dianegclark

We got to watch Emmet and Henry a lot this weekend, here at our house. Leah had her 10 year high school reunion.

Memorable events and pics:

When they got here, Emmet went into the livingroom to say hi to Rex. Rex came over to say hi to him! Later, Emmet said, “Grandma house. Papa house. Diego house. Rex house. Emmet house.”

Henry says “Oh, Wow!” Its pretty darn cute.

Emmet rewarded me with another poop sticker. He looked in the toilet, announced, “She pooped!” and picked out a sticker for me. I am so proud. Lol.

We took the boys to worship rehearsal. Emmet sat on the front row and quietly listened while trying to get his little iPad thingy to work. Jason helped us figure out the baby carrier and we strapped Henry on my front facing out. He just listened and waved his little arms.

When leaving to go home at the end of the weekend, I asked Emmet if he was gonna miss me. He answered, “Your face.”

They didn’t feel great so the night we had them after rehearsal was pretty stressful, I’m not gonna lie. But overall, I always enjoy my babies.

Photo by Leah Gaeddert

Photo by Leah Gaeddert

Photo by Leah Gaeddert

Day Four in beautiful Puerto Vallarta started with breakfast alone for me as I was in a hurry to get in the sun. I had my coffee and quiet time then hit poolside and laid there til 12:30. I only read one and a half novels this trip! Unheard of.

Scott and Mom joined for awhile and I did get up for a short jaunt up and down the beach with Scott, this time without my shoes. Lovely.

We had lunch in the cafe, the buffet line mid afternoon. We are all up to three desserts now. We all agree the cream puffs are the best.

More sunshine and Scott and I played in the ocean. We tried out a boogie board. I rode the tiny waves and Scott went out and tried the big waves. Apparently he almost drowned while I was napping in the sun. He got hit with a big wave, knocked to the bottom where he hit his head, and he drank a huge amount of salt water. But he survived, obviously.

A nap in the room, worked on my novel, then gussied up for dinner. We ate at the seaside grill. A Mexican steak is not a Kansas steak. Mom and Scott thoroughly enjoyed the salmon.

After dinner, Mama hit the sack and Scott and I headed over for our big Karaoke debut. We performed a couple of our favorite car tunes for a huge audience of three adults and one child plus the two workers. We were a big hit.

Now bedtime as we have an early early flight home.

Mexico, thank you for a very lovely vacation. We hope to see you again soon.

Bet ya wonder what that title means?

Day three started with coffee and quiet time on the balcony.

Scott and I then walked on the beach for 3 miles.

And then the three of us laid in the sun most of the day. We picked up rocks for Emmet.

At 3, we went to the spa for the most amazing massages. Scott and I had a couples massage. So relaxing and luxurious. Then hydrotherapy. Loved it! Started with the sauna. Mom didn’t love that. Then a cold rain shower. Then a heated pool where the gal set us up near spray stations, first for the lower back, then an all over jet spray, then a neck and shoulder spray. Then we sat in a whirlpool. Then a hot tub with cucumbers on our eyes.

A quick shower and clean up, then came the adventure. We caught a taxi over to another location where there was a fancy jungle set up. We sat on benches and made friends with a couple who lived off the grid in sascatchua for 30 years and recently moved to Sacramento. (Now they use Alexa and everything). He was a retired fire fighter. Then we piled onto a large boat where they plied us with alcohol and we got silly. I should say, my new friend Laverne and I got silly. The sea was very wavy and the boat rocked and swayed a lot. You should have seen us walk over, down the stairs and to the bathroom. Try that while drinking.

Then we arrived on our island. It was a jungle island completely without electricity, lit by candles and torches. We walked through created smooth pathways to a theater where Mom and Scott and I got to sit in the third row. They put on an amazing show with historical dancers, a funny tourist, fire dancers, and acrobats, cirque de soleil . quality. It was colorful, entertaining, shocking, and amazing.

We were then taken to our candle lit table, sea side, a rough hewn wood table with big goblets. We had a delicious buffet and were entertained by a ribbon dancer (the long ribbons the people do acrobatics on up in the air). The food was delicious and the sounds of the ocean crashing so near us was exhilarating.

