Dare to Dream {Big}

office closure

It came as quite a shock to have Cory's boss Bill fly in from Atlanta yesterday and announce the closure of the Salt Lake office.  The company needed to cut costs and the board felt like Cory's office and team were an obvious choice.  The Atlanta team voiced their opposition, but to no avail.  It's official.  Cory, Mark, Jeremy and Brian are all unemployed.  What's sad to me is that these guys have worked together off and on for over 15 years.  It's been a strange mixture of emotions the past two days starting with shock, then anger, relief and freedom, excitement and finally uncertainty about the future.

Cory's been in this building for 7 years with three different companies.  I took these photos a couple of years ago and I'm glad I did and I wish I would have taken more.  Keaton loved going to Cory's office to putt the golfball and play foosball.  He used to love drawing on the white board.  Cory and his team made a point of going to their favorite lunch place Cancun Cafe every Monday and we would meet them there once in a while.

Change is always good though.  Here's to the next adventure in Cory's life journey.

monday musings

For Today...June 29th

Outside my Window...my beautiful green backyard is loving the sunshine.  We had to turn the sprinklers back on though.  The grass was burning up!

I am thinking...I am addicted to Twitter!  Seriously!

I am thankful...my two big boys made it home safely from Denver yesterday.

I am going...to help Jacek clean out his closet.  He has so many t-shirts!

From the kitchen this week...making a flag cake (see photo above) for the basketball team bbq on wednesday and maybe potato salad too.  Keaton and I made homemade popsicles this morning.  I am also making buttermilk pancakes for Cory tonight.  

I am still wearing...my pajamas.

I am reading...Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I am hoping...my parents made is safely home from Sedona.

I am still creating...Jacek and Keaton's school pages.  I made some progress last week, but didn't finish them.

I am hearing...Keaton talking while playing his DS game.

Around the house...getting ready for the cleaning crew tomorrow.  

The toy room is a mess again, so I'll have to straighten it up.  Lots of laundry to put away.

One of my favorite things...breakfast food for dinner!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...swimming lessons all week again.  The TV repair guy is coming today.  Keaton has a birthday party tomorrow afternoon.  Some free summer bowling multiple times this week.  Team BBQ on Wednesday and Jacek starts Pump N Run practices again on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  A relaxing 4th of July weekend with some fireworks.

A picture thought I would like to share

My nephew Jordan spent the 4th of July with us four years ago.  We went to a park carnival and he got his face painted.  I thought it was cool.  It seems like both of my boys refused to get their faces painted.  

flashback friday

I was very sad yesterday to hear the news that Farrah Fawcett had passed away after her valiant fight with cancer.  I loved the TV show Charlie's Angels when I was a little girl. There's even a picture of me when I was young with my yellow Charlie's Angles shirt on. (I'll have to find it, scan it and put it on here later.)  I remember being devastated when she didn't come back on the show and Cheryl Ladd took her place.  

And then the news of Farrah's death became quickly overshadowed by the news of Michael Jackson's death hours later.

 

I know he was an odd duck, but the man had something special and became a very bright star. Unfortunately, his light might have been a little too bright.  I remember being in high school when Thriller came out, but the music I listened to most was his 1991 Dangerous album.  We were living in Park City and this was one of the first CD's Cory bought.  I used to exercise on our cross country Nordic Track while listening to this album.  I loved the initial crashing sound of the first song Jam along with the songs Remember the Time and Black & White.

i love these women

This group of women saved my life 10 years ago.  Not my physical life, per se, but more my emotional life and well being.  It was March 1999 and I was teaching preschool with a gal named Sarah Jane.  We became fast friends (cuz I was desperate for friends) and she invited me to attend book club.  I'm sure she was just being polite and probably had no idea how hard I would fall for the idea of being with a group of women once a month.  But I fell and I fell hard.  It was my life blood for a many years.  I looked forward to each month with vim and vigor.  Our group dynamics have ebbed and flowed over the years, losing members and then adding new ones.  But last night, this is the core group that has been together for those 10+ years. I really do love these women. They are all brilliant, funny, compassionate and inspiring in their own ways. 

right now

Keaton wants to earn some extra money so I had him fold the dishcloths and dishrags from the dryer.  He did a really good job too!

birthday preview

I'm still recovering from all the festivities of this weekend, so here's a sneak peek at one of the many treats for the birthday boy.  Fancy Schmancy Cheesecake!  The recipe is courtesy of Bakerella.  Click here for recipe.

monday musings

For Today...June 22nd

Outside my Window...the calendar and the weather are finally in sync with the fact that it's summer!  Happy Summer Solstice yesterday!

