Luxury Living

So today I got home and took a quick nap (then ran to the dentist to have my temp crown put back on--not part of the luxury living--a side note), then went to the gym for a workout.  Could have sat in the sauna, didn't, but did grab a sample peanut butter chocolate protein drink on the way out to the cool sunshine.  Drove home with the windows down.  Cooked black and white pizza in my new kitchen while watching hgtv.  Ate said pizza and melted dark chocolate on strawberries while sitting at the kitchen island with the sliding door open AND having a conversation on facebook chat with all three kids at the same time!  Then ran a hot bath and relaxed while playing comtemporary Christian music on the cable station.  Now blogging and think I'll move on to a little Pinterest.  And let the pups sit on my lap.  Oh, wait, I'll go sit in the luxurious new room!

Order

I love love love weekends. Not just because I can relax and catch up on sleep, but because I put my life back into order. All week I do what I need to--the small amount of dishes that Scott and I make, put things back I have used, stuff like that. But on weekends, I love to make a to do list and take care of all the little things that I have neglected all week. For example, Scott's clock in the bedroom has been flashing all week. I could have taken the 2 minutes it would take to reset it, but I ignore it all week then do things like that on the weekends. So by Sunday night when I relax before bed and then get up Monday morning to face the week, the trash is out, the fridge is full, the meals are planned, the house is clean, all is in order and I can take on the world and anything it throws my way. Its not that I freak if things aren't in order, I just really like the feeling of order. So....gotta go make my to do list! Have a great weekend!

Such a Great Life

I have such a great life. After a good day at work yesterday, I drove home singing along to KLove with the windows wide open and the sun shining. I got home and the pups were so excited to see me (since Scott left early for his away game). I changed (love Nike shorts--my uniform) and took a nap with a slight breeze blowing across me. I had a snack (tricuits and cream cheese) and checked my facebook then went to my amazing gym. I timed my arrival late into fit ball class just as they finished their lunges and squats:). I did that class then advanced step (so fun!) and half of the abs class--no point in doing too many! It was still sunshiny and warm when I drove home from the gym. I made dinner for myself then played on the computer and watched The Voice and Love It or List It on HGTV (tivod) in my new room. I took a break to take the tape off the sliding door in my new kitchen--looks great. I love the new floors and how this house is turning out. I took a bath in my lovely tub. I did that again tonight and had my dessert--dark chocolates. Today was also a good day at work (some hard kids have moved so things are a bit calmer lately) so I had my nap and went to my favorite work out--total body circuit. Tonight I just wanted popcorn for dinner. Then I played on pinterest for about two hours! Tomorrow I teach FCA then after work I run over to JC to watch Scott's soccer game. This really is a great life. Happy Spring!

This week

Most of this week was spent getting used to the real world after spending the previous week in paradise:). 6 am comes super early and then I was thrown right into the wonderful world of middle school with drugs and underage sex and drama, conflict, raging blow ups and tons of stupidity. For example, a new kid came to tell me someone tried to ask for drugs and while he was talking to me, a kid brought him his phone number and it was the kid! Right under my nose! And a new kid has the girls falling all over him and he is dating at least 6 girls at the same time so drama, drama, drama, except with one of my clients....I went to warn her and she said it was fine with her. Also at work, I'm gearing up for the retirement of Nancy with whom I have worked super closely for all 9 years... and Ann with whom I have worked more than 20 years, and Gayle, whom I will also miss. Too much change!

At home, the house is wonderful and I am feeling spoiled. We still have lots to paint but I can go soak in my tub when my muscles ache and I can walk around on my new shiny floors and go sit in our relaxing new room. We gave each other back rubs while lying on our new carpeting and we could put our faces right on the carpet with no bad odors! Friday night we had a team party here and the girls loved the house. The house worked really well and will only be better with the deck! This thing is rolling right along and I can see the actual end of it now! Only need the front door, the bedroom sheetrocked and painted, the bedroom and hall floors done and the deck (oh and the front portico and siding, etc) but that is it!

Yesterday I got Adelle and we washed the car and trimmed bushes, ran a few errands, and cooked burgers out.

Well, back to the painting since I have the sliding door off! Then I will reward myself with olive oil popcorn for dinner:). yum... Have a good week!

Last Day

Yesterday after the spa, we ate lunch, rested, then took a long walk on the beach in the light rain, Mom holding onto the umbrella in the wind sure she would completely melt in the rain or blow away in the wind, me enjoying every single moment. We walked to some dominican shops with pushy sales men. We looked at scarves and dresses, t shirts, paintings, jewelry and statues. We popped $40 on a dress and a scarf ($20 of my money) for mom because our bargaining wasn't so hot. At another shop, I picked out a wooden statue of two people kissing and mom picked out a cat statue. We talked him down to $20 for both and then I only had $15. He was angry but let me have my statue for $15. We got out of there and walked back along the beach to the hotel. We rested some more and then went to a late dinner at Gabi beach bar. It was fancy again, sauces and unrecognizable things and not enough light to eat it. I guess you go for the ambience which was beautiful and elegant. I think I've had my fill of fancy food. I did like the dessert, though, of course, chocolate tart and vanilla ice cream. Yum. We went up to the room early--8:30 and read in our beds until sleepy time. It rained all day and evening but that was ok--our skin probably didn't need more sun.

This morning it was still raining lightly when we got up so our plans to get our last beach and sun were shot. We ate our last breakfast in the open air restaurant then I went for a super long walk in the wind and clouds. Mom went back to the room. I decided to sit and nap in the wind and as I did, the sun came back out so I got another hour or so of sun on my legs and arms. It was delightful. Came back to the room for a bath and now we are waiting to go eat lunch (enough eating already!) and then our long, long, day of travel and waiting and travel and waiting. We will get to mom's about 1 am. Then off to get Rexie and home!

spa thursday

Woke up this morning to hard rain. It is still lovely as much of the hotel is open air. We had breakfast then lounged and read on some splushy couches in the lobby. We called for a spa opening as mom kept after me to get a pedicure. I wouldn't have except diana from canada said the spa experience was amazing. I couldn't talk mom into it but she did tag along. This was an amazing experience. I think I'll smile all day long now. We got a carteria (a fancy golf cart) to take us along the brick roads lined with palm trees and rose bushes to the spa. We were introduced to my helper, her name started with a D. She showed me where to put my cover clothes ( I wore my swimsuit). She showed me to an outdoor shower where I showered and washed my hair, then she took me into a steam room. There were girls there when I first arrived then I sat alone. I could barely see, it was so wonderfully steamy. At one point she opened the door and threw some aroma water on the floor--eucalyptus. It smelled wonderful, not too strong. After 10 minutes or so she showed me to another shower, this one with a bucket to pull the chain. Cold water! Then she had me walk down into a hot pool and had me lean on a thing in the middle while she hot hard streams of hot water all over my back for about 2 minutes. Then she had me go to the other side where she did the same and then to a third side where a water stream that looked like glass poured over me. She had me get out and go to another pool and walk into it. A freezing plunge. She said to sit down. I could barley breathe and barely stood it so she had me get out and go back into the warm pool. My skin had prickly tingles all over it. She then had me walk over wet rocks, about 6 feet, three times. She rolled up mom's pant legs and had her do it, too. Then she led me to a sauna that didn't feel hot at first but warmed up. I was so incredibly relaxed at this point. Then she had me sit in a jacuzzi for about 10 minutes. I loved it. She brought me water to drink then took me to a changing room where she had me get out of my wet swimsuit and put on a robe and little slippers. She then took me for my pedicure. When I was done, she had mostly dried my swimsuit so I got dressed and she led us back out to our carteria to come back to the hotel. I am so glad I did this--I wonder if I will ever do anything like it again. We had lunch and now we are resting and hoping the sun will come back up. A lovely rainy, spa day in Punta Cana.

Wednesday in Punta Cana

Today was windier in the open air restaurant and I started my day with oatmeal and bacon and pineapple and cafe o lait. We went to the beach again and laid in the sun and played in the waves. The waves were bigger and stronger today but still fun. Just after we went to the pool area, they started merigue lessons so we joined in. I danced with a woman close to my age from Canada named Diana and Mom danced with the big, black dominican man. She looked so cute! Five minutes after we got done, they started water aerobics so I had to join in. It was led by a chubby fellow and another guy, eye candy, co-taught. It was a pretty good work out--I probably worked off a few peices of bacon. We took a nap in the wind under one of the huts on the beach for an hour or so after that. It sprinkled and mom didn't even notice! We took pictures of the ocean and then mom went up to the room. I laid out by the pool and drank a coke even though my skin had had enough. I went back to the room at about 5. I took a jacuzzi bath and we got dolled up again for dinner. We sat on the beach and took a cool pic of our feet and then waited near the dinner show as it got dark. We sat at dinner with a couple who didn't speak english from Venezuela. She was venezuelan and he was italian. They were fun to try to talk to. We had a huge buffet dinner, coffee, and dessert, then watched the Le Cirque show. I liked it except the part where they had the dog that looked very much like Rex way up high in the air. The dog enjoyed it but it made me nervous and kind of sad for it. Now we are in the room ready for beddy by. I hope I can sleep after afternoon coke and coffee with dinner. No such thing as decaf here. I am starting to feel sad we are leaving and not looking forward to the trip home. I'm trying to talk mom into the spa tomorrow--she wants me to go alone. The gal at the pool said it was very cool in there. Goodnight.