Oakland A's and the 5K

Last week, we went to an A's game...on a school night. I dragged the kids along on a spur of the moment whim. My friend, Adrienne, and her kids, were visiting just for the evening and they wanted to see a game. So that is exactly what we did. It was fun and cold and and exhausting.

Before this spur of the moment decision, I had asked a colleague if he knew how to get good seats to an A's game. So the day after this late night bleacher seat game, I get a call saying I now have really good seats to two day games. On the house. Wow. So for a family that doesn't follow sports, this is pretty incredible. A bit embarrassing really. Three games in 3 weeks? We're going to start looking like fans or something. I think we all deserve at least an A's hat or shirt or something. Maybe one of those giant foam hands?

On Sunday, I ran in the SF Marathon Progressive 5K. I had been feeling pretty awful since the baseball game at the beginning of the week, but somehow I rallied and had a great run, it was really fun and I beat my time by 3 minutes running a 10:07 pace (fast for me). I was the 4th fastest 46 yr old (there were 19 of us). I'm pictured with younger friends Angelica (ran faster than me by a minute, while limping with a bad knee for over a mile), and Andrea, who killed it at around 24 minutes.


And then, Sunday afternoon, A's Game #2. We won 6-4, a VERY exciting game.

On entry, we each got a free A's jersey, with some pitcher guy Anderson's name on the back.


We celebrated when we got home. Strawberry shortcake...always in good taste.

Chilly Legoland

We planned for this vacation for almost a year. A couple of days at Legoland and the rest of the time playing in the sand, jumping in the waves and even soaking up some rays.

This past week was probably one of the coldest and most overcast San Diego County has experienced in years. BUMMER.

When we first arrived, we went to the beach just to check it out. We didn't put on bathing suits, it seemed too chilly. The kids still had a fantastic time.


Although it got a bit cooler and drizzled the next morning, Legoland was still a hit.



So one of the sweetest moments was on one of the rides in a boat that circled Mini Land USA. A boy on either side...I love those little hands...

It was too cold to return to the beach on our non-Legoland day so we ended up at the Discovery Center in Santa Ana. We all loved it. Sure enough, the sun came out in the afternoon. Very promising.

Our final day was back at Legoland, as well as the new Legoland Waterpark. It was about 62 degrees out. We kept hoping by afternoon the sun would come back out. But it did not. So at 2pm, we entered the water park, put on suits, wrapped ourselves in giant towels and shivered our way through the next few hours. The kids had a blast. I got a runny nose.

The only way back into warm clothes was bribing the kids with an ice cream cone. This finally worked.

Great to have a vacation. Wish it were longer and warmer.

Between Sonoma and Legoland

Last weekend, BZ and I went up to Sonoma. Without kids. We visited Viansa where we got married 8 years ago, tasted some wine, ate delicious grilled pizza.


We checked into our fancy hotel, The Lodge at Sonoma, and were upgraded to a cottage (very cool!!!) but...it was the "accessible" room. So that translated as no view, and a bathroom with many rails to hold onto. Interestingly, there were no towel racks near the sink. I wonder, do people in wheel chairs not use towels?


On Saturday, we went on a hike, saw the last half of the World Cup game (USA v Ghana) and finished the afternoon off reading by the pool.


Early evening, we scurried off to Petaluma to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops (BZ moaning the entire time..."not a jug band!!!").


Sunday I ran 3.5 miles and earned the right to a big fat breakfast at The Black Bear Diner. I love Diners. Big ridiculous food that you cannot finish. BZ ordered a senior meal. I'm not kidding.


Our weekend getaway was relaxing, romantic, silly and fun. Immediately upon our return home, my jaw clenched, my fatigue rolled back in and I sunk into a real life funk. How do I hold onto that relaxed happy feeling when I am home? How do I hold onto that relaxed feeling while juggling kids and work and meals and the rest?

In two more days I get another shot at this life lesson, we begin our official family vacation, driving down to San Diego and Legoland. Here's the test. A week away to relax, have fun, reconnect with my family...fully. And when I return, will it be possible to hold onto some of that relaxed state?