bring it on

I started this entry in August because this is what I blurted out at a meeting...since I took this promotion last October, it's been non-stop busy at work, with the two very different parts of my job colliding at various points, causing so much stress.  I had been asked to take on even more things and I wound up just saying that.  Kind of embarassed later, but I figured I'd rather be busy and have a job than not have one, or have one that totally bored me.  Like the saying goes, you're not given any more than you can handle.  

Luckily, there was a slight lull at the end of September, and I took a much-needed "sanity break" for a week.  I had not taken a week off in two years, except for the band trip to Japan, which I wouldn't consider "vacation" since it was so stressful.  I took off a day here or there since starting work in April 2010, mostly because someone was in the hospital or I needed to take care of something (band work, Ryan's graduation, grad party, etc).  But a whole week off with no one sick or needing something...wow, what a luxury.  And it was great.  I made the decision to take off the following week on theThursday before and briefly contemplated a last minute short trip somewhere, but it worked out great to stay home, get my car serviced, get my hair done, go to a hula lesson, have lunch with my husband, spend time with Ryan, clean out the closets and drawers and donate unneeded clothes, go to a high school football game and a UH volleyball game.  Stuff that gets pushed on the side on the weekends because I'm too exhausted to do more than laundry and basic chores.

Got to see the grand-nieces and nephews...

Went to the Farmer's Market at Windward Mall for the first time and was surprised at all the varieties of fruits and vegetables for sale. Dragonfruit were really pretty but I wasn't adventurous enough to try it.

Went to the Kamehameha - St Louis football game and got to watch the band perform this year's field show.  Band is so tiny - 98 total with color guard - kept thinking "where's the rest of the band?"   But they did ok this early in the season.

got to have lunch with Ryan and Darrell at Andy's Kahuku Shrimp...

got to watch and listen to the Blue Angels zooming above our house all week (they were performing at the Marine Corp base on the weekend)...

cleaned up a bit and found all of these lei from Ryan's graduation (it's a whole bin worth)...hard to believe it's been over a year already and Ryan's in his second year of college...

Got to see a very cool sunset caused by vog on the way to Aloha Stadium...

At the last minute heard that Ryan was going to play at the UH volleyball game against Long Beach State so we got tickets and went. People around us must come all the time so they were a little scary, criticizing the line judge, but it was fun. Got to see Ryan and the band outside Stan Sheriff before the game.

And Stan Sheriff has the best nachos for cheap!