Coming Home, Halloween and Weight Loss

I was incredibly ready to get home from my recent trip to Germany. Not that Germany wasn't a lovely country and it certainly was a challenging adventure, but I was ready to be home. I missed my kids and got a bit run down while traveling. So run down, in fact, that I got a nasty cold and it took a bit of effort to manage my health. All is well, however, and I returned home just in time for Halloween.

Halloween was pretty low-key but the kids all wanted to carve pumpkins and we made an evening of it--they didn't need my help, of course, but I think I definitely needed to be there! In fact, they saved the activity for my return and regardless of my complaints of remnant cold and jet lag, they all three insisted I buck up!

Coming home also gave me the chance to stand on the scales and see that I have reached the first 20 pound mark in my attempt to get more fit. It was quite challenging to manage my diet while in Germany but I got plenty of exercise hiking up and down hills and stairs. I was actually expecting to gain a little so I was pleasantly surprised to find I am still on track and still losing gradually. It is strange to be on the wane after all this time since my weight/size have not been vanity issues for me. If it wasn't for the health scare in August, I probably would not have made the lifestyle changes that are leading to the weight loss and improved health!

So, as November unfurls, it is gorgeously fall-like here in Oregon. I have already had a couple weeks of European fall (and it is not all that different--a little colder maybe.) I am trying to get grounded back into my world and to figure out what has been going on with my kids. I have to admit that it has been great to walk my own neighborhood trails again and get back on the stairmaster!

Last Minute Details

No matter how organized I think I am heading into a conference and a trip, everything starts to unravel in the final days. I am *almost* used to this--I know that it is coming but when those phone calls, e-mails and problems start popping up, it can still take its toll on my peace of mind!

Since I am not footloose and fancy free, any trip out of town means getting all my home ducks in a row, work ducks in a row, and tending to all the details to make sure 300 people have a relatively pleasant time for a full week. For those of you who travel, imagine that instead of just organizing your own travel and accommodations, you are arranging for flights, trains, shuttles, accommodations and other details for 2-3 dozen people, and then throw in the general conference details and 200+ registrants on top of that. I know there are those who coordinate much bigger events, but for the likes of me, this is plenty of stressful detail to fuss over!

So, the final few days tend to be a bit stressful. The moment comes, however, when there is nothing left to do but throw the bags in the van and get myself on that plane--when I step off in Frankfurt, I will need to be focused and ready for six straight days of work and attempt as much Zen-ness as I can muster. Believe it or not, I look as forward to coming home at the end of two weeks as I do to getting the conference underway and getting to visit other people and places.

Heading to Germany...

There are only a few days before I am again getting on a plane and heading across the pond. This time, I am off to Germany for a conference and will hopefully do a little exploring in the Black Forest area and over into South-eastern France. Mostly, it will be work but I am trying to extract a little pleasure and adventure out of it as well.

Meanwhile, there is a household and three kids to prepare for my absence. Lucy is getting in a groove at the U of O but it is still a huge adjustment. Stuart and Lilly are in typical transition as well. I have absolute confidence that they will all be fine, but that will not stop me from fussing a bit and trying to make sure everything is in order for my absence. As of today, we are all healthy and all the bases seem to be covered (knock on wood.)

It has been the most incredibly beautiful fall so far and I'm a little bummed that I won't be around to enjoy the decorated house, the brisk weather and the amazing colors--but I am looking forward to seeing what Germany and France have to offer too! I will be back just in time for Halloween and the officially start of the holiday season!

Lucy starts at the University of Oregon

I spent Friday afternoon on the University of Oregon campus with Lucy and Meli--first we bought Lucy's books, then went to get Meli's and then I took both girls out to lunch at Rennie's. Meli then invited me to see her dorm room--it looked as though she'd been there a term instead of just one day!

I was in good company, wandering the trails and weaving in and out of energetic youngsters with the other middle-aged parents, carrying my wallet. I confess that while I am sure Lucy is finally feeling like a college student, I was totally feeling like "the mom." Sheesh, it only seems a couple years since I was helping her get acclimated to kindergarten!

Well, she worked hard to get here and she starts her first official term at the University with 36 credits--one term and she's officially a sophomore. She has her books, she has a bike, and she couldn't be more ready for classes to start tomorrow. Strangely enough, I think I'm ready too. I feel incredibly blessed that she wanted me to be a part of the process and I think we are both relieved to see all the hard work and paperwork come to fruition...

Feeling Good...

After a rock and roll summer and over a month of feeling under the weather, I have made some major changes to my diet and activity level. After a month of an increasingly boisterous exercise regime, I find that I look forward all day to my work-outs. Of course, as an easily bored air sign, I do different activities every day and I like it that way, but I'm loving it and feeling good. The food and diet part doesn't get me nearly as excited as the movement, but I'm feeling good about what I'm eating (and not eating too.)

The kids have been great and have been both encouraging and good sports about the changes. I feel so lucky that they are old enough to like brown rice more than white and to be quite content trying healthy recipes without complaining. Of course, they are also old enough to go out and get their own junk food when they crave it.

I have already done one great purge of my closet and while I have only slipped down one size so far, that all seems incidental--it is really about the health, the energy and feeling better than I have felt in a long time...

Out and About in the Pacific Northwest

While I try not to take the fact that we live in the amazingly beautiful Pacific Northwest for granted, I do sometimes forget to express my gratitude for such a marvelous climate and a town that makes it easy to get out and about. Whether taking a walk on one of the many trails that run near our house (and along the Willamette river) or taking in a parade, Saturday Market or other outdoor event, we really are lucky to live in such a laid back and accessible place.

My kids are good ones for getting out and about and now that we have passed the isolating teen years, they are generally all up for doing something and getting out and about. Whether it is a walk or a trip to the market or even a museum, play or movie, I find that there is always at least someone in the house who also wants to get out and experience a little fresh air and weather.

This time of year is ideal--the temperatures have cooled a bit and the air is relatively smoke-free. The rains haven't started yet but we know they could any day and this adds a bit of urgency to our desire to get out and about and enjoy the days before the wetness makes it a little more challenging!

Embracing Autumn...

It seems to creep up on us and suddenly Summer is over. The weather has suddenly turned cool (much to Stuart's glee) and we are starting to talk about things like Halloween and Thanksgiving. I am preparing for a trip to Germany in mid-August and wondering how that will affect all of our typical fall plans. I should get back just in time for Halloween, as long as there are no unforseen travel upheavals.

Meanwhile, Lucy starts college and we are all saying good bye to another season. I found this fabulous picture of the kids when they were little, draped over a picnic table I built from a kit in our backyard in Indiana and it seemed the perfect reminder of autumns past--many pumpkins have met their jack-o-lantern end in the autumns that have slipped passed since this photo was taken. I am quite certain that Lucy must have been about 4, which makes Lilly 3 and Stuart (in the Barney hat) 2. I still intend to make a bit of a fuss over the first official fall holiday--and then we'll have election day, Thanksgiving...