The whole thing was a little stressful with Mom not being able to see a thing but otherwise very enjoyable.

The boat ride home was fun for Scott, singing old time rock and roll as I worked hard to keep my dinner down with the high seas. But the crew did some lip sinc songs including the blues brothers that was pretty fun to watch.

We got back to our rooms at 1 am!

The name of the show was rhythms of the night. 🙂

Slept in, loved it! Had my quiet time on our balcony overlooking the pool then went to breakfast with Mama. I had a delicious made to order ham and mexican cheese omelet, bacon, 3 cups of coffee and 3 mimosas. Since I’m on vaca, I decided breakfast needed dessert, so I had a waffle with nutella, crema, and maple syrup. Scott joined us and he had to show off by having fruit for breakfast.

We booked an adventure for tomorrow night then laid in the sun by the pool for most of the afternoon. We did venture down to the ocean to play a couple of times. We had a picnic lunch of burgers and fries at poolside. A big cool wind picked up so we ordered daqueris and say in the Whirlpool for awhile. We made it til 2:30 then decided we were fried so back up to the rooms for naps in the A/C.

Scott and I went for a walk up the beach and missed our resort on the way back so it ended up being 5 miles!

Gussied up for dinner and ate at a fancy italian restaurant. I had cannolli, Scott had shrimp fettucini and mom had chicken parmesan. They had the most amazing cheese bread with garlic olive oil for dipping. And of course, dessert, chocolate lava cake and vanilla ice cream for Scott and I, and tiramisu for Mom. The amaretto sours were yum too.

We came up to the room and are enjoying our balcony. It is lovely. A light breeze, soft music, and the sounds of the ocean in the background.

Is 8:30 am and I’m sitting out on our patio in my nightgown and spa robe looking out over the pools, palm trees and in the distance, the ocean. I have praise music on the radio but I can hear the birds singing and the ocean waves washing up on the beach. The air is warm and cool on my skin at the same time.

Our travel went very well, only one hour wait longer in Dallas but we FaceTimed with Leah and the boys, mostly Emmet while we waited. I slept a little and did puzzles on the plane. We had a good breakfast and an amazing caramel cloud macchiato in the airport.

Our resort is just right. We were given champagne while checking in. Mom and I have stayed at many resorts and this one feels just right. It is fairly casual and everything is right here. The restaurants are all right here, breakfast and lunch just below us, and the ocean within view and not too far of a walk. Last night Scott and I walked on the beach after dark. I loved hearing the waves, seeing them break and roll up on the sand.

We unpacked and rested and explored the resort (Mom just rested) then Mom and I went down and had a cocktail (mango tango yum) before dinner. Scott joined us and we enjoyed steak, wonderful mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, bread, and cream puffs for dessert at an open air table.

After walking on the beach, Scott and I watched a fire show. Cool dancers in black outfits twirled fire for us. We were about 5 feet away. Oh to have abs like that!

The room is great, too, lots of plugs and light options, a big couch and bed, a large tub and an amazing rain shower. All the water etc in the fridge is included in our package. I’m ready for my coffee and breakfast and relaxing day.

P.S. I’m worried about Mom. She is really tired, I know, and overall, she did well at the airport. But she fell Sunday morning over her cat and has a big bruise and cut on the side of her face. She repeats things, asks questions and makes comments that don’t make much sense, can’t remember much at all, gets mixed up. She babbles like a magpie. She left her purse at home and then left her kindle on the airplane. When Scott helped her call the airline, she said the kindle was silver and it is white. She reads on it every single day. She was like this Sunday morning but being tired made it much worse yesterday. Its so so hard for me to see her like this. Scott said to focus on being vey grateful that we still have her. She’s 88 years old!

I’m addicted to Facebook. There, I said it.

I’ve read multiple times about how Facebook contributes to mental health problems.

People present their very best selves on facebook. For example, a family takes a trip together, arguing in the car, arguing all the way while climbing up the mountain, then when they arrive at the summit, they put their arms around each other, smile brightly, and post that photo. Then argue and complain all the way down the mountain and all the way home. Everyone looking at the photo assumes they’re the happiest family with no issues or problems and further, their own family is less by comparison.

