all don't already know, but I guess that we just have to be reminded of it time and time again. Thanks again for the support.

ADA Job and "Light Up the Room" Guy, Both Take 2

Hello, Amazing Women!

I had my interview with the American Diabetes Association yesterday. It turns out the job is really more soliciting corporate sponsorships for the organization (about 60% of the job and ony about 40% event planning). I thought I was doing alright, but when I went to ask them "Do you have any reservations about my ability to do this job?" the Executive Director said "as a matter of fact...we would really prefer someone who has done corporate sales" and she went on to further say "if we had a lower level job, we would offer it to you." She admitted that I had the "skills" they were looking for, but with her upcoming maternity leave, as well as the maternity leave of another woman on the team, they were hoping for someone who could "hit the ground running" with not much training. I didn't back down. I looked her right in the eyes and said "I can do this job. I would be great at this job. Every employer who I have ever worked for has valued me. I want this job!" So I left feeling a bit discouraged and fairly certain that I wouldn't be one of the two people called back for second interviews, but I kept telling myself that "I am right where I am suppose to be."

Well...a couple of hours later, I got a call to come back for a second interview! I have no idea what happened there??? I wish I did, so I could do more of the same in the second interviews with a couple members of the volunteer board. That will happen next Thursday. I still need to keep telling myself that whatever is suppose to happen will. No expectations...no letting my ego get in the way...living in the moment. I love it! It feels so great!

Ok...feel the need to get something off of my chest. You may remember my "first" date with Scott, the friend of my friend, Niki's boyfriend??? Turns out there may be a little more attraction that I previously reported. And...it turns out that he has more "skills" than coming up with amazing complements. That's all I will say...