Pieces of Me: April 2009

Yes...I'm actually back and I'm sorry...actually, I'm really surprised if anyone is even reading this!! I have been gone so long, and I really don't have a great excuse, except that every time I came to actually blog...I thought about how much work it would be to catch everything up...and I suddenly became very lazy. I know, terrible excuse...but at least it's true!! So I figure, I'm not going to try to catch you up on everything...just kinda start over from right around now.

We celebrated Easter up in Sacramento with Mike's family. And we had a pretty good time, the kids weren't too impressed with the little easter egg hunt that they threw, but I was pretty happy that they only came away with a little bit of candy!! Sweet Pea ended up finding the golden egg and was given this huge marshmallow lollipop as the grand prize. Pumpkin and Monkey were really bummed that they didn't get one too, but Sweet Pea was kind enough to share it with them.

I just celebrated my 1 year anniversary at CHOMP (stands for Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula) and I guess almost a year as being a licensed PT. I can't believe that it's already been a year...it has just flown by!! And except for a few little scheduling headaches and 3 weeks of light duty because of a neck and back injury...it's been really awesome working there!! I love my co-workers, my supervisor is totally awesome (especially when it comes to having to take off because of your kids), and I have to admit...the hospital is absolutely beautiful and a wonderful place to work!! So I have to admit that I am happy with my career right now:)

Monkey has started t-ball, and I have to say that I didn't think that I would enjoy it so much. I had never grown up around t-ball or softball or baseball (except watching the Blue Jays on tv with my Dad). But I have to admit...that it is so much fun to watch when it's your own kid!! It is just SO cute to watch them at bat and playing around in the field. And I have to admit that Monkey is actually quite a little t-ball player. I mean, I'm not having dreams of being a MLB mom, but he does enjoy playing it, and he's pretty good for a 5 year old. He's actually not using the tee anymore, he can hit some pretty good liners off a pitch. And you guessed it...here are some pictures of him!!

And yes, that is Mike giving him a hi-five...Mike is actually the assistant coach of Monkey's team, and I think he really likes it:)

And believe it or not...I'm actually playing basketball again!! I haven't played in about a year because of a partially torn MCL (in my knee). But I decided to start up again, partially because I really need to get in some sort of shape and partially because I really miss playing!! Also, I have a tournament with my asian women's team this weekend in Sacramento...and I badly needed to get out on the court again. So, after talking to a nurse at my job, I decided to join the Women's League in Salinas...and ended up on a team made up of all the people on the wait list. At first I thought that we were going to be pretty good...but now I have realized that we have a lot of work to do. It is really frustrating to play with people who don't really know how to play, at least up to the level (or part way) that I'm used to playing at. And I'm not talking Div 1 level, I'm talking a fairly decent women's league level. I mean, let's face it...I'm 30...I don't expect to be keeping up to the college kids anymore...sad to admit, but it's true. Anyway, for some reason, we keep practicing plays and these complicated zone defenses during our practices. Now first of all...plays? In a women's league? I mean, even this asian team that I've been playing with for years doesn't run plays...and really, who runs plays with a team with no coach?! But not only that...we have a player who has never played ball before and 3 others that I'm pretty sure have only played high school ball, and then have been playing in women's leagues since then. And when almost half of your team just doesn't get it...running a play during a game is impossible. And yet...we've wasted about 3 practices learning plays...and part of it is my fault...I haven't spoken up...yet. But it's come to the point, and I'm frustrated enough to finally speak my mind. I don't think that we should be running plays, I don't think that we should be running complicated zone defenses...we need to get back to basics people!!! I'm talking give and go's, pass and screen away, pick and roll, how to use a screen, how to cut, how to block out, shell drill...basics!!! It's so frustrating that I'm not even that excited to play with this team...sad, but true!! I mean, I am by no means playing up to the level that I should be playing at...and my shot is just ugly right now...but it's hard to get in to any sort of rhythm when you run down on offense, just to turn right around and have to run back on defense because your team just can't help but turn it over!! I'm just hoping that this weekend, with my normal team will build up my spirits about playing ball again...then maybe I can stop playing down to this women's league level...and start bringing them up to mine.

We just celebrated Sweet Pea's 4th birthday...I can't believe that my baby is actually 4!! We had a birthday party for her at a park by our house. And it actually wasn't too bad. What made all the craziness totally worthwhile was when she ran across the field and threw herself into my arms and whispered in my ear "Mom, thank you SO much for my birthday party!" This was the first birthday party where we invited people outside of our immediate family, and she was so excited that everyone was there just for her. So I wanted to share a few pictures with you...and I have to thank our friend Ron for the majority of the pictures...I was busy making sure everything was moving along smoothly and he just took over as photographer!!

And now to my favorite hobby...scrapbooking!!! I have been a busy bee working for all the creative teams I am on. I'm not going to post all my LOs that I have made since my last post...you can check them out at my Scrapbook Gallery. But here are a few ones that I really like.

Nina Scraps Designs - Live & Love