I am thinking...the threat of swine flu has passed by our house for the time being.  YAY!

I am thankful...for the wonderful dads that enrich my life and the life of my children.

I am going...to finish the boy's school pages today or tomorrow so I can check that off my list.

From the kitchen this week...I'm tired of cooking today.  I really only have two dinners to worry about until the big boys leave for Denver.  Keaton and I can live on cereal the rest of the week.  (just kidding...maybe!)

I am wearing...black adidas w/yellow stripe crop sweats and white jacket.  This will probably be the last time for a few months that I can wear "warmer" clothes as the temperatures are starting to rise.

I am reading...Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I am hoping...Jacek had a fun birthday yesterday and that Cory had a good father's day.

I am creating...a birthday letter to Jacek who turned 15 yesterday.

I am hearing...the carpet cleaner's noisy motor running in my next door neighbor's driveway and Keaton watching cartoons on TV.

Around the house...finish doing the dishes from this weekend's culinary treats for the birthday/father's day festivities.  Also going to start some laundry to get the big boys ready for their trip on Wednesday.

One of my favorite things...planning birthday surprises!  

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...swimming lessons all week, Jacek and Asia both have haircut appointments and then getting the boys off on their basketball road trip to Denver.  My SIL just called and is coming up on Thursday with the kids and staying with us for a couple of days.  We'll probably go to Lagoon Amusement Park on Friday, which will be fun.

A picture thought I would like to share

One of my favorite birthday surprises for Jacek yesterday was creating a birthday cake from 15 pancakes.  It was yummy.  Cory, Jacek and I all ate some since it was a lot of pancakes.

fifteen

Jacek is fifteen today.

I hope he had a fun day.  

I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Right now I'm tuckered out from all the festivities!  

Happy Birthday Jacek!

I love you!

happy father's day...

to the two best looking guys out on the golf course!

university of utah tournament

Jacek's future high school team signed up for a "camp" at the U of U.  It really wasn't a camp.  It was a basketball tournament against different high schools from the surrounding area.  We didn't have a clue what to expect or what the schedule was going to be until we arrived at the Hunstman Center Arena on Wednesday.  When I inquired of the coaches what the schedule was, I was handed this...

Jacek was on the Junior Varsity team which is the yellow.  It's hard to see, but Skyline played that night at 6:30 p.m. and then 5 more games on Thursday, starting at 8:00 a.m.  YIKES!!  Plus, since we live in the area, it wasn't an overnight camp where the kids stay on-campus.  We drove them back and forth everyday.  It takes about 15-20 minutes to get to the University from our house, so it was a lot of driving.

The campus was beautiful and the weather was cool and gorgeous, so Keaton and I hung outside on the grass in between games.

We also became very familiar with the many gyms they have underneath the campus.  It was really cool and we got to walk down really really long hallways to get back and forth between the gyms.

Keaton did a lot of this...

unless he was cheering really loudly at the team to win or play defense.  (hehehe)  I tried not to shush him too much because it was so darn cute, but a couple of times I had to because his "cheering" was the only thing to be heard in the echoing gym.  :)

I got some really good pictures with my little point and shoot camera.  Usually, if I'm inside, they don't turn out.  But this time I was happy with the results.  Keaton and I were goofing off taking pictures of ourselves and I wish this one wasn't so blurry, but I love it anyway.

The team did pretty well overall.  They were 4-2 for the initial games.  Then they were seated and played Desert Hills yesterday morning at 9:20.  They were asleep for most of that game and finally woke up at the very end to squeak by with a one point victory.  The other team had a chance to tie it with 3 seconds left with a pair of free throws.  He hit the first one, but missed the second one.  It was an exciting finish.

After that game, they had a couple hours in between their next game, so I went to Jamba Juice and bought 5 of the kids a smoothie.  I also bought a Jimmy John sandwich for Jacek and I.  It was something easy to digest, yet nutritious enough to give them some energy.

We played Copper HIlls at 12:30 and they beat us, but it was a good game.

I loved the idea of the camp/tournament.  It was really well run and I loved that there were three referees for every game.  They were at their own camp learning skills and being evaluated.  It was a win/win situation and very smart of the organization.

I liked the group of kids Jacek played with on the JV team.  They moved a couple of kids after the first game, but here's the kids that ended up being the JV team.  Clint, Devin, Garrett, Stays, Jacek, Colton, Alec and Grant.  Jacek overall played really well, I think.  It was a great warm-up before the Denver Tournament next week.  Great Job Skyline!