Below are just a few studies I found on how facebook negatively affects us:

“Overall, our results showed that, while real-world social networks were positively associated with overall well-being, the use of Facebook was negatively associated with overall well-being. These results were particularly strong for mental health; most measures of Facebook use in one year predicted a decrease in mental health in a later year. We found consistently that both liking others’ content and clicking links significantly predicted a subsequent reduction in self-reported physical health, mental health, and life satisfaction.

Harvard Business Review, April 2017″

Feeling sad after you log out isn’t the only way Facebook takes a toll on your mental health. A study that will be published in the June 2016 issue of Current Opinion in Psychology found that envying your friends on Facebook leads to depression.

Scrolling through happy status updates, exciting vacation photos, and beautiful family moments led participants to compare their lives with those of their Facebook friends.

Those social comparisons led people to assume their Facebook friends had better lives. And those feelings of envy increased their chances of developing depression.

Researchers say it stems from a psychological term called affective forecasting. Studies confirm that people predict Facebook is going to make them feel better.

They assume–albeit incorrectly–that 20 minutes of Facebook activity will boost their mood. They don’t recognize that it’s actually robbing them of joy.

So the cycle continues. Someone assumes Facebook will give a momentary break from stress or a quick opportunity to check in with friends.

But ultimately, that individual isn’t likely to communicate with friends, nor is the Facebook visit likely to boost his or her mood. Yet there’s a good chance the person will fail to recognize the personal toll being taken, and he or she will keep going back for more.

Psychology Today March 7, 2016″

“Dunbar’s colleague, Sue Fudge, added, “Although social media may seem like the perfect way to make and maintain friendships, this research shows that face-to-face interaction is essential for truly authentic relationships and that shares, selfies and ‘likes’ are no replacement for the bonding that takes place whilst sharing food, experiences and anecdotes.”

Psychology Today January 2016″

“Weddings, promotions, books, dream jobs, international travel—images like this can nag at us, make us feel inadequate, like awkward teenagers, trying to fit in. The inner critic hisses that we’re “not attractive enough,” “not popular enough,” “not good enough.” Comparison is a zero/sum game that implies there’s only a limited amount of good to go around, so one person’s win becomes someone else’s loss. Caught up in this toxic game, we can spiral into frustration, dissatisfaction, and depression.

Psychology Today September, 2103″

Knowing this, I’ve tried to stop. Unsuccessfully.

None of the other social media platforms affect me this way. I check Instagram for about 2 minutes to look at the cute videos of the grandkids, mostly. I have a twitter that I never check. I think I signed up years ago to Google plus and also Linked In. I haven’t checked them in years.

So what can we do?

First, I made sure that Facebook is positive. I follow maybe less than a third of the people on my friend list. If people are negative or political, critical, complainy, rude, inappropriate or mean, I don’t follow them.

Then I like positive things, like cute animals, uplifting or inspiring quotes and videos.

So when I scroll through the page, I see my closest friends, family, old friends, co workers, and people I attend church with. I see positive images and words that uplift, make me feel good, encourage.

The author of the Psychology Today September 2013 article goes on to say, “You can stop playing this game by becoming mindful, noting when you’re comparing yourself to others, and asking:

• “What am I feeling?”
• “What’s really going on?”
• “Is there anything I can learn from this?”

Then take a deep breath, returning to the present moment to embrace your own unique life, for in all the world there has never been anyone with your fingerprints, your combination of talents, your thoughts and experiences. You can transcend comparison and competition by realizing that you have unique gifts to offer the world. To live in your uniqueness is to live creatively, as your own deepest and most authentic self, discovering new opportunities, experiencing small miracles, finding joy and meaning in making your own music, writing your own story, claiming your own voice.”

If you figure out a way not to be tempted to buy all the cool stuff advertised on facebook, be sure to let me know.

When I got up and stumbled into the kitchen this morning for my coffee, Scott had opened a letter from the little girl we sponsor in Africa, Sanila. Here is a little girl who has basically nothing who wrote blessings to us in her letter. She wrote “I want to share with you the word of God in the book of Psalm 23:1-2. The Lord is Shepherd. I have everything I need. He let me rest in green grass. He let me quiet pool of fresh water.” (Her exact words in her handwriting).

So I get my coffee, start my quiet time, and it is about comfort. I think I don’t need comfort today, all is well. But what the heck, I choose to receive it. And the verse that comes up is Psalm 23. God does that. When He really wants me to get something, He’ll put it in front of me more than once.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So I prayed, “You are my Lord, my shepherd. I have no needs or wants you haven’t filled. You give me rest, comfort. You lead me. You renew my heart, my body, my soul. You restore my soul.”

Since I am writing a novel, I keep my thesaurus handy. I looked up restore. Here it is:

Renew, repair, recover, fix, revive, renovate, rebuild, return, rehabilitate, rejuvenate, refresh, regenerate, give back, cure, revitalize, reestablish, reinstate, refurbish, heal, redeem, doctor, regain, bring back, put back, reinvigorate, overhaul, recoup, reform, reduce, strengthen, resurrect, rest, freshen, take back, enliven, replenish, stimulate, reimburse, salvage, help, patch, relieve, recover, reinstate, encourage, recharge, reinforce, settle, reoccupy, set right, change, comfort, upgrade, re-energize, cleanse, transform, refill.

Anyone need any of that?

Day 2 Saturday, we also rocked it. Highlights were Henry’s toothy grin, breakfast Grandma style, lots of love and snuggles, a trip to Prairie Harvest, naps, and lots and lots of singing. Scott taught Emmet to say “too much” when he picked on him. Day 3 Sunday was a bit harder. Emmet gave us stickers for pooping. Henry would not take his nap in the morning. When I was rocking him, he played with my eye lids, stuck his finger up my nose… When he did go down for his nap, so did I and it was glorious!

Just before Dave and Leah got home, Emmet looked at my kickboxing video over and over and renamed me “Grandma pow pow”. Then he played preschool, got his boots and coat and hat and back pack on and pretended to go to preschool, but first he kissed and hugged each of us goodbye each time. I also taught him to flip over my knees.

We are watching the boys by ourselves for the first time!

I won’t bore you with all the details, just the highlights. We are rocking this! We went to the park, got them down for naps, ate lunch, took a long walk, fed them dinner, got them bathed, then got them to bed! It wasn’t easy but we did it! Its like we’ve done this before. Lol. Highlights: after I got the boys down for their naps and came out, Papa Scott was asleep on the couch so I grabbed a pillow and blanket and slept on the floor. Moose the hunting dog, curled up in front of me and we spooned for our whole nap!

Here is Emmet’s reaction to Papa’s singing after about two hours of it:

Getting Henry to sleep was an effort. At one point, I was rubbing his hair and he took my hand and played with it and giggled and fell asleep giggling. Silly boy.

We are getting lots of snuggles and laughs. The boys are loving playing with our small suitcases. More tomorrow.

I have been taking a turbo kick class at my gym, Genesis, for about a year now. I like it. It makes me feel powerful. I’m all about group exercise. It satisfies the social side of me, plus, I’m a lot less likely to quit early in a class. I’ve been doing step aerobics for more than 20 years. But we are down to one step class offered per week now! So I started turbo kick and I like it! We punch and kick the air, upper cut, jabs, roundhouse….

So then I started working with a personal trainer. Scott and I purchased some sessions with him and he helps us figure out the machines and how to get better results with our workouts. He’s a great kid, very encouraging and motivating.

One day I was working out with Jason, and I saw the big punching bag hanging there and mentioned that I had thought about learning to box. His eyes lit up and he said he happened to be a trainer for kickboxing. Hummmm…..

So to reward me for doing the workout he has set up for me three times in a week, he said he’d do some kickboxing training!

Ok, I’m not going to lie. It’s harder than I thought! I have to think about so much, how to stand, how to move my feet and hips, where to look, how to turn my hand. Tons to consider. And Jason is so patient!

Of course I had to get some pink boxing gloves.