Labor Day Weekend...

Here I sit once again today thinking about how I'm going to spend my weekend and Monday off. Well what exactly does labor day mean. Why do we get a day of the week off for it? So I did a bit of reading on this. For some it signals the end of summer. Well that doesn't mean much in CA since many schools have been back in session for about a month now. The other reason is to pay tribute to all the working men and women. Now there is an idea. To quote TLC Family: "Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894." Again this being the economy that our dear Mr. Pres. has decided to jack around it holds little meaning to many. So many are out of work, living on the streets, living in other family members homes just trying to get by.

Why am I rambling on about this..? I really don't know.

I guess since so many things are going on between my husband being laid off  and my work being incredibly busy and stressful right now. One point of burden is that since the State would rather hire a firefighter with zero experience and book work vs. keeping the trained (but not a degree) experienced Firefighter who has well over 10 years of experience. The State ranking system is a joke for Firefighters to get hired permanently. The rankings are secret, you don't know where you stand, you don't know why you stand where you do and no one will explain. Last I checked the State doesn't know how to budget it's own money, has a "management" system for training, hiring yet holds no one accountable to make sure that all firefighters on staff already are adequately taken care of with updated trainings and signing off the necessary items to prove they have had the training. The "system" is BS.

So what am I going to do about it? Well other then annoy the crap out of my husband to be more pushy not much I can do. (Sure as hell don't want to Gov. this state of a mess).

Instead I'll be spending my Labor Day weekend with my loving husband and amazing son sitting in the HOT So. Cal sun watching Americas all time favorite sport! BASEBALL!!! I can live in this dream world all weekend and Monday. Then someone will have to give me a good hard swift kick in the pants to make me walk down the hall to my office and begrudgingly turn on my laptop.

Just a few 2011 pics of baseball games we've been to so far. More to come on Tues...or Weds...

 Patience is a virtue and my son has it down. Doesn't scream out the players name just waits his turn.

 He was making fun of someone who was asking over and over for an autograph

 Mathis

 ...and stretch... You're up next batter get ready

Not a bad pic... would have been better had it not gone straight up... >.<

Have a safe Labor Day weekend and be grateful that you...yes you have a job in this whacked out economy!

As of late...

Life and work defiantly, as of late, are on this insane roller coaster for me. Life has its challenges on a normal basis but with all things considered in the month of August life pretty much has taken a sharp turn down hill...Broken knees, loss of work, lack of management, back stabbings, needing to thicken my skin, crutches, illness, struggle....

I'm not one who typically gets sad or wallows in the mud or throws "pity parties" but good grief there are days when I can feel depression, stress and an overwhelming sense of tears waiting at the backdoor. Waiting for that one small crack to come barreling in or heck for someone or something to leave it open for a millisecond too long.

I'm typically not a night owl and am in bed by 8pm. Rather the early bird who is out catching the worms with the sprinklers on. Smiling, dancing, laughing and enjoying the peace and quiet before the hot sun or the storm. One who has always needed a serious 10-12 hours of sleep to "play nice with others" which means 6 am I'm ready to get the day going. However lately it's been a dragging chore for me to open my eyes that early let alone make my body move out of the comfort of my bed. The bed who doesn't care if I stay there all day. The bed who won't "fire" me because I sent a how to guide instead of doing a live "touchy feely" session on how things should run. The bed who doesn't wonder why I put make up on to go to the grocery store. The bed who hugs me when I lay down (totally have a temper-pedic bed and yes they hug you. There is nothing but warm and comfort laying in bed. The world can rear it's ugly head and just be ignored by laying here...sleeping...dreaming...reading...living in an imaginary world where I'm happy all the time.

I  know there is a light at the end of every tunnel but this one feels like it's a labyrinth of twists, turns, mountains (not grains of sands here folks) which all have their up sides (walking barefoot in the snow both ways) and their down sides (walking away holding your behind because it feels like you've been kicked by a mule).

I will get through this and keep the smile and laughter but there are just days, as of late.....that get me down.

Oh Deer

While in Yosemite we stopped at the usual tourist spots. One in which I will forever remember because this hike was sure to KILL me. Upper Yosemite falls is an insane hike and not one to just plan on doing on a whim. A different day I'll post those pictures. While we were walking back to our car from the hike we discovered that the deer love apple trees along with the squirrels.

Last stop of our vaca...memories and stories

We have returned from our vacation and completed our first week with a high schooler. On any normal basis that could be any one and not that relavent. Well to us it's a big thing... We went to Yosemite and camped at Yosemite Lakes. We were told of a lil' picnic area by a family that said we must go! So on the road we go to find this place called Rainbow Falls or Pools (depends on who you ask).

We get there early and there is no one there. It's our own pool area! My son having no fear climbs to the top of the rock jumping area and in he goes! 25 feet jump into COLD water. (25 feet according to some I don't know the exact measurement).

 We are later joined by a family who also jumps in quickly. Jumping and sliding takes place for the next 4 hours! Our bellies begin to rumble and we leave for lunch to a small town called Groverland. We decide this place is just too much fun and we want to spend the rest of the day there. We get back and the place is packed! The family we met is still there and so we start talking and playing again. My son takes their youngest daughter down the waterslide off a small waterfall.

 (evil waterfall that swept him down is to his right in the above picture)

Little did we know that we would only be there a short time longer. You see my son decided that he wanted to walk to the rock on the other side of the small waterfall. In all honesty this doesn't seem like a big deal. There were teens sitting on the rock already so why not. Well the waterfall current was too much for him and the way he was trying to approach the rock and his feet were swept out from underneath him. He appears to have made it down the fall and is swimming in the water when he yells "Dad help". Dad however was up by the water slide and couldn't get to him. I fly down the side to get to my son so fast I don't recall moving...I was just there. (My angel gave me wings?) His knee is bleeding and he says "I think I hit a rock under the fall."

Off we went into Yosemite Medical Clinic where they drained 70cc of blood of my son's knee and advised us to get an xray. We quickly drove back to our campground and packed up the trailer. 10 hours later and a 2 hour nap we take our son who's knee is the size of a grapefruit to the doctor for a look and an xray. We then arrange to meet an Othropedic Dr. who tells us his knee cap is broken in half and puts my son in an immobilizer and crutches for approx 3 mo.

(Xray on the left is from 8/23/11 the one on the right is from 8/9/11, 24 hours after the fall)

This has been one heck of a memorable vacation. Sitting here watching youtube videos of others jumping at Rainbow Falls and my son walks in and says "I can't wait to go again!"

God please put your best Guardian Angel in charge of this kid! He's gonna need it!

Looking forward

Apparently I married Mr. Spontaneous and he wants to go to Yosemite for his b-day! Pictures to come as I can download them or when we get home! I haven't been there since I was 12 maybe?

Excited... stay tuned!

Training in Phoenix, AZ

I had the chance to stay at an amazing resort in Phoenix called J&W Marriott Desert Ridge! If you ever get the chance GO!!! It's amazing!
Well anyways while there I went to a co-workers house for a BBQ and all of the sudden....Dust Storm aka Haboob!! (Not kidding)

Here are just a few shots from the resort!

To see how large this resort really is... Google Map it!!!

Video: *disclaimer: I'm loud! mute and watch. Dust Storm aka Haboob hits Anthem and Phoenix, AZ

Vacation

We finally were able to take our trailer out for a week! We had a blast! Here are some